ericlustbader.the ninja-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


bol　than　the　cherry　blossom。　It　stood　variously　for　renewal；　purification；　love　and　ineffable；　timeless　beauty：　basic　concepts　to　the　Japanese　spirit。　All　this　passed　through　the　Colonel's　mind　as　he　decided　where　to　start。
　〃As　in　all　things　Japanese；'　he　said；　'the　answer　is　not　a　simple　one。　In　fact；　its　origins　lie　elsewhere：　in　Japan's　long　militaristic　history。　With　the　beginning　of　the　Meiji　Restoration　in　1868；　Japan　made　a　strong　and　concerted　effort　to　turn　away　from　both　the　isolation　and　the　feudalism　that　marked　the　two　hundred…plus　years　of　the　powerful　Tokugawa　shogunate。　This　also　meant　turning　away　from　the　traditionalism　which；　many　felt；　was　the　backbone　of　Japan's　strength。'
　They　turned　off　to　the　right；　heading　down　a　shallow　incline　towards　a　small　lake。　The　sound　of　children's　voices　drifted　up　to　them　through　the　foliage。
　'But　with　this　new　policy；'　the　Colonel　continued；　'this　Westernization；　if　you　will；　came；　quite　naturally；　the　eroding　of　the　samurai's　great　power。　After　all；　they　had　always　been　Japan's　most　stalwart　traditionalists。　Now　they　were　branded　reactionaries；　for　they　vigorously　opposed　all　that　the　Meiji　Restoration　sought　to　create。　I　know　that　you　are　well　aware　that　since　1582；　when　Toyotomi　Hideoshi　became　shogun；　only　samurai　were　allowed　to　wear　two　swords　…　the　katana　was　the　samurai's　province　alone。　Now　this　was　all　changed。　The　Military　Conscription　Act　forbade　the　wearing　of　the　katana　and；　by　creating　a　national　army　posed　of　'moners'；　effectively　did　away　with　the　class　barrier　that　had　exalted　the　samurai　since　its　inception　in　A。D。　792。'
　For　a　time　they　strolled　by　the　side　of　the　lake；　its　pure　chill　blue　contrasting　with　the　pink…white　of　the　blossoms。　Toy　sailboats　drifted　across　the　water；　their　white　sails　billowing；　their　tiny　captains　running　gleefully　at　the　verge　of　the　land　to　keep　up　with　their　progress。
　'However；　the　samurai　were　not　so　easily　beaten；'　the　Colonel　said。　The　miniature　sails；　moving　so　steadfastly　over　the　water；　recalled　to　him　perfect　prints　out　of　Japan's　internecine　past。　'A　great　majority　of　them　fought　back　directly　and；　when　they　were　defeated；　they　formed　societies。　The　main　one　was　called　the　Genyosha　…　the　Dark　Ocean　Society　…　but　there　were　others　such　as　the　Kokuryukai　…　the　Black　Dragon
　Society。　These　societies；　which　are　quite　active　today；　are　reactionary　organizations　that　believe　strongly　in　imperialism　and　a　manifest　destiny　for　Japan　upon　the　Asian　shore。
　'Now　the　Genyosha　was　born　in　Fukuoka　and　is　based　there　still。　But　since　that　part　of　Kyushu　is　this　country's　closest　approach　to　the　continent；　it's　not　very　surprising　that　the　Genyosha　should　be　most　virulent　there。'
　Nicholas　thought　of　the　Mongol　invasions；　of　the　violently　nationalistic　feelings　that　must　have　been　nurtured　there　by　such　precipitous　incursions。　And　this　led　him　back　to　thoughts　of　Satsugai。
　They　found　a　bench　beside　the　water；　sat　down。　On　the　far　side　of　the　lake　a　child　held　a　bunch　of　colourful　balloons　and；　farther　away；　over　the　massive　treetops；　he　could　see　plastered　against　the　sky　the　quivering　fragile　presence　of　a　box　kite；　it　was　painted　in　the　image　of　a　fire…breathing　dragon。
