el.the miko-第122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！


　paramedics　had　kept　the　makeshift　tourniquet　he　had　fashioned；　afraid　to　remove　it　lest　the　bleeding　begin　again。
　Nicholas　sat　next　to　him；　one　shoulder　lower　than　the　other。　He　had　refused　a　shot　and　now　sat　staring　at　his　stricken　friend　and　his　ruined　left　hand　that　was　no　more　than　a　stump。
　Across　his　lap　lay　Iss…Hogai　in　its　black　lacquer　scabbard。　He　gripped　it　so　hard　his　left　hand　was　white。　For　life。　Its　name　seemed　ironic　to　him　now。　There's　magic　in　a　Japanese　forged　blade；　he　had　once　told　Justine。　But　what　use　was　magic　that　could　do　this？
　At　the　hospital　he　climbed　painfully　down　after　Croaker　had　been　wheeled　inside　the　emergency　room。　Leaning　the　dai…katana　against　a　pale　green　cinderblock　wall；　he　dug　a　coin　out　of　his　pocket　and　dialed　the　hotel。
　〃Justine；〃　he　said　wearily　when　the　connection　was　made；　〃e　and　get　us。　We're　at　Toranomon　Hospital。〃　He　put　his　forehead　against　the　cool　wall。　An　intern　was　calling　urgently　to　him；　ing　across　the　crowded　corridor　to　take　him　away。
　〃Everything's　all　right；〃　he　said　into　the　phone。　〃But　I　miss　you。〃　He　put　down　the　phone　and　began　to　cry。
　
　
　TOKYO　SUBURBS　SPRING；　PRESENT
　On　a　clear　day　in　late　spring；　three　weeks　after　the　incident　at　the　dojo；　Nicholas　and　Justine　returned　from　jampacked　Narita；　where　they　had　seen　Lew　Croaker　off　to　America。
　His　arm　was　healing　well。　The　operation；　an　attempt　to　sew　back　the　hand　that　had　been　so　cleanly　sliced　off；　had　been　a　failure。　Too　much　time　had　elapsed。　But　otherwise　the　news　had　been　good。　No　plications；　no　infections。　The　tourniquet　he　had　fashioned　from　strips　of　cloth　blouse　had　quite　possibly　saved　his　life；　the　surgeon　had　said。　He　was　very　encouraged　about　the　prognosis。
　Instead　of　heading　back　into　the　choking　riot　of　Tokyo；　Nicholas　drove　them　northwest；　skirting　the　city　itself。　In　the　backseat　of　the　Nissan　sedan　Iss…Hogai　lay　scabbarded　and　quiescent；　its　presence　an　ever…constant　weight。
　They　went　past　the　lake　above　which　Sato　had　gotten　married；　where　Akiko　had　first　revealed　herself；　where　Yukio　had　returned　from　the　grave。　Bright　sunshine　turned　the　water　to　gold　and　glass。　Herons　rose　near　the　inlet　to　the　stream　that　fed　the　lake；　their　white　bodies　bright　and　sharp　against　the　deep　translucent　blue。
　〃What　a　beautiful　place！〃　Justine　exclaimed。　Nicholas　said　nothing。
　Just　outside　the　gate　to　Itami's　property　he　stopped　the　car　and　they　got　out。　He　wanted　to　walk　the　rest　of　the　way。　It　was　as　if　the　modern　conveyance　did　not　belong　there；　he　felt　strongly　that　he　would　defile　the　grounds　by　driving　in。
　Together　they　strolled　down　the　flagstone　path；　Justine　holding　lightly　to　his　left　hand。
　〃How　are　your　fingers　today？〃　she　asked。
　〃Better；〃　he　said。　It　was　what　he　always　told　her。
　〃Has　feeling　e　back　yet？〃
　〃They're　better。〃　His　voice　was　gentle。　〃Just　better。〃
　Justine　looked　at　him；　wondering　what　it　might　take　now　to　set　his　spirit　at　rest。
　They　passed　a　stone　basin　in　the　shape　of　an　old　coin。　It　was　round；　carved　on　its　top　with　one　character　at　each　cardinal　direction。　Rock。　Rain。　Fire。　Cloud。
　Justine　wanted　to　walk　over　to　it　and　they　went　off　the　path。　Water　filled　its　square　central　well；　a　handmade　bamboo　ladle　resting　on　the　stone。
　〃I'm　thirsty；〃　she　said；　and　Nicholas　took　up　the　ladle。　They　both　drank　from　it。　The　water　was　cold　and　sweet。　For　a　moment　the　well　was　less　than　full；　and　as　Nicholas　bent　to　return　the　ladle　to　its　resting　place；　he　saw　that　there　was　an　ideogram　carved　into　its　bottom。　Michi。　A　path；　also　a　journey。
