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AT THE BIG GOLD-FISH. 211
bamboospears, or shot arrows at targets until they
felt themselves invincible.
There were some who clearly foresaw that the
" barbarians
" must be fought with their own weapons
;
but how to get the weapons was the question.
They were clearly of the opinion that in folly
it was
a painful illustration of the old " proverb, On seeing
the enemy, to sharpen arrows." Since, however,
they could not at once buy ships, guns, and arms
equal to those of the Americans, and instantly train
men to use them, their next best thing was to study
European books. Influence was brought upon the
government to release from prison Egawa, a man who
had been arrested for learning of the Dutch at Nagasaki
how to make and use firearms. By a decree
which allowed further concessions to the advocates
of progress, an office was opened "for the
examination
of barbarian books." This was the tiny germ
of the present magnificent Imperial University of
Tokyo.
"How my uncle Rai Goro will rejoice when he
hears of this patronage of the Dutch language by
the curtain government He ! imagines also that
the counterfeit dynasty of Tokugawa can save the
country, but I don't," said Honda.
"Nor I," said Ban. "Tokugawa
is a nest of robbers
like that of the Buddhist priests that used to
kill and rob their dupes
in the name of salvation on
this very ground."
"
What ! how " ? asked Honda.
my Echizen friend, have you never heard
" Why
!