　'Having　failed　in　their　bid　to　overthrow　the　Meiji　regime　overtly；　the　members　of　the　Genyosha　next　set　about　subverting　the　Restoration　covertly；　from　within。　They　were　clever　men。　They　knew　that　the　Meiji　oligarchy；　which　propounded　industrialization；　would　need　economic　expansion　in　order　to　fuel　this。　To　them；　this　must　involve　the　exploitation　and　eventual　subjugation　of　China。
　'Working　within　the　prescribed　political　framework　of　the　new　Japanese　society；　the　men　of　the　Genyosha　sought　to　make　allies　in　the　highest　levels　of　government。　They　made　their　intensive　target　the　members　of　the　General　Staff；　where　a　reactionary　philosophy　was　the　norm　rather　than　the　exception。
　'They　were　aided　in　this　by　the　uping　general　election　of　1882。　The　Genyosha　made　deals　with　the　incumbents。　In　return　for　their　seeing　that　these　politicians　were　returned　to　office；　the　society　was　assured　that　this　regime　would　follow　a　vigorously　imperialistic　foreign　policy。　Accordingly；　the　Genyosha　hired　toughs；　importing　them　into　each　district　of　the　country。　Beatings　were　not　unmon。　It　was　an　election　of　fear。'
　Two　American　Army　officers　passed　by　with　their　families　in　tow；　they　wore　their　uniforms　like　a　badge　of　honour；　treading　the　ground　like　the　conquering　heroes　they　were。　Perhaps　they　saw　where　they　were；　what　went　on　around　them；　but　surely　they　understood　none　of　it。
　'With　the　implementation　of　this　policy　and　the　success　of　Japanese　expansion　into　Manchuria　and　Shanghai　came　the　vested　interests　of　the　Japanese　businessman　abroad。　A　growing　economy　was　now　crucial　to　Japan　and　its　rate　of　growth　was　prodigious。　Out　of　this　cauldron　rose　the　four　enormous　industrial　bines　prising　the　zaibatsu。'
　'Then　Kansatsu　was　right　when　he　said　that　economics　must　take　as　much　responsibility　as　militarism　for　Japan's　road　to　the　war；'　Nicholas　observed　thoughtfully。
　The　Colonel　nodded。　'In　many　ways；　Japan　was　a　primitive　nation　by　world　standards；　the　Tokugawas　had　seen　to　that。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　they　understood　perhaps　better　than　any　others　the　purity　of　their　country。　But　I'm　very　much　afraid　it's　one　of　the　things　that　MacArthur　missed。　Oh；　he　knew　enough　about　the　culture　to　leave　the　Emperor　just　where　he　had　always　been　despite　the　hue　and　cry　that　he　be　tried　and　executed　as　a　war　criminal。　You　see；　quite　apart　from　the　fact　that；　from　the　first；　the　Emperor　had　done　all　in　his　power　to　aid　the　Americans　after　the　war；　MacArthur　was　well　aware　that　any　attempt　to　dethrone　him　would　throw　Japan　into　utter　chaos；　it　was　a　tradition　that　even　the　mighty　shoguns　dared　not　tamper　with。
　'Yet　also　from　the　first　the　Americans　propounded　the　myth　that　the　'guiding　force　behind　the　Japanese　war　effort　came　entirely　from　the　military。'　He　licked　at　his　sticky　fingers；　took　out　his　pipe。　'Nothing　could　have　been　further　from　the　truth。　It　was　the　members　of　the　zaibatsu　who　backed　the　country　into　a　corner　from　which　war　became　the　only　viable　economic　alternative。'
　'But　what　about　the　Japanese　people　as　a　whole？'　Nicholas　asked。　'Surely　they　did　not　want　war。'
　The　Colonel　placed　his　pipe；　unlit；　between　his　teeth。　He　looked　up；　watching　the　gentle　bobbing　of　the　laden　boughs　in　the　wind。　'Unfortunately　there　is　a　long　history　here　of　the　people　being　led。　It　es　from　being　so　long　in　a　feudal　society；　of　giving　blind　obedience　to　the　Emperor；　the　shogun；　the　daimyo。　It's　inbred。'　He　sat　upright；　half　facing　his　son　on　the　bench；　one　hand　holding　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　'It's　not　surprising；　then；　to　learn　that　there　was　little　concerted　antiwar　sentiment　just　before　the　war。　In　fact；　the　Social　Democrat　Party；　who　had　been　openly　antimilitaristic　in　their　stand　when　Japan　invaded　Manchuria；　lost　much　of　their　constituency　in　the　1932　general　election。　It　was　the　tiny　but　ineradicable　munist　Party　that　became　the　lone　Japanese　voice　raised　against　imperialism　during　that　time。　It　was　little　more　than　a　reed　in　a　hurricane；　the　zaibatsu　and　the　Genyosha　had　efficiently　manipulated　key　individuals　in　both　the　government　and　the　media；　war　became　inevitable。'
