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ut。
〃I thought you wanted to work for yourself； Justine；〃 he said； his mind still far away。 〃I can't see why you'd want to tie yourself…〃
〃Oh； Christ； Nick！〃 Her voice； sharpened by anger； broke in on him。 It was all abruptly too much for her： his taking that loathsome job； his being so far away from her； her fearful loneliness through the long nights while the deathless ghost of Saigo returned to hover over her； and now his inattention； mirroring her father's self…absorption when she needed him the most。 And； oh； she needed Nicholas' support now！ 〃Congratulations。 That's what you're supposed to say。 I'm happy for you； Justine。 Is that so hard to say？〃
〃Well； I am glad； but I thought…〃
〃Jesus； Nick。〃 It exploded inside her like a burst dam。 〃Go to hell； will you？〃
Nothing at the other end but dead space； and when he tried to dial her number it was busy。 Just as well； he thought sadly； slowly。 I'm not in much condition to make a success of apologizing。
He lay back in bed； naked on top of the covers； and wondered in how many ways his memories were betraying him。
Miss Yoshida's discreet knock on his hotel room door came at precisely nine A。M。 She was right on time。
〃Good morning； Linnear…san；〃 she said。 〃Are you ready to go？〃
〃Hai。 But I confess I haven't had time to purchase…〃
Her arm came around from behind her back； producing a long； wrapped package。 〃I took the liberty of bringing you joss sticks。 i hope you will not be offended。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 he said。 〃I'm delighted。 Domo arigato； Yoshida…san。〃
It was Sunday。 Greydon was up in Misawa visiting his son and Tomkin was in bed trying to shake the fever his flu was gifting him with。 Now there was time for family obligations。
In the smoked…glass…windowed limousine； heading out of the city； Nicholas saw that she had changed her makeup。 She could have passed for twenty； and he realized that he had no clear idea of her age。
She was very quiet； almost withdrawn。 She sat on the other side of the backseat； deliberately leaving a space between them that might as well have been a wall。
Several times Nicholas was about to say something； then seeing the look of concentration on her face； thought better of it。 At last Miss Yoshida settled her shoulders and turned to him。 Her eyes were very large。 She had chosen to wear traditional Japanese attire； and somehow the formal kimono； obi； and geta served to further transform her； peeling back the years。
〃Linnear…san；〃 she began； then； apparently overe； closed her mouth。 He saw her take a deep breath； as if screwing up her courage； in preparation to begin again。
〃Linnear…san； please forgive what I am about to say； but it is disturbing to me that you use anata when you speak to me。 I entreat you to use what is proper； omae。〃
Nicholas considered this。 What she meant was that no matter how far the emancipation of women had e in Japan…and there was certainly a good degree of lip service； at least； paid to this concession to the changing ways of the modern world…women and men still used different forms when speaking。 In effect； men ordered when they spoke； women pleaded。
Anata and omae meant the same thing； you。 Men used omae when speaking to those on their level or below。 Naturally women fell into that category。 Women always used anata； the more polite form； when speaking to men。 If they were ever allowed to use the less polite form it was invariably the omae…san version。
And no matter what anyone said； Nicholas knew； this divergence engendered in women a certain subservient way of thinking。
〃It would make me happy； Yoshida…san；〃 he said now； 〃if we were to both use the same form。 Can you deny that you as well as I deserve the same politeness in conversation？〃
Miss Yoshida's head was down； her liquid eyes in her lap。 The only outward sign of her agitation was the constant twisting of her fingers。
〃I beg you； Linnear…san； to reconsider。 If you ask this of me I cannot of course refuse。 But consider the ramifications。 How could I ever explain such an egregious social breach to Sato…san。〃
〃This isn't the feudal past； Yoshida…san；〃 Nicholas said as gently as he could。 〃Surely Sato…san is enlightened enough to understand。〃
Her head came up and he saw the tiny sparks that might have been incipient tears at the outside edges of her eyes。 〃When 1 joined Sato Petrochemicals； Linnear…san； I was the Office Lady。 That was my title； no matter my functions。 One of the requirements for Office Lady was that I possess yoshitanrei。〃
〃A beautiful appearance？ But that was ten years ago。 These days I cannot imagine that the same holds true。〃
〃As you say； Linnear…san；〃 she said softly； bobbing her head in obvious acquiescence。 She could not have made her point more forcefully。
〃All right；〃 Nicholas said； after a time。 〃We'll settle on a promise。 The anata form will just be between us； when we are alone together。 No one need hear this blasphemy but us。〃
A small smile curled at Miss Yoshida's lips and her head bobbed again。 〃Hai。 I accept。〃
After a time； her head turned away； her gaze stretching out to
enpass the dimly flowing countryside beyond them。 〃You are very kind。〃 Her whispered voice was very soft。
Miss Yoshida was a barely seen stick figure in the misty distance。
Nicholas turned and confronted the gravestones of his parents。 So many memories； so many terrible deaths。 The quick； hard jerk of his mother's shoulders men the short seppuku sword did its work。 And Itami； Cheong's sister…in…law； dutifully wielding the Itatana that would end his mother's pain forever。
〃She was a child of honor；〃 Itami had told him。
Nicholas knelt and began to light the joss sticks； but no prayer came to his mind。 He thought he would remember it all against his will and for no discernable purpose。 Instead； he was overwhelmed by another set of memories。
As a teenager he walked the steep forested hillside of Yoshino； beloved of all the Tenshin Shoden Katori ruy'sjonin。 There was； he had e to understand； a mystical connection between this land and the men of arcane profession who had made it their home。
Blue mist drifted off the cypress and cryptomeria like veils； the colors of dawn shading in pastels of green； blue； pink； and white like chrysanthemum blossoms dissolving in the distance。 A sharp…eyed thrush followed them in intervals； the white blobs on its wingtips flashing now and again like the swift opening and dosing of a fan as it flitted from tree to tree； twittering at them。
Nicholas and Akutagawa…san strode side by side； the one in the simple black gi of the student； the other the pearlescent gray cotton kimono edged in earth brown of the jonin sensei。 At their backs； the stone walls and green tiled roofs of the Tenshin Shoden Katori ryu sprang into light as the slowly rising sun broke the plane of the horizon。
Oblique strokes of new sunlight broke through the branches； picking out pinecones and brown needles with the delicacy of a master's brushstroke。
Akutagawa…san was still in shadow when he said； 〃The mistake we all make before we enter here is the notion of civilization。 History； ethics； the very concept of law itself depend for their existence on this one crucial