ericlustbader.the ninja-第16部分

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　Chia　Sheng　led　them　wordlessly　through　this　first　room；　sparsely　furnished　with　low　lacquered　tables　and　cushions　and　little　else；　down　a　short　dimly　lit　hallway。　Its　far　wall　consisted　of　an　enormous　piece　of　jade　so　heavily　carved　that　it　became　a　latticework。　In　its　centre　was　a　round　doorway　known；　the　Colonel　had　somewhere　heard；　as　a　moon　gate。　These　existed　on　the　mainland　of　China　in　the　houses　of　the　very　wealthy　during　the　latter　half　of　the　nineteenth　century。
　Across　the　moon　gate's　opening　a　long　bolt　of　silk　hung　from　a　bamboo　pole　laid　crosswise。　It　was　grey。　Embroidered　upon　it　was　a　royal…blue　wheel…and…spoke　pattern。　This　seemed　oddly　familiar　to　the　Colonel；　and　for　long　minutes　he　racked　his　brain　until　he　recalled　that　he　had　seen　the　self…same　bolt　of　cloth　reproduced　in　a　ukiyo…e　print　by　Ando　Hiroshige。　It　was　one　of　the　Fifty…three　Stations　of　the　Tokoido　series；　he　could　not　remember　the　title　of　the　print　in　question。　However；　it　had　shown　the　design　to　belong　to　a　travelling　daimyo。　Another　mystery。　The　Colonel　shrugged　inwardly　as　Chia　Sheng　led　them　through　the　moon　gate；　white　shot　with　black　and　green。
　They　found　themselves　in　a　room　only　a　little　smaller　than　the　first。　On　three　sides　were　folding　screens　of　exquisite　manufacture；　dark　colours　ing　to　vibrant　life；　passing　through　the　years　as　if　they　were　but　veils　of　smoke。
　Scents　now　invaded　his　nostrils；　the　chalkiness　of　charcoal；　the　muskiness　of　incense；　and　there　were　others；　subtler；　delicate　cooking…oil；　tallow　and　still　others　impossible　to　define。
　'Please；'　Chia　Sheng　said；　leading　them　past　a　low　red　lacquered　table。　Freshly　cut　flowers　in　a　bowl　spread　themselves　at　its　centre。　They　disappeared　between　the　ends　of　two　of　the　screens；　which　revealed　a　doorway　of　blackness；　as　if　it　had　been　cut　out　of　the　heart　of　a　piece　of　onyx。
　'The　stairs；'　Chia　Sheng　murmured　and　they　ascended。　It　was　a　narrow　spiral　staircase　with　room　enough　to　climb　in　single　file　only。
　The　stairwell　debouched　at　length　upon　a　kind　of　tower　which　struck　the　Colonel　more　as　a　garret。　A　green…tiled　roof　was　supported　at　the　four　corners　of　the　structure　by　wooden　beams。　Otherwise　there　was　an　unimpeded　view　on　all　sides　save　the　one　where　the　basalt　mountain；　like　some　awesome　leviathan　out　of　mythology；　loomed　close　enough　to　serve　as　guardian。
　As　they　came　into　the　garret；　the　Colonel's　eyes　fell　upon　a　tall　figure　gazing　out　at　the　riding　storm；　a　long　glass　held　to　one　eye。　This　was　So…Peng。
　'Wele；　Colonel　Linnear。'　His　voice　was　rich　and　deep　and　seemed　to　set　the　garret　vibrating。　His　Mandarin　was　oddly　accented；　in　Western　terms　one　might　have　said　clipped。　He　did　not　turn　round；　did　not　in　any　verbal　way　acknowledge　Cheong's　presence。　Chia　Sheng；　her　mission　perhaps　at　an　end；　left　them；　silently　descending　the　winding　stair。
　'Please　e　over　here　and　stand　by　me；　Colonel；'　So…Peng　said。　He　wore　an　old…fashioned　formal　Chinese　robe　the　colour　of　mother　of　pearl。　It　was　woven　of　a　material　totally　unfamiliar　to　the　Colonel；　for　even　the　slightest　movement　of　the　old　man　caused　its　surface　to　pick　up　and　reflect　the　fitful　light　in　a　most　marvelous　way。
　'Look　here；'　the　old　man　said；　thrusting　the　glass　at　the　Colonel。　'Look　to　the　storm；　Colonel；　and　tell　me　what　you　see。'
