ericlustbader.the ninja-第68章

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　must　not　go　by　roe。　Still；　he　was　old。　Anyone　who　saw　him　would　certainly　say　that；　yes。
　'The　odd　thing　about　him　was　that　his　nails　were　so　long　that　he　was　obliged　to　wear　sheaths　to　protect　them　from　breaking。　These　sheaths　were　something　I　had　read　about　before。　The　mandarins　were　fond　of　wearing　them；　as　an　affectation；　I　had　always　supposed；　during　the　turn　of　the　century。　However　this　was　the　late　19305。　Who　in　China　still　kept　their　nails　thus？　No　one；　I　had　thought。　Now　I　knew　differently。
　'Usually　these　sheaths　were　of　lacquer　but　these；　if　my　eyes　did　not　lie；　were　made　of　gold。　Solid　gold。　But　how　could　this　be？　Tasked　myself。　How　could　the　nails　support　such　a　weight？　Still；　I　know　gold　and　there　was　no　doubt。
　'　〃Why　have　you　e　here？〃　asked　the　man　without　looking　up。　Click…click；　went　the　tiles。　Click…click。
　'I　was　so　startled　that　for　a　moment　I　could　not　find　my　voice　and　he　was　obliged　to　prompt　me。　〃e；　e；〃　he　said。　Just　like　the　click…click　of　his　tiles。　The　same　cadence。
　'　〃Can't　sleep；〃　I　said；　still　rather　tongue…tied。
　'　〃I　never　sleep；〃　he　said。　〃But　that　is　because　of　my　advanced　age。〃　He　looked　up　at　me。　〃When　I　was　your　age；　I　never　missed　a　night。　Perhaps　that　is　why　I　don't　miss　it　now。〃　He　spoke　in　a　rather　peculiar　dialect。　It　was　Mandarin　all　right；
　but　the　inflections　were　odd；　some　nouns　clipped　at　their　ends；　and　so　on。　I　could　not　place　where　he　was　from。
　'　〃I　don't　often　have　this　trouble；〃　I　said；　still　the　dazzling　conversationalist。　〃But　you're　not　that　old。〃
　'　〃Old　enough　to　know　that　I　am　going　to　die　soon。〃
　'　〃Oh；　I　doubt　that。〃
　'He　eyed　me　critically。　〃Well；　sentiment　is　never　very　accurate。〃　He　began　to　stack　up　his　tiles；　nine　to　a　pile。　〃But　there　is　no　need　for　concern。　I　have　no　fear　of　death。　In　fact；　I　will　happily　leave　here　now。　I　do　not　want　to　see　what　is　ing。〃
　'　〃ing？〃　I　said　like　a　half…wit。　〃What　is　ing？〃
　'　〃Something　terrible；〃　he　said。　His　hands　on　the　small　lacquered　folding　table　looked　like　shining　alien　artifacts；　newly　unearthed。　〃A　new　type　of　bomb　with　a　power　beyond　anything　you　can　imagine。　With　enough　force　to　destroy　an　entire　city。〃
　'I　shall　never　forget　that　moment。　I　sat　as　still　as　a　statue；　barely　breathing。　I　remember　hearing　the　chirruping　of　a　cicada　so　clear　and　near　that　I　thought　it　must　have　got　itself　trapped　inside　the　house。　Oddly；　I　found　myself　wanting　to　get　up　and　find　it；　to　free　it　into　the　vast　darkness　which　surrounded　us。
　'I　could　not　move。　It　was　as　if　his　words　had　pierced　my　heart；　riveting　me　to　the　chair　in　which　I　sat。
　'　〃I　don't　understand；〃　I　said　with　a　kind　of　opaque　astonishment。
　'　〃It　is　not　likely　that　you　would；〃　he　said；　finishing　stacking　his　tiles。　Then　he　put　them　away　into　an　inside　pocket　of　his　robe。
　'He　rose　and；　for　an　instant；　I　thought　I　might　have　known　him　or　at　least　seen　him　at　another；　previous　time。　But　I　think　now　it　was　just　the　light　which　made　it　seem　so。'
　'What　happened　then？'　Yukio　asked。
　'What　happened？'　The　old　man　looked　momentarily　nonplussed。　'Why；　nothing。　Nothing　at　all。　〃Good　evening　to　you；　sir；〃　he　said　in　his　somewhat　formal　way。　〃I　wish　you　pleasant　dreams。〃　Though　how　he　could　have　meant　it　after　what　he　had　just　told　me　I　could　not　imagine。
　'The　place　was　very　still　after　he　left　and；　slumped　back　in　my　chair；　I　imagined　I　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　grass　growing　outside　where　the　tree　frogs　slept。　A　cloud　of　mosquitoes　whined　against　the　netting。
　'At　some　time　I　must　have　gone　upstairs　…　though　I　have　no　real　remembrance　of　doing　so　…　to　Ishmael　and　Ahab　and　the　Pequod；　though　I　could　not　well　concentrate　on　even　so　great　a　world　as　Melville's　that　night。
