ericlustbader.the ninja-第71部分

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　Parity　was　already　a　fact　in　Japan　and　the　country　was　gearing　itself　up　for　overdrive；　for　the　great　push　to　surpass　those　countries　from　which　it　had　learned。　And　there　would　e　a　day　now；　Nicholas　was　convinced；　when　the　Japanese；　having　proved　his　economic　strength；　would　shed　his　Western　appurtenances；　returning　in　re…won　security　to　the　traditional　kimono；　robes　of　state。
　They　were　on　the　fast　train　…　the　express　…　from　Tokyo　to　Osaka。　Out　of　the　window　on　their　right　was　all　of　the　width　of　Honshu；　the　main　island。　On　the　other　side　they　could　see　from　time　to　time　the　glintings　of　the　sea；　throwing　bright　golden　reflections　in　abstract　patterns　across　the　car's　ceiling。　The　vibration　from　the　rails　was　minimal；　as　was　the　noise　on　this　sleek　blue　and　silver　liner；　quiet；　spacious　and　serene。
　Yukio　sat　back　in　the　seat；　linked　her　arm　through　his。　'Why　don't　we　stay　overnight　in　Osaka？'　she　suggested　and　then；　as　if　in　explanation；　'I　hate　trains。'
　Nicholas　thought　about　that。　Perhaps　it　wasn't　such　a　bad　idea。　The　nightlife　there　was　bright　and　glossy　and　he　needed　cheering　up　right　now。
　The　little　bit　of　clandestine　cloak…and…dagger　that　Yukio　and　he　had　concocted　regarding　Saigo　…　he　had　quite　conveniently　forgotten　whose　suggestion　it　had　been　…　had　proved　unnecessary。　Astoundingly；　before　she　had　even　had　a　chance　to　leave　for　the　dinner　at　Satsugai's　house；　where　she　was　to　take　a　peek　at　Saigo's　ticket　destination；　a　note　had　been　delivered　to　Nicholas。　It　was　in　Saigo's　hand　and　it　invited　him　to　e　to　a　town　called　Kumamoto　in　Kyushu　for　a　visit　during　the　next　few　weeks。　No　reason　was　given　for　the　invitation。　Like　everything　in　Saigo's　life；　this；　too；　was　meant　to　be　secretive。
　Nicholas　had　read　the　note　with　a　mounting　sense　of　deflation。　Irrationally；　he　felt　as　if　Saigo　had　somehow　read　his　mind　and　he　could　not　throw　off　the　anticipatory　overtones　the　words　set　off　in　him；　like　a　far…off　bell　tolling　from　some　fog…shrouded　hillside。　〃This　will　all　be　unexplored　territory；'　Kansatsu　had　said　to　him；　'if　you　decide　it's　what　you　want。　It　is　totally　your　decision　to　make；　Nicholas。　I　cannot　guide　you。　Only　say　that　here　you　can　go　no　further。　For　that　you　must　look　to　the　darkness　…　and　the　light。'　Squelched；　his　plan　had　been　cruelly　revealed　as　just　so　much　juvenile　fantasy　and；　instead　of　thinking　about　why　he　had　been　asked　south；　he　made　himself　busy　feeling　unhappy；　defeated。　And　to　make　matters　worse；　Yukio　went　to　dinner　at　Satsugai's　anyway。
　Mountains　reared　silently　through　the　perspex　window；　blue…grey；　ragged　with　streaks　of　snow　running　down　from　their　summits　like　spilt　cream。　One　of　the　three　ranges　of　Alps　…　the　most　southerly；　headed　by　Mount　Shirane　…　passed　like　a　cincture　about　Honshu's　waist。　Where　was　he　headed　now；　he　wondered。　Into　the　light　or　the　darkness？　Did　it　matter？
　'Especially　this　one；〃　Yukio　said　as　if　there　had　been　no　space　of　silence　between。　'I　hate　this　one。　All　the　wide　seats；　the　chrome　trim；　the　bigger　windows　don't　mean　a　thing　to　me。　It's　worse　on　this　one。　Because　of　the　silence。　The　silence　makes　me　restless。'　She　made　a　face。　'My　foot's　asleep。'　She　shifted；　stretching　out　legs　on　which　she　had　been　sitting。　The　businessman　across　the　way　rattled　his　paper；　peals　of　warning。
