ericlustbader.the ninja-第69章

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e　are　a　relatively　new　people。　When　we　had　already　forged　dynasties；　were　experimenting　with　gunpowder；　their　islands　were　inhabited　only　by　the　barbarous　Ainu　…　unintelligent　savages。　If　the　modern　Japanese　are　descended　directly　from　those　people；　it's　no　wonder　they're　so　warlike。
　She　turned　away　from　her　window　on　Doyers　Street；　said；　'I　want　to　see　him；　now；　Penny。　There　must　be　no　mistake。'
　Penny　nodded；　put　aside　her　ledger　and　pen；　stood　up　and　crossed　the　room。
　'Penn。。。'
　She　stopped　short；　her　hand　on　the　doorknob。　'Yes；　Mother？'
　'He　is　not　from　here？'
　'No；　Mother。　He's　from　uptown。'
　Ah　Ma　nodded。　'Good。　I　do　not　want　neighbours　。。。　involved。'
　In　the　short　space　of　time　Penny　was　gone；　Ah　Ma　thought　about　her。　She　had　made　the　right　decision　in　elevating　the　girl。　She　was　clever　with　her　mind　as　well　as　with　her　hands。　Ah　Ma　would　never　admit　it　openly　but　there　were　times　when　she　relied　on　Penny's　judgement；　and　it　disturbed　her　that　she　seemed　set　against　the　Japanese。
　Penny　was　the　name　Ah　Ma　had　given　to　her　when　she　had　first　applied　for　a　job；　Ah　Ma　gave　names　to　all　her　girls　and　henceforth　they　were　known　by　that　name　and　that　name　alone。　It　was　neat　and　tidy　and　as　anonymous　as　Ah　Ma　believed　her　business　should　be。　Besides；　it　gave　her　great　pleasure　to　name　her　'children'；　it　pleased　her；　too；；　that　they　should　address　her　by　the　honorific　'Mother'；　a　word　not　lightly　used　in　her　land。
　There　would　e　a　time；　Ah　Ma　thought；　when　she　would　have　to　relinquish　her　hold　here。　When　that　eventuality　occurred　she　wanted　to　be　certain　that　precisely　the　right　hands　took　over。
　Penny　came　back；　ushering　in　a　boy　of　about　eleven。　She　stopped　just　inside　the　threshold；　both　hands　on　his　shoulders。　He　stood　perfectly　still；　his　eyes　incurious。　Through　the　partially　open　doorway　Ah　Ma　could　hear　the　quiet　bustle　of　the　preparations。　As　planned；　there　were　only　one　or　two　guests　expected　tonight；　this；　too；　was　built　into　the　enormous　fee　she　was　charging　the　Japanese。　She　did　not　mind。
　She　looked　the　boy　over。　He　had　clear；　smooth　skin；　a　slight　Mongol　cast　to　cheeks　and　eyes。　His　irises　were　like　chips　of　coal。　His　mouth　was　wide；　the　lips　slightly　sensual。
　'This　is　Philip　Chen；'　Penny　said。
　'Close　the　door；　precious；'　Ah　Ma　said　softly。　Her　hands　were　clasped　in　front　of　her；　the　fingers　interlaced。　She　looked　at　the　boy。　'You　will　have　another　name　while　you　are　here；'　she　told　him。　'Sparrow。　This　will　be　how　you　are　summoned；　how　you　will　be　addressed。　Is　this　understood？'
　The　boy　nodded；　then　smiled　slowly。
　'Call　me　Mother。'
　'Yes；　Mother。'
　'Have　you　been　properly　instructed？　I　don't　want　any　surprises。'
　'Yes；'　he　said　happily。　'Penny　has　explained　everything。　No　problem。'
　'Really？'　Ah　Ma's　eyebrows　arched。　'That　remains　to　be　seen。　All　right。　Leave　us　now；　Sparrow。　Find　Willow。　She　will　take　you　to　the　proper　room　You　know　what　to　do。'
　'Yes；　Mother。'　He　turned　and　left。
　After　Penny　had　shut　the　door　behind　him；　Ah　Ma　said；　'Parents？'
　Penny　shook　her　head。　'He　lives　with　an　uncle　who　is　too　drunk　to　care　if　he's　out　all　night。'
　'The　situation　is　totally　secure？'
　Penny　nodded　her　head。　Her　black　hair　tossed　like　an　animal's　mane；　'Willow　saw　to　it　personally。'
　Ah　Ma　allowed　herself　a　small　smile。　'You　have　done　well；　my　child。'
　Penny　bowed　her　head　to　cover　the　flush　in　her　cheeks。　It　was　rare　indeed　to　be　addressed　in　such　a　loving　manner　by　Ah　Ma。　Thank　you；　Mother；'　she　murmured。
　Ah　Ma　went　silently　to　stand　in　front　of　Penny。　She　lifted　a　hand；　tilted　her　chin　up。　'Now　tell　me　what's　bothering　you；'　she　said　quietly。
　Staring　into　those　all…knowing　eyes；　it　was　difficult　to　find　words。　Penny　felt　as　if　her　throat　had　constricted　so　much　that　not　even　air　could　pass　through。
　'e；　e；　child。　Is　it　the　Japanese？　What　is　it　about　him　that　offends　you　so？'
　'I　am　ashamed　that　my　feelings　are　so　transparent；'　Penny　said　sadly。　Her　eyes　dropped　for　a　moment　and　she　felt　as　if　she　might　burst　into　tears　at　any　moment。
