ericlustbader.the ninja-第15章

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　'And　that　is　all　you　see；'　said　So…Peng。　There　was　no　hint　of　an　interrogative　in　his　inflection。
　Yes；　the　Colonel　was　about　to　say；　that　is　all　I　can　see。　But　he　checked　himself　at　the　last　moment；　certain　that　there　was　something　out　there　that　the　old　man　wished　him　to　see。
　For　long　moments　he　moved　the　eye　of　the　glass　over　the　terrain　an　inch　at　a　time　but　he　saw　nothing　new　to　report。　Still；　it　nagged　at　him　and　he　moved　the　glass　upwards；　scanning。　Nothing。　Then　downwards　towards　the　earth。　Below　the　on…rushing　storm；　he　saw　the　women　in　the　rice　paddies；　the　flat　wet　fields　without　the　protection　of　a　single　tree　or　even　a　makeshift　lean…to。　Almost　in　concert；　the　women　bent　to　their　tasks；　leaning　over；　reaching　for　and　pulling　at　the　growing　rice。　Their　skirts　were　pulled　up　in　the　centre；　tied　in　huge　knots　between　their　bent　legs；　woven　sacks　encircled　their　backs　so　that　they　had　the　aspect　of　beasts　of　burden；　water　covered　their　bare　feet　to　the　ankle。
　'The　women　are　still　working；'　the　Colonel　said；　'as　if　the　storm　wasn't　there。'
　'Ah！'　So…Peng　said；　nodding。　'And　what　does　this　tell　you；　Colonel？'
　The　Colonel　took　the　glass　from　his　eye；　lowering　it　to　his　side；　looking　at　So…Peng；　at　his　yellow　hairless　head；　the　grey　wisp　of　his　beard　hanging　straight　down　from　the　ultimate　point　of　his　chin；　the　dark　serene　eyes　regarding　him　coolly　as　if　from　some　other　age。
　'Hmmm；'　So…Peng　murmured　and　nothing　more。　He　was　fully　aware。
　'They　know　something　we　don't；'　the　Colonel　said。
　By　that　'we'　the　Colonel　had　meant；　however　implicitly；　Westerners。　Yet　So…Peng　now　had　to　make　up　his　mind　whether　the　Colonel　was　being　serious　or　merely　condescending。　So…Peng；　not　unlike　every　Asian　on　the　continent；　had　had　far　more　experience　with　people　expressing　the　latter　sentiment。　Yet　he　did　not　dismiss　the　Colonel　summarily　as　he　very　easily　might　have；　so　that　even　at　this　early　stage　he　must　have　had　an　instinctive　reaction　to　this　man。
　For　his　part；　the　Colonel　knew　only　too　well　that　he　had　e　to　a　crucial　nexus　in　his　relationship　with　Cheong。　This　man's　blessing　was　imperative　for　her。　Why　it　had　not　been　necessary　at　her　marriage　he　could　not　understand。　Yet　he…knew　that　for　her　to　depart　from　Singapore；　So…Peng　had　to　bee　an　active　agent。
　That　this　house；　this　town　were　so　isolated；　so　totally　unknown　to　the　Western　population；　made　the　Colonel　all　the　more　apprehensive。　He　was　painfully　aware　that　many　Chinese　had　no　great　love　for　Westerners；　those　barbarian　giants　from　across　the　sea。　That　this　dislike　…　indeed　this　enmity　…　was；　at　its　core；　mostly　justifiable；　made　no　difference　to　him　at　this　moment。
　But　the　Colonel　had　a　great　love　for　these　people；　for　their　life；　their　history；　religion　and　customs；　and　it　was　this　knowledge；　chiefly；　which　heartened　him　now；　which　prompted　him　to　say；　'There　is　no　doubt；　sir；　that　we　have　much　to　learn　here　but；　I　feel　too；　that　the　most　advantageous　of　situations　involves　an　exchange；　initially；　of　information　but；　more　important；　leads　from　there　to　an　exchange　of　…　confidences。'
　So…Peng's　hands　were　inside　the　wide　sleeves　of　his　robe　as　he　crossed　his　arms　over　his　thin　chest。　'Confidences；'　he　said　meditatively　as　if　the　word　were　some　new　and　exotic　flavour　he　was　testing　on　his　palate。　'Well；　now；　Colonel；　〃confidences〃　may　have　many　meanings　…　inflections　and　contextual　placings　determine　that。　Whereby；　my　boy；　I　might　be　led　to　believe　that　you　had　meant　by　it；　secrets。'
　'That　may　not　be　very　far　from　the　mark；　sir；'　the　Colonel　replied。
　'And　what；'　said　So…Peng；　'makes　you　think　that　any　such　intimacy　should　be　extended　to　you？'
