Musui's Story

In this chapter, Katsu describes the decision to run away from home the second time. In this instance, he is already a married man with a toddler son, Rintarō. The author mentions pawning his possessions, including a sword he received from his father as a gift. He only raises 3.5 ryō in this way, some of which he immediately spends in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters the night before the escape.

Katsu heads to the Tōkaidō post road. Eventually, in Odawara, he runs into Kiheiji, the coolie who knew him as a beggar. Katsu spends some of his money to go drinking with Kiheiji and some of his friends from the fishing boat where he worked during his initial escape from home.

After this, Katsu wants to head toward Hakone and lies to the officials about his status as a traveling student of swordsmanship so he can be let through. Even though he does not have a travel permit, the lie works, and the officials let him go. Katsu continues to lie throughout his journey whenever it benefits him. When crossing the Ōi River, Katsu pretends to be someone else: “I am the honorable Harima-nokami” doing “very important business” (65).