　'Nonsense！'　Ah　Ma　said　irritated。　'What　is　apparent　to　me　is　not　to　others。　You　have　lost　no　face　with　me。　Please　tell　me　now　what　I　wish　to　know。'
　'It　is　the　drug　which　bothers　me　so；'　Penny　said。　'This　is　something　I　don't　think　we　should　bee　involved　in。'
　For　a　moment　Ah　Ma　said　nothing。　She　recalled　a　trip　she　had　taken　as　a　small　girl　into　Shanghai。　She　could　still　smell　the　overpowering；　cloying　stench　of　the　burning　opium。　Her　nostrils　quivered　at　the　memory；　she　had　never　smoked　but　the　odour　remained　with　her　like　a　brand。
　It　had　been　in　the　air　the　night　the　munists　had　e　for　her　husband。　There　had　been　no　sound；　no　warning。　They　had　been　in　hiding　but　the　munists　had　known　precisely　where　to　look。　They　had　been　traduced。
　Ah　Ma's　husband　had　been　a　political　activist。　His　foresight　was　long…range。　He　had　seen　the　impending　storm　of　the　munist　Revolution；　perhaps　had　even　understood　its　inevitability。　Yet　he　fought　against　it　with　unequalled　vehemence。　'For　once；'　he　had　said　in　speeches；　had　written　in　pamphlets；　'we　are　in　a　position　to　learn　from　the　Japanese。　What　good　did　the　closed　regime　of　the　shoguns　do　them？　There　came　a　time　when　it　became　apparent　that　the　country　was　stagnating；　strangling　in　its　hard…bound　traditions　of　iron。　The　way　of　the　future　for　the　Japanese　became　Western　capitalism。　Now　see　where　they　are。　Can　we　here　in　China　ignore　such　a　historical　example？　A　munist　take…over　will　seal　us　off　from　the　West；　from　the　very　capitalism；　which　has　made　such　thriving　cities　of　Hong　Kong　and　Shanghai。　Thus　will　China　fall　behind　the　rest　of　the　world；　a　true　sleeping　giant。'
　They　burst　in；　throwing　Ah　Ma　against　a　wall　so　that　her　head　banged　into　the　edge　of　a　cupboard。　They　dragged　him　out　of　bed；　stripped　him；　beat　him　with　their　heavy　sticks；　the　butts　of　their　rifles。　The　red　star　embroidered　on　their　peaked　caps；　the　epaulettes　of　their　stinking　uniforms。　They　had　dragged　Ah　Ma's　husband；　unconscious　and　bleeding；　from　the　house。　It　was　the　last　time　she　ever　saw　him。　To　this　day　she　could　not　be　certain　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　But　she　hoped　for　his　sake　that　he　had　died　quickly。　Perhaps　he　had　found　a　bit　of　wire　or　a　length　of　bed…sheet。　She　did　not　want　to　think　of　what　they　might　have　done　to　his　mind。
　That　was　a　long　time　ago　but　sometimes；　on　the　dismal　grey　days；　when　rain　lashed　the　windows　and　even　the　street　below　was　obscured；　Ah　Ma　thought　that　the　wound　had　never　quite　healed。
　She　brought　her　thoughts　back　to　the　present；　smiled　into　Penny's　eyes。　She　was　so　beautiful。　Perfect　and　beautiful。　'It　is　good　you　feel　that　way；　my　precious/　she　said。　'As　a　rule　you　know　I　don't　allow　drugs　of　any　nature　in　here。　This　man　is　an　exception。'　He　fights　the　munists　in　China；　in　his　own　way；　Ah　Ma　thought。　He　believes　that　his　security　is　total　but　I　know。　Of　course　I　know。　I　would　not　be　who　I　am　otherwise。　I　know　all　about　everyone　who　es　here。　Without　exception。　This　one　merely　took　more　time；　more　baht。　But　there　are　always　palms　willing　to　be　greased；　there　is　a　price　on　all　such　matters。
　'May　I　know　the　reason？'　Penny　asked　softly。
　Ah　Ma　patted　her　shoulder。　'It　does　not　concern　you。'　She　smiled。　'Now　go　help　Willow。　It's　almost　time。'
　Penny　bobbed　her　head；　her　eyes　on　the　floor　in　front　of　her。　'Yes；　Mother。　Right　away。'
　Ah　Ma　watched　her　silently　pad　out　of　the　room；　wondering　what　the　world　was　ing　to。
　As　for　the　Japanese；　he　was；　at　this　time；　leaving　the　movie　theatre　via　its　side　entrance。　He　immediately　crossed　Forty…ninth　Street　and　ran　the　last　several　steps　to　catch　a　downtown　bus。　It　was　fairly　crowded　but　thinned　out　not　long　after　they　passed　Thirty…fourth　Street。
　He　swung　off　one　stop　from　the　terminus；　walked　the　rest　of　the　way　into　the　Village。　On　Eighth　Street　he　turned　east　until　he　came　to　Cooper　Square　with　its　black　metal　cube　sculpture　balanced　on　one　point。　Along　one　face　someone　had　spray…painted　in　white　'Zombie　loves　Karen　R'。　It　seemed　to　fit。
　He　caught　the　City　Hall　bus　on　the　corner　of　Eighth　and　Third　Avenue；　traced　the　Bowery　as　far　as　Canal　Street。　There　he　found　the　first　phone　booth。　He　stared　up　at　the　c