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saw that spark in you and he nurtured it。 Give him credit for seeing you as more than merely female。〃
Margarite went across the room； stared into the fireplace。 〃I see something more； some special quality； in Lew； too。〃
Vesper faced Margarite。 〃Let me remind you that because of your Lew we could all be killed。 Caesare …〃
Margarite's eyes flashed in abrupt anger。 〃What are you doing？ Are you trying to poison my emotions？〃
Vesper shook her head。 〃I'm doing my best to protect you。〃
〃From Lew？ Don't be absurd。 He'd never hurt me。〃
〃Not intentionally； perhaps。 But how long do you think you can keep him balanced on the edge of the law that is so important to him？ He can't stay there forever； and when he goes off either side； darling； odds are he'll take you down with him。〃
〃You are presuming on our relationship。 And now I think you're something of a hypocrite。〃
〃I made love to your brother because it pleased me to do so。 I admit I formed a strong attachment to him； and he for me； because of that perhaps I became too involved in your struggle with the Leonfortes。〃 Vesper shook her head。 〃Still； with all that； he never would tell me the origin of the enmity between the two families。〃
〃Nor will I。〃 Margarite turned away。
〃Really？ That's curious。 I'm the one who delivers the Nishiki intelligence to you； and that intelligence is what allows you to maintain your advantage over Caesare Leonforte and all the other Family dons。〃
〃Family is family。 You'll miss your flight；〃 Margarite said with crisp finality。
After a moment。 Vesper nodded and said； 〃You're right。 I'd better get changed。〃
When she disappeared from view； Margarite sat on a sofa lost in thought for some time。 Then she picked up the phone and called her daughter； Francine。 Croaker felt a pang。 His visit with her had been all too short； and her sadness at the continuing plight of her parents had been all too palpable。 But he knew that pang was for Margarite as well。 Hearing how her voice changed when she spoke with Francie reminded him of how desperately he missed her and of how much he despised himself for continuing to spy on her。
Margarite finished her call； rose； and brought out two small valises； lined them up beside the front door。 For some time； she stood still and silent； staring down at them as if by a supreme act of will she could make them disappear； turn the present course of events on its ear； and perhaps change the future。
Then she turned； and Croaker knew that Vesper was ing。 He stretched to get a better view； then froze。 The figure who now approached was dressed in black jeans； a man…tailored white shirt open at the collar； an oversize Claude Montana leather jacket。 A thick red jade choker was around her throat。
He stared in disbelief at her black； lustrous hair； close cut： a superb wig。 Her large； brown； doe…soft eyes； altered with colored contact lenses； flashed with life and a highly developed sense of wit。 Only the pouty mouth； devoid of lipstick； was the same。
I'd better get changed。
Now he understood the irony of her seemingly innocent statement。 The chameleon had changed its appearance again。 Just what kind of a creature was she？ Croaker remembered the old ensigns of persona he had contemplated while waiting for her to appear at the Phillips gallery。 And he recognized this was the moment when he had to tear them up and start all over again。 His traditional notions of gender and motivation no longer applied to this world he was burrowing into。 If he could not let go of his basic prejudices； he knew he would never solve the riddle of Vesper Arkham。
SEX & FEAR
For me who go；
for you who stay …
two autumns。
… Buson
Tokyo
Summer 1962…Autumn 1971
In 1962； Col。 Denis Linnear made the mistake of introducing his son to Tsunetomo Akinaga。 In the many melancholy autumns after the one in 1971； Nicholas had cause to wonder what his motives might have been。 But； of course； by then it was far too late； for the Colonel had been killed in 1963。
In the summer of 1962； Tsunetomo Akinaga was a vital man； bursting with energy the way a peach is ripe with juice。 He had been oyabun of the Shikei clan for many years。 Shikei meant 〃capital punishment；〃 and in those days Nicholas often wondered why a family should bear such a designation。 No one seemed prepared to tell him； least of all Tsunetomo； who had all the good humor of a professional edian。 The old man … for he was far older than he appeared…told strings of hilarious jokes that kept the boys howling with laughter。
The boys were Omi and Hachi； Tsunetomo's middle and youngest sons； and Nicholas。 Tetsuo； the eldest son and the one destined to supplant his father as oyabun； was already out of the house； cutting his teeth； as Tsunetomo said with a grin； running a Shikei subfamily in Kobe。
Whether Omi and Hachi liked Nicholas was debatable； but because of his aikido prowess they accepted him。 As for Tsunetomo； he respected Nicholas； at first because he was Colonel Linnear's son； and then because he recognized Nicholas's innate intelligence。
〃You are a half…breed；〃 Tsunetomo said to Nicholas one afternoon over tea and soybean sweets； 〃and so your life will not be an easy one。〃 They were alone； kneeling on tatami in a room that overlooked a small garden posed exclusively of azalea and rocks。 The azalea were exquisitely sculpted into the shapes of rocks； so the garden itself became a plex meditation on the relationship between nature and artifice；
The oyabun； who led a hectic life； liked to spend an hour with one of his boys late in the afternoon after school arid martial…arts lessons were over。 He said it had the same effect as meditation； which he claimed he was incapable of ever since his father had been murdered in a territorial war a decade before。
〃But I will waste no sympathy on you； young man；〃 he said as he crunched down on a sweet； 〃because you need none。 You will overe your burden。 In fact； it will teach you much about the people you meet； and you will be a shrewder person for that knowledge。〃 Then he told a joke about a farmer and an itinerant priest that made Nicholas burst into laughter。
Tsunetomo smiled。 〃Laughter is good for my azalea。 They drink it up as they do water and sunlight。 When there is a wilt in my garden； I know it is because they lack the sound of laughter。〃
〃Is that why you tell jokes？〃
Tsunetomo nodded。 〃Partly。〃 He gestured to Nicholas to pour more tea。 〃My father was a great prankster。 Did I ever tell you about how he snuck into the inn where my wife and I were honeymooning and set off a string of firecrackers under our window？ Ha； ha！ Yes； he was a master； and it was a tragedy for many people when he was killed。 My jokes are a way of keeping him alive； you see。 In your laughter and the laughter of others here he returns again and again to light firecrackers beneath my window。〃
This conversation was made all the more poignant in Nicholas's memory because it occurred in the spring following the Colonel's death。 For months； Tsunetomo had not called Nicholas； and though Nicholas regularly saw Omi and Hachi at the dojo； they never invited him home with them。 For much of that time； Nichol