el.the miko-第91部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Who　was　there？　Akiko　wondered。　She　listened。
　〃What　is　it？　Where　are　we？〃　A　female　voice；　whispered。
　〃e　on。〃　Male　voice。　Then　more　insistently　though　no　more　loudly；　〃e　on！〃　Presence　faded　but　Akiko　had　at　least　a　semblance　of　the　two　spirits。　Male　and　female。　Yin　and　Yang。
　Hate　burned　itself　across　Saigo's　face；　turning　him　into　a　gargoyle。　So　much　hate　twisting　him；　she　thought。　Eating　him　up　inside。　Hate　was　an　emotion　that　she　could　understand。
　Perhaps　it　was　at　this　moment　that　she　saw　them　as　soulmates：　Akiko　and　Saigo。　They　were　meant　for　each　other；　weren't　they？
　After　a　while　the　chalkiness　flushed　from　his　face　and　he　was　about　to　speak　again。　But　strangely；　he　said　nothing　further　of　the　incident。
　〃You　waited；〃　he　said。
　〃Isn't　that　what　you　wanted　me　to　do？〃　She　watched　his　eyes；　which　were　like　dead　stones　at　the　bottom　of　a　silkskinned　lake。
　If　it　were　true　that　the　eyes　were　windows　to　the　soul　then　Saigo　had　surely　been　born　without　one。　She　saw　no　anima　there；　only　the　gyring　of　emotions；　dead　weight　like　a　corpse　at　the　gibbet。
　He　nodded　and　she　saw　that　he　was　pleased。　He　felt；　wrongly；　that　his　physical　strike　had　caused　her　to　acquiesce。　Someone　else　of　his　personality　type　would　have　relaxed　then；　but　he　did　not。　Akiko　noted　that。
　〃It's　late；〃　he　said。　〃Time　to　leave。　Get　dressed。〃
　He　did　not　turn　away　as　she　got　out　of　her　gi。　She　felt　his　stony　gaze　on　her　at　every　moment；　as　she　peeled　down。　She　had　never　felt　the　intense　sense　of　embarrassment　about　her　naked　body　that　most　Japanese　apparently　did。　Yet　she　was　acutely　conscious　of　Saigo's　presence；　his　scrutiny。
　It　was　not　prurience　she　felt　from　him；　exactly；　at　least　not　in　the　sense　of　simple　lust。　That　she　would　have　had　no　trouble　understanding。　On　the　other　hand；　there　was　no　sense　of　a　cold；　calculating　inventory　of　all　her　parts　being　made。　That　too　would　have　made　some　sense　to　her。　He　was　of　another　type　entirely；　one　with　which　she　had　had　no　prior　experience。
　When　she　was　fully　undressed　and　toweling　herself　off；　she　confronted　him；　turning　to　him　face　to　face。　〃What　is　it　here　that　fascinates　you　so？〃　As　she　said　this　she　twisted　the　towel　back　over　her　shoulder　so　there　was　nothing　for　him　to　miss。
　〃If　it's　sex　you're　talking　about；〃　he　said；　〃I've　had　my　share　of　it。〃　He　seemed　to　be　staring　at　a　point　below　her　navel。　Perhaps　at　the　spot　where　her　curling　glossy　pubic　hair　began。
　〃I　don't　give　it　that　freely；〃　she　said　simply。　〃What　makes　you　think　I'd　give　it　to　you。〃
　〃You're　naked；　aren't　you？　You　barely　know　me。〃
　〃If　I　was　like　this　and　I　did　know　you　well；〃　she　observed；　〃there'd　be　far　more　of　a　chance。〃
　〃You　mean　this　isn't　an　invitation？〃
　〃If　you　want　me；　that's　your　problem；〃　she　said　beginning　to　pull　on　her　clothes。　〃It　was　you　who　did　not　allow　me　the　privacy　to　undress。〃
　He　watched　her　for　a　moment；　then　abruptly　swung　away。　Striding　to　the　metal　door　he　unlocked　it　and　busied　himself　with　unfastening　the　square　symbol　of　the　ryu　from　the　door。　He　put　it　aside　and　began　to　work　on　the　crimson　lacquer　so　that　no　marks　of　its　presence　remained。
　Akiko　was　curious　but　knew　better　than　to　ask　him　why　he　was　going　to　the　trouble　of　erasing　all　evidence　of　the　ryu's　presence　in　the　warehouse。　Since　this　third…floor　door　was　the　only　one　that　led　out　to　a　landing　and　the　outside；　it　was　the　only　one　that　concerned　him。
