el.the miko-第22部分

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　Now　they　had　e　almost　all　the　way　through　the　mingling　guests。　Nicholas　could　see　Nangi　off　to　the　right；　amid　a　dense　swirl　of　dark…suited　men。　It　looked　as　if　the　higher　echelons　of　seven　or　eight　ministries　were　present。
　They　stopped　a　few　feet　away　from　Sato　and　his　bride…to…be。　Tomkin　took　one　step　forward　about　to　greet　Sato　and　congratulate　him。　Nicholas　was　gazing　at　Akiko；　wondering　what　features　lay　behind　the　mask　of　the　golden　fan。　Then；　almost　magically；　in　response　to　his　wish；　the　fan　came　down；　and　all　the　breath　left　his　lungs。　He　stepped　backward　a　pace　as　if　pushed　by　an　invisible　hand。　His　eyes　opened　wide　and　his　lips　parted。
　〃No！〃
　It　was　a　whisper　that　seemed　a　shout　to　him。　Blood　rushed　uncontrollably　in　his　ears　and　the　beating　of　his　heart　seemed　painful。　Tears　broke　the　corners　of　his　long　eyes；　trembling　with　the　enormous　force　of　his　emotions。
　The　past　was　rising　up　like　a　haunted　demon　to　inexplicably　confront　him　again。　But　the　dead　could　not　rise。　Their　bodies　were　laid　to　rest　and　were　deposed　by　the　elements：　earth；　air；　fire；　water。
　She　had　been　murdered　by　Saigo　because　she　belonged　to　Nicholas；　body　and　soul；　and　could　never　be　his。　He　had　drowned　her　in　the　Straits　of　Shimonoseki　where　the　Kami　of　the　Heik6　clan　etched　the　backs　of　the　crabs　into　human　countenances。　She　was　gone。
　And　yet　here　she　was　standing　a　foot　away　from　him。　It　was　impossible　but　true。
　Yukio。
　
　MARIANAS　ISLANDS；　NORTH　PACIFIC　OCEAN　SPRING；　1944
　What　Tanzan　Nangi　remembered　most　vividly　about　the　war　were　the　red　skies。　There　seemed　no　gentle　color　left　in　the　world　when　the　sun　rose　over　the　vast　heaving　bosom　of　the　Pacific；　only　slashes　of　fierce　orange　and　crimson　like　the　vast　tentacles　of　some　monstrous　sea　creature　emerging　from　the　seabed　at　the　sun's　slow　dawning。
　The　long　nights　of　the　engines'　thrumming；　the　constant　vibration　of　the　mighty　screws　of　the　carrier　as　it　plowed　southward　past　the　small　black　humps　of　the　Bonin　Islands　gave　way　grudgingly　to　days　filled　with　blinding　light。　Cloud　cover　hung　far　off　and　mocking　at　the　edge　of　the　horizon。
　They　were　only　a　thousand　nautical　miles　from　Tokyo　yet　the　weather　here　was　so　much　different。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　speculation　on　the　part　of　the　men　as　to　what　their　destination　would　be。　They　were　not　part　of　a　fleet；　they　had　no　escort。　They　had　even　put　to　sea　in　the　dead　of　night　when　only　a　scattering　of　bare　bulbs　burned　here　and　there　along　the　great　military　harbor；　casting　hard　shadows　across　the　gently　rippling　water。　Hunched　guards　spoke　in　whispers　and　studiously　ignored　the　careful　progress　of　the　carrier　out　into　open　waters。
　They　were　traveling　under　sealed　orders；　that　much　Captain　Noguchi　had　told　them。　He　had　meant　it　to　squelch　rumors　but　it　only　had　the　opposite　effect。
　Where　were　they　bound？
　At　night；　after　all　lights　had　been　extinguished；　the　men　huddled　in　their　cramped　windowless　quarters　to　discuss　issues　and　destinations。
　It　had　been　Gotaro　Sato　who　had　been　certain　they　were　bound　for　the　Marianas。　Most　of　the　other　men　found　that　idea　preposterous。　The　Marianas　were　far　too　close　to　Japan　for　there　to　be　any　fighting　and　this　was　most　definitely　a　war　mission　of　the　highest　priority；　as　Captain　Noguchi　had　made　clear　to　them　in　his　speech。
