el.the miko-第47部分

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　The　indifference　of　those　who　ran　Sugamo　appalled　Nangi　more　than　anything　else。　Yes；　there　were　iteki…as　Oba…chama　would　call　them…always　present。　But　it　seemed　to　Nangi　as　if　the　everyday　administration　of　the　prison　had　been　given　over　to　the　Japanese；　and　it　was　the　behavior　of　these　people　that　affected　Nangi　so　intensely。　To　a　man　they　exuded　the　shame　and　indignity　the　SCAP　forces　had　put　them　through　incarcerating　their　own　people。　The　daily　horror　of　feeding；　exercising；　observing；　and；　most　of　all；　punishing　these　war　criminals　was　tattooed　on　their　faces　as　clearly　as　if　they　were　the　inky　artwork　covering　Yakuza　flesh。
　It　took　Nangi　three　weeks　to　burrow　through　the　labyrinth　of　red　tape　guarding　the　entrance　to　Sugamo　like　a　Gordian　knot。　His　vice…minister　was　of　some　help；　though　the　man　himself　was
　〃The　military；　then　secret　police。　unaware　that　his　signature　on　a　form　in　triplicate　helped　Nangi　open　the　steel…clad　doors　of　the　prison。
　The　scent　of　defeat　rather　than　despair　perfumed　the　atmosphere　inside　Sugamo。　Bars　were　everywhere　in　evidence；　and　during　his　hours　there　the　resulting　striped　sunlight　gradually　came　to　seem　normal　to　Nangi。
　Because　Makita…san　had　been　declassified　and　was　in　the　process　of　being　depurged；　they　allowed　him　to　sit　across　from　Nangi　without　the　usual　steel　net　screen　between　them。
　Nangi　could　remember　having　seen　Yoichiro　Makita　only　once…　in　a　photograph　in　the　newspaper　announcing　his　appointment　as　munitions　minister。　That　man　had　been　hearty　and　as　rotund　as　a　Chinese；　with　a　fine；　wide　face　and　broad；　heroic　shoulders。　The　Makita　who　now　appeared　before　him　had　another　appearance　entirely。　His　body　had　lost　most　of　its　weight。　Because　one　could　now　see　that　he　was　a　relatively　large…boned　man；　his　undermus…cled　flesh　appeared　as　thin　as　the　skin　over　it。　He　had　an　unhealthy　pallor　that　made　him　appear　almost　jaundiced。
　But　oddest　of　all；　his　face　had　lost　none　of　its　roundness。　If　anything；　that　moonlike　quality　had　inexplicably　increased；　bloating　his　features。　All　save　his　eyes；　which　seemed　sunken　in　soft　folds　of　meaty　flesh。
　Nangi　expressed　none　of　his　dismay　in　either　tone　or　movement；　merely　bowed　formally　as　he　introduced　himself。
　Makita　nodded　absently；　said；　〃Good　of　you　to　e；〃　as　if　he　knew　precisely　why　Nangi　had　shown　up。　〃It　is　time　for　my　exercise。〃　He　waved　a　hand　in　an　aimless　gesture。　〃I　hope　it　will　not　inconvenience　you　overmuch　if　you　acpany　me　outside。〃
　Sugamo's　version　of　〃outside〃　was　a　narrow　strip　of　courtyard　between　two　buildings　that　rose　up；　bricked　and　barred；　on　either　side　of　the　lane。　At　one　end　was　a　brick　wall　too　high　for　any　human　being　to　climb　but　crowned　with　corkscrews　of　barbed　wire　all　the　same。　At　the　other　end　was　a　glassed…in　guard　tower。　The　tarmac　on　which　they　walked　was　hard　and　unyielding。
　〃Please　excuse　my　silences；〃　Makita　said。　〃I　am　no　longer　used　to　talking　except　to　myself。〃　He　walked　with　his　hands　clasped　behind　the　small　of　his　back；　his　enormous　head　down。　Already　he　evinced　the　shuffle　of　an　old　man。
　Nangi　was　no　longer　certain　of　his　course。　Could　this　burned…out　husk　of　a　man　actually　bee　his　sempai？　It　seemed　unlikely　now　that　he　had　e　in　physical　contact　with　him。　It　seemed　as　if　his　best　days　were　behind　him。　Nangi　was　about　to　excuse　himself；　saying　it　was　all　a　mistake；　and　accept　his　loss　of　face　as　karma；　when　Makita　turned　to　him。
