ericlustbader.the ninja-第89章

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sual。　'Besides；　if　you　don't；　I'll　only　e　with　you　on　my　own。　Do　you　think　you　could　hide　from　me？'　He　thought　not。　Decidedly　un…Japanese；　he　had　said　to　himself　while　acquiescing。　Did　the　Colonel　give　in　to　Cheong　in　this　way？
　He　often　trembled　when　she　was　so　close　to　him；　his　muscles　jumping　and　twitching　quite　beyond　his　control。　He　sometimes　clandestinely　watched　this　phenomenon　as　if　he　were　an　outsider。　This　helped　stymie　the　feelings　of　terror　that　rose；　fluttering　like　leathery　bats；　from　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　rising　towards　his　head。　This　he　knew　he　must　not　allow　to　happen；　otherwise　he　felt　he　might　go　mad。　She　passed　a　hand　across　his　flesh　and　thus　stirred　that　hidden　pool　at　the　core　of　his　being　which　he　had；　for　a　time；　thought　closed　even　to　himself。　It　remained　inaccessible　to　him。
　Mr　Mitsubishi；　face　glossy　as　a　horse's　hide　after　a　canter；　had　put　his　paper　down；　folding　it　lengthwise。　He　proceeded　to　destroy　the　pyramid　beside　him；　opening　his　attach^　case；　closing　it　again。　On　its　spotless　top　he　unfolded　waxed　paper　in　which　was　a　chicken　sandwich。　Light　lanced　from　his　round　glasses　as　he　ate；　turning　him　blind　for　moments　at　a　time。　Perhaps　somewhere；　Nicholas　thought；　he　had　a　small　bag　of　crisps　or　a　bar　of　chocolate。
　Behind　him；　a　group　of　Japanese　businessmen；　in　all　respects　identical　to　Mr　Mitsubishi；　rustled　inside　their　dark　three…piece　suits　like　chrysaline　insects；　black　bowlers　on　their　laps；　chattering　animatedly　about　the　two　Jacks；　Ruby　and　Kennedy。
　One　did　not　travel　to　Osaka　for　culture　…　one　went　to　Kyoto；　the　country's　original　capital；　for　that。　It　was　monly　said　…mostly　by　the　inhabitants　of　Tokyo　…　that　Osakans　were　money…mad　businessmen；　greeting　each　other　on　crowded　street　corners　with　the　all…too…familiar　phrase　'Mo　kari　makka？'　Making　any　money？
　Nicholas　had　little　first…hand　knowledge　of　such　affairs　yet　it　was　true　that　secreted　along　the　city's　riotous　streets；　like　tiny　pockets　of　the　past　encysted　within　the　neon　age；　were　numerous　shrines　to　Fudo…miyo…o；　the　deity　overseeing　such　matters　as　concerned　the　dedicated　businessman。　These　shrines　never　seemed　to　lack　for　attention。
　He　took　them　to　a　smallish　modern　hotel　not　far　from　the　Dotombori　where　they　checked　into　separate　but　adjoining　rooms。　It　being　still　too　early　for　dinner；　they　immediately　set　out　to　see　the　city。
　Yukio　insisted　on　seeing　Osaka　Castle；　that　last　bastion　of　refuge　of　the　Toyotomi　family；　besieged　by　leyasu　Tokugawa　after　he　had　already　assumed　the　mantle　of　Shogun　in　1603。　It　had　been　erected　by　Hideoshi　Toyotomi　…　as　had　much　of　Osaka　…　and　was　pleted　within　three　years；　in　1586。
　'There　was　a　time；'　Yukio　said　as　they　strolled　through　the　park；　bordered　at　their　backs　by　the　modern　Osakan　skyline；　'when　the　Lady　Yodogimi　was　my　ideal。'　The　castle　loomed　through　the　lowering　afternoon；　seeming　larger　than　life；　a　squat　pagoda；　stolid　and　boxlike。　It　was　not；　Nicholas　reflected；　the　kind　of　structure　that　leyasu　would　have　had　built。
　The　crowds　grew　in　size　as　they　approached　the　castle's　outward　fortifications。　'What　I　thought　was　so　。。。　special　。。。　was　how　she　carried　on　the　will　of　Hideoshi；　even　after　his　death；　just　as　if　she　were　a　samurai　herself。　She　devoted　herself　totally　to　the　safety　of　the　heir。'
　'Oh。yes；'　Nicholas　said。　'Yes。'　They　had　reached　the　first　of
　the　stonework；　massive　and　hulking　in　the　lengthening　shadows。　'To　the　detriment　of　the　rest　of　the　country。　She　and　Mitsunari　plotted　…'
　'They　plotted　…　as　you　choose　to　put　it　…　to　protect　the　Shogun's　son。　They　did　what　honour　dictated。'
　Nicholas　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side。　'Yukio；　Yodogimi　was　the　Shogun's　mistress；　not　his　legal　wife。　Her　aspirations　were　a　bit　grandiose。'　He　waved　a　hand　as　if　in　dismissal。　'In　any　event；　leyasu　proved　a　far　too　potent　foe　for　them。'　He　stopped。
　'You　talk　as　if　Yodogimi　was　some　kind　of　villain　in　some　children's　story…book。'
　'Well；　she　hardly　had　the　best　interests　of　Japan　in　mind；　you　must　admit　that。'
