el.the miko-第43部分

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　After　a　time；　Nicholas　rose。　His　face　was　calm；　posed；
　and　his　mind　felt　clear；　free　of　the　ropy　restraints　of　a　half　hour　before。　He　went　back　to　where　Greydon　was　standing　patiently　holding　the　documents；　and　took　them　from　him。　He　read　the　letter　all　over　again；　fascinated　anew　by　Tomkin's　insight；　he　had　obviously　understood　far　more　than　his　ugly　American　exterior　had　indicated。
　When　Nicholas　got　to　the　paragraph　about　Angela　Didion；　he　paused。　Was　Croaker　right　or　wasn't　he？　he　wondered。　How　could　it　be　both？　Shock　after　shock。　Wheels　within　wheels。　The　letter's　overall　tone　was　curiously　Oriental　in　its　acute　introspection；　its　hints　at　deeper　developments。
　For　a　long　time　Nicholas　stared　at　the　letter。　He　had　long　ago　ceased　to　read。　His　eyes　might　even　have　seemed　blank　to　an　uninitiated　observer。　But　the　fact　was　he　had　begun　to　look　beyond　the　words；　to　find　the　Void；　and；　in　that　peculiar　form　of　meditation　open　only　to　the　greatest　of　the　world's　warriors　of　the　East；　the　answer　to　perhaps　the　largest　change　in　his　life。
　Abruptly　he　looked　up；　and　when　his　eyes　made　contact　with　Greydon's　they　were　focused　and　sharp。　He　carefully　folded　the　letter　and　put　it　away　in　his　inside　jacket　pocket。　〃What　happens　if　1　don't　sign？〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃It's　all　in　the　will；〃　Greydon　said。　〃I　cannot　tell　you　the　details；　that　would　violate　my　trust。　I　am　authorized　to　say　only　that　the　board　of　directors　will　decide　on　the　new　president。〃
　〃But　who　will　it　be？〃　Nicholas　asked。　〃Will　he　be　a　good　man？　Will　he　be　in　favor　of　this　merger？　Will　he　manage　the　pany　as　Tomkin　wanted？〃
　Greydon　smiled　thinly。　〃What　would　you　have　me　say；　Mr。　Linnear？　Obviously　Mr。　Tomkin　wanted　you　to　make　your　decision　without　such　knowledge。〃　He　looked　at　Nicholas　for　a　moment。　〃However；　just　by　your　asking　those　questions　I　believe　you　have　already　e　to　a　decision。〃　He　produced　a　fountain　pen　and　uncapped　it。　Its　gold　nib　shone　in　the　light　like　a　sword…blade。
　〃Tomkin　said　there　was　something　I　must　do。。。　if　I　sign。　You　know　what　it　is。〃
　Greydon　nodded。　〃That's　correct。　As　the　new　president　of　Tomkin　Industries　you　are　required　to　seek　an　interview　with　a　man　in　Washington。　His　name　is　C。　Gordon　Minck。　I　am　in　possession　of　his　private　number。〃
　〃Who　is　he？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea。〃　The　pen　was　waiting；　hanging　in　the　air。　Nicholas　took　it；　noting　its　weight　and　balance。　He　put　the　codicil　down　on　Sato's　desk　and　wrote　his　name　on　the　designated　line。
　Greydon　nodded　his　head。　〃Good。〃　He　took　the　codicil；　waved　it　about　until　the　ink　dried；　then　folded　it　away。　〃You　will　receive　a　copy　after　the　will　is　read。〃　He　stuck　out　his　hand。　〃Good　luck；　Mr。　Linnear。〃　He　ducked　his　head。　〃Now　it's　time　I　notified　the　pany　and　began　to　see　to　funeral　arrangements。〃
　〃No；〃　Nicholas　said；　〃I'll　do　that。　And；　Greydon；　please　wait　until　I　speak　to　his　daughters　before　informing　the　office。〃
　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Linnear。　As　you　wish。〃　He　left　the　room。
　Nicholas　looked　across　the　expanse　of　Sato's　office。　The　others　were　discreetly　not　looking　at　him。
　He　went　across　to　them　and　said；　〃Sato…san；　Nangi…san；　Ishii…san；〃　bowing　formally；　〃I　have　been　named　to　succeed　Tomkin。　His　pany　is　now　mine。〃　He　lifted　his　eyes　to　see　their　reaction；　but　they　were　being　very　careful　and　circumspect。　Too　much　had　already　happened　today。
