浮世絵 ~ The Floating World. Choki 猪牙 (river taxi). Sumida river, Shitamachi, Tokyo October 29 1881

“It’s just like the bordello uncle described” chirped up Georgy¹.
“For the last time, it is a fucking bordello. Now shut up and paddle” suggests Louis.
Stealing through the night like common thieves, Georgy ‘Sprat’ and Eddy ‘Herring’², along with their chums Princes Louis³, Higashifushimi⁴, Tokugawa⁵ and avoiding the ever watchful eye of Rev Dalton⁶, our quintet make the arduous journey back from the Yoshiwara and its most precious delight ~ The Tea House Of The Floating World. Moated and walled, the rapture and ravishment offered a teenage midshipman were beyond the dreams of most,but not uncle Louis, who at twenty-seven already sported the massive dragon across his chest and legs and had devoured the entire menu of Yoshiwara’s finest cat house.

“Eddy… Eddy, if you’re going to chunder, over the side. What the hell is wrong with that boy” asks Louis.
“I love her; like really. I want…” says Georgy.
“For Christs sake we all have” says Louis.
Wind stops, rain takes a break: I’m talking stone cold silence, pin drop, massive elephant, Oh my God.
“Drop dead Louis” says Georgy.
Louis has never seen such hate and desperation in Georgy before. Never seen Georgy really care about anything.
“Please, Louis-san” says Prince Higashifushimi : École Navale, Dartmouth and endless Chiswick garden parties, Higgy knew his manners.
“Higgy, shut the fuck up” replies Louis.
“Gentleman, can we please refrain from this nonsense for the moment” asks Holly (ホリー) ~ Prince Tokugawa Iesato (the Tokugawa mon/crest is the triple hollyhock. His mum calls him Leslie; no one quite knows why).
“Eddy, put that fucking bottle down… Ow; what the…” Georgy has lept up and wacked Louis across the shoulders with his paddle and is now reaching for Louis’ throat teeth bared.
“Who the hell do you think payed for all that” shouts Louis.
Nothing but rage in his whole being, a shuriken (dart) pierces Georgy’s arm who loses his balance and falls from the choki into the Sumida river. The shock is exhilarating, anything to distract from Louis. There is a marvellous comfort in the water as he slowly floats towards the bottom and into the arms of the Morning Star ~ Asa no Hoshi (朝の星), Venus, light-bringer, fille fatale, Messalina with bells; the devil herself. Darts are now striking the choki from all directions. Holly turns to Louis drawing his sword… “I’m sorry Louis-san”. A loud bang and Holly arches his back. Louis tilts his head revealing Eddy, vomit stained frock coat, smoking derringer in hand; he raises his eyebrows as Holly follows Georgy into the river.
“Higgy, take that gun of him before he shoots someone else, I’ll get Georgy boy. How the fuck did I get myself into this”exclaims Louis.

1.George Frederick Ernest Albert; Prince Of Wales, King George V (1865 – 1936). Although he and his wife Queen Mary occasionally toured the British Empire, George preferred to stay at home pursuing his hobbies of stamp collecting, game shooting and smoking cigarettes. 2. Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (1864 – 1892). Albert Victor’s intellect, sexual orientation, and mental health have been the subject of speculation. 3.First Marquess of Milford Haven (1854–1921), formerly Prince Louis of Battenberg; Senior Warden ‘Order of the Blue and Red Dragon’. 4. Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito (東伏見宮依仁親王 1867–1922) was the second and last head of the Higashifushimi-no-miya, an ōke cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family. 5. Tokugawa Iesato (徳川 家達, 1863 – 1940) first head of the Tokugawa clan after the overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu (shogunate) : Edo period 1603-1867. 6. Canon John Neale Dalton KCVO CMG (1839-1931).