　But　the　idea　of　the　Marianas　piqued　Nangi's　imagination　and；　after　the　men　broke　up；　he　sought　Gotaro　out。　Gotaro　Sato　was　a　bear　of　a　man；　thick…necked　and　round…faced。　He　had　wide；　shrewd　eyes　that　revealed　nothing；　but；　far　from　emotionless；　he　was　given　to　wild　bursts　of　great　good　humor。　He　had　the　ability　of　knowing　when　a　dose　of　his　absurd　wit…he　was　a　prankster…would　cool　tensions　or　allay　fears。
　And　in　those　dark　days；　deep　in　the　final　months　of　the　war；　there　was　plenty　of　both。　The　Allies　had　already　won　two　long；　extremely　hard　fought　campaigns；　the　first　in　the　Solomons；　late　in　1943；　and　more　recently　in　New　Guinea。　Everyone　knew　they　were　heading　inexorably　toward　Japan；　and　they　looked　toward　their　leaders　for　a　supreme　strategy　to　alter　the　tide　of　the　bitter　conflict。
　They　went　up　on　deck。　Gotaro　took　out　a　cigarette；　then　thought　better　of　lighting　up。　The　Pacific　lay　dark　and　foreboding　all　around　them　and；　not　for　the　first　time；　Nangi　experienced　an　eerie　chill。　He　was　a　brave　man　and　the　thought　of　death　in　battle…a　samurai's　proud　end…did　not　disturb　him。　Yet　out　here；　with　only　the　depths　of　the　sea　surrounding　him；　so　very　far　from　any　land　mass；　his　stomach　was　never　calm。
　〃It's　the　Marianas；〃　Gotaro　said；　staring　south；　the　way　they　were　headed；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　why。　If　the　Americans　are　not　already　there；　they　soon　will　be。　We　have　an　air　base　there。　The　Islands　are　no　more　than　fifteen　hundred　nautical　miles　from　home。〃　His　head　turned　as　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　came　up；　feathering　his　short　hair。　〃Can　you　imagine　a　better　target　for　the　Allies　to　base　and　fuel　their　own　planes　for　bombing　runs　into　Japan？　I　can't。〃
　There　was　no　humor　in　him　now　as　he　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　metal　bars　of　the　top　rail。　The　sea　hissed　by　far　below　them。
　Despite　himself；　Nangi　felt　a　terrible　despair　engulfing　him。
　〃Then　there　can　be　no　doubt。　The　war　is　surely　lost；　no　matter　what　the　Imperial　mand　tells　us。〃
　Gotaro　turned　to　him；　his　eyes　bright　amid　the　shadows　of　the　carrier's　many　tiered　superstructure。　The　proximity　to　so　much　reinforced　metal　was　chilling；　ing　as　they　did　from　a　culture　intent　on　building　structures　of　wood　and　rice　paper。　〃Have　faith。〃
　At　first；　Nangi　was　not　sure　that　he　had　heard　the　other　man　correctly。　〃Faith？〃　he　said　after　a　pause。　And　when　Gotaro　nodded；　said；　〃Faith　in　what？　Our　Emperor？　The　Imperial　mand？　The　zaibatsu？　Tell　me；　which　of　our　many　traditional　icons　shall　I　bow　down　to　tonight？〃　He　heard　the　bitterness　in　his　voice　but　he　did　not　care。　This　night；　so　far　from　home；　so　close　to　the　utter　alienness　of　the　battle　lines；　seemed　meant　for　a　venting　of　emotion　long　bottled　up。
　〃Greed　got　us　into　this　mad　war；〃　he　rushed　on　before　the　other　could　answer　his　rhetorical　questions。　〃The　blind　ambition　of　the　zaibatsu　who　persuaded　the　government　that　Japan　was　not　a　large　enough　area　for　their　empire。　'Expand；　expand；　expand；'　they　counseled；　and　the　war　seemed　like　a　superb　excuse　to　carve　out　the　niche　we　had　long　been　seeking　in　Asia。
　〃But；　Gotaro…san；　answer　me　this：　Did　they　attempt　to　get　a　sense　of　our　enemy　before　the　attack　on　Pearl　Harbor　was　ordered？　〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　no；　no。　Not　a　jot　of　ink　was　put　to　paper；　not　a　moment　of　research　was　applied。〃　He　smiled　grimly。　〃History；　Gotaro。　If　they　had　known…or　understood…anything　about　American　history；　they　would　have　perhaps　been　able　to　anticipate　the　response　to　their　attack。〃　Nangi's　gaze　dropped；　the　fierceness　went　out　of　his　voice。　〃Now　what　will　happen　to　us　in　the　end？〃
