ericlustbader.the ninja-第29章

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y　through　the　throng。　Already；　at　the　edges；　there　was　some　pushing　and　shoving。　The　scuffling　was　brief；　however；　as　more　of　the　metropolitan　police　arrived　on　the　scene。
　The　front　line　of　people　parted　and　they　saw　an　expanse　of　grass　like　a　glade　in　a　forest。　There　were　cherry　blossoms　scattered　upon　the　grass　as　if　in　a　hero's　wele　home。　Nicholas　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　patterned　kimono。　At　first　it　appeared　grey　but　then；　as　he　was　shoved　forward　by　the　thrust　of　the　uneasy　crowd；　he　saw　that　it　was　posed　of　thin　waved　lines　of　black　and　white　which；　at　a　distance；　blended　together。　It　was　trimmed　in　white。
　As　more　policemen　pushed　themselves　through　the　onlookers；　those　already　in　the　glade　shifted　position。　As　they　did　so；
　Nicholas　saw　a　man　kneeling　on　the　grass。　His　forehead　touched　the　ground　littered　with　blossoms。　His　right　arm　was　close　to　his　body；　the　hand　invisible　within　the　kimono's　folds　across　his　belly。　In　front　of　him　was　a　small　lacquered　rosewood　and　brass　box　and　a　long　white　strip　of　silk；　partly　in　shadow。
　Behind　him；　the　Colonel　gripped　Nicholas's　shoulders　as　he　said；　'That's　Hanshichiro'　He　was　referring　to　the　great　Japanese　poet。
　Nicholas　squirmed　to　get　a　better　look。　He　now　saw　the　kneeling　man's　face　between　the　forest　of　shifting　legs。　His　hair　was　iron…grey；　his　face　wide　and　flat；　the　features　thick。　Lines　pulled　down　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　His　eyes　were　closed。　Then　Nicholas　saw　that　the　silk　strip　before　him　was　not　shadowed　but　stained。　Being　porous；　it　let　all　the　blood　through　so　that　it　seeped　into　the　earth　at　Hanshichiro's　feet。
　'Seppuka；'　the　Colonel　said；　'is　how　it　ends　for　the　honourable。'
　Nicholas　was　still　thinking　of　how　incredibly　ordered　it　was。　He　was　used　to　stories　of　the　war；　there；　death　was　messy。　But　here；　how　serene；　how　precise；　how　much　like　the　tide　of　time　it　was；　while　all　around　its　calmness　stirred　the　agitated　waters。
　'Are　you　all　right；　Nicholas？'　The　Colonel　put　his　hand　lightly　on　his　shoulders；　looked　down　at　him　concernedly。
　Nicholas　nodded。　'I　think　so。'　He　looked　up。　'Yes。　I　guess　I　am。　I　feel　…　a　little　strange；　as　if　there's　been　too　much　to　take　in　suddenly。　I　…　Why　did　he　do　it　in　the　park？　He　wanted　everyone　to　sec。'
　'To　see　and　take　note；'　the　Colonel　said。　They　had　quit　the　lake；　climbing　into　the　heights　of　the　park　where　the　trees　blotted　out　even　the　surrounding　paths。　Above；　Nicholas　could　still　see　the　wavering　dragon；　spitting　his　fire　into　the　air；　as　if　in　defiance　of　the　currents　that　blew　him　hither　and　thither。
　'He　was　a　bitter　man；　firmly　embedded　in　the　past。　He　could　never　reconcile　himself　to　Japan's　new　path。'　A　dark　blue　baby　carriage　filled　with　pink　twins　and　pushed　by　a　matronly　Japanese　woman　went　past　them。　Hanshichiro　was　a　brilliant　artist；　obsessed。　A　man　of　great　honour。　This　was　his　way　of　protesting　against　Japan's　march　towards　the　future；　a　future　which；　he　felt；　would　ultimately　destroy　it。'　A　young　American　sailor　and　his　Japanese　girl　friend　approached　them　from　the　heights；　laughing　and　clutching　each　other's　hands。　The　sailor　put　his　arm　around　the　girl；　gave　her　a　kiss　on　the　cheek。　She　giggled　and　turned　her　head　away。　Her　hair　tossed　in　the　wind；　rippling　like　the　dragon's　body　if　he　were　but　articulated。
　'There　are　many　others　like　Hanshichiro；'　Nicholas　said。　'Wasn't　Satsugai　born　in　Fukuoka？'
　The　Colonel　looked　reflectively　at　his　son。　He　stopped　and　dug　in　his　jacket　pocket。　He　withdrew　his　tobacco　pouch；　went　about　filling　his　pipe；　his　thumb　tamping　at　the　bowl。
