The Golden Country (11 page)

The scene is the same as the previous. The time is the following day.

HIRATA: What's happened? He hasn't groaned for some time.

Gennosuke brings a box onstage and takes from it a
fumi-e.

HIRATA: You're not feeling well?

GENNOSUKE: I feel terrible.

HIRATA: What's the matter?

GENNOSUKE: You told me once that if I continued in this job I'd come to mistrust everything.

HIRATA: Did I? I don't remember. But to suspect every man we meet of being a thief is part of our job. Suspicion and mistrust of people eventually become part of our nature.

GENNOSUKE: I've lost all faith in everyone.

HIRATA: Even in Inoue and myself?

GENNOSUKE: Who was it that promised that when Father Ferreira would be found, Lord Tomonaga would be released from the pit?

HIRATA: Why do you ask?

GENNOSUKE: Ferreira was found, but Lord Tomonaga died in the pit this morning.

HIRATA: It couldn't be helped. When we went down to release him, he was already dead. That too is proper punishment for the stubbornness of the rebellious Christians.

GENNOSUKE: Not at all. You killed him.

HIRATA: There are things that may be said and others that had better be left unsaid.

GENNOSUKE: You've hated Lord Tomonaga for a long time. I know that. It wasn't because you suspected him in your official capacity. It was out of envy that you took such drastic revenge.

HIRATA: Perhaps you're right. Perhaps you're not. But what difference does it make? When I see that kind of hypocrite I can't stand it. I can't trust a man who is wholly intoxicated with an ideal, whether it be the ideal of a samurai or of loyalty to a person or a creed. I hate all drunks. But I don't expect you to be able to understand this feeling. And it's all right if you don't. All you need to know is that Tomonaga was a Christian, and for that reason was executed.

GENNOSUKE: I don't think that was the real reason.

HIRATA: If you keep on talking like this, you'll be suspected of being a Christian too. Hurry and lay out the
fumi-e
and call the farmers in here.

Hirata, laughing, leaves the room. An official enters.

OFFICIAL: Is everything ready?

GENNOSUKE: Yes. A most unpleasant job. Won't you bring in the farmers? . . .No, first bring in Lord Tomonaga's daughter, Yuki, please.

OFFICIAL: A job is a job. There are times when we must close our eyes.

He exits.

GENNOSUKE: Everything is black, everything. Filthy. And I'm gradually becoming accustomed to the filth. That's what frightens me.

Yuki enters, followed by a guard.

GENNOSUKE
(to the guard):
Excuse me, but will you please assemble the farmers over there?

Guard leaves.

GENNOSUKE: I'm very sorry for this. You must have had a very hard day.

YUKI: Father? Where's father?

GENNOSUKE: Lord Tomonaga is safe. He must be receiving treatment for his wounds.

YUKI: Treatment for his wounds?

GENNOSUKE: No, no, nothing for you to worry about.

YUKI: I want to see him at once.

GENNOSUKE: You'll certainly be able to see him tomorrow. No need to worry about him. Instead, there's a favor I'd like to ask of you.

YUKI: A favor of me?

GENNOSUKE: Yes. In a moment they will bring out the
fumi-e
to step on.

YUKI: That's what I've been expecting. The torture.

GENNOSUKE: I beg of you, when the time comes, please value your life above everything.

YUKI: Above everything?

GENNOSUKE: Just today, close your eyes and step on the
fumi-e.
It's not in objects such as this that your faith lies. Your faith is in your heart. This carved plaque made by some nameless craftsman in Nagasaki isn't really the face of the one in whom you believe. Even if you step on it, you won't soil your soul.

In the meantime Hirata has entered and is listening to their conversation from a corner of the room

YUKI: But all the same ...

GENNOSUKE: But all the same, what?

YUKI: But all the same, it's frightening ... to step on a face that resembles that precious face.

GENNOSUKE: Resembles? Perhaps. But nothing more. Besides, I'm sure that even a Christian would never be punished for stepping on such a thing.

YUKI: It's not a question of punishment. But I feel I'd be defiling the one in whom I believe with all my heart.

GENNOSUKE: But if by stepping on this
fumi-e
you can continue secretly to practice your faith for a longer time, I'm sure your God would also rejoice. Isn't that true?

YUKI: If anyone else were speaking these words, I'd refuse to listen. But when you speak in this way, I don't know what to do.

GENNOSUKE: I don't know either. But I want to do whatever I can, Yuki.

YUKI: But to step on the
fumi-e
is to betray Father Ferreira and the other Christians. I can't do that.

GENNOSUKE: I forget all my embarrassment and make this plea to you. For a long time I've been in love with you. I never thought that I'd be in the position to force you to step on the dread
fumi-e.
Please step on it. Step on it and live, for my sake.

YUKI: What shall I do? I'm just an ignorant girl. In my head everything is all mixed up. Your words and the practice of my faith. Please don't say anything more.

GENNOSUKE: What is important is not form but spirit. Please consider if it isn't possible to continue to practice your faith secretly, even though you step on the
fumi-e.

HIRATA: Gennosuke, is everything ready? Did you bring out the
fumi-e?
Oh, Yuki. Thank you for coming all the way to our bureau. You may be sure that no harm will come to you. No harm.

He laughs.

HIRATA: Bring in the farmers.

Kasuke, Mokichi, Hisaichi, other farmers, both men and women, enter.

