el.the miko-第28部分

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ver　the　possibilities：　was　she；　wasn't　she？　His　eyes　stared　at　her　bleakly。　That　face；　her　face。　It　was　as　if　he　had　suddenly　stepped　into　a　haunted　house　and　now；　confused；　could　not　find　his　way　out　again。　It　felt　precisely　as　if　all　solid　ground　had　fled。
　Was　the　ceremony　long　or　short？　He　could　not　tell。　He　was　suspended　in　an　agony　of　not　knowing。　Hope；　fear；　anger；　and　cynicism　all　mixed　inside　him。　His　own　thoughts　and　memories　took　precedence　over　outside　events。　His　body　went　through　the　proper　motions　like　an　automaton。
　And　always　he　found　her　looking　at　him。　Those　eyes　he　had　known　so　well；　had　loved　so　desperately；　so　wildly；　so　utterly　passionately　in　the　dark　days　of　his　youth　locked　with　his。　He　tried　to　read　some　kind　of　emotion　there　and；　because　he　was　a　master　of　this　as　well　as　of　many　other　things；　he　was　dismayed　to　find　that　he　drew　a　blank。　Did　he　see　mockery　there　or　love；　desire　or　betrayal？　He　found　he　had　no　way　of　knowing　and　this；　too；　was　as　frightening　as　this　kami　resurrected　from　his　past。
　All　Nicholas　could　think　of　was　getting　a　chance　to　talk　to　Akiko。　But　quickly　he　saw　just　how　difficult　it　was　going　to　be　to　get　her　alone。　With　the　ceremony's　end；　clusters　of　friends　immediately　gathered　around　the　couple；　wishing　them　well；　offering　their　congratulations。
　Others　began　to　drift　away　down　the　narrow　dirt　path　toward　the　edge　of　the　lake　below；　where　striped　pavilions　had　been　erected　the　night　before。
　There　was　no　space　for　him。　The　best　he　could　do　was　to　offer　Ms　own　congratulations　to　them　both。　Sato　was　smiling　hugely；　being　very　American　about　it；　pumping　hands　just　like　a　canny　senator　in　his　re…election　bid。
　Tomkin　grunted　at　Nicholas'　elbow；　said；　〃I'm　about　ready　for　him　to　pass　out　the　cigars。〃　He　turned　his　head　away。　〃You　go　on　to　the　reception。　My　gut　still　hurts；　I'm　going　back　to　the　hotel。　I'll　send　the　car　back　for　you。〃
　Alone；　Nicholas　began　to　walk　down　the　path　circling　the　cliffs。
　Ahead　of　him　he　could　see　Sato　and　Akiko；　still　surrounded　by　well…wishers。　There　was　laughter　and　gaiety　now　that　the　stiff　formality　of　the　ceremony　had　been　dispensed　with。
　He　saw　her　descending　through　the　darkness　and　light；　the　moving　shadows　of　the　pines　painting　abstract　symbols　upon　the　delicate　curve　of　her　back。　A　slight　swaying　of　the　shoulders　and　hips；　appearing　and　disappearing　as　he　descended　behind　her。
　The　wedding；　the　crowds；　the　swirling　chattering　talk　faded　so　that　he　was　alone　with　her　and　the　elements。　He　was　acutely　aware　of　the　sunlight；　the　shadows；　the　scents　of　pine　and　cedar；　incense　and　wild　lemon；　but　only　as　they　pertained　to　her。
　Her　passage　was　like　the　return　of　the　plovers　after　a　long；　sere　winter　when　the　ground　was　rimed　with　frost　and　only　the　glowing　hearths　emanated　warmth。
　Once　Nicholas　had　likened　Yukio　to　the　fading　pale　petals　that　fall　on　the　last　of　hanami's　three　days。　Although　many　said　that　at　hanami's　peak；　the　second　day；　the　cherry　blossoms　were　most　beautiful；　still；　to　almost　every　Japanese　the　third…day　petals　were　most　affecting。　For　it　was　on　that　last　day　when　one　truly　understood　the　ineffable　nature　of　beauty's　transience。
　But　now　what　was　he　to　think？　His　whole　reality　had　been　turned　upside　down。　Was　Akiko　Yukio？　How　could　she　still　be　alive？　Had　Saigo　pulled　one　last　diabolical　trick　from　beyond　the　grave？　Had　he　kept　Nicholas　from　her　all　this　time　when　she　was　alive　and。。。
