ericlustbader.the ninja-第14部分

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beside　the　woman；　watching　the　soft　pulse　along　the　long　column　of　her　neck。
　Thus　the　first　thing　Cheong　saw　when　she　opened　her　eyes　was　the　close　face　of　the　Colonel。　What　struck　her　immediately；　she　recalled　later　in　recounting　the　story　to　Nicholas；　were　his　eyes。　'They　were　the　kindest　eyes　I　had　ever　seen；〃　she　said　in　her　light　singsong　voice。　'They　were　the　very　deepest　blue。　I　had　never　before　seen　blue　eyes。　I　had　been　outside　the　city　when　the　British　had　first　e；　prior　to　the　outbreak　of　the　war。
　'I　often　think　that　it　was　those　blue　eyes　which　so　startled　me；　brought　me　round。　Suddenly　I　remembered　the　long　days　after　Tsuko　had　been　killed　as　if　they　were　part　of　a　film　being　run　off　whole　for　the　first　time；　the　pieces　at　last　had　knit　together。　I　no　longer　had　gauze　in　front　of　my　eyes　and　cotton　wool　stuffed　into　my　head。
　'With　that；　it　all　began　to　pass　away　from　me　…　as　if　I　were　recalling　events　from　some　other　person's　life　…　the　dark　terrible　last　days　of　the　war。
　That　is　when　I　knew　that　your　father　was　part　of　my　karma；　in　that　first　moment　I　saw　him；　for　I　have　no　remembrance　of　entering　the　garrison　house；　of　encountering　any　British　soldiers　there　before　him。'
　The　Colonel　took　her　home　at　the　day's　end；　in　the　midst　of　the　long　shimmering　emerald　and　lapis　lazuli　twilight；　with　the　city　choked　with　swirling　dust；　Jeeps　clattering　down　the　streets　and　soldiers　running　quick…time　along　the　sidewalks　while　the　Chinese　and　the　Malays　paused　in　their　　　　　homeward　journeys；　standing　quite　still；　resolute　and　quiescent　and　eternal　in　their　cotton　drawstring　shorts　and　sloping　reed　sedge　hats。
　As　usual　it　was　teeming；　and　the　Colonel　had　the　Jeep　brought　round；　though　he　was　often　fond　of　walking。　It　took　him　twenty　minutes　on　average　to　make　the　journey　from　the　garrison　located　near　Keppel　Harbour　almost　due　north　through　the　city　to　the　house　he　now　occupied。　As　may　be　imagined；　the　mand　was　not　over　fond　of　his　making　this　trek　on　foot　and　dius　he　was　perforce　obliged　to　be　acpanied　by　two　armed　men　from　his　garrison　as　escort　from　door　to　door。　The
　Colonel　found　this　a　hideous　misappropriation　of　precious　manpower　but　he　seemed　to　have　no　choice　in　the　matter。
　At　first　he　had　been　assigned　an　enormous　estate　near　the　western　tip　of　the　city　but　he　soon　found　that　it　was　hard　by　an　equally　enormous　mangrove　swamp　and　being　downwind　from　it　was　too　much　even　for　him。　So　he　had　looked　around　and　eventually　moved　to　this　current　smaller　but　infinitely　more　fortable　place。
　It　was　situated　on　a　hill　which　the　Colonel　liked　quite　a　bit　because　when　he　faced　north　he　could　gaze　up　at　Bukit　Timah；　the　island's　granitic　core　and　its　highest　spot。　Beyond　that　dark　mass；　the　hump　of　some　great　leviathan；　lay　the　black　waters　of　the　Johore　Strait　and　Malaysia；　the　southernmost　tip　of　the　massive　block　of　Asia。　On　the　days　when　it　was　particularly　hot　and　humid；　when　his　shirt　stuck　like　hot　wax　to　his　skin　and　the　sweat　poured　from　his　scalp　into　his　eyes；　when　the　entire　city　steamed　like　a　tropical　rain　forest；　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　Asia's　bulk　were　sliding　slowly　downwards　onto　the　top　of　his　head；　suffocating　him　in　a　blanket　of　endless　marshes；　mosquitoes　and　men；　the　crick　in　his　neck　would　return；　paining　him　worse　than　ever。