HIRATA: Are you all set? Christianity has been severely forbidden in Japan. The edict forbidding it has been made known to all, and samurai as well as farmers are bound to its observation. You have violated this edict, not only by concealing a priest but also by continuing to follow the false religion. Formerly we should have executed you on the spot. But because of our kind regard toward you, we will give you a chance to make a new start. Those who step on this
fumi-e
will be released at once. But those who continue to disobey the edict will find that the bureau will not mollycoddle them.

Hirata takes the roll of names from the official and reads:

HIRATA: Kyosaku, farmer of Korimura.

Kyosaku steps forward, hesitates, then drops his head, unable to step on the
fumi-e.

HIRATA: What's the matter? Why don't you step on it?

He hits him fiercely with his stick.

HIRATA: Next, Hisaichi.

Hisaichi stands before the
fumi-e
and shakes his head; he too is fiercely hit.

HIRATA: Next, Kasuke. Oh, it's you.

He laughs.

HIRATA: The man who has already betrayed his fellows. It's not hard for you to decide to step on it.

Kasuke hesitates, and as he is about to escape, is hit by Hirata.

HIRATA: All right. Do you want to be sent to the pit with Ferreira and Tomonaga? Your God can't be of any help now, can he?

Kasuke, his head in his hands, steps on the
fumi-e.

HIRATA: Fine. This is the first man of good sense I've met here.

To the guard

HIRATA: Let this man out of the gate.

KASUKE: You're letting me go? You're letting me go? ... In this world there are the strong and the weak. The strong, when something like this comes along, are able to take it and go to Paradise. The weak step on the
fumi-e
as I did.

With these cries, he is led by the guard out of the room. Even after he has gone there can be heard offstage his voice crying:

KASUKE: Are you really letting me go? Are you really letting me go?

HIRATA: Noro ... Noro ... Norosaku.

NOROSAKU
(in a loud voice):
That's me.

HIRATA: What about you? Will you step on it or won't you?

NOROSAKU
(in a loud voice):
What?

HIRATA: Step on it.

NOROSAKU: On what?

HIRATA: On the face in this
fumi-e.

NOROSAKU: Face?

He points to his own face.

NOROSAKU: I can't step on my face. My feet won't reach that far.

HIRATA: Not your face. The face in the
fumi-e.

NOROSAKU: What's
a fumi-e?

HIRATA: Is he an idiot? Take him over there.
Norosaku is led out.

HIRATA
(reading from the list):
Next, Ichimatsu. No, wait. Next, Tomonaga's daughter. Yuki, excuse me, but will you please come over here. Don't take this amiss. It's as
I told you before. This is only a matter of form. Show that you have as much sense as this last farmer.

GENNOSUKE: Hirata ...

HIRATA: What is it?

GENNOSUKE: Please spare her this humiliation. She's the daughter of Lord Tomonaga, the daughter of a samurai. And you'd have her place her foot where the farmers have placed theirs?

HIRATA
(laughing):
That's a strange objection! A Christian is a Christian-and a criminal. Whether he be a farmer or the daughter of a samurai. From our point of view there is no distinction in rank. Besides, the Christian teaching too recognizes that all men are equal. Even if there are distinctions in social position, there are no distinctions of soul. Isn't that true, Yuki? Go ahead and step on it.

Gennosuke shrinks back. Hirata roughly takes Yuki's hand.

GENNOSUKE
(his hand on his sword):
Hirata, if you treat her rudely ...

HIRATA: You'll slash me, will you? I overheard you a few minutes ago, you know. I heard the advice you gave her. Mad with love, have you become the Christians' accomplice?

To the guards.

HIRATA: Seize him. This man too is a Christian.

The guards hesitate and then press in on Gennosuke. Inoue enters with an official.

INOUE: What's going on here? What's all the fuss?

HIRATA: I'm sorry to say that as I was having the farmers of Korimura step on the
fumi-e,
Gennosuke tried to interfere.

INOUE: Hirata, you've been at the bureau for a good number of years. You should know better than to stage an ugly fight between bureau officials in front of the farmers. Gennosuke's not the only one who's lost his head. Where's your common sense? We'll continue with the
fumi-e
tomorrow. Those who didn't step on it today may think better of it tomorrow. In fact, to make them think better of it is the job of the bureau. But your bullying is of no help, Hirata. Lead them away.

The farmers and Yuki are led away by the officials.

INOUE: Hirata, bring Father Ferreira up from the pit.

The lights fade. After a few moments a spotlight centers on the three men, Ferreira, Inoue, and Hirata.

INOUE: I'm afraid you've had quite a rough time in the pit. It must have been most painful. Hirata, put some medicine on Father's wounds.

Hirata does so.

INOUE: Father Ferreira, why do you continue to endure such pain? For what purpose do you keep suffering like this? Many years ago you came to Japan from the distant southern countries, crossing the wide seas and braving many dangers. You've been in Japan for twenty years. You've buried yourself in this land without ever returning to your home country. Haven't you done enough? When you've gone this far, is there any need to go further?

Ferreira is silent.

INOUE: Why do you suffer like this? What meaning is there in all this suffering? Or, let me put the question in another way: what meaning is there to this kind of life?
Do you do this for God? But, Father Ferreira, what if this God in whom you believe is nothing more than an illusion? Then what do you do? Does God really exist? Is he perhaps nonexistent? If, of course, he does exist, then there is some meaning after all in all this suffering and in this way of life.