The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet: A Novel by David Mitchell Read Free Book Online Page A

now. "Many times have the Shogun's servants in Nagasaki amended the terms of trade to the Company's impoverishment . . ." No, use "disadvantage". Then, "The so-called 'Flower-Money' tax is at a usurious level; the rix-dollar's value has been devalued three times in ten years, whilst the copper quota has decreased to a trickle" . . . stop.'
    Jacob's hard-pressed nib crumples: he takes up another.
    ' "Yet the Company's petitions are met with endless excuses. The dangers of the voyage from Batavia to your distant Empire were demonstrated by the Octavia 's foundering, in which two hundred Dutchmen lost their lives. Without fair compensation, the Nagasaki trade is tenable no longer." New paragraph. "The Company's directors in Amsterdam have issued a final memorandum concerning Dejima. Its substance may be summarised thus . . .' Jacob's quill skips over an ink-blot. ' "Without the copper quota is increased to twenty thousand piculs" - italicise the words, de Zoet, and add it in numerals - "the seventeen directors of the Dutch East Indies Company must conclude that its Japanese partners no longer wish to maintain foreign trade. We shall evacuate Dejima, removing our goods, our livestock and such materials from our warehouses as may be salvaged with immediate effect." There. That should set loose the fox in the chicken coop, should it not?'
    'A half-dozen large ones, sir. But did the Governor-General make this threat?'
    'Asiatic minds respect force majeure ; best they are prodded into compliancy.'
    The answer, then , sees Jacob, is No . 'Suppose the Japanese call this bluff?'
    'One calls a bluff only if one scents a bluff. Thus you are party to this stratagem, as are van Cleef, Captain Lacy and myself, and nobody else. Now conclude: "For a copper quota of twenty thousand piculs I shall send another ship next year. Should the Shogun's Council offer" - italicise - " one picul less than twenty thousand, they shall, in effect, be taking an axe to the tree of commerce, consign Japan's single major port to rot, and brick over your Empire's sole window to the world" - yes?'
    'Bricks are not in wide usage here, sir. "Board up"?'
    'Make good. "This loss shall blind the Shogun to new European progress, to the delight of the Russians and other foes who survey your empire with acquisitive eyes. Your own descendants yet unborn beg you to make the correct choice at this hour, as does," new line, "Your sincere ally, et cetera, et cetera, P.G. van Overstraten, Governor-General of the East Indies; Chevalier of the Order of the Orange Lion", and any other titular lilies that occur to you, de Zoet. Two fair copies by noon, in time for Kobayashi; end both with van Overstraten's signature - as life-like as you may - one to be sealed with this.' Vorstenbosch passes him the signet ring embossed with the 'VOC' of the Dutch Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie.
    Jacob is startled by the last two commands. ' I am to sign and seal the letters, sir?'
    'Here is . . .' Vorstenbosch finds a sample '. . . van Overstraten's signature.'
    'To forge the Governor-General's signature would be . . .' Jacob suspects the true answer would be 'a capital crime.'
    'Don't look so privy-faced, de Zoet! I'd sign it myself, but our strategem requires van Overstraten's masterly flourish and not my crabby left-handed smudge. Consider the Governor-General's gratitude when we return to Batavia with a threefold increase in copper exports: my claim to a seat on the Council shall be irrefutable. Why would I then forsake my loyal secretary? Of course, if . . . qualms or a loss of nerve prevent you from doing as I ask, I could just as easily summon Mr Fischer.'
    Do it now , thinks Jacob, worry later . 'I shall sign, sir.'
    'There is no time to waste, then: Kobayashi shall be here in -' the Chief Resident consults the clock '- forty minutes. We'll want the sealing wax on the finished letter cool by then, won't we?'
    * * *

    The frisker at the Land-Gate finishes his task; Jacob climbs into his