　He　could　not　go　on　with　that　thought；　the　idea　made　him　sick　to　his　stomach　with　the　intensity　of　longing　and　bitter　frustration。　Then　he　managed　to　get　hold　of　himself。　He　knew　where　he　was　and　what　he　would　have　to　do　in　order　to　find　the　answers　to　all　these　questions。　He　would　have　to　allow　his　Eastern　side　plete　ascendancy。　Time。。。　and　patience。　He　knew　that　he　would　have　to　employ　them　both　if　he　was　to　successfully　break　this　maddening　riddle。　Meanwhile　he　would　just　have　to　ignore　his　breaking　heart。
　He　had　been　watching　Alix　Logan　for　over　five　months　now。　Through　the　sun…drenched　streets　of　Key　West；　along　the　narrow；　flat　beaches；　in　and　out　of　the　small　clothing　and　jewelry　boutiques。　He　had　even　gone　with　her　when　she　went　to　pick　up　her　dog；　a　large　brindled　Doberman。　He　cringed　when　he　saw　the　neat　white　and　black　sign　hanging　from　a　crosstree　on　the　lawn：　Gold　Coast　Obedience　School；　and　in　smaller　letters　beneath：　Police　and　Attack　Training　Our　Specialty。　And　the　one　thing　he　had　learned　from　all　that　time　on　the　job　was　that　there　was　no　conceivable　way　in　to　her。
　Alix　Logan　was　a　looker。　She　had　a　slender　model's　body；　long　thick　hair　the　color　of　honey；　streaked　nicely　now　by　the　Florida　sun。　Her　eyes　were　an　intense　green。　He　had　seen　them　only　through　the　pact　Nikon　7　x　20　binoculars；　flattened　by　the　lens'　prisms　into　ovoid　orbs　as　large　as　the　sun。
　For　just　over　five　months　she　had　been　his　universe；　this　powerful　man　with　the　wide　shoulders　and　the　cowboy's　pushed…in　face。　He　had　dogged　her　for　so　long　and　so　intensely　that　it　was　as　if　he　were　living　with　her。　He　knew　what　she　ate；　what　her　tastes　in　clothes　and　men　were。　What　she　liked；　what　she　didn't　like。
　Her　favorite　item　was　a　hot　fudge　sundae　with　coffee　ice　cream　and　two　cherries。　What　she　disliked　most　were　the　pair　of　monsters　who　shadowed　her　constantly。　At　least　that　was　how　she　thought　of　them。　He　had　heard　her　call　one　just　that；　〃Monster！〃　as　she　accosted　him　on　the　pier　one　bright　cloudless　afternoon；　rushing　into　the　shadows　to　deliver　her　impassioned　message　to　him　directly；　using　her　small　fists　on　his　burly　chest　for　emphasis。
　The　monster　stared　at　her　impassively　from　out　of　his　close…set　brown　eyes。
　〃I'm　fed　up！〃　she　screamed　at　him。　〃I　can't　take　it　anymore。　I　thought　it'd　be　all　right　down　here。　But　it's　not。　I　can't　work；　1　can't　sleep；　I　can't　even　make　love　without　you　monsters　breathing　fire　on　my　back。〃　Her　honey　hair　whipped　in　the　salt　wind。　〃Please；　please；　please；　just　leave　me　alone！〃
　The　monster　turned　his　face　away　from　her　and；　crossing　his　massive　arms　across　his　chest；　began　to　whistle　something　from　a　Walt　Disney　movie。
　The　man　with　the　cowboy's　lined　face　witnessed　all　this　from　the　small　boat　he　sat　in；　gently　rocking　at　pierside　while　he　worked　on　his　fishing　tackle；　a　stained　canvas　hat　scrunched　down　low　over　his　forehead；　putting　his　face　in　black　shadow。　They　knew　him　here　as　Bristol　and　that　was　how　he　liked　it。　He　also　responded　to　〃Tex；〃　a　rather　unimaginative　nickname　Tony；　the　dockmaster；　had　given　him；　owing　to　his　face。
　〃Tex〃　Bristol。　If　you　thought　about　it　for　more　than　a　moment；　it　was　idiotic。　But　then；　he　thought；　this　whole　scene　was　something　for　the　books。
