A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

2^6 Japanese Miscellany
place ; but seen as I beheld it that summer day,
it is a fairy-city, built out of mist and dreams. . . .
" Twenty-two years ago," said Heishichi, wip-
ing his forehead— " no, twenty-three years ago,
— I stood here, and saw the city burn."
" At night ? " 1 queried.
" No," said the old man, "it was in the after-
noon — a wet day. . . . They were fighting ; and
the city was on fire."
" Who were fighting ?
" "
" The soldiers in the castle were fighting with
the Satsuma men. We dug holes in the ground
and sat in them, to escape the balls. The Sat-
suma men had cannons on the hill; and the
soldiers in the castle were shooting at them over
our heads. The whole city was burned."
" But how did you happen to be here .'
"1 ran away. I ran as far as this bridge, —
all by myself. I thought that I could get to my
brother's farm — about seven miles from here.
But they stopped me."
" Who stopped you ?
" Satsuma men, — 1 don't know who they were.
As I got to the bridge I saw three peasants — I
thought they were peasants — leaning over the
"