　But　this　was　all　before　the　appearance　of　Cheong。　To　the　Colonel　it　was　nothing　short　of　miraculous；　as　if　she　had　e　into　his　room；　not　from　the　streets　of　Singapore；　but　from　the　cloud…filled　sky。　That　first　evening；　when　he　had　turned　her　over　to　tiny　Pi　to　be　bathed　and　clothed；　and　standing　by　his　polished　teak　desk；　taking　his　first　long　drink　of　the　day；　he　felt　the　tiredness　washing　away　from　him　like　a　residue　of　salt　drowned　in　a　hot　shower。　He　thought　only　that　it　was　good　to　be　home　after　so　long　a　time　at　work。　Yet　perhaps　this　had　been　only　the　most　mundane　part　of　it；　for　when　he　recalled　that　time　many　years　later　…　as　he　was　often　wont　to　do　…　he　was　not　at　all　certain　of　his　motivations　or　his　feelings　in　the　matter。　He　knew　only　that　when　she　had　been　brought　back　to　him　in　his　study；　when　he　saw　again　her　face；　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　left　England　in　the　early　part　of　1940　to　e　East；　he　no　longer　seemed　obsessed　with　Asia。　He　stood　watching　her　e　towards　him；　feeling　like　a　house　bereft　of　the　ghost　that　had　haunted　it　for　so　long；　now　empty；　waiting　to　be　filled　by　new　and　more　substantial　tenants。　He　recognized　then　his　spirit；　unchained　at　last；　dancing　inside　of　him　and　he　felt　that　here　before　him　was　his　true　reason　for　seeking　out　the　mysteries　of　Asia。
　He　studied　her　face；　using　the　light　of　the　breaking　sky；　the　day's　last　light；　a　spurt　before　darkness　fell　pletely；　with　the　innate　fierceness　with　which　he　had　applied　himself　to　the　destruction　of　the　enemy。　This　was　a　most　formidable　talent　in　the　Colonel；　one　that　was　highly　respected　among　the　Americans　as　well　as　the　British　military　and　for　which　he　had　been　amply　rewarded　by　one　battlefield　promotion　after　another。
　It　was…　not；　he　felt；　a　purely　Chinese　face。　This　he　derived　not　from　any　overt　configuration　of　features　but　by　the　overall　aspect。　There　was；　for　instance；　nothing　classic　about　that　face。　This　the　Colonel　found　utterly　fascinating；　not　to　mention　charming。　It　was　oval；　longer　than　it　was　full。　She　had　high　cheekbones；　very　long　almond…shaped　eyes　and　a　nose　less　flat　than　one　might　normally　expect。　Her　lips　were　wide　and　full　and；　with　those　eyes；　were　her　most　expressive　features。　Later　on；　he　would　be　able　to　tell　any　nuance　of　changing　mood　just　by　a　glance　at　her　lips。
　Pi　had　pulled　Cheong's　long　hair　back　from　her　face　and；　having　first　endeavored　to　do　away　with　the　ragged　ends；　had　tied　it　tightly　back　with　a　red　satin　ribbon　so　that　it　hung　down　across　one　shoulder　in　a　long　ponytail；　so　thick　and　gleaming　that　the　Colonel　thought　of　her　more　at　that　moment　as　some　mythical　creature　e　to　life。　She　was；　he　felt；　so　densely　oriental　that　it　was　if　she　were　the　living　embodiment　of　that　vast　flat　crowded　land。
　'How　are　you　feeling？'　He　said　this　in　Cantonese　and；　when　he　got　no　response；　repeated　the　question　in　Mandarin。
　Tine　now。　Thank　you；'　she　said；　bowing。
　It　was　the　first　time　the　Colonel　had　heard　her　speak　and　he　was　somewhat　startled；　never　having　heard　such　a　beautiful　and　musical　voice　before。　She　was　tall；　almost　five…nine；　with　a　figure　as　slender　as　a　willow　but　as　shapely　as　any　man　could　wish　for。
　'It　is　most　fortunate　that　I　met　you；'　she　said；　her　gaze　directed　at　the　floor。　She　tried　in　vain　to　pronounce　his　last　name。　'I　am　most　ashamed；'　she　said；　giving　it　up　at　last。　'Pi　coached　me　all　through　the　bath。　I　am　most　humbly　sorry。'　'Don't　be；'　the　Colonel　said。　'Call　me　Denis。'　This　she　could　manage；　pronouncing　the　D　sound　in　a　way　that　had　no　analogue　in　the　English　language。　She　repeated　it　twice　then　said；　'I　shall　not　forget　it；　Denis。'　By　that　time；　the　Colonel　knew　that　he　was　going　to　marry　her。
