ericlustbader.the ninja-第15部分

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n　but　also　to　its　major　occupants。'　She　paused　and　the　Colonel；　who　had　been　calmly　sipping　his　drink　through　all　of　this　discourse；　now　sat　up；　placing　his　glass　on　the　side　table　by　the　chair。　The　Westerner　in　him　longed　to　take　her　delicate；　capable　hands　in　his；　lean　towards　her　and　say；　'What　is　the　matter；　darling？　What's　troubling　you？'　This；　he　knew；　he　could　not　do；　for　in　doing　so　he　would　shame　her。　She　had　obviously　spent　much　time　in　the　preparation　of　her　presentation。　He　must　honour　that　by　allowing　her　to　e　to　the　point　as　she　might。　If　there　was　anything　the　Colonel　had　learned　by　being　in　the　Far　East　for　six　years；　it　was　patience；　for　to　fail　to　learn　that　lesson　swiftly　was　to　court　peremptory　disaster　out　here　where　life　was　so　different；　seeming　only　to　float　upon　the　bosom　of　the　eternal　Pacific。
　'You　know；　Denis；　that　tranquility　is　only　one　aspect　of　the　harmony　of　life。　And　harmony　is　what　all　people　strive　to　achieve。　Harmony　is　the　basis　of　a　clear　mind；　of　a　good　and　powerful　karma。〃　She　put　her　fingers　along　the　back　of　his　hand；　which　lay　along　the　smooth　worn　wood　of　one　arm…rest。　'You　have　such　a　karma。　It　is　very　strong；　like　the　thrown　net　of　a　master　fisherman。'　Her　eyes　looked　down　at　her　hands；　one　atop　the　other；　flashed　upwards　to　his　face。　'I　am　afraid　to　do　anything　to　destroy　that。　But　now　there　is　more　than　one　to　think　of。　Our　karma　have　meshed　and；　intertwined；　may　be　all　the　more　powerful　for　it；　yes？'　He　nodded　again　and；　satisfied　that　she　had　both　his　attention　and　his　agreement；　she　said；　'Now　I　must　ask　something　of　you。'
　'You　know　that　you　have　only　to　ask　me；'　the　Colonel　said　sincerely。　'You；　who　of　all　people　in　this　world　make　me　the　most　happy；　can　have　anything　that　is　mine。'
　Yet　this　heartfelt　speech　appeared　to　have　little　effect　on　Cheong。　'This　thing　I　must　ask　you　is　very　large。'
　He　nodded。
　'We　must　go　away　from　Singapore；'　she　said　boldly。　Then；　seeing　that　he　did　not　stop　her；　she　went　on　in　a　rush。　'I　know　that　your　work　means　a　great　deal　to　you　but　this　is'　…　she　searched　for　the　proper　words　that　would　convey　her　thoughts　…'most　imperative　for　all　of　us。　For　you；　for　me　and　for　the　baby。'　She　placed　one　palm　against　her　lower　belly。　'We　must　go　to　Japan。　To　Tokyo。'
　He　laughed；　struck　first　by　the　humour　of　it　and　then　intrigued　by　the　eeriness。
　〃This　is　funny？'　she　cried；　misunderstanding　his　expression　of　relief。　'It　is　bad　for　us　to　stay　here。　Most　bad。　In　Japan　our　karma　will　flourish；　expand。　There　lies　our　…　what　is　the　English　word？　…　destiny；　is　that　right？　Our　destiny。'
　'I　laughed　only　at　a　rather　odd　coincidence；'　the　Colonel　reassured　her。　'It　was　nothing　you　said。'　He　patted　her　hand。　'Now　tell　me　why　we　must　go　to　Tokyo。'
　'Because　Itami　is　there。　She　is　Tsuko's　sister。'
　'I　see。〃　She　had　told　him；　quite　naturally；　of　her　previous　marriage　but；　beyond　that；　they　rarely　spoke　of　this　portion　of　her　life。　'And　what　has　she　to　do　with　our　karma？'
　Tm　sure　that　I　do　not　know　that；'　Cheong　said。　'But　I　had　a　dream　last　night。'　The　Colonel　was　well　aware　of　how　much　stock　these　people　put　in　dream　messages。　They　were　not　unlike　the　ancient　Romans　in　this　respect。　He　himself　did　not；　in　fact；　totally　disbelieve　in　their　import。　The　unconscious；　he　knew；　had　more　to　do　with　the　direction　one　took　in　life　than　most　people　were　willing　to　admit。　And；　in　any　event；　dreams　were　closely　linked　with　the　concept　of　karma　and　karma　was　something　in　which　the　Colonel　had　a　strong　belief。　He　had　spent　too　many　years　in　the　Far　East　not　to　have。
