el.the miko-第44部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　break　in　the　tatami　between　them　as　was　customary　between　host　and　guest；　sensei　and　pupil；　sipping　weak　tea；　leaves　that　had　obviously　been　used　more　than　once。
　Oba…chama　spoke　and　Nangi　listened；　at　times　answering　her　sharp　perceptive　questions　as　best　he　could；　fabricating　a　skein　of　lies　when　it　came　to　Gotaro's　whereabouts。
　〃The　war　has　destroyed　this　family；〃　she　said；　sighing；　〃just　as　it　is　destroying　this　country。　My　son…in…law　is　buried；　my　daughter　in　a　hospital　from　which　she　will　never　leave。　Japan　will　never　be　the　same　no　matter　what　the　Americans　do　to　us。〃　Her　eyes　were　hard　and　glittery　and　Nangi　found　the　idea　of　being　her　enemy　frightening。　〃But　it　is　not　the　Americans　I　fear。〃　She　sighed　again　and；　shaking　her　head　from　side　to　side；　took　a　delicate　sip　of　her　tea。
　Just　when　he　believed　she　had　lost　her　train　of　thought；　she　began　again；　leading　him　slowly　into　the　rhythm　of　her　life。　〃The　Russians　have　joined　the　war。〃　The　words　had　the　pronouncement　of　a　death　sentence。　〃They　waited　until　the　last　moment；　until　the　oute　was　clear　even　to　their　slow；　bearlike　brains。　Now　they　have　jumped　in　with　their　swords　rattling　and　they　will　want　a　piece　of　us；　too。〃　Her　white　hands；　with　skin　as　translucent　as　porcelain；　gripped　the　tiny　handleless　cups　with　unnatural　tension。
　〃Do　you　see　these　cups；　my　grandson's　friend？〃　Nangi　dutifully　looked；　they　were　beautiful；　impossibly　thin　so　that　light　falling　through　the　window　penetrated　from　outside　in；　turning　the　material　they　were　made　of　milky　and　glowing。　Nangi　nodded　his　head。
　〃They　are　quite　magnificent。〃
　Oba…chama　sniffed　again。　〃They　were　a　recent　gift。　From　a　distant　relative　of　mine。　It　was　all　that　was　left　of　his　family。　He　stopped　here　on　his　way　out　of　Tokyo　to　the　countryside。　He　had　bee　sokaijin*　I　urged　him　to　stay　here；　but　the　bombing　of　Tokyo　had　been　too　much　for　him　and　he　could　no　longer　tolerate　being　within　a　city's　limits。　Any　city。　Poor　thing；　he　did　not　even　understand　the　nature　of　his　flight；　but　at　least　he　was　smiling。
　'〃Oba…chama；'　he　said；　'the　fire　raids　on　Tokyo　have　forced　me　to　move　four　times　in　the　past　three　months；　first　out　of　my　house；　which　is　no　more；　then　from　temporary　shelter　to　temporary　shelter。　With　each　move　my　priceless　collection　of　T'ang　Dynasty　antiques　was　diminished。　Fire　took　some　of　the　scrolls　here；　a　stumble　on　the　street　destroyed　a　vase　there。'　He　handed　me　these　cups。　'Here；　Oba…chama；　I　see　that　your　life　is　still　calm。　Please　take　these。　They　are　the　last　of　my　collection。　Now　I　have　been　freed　to　start　my　life　anew　without　dragging　my　collection　behind　me　like　a　burdensome　hump。　The　war　has　made　me　appreciate　other　things　in　life。'〃
　Oba…chama　turned　the　cup　in　the　light　using　only　her　thumb　and　index　finger。　〃Imagine！　It　is　the　T'ang　Dynasty　I　hold　in　my　hand！〃
　Nangi　heard　the　awe　in　her　voice　and　was　not　surprised。　He　looked　anew　at　his　own　cup；　marveling　at　its　artistry　and　age。　He　too　felt　the　mon　appreciation　most　Japanese　had　for　this　most　revered　of　all　the　Chinese　dynasties。
