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rief…stricken son to the outside world。 For already a plan of vengeance had formed in his mind。
'Thus he contrived to be home several times when he knew Itami was corning to your house for the afternoon； when you would not be home。 I cannot say whether it happened the first or the second time but it scarcely matters。
'You must know by now what amazing yogen' … chemists … 'the Kuji…kiri are； how many different and subtle ways they are taught to kill a human being without ever touching him。
'This； I fear； is what happened to your father。 Saigo murdered him with slow poison。'
Nicholas felt tears e to his eyes so that he had difficulty focusing on the last several sentences。 His fingers gripped the thin rice…paper leaves； shaking。
'Here I must extend to you my most profound apologies。 Even though I am not ninja； I feel responsible； at least in part； for your father's death。 He was a great friend to me and I feel … even now after the initial sorrow has left me … that I should have known。
'You have bee the symbol of my atonement。 That you are reading this now with； I trust； my esteemed friend Fukashigi beside you； is proof of that。 I am long past knowing。
'I imagine that you were quite surprised on arriving at the Tenshin Shoden Katori ryu to find that payment for your long study had already been made in full。
'I trust you understand why I had to do that before I died and pray Amida Buddha that you will forgive an old man's lapse。'
He saw the brush…stroke characters of Kansatsu's name through the well of tears as he cried for the Colonel； who had tried； in his own way； to tell him； and for Cheong。 He felt now as if the years had been stripped from him like the red and gold leaves of autumn。 And now he wept； too； for his friends； who had loved him and whom he had loved in return。 Time enough for them all now。
Beside him； silent as sunlight； Fukashigi sat deep in contemplation； thinking about the cruelties time inflicted upon the young。
'Did you e here to dry out？'
'That's a bit direct； isn't it？'
'Sorry。'
'That's all right。 I suppose I deserved it。 But； no； I've already done my drying out。'
They sat within the immense oval of the starry living room。 Fully half the walls were glass； open to the sunlight of the beach and the sea。 Above them； the skylight was like a faceted diamond； the largest in the universe； so Justine had always believed when she was younger。 Now； in the morning； the tardy sun had not yet slipped across its faces and thus they were bathed … as at evening … in a most flattering indirect light。
The couch upon which they both sat was pletely circular with two breaks； as angular and distinct as the fitted edges of a Chinese sphere puzzle which someone had once given to Justine and which she could never quite conquer。 They sat on opposite sides of the morning； their backs as rigid； their eyes as wary as a pair of cats' on unfamiliar territory。
Tall frosty drinks sat on the tables in front of them； untouched； as if for either of them to take the first sip would be to admit defeat。
'How long will you stay？' That was not what Justine had meant to say。 She had wanted to say； 'I'm glad' because she found that she was。 No one wanted a lush for a sister。 It was as if her tongue cleaved to the roof of her mouth when she wanted to say something nice to Gelda。 I really can't give her anything at all； she thought in wonder。 Not even the tiniest thing。 She felt a wave of shame wash over her like her mother's long hands； slippery with soap； bathing her。
When she was older； she would wait until everyone had left the house。 She would take a bath and emerge； moist and warm； one great snowy towel around her thin body and another smaller one wound about her long hair like a turban。 And； as if she were in some far…off Byzantine city … that must have been from her constant reading … she would flop down on this very couch； her back against the foamy cushions； her legs up and dangling over the back。 Thus positioned； she would turn her head； watch the slow wheel of the day as it streamed in through the skylight and by its shape and its position in the room could divine the precise time of day without ever looking upward or out of the window or at the great clock on the mantelpiece behind her。 But nevertheless its heavy sonorous ticking caused her to dream of the sunlight as drops of honey； seeping in through the panes of the skylight； onto her outthrust tongue。
In just this way she amused herself while Gelda was off with her friends。
With a start； she realized that she had missed Gelda's answer。 That was all right； she hadn't meant to ask the question anyway and now had no interest in the response。
'You can stay here as long as you want；' Gelda said。
'Oh； that's all right。 I have to be going； anyway。' But she made no move to get up and Gelda chose not to pursue the matter further。
'You'll excuse me； then。' Gelda rose and went through one of the narrow gaps between the couches。 'I'll be around。' She put her hand on the back of the couch。 'You always loved this room best； didn't you？'
'Yes；' Justine said； somewhat surprised。
'I always imagined you would have slept out here if Mother would have allowed it。〃
'Yes。 That would have been nice。'
〃Well。〃 Gelda's fingers plucked at the fabric。 She looked down at her hands； then towards 〃die place where Justine lay half sprawled on the cushions。
'You'll say good…bye before you leave； won't you？'
'Sure。'
Then she was alone in the house … the servants were gone for the week…end … as she had been when she was a child； and her gaze quite naturally fell to the portion of the morning which the skylight let in； reflecting on what it might be like to be a great lady in some time past when there were no cars or phones or even electricity … she always adored candle…light and oil lamps to her meant taking to the sea for years at a time； hunting down the whales； imperilled and exhilarated at the same time。 It was something she； as a woman； would never know。 Down to the sea in ships and back again with enough oil for all the lamps in Nantucket。 I should； she thought； have been born a Starbuck。
And that was how Saigo found her； alone and dazzled； lost within her imagination。 She never knew that she had passed into unconsciousness or that anything was done to her while she was out。 She might have been sleeping。 But she was not。
He worked over her for fifteen minutes； one ear alert for the minutest sound that might herald an interruption。 He could not afford that now。 He hoped that it would not occur because it would necessitate dragging her away from here and this he did not want to do。 She was relaxed here； it was a place she trusted。 That made what he had to do that much easier。
During this time； Justine's eyes were open and it could even be said that she saw； in a manner of speaking。 But what she saw was only his face； transfigured； like a geological fault line after an earthquake。 There was only a little familiarity among the change。 It had bee a face that was more than human。
It became the ground she walked upon； the food she ate； the water she gulped thirstily down； the air she breathed。 It became her world and； f