ericlustbader.the ninja-第103部分

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　abruptly　cold。
　He　began　to　turn；　heard　the　weird　whirring　sound　at　that　same　instant。　A　blur　on　the　periphery　of　his　vision　and　instinctively　he　raised　his　arm　in　front　of　his　face。
　Then　something　had　wrapped　itself　about　his'　ankles　and　he　was　dragged　off　his　feet。　Metal　links　scraped　and　dug　painfully　into　his　flesh。　He　gasped　and　twisted；　feeling　like　a　fish　on　a　line。
　He　looked　down。　A　long　chain　with　a　weight　on　its　end　was　strung　taut；　pulling　him　into　a　stand　of　dense　poplars　beyond　which　stretched　long　fields　of　corn。
　He　rolled；　puffing；　tried　to　sit　up。　There　was　a　blade　at　his　throat。
　He　looked　up。　Before　the　sky；　as　rich　a　cerulean　as　he　had　ever　seen　it；　he　saw　a　face　…　at　least　part　of　one　…　that　made　him　shudder。　All　the　breath　went　out　of　him。
　He　stared　into　eyes　as　dead　as　stones；　madman's　eyes。　So　different　from　those　others　long　ago；　yet　the　same。　The　ninja；　Doc　Deerforth　thought。　His　mind　seemed　to　freeze　with　the　thought；　as　if　there　could　be　no　room　in　the　world　now　for　anything　else。　His　life　seemed　to　shrivel　down　to　the　size　of　a　pea　and；　disappearing　altogether；　bee　totally　insignificant。
　Cicadas　chimed；　flies　buzzed。　He　was　back　in　the　Philippines；　back　in　the　tent；　tied　to　the　table。
　And　the　soft；　knowing　voice　said　to　him；　'Why　have　you　followed　me？'
　'Why　have　you　followed　the　girl？'
　There　was　absolutely　no　change　of　expression　in　those　staring　eyes；　of　that　he　was　quite　certain。　But；　without　warning；　the　ninja　jerked　on　the　chain　and　the　saw…toothed　steel　links　bit　through　skin；　sawing　into　tissue；　ground　against　bone。
　Doc　Deerforth's　head　flew　back　and　breath　whistled　through　his　half…open　lips。　Blood　drained　from　his　face。
　'Why　have　you　followed　me？'
　The　words　came　again　and　again　like　a　litany；　a　friar's　prayer　at　day's　end　…　what　did　they　call　mat？　Vespers？
　'Why　have　you　followed　me？〃
　Time　ceased　to　exist　as　the　pain　rose　and　fell　like　the　tide　…now　faster；　now　slower；　so　dial　he　had　no　clear　idea　of　when　it　would　make　his　jaws　clamp　together　in　a　rictus；　make　the　sweat　fly　off　him　as　he　jerked　this　way　and　that；　make　his　thighs　tremble　and　the　muscles　in　his　legs　turn　to　water。
　At　some　point；　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　say　when；　Doc　Deerforth　knew　that　there　was　something　different　about　this　one。　He　was　at　once　more　cruel　and　less　removed。　And　there　was　an　elemental　power　to　him　mat　frightened　him　to　the　very　core。　It　was　as　if　the　devil　himself　had　e　to　strip　him　of　life。
　That　it　was　his　time　to　die；　Doc　Deerforth　had　no　doubt。　There　would　be　no　last…minute　rescue　this　time　and　he　was　far　too　weak　and　old　for　muscular　heroics。　But　a　human　being；　until　the　very　moment　of'　death；　has　certain　powers　that　can　only　be　relinquished　voluntarily。　Neither　time　nor　terror　had　dominion　over　these　few　last　possessions。
