“Ah yes! Pirates. I’ll come back to piracy in a moment. You say both your sects are Christian, both venerate Jesus the Christ? Isn’t the essence of his teaching ‘to love one another’?”
“Yes.”
“Then how can you be enemies?”
“Their faith—their version of Christianity is a false interpretation of the Scriptures.”
“Ah! At last we’re getting somewhere. So you’re at war through a difference of opinion about what is God or not God?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a very stupid reason to go to war.”
Blackthorne said, “I agree.” He looked at the priest. “I agree with all my heart.”
“How many ships are in your fleet?”
“Five.”
“And you were the senior pilot?”
“Yes.”
“Where are the others?”
“Out to sea,” Blackthorne said carefully, continuing his lie, presuming that Toranaga had been primed to ask certain questions by Alvito. “We were split up in a storm and scattered. Where exactly I don’t know, Sire.”
“Your ships were English?”
“No, Sire. Dutch. From Holland.”
“Why is an Englishman in charge of Dutch ships?”
“That’s not unusual, Sire. We’re allies—Portuguese pilots sometimes lead Spanish ships and fleets. I understand Portuguese pilots con some of your oceangoing ships by law.”
“There are no Dutch pilots?”
“Many, Sire. But for such a long voyage English are more experienced.”
“But why you? Why did they want you to lead their ships?”
“Probably because my mother was Dutch and I speak the language fluently and I’m experienced. I was glad of the opportunity.”
“Why?”
“This was my first opportunity to sail into these waters. No English ships were planning to come so far. This was a chance to circumnavigate.”
“You yourself, Pilot, you joined the fleet because of your religion and to war against your enemies Spain and Portugal?”
“I’m a pilot, Sire, first and foremost. No one English or Dutch has been in these seas before. We’re primarily a trading fleet, though we’ve letters of marque to attack the enemy in the New World. We came to Japan to trade.”
“What are letters of marque?”
“Legal licenses issued by the Crown—or government—giving authority to war on the enemy.”
“Ah, and your enemies are here. Do you plan to war on them here?”
“We did not know what to expect when we got here, Sire. We came here only to trade. Your country’s almost unknown—it’s legend. The Portuguese and Spanish are very closemouthed about this area.”
“Answer the question: Your enemies are here. Do you plan to war on them here?”
“If they war on me. Yes.”
Toranaga shifted irritably. “What you do at sea or in your own countries is your own affair. But here there is one law for all and foreigners are in our land by permission only. Any public mischief or quarrel is dealt with immediately by death. Our laws are clear and will be obeyed. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sire. But we come in peace. We came here to trade. Could we discuss trade, Sire? I need to careen my ship and make repairs—we can pay for everything. Then there’s the ques—”
“When I wish to discuss trade or anything else I will tell you. Meanwhile please confine yourself to answering the questions. So you joined the expedition to trade, for profit, not because of duty or loyalty? For money?”
“Yes. It’s our custom, Sire. To be paid and to have a share of all plun—of all trade and all enemy goods captured.”
“So you’re a mercenary?”
“I was hired as senior pilot to lead the expedition. Yes.” Blackthorne could feel Toranaga’s hostility but he did not understand why. What did I say that was wrong? Didn’t the priest say I’d assassinate myself?
“It’s a normal custom with us, Toranaga-sama,” he said again.
Toranaga started conversing with Hiro-matsu and they exchanged views in obvious agreement. Blackthorne thought he could see disgust in their faces. Why? Obviously it has something to do with “mercenary,” he thought. What’s wrong with that? Isn’t everyone paid? How else do you make enough money to live on? Even if you’ve inherited land, you still—
“You said earlier you came here to trade peacefully,” Toranaga was saying. “Why then do you carry so many guns and so much powder, muskets and shot?”
“Our Spanish and Portuguese enemies are very powerful and strong, Lord Toranaga. We have to protect ourselves and—”
“You’re saying your arms are merely defensive?”
“No. We use them not only to protect ourselves but to attack our enemies. And we produce them in abundance for trade, the best quality arms in the world. Perhaps we could trade with you in these, or in the other goods we carried.”
“What is a pirate?”
“An outlaw. A man who rapes, kills, or plunders for personal profit.”
“Isn’t that the same as mercenary? Isn’t that what you are? A pirate and the leader of pirates?”
“No. The truth is my ships have letters of marque from the legal rulers of Holland authorizing us to carry the war into all seas and places dominated up to now by our enemies. And to find markets for our goods. To the Spanish—and most Portuguese—yes, we’re pirates, and religious heretics, but I repeat, the truth is we’re not.”
Father Alvito finished translating, then began to talk quietly but firmly, direct to Toranaga.
I wish to God I could talk as directly, Blackthorne thought, cursing. Toranaga glanced at Hiro-matsu and the old man put some questions to the Jesuit, who answered lengthily. Then Toranaga returned to Blackthorne and his voice became even more severe.
“Tsukku-san says that these ‘Dutchlands’—the Netherlands—were vassals of the Spanish king up to a few years ago. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Therefore the Netherlands—your allies—are in a state of rebellion against their lawful king?”
“They’re fighting against the Spaniard, yes. But—”
“Isn’t that rebellion? Yes or no?”
“Yes. But there are mitigating circumstances. Serious miti—”
“There are no ‘mitigating circumstances’ when it comes to rebellion against a sovereign lord.”
“Unless you win.”
Toranaga looked intently at him. Then laughed uproariously. He said something to Hiro-matsu through his laughter and Hiro-matsu nodded.
“Yes, Mister Foreigner with the impossible name, yes. You named the one mitigating factor.” Another chuckle, then the humor vanished as suddenly as it had begun. “Will you win?”
“Hai.”
Toranaga spoke again but the priest didn’t translate at once. He was smiling peculiarly, his eyes fixed on Blackthorne. He sighed and said, “You’re very sure?”
“Is that what he said or what you’re saying?”
“Lord Toranaga said that. My—he said that.”
“Yes. Tell him yes, I’m very sure. May I please explain why?”
Father Alvito talked to Toranaga, for much longer than it took to translate that simple question. Are you as calm as you make out? Blackthorne wanted to ask him. What’s the key that’ll unlock you? How do I destroy you?
Toranaga spoke and took a fan out of his sleeve.
Father Alvito began translating again with the same eerie unfriendliness, heavy with irony. “Yes, Pilot, you may tell me why you think you will win this war.”