　Sato　spoke　first。　〃Congratulations；　Linnear…san。　I　am　so　sorry　that　your　good　fortune　es　through　these　tragic　circumstances。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Your　concern　is　greatly　appreciated。〃
　Ishii　also　expressed　his　concern　in　a　manner　that　managed　to　be　sincere　without　being　inquisitive。　Nangi　said　nothing。　That　was　all　right。　Now　it　was　time　to　forge　ahead。　〃Unfortunately；　I　will　be　forced　to　return　to　the　States　immediately　to　see　to　the　last　rites。　Our　discussions　must　be　postponed。〃　They　bowed　all　around。
　〃Karma〃　Sato　said。
　〃But　I　have　no　wish　to　forestall　our　merger；〃　Nicholas　said。　〃And　I　will　be　returning　as　soon　as　is　proper。　But　toward　that　end；　I　find　I　must　leave　with　you　some　information；　bizarre　though　it　may　seem　to　you。〃　Now　he　had　their　undivided　attention。　Good；　he　thought。　Here　goes。
　〃I　had　decided　not　to　bring　it　up　now　because　I　felt　some　more　evidence　was　needed。　I　thought　I　could　be　of　some　help　in　this。　Now；　however；　circumstances　dictate　otherwise。　Because　I　am　leaving；　because　I　hold　sacred　our　mutual　pact　and　do　not　want　anything　to　disrupt　it；　I　must　now　answer　Nangi…san's　question　fully。
　〃He　asked　if　I　had　any　knowledge　of　death　linked　to　the　Wu…Shing。　I　said　truthfully　that　I　had　never　seen　such　a　thing。　And　yet　I　have　heard　of　it。〃
　〃In　what　circumstance？〃　Sato　asked。　〃What　happened　to　Ka…gami…san；　truly？　We　must　know。〃
　And　Nicholas　told　them　the　ancient　legend　he　had　recounted　to　Tomkin。　Quiet　electricity　built　itself　in　the　air。
　〃I　think　it's　time　for　all　of　us　to　go；〃　Nangi　said　from　out　of　the　silence。
　Uniformed　attendants；　called　by　the　doctor；　had　arrived；　and　now　they　began　to　wrap　Raphael　Tomkin　in　silver…gray　plastic　swaddling。
　Ishii　left。　Then　Sato　and　the　doctor　filed　past　but　Nangi；　his　face　as　pale　as　a　geisha's　white　rice…powdered　visage；　held　back；　his　dark　eyes　locked　on　Nicholas'　face。
　They　stood　side　by　side。　〃In　three　days；〃　Nangi　said；　〃the　cherry　blossom　springs　to　life；　blooming　like　a　mystic　cloud；　heaven　e　to　earth　for　a　brief　moment。　In　its　opening　we　find　joy；　in　its　fading　we　console　ourselves　with　the　richness　of　memories。
　〃Is　that　not　the　way　of　all　life？〃
　With　a　dry　crinkle；　the　silver…gray　plastic　enwrapped　Raphael　Tomkin's　face　in　its　code　of　eternal　silence。
　
　
　
　KYOTO/TOKYO　SPRING　1946…AUTUMN　1952
　When　Tanzan　Nangi　returned　from　the　consequences　of　war；　released　from　the　military　hospital　in　which　he　had　recovered　while　his　country　slowly　lost　the　initiative　in　its　desperate　struggle　against　the　West；　he　tried　to　go　home。
　He　was　set　free　of　his　antiseptic　bed　on　March　11；　1945；　almost　a　year　to　the　day　since　he　had　been　rescued　from　his　makeshift　raft。　The　hospital　had　claimed　him；　the　surgeon's　scalpel　probing　his　flesh　time　and　time　again　in　attempts　to　repair　the　nerve　and　muscle　damage　done　to　him。　Sight　in　his　damaged　eye　was　totally　gone　and　there　was　nothing　they　could　do　but　sew　the　lids　in　place　to　stop　the　interminable　tic　that　had　plagued　him。
　With　his　legs　it　was　another　matter　entirely。　Three　lengthy　operations　returned　partial　use　of　his　limbs　to　him。　He　would　not；　as　the　doctors　had　at　first　feared；　be　subjected　to　the　indignity　of　amputation。　But；　they　told　him；　he　would　have　to　learn　to　walk　all　over　again；　and　it　would　be　a　slow；　painful　process。　Nangi　did　not　care。　He　was　grateful　to　the　God　Jesus　to　whom　he　had　prayed　in　his　darkness　and　who　had　seen　fit　to　preserve　his　life。
