Silence (30 page)

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Authors: Shusaku Endo

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26th.

The following six came to the Mountain Villa as examiners: Inspectors Omura Yoemon, Murayama Kakudayū, Assistant Inspectors Shimoyama Sōhachirō, Nomura Rihē, Uchida Kanjūrō, Furukawa Kyūzaemon. In the presence of the Lord’s Managers, handed over to the Inspectors the statement as follows:

Copy of the Statement

Okada San’emon, who had been in the Christian Residence, died at a little later than half past four in the afternoon of 25th. Born in Portugal, Europe, he was first placed under charge of Inoue Chikugonokami in the Year of the Ram thirty odd years ago, and then came into residence here in the Enclosed Building where he lived for thirty years until this Year of the Cock. He fell ill at the beginning of the month and lost much of his appetite, getting worse and worse in spite of medical treatment by Ishio Doteki, the Prison Doctor, and finally passed away. The same San’emon was sixty-four of age. Except this there is nothing unusual here.

26th July.

The group of Hayashi Shinanonokami

Okuda Jirōemon

Ukai Gengoemon

Kawara Jingobē

Kawase Sōbē

Kayō Den’emon

After examination, the corpse of
San’emon
was buried in Muryōin Temple at Koishikawa. From Muryōin came a priest called Genshuhe.
San’emon’s
corpse was sent there on a vehicle, and was cremated. The posthumous Buddhist name of
San’emon is
Myūsen Jōshin Shinshi. Paid one
ryo
and two
bu
for the funeral service and one hundred
hiki
as cremation charge. These expenses of the funeral were paid out of the money
San’emon
had left.

{1}
See C. R. Boxer,
The Christian Century in Japan,
University of California Press, 1951, p. 148.

{2}
Boxer, p. 153.

{3}
Ibid.
p. 318.

{4}
Ibid.
p. 321.

{5}
Ibid.
p. 337.

{6}
Ibid.
p. 349.

{7}
Ibid. p.
342-3.

{8}
Ibid.
p. 354.

{9}
Ibid.
p. 354.

{10}
Ibid.
p. 393.

{11}
Translation by F. Mathy; see: Shusaku Endo: Japanese Catholic Novelist,
Thought,
Winter 1967.

{12}
Translation by F. Mathy,
Ibid.
xvi

{13}
Translation by F. Mathy,
Ibid.

{14}
Ashai Journal
, 1966, 5,8.

Table of Contents

Title page

Translator’s Preface

I
II
III

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF JONASSEN, A CLERK AT THE DUTCH FIRM, DEJIMA, NAGASAKI

Appendix

DIARY OF AN OFFICER AT THE CHRISTIAN RESIDENCE
ANNOUNCEMENT

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