按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ar； who insisted on making these falsehoods public knowledge。 Linnear had wanted my father out of the way ever since he had championed a hard line against SCAP's interference into MCI policies。〃
Nicholas remembered what his father had told him on the day Vice…Minister Shimada was found near his wife in a pool of blood。 〃Never rejoice over the death of another human being。 Rather take satisfaction that a source of evil has been expunged。 In this case elements within MCI were perpetuating the power factions begun years ago by members of the prewar zaibatsu； in their kanmin ittai； control associations。 If a man aligns himself with evil； we have our duty before us。 We must act。 Mankind could not long tolerate life without this weeding…out process。〃
〃There was nothing false in the accusations leveled against your father； Akiko；〃 he said。 〃You cannot deny the symmetry of crime and punishment。〃 But his words seemed distant to his ears for he found it enormously difficult to disassociate himself from the face so close before him。 It seemed to make no difference that he knew that she was not； in fact； Yukio。 That was an intellectual response； and what he was feeling was emotional。 It bypassed the intellect； the rational pletely。 What did he see inside her that caused him to react this way？
It did not vitiate in any way the danger he felt himself to be in； it merely clouded the issue； turning the translucent into the opaque。
And he was truly amazed in an entirely different manner as well。 Despite what Itami had told him； despite what he already knew of Akiko； plus what he suspected； it came as a shock to probe and feel nothing but the glow of her wa。 Harmony。 Whatever she was actually feeling toward him he could not say。 He felt no aggression； no animosity； nothing negative whatsoever。 And again he found himself wondering whether this was what the mysterious Masashigi Kusunoki had felt just before Akiko had reached out with her jaho and had freed him from life。
〃They used the Colonel；〃 she said。 〃You must see that。〃 Eyes like stones。 〃They fed him their garbage and he ate it all up。〃
〃Whatever Sato and Nangi deserved had no bearing on the three innocent people you destroyed in the process；〃 he said； ignoring her line。
〃Don't talk to me of innocence；〃 she spat。 〃There is no innocence inside that pany at all。 Two are guilty； all are equally to blame。〃
Nicholas thought of Miss Yoshida and he was as sad for this woman sitting not a handsbreadth away as he was for her。 Look what can bee of life； he thought。 After this； there is no hope。
But he had acplished one of his goals； had found out all that he needed to know。 By her words he knew that she would not allow him to rise and walk away； that； whatever her personal feelings might be； she had been trained too well； her spirit in the end as weak as her first husband's； the spell of jaho taking her over。 He could never convince her of the truth。 As Akutagawa…san had said； the force of jaho was so corrosive to mind and spirit that one always ran the terrible risk of succumbing to it rather than； as one did with all martial arts； harnessing it to one's own needs。
Now he gazed upon her with eyes filled with new knowledge。 For at last he saw who it was he was truly facing。 She was miko； a sorceress who could reach out at any time； masking her true intent； and snuff out his life。 It could e in the midst of a kiss or an embrace； he would never know the difference； never feel the flickering of her wa； the breakup of harmony by the spitting of aggression。 He would never even know that she had reached for the Void。
Her intent was forever beyond his knowing； and he knew that he had been right to wait up in the tree for so long。 He knew that he faced death。 It did not seem ironic to him that it should e to him in the form of his first true love； only just and fitting。 If he should die now； hers would be the last face that he would see。 He would go down dreaming of Yukio。
〃It is very still；〃 Akiko said softly。 〃The animals are hiding； the birds are nested； the insects sleep。 Even the wind has ceased to blow。 All for us。〃
Her eyes were luminous。 He imagined that he could see the moon reflected in their convex surfaces。 They had the sheen of finest silk； they reminded him so much of Yukio's eyes。
〃For we are lovers； Nicholas。 The last two true lovers alive on the face of the world。 When we made love it was not just our bodies that were entwined； penetrating and being penetrated。 It was our spirits as well。
〃The clouds and the rain made our spirits one； Nicholas。 Now we have our own tattoos； as indelibly etched as my dragons。 We shall know each other for all time。 However we may be reincarnated； whatever our karma dictates we must be； still will we recognize one another。 As human or badger； plover or serpent。 The spirit dance we performed will preserve our link。〃
Had she moved perceptibly closer？ Nicholas could not tell。 Her words had bee as luminous as her eyes； as the starlight that partially enveloped them where broad fans of shadow from the surrounding trees did not。
Was she leaning forward now？ Did he feel the hard press of her jutting breasts against his chest？ Did he feel her warmth bathing him； her breath like the scent of lilac on his cheek？ In all the states he summoned up； both exalted and mon； he felt only her wa； a glowing beacon； as constant as the sea。
He remembered their fevered night in Sato's garden and thought he wanted that onrush all over again。 Sato。 Felt one of her arms ing around his back； lying along his shoulder； fingertips caressing the side of his neck。 Remember Sato； he thought； and how you failed him。 Failed in your sacred oath to protect him。 There was only one possible way out for him now。
〃No！〃
His cry echoed into the night。 〃I cannot allow this！ I cannot love you； a miko！〃
And as he pulled away from her half…embrace； he withdrew the short…bladed knife he had taken from Itami's house。 Though it belonged in her kitchen still its blade was finely honed； still it was a weapon of honor。
Without hesitation Nicholas drove the blade to the hilt into his abdomen。 Blood flashed out； black in the darkness； glinting on his knees； the grass； Akiko's lap。
Nicholas' face was distorted by agony。 His head trembled as he slashed horizontally from left to right across his lower belly。 The place where ham resided。
Akiko was in shock。 Her eyes were open wide。 〃Amida！〃 she breathed。 There was so much blood！ It ran in a torrent from him； from the center of his being； draining him of strength； of life。
So many conflicting emotions strived for dominance inside her。 Elation and sorrow； shock and panic。 Satisfaction and fear。 Was this the end she had been seeking？ Was this the culmination of her long thought out vengeance？
She knew that it was； but now she was beginning to suspect that it was not what she wanted。 She had struggled all her life； it seemed； to be free of woman's traditional role as servant to man。 Her rejection of all that her mother had been； her revulsion for that lofty state of tayu had this as its basis。 As did her decision to train in the most demanding of the martial arts： man's work。 All her life she had fou