el.the miko-第3部分

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　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　her　stood　Nicholas；　his　vulnerable　back　to　her。　She　raised　the　katana；　its　shadow　already　beginning　to　slice　through　the　sunlight　striking　his　spine。　Nicholas；　my　one　and　only　love。　Her　mind　whirled　in　a　sick　fury　and　her　last　thought　before　she　began　the　lethal　downward　strike　was　not　her　own：　Ninja；　betrayer；　this　is　your　death！。。。
　Justine　jerked　awake。　She　was　in　a　sweat。　Her　heart　was　thumping　unfortably；　as　loudly　as　a　blacksmith　strikes　his　anvil。　Slowly；　she　ran　a　shaking　hand　through　her　damp　hair；　pulling　it　back；　away　from　her　eyes。　Then；　with　a　great　indrawn　breath　that　halfway　through　turned　into　a　wracking　shudder；　she　clamped　both　arms　about　her　body　and　began　to　rock　back　and　forth　as　she　had　when　she　had　been　a　child；　frightened　by　dreams　welling　up　from　the　pitch　blackness　of　the　night。
　Blindly　she　reached　out　to　the　empty　spot　beside　her　in　the　large　double　bed；　and　fear　touched　her　heart　anew。　It　was　not　the　terror　of　her　own　private　nightmare　which　reared　up　at　her。　This　was　a　new　fright　and　she　twisted；　grabbing　up　a　pillow　from　beside　her　where　normally　Nicholas　would　have　been　and；　holding　it　tightly　to　her　breast；　squeezed　it　as　if　this　gesture　might　bring　him　back　to　her　arms；　and　the　safety　of　America。
　For　Nicholas　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　Pacific　and　Justine　was　quite　certain　now：　the　fear　she　now　felt　was　for　him。　What　was　happening　in　Japan？　What　was　he　doing　at　this　moment？　And　what　danger　was　amassing　itself　against　him？
　In　a　moment　she　lunged　for　the　phone；　a　little　cry　filling　the　silence　of　the　room。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　are　beginning　our　descent　into　Narita　Airport。　Please　make　sure　your　seat　back　is　in　the　upright　position　and　that　your　tray　table　is　closed　and　secured。　All　hand　luggage　must　be　stowed　under　the　seat　in　front　of　you。　Wele　to　Tokyo；　Japan。〃
　While　the　unseen　flight　attendant　repeated　her　short　speech　in　Japanese；　Nicholas　Linnear　opened　his　eyes。　He　had　been　dreaming　of　Justine；　thinking　of　yesterday；　when　they　had　driven　out　of　the　city　to　get　away；　as　they　often　did；　from　the　pressurized　life　they　led　within　the　steel　and　smoked　glass　canyons　of　Manhattan。　Outside　their　house　in　West　Bay　Bridge　they　had　doffed　shoes　and　socks　and　despite　the　early　spring　chill　loped　across　the　white　sand。
　Running　down　to　the　sea　after　her；　the　cerulean　waves　cutting　off　her　feet　and　ankles　in　violent　foam。　Catching　up　with　her；　long；　dark　hair　in　his　face　as　he　turned　her　around；　linking　them；　a　softly　feathered　wing　ing　down　at　the　close　of　night。　His　hard　burnished　arm　around　her；　pulling　her　to　him；　the　feel　of　her　like　liquid　against　flesh　heated　by　the　sun　and　more。
　Whisper　of　the　salt　wind；　〃Oh；　Nick；　I　don't　think　I've　ever　been　happy　before；　not　ever。　Because　of　you　I　have　no　more　sadness　in　me。〃
　She　was　voicing　the　knowledge　that　he　had　saved　her　from　the　many　demons　that　life　held　in　its　fisted　claw；　not　the　least　of　which　was　her　own　masochistic　self；　an　ego　robbed…so　she　said…by　the　domineering　specter　of　her　father。
　She　put　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　kissing　the　side　of　his　neck。　〃I　wish　you　didn't　have　to　go。　I　wish　we　could　be　here　in　the　surf　together　forever。〃
