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！
ut restraint。 That was quite impossible to do for a Japanese under normal circumstances。 Once drunk； all actions； all words were immediately excusable and allowable。 Therefore Nicholas drank with him。 There would be no point to the session if only Sato drank and； besides； that would be insulting； as if Nicholas was saying； I don't want to be friends。
He perceived from the moment Sato himself had met him at the door to the house that the older man needed his friendship and support。 Whatever was behind the Wu…Shing slayings was far more important to him than holding pat in resisting the merger as originally outlined by Tomkin。 Whatever fear had erupted in Sato and Nangi of the ritual punishments overrode their normal caution and preference for hard dealing。
And within this softening of his stance Nicholas； trained to dissect every situation in evaluating the elements which created it； perceived a weakness。
It did not make him feel particularly noble or honorable to use this weakness to gain the advantage； yet he desperately needed an opening into Tenchi。 He knew quite well that under almost any other circumstance he would have e up against a stone wall where Tenchi was concerned。 However； in this instance the kei…retsu's secret work made them vulnerable to outside scrutiny。 Sato had made it clear that no police were to be involved。 Nicholas was the only person who could conceivably break the chain of the Wu…Shing； thus he had a powerful bargaining point from which to open the negotiations。
〃Fah！〃 Sato exclaimed； focusing Nicholas' attention。 He threw his cup to the floor。 He was wearing a kimono posed of the flaming colors of autumn。 He had generously offered one of his own…the one with the angular Ndh pattern that he had been wearing the night Akiko had brought him his last gift before they were married…and Nicholas was now wearing it。 Dregs of the brown liquor flew up the sleeve； lying in beads like decoration。 〃This Scotch is no true liquor at all。〃 He turned red…rimmed eyes on his guest。 〃Linnear…san； you pick our drink for the evening。〃
〃Thank you； Sato…san。〃 Nicholas bowed。 〃I'd very much like some sake。 Hot； if that's possible。〃
〃Possible！〃 Sato exploded。 〃Why； it's the only way to drink it！〃 He lurched heavily to his feet； padded in his low white socks to the bar against the longer of the two inner walls of the room。 It was fairly large by Japanese standards； sixteen…tatami。 The wet bar also contained a black iron…and…boxwood naga…hibachi； smaller than the one in the other side of the house。 This one was never touched by the women of the household but was reserved expressly for the use of the host。
As he went about heating the rice wine； Sato hummed quietly to himself an ancient folk tune his Oba…chama had crooned to him when he and Gotaro were children。 It seemed to fill the house with a warmth that was not exactly physical； as if he had summoned up the attention of good kami。
But when he returned to the low lacquer table with the sake； his face was set into somber lines。 〃I fear we have fallen on evil times； Linnear…san；〃 he said as he poured。 〃This Wu…Shing。。。〃 He shuddered。 〃I am samurai but this。。。 this is simply barbaric。 I am not at all surprised that its origins are Chinese。 How very indiscriminate we Japanese are； eh； to take the worst from them along with the best。 The Yakuza are nothing more than glorified Triads； and the ninja have their origins there as well。〃
His eyes crossed for a moment as if he had just forgotten something important； and then his head went down。 〃Forgive me； Linnear…san。 An old man's tongue runs on and on late at night。〃
Nicholas lifted his left arm as if to make a gesture and in so doing caught the hem of his sleeve on the lip of the delicate porcelain sake pitcher。 It made a tiny sound as it shattered。 Clear liquid ran across the table。
Nicholas jumped up。 〃A thousand pardons； Sato…san。 Please forgive my Western clumsiness。〃
Sato calmly wiped away the liquor and quickly gathered up the shards of porcelain。 〃There is nothing to forgive； my friend。 Akiko is not here to serve us from the best porcelain。 This was an old and timeworn piece that needed throwing out。 In fact it is only my laziness which had precluded me from disposing of the pitcher myself。〃
Thus did Nicholas cleverly negate his host's acute embarrassment； gaining enormous face in Sato's eyes while saving face for his host。
When Sato returned from heating more sake； there was new respect in his eyes。 He bowed as he pushed the filled cup across the table。
〃Domo arigato。〃 Nicholas returned the bow。
Sato downed more sake before he spoke again。 〃It is my opinion； Linnear…san； that the Wu…Shing is being directed at us…that is； Nangi…san and myself…even though the three deaths have seriously undermined the effectiveness of the konzern。 There is something personal in the manner of the deaths。 With each one； Kagami…san； Yoshida…san； Ishii…san； we e closer and closer to the core of the pany。 The path is indeed terrifying to contemplate。〃
He stared down at his empty cup； and Nicholas realized that even with so much alcohol inside him this was a difficult moment。 All Nicholas could do was to remain silent。
〃I have thought much about these ritual punishments。〃 Sato's head came up。 〃And I now believe that we are being stalked by our past。 Can you understand that？ Yes； I thought so。 You of all people。〃
〃Have you and Nangi…san discussed the possible。。。 origins of these punishments。〃
〃No。 Nangi…san is sempai。〃
〃Yes。 I see。〃
〃Besides；〃 Sato admitted； 〃Nangi…san is no good when it es to the past。 There are many things that he would rather forget； some because they are too hateful； others because they are just too full of intimate emotion。 You may think Nangi…san cold and heartless but this is not true。 No； no。 On the contrary； emotion is quite dear to him。
〃He wept bitterly when my Oba…chama died。 He was heartsick at having to sell a pair of her T'ang Dynasty cups。 Sadly； we were forced to do so in order to e to Tokyo and begin our careers just after the war ended。
〃These cups； you know； were superb examples of the genius of those faraway Chinese artisans； as limpid as a mountain stream。 But beyond their undeniable aesthetic value I believe a ponent of Nangi…san's attachment to them stemmed from the poignant circumstances under which my Oba…chama received them。〃 He told Nicholas the story of his grandmother's distant relative fleeing the firebombing of Tokyo。 〃I think for Nangi…san this incident more than any other exemplified the useless cruelty of the war。
The past is dear to him； and I think you can understand why he would not wish to speak of it。〃
Sato shook his head。 〃I'm afraid he cannot be counted on； there。 Memory is an affliction with him。 He will not speak of the past； even with me。〃
〃Then it must be up to you； Sato…san。〃
〃I know；〃 the older man said miserably； 〃but up to now I have been able to remember nothing out of the ordinary。 You know what it was like here after the war。 Those were extraordinary times。 More often than not survival called for taking extraordinary measures。 Regimes came and went。 Alliances were hastily formed and just as hastily diss