el.the miko-第86部分

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　man　was　dark　haired　and　large；　muscular　even　through　his　windbreaker。　When　the　woman　moved　she　did　so　with　the　fluid　grace　of　a　dancer。　The　man　had　somewhat　of　the　same　quality；　but　Justine　had　lived　with　Nicholas　Linnear　long　enough　to　be　able　to　identify　another　of　his　dangerous　breed。
　〃What　are　you　staring　at？〃　Rick　followed　her　gaze　and　his　head　went　down；　his　gaze　swinging　away。
　I　want　that；　Justine　said　to　herself；　still　staring　at　the　lovers　moving；　embracing　above　the　jagged　lava　cliffs。　Sunlight　bathed　them　as　if　they　were　gods。　Tears　burned　behind　her　lids　and　she　thought；　I　will　not　cry　in　front　of　him。　I　will　not！
　She　turned　away　from　the　lovers　and　from　him；　walking　quickly　down　the　stairs　so　that　she　was　gasping　for　breath　by　the　time　she　reached　the　asphalt　parking　lot。　By　parison；　everything　here　looked　banal　and　uninteresting。　She　got　into　the　car　and　leaned　her　head　against　the　window；　closing　her　eyes。　Just　below　the　level　of　the　lot；　Rick　stopped　the　car　and　got　out。　〃These　are　silvers　words；〃　he　told　her。　〃They　only　grow　upcountry。〃　He　pointed　to　a　fenced…off　patch　of　ground　where　two　or　three　vertical　plants　soared　from　the　dark　earth。　True　to　their　name；　their　spiky　leaves　were　a　peculiar　silvery　gray。　〃It's　said　that　they　take　twenty　years　to　bloom　and　then　once　they　do；　they　die。〃
　Justine　was　staring　at　the　beautiful　plants　when　Rick　said　this；　and　despite　her　resolve　she　abruptly　dissolved　into　tears。　Great　wracking　sobs　broke　from　her　trembling　lips　and　she　sat　down　hard　on　the　path；　her　head　in　her　lap。
　〃Justine。　Justine。〃
　She　did　not　hear　him。　She　was　thinking　of　how　sad　life　was　for　the　silversword　and；　then；　of　course　how　ridiculous　that　notion　was。　No。　Life　was　sad　for　her。　At　her　father's　funeral　she　had　felt　only　relief；　had　thought　she　was　reveling　in　that　relief。
　But　now　she　knew　the　truth。　She　missed　him。　He　was　the　only　father　she　would　ever　have。　He　raised　her　and　in　his　own　way；　she　supposed；　even　loved　her。　Now　he　was　gone　without　mourning　or　a　sense　of　the　diminishing　of　the　quality　of　life。　Or　so　she　had　thought。　She　was　so　smart。　Oh；　yes。　The　truth　was　that　she　was　a　moron。　She　could　no　more　understand　her　own　emotions　than　she　could　anyone　else's。　That's　why　she　was　useless　to　Gelda。　Useless　as　well　to　Nicholas。
　But　now　was　not　a　time　to　think　of　that。　Not　yet。　This　was　her　time　to　grieve；　as　a　little　girl　who　missed　her　daddy；　who　had　always　missed　him；　and　who　could　never　now　say　to　him　how　sorry　she　was　that　they　had　not　had　their　time　together　as　was　right　and　fair。
　Life　was　unfair；　and　now　she　knew　it　to　her　roots。　She　could　not　stop　weeping。　She　did　not　want　to。　Her　mourning　was　long　in　ing；　for　her　father　as　well　as　for　the　confused　and　vulnerable　young　girl　she　had　been　up　until　this　moment。　Her　rite　of　passage　was　upon　her；　and　at　long　last　she　was　making　her　torturous　way　through　the　thorns　and　nettles　that　separated　childhood　from　adulthood。
　Slowly；　as　she　allowed　her　long　pent…up　grief　to　flow　through　her；　as　she　allowed　her　entire　being　to　feel　it；　wracked　with　a　pain　that　was　almost　physical；　Justine　began　to　grow　up。
　Nangi　lay　atop　his　bed　in　room　911　at　the　Mandarin　Hotel。　He　was　on　the　Island。　From　his　sparkling　windows　he　could　see　Victoria　Harbor　and　just　beyond　the　clock　tower　of　the　Star　Ferry　terminal；　the　very　southern　tip　of　Kowloon　and　the　Asian　shore。　Somewhere　far　to　the　north；　ultimately　in　Peking；　no　doubt；　Liu's　masters　lived。　They…as　well　as　he…would　have　to　be　dealt　with　judiciously。
