el.the miko-第113部分

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　Akiko。
　She　was　not　Yukio；　yet　she　had　Yukio's　face。　Why？　Surely　she　could　not　have　been　bom　with　features　so　precisely　akin　to　his　lost　love's。　Nature　simply　did　not　repeat　its　handiwork　in　such　a　manner　save　perhaps　between　twins。
　And　if；　as　he　believed　now；　her　face　was　manmade；　then　he　was　led　like　a　dog　on　a　leash　back　to　the　one　person　who　could　wish　him　destroyed；　one　person　who　could　conceive　of　such　emotional　torture。
　Itami　had　been　quite　correct：　he　was　totally　evil。　Saigo。　So　he　had　instinctively　e　here；　to　his　cousin's　house；　in　search　of　answers　to　the　unanswerable。
　〃But　there　is　another　reason；　Oba；　a　more　urgent　one。　I　recently　came　across　a　woman　with　Yukio's　face。　She　wasn't　Yukio　and　she　was。　Her　name　is　Akiko。〃
　Itami　turned　away；　her　face　to　the　dying　sun。　〃I　knew　a　woman　with　such　a　name；　once；〃　she　said。　〃I　loved　her　once；　she　revered　me　once。　As　was　proper　between　mother　and　daughter…in…law。〃
　Nicholas　felt　his　heart　constrict。　What　Itami　was　suggesting　felt　monstrous　to　him；　unclean　if　not　unholy。　〃She　was　married　to　Saigo？〃　he　managed　to　get　out。
　Itami　nodded。
　〃Was　she　a　student？〃
　Itami　knew　very　well　what　kind　of　student　he　meant。　To　them　there　was　only　one　kind。　〃Yes。〃　Her　voice　was　a　whisper。　〃They　met　in　Kumamoto。　She　was　there　for　two　years；　studying　before　she　left。〃
　〃Where　did　she　go？〃
　〃I　do　not　want　to　talk　of　it。〃
　〃Itami…san…〃
　〃It　is　a　shameful　thing。〃　Her　voice　was　cold；　old　and　sad　for　the　first　time。　〃Do　not　make　me　utter　it。〃
　He　moved　around　in　front　of　her。　〃I　must　know。　I　must！　She　is　your　son's…〃
　〃Do　not　call　him　that！〃'
　〃She　is　Saigo's　last　weapon　against　me；　can't　you　see　that？　If　you　do　not　help　me；　I　am　afraid　she　may　succeed　where　he　did　not。〃
　Her　eyes　were　clear。　〃Is　this　truly　so？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Hai；　Oba。〃
　〃In　the　alps　somewhere　to　the　north　lives　a　sensei。　His　name　is　Kyoki。〃
　〃That　is　no　name；〃　Nicholas　said；　stunned。　〃That　is　a　state　of　being：　madness。〃
　〃Nevertheless；　that　is　where　Akiko　went；　that　is　where　she　learned　to　mask　her　wa；　where　she　learned　jaho。〃
　Itami　made　a　face　and　turned　away。　〃There；　I've　said　it　all　now；　though　it　makes　me　ill。〃
　He　waited　a　long　time　before　he　spoke　again。　There　were　many　reasons　for　this。　He　wanted；　first　of　all；　to　allow　her　to　recover　her　posure。　Too；　he　wanted　to　drink　in　this　most　serene　surrounding　that　gentled　his　spirit　like　a　mother's　caress。　Lastly；　he　did　not　want　this　time　between　them　to　end。
　But　at　last　he　was　moved　to　speech。　〃I　must　go；　Haha。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Will　you　kiss　me　good…bye　as　my　father　taught　Cheong　to　do？〃
　Itami　turned。　Her　eyes　were　brimming　and　so　huge　they　seemed　to　enpass　the　world。　Gently　her　hands　held　him　and；　lifting　herself　lightly　on　tiptoe；　she　pressed　her　lips　to　his　cheek　just　as　she　had　done　it　thousands　of　times　before。
　〃Happy　birthday；　Haha；〃　he　whispered。
　〃Live　long；　Nicholas；〃　Itami　breathed。　But　she　was　already　alone　in　the　bower；　the　birds　trilling　sweetly　overhead　with　the　first　onrush　of　twilight。
　To　Justine；　Tokyo　was　as　bewildering　as　New　York　City　would　be　to　a　teenager　from　Nebraska。　It　was　not　what　she　had　expected　it　to　be　nor　what　she　had　wanted　it　to　be。
