el.the miko-第71部分

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ht？〃
　Sun　Hsiung　put　his　forearms　on　the　points　of　his　knees。　〃You　shot　the。。。　man　who　was　holding　you。　You　discharged　one　bullet；　which　entered　his　skull　through　the　socket　of　his　left　eye。　It　splintered　the　ridge　of　bone　just　above　and　lodged　in　his　brain。〃
　〃He's。。。　dead？〃
　〃Quite。〃
　She　swallowed　hard。　
　〃And　the　other　one？〃
　〃He　was　ing　for　you　when　I　arrived　on　the　scene。　He　was　going　to　kill　you；　I　believe。　I　had　to　stop　him。〃
　Akiko　opened　her　mouth　to　ask　another　question　but　immediately　thought　better　of　it。　〃They　may　send　more。〃
　Sun　Hsiung　shrugged。　〃Perhaps。〃
　She　put　her　finger　around　the　trigger　and　hefted　the　pistol。　〃I'll　shoot　them；　too。〃
　Sun　Hsiung　considered　her　for　a　moment。　He　had　not　asked　her　who　it　was　who　might　send　more　thugs　after　her　or　even　why　these　had　been　dispatched。　〃That　would　be　most　unwise；　I　think。〃
　Her　look　was　defiant。　〃Why？　It　saved　my　life。〃　He　rose；　leaving　her　there　in　silence　to　learn　her　first　lesson。
　It　was　not　the　pistol　that　had　saved　Akiko's　life　but　the　advent　of　Sun　Hsiung's　intervention。　When　she　had　worked　that　through　sufficiently　so　that　she　could　see　the　ramifications；　she　unwound　from　her　sitting　position　and　went　to　him。
　He　was　outside；　in　back；　tending　to　his　tiny；　exquisite　bonsai　garden。　Akiko　stood　at　the　edge　of　it；　a　giant　blundering　into　a　minute　world。
　〃I　want　to　learn；〃　she　said　softly。
　The　rice…paper　lantern　swung　from　its　black　iron　hook；　its　light　falling　across　Sun　Hsiung's　shoulders　as　he　toiled。　He　did　not　turn　around　or　make　any　motion　that　he　had　heard　her　or；　indeed；　was　aware　of　her　presence　at　all。
　〃I　want　you　to　teach　me　what　you　know。〃
　She　looked　down　at　the　weapon　she　was　still　holding　in　her　hand。　There　was　an　odd　kind　of　security　in　its　heft　and　warmth　in　her　hand。　And　it　was　something　of　her　mother's。
　Slowly；　carefully；　she　made　her　way　through　the　tiny　sculptured　trees　to　where　he　was　working　on　hands　and　knees。
　〃Please；〃　she　whispered；　kneeling　down　as　best　she　could　in　the　narrow　stone　path　and　bending　far　forward　in　a　kowtow。　She　extended　the　firearm　in　her　open　palm。　〃Take　this　as　payment。　It　is　all　I　have。〃
　Sun　Hsiung　set　his　gleaming　tools　aside　and　slowly　turned　around。　He　bowed　to　her　and；　lifting　the　pistol　from　her　open　hand；　murmured；　〃Domo　arigato；　Kodomo…gunjin。〃
　She　had　almost　killed　herself　that　night　as　well　as　the　thug。　That　was　why　her　forehead　was　bandaged；　why；　when　she　finally　removed　it；　there　was　a　reddish　weal　that　gradually　metamorphosed　into　a　small　white　furrow　of　puckered　skin。　The　bullet　that　eventually　killed　her　assailant　had　nicked　her　as　well。　Too　close。　She　was　glad　she　had　given　the　pistol　to　Sun　Hsiung。
　The　beginnings　of　her　training　surprised　her。　Days　menced　at　five　in　the　morning。　Pupil　and　sensei　began　their　exercises　in　the　dark；　building　wind；　the　cardiovascular　system。　In　the　pale　light　of　dawn　they　were　into　Tai　Chi　Chuan；　slow；　languorous　movements　that　increased　a　sense　of　balance　and　limb　coordination　not　unlike　ballet。
　From　midmorning　to　midafternoon　Sun　Hsiung　left　her　alone　in　the　house　to　read　selections　of　certain　books　he　would　provide　for　her。　Akiko　was　an　excellent　reader；　with　superb　retention　and　a　large　vocabulary。　She　was　diligent　in　her　studies；　at　times　even　rapt。
