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She came into his sight with a stiff rustle of silk。 He rose and bowed； his heart in his throat。 He was overe by the awesome majesty of her beauty。 It was not as if time had not touched her； merely that she had somehow made it her friend rather than her enemy。 Time followed her about like a tamed animal； present but quite irrelevant。
〃Itami…san。〃 His voice was a reedy whisper。 〃Oba。〃
〃Sit； please； Nicholas…san。〃
He did so； not wishing to analyze what was in her eyes； what was in her mind。
After tea and rice cakes had been served； after they were alone again； she said； 〃It is so good that you have returned。 My heart is gladdened to see you again； watashi no musuko。〃 My son。
Something broke within him and he bent forward until his forehead touched the glossy wood with the ache inside him。 He wept； no longer able to hold all his emotions within him； his Japanese side ashamed even as he did so； but his Western side needed this release and could no longer be denied by any discipline on earth。
〃Watashi no musuko。〃 Her voice held such tenderness that she might； indeed； have been his mother。 〃I knew you would e back。 I prayed you would have the courage。〃
〃I was afraid； Oba。〃 His voice； too； was tear streaked。 〃I was afraid because of what I had done。 I did not want to face all the pain I have caused you。〃
〃You never caused me any pain at all； Nicholas；〃 she said softly。 〃You were always more a son to me than my own blood child ever was。 His was a weak spirit； and he belonged body and soul to his father。 Satsugai ruled him as the sun does the earth。 It was Satsugai who determined Saigo's life path； it was his paranoia which Saigo absorbed。〃
Nicholas became aware that at no time had she referred to Saigo as 〃my son。〃 That was quite odd in a mother。 His head came up and then… eyes met。 He found no anger there nor even any sadness。 Rather there was a mix of resignation and love。。。 love for him。
〃He was totally evil；〃 Itami said。 〃I never before believed such a thing possible in a human being。 plexity； after all； vitiates extremes； or at least one believes that it should。〃 She shook her head。 〃Not in Saigo's case。 There was an uncanny purity to him that might have been admirable if it had been channeled in a proper direction。
〃That it was not was a burden I was obliged to live with。 1 should be shamed to say that I wished him dead； but I am not。 How could I be？ Everything he came in contact with withered and died。 He was a spirit…destroyer。〃
〃Even so；〃 Nicholas said。 〃I am not proud that I destroyed him。〃
〃Of course not；〃 she said。 〃You acted with honor。 You are your mother's son。〃
All at once he realized that she was smiling at him。 Without thought he did the same； his heart lightening just as the clouds roll back after the thunder of a storm。
For a long time they did nothing but that； basking in the presence of each other's spirit； being reacquainted； finding a new； and unexpected； level to their relationship that the heavy baggage of the past had denied to them before。
〃I'm glad you came when you did；〃 she said the next day。 〃We've had one or two earth tremors； nothing major； but unfortable enough。〃
Nicholas recalled the first satellite readout Protorov had shown him that indicated a crescendo of earthquake activity。 He said nothing about it； however。
〃I did not choose the time； Oba； it was chosen for me。〃
She nodded； smiling slightly。 〃That is why we must all learn to Cross at a Ford； eh； Nicholas？〃
He was slightly surprised。 〃I did not know that you had read Musashi。〃
〃Read and studied him。〃 Now she was laughing outright。 〃There are many things you do not know about me； though surely in all the world there is no other with whom I have shared so many secrets。
〃It was I who guided certain businessmen to Saigo； people whom this Raphael Tomkin had offended； people who wanted him dead。〃
Nicholas turned to look at her。 〃I don't understand。〃
〃Do you think for a minute； watashi no musuko； that I lost track of you when you left your home？ My love is as long as my protection。 Whose daughter had you fallen in love with？ How long would it take Saigo to find out the same piece of information？ How long before the diamondlike precision of merging the two assignments…one professional； the other personal…would dawn on him？ Surely it would appeal to his delicate sense of logic； he could not resist it。〃
Nicholas' mind was reeling。 〃You。。。 It was you who sent him after me？〃 He put his hand to his head； he could scarcely believe
what he was hearing。
〃My dear；〃 she said softly； 〃he was like a cape buffalo or one of our giant wild boars who had been wounded。 He was dangerous； and being more so each day that dawned。 I could not in good conscience allow that to continue。〃
She stopped them in their walk and for the first time touched him； a light but definite gesture； full…as was the case with all Japanese gestures no matter how small…of exquisite meaning。
〃Did you think I would send him to harm you？ I sent him to his death。 Perhaps I murdered him； if one chooses to look at it in a certain light。〃
〃But other people died in the process； Oba。 You must have thought of that。〃
She said nothing； moving across the grass dappled in the shadow of a sculpted arbor of boxwood trees。 〃What would you have me say； watashi no musuko？ Life is imperfect because we are humans and not gods。 Gods by their very definition do not live but rather exist。〃
They paused and she put her hand against the gnarled back of a tree trunk。 〃1 am sorry for death。。。 any death。 But often some good tissue must be excised in order to destroy a malignancy。
〃It is not fair and it is certainly not to my liking。 But it is a time that we must learn to Cross at a Ford。 It is not what we choose but rather； as you have said； it chooses us。〃
That was not precisely what he had said； but he suspected Itami knew that。 What she had said was far more apt； in any case。 He knew that what had happened between Saigo and himself was really not either of their doing。 Rather it had been determined a generation before by the abiding enmity between their fathers。 Filial piety bound them； causing them to end what had been begun so long ago。
He could not help but think of those who had perished because of an honor； a code that was not theirs： Eileen Okura； Terry Tanaka； Doc Deerforth； how many cops and others whose names he did not know？ and； yes； even Lew Croaker。 Nicholas understood the wisdom of his aunt's words； even agreed with them。 Yet something inside him recoiled； calling out as if from a distance； It's too much； even the expunging of one life is too great a price to pay for the extirpation of giri。
After a time； Itami said； 〃I have been truthful with you； Nicholas。 Now you must return the kindness。 Tell me why you have e here。 It was not just to see me again after all this time。〃
〃Part of it was that； yes。〃 But she was right again。 All the way on the trip south his mind had been rolling the question around。 As he had done so it began to increase in size until even in sleep he could not be rid of it。
Akiko。
She was not Yukio； yet she had Yukio's face。 Why？ Surely she could not have been bom with featur