　〃We'd　turn　blue。〃　He　laughed；　not　wanting　to　catch　her　abruptly　melancholy　mood。　He　felt　his　love　for　her　like　a　gently　purling　river　in　the　night；　hidden　from　sight　yet　present　nonetheless。　〃Anyway；　don't　you　think　it's　better　that　we're　both　so　busy　before　the　wedding？　No　time　to　get　cold　feet　and　back　out。〃　He　was　joking　again　but　she　lifted　her　head　and　he　stared　into　her　extraordinary　eyes；　highly　intelligent　yet　possessing　an　odd　kind　of　naivete　he　had　found　so　alluring　when　he　had　first　met　her。　He　still　did。　He　watched　the　several　crimson　motes　floating　like　a　hint　of　her　soul　in　the　midst　of　her　left　iris。　Her　eyes　were　hazel；　that　day　more　green　than　brown；　and　he　found　himself　feeling　grateful　mat　the　harrowing　events　of　the　past　year　had　not　altered　the　essence　of　her。　For　through　those　eyes　he　could　still　see　her　heart。
　〃Do　you　ever　dream　of　it？〃　he　asked。　〃Do　you　ever　find　yourself　back　in　the　house　with　the　dai…katana　in　your　hands；　with　Saigo　in　your　mind？〃
　〃You　took　all　that　he　did…the　strange　kind　of　hypnosis…　away；〃　she　said。　〃That's　what　you　told　me。〃
　He　nodded。　〃That's　what　I　did。〃
　〃Well　then。〃　She　took　his　hand　and　led　him　from　the　chilly　curling　wavelets　up　above　the　high…tide　mark；　strewn　with　the　dark　wrack　of　sea　grape　and　odd　bits　of　ashy　wood；　as　perfectly　smooth　as　stones。　She　turned　her　face　up　toward　the　sun。　〃I'm　glad　winter's　over；　I'm　happy　to　be　out　here　again　with　everything　returning　to　life。〃
　〃Justine；〃　he　said　seriously；　〃I　just　wanted　to　know　whether　there　had　been　any…〃　He　broke　off；　searching　for　an　English　equivalent　to　the　Japanese　thought。　〃Any　echoes　of　the　incident。
　After　all；　Saigo　programmed　you　to　kill　me　with　my　own　sword。　You　never　speak　of　it。〃
　〃Why　should　I？〃　The　light　turned　her　eyes　dark；　concealing　all　their　delicate　colors。　〃There's　nothing　to　say。〃
　There　was　silence　for　a　time；　and　they　were　engulfed　by　the　rhythmic　suck　and　pull　of　the　sea　along　whose　edge　they　had　begun　to　walk　again。　Near　the　flat　horizon　a　trawler　hung　as　if　suspended　in　a　gulf　of　piercing　blue。
　She　was　looking　out　there；　as　if　the　ocean's　expanse　contained　within　it　her　future。　〃I've　always　known　that　life　isn't　safe。　But　up　until　the　time　I　met　you；　I　had　no　reason　to　care　one　way　or　another。　It's　no　secret　that　I　was　once　as　self…destructive　as　my　sister　is。〃　Her　eyes　broke　away　from　the　glitter　of　the　horizon。　She　stared　down　at　her　laced　fingers。　〃I　wish　to　God　it　had　never　happened。　But；　oh；　it　did。　He　got　hold　of　me。　It's　like　when　I　had　chicken　pox　as　a　kid。　It　was　so　bad　I　almost　died；　it　left　scars。　But　I　survived。　I'll　survive　now。〃　Her　head　lifted。　〃I　must　survive；　you　see；　because　there's　us　to　think　about。〃
　Nicholas　had　stared　into　her　eyes。　Was　she　keeping　something　from　him？　He　could　not　say；　and　he　did　not　know　why　it　should　worry　him。
　She　laughed　suddenly；　her　face　being　that　of　a　college　girl；　innocent　and　carefree；　the　light　dusting　of　freckles　over　her　creamy　skin　catching　the　warming　sunlight。　She　had　a　pure　laugh；　untainted　by　sarcasm　or　cynicism。　There　were　no　danger　signs　in　it　as　there　were　in　many　people。
　〃I　won't　have　you　here　beside　me　tomorrow；〃　she　said；　〃so　let's　make　the　most　of　today。〃　She　kissed　him　tenderly。　〃Is　that　very　Oriental？〃
　He　laughed。　〃I　think　it　is；　yes。〃
　Her　long　artist's　fingers　traced　the　line　of　his　jaw；　pausing　at　last　to　touch　the　tender　flesh　of　his　lips。　〃You're　more　dear　to　me　than　I　thought　anyone　could　ever　be。〃
