Read Online Shogun (The Asian Saga Chronology) by James Clavell - Free Book Online

Spear warmly encased before sleeping, and anyway, all the preparations had been made.
    "No!" Blackthorne wanted only to sleep.  But because he knew that he needed this man on his side he forced a smile, indicated the crucifix.  "You're a Christian?"
    Mura nodded.  "Christian."
    "I'm Christian."
    "Father say not.  Not Christian."
    "I'm a Christian.  Not a Catholic.  But I'm still Christian."
    But Mura could not understand.  Neither was there any way Blackthorne could explain, however much he tried.
    "Want onna? "
    "The—the dimyo—when come?"
    "Dimyo?  No understand."
    "Dimyo—ah, I mean daimyo. "
    "Ah, daimyo. Hai. Daimyo! " Mura shrugged.  " Daimyo come when come.  Sleep.  First clean.  Please."
    "What?"
    "Clean.  Bath, please."
    "I don't understand."
    Mura came closer and crinkled his nose distastefully.
    "Stinku.  Bad.  Like all Portugeezu.  Bath.  This clean house."
    "I'll bathe when I want and I don't stink!"  Blackthorne fumed.  "Everyone knows baths are dangerous.  You want me to catch the flux?  You think I'm God-cursed stupid?  You get the hell out of here and let me sleep!"
    "Bath!"  Mura ordered, shocked at the barbarian's open anger—the height of bad manners.  And it was not just that the barbarian stank, as indeed he did, but he had not bathed correctly for three days to his knowledge, and the courtesan quite rightly would refuse to pillow with him, however much the fee.  These awful foreigners, he thought.  Astonishing!  How astoundingly filthy their habits are!  Never mind.  I'm responsible for you.  You will be taught manners.  You will bathe like a human being, and Mother will know that which she wants to know.  "Bath!"
    "Now get out before I snap you into pieces!"  Blackthorne glowered at him, motioning him away.
    There was a moment's pause and the other three Japanese appeared along with three of the women.  Mura explained curtly what was the matter, then said with finality to Blackthorne, "Bath.  Please."
    "Out!"
    Mura came forward alone into the room.  Blackthorne shoved out his arm, not wanting to hurt the man, just to push him away.  Suddenly Blackthorne let out a bellow of pain.  Somehow Mura had chopped his elbow with the side of his hand and now Blackthorne's arm hung down, momentarily paralyzed.  Enraged, he charged.  But the room spun and he was flat on his face and there was another stabbing, paralyzing pain in his back and he could not move.  ''By God . . ."
    He tried to get up but his legs buckled under him.  Then Mura calmly put out his small but iron-hard finger and touched a nerve center in Blackthorne's neck.  There was a blinding pain.
    "Good sweet Jesus . . ."
    "Bath?  Please?"
    "Yes—yes," Blackthorne gasped through his agony, astounded that he had been overcome so easily by such a tiny man and now lay helpless as any child, ready to have his throat cut.
    Years ago Mura had learned the arts of judo and karate as well as how to fight with sword and spear.  This was when he was a warrior and fought for Nakamura, the peasant general, the Taikō—long before the Taikō had become the Taikō—when peasants could be samurai and samurai could be peasants, or craftsmen or even lowly merchants, and warriors again.  Strange, Mura thought absently, looking down at the fallen giant, that almost the first thing the Taikō did when he became all powerful was to order all peasants to cease being soldiers and at once give up all weapons.  The Taikō had forbidden them weapons forever and set up the immutable caste system that now controlled all the lives in all the empire:  samurai above all, below them the peasants, next craftsmen, then the merchants followed by actors, outcasts, and bandits, and finally at the bottom of the scale, the eta , the nonhumans, those who dealt with dead bodies, the curing of leather and handling of dead animals, who were also the public executioners, branders, and mutilators.  Of course, any barbarian was beneath