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！
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。 Why？'
He shrugged； looking down at the shirt he was holding。
'Kansatsu's been talking about them。 Did you know that when firearms were first introduced here in 1543 by the Portuguese they were immediately incorporated into ninjutsu techniques？ No？ And because of that； firearms were shunned by the majority of the other classes … most especially the samurai … until the Meiji Restoration。'
The Colonel got up； went across the room to stand beside his son。 'Nicholas；' he said gently； 'what happened between you and Yukio？' When Nicholas said nothing； he put his hand on his son's shoulder； said； 'Are you afraid to tell me？'
Nicholas turned round to face him。 'Afraid？ No。 I … It's just that I know how you felt about her。 You disliked her from the beginning。'
'So now you won't tell me …'
'I love her；' Nicholas said in anguish。 'And she told me she loved me。 And then。 And then； it all fell apart just as if it had never existed。' The Colonel's heart ached at the look he saw on Nicholas's face。 'How could she go off with Saigo？ How could she do it？' Tears stood in the corners of his eyes。 'I don't understand any of it。'
When he had seen Nicholas standing there in the doorway； the Colonel had felt an enormous urge to tell him everything； to confess。 Now he knew that he would never do that； it would be far too selfish。 It was a burden designed for him alone。 How unfair to make Nicholas carry it for the rest of his life。 But he wanted desperately to say something forting to his son。 He was dumbfounded now by his inarticulateness。 Is this how I have been with him all his life？ he wondered。 I don't know what to say； what would calm him。 He wished that Cheong were here now and was instantly ashamed of the thought。 My God； he thought； am I that estranged from my own son？ Is this what my work has done to me？ It seemed to the Colonel to be the final irony。 And now he realized how he had envied Satsugai's close relationship with Saigo。 It was something he could never have with Nicholas。 The fault； he saw； lay within himself。
He heard the door chimes ringing。 'e on；' he said； and they both went to answer it。
A detective sergeant of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police stood on the steps。 He was a heavy…set youngish man； seeming ill at ease； he knew all too well where he was。 He saluted smartly as the Colonel opened the door。
'Colonel Linnear；' he said。 He had restless brown eyes。 'Lieutenant Tomomi asked me to inform you of the investigation's progress。' He did not have to say which investigation。 'Our latest findings indicate that your brother…in…law …'
'He's not my brother…in…law。'
'Sir？'
'Never mind；' the Colonel said。 'Carry on。'
'Yes； sir。 We have ruled out burglary。 At least； it's no longer at the top of our list。'
'Oh？'
'The coroner's report indicates a double fracture of the cricoid cartilage。 In the larynx。 He was garroted。 And by a professional。 Lieutenant Tomomi believes there is now reason to consider a radical left…wing connection。'
'You mean assassination？'
'Yes； sir。 We are bringing suspects in now。 You know； the usual activists from the JSP； the munists； so forth。' 'Thank you for informing me； Sergeant。'
'No trouble at all； sir。 Good day。' He turned away。 Gravel crunched under his high black boots。
In the weeks that followed； the family life slowly restored itself to a semblance of order。 But； as the Colonel had remarked； it was not the same。
There was Satsugai's funeral； of course； a strictly formal ceremony； delayed for a time until Saigo returned home。
Nicholas found no sadness inside himself at Satsugai's death。 This； of course； was not surprising。 But he also found himself oddly anticipating the funeral and did not realize what it was he was anticipating until he saw Saigo and Itami arrive。 Then his heart sank。 Yukio was nowhere to be seen。 For his part Saigo neither looked nor talked to anyone save his mother。
With Saigo's return； Nicholas had expected Cheong to return home。 Such was not the case。 She continued to stay with Itami for more than a week。 She might have； perhaps； stayed indefinitely had not Itami insisted she leave。
The tragedy had aged his mother； Nicholas saw； as much as or even more than it had his aunt。 She rarely smiled and she seemed distant as if holding herself together by a supreme act of will。
Further； and； to Nicholas； quite inexplicably； something had changed in her relationship with the Colonel。 For as long as Nicholas could remember this had been an unwavering bulwark in his life； the backbone he could always count on。 True； the shift was subtle and； perhaps； an outsider might not have picked it up； but it was there nonetheless and it frightened him。 It was almost as if she blamed the Colonel for the tragedy。 He had saved Satsugai's life once； wasn't that enough？ Nicholas asked himself。 He felt she was being unreasonable and； for the first time in his life； he felt himself being pulled by the increasing polarization of his parents。
Itami came almost every day for lunch。 On several occasions she brought Saigo along when he was in town。 Nicholas missed these meetings； being either at the ryu； talking with Kansatsu； or at classes at Todai； Tokyo University； but Cheong spoke to him about them when he returned home in the evenings。
The Colonel had taken a week off from work； though he had not taken a vacation in almost a year and a half。 He said he was ill and； for the first time since Cheong had known him； he went to a physician。 He seemed pale and drawn but she was relieved to find that there was nothing physically amiss。
For his part； Nicholas became engulfed in college life。 It was a strange business； Todai； but he soon got the hang of it。 Once he had passed the enormously difficult entrance exams； he found that he had bee a member of the famed Gakubatsu； the university clique。 He found that Todai was one of the world's most exclusive clubs； grooming its graduates for top…line executive positions in government。 Had not five of the post…war prime ministers e from Todai？
This period of intense self…involvement took Nicholas away from his family and it wasn't until weeks later that he recognized something was amiss。 The Colonel had extended his leave of absence。 He would rise early in the morning； as was his habit； and wander around the house touching objects as if for the first time。 Often he got underfoot and the servants； quite good…naturedly； would steer him into another room or； increasingly … as he had a tendency to wander aimlessly back … outdoors。 Then he would spend long hours sitting by the side of the Zen garden as if studying the swirling lines of the gravel。 For a man who had been both strong and extremely active all his life； this behavior was most out of character。
Itami； when she visited； seemed totally attached to Cheong。 Increasingly now； she spent the week…ends； often taking long walks with Cheong through the cryptomeria and pine wood to the Shinto temple where she had taken Nicholas that afternoon so long ago。 Perhaps they even passed through the