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oo much contemplation。 It would please me greatly to have a panion。 Will you favor me？〃
〃If you wish it； of course。 I have never seen such a beautiful house。 It is exhilarating to be here。〃
〃Now you are exaggerating；〃 Itami said； but Akiko could see that she was pleased by the genuine pliment。
Late in the afternoon of the next day； Itami said； 〃After poor Yukio's untimely death； I was afraid that Saigo had turned his heart away from women。 He loved her so； his spirit was crushed by her death。 Of course； it came on top of my husband's death and； well。。。 he and Saigo were always very close。〃 And Akiko thought； Filial piety binds us all； twisting us to its will。
She found herself liking the older woman immensely。 She had contrived to make Akiko at home without voicing the usual battery of questions directed at the woman to whom a son is attracted： What is your family？ Where do you e from？ What is your father's station？ And his father's？ So on。 Rather； Itami seemed content to accept Akiko at face value； and this touched Akiko deeply。
〃Today；〃 Itami said； 〃all things are different。 The time when the immutability of Japan was assured is gone。 Modern times have assured that it will never e again。〃
There was a silence then as the two women walked side by side through the groves of lemon and plum trees。 Pink and white chrysanthemum bobbed their heads like a Greek chorus in the following breeze。 Overhead； white clouds drifted； below which slate gray plovers swooped。 The sun felt warm and forting on their backs。
〃Tomorrow my son es home。〃 Itami had stopped to peer at a lizard basking on a rock。 Akiko paused beside her。 〃Perhaps it would be best if you left early in the morning。〃
Akiko studied the words as if she were an archaeologist who had stumbled over what might possibly be an important find。 〃I care about Saigo；〃 she said after a time。 〃Very much。〃
〃Yes；〃 Itami said。 〃I know。 Still； I think best if you were not here when he arrived。〃
〃Why is that； Itami…san？〃
The older woman turned to face her。 〃My son is evil； Akiko…san。 Sometimes I think that it was a blessing that Yukio…san died so early； so tragically。 I did not wish her involved with my son。 When she met Nicholas Linnear I hoped that would be the end of it。 But； like you； she came back to Saigo。 I do not want the same mistake to be made twice。〃
〃Do you fear for my life； lady？〃
Itami stared hard into Akiko's face。 〃No； Akiko…san。 I fear for your soul。 My son is the bitterest of fruit； with his ideas he is a poisoner and it is best to stay away from him lest you； too； be poisoned。〃
〃It has not hurt me so far；〃 Akiko said lightly。
〃It would be a mistake to make a joke of this； my dear。〃 Itami began to walk again。 〃If you decide to stay I will not seek to stop you。 I have learned that nothing ever changes in this regard and that it is folly to attempt to turn the will of another。 I could not do it with my husband or my son or even my sister…in…law。 I have not the power； certainly； to do it to you。 Still I speak from the heart and ask you to at least listen。〃
Silence once again engulfed them； eventually to be broken by Akiko's words。 〃Itami…san； I wish to see him。〃
The older woman's head bowed。 〃Of course you do； my child。〃
Only the four of them were at the wedding： Saigo and Akiko； hand in hand； Itami； and the Shinto priest； who presided。 The ceremony took place in the north garden； amid the scents of lemon and rose。 The day was clear and bright as crystal。 The sun was strong overhead； its warmth pouring down over them like a benediction。
Then Saigo took her away to Tokyo and she saw Itami only infrequently。 She could not be at the funeral； when the body was shipped back from America in a sealed coffin that Itami did not want opened after she heard the account of how he died。 But Itami wrote her； saying all she wanted now was to have him buried deep； next to his father who had loved him in a way that she could not； who had twisted his spirit in a way she could not forgive him for。
As for Akiko； there was no question but that she do what Saigo had asked of her before he departed for America。 Even had he not talked with her； she would have known what to do。
〃I know how to do it；〃 she had told him triumphantly； on a day just shy of their eighth anniversary。 〃It will mean change for
me。 Total change。〃 And she held up the photograph for him to see。
For a long time he said nothing； merely looked from her to the photo and back again。 〃It will destroy him；〃 he said。 〃Utterly and pletely。 Should I not e back。〃 His face creased。 〃But I will。〃
Akiko knew better。 Saigo was dead the moment he boarded the JAL flight for America for his final confrontation with his cousin； Nicholas Linnear。 But this knowledge did not allow her to stop him or even hint to him of his fate。 He was a warrior； and to deny him battle was to destroy him on the spot。
When the news reached her； she was already five weeks in Switzerland。 She grieved even as she worked out the details of the revenge he would have wished。
She wanted to exercise during her long internment in the Swiss clinic but she was forbidden to do so at least for the first week。 After that it was at her own discretion； they said； believing that she could do nothing while the swath of bandages blinded her。 They were wrong； but then the Swiss are a peculiarly insular people。
Guided to the gym each day just before lunchtime； Akiko performed ninety minutes of hard physical exercise to keep her superb body in shape。 In the late afternoon she did the same。 And because she was used to the night； she arose by herself and； using her hearing； guided herself away from the nurses； back into the gym for further work。
She was desperate for physicality； throwing her entire being into it。 For one thing； it took her mind off the consequences of what she had done。 If the doctors had not been successful here； she would be lost。 They had assured her of their talent and she had seen examples of their handiwork herself。 Rationally she had been satisfied。 But now that it had been done； now that there was no turning back； now that the Akiko she had known all her life was gone； doubts returned to plague her。 What if。。。 ？ What if。。。 ？ What if。。。？
So she toiled hard in the garden of mind and spirit； building on the foundations with which Kyoki had provided her； that Sun Hsiung had drilled into her。 Now that Saigo had been killed； there was nothing else for her。
And at last there came a morning when darkness began to lift。 Layer by layer； searchlights turned black into shades of gray； lightening from charcoal to slate to dove。
Hazily the room appeared； its shape and character emerging slowly from behind gauzy veils。 The shapes had been drawn； the overhead light extinguished。 Only a small lamp was on； its soft glow fiery to her eyes； unused to light for six weeks。 It hurt to see and she was forced to blink rapidly； bringing some of the darkness back so that she would not be overwhelmed by the candle…power。
Everything appeared strange and different。 Distant； as well； as if she were a new arrival from another planet。 She took the mirror that had been placed in her hand by one of the nurses and