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The crowds grew in size as they approached the castle's outward fortifications。 'What I thought was so 。。。 special 。。。 was how she carried on the will of Hideoshi； even after his death； just as if she were a samurai herself。 She devoted herself totally to the safety of the heir。'
'Oh。yes；' Nicholas said。 'Yes。' They had reached the first of
the stonework； massive and hulking in the lengthening shadows。 'To the detriment of the rest of the country。 She and Mitsunari plotted …'
'They plotted … as you choose to put it … to protect the Shogun's son。 They did what honour dictated。'
Nicholas shook his head from side to side。 'Yukio； Yodogimi was the Shogun's mistress； not his legal wife。 Her aspirations were a bit grandiose。' He waved a hand as if in dismissal。 'In any event； leyasu proved a far too potent foe for them。' He stopped。
'You talk as if Yodogimi was some kind of villain in some children's story…book。'
'Well； she hardly had the best interests of Japan in mind； you must admit that。'
'Perhaps the child would have grown up to be this country's finest leader。'
Nicholas looked past her。 To their left was a small shedlike structure。 The arms house。 It was here that Yodogimi had brought her son and their retainers when the end had bee inevitable； it was here she took her son's life before mitting seppuku。 'That's all rather irrelevant； don't you think？ In the years it would have taken him to e of age； without one daimyo strong enough to bee Shogun and lead Japan； the country would have been plunged again into the civil war from which Hideoshi had saved it。 Without leyasu's strength； Japan would have been doomed。'
'Still； such a brave woman。 Loyal and brave。' Yukio's voice might have been the whisper of the wind。 'So selfless。' She watched the parade of tourists before the shed。 'I admire her so much。'
Hidden； the sun slid downwards to the earth as if too heavy to sustain its own weight。 The sky was like grey ribbons fluttering across an excited girl's breast； parting at the soft advance of her lover。 There was a brief flash of gold； stonework in flickering torchlight； then it was gone。
'e on；' he said； taking her hand。 'Onwards and upwards。'
Of course； the original Osaka Castle had been razed in 1615； when it had been overrun by the forces of the Tokugawa； a structure previously regarded as impregnable。 This one they strode had been constructed of ferroconcrete in 1931。
Nightside。 Along the Dotombori； jammed with restaurants； shops； news…stands； movie theatres； nightclubs； restless crowds and； above all； the vast spot lit signs glittering in the night； pushing the darkness away as if it held no dominion here。 Colours spun； neon lights blinking on； off； on in time to the heartbeat of the shifting traffic。
Time seemed suspended here； as if in a dream these dazzling coloured lights； celebrants of power； called here to summit； would brook no outside interference even from such a basic concept。
A great replica of a crab； crimson and white； its spiny carapace gleaming； so many centred spots focused upon it the light seemed to drip from it like honey； hung over them； a temptation to enter and eat the night away。
They dined in a place of glossy emerald…green lacquered wood and thick bars of mirror…bright chrome as incandescent as neon tubing； replicating portions of their faces as they moved。 In a private tatami room； shoeless； stuffing themselves with sashimi and sake … did they both appear so much older ？ … she would not let him forget the castle's awesome history or its daunting inhabitants。
'I suppose I adore her because I am so little like her。' She poured more rice wine with a steady hand。
'Meaning？'
She met his gaze for a moment before her eyes slid away。 'I'm not loyal and I'm not in the least brave。 I am only Japanese。' She gave a tiny deprecatory shrug。 'I am a Japanese coward。 No one is interested in that。 A Japanese without any family： therefore without loyalty。〃
'You forget your uncle。'
'No。' She shook her head； her black hair gleamed in the low light。 'I don't forget him。 Ever。'
'He's family。'
Her eyes flashed。 'Must everything be spelled out for you？ I hate Satsugai。 How would you feel about an uncle who would not have you with him； who put you into the hands of …' She swallowed sake convulsively。
'One day；' he said； eyes on his plate； 'you will find someone。 Fall in love。'
'No loyalty； remember？' Her voice held a tinge of bitterness。 'I was born without it just as I was born without the capacity to love。 They are alien concepts to me。'
'Because you think that sex is the only thing you have。'
'The only thing that makes me happy；〃 she corrected。
He looked up。 'Don't you see that's just because you think of yourself as worthless？' He reached out； covered her hand with his。 'What you really can't conceive of is anyone caring about you … I mean you as a person； not wanting to be with you because of what you can do with your body。'
'You're being an idiot。〃 But she did not take her hand away and this time she did not look away either。
'If that's what you choose to call it。〃
'I do。 I have no trust。 Truly。 Can't you just accept me for what I am？ You can't make me over。〃
'It's not a question of that。 I want what I feel is inside you to have a chance to e out …'
^Oh； Nicholas' … she put her fingers against his cheek … 'why torture yourself by thinking about some future that will not e about。 Who knows？ I may be dead in a year …'
'Shut up；' he said quickly。 'I don't want to hear you talking like that； understand？'
'Yes；' she said； surprisingly meekly。 Her head dipped as if in penance and her thick hair slid across one side of her face like a midnight waterfall。 She was the model Japanese wife bowing before the inevitable authority of her husband's words。
'And anyway； who says you're not brave？' He wasn't used to this。 He wanted desperately to lean over the table and kiss her half…open shadowed lips； but lacked the nerve。 'Just think of what you've been through； growing up with that couple。 That took a lot of strength。'
'You think so？' A little girl now。
The waitress rustled in and knelt by the side of the low table； delivering more food and drink。 Nicholas watched her leave as she slipped on her geta at the threshold。
'I just said so；' he whispered fiercely。 'What's the matter with you？'
'I don't know。' Dark eyes on the tabletop。 'I don't know。' He filled her porcelain sake cup； white and tiny。
They went put walking； she chattering on animatedly as if nothing untoward had happened； clutching his arm； aimlessly drifting from topic to topic。
Stealing the dark； hiding it in their side pockets as they filtered through the honky…tonk nightlife； through swirling colours and blaring noise。 The air smelt of incense and petrol fumes； the walls of the evening brilliant with the unrelenting marquees here in the city of merchants； erected almost overnight； this new class universally despised by the noble samurai and the lowly peasant alike。
An enormous arcade of pinball wizards they passed up after staring for long moments like the most ignorant of country bumpkins and； farther along； the electronicized insistency of Am