　The　ninja　now　had　one　knee　across　Doc　Deerforth's　heaving　chest。　Gently；　almost　reverently；　he　took　up　Doc　Deerforth's　right　hand　and；　using　only　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　broke　the　thumb。　He　waited　just　the　right　amount　of　time　…　the　shock　had　worn　off　and　the　pain　was　a　sharp　throbbing。　He　broke　the　index　finger。　And　so　it　went；　one　by　one；　slowly　and　inexorably。
　Doc　Deerforth　shuddered；　heaved　and　sighed。　He　whispered　the　names　of　his　daughters；　of　his　long…dead　wife。　He　felt；　rather　than　saw；　the　ninja　crouching　low　to　hear　his　faintly　expelled　words。　A　curse　and　then　　　　a　sharp　crack。　Pain　flared　as　his　right　wrist　shattered。
　Someone；　someone；　he　thought　hazily；　will　have　to　call　the　kids。　Then　the　pain　blanketed　him　and　his　nerves；　vibrating；　screaming　with　agony；　pitched　him　at　last　into　unconsciousness。
　A　child's　high　cry　perhaps　decided　Doc　Deerforth's　fate。　It　was　close　at　hand　and　Saigo；　abruptly　deciding　that　nothing　could　be　gained　from　prolonging　this　game；　took　up　the　other　end　of　the　saw　toothed　kyotetsu…shoge　and　slit　Doc　Deerforth's　throat　with　the　double…edged　blade。
　'From　the　beginning；'　Nicholas　read；　'your　father　was　suspicious　of　Satsugai。　From　the　first　time　they　met；　the　Colonel　understood　that　behind　the　man's　vast　power　in　the　zaibatsu　stretched　a　hidden　network　of　immense　size　and　strength。　He　suspected；　quite　rightly；　as　further　investigation　bore　out；　that　Satsugai　was　deeply　involved　with　the　Genyosha。　They　were；　perhaps；　most　responsible　for　sowing　the　seeds　that　led　to　the　fateful　decision　to　institute　the　pre…emptive　strike　at　Pearl　Harbor。
　'Your　father　wished　to　crush　the　forces　of　Genyosha　and　it　was　to　this　end　that　he　intervened　on　Satsugai's　behalf　when　the　SCAP　tribunal　was　ready　to　try　him　for　war　crimes。　He　thought　that　leaving　Satsugai　free　to　pursue　his　plans　would　eventually　lead　to　the　arrest　of　the　Genyosha　main　body　itself。
　'It　was　a　good　plan　except　that　Satsugai　discovered　it。　Now　he　was　eternally　in　the　Colonel's　debt　…　a　man　who　was　out　to　destroy　him。　This　he　could　not　abide。　Satsugai　was　of　the　old　school　and　most　honourable。　He　knew　that　he　could　not　touch　or　interfere　with　the　Colonel　in　any　way。
　'Therefore；　he　sent　his　son；　Saigo；　as　his　emissary　of　death；　sending　him　into　Kumamoto　to　the　most　feared　of　all　the　Kan…aku　na　ninjutsu　ryu；　the　Kuji…kjri。
　'Over　the　years；　the　Colonel　came　to　understand　the　nature　of　his　folly。　He　had　gambled　heavily　and　lost。　Now　Satsugai　was　forever　beyond　the　law　and　this　had　been　the　Colonel's　doing。
　'Your　father　was　an　Englishman　by　birth　yet　he　could　not　have　been　more　Japanese　had　he　been　born　here　and　he　came　to　a　decision　that　was　uniquely　Japanese。　He　killed　Satsugai　himself。'
　Stunned；　Nicholas　raised　his　eyes。　And　because　of　that　shame　to　the　family；　Cheong　had　mitted　seppuku。
　'Continue　reading；'　Fukashigi　said　gently。　'There　is　more。'
　'Your　father　was　a　fine　warrior；　Nicholas；　and　thus　none　suspected　him。　Until；　that　is；　Saigo　returned　home。　With　the　basic　elements　of　Kan…aka　na　ninjutsu　already　at　his　disposal；　it　did　not　take　him　long　to　divine　the　truth。　This　knowledge　he　kept　to　himself　and；　while　stoking　the　fires　of　his　hatred　in　the　secret　depths　of　him；　he　meanwhile　presented　only　the　image　of　a　grief…stricken　son　to　the　outside　world。　For　already　a　plan　of　vengeance　had　formed　in　his　mind。
