el.the miko-第52部分

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e　or　two　difficult　maneuvers　culled　from　the　various　disciplines　with　which　he　was　conversant。
　Thus　when　Akiko　found　him　he　was　in　the　midst　of　the　irimi　variations　ofjo…waza；　stave　aikido。　There　was　no　one　else　about；　the　vast　Sato　staff　emptying　out　of　the　building　like　locusts　upon　the　gleaming　field　of　Shinjuku　at　precisely　twelve…thirty。　For　a　time　she　watched　him　intently。
　Long　muscles　rippling；　filmed　with　a　light　sheen　of　sweat　that　lay　on　his　chest　like　mineral　oil；　his　oval　head　down；　the　bull…like　chest　barely　moving　as　his　concentration　deepened。　She　remembered　the　long；　lingering　look　he　had　given　her　on　her　wedding　day。　She　had　seen　the　veiled　lust　in　his　eyes　then　and　had　wondered：　had　it　been　her　he　had　wanted　to　get　at；　or　was　it　the　symbol　of　what　his　superior　was　about　to　possess？　For　Akiko　sensed　Ishii's　adoration　of　power　as　strongly　as　if　it　were　animal　spoor。　Not　for　him　the　quiet　contentment　of　home　and　family；　of　his　secure　position　as　number…two　man　at　Sato　Petrochemicals。
　In　his　heart　he　was　no　man's　right　hand　but；　rather；　wished　only　to　select　his　own　line　of　mand　from　top　to　bottom。
　This　was　in　her　mind　as　she　came　across　the　polished　floorboards；　feeling　their　supple　springiness　beneath　her　white　socks。　She　had　left　sandals　and　cloak　at　the　door；　after　first　locking　it　from　the　inside。　No　one　else　was　here；　no　one　would　e；　there　was　only　the　two　of　them　now。
　Ishii　became　aware　of　her　only　when　she　was　very　close。　The　particular　irimi　he　was　working　on　had　been　one　whose　perfect　execution　had　eluded　him　even　after　months　of　the　most　diligent　practice。　Still；　he　was　not　frustrated；　nor　was　he　angry　at　himself。　He　had　just　e　to　a　decision　to　pass　on　to　another　variation　when　his　break　in　concentration　revealed　Akiko。
　His　head　came　up；　sweat　sparkling　like　dew　across　his　black；　close…cropped　hair。　He　bowed　immediately；　voicing　the　traditional　greeting；　〃Ikagadesuka；　Oku…san。〃
　Somewhat　distantly；　Akiko　returned　it。　〃Hoi。　Okagesamade。　Arigatogozaimasu。〃　It　was　schoolgirl's　rote；　that　was　all。　〃Tell　me；〃　she　said；　〃are　you　as　assiduous　in　your　work　on　the　merger　as　you　are　at　aikidoT
　〃I　do　what　is　asked　of　me；　Oku…san。〃
　Akiko　gave　the　top　of　his　head　a　bleak　smile。　She　could　see　his　scalp；　burnished　as　brass。　〃And　that　is　all　that　you　do？〃
　At　the　last　upward　inflection；　Ishii's　head　lifted　and　his　deceptively　soft　brown　eyes　gathered　her　in。　For　an　instant　Akiko　felt　like　an　image　upon　a　plate；　developing。　Then　he　blinked　and　the　sense　was　gone。　〃I　am　not　a　robot；　if　that　is　your　meaning；〃　he　said　deliberately。　〃I　create　for　the　pany　as　well　as　serve　it。〃
　〃In　what　way？〃
　〃With　my　mind。〃
　〃You　are　an　impudent　man；〃　she　said　coldly。
　〃My　apologies；　Oku…san。〃　He　bowed　again。　〃Please　forgive　me。〃
　Her　lips　curled　upward　and　she　held　out　a　hand；　closing　her　fingers　around　the　stave。　She　pulled；　and　he　took　a　halting　step　closer　to　her。　She　made　him　aware　of　her　as　a　woman　in　the　way　she　stood；　in　the　attitude　of　her　head；　her　expression　recalled　the　moment　of　his　searching　look　on　her　wedding　day。　She　melted　into　him。
　〃This　is　what　you　want；　isn't　it；〃　she　whispered　into　his　ear。
　She　felt　how　startled　he　was　at　her　aggressive　stance　and　laughed　to　herself。　He　was　pulled　by　the　conventions　of　his　mind；　drawn　by　her　heat。　It　was　his　moment　of　indecision。
