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Yonekizu gives a careful translation, and explains Enomoto’s reply. ‘The Abbot says idea is beautiful, and wishes to know, “Does Mr de Zoet believe in soul?” ’
‘To doubt the soul’s existence,’ says Jacob, ‘would strike me as peculiar.’
Enomoto asks, ‘Does Mr de Zoet believe human soul can be taked?’
‘Taken not by a ghost or crocodile, Abbot, no, but by the Devil, yes.’
Enomoto’s hah denotes surprise that he and a foreigner could agree so well.
Jacob steps out of the mirror’s field of reflection. ‘Your Grace’s Dutch is excellent.’
‘Listening difficult,’ Enomoto turns, ‘so glad interpreters is here. Once I speak – spoke – Spanish, but now knowledge is decayed.’
‘It is two centuries,’ says Jacob, ‘since the Spaniards walked Japan.’
‘Time…’ Idly, Enomoto lifts the lid of a box: Yonekizu exclaims in alarm.
Coiled like a small whip is a habu snake: it rears its angry head…
… its twin fangs glint white; its neck sways back, ready to strike.
Two of the Abbot’s guards swerve across the room, swords drawn…
… but Enomoto makes a strange pressing motion with his flat hand.
‘Don’t let it bite him!’ exclaims Grote. ‘He ain’t yet paid for the-’
Instead of attacking the Abbot’s hand, the habu’s neck turns limp, and it slumps back on its crate. Its jaws are frozen, wide open.
Jacob finds his jaws, too, are agape; he glances at Grote, who looks afraid.
‘Your Grace: did you… charm the snake? Is it… is it asleep?’
‘Snake is dead.’ Enomoto orders his guard to take it outside.
How did you do that? Jacob wonders, searching for tricks. ‘But…’
The Abbot watches the Dutchman’s bafflement, and speaks to Yonekizu.
‘Lord Abbot say,’ begins Yonekizu, ‘ “Not trick, not magic.” He says, “It is Chinese philosophy who scholars of Europe is too clever to understand.” He says… excuse, very difficult: he says… “All life is life because possess force of ki”.’
‘Force of key?’ Arie Grote mimes turning a key. ‘What’s that?’
Yonekizu shakes his head. ‘Not key: ki. Ki. Lord Abbot explain that his studies, his Order, teach how to… what is word? How to manipule force of ki, to heal sickness, et cetera.’
‘Oh I’d say Mr Snakey,’ mutters Grote, ‘got his fair share of et cetera.’
Given the Abbot’s status, Jacob worries that an apology is due. ‘Mr Yonekizu: pray tell His Grace how sorry I am that a snake threatened his well-being in a Dutch warehouse.’
Yonekizu does so: Enomoto shakes his head. ‘Nasty bite, but not very poison.’
‘… and say,’ continues Jacob, ‘what I just saw shall stay with me all my life.’
Enomoto replies with an ambiguous h
‘In next life,’ the Abbot tells Jacob, ‘be born in Japan so come to Shrine, and – excuse, Dutch is difficult.’ He addresses several long sentences to Yonekizu in their mother tongue. The interpreter translates them in order. ‘Abbot says, Mr de Zoet must not think he is powerful lord like Lord of Satsuma. Kyôga Domain is only twenty miles wide, twenty miles long, very many mountains, and has just two towns, Isahaya and Kashima, and villages along road of Sea of Ariake. But,’ Yonekizu perhaps adds this on his own initiative, ‘special domain gives Lord Abbot high rank – in Edo can meet Shogun, in Miyako, can meet Emperor. Lord Abbot’s shrine is high on Shiranui Mountain. He say, “In spring and autumn, very beautiful; in winter, a little cold, but summer, cool.” Abbot say, “One can breathe; and does not grow old.” Abbot say, “He have two lifes. World Above, at Mount Shiranui, is spirit and prayer and ki. World Below is men and politics and scholars… and import drugs and money.” ’
‘Oh, at flamin’ last,’ mutters Arie Grote. ‘Mr de Z.: this is our cue.’
Jacob looks uncertainly at Grote; at the Abbot; and back at the cook.
‘Raise,’ sighs Grote, ‘the subject o’ trade.’ He mouths the word, ‘mercury’.