　〃So　what　is　it　about　me　that　has　caused　you　to　seek　me　out　here　in　the　depths　of　the　netherworld；　young　man？〃
　〃Kanryodo。〃　Nangi　said　it　automatically；　without　thinking。　〃I　am　seeking　my　way　in　the　new　Japan。〃
　〃Indeed。〃　Makita　said　nothing　more　for　the　moment；　but　his　head　had　e　up。　They　menced　walking　again。
　〃You　work　for　which　ministry？〃
　〃MCI；　Makita…san；　in　the　Minerals　Bureau。〃
　〃Uhm。〃　Makita　seemed　lost　in　thought；　but　Nangi　noticed　that　he　was　no　longer　the　shuffling　old　man　he　had　been　at　the　outset　of　the　walk。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　is　most　interesting　to　me；　Nangi…san。　The　Americans　are　now　more　interested　in　the　burgeoning　worldwide　munist　threat　than　they　are　in　us　as　a　defeated　power。
　〃When　SCAP　first　set　up　shop　here　they　were　adamant　about　one　point。　They　claimed　that　since　we　had　brought　on　our　own　economic　woes；　the　Allies　were　not　going　to　be　responsible　for　setting　us　back　on　our　feet；　so　to　speak。
　〃Interesting；　Nangi…san；　because　as　soon　as　they　found　out　that　due　to　the　plete　collapse　of　our　international　trade　that　tack　would　only　ensure　a　munist　revolution　here；　they　switched　one　hundred　eighty　degrees　and　insisted　that　the　state　take　plete　control　of　all　economic　measures。
　〃Good　for　us　who　practice　kanryodo。　But　even　better；　they　removed　the　largest　thorn　in　our　side；　the　zaibatsu。　As　you　know；　Nangi…san'；　these　giant　cartels　were　our　biggest　rivals　before　and　during　the　war。　They　snatched　economic　power　from　us　bureaucrats　as　often　as　they　could。　But　by　doing　this　they　ensured　their　own　destruction。　SCAP　rightfully　decided　that　the　zaibatsu　were　responsible　for　our　wartime　economy；　and　they　have　been　banned。　The　ministries　have　their　power　now；　and　it　must　be　like　having　stepped　into　the　promised　land。
　〃Now　Japan　is　perceived　as　a　bulwark　for　America　against　the　further　spread　of　munism　in　this　part　of　the　world。　As　such　it　has　e　to　my　attention　that　SCAP's　first　priority　is　to　make　our　postwar　economy　viable。〃　Makita　stopped　and　turned　to　Nangi。　〃And　do　you　know　how　they　propose　to　do　that；　young　man？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't；　sir。〃
　〃International　trade；　of　course。〃　They　began　walking　again；　up　and　down　beneath　the　gaze　of　the　guards　and　the　fulminating　sky。　〃And　that　being　the　case；　it　seems　obvious　to　me　that　the　Ministry　of　merce　and　Industry　has　outlived　its　usefulness。〃
　There　was　silence　for　a　time。　It　seemed　to　Nangi　that　outside　the　prison　walls　the　wind　had　picked　up；　but　it　was　difficult　to
　tell。　Certainly　the　sun　had　been　occluded　by　dense；　dark　gray　clouds。　He　swallowed；　aware　that　the　barometer　was　falling。　A　storm　was　ing。
　〃Everyone　at　MCI　is　split　into　two　camps；〃　Nangi　said。　〃Half　believe　in　the　seisanfukka　setsu；　reconstruction　through　production；　and　the　mitment　to　heavy　industry　buildup；　the　other　half　are　advocates　of　the　tsuka　kaikaku　setsu；　the　control　of　inflation　and　a　mitment　to　light　industries　that　would　take　immediate　advantage　of　our　cheap　and　large　labor　pool。〃
　Makita　laughed。　〃And　which　side　do　you　adhere　to；　my　advocate　of　kanryodo？〃
　〃Actually　to　neither　side。〃
　〃Eh？〃　Makita　stopped　and　peered　at　Nangi　in　the　gathering　gloom。　〃Explain　yourself；　young　man。〃
　Nangi　steeled　himself。　This　was　just　one　of　the　ideas　he　had　been　formulating　that　he　could　not　articulate　to　anyone　at　the　ministry。　Now　he　would　see　if　Oba…chama　had　been　right　in　guiding　him　to　Makita。