　When　Sun　Hsiung　returned　from　his　daily　errands　abroad　they　would　retire　to　the　bonsai　garden　and　the　variables　of　the　weather；　each　with　a　rice…paper　pad；　a　small　sable　brush；　and　a　pot　of　ink。　At　first　Akiko　was　nonplussed。　Her　heart　was　burning　with　fury　and　often　she　shook　from　an　excess　of　released　adrenaline。　Her　head　buzzed　with　swirling　emotions　and　she　would　call　up　those　memories　from　that　night；　all　fear　leeched　from　her；　instead；　a　cold；　calculating　hatred　growing　wildly　like　a　weed　in　an　untended　garden。
　So　she　balked　at　the　idea　of　painting。　She　could　put　up　with　the　rather　gentle　Tai　Chi；　the　long　hours　of　studious　repose　but　this。。。　this　was　just　too　much。
　The　first　time　she　was　handed　the　pad　and　brush；　she　said　as　much。　Sun　Hsiung　looked　down　at　her　and　said；　〃Kodomo…gunjin；　I　fear　that　I　have　named　you　too　well。　You　must　learn　peace　before　you　can　be　taught　the　ways　of　war。〃
　〃But　painting。。。〃　Her　tone　made　the　word　synonymous　with　garbage　collection。
　Silently；　Sun　Hsiung　considered　whether　he　had　made　a　mistake。　He　wondered　if　this　wild　young　thing　could　be　taught　the　most　difficult　lesson　of　patience。　He　shrugged　inwardly。　Her　own　karma　would　determine　that；　it　was　his　karma　to　teach　her。　After　that。。。
　〃Before　we　can　start　on　the　protective　aspects　of　your　training；　your　heart　must　be　purged　of　hatred；〃　he　said。　〃To　do　that　you　will　require　a　conduit。　I　place　the　leech　on　the　inside　of　your　arm　and　blood　is　drained　from　you。〃
　〃But　they　will　not　wait　long　to　e　after　me　again。〃
　〃You　are　no　longer　alone　in　the　world；　Kodomo…gunjin；〃　he　said；　placing　the　pot　of　ink　beside　her。
　Her　eyes　swung　away　from　him　and　contemplated　the　vast；　snowy　expanse　of　the　paper　lying　on　her　lap。　〃But　I　don't　know　how　to　paint；〃　she　said　in　a　plaintive　voice。
　Sun　Hsiung　smiled　down　at　her。　〃Then　let　us　begin　with　the　fundamentals。〃
　Over　the　succeeding　months　painting　became　her　favorite　part　of　the　day；　and　she　came　to　cherish　the　sound　of　her　sensei's　key　in　the　lock　at　precisely　the　same　time　each　day。　Lifting　her　head　up；　she　would　look　out　the　window　to　see　the　sun　striking　the　bamboo　wall　of　the　tiny　garden　and　recognize　the　light　for　the　finest　of　the　day。　Eagerly；　then；　she　would　close　her　books　and　gather　up　their　painting　materials；　meeting　him　at　the　fusuma　out　to　the　garden；　her　mind　quivering　in　anticipation　of　the　new　lesson。
　Too；　at　first；　the　advent　of　afternoon　rain　would　depress　her；　for　that　certain　light　would　not　be　present　and　they　would　forsake　their　painting　and　turn　to　other　lessons。　But　later　on；　when　she　became　more　adept；　she　would　look　forward　to　the　rain　for　then　they　would　sit　just　inside　the　open　fusuma　where　it　was　warm　and　dry　and　begin　to　use　the　diffuse　light；　the　oblique　intermittent　lines　of　the　rain　as　the　basis　for　their　paintings。
　How　could　Akiko　have　ever　thought　that　she　would　be　so　elated　by　foul　weather？　When　others　were　slowly　wending　their　way　home　through　the　slicked　streets；　bent　over　beneath　their　ama…gasa　against　the　rain　and　wind；　shivering　and　damp；　she　would　be　busy　dipping　her　brush　in　ink；　putting　it　to　paper。
　And；　so　gradually　that　she　was　not　at　first　aware　of　it；　the　hatred　did　indeed　fade　from　her　heart；　flowing　out　through　the　creative　conduit　Sun　Hsiung　intuited　was　right　for　her。　Her　paintings　softened；　flowing　more　easily　over　the　paper；　gaining　a　kind　of　organic　power　that　gathered　in　her　lines　and　spaces；　impressing　even　the　sensei　who　had　spent　so　long　at　this　pursuit。
