Shōgun

“No, Eminence. Kyushu will be Christian whoever wins,” Soldi said confidently, wanting to cheer up his superior. “This island can wait for God’s good time. There’s more than enough to do in Kyushu, Eminence, isn’t there? Three million souls to convert, half a million of the faithful to minister to. Then there’s Nagasaki and trade. They must have trade. Ishido and Toranaga will tear themselves to pieces. What does that matter? They’re both anti-Christ, pagans and murderers.”

“Yes. But unfortunately what happens in Osaka and Yedo controls Kyushu. What to do, what to do?” Dell’Aqua pushed his melancholy away. “What about the Ingeles? Where’s he now?”

“Still under guard in the donjon.”

“Leave me for a while, old friend, I have to think. I have to decide what to do. Finally. The Church is in great danger.” Dell’Aqua looked out the windows into the forecourt. Then he saw Friar Perez approaching.

Soldi went to the door to intercept the monk. “No,” the Father-Visitor said. “I’ll see him now.”

“Ah, Eminence, good afternoon,” Friar Perez said, scratching unconsciously. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes. Please fetch the letter, Soldi.”

“I heard your chapel was destroyed,” the monk said.

“Damaged. Please sit down.” Dell’Aqua sat in his high-backed chair behind the desk, the monk opposite him. “No one was hurt, thanks be to God. Within a few days it’ll be new again. What about your Mission?”

“Untouched,” the monk said with open satisfaction. “There were fires all around us after the tremors and many died but we weren’t touched. The Eye of God watches over us.” Then he added cryptically, “I hear heathens were murdering heathens in the castle last night.”

“Yes. One of our most important converts, the Lady Maria, was killed in the melee.”

“Ah yes, I got reports too. ‘Kill him, Yoshinaka,’ the Lady Maria said, and started the bloodbath. I heard she even tried to kill a few herself, before she committed suicide.”

Dell’Aqua flushed. “You don’t understand anything about the Japanese after all this time, and you even speak a little of their language.”

“I understand heresy, stupidity, killing, and political interference, and I speak the pagan tongue very well. I understand a lot about these heathens.”

“But not about manners.”

“The Word of God requires none. It is the Word. Oh, yes. I also understand about adultery. What do you think of adultery—and harlots, Eminence?”

The door opened. Soldi offered dell’Aqua the Pope’s letter, then left them.

The Father-Visitor gave the paper to the monk, savoring his victory. “This is from His Holiness. It arrived yesterday by special messenger from Macao.”

The monk took the Papal Order and read it. This commanded, with the formal agreement of the King of Spain, that all priests of all religious orders were in future to travel to Japan only via Lisbon, Goa, and Macao, that all were forbidden on pain of immediate excommunication to go from Manila direct to Japan, and that lastly, all priests, other than Jesuits, were to leave Japan at once for Manila whence they could, if their superiors wished, return to Japan, but only via Lisbon, Goa, and Macao.

Friar Perez scrutinized the seal and the signature and the date, reread the Order carefully, then laughed derisively and shoved the letter on the desk. “I don’t believe it!”

“That’s an Order from His Holiness the—”

“It’s another heresy against the Brethren of God, against us, or any mendicants who carry the Word to the heathen. With this device we’re forbidden Japan forever, because the Portuguese, abetted by certain people, will prevaricate forever and never grant us passage or visas. If this is genuine it only proves what we’ve been saying for years: Jesuits can subvert even the Vicar of Christ in Rome!”

Dell’Aqua held on to his temper. “You’re ordered to leave. Or you will be excommunicated.”

“Jesuit threats are meaningless, Eminence. You don’t speak with the Tongue of God, you never have, you never will. You’re not soldiers of Christ. You serve a Pope, Eminence, a man. You’re politicians, men of the earth, men of the fleshpots with your pagan silks and lands and power and riches and influence. The Lord Jesus Christ came to earth in the guise of a simple man who scratched and went barefoot and stank. I will never leave—nor will my Brothers!”

Dell’Aqua had never been so angry in his life. “You-will-leave-Japan!”

“Before God, I won’t! But this is the last time I’ll come here. If you want me in future, come to our Holy Mission, come and minister to the poor and the sick and the unwanted, like Christ did. Wash their feet like Christ did, and save your own soul before it’s too late.”

“You are commanded on pain of excommunication to leave Japan at once.”

“Come now, Eminence, I’m not excommunicated and never will be. Of course I accept the document, unless it’s out of date. This is dated September 16, 1598, almost two years ago. It must be checked, it’s far too important to accept at once—and that will take four years at least.”

“Of course it’s not out of date!”