Ho-ichi’s friend, Osamu the priest, enlightened  Ho-ichi about his ghostly storytelling audience and their sinister  intent. Now Osamu’s servants administer the solution to Ho-ichi’s problem.

“As Ho-ichi began this part of his story, I watched the color drain from his face. ‘Before sundown the servants of the priest stripped me. Then, with their writing brushes they wrote the words of a sacred test all over my body, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. When they were done they led me back to the porch at the rear of the temple and left me there.

‘I laid my biwa beside me and assumed a posture of meditation. I was careful not to cough, clear my throat, or breathe so as to be heard. I stayed like this for hours.

‘Then, late into the night, I heard the heavy steps of the samurai coming through the gate, across the yard, toward the porch, then up the steps and to a halt directly in front of me. I was terrified.’”

Next time: “Two Ears”