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88 HONDA THE SAMURAI.
manently on her soil, nor has she been invaded from
Europe or Asia. You will understand the reason of
it better by-and-by, but I
may say that our political
affairs have always taken the form of a dualism or
double government. In the early ages the power
was divided between the Mikado and the nobles, or
princes, who held land and ruled the aborigines in
various parts of the empire. Then for hundreds of
years the two great families, the HeM and Gen, divided
the country between their red and white banners.
After that, for now nearly seven hundred
years, the military and the civil government, or as
we say, the camp at Yedo and the throne at Kyoto,
have held the balance of power. Our system
is like
a pair of Dutch scales."
" Or a well-loaded pack-horse ? "
" Yes, exactly. Now, if the foreigners from
Europe and America come, that balance will be
disturbed."
" Why, father, I saw a man carrying home a keg
of fish-sauce to-day on his shoulder-pole. He put
the brand-new keg in the rope-net on one side, and
then, to make the weight even on the other net he
laid in it a big stone. He had to increase the burden
in order to equalize the weight. Now I want
to ask two more questions."
" Ask them."
"Thank you. First, then, is our country burdened
and weakened by having the power equalized,
by having the weight of government in two
places, and these hundreds of miles apart " ?