　Using　that；　she　broke　the　stave　across　his　right　shoulder　with　a　variation　of　the　iai　draw；　too　swift　to　see　clearly。　His　mind　was　stunned；　his　body　immobilized　at　the　same　time。
　Now　a　part　of　her　felt　sorry　for　him。　Kneeling；　bent　and　broken　before　her；　without　even　uttering　one　animal　mewl　of　protest；　where　was　his　maleness；　his　traditional　superiority？　He　was　nothing　now：　not　an　image　or　an　icon；　not　a　protector　or　a　provider；　he　was；　she　saw；　not　even　an　enemy。　He　was　merely　a　means　to　an　end。
　His　face　was　raised　toward　her。　His　skin　was　covered　in　pristine　beads：　the　sweat　of　pain。　His　ragged　breath　broke　from　his　partly　open　mouth　like　the　sigh　of　an　engine　winding　down。
　For　a　long　time　Akiko　stared　down　at　him　while　all　manner　of　thought　flung　itself　like　rain　in　her　mind。　Then　she　withdrew　her　blade；　seeing　its　long；　gleaming　length　mirrored　in　his　eyes。　She　felt　his　terror　and　thought；　There　are　no　more　warriors　left　in　the　world。
　Then；　with　neat　precise　swipes　of　her　katana；　she　cut　off　his　feet。
　When　the　long　black　Mercedes　slid　to　a　halt；　the　driver　came　around；　opened　the　rear　door；　and　Seiichi　Sato　emerged　into　a　morning　sparkling　with　dew。　There　were　two　other　men　with　him　besides　the　chauffeur；　as　was　the　custom　with　all　VIPs　in　Japan；　he　never　went　anywhere　without　them。　This　time；　though；　he　bade　them　stay　where　they　were　inside　the　car。
　Alone；　he　walked　slowly　up　the　pine…needle…strewn　path　into　the　precincts　of　the　Shinto　shrine　where　he　had　gotten　married。　This　was　part　of　his　weekly　pilgrimage。　If　he　was　in　Tokyo；　no　matter　the　weather；　he　would　make　the　trek　to　the　lakeside。
　Far　below　him　he　could　see　the　bright　white　dazzle　of　sunlight　off　the　water　through　the　thick　stands　of　pines　and　cryptomeria。
　On　his　way　up　to　the　inner　sanctuary　Sato　passed　beneath　the　crimson…lacquered　Myojin　torii　gate　and；　just　beyond；　paused　to　drop　something　in　the　offering　box。　Reaching　just　above　it；　he　pulled　the　rope　that　rang　the　sacred　bell　which　would　awaken　the　resting　kami　who　dwelled　in　this　place　and　alert　them　of　the　presence　of　the　arriving　supplicant。
　Inside　the　main　sanctuary　building；　Sato　knelt　before　the　tables　laden　with　offerings。　Grouped　around　the　tables　were　carved　figures　of　sitting　archers；　spearmen；　samurai　wielding　katana。
　Before　the　closed　doors　of　the　inner　chamber　wherein　the　kami　resided　stood　the　Gohei；　a　wooden　wand　with　bits　of　folded　paper　hanging　in　zigzag　fashion　from　it。　Beside　it　was　the　Haraigushi；　the　purification　wand；　a　small　branch　from　the　sacred　sakaki　tree。
　Above；　banners　depicting　the　clouds　and　the　moon　hung；　indicating　the　presence　of　the　kami。　Draped　from　one　of　the　standards　which　held　the　banners　was　a　brocaded　cloth　in　which　were　hung　the　sword　and　jewels　as　well　as　the　shield　and　halberd　of　the　shrine。　These　were　symbols　both　of　the　power　of　the　kami　in　matters　of　wisdom　and　justice；　and　of　protection　against　evil。
　Centered　directly　below　the　banners　on　the　table　was　the　sacred　mirror　which　was　perhaps　the　most　important　and　certainly　the　most　mysterious　element　in　the　Shinto　religion。　It　was　thought　to　reflect　the　cleanest　light；　to　be　able　to　reflect　everything　as　it　truly　is　and　not　how　we　would　wish　it　to　be。
　Did　not　the　Jinno　Shotoki　say　that　〃the　mirror　hides　nothing。　It　shines　without　a　selfish　mind。　Everything　good　and　bad；　right　and　wrong；　is　reflected　without　fail。〃　Was　not　the　Sun　Goddess's　divine　spirit　captured　in　just　such　a　mirror　hung　outside　her　cave。
