– XXVIII –

In which the gates of hell are opened

The only good fortune Shiro had that evening upon entering the grand house belonging to Julian and Guada was being grabbed at once by two men who prevented him from drawing his sword. Had he been able to attack them, with what would have been a predictable outcome, the other two men who ran into the entrance patio carrying cocked muskets would have fired and killed him. As it was the first two gripped him by either arm, and the second pair aimed their barrels at his heart. Julian appeared on the balcony above and, seconds later, Guada with him. Before descending the stone stairs, he bade her to return to her chamber, but she refused.

Down below he walked over to Shiro. ‘I’ve been waiting for you.’

‘You murdered my friend,’ said the Samurai. ‘You murdered him like a coward. You did not even have the decency to challenge him and hand him a weapon.’

Julian addressed his men. ‘The monkey speaks.’

The men laughed, nervously.

‘I am a nobleman, you mongrel,’ Julian spit back, gathering anger. ‘Your “friend” was a common sailor, or something to that effect. Why on earth would I challenge him? It would have been an insult to my family.’

‘Leave him be,’ called Guada from the balcony.

Her husband turned and screamed at her, ‘Go away!’

He removed Shiro’s bow and the red leather quiver, tossing them to the tiled floor. He took Shiro’s sword and Tanto in hand, admiring them. ‘A fine piece of craftsmanship. Too fine for the likes of you. Perhaps you stole them. Sharp, too, I would imagine.’

He took the Tanto and stabbed it an inch into Shiro’s left shoulder, drawing blood. The Samurai winced but showed no further distress. Then Julian turned the blade, causing more blood to flow. Sweat broke out on Shiro’s forehead. Julian withdrew the blade.

‘Tougher than your friend. I’ll say that for you. He screamed like a pig.’

Guada screamed when she saw her husband stab the Samurai, and she called out again. ‘You mustn’t kill him. I shall never forgive you if you do. I will denounce you, and the Duke will hunt you down.’

Julian turned and looked up at her with pure hatred.

‘Will you not obey me, woman? Return to your chambers.’

‘I will not,’ she cried.

He turned back to his men.

‘Put him on the ground, and you two, break his hands with the butts of your muskets.’

The men did as they were told, and this time Shiro cried out in agony, in shock from the pain and from the humiliation. Guada began to scream and come down the stairs. Julian turned to one of the men holding a musket.

‘Seize her. Do not let her down here.’

Then he got on his knees near Shiro, whose hands were already beginning to swell.

‘So much for the warrior,’ Julian said. ‘But there’s just one more thing.’

Still holding the Tanto, he separated Shiro’s sixth finger out and leaned the blade down upon it. The pain already flooding the Samurai’s system was such that he barely felt it.

‘I’ll spare your life,’ Julian said, ‘but I will not permit a freak in my home.’

He got back on his feet and addressed the three remaining men.

‘Throw him into the street and lock the doors.’

They dragged the Samurai over the pink-and-white tiles that were streaked with blood, and over the wooden lip of the massive front door, tossing him onto the manure-strewn cobblestones in front of the mansion. Then they shut and bolted the doors.

Julian dropped the Tanto and tossed the severed finger away. Nervous, frightened, exhilarated, and incensed, he herded the man with Guada back up the stairs. He told all four of the men to leave them alone and to tell the servants the same thing. He pushed Guada into a sitting room and slammed the door. He began to hit her and tear off her clothing, ignoring her screams and fists and her repeated cries of ‘Murderer.’ And then he raped her.

When he was done and rolled off of her, she ceased to struggle. She looked away, breathing furiously. No matter how much he yelled at her to look at him, she would not do it. He finally left her naked and bruised on the wrinkled rug. The remorse he felt afterward, and the shaking that invaded his system, was nevertheless infused with animal satisfaction. And though Guada, from then on, would refuse to sleep with him or to be alone with him in the same room ever again, in a month’s time she found herself with child.