el.the miko-第2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！


their　vote　for　her　entry　into　the　ryu。　They　say　it　is　because　you　could　not　muster　enough　votes　within　your　own　council　that　you　left。〃　His　head　raised。　〃All　because　of　her。〃
　Invincibility　lies　in　the　defense；　Kusunoki　thought。　The　possibility　of　victory　is　attack。　To　his　pupil；　he　said；　〃It　is　true　that　I　was　once　jonin　in　the　Gyokku　ryu；　that　much　is　mon　knowledge。　But　the　reasons　for　my　departure　are　my　own；　no　one　else　knows　them；　not　even　the　other　members　of　the　council。　My　great…great…grandfather　was　one　of　the　founders　of　Gyokku；　it　took　much　thought　on　my　part　to　make　the　decision。　It　took　much　time。〃
　〃I　understand；　sensei；〃　Tsutsumu　said；　thinking　that　what　he　had　just　been　told　was　an　utter　lie。　He　was　certain　within　his　own　heart　that　Kusunoki　had；　indeed；　jeopardized　his　entire　career　for　this　one　woman。　Inexplicably。
　〃Good。〃　Kusunoki　nodded。　〃I　thought　you　might。〃　The　black　eyes　closed　for　a　moment；　and　the　student　breathed　an　inaudible　sigh　of　relief。　He　felt　a　trickle　of　sweat　creeping　like　an　insect　down　the　indentation　of　his　spine　and　he　struggled　to　keep　his　body　still。　〃Perhaps　I　have　been　wrong　about　her；　after　all；〃　the　sensei　said。　With　a　great　deal　of　elation；　Tsutsumu　recognized　the　sadness　in　the　other's　voice。　〃If　what　you　have　gleaned　is　indeed　the　truth；　then　we　must　deal　with　her　swiftly　and　ruthlessly。〃
　Tsutsumu's　head　swung　around　at　the　mention　of　the　word　we。　〃Yes；　sensei；〃　he　said；　thinking；　Softly；　softly　now；　knowing　he　was　moving　in；　trying　to　keep　his　jubilation　in　check。　〃Any　way　I　may　serve　you　is　an　honor。　That　is　why　I　first　came　here；　and　I　have　not　wavered　in　that　resolve。〃
　Kusunoki　nodded。　〃It　is　as　I　suspected。　There　are　few　one　can　trust　even　in　this　day　and　age。　When　I　ask　for　your　opinions　now；　when　I　ask　for　you　to　take　action；　both　of　these　must　be　given　willingly　and　faithfully。〃
　Tsutsumu　could　barely　contain　his　euphoria；　outwardly　he　showed　nothing。　〃You　have　but　to　ask　me；〃　he　said。
　〃Muhon…nin〃　Kusunoki　said；　leaning　forward；　〃this　is　all　I　ask。〃
　The　word　traitor　had　only　begun　to　register　on　Tsutsumu's　brain　when　he　felt　the　incredible　pain　engulf　him　and；　looking　down；　saw　the　sensei's　hand　gripping　him　just　below　the　collarbone。　It　was　not　a　strike　he　had　yet　mastered　and；　staring　bewil…deredly　at　it；　trying　to　fathom　its　secrets；　he　died；　a　froth　of　pink　saliva　bubbling　between　his　trembling　lips。
　Kusunoki；　watching　life　escape　like　a　puff　of　invisible　smoke；　took　his　hand　away　from　the　corpse。　Without　his　support；　it　swayed　and　fell　to　one　side；　the　pink　drool　staining　the　tatami　on　which　Tsutsumu　knelt。
　Behind　the　sensei　a　shadow　appeared　to　move　behind　the　shoji　and　then　a　figure　emerged。　Hearing　the　pad　of　bare　feet；　the　sensei　said；　〃You　heard　it　all？〃
　〃Yes。　You　were　correct　all　along。　He　was　the　traitor。〃　The　voice　was　light；　pleasingly　modulated。　Female。
　She　wore　a　dark　brown　kimono；　designed　with　gray　plovers　within　circles　of　black。　Her　gleaming　black　hair　was　drawn　tightly　back　from　her　face。
　Kusunoki　did　not　turn　around　at　her　silent　approach。　Instead；　he　was　staring　at　the　rice…paper　scroll　hung　in　a　niche　along　one　bare　wall。　Just　below　it　was　an　earthenware　bud　vase　in　which　he　had　placed　one　perfect　day　lily。　At　dawn　this　morning；　as　he　did　every　morning　of　his　adult　life；　he　had　gone　walking　in　the　wilderness；　strolling　the　slopes；　through　glades　still　dark　and　misty　with　remnants　of　the　night；　past　rushing　streams　etched　with　the　last　silvered　thorns　of　moonlight；　in　search　of　this　one　flower　that　would　reflect　its　mood　of　peace　and　contemplation　all　through　the　day。　Plucking　it　carefully；　he　had　made　his　way　back　to　the　precincts　of　his　dojo。