　Nicholas；　watching　the　dragon　float　high　above　him；　over　the　treetops；　said；　'I've　read　the　Constitution；　Father。　I　know　that　you　had　a　hand　in　it。　It's　not　Japanese　but　it's　very　democratic。　Much　more　so　than　the　policies　of　the　government　today。　Politically；　Japan's　gone　far　to　the　right；　the　zaibatsu　were　never　dismantled。　Most　of　the　pre…war　personnel　is　intact。　I　don't　understand　that。〃
　The　Colonel　drew　out　a　gunmetal…grey　Ronson　lighter　and；　turning　his　back　to　the　wind；　thumbed　the　long　flame　to　life。　He　sucked　three　or　four　times；　deeply；　almost　with　a　sigh　of　contentment；　before　he　flipped　the　top　of　the　lighter　closed…　'I　want　to　know　how　you　feel　before　I　answer　that。　Do　you　care　that　Hanshichiro　is　dead？　Or　that　you've　seen　a　man　take　his　own　life？'
　'I　don't　know。　I　really　don't。'　Nicholas　put　his　hand　along　the　black　iron　railing　bordering　the　path；　feeling　the　cool　metal　against　his　skin。　'I　don't　know　whether　it　has　taken　effect　yet。　It's　like　a　movie；　not　real　life。　I　didn't　know　him　or　his　work。　I　guess　I'm　sad　but　I　don't　know　why。　He　did　what　he　wanted　to　do。'
　The　Colonel　drew　on　his　pipe；　thinking　of　what　his　son　had　just　said。　What　had　he　expected？　Tears？　Hysterics？　He　dreaded　returning　home　and　having　to　tell　Cheong。　She　loved　the　old　man's　poetry。　It　was　terribly　unfair　for　him　to　think　Hanshichiro's　death　could　touch　Nicholas　in　the　same　deep　way　it　did　him。　Their　experiences　were　not　the　same　and　neither　were　the　generations；　anyway；　Nicholas　did　not　yet　possess　the　sense　of　history　that　the　Colonel　and　Cheong　did。
　And；　of　course；　he　had　quite　a　different　perspective　on　it。　For　a　moment　he　thought　of　Satsugai。　There　wasn't　much　Nicholas　missed。　He　would　have　to　watch　that　from　now　on。
　'Although　the　American　party　line　was　to　make　the　military　totally　culpable　for　the　war；'　the　Colonel　said；　'it's　only　fair　to　say　that　there　was　a　purge　of　the　zaibatsu　directly　after　the　war。　However；　there　was　so　much　burning　of　original　documents　and　deliberate　falsification　of　others　that　a　great　many　upper…echelon　executives　slipped　through。　Others；　of　course；　did　not　and　were　tried　and　convicted　of　war　crimes。'　They　began　to　walk　towards　the　eastern　gate　beyond　which　their　car　was　parked。
　'Now　the　Americans　came　in　here　with　the　best　of　intentions。〃　The　Colonel　drew　on　his　pipe；　exhaled　the　blue　smoke。　'I　remember　the　day　we　finished　drafting　the　new　Constitution　and　dropped　it　on　the　Premier　and　the　Foreign　Minister　like　another　A…bomb。　They　were　flabbergasted。　It　wasn't　a　Japanese　Constitution；　its　spirit　was　totally　Western；　that's　certainly　true。　But　it　was　MacArthur's　firm　intention　to　keep　the　country　weaned　from　its　feudal　past；　which　he　saw　as　highly　dangerous。　Its　essence　was　that　all　power　should　be　stripped　from　the　Emperor　and　given　into　the　hands　of　the　Japanese　people　while　maintaining　him　as　the　symbol　of　state。'
　'Then　what　happened？'　Nicholas　asked。
　'In　1947；　Washington；　through　MacArthur；　did　a　plete　about…face。　Rights　were　withdrawn；　certain　war…crime　convictions　were　overturned　and　the　leaders　of　the　zaibatsu　were　restored　to　their　pre…war　eminence。〃
　'It　all　sounds　so　contradictory。'
　'Only　if　you　look　at　it　from　a　purely　Japanese　point　of　view；'　the　Colonel　said。　'You　see；　America　is　deathly　afraid　of　global　munism；　the　Americans　will　go　to　any　lengths　to　prevent　its　spread。　Just　look　at　how　they've　aided　Franco　in　Spain　and　Chiang　Kai…shek　out　here。　Fascism；　the　Americans　feel；　is　their　best　weapon　against　munism。'
　〃Then　the　Americans　deliberately　disregarded　their　own　Constitution　for　Japan；　restoring　the　reactionary　zaibatsu；　guiding　us　in　a　right…wing　direction。〃
