el.the miko-第36部分

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ry　out　to　Akutagawa…san　but　the　acute　loss　of　face　involved　not　only　for　him　but；　even　more　importantly；　for　Kansatsu；　his　former　sensei　who　had　guided　him　here；　made　him　bite　his　lip　instead。
　Through　the　fluttering　of　his　heart　he　recalled　Akutagawa…san's　one　bit　of　advice：　to　take　a　daydream　and　ride　it　home。　He　sat　down　on　the　damp　ground　in　the　lotus　position　and　closed　his　eyes。　He　struggled　to　control　his　breathing；　the　intense　pounding　of　his　blood　in　his　veins。　His　hands　lay　open；　palms　up　on　his　bent　knees。
　He　opened　his　mind　to　the　first　image　that　swam　to　the　surface。　Yukio。　Instinctively　he　clamped　down　on　the　image　and　he　thought；　No；　it's　still　too　painful；　I　don't　want　to　think　about　her　loss；　try　something　else。
　But　nothing　else　would　e。　Yukio　was　who　he　wanted　to　daydream　about；　and　with　a　great　effort　he　willed　himself　to　relax　and　think　about　her。
　Cascade　of　night…black　hair；　those　heavy…lidded　eyes　so　full　of　sexual　promise。　He　recalled　their　first　meeting　at　the　military　dance；　her　firm；　warm　thigh　pressed　against　his　leg　and　then；　astoundingly；　the　erotic　feel　of　her　mound　rubbing　against　his　crotch；　her　eyes　sparkling　with　mischief　as　they　danced　amid　the　spinning　couples。
　He　remembered　the　shower　he　had　taken；　the　sinewy　shadow　appearing　beyond　the　glass　door；　its　abrupt　opening　and　Yukio　standing　beside　him；　nude。　Droplets　of　water　beading　along　her　cool　flank；　the　jut　of　one　dark…nippled　breast。　His　startled　sound　as　she　moved　against　him。　The　warm　friction；　the　silken　embrace；　the　peach　taste　of　her　mouth；　the　hot　swipe　of　her　tongue。　And　the　heated；　liquid　union；　the　long　ecstatic　slide；　the　engulfment　while　the　silvery　sheen　of　the　water　spattered　their　shoulders　and　necks　in　a　cascade　of。。。
　Light！
　His　head　came　up　and　his　eyes　opened。　And　abruptly　he　saw　Akutagawa…san　standing　to　the　side　of　him；　silent；　observing。　Nicholas　felt　a　peculiar　heaviness　in　his　chest；　an　oddly　sexual　feeling。　He　felt　as　if　he　had　descended　into　a　depression　from　which　he　had　the　perfect　vantage　point　on　the　world。　He　was　aware　of　more　even　while　he　saw　less　in　the　conventional　sense。
　He　moved　his　head。　Was　he　actually　seeing　Akutagawa…san　or　sensing　him？　He　opened　his　mouth　and　voiced　the　question。
　〃I　have　no　answer　to　that；　Nicholas；　save　to　say　that　it　does　not　matter。　Getsumei　no　michi　is　there　and　we　use　it。　But　I　will　tell　you　this　quite　important　aspect　of　it。　It　is　body　sense　rather　than　ego。　It　is　only　your　non…Oriental　side　that　seeks　an　understanding。　Your　Oriental　side　allowed　you　to　let　go　of　your　ego；　something　no　Westerner　could　ever　do　because　he　is　too　afraid。　He　fears　a　letting　go　because　in　the　primitive　mind　it　is　eternally　linked　to　death。　Westerners；　as　we　are　aware；　seek　to　understand　death　because　they　fear　it　so。　They　cannot　accept　as　we　do；　they　have　no　concept　of　karma；　nor　can　they　see　what　is　most　apparent　to　us；　that　death　is　part　of　life。〃
　Akutagawa…san　began　to　move；　and　as　he　did　so　it　was　Nicholas'　impression　that　his　geta'd　feet　did　not　touch　the　earth。　〃Now　that　you　have　found　the　moonlit　path；　it　is　time　to　use　the　energy　there　to　conjure　up　the　first　superficial　stages　of　the　Kuji…kiri。　This　alone　will　take　many　months　and　at　first　it　will　be　bad　for　you；　for　here　we　will　manufacture　pure　terror　and　before　you　can　inure　yourself　to　its　manifestations　you　must　succumb。　Nightmares　will　haunt　your　sleep　as　they　will　your　waking　hours。　You　will　bee　sunken…eyed　and　even　at　the　lowest　ebb　may　wish　to　mit　seppuku。〃