　'Thus　he　contrived　to　be　home　several　times　when　he　knew　Itami　was　corning　to　your　house　for　the　afternoon；　when　you　would　not　be　home。　I　cannot　say　whether　it　happened　the　first　or　the　second　time　but　it　scarcely　matters。
　'You　must　know　by　now　what　amazing　yogen'　…　chemists　…　'the　Kuji…kiri　are；　how　many　different　and　subtle　ways　they　are　taught　to　kill　a　human　being　without　ever　touching　him。
　'This；　I　fear；　is　what　happened　to　your　father。　Saigo　murdered　him　with　slow　poison。'
　Nicholas　felt　tears　e　to　his　eyes　so　that　he　had　difficulty　focusing　on　the　last　several　sentences。　His　fingers　gripped　the　thin　rice…paper　leaves；　shaking。
　'Here　I　must　extend　to　you　my　most　profound　apologies。　Even　though　I　am　not　ninja；　I　feel　responsible；　at　least　in　part；　for　your　father's　death。　He　was　a　great　friend　to　me　and　I　feel　…　even　now　after　the　initial　sorrow　has　left　me　…　that　I　should　have　known。
　'You　have　bee　the　symbol　of　my　atonement。　That　you　are　reading　this　now　with；　I　trust；　my　esteemed　friend　Fukashigi　beside　you；　is　proof　of　that。　I　am　long　past　knowing。
　'I　imagine　that　you　were　quite　surprised　on　arriving　at　the　Tenshin　Shoden　Katori　ryu　to　find　that　payment　for　your　long　study　had　already　been　made　in　full。
　'I　trust　you　understand　why　I　had　to　do　that　before　I　died　and　pray　Amida　Buddha　that　you　will　forgive　an　old　man's　lapse。'
　He　saw　the　brush…stroke　characters　of　Kansatsu's　name　through　the　well　of　tears　as　he　cried　for　the　Colonel；　who　had　tried；　in　his　own　way；　to　tell　him；　and　for　Cheong。　He　felt　now　as　if　the　years　had　been　stripped　from　him　like　the　red　and　gold　leaves　of　autumn。　And　now　he　wept；　too；　for　his　friends；　who　had　loved　him　and　whom　he　had　loved　in　return。　Time　enough　for　them　all　now。
　Beside　him；　silent　as　sunlight；　Fukashigi　sat　deep　in　contemplation；　thinking　about　the　cruelties　time　inflicted　upon　the　young。
　'Did　you　e　here　to　dry　out？'
　'That's　a　bit　direct；　isn't　it？'
　'Sorry。'
　'That's　all　right。　I　suppose　I　deserved　it。　But；　no；　I've　already　done　my　drying　out。'
　They　sat　within　the　immense　oval　of　the　starry　living　room。　Fully　half　the　walls　were　glass；　open　to　the　sunlight　of　the　beach　and　the　sea。　Above　them；　the　skylight　was　like　a　faceted　diamond；　the　largest　in　the　universe；　so　Justine　had　always　believed　when　she　was　younger。　Now；　in　the　morning；　the　tardy　sun　had　not　yet　slipped　across　its　faces　and　thus　they　were　bathed　…　as　at　evening　…　in　a　most　flattering　indirect　light。
　The　couch　upon　which　they　both　sat　was　pletely　circular　with　two　breaks；　as　angular　and　distinct　as　the　fitted　edges　of　a　Chinese　sphere　puzzle　which　someone　had　once　given　to　Justine　and　which　she　could　never　quite　conquer。　They　sat　on　opposite　sides　of　the　morning；　their　backs　as　rigid；　their　eyes　as　wary　as　a　pair　of　cats'　on　unfamiliar　territory。
　Tall　frosty　drinks　sat　on　the　tables　in　front　of　them；　untouched；　as　if　for　either　of　them　to　take　the　first　sip　would　be　to　admit　defeat。
　'How　long　will　you　stay？'　That　was　not　what　Justine　had　meant　to　say。　She　had