　The　Colonel　nodded　but　said　nothing。　He　felt　now　as　if　he　might　never　make　it　to　the　park　gate；　as　if　it　were　the　end　of　a　treacherous　overland　journey　that　he　no　longer　had　sufficient　strength　to　make。　'Let's　sit　here　a　minute；'　he　said　softly。　They　went　carefully　over　the　low　railing；　sat　on　a　patch　of　grass　filled　with　sunlight。　Still；　it　seemed　chill　to　the　Colonel　and　he　hunched　his　shoulders　against　the　wind。　Sheets　of　thinly　layered　cloud　passed；　now　and　again；　across　the　face　of　the　sun；　causing　brief　shadows　to　dance　like　ghosts　across　the　wide　lawn。　The　cherry　blossoms　rustled；　the　cicadas　wailed　like　brass　being　beaten；　a　brown　and　white　butterfly　darted　erratically　along　the　top　of　the　grass；　a　blithe　dancer　without　a　partner。　The　day　seemed　like　a　haiku　to　the　Colonel；　perfect　and　sad；　bringing　tears　to　the　eyes。　Why　were　so　many　haiku　sorrowful？　he　wondered。
　The　Colonel　had　witnessed　many　deaths　in　his　day：　the　deaths　of　men　he　knew　and　those　he　did　not。　One　develops　over　time　a　kind　of　shell　against　which　these　personal　disasters　must　bounce　away；　either　that　or　one　goes　mad。　Until　death　takes　on　the　unreality　of　a　mime　show　and　one　no　longer　contemplates　it。
　This　death　in　the　park；　on　this　sunny　spring　day；　among　the　children；　the　inheritors　of　Japan；　was　different。　The　Colonel　felt　deflated；　like　Caesar　returning　home　to　Rome　from　the　arms　of　Cleopatra；　from　eternal　summer　to　the　chill　of　March。　He　thought　of　the　eagle　circling　Caesar's　statue　in　the　square；　the　augury。　And　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　important　death；　which　he　had　witnessed；　was　also　an　augury　of　sorts。　But　what　it　portended　he　could　not　say。
　'Are　you　all　right？'　Nicholas　asked。　He　put　a　hand　on　his　father's　arm。
　'What？'　For　a　moment；　the　Colonel's　eyes　were　far　away。　'Oh；　yes。　Quite　all　right；　Nicholas。　Not　to　worry。　I　was　just　thinking　of　how　to　break　the　news　of　Hanshichiro's　death　to　your　mother。　She　will　be　most　upset。'
　He　was　silent　for　a　time；　contemplating　the　pink…white　blossoms　all　around。　After　a　time　he　felt　calmer。
　'Father；　I　want　to　ask　you　something。'
　It　might　have　been　a　moment　that　the　Colonel　had　dreaded；　but　Nicholas's　tone　of　voice　was　such　that　his　father　knew　that　he　had　spent　much　time　thinking　about　the　question。　'What　is　it？'
　'Does　Satsugai　belong　to　the　Genyosha？'
　'Why　do　you　ask？'
　'It　seems　a　logical　question。　Satsugai　is　the　head　of　one　of　the　zaibatsu；　he　is　virulently　reactionary　in　his　philosophy　and　he　was　born　in　Fukuoka。'　Nicholas　turned　to　his　father。　'Frankly；　I'd　be　surprised　if　he　wasn't　a　member。　Wasn't　it　that　which　allowed　him　to　be　restored　to　power　after　the　1947　purge？'
　'Ah；'　the　Colonel　said　judiciously。　'Ah。　Very　logical　assumption；　Nicholas。　You're　quite　observant。'　The　Colonel　thought　for　a　moment。　To　their　left　several　grey　plovers　broke　from　the　treetops　in　a　flurry　and；　circling　once；　headed　west　into　the　sun。　Farther　away；　the　dragon　box　kite　was　being　slowly　lowered　by　invisible　hands；　the　day　was　almost　done。　'The　Genyosha；'　the　Colonel　said　carefully；　〃was　founded　by　Hiraoka　Kotaro。　His　most　trusted　lieutenant　was　Munisai　Shokan。　Satsugai　is　his　son。'
　Nicholas　waited　for　a　time　before　saying；　'Is　that　a　yes？'
　The　Colonel　nodded；　thinking　of　something　else。　'Do　you　know　why　Satsugai　named　his　only　son　Saigo？'
　'No。'
　'Remember　I　told　you　that；　in　the　beginning；　the　Genyosha　decided　to　work　within　the　political　framework　of　the　country？'
　'Yes。'
　'Well；　they　came　to　that　conclusion　the　hard　way。　The　Military　Conscription　Act　split　the　Meiji　oligarchy　into　three　factions。　One　of　these　was　led　by　a　man　named　Saigo。　He　was　the　leader　of　the　ultra…conservative　samurai。　In　1877　Saigo　led　thirty　thousand　of　his　samurai　into　the　field　of　battle　against　a　modern　conscription　army　put　together　by　the　Meiji　government。　Armed　with　rifles　and　guns；　they　easily　defeated　the　samurai。'
　'Of　course！'　Nicholas　exclaimed。　'The　Satsuma　Rebellion。　I　never　connected　the　names　before。'　He　broke　off　a　blade　of　grass。　'That　was　the