　'All　right；〃　Nicholas　said。　'Yes。'　There　seemed　no　good　reason　to　rush　headlong　into　Kumamoto。　Anyway；　he'd　only　been　to　Osaka　once　when　he　was　much　younger　and　he　was　curious　to　see　how　much　it　had　changed。　Would　he　recognize　it？　He　thought　not。
　He　felt　Yukio's　presence　close　and　warm　beside　him　and　he　wondered　if　it　had　been　intelligent　to　take　her。　In　truth　it　had　not　been　his　idea。　But　after　making　his　decision　to　accept　Saigo's　summons；　it　had　proved　quite　impossible　to　deflect　her。　'It　was　you；　after　all；'　she　had　said　in　her　most　persuasively　accusatory　tone；　'who　got　me　involved　in　this　in　the　first　place。'　He　couldn't　recall　whether　or　not　that　was　so。　'It's　only　fair　you　take　me　along　now。'　She　had　flung　her　head　back　defiantly；　sensually　…but　then；　even　in　anger；　she　was　superbly　sensual。　'Besides；　if　you　don't；　I'll　only　e　with　you　on　my　own。　Do　you　think　you　could　hide　from　me？'　He　thought　not。　Decidedly　un…Japanese；　he　had　said　to　himself　while　acquiescing。　Did　the　Colonel　give　in　to　Cheong　in　this　way？
　He　often　trembled　when　she　was　so　close　to　him；　his　muscles　jumping　and　twitching　quite　beyond　his　control。　He　sometimes　clandestinely　watched　this　phenomenon　as　if　he　were　an　outsider。　This　helped　stymie　the　feelings　of　terror　that　rose；　fluttering　like　leathery　bats；　from　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　rising　towards　his　head。　This　he　knew　he　must　not　allow　to　happen；　otherwise　he　felt　he　might　go　mad。　She　passed　a　hand　across　his　flesh　and　thus　stirred　that　hidden　pool　at　the　core　of　his　being　which　he　had；　for　a　time；　thought　closed　even　to　himself。　It　remained　inaccessible　to　him。
　Mr　Mitsubishi；　face　glossy　as　a　horse's　hide　after　a　canter；　had　put　his　paper　down；　folding　it　lengthwise。　He　proceeded　to　destroy　the　pyramid　beside　him；　opening　his　attach^　case；　closing　it　again。　On　its　spotless　top　he　unfolded　waxed　paper　in　which　was　a　chicken　sandwich。　Light　lanced　from　his　round　glasses　as　he　ate；　turning　him　blind　for　moments　at　a　time。　Perhaps　somewhere；　Nicholas　thought；　he　had　a　small　bag　of　crisps　or　a　bar　of　chocolate。
　Behind　him；　a　group　of　Japanese　businessmen；　in　all　respects　identical　to　Mr　Mitsubishi；　rustled　inside　their　dark　three…piece　suits　like　chrysaline　insects；　black　bowlers　on　their　laps；　chattering　animatedly　about　the　two　Jacks；　Ruby　and　Kennedy。
　One　did　not　travel　to　Osaka　for　culture　…　one　went　to　Kyoto；　the　country's　original　capital；　for　that。　It　was　monly　said　…mostly　by　the　inhabitants　of　Tokyo　…　that　Osakans　were　money…mad　businessmen；　greeting　each　other　on　crowded　street　corners　with　the　all…too…familiar　phrase　'Mo　kari　makka？'　Making　any　money？
　Nicholas　had　little　first…hand　knowledge　of　such　affairs　yet　it　was　true　that　secreted　along　the　city's　riotous　streets；　like　tiny　pockets　of　the　past　encysted　within　the　neon　age；　were　numerous　shrines　to　Fudo…miyo…o；　the　deity　overseeing　such　matters　as　concerned　the　dedicated　businessman。　These　shrines　never　seemed　to　lack　for　attention。
　He　took　them　to　a　smallish　modern　hotel　not　far　from　the　Dotombori　where　they　checked　into　separate　but　adjoining　rooms。　It　being　still　too　early　for　dinner；　they　immediately　set　out　to　see　the　city。
　Yukio　insisted　on　seeing　Osaka　Castle；　that　last　bastion　of　refuge　of　the　Toyotomi　family；　besieged　by　leyasu　Tokugawa　after　he　had　already　assumed　the　mantle　of　Shogun　in　1603。　It　had　been　erected　by　Hideoshi　Toyotomi　…　as　had　much　of　Osaka　…　and　was　pleted　within　three　years；　in　1586。