　〃Justine…〃
　〃If　you'd　travel　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　I'd　find　you　again。　That　sounds　like　the　unrealistic　statement　of　a　little　girl；　but　I　mean　it。〃
　To　his　astonishment；　he　saw　that　she　did。　And　he　saw　in　her　eyes　at　that　moment　something　he　had　never　seen　there　before。　He　recognized　the　determination　of　the　samurai　woman　that　he　had　encountered　years　ago　in　his　mother　and　aunt。　It　was　a　peculiar　bination　of　fierceness　and　loyalty　that　he　thought　nearly　impossible　for　the　Occidental　spirit　to　attain。　He　was　warmed　by　how　proud　of　her　he　felt。
　He　smiled。　〃I'll　only　be　gone　for　a　short　time。　Hopefully　no　more　than　a　month。　I'll　make　sure　you　don't　have　to　e　after　me。〃
　Her　face　had　turned　serious。　〃It's　no　joke；　Nick。　Japan　is　at　the　ends　of　the　earth；　as　far　as　I'm　concerned。　That　country's　terribly　alien。　Anywhere　in　Europe　I　may　be　somewhat　of　a　foreigner　but　still　and　all　I　can　trace　my　roots　back　there。　There's　at　least　some　feeling　of　belonging。　Japan's　as　opaque　as　a　stone。　It　frightens　me。〃
　〃I'm　half　Oriental；〃　he　said　lightly。　〃Do　I　frighten　you？〃
　〃I　think；　yes；　at　times　you　used　to。　But　not　so　much　now。〃　Her　arms　slid　around　him。　〃Oh；　Nick；　everything　would　be　perfect　if　only　you　weren't　going。〃
　He　held　her　tightly；　wordlessly。　He　wanted　to　say　that　he'd　never　let　her　go　but　that　would　have　been　a　lie　because　in　less　than　twenty…four　hours　he　would　do　just　that　as　he　boarded　the　plane　bound　for　Tokyo。　Too；　his　Eastern　side…and　his　training…　made　him　a　private　man；　inward　directed；　the　enigma　of　the　blank　wall。　Nicholas　suspected　that　his　father；　the　Colonel；　had　been　much　the　same　way　though　he　had　been　fully　Occidental。　Both　father　and　son　had　secrets　even　from　the　women　they　loved　the　most　in　life。
　He　took　a　deep　breath　now；　felt　the　change　in　pressure；　the　ozoned　air；　so　thin　and　dry　it　clung　to　the　back　of　the　nose。
　The　747…SP　was　banking　to　the　left　in　a　slow；　lazy　arc；　chasing　the　streaking　cloud　layer　until　pale　green　fields；　striped　with　perfectly　regimented　furrows；　began　to　appear。　Then；　in　the　distance；　the　snow…capped　crown　of　Fuji…yama；　majestic　and　immutable。　He　was　home　again。
　Then　they　were　into　the　heavy　smog　layer；　lying　like　a　pall　over　a　festive　party；　drifting　in　an　ever…widening　circle　from　the　intensely　industrialized　areas　of　the　swarming　metropolis。
　〃Christ；〃　the　stocky…muscled　man　beside　him　said；　craning　his　neck　for　a　better　look；　〃I　should've　brought　my　goddamned　gas　mask。〃　A　pudgy　finger　stabbed　out　at　what　lay　beyond　the　Perspex　window。　〃They've　got　an　inversion　layer　worse　than　the　San　Fernando　Valley。〃
　His　lined；　aggressive　face　was　absorbed　in　the　disappearance　of　the　rising　landscape　outside。　He　had　the　eyes；　Nicholas　thought；　of　a　seasoned　Roman　general；　canny　and　weary　at　the　same　time。　Both　were　a　result　of　hard…fought　experience；　battles　on　two　arenas；　the　huns　in　front　and　the　political　infighting　behind。
　The　man's　hair　was　short　cropped；　a　gunmetal　gray；　he　was　dressed　in　a　handmade　lightweight　business　suit　of　a　conservative　cut。　He　was　a　man　who　over　the　years　had　bee　accustomed　to　a　measured　degree　of　luxury；　but　the　twist　of　his　nose；　the　thickness　of　the　lips　indicated　that　such　had　not　always　been　the　case。　He　had　not　been　born　to　money；　Raphael　Tomkin；　millionaire　industrialist　for　whom　Nicholas　now　worked。　He　was　the　man　whom　Saigo　had　been　paid　to　kill；　and　though　Nicholas　had　pro