　Travel　in　those　times　was　difficult　for　a　civilian；　even　a　hero　of　the　war。　If　you　did　not　wear　a　uniform；　if　you　were　not　on　your　way　to　a　mobilization　center；　you　were　largely　ignored。
　Japan；　in　dire　straits；　had　more　on　its　mind。　The　bureaucratic　war　machine's　hegemony　over　the　country　was　stronger　than　ever。
　But　the　spirit　of　togetherness　beneath　the　billowing　clouds　of　war　was　everywhere　and　Nangi　found　a　ride　into　Tokyo　in　a　farmer's　broken…down　truck；　rattling　over　bumps　and　holes　in　the　roads；　stopped　seemingly　at　every　turn　to　allow　the　military　traffic　its　right　of　way。
　As　it　turned　out；　he　needn't　have　bothered。　The　sky　was　black　over　Tokyo；　a　dense；　acrid　pall　in　no　way　related　to　the　rain　clouds　higher　up。　Choking　ash　hung　in　the　air；　coating　face　and　hands；　lining　the　mouth　and　nostrils　with　grit。
　Nangi　stood　shakily　up　in　the　back　of　the　trembling　truck　as　they　rolled　into　the　city。　It　seemed　as　if　there　was　nothing　left。　Tokyo　had　been　devastated。　The　high　winds　made　it　difficult　to　see　clearly；　and　he　was　obliged　to　blink　constantly　to　keep　his　eye　free　of　ash。　Not　whole　buildings；　not　whole　blocks；　but　entire　sections　of　the　city　had　been　incinerated。　Where　Nangi's　family's　house　had　stood　there　were　now　squads　of　sweepers　and　shovelers　clearing　their　way　through　the　lumps　of　blackened　structures。　No　one　was　left　alive；　he　was　told。　The　intense　heat　of　the　igniting　napalm　bined　with　the　high　winds…the　same　winds　that　had　fanned　the　terrible　Tokyo　fire　of　1920…to　roast　fully　half　the　city。
　There　was　nowhere　left　to　go　but　to　Kyoto。　Nangi　had　not　forgotten　the　promise　he　had　made　to　Gotaro　to　see　to　his　younger　Brother；　Seiichi。
　The　ancient　capital　had　been　spared　much　of　the　devastation　that　had　turned　Tokyo　into　a　smoldering　blackened　skeleton；　but　food　was　still　scarce　and　starvation　was　rampant。　Nangi　had　acquired　a　small　loaf　of　black　bread；　a　pot　of　jam；　a　bit　of　butter；　and　six　daikon…white　radishes。　These　he　brought　to　the　Sato　house　as　a　gift　against　the　disruption　and　inconvenience　of　his　visit。
　He　found　only　an　old　woman　at　home；　a　straight…backed；　stiff…lipped　creature　with　iron　gray　hair　pulled　back　flat　to　her　skull　and　the　eyes　of　an　inquisitive　child　behind　a　face　full　of　wrinkles。
　〃Hai？〃　The　interrogative　was　somewhat　defensive　and　Nangi　recalled　what　Gotaro　had　said　about　his　grandmother。　There　had　been　a　great　deal　of　suffering　and　death　in　this　family；　and　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　be　the　bearer　of　more　bad　tidings。　With　the　current　chaos　of　the　war　it　was　all　too　likely　that　news　of　the　death　of　her　grandson　would　not　have　reached　her。
　He　bowed　politely　and；　handing　her　the　packet　of　food；　told　her　that　he　had　served　alongside　Gotaro　and　that　he　sent　his　best　respects　to　her。
　She　sniffed；　her　nose　lifted　slightly；　and　said；　〃Gotaro…chan　never　paid　me　any　respect　while　he　was　living　here。〃　But　clearly　she　was　pleased　with　this　message　and；　bowing；　she　backed　away　from　the　doorway　to　allow　him　entrance。
　It　was　still　difficult　for　Nangi　to　negotiate；　and　she　turned　away　in　such　a　natural　and　graceful　way　he　could　never　be　certain　that　she　had　done　it　on　purpose　to　avoid　him　embarrassment。
　Oba…chama…for　Nangi　would　know　her　only　as　others　did；　as　〃Grandma〃…went　to　make　him　tea；　a　signal　honor　in　those　drear　days　without　hope。　They　sat　on　opposite　sides　of　the　room　with　the　break　in　the　tatami　between　them　as　was　customary　between　host　and　guest；　sensei　and