　Oba…chama　carefully　put　down　the　antique　and　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment。　〃But　of　what　use　is　talk　of　art　and　antiquity　now？　The　Russians　will　soon　arrive　along　with　the　Americans；　and　then　we　will　truly　be　undone。〃　Beneath　the　despair　Nangi　heard　the　deep　and　abiding　undercurrent　of　rage　and　fear　directed　at　the　Soviets。　He　felt　a　violent　urge　to　reach　out　across　the　intervening　space　that　tradition　and　courtesy　dictated　must　forever　remain　and　touch　her；　assure　her　that　everything　would　be　all　right。　But　he　could　not。　The　words　stuck　in　his　throat　like　needles　in　the　knowledge　that　everything　would　not　be　all　right　for　them。
　He　was　about　to　open　his　mouth　to　say　something…anything　to　break　the　taut；　painful　thread　of　silence…when　there　came　a　sharp　rapping　on　the　door。　Oba…chama's　eyes　cleared　and；　bowing；　she　excused　herself。
　Nangi　sat　silently　without　turning　around。　His　back　was　to　the　front　door；　all　he　could　hear　was　the　soft　murmur　of　voices；　a
　*Sokaijin　means；　literally；　〃escape　to　the　country。〃　The　term　was　used　for　the　thousands　of　refugees　streaming　out　of　the　smoking　cities　into　the　rural　and　therefore　safer　villages　short　silence；　the　murmuring　beginning　again。　Then　the　door　closed　softly；　and　he　heard　nothing　until　Oba…chama　returned　to　his　view。
　She　sat　back　down　opposite　him。　Her　head　was　slightly　bowed；　throwing　her　eyes　into　shadow。　〃I　have　had　news　of　Gotaro…chan。〃　Her　voice　was　like　a　wisp　of　smoke；　gently　drifting；　a　shell　only；　transparent　and　empty　within。　〃He　will　not　be　ing　home。〃
　Perhaps　she　always　spoke　of　death　thus　with　a　poet's　poignancy；　but　Nangi　suspected　not。　Gotaro　had　been　special　to　her　as；　in　the　brief　but　incredibly　intense　time　Nangi　had　known　him；　Gotaro　had　been　special　to　him。
　The　space　between　them　danced　with　dust　motes　twisting　in　the　heat　of　the　sunlight。　Their　false　life　only　accentuated　the　emptiness　there。
　The　thin　sounds　of　the　uncaring　traffic　outside　came　to　him　remote　as　the　memories　brought　to　life　by　a　faded　photograph。　An　era　was　passing　before　them；　a　slow　and　heavy　cortege　filled　with　black　roses。　The　scent　of　the　past　was　everywhere；　with　only　the　dark　uncertainty　of　the　unknowable　future　to　keep　it　pany。
　A　kind　of　despair　seeped　slowly　from　Oba…chama　though　she　bravely　strove　to　be　resolute　and　inwardly　calm。
　The　helplessness　of　his　situation　affected　Nangi　profoundly　as　they　sat　facing　each　other。　Her　tissue…paper　face　had　been　crumpled　by　karma；　and　his　heart　ached　with　the　burden　of　her　newest　loss；　one　in　a　string　of　bitter　beads。
　Then　what　came　into　his　mind　was　a　poem…not　quite　a　haiku　but　exquisitely　moving…by　Chiyo；　the　eighteenth…century　poet；　considered　the　greatest　of　all　of　Japan's　female　poets。　It　was　what　she　wrote　after　the　death　of　her　small　son；　notable　for　what　it　did　not　say　as　well　as　what　it　expressed。
　He　spoke　it　now：　'〃The　dragonfly　hunter…today；　what　place　has　he/got　to；　I　wonder。
　Of　a　sudden；　they　were　both　weeping　and　Oba…chama；　appalled　at　her　lack　of　good　manners；　turned　quickly　away　so　that　he　could　see　only　her　thin　shoulders　moving。　And　above；　her　bowed　gray　head。
　After　a　time；　he　said　quietly；　〃Oba…chama；　where　is　Seiichi…san？　He　should　be　here　with　you。〃
　Her　eyes　scored　the　nap　of　the　tatami；　searching　perhaps　for　imperfections。　She　would　not　raise　them。　Then；　her　body　moved；　as　if　she　were　steeling　herself　to　speak。　〃He　is　on　his　pilgrimage。　To　the　mausoleum　of　the　Tokugawa　in　Nikko　Park。〃
　Nangi　bowed。　〃Then　with　your　permission；　Oba…chama；　I　will　go　and　fetch　him。　His　place　is　here；　it　is　a　time　for　family。〃
　Now　the　old　woman　raised　her　head　and　Nangi　became　aware　of　the　tiny　nerve　tremor　that　kept　it　in　constant　motion。　〃I　would　be　most。。。　grateful　to　have　my　other　grandson　beside　me　again。〃　The　corners　of　her　eyes　were　diamond　bright　with　the　hint　of　tears　she　was　holding　back　with　a　supreme　effort　of　will。
