el.the miko-第7部分

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re　occupied　by　dark　lumps　that　they　soon　could　make　out　as　bodies。　A　young　woman　stood　by　each　table。
　〃Gentlemen。〃　A　male　figure　sat　up　on　the　table　to　their　right。　He　bowed　slightly。　〃I　trust　you　are　more　relaxed　than　when　you　entered　our　doorway。〃
　〃Sato；〃　Tomkin　said。　〃It　took　you…〃　But　feeling　the　pressure　of　Nicholas'　hand　on　his　arm；　he　changed　in　midsentence。　〃This's　a　helluva　way　to　greet　us。　The　Okura　couldn't've　done　as　well。〃
　〃Oh；　no；　we　cannot　e　up　to　that　standard。〃　But　Seiichi　Sato　nodded　his　head　in　acknowledgement　of　the　pliment。　〃Linnear…san；〃　he　said；　turning　slightly；　〃it　is　an　honor　to　meet　you　at　last。　I　have　heard　much　about　you。〃　He　swung　his　legs　around；　lay　back　down。　〃Tell　me；　are　you　pleased　to　be　back　home？〃
　〃My　home　is　now　America；　Sato…san；〃　Nicholas　said　carefully。　〃Much　has　changed　in　Japan　since　I　left；　but　I　trust　there　is　more　that　has　remained　the　same。〃
　〃You　missed　your　calling；　Linnear…san；〃　Sato　said。　〃You　should　have　been　a　politician。〃
　Nicholas　wondered　who　was　lying　on　the　table　against　the　far　wall。
　〃Lie　down；　please；　gentlemen；〃　Sato　said。　〃You　have　not　yet　pleted　your　course　in　relaxation。〃
　They　did　as　he　bade；　and　immediately　two　more　young　women　emerged　from　the　semidarkness。　Nicholas　felt　the　splash　and　roll　of　oil；　then　skilled　hands　kneading　his　muscles。
　〃Perhaps　you　are　already　wondering　why　these　girls　are　not　Japanese；　Linnear…san？　J3o　not　think　I　am　not　nationalistic。　However；　I　am　a　realist　as　well。　These　girls　are　from　Taiwan。〃　He　chuckled。　〃They're　blind；　Linnear…san；　could　you　tell　that？　The　prevailing　explanation　is　that　their　affliction　allows　them　a　more　sensitive　sense　of　touch。　I　am　inclined　to　agree。　Ever　since　my　first　trip　to　Taiwan　in　'56；　I　have　dreamed　of　bringing　Taiwan　masseuses　here　to　Japan。　What　do　you　think；　Linnear…san？〃
　〃Superb；〃　Nicholas　grunted。　The　girl　was　turning　his　rocklike　muscles　to　butter　beneath　her　talented　fingers　and　palms。　He　breathed　deeply　into　the　expansion；　experiencing　an　almost　dizzying　sense　of　exhilaration。
　〃I　was　obliged　to　remain　in　Taiwan　for　ten　days　while　we　jury…rigged　a　deal　that　was　falling　through。　I　assure　both　you　gentlemen　that　the　only　worthwhile　features　of　that　country　are　its　cuisine　and　its　extraordinary　blind　masseuses。〃
　For　a　time　then　there　was　only　the　soft　somnolent　slap　of　flesh　against　flesh；　the　sharp　camphor　smell　of　the　liniment　that　somehow　increased　the　overall　sense　of　drowsiness。
　Nicholas'　mind　returned　to　the　mysterious　fourth　man。　He　was　well　acquainted　with　the　convoluted　byways　of　Japanese　business　structure；　so　different　and　alien　to　Westerners。　He　knew　that　despite　the　fact　Sato　was　this　keiretsu's…enterprise　group's…president；　still　there　were　many　layers；　many　men　in　power；　and　there　were　those　in　the　highest　reaches　of　power　in　Japan　who　the　outsider　and　even　most　Japanese　never　saw　or　knew　about。　Was　this　one　of　those　men？　If　so；　Nicholas　had　to　believe　Tomkin's　admonition　of　extreme　care　on　the　long　trip　across　the　Pacific。　〃This　deal　with　Sato　Petrochemicals　is　potentially　the　biggest　I've　ever　put　together；　Nick；〃　he　had　said。　〃The　merging　of　my　Sphynx　Silicon　division　and　Sato's　Nippon　Memory　Chip　kobun　is　going　to　bring　untold　profits　over　the　next　twenty　years　to　Tomkin　Industries。