　The　Colonel　took　the　polished　brass　spyglass；　closed　one　eye　and　peered　through　it　with　the　other。　Now　within　the　elevation　of　So…Peng's　eyrie；　he　felt　the　first　tentative　touches　of　the　storm　they　had　earlier　observed；　the　wind　was　rising。
　Within　the　confined　circle　of　his　extended　vision；　he　saw　the　bloom　of　the　clouds；　now　purple…black　like　bruises；　and；　too；　the　colour　of　the　sky　behind　the　storm　had　changed。　The　solid…seeming　yellow　tinge　had　been　struck　through　with　tendrils　of　a　pale　green；　such　a　hue　the　land…bound　world　could　never　produce。　Deep…throated　rumblings　could　be　heard　now　and　again；　rolling　over　the　earth　like　an　invisible　tsunami；　a　tidal　wave。　Dutifully；　the　Colonel　related　all　he　saw。
　'And　that　is　all　you　see；'　said　So…Peng。　There　was　no　hint　of　an　interrogative　in　his　inflection。
　Yes；　the　Colonel　was　about　to　say；　that　is　all　I　can　see。　But　he　checked　himself　at　the　last　moment；　certain　that　there　was　something　out　there　that　the　old　man　wished　him　to　see。
　For　long　moments　he　moved　the　eye　of　the　glass　over　the　terrain　an　inch　at　a　time　but　he　saw　nothing　new　to　report。　Still；　it　nagged　at　him　and　he　moved　the　glass　upwards；　scanning。　Nothing。　Then　downwards　towards　the　earth。　Below　the　on…rushing　storm；　he　saw　the　women　in　the　rice　paddies；　the　flat　wet　fields　without　the　protection　of　a　single　tree　or　even　a　makeshift　lean…to。　Almost　in　concert；　the　women　bent　to　their　tasks；　leaning　over；　reaching　for　and　pulling　at　the　growing　rice。　Their　skirts　were　pulled　up　in　the　centre；　tied　in　huge　knots　between　their　bent　legs；　woven　sacks　encircled　their　backs　so　that　they　had　the　aspect　of　beasts　of　burden；　water　covered　their　bare　feet　to　the　ankle。
　'The　women　are　still　working；'　the　Colonel　said；　'as　if　the　storm　wasn't　there。'
　'Ah！'　So…Peng　said；　nodding。　'And　what　does　this　tell　you；　Colonel？'
　The　Colonel　took　the　glass　from　his　eye；　lowering　it　to　his　side；　looking　at　So…Peng；　at　his　yellow　hairless　head；　the　grey　wisp　of　his　beard　hanging　straight　down　from　the　ultimate　point　of　his　chin；　the　dark　serene　eyes　regarding　him　coolly　as　if　from　some　other　age。
　'Hmmm；'　So…Peng　murmured　and　nothing　more。　He　was　fully　aware。
　'They　know　something　we　don't；'　the　Colonel　said。
　By　that　'we'　the　Colonel　had　meant；　however　implicitly；　Westerners。　Yet　So…Peng　now　had　to　make　up　his　mind　whether　the　Colonel　was　being　serious　or　merely　condescending。　So…Peng；　not　unlike　every　Asian　on　the　continent；　had　had　far　more　experience　with　people　expressing　the　latter　sentiment。　Yet　he　did　not　dismiss　the　Colonel　summarily　as　he　very　easily　might　have；　so　that　even　at　this　early　stage　he　must　have　had　an　instinctive　reaction　to　this　man。
　For　his　part；　the　Colonel　knew　only　too　well　that　he　had　e　to　a　crucial　nexus　in　his　relationship　with　Cheong。　This　man's　blessing　was　imperative　for　her。　Why　it　had　not　been　necessary　at　her　marriage　he　could　not　understand。　Yet　he…knew　that　for　her　to　depart　from　Singapore；　So…Peng　had　to　bee　an　active　agent。
　That　this　house；　this　town　were　so　isolated；　so　totally　unknown　to　the　Western　population；　made　the　Colonel　all　the　more　apprehensive。　He　was　painfully　aware　that　many　Chinese　had　no　great　love　for　Westerners；　those　barbarian　giants　from　across　the　sea。　That　this　dislike　…　indeed　this　enmity　…　was；　at　its　core；　mostly　justifiable；　made　no　difference　to　him　at　this　moment。