　〃It　seems　to　me　that　we　must　devote　ourselves　to　the　expansion　of　heavy　industry；　if　only　for　the　greater　value　of　the　finished　products。　But　to　ignore　currency　reform　would；　in　my　opinion；　be　a　grave　error；　for　if　inflation　is　allowed　to　spread　out　of　control　it　won't　matter　what　kind　of　industry　we　are　beginning　to　build。　It　will　all　collapse　like　a　house　in　an　earthquake。〃
　Makita　stood　up　straight；　and　Nangi　got　the　impression　that　the　other　man　was　looking　at　him　as　if　for　the　first　time。　In　the　ensuing　silence；　a　rumble　of　thunder　could　just　be　discerned；　muffled　as　it　was　by　the　high　walls。　Once　trapped　in　there；　however；　it　reverberated　in　blurred　overlapping　waves　like　the　echo　of　a　temple　gong；　calling　the　gods　for　supplication。　It　was　very　dark　now；　a　premature　evening　or　the　first　slide　into　an　eclipse。　Nevertheless；　Makita's　eyes　glittered　fiercely　like　diamonds　at　the　bottom　of　a　well。
　〃An　interesting　theory；　Nangi…san。　Yes。　But　to　carry　it　out　we　would　need　a　ministry　that　went　beyond　MCI；　the　Board　of　Trade；　or　any　other　now　in　existence；　do　you　not　agree？〃　Nangi　nodded。　〃We　would　need　a　ministry　with　broader　powers。　A　large　ministry　whose　primary　function　was　the　manipulation　of　international　trade。〃　His　head　came　around　like　that　of　a　great　predator。　〃Do　you　see　that；　Nangi…san？〃
　〃Hai。　So　desu。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　of　the　Americans；〃　Nangi　said　immediately。　〃If　they　are　suddenly　in　such　desperate　need　for　us　to　bee　a　viable　country　again…to　protect　their　Far　East　flank…then　it　will　be　their　international　trade　which　must　pull　us　up。　Nothing　else　will　work　as　quickly　or　as　pletely。〃
　〃Yes；　Nangi…san。　It　is　the　Americans　we　must　make　our　closest；　though　unwitting；　allies　in　this　venture。　For　SCAP　will　help　us　create　a　ministry　able　to　wield　denka　no　hoto；　the　samurai　sword。　That　status　accorded　us　will　bend　both　government　and　industry　to　our　will。〃
　Then　rain　came　with　a　great　surge　of　moisture　and　almost　no　wind　because　of　the　narrowness　of　the　space。　Within　moments　they　were　drenched；　but　neither　seemed　to　mind。
　Makita　came　closer　to　Nangi　and　said；　〃We　are　from　the　same　prefecture；　Nangi…san。　That　is　as　good　as　a　blood　bond。　No；　better。　If　I　cannot　trust　you　then　I　can　trust　no　one；　not　even　my　wife；　for　her　second　cousin　married　one　of　my　chief　rivals　not　more　than　two　weeks　ago。〃　He　huffed。　〃So　much　for　loyalty　among　family。〃　The　rain　pattered　against　the　tarmac；　soaking　their　socks　and　making　their　shoes　squeak　when　they　moved。
　〃Now；　there　are　two　immediate　problems。　One　is　that　as　long　as　I　am　in　here　I　am　not　as　well　informed　as　I　might　be。　Go　back　to　your　job　at　MCI；　Nangi…san；　and　in　your　spare　time　gather　dossiers　of　as　many　of　the　ministers　and　vice…ministers　as　you　can。　I　know　where　you　work　and　you　are　only　down　the　hall　from　the　central　file。
　〃The　second　problem　is　mine　as　well。　I　am　being　depurged　by　a　most　difficult　man；　a　high　member　of　the　SCAP　team；　a　British　colonel　by　the　name　of　Linnear。　He　is　a　very　thorough　fellow；　and　his　annoying　attention　to　detail　is　holding　up　my　release。〃
　Makita　smiled。　〃But　I　will　make　him　pay　for　prolonging　my　incarceration。〃　He　put　a　hand　on　Nangi's　arm　for　a　moment；　an　unusual　gesture。　〃When　finally　I　am　released；　rest　assured　that　this　iteki　shall　hand　over　to　me　the　information　we　will　need　to　plete　our　files　and　begin　our　own　mabiki；　our　weeding…out　process。〃
　The　Board　of　Trade　that　Makita　had　mention