　On　the　rice…paper　scroll　a　Zen　master　of　the　eighteenth　century　had　written　in　flowing　characters：　〃Rock　and　wind/only　they　remain/through　generations。〃
　〃But　you　allowed　him　to　get　so　close　to　you。〃
　Kusunoki　smiled　up　at　her　and　said；　〃I　allowed　him　the　luxury　of　cutting　his　own　throat。　That　is　all。〃　He　watched　her　as　she　sank　down　on　her　knees。　He　was　conscious　of　the　fact　that　she　chose　a　spot　near　his　right　hand　and　not　directly　in　front　of　him。　〃Often；　times　dictate　that　one　bees　more　intimate　with　one's　enemies　than　with　friends。　This　is　a　necessary　lesson　of　life；　1　urge　you　to　listen　well。　Friends　engender　obligations　and　obligations　entangle　life。　Always　remember：　plication　breeds　desperation。〃
　〃But　what　is　life　without　obligation？〃
　Kusunoki　smiled。　〃That　is　an　enigma　even　sensei　may　not　unravel。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　fallen　form。　〃Now　we　must　find　the　source　from　which　this　muhon…nin　sprang。〃
　〃Is　that　so　important？〃　Her　head　turned　slightly　so　that　the　flat　curve　of　her　cheek　was　outlined　in　the　soft　light　filtered　by　the　shoji。　〃He　has　been　neutralized。　We　should　return　to　our　work。〃
　〃You　are　not　yet　privileged　to　all　that　goes　on　here；〃　Kusunoki　said　seriously。　〃The　martial　and　the　military　arts　are　but　two。　It　is　essential　that　we　discover　the　source　of　the　infiltration。〃
　〃You　should　not　have　destroyed　him　so　quickly　then。〃
　The　sensei　closed　his　eyes。　〃Ah；　rash　youth！〃　The　voice　was　soft；　almost　gentle；　but　when　the　eyes　snapped　open　the　female　felt　her　insides　fluttering　involuntarily；　drilled　by　that　basilisk　gaze。　〃He　was　professional。　You　will　learn　someday　not　to　waste　valuable　time　on　men　like　him。　They　must　be　dispatched　as　quickly　and　as　efficiently　as　possible。　They　are　dangerous…highly　volatile。　And　they　will　not　talk。
　〃Therefore　we　go　onward。〃　His　hands　folded　into　his　lap。　〃You　must　return　to　the　source。。。　his　source。　The　people　who　sent　him；　who　trained　him；　represent　a　very　great　threat　to　Japan。〃　He　paused；　his　nostrils　quivering　as　if　he　sensed　some　telltale　vibration。　When　he　spoke　again；　his　voice　had　lost　its　hard　edge；　his　eyelids　drooped。　〃There　is　more　hot　water。　Tea　is　waiting。〃
　Obediently　she　went　past　him；　grasping　the　tea　pot　and　pouring　while　the　light　went　out　of　the　sky　and　purple　clouds　obscured　the　terraced　mountains。
　Carefully　she　brought　the　tiny　cups　toward　him　on　a　black　lacquered　tray；　a　small　flock　of　golden　herons　lifting　off　from　racing　water　painted　there。　Delicately；　she　set　the　tray　down；　began　to　use　the　whisk　with　practiced　strokes。　Her　wa…her　harmony…　was　very　strong；　and　this　was　what　Kusunoki　felt　engulfing　him。　At　that　moment　he　was　very　proud　of　what　he　had　helped　to　create。
　Six；　seven；　eight；　the　female　turned　the　whisk；　creating　the　pale　green　froth。　On　the　tenth　stroke　her　delicate　fingers　dropped　the　whisk　and　in　the　same　motion　were　inside　the　wide　sleeve　of　her　kimono。　Reversing　the　motion　the　short；　perfectly　honed　steel　blade　flashed　upward；　biting　into　the　back　of　Kusunoki's　neck。　Either　her　strength　was　at　such　a　level　or　the　blade　was　so　superb　that；　seemingly　without　effort；　the　steel　bit　through　flesh　and　bone；　severing　the　spinal　column。　In　a　grotesque　gesture；　the　head　came　forward　and　down；　hanging　only　by　the　thin　length　of　skin　at　the　neck；　as　if　the　sensei　was　deep　in　meditational　prayer。