　〃You　know　American　manufacturers；　they're　so　goddamned　slow　on　the　uptake。　That's　why　I　decided　to　start　up　Sphynx　two　and　a　half　years　ago。　I　got　fed　up　with　relying　on　these　bastards。　I　was　always　three　to　six　months　behind　schedule　because　of　them　and　by　the　time　I　got　their　shipment；　the　Japs　had　already　e　out　with　something　better。
　〃Like　everything　else；　they've　been　taking　our　basic　designs　and　making　the　product　better　and　at　a　far　lower　price。　They　did　it　to　the　Germans　with　thirty…five…millimeter　cameras；　they　did　it　to　us　and　the　Europeans　with　cars。　Now　they're　gonna　do　it　to　us　again　with　puter　chips　unless　we　get　off　our　asses。
　〃You　better　than　anyone；　Nick；　know　how　goddamned　hard　it　is　for　a　foreign　pany　to　get　a　toehold　in　Japan。　But　now　I've　got　something　they　want…want　badly　enough　to　allow　me　fifty…one　percent　interest　in　my　own　pany。　That's　unheard　of　over　there。　I　mean；　they　took　IBM　to　the　cleaners　when　they　opened　up　in　Tokyo。〃
　Nicholas　recalled　the　incident　well。　Japan's　all…powerful　Ministry　of　International　Trade　and　Industry；　known　more　colloquially　as　MITI；　had　sprung　up　after　World　War　II　to　essentially　help　guide　Japan's　economy　back　onto　sound　footing。　In　the　1950s；　MITI's　chief　minister；　Shigeru　Sahashi；　became　the　samurai　bent　on　discouraging　what　he　saw　as　a　massive　invasion　of　American　capital　into　Japan。
　He　also　saw　the　enormous　potential　worldwide　market　ing　for　puters。　Japan　had　no　puter　technology　whatsoever　at　the　time。　Sahashi　used　IBM's　desire　to　open　up　Japan　for　its　trade　to　effectively　create　a　national　puter　industry。
　MITI　already　had　set　policies　severely　limiting　the　involvement　of　foreign　panies　in　Japan's　economy。　The　ministry　was　so　powerful　that；　in　effect；　it　could　exclude　all　foreign　participation　without　its　consent。
　Sahashi　allowed　the　formation　of　IBM…Japan　but　as　soon　as　the　fledgling　pany　was　set　up；　he　set　about　showing　them　what　they　had　stepped　into。　IBM；　of　course；　held　all　the　basic　patents　that　Japan　required　to　begin　its　own　homegrown　industry。
　In　a　now　historic　meeting　with　IBM…Japan；　Sahashi　told　them：　〃We　will　take　every　measure　possible　to　obstruct　the　success　of　your　business　unless　you　license　IBM　patents　to　Japanese　firms　and　charge　them　no　more　than　a　five…percent　royalty。〃
　When　the　understandably　appalled　IBM　officers　indignantly　accused　the　Japanese；　through　him；　of　having　an　inflated　inferiority　plex；　Sahashi　said；　〃We　do　not　have　an　inferiority　plex　toward　you；　we　only　need　time　and　money　to　pete　effectively。〃
　Stunned；　the　Americans　were　faced　with　the　difficult　choice　of　having　to　withdraw　IBM　pletely　from　a　major　part　of　its　planned　worldwide　expansion　or　capitulating　to　MITI's　total　domination。
　They　chose　to　submit；　and　for　years　afterward　Sahashi　would　proudly　recount　the　details　of　his　triumphant　negotiations。
　〃I　learned　from　that　fiasco。〃　Tomkin's　voice　had　brought　Nicholas　back。　〃I'm　not　so　greedy　that　I'll　put　one　foot　in　the　trap　before　I　know　what　the　hell's　going　on。　I'm　going　to　use　the　Japs；　not　the　other　way　around。
　〃I　won't　spend　dollar　one　on　a　Japanese　pany　until　the　deal's　set。　I've　got　the　patented　advance；　but　there's　no　way　I　can　manufacture　this　new…type　chip　in　America　without　the　costs　making　sales　prohibitive。　Sato　can　give　me　that；　he　controls　Japan's　sixth　largest　konzern。　He　can　manufacture　this　thing　cheaply　enough　to　make　this　venture　profitable　in　a　big　way。〃
