el.the miko-第46部分

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　many　politicians　who　had　not　worked　in　over　twenty　years。　Time　and　again；　Nangi　would　confront　cabinet　ministers　who　were　forced　to　bring　with　them　their　vice…ministers；　whom　they　turned　to　for　answers　to　almost　every　question　put　to　them。
　Too；　it　became　manifestly　clear　to　him　just　how　little　power　resided　in　the　Diet。　It　was　at　Nangi's　own　ministry　where　policy　was　hammered　out　and　only　then　presented　to　the　legislature　for　ratification。
　In　his　new　position　Nangi　was　put　in　charge　of　carrying　out　many　of　MCI's　policies　that　his　vice…minister　was　far　too　busy　to　oversee　himself。　One　of　these　was　mining　manufacturing。
　Morozumi　Mining　was　only　one　of　many　fledgling　panies　in　need　of　total　restructuring　that　came　under　his　purview。　Almost　all　the　senior　executives　had　been　purged　and　subsequently　tried　as　class　A　war　criminals　since　Morozumi　had　been　revamped　during　the　mid　forties；　being　one　of　the　leading　producers　of　tri…nitrotoluene　for　the　war　effort。　Its　then　standing　director　had　been　awarded　several　medals　in　1944　from　Tojo　himself　for　the　pany's　high　levels　of　production。
　But　Morozumi　was　too　well　run　to　destroy　entirely；　and　after　the　SCAP　tribunal　stripped　the　tree　of　all　its　boughs；　it　asked　MCI　to　restaff　the　konzern。　This　Nangi　was　delighted　to　do　since　he　was　able　to　install　Seiichi　as　production　chief；　a　job　which；　in　better　times；　might　have　been　suspect　for　a　young　man　just　turned　eighteen。　But　Seiichi　was　exceptionally　bright　and　well　schooled。　Further；　instinct　had　taught　him　how　to　act　with　men　his　elder；　and　thus　his　appointment　passed　without　a　ripple　of　protest　from　the　vice…minister's　office。
　With　the　money　they　had　received　from　the　T'ang　Dynasty　cups　Oba…chama　had　given　them…even　in　the　worst　of　times　there　are　those　enterprising　few　on　the　lookout　for　treasures…the　two　men　had　managed　to　rent　a　fair…sized　apartment　in　Tokyo。　Sato　knew　that　his　friend　hated　to　give　up　such　treasures；　Nangi　had　fallen　in　love　with　the　antique　cups　at　the　moment　Oba…chama　had　first　shown　them　to　him。　But　they　had　had　no　choice。
　As　soon　as　they　had　a　little　money；　Nangi　had　sent　Seiichi　to　fetch　Oba…chama。　Her　daughter　had　died　shortly　after　Nangi　had　brought　Sato　home。　And　though　she　loved　her　little　house　in　quiet　Kyoto；　age　was　making　a　solitary　life　more　and　more　difficult　for　her。
　One　evening　early　in　1949　Nangi　returned　to　the　apartment　somewhat　early。　As　always；　Oba…chama　opened　the　door。　She　hurried　to　make　tea；　ignoring　his　protestations。　With　the　tiny　cups　she　brought　out　three　freshly　made　rice　cakes；　a　special　treat　in　those　times。
　Nangi　watched　her　distractedly　as　she　went　through　the　delicate　tea　ceremony；　and　when　the　pale　green　froth　was　at　just　the　right　thickness　she　withdrew　the　whisk　and　offered　him　the　cup。　When　she　had　made　her　own　and　had　taken　her　first　sip；　she　judged　the　silence　to　have　proceeded　long　enough　without　her　intervention。
　〃If　you　have　pain　in　your　legs　I　will　get　your　pills。〃　Age　had　made　her　more　outspoken。　In　any　case　she　saw　no　shame　in　soothing　away　hurts　inflicted　by　the　war。　She　was　grateful　that　he；　at　least；　had　been　spared　as　her　Gotaro…chan；　her　daughter；　and　her　son…in…law　had　not。
　〃My　legs　are　no　better　or　worse；　Oba…chama。〃
　Outside；　the　sounds　of　traffic　ebbed　and　flowed　as　the　convoys　of　military　transports　supervised　by　the　Occupation　Forces　ran　true　to　schedule。
