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He looked up at Noboru； his wrists on his knees； accentuating even further his simian aspect。 〃You could kill her；〃 he said in a high； quavery voice。
Honno whimpered； and Noboru put a protective arm around her； holding her tight to him。 〃Are you mad？〃 he said。 〃This is my flesh and blood。 Whatever she may be； she is my child。 I would not have her harmed。''
The Mail of One Tree nodded sagely； as if he had been presented with the correct response。 〃Or；〃 he said； ''you can leave her with me。〃
〃For how long？〃 Noboru asked。
The Man of One Tree stood。 〃When she is ready； she will e to you。〃
〃But my wife…I must be able to tell her when she can see Honno…〃
〃Tell your wife；〃 the Man of One Tree said； 〃to forget she has a daughter。 Tell her to turn her mind to other matters。 She will not survive the separation； otherwise。〃
Honno had cried bitterly when her father had left。 She had run onto the beach； the sharp rocks slashing through her thin…soled shoes； cutting the bottoms of her feet。
〃Daddy！〃 she had wailed。 〃Daddy！〃
But Noboru had already turned resolutely away as the boat took him out over the gray sea toward home。
Honno collapsed at the edge of the water； weeping uncontrollably。 Then she was aware of being lifted into the air； and opening her eyes； saw to her utter astonishment that the Man of One Tree had hefted her in his arms as easily as if she were a sack of rice。
〃Why do you cry； little one？〃 he said。 〃This is a new beginning for you； a chance for life instead of death。''
〃I want to go home！〃 Honno had cried。
〃I understand；〃 the Man of One Tree had said。 〃Home is where I am taking you。''
It took Honno less than a year to think of the island as home； but then children are so much more adaptable than adults。 No…boru； for instance； would never have been able to make the adjustment。
The thing about the Man of One Tree was that he was so interesting。 Even when Honno could not quite grasp everything he said； she filed it away； to ponder over late at night when she was alone； staring up at the stars glittering through the overarching branches of the One Tree。
And that was another thing that surprised her。 She enjoyed being alone； having time to listen to the rhythm of the surf on the rocks； the crying of the terns and gulls； the rising and falling whisper of the sea wind through the tangle of the One Tree； the ticking of her own mind。
〃Thought takes time；〃 the Man of One Tree had told her early on in her stay。 〃And it takes effort； because you must decide which thoughts will improve you； which will impair you。 You must think of your mind as a garden that needs constant attention。 You must study and discuss your studies to feed it； you must regularly seek the silence and isolation essential for periodic weeding。〃
Honno used the stars as her focus。 They were so far away that even her wa； which each day she and the Man of One Tree worked to expand； could never reach them。 But stretching over such a distance allowed for the deepest weeding。
In the night； Honno recalled her lessons for the day； turning them over and over； as if they were jewels of great value which she must observe from every facet。
In this manner she absorbed everything she was taught。 She proved to be an extraordinary pupil。 Her memory was prodigious； and as long as her interest was piqued； she never grew tired or unresponsive。
The Man of One Tree instructed her in the basics of Zen and Shinto； for he felt strongly that religion was the backbone of any successful education。 From there he moved outward in what he saw as concentric circles to the Tao and the philosophy of Lao…tse。 Now came the warlike； more secular philosophies of the master strategist； Sun Tzu； and the master swordsman； Miya…moto Musashi。 Concurrent with these mental studies were the physical exercises： tai chi； jiujutsu； aikido； karate； kenjutsu。
One might think of this as a rather traditional curriculum； and it was： for a young boy studying the martial arts。 It was totally unconventional for a female。 In addition； the Man of One Tree added to Honno's studies the somewhat more esoteric philosophies and physical disciplines he had acquired during his years crisscrossing the Indonesian archipelago。
〃You will never be a woman in the traditional sense；〃 the Man of One Tree said to Honno one night。 It was six years since she had e to live with him。 She had breasts now； and the place between her thighs was covered with fine black hair。 She had bled for the first time that evening； just as the sun was sinking with the colors of a peacock into the turbulent ocean。
She had known what the blood flow was； and what it meant。 But some other part of her； the hinoeuma child hanging on； had remembered the horror of her mother's dream； how she had squatted in the snow and； under the baleful gaze of the starving stoat； had squirted blood。
〃I am still hinoeuma；〃 she had said in despair to the Man of One Tree。 She was trembling； and her callused hands were rough and red from scrubbing herself。 〃I am still unclean。〃
To which he had replied； 〃You will never be a woman in the traditional sense。'' He took her to the center of the One Tree； where its trunk was as large as a house； where even the stars could not be seen； and sat her down with her back to the rough bark。 ''But that is all to the good。 I have done my best to cleanse your spirit。 Never mind your body； it will only betray you。''
〃It will never betray me；〃 Honno had said naively。
He spread his arms wide。 ''When you return to the mainland； all this will fade in time。〃
〃No； no！〃
〃It will e to seem as a dream；〃 the Man of One Tree persisted。 〃That is only natural； it is the way of life。 You will continue to mature until you bee a woman。 Then will your body betray you； and you will want what every woman wants： a husband； a family； a home。
〃But your path leads in other directions。 For you； normality will bring to the fore your hinoeuma； and only evil can ensue。 Therefore； I counsel you to be strong within yourself。 When you feel the urge to fall in love； to marry； return to that place in your spirit I have taught you to find； for only this will nurture you； and protect you from the fate of the hinoeuma； the husband killer。〃
Honno； opening her eyes in the present； stared out into pale sunlight； except she was still seeing the body of the young man whose larynx she had crushed。 Had it been only hours ago？ It felt like years。
But； yes； it must be only hours。 In her mind's eye she could still see his blood fresh on her hands； and behind her Big Ezoe saying； almost gently； 〃Mrs。 Kansei； I have the Sakata ledgers and their decoded pages。 It's time to go。〃
Now Irina and Natasha Mayakova went to dinner almost every night。 Even on those days when she wasn't attending Natasha's acting classes in the back of the new Moscow Arts Theater； Irina met Natasha after her performance of Three Sisters。
Often； in fact； they did not have a proper dinner； they preferred to stroll through the streets and parks； talking； endlessly talking。 They would stop； eventually； for a bowl of cabbage soup in some tiny neighborhood shop filled with steam and gossip； then move on； drifting through th