　It　throbbed　all　around　her　like　a　neon　hive；　its　atmosphere　as　chokingly　heavy　as　that　of　a　coal　mine。　She　entered　into　it　with　increasing　trepidation　and　by　the　time　she　had　been　conveyed　to　the　portals　of　the　Okura　was　prepared　to　turn　right　around　and　go　home。　The　only　thing　that　prevented　her　was　Nicholas　or；　more　accurately；　the　thought　of　him。
　Craig　Allonge　was　staying　at　the　Okura。　She　knew　him　slightly　and　in　desperation　she　scribbled　a　note　for　him　and　asked　the　concierge　to　see　that　he　got　it　the　moment　he　returned　to　the　hotel。
　Then　she　went　up　to　her　room　and　collapsed　on　the　bed。　Her　skin　felt　as　if　it　had　been　coated　with　oil　and　her　hair　was　greasy　from　the　long　flight。　Groaning；　she　got　up　and　drew　a　bath；　using　water　as　hot　as　she　could　tolerate。　She　felt　she　would　need　that　to　peel　all　the　layers　of　grime　off　her。
　She　had　soaped　up　and　was　soaking；　her　knotted　muscles　slowly　unwinding；　when　the　phone　rang。　There　was　an　extension　within　reach　and　she　used　it。　It　was　Allonge。　He　had　been　set　up　with　a　temporary　office　at　Sato　Petrochemicals　and　had　returned　to　the　hotel　to　change　for　lunch。　He　was　a　shirtsleeves　man　and　no　one　had　told　him　how　formal　the　Japanese　could　be。
　When　Justine　asked　about　Nicholas；　Allonge　did　not　know　what　to　tell　her。　He　heard　the　agitation　in　her　voice　and　did　not　want　to　alarm　her　unduly　by　telling　her　he　had　no　idea　where　his　boss　might　be。　Instead　he　said　he　would　find　out　and　would　call　her　right　back。　He　disconnected　and　called　Sato's　office。　No；　there　was　no　word　as　yet　from　Mr。　Linnear。　Did　Allonge…san　wish　to　speak　with　Nangi…san？
　Tanzan　Nangi's　return　from　Hong　Kong　was　news　to　Allonge　and　he　said；　〃Yes；　put　me　through；　please。〃　When　the　connection　was　made　he　told　Nangi　about　Justine。
　〃Bring　her　back　with　you；〃　Nangi　said。　〃I'll　talk　to　the　young　lady。〃
　Nangi　put　down　the　receiver　and　swung　away　from　his　desk。　Having　just　an　hour　ago　deplaned　at　Narita；　his　thoughts　were　still　partially　back　in　Hong　Kong。　He　thought　of　Fortuitous　Chiu　and　his　Dragon　father。　But　even　more　his　thoughts　were　concentrated　on　the　Green　Pang　Triad。　Sometime　within　the　month　they　would　raid　the　Sun　Wa　Trading　pany　on　Tai　Ping　Shan　Street。　There　would　be　violence；　people　killed。　One　of　those　people　would　be　Mr。　Liu；　perhaps　another　would　be　a　young　woman　by　the　name　of　Succulent　Pien。
　Whatever　the　oute；　it　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　Nangi；　it　was；　rather；　Triad　warfare；　a　territorial　dispute。　Or　at　least　that　would　be　how　all　the　newspapers　would　write　it　up；　how　the　populace　would　see　it。　That　was　the　accepted　way　of　life　in　the　Crown　Colony。　Lo　Whan　would　have　to　accept　it　as　well。　Karma。　Perhaps　he　should　have　consulted　a　feng　shui　man　before　entering　into　the　agreement　with　Nangi。
　In　fact；　the　raid　had　been　agreed　upon　by　Nangi　and　Fortuitous　Chiu　before　the　meeting　with　Lo　Whan　at　Ocean　Park　took　place。　That　had　been　the　reason　for　all　the　h'eung　yau　spread　around；　the　partriotic　angle　that　Nangi　had　asked　Fortuitous　Chiu　to　bring　up　to　Third　Cousin　Tok。　Nangi　had　not　abrogated　his　agreement　with　Lo　Whan；　and　the　disinformation　connection　with　Redman　would　cease　to　exist　within　three　weeks　time。
　But　his　satisfaction　was　to　be　shortlived　because　in　a　moment　a　discreet　knock　was　heard　at　his　door　and　Nangi　swiveled　around。　He　saw　Kei　Hagura；　one　of　Seiichi's　senior　vice　presidents。
　〃Enter；　Hagura…san。〃　The　man　looked　decidedly　unwell；　Nangi　thought。　Perhaps　he　needs　some　time　off　with　his　wife　and　children。　There　is　nothing　like　being　with　one's　family　to　restore　the　spirit。
