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！
〃I did it in the prescribed method。 I manufactured a seemingly accidental meeting while he was away for the weekend in Kyoto。 I did my homework； and contrived to bump into him on the bullet train。
〃He was exceptionally charming。 He had this way of engaging you in conversation that was actually a two…way street。 He thrived on dialogue； not； as is true with so many people； in telling you what he thought。
〃He was on his way； he told me； to the Kokedera； the famous Moss Temple； whose magnificent garden is posed of forty varieties of moss。 Unless you've been there； you cannot imagine the peacefulness of that place： the mist dusting the pellucid lake； the sunlight filtered through the tall cryptomeria and black pines； spreading a light like fairy dust over the low…mounded emerald moss。 It's a heavenly spot； and a holy one as well。 When you're at Kokedera； it's impossible to imagine time moving。 It's as if the temple's reality is so powerful it defeats even time's march。
〃I don't expect I'm describing this adequately；〃 Tori said； ''but I suspect that the effect of that singular place had something to do with how quickly I was drawn into Yen's universe。 Understand； there was nothing boyish about him； save his looks。 And even then the lack of lines in his face only served to keep at bay the hardness that sooner or later life inflicts on most countenances。
〃At that moment； in that spot； Yen seemed perfect； just as the moss garden was perfect； almost as if he were an extension of the spirit that pervaded the place。 He was irresistible。〃
〃Tori…〃
〃Oh； Russ； don't tell me it's never happened to you。 Haven't you ever found a woman irresistible？〃
〃Not while I was on the job。〃
Tori automatically thought of Ariel and the legacy he had left to her safekeeping。 〃You mean pushing the papers around your desk？ I'm hardly surprised。〃
〃Thank you very much。〃
〃Sorry；〃 she said。 〃You don't deserve that。 But the old Russell Slade； the one I used to know； was so judgmental…and thought himself so perfect。〃
〃God； no； never perfect。〃
〃But that's just the mask you'd put on。〃
〃Did I？〃 Russell was surprised。 〃It seems you're describing another Russell Slade。〃
Tori looked at him。 〃In a way； that's true。〃
〃It seems to me he died somewhere in Machine…Gun City。 In the red dust。〃
〃Yes。〃 Tori looked at him。 〃I never told you how you surprised me that afternoon at Cruz's apartment； when you took the lead and won him over by being the famous mole hunter。〃 Russell laughed and Tori joined him； for the first time realizing that she was enjoying his pany。 〃And then in the jungle； and in the corrida。 I thought you'd fall apart…that's why I coerced Bernard into ordering you to e into the field with me。 I was sure I could humiliate you。''
His blue eyes had turned dark。 ''Just as I humiliated you when I severed you from the Mall for my own selfish reasons。''
〃It almost seems as if Bernard deliberately set us against one another。〃 And she was suddenly aware again of Estilo's story of how he had set the German twins against one another； destroying their intimate bond。 But this was so different。 Of course； Bernard hadn't meant her or Russell any harm。 Yet it was odd how the story seemed to remain in her mind。
Russell seemed to think about what she had said for some time。 He was about to say something； abruptly changed his mind。 〃It's funny the curves life throws you；〃 he remarked。 〃No matter how organized； how ready you are； you're never prepared for what happens。〃
〃Yes；〃 Tori said。 〃That's what happened to me with Yen。〃 She waited for him to make a ment； but he was silent。 ''We had a glorious afternoon；〃 she went on； 〃and then we parted pany。 But not forgetting why I had made contact； I doubled back and followed him。
''It was twilight； near the dinner hour at that time of the year； and I followed Yen into a restaurant in Kyoto。 Someone was waiting for him。〃
〃Don't tell me。 It was Fukuda。〃
〃Yes。 She and Yen were having an affair。〃
〃Dear God。〃
〃You're not wide of the mark；〃 Tori said。 〃Once I determined the nature of their relationship and that Yen's real purpose in ing to Kyoto was to meet his girlfriend； I backed off。
〃But I got some background on Fukuda； and I began to worry。 The more I found out about her； the worse the situation seemed to be。 I already knew enough about Yen that I realized I couldn't let him go。 If there was a Japanese…Russian connection； surely it was flowing through him。 But how was I going to avoid Fukuda？
〃Back in Tokyo； I contrived another ploy。 I approached Yen again； this time as a client。 Remember those dummy corporation papers I asked you for？''
〃Yeah；〃 Russell said。 〃They put our myths department in a snit。 They worked straight through the July Fourth holiday for you。〃
''I tried to keep our relationship strictly business；'' Tori said； 〃but Yen wouldn't let me。 He even admitted to seeing Fukuda。 He said it didn't matter。 He wanted me； and no one was going to stop him。〃
〃Sensitive guy。〃
〃The odd thing was； he was sensitive；〃 Ton said。 〃Just selectively so。 He was like a searchlight。 Whatever was illuminated by his attention was so well taken care of。 But as soon as the beam moved on； the subject was left alone in the dark。〃
〃Like Fukuda。〃
Tori nodded。 ''Yen said the affair was winding down； at least as far as he was concerned。 It was fun； he admitted； getting off on the danger。 Until it got too intense。 Perhaps that was his way of giving me a warning for what I might conceive of as our future together。〃
〃In other words； there wasn't to be any；〃 Russell said。
〃Not necessarily。 I think he was saying there was going to be a future only if he wanted it。〃
〃Nice。〃
''But isn't that typical of men？''
〃Tori； don't start。 Most women have minds of their own； too。〃
〃Yes； but it's what's been drummed into those minds that troubles me。〃 She shrugged。 〃Anyway； as far as Yen was concerned； he wanted us to start where we left off that afternoon in the Kokedera。 I did my best to dissuade him。''
〃I'll bet。〃
〃All right。 Part of me wanted to be with him。 I've never aspired to sainthood。 What possible good would it do me？ I'm only human。〃
〃From this confession can I assume that you allowed the affair to continue？''
Tori was silent for some time。 ''In a matter of speaking；'' she said after a while。
〃You're going to have to do better than that；〃 Russell said。 But there was no edge to his voice； for which Tori was grateful。
〃The affair continued；〃 she said； 〃only under my conditions。 Which were that we not be seen in public together； and that I never under any circumstances e to his house。 And it worked； for a while。 I continued to mind the business aspect； hoping at some point to hint to him my interest as an investor in unconventional multinational deals。
〃I never got the chance to make my pitch。 A territorial war erupted between Hitasura and Big Ezoe。 Fukuda was recalled from Kyoto； where she had been managing a large； plicated arms deal for Big Ezoe； and that was that。
〃Within twenty…four hours of Fukuda setting foot in Tokyo； she knew Yen was seeing someone else。 Within forty…eight hours； she had discovered that that someone was me。〃