　The　main　problem；　Nangi　thought；　was　time。　He　did　not　have　very　much　of　it；　and　as　long　as　the　munists　believed　that　to　be　the　truth　they　would　sink　their　teeth　into　him　and　never　let　go。
　What　they；　through　Liu；　were　asking　was　patently　impossible。　To　give　up　control　of　his　own　keiretsu　was　unthinkable。　He　had　struggled　all　his　adult　life；　conquered　innumerable　threats；　neutralized　many　petitors；　sent　many　an　enemy　to　his　grave　to　get　to　this　exalted　state。
　Yet　if　there　were　any　other　way　out　for　him　but　to　sign　that　paper　he　was　not　aware　of　it。　Either　way　he　would　lose　the　keiretsu；　for　he　knew　his　pany　could　not　long　weather　the　set　of　pyramiding　losses　and　future　pledges　in　which　the　accursed　Anthony　Chin　had　enmeshed　the　All…Asia　Bank。
　For　all　this；　Nangi　was　calm。　Life　had　taught　him　patience。　He　had　that　rare　ability　known　to　the　Japanese　as　nariyuki　no　matsu；　to　wait　for　the　turn　of　events。　He　believed　in　Christ　and；　He；　surely　was　a　miracle。　If　he　were　to　lose　the　keiretsu；　that　was　karma；　his　penance　for　his　sins　in　a　previous　life。　For　there　was　nothing　Tanzan　Nangi　held　more　dear　than　his　pany。
　And　yet　he　was　absolutely　certain　that　he　would　not　lose　it。　As　had　Gotaro　on　their　makeshift　raft　so　long　ago；　Nangi　had　faith。　His　agile　mind　and　his　faith　would　see　him　through　this　as　they　had　all　the　other　crises　in　his　life。
　Nariyuki　no　matsu。
　A　knock　on　the　door。　Did　he　feel　the　tides　turning？　Or　would　they　continue　to　run　against　him　until　they　pushed　him　far　out　to　sea？
　〃e　in；〃　he　said。　〃It's　open。〃
　Fortuitous　Chiu　appeared；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　He　wore　an　oyster　gray　raw　silk　suit。　In　the　light　of　day　he　appeared　trim　and　hard　muscled。　He　had　a　handsome；　rather　narrow　face　with　keen；　intelligent　eyes。　All　in　all；　Nangi　thought；　Sato　had　chosen　well。
　〃It's　seven　o'clock　on　the　button；〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　said。　He　stood　by　the　door。　〃I　am　anxious　to　make　a　good　impression　。。。　after　last　night。〃
　〃Did　you　finish　the　translation？〃
　Fortuitous　Chiu　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir。　It　was　only　difficult　in　parts　because；　as　you　no　doubt　already　know；　inflection　is　infinitely　more　important　than　the　word　itself　in　Chinese。〃
　〃You　needn't　be　so　formal；〃　Nangi　said。
　Fortuitous　Chiu　nodded；　came　across　the　room；　grinning。　〃There　was　a　great　deal　on　the　tape　that　was　wordless。　Someday；　if　the　gods　permit；　I　would　meet　this　woman。　She　must　have　been　born　under　a　lucky　star　if　her　manipulation　of　this　foul…smelling　munist　son　of　a　diseased　dog　is　any　indication。〃
　〃I've　taken　the　liberty　of　ordering　breakfast　for　us　both；〃　Nangi　said；　swinging　his　legs　off　the　bed　with　the　aid　of　one　hand。　〃Sit　down　and　join　me；　will　you。〃　He　began　pulling　small　plates　out　of　the　food　warmer；　piling　them　on　the　table。
　〃Dim　sum；〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　murmured。　Nangi　saw　that　he　was　impressed；　being　served　a　traditional　Chinese　breakfast　by　a　Japanese。　The　young　man　sat　down　in　one　of　the　satin…covered　chairs　next　to　the　table　and　took　up　his　chopsticks。
　While　they　ate；　Fortuitous　Chiu　spoke　of　what　the　tape　had　revealed　to　him。　〃First；　I　don't　know　how　much　information　you　have　on　our　rade　Liu。〃
