whose two retainers, Busuké and Magohachi, bearing in mind their
master's orders, killed five Rônins who had attacked Kazuma, but were
themselves badly wounded. In the meantime, Matayémon, who had killed
seven of the Rônins, and who the harder he was pressed the more
bravely he fought, soon cut down three more, and the remainder dared
not approach him. At this moment there came up one Kanô Tozayémon, a
retainer of the lord of the castle-town, and an old friend of
Matayémon, who, when he heard that Matayémon was this day about to
avenge his father-in-law, had seized his spear and set out, for the
sake of the good-will between them, to help him, and act as his
second, and said--

"Sir Matayémon, hearing of the perilous adventure in which you have
engaged, I have come out to offer myself as your second."

Matayémon, hearing this, was rejoiced, and fought with renewed vigour.
Then one of the Rônins, named Takénouchi Gentan, a very brave man,
leaving his companions to do battle with Matayémon, came to the rescue
of Matagorô, who was being hotly pressed by Kazuma, and, in attempting
to prevent this, Busuké fell covered with wounds. His companion
Magohachi, seeing him fall, was in great anxiety; for should any harm
happen to Kazuma, what excuse could he make to Matayémon? So, wounded
as he was, he too engaged Takénouchi Gentan, and, being crippled by
the gashes he had received, was in deadly peril. Then the man who had
come up from the castle-town to act as Matayémon's second cried out--

"See there, Sir Matayémon, your follower who is fighting with Gentan
is in great danger. Do you go to his rescue, and second Sir Kazuma: I
will give an account of the others!"