S H O C H I K U

Kabuki P lay

"THE STORY OF THE FAITHFUL RETAINERS"

(Kana-Tehon- Chushingura)

Third Act Part II

— ------------ Scene o f Bloodshed In the Palace

(Goten- Ninj o -No-Ba ) ----- -------------

TO BE PRESENTED BY

AT THE TOKYO THEATER FROM NOV.

TO NOV. ’47.

The stage represents the co r r id o r in the pa lace .

"A ’ noh’ p lay i s over.

From the en te r ta in ment room the sound o f hand-drums and drums

in c e leb ra t ion o f the peaceful days i s heard.

Lord Naoshige i s in high s p i r i t s . "

" Wakasanosuke peeps in to the i n t e r i o r o f the

palace so as to l i e in w a i t f o r Moronao and take h is l i f e

tucking up the long p leated s k i r t and pu tt ing h is hand on the

sword; he holds h is breath so that the other w arr io rs might not

no t ic e him."

( With music, over there Wakasanosuke wearing h is

ceremonial dress and sma l l sword comes out to the stage-

passage and seems im p a t ien t . )

"Moronao and h is servant no t ice Wakasanosuke at a

d is ta n c e . "

(Just then the screen on the r ig h t i s thrown open

when Moronao wearing a Japanese coat w ith h is la rge fam i ly

c r e s t on i t and a small sword at side comes out, fo l low ed by

Bannai.

Wakasanosuke in a determined mood runs up to the

main stage w ith might and main. Thereupon Bannai deta ins him

in a f l u r r y .

Moronao throws out the s mall sword, p laces h is hands together

on the f l o o r and expresses h is apology to Wakasanosuke, who

puts h is hand, on the h i l t o f h is sword and i s determined to

carry i t through.

Moronao checks him."

Moronao: He l l o, Wakasa-dono!

You’ ve come to th is ca s t le v e ry e a r l y . Well ,

I have to apo log ize to you fo r my rudeness l i k e

th is . By the way, I should l i k e to make an

excuse to you fo r my rudeness l i k e th is .

"Moronao throws out h i s sword and apo log izes to

Wakasanosuke. "

(Meanwhile, on the l e f t Bannai a lso p laces h is

hands toge ther on the f l o o r and apo log izes to

Wakasanosuke tr e m b lin g ly . )

W e l l , Wakasanosuke-dono, p lease l i s t e n to me.

N o wonder you got angry at my rude words at Tsurugaoka.

That ’ s why I ’ m a p o lo g iz in g to you f o r i t .

I ' l l admit i t was a bad s l i p o f my tongue. Look!

Although I 'm a w arr io r , I ' v e placed my hands

toge ther on the f l o o r and am a p o lo g iz in g to you.

P lease f o r g i v e me.

I 'm happy you 're a man of sense. I f you were a

r u f f i a n , I , Moronao, should be put to sword by you.

How h o r r ib l e , how h o r r ib l e !

You see, I 'm ap o log iz in g to you l i k e th is .

Then I placed my hands toge ther in prayer and

saw you o f f . Ha, ha, ha!

P lease f o r g i v e me fo r my o ld age.

- 2 -

3

You see, I ’ ve thrown out my sword and am apo lo g iz in g

to you though I ’ m a w a r r io r .

I don 't think you won't l i s t e n to my apology.

I ' l l apo log ize to you to your s a t i s f a c t i o n .

Here, here, Bannai, won 't you apo log iz e to him?

We're apo log iz ing to you l i k e th i s .

(Both Moronao and Bannai apo log ize to h im.)

"Wakasanosuke does not understand at a l l that

Moronao has said f l a t t e r i n g things to him fo r

money, but h e s i t a t e s to draw h is sword and i s l o s t

in deep thought. From behind the screen Honzo i s

about to come ou t , "

Well , Bannai, Bannai, hasn ' t Enya come to th is ca s t le

yet?

Bannai: No, he hasn ' t y e t come to th is c a s t l e .

Moronao: Unlike Wakasa-dono, he i s an i l l -mannered man.

He hasn ' t showed up y e t .

I t seems he has no c h i e f r e ta in e r who pays pa r t icu la r

a t ten t ion to such matters.

Here, here, Bannai, show th is gentleman to the

l o r d ’ s room.

Now, please come th is way. I ' l l admit I , Moronao,

made a mistake in my estimate o f you. Now, show

him the room, Bannai, Bannai.

4

Wakasa:

Moronao:

Wakasa:

Moronao:

Wakasa:

Moronao:

W e l l , I , W akasanosuke, f e e l b lue.

Say, Bannai, you heard him. He said he i s s ick .

He has a stomachache, I think Bannai, won’ t you

massage h is back?

(Thereupon Bannai massages h is back. Wakasanosuke

thrusts Bannai away. )

Oh, you ’ re mistaken.