　The　Colonel　kept　his　gaze　steady；　his　eyes　impaled　by　those　he　saw　in　front　of　him；　and　so　intense　became　this　look　that　at
　length　the　other's　face　seemed　to　disappear；　leaving　behind　that　pair　of　lights　swimming　alone　in　the　atmosphere；　hovering　in　lambent　conversation。　'There　is；　firstly；　respect；　sir。　Then　there　is　knowledge；　knowledge　sought　and　assimilated。　There　is　acceptance；　of　what　is　and　what　was　…　the　understanding　of　one's　role　within　the　matrix。　Then　there　is　the　curiosity　to　learn　the　unknowable。　And　lastly；　there　is　love。'　This　being　said；　the　Colonel　relaxed　somewhat；　knowing　that　he　had　spoken　his　heart；　expressed　himself　in　a　manner　both　pleasing　to　himself　and　honouring　his　wife。　There　was　naught　else　to　be　done　now。
　Yet　when　So…Peng　next　spoke；　it　was　directed　not　at　the　Colonel　but　at　his　wife。　'Cheong；'　he　said。　'I　believe　that　Chia　Sheng　is　calling　for　you。　Her　voice　drifts　up　to　me　in　this　charged　air。'
　Without　a　word；　Cheong　bowed　and　departed。
　The　Colonel　stayed　where　he　was；　silent。　Beyond　their　frail　enclosure　the　storm　came　on。
　'Cheong　tells　me　that　you　are　leaving　for　Japan　shortly。'
　The　Colonel　nodded。　'Yes。　Tomorrow。　I　have　been　asked　to　work　with　General　MacArthur　in　reconstructing　a　new　Japan。'
　'Yes。　There　is　much　prestige　in　such　work。　A　place　in　history；　eh；　Colonel？'
　'I　hadn't　thought　about　that；　quite　frankly。'
　'Do　you　not　think；'　said　So…Peng；　'that　this　reconstructing；　as　you　put　it；　is　best　left　for　the　Japanese　people　to　decide　for　themselves？'
　'That　would　be　the　ideal；　of　course。　But　unfortunately　certain　elements　within　Japanese　society　have　misdirected　them　throughout　the　last　two　decades。'　When　the　other　remained　silent；　the　Colonel　continued：　'I　am　certain　you　are　quite　aware　of　their　activities　in　Manchuria。'
　'Manchuria　1'　So…Peng　scoffed。　'What　have　I　or　my　people　to　do　with　Manchuria？　It　is　as　a　slum　on　the　far　side　of　the　world　to　us。　I　would　just　as　soon　allow　the　Japanese　and　the　Bolsheviks　to　fight　between　themselves　for　it。　Manchuria；　from　my　point　of　view；　would　be　no　great　loss　to　China　as　a　whole。'
　'But　the　Japanese　sought　that　land　as　a　foothold　into　the　rest　of　China。　There　they　would　have　built　their　　　　　military　bases
　from　which　they　would　expand。'
　'Yes。'　So…Peng　sighed。　'Their　imperialist　nature　saddens　me　deeply　…　at　least　it　did　when　I　was　a　youth。　Yes；　then　it　was　like　a　thorn　in　my　side；　for　the　Japanese　way　is　the　way　of　militarism。　It　always　has　been；　it　cannot　be　otherwise。　It　is　the　blood　flowing　out　of　the　centuries　and　its　imperative　cannot　be　denied；　neither　by　politicians'　rhetoric　nor　by　any　kind　of　collective　amnesia。　Do　you　understand　me；　Colonel？　The　Germans　deny　their　racism　now。　But　how　foolish；　for　how　can　diey？　Easier　to　deny　that　air　is　the　source　of　one's　life。
　'China　has　naught　to　fear　fronj　Japan　nowadays。　This　I　tell　you　as　a　…　confidence；　eh？　The　pressure　now　es　from　the　Bolsheviks　and　they　are　to　be　feared　more　than　ever　the　Japanese　were。
　'Bushido；　Colonel。　Do　you　understand　this　concept？'
　The　Colonel　nodded。　'Yes。　I　think　so。'
　'Good。　Then　you　understand　what　I　mean。'　He　looked　out　at　the　sky；　entirely　grey　now　and　moving；　as　if　some　unseen　giant　were　waving　a　rippling　pennant　at　them。　'That　is　a　measure　of　friendship；　did　you　know　that？　Good　friendship；　I　am　speaking　of　now　…　not　a　friendship　as　one　might　find　between　business　associates　or　neighbourly　acquaintances。　In　this　kind　of　friendship；　which　is　rarer　these　days　than　one　might　believe；　munication　no　longer　bees　a　problem　or；　as　it　most　often　is；　a　barrier。　Do　you　agree　with　this　notion　of　mine？'
　'Yes；　sir；　most　assuredly。'
