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oth pipe and forefinger into its depths； filling it。 Striking a kitchen match on the edge of his desk； he drew strongly on the pipe； getting it going to his satisfaction before continuing。 His long forefinger tapped the top of the box； the tip tracing the lines of the two creatures emblazoned there。
'Nicholas； do you know the symbolic meanings of the dragon and the tiger in Japanese mythology？'
Nicholas shook his head。
The Colonel blew out a cloud of blue aromatic smoke； gripped the pipe…stem with his teeth at one corner of his mouth。 'The tiger is lord of all the land and the dragon； well； he is emperor of the air。 Curious； that； I've always thought。 The flying serpent； Kukulkan； of Mayan mythology； though he was depicted as being feathered； was also lord of the air。 Interesting that two cultures so far from each other should share a major slice of mythology； don't you think？'
'But why did So…Peng give you a Japanese box？' Nicholas asked。 'He was Chinese； wasn't he？'
'Uhm； a good question；' the Colonel said； puffing away。 'One to which； I am afraid； I do not have a satisfactory answer。 It is true that So…Peng was Mandarin； but only half so。 He made it clear to me that his mother was Japanese。'
'Still； that doesn't explain the box；〃 Nicholas pointed out。 'It's true enough that you were going to Japan； but this box is ancient； not easily acquirable； especially at that time。'
'Yes；' the Colonel replied； stroking the lid； 'there is little doubt that this had been in his family … quite probably brought by his mother to China … for some time。 Now why should So…Peng give this to us？ I mean this specific item。 Surely it was no whim； he was not that kind of man。 Nor do I think it was mere coincidence。' The Colonel rose now and stood by the rain…streaked window。 Condensation had made the panes into frosted decorations； winter's chill had not totally been left behind。
'I pondered this for a long time；' the Colonel said； staring out of the windows。 He rubbed a small oval； clearing a line of sight as if he were carefully looking out of a besieged fortress's apertures。 'All the way from Singapore to Tokyo； in fact。 So…Peng had asked us not to open the present until we had reached Japan and we respected this request。
'At Haneda Airport； we were met by a contingent of SCAP personnel … we had； of course； flown over in a military transport。 However； someone else was waiting for us when we landed。 Certainly your mother recognized her immediately and so did I； just by the description I had been given by Cheong of her dream。 It was Itami and she looked precisely as your mother had dreamed she did。' He shrugged。 'Somehow； I was not amazed。 One grows used to such 。。。 phenomena； here； it's a part of life in the Far East； as I've no doubt you will soon learn。
'I was curious； the rapport your mother had with Itami。 It was as if they had known each other all their lives； as if they were sisters； rather than sisters…in…law。 There was absolutely no culture shock as there might have been when a young girl brought up in a tiny Chinese village meets for the first time a grand lady of urban Japanese society。 Now this was so even though your mother and Itami are totally different kinds of people。〃 The Colonel turned around to face his son。 'AH the differences you see in them … the warmth in your mother； the steel…like aloofness of Itami； the happiness of your mother； the sadness of your aunt … none of these differences mattered to either of them。
'This； too； I thought about for some time and what I decided was this： although So…Peng told me in so many words that he possessed no knowledge of Cheong's true heritage； yet his present was an oblique way of telling me otherwise。〃
'You mean Mother is Japanese。'
'Perhaps part Japanese。' He came and sat down next to his son； putting one hand on his shoulder lovingly。 'But； Nicholas； this is something you must promise never to discuss with anyone； even your mother。 I tell you now because … well； because it was information passed on to me。 So…Peng believed it was important； therefore it must be； though I myself put little stock in that sort of thing。 I am English and a Jew； yet my heart is with these people。 My blood sings with their history； my soul resonates with theirs。 What use is my lineage to me？ I want to make this quite clear to you； Nicholas。 I did not renounce my Jewish name； I merely dropped it away。 Now I suppose it can be argued that this is the same thing。 Not so！ I did this not by choice but by necessity。 England； as a rule； does not like Jews； never has done so。 I found； when I changed my name； many doors opened to me that had hitherto been quite shut。 There's a moral question to be answered here； I know。 Should one attempt to go through？ Yes； say I； and devil take the hindmost。 But that's my view。 And while my soul is with the Japanese； I am neither Buddhist nor Shinto。 These religions hold no particular meaning for me； save for scholarly study。 In my heart； I have never renounced my Jewishness。 Six thousand years of struggle cannot so easily be bought out。 The blood of Solomon and David； of Moses； runs in your veins； too。 Never forget that。 Whether you choose to do anything about it is purely your concern； I would not tamper with so private a matter。 Yet it is my duty to tell you； to give you the facts； as it were。 I hope you understand this。' He gazed solemnly at his son for a long moment before he opened the tiger and dragon box； the last gift of the enigmatic So…Peng。
Nicholas looked down； stared into the brilliant fire of sixteen half…inch cut emeralds。
Nicholas had been studying bujutsu for nearly seven years now and still felt as if he knew almost nothing。 He was strong and his reflexes superb； he went through the drills and exercises with a great deal of concentration and assiduousness but without any special love or feeling。 This surprised and concerned him。 He had been fully prepared for the hard work； the difficulty； for it was exactly this kind of effort which interested and absorbed him the most。 What he had not reckoned on was any indifference on his part。 It was not； he reflected one day during floor exercises at the dojo； that he had in any way changed his mind about wanting to learn bujutsu。 In fact； if anything； this desire had increased〃。 It was … well； very difficult to put。 Perhaps there was no spark there。
Perhaps it was his instructor。 Tanka was a stolid； solidly built man who believed a great deal in repeated movements and； it seemed； nothing else。 Over and over； Nicholas was obliged to perform the same manoeuvre。 Again and again until he felt that the sequence had been engraved upon his brain and nerves and muscles。 It was boring work and he hated it。 Hated； too； the fact that Tanka treated them as if they were children not yet ready for the adult world。
Ever and again； he would find himself looking over to the far side of the dojo where Kansatsu； the ryu's master； taught； individual classes with a select few of the older students。 He longed to be there instead of here on the dung…heap of un…specialized exercises。
He had e to join the same ryu as Saigo … as had been said； through Itami's intervention … and it galled him further t