Say, Bannai, you heard him. He said we’ re

mistaken. We l l , then, you ’ d b e t ter take a r e s t in

another room f o r a w h i le . I' l l in tercede w ith the

l o r d you.

Say, Bannai, won’ t you take him to another room?

"They f l a t t e r Wakasanosuke, who f e e l s perplexed and

a f t e r cons iderat ion goes to the r i g h t r e s o l u t e l y . "

Since you threw out your sword and apo log ized to

me fo r your rudeness, th is time I ' l l f o r g i v e you,

but you ’ l l have to behave y o u rs e l f h e r e a f t e r .

What a s i l l y w a r r io r ! (Says so sharply and enters

the i n t e r i o r . )

"He en ters the inner room. Meanwhile, Honzo ge ts

r e l i e v e d to see i t and enters the ad jo in in g room."

Bannai, that raw s t r i p l i n g seemed to k i l l me

r e a l l y today. A s i l l y guy i s h o r r ib l e . Anyway

I don 't mind a p o lo g iz in g t o h im fo r money.

5

Bannai:

Moronao:

Bannai:

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangan:

Right you are! Since you 've r ec e iv ed such a

precious g i f t from him, you cou ldn 't he lp a po log iz in g

to him to some extent , I should say.

You go to the i n ner room and be w ith that s i l l y

guy.

Very w e l l .

(Bannai enters the inner room.)

"A f t e r a l i t t l e whi le Hangan Enya passes by

Moronao along the long c o r r id o r .

Moronao c a l l s out to him."

(Moronao i s absorbed in thought. Over there

Hangan wearing a long ceremonious dress and a

small sword w ith a white sheath comes out to the

time o f dancing music along the c o r r id o r .

Moronao takes no t ice o f him. )

You 're very l a t e , you 're very l a t e .

So sorry , so so rry . (Stands at a proper place

on the stage passage.)

D idn 't I t e l l you a wh i le ago that you ought

to come here at seven sharp today?

We l l , I ’ m sorry I 'm l a t e .

However, there i s s t i l l ample time before I go

be fo re the lo rd .

( Comes to the main stage and s i t s on the left . )

6

Moronao:

A while ago one o f my fo l lo w e rs suggested an

idea, so my w i f e Kaoyo handed me t h i s .

P lease take th i s .

"He hands i t to Moronao, who r e c e iv e s i t . "

(Hangan hands a box to Moronao, who r e c e iv e s i t . )

I s e e .

I t must be something to do w ith a poem.

Indeed your w ife i s a b ea u t i fu l and ta len ted

lady . She knows I ' v e got some knowledge of

composing poems, so she wants me to co rrec t her

poem, I suppose.

"He opens i t . "

(Moronao opens the l e t t e r - b o x and sees i t s

c o n te n t s . )

Indeed she w r i t e s a good hand.

We l l , l e t me read her good poem. How deeply I

am attached to my husband, how deeo ly I am

attached to my husband!

(Seems to be in deep thought. )

Gracious me! This i s one o f the l a t e s t hundred

poems.

I wonder why she wants me to co rre c t th is .

"A f t e r much cons iderat ion , he understands that i t

i s a symbol o f h is disappointment in l o v e and she

must have confessed i t to her husband, but he

masters h is anger . "

7

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangan:M

oronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Lord Hakushu, have you read th is poem?

Oh, no; th is i s the f i r s t time I ’ ve heard you

read i t .

We l l , then, did you hear me read i t f o r the

f i r s t time?

Exact ly so.

Your lady i s a devoted w i f e .

She wants me to co rre c t th is poem. She i s a

devoted w i f e , i s n ' t she? I admire her in th is

respec t . No wonder you 're l a t e in coming to th is

c a s t l e . You always confine y o u rs e l f to your house,

so you 've come here l a t e , I should think.

"Hangan does not understand why Moronao has

said such rude words to him c y n ic a l l y ;

Moronao must have said so as a r e su l t of the

t r o u b l e .

Hangan f e e l s angry, but masters h is anger and

t r i e s to d i s t r a c t h im se l f .

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

Moronao-dono, you must be in a happy mood w ith

r i c e -w in e .

I ' l l admit I ' v e drunk some r i c e - wine , but

whether I 'm drunk or sober I know what I 'm

about, Musashinokami , why did you come here la te ?

Did you drink any r ice -w ine?

8

We 11, you s e em to be in a happy mood under the

in f luence o f l iq u o r . Have you confined you rse l f

t o your house?

As f o r Wakasanosuke-dono, he works b e t t e r than you.

Moreover, you lady i s not only a devoted w ife

but a lso a b e a u t i fu l lady and w r i t e s a good hand.

You may well be proud o f her.

Today we 're busy in th is palace, so we oughtn 't

to devote ourselves to p r iv a te a f f a i r s .

However, you only think o f your w i f e .

