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ers。 〃In any event； all the old artisans are gone。〃
〃If I understand you correctly；〃 Nangi said； his pulse racing wildly as he approached the heart of the matter； 〃you are speaking now of manufacturing a scandal out of smoke and pine needles。〃
〃Poetically put； Nangi…san。 And essentially correct。〃
〃I take it； then；〃 Nangi said； keeping the tremor he felt inside out of his voice； 〃that the Occupation Forces would give us no trouble over a quite real scandal。〃
A telephone rang somewhere in an adjacent office； muted voices could be heard for a moment just beyond the closed door。 Minister Oda's almond eyes glittered like dark gems behind the round lenses of his spectacles。
The stillness in the room was so palpable that Nangi felt as if he was swathed in blankets。 Now every motion； ever word； every look became a clue to the oute of this meeting。
〃Scandal； it seems to me； Nangi…san； can mean many things to many people。 I think it imperative that one es to some clearcut understanding of； er； definition。〃
Nangi locked his eyes with the minister's and said； 〃Disgrace for our enemies。〃
After a time； Oda reached downward； producing a bottle half full of amber liquid。 〃May I offer you a brandy？〃
Nangi nodded his assent； and there was silence in the room while they both drank。 Outside； a typewriter had begun； working at a fast…clipped pace。
Carefully； Oda put down his cup。 〃It seems to me； Nangi…san；〃 he said； 〃that Shimada…san was most generous in transferring you into my purview。〃
〃Perhaps； but he was also stupid；〃 Nangi said with uncharacteristic candor。
Oda shrugged his shoulders。 〃It is said that the Chinese cannot believe that a foreigner can speak their language so that on those occasions when one does； he is not heard。 Vice…Minister Shimada reminds me of the Chinese。〃 He refilled their cups。 〃He may not have acute insight but he has many friends and allies。〃
Nangi knew what his minister was obliquely implying。 〃None of them have enough power to save him from his own blunders。 Hiroshi Shimada has been a very greedy bureaucrat。〃
〃Not the American way。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 Nangi said； getting into the spirit of the play。 〃Not in the least。〃
〃Good。 Perhaps we may even experience some help from that quarter。〃 Torazo Oda rubbed his hands together。 〃As for the； er； business aspects； I trust we have e to a mutually satisfactory agreement。〃
〃Pardon me； sir； but I believe we have one more matter to decide。〃
Oda； in the midst of rising preparatory to dismissing Nangi； paused。 His face was calm。 〃And what might that be？ You have my permission to continue。〃
〃With all due respect； sir； my own position has yet to be worked out。〃
Oda laughed as he sat back down； his great belly shaking as if with convulsions。 Behind him the first gusts of rain began to bead the windowpane； obscuring the hurrying pedestrians far below。 〃Young man； I do believe I have the measure of you now。〃 He chuckled。 〃I shall not underestimate you again。 Let's see。〃 He tapped a pudgy forefinger against his pursed lips。 〃It is clear that you are far too clever to remain here at the BOT。
〃You will be my eyes and ears at the new ministry。 Makita…san will appoint you chief of the Secretariat。 There you will weed through all of the applicants to the new ministry； approving those who are loyal to Makita…san's…and my…policies。
〃Slowly we will transform the face of the entire bureaucracy。 Slowly we will melt away those who oppose us； those who do not understand the nature of trade number one…ism。 It will be the two…hundred…year Tokugawa Shogunate reborn！〃
Nangi recognized the fierce； cold light of the fanatic turning the minister's eyes into beacons； and he found himself wondering what it was Oda had occupied himself with during the war。
Makita…san and I will have to treat this one carefully； he thought as he rose and bowed formally。 〃Thank you； sir。〃 He turned to leave； but Oda…san's voice stayed him。
〃Nangi…san； you were quite correct about Vice…Minister Shimada。 He was twice a fool。 Once to underutilize that fine brain of yours。 Second to send you of all people to spy on me。〃
MCI did not disappear as Nangi had suggested； but the Ministry of International Trade and Industry's creation did sound its death knell。
Nangi and Makita pored over the mabiki file and； as had been planned； Makita took Nangi's information officially to Oda。 Because Shimada was a vice…minister and this did have at first whiff the scent of a major scandal； Oda felt obliged to pass on all the damning evidence to the Prime Minister。 Six days after Yoshida received the documentation of Shimada's transgressions； which included manipulation of ministry funds； use of ministry classified information to obtain jobs for several of his family； and the unearthing of a mistress； a geisha； as well as a wife； he was forced to dismiss the vice…minister and make the circumstances of his firing public。 SCAP demanded such a procedure in order to ensure continued public support for the government and in order to bring home to the Japanese populace at large that they were indeed living in a democracy where nothing was concealed。
Yoshida was； of course； against such a public humiliation and fought it； knowing what the end result would have to be。 He was overruled by members of the Occupation Forces； and at last； after stalling long enough to return to him most of his lost face； he released the documents to the press。
Less than twenty…four hours later； Hiroshi Shimada； kneeling on a fibrous tatami； clad in a kimono of ash gray field and smoke wheels； directed his wakizashi toward the muscled ridge of his lower belly； slashing left to right； then upward； his body quivering with effort； control； and face。 His wife； Kaziko； was found by his side； pools of their already browning blood amassed and mingled； their last and only testament。
〃I wonder how much Colonel Linnear hated Shimada。〃 Yoi…chiro Makita knelt on the tatami while across from him Nangi reclined in a minimum of pain； his spine against a folded futon。
Nangi was surprised。 〃You mean the gaijin who depurged you？ How is he involved？〃
Makita looked far better than he had in Sugamo。 His body had begun to fill out； while his face had most of its former bloat。 He now appeared much as he had in the newspaper photograph Nangi had seen years ago； a figure of almost iconic proportions； an aggressive and powerful ra/n〃ra〃…bureaucrat。
〃During my long weeks with the English Colonel he revealed much to me；〃 Makita said thoughtfully； 〃though far less than many other gaijin would。 He has the gift of patience； that man。〃
〃You sound as if you admire him。〃
Makita smiled。 〃Oh； nothing so strong as that； surely。 But still。。。 for a gaijin。。。〃 His voice trailed off for a moment； and his gaze retreated to an inner stare。
〃You think he knew Shimada personally；〃 Nangi asked after a time； 〃as you did？〃
Makita's eyes snapped back into focus and he was with Nangi again。 〃Oh； there was something between them； all right。 I have no doubt about that。 Colonel Linnear was the man on MacArthur's staff who most vociferously fought to have the facts in the scandal made public knowledge。〃
〃Just like a gaijin。〃
〃