　〃Then　what　is　troubling　you；　my　son？〃
　Nangi　looked　up　at　her。　〃It's　the　ministry。　I　work　very　hard；　and　I　know　my　ideas　are　forward　thinking　and　innovative。　And　yet　there　seems　no　hope　of　advancement。　Obi…san；　who　is　younger　than　I　am　by　more　than　a　year　and　is　nowhere　near　as　quick　and　knowledgeable；　has　already　been　promoted　to　bureau　chief。　His　sotomawari；　his　going　around　the　track；　as　these　series　of　postings　are　called；　has　already　begun　on　the　elite　course。〃
　Nangi　closed　his　eyes　in　an　attempt　to　hold　back　the　tears　pearling　there。　〃It　is　unfair；　Oba…chama。　I　work　longer　hours　than　most。　I　e　up　with　the　solutions　to　problems。　The　vice…minister　uses　me　when　he's　stuck　for　an　answer　but　he　never　invites　me　out　to　drink　after　work；　he　never　confides　in　me。　I　am　an　outcast　in　my　own　bureau。〃
　〃This　Obi…san；〃　the　old　woman　said；　sitting　like　a　Buddha；　〃he　graduated　from　Todai　as　did　your　vice…minister；　is　that　correct？〃
　Nangi　nodded　his　head。
　〃And　you；　my　son；　what　university　did　you　graduate　from？〃
　〃Keio；　Oba…chama。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Oba…chama　nodded　as　if　he　had　provided　her　with　the　key　to　the　Rosetta　Stone。　〃That　explains　it　then。　You　are　not　of　their　faction。　Do　you　so　soon　forget　the　history；　of　which　my　grandson　is　never　loathe　to　tell　me　you　are　a　sensei？　Always　the　samurai…bureaucrat's　position　depended　on　Imperial　appointment；　not　on　performance。〃　She　took　another　sip　of　her　tea。　〃Why　should　it　be　any　different　today？　Do　you　think　any　iteki…barbarian…　interference　can　change　us　that　much？〃
　She　snorted　in　derision。　〃But　you；　my　son；　must　learn　to　work　within　the　system。〃
　〃I'm　doing　the　best　I　can；〃　Nangi　said　with　an　edge　to　his　voice。　〃But　I　cannot　swim　against　a　tide。　Keio　is　not　a　well…known　university。　I　know　of　only　one　other　man　in　the　ministry　from　there。　He's　a　junior　and　not　a　classmate；　so　he's　no　use　at　all。〃
　〃Oh；　stop　sniveling；　Nangi；〃　Oba…chama　snapped。　〃You　sound　like　a　baby。　I'll　not　have　such　a　demeaning　display　in　this　house；　is　that　clear？〃
　Nangi　wiped　at　his　eyes。　〃Yes；　Oba…chama。　I　apologize。　For　a　moment　my　frustration　seemed　too　much　to　bear。〃
　Oba…chama　snorted　again　and　Nangi　winced；　now　the　object　of　her　derision。　〃What　do　you　know　of　the　capacity　to　bear　pain；　disappointment；　and　suffering？　You　are　only　twenty…nine。　When　you　get　to　be　my　age　you　might　have　some　inkling　although；　Buddha　protect　you；　I　hope　not。〃
　She　squared　her　shoulders。　〃Now。　We　do　what　must　be　done。　And　that　does　not　include　crying　over　the　inequity　of　a　system　which　all　young　men　must　abide　by。　Obviously　gakubatsu；《　The　bond　between　school　and　university　classmates。》he　first　and；　at　least　as　far　as　the　ministers　are　concerned；　the　strongest　of　the　factions　that　will　help　you　in　your　life；　is　of　no　use　to　you　here。　But　there　are　others。　We　may　rule　out　zaibatsu　as　well；　since　that　bond　is　based　on　money　and　you　have　very　little　at　this　moment。
　〃That　leaves　keibatsu　and　kyodobatsu。　Of　the　first；　as　far　as　you　have　told　me　you　are　not　related　by　blood　or　marriage　to　any　minister　or　vice…minister　and　the　chances　of　you　marrying　into　such　a　family　at　any　time　in　the　near　future　seems　nil。　Am　I　correct？〃
　〃Yes；　Oba…chama；〃　Nangi　said　softly。　The　bursting　of　his　months…long　frustration　had　brought　no　relief。　Rather　it　had　given　rise　to　a　feeling　of　dull　depression。