　'There　was　a　time；'　Yukio　said　as　they　strolled　through　the　park；　bordered　at　their　backs　by　the　modern　Osakan　skyline；　'when　the　Lady　Yodogimi　was　my　ideal。'　The　castle　loomed　through　the　lowering　afternoon；　seeming　larger　than　life；　a　squat　pagoda；　stolid　and　boxlike。　It　was　not；　Nicholas　reflected；　the　kind　of　structure　that　leyasu　would　have　had　built。
　The　crowds　grew　in　size　as　they　approached　the　castle's　outward　fortifications。　'What　I　thought　was　so　。。。　special　。。。　was　how　she　carried　on　the　will　of　Hideoshi；　even　after　his　death；　just　as　if　she　were　a　samurai　herself。　She　devoted　herself　totally　to　the　safety　of　the　heir。'
　'Oh。yes；'　Nicholas　said。　'Yes。'　They　had　reached　the　first　of
　the　stonework；　massive　and　hulking　in　the　lengthening　shadows。　'To　the　detriment　of　the　rest　of　the　country。　She　and　Mitsunari　plotted　…'
　'They　plotted　…　as　you　choose　to　put　it　…　to　protect　the　Shogun's　son。　They　did　what　honour　dictated。'
　Nicholas　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side。　'Yukio；　Yodogimi　was　the　Shogun's　mistress；　not　his　legal　wife。　Her　aspirations　were　a　bit　grandiose。'　He　waved　a　hand　as　if　in　dismissal。　'In　any　event；　leyasu　proved　a　far　too　potent　foe　for　them。'　He　stopped。
　'You　talk　as　if　Yodogimi　was　some　kind　of　villain　in　some　children's　story…book。'
　'Well；　she　hardly　had　the　best　interests　of　Japan　in　mind；　you　must　admit　that。'
　'Perhaps　the　child　would　have　grown　up　to　be　this　country's　finest　leader。'
　Nicholas　looked　past　her。　To　their　left　was　a　small　shedlike　structure。　The　arms　house。　It　was　here　that　Yodogimi　had　brought　her　son　and　their　retainers　when　the　end　had　bee　inevitable；　it　was　here　she　took　her　son's　life　before　mitting　seppuku。　'That's　all　rather　irrelevant；　don't　you　think？　In　the　years　it　would　have　taken　him　to　e　of　age；　without　one　daimyo　strong　enough　to　bee　Shogun　and　lead　Japan；　the　country　would　have　been　plunged　again　into　the　civil　war　from　which　Hideoshi　had　saved　it。　Without　leyasu's　strength；　Japan　would　have　been　doomed。'
　'Still；　such　a　brave　woman。　Loyal　and　brave。'　Yukio's　voice　might　have　been　the　whisper　of　the　wind。　'So　selfless。'　She　watched　the　parade　of　tourists　before　the　shed。　'I　admire　her　so　much。'
　Hidden；　the　sun　slid　downwards　to　the　earth　as　if　too　heavy　to　sustain　its　own　weight。　The　sky　was　like　grey　ribbons　fluttering　across　an　excited　girl's　breast；　parting　at　the　soft　advance　of　her　lover。　There　was　a　brief　flash　of　gold；　stonework　in　flickering　torchlight；　then　it　was　gone。
　'e　on；'　he　said；　taking　her　hand。　'Onwards　and　upwards。'
　Of　course；　the　original　Osaka　Castle　had　been　razed　in　1615；　when　it　had　been　overrun　by　the　forces　of　the　Tokugawa；　a　structure　previously　regarded　as　impregnable。　This　one　they　strode　had　been　constructed　of　ferroconcrete　in　1931。
　Nightside。　Along　the　Dotombori；　jammed　with　restaurants；　shops；　news…stands；　movie　theatres；　nightclubs；　restless　crowds　and；　above　all；　the　vast　spot　lit　signs　glittering　in　the　night；　pushing　the　darkness　away　as　if　it　held　no　dominion　here。　Colours　spun；　neon　lights　blinking　on；　off；　on　in　time　to　the　heartbeat　of　the　shifting　traffic。
　Time　seemed　suspended　here；　as　if　in　a　dream　these　dazzling　coloured　lights；　celebrants　of　power；　called　here　to　summit；　would　brook　no　outside　interference　even　from　such　a　basic　concept。
　A　great　replica　of　a　crab；　crimson　and　white；　its　spiny　carapace　gleaming；　so　many　centred　spots　focused　upon　it　the　light　seemed　to　drip　from　it　like　honey；　hung　over　them；