　'Perhaps　the　child　would　have　grown　up　to　be　this　country's　finest　leader。'
　Nicholas　looked　past　her。　To　their　left　was　a　small　shedlike　structure。　The　arms　house。　It　was　here　that　Yodogimi　had　brought　her　son　and　their　retainers　when　the　end　had　bee　inevitable；　it　was　here　she　took　her　son's　life　before　mitting　seppuku。　'That's　all　rather　irrelevant；　don't　you　think？　In　the　years　it　would　have　taken　him　to　e　of　age；　without　one　daimyo　strong　enough　to　bee　Shogun　and　lead　Japan；　the　country　would　have　been　plunged　again　into　the　civil　war　from　which　Hideoshi　had　saved　it。　Without　leyasu's　strength；　Japan　would　have　been　doomed。'
　'Still；　such　a　brave　woman。　Loyal　and　brave。'　Yukio's　voice　might　have　been　the　whisper　of　the　wind。　'So　selfless。'　She　watched　the　parade　of　tourists　before　the　shed。　'I　admire　her　so　much。'
　Hidden；　the　sun　slid　downwards　to　the　earth　as　if　too　heavy　to　sustain　its　own　weight。　The　sky　was　like　grey　ribbons　fluttering　across　an　excited　girl's　breast；　parting　at　the　soft　advance　of　her　lover。　There　was　a　brief　flash　of　gold；　stonework　in　flickering　torchlight；　then　it　was　gone。
　'e　on；'　he　said；　taking　her　hand。　'Onwards　and　upwards。'
　Of　course；　the　original　Osaka　Castle　had　been　razed　in　1615；　when　it　had　been　overrun　by　the　forces　of　the　Tokugawa；　a　structure　previously　regarded　as　impregnable。　This　one　they　strode　had　been　constructed　of　ferroconcrete　in　1931。
　Nightside。　Along　the　Dotombori；　jammed　with　restaurants；　shops；　news…stands；　movie　theatres；　nightclubs；　restless　crowds　and；　above　all；　the　vast　spot　lit　signs　glittering　in　the　night；　pushing　the　darkness　away　as　if　it　held　no　dominion　here。　Colours　spun；　neon　lights　blinking　on；　off；　on　in　time　to　the　heartbeat　of　the　shifting　traffic。
　Time　seemed　suspended　here；　as　if　in　a　dream　these　dazzling　coloured　lights；　celebrants　of　power；　called　here　to　summit；　would　brook　no　outside　interference　even　from　such　a　basic　concept。
　A　great　replica　of　a　crab；　crimson　and　white；　its　spiny　carapace　gleaming；　so　many　centred　spots　focused　upon　it　the　light　seemed　to　drip　from　it　like　honey；　hung　over　them；　a　temptation　to　enter　and　eat　the　night　away。
　They　dined　in　a　place　of　glossy　emerald…green　lacquered　wood　and　thick　bars　of　mirror…bright　chrome　as　incandescent　as　neon　tubing；　replicating　portions　of　their　faces　as　they　moved。　In　a　private　tatami　room；　shoeless；　stuffing　themselves　with　sashimi　and　sake　…　did　they　both　appear　so　much　older　？　…　she　would　not　let　him　forget　the　castle's　awesome　history　or　its　daunting　inhabitants。
　'I　suppose　I　adore　her　because　I　am　so　little　like　her。'　She　poured　more　rice　wine　with　a　steady　hand。
　'Meaning？'
　She　met　his　gaze　for　a　moment　before　her　eyes　slid　away。　'I'm　not　loyal　and　I'm　not　in　the　least　brave。　I　am　only　Japanese。'　She　gave　a　tiny　deprecatory　shrug。　'I　am　a　Japanese　coward。　No　one　is　interested　in　that。　A　Japanese　without　any　family：　therefore　without　loyalty。〃
　'You　forget　your　uncle。'
　'No。'　She　shook　her　head；　her　black　hair　gleamed　in　the　low　light。　'I　don't　forget　him。　Ever。'
　'He's　family。'
　Her　eyes　flashed。　'Must　everything　be　spelled　out　for　you？　I　hate　Satsugai。　How　would　you　feel　about　an　uncle　who　would　not　have　you　with　him；　who　put　you　into　the　hands　of　…'　She　swallowed　sake　convulsively。
　'One　day；'　he　said；　eyes　on　his　plate；　'you　will　find　someone。　Fall　in　love。'
　'No　loyalty；　remember？'　Her　voice　held　a　tinge　of　bitterness。　'I　was　born　without　it　just　as　I　was　born　without　the　capacity　to　love。　They　are　alien　concepts　to　me。'
　'Because　you　think　that　sex　is　the　only　thing　you　have。'
　'The　only　thing　that　makes　me　happy；〃　she　corrected。
　He　looked　up。　'Don't　you　see　that's　just　because　you　think　of　yourself　as　worthless？'　He　reached　out；　covered　her　hand　with　his。　'What　you　really　can't　conceive　of　is　anyone　caring　about　you　…　I　mean　you　as　a　person；　not　wanting　to　be　with　you　because　of　what　you　can　do　with　your　body。'
　'You're　being　an　idiot。〃　But　she　did　not　take　her　hand　away　and　this　time　she　did　not　look　away　either。
　'If　that's　what　you　choose　to　call　it。〃
　'I　do。　I　have　no　trust。　Truly。　Can't　you　just　accept　me　for　what　I　am？　You　can't　mak