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n but also to its major occupants。' She paused and the Colonel； who had been calmly sipping his drink through all of this discourse； now sat up； placing his glass on the side table by the chair。 The Westerner in him longed to take her delicate； capable hands in his； lean towards her and say； 'What is the matter； darling？ What's troubling you？' This； he knew； he could not do； for in doing so he would shame her。 She had obviously spent much time in the preparation of her presentation。 He must honour that by allowing her to e to the point as she might。 If there was anything the Colonel had learned by being in the Far East for six years； it was patience； for to fail to learn that lesson swiftly was to court peremptory disaster out here where life was so different； seeming only to float upon the bosom of the eternal Pacific。
'You know； Denis； that tranquility is only one aspect of the harmony of life。 And harmony is what all people strive to achieve。 Harmony is the basis of a clear mind； of a good and powerful karma。〃 She put her fingers along the back of his hand； which lay along the smooth worn wood of one arm…rest。 'You have such a karma。 It is very strong； like the thrown net of a master fisherman。' Her eyes looked down at her hands； one atop the other； flashed upwards to his face。 'I am afraid to do anything to destroy that。 But now there is more than one to think of。 Our karma have meshed and； intertwined； may be all the more powerful for it； yes？' He nodded again and； satisfied that she had both his attention and his agreement； she said； 'Now I must ask something of you。'
'You know that you have only to ask me；' the Colonel said sincerely。 'You； who of all people in this world make me the most happy； can have anything that is mine。'
Yet this heartfelt speech appeared to have little effect on Cheong。 'This thing I must ask you is very large。'
He nodded。
'We must go away from Singapore；' she said boldly。 Then； seeing that he did not stop her； she went on in a rush。 'I know that your work means a great deal to you but this is' … she searched for the proper words that would convey her thoughts …'most imperative for all of us。 For you； for me and for the baby。' She placed one palm against her lower belly。 'We must go to Japan。 To Tokyo。'
He laughed； struck first by the humour of it and then intrigued by the eeriness。
〃This is funny？' she cried； misunderstanding his expression of relief。 'It is bad for us to stay here。 Most bad。 In Japan our karma will flourish； expand。 There lies our … what is the English word？ … destiny； is that right？ Our destiny。'
'I laughed only at a rather odd coincidence；' the Colonel reassured her。 'It was nothing you said。' He patted her hand。 'Now tell me why we must go to Tokyo。'
'Because Itami is there。 She is Tsuko's sister。'
'I see。〃 She had told him； quite naturally； of her previous marriage but； beyond that； they rarely spoke of this portion of her life。 'And what has she to do with our karma？'
Tm sure that I do not know that；' Cheong said。 'But I had a dream last night。' The Colonel was well aware of how much stock these people put in dream messages。 They were not unlike the ancient Romans in this respect。 He himself did not； in fact； totally disbelieve in their import。 The unconscious； he knew； had more to do with the direction one took in life than most people were willing to admit。 And； in any event； dreams were closely linked with the concept of karma and karma was something in which the Colonel had a strong belief。 He had spent too many years in the Far East not to have。
'The dream was about Itami；' Cheong said。 'I was in a city。 In Tokyo。 I was shopping and I turned into a quiet side street。 All about me were shops made of wood and paper the way it was in Japan when Tokyo was named Edo and the Tokugawa ruled the shogunate。
'I passed a shop that had a gaily decorated window and I stopped。 In the centre of the window was a doll。 It was the most beautiful doll I had ever seen。 Its aura was very strong。
'She was of porcelain； this doll； white…faced； dressed elegantly in the bushi fashion。 Her eyes stared at me and I could not look away。 〃Buy me；〃 they said。
'The shopkeeper wrapped her up for me in a silken cloth and I took her home。 And； as I was unwrapping her； she began to speak。 Her voice was imperious and manding and very； very firm。 She was obviously a lady of a high house。
'It was Itami and she said that we must e to her。 She said that we must leave Singapore and e to Tokyo。'
'Have you ever met Itami？' the Colonel asked。
'No。'
'Did Tsuko ever show you a picture of her？'
'No。'
'Yet you are certain that this doll in your dream was Itami。'
'It was Itami； Denis。'
He leaned forward at last and took her hands in his as he had longed to do for some time。 Her long nails； he saw today； were lacquered deep scarlet。 He traced their satiny smoothness for a moment； savouring the feeling。 'We will go to Japan； Cheong。 To Tokyo。 We will meet Itami； just as your dream said。'
The smile that spread across her face was like the rising of the sun。 'Oh； yes； Denis？ This is really true？'
'It is really true。'
〃Then tell me why； for my spirit is happy and cares not but my mind； my mind cries out to know。'
The day before they left； she took him to see So…Peng。
He lived outside the city； to the north…west； in a village of oiled paper and bamboo where no Westerner had ever before set foot。 It was not on any map of the region that the Colonel had ever seen。 In fact； when Cheong had told him of the location； he had laughed； saying that their destination would be naught but the middle of a mangrove swamp。 Nevertheless； she was undeterred and he eventually acquiesced to her wish。
It was Sunday and Cheong insisted that he must not wear his uniform。 'This is most vital；' she had informed him and as he donned his wide…lapelled cream linen suit； white silk shirt and navy regimental tie； he felt somehow spectacularly naked： a daub of crimson in an otherwise emerald jungle； the bull's…eye in an unmissable target。 For her part； Cheong wore a white silk dress； embroidered with sky…blue herons； mandarin…collared； floor…length。 She looked a dream。
There was brilliant sunlight as they left the city； the heat washed over them in slippery waves。 A listless breeze brought with it the foetid stench of the mangrove swamps but always from their left。 Twice they were obliged to stop； standing perfectly still as long black and silver vipers writhed obliquely across their path。 The first time this happened； the Colonel made a move to kill the serpent but Cheong's firm hand upon his wrist deflected him from his purpose。
Far away； yet seeming as close to them as the flamboyantly painted backdrop to some stage play； the eastern horizon was fairly choked with dark grey clouds piling themselves into the sky like ungovernable children pyramiding themselves dangerously。 Above； the sky was a peculiar yellow； no blue was anywhere to be seen； and now and again silent white lightning flickered and forked through the grey； turning its softness for moments to marble。 It was difficult to believe that it was so calm and tranquil here where they walked up the winding