　'His　words　ran　around　my　head　as　if　he　had　somehow　engraved　them　upon　the　grooves　of　my　brain　with　a　cunning　scalpel。〃
　'But　how　could　he　have　known？'　Nicholas　asked。　'At　that　time　not　even　the　Americans　who　eventually　prised　the　Manhattan　Project　knew。'
　The　old　man　nodded。　'Yes；'　he　said　slowly。　'That　is　often　what　I　ask　myself。　From　that　day　in　August　when　I　stood　on　that　secluded　hillside　and　felt　the　earth　shake　and　the　sky　burn　with　colour　and　heard　the　heat　wind　ing；　I　have　asked　myself　that　same　question。　How　could　he　know？'
　'And　what　is　the　answer？'
　The　old　man　looked　at　them　and　smiled　wanly。　'There　isn't　one；　my　friend。'　The　train　was　slowing　as　it　came　out　of　a　downgrade。　Cinders　flew；　whirled　up　and　around　by　the　wind　eddies　created　by　their　passage。　He　stood　up　and　bowed　to　them；　long　hands　clasped　against　his　flat　stomach；　nails　like　translucent　chopsticks。　'My　station；'　he　murmured。　Time　to　get　off。'
　'Hey！'　Nicholas　said。　'Wait　a　minute。'　Forgetting；　in　his　anxiety　to　know　more；　his　modes　of　speech；　lapsing　into　the　mon　formation；　it　lacked　the　necessary　respect　a　younger　person　must　show　towards　his　elders。　It　did　not　matter；　however；　for　the　old　man　had　gone；　swinging　lithely　down　off　the　car　even　before　the　train　had　e　to　its　full　panting　stop。　Clouds　of　steam　obscured　the　windows。
　Nicholas　came　back　down　the　aisle；　slumped　down　in　the　seat　next　to　Yukio。　'Too　late；'　he　said。　'Too　late。'
　Now　the　train　picked　up　speed　for　the　last　part　of　the　journey　towards　Shimonoseki。　It　was　quiet　in　the　car。　Even　Yukio　was　silent。　She　stared　at　her　hands　while　he　looked　out　of　the　window。
　The　night　was　aflame。　They　were　passing　fairly　close　to　one　or　another　of　the　southern　cities　…　he　had　no　idea　which　one　…which　had　been　turned　into　a　supportive　structure　for　a　vast
　oil　refinery。　Giant　flames　leaped　and　spewed　into　the　darkness　like　the　corona　of　the　sun　seen　close　up　in　a　kind　of　silent　hellish　dance。　It　seemed　an　inhuman　place　to　work　or　live；　a　desolate　dreamscape　from　which　there　was　no　exit。　It　went　on　and　on　as　they　travelled；　the　lines　of　red　and　orange　lights　leading　in　inevitable　precise　rows　towards　the　refinery's　main　building　bulking　blackly　against　the　skyline；　the　bloated　billowing　flames。
　'What　did　you　think　of　the　old　man's　story？'　Yukio　said。
　He　turned　his　head。　'What？'
　〃The　old　man。　Did　you　believe　him？'
　For　some　reason　he　thought　of　So…Peng。　'Yes；'　he　said。　'I　did。'
　'I　didn't。'　She　crossed　her　legs　at　the　knees；　very　American。　'Something　like　that　couldn't　have　happened。　Life's　just　not　like　that。'
　They　spent　the　night　in　Shimonoseki；　so　near　the　water　that　they　could　hear　it　though　they　could　not　see　it　for　the　thick　ground　fog。　Horns　hooted　mournfully；　deepened　by　the　night　air；　made　somehow　mysterious。
　She　lay　with　her　head　on　his　bare　chest；　her　night…dark　hair　spread　in　a　fan　across　his　pale　flesh。　He　was　a　long　time　falling　asleep。　He　felt　her　breathing　gently；　rhythmically　through　his　fingertips；　the　weight　of　her　on　his　sternum　and　rib　cage。　He　wondered　what　it　was　about　her　that　drew　him　so　powerfully。　And　could　not　even　decide　why　it　seemed　so　important　for　him　to　know。
　Yukio　stirred　and　it　seemed　a　part　of　him。
　'What　is　it？'　he　asked　her。
　'Oh；　nothing。'　Her　voice　was　very　soft。　'I　was　just　thinking　of　a　story。　It's　the　one　my　mother　told　me。　The　only　one　I　remember。　Want　to　hear　it？'
　'Yes。'
　'Well；　once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　lady。　She　lived　in　a　castle　in　Roku…No…Miya。　Where　that　is　no　one　knows　to　this　day　…that's　just　how　my　mother　used　to　say　it。　Anyway；　after　this　girl's　parents　died；　she　was　brought　up　by　a　governess　…　she　was　an　extremely　well　protected　girl　…　and；　as　the　years　passed；　she　grew　up　into　a　beautiful　young　woman。