　'Umm。　Something　told　me　that　you　might。'　He　laughed　softly；　not　unkindly。　'You　know；　it　was　a　day　just　like　this　one　when　Cheong　first　came　to　me。　She　was　a　very　small　child；　not　even　three　yet；　I　believe。　Once　there　had　been　quite　a　large　family。　I　don't　know　whatever　happened　to　them；　apparently　no　one　does；　for　I　made　many　inquiries　over　a　good　many　years。　All　fruitless。
　'After　a　while　it　did　not　seem　to　matter　at　all。　This　was　her　family　and　I　could　not　have　loved　her　more　if　she　were　my　own　daughter。　I　have　many　children　and　now　many　grandchildren　and　great…grandchildren。　My　goodness；　so　many　is　their　number　now　that　I　sometimes　confuse　a　name　with　the　wrong　face。　But　it　is　excusable。　I　am　an　old　man　and　my　mind
　is　otherwise　occupied　with　numerous　matters。
　'But　I　may　tell　you　with　all　candour　that　among　all　my　progeny　Cheong　has　a　special　place。　She　is　not　the　fruit　of　my　loins　but　she　most　assuredly　is　the　fruit　of　my　mind；　do　you　follow　me？　This　is　where　she　es　from　and　you　must　know　this；　e　to　understand　it　for　what　it　is　and　what　it　portends　before　you　leave　Singapore。'
　He　was　silent　for　a　time　now　as　if　he　were　dreaming　of　a　far…off　land　or；　perhaps；　a　time　long　gone。　The　air　seemed　to　split　open　and　rain　slanted　down　out　of　the　charcoal　sky；　pattering　against　the　small　square　roof　of　the　garret；　dripping　from　the　diminutive　eaves。　The　green　leaves　of　the　trees　dipped　and　shivered　under　the　downpour　until；　hissing；　the　world　was　obliterated　as　if　by　a　solid　wall　of　water。　Leaning　slightly　over　the　side；　the　Colonel　could　not　even　make　out　the　lower　roof　of　So…Peng's　house。　Mist；　heavily　laden　as　smoke；　drifted　up　to　them。　The　world　was　now　a　grey…green　pointillist　painting　from　which　only　brief　shadows　emerged　as　if　they　were　watching　the　visualization　of　still…forming　thoughts　within　some　godlike　brain。
　'We　seem　very　alone　up　here　now；'　the　Colonel　said。
　So…Peng　smiled。　'One　is　never　truly　alone　in　Asia；　is　that　not　so？'　He　stood　as　still　as　a　statue　and　it　seemed　odd　to　the　Colonel　that　this　should　be　so；　primarily　because　the　background　was　in　such　violent　motion。　Spray　bouncing　up　off　the　sill　showered　him　with　a　fine　mist　and　he　stepped　back　from　the　verge　a　pace；　reminded　of　standing　at　the　bow　of　a　fast　cutter　on　the　open　seas。　'The　world　is　different　here；'　So…Peng　continued。　'Our　world　is　different。　We　are　born　with；　grow　up　with；　indeed　live　our　entire　lives　with　the　concept　of　eternalness　always　close　to　us。　This　…　shall　we　say　intimacy　…　I　have　often　thought　is　a　two…edged　sword。　It　is　indubitably　our　great　strength　in　life　but　also　…　this　is　another　confidence　…　it　is　our　weakness；　I　fear；　our　Achilles'　heel　when　it　es　to　dealing　with　the　West。　I　am　much　afraid　that　too　many　of　my　countrymen　underestimate　Westerners　precisely　because　they　think　of　them　as　barbarians；　unable　to　grasp　fully　the　Eastern　concepts　of　man；　honour　and　the　nature　of　time。　This　can　be　lethal。　Witness　the　Japanese。　Idiotic；　what　they　attempted！　Glorious　but　idiotic。　But　the　Japanese　know　well　the　nobility　of　failure。
　A　majority　of　their　national　folk　heroes　would　be　considered　dismal　failures　by　Western　standards。　It　is　the　nature　of　their　being；　the　quality　of　their　thoughts　that　are　revered；　deeds　count　for　all；　in　the　West。　The　Protestant　ethic；　I　believe　it　is　called；　eh？　Well；　it　is　nothing　to　scoff　at；　as　any　Japanese　would　tell　you　now。　The　Protestant　ethic　is　what　defeated　Japan。　It　was　made　to　pay　dearly　for　the　miscalculation　of　Pearl　Harbor。　The　United　States　was　truly　the　sleeping　giant；　its　wrath　awesome　to　behold。'　He　gazed　out　upon　the　frantic　rain。　The　air　was　heavy　with　moisture。　'We　as　yet　lack　the　necessary　understanding　of　the　nature　of　time。　We　still　look　to　yesterday　when　its　eternal…ness　was　all；　we　have　not　yet　caught　up　with　the　present。'　He　laughed。　'But　give　us　time。　We　are　most　ingenious　people。　Once　show　us　the　way　and　there　is　our　salvation。　We　a