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saw Omi and Hachi at the dojo； they never invited him home with them。 For much of that time； Nicholas was too busy to think much about it； but there were days when he missed those afternoon encounters with the oyabun with a sensation as acute as pain。 And it was only then that he understood how much they had e to mean to him。
He had loved and revered his father； but the Colonel was； after all； a Westerner； and this fact separated him from his son； no matter how attuned the Colonel was to the oriental mind。 Tsunetomo provided what； in the end； Colonel Linnear could not： a wholly Eastern sensibility； and perhaps this was why the Colonel had introduced the two。
In the spring of 1964； Tsunetomo appeared at Nicholas's dojo。 He spent an hour and a half watching only Nicholas； as the aikido sensei put him through his paces。 By this time； Nicholas was well advanced and had； at another dojo entirely； menced his training in ninjutsu。 Some of this ancient secretive discipline could be seen in his unorthodox and often astonishing solutions to the aikido attacks the sensei had devised for him。
The oyabun waited patiently for Nicholas while his phalanx of bodyguards remained out of sight so as not to disturb the harmony the sensei had diligently labored to produce in his class。 Nicholas； overjoyed to see Tsunetomo； was only too happy to receive an invitation to share tea and soybean sweets。
Later； after Tsunetomo's words reverberated in his mind； Nicholas understood how deeply the oyabun had been hurt by the Colonel's death。 Perhaps it reminded him too keenly of his own father's brutal murder。 Both he and Nicholas needed to heal from the wound before they remenced their meetings。 A strict sense of respect was also involved。 Tsunetomo did not want to give Nicholas the idea that he was in any way aiming to supplant the Colonel in Nicholas's affections。
〃I am Tsunetomo；〃 he said that afternoon； staring at the tender azalea buds on the verge of opening。 〃And your father was the Colonel。 I am oyabun； but he was far more than that。 Your father was an architect of dreams。 I do not expect you to understand this now； but one day you will。〃
Tea was an endless ritual with Tsunetomo。 It was sacred time； as long as he was at tea； his men and advisers knew that he could not be disturbed In this way did Tsunetomo draw the demarcation between merce and what he referred to as the business of life。
〃As you can see；〃 he said； 〃this garden is enclosed by four walls。 Three are fusuma doors into the house； the fourth is the inner wall of this estate。 Everything is low in the garden； this is deliberate。 Not even the wind can disturb the ponents。 I have caught sunlight and shadow like ships in a bottle。 To sit here in the morning or the afternoon and watch how the shapes are transformed with the light is to understand the nature of life and time； for in the end； nothing is ever transformed here。 At the end of each night the garden starts afresh at the beginning of its cycle。〃
Nicholas； who had been too long alone with his memories of his father； felt an inner door unlocking。 〃I can see my father here。〃
〃Sooner or later； everything exists in the garden；〃 Tsunetomo said； obviously pleased。 He watched Nicholas drink his bitter green tea as he crunched on a sweet。 In the silence that ensued Nicholas imagined that both of them were thinking of the Colonel。
Tsunetomo； kneeling on the tatami with the regal aspect of a shogun； said； 〃I want to tell you a story about the past。 When I am finished； I want you to tell me what it means to you。〃 He cleared his throat。 〃In the days before the first Tokugawa shogun united Japan； there was a feudal lord who was a great wencher。 In all ways； he was an honorable man； and his retainers loved him。 He had many sons out of wedlock； but he had only one legitimate son。 This boy had won his father's heart when he had pushed himself out of his mother's womb despite being turned the wrong way。 'He should have died；' the astonished doctors told the lord； 'and your wife with him； but his will to live was too great。'
〃The lord watched as his son grew from childhood into young adulthood。 During times of war； the lord protected his son with his own forged armor and his own valorous heart。 But there were times when the lord could not take his son with him on long and dangerous trips； and at these times he left him in the care of a young retainer who the lord trusted as if he were a member of his family。
〃On his twenty…first birthday； the lord's son took ill； and despite the lord's pleas and imprecations； nothing the doctors did could save him。 On the day of his funeral； when the incense burned with a steady glow and all the priests of the lord's fiefdom were at the burial site； the young retainer rode to the temple grounds and； dismounting； proceeded to mit ritual suicide before the altar of Buddha。〃
Three plovers flew into the garden。 Two of them alighted on a sheared azalea； but the third； who sat above and apart from the others； twittered on the curving top of the highest rock。
Nicholas watched the lone plover for a moment before he said； 〃What the story tells me is that duty is not only familial。 It is a sense of time and place； but mostly it is a definition of self。〃 He looked at Tsunetomo。 〃Is this the right answer？〃
The oyabun smiled。 〃I am no Rinzai Buddhist priest。 There is no right or wrong answer by which I must judge you。 I merely wished to know your response when my words touched your mind。〃
Over the years； Nicholas had cause to remember many times this story of feudal Japan。 While it was the Colonel and his mother； Cheong； who had instilled in him his sense of honor； it was Tsunetomo who honed that sense as Nicholas reached for maturity。
In the autumn of 1971； when Nicholas was a young man； he entered Tsunetomo's house just as he had twice weekly for eight years。 But this time； Tsunetomo was not alone in the six…tatami room he used for tea and the business of life。 A young woman was with him。 She seemed not much more than a girl； really； and Nicholas was surprised to learn that she had just reached her majority。
His experience with women had been both stormy and ultimately disastrous。 He was therefore understandably somewhat withdrawn around them； and these days rarely dated。
Tsunetomo turned when Nicholas entered the room。 〃Ah； there you are。 Nicholas； I want you to meet the daughter of an old friend of mine。 Her name is Koei。〃 He rose。 〃I wonder if you would make tea for her。 Unfortunately； I have been called away for an hour or so。 Do your best to entertain her in my absence。〃
Koei was not an immediately striking woman； especially when one looked at each feature in turn。 Her mouth was small and expressionless； her large eyes were withdrawn； and the angles of her face seemed too hard and unforgiving。 Her skin was as pale as that of the legendary nineteenth…century geisha who never went out in sunlight without the protection of an umbrella。
As she knelt with her hands primly together in her' lap； she gave the impression of frailty or； if one was not in the mood to be charitable； infirmity。 Nicholas initially wondered whether she might be crippled。
Nicholas bent to his ta