Free The Golden Country by Shusaku Endo Page A

faces and the most precious.
Gennosuke enters with tea. Inoue stares at him.
    HIRATA: But it's still all imagination. I can only believe what I see.
    INOUE: Gennosuke, your hand is shaking.
    GENNOSUKE: It's nothing.
The clock strikes. Far off a wailing voice is heard.
    INOUE: What's the matter, Gennosuke? Are you frightened by Tomonaga's wails?
    GENNOSUKE: I can't bear to hear them.
    INOUE: He's a brave man. He's been hanging there for almost a day, but he won't give in. And he won't tell us where Ferreira is hiding. He's a samurai among samurai. His kind are rare these days.
Gennosuke hurries out of the room Inoue and Hirata silently drink their tea. Occasionally Tomonaga's cries break the silence.
    INOUE (as if to himself): Torture. Inflict pain. Shed blood.... I'm sick of all this.
    HIRATA: What did you say?
    INOUE: Nothing.... What are you thinking of?
    HIRATA: I was just looking at this painting ... at this face that you call the most beautiful and most precious.
    INOUE: Yes?
    HIRATA: Man's a very strange creature. When he hears that it's the most beautiful face, he feels an urge to defile it. When he hears that it's the most precious face, he wants to spit on it. When I look at this painting, I am filled with such desires.
    INOUE: Have you ever had any unpleasant experiences?
    HIRATA: No, never. I know I'm foul.
He laughs, but suddenly stops.
    HIRATA: Who's that?
    TOME: It's me. I came to tell you that a farmer of the village has something to say to you.
    HIRATA: Is that right? The plan's going very well indeed.
He lowers his voice and speaks to Inoue.
    HIRATA: Everything is working out according to your scheme.
    INOUE: I knew it would ... from the moment I saw Gennosuke's face a while ago.
Kasuke staggers drunkenly onstage and falls to his knees.
    HIRATA: You know where Ferreira is hiding?
    KASUKE: Yes.
    HIRATA: So you know where he's hiding! Tell me at once. He's in your village after all, isn't he?
    KASUKE: Not in the village itself.
    HIRATA: Then outside of the village?
    KASUKE: You might certainly say so-but that covers a lot of ground.
    HIRATA: You're drunk.
    KASUKE: Yes, forgive me. I could never have come here to the bureau on my own strength. So on my way to Nagasaki I stopped for some sak é .
    HIRATA: Don't come so close to me. You stink. All right then, where's Ferreira?
    KASUKE: If I tell you...
    HIRATA: You'll get a large reward.
    KASUKE: Besides the reward, will you let Lord Tomonaga go?
    HIRATA: Yes. If you ask the bureau to save the life of Tomonaga, it'll certainly be saved.
    KASUKE: Thank you. One more request.
    HIRATA: Still another?
    KASUKE: I ask you not to bother the farmers of the village.
    HIRATA: What do you mean?
    KASUKE: Not to have the farmers come to the bureau the day after tomorrow to step on the fumi-e.
    HIRATA: All right. All right. I'll grant you that too. After all, you're all very busy in the fields. Now tell us where Ferreira is.
    KASUKE: To tell the truth, I was afraid I'd be badly treated here. So I stopped off for some sake to give me courage.
    HIRATA: You've already told us that.
    KASUKE: I had no idea you were all so understanding here in the bureau. When I get back to my village, I'll tell them not to worry ... that everyone here is very kind.
    HIRATA: Fine, fine. Now hurry and tell us.
    KASUKE: A moment ago you mentioned a reward.... What kind of reward?
    HIRATA: Certainly enough to pay for your sak é on the way home.
    KASUKE: That's no reward. This is the first time in my life I've ever had this much sak é . I usually drink very little. To tell you the truth, I expected to be given a rough time here. So I stopped to drink some sak é for strength. But this is fine! I never thought you were such understanding people. When I get back to the village, I'll tell them not to worry, that you're all fine fellows. Sir, please tell me your name.
    HIRATA: What difference does it make?
    KASUKE: No, no. You must tell me. From now on, whenever there's any problem in the village, I know