ericlustbader.the ninja-第98章

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　Nicholas　stared　at　the　sign。　Where　had　he　seen　that　before？　Surely　he　had　…　a　ryu。　It　was　a　ryu。　But　which　one？　He　had　seen　this　sign　quite　recently。　Just　before　he　had　left　Tokyo；　in　fact。　A　regional　offshoot；　perhaps。　Or　…
　Abruptly；　he　reached　for　Yukio's　hand；　backing　away。
　'What　is　it？'　she　whispered。　'Where　are　we？'
　'e　on；'　he　said。　And　then；　jerking　her　along　with　him；　'e　on！'
　Outside　in　the　street　he　found　that　he　still　could　not　breathe。　He　began　to　run　down　the　street　with　her　in　tow。　The　night　seemed　terribly　still；　Kumamoto　deserted；　and　he　had　the　impression　that　they　were　the　only　people　abroad　that　night　that　they　fled　through　a　dreamscape　from　which　they　might　never　emerge。
　His　head　pounded　as　if　it　might　burst　and　a　kind　of　fever　careened　through　him。　His　mind　whirled　uncontrollably　and　he　only　vaguely　heard　Yukio's　panting　questions。
　He　had　recognized　the　sign　on　the　door　and；　with　it；　both　the　reason　he　had　e　here　after　Saigo　and　the　nature　of　his　immediate　future。
　Back　at　the　hotel；　he　left　Yukio　to　go　to　her　room　alone。
　'Won't　you　tell　me　anything？'
　'In　a　while；'　he　said；　still　half　distracted。　'Take　a　bath　or　something。　I'll　be　in　a　little　while。'
　'You're　not　going　out　again；'　she　said　worriedly。　'I　don't　want　to　be　here　alone。'
　'Don't　worry。　I'll　just　be　in　the　next　room。'
　Once　inside；　he　crossed　to　the　window。　The　darkness　seemed　absolute。　But　still；　perhaps　only　because　the　proprietor　had　mentioned　it；　he　thought　he　could　see　the　white　plume　of　pumice　belching　from　Nakadake；　Mount　Aso's　fifth　column。
　There　was　no　doubt　in　his　'mind　now　why　Saigo　had　travelled　such　a　distance　to　bee　part　of　this　particular　ryu；　for　there　were　none　such　as　this　in　the　Tokyo　area。　Kansatsu's　words　haunted　him　now　with　intensity　impossible　to　ignore：　There　are　many　ryu　in　Japan；　Nicholas。　Among　these；　the　variety　of　disciples　taught　is　virtually　limitless。　Good　and　evil　are　sometimes　produced　indiscriminately。
　No　wonder　Saigo　had　been　so　furtive　in　his　movements：　so　careful　to　backtrack。
　It　would　be　a　natural　precaution　for　a　ninja。
　For　that　is　precisely　what　he　had　bee。　This　Kumamoto　ryu　was　no　regional　offshoot　but　a　centre。　The　centre；　to　be　more　accurate。
　The　Ninja　are　not　bound　by　the　Way；　Kansatsu　had　said；　and　that　was　correct。　Yet　ninjutsu　was　more　plex　than　that　and；　as　in　bujutsu　itself；　there　were　many　types　propounded　and　taught。　Good　and　evil。　The　black　and　the　red。　Kansatsu　himself　had　shown　it　to　Nicholas　before　he　had　left　Tokyo。　Of　the　red；　he　had　said；　far　and　away　the　most　dangerous；　the　most　virulent　ryu　is　the　Kuji…kiri；　'It　is　the　Chinese　word　for　the　〃nine…hands　cutting〃；　the　basis　for　much　of　the　ninja's　real　or　imagined　power。　It　is　said　by　many　that　these　hand　signs　are　the　last　remaining　vestiges　of　magic　in　the　world。　As　for　me；　I　cannot　say；　but　as　you　yourself　have　e　to　understand；　there　are　times　when　the　dividing　line　between　imagination　and　existence　can　disappear。'　That　was　when　Kansatsu　had　shown　him　the　symbol　of　the　Kuji…kiri　ryu。　It　was　the　one　he　had　seen　on　the　warehouse　door　just　moments　ago。
　He　heard　the　water　running　in　the　bath　next　door；　Yukio　disrobing。
　A　suspicion　was　forming　in　his　mind　now　and　the　more　he　thought　about　it　the　more　certain　he　became。　Had　Kansatsu　known　what　it　was　he　would　find　here？　Perhaps　he　had　only　suspected。　But　why　was　Kansatsu　involved　at　all？
　Abruptly；　Nicholas　had　the　cold　sensation　of　being　manipulated　by　forces　he　had　not　even　suspected　of　existing。　It　was　certain　that　Kansatsu　knew　quite　a　bit　more　about　this　situation　than　he　had　told　Nicholas。　Why　hold　back？
　Outside；　the　moon　had　slipped　its　cloud　mooring　and　now　rode；　unbridled；　in　the　sky。　The　world　was　tinged　with　a　blue　light；　cold　and　harsh　and　monochromatic。　Far　on　the　horizon　…　he　was　certain　now　…　he　could　make　out　the　rising　oblique　volcanic　cone；　its　pale　umbrella　billowing　like　the　aftermath　of　an　explosion　seen　in　slow　motion。　The　still　air　held　the　pumice　dust　in　languid　suspension　like　a　decadent　sprawled　across　his　silk…covered　settee。