　Miraculously；　the　house　and　grounds　had　sustained　no　major　damage　in　the　aftermath　of　the　earthquake。　One　outer　wall　at　the　southerly　end　of　the　house　had　collapsed；　and　several　trees　nearby　had　been　split。　But　that　was　all。
　Still；　it　was　hardly　the　same。　Without　Itami　and　her　legion　of　servants　the　place　seemed　deserted　indeed。　She　had　died　sometime　during　the　day　and　a　half　he　had　been　at　the　hospital。　The　funeral　had　taken　place　two　days　later；　when　Nicholas　was　healed　sufficiently　to　attend。　She　was　buried　in　a　plot　quite　near　Cheong's　and　the　Colonel's；　as　she　had　wished。
　There　had　been　no　pain　in　her　dying；　the　white…haired　physician　had　told　Nicholas。　He　had　attended　to　Itami's　medical　needs　for　more　than　thirty　years。　〃One　moment　she　was　there；〃　he　said。　〃The　next　she　was　gone。〃　Nicholas　was　at　least　grateful　for　that。
　Justine　watched　him　as　he　wandered　the　house。　Something　had　e　over　him　the　moment　he　had　alit　from　the　car。　She　had　felt　it　when　she　had　taken　his　hand；　when　she　had　looked　at　his　strong；　handsome　profile　as　they　had　walked　the　gravel　path　to　the　house。
　In　the　small　room　where　only　chano…yu　had　been　performed；　he　sank　down　onto　his　knees。　He　winced　a　bit　as　pain　flicked　through　his　shoulder。　Then；　by　some　process　that　was　totally　mysterious　to　Justine；　he　flicked　it　off；　and　his　face　cleared。
　She　knelt　at　his　side；　bending　her　head　a　bit　to　see　more　of　the　beautiful　garden　than　the　half…screen　permitted。　〃Why　is　it　like　that？〃　she　said。　〃There's　so　much　more　to　see　out　there。〃　But　even　when　he　explained　it　to　her；　she　was　not　certain　that　she　understood。　If　it's　there；　she　thought；　why　not　take　advantage　of　it？
　〃I've　met　with　Nangi　several　times；〃　he　said；　his　voice　drifting。　〃He's　anxious　that　we　stay；　at　least　for　a　time。　There's　so　much　to　do。〃　He　turned　his　head。　〃Would　that　be　okay　with　you；　a　month　or　six　weeks？　Tokyo's　not　so　bad　once　you　get　used　to　it。〃
　〃I　don't　mind；〃　she　said；　watching　him　still。　There　was　a　wistful　look　on　his　face；　and　a　calmness　young　boys　have　after　a　long　day's　exertion；　when；　happily　exhausted；　they　return　home　to　a　secure　rest。
　〃Well；　really；　he'd　like　us　to　stay　here　permanently。　I　told　him　that　that　was　out　of　the　question。〃
　〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃
　He　looked　at　her　quickly。　〃Why？　It's　not　possible。　And　you　wouldn't　like　it。　You'd　miss　New　York。　And　your　new　job。〃
　〃I'd　miss　you　more　if　we　went　back　to　the　States　and　I　saw　you　longing　to　be　here。　Besides；　I　think　I　could　talk　Rick　into　letting　me　start　up　a　branch　office　in　Tokyo。　He's　fascinated　by　Japanese　ad　methods。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　be　here；〃　he　said。　〃Besides；　where　would　we　live？〃
　She　smiled　at　him。　〃Why　not　right　here？〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　he　said　immediately。　〃There　are　too　many　memories　here。　The　past's　all　around；　hanging　in　every　corner　like　a　spider　web。〃
　〃I　like　it　here；〃　she　said；　regaining　her　feet。　〃I'm　sorry　that　you　don't。〃
　On　the　way　back；　they　stopped　by　the　side　of　the　lake。　The　birds　were　trilling　sweetly；　and　the　air　smelled　very　fresh。
　Justine　gently　stroked　the　back　of　his　injured　hand。　〃Why　won't　you　smile；　Nick。　You've　been　brooding　for　weeks。　It　worries　me　to　see　you　like　this。〃