　Dressed；　Akiko　picked　up　her　bag　and　went　out　past　him。　She　watched　him　carefully　padlock　the　door。
　〃I　have　no　place　to　stay；〃　she　said。
　He　gave　her　a　key　out　of　his　pocket。　〃There's　a　spare　bedroom；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　touch　anything　else　in　the　house。〃　He　wrote　a　street　address　down　for　her。　〃Wait　for　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　when　I'll　be　back。〃
　Three　weeks　later　they　were　in　the　countryside；　surrounded　by　Mandarin　orange　groves。　Much　of　the　southern　island　was　still　rural；　retaining　a　high　degree　of　the　old　ways。　Saigo　said　he　liked　that。
　Even　this　far　south　the　snow　lay　heavily　banked；　glossy　on　its　surface；　crackling　underfoot　with　the　thinnest　crust　of　ice；　as　delicate　as　Ming　porcelain。　In　the　moonlight　it　was　luminescent；　pushing　back　the　spectral　darkness。
　Their　breath　hung　in　the　air；　their　words　made　visible　in　albescent　puffs；　as　connected　as　an　island　chain。
　Much　had　changed　in　Akiko's　life　in　this　time；　and　she　wondered　if　the　same　could　be　so　for　him。　With　almost　any　other　person　she　would　have　known　the　answer。
　It　had　begun　three　weeks　ago　when　he　had　e　back　deep　into　the　night；　opening　the　house　door　with　absolute　silence。　Akiko　had　been　dreaming；　but　even　so　his　spirit　obtruded　into　the　beta　level　in　which　her　mind　drifted　while　her　consciousness　slept。
　She　opened　her　eyes　and　was　fully　awake。　This　had　never　surprised　her　because　she　had　been　born　with　the　ability　but　it　confounded　others。
　Saigo；　standing　in　the　shadows　just　inside　the　doorway；　said；　〃Were　you　asleep？〃
　If　he　were　any　good　at　all；　he　would　know　the　answer　to　that；　so　she　said；　〃No。　You　wanted　me　to　wait　for　you。　I　did。〃
　He　came　into　the　room　on　the　balls　of　his　feet　and　she　felt　the　spitting　of　his　spirit　again；　the　anarchic　emanations　of　a　spiteful　child。　She　did　not　flinch　from　him　or　give　any　sign；　no　matter　how　remote；　that　she　knew　of　his　intent。　To　do　so　would　remove　her　greatest　power　over　him。　Also；　it　would　frighten　him　and　she　could　not　afford　that。
　After　he　had　hit　her　and　assuaged　his　own　weaknesses；　he　said；　〃There　is　a　package　outside。　Go　and　fetch　it。〃　His　voice　was　absolutely　normal。
　Akiko　got　up　and　went　past　him。　As　she　did　so　she　felt　the　dullness　of　his　spirit　like　a　sated　serpent；　dozing。　On　the　stoop　she　found；　to　her　surprise；　a　young　girl　of　her'own　age。　She　was　leaning　against　the　doorframe　and　she　was　shivering。　Putting　one　arm　around　her；　Akiko　took　her　inside。
　The　young　girl　stumbled　over　the　doorjamb　and　fell　heavily　against　Akiko；　who　was　obliged　to　support　her　entirely　for　three　or　four　steps。　The　young　girl　was　late　in　recovering；　and　in　the　warm　lamplight　inside　Akiko　looked　at　her。
　Her　face　was　beautiful　but　as　dulled　as　Saigo's　spirit。　The　pupils　of　her　large　eyes　were　heavily　dilated　and　there　was　a　subtle　musk　emanating　from　between　her　half　open　lips。
　〃She　is　drugged；〃　Akiko　said。
　〃Indeed。〃　His　reaction　was　no　more　than　if　she　had　said；　She's　Japanese。　〃Put　her　to　bed；〃　he　said　a　trifle　wearily。　〃She　will　share　your　room。〃
　Without　another　word；　Akiko　did　as　he　ordered　her。　When　she　had　put　the　young　girl　to　sleep　on　the　one　cotton　futon；　wrapping　her　carefully　in　wool　blankets；　she　returned　to　the　living　room。　She　watched　Saigo。　He　had　sunk　onto　the　tatami；　his　snow…covered　coat　crumpled　around　him　like　a　frozen　lily。　His　chin　was　on　his　chest　and　his　head　was　nodding。　His　eyes　were　not　quite　closed。
