Tales of Old Japan - Maybe You Like It

I am taking care of myself; so for a day or two I shall not be able to start.
Pray be so good as to let the others know this."
Rokurobei, seeing that there was no help for it, went back to the village
of Funabashi and communicated to the others what had occurred.
They were all indignant at what they looked upon as the cowardly defection
of a man who had spoken so fairly, but resolved that the conduct of
one man should not influence the rest, and talked themselves into the belief
that the affair which they had in hand would be easily put through;
so they agreed with one accord to start and present the petition, and,
having arrived at Yedo, put up in the street called Bakurochô. But although
they tried to forward their complaint to the various officers of
their lord, no one would listen to them; the doors were all shut in their
faces, and they had to go back to their inn, crestfallen and without
success.
On the following day, being the 18th of the month, they all met together
at a tea-house in an avenue, in front of a shrine of Kwannon Sama; 74
and having held a consultation, they determined that, as they could hit
upon no good expedient, they would again send for Sôgorô to see
whether he could devise no plan. Accordingly, on the 19th, Rokurobei
and one Jiuyémon started for the village of Iwahashi at noon, and arrived
the same evening.
Now the village chief Sôgorô, who had made up his mind that the
presentation of this memorial was not a matter to be lightly treated,
summoned his wife and children and his relations, and said to them—
"I am about to undertake a journey to Yedo, for the following reasons:—Our
present lord of the soil has increased the land-tax, in rice and
the other imposts, more than tenfold, so that pen and paper would fail to
convey an idea of the poverty to which the people are reduced, and the
peasants are undergoing the tortures of hell upon earth. Seeing this, the
chiefs of the various villages have presented petitions, but with what result
is doubtful. My earnest desire, therefore, is to devise some means of
escape from this cruel persecution. If my ambitious scheme does not succeed,
then shall I return home no more; and even should I gain my end,
it is hard to say how I may be treated by those in power. Let us drink a
cup of wine together, for it may be that you shall see my face no more. I
give my life to allay the misery of the people of this estate. If I die, mourn
not over my fate; weep not for me."
Having spoken thus, he addressed his wife and his four children, instructing
them carefully as to what he desired to be done after his death,
74.A Buddhist deity.
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