　But　the　Colonel　had　a　great　love　for　these　people；　for　their　life；　their　history；　religion　and　customs；　and　it　was　this　knowledge；　chiefly；　which　heartened　him　now；　which　prompted　him　to　say；　'There　is　no　doubt；　sir；　that　we　have　much　to　learn　here　but；　I　feel　too；　that　the　most　advantageous　of　situations　involves　an　exchange；　initially；　of　information　but；　more　important；　leads　from　there　to　an　exchange　of　…　confidences。'
　So…Peng's　hands　were　inside　the　wide　sleeves　of　his　robe　as　he　crossed　his　arms　over　his　thin　chest。　'Confidences；'　he　said　meditatively　as　if　the　word　were　some　new　and　exotic　flavour　he　was　testing　on　his　palate。　'Well；　now；　Colonel；　〃confidences〃　may　have　many　meanings　…　inflections　and　contextual　placings　determine　that。　Whereby；　my　boy；　I　might　be　led　to　believe　that　you　had　meant　by　it；　secrets。'
　'That　may　not　be　very　far　from　the　mark；　sir；'　the　Colonel　replied。
　'And　what；'　said　So…Peng；　'makes　you　think　that　any　such　intimacy　should　be　extended　to　you？'
　The　Colonel　kept　his　gaze　steady；　his　eyes　impaled　by　those　he　saw　in　front　of　him；　and　so　intense　became　this　look　that　at
　length　the　other's　face　seemed　to　disappear；　leaving　behind　that　pair　of　lights　swimming　alone　in　the　atmosphere；　hovering　in　lambent　conversation。　'There　is；　firstly；　respect；　sir。　Then　there　is　knowledge；　knowledge　sought　and　assimilated。　There　is　acceptance；　of　what　is　and　what　was　…　the　understanding　of　one's　role　within　the　matrix。　Then　there　is　the　curiosity　to　learn　the　unknowable。　And　lastly；　there　is　love。'　This　being　said；　the　Colonel　relaxed　somewhat；　knowing　that　he　had　spoken　his　heart；　expressed　himself　in　a　manner　both　pleasing　to　himself　and　honouring　his　wife。　There　was　naught　else　to　be　done　now。
　Yet　when　So…Peng　next　spoke；　it　was　directed　not　at　the　Colonel　but　at　his　wife。　'Cheong；'　he　said。　'I　believe　that　Chia　Sheng　is　calling　for　you。　Her　voice　drifts　up　to　me　in　this　charged　air。'
　Without　a　word；　Cheong　bowed　and　departed。
　The　Colonel　stayed　where　he　was；　silent。　Beyond　their　frail　enclosure　the　storm　came　on。
　'Cheong　tells　me　that　you　are　leaving　for　Japan　shortly。'
　The　Colonel　nodded。　'Yes。　Tomorrow。　I　have　been　asked　to　work　with　General　MacArthur　in　reconstructing　a　new　Japan。'
　'Yes。　There　is　much　prestige　in　such　work。　A　place　in　history；　eh；　Colonel？'
　'I　hadn't　thought　about　that；　quite　frankly。'
　'Do　you　not　think；'　said　So…Peng；　'that　this　reconstructing；　as　you　put　it；　is　best　left　for　the　Japanese　people　to　decide　for　themselves？'
　'That　would　be　the　ideal；　of　course。　But　unfortunately　certain　elements　within　Japanese　society　have　misdirected　them　throughout　the　last　two　decades。'　When　the　other　remained　silent；　the　Colonel　continued：　'I　am　certain　you　are　quite　aware　of　their　activities　in　Manchuria。'
　'Manchuria　1'　So…Peng　scoffed。　'What　have　I　or　my　people　to　do　with　Manchuria？　It　is　as　a　slum　on　the　far　side　of　the　world　to　us。　I　would　just　as　soon　allow　the　Japanese　and　the　Bolsheviks　to　fight　between　themselves　for　it。　Manchuria；　from　my　point　of　view；　would　be　no　great　loss　to　China　as　a　whole。'
　'But　the　Japanese　sought　that　land　as　a　foothold　into　the　rest　of　China。　There　they　would　have　built　their　　　　　military　bases
　from　which　they　would　expand。'
　'Yes。'　So…Peng　sighed。　'Their　imperialist　nature　saddens　me　deeply　…　at　least　it　did　when　I　was　a　youth。　Yes；　then　it　was　like　a　thorn　in　my　side；　for　the　Japanese　way　is　the　way　of　militarism。　It　always　has　been；　it　cannot　be　otherwise。　It　is　the　blood　flowing　out　of　the　centuries　and　i