Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/454

366 The Tartar General cried aloud: "Think you that the love of our King for Madame Kwasei is genuine? Nay, it is all a pretence. His real object in asking for her, was that he might destroy the unborn heir to the Ming throne. Lord Ri Tōten gouged out his eye as a sign of allegiance to our King, and we have hastened therefore to attack you. Say! General Go Sankei! Will you take the Emperor and Madame Kwasei prisoners and surrender yourself to us with them?"

"Pshaw!" retorted Go Sankei angrily, "so you barbarians wish to destroy the 'Great Light' dynasty which has ruled over this country for at least two centuries. You might as easily try to destroy a huge whale! Your best course is to turn and flee for your lives."

But his troops numbered scarcely more than one hundred men. It was impossible to fight against such tremendous odds. He gnashed his teeth and clenched his fists in mortification.

His wife Ryūka now appeared, bearing their infant on one arm, and leading Madame Kwasei by the other hand.

"Alas! Madame," she said, bursting into tears. "The Court nobles and ministers of state, down to