ericlustbader.the ninja-第39章

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iticians　were　returned　to　office；　the　society　was　assured　that　this　regime　would　follow　a　vigorously　imperialistic　foreign　policy。　Accordingly；　the　Genyosha　hired　toughs；　importing　them　into　each　district　of　the　country。　Beatings　were　not　unmon。　It　was　an　election　of　fear。'
　Two　American　Army　officers　passed　by　with　their　families　in　tow；　they　wore　their　uniforms　like　a　badge　of　honour；　treading　the　ground　like　the　conquering　heroes　they　were。　Perhaps　they　saw　where　they　were；　what　went　on　around　them；　but　surely　they　understood　none　of　it。
　'With　the　implementation　of　this　policy　and　the　success　of　Japanese　expansion　into　Manchuria　and　Shanghai　came　the　vested　interests　of　the　Japanese　businessman　abroad。　A　growing　economy　was　now　crucial　to　Japan　and　its　rate　of　growth　was　prodigious。　Out　of　this　cauldron　rose　the　four　enormous　industrial　bines　prising　the　zaibatsu。'
　'Then　Kansatsu　was　right　when　he　said　that　economics　must　take　as　much　responsibility　as　militarism　for　Japan's　road　to　the　war；'　Nicholas　observed　thoughtfully。
　The　Colonel　nodded。　'In　many　ways；　Japan　was　a　primitive　nation　by　world　standards；　the　Tokugawas　had　seen　to　that。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　they　understood　perhaps　better　than　any　others　the　purity　of　their　country。　But　I'm　very　much　afraid　it's　one　of　the　things　that　MacArthur　missed。　Oh；　he　knew　enough　about　the　culture　to　leave　the　Emperor　just　where　he　had　always　been　despite　the　hue　and　cry　that　he　be　tried　and　executed　as　a　war　criminal。　You　see；　quite　apart　from　the　fact　that；　from　the　first；　the　Emperor　had　done　all　in　his　power　to　aid　the　Americans　after　the　war；　MacArthur　was　well　aware　that　any　attempt　to　dethrone　him　would　throw　Japan　into　utter　chaos；　it　was　a　tradition　that　even　the　mighty　shoguns　dared　not　tamper　with。
　'Yet　also　from　the　first　the　Americans　propounded　the　myth　that　the　'guiding　force　behind　the　Japanese　war　effort　came　entirely　from　the　military。'　He　licked　at　his　sticky　fingers；　took　out　his　pipe。　'Nothing　could　have　been　further　from　the　truth。　It　was　the　members　of　the　zaibatsu　who　backed　the　country　into　a　corner　from　which　war　became　the　only　viable　economic　alternative。'
　'But　what　about　the　Japanese　people　as　a　whole？'　Nicholas　asked。　'Surely　they　did　not　want　war。'
　The　Colonel　placed　his　pipe；　unlit；　between　his　teeth。　He　looked　up；　watching　the　gentle　bobbing　of　the　laden　boughs　in　the　wind。　'Unfortunately　there　is　a　long　history　here　of　the　people　being　led。　It　es　from　being　so　long　in　a　feudal　society；　of　giving　blind　obedience　to　the　Emperor；　the　shogun；　the　daimyo。　It's　inbred。'　He　sat　upright；　half　facing　his　son　on　the　bench；　one　hand　holding　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　'It's　not　surprising；　then；　to　learn　that　there　was　little　concerted　antiwar　sentiment　just　before　the　war。　In　fact；　the　Social　Democrat　Party；　who　had　been　openly　antimilitaristic　in　their　stand　when　Japan　invaded　Manchuria；　lost　much　of　their　constituency　in　the　1932　general　election。　It　was　the　tiny　but　ineradicable　munist　Party　that　became　the　lone　Japanese　voice　raised　against　imperialism　during　that　time。　It　was　little　more　than　a　reed　in　a　hurricane；　the　zaibatsu　and　the　Genyosha　had　efficiently　manipulated　key　individuals　in　both　the　government　and　the　media；　war　became　inevitable。'
　They　both　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　running　feet。　To　their　left　a　pair　of　uniformed　policemen　rushed　down　stone　steps　three　at　a　time；　their　arms　spread　wide　on　either　side　for　balance。　People　looked　up。　There　was　a　harsh　cry。　Children　turned；　the　toy　sailboats　rocked　unattended　and　unwatched。　Several　of　the　American　officers　hesitated　for　an　instant　before　taking　off　after　the　police。　Nicholas　and　the　Colonel　stood　up　and　began　to　drift　with　the　crowd　around　the　left　side　of　the　lake。
　There　was　a　tour　of　intervening　cherry　trees　and　the　foliage　was　so　lush　that　they　could　not　make　out　what　was　happening　behind　it。