　It　seemed　to　him　now　that　the　lines　of　his　life　had　already　been　drawn　by　some　other　hand　at　a　time　when　he　had　been　looking　elsewhere。　As　he　had　said　to　Yukio　this　afternoon；　he　was　mitted。　They　had　been　set　against　one　another；　he　and　Saigo；　from　the　moment　they　had　first　met。　For　what　reason　he　could　not　yet　say；　yet　it　was　a　reality　with　which　he　must　now　deal。
　What　to　do　now？
　He　knew。　He　knew。　And　it　〃terrified　him。
　The　bath　water　had　drained　some　time　ago。　He　got　up　from　where　he　had　been　sitting　in　the　window…bay　and　opened　the　connecting　door　into　Yukio's　room。
　He　paused　on　the　threshold。　The　lights　were　extinguished　and　all　seemed　still。
　He　called　her　name　softly。
　Blue　moonlight　was　awash　along　part　of　the　floor；　interlaced　with　the　oblique　bars　of　shadow　from　the　casement。
　'Yukio？'
　He　went　silently　into　the　room。
　And　immediately　stopped。　Haragei。　Someone　else　was　in　the　room。　He　turned　his　head　without　moving　his　body。　Saw　Yukio　lying　on　the　bed；　a　last　bit　of　light　outlining　the　bridge　of　her　nose。　She　was　on　top　of　the　covers。　The　other　side　of　the　double　bed　had　blanket　and　sheets　drawn　down。　An　impression　had　been　made　there；　as　if　by　another　body。　She　was　naked。　Her　breasts　and　belly　rose　and　fell　in　even　breathing。
　'Wele；　Nicholas。'　He　turned　his　head。　The　chair　in　the　far　corner；　facing　into　the　room。　Moonlight　fell　part　way　along　its　back；　its　face　was　in　shadow。　'So　nice　of　you　to　join　us。'
　'Saigo。　How　did　you　get　in　here？'
　'How　do　you　think；　Nicholas？　How　do　you　think？'
　'I　imagine　there　are　many　ways　…　for　a　ninja。'
　He　seemed　unperturbed。　'Quite　so；　oh　yes。　But；　you　see；　I　didn't　need　any　of　them。'　He　waited　a　beat。　'Yukio　let　me　in　herself。'
　'Yukio。。。〃　He　took　two　steps　towards　her。
　'It　won't　do　any　good；　Nicholas。　She　can't　hear　you。'
　'She　…'
　'Oh　no；　no　no；　nothing　like　that。　She's　merely　sleeping。　That's　a　waste　of　time。　You　won't　be　able　to　wake　her。　But　don't　fret；　she's　perfectly　safe。'
　〃Wake　her　up；〃　Nicholas　said。　He　was　sitting　on　the　bed。　Her　flesh　felt　cold；　raised　in　goose　bumps；　but　she　seemed　to　be　breathing　normally。
　'I　don't　think　so。　At　least　not　yet；　anyway。'　At　last　Saigo　stood　up。　He　was　dressed　in　a　black　raw　silk　suit；　rather　old…fashioned；　somewhat　like　the　ones　Chinese　mandarins　used　to　wear　on　formal　occasions。　His　hair　had　been　cut　so　short　that　he　looked　almost　bald；　the　black　stubble　seemed　somehow　far　more　ominous。　'The　obvious　thing　to　say　now　is　that　I'm　sorry　to　be　proved　right。　About　you；　I　mean。　But　that　would　be　a　lie。　I'm　not　in　the　least　sorry。　In　fact；　I'm　delighted。　I　was　right　about　you　all　the　time。　So　was　my　father。'　He　went　into　the　centre　of　the　room　and　Nicholas　followed　him　with　his　eyes。
　Saigo　shook　his　head。　'How　you　ever　found　out　I　cannot　imagine。　I　have　to　give　you　credit　for　that。'
　'What；'　said　Nicholas；　'are　you　talking　about？'
　Saigo's　eyes　flashed　and　his　lips　curled　in　a　snarl　just　as　if　Nicholas　had　struck　him。　He　flew　across　the　room；　grabbed　Nicholas　by　the　shirtfront。　'All　right；'　he　whispered　savagely；　'I'm　through　being　courteous　to　you。　I　see　there's　no　point。　Did　you　really　think　I　didn't　know　that　you　were　following　me？
　Do　you　think　you　could　have　if　I　hadn't　wanted　you　to？　You　really　are　a　fool。'
　Nicholas　reached　up；　slammed　Saigo's　fists　from　him。　They　stood；　a　little　apart；　eyeing　each　other；　controlling　their　breathing；　like　two　titans　about　to　do　battle　over　dominion　of　the　world。
　'What　do　you　think　you're　doing　to　yourself？'
　Tm　saving　myself；'　Saigo　said。　'I　would　have　thought　it　was　obvious。　I　have　been　accepted　into　the　elite。　Beyond　bushi；　Nicholas。　Way　beyond。'　He　took　a　step　forward。　'And　you　can　join　me。'
　'What？'
　'Why　did　you　think　I　asked　you　down　here？　This　is　no　vacation　spot。　And　then　you　show　up　with　her。　Idiot　1'
　'I　love　her。'
　'Forget　about　her。　She's　nothing。　Less　than　nothing。　A　whore。
　Fucking　…'
　'Shut　your　bloody　…1〃
　'Yes；　I　forget　about　your　English　heritage。　So　chivalrous！'　He　took　another　step　forward　so　their　chests　almost　touched。　'So。　Whatever　she　is　or　isn't。　She　no　longer　exists