　〃Pardon　me　for　intruding；　Nangi…san。〃　Hagura　was　bowing　profusely。　His　face　was　white　and　pinched　and　over　his　shoulder　Nangi　became　aware　of　a　stir　within　the　hive　of　offices　on　the　fifty…second　floor。
　〃e；　e；　Hagura…san。〃　Nangi's　voice　was　slightly　irritated。　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　Hagura's　head　was　down；　his　eyes　would　not　meet　Nangi's　own。　〃A　report　has　just　e　over　the　wire　from　our　Hokkaido　office。　There　has　been　some　kind　of。。。　well。。。　an　accident；　perhaps。　No　one　is　quite　certain　as　yet。〃
　Nangi　sat　forward；　his　pulse　accelerated。
　〃What　sort　of　accident；　Hagura…san？　How　bad　was　it？　Who　was　involved？〃
　〃I　am　afraid　that　it　concerns　Sato…san。〃　Hagura's　voice　was　faltering　just　as　if　he　had　contracted　laryngitis。　〃There　has　been　some　form　of　automotive　accident。〃
　〃And　Sato…san？〃　There　was　a　catch　to　Nangi's　voice。　〃How　is　he？〃
　〃There　was　no　chance　for　anyone；〃　Hagura　said。　He　did　not　want　to　say　the　word；　as　if　his　reluctance　would　make　all　of　this　mere　speculation　rather　than　fact。
　〃Hagura…san；〃　Nangi　manded。
　The　senior　vice　president　closed　his　eyes　in　acquiescence　to　the　inevitable。　〃Sato…san　is　dead；　sir。〃
　Nangi　was　careful　to　let　nothing　show。　Face　was　all　important　now；　he　knew。　This　kobun　was　like　a　samurai　in　the　employ　of　the　Shogun。　It　was　absolutely　mitted　to　its　course。　It　could　only　march　forward；　never　retreat。　Even　to　falter　was　forbidden。　And　Tenchi　could　not　wait。
　〃Thank　you；　Hagura…san。　I　appreciate　how　difficult　this　must　have　been　for　you。〃
　Hagura　bowed；　accepting　the　pliment。　〃It　was　my　duty；　Nangi…san。〃　Inside　he　was　mightily　impressed　with　Nangi…san's　wa。　He　felt　the　harmony　still　pervading　the　room；　lending　it　power。　In　the　face　of　his　tragic　and　totally　unexpected　news　this　was　heartening　indeed。　The　news　of　what　had　happened　in　here　would　spread　through　the　kobun；　Nangi's　heroism　and　iron　determination　offsetting　some　of　the　void　all　must　feel　at　Seiichi　Sato's　passing。
　Alone　in　the　office　after　Hagura's　departure；　Nangi　broke　apart。　Tears　filled　his　eyes；　there　was　a　fist　in　his　throat　that　made　swallowing　painful。　He　stared　out　through　the　high　panes　of　glass。
　First　Gotaro；　he　thought。　Then　Oba…chama；　Makita。　But　not　Seiichi；　never　Seiichi。　How　many　people　in　one's　life　were　there　who　one　could　talk　to？　How　many　were　there　in　a　lifetime　who　understood　him？　One　or　two；　a　handful　if　one　were　exceptionally　fortunate。
　Who　would　he　talk　to　now？　Nangi　asked　himself。　Who　would　he　confide　in；　formulate　plans　with；　gloat　over　his　recent　triumph　in　Hong　Kong　with？　All　of　this　had　fallen　to　Seiichi。　Now　there　was　no　one。
　There　was　anger　as　well　as　a　deep　and　abiding　sadness　within　him　now。　For　this　time　he　turned　his　love　around　and　hated　the　God　in　whom　he　believed；　in　whom　he　put　all　his　trust；　and　into　whose　care　he　had　delivered　his　immortal　soul。
　How　could　you　do　such　a　thing？　he　railed　inside。　Where　is　the　sense　of　it？　There　was　only　a　perception　of　harsh　cruelty；　of　an　unfairness　so　huge　as　to　be　overwhelming。　They　had　been　like　twins；　Tanzan　and　Seiichi；　knowing　each　other's　heart；　trusting　each　other's　spirit　through　all　their　squabbles；　arguments；　disagreements。　And　as　in　every　good　marriage；　those　battles　had　been　ironed　out　in　the　end　to　the　satisfaction　of　both　of　them。　No　more。　Why？
　Had　Nangi　been　able　to　see　himself　objectively　at　that　moment　he　would　have　understood　that　he　had　lost　more　than　the　friendship　he　held　most　dear。　He　had　also　lo