“The woman who runs the house Phoenix worked in told me. After that it was easy. Only I didn’t expect to find you near death in the alley.” Tora paused. “There’s more, sir, but I should go tell the others you’re awake. They’ve been grieving.”

Shame and gratitude overcame Akitada. “Yes, of course,” he said and watched Tora hurry out of the room before allowing the tears to come to his eyes. Fear of upsetting everyone again made him control himself after a moment. They would only be reassured if he behaved as normally as possible. He could indulge in emotion later when he was alone.

And what of having lost Tamako once again?

He relived for a moment the intense joy he had felt when he had thought of holding her in his arms, having her back, knowing they would never be parted again. He weighed this against the claims of the living and found he was willing to be alive.

That life was also filled with worries and fears did not seem to matter. He looked forward to being again among those he loved and to the challenges that lay ahead. He thought very briefly of the punishment he was likely to receive for having left his post in Kyushu, then put that thought aside.

They came in, one by one, tentative smiles on their faces: Hanae was first, asking, “Is it really true? You’re better? Oh, that’s wonderful? What can I get you? Something to drink? A little broth? There’s a fine fish broth simmering in the kitchen. Could you sip a little of that?”

Akitada smiled at her. “Tora’s given me some water, but I’m still very thirsty.”

“Oh, sir!” she cried, overcome by his reply. She found the water and his cup, filled it, and brought it to him.

He drank, thanked her, then said, “I would like a little of that broth, I think. And maybe a small piece of fish.”

“You shall have them right away,” she cried happily and ran to get the food

The others pressed around him then, Genba, wiping away tears, Saburo having trouble controlling his rolling eye, the boy, grinning widely, the cook and Tamako’s maid who brought Yasuko and Yoshi.

Akitada extended his hand toward his children. They came and knelt beside him.

Yasuko said earnestly, “I’m very glad you’re better, father. Were you very ill?”

He smiled at her. “Never mind that now. You see I’m getting better.”

Yoshi said nothing, but he smiled shyly and extended a sheet of paper. Akitada took it, saw it was covered with large and lopsided characters that seemed to form a letter addressed to him. Yoshi was five and had been practicing his characters under the instruction of Kobe’s tutor. Clearly he had made progress.

But Akitada was getting tired again. “Thank you,” he told Yoshi, tucking the letter inside his robe, and touching the boy’s head. “I’ll read it later.”

He was rescued from doing more by Hanae who bustled in with a tray of food. The others departed, wishing him a speedy recovery. Akitada made an effort to sip some broth and eat a tiny bit of fish. Then he sighed and said, “Enough. Maybe later. Thank you, Hanae.”

In the end, only Tora remained. “You’ve had many visitors,” he informed him. “Lady Akiko was here every day and her husband came several times. And the superintendent checked on you many times, and your friend Nakatoshi was here also. Even his Excellency, the minister himself came to see how you were doing.”

Akitada nodded. “Any official messages?”

“No, sir, but I think the court has been notified of your condition.”

“What about the blind girl?” Akitada was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

Tora grinned. “She’s free. The superintendent took that in hand himself. He ordered a search for Phoenix and Kanemoto and then attended the trial. He told the judge to release Sachi. The judge was furious, but he had no choice. The crowd got angry when he tried to refuse. I wish I could’ve seen it. It must’ve been something. And then they caught the gangster and his girlfriend. She thought the police would let her go, if she told them about Kanemoto killing the gambler Hankei. That’s when Kanemoto informed them that she’d killed the moneylender. Seems she owed him a lot of gold. A fine pair!”

But Akitada’s eyelids had got too heavy and he was already asleep.

31

The Bridge of Dreams

When Akitada awoke next, he was instantly aware that he had rejoined the living and that this was no reason to rejoice. He was in pain and needed to relieve himself. Any effort on his part to rise from his bedding was foiled by excruciating pain in his back and an extraordinary weakness.

And he was alone.

Perhaps it was a sign that he was really getting well, but he could have done with some attention at the moment. He decided to wait.

Tora had been reporting on the case of the blind shampoo girl when he was dozing off. What exactly had he had said? He searched his memory and came up with something about Kobe going to the trial. Surely that had been odd. And yes, Tora had said the girl was free. It sounded as if Kobe had meddled when he should not have done so. Akitada suddenly felt anxious about all these events.

And he really must relieve himself or suffer a shameful accident.

He shouted, “Tora? Saburo?”

Nothing.

Cautiously he rolled on his better side and pulled up his knees. If he could get on his knees, he might be able to stand. His back protested, but with a groan he got to his knees. But getting up was impossible. He felt as limp as a rag, and one of his arms refused to support him..

The door opened.

Tora gasped, “Sir, what are you doing?”

Through gritted teeth, Akitada said, “Going to the privy.”

“But you can’t.”

“Call Genba. The two of you together can get me there. And be quick about it.”

Tora was quick, and Genba followed on his heels. They put their arms around his waist and he put his around their necks. In this manner, they lifted him to his feet. Then they started for the privy, half carrying their master, who was trying not to cry out at each jolt.

Somehow the errand was accomplished, and on the way back Akitada moved his legs a little better and put some of his weight on them. Nevertheless, he was sweating and exhausted when they laid him back down.

“Thanks,” he muttered. “That’s much better.”

Genba grinned. “I expect it is, sir.”

Tora frowned. “What about your back?”

“It’s fine,” Akitada lied.

Hanae joined them then. “I heard you got up, sir,” she said with a smile, setting down a tray with a bowl of steaming gruel.

Akitada blushed. “Oh, some gruel,” he said quickly, “and very welcome, too.”

He was hungry, as it turned out, and ate all of the gruel to the immense pleasure of Tora, Hanae, and Genba, who stood around him, watching him eat.

But there were more trials ahead. The doctor arrived and removed the bandages, leaning over the wounds to sniff them like a hungry dog. “Hmm,” he said with a frown.

“I’m feeling much better,” offered Akitada.

The physician looked at him sadly. “Many patients with such wounds experience dramatic improvements only to die anyway.”

Tora, who had brought the doctor in, snapped, “Don’t say things like that. You probably frightened your patients to death.”

“People are abysmally ignorant,” the doctor said, giving him a dirty look. He began to lay out an amazing number of sharp instruments and knives.

“What are you going to do?” yelped Tora.

“I have to probe the wounds to look for lurking poison.”

“You mean you’re going to cut him open again?”

Akitada felt overlooked in this discussion. He said, “No!” as loudly as he could.

The doctor jumped.

Tora grinned and nodded. “There you are,” he said. “If there’s nothing else you have to offer, you can leave. We’ll take it from here.”

“Well!” The physician sounded deeply offended. “On your head be it! If there’s any seed of poison left in him, he’ll fall into another raving fever and die.” With those ominous words, he gathered his tools into his basket and departed, having first collected his fee.