　For　a　moment　Akiko　wondered　what　would　happen　if　she　took　him　now；　she　knew　that　she　could　do　it　and　if　that　were　to　be　her　strategy　she　would　find　no　better　time。　He　was　at　full　kyo。
　But　at　that　moment　his　head　snapped　up　and　he　glared　at　her　like　a　viper　poised　to　strike。　Immediately；　sensing　the　acute　danger；　she　washed　her　mind　of　taking　the　offensive；　and　sinking　down；　knelt　before　him；　her　hands　open　and　in　her　lap。
　His　eyes　became　hooded　and　at　last　he　had　fallen　asleep。　Akiko　dozed　as　well。　But　once　she　awoke　just　before　dawn；　her　attention　focused。　Across　from　her　Saigo　still　slept；　his　breathing　deep　and　regular　and　slow。　Still　she　could　not　rid　herself　of　the　feeling　that　he　continued　to　watch　her。
　Work　at　the　dojo　was　difficult　in　the　extreme。　All　life　there　appeared　to　e　to　a　stop　when　she　approached。　All　were　polite　to　her；　but　there　was　no　harmony　when　she　was　about；　and　no　one　was　more　aware　of　this　than　she。
　She　felt　that　the　sensei　distrusted　her　and　the　students　disliked　her。　There　was　no　help　they　would　give　her　if　it　were　not　a　matter　of　face　that　they　do　so。　She　had　never　felt　so　alone；　adrift；　absolutely　cut　off　from　everything　and　everyone。　It　was　as　if　she　were　an　iceberg　in　the　tropics　that　the　sun　refused　to　melt。　If　she　existed　at　all　for。　them　it　was　as　a　wound　which　refused　to　heal。
　They　wished　her　gone　and　she　knew　it。　Still　she　refused　to　knuckle　under　the　force　of　their　bined　will。　Men　had　never　dictated　the　course　of　her　life　and　she　was　not　about　to　allow　them　to　now。　She　had　fought　against　that；　perhaps；　from　the　moment　of　her　birth。　Her　will　was　cast　in　the　terrible　shades　of　steel…a　thousandfold…that　went　into　the　creation　of　the　katana；　the　sword　of　honor。　Did　they　actually　think　that　they　could　break　her？
　But；　oh；　how　they　tried！　For　a　start；　the　sensei　put　her　in　with　the　slowest　group　of　students；　those　young　men　who；　Akiko　judged；　would　be　forced　to　leave　the　ryu　within　six　months。　Inside　an　hour　she　had　made　an　astoundingly　accurate　assessment　of　their　abilities。　All　were　at　a　lower　level　than　she　was。　It　was　a　deliberate　slap　in　the　face；　but　rather　than　allow　herself　to　feel　humiliation　she　resolved　to　use　this　maneuver　to　her　own　advantage。
　As　any　student　new　to　a　particular　ryu　will　do；　she　sat　silent　and　rapt　during　the　sensei's　lessons；　watching　with　concentration　the　exercises　and；　later；　the　strike…defense　binations　being　illustrated。
　All　of　this　was　material　that　Sun　Hsiung　had　taught　her　and　which　she　had　mastered　years　ago。　Her　mien　was　that　of　the　learning　student　attempting　to　absorb　the　new　and　plicated。　For　the　moment　she　was　content　to　give　them　what　they　expected。
　When　it　came　her　time　to　practice　the　moves；　the　sensei　gave　way　to　one　of　the　students　in　the　class。　Another　deliberate　slap　in　the　face；　for　all　who　had　gone　before　her　had　worked　directly　with　the　sensei。
　She　was　given　a　polished　wooden　pole　perhaps　half　the　thickness　of　a　bokken…the　wooden　kendo　practice　sword…and　three　times　as　long。　She　arranged　herself　on　the　polished　wooden　floorboards；　enpassed　by　wood。　She　did　not　ignore　this　aspect　of　her　surroundings；　taking　her　cue　from　the　qualities　of　hardwood　that　the　Japanese　most　prized：　flexibility　and　durability。
　Went　into　shinki　kiitsu　and；　lifting　her　pole　at　the　last　possible　instant；　she　easily　knocked　the　student　off　his　feet　as　he　attacked。
　Within　the　silence　surrounding　the　class；