　〃Lift　your　head　up；　Tanzan…chan；〃　the　old　woman　said。　〃I　want　to　look　in　your　eyes　when　I　speak　to　you。〃　Nangi　did　as　he　was　told。　〃You　look　as　if　all　is　lost；　my　son。　It　is　not。〃　Her　tone　had　changed；　softening　just　a　bit。　〃You　speak　to　me　of　how　ingenious　your　thinking　is　at　the　ministry。　It　is　time　to　bring　some　of　that　home；　to　guide　yourself。
　〃It　is　my　understanding　that　in　order　to　receive　promotions　each　junior　bureaucrat　must　have　a　senior　to　champion　him。　Tell　me；　my　son；　who　is　your　sempai？
　〃I　have　none；　as　yet；　Oba…chama。〃
　〃Ah。〃　The　old　woman　put　down　her　cup　and　folded　her　mottled　hands　in　her　lap。　〃Now　we　e　to　the　root　of　the　problem。　You　must　have　a　sempai。〃　She　knitted　her　brows　together；　her　eyes　crossed　in　concentration；　the　stylized　mie　used　in　the　kabuki　theater　and　in　art。　〃The　first　three　factions　have　been　put　aside；　but　what　about　kyodobatsu。　Have　we；　by　chance；　a　vice…minister　who　es；　as　you　do；　from　Yamaguchi　prefecture？〃
　Nangi　thought　for　a　moment。　〃The　only　bureaucrat　of　such　senior　position　is　Yoichiro　Makita。　He　was　born　in　Yamaguchi　just　down　the　road　from　me。〃
　〃Well；　then。〃
　〃Oba…chama；　Makita…san　was　minister　of　the　Munitions　Ministry　during　the　war。　He　is　now　a　class　A　criminal　serving　time　in　Sugamo　Prison。〃
　Now　Oba…chama　smiled。　〃You　have　been　so　busy　working　away　at　your　ministry　you　have　no　time　to　read　the　newspapers。　Your　Makita…san　has　been　in　the　news　lately。　You　know　that　as　well　as　being　munitions　minister；　Makita…san　had　also　been　granted　s　cabinet　minister　status　by　Tojo。〃　Nangi　stared　at　her　clear…eyed。　It　seemed　as　if　he　had　suddenly　awakened　from　a　dream。　What　was　in　Oba…chama's　mind？
　〃When　the　Americans　captured　Saipan　in　1944；　Makita…san　publicly　expressed　his　belief　that　the　war　was　over　for　Japan　and　that　we　should　throw　up　our　arms　in　surrender。
　〃Tojo　was　outraged。　Well；　who　can　blame　him；　really。　In　those　days　the　word　'surrender'　had　been　struck　from　the　language；　and　rightly　so；　in　the　spirit　of　the　intense　patriotism　we　all　rallied　around。〃
　〃But　Makita…san　was　right；〃　Nangi　said。
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　She　nodded　her　gray　head。　〃Just　so。　But　Tqjo　called　him　to　task。　Cabinet　minister　or　no　he　would　have　no　more　of　this　defeatist　talk。　As　the　head　of　the　Kempeitai*　he　could　have　had　Makita…san　executed。　But　he　did　not。　As　it　happened　the　minister　had　a　number　of　influential　friends　in　the　Imperial　Household；　the　Diet；　even　the　bureaucracy；　and　they　were　strong　enough　to　stay　Tojo's　hand。〃
　Oba…chama　picked　up　her　tiny　cup；　poured　herself　more　tea。　〃These　facts　have　just　e　to　light。　Last　week；　Makita…san's　status　was　changed　to　unindicted　class　A　war　criminal　and　the　machinery　is　currently　under　way　to　depurge　him。〃　Those　dark　eyes　watched　Nangi　carefully　over　the　rim　of　the　delicate　tea　cup。　She　swallowed　and　said；　〃You　know；　my　son；　Makita…san　served　as　vice…minister　of　merce　and　industry　under　three　cabinets　and　as　minister　under　a　fourth。　That　would　certainly　make　him　sempai；　would　it　not？〃
　〃Hai。〃
　Oba…chama　smiled　charmingly。　〃Now　eat　your　rice　cakes；　my　son。　I　baked　them　especially　for　you。〃
　Sugamo　Prison　was　a　depressing　place。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　physical　aspect　of　the　place；　which　was　altogether　ordinary。　In　fact；　in　those　areas　not　given　over　to　cells；　it　might　have　been　the　repository　for　any　one　of　the　myriad　ministerial　bureaus　housed　across　the　city。
　The　indifference　of　those　who　ran　Sugamo　appalled　Nangi　more　than　anything　else。　Yes；　there　were　iteki…as　Oba…chama　would　call　them…always