　A　crowd　had　formed　by　the　time　they　arrived；　having　cut　through　the　grass　so　as　to　bypass　the　crowded　steps。　Taking　Nicholas　by　the　arm；　the　Colonel　shouldered　his　way　through　the　throng。　Already；　at　the　edges；　there　was　some　pushing　and　shoving。　The　scuffling　was　brief；　however；　as　more　of　the　metropolitan　police　arrived　on　the　scene。
　The　front　line　of　people　parted　and　they　saw　an　expanse　of　grass　like　a　glade　in　a　forest。　There　were　cherry　blossoms　scattered　upon　the　grass　as　if　in　a　hero's　wele　home。　Nicholas　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　patterned　kimono。　At　first　it　appeared　grey　but　then；　as　he　was　shoved　forward　by　the　thrust　of　the　uneasy　crowd；　he　saw　that　it　was　posed　of　thin　waved　lines　of　black　and　white　which；　at　a　distance；　blended　together。　It　was　trimmed　in　white。
　As　more　policemen　pushed　themselves　through　the　onlookers；　those　already　in　the　glade　shifted　position。　As　they　did　so；
　Nicholas　saw　a　man　kneeling　on　the　grass。　His　forehead　touched　the　ground　littered　with　blossoms。　His　right　arm　was　close　to　his　body；　the　hand　invisible　within　the　kimono's　folds　across　his　belly。　In　front　of　him　was　a　small　lacquered　rosewood　and　brass　box　and　a　long　white　strip　of　silk；　partly　in　shadow。
　Behind　him；　the　Colonel　gripped　Nicholas's　shoulders　as　he　said；　'That's　Hanshichiro'　He　was　referring　to　the　great　Japanese　poet。
　Nicholas　squirmed　to　get　a　better　look。　He　now　saw　the　kneeling　man's　face　between　the　forest　of　shifting　legs。　His　hair　was　iron…grey；　his　face　wide　and　flat；　the　features　thick。　Lines　pulled　down　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　His　eyes　were　closed。　Then　Nicholas　saw　that　the　silk　strip　before　him　was　not　shadowed　but　stained。　Being　porous；　it　let　all　the　blood　through　so　that　it　seeped　into　the　earth　at　Hanshichiro's　feet。
　'Seppuka；'　the　Colonel　said；　'is　how　it　ends　for　the　honourable。'
　Nicholas　was　still　thinking　of　how　incredibly　ordered　it　was。　He　was　used　to　stories　of　the　war；　there；　death　was　messy。　But　here；　how　serene；　how　precise；　how　much　like　the　tide　of　time　it　was；　while　all　around　its　calmness　stirred　the　agitated　waters。
　'Are　you　all　right；　Nicholas？'　The　Colonel　put　his　hand　lightly　on　his　shoulders；　looked　down　at　him　concernedly。
　Nicholas　nodded。　'I　think　so。'　He　looked　up。　'Yes。　I　guess　I　am。　I　feel　…　a　little　strange；　as　if　there's　been　too　much　to　take　in　suddenly。　I　…　Why　did　he　do　it　in　the　park？　He　wanted　everyone　to　sec。'
　'To　see　and　take　note；'　the　Colonel　said。　They　had　quit　the　lake；　climbing　into　the　heights　of　the　park　where　the　trees　blotted　out　even　the　surrounding　paths。　Above；　Nicholas　could　still　see　the　wavering　dragon；　spitting　his　fire　into　the　air；　as　if　in　defiance　of　the　currents　that　blew　him　hither　and　thither。
　'He　was　a　bitter　man；　firmly　embedded　in　the　past。　He　could　never　reconcile　himself　to　Japan's　new　path。'　A　dark　blue　baby　carriage　filled　with　pink　twins　and　pushed　by　a　matronly　Japanese　woman　went　past　them。　Hanshichiro　was　a　brilliant　artist；　obsessed。　A　man　of　great　honour。　This　was　his　way　of　protesting　against　Japan's　march　towards　the　future；　a　future　which；　he　felt；　would　ultimately　destroy　it。'　A　young　American　sailor　and　his　Japanese　girl　friend　approached　them　from　the　heights；　laughing　and　clutching　each　other's　hands。　The　sailor　put　his　arm　around　the　girl；　gave　her　a　kiss　on　the　cheek。　She　giggled　and　turned　her　head　away。　Her　hair　tossed　in　the　wind；　rippling　like　the　dragon's　body　if　he　were　but　articulated。
　'There　are　many　others　like　Hanshichiro；'　Nicholas　said。　'Wasn't　Satsugai　born　in　Fukuoka？'
　The　Colonel　looked　reflectively　at　his　son。　He　stopped　and　dug　in　his　jacket　pocket。　He　withdrew　his　tobacco　pouch；　went　about　filling　his　pipe；　his　thumb　tamping　at　the　bowl。
　Nicholas；　watching　the　dragon　float　high　above　him；　over　the　treetops；　said；　'I've　read　the　Constitution；　Father。　I　know　that　you　had　a　hand　in　it。　It's　not　Japanese　but　it's　very　democratic。　Much　more　so　than　the　policies　of　the　government　today。　Politically；　Japan's　gone　far　to　the　right；　the　zaibatsu　were　never　dismantled。　Most　of　the　pre…war　personnel　is　intact。　I　don't　understand　that。〃
　The　Colonel　drew　out　a　gunmetal…grey　Ronson　lighter　and；　turning　his　back　to　the　wind；　thumbed　the　long　flame　to　life。　He　sucked　three　or　four　times；　deeply；　almost　with　a　sigh　of　contentment；　before　h