　〃You　do　not　frighten　me；　sensei。〃
　Akutagawa…san's　grim　visage　did　not　lighten。　〃That　is　good。　Now　remember　well　what　you　have　said　as　we　begin　our　descent　into　the　maelstrom　of　hell。〃
　The　dawning　of　a　dank；　drizzly　Monday　brought　everyone　back　to　reality。　A　smog　alert　was　in　effect；　and　immediately　Nicholas　stepped　out　of　the　hotel　entrance　he　could　see　why。　The　air　above　the　slick　streets　was　brownish　gray　and；　as　it　rose　upward；　so　solid　seeming　it　pletely　obscured　any　structure　above　the　twelfth　floor。　No　hope　of　seeing　the　crest　of　Fuji…yama　from　Sato's　office　this　day。
　Tomkin；　joining　him　in　the　limo　for　the　stop…and…start　trip　across　town　to　Shinjuku；　seemed　better；　though　he　was　still　pale　and　drawn　from　his　ordeal　and　he　said　the　smog　was　giving　him　a　pounding　headache。
　As　they　left　the　limo　outside　Sato's　building；　Totnkin　caught　him　by　the　arm　and　said　in　a　low；　gritty　voice；　〃Remember；　Nick。　This　week's　our　deadline。　You've　got　to　make　the　merger　happen　now。〃　His　eyes　still　contained　a　tinge　of　fever　brightness　and　his　breath　was　as　foul　as　ever。
　Miss　Yoshida　met　them　at　the　elevator's　summit　and　ushered　them　into　Sato's　enormous　office。　This　high　up　the　windows　overlooked　darkness；　it　could　have　been　the　middle　of　the　night。　All　the　lights　were　on　as　if　to　dispel　this　cloud　of　gloom。
　When　they　were　all　seated　fortably…save　for　Ishii；　who　stood　against　the　wall　like　a　guard…Sato　began。　〃Before　we　resume　our　negotiations；　I　would　like　to　explain　why　I　asked　our　respective　counsels　if　they　would　step　away　for　a　moment。　No　disrespect　to　Greydon…san　was　intended；　but　Nangi…san　and　I　both　thought　it　prudent　to　keep　this　part　of　our　meeting　just　between　us。〃
　He　cleared　his　throat　while　Nangi　lit　a　cigarette　with　careful　deliberation。　'Tomorrow　afternoon's　meetings　will　have　to　be　rescheduled；　I　am　afraid；　because　we　must　attend　the　funeral　of　our　loyal　friend；　Kagami…san。〃　He　paused　for　a　moment　as　if　unsure　how　to　proceed。　〃It　may　seem　a　crass　request　to　make　at　this　time；　but　we　quite　naturally　feel　that　some　answers　must　be　reached。〃　He　leaned　slightly　forward　so　that　he　approached　the　area　where　Nicholas　and　Tomkin　were　seated　side　by　side　on　the　sofa。
　〃Linnear…san；　I　must　tell　you　that　we　are　absolutely　mystified　by　the　manner　of　Kagami…san's　death。　We　know　nothing　of　this　Wu…Shing　that　you　mentioned　on　Friday；　nor　can　we　think　of　a　reason　for　murder　being　mitted　here。
　〃In　light　of　all　this　I　trust　that　you　now；　having　had　some　small　time　to　marshal　your　thoughts　and　surmises；　may　give　us　some　insight　into　what　happened　to　our　poor　colleague　and　friend。〃
　It　was　an　elegant　speech　and　Nicholas　admired　it。　But　he　could　not　rightly　say　that　his　mind　was　fully　focused　on　the　murder　of　Kagami。　Truth　to　tell；　since　he　had　seen　Akiko　at　the　wedding　his　mind　had　been　filled　with　nothing　but　the　burning　image　of　her　face　and　the　maddening　thought；　Is　she　Yukio？
　He　felt　slightly　ashamed　now　to　have　been　so　slavishly　self…involved　all　weekend。　It　was　utterly　unlike　him　and　that；　above　all；　worried　him。
　Now；　as　he　hurriedly　recalled　the　catalog　of　his　observations　in　and　around　the　blood…splattered　steam　room；　he　muscled　his　own　doubts　and　fears　aside。
