el.the miko-第6部分

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　Tomkin　came　in　behind　him。　He　stood　rigidly　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　glaring　at　him；　willing　Nicholas　to　face　him。　Nicholas　went　methodically　on　with　what　he　was　doing；　his　long；　lean　muscles　rippling；　consciously　letting　Tomkin　steam。
　After　a　time；　Tomkin　said；　〃Listen；　you　bastard；　don't　you　ever　do　that　to　me　again。〃　His　voice　was　thick　with　pent…up　fury。　〃Are　you　listening　to　me？〃　he　said　finally。
　〃Get　your　clothes　off。〃　Nicholas　folded　his　trousers；　hung　them　over　the　metal　hanger。　He　was　naked　now；　stripped　of　the　layers　that　civilization　dictated　he　must　wear。　It　was　clear　he　possessed　an　innate　animal　quality　that　was　almost　frightening。　Justine　had　felt　it　the　first　moment　she　had　seen　him　moving　naked　across　the　room　like　a　wraith；　a　dancer；　a　nocturnal　predator。　Even　when　he　made　so　mundane　a　move　as　putting　one　foot　in　front　of　the　other；　he　used　his　body　as　an　instrument；　achieving　a　confluence　of　grace　and　power。
　〃Answer　me　civilly；　dammit！〃　Tomkin's　voice　had　risen；　a　function　of　not　only　his　anger　but　his　abrupt　fear　of　the　man　standing　in　front　of　him。　He　was　nonplussed。　In　his　world　of　corporate　business；　nakedness　was　a　state　of　vulnerability。　Yet　looking　at　Nicholas　Linnear　now；　Tomkin　felt　only　his　own　vulnerability；　so　acutely　that　he　was　aware　of　the　thunder　of　his　heart　pumping；　his　accelerated　pulse。
　Nicholas　turned　to　face　Tomkin。　〃You　hired　me　for　a　specific　purpose。　Kindly　allow　me　to　do　my　job　without　interference。〃　There　was　no　anger　in　his　voice　now；　he　had　that　under　control。
　〃Your　job　is　not　to　insult　me；〃　Tomkin　said　in　a　more　normal　tone　of　voice　as　he　struggled　to　control　his　runaway　pulse。
　〃You're　in　Japan　now；〃　Nicholas　said　simply。　〃I'm　here　to　help　you　stop　thinking　like　a　Westerner。〃
　〃You　mean　loss　of　face　again。〃　Tomkin　snorted　and　hooked　a　spatulate　thumb　at　the　closed　door。　〃That　was　just　a　girl。　What　the　fuck　do　I　care　what　she　thinks　of　me。〃
　〃She　is；　in　fact；　Seiichi　Sato's　personal　representative；〃　Nicholas　said　in　a　calming　tone。　〃That　makes　her　important。〃　This　lie　was　essential　now　to　keep　Tomkin　under　control。　If　he　should　even　suspect　the　slight　that　had　been　dealt　them；　there　would　be　no　stopping　him。　〃As　such；　here；　she　is　part　of　Sato　himself　and　therefore　no　less　important。〃
　〃You　mean　I　should　bow　and　scrape　to　her？　After　Sato　didn't　even　have　the　courtesy　to　meet　us　himself。〃
　〃You　have　been　over　here　many　times；〃　Nicholas　said　evenly。　〃It　astonishes　me　that　you　have　learned　nothing　at　all　about　Japanese　customs。〃　He　gestured。　〃This　treatment　is　accorded　to　only　the　highest　dignitaries。　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　this　setup…　the　Japanese　bath…must　cost　with　space　at　such　a　high　premium　in　Tokyo。〃　Nicholas　sighed。　〃Stop　thinking　with　your　Western　ego　and　try　a　little　acceptance。　That　will　go　a　long　way　here。〃　He　reached　into　his　locker；　brought　out　a　fluffy　white　towel　embroidered　with　a　dark　blue　triple　wheel；　the　emblem　of　Sato　Petrochemicals。
　Tomkin　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Then；　abruptly；　he　grunted　and　began　to　undress。　It　was　as　close　to　an　apology　as　he　was　going　to　e。　When　he；　too；　was　naked；　he　drew　out　his　towel　and　the　key　to　the　locker。
　〃Don't　use　it；〃　Nicholas　said。
　〃Why　not？〃
　They　stared　at　each　other　for　a　moment；　then　Tomkin　nodded。　〃Loss　of　face；　right？〃
　Nicholas　smiled；　opening　the　wooden　door　beside　the　bank　of　lockers。　〃e　on；〃　he　said。