　He　finished　his　work　on　his　rod　and　prepared　to　shove　off。　On　the　pier；　Alix　Logan；　tears　trembling　like　diamonds　in　the　corners　of　her　eyes；　was　stalking　stiff…legged　away　from　the　monster；　toward　the　gangplank　of　a　pleasure　boat。
　He　cast　off；　heard　the　twin　screws　of　the　engines　thrumming　liquidly　behind　him。　He　picked　up　speed；　the　thought　of　marlin　in　his　head。
　Far　from　shore；　he　had　to　laugh。　For　someone　dead　and　buried；　he　was　leading　a　remarkably　action…filled　life。
　Akiko　Ofuda　Sato　felt　the　press　of　her　husband's　hand　in　the　limo　on　the　way　home　from　the　reception。　Felt　the　heat　emanating　from　his　body；　the　pressure　of　his　lustful　spirit　so　close　beside　her。　He　made　no　overt　move；　but　in　all　other　aspects　she　felt　the　electricity　crackling　through　him　as　they　drew　closer　and　closer　to　home。
　Multiple　images；　thronging　her　mind　in　such　profusion　they　tumbled　end　over　end　over　each　other；　of　her　voyeuristic　nights　in　the　house；　of　the　bodies　of　all　the　gifts　she　had　presented　him　with　over　the　long　months；　made　her　gasp　inwardly　with　a　manufactured　excitement。　She　squeezed　Sato's　hand；　the　edges　of　her　lacquered　nails　scratching　gently　along　the　warm　flesh　of　his　palm。
　Once　inside；　she　went　immediately　to　the　bathroom　and；　doffing　her　kimono；　removed　all　her　undergarments。　Naked；　she　carefully　wrapped　her　kimono　around　herself；　tying　the　obi；　checking　her　makeup　in　the　mirror。　She　reapplied　eye　shadow　and　lipstick。
　The　master　bedroom　was　in　the　omoya；　far　from　the　six…tatami　room　where　he　had　received　his　gifts。　Those　women　had　never　been　allowed　into　this　section　of　the　house。　They　were　outsiders；　after　all；　not　family。
　On　a　pedestal　not　far　from　the　generous　futon　bed　was　a　sculpture　of　Ankoku　Doji；　scowling　fiercely；　one　leg　up　in　the　classic　sitting　position。　He　was　an　aide　to　the　kings　of　hell　and；　putting　brush　to　a　paper…covered　plank；　it　was　his　responsibility　to　annotate　the　sins　of　each　penitent　who　entered　that　unholy　court　to　be　tried　for　his　misdeeds　on　earth。
　This　particular　Ankoku　Doji　was　carved　from　camphorwood；　dated　to　the　thirteenth　century。
　Akiko　hated　him。　His　sculpted　eyes　seemed　to　follow　her；　seemed　to　know　what　she　planned　to　do　to　his　owner。　As　soon　as　she　was　well　ensconced　here　she　was　determined　to　move　him　to　another　place；　preferably　one　she　did　not　visit　often。
　Sato　weled　her　to　his　futon。　They　drank　hot　sake　and　he　made　several　jokes。　She　made　sure　she　laughed　although　she　barely　heard　them。
　Was　she　terrified　or　revolted　at　the　prospect　of　being　penetrated　by　her　sworn　enemy？　She　used　all　her　prodigious　skills　to　push　down　the　black　tide　that　threatened　to　engulf　her　mind。　She　did
　not　want　to　think　about　what　Sun　Hsiung　had　said　to　her；　but　she　had　no　choice。
　Sato　touched　her　and　she　jumped。　Her　eyes　flew　open　and　she　realized　they　had　been　squeezed　shut　as　if　that　physical　act　could　blot　out　the　reverberations　filling　her　mind。
　〃You　are　an　empty　vessel　which　I　will　now　proceed　to　fill；〃　Sun　Hsiung　had　said　to　her。　〃You　came　to　me　of　your　own　volition。　You　must　remember　that　in　the　days　and　weeks　and　months　to　e。　Your　time　will　be　long　here。　It　is　not　inconceivable　that　you　will　feel　a　desire　to　leave。　I　will　tell　you　now　that　you　cannot。　That　if　you　harbor　any　suspicion　that　you　cannot　tolerate　hardship；　pain；　arduous　labor；　then　you　must　leave　immediately。　Now　is　the　time；　the　only　time。　Do　I　make　myself　clear？〃
　And　with　terror　filling　her　heart　like　a　rush　of　water；　she　had　nodded；　said；　〃I　do；〃　just　as　if　these　were　marriage　v