　'One　evening　she　was　introduced　to　a　man　and；　every　evening　after　that；　he　would　e　to　the　castle　and　she　would　entertain　him　until　gradually　the　place　took　on　a　festive　air。
　'But　during　the　long　afternoons；　while　she　was　alone　walking　in　her　gardens；　the　lady　thought　of　the　power　of　fate。　She　thought　about　being　dependent　upon　this　man　for　her　happiness。　Then　she　would　shrug　her　shoulders　and　smile　wanly　into　the　sun。
　'At　night　she　would　lie　awake　beside　her　lover；　neither　happy　nor　unhappy。　What　satisfaction　she　could　possess　was　fleeting。
　'But　then；　one　day；　even　this　was　to　end；　for　her　lover　informed　her　solemnly　that　he　must　go　with　his　father　to　another　district　to　assist　him　in　his　new　political　post。　〃But；〃　he　said；　〃the　assignment　is　but　for　five　years。　At　the　end　of　that　time　I　shall　return　for　you。　Please　do　me　the　honour　of　waiting　for　me。〃
　'The　lady　openly　wept；　perhaps　not　from　love　itself　but　from　the　idea　of　separation。
　'In　six　years；　nothing　was　the　same　at　the　lady's　castle　in　Roku…No…Miya。　The　man　had　not　returned　and　all　the　servants'　hall　gone　as　both　time　and　money　withered　away。　The　lady　and　her　governess　were　forced　into　the　old；　long…abandoned　samurai's　quarters　to　live。
　'Now　there　was　only　rice　to　eat　and　great　gaps　in　the　wooden　frame　of　the　place　let　in　both　wind　and　rain。　At　length　the　governess　besought　her　lady；　saying；　〃Forgive　me；　lady；　but　your　lover　has　abandoned　you。　There　is　a　certain　man　who　has　been　inquiring　about　you。　Since　we　have　so　little　money。。。〃
　'But　the　lady　would　not　listen。　〃I　have　no　use　for　other　adventures　now；〃　she　said。　〃I　only　wish　for　the　solace　of　death。〃
　'At　that　moment；　in　another　district；　the　lady's　lover　lay　with　his　new　wife。　Startled；　he　sat　up　in　the　dark；　saying；　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃
　'　〃Go　back　to　sleep；　my　lord；〃　his　wife　answered　him。　〃It　is　only　a　cherry　blossom　falling。〃
　'Not　over　a　year　later；　this　man　returned　to　Roku…No…Miya　with　his　wife　and　retinue。　He　had　paused　at　a　roadside　inn　to　wait　out　inclement　weather　and　there　had　sent　a　number　of　notes　to　his　former　mistress。　Not　one　was　answered　and　thus；　piqued；　he　left　his　wife　at　the　house　of　her　father　and　set　off　in　search　of　the　castle　at　Roku…No…Miya。
　'When　he　arrived；　he　almost　passed　it　by；　so　changed　was　it。　The　great　wood　and　iron　gates　that　had　bee　so　familiar　to　him　were　but　stumps　in　the　loamy　earth　and；　down　the　road；　the　high　blue　lacquered　torii；　around　which　he　and　the　lady　used　to　stroll　in　the　spring　and　summer；　was　gone。
　'The　castle　itself　he　found　uninhabitable。　Some　immense　storm　had　pletely　demolished　the　east　wing　and　the　rest　was　a　shambles。
　'In　the　old　samurai's　quarters　he　found　only　an　old；　time…weary　nun。　She　。was；　she　said；　the　daughter　of　one　of　the　lady's　servants。　When　he　inquired　after　the　lady's　whereabouts；　she　said；　〃Alas；　my　lord；　no　one　knows。〃
　'He　went　out　searching　for　her　but　no　one　in　the　district　claimed　to　have　seen　her。
　'One　dreary；　rain…filled　night；　he　stopped　at　a　crossroads　beside　a　monk　and；　hearing　a　voice　he　was　certain　was　familiar；　peered　through　the　loose　slats　of　a　board　house。　Instantly　he　recognized　the　withered　woman　on　the　floor　as　his　mistress。　Rushing　with　the　monk　to　her　side　he　looked　upon　her　face。　She　was　surely　dying　and　he　asked　the　monk　to　recite　a　sutra　over　her。　〃Invoke　the　name　of　the　Amida　Buddha；〃　the　monk　implored　the　lady。　To　which　she　replied；　〃I　see　a　blazing　carriage　。。。　No；　it　is　a　golden　lotus。〃　〃Please；　my　lady；〃　the　monk　cried；　〃you　must　call　out　to　the　Amida　Buddha。　We　have　no　power　over　transmigration；　otherwise。　You　must　call　to　Him　with　all　your　heart。〃
　'　〃I　see　nothing；〃　the　lady　cried。　〃Nothing　but　darkness。〃
　'〃My　lady…〃
　'　〃Darkness　and　a　cold　wind　blowing。　A　black　wind；　so　cold。〃
　The　monk