　They　both　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　running　feet。　To　their　left　a　pair　of　uniformed　policemen　rushed　down　stone　steps　three　at　a　time；　their　arms　spread　wide　on　either　side　for　balance。　People　looked　up。　There　was　a　harsh　cry。　Children　turned；　the　toy　sailboats　rocked　unattended　and　unwatched。　Several　of　the　American　officers　hesitated　for　an　instant　before　taking　off　after　the　police。　Nicholas　and　the　Colonel　stood　up　and　began　to　drift　with　the　crowd　around　the　left　side　of　the　lake。
　There　was　a　tour　of　intervening　cherry　trees　and　the　foliage　was　so　lush　that　they　could　not　make　out　what　was　happening　behind　it。
　A　crowd　had　formed　by　the　time　they　arrived；　having　cut　through　the　grass　so　as　to　bypass　the　crowded　steps。　Taking　Nicholas　by　the　arm；　the　Colonel　shouldered　his　way　through　the　throng。　Already；　at　the　edges；　there　was　some　pushing　and　shoving。　The　scuffling　was　brief；　however；　as　more　of　the　metropolitan　police　arrived　on　the　scene。
　The　front　line　of　people　parted　and　they　saw　an　expanse　of　grass　like　a　glade　in　a　forest。　There　were　cherry　blossoms　scattered　upon　the　grass　as　if　in　a　hero's　wele　home。　Nicholas　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　patterned　kimono。　At　first　it　appeared　grey　but　then；　as　he　was　shoved　forward　by　the　thrust　of　the　uneasy　crowd；　he　saw　that　it　was　posed　of　thin　waved　lines　of　black　and　white　which；　at　a　distance；　blended　together。　It　was　trimmed　in　white。
　As　more　policemen　pushed　themselves　through　the　onlookers；　those　already　in　the　glade　shifted　position。　As　they　did　so；
　Nicholas　saw　a　man　kneeling　on　the　grass。　His　forehead　touched　the　ground　littered　with　blossoms。　His　right　arm　was　close　to　his　body；　the　hand　invisible　within　the　kimono's　folds　across　his　belly。　In　front　of　him　was　a　small　lacquered　rosewood　and　brass　box　and　a　long　white　strip　of　silk；　partly　in　shadow。
　Behind　him；　the　Colonel　gripped　Nicholas's　shoulders　as　he　said；　'That's　Hanshichiro'　He　was　referring　to　the　great　Japanese　poet。
　Nicholas　squirmed　to　get　a　better　look。　He　now　saw　the　kneeling　man's　face　between　the　forest　of　shifting　legs。　His　hair　was　iron…grey；　his　face　wide　and　flat；　the　features　thick。　Lines　pulled　down　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　His　eyes　were　closed。　Then　Nicholas　saw　that　the　silk　strip　before　him　was　not　shadowed　but　stained。　Being　porous；　it　let　all　the　blood　through　so　that　it　seeped　into　the　earth　at　Hanshichiro's　feet。
　'Seppuka；'　the　Colonel　said；　'is　how　it　ends　for　the　honourable。'
　Nicholas　was　still　thinking　of　how　incredibly　ordered　it　was。　He　was　used　to　stories　of　the　war；　there；　death　was　messy。　But　here；　how　serene；　how　precise；　how　much　like　the　tide　of　time　it　was；　while　all　around　its　calmness　stirred　the　agitated　waters。
　'Are　you　all　right；　Nicholas？'　The　Colonel　put　his　hand　lightly　on　his　shoulders；　looked　down　at　him　concernedly。
　Nicholas　nodded。　'I　think　so。'　He　looked　up。　'Yes。　I　guess　I　am。　I　feel　…　a　little　st