　Then　crimson　blood　spurted　upward　from　the　severed　arteries；　fountaining　the　room；　spattering　the　tatami　where　they　both　knelt。　The　sensei's　torso　jerked　spasmodically；　its　legs　tangling　beneath　it　as　it　tried　to　leap　forward　like　a　frog。
　The　female　knelt　rooted　to　the　spot。　Her　eyes　never　left　the　body　of　her　teacher。　Once；　when　he　lay　on　his　side　and　one　leg　spasmed　a　last　time；　she　felt　something　inside　herself　trembling　like　a　leaf　before　a　rising　wind　and　she　felt　one　tear　lying　hotly　along　the　arch　of　her　cheek。　Then　she　hardened　her　heart；　strengthened　her　will；　and　dammed　up　her　emotions。
　With　that；　elation　filled　her。　It　works；　she　thought；　feeling　her　heart　thundering　within　her　rib　cage。　Jahd。　Without　it；　she　would　never　have　been　able　to　mask　her　intent　from　him；　she　understood　that　quite　clearly。
　As　she　stared　down　at　her　handiwork；　she　thought；　It's　nothing　personal；　nothing　like　what　that　bastard　muhon…nin　Tsutsumu　had　in　mind。　I　am　no　traitor。
　But　I　had　to　prove　myself。　I　had　to　know。　And　therefore　I　had　to　take　on　the　best。　She　got　up　and；　moving　like　a　wraith　across　the　tatami；　avoiding　the　spattered　stains　that　had　already　begun　to　seep　away　across　the　floor　onto　other　tatami；　went　to　him。
　You　were　the　best；　she　thought；　staring　down　at　her　mentor。　Now　I　am。　She　bent　and　wiped　the　blood…his　blood…from　her　weapon。　It　left　a　long　scar　on　the　fabric　of　his　kimono。
　The　last　thing　she　did　there　was　to　strip　him　and　reverently　fold　the　precious　garment　as　if　it　were　the　national　flag。　Soon　it　disappeared　into　an　inner　pocket。
　Then　she　was　gone；　and　with　her　absence　came　the　rain。
　
　
　BOOK　ONE
　SHIH
　＇Force；　influence；　authority；　energy＇
　
　NEW　YORK/TOKYO/HOKKAIDQ　SPRING；　PRESENT
　Drowsing；　Justine　Tomkin　became　aware　of　the　nightblack　shadow　that　slowly　pierced　the　sunlight　like　the　blade　of　a　sword。
　Her　mouth　opened　wide　and　she　tried　to　scream　as　she　saw　the　face　and　recognized　Saigo：　the　images　of　blood　and　carnage；　a　deathhunt　too　frightening　to　contemplate。　The　odor　of　the　grave　had　pervaded　this　once　peaceful　room　in　her　father's　house　on　Long　Island　so　full　of　childhood　memories：　of　a　Teddy　bear　with　one　eye　missing　and　a　plaid　gingham　giraffe。
　Her　powerful　scream　was　muffled　by　the　thick　wind　of　Saigo's　passage；　as　if　he　could　control　all　God's　elements　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　His　torso　expanded；　extending　through　the　light　streaming　down　through　the　great　glass　dome　in　the　ceiling；　an　opalescent　mist　rising　about　him　as　if　his　connection　to　the　earth　was　not　meant　for　her　eyes。
　He　bent　over　her　prostrate　form　and　while　her　mind　screamed；　Wake　up！　Wake　up！　he　slowly　began　to　work　his　magic　on　her；　the　icy　menace　in　his　eyes　as　dead　as　stones　somehow　transferring　itself　into　her　heart。
　She　felt　the　horror　squirming　there　like　a　palmful　of　live　worms。　An　unholy　bond　was　forming　which　she　was　powerless　to　deflect。　Now　she　was　part　of　him；　she　would　do　his　bidding　like　a　servant；　take　up　his　fallen　katana　and　slay　his　enemy　for　him。
　She　felt　the　cool　haft　of　the　heavy　katana　beneath　her　curling　fingers　as　she　drew　it　upward　off　the　floor。　She　wielded　it　just　as　Saigo　would　have　had　he　not　been　dead。
　And　before　h