　He　laced　his　fingers　together；　tapped　the　thumbs。　〃Over　and　above　the　bizarre　appearance　of　the　Wu…Shing　tattoo　on　Kagami…san's　cheek；　there　were　a　number　of　abnormalities　that　would；　I　think；　preclude　a　simple　explanation　such　as　assault　by　a　madman；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃It　was　premeditated；〃　Ishii　broke　in。　〃Is　that　what　you're　saying？〃
　〃I　am；〃　Nicholas　said。　〃For　one　thing；　the　murderer　left　no　discernable　footprints　outside　the　door；　even　though　that　area's　constantly　saturated　with　moisture。〃
　Sato　groaned　heavily　and　glanced　at　Nangi。　When　the　other　did　not　return　his　gaze；　Sato　stood　up　and　walked　to　the　bar。　Though　it　was　only　a　little　past　ten　he　fixed　himself　a　drink；　and　it　was　a　measure　of　his　agitation　that　he　forgot　his　manners　pletely　and　failed　to　offer　anyone　else　a　refreshment。
　He　took　a　long　swallow　and；　staring　at　nothing　in　the　mirror　behind　the　bar；　cleared　his　throat。　〃Linnear…san；　you　said　there　were　a　number　of　abnormalities。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　wait　for　the　police？〃
　A　Westerner　would　have；　of　course；　given　an　answer。　Sato　merely　stared　at　Nicholas。　And　what　his　eyes　said　was；　That　is　why　you　were　allowed　inside　Sato　Petrochemicals　business；　because　we　want　no　police　intervention。
　Nicholas　had　asked　the　question　because　he　had　to　be　certain　of　these　people。　Why　they　did　not　relish　the　thought　of　police　involvement　did　not　concern　him；　why　they　had　involved　him　did。
　〃I　fear　Kagami…san　was　not　killed　quickly。〃
　〃Pardon　me；　but　what　do　you　mean？〃　Ishii　asked。
　〃He　was　struck　many　times；〃　Nicholas　said；　〃by　a　sharp…bladed　weapon。〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　kind？〃　Sato　asked。
　〃I'm　not　certain；〃　Nicholas　said。　〃It　could　be　any　number　of　shuriken。〃
　Sato　had　gone　through　half　his　long　whiskey。　Otherwise　there　was　no　outward　sign　of　his　agitation。　〃Linnear…san；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　first　mentioned　this　Wu…Shing；　you　said　it　was　a　series　of　punishments。　May　we　deduce　that　because　it　uses　the　character　Wu；　there　are　five　of　them？〃
　Nicholas　looked　unfortable。　〃Yes；　that's　correct。　Mo　is　the　first　and　therefore　the　least　of　the　punishments。〃
　〃What　can　be　more　severe　than　death？〃　Nangi　said　somewhat　angrily。
　〃I　was　referring　to　Mo　itself。〃　Nicholas　looked　at　him。　〃Strictly　speaking；　it　should　only　have　been　that：　tattooing　of　the　face。〃
　Nangi's　cane　click…clacking　across　the　short　expanse　of　bare　wooden　floor　that　separated　Sato's　true　office　space　from　the　informal　conference　area　where　the　rest　of　them　stood　or　sat　announced　his　approach。　〃Then　this　murdering　of　the　victim　as　well　is　unusual。〃　He　had　pounced　on　it　immediately。
　〃Highly　unusual；〃　Nicholas　said。　He　sat　quite　still；　his　hard　hands　clasped　between　his　knees。　He　forced　an　absolute　calm　onto　his　face；　into　every　aspect　of　his　physical　being。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　either　of　them　to　bee　aware　of　his　inner　feelings。　His　mind　was　still　reeling　from　the　thought　that　someone　from　his　own　ryu；　someone　steeped　in　the　arcane　ways　of　aka…i…ninjutsu；　could　perpetrate　such　an　act。　It　was　quite　unthinkable。　And　yet　it　had　happened。　He　had　seen　the　grisly　evidence　and　he　knew　there　could　be　no　doubt　at　all。　Fervently　he　prayed　that　no　one　would　ask　him　the　one　question　that　might　detonate　the　whole　situation。
　〃There's　something　I　don't　understand；〃　Tomkin　said；　and　Nicholas　prepared　himself　to　answer　the　unanswerable。　〃This　Wo…Ching　or　however　it's　pronounced；　is　Chinese　you　said。　What's　with　this　cross…referencing　between　Japanese　and　Chinese？　I　thought　the　two　cultures