　'The　dream　was　about　Itami；'　Cheong　said。　'I　was　in　a　city。　In　Tokyo。　I　was　shopping　and　I　turned　into　a　quiet　side　street。　All　about　me　were　shops　made　of　wood　and　paper　the　way　it　was　in　Japan　when　Tokyo　was　named　Edo　and　the　Tokugawa　ruled　the　shogunate。
　'I　passed　a　shop　that　had　a　gaily　decorated　window　and　I　stopped。　In　the　centre　of　the　window　was　a　doll。　It　was　the　most　beautiful　doll　I　had　ever　seen。　Its　aura　was　very　strong。
　'She　was　of　porcelain；　this　doll；　white…faced；　dressed　elegantly　in　the　bushi　fashion。　Her　eyes　stared　at　me　and　I　could　not　look　away。　〃Buy　me；〃　they　said。
　'The　shopkeeper　wrapped　her　up　for　me　in　a　silken　cloth　and　I　took　her　home。　And；　as　I　was　unwrapping　her；　she　began　to　speak。　Her　voice　was　imperious　and　manding　and　very；　very　firm。　She　was　obviously　a　lady　of　a　high　house。
　'It　was　Itami　and　she　said　that　we　must　e　to　her。　She　said　that　we　must　leave　Singapore　and　e　to　Tokyo。'
　'Have　you　ever　met　Itami？'　the　Colonel　asked。
　'No。'
　'Did　Tsuko　ever　show　you　a　picture　of　her？'
　'No。'
　'Yet　you　are　certain　that　this　doll　in　your　dream　was　Itami。'
　'It　was　Itami；　Denis。'
　He　leaned　forward　at　last　and　took　her　hands　in　his　as　he　had　longed　to　do　for　some　time。　Her　long　nails；　he　saw　today；　were　lacquered　deep　scarlet。　He　traced　their　satiny　smoothness　for　a　moment；　savouring　the　feeling。　'We　will　go　to　Japan；　Cheong。　To　Tokyo。　We　will　meet　Itami；　just　as　your　dream　said。'
　The　smile　that　spread　across　her　face　was　like　the　rising　of　the　sun。　'Oh；　yes；　Denis？　This　is　really　true？'
　'It　is　really　true。'
　〃Then　tell　me　why；　for　my　spirit　is　happy　and　cares　not　but　my　mind；　my　mind　cries　out　to　know。'
　The　day　before　they　left；　she　took　him　to　see　So…Peng。
　He　lived　outside　the　city；　to　the　north…west；　in　a　village　of　oiled　paper　and　bamboo　where　no　Westerner　had　ever　before　set　foot。　It　was　not　on　any　map　of　the　region　that　the　Colonel　had　ever　seen。　In　fact；　when　Cheong　had　told　him　of　the　location；　he　had　laughed；　saying　that　their　destination　would　be　naught　but　the　middle　of　a　mangrove　swamp。　Nevertheless；　she　was　undeterred　and　he　eventually　acquiesced　to　her　wish。
　It　was　Sunday　and　Cheong　insisted　that　he　must　not　wear　his　uniform。　'This　is　most　vital；'　she　had　informed　him　and　as　he　donned　his　wide…lapelled　cream　linen　suit；　white　silk　shirt　and　navy　regimental　tie；　he　felt　somehow　spectacularly　naked：　a　daub　of　crimson　in　an　otherwise　emerald　jungle；　the　bull's…eye　in　an　unmissable　target。　For　her　part；　Cheong　wore　a　white　silk　dress；　embroidered　with　sky…blue　herons；　mandarin…collared；　floor…length。　She　looked　a　dream。
　There　was　brilliant　sunlight　as　they　left　the　city；　the　heat　washed　over　them　in　slippery　waves。　A　listless　breeze　brought　with　it　the　foetid　stench　of　the　mangrove　swamps　but　always　from　their　left。　Twice　they　were　obliged　to　stop；　standing　perfectly　still　as　long　black　and　silver　vipers　writhed　obliquely　across　their　path。　The　first　time　this　happened；　the　Colonel　made　a　move　to　kill　the　serpent　but　Cheong's　firm　hand　upon　his　wrist　deflected　him　from　his　purpose。