Oh, th is i s a poem that I ' v e composed. I f you

look a f t e r your home so much as to be l a t e here,

you 'd b e t t e r not come to th is c a s t l e .

Generally speaking, such a warr ior as you who

shut y ou rs e l f up in your house i s c a l l e d a

g ib e l in the w e l l a l l e g o r i c a l l y . L is ten to me.

I t ' l l be a good lesson to you.

The g ib e l thinks there i s no b e t t e r place than

the w e l l which i s three or four f e e t deep and when

the water o f the w e l l i s pumped, such a kind-

hearted w arr io r as I w i l l take p i t y on i t and

l e t i t go in a la rge r i v e r .

However, since i t has seen nothing o f the world;

i t ' l l swim about happily t i l l i t ' l l , lo se i t s way,

bump against a p i l e of the br idge and die on the

spot. That 's the f a t e o f the g ib e l .

9

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

(Thereupon Hangan expresses h is anger in various

ways . )

Oh, oh, you 've lo s t your temper. Now you look

ex ac t ly l i k e a g ib e l . This i s the f i r s t time I ,

Moronao, have seen a g ib e l w e a r in g a ceremonious dress.

A g ib e l , a g i b e l , a g ib e l !

You 're a g ib e l , a g i b e l ----a g ib e l warr ior .

Ha, ha, ha, h a !

"Moronao f o o l s Hangan to the top o f h is bent.

Hangan loses h is temper."

You've ca l l ed me bad names up to now.

You’ ve compared me ----- Takasada Hangan Enya---- t o

a f i s h .

Have you l o s t your head, have you become crazy,

Musashinokami?

(Hangan says so s t e rn ly . Musashinokami a ls o gets

angry . )

S i lence!

Don't t a lk nonsense!

You see, I 'm the c h ie f r e ta in e r Moronao Kono.

How could I become crazy?

We l l , then, did you c a l l me names in earnest, today?

Of course I said so in earnest; I can assure you.

I f I had said so in earnest, what would you do?

Hm, i f you said so in earnest? (Puts h i s hand

on the h i l t o f h is sword and expresses h is

de t e rm in a t io n . )

Hangan:

10

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangon:

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Here i s the pa lace .

( c l a ps h is h a n d s . )

So sorry . (Draws back to h is former place and f a l l s

p ros tra te . )

Oh, are you going to k i l l me? Sound i n t e r e s t in g

K i l l me. Now k i l l me.

(Gradually Moronao draws c lose to Hangan and leans

against h is l a p . )

Now do anything you l i k e , Hangan Enya.

(Hangan seems to be at a loss what to d o . )

Oh, I d id n ' t mean to do such a th ing .

I ' l l apo log ize to you f o r having made you angry.

(Helps Moronao to h is f e e t . )

Wi l l you kindly gi v e me in s t ru c t ion s so that I sh a l l

be able to act success fu l l y as en te r ta in e r today?

(Moronao cuts him s h o r t . )

Oh, I don 't know, I d on ' t know. Shut up!

I say, I don 't know. (Says so in a loud v o i c e .

Hangan seems to be v e x a t io u s . )

Pshaw! (Clenches h is f i s t s and expresses his

m o r t i f i c a t i o n . )

What are you g o in ' to do with the hands?

These hands!

Those hands!

11

Hangan :

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangan:

Moronao:

Hangan:

I ' l l pl a ce these hands together on the f l o o r

and apo log ize to you. (Bows to Moronao v e x a t i o u s l y . )

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ! You ought to do so.

Wel l , I ' l l g ive a l l the ins truc t ion o f today 's

ceremony and manne rs .

Oh, I ' m glad you 've pardoned me.

Wi l l you kind ly g iv e in s tru c t ions to me?

Oh, no; to Wakasa-dono. I f you 're so much absorbed

in look ing a f t e r your home, you b e t t e r go home.

You need n ' t come to th is c a s t l e . Wakasa-dono w i l l

do so a lone.

I ' l l ask the lo rd to r e l i e v e you of the po s t .

You may go home I , Moronao, w i l l in te rcede with

him fo r you. (R ises to h is f e e t . )

W e l l , I ’ l l g ive in s t ru c t ion s to Waksa-dono.

(Goes. Just then Hangan suddenly loses h is temper,

s i t s on the s k i r t o f Moronao's long p la ted s k i r t and

puts h is hand on the sword.)

Musashinokami , w a i t !

Have you got anything e ls e to want with me?

(Turns round.)

Oh, what I want w ith you i s h is . (Stabs at

Moronao. Just then from the i n t e r i o r comes out

Honzo and holds Hangan back.

- 12

Fol low ing him, a l l the daimyos and Bannai come

out, look a f t e r Moronao ana take him to the room

on the r i g h t . )

"There occurs a commotion".

(An orchestra s t a r t s . )

CURTAIN