　Nangi　shrugged。　〃The　basics；　I　suppose。　I'm　no　newer　to　Hong　Kong　but　I　have　been　unable　to　call　upon　the　knowledge　of　my　bank　president；　Allan　Su。　He　is　not　privy　to　what　we　do　here。　I　don't　want　him　involved　until　the　very　last　instant。〃　Nangi　paused　for　a　moment；　marshaling　his　thoughts。　〃Liu's　a　member　in　good　standing　of　the　Crown　Colony。　His　varied　businesses　on　the　Island　and　in　Kowloon　have　brought　a　great　deal　of　money　into　Hong　Kong：　shipping；　banking；　printing。。。　I　believe　one　of　his　panies　owns　a　majority　of　the　go…downs　in　Kwun　Tong。〃
　Shoveling　a　shrimp　ball　into　his　mouth；　Fortuitous　Chiu　nodded。　He　munched　with　the　quick；　short　bites　of　the　Chinese。　〃Indeed；　yes。　But　did　you　also　know　that　he　is　the　head　of　the　syndicate　that　owns　the　Frantan？〃
　〃The　gambling　casino　in　Macao？〃
　〃The　same；〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　said；　consuming　a　dough…wrapped　quail　egg。　〃The　munists　find　it　most　convenient　to　wash　money　in　and　out　through　the　Frantan　because　it　allows　them　to　convert　bullion　into　any　currency　they　choose　without　embarrassing　questions　being　asked。　Some　of　the　ta…pans　here　do　the　same　thing；　though　not　at　the　Frantan。〃
　Nangi's　mind　was　working　furiously；　considering　the　possibilities。　He　had　begun　to　get　an　inkling　of　the　tides　turning。
　〃rade　Liu　and　this　woman…Succulent　Pien…are　longtime　lovers；　that　much　is　clear。〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　stuffed　a　pork　roll　into　his　cheek；　chewing　contentedly　while　he　continued　to　talk。　〃The　slime…ridden　sea　slug　has　thought　up　so　many　ornate　endearments　for　her　it　made　my　head　swim。　He　is　quite　ardent。〃
　〃And　she？〃　Nangi　inquired。
　〃Ah；　women；〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　said　as　if　that　covered　it　all。　He　stacked　the　empty　plates　to　one　side；　brought　other　laden　ones　before　him。　Grabbing　the　soy　sauce；　he　shook　the　bottle　vigorously　over　the　dumplings　before　him。　Then　he　reached　for　the　fiery　chili　paste；　red　as　blood。　〃It　has　been　my　experience　that　one　can　never　tell　about　women。　They　are　born　with　deceit　as　a　deer　is　with　a　cloven　hoof。　They　cultivate　it　like　they　do　a　current　hairstyle。　Is　this　not　your　experience　as　well？〃
　Nangi　said　nothing；　wondering　what　the　young　man　was　getting　at。
　〃Well；　it　has　been　mine；〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　said；　just　as　if　Nangi　had　interjected　a　ment。　〃And　this　one　is　no　exception。〃
　〃Does　she　love　the　munist？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　I　think　she　does。　Though　what　she　could　find　of　sufficient　promise　in　that　lice…ridden　motherless　goat　I　cannot　imagine。　But　what　she　feels　for　him　is；　I　believe；　irrelevant。〃　He　cleared　another　plate；　pulled　another　toward　him。　On　went　the　soy　sauce　and　the　chili　paste。　〃That　is　because　it　is　clear　to　me　that　she　loves　money　much　more。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Nangi。　He　sensed　the　tides　rolling　back。　〃And　where　does　she　assuage　this　burning　desire？　From　friend　Liu？〃
　〃Yes；　indeed。〃　Fortuitous　Chiu　nodded。　He　had　worked　up　quite　a　sweat　eating。　'The　pox…infested　dog　enjoys　giving　her　presents。　But　I　fear　that　he　is　not　as　generous　as　our　Succulent　Pien　would　wish。〃
　〃Thus　she　wanders　afield。〃
　〃So　I　have　been　told。〃
　Nangi　was　quick　to　anger；　he　was　walking　a　fine　line　here。　〃Who　knows　what　you　do？〃
　〃No　one　but　you。〃　At　last　Fortuitous　Chiu　was　finished。　He　pushed　the　last　plate　away　from　him。　His　face　was　shiny　with　grease　and　sweat。　〃But　something　she　said　to　Liu　caused　me　to　make　enquiries。　Succulent　Pien　lives　in　the　Mid…Levels；　on　Po　Shan　Road。　That　territory　belongs　to　the　Green　Pang　Triad。〃　He　produced　a　white　silk　handkerchief　and　carefully　wiped　his　face。　He　grinned。　〃It　just　so　happens　that　my　Number　Three　Cousin　is　438　of　the　Green　Pang