Jacob, belatedly, understands. ‘Pardon my directness, Your Grace,’ he addresses Enomoto whilst glancing at Yonekizu, ‘but may we render any service today?’
Yonekizu translates; with a glance, Enomoto sends the query back to Grote.
‘Fact, Mr de Z., is this: Abbot Enomoto wishes to purchase, eh, all eight chests of our mercury powder for the sum of one hundred an’ six koban per crate.’
Jacob’s first thought is, ‘our’ mercury? His second is, ‘One hundred and six’?
His third thought is a number: eight hundred and forty-eight koban.
‘Twice as much again,’ Grote reminds him, ‘as the Osaka druggist.’
Eight hundred and forty-eight koban is a half-fortune, at least.
Wait, wait, wait, Jacob thinks. Why is he willing to pay so high a price?
‘Mr de Zoet’s so gladsome,’ Grote assures Enomoto, ‘he can’t speak.’
The snake trick dazzled my senses, Jacob thinks, but keep a calm head now…
‘A more deservin’ cove,’ Grote claps his shoulder, ‘I never knew…’
… a monopoly, Jacob hypothesises. He wants to create temporary monopoly.
‘I’ll sell six crates,’ the young clerk a
Enomoto understands: he scratches an ear and looks at Grote.
Grote’s smile says, Nothing to worry about. ‘A moment, Your Grace.’
The cook steers Jacob into a corner, near Weh’s hiding-place.
‘Listen: I know that Zwaardecroone set the sell-peg at eighteen per chest.’
How can you know, Jacob wonders, astonished, about my backer in Batavia?
‘ ’Tain’t no import how I know but I do. We’re up to six times that yet here you are harpin’ for more? No better price’ll come knockin’, an’ six chests ain’t on the table. It’s eight, see, or nothin’ at all.’
‘In that case,’ Jacob tells Grote, ‘I choose nothing at all.’
‘ ’Tis plain we ain’t makin’ ourselfs clear! Our client is an exalted personage, eh? Irons in every fire: at the Magistracy; in Edo; a money-lender’s money-lender; a druggist’s druggist. Word has it, he’s even’ – Jacob smells chicken livers on Grote’s breath – ‘lendin’ to the Magistrate to pay graft till next year’s ship from Batavia comes in! So when I promised him the entire supply o’ mercury, that’s exactly-’
‘It appears you shall have to unpromise him the entire supply.’
‘No no no,’ Grote almost whi
‘It was you who hatched a deal on my private goods; I refuse to dance to your piper; so now you stand to lose your brokerage fee. What am I not understanding?’
Enomoto is saying something to Yonekizu; the Dutchmen break off their argument.
‘Abbot say,’ Yonekizu clears his throat, ‘ “Six crates only is sale today. So, he buy just six crates today.” ’ Enomoto continues. Yonekizu nods, clarifies a couple of points, and translates. ‘Mr de Zoet: Abbot Enomoto credits your private account in Exchequer with six hundred thirty-six kobans. Magistracy scribe bring proof of payment in Company Ledger. Then, when you satisfied, his men remove six crates of mercury from Warehouse Eik.’
Such speed is unprecedented. ‘Doesn’t Your Grace wish to see it first?’
‘Ah,’ says Grote, ‘Mr de Z. bein’ such a busy cove, I took the little liberty o’ borrowin’ the key from Deputy v. C. an’ showin’ our guest a sample…’
‘Yes, that was a liberty you took,’ Jacob tells him. ‘A big one.’
‘Hundred an’ six a box,’ Grote sighs, ‘deserves a little ’nitiative, eh?’
The Abbot is waiting. ‘Do we do deal of mercury today, Mr Dazûto?’
‘Deal he does, Your Grace,’ Grote smiles like a shark, ‘he surely does.’
‘But the paperwork,’ asks Jacob, ‘the bribes, documents of sale…?’
Enomoto swats away these difficulties and expels a pfff of air.
‘Like I say,’ Grote smiles like a saint, ‘ “a most exalted personage”.’
‘Then,’ Jacob has no more objections, ‘yes, Your Grace. The deal is agreed.’
A sigh of punctured anguish escapes the much-relieved Arie Grote.
Wearing a calm expression, the Abbot gives Yonekizu a sentence to translate.