　Nicholas　spread　out　his　hands；　palms　up。　〃I　look　at　these；　Justine；　and　wonder　what　they're　for　besides　inflicting　pain　and　death。〃
　She　put　one　of　her　hands　in　his。　〃They're　also　gentle　hands；　Nick。　They　caress　me　and　I　melt　inside。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃That's　not　enough。　I　can't　help　thinking　what　they've　done。　I　don't　want　to　kill。〃　His　voice　trembled。　〃I　don't　believe　that　1　ever　could　have。〃
　〃You　never　sought　out　death；　Nick。　You've　always　killed　in　self…defense。〃
　〃Yet　I　sought　out　the　training；　first　bujutsu；　then　ninjutsu。　Why？〃　His　eyes　were　pleading。
　〃What　answer　do　you　think　will　satisfy　you？〃　she　said　softly。
　〃That's　just　it；〃　he　cried　in　anguish。　〃I　don't　know！〃
　〃I　think　that's　because　there　is　no　answer。〃
　His　head　went　down　and　he　said　in　a　muffled　voice；　〃Then　I　have　no　answer　for　how　I　maimed　my　friend。〃
　〃Oh；　Nick；〃　she　said；　pressing　her　lips　against　his　cheek；　〃Lew　doesn't　blame　you；　why　blame　yourself？〃
　〃Because　without　me　he'd　still　have　two　hands！〃
　〃No；　without　you　he'd　be　dead。　And　he'd　never　have　found　out　who　really　murdered　Angela　Didion。〃　Nicholas　had　told　her　as　much　as　he　could　during　their　long　vigil　during　Croaker's　operation。　〃You　know　how　obsessed　he　was　over　that。〃
　With　a　little　cry　Nicholas　tore　himself　away　from　her　loving　embrace。　He　went　around　the　car；　reached　into　an　open　back　window；　and　took　the　dai…katana　up。
　He　kissed　Justine　hard　on　the　lips。　〃I'll　be　back　in　a　little　while。　Wait　for　me；　listen　to　the　birds；　watch　the　sunlight　drift　through　the　leaves。〃
　He　went　away　from　her　up　the　small　grassy　knoll　and　down　toward　the　lake。　The　water　sparked　and　danced　as　ripples　creased　its　surface。　Water　lapped　softly　at　his　feet；　running　into　his　socks。　It　felt　good　on　his　feet；　and　he　waded　in　up　to　his　thighs；　unmindful　of　his　clothes。
　There　was　a　pain　like　a　stone　in　his　throat。　Iss…Hogai　had　been　the　Colonel's　gift　to　him　to　memorate　his　passage　from　child　to　man。
　But；　he　thought　now；　there　was　another　passage　he　must　make　that　came　after　that　one。　He　was　ready　for　it　now；　prepared　in　every　way　he　could　imagine。　Yet　it　would　still　hurt；　he　knew。　Not　as　much　as　his　hurt　for　his　friend；　but　it　would　be　bad　enough。
　〃Thank　you；　father；〃　he　mouthed　as　he　lofted　the　dai…katana　high　over　his　head　in　his　good　hand　and　threw　it　with　all　his　strength　out　into　the　middle　of　the　lake。
　It　hit　the　surface　point　on；　and　there　was　no　splash　at　all。　Soundlessly；　it　disappeared　into　the　depths。
　For　a　long　time　after　that　Nicholas　stood　thigh　deep　in　the　cool　water；　feeling　its　life…giving　lap　surrounding　his　body。　He　breathed　deeply　of　the　air；　heard　birds　calling　behind　him。　He　saw　a　pair　of　snowy　herons　lift　off　from　the　water's　surface　and　wheel　into　the　white　sky。　He　watched　their　flight　until　they；　too；　were　lost　to　sight。
　He　recognized　the　lightness　in　his　spirit　when　it　came；　like　a　fresh　breeze　after　a　humid　summer's　day。　It　had　been　time　to　put　away　the　lethal　toys　that　had　dominated　his　life　for　so　long。　It　was　time　to　get　on　with　living。
　He　turned　at　last　and　waded　the　short　distance　to　shore。　Just　beyond　the　small　crest　of　the　knoll；　Justine　waited　for　him。　His　heart　expanded　at　the　knowledge。
　As　he　went　toward　her；　he　thought　that　she　might　be　right　after　all；　just　as　Nangi　had　been　right。　Japan　was　his　home。　Did　he　really　want　to　leave　it　now？
　For　the　first　time　he　could　feel　the　real　force　of　the　calmness　he　experienced　in　Itami's　chano…yu　room。　There　his　spirit