　Far　away；　yet　seeming　as　close　to　them　as　the　flamboyantly　painted　backdrop　to　some　stage　play；　the　eastern　horizon　was　fairly　choked　with　dark　grey　clouds　piling　themselves　into　the　sky　like　ungovernable　children　pyramiding　themselves　dangerously。　Above；　the　sky　was　a　peculiar　yellow；　no　blue　was　anywhere　to　be　seen；　and　now　and　again　silent　white　lightning　flickered　and　forked　through　the　grey；　turning　its　softness　for　moments　to　marble。　It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　it　was　so　calm　and　tranquil　here　where　they　walked　up　the　winding　road；　rising　along　the　spine　of　a　sprawling　hillock。
　Singapore　had　long　since　dropped　from　sight　and；　like　a　ship's　anchor　sent　overboard；　it　seemed　to　be　absolutely　gone；　part　of　another　world　which　they　had　stepped　out　of　and；　passing　through　some　invisible　barrier；　now　found　themselves　in　a　land　quite　apart。　At　least　mat　was　how　it　seemed　to　the　Colonel　on　that　magical　afternoon；　how　it　came　to　him　again　and　again　throughout　his　life　in　dreams　during　the　mornings'　drowsy　early　hours。
　On　the　far　side　of　the　forested　hillock；　all　indications　of　the　road　they　had　been　following　disappeared　and　not　even　the　semblance　of　a　path　through　the　foliage　presented　itself。　Yet　Cheong　seemed　to　have　no　difficulty　at　all　in　reorienting　herself　and；　taking　his　hand；　guiding　them　to　the　village　of　So…Peng。
　It　lay　in　a　leafy　shallow　hollow　with　the　beginnings　of　a　basalt　mountain　at　its　back；　a　natural　barrier　behind　which；　perhaps；　only　the　stormy　sea　lay。
　They　came　upon　one　house　that　seemed　in　all　respects　similar　to　those　around　it　and；　having　climbed　its　three　or　four　wide　wooden　steps　up　from　the　mud　of　the　streets；　now　stood　upon　its　front　porch；　wide　as　a　veranda　in　the　old　South　of　America；　covered　against　the　torrential　rains　and　the　baking　sun　of　the　seasons。　Here　Cheong　bade　Denis　remove　his　shoes　even　as　she　was　doing。
　The　front　door　opened　and　they　were　ushered　into　the　house　by　an　old　woman　with　steel…grey　hair；　elegantly　coiffed；　dressed　in　a　long　silk　robe　the　colour　of　swirled　ash。　She　put　her　hands　together　in　front　of　her　breasts　and　bowed　to　them。　They　returned　the　gesture　and；　as　she　stood　upright　and　smiled　at　them；　the　Colonel　saw　that　she　had　no　teeth。　Her　face　was　lined；　to　be　sure；　but　the　flesh　still　retained　a　hint　of　the　vitality　and　beauty　that　it　had　obviously　radiated　in　youth。　Her　black　almond　eyes　were　as　luminous　as　lanterns；　shining　with　the　inquisitive　innocence　of　the　little　girl　from　out　of　the　past。
　Cheong　introduced　the　Colonel。　'And　this　is　Chia　Sheng；'　she　said　without　otherwise　identifying　her。
　Chia　Sheng　laughed；　staring　at　the　Colonel's　bulk；　and　shook　her　head　from　side　to　side　as　if　to　say；　'What　can　one　do　with　young　people　today？'　She　shrugged　her　thin　shoulders　and　clucked　her　tongue　sharply　against　the　roof　of　her　mouth。
　Cheong；　the　Colonel　noted；　spoke　only　Mandarin　and；　without　being　told　in　so　many　words；　he　was　aware　that　he　should　do　the　same。
　They　were　in　a　room　of　some　considerable　size。　No　other　house　he　had　been　in　Singapore；　not　even　the　main　house　of　the　estate　bordering　the　mangrove　swamps　that　had　once　been　his；　could　boast　of　such　space。　The　outside　facade；　he　saw；　had　little　relevance　once　one　was　inside。
　More　odd；　however；　was　the　fact　that　this　room　was　covered　in　tatamis　…　Japanese　reed　mats　of　a　specific　size　by　which　all　rooms　in　traditional　Japanese　houses　were　measured。　But　more　surprises　were　in　store　for　the　Colonel。
　Chia　Sheng　led　them　wordlessly　through　this　first　room；　sparsely　furnished　with　low　lacquered　tables　and　cus