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！
It began to snow； the sky turning white。 The silence seemed appalling and absolute after the long siege of the hail。 The radio had been switched off at last。
It was the reverse of the story she had told him； he thought； his head pounding。 Except he was the lady waiting in vain for the broken； promises of her lover to e true。 Would Yukio； returning to find him gone； bee a nun？ For the first time； he began to think of America as more than just a country on the other side of the world。 Forsake his beloved Japan？ Yes； he thought。 Yes！ But first。。。
With a raucous burst； the radio broke into renewed life。。。 I'll pretend that I'm pissing the lips I am missing/And hope that my dreams will e true/And then while I'm away/I'll write home every day I And I'll send all my loving to you 。。。 It hardly seemed surprising that Nicholas did not go straight' home from the station。
He threw his bags in the back of a taxi and； climbing in after them； gave the address of Kansatsu's ryu。
Apparently the snow had been falling in Tokyo for some time。 There was already more than an inch on the ground and traffic was snarled。 This first snow had e so late in the year that everyone had given up on it and so had been taken by surprise。 …
The heavily laden windshield wipers gave off a hypnotic hiss…thunk； hiss…thunk as they crept through the city in maddening herky…jerky fashion。 But once on the highway at the outskirts they made better time； the sanding crews had done their job。
He sat slumped in one corner of the back seat and did not open his eyes until they came to a stop outside the ryu。 The driver called to him and he asked the man to wait until he was certain someone was still there。
The taxi seemed to sit there in the snow； panting； its exhaust expelled in tiny white bursts。 He returned in a moment； paid the driver and hauled out his bags。
Kansatsu served him green tea in one of the ryu's back rooms。 The dojo； itself； was deserted。 There was no one here save the sensei and himself。
'You have had a most difficult trip；' Kansatsu said。 Through an open shoji； Nicholas could see the snow silently falling； muffling all sound。 In the twilight it seemed more blue than white。 Fuji was invisible now； in the weather。 'I can see it on your face。' So Nicholas told him。
There was a great silence after he had finished； or so it seemed to Nicholas。
'Kansatsu …' _But the sensei stopped him。 'Drink your tea； Nicholas。'
Nicholas threw the grey porcelain cup away from him； tea spilled across the tatami。 'I am tired of being treated like a child！ I know what I want to do now … what I must do。'
'I think；' said Kansatsu； unperturbed by the outburst； 'that you should go home now。'
Nicholas stood up； his face red with rage。 'Don't you understand what has happened？ Have you been listening to what I've been telling you？'
'I have heard every word。' Kansatsu's tone was calm； soothing。' 'I sympathize with you。 You have confirmed what I have suspected for some time。 But no decision can be made in haste。 You may think that you know what it is you want to do now but I doubt if you do。 Please take my advice and return home。 Take some time to think …'
'There are some answers I want from you；' Nicholas said harshly。 'You set me up for this。 You knew …'
'I knew nothing。 As I said。 Now I know； as do you。 That is better； you will admit； than being unsure。 No decisions can be accurately made； no course of action taken； in such circumstances。 That is basic。 You understand that。' There was a slight interrogative at the end。
'Yes。'
'All right。' Kansatsu sighed and stood up。 They faced each other across the low； lacquered table。 'Let me tell you that which I withheld from you was for your own benefit…'
'My own benefit'
Kansatsu held up one hand。 'Please allow me to finish my thought。 I had； at the time； only conjecture to go on as regards Saigo。' His tone of voice changed； softening somewhat。 'As for yourself； I told you what was in my mind。 Working here will no longer well serve either of us。 That you have survived your journey to Kumamoto is proof enough of that … if you might be inclined to mistrust my word。'
'I would never …'
'No。 I know。 You would not。' Kansatsu came round the table； touched Nicholas on the biceps。 It was the first such gesture he had ever made towards Nicholas。 'You have been my finest pupil。 But the time has e for us to part ways。 You must grow along your own path； Nicholas。 Too long in this ryu； any ryu； can be detrimental to that growth。 But' … he raised a long forefinger … 'before you decide on where to go； your mind must be clear。 And you will admit that you cannot claim such clarity now； hm？'
Nicholas was silent； thinking。
'Take several days； as long as you need； in fact。 Then； when you feel you are ready； e to me。 I will be here。 I shall answer all your questions as best I can。 And； together； we will decide on your future。'
'There is something；' Nicholas said at last； 'that cannot be ignored。'
'And what is that。'
'I have an enemy now。' Don't bother ing after。 'I invaded their territory 1 Ignored their warning。 When they e； I must be prepared。'
Beside him； Kansatsu had never seemed so old and frail as he stared out at the falling snow。
'I am afraid there's been some bad news。'
He stood with his bags in the doorway of his house。 Immediately he thought of Cheong。 'Where's Mother？'
'At your aunt's。 e inside； Nicholas。' The Colonel seemed pale and drawn。
The house seemed subtly different。 Emptier。 'What's happened？'
'It's Satsugai；' the Colonel said evenly。 He had his pipe in one hand； unlit。 'We tried to reach you in Kumamoto。 I finally got hold of Saigo this afternoon。 Itami was surprised to learn Yukio decided to stay with him。'
Nicholas felt a knife twisting inside him。 All my loving darling； I will send to you。 There was a silence。 He could hear the clock on the mantel in the Colonel's study。 All the way in here。 Nothing moved outside。 It was as if the world had frozen over in a new ice age。
The Colonel cleared his throat。 'Satsugai's been killed。 I'm sorry； it's a hell of a homeing。 I can see you didn't have the best of trips。'
Was it so indelibly etched across his face； skywriting that he refused to face？
'How did it happen？'
…The Colonel put the pipe stem to his lips； blew sharply outwards to unclog it。 He looked at the bowl。 'Robbery； the police think。 Satsugai must have surprised the thief。'
'No one else heard him？'
The Colonel shrugged。 'No one else was in the house at the time。 Itami was at her sister's。〃
'Which one？ Ikura？'
'No Teoke。'
Nicholas disliked Teoke。
'Well。' He went to take his bags into his room。 The Colonel stooped to help him and together they； went through the house。
'It's so quiet；' Nicholas said。 'Nothing seems right。'
'No；' the Colonel agreed； something far off in his eyes。 'It's never the same。' He sat on the futon； pressed his thumb and forefinger against his eyelids。 'The servants have gone with your mother and Ataki won't e today。'
Nicholas began to unpack； separating the soiled clothes from the unworn ones。 'Dad；' he said after a time； 'what do you know of the ninja？'
'Oh； not very much