　They　stepped　into　a　chamber　perhaps　twenty　feet　square。　The　floor　was　the　same　cedar　slats　but　here　the　walls　were　of　gleaming　blue　tile。　The　ceiling；　of　smaller　tile；　was　a　mosaic　whose　center　was　the　interlocking　wheel　pattern　of　the　pany's　logo。　The　room　was　taken　up　by　two　enormous　bathtubs　both　now　filled　with　steaming　water。　Two　young　women　stood　in　attendance。
　Without　hesitation　Nicholas　stepped　in　front　of　them；　allowing　them　to　pour　scalding　water　over　him；　then　begin　rubbing　him　down　with　soapy　sponges。　After　a　moment　spent　taking　this　in；　Tomkin　followed　him。
　〃This　I　understand；〃　he　said；　allowing　the　woman　to　wash　him。　〃First　get　clean；　then　let　the　heat　relax　you。〃
　They　were　rinsed　off　carefully；　shampoo　provided　for　them；　then；　dripping；　their　flesh　steaming；　walked　to　one　of　the　steaming　tubs。
　Here　the　water　was　even　hotter；　making　Tomkin　cringe。　They　discovered　niches　within　the　walls　of　the　tub　so　that　they　could　sit　with　just　their　heads　out　of　the　water。　Tomkin's　face　was　red；　beads　of　sweat　rolling　freely　down　his　cheeks。　He　found　that　if　he　moved　it　made　the　heat　intolerable。　Nicholas'　eyes　were　closed；　his　body　relaxed。　There　was　no　sound　save　the　soft；　hypnotic　lapping　of　the　wavelets　their　own　bodies　created　in　languid　movements　within　the　bath。　The　tiled　walls　were　stippled　with　moisture。
　Tomkin　put　his　head　back　against　the　wood；　stared　up　at　the　Sato　triple　wheel。　〃When　I　was　a　kid；〃　he　said；　〃I　remember　I　hated　to　take　a　bath。　I　don't　know　why。　Didn't　think　it　was　manly　or　something。　There　was　a　fag　kid　in　school　always　smelled　like　he'd　e　from　the　bath。　Jesus；　I　hated　him。　Beat　his　brains　out　one　day　after　class。〃　His　chest　moved　up　and　down　slowly　with　his　breath。
　〃I　thought；　you　know；　that　it'd　make　me　some　kind　of　hero　with　the　other　kids；　but　it　didn't。〃　His　voice　lapsed　for　a　moment　before　resuming。　The　drip　of　the　water　was　like　a　metronome。　〃I　remember　my　father　ing　after　me；　throwing　me　into　the　tub；　scrubbing　me　with　that　kind　of　powdered　cleanser…Ajax　or　something。　It　hurt　like　hell；　I　can　tell　you。　'Cry；'　he　said。　I　can　just　hear　his　voice。　'It'll　do　you　a　world　of　good；'　he　said。　'Tomorrow　you'll　take　a　bath　on　your　own　so　I　won't　have　to　clean　you　this　way　again。'
　〃Yes。〃　Tomkin　nodded。　〃My　father　certainly　taught　me　the　wisdom　of　keeping　clean。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment　as　if　picturing　the　scene　all　over　again。
　Nicholas　looked　at　him　and　thought　of　his　dead　friend。　Lew　Croaker　had　been　so　certain　that　Tomkin　had　had　Angela　Didion　murdered。　That　obsession　had　a　peculiarly　Japanese　flavor　to　it　because　it　sprang　from　Croaker's　blind　obedience　to　the　dictates　of　the　law。　〃Nick；〃　his　friend　had　once　told　him；　〃I　don't　give　a　rat's　ass　what　Angela　Didion　did　or　what　her　rep　was。　She　was　a　human　being；　just　like　all　us　slobs。　What　I'm　doing。。。　Well；　I　figure　it's　something　she　deserves。　If　she　can't　get　justice；　then　no　one　at　all　deserves　it。〃
　What　Croaker　termed　justice　Nicholas　knew　as　honor。　Croaker　knew　where　his　duty　lay　and　he　had　died　in　that　pursuit。　It　was　a　samurai's　death；　Nicholas　knew　that　very　well；　but　it　somehow　did　not　ease　the　sadness　that　welled　up　in　him　in　odd　quiet　moments　or　erase　the　emptiness　he　felt　inside　him；　as　if　a　vital　part　of　him　had　been　abruptly　severed。