　Nangi　thought　it　was　time　he　left　her　to　the　privacy　of　her　grief。　He　bowed　to　her　formally；　thanking　her　for　her　hospitality　in　these　evil　times；　and　with　some　difficulty　rose　to　leave。
　〃Tanzan…san。〃　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　spoken　his　name。　〃When　you　return　with　Seiichi〃…her　head　was　held　very　straight；　a　tendril　of　hair　swept　down　across　one　ear；　feathering　with　her　minute　temble…〃you　will　stay　here　with　us。〃　Her　voice　was　firm。　〃Every　young　man　needs　a　home　to　return　to。〃
　The　deep　green　of　the　cryptomeria　occluded　the　gray　pall　that　still　hovered　over　burnt…out　Tokyo　where　legions　of　civilians　still　picked　through　the　massive　tons　of　rubble　and　blackened　skeletons　of　the　Red　Night；　urban　farmers　with　ash…covered　rakes；　unearthing　a　harvest　o￡；despair。
　All　that　remained　of　the　terrible　winds　of　the　week　before　were　soft；　gusting　breezes　that　bent　the　tops　of　the　cryptomeria　and　set　up　a　fibrous　rustling　whose　confluence　with　the　natural　buzz　of　the　insects　brought　about　a　harmoniousness　for　which　this　park　was　noted。
　Nangi　crossed　to　the　far　side　of　the　stream　via　a　stone　footbridge　and　took　a　winding　hillside　path　through　dense　foliage　that　would　lead　him　to　the　gold…encrusted　Yomei　Gate　and　the　tomb　of　the　Tokugawa。　He　had　not　told　Oba…chama　because　the　timing　had　not　been　right　but　he；　too；　had　spent　many　happy　hours　during　his　schooldays　lost　in　deep　reverie　at　the　verge　of　this　final　resting　place　of　much　that　had　made　Japan　great。
　That　the　Shogunate　of　leyasu　Tokugawa　began　the　history　of　modern　Japan　Nangi　had　absolutely　no　doubt…but　it　was　only　in　the　difficult　and　feverish　years　ahead　that　he　was　to　e　to　fully　appreciate　the　insight　he　had　forged　for　himself。　This　Shogun　was　the　first　of　a　line　stretching　over　two　hundred　years　who　tamed　the　myriad　feuding　daimyo；　the　only　one　with　enough　strength　and　cunning　to　bend　these　powerful　regional　lords　to　his　will。
　In　so　doing；　of　course；　leyasu　created　the　great　two…hundred…year　peace　and　forever　changed　the　path　upon　which　Japan　would　walk。　For　in　effect　he　destroyed　the　samurai。　Warriors　have　no　place　in　peacetime　for　there　is　nothing　for　them　to　do。　And　in　this　interregnum　the　samurai　metamorphosed　slowly　into　bureaucrats；　working　in　administrative　functions；　thus　being　no　more　than　a　〃service　nobility。〃
　Nangi　had　heard　it　often　said　in　school；　where　astute　minds　young　enough　not　to　have　yet　been　entirely　shorn　of　the　objective　view　which　age　and　full　participation　in　the　system　would　cut　from　them；　that　Japanese　government　was　built　on　the　separation　of　power　and　authority。
　To　understand　this　Nangi　had　had　to　return　to　his　studies　of　history；　reading　in　areas　his　professors　had　apparently　ignored　in　their　zeal　to　plete　the　semesters'　curricula。　There；　in　his　books；　he　found　the　historical　and　political　imperatives　that　were　his　answers。
　The　twin　feudal　powers　of　the　Choshu　and　Satsuma　families　at　last　brought　to　an　end　the　Tokugawa　Shogunate。　But　the　resultant　governmental　corruption　caused　such　a　public　outcry　that　they；　in　turn；　were　overthrown　by　the　Meiji　oligarchs。　And　the　Restoration　began。
　What　this　cabal　of　leaders　arranged　was　the　kind　of　government　similar　to　that　in　Bismarck's　Germany。　That　many　of　these　leaders　had　strong　ties　into　that　German　go