I'm sorry for the delay on posting. My only defense was that I was playing the following up. And, no I haven't finished playing Samurai. I was so caught up in the story line I couldn't stop playing.
Well, here we go...
I must apologize for the above journal entry…far too much was left out. For besides the journey's journal Matsuo Basho was also keeping a diary...
By looking at the journal one would say Matsuo must have been feeling poorly, for very little insight was shared. But, I was given a most wondrous opportunity to view Matsuo's personal memoir. It was through the reading of diary I realized his reasoning.
One entry in this book told of what actually in Matsuo thoughts during this time about Rangemura; thoughts he did not share in his journal. I was unable to make a copy of the diary, but the recollection of the Matsuo's written words are burned in my memory and they are presented exactly they were presented.
I awoke this morning to hear Rangemura speaking with an English tongue. The man has never spoken of English before. He was trapped within some dream. But, this was no ordinary dream. Rangemura was dreaming that he was another man, living some journey that he could not possible known.
I awoke him only to keep him from waking up the others. He was startled, not by the dream but by being pulled from out of it.
He struggled for a moment, gasping for air. He was clutching his stomach as if he was wounded. He even searched for the wound, but there was not one.
I told Rangemura, he was only dreaming.
He then looked at me, and told me with fear…only with understanding and complete acceptance of his fate. “I saw the one that will end my days upon this earth…and, I know it was somehow me…but, he was European.”
From this day on I shall watch and try to protect my leader, my friend. As I know many mysteries abound on this journey, I also now know how it will end.