Chapter 14

Summary

• Blackthorne is in a horrid prison situation, fighting another convict for a cup of gruel.
• Prisoners are kept naked in a crowded, dark cell, and discipline is necessary to ensure everyone gets food.
• After winning his fight, Blackthorne is surprisingly given his cup of gruel and water by another inmate.
• Survival tactics in prison include staying in corner spaces and securing the best possible position to sleep and protect oneself.
• Sanitary conditions are poor with latrines overflowing and the sick unable to keep clean.
• Prisoners' spirits are broken, with some welcoming death as guards regularly call out names, leading to execution or removal of some inmates.
• Blackthorne reminisces his violent stripping and confinement by guards the previous night.
• The prison is described as part of a larger complex near a public execution area where Blackthorne had witnessed horrific killings.
• The man Blackthorne fought earlier attacks him again but is killed by another inmate who introduces himself as Minikui.
• Prisoners help each other despite the dire circumstances, including sharing food and cleaning up after deaths.
• Blackthorne battles his terror and claustrophobia, blaming Toranaga, the man who threw him into this situation.
• He has an intense fever dream about past events and about being condemned to die in a cauldron, only to awake to see a European priest.
• The priest, speaking in Spanish, introduces himself as Friar Domingo of St. Francis and confirms Blackthorne's reality.
• Friar Domingo recounts his own story, including his imprisonment since 1598, the seizure of his ship's cargo, and the political machinations of Jesuits in Japan.
• The friar’s emotional breakdown highlights the psychological toll of imprisonment and the corrupt actions of the Jesuits.
• During feeding, another Japanese prisoner is taken for execution illustrating the harsh Japanese law system often leading to death penalties.
• Blackthorne learns about the harsh justice system and societal norms, such as commoners not having personal names but rather titles based on their roles.
• Friar Domingo discusses his bitter experiences with the Jesuits, who he accuses of power-hunger, treachery, and his desired martyrdom denied.
• Blackthorne experiences a moment of utter despair, feeling the futility of his situation, but resolves to somehow survive.
• Over several days, Blackthorne learns Japanese and gains knowledge about Asia, the Portuguese, and the valuable silk trade from Friar Domingo.
• On the fourth day, the guards call for Blackthorne, signaling an uncertain change in his fate.