　
　When　the　Colonel　received　the　request　by　American　courier　via　British　liaison　to　join　the　American　SCAP　…　the　occupation　forces　…　mand　in　Tokyo　as　an　adviser　to　General　Douglas　MacArthur；　the　first　thing　he　thought　of　was　how　he　was　going　to　tell　Cheong。　There　was　no　question　of　his　not　taking　the　assignment。　Already　he　found　himself　chafing　to　be　in　Tokyo。
　It　was　early　in　1946　and　this　part　of　the　world　was　still　reeling　from　the　emotional　fall…out　caused　by　the　explosions　at　Hiroshima　and　Nagasaki；　the　effect　was　incalculable；　the　ramifications　endless。
　He　had　been　married　to　Cheong　for　four　months　and　she　was　three　months　pregnant。　Still　he　had　no　second　thoughts　about　abandoning　Singapore；　which　he　thought　of　as　much　his　home　as　England　ever　was。　Beside　the　fact　that　he　felt　it　was　his　duty　to　take　the　assignment　at　SCAP　headquarters；　he　further　understood　quite　keenly　the　plex　problems　that　had　developed　within　Japan　since　its　unconditional　surrender；　ending　the　war；　last　year　and　he　was　eager　to　immerse　himself　in　what　MacArthur　had　called　'steering　a　bold　new　course　for　Japan'。
　The　Colonel　deliberated　only　a　moment　before　he　called　Danvers　in　and　told　him　that　he　was　leaving　for　the　day；　if　anything　important　came　up　he　could　be　reached　at　home。
　He　arrived　at　the　house　to　find　Cheong　taking　care　of　him　personally；　having　shooed　Pi　away　from　the　doorway　at　the　first　hint　of　the　jeep　turning　into　the　driveway。
　'You　are　home　early　today；　Denis；'　she　said；　smiling。
　He　climbed　out　of　the　Jeep；　dismissed　the　driver。　'I　suppose　now　you'll　tell　me　that　I'll　be　in　the　way　of　the　servants'　cleaning；'　he　said　gruffly　to　her。
　'Oh　no；'　she　cried；　linking　her　arm　in　his　as　they　went　up　the　stairs　and　into　the　house。　'Quite　the　opposite。　I've　patted　them　on　the　behinds　and　told　them　to　do　the　work　in　the　kitchen　that　they　have　been　putting　off　for　oh…so…long。'　They　went　down　the　hall　and　into　his　study　where　she　poured　him　a　drink。
　'Ah；'　he　said；　taking　the　chill　glass　from　her。　'Have　they　done　anything　for　which　they　should　be　punished？'
　'Oh　no。'　She　put　her　small　hand　to　her　mouth　as　if　shocked　by　the　notion。
　He　nodded；　happy　inside　himself。　'Of　course　you'd　tell　me　if　that　were　the　case；　wouldn't　you？'
　'Not　at　all。'　She　indicated　that　he　should　sit　in　his　favourite　chair　and　when　he　was　fortably　settled　within　its　soft　embrace；　his　long　legs　stretched　out　on　the　carpet　before　him；　one　boot　set　over　the　other；　she　knelt　at　his　side。　She　wore　a　deep　blue　brocaded　silk　robe　with　a　mandarin　collar　and　wide　bell　sleeves。　Where　she　had　obtained　this　rather　remarkable　garment　the　Colonel　could　not　imagine　and　he　had　not　the　bad　taste　to　ask　her。　'That　is　none　of　your　concern；'　she　continued。　'I　am　the　mistress　of　this　house。　Discipline　is　here　my　concern　as　it　is　yours　downtown。'　She　meant　at　the　garrison　house。　'You　must　trust　me　to　maintain　a　perfect　aura　within　our　house。　Tranquility　is　all…important　to　the　health　of　one's　spirit；　do　you　not　agree？'　And　when　he　nodded；　watching　her　eyes；　she　continued。　'The　tranquility　of　one's　house　is　not　only　confined　as　to　its　location　and　the　servants　therein　but　also　to　its　major　occupants。'　She　paused　and　the　Colonel；　who　had　been　calmly　sipping　his　drin