　〃Have　faith；〃　Gotaro　said　again。　〃Trust　in　God。〃
　God？　Now　Nangi　began　to　understand。　He　turned　toward　Gotaro。　〃You're　a　Christian；　aren't　you？〃
　The　big　man　nodded。　〃My　family　does　not　know。　I　cannot　think　that　they　would　understand。〃
　Nangi　stared　at　him　for　a　time。　〃But　why？〃
　〃Because；〃　Gotaro　said　softly；　〃for　me　there　is　no　more　fear。〃
　At　04：15　on　the　morning　of　March　13；　Nangi　was　summoned　to　the　captain's　cabin　for　a　briefing。　Dressed　smartly　in　his　pressed　uniform；　he　moved　down　the　silent　narrow　corridors　up　the　ringing　metal　panionways。　He　might　have　had　the　entire　carrier　to　himself。　The　kami　of　the　ancient　Shogun　seemed　to　walk　with　him；　a　descending　line　of　invincible　samurai　with　the　wiles　of　the　fox；　the　strength　of　the　tiger。
　That　he；　of　all　the　men　on　board；　should　be　summoned　seemed　a　clear　sign　of　his　karma。　Though　he　disagreed　with　the　war；　his　soul　still　belonged　to　Japan。　Now　that　they　were　in　the　thick　of　it；　what　frightened　him　was　the　specter　of　defeat。　Perhaps　he　was　to　be　a　part　of　the　new　strategy；　perhaps　the　war　was　not　yet　lost。
　He　rapped　softly　on　the　captain's　white…painted　door　with　his　knuckles；　then　went　in。　He　was　surprised　to　find　Gotaro　there　as　well。
　〃Please　be　seated；　Major；〃　Captain　Noguchi　said　after　the　traditional　formalities　had　been　dispensed　with。　Nangi　took　a　chair　next　to　Gotaro。
　〃You　know　Major　Sato；〃　Noguchi　said　in　his　clippsd　tones。　His　bullet　head　bobbed。　〃Good。〃　A　steward　appeared；　bringing　a　tray　of　sake。　He　set　it　down　in　the　center　of　Noguchi's　desk　and　departed。
　〃It　is　the　middle　of　March　in　what　we　all　fear　may　be　the　last　year　of　the　war。〃　Noguchi　was　quite；　calm；　his　eyes　boring　into　first　Nangi；　then　Gotaro；　magnified　through　the　circular　lenses　of　his　steel…rimmed　spectacles。　He　was　a　powerfully　built　man　who　emitted　confidence　and　energy。　He　had　intelligent　eyes　beneath　heavy　brows；　a　wide；　thick…lipped　mouth；　and　odd；　splayed　ears　that　stuck　out　from　his　close…cropped　head　like　mushroom　caps。
　〃The　European　playwright　Shakespeare　wrote　that　these　days　are　the　Ides；　an　evil　time。〃　Noguchi　smiled。　〃At　least　they　were　for　Julius　Caesar。〃　He　spread　his　long；　delicately　fingered　hands　on　his　desk　top。　〃And　perhaps　they　will　be　so　for　the　Allies。〃
　He　had　the　habit　of　looking　directly　at　you　when　he　spoke　instead　of　away　as　so　many　of　his　fellow　upper…echelon　officers　did。　Nangi　felt　instinctively　that　this　was　one　source　of　the　confidence　he　instilled　in　his　men。
　〃Within　the　month　the　cherry　blossoms　will　again　e　to　the　slopes　and　valleys　of　our　homeland。〃　His　eyes　blazed　with　light。　〃The　enemy　threatens　the　extinction　of　the　cherry　blossom　as　he　threatens　our　very　lives。〃　His　chest　heaved　as　if　he　had　gotten　something　hard　and　ugly　off　his　mind。
　〃At　this　very　moment；　the　mechanics　are　preparing　another　kind　of　cherry　blossom　for　you　two　majors。　I　see　the　perplexed　look　on　your　faces。　I　will　explain。〃
　He　got　up　from　behind　his　desk　and　set　about　pacing　back　and　forth　in　the　small　cabin　as　if　he　was　beginning　to　generate　too　much　energy　to　be　held　to　a　sitting　position。　〃We　have　precisely　one　hundred　fifty　planes　on　board。　All…save　one…are　Mitsubishi　G4　M。2e　bombers。　The　ones　the　enemy　calls　'Bettys'　in　an　inexplicable　form　of　derision。〃
　His　closed　fist　slammed　the　desk；　making　the　tiny　cups　quiver　and　rock　where　even　the　sea　could