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mountain peaks rising above a cloudbank： this ment much to the delight of both the Colonel and Cheong。 But in any event； the Zen garden was； ironically enough； a place of perfect peace and meditation in a country half…dead； mutilated and charbroiled； struggling now towards a new kind of survival。
Nicholas adored the house and the grounds with an unquenchable passion。 He was drawn； over and over； to the Zen garden； where Cheong would often find him sitting thoughtfully； head held in his hands； gazing out over the stark serenity of the rising rocks amid the precisely arranged pebbles。 After a time it would be the first place she would look for him。
Nicholas could never decide whether he loved the garden best when he was alone there or when Ataki would e with his water and his rake … to keep the earth beneath from drying out and to make certain that the pebbles were properly aligned …for he adored both the intense solitude of the place （'It's like；' he told the Colonel once； 'you can hear your soul breathing'） and watching the old man's preciseness and deft economy of movement with the pebbles； which were worn so smooth that Nicholas firmly believed that their origin must have been some point on the island's shoreline； for only the constant action of a motion…filled sea could create such stupendous smoothness。
It appeared to Nicholas that the old man's motions were so utterly effortless that he scarcely seemed to expend any physical energy at all。 When he was perhaps six he had asked Ataki how it was he moved the way he did； and when the old man answered with one word； 'bujutsu'； Nicholas went to the Colonel straightway to ask him what it meant。 It was no good badgering Ataki； for he would only tell you what he wanted you to know。
'Bujutsu；' the Colonel said； putting down his cup of tea and folding lengthwise the newspaper he had been absorbed in dissecting； 'means； collectively； all the martial arts of Japan。'
'Then；' Nicholas said clearly； 'I want to learn bujutsu。'
The Colonel regarded his son。 He had learned quite quickly that Nicholas never said anything lightly and that now； if he said that he wanted to learn bujutsu； he was quite prepared to take it on； superfluous for the Colonel to tell him how arduous a task it was likely to be。
The Colonel got up from the table and； putting his arm around his son's shoulders； opened the shoji … sliding paper and wood walls … so that they could walk outside together。
They stood by the edge of the Zen garden but Nicholas noticed； on looking up at his father； that the Colonel seemed to have fixed his gaze far beyond its border； indeed； beyond even the last boundary of their land； to the rising green swords of the cryptomeria forest。
'Do you know； Nicholas；' the Colonel said in a rather floating voice； 'that within the perimeter of the Shinto temple at the centre of the forest lies a park … a small one； mind you … that is said to contain forty different species of moss？'
'I've never been there；' Nicholas said。 'Will you take me？'
'Perhaps one day；' the Colonel replied； his heart aching； for he knew that there was never enough time and he was here to do a job； a monstrous； bloody； awful job that； nevertheless； needed to be done and； furthermore； needed him to get it done right； these years had been more than enough to grind down a man of lesser courage and perseverance than the Colonel。 But each time his tired mind seemed on the verge of faltering； he would recall So…Peng and his son； enpassed in the same thought； and he would go on； through another long night and the subsequent longer day until the weekend came and it would begin all over again。 'But I have never seen that park either； Nicholas。 Few save the Shinto priests of that temple have viewed it。' The Colonel took some time now before he continued。 'What I mean to say is that you wish to go where few nowadays would wish to go … and there are many specializations。'
'I wish only to start at the beginning； Father。 That is not so much to ask； is it？' Nicholas looked up again。
'No；' the Colonel said； tightening his grip upon his son's shoulders。 'Not too much。' He thought for a moment； his lean face wrinkled along the firm brow。 'I tell you what；' he said at last。 'I'll speak to your aunt about it； all right？'
Nicholas nodded； his gaze lowering from his father's face to the mountains thrusting blindly out of the clouds。
The person to whom the Colonel had referred was； in fact； Itami。 Nicholas； knowing her origin； had never really considered her his aunt。 Perhaps； after all； this was because he had disliked her for as long as he could remember； and having once formulated this opinion； could never get himself unstuck from it。
It would be no great surprise to learn that his instinctual dislike of her was only an offshoot of how he reacted to the presence of her husband； Satsugai。 In a boy who； from birth； had been taught to attain within himself a calmness of spirit； like a cool guiding stream； it was most disconcerting to e in close contact with Satsugai。 He felt； at those times； like an ineffectual moon whirled about by the proximity of a nova。 Great turbulent currents； powerful eddies； disturbed his tranquillity； and this inability to return to a semblance of inner balance until Satsugai had left frightened him。
On the other hand； his aunt in no way created the same effect on him。 She was an exceedingly small and delicately boned woman； beautiful though； in Nicholas's opinion； the perfect symmetry of her face could not pare to his mothers features。
Itami always wore formal Japanese attire。 She was constantly attended by servants。 Her diminutive size made all the more fascinating her rather charismatic nature。 She was； the Colonel had told him； a member of one of Japan's greatest and oldest houses； of the bushi class。 She was a samurai lady。 She had been married to Satsugai for eleven years and he； as far as Nicholas knew； was a wealthy and influential businessman。
Then there was Itami's son； Saigo。 He was a year older than Nicholas； a large burly boy with deep brooding eyes and a cruel and calculating disposition。 He spent much time with his father but； on the many occasions when the two families assembled； it was inevitable that Nicholas and Saigo should be thrown together。
It seemed to Nicholas that the other boy hated him almost on sight。 Why this should be so he could not imagine。 Not until much later。 But then he reacted as any boy in any part of the world might to such unadulterated hostility。 He returned measure for measure。
It was； of course； Satsugai who had put Saigo up to it。 This knowledge； when it came to him； only increased Nicholas's hatred and fear of the man。 But then it was also Saigo who introduced Nicholas to Yukio。 As it is said； all things in life balance themselves out。
Don't they？
Second Ring
THE WIND BOOK
I
New York CityWest Bay Bridge； Summer Present
When the man with the mirrored aviator sunglasses emerged from the depths of Pennsylvania Station on the Seventh Avenue side he did not look around him； nor did he walk immediately to the kerb； as did most of his fellow passengers； to wave a raised hand to hail a cruising