　〃Nick；　you　and　Craig　Allonge　get　along　well。〃　Tomkin　was　speaking　of　the　pany's　chief　financial　operations　officer。　〃You　know　that　1　rely　on　him　a　great　deal。　Besides　me；　he　knows　more　about　the　real　running　of　Tomkin　Industries　than　anyone。　He's　close　to　its　heart。〃　If　Tomkin　was　trying　to　make　a　point；　he　did　not　finish。　Instead；　he　seemed　to　veer　onto　a　tangent。　〃Craig's　going　through　a　particularly　hard　time　now。　He's　moved　out　of　his　house。　He　and　his　wife　aren't　quite　seeing　eye　to　eye　since　she　told　him　about　her　lover。〃
　Tomkin　moved　involuntarily　and　sucked　in　his　breath　with　the　searing　heat。　〃It's　a　helluva　situation。　Craig　told　me　he　wanted　to　move　into　a　hotel　in　town；　but　I　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　He's　staying　with　me　until　he　decides　what　to　do。　I　told　him　I'd　help　him　with　the　divorce　if　that's　what　he　wanted。　I'll　also　pay　for　a　counselor　if　he　thinks　there's　any　chance　of　a　reconciliation。〃　He　closed　his　eyes。　〃But；　more　important　for　the　moment；　he　needs　a　real　friend。　I'm　his　boss；　I　can't　be　his　friend；　too；　not　in　this　way。　You　like　him；　and　I　know　he　thinks　the　world　of　you。　And　you　know　the　real　meaning　of　friendship。〃
　Nicholas　settled　back　in　the　scalding　water；　thinking；　Westerners　are　so　unpredictable。　They　bluster　one　minute；　insensitively　ignoring　civilized　courtesies；　then　the　next；　show　an　inordinate　amount　of　insight　and　caring。　〃I'll　do　what　I　can　as　soon　as　we　get　back；〃　he　said。
　At　length；　Tomkin　turned　his　head　toward　Nicholas；　and　when　he　spoke　his　voice　had　unaccountably　softened。
　〃Nicky；〃　he　said；　〃are　you　going　to　marry　my　daughter？〃
　Nicholas；　half…dreaming；　nevertheless　heard　the　touch　of　desperation　in　the　other　man's　voice　and　wondered　at　it。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　immediately。　〃Of　course。　As　soon　as　we　get　back　to　the　States。〃
　〃You've　discussed　it　with　Justine？〃
　He　smiled。　〃You　mean　have　I　proposed？　Yes。〃　He　heard　Tomkin　exhale　deeply　and　opened　his　eyes；　looked　at　the　other　man。　〃We　have　your　blessing？〃
　Tomkin's　face　darkened　and　he　gave　a　harsh　bark　that　Nicholas　recognized　as　an　anguished　laugh。　〃Oh；　yes；　for　all　the　good　it　might　do　you。　But　don't　tell　Justine。　Christ；　she　might　decide　not　to　marry　you　just　to　spite　me。〃
　〃I　think　those　days　are　over。〃
　〃Oh；　you're　wrong　about　that。　Nothing　will　ever　be　right　between　me　and　my　daughters　again。　There's　too　much　bitterness　on　their　part；　too　much　resentment　of　the　way　they　think　I've　interfered　in　their　lives。　Rightly　or　wrongly。　I'm　not　even　sure　I　know　which　now。〃
　Time　to　break　the　mood；　Nicholas　thought；　and　he　clambered　slowly　out　of　the　tub。　Tomkin　followed；　and　they　went　through　another　door　into　a　steam　room。　They　sat　on　hexagonal　tiles　while　the　long　vertical　pipe　coughed　and　belched　pockets　of　water　that　ran　down；　gurgling　into　the　drain。　Then；　with　a　great　gout　of　sound；　the　steam　began　to　shout　from　the　open　end　of　the　pipe　and　talk　became　impossible。
　Precisely　five　minutes　after　they　entered；　a　warning　bell　rang。　They　could　no　longer　see　one　another　though　they　sat　fairly　close　together。　Periodically；　the　pipe　running　along　the　tiled　wall　to　their　left　screamed　like　a　banshee；　delivering　forth　a　new　cloud　of　steam　which　wrapped　itself　around　their　shoulders　with　a　new　wave　of　heat。
　Nicholas　touched　Tomkin　on　his　beefy　shoulder；　and　they　went　out　through　the　second　door　set　into　the　far　wall。
　They　were　in　a　fairly　large；　dimly　lighted　room　that　smelled　faintly　of　birch　and　mentholated　camphor。　Four　long　padded　tables　were　aligned　along　the　periphery　of　the　room。　Two　tables　were　occupied　by　dark　lu