　He　laughed。　〃And　I　do　mean　big；　Nick。　Believe　it　or　not；　we're　looking　at　a　net　profit　of　a　hundred　million　dollars　within　two　years。〃　His　eyes　were　on　fire。　〃You　heard　me　right。　One　hundred　million！〃
　Nicholas　might　have　been　sleeping　when　the　hands　lifted　from　his　muscles。　He　felt　better　than　he　had　in　years。　He　heard　muffled　movement　in　the　room　and　then　Sato's　manding　voice。　〃Now　we　shower　and　dress　for　business。　In　fifteen　minutes　Miss　Yoshida　will　fetch　you。〃　He　stood　up；　a　thick；　black　shadow。　Nicholas　twisted　his　head　to　try　to　get　a　good　look　at　him；　but　all　he　could　discern　was　that　Sato　was　not　tall　by　American　standards。　Behind　him；　the　specter　of　the　fourth　man　stirred　and　got　to　his　feet。　Nicholas　shifted　his　gaze；　but　Sato's　bulk　was　between　him　and　the　mysterious　stranger。
　〃Very　little　business；〃　the　Japanese　industrialist　was　saying　now。　〃Of　course　you　must　still　be　fatigued　by　your　journey　and　it　is；　after　all；　late　in　the　day。　But　still〃…he　bowed　formally　to　them　both…〃it　is　Monday　and　the　preliminaries　cannot　wait。　Do　you　agree；　Tomkin…san。〃
　〃Let's　get　on　with　it；　by　all　means。〃　Even　though　he　was　closer　to　Nicholas；　Tomkin's　voice　sounded　odd　and　muffled。
　〃Excellent；〃　Sato　said　shortly。　His　bullet　head　nodded。　〃Until　then。〃
　When　they　were　alone；　Nicholas　sat　up；　the　towel　draped　across　his　loins。　〃You've　been　very　quiet；〃　he　said　into　the　gloom。
　In　the　brief　pause；　the　girls　shuffled　away；　rustling　like　reeds　in　the　wind。
　Tomkin　slid　off　the　table。　〃Just　getting　a　feel　for　the　territory。〃　He　wrapped　himself　in　his　large　towel。　〃Sato　seemed　busy　talking　to　you；　I　let　him。　What's　it　to　me；　right？　I　was　thinking　about　who　was　with　him。〃
　〃Any　ideas？〃　Nicholas　said　as　they　walked　through　into　the　shower　room。
　Tomkin　shook　his　head。　〃You　know　Jap　industry。　God　alone　knows　how　they　run　things　here　and　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　to　learn　that　even　He　gets　confused　once　in　a　while。〃　Tomkin　shrugged　his　beefy　shoulders。　〃Whoever　he　was；　he's　a　big　one；　to　be　allowed　into　Sato's　inner　sanctum　like　that。〃
　Seiichi　Sato's　office　was　almost　entirely　Western　in　aspect…　fortable　sofas　and　chairs　grouped　around　a　low　black　lacquer　coffee　table　with　the　ubiquitous　Sato　logo　etched　into　its　center；　and；　farther　away　toward　the　sheets　of　window　looking　out　or；　Tokyo；　a　large　rosewood　and　brass　desk；　low　cabinets；　all　atop　deep　pile　champagne　colored　carpet。　Woodblock　prints　were　on　the　walls；　all；　Nicholas　saw；　from　twentieth…century　artists。
　Yet　as　he　acpanied　Tomkin　across　the　expanse　of　carpet　Nicholas　noticed　a　half…open　door　beyond　which　he　saw　a　toko…noma…a　traditional　niche　into　which　was　placed　fresh　flowers　every　day　in　a　small；　simple　arrangement。　Above　it　on　the　wall　was　an　old　scroll　with　some　of　its　original　gilt　powder　still　on　it。　Nicholas　could　not　read　the　inscription　as　the　angle　was　too　acute　but　he　knew　it　would　be　a　Zen　saying；　written　by　an　ancient　master。
　Seiichi　Sato　came　around　from　behind　his　desk　in　quick；　confident　strides。　He　was；　as　Nicholas　had　gathered；　a　rather　short　man　though　not　overly　so。　Through　his　Ralph　Lauren　suit　Nicholas　could　make　out　the　great　bulge　of　muscles　across　his　shoulders　and　upper　arms　like　a　mantle　of　iron　and　he　thought；　The　man　works　out　religiously。　He　searched　Sato's　face；　pockmarked　and　rather　angular；　with　slab　cheeks　that　rose　high　into　his　eye　sockets　and　a　wide；　sleek　forehead　topped　by　coarse；　brushcut　hair。　There　was　nothing　subtle　about　the　man's　physiognomy。　Nor　was　he　a　particular