　Now　Sato　knelt　before　the　mirror　and；　peering　into　its　keen　eye；　was　bathed　in　its　clear　light。　And　as　he　did　so　he　wished　for　peace　of　mind　and　spirit；　he　wished　for　the　deep　and　abiding　sanctuary　of　thought　symbolized　by　the　gleaming　lake　far　below。　He　summoned　up　the　kami。
　In　moments；　a　peculiar　kind　of　peacefulness　stole　over　him　that　he　had　bee　accustomed　to　from　his　earliest　days。　And　he　felt　as　if　a　connective　bridge　had　been　spun　out　of　the　ether　between　his　essence　and　that　of　his　honored　father。　The　elder　Sato　had　e　to　this　shrine　almost　every　day　of　his　life；　and　when　Seiichi　was　old　enough　to　walk　his　father　had　taken　him；　along　with　Gotaro。
　Even　as　a　young　child　Seiichi　had　been　enraptured　by　this　place。　While　his　older　brother　had　fidgeted　and　yawned　by　his　side；　Seiichi　had　begun　to　feel　the　presence　of　the　place　steal　over　him　like　a　mantle　of　refracted　light　from　the　mirror。
　And　when　his　honored　father　had　died；　he　had　made　his　own　pilgrimage　after　the　funeral　rites　here；　down　the　narrow　rocky　path　which　he　and　all　the　guests　at　his　second　wedding　descended　many　years　later；　to　the　shore　of　the　lake。　Mist　was　still　rising　off　it　then　so　that　it　appeared　as　it　must　have　eons　ago　at　the　dawn　of　Japanese　history；　prehistoric　and　pure。
　It　was　only　as　he　stared　at　the　gently　rippling　skin　of　the　lake　that　Seiichi　had　reconnected　with　his　father's　kami。　And　so　he　came　here　regularly　to　be　as　close　as　he　could　e　to　the　history　of　his　family。
　He　needed　all　their　accumulated　wisdom　now　to　see　him　through　this　maelstrom。　It　seemed　as　if　all　his　world　were　collapsing　around　him。　Thirty…seven　years　to　create；　and　then　in　the　span　of　little　over　a　year　they　were　on　the　verge　of　ruin。　How　had　it　happened？　He　could　not　say；　even　with　the　supposed　help　of　aftersight。　Perhaps　they　should　never　have　bee　involved　in　Tenchi　in　the　first　place。　But　the　government　had　made　manifestly　clear　the　potential　rewards　if　the　project　were　successful。　With　the　keiretsu　in　the　position　it　was　in；　just　outside　the　charmed　circle　of　Japan's　top　seven　panies；　we　could　not　resist；　Sato　thought　now。
　But　even　though　the　government　was　pouring　the　country's　money　into　Tenchi；　still　there　were　an　enormous　number　of　peripheral　costs　that　the　keiretsu　was　expected　to　absorb。　It　was　their　duty；　and　there　was　simply　no　question　of　charging　them　back　to　the　government。　Over　sixty　million　dollars　had　been　out…layed　by　the　keiretsu　in　the　space　of　fourteen　months；　a　terrible　drain　on　any　corporation；　no　matter　how　large。
　Tenchi；　Sato　supposed；　was　one　of　the　major　reasons　Nangi　had　allowed　their　expansion　into　international　banking　in　Hong　Kong。　Actually；　Sato　had　been　against　such　a　move　from　the　start。　The　thought　of　the　vagaries　of　the　Crown　Colony's　financial　fortunes　filled　him　with　trepidation。　It　was　tantamount　to　putting　your　foot　in　a　bear　trap　and　waiting　for　it　to　spring　shut。
　But　Nangi　had　insisted；　and　Sato　had　felt　pelled　to　acquiesce　to　his　will。　After　all；　they　did　need　an　immediate　infusion　of　money；　both　for　Tenchi　and　to　offset　the　loss　of　capital　from　their　steel　works。　So　many　idle　hands　and　nothing　to　do　with　them　but　pay　them　their　wages　and　their　benefits　while　the　plant　ran　at　70　percent　capacity。　Now　Sato　was　close　to　a　deal　to　sell　off　the　kobun。　The　price　would　give　them　only　the　most　modest　of　profits；　but　at　least　they　would　be　out　from　under