Boris Akunin - All the World's a Stage

Futoya runs faster and catches up with her.

FUTOYA Did you really not love me, even just a little bit?

O-BARA Yes, I loved you, of course I did. But what good is love now?

FUTOYA You are right, as you always are. And your advice is good. Let him finish you off, and I shall get away.

He grabs hold of her sleeve and flings her to the ground. Then he races ahead.

I only need to run from death today. Afterwards I shall buy the Jyonin off with money.

O-Bara grabs the hem of his kimono and he falls. They both get up and carry on running in panic, jostling each other.

STORYTELLER

He strikes his drum.

A beam of light picks out the Inaudible One, standing in front of the curtain. He raises a bamboo blowpipe to his mouth, and spits out a poisoned dart – and Futoya falls. Another dart – and O-Bara falls.

They squirm on the ground and then grow still.

The Inaudible One walks up to the bodies. He takes the snake-blade dagger out from behind his back, bends down and does something.

The beam of light goes out.

Darkness. We hear the Inaudible One walk back onto the stage.

Scene three

The deserted temple again. It is dark inside, and the Inaudible One is picked out by a solitary beam of light. He is sitting there without his mask, but his face cannot be seen, since the actor has his back to the auditorium. His arms are extended to the sides: in his left hand he holds a woman’s head, and in his right, a man’s.

STORYTELLER

A single drumbeat.

The statue of Buddha is lit up dimly from behind. We hear a voice.

The Inaudible One places the heads on the ground, clasps his hands respectfully on his knees and lowers his head.

THE INVISIBLE ONE Inaudible One, on reading your request, I was so indignant, I could scarcely contain my wrath. If not for the great service you have rendered, I would have ordered you to put an end to your own life…

The Inaudible One takes out the snake-blade dagger and sets it to his throat, demonstrating his readiness to carry out such an order immediately.

THE INVISIBLE ONE ( continuing )… And transferred the commission to another valiant warrior. The sentence must be carried out, no matter what. The client is of no importance here. And the victim likewise. We Sinobi bear a sacred duty of honour. We transgress every law of man, and rumour names us denizens of hell. Our path lies through the darkness, but a single star still guides our stealthy stride.

Man does not know why he lives in this world. He thinks up toys with which he can amuse himself. He has invented Good and Evil, Ugliness and Beauty, using them as chains to bind himself. But the Buddha alone knows what is Good and what is Evil; the Beautiful is easily transformed into the Ugly. And there is only one thing of true value: having once chosen a Way, never to stray or turn aside from it.

The Way of the Sinobi is killing. That is our craft, elevated to the high standing of an art. Always keep faith with honour. Follow the light of the star. Who are you without honour? Merely a wretched, murderous thug.

The Inaudible One lowers his head even further. Eventually he stretches out face down as a sign of unquestioning obedience.

Well then. Carry out the assignment to the letter, and I shall forgive your weakness, so be it. And one more task. Find the dragon. For that talisman you are answerable with your life…

The backlighting of the statue fades out. The Inaudible One straightens up abruptly. He sits there, motionless, precisely reproducing the silhouette of the Buddha.

STORYTELLER

A single drumbeat.

The Inaudible One jumps up and freezes, with the snake-blade dagger glittering in his hand.

Scene four

The garden in front of Izumi’s pavilion. Night. The shoji are closed, but a light is burning inside. We see the geisha’s silhouette. Izumi is melancholically plucking the strings of the shamisen.

The Invisible One creeps out stealthily. He stops in front of the engawa and takes out his dagger, then freezes motionless.

STORYTELLER

A single drumbeat.

Soga appears on the edge of the engawa . He sees the Inaudible One with a dagger in his hand, draws his sword and, without saying a word, attacks the assassin furiously.

An unusual duel follows: it takes place in absolute silence; both opponents move without making a single sound. The distinctive feature of a Sinobi’s swordmanship is that he defends himself from blows, not with his blade, but by rapid movements and jumps, sometimes even by turning somersaults. Soga’s long sword repeatedly slices through empty air. The Inaudible One hides his dagger away in the secret scabbard behind his back.

The duel is reminiscent of an acrobatic ballet or pantomime; musical accompaniment is provided by Izumi playing the shamisen.

The fight concludes in the following fashion: the Inaudible One, finding himself beside the blossoming apple tree, dodges yet another blow and Soga’s sword slices right through the trunk. The Ronin involuntarily glances round at the falling tree and that instant is enough for the Inaudible One to whip out his dagger and thrust it into Soga’s chest. At the same moment the music breaks off and the light in the pavilion goes out.

The Sinobi catches the body, as if embracing it, and slowly lowers it to the ground. After glancing round at the pavilion in almost exactly the same way as Soga in the first act, he hides the body under the engawa . The dagger is already back in its sheath.

Then the Inaudible One walks up onto the veranda. He opens the shoji slightly, slips inside and closes them together behind him.

A pause.

The Storyteller strikes his drum rapidly but quietly, imitating the sound of a pounding heart.

IZUMI’S VOICE Who is breathing here? Who is watching me in the darkness?