　Thus　there　came　a　time　when　Sun　Hsiung　judged　it　right　for　her　to　begin　the　more　difficult　aspects　of　her　training。　On　a　day　when　the　snow　had　fallen　heavily；　a　sere　blanket　covering　the　greens　and　browns　of　Japan；　he　kept　her　up　all　night；　beginning　the　long　process。　He　did　this　with　full　knowledge　of　what　this　might　do　to　her　and　to　him。　For　in　truth　he　had　never　before　had　a　female　pupil　and　had　he　been　of　another　temperament　he　would　have　felt　a　certain　trepidation。
　In　fact；　he　recognized　that　on　some　level　it　was　odd　that　he　had　accepted　her　sex　so　readily。　His　native　China　was　so　different　in　its　concept　of　women。　Sun　Hsiung　knew　that　his　father　found　intelligent　women　who　showed　any　kind　of　talent　troublesome。　〃Sooner　or　later；〃　he　would　tell　his　son；　〃they　will　open　their　mouths　and　talk　back　to　you；　and　then　what　use　is　their　talent？〃
　In　Japan　as　well　as　in　China　a　woman　was　expected　to　follow　the　dictates　of　her　father　until　she　was　married。　Then　she　was　required　to　obey　her　husband　and；　in　the　event　of　his　death；　her　eldest　son。
　The　worst　sin　a　wife　could　mit　was　to　fail　to　bear　children。　In　that　event；　according　to　certain　ancient　codes；　she　was　expected　to　leave。　In　some　cases　she　could　choose　to　accept　her　husband's　siring　a　child　via　a　mistress　or；　failing　that；　adopting　a　child　of　one　of　her　husband's　relatives。
　A　wife's　adultery　caused　her　to　be　immediately　divorced；　but　a　man　could　have　as　many　mistresses　as　he　chose。　In　fact；　a　law　enacted　in　1870　in　Japan　established　kinship　between　parent　and　child　to　be　in　the　first　degree　and　kinship　between　a　man　and　his　mistress　to　be　in　the　second　degree。　Although　this　was　rescinded　ten　years　later；　the　custom　of　taking　mistresses　continued　unabated。
　When　the　emperor　Mutsuhito　ended　his　reign　in　1912　it　was　rumored　that　the　son　who　succeeded　him　as　the　emperor　Taisho　had　been　borne　not　by　Mutsuhito's　wife　but　by　his　mistress。　Taisho's　reign　was　brief；　in　1926　he　was　succeeded　by　his　own　son；　Hirohito。
　In　recalling　all　this　history　Sun　Hsiung　again　reminded　himself　what　a　renegade　he　had　been　and　still　was。　He　had　fled　mainland　China　many　years　before　because　of　the　oppressive　nature　of　the　society。　The　fact　was　that　he　did　not　find　subservience　in　anyone　attractive；　particularly　in　a　mate。　He　had；　consciously　or　no；　dedicated　his　life　to　the　pursuit　of　strength；　and　he　differed　markedly　from　the　feudal　Japanese　samurai　who　fed　on　strength　by　day　and　by　night　wished　only　for　the　obeisance　of　gentle　women。
　He　looked　at　his　Little　Soldier's　working　body　now　in　the　coppery　lamplight；　a　thin　sheen　of　sweat　turning　her　pale　skin　glowing　and　burnished。
　He　asked　himself　whether　he　would　look　upon　a　male　body　with　the　same　set　of　conflicting　emotions　which　seemed　to　plague　him。　Would　he　be　so　acutely　aware　of　the　play　of　her　back　muscles；　the　rippling　of　her　thighs　as　she　stretched　and　twisted　in　the　Tai　Chi？　She　performed　it　with　such　startling　skill　and　agility；　it　was　difficult　for　Sun　Hsiung　to　believe　she　had　been　at　it　for　six　months　rather　than　six　years。
　His　eyes　stole　down　to　the　workings　of　her　buttocks　as　she　lifted　one　leg　and　spun；　and　he　was　profoundly　ashamed　of　the　instincts　which　rose　within　him。　And　yet　he　could　not　help　them。
　He　was　a　man　who　had　always　dealt　with　his　desire　in　precisely　the　same　way　he　did　all　his　other　requirements：　when　he　felt　the　need　for　it　he　entered　the　new　karyukai　district　and　slaked　h