el.angeleyes-第39部分

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oute　all　day　long。　He　was　an　altogether　ordinary…looking　fellow；　whose　face　was　transformed　when　he　watched　his　children。
　Gradually；　as　the　afternoon　turned　into　evening；　and　as　the　evening　became　night；　Irina　found　herself　sinking　into　the　warmth　and　homeyness　of　this　family's　life；　with　the　kind　of　bliss　one　feels　when　lying　back　on　an　eiderdown　pillow。　For　the　first　time　in　quite　a　while；　she　found　herself　relaxed。　And　then；　with　an　electric　tingle；　she　knew　there　was　more　to　it　than　that：
she　was　content。
　At　that　moment　Irina　looked　across　the　room　at　Mars　Petrovich　Volkov　in　an　entirely　different　light。　So　what　that　the　physical　part　of　our　relationship　doesn't　quite　connect？　she　thought。　He　has　so　much　more　to　give　me。　He　can　share　with　me　what　I've　always　wanted。　With　him　I　can　be　part　of　a　family。
　Kasumigaseki；　the　downtown　Tokyo　district　where　Honno　worked；　meant　〃Shrouded　Gate；〃　Big　Ezoe　was　familiar　with　Kasumigaseki；　though　not　in　the　ways　Honno　was。　He　showed　her　places　within　the　district　she　otherwise　would　never　have　guessed　existed。
　Being　in　Kasumigaseki　was　the　equivalent　of　living　underwater。　The　light…what　there　was　of　it　seeping　through　the　steel　and　glass　skyscrapers…had　that　aqueous　quality　that　skin　divers　know　well；　and　which　can　be　approximated　by　peering　through　the　bottom　of　a　green　glass　bottle。
　Big　Ezoe　had　said；　〃Kakuei　Sakata　was　a　samurai；　so　you　and　I　must　begin　to　think　like　samurai。　If　we　cannot　put　ourselves　in　Sakata's　mind；　we　will　never　solve　me　riddle　he　has　left　you。〃
　Big　Ezoe　had　turned　the　key　Sakata　had　sent　to　Honno　over　and　over　in　his　hand。　〃A　businessman　would　have　a　safety　deposit　box　in　a　bank。　A　Yakuza　would　have　a　lock　box　buried　beneath　the　tatami　in　his　bedroom。　What　would　a　samurai　have　to　keep　his　most　valuable　possessions　safe？〃　
　Honno　had　looked　at　him。　〃I　don't　know。〃　
　Big　Ezoe　had　grinned　at　her。　〃But　I　think　I　do。〃　
　And　so　he　had　led　her　back　to　the　heart　of　the　metropolis；　to　Kasumigaseki；　the　Shrouded　Gate。　They　were　consumed　by　modern　Tokyo。　There　was　industrial　grit　beneath　the　soles　of　their　shoes；　the　exhaust　of　a　half　a　million　engines　in　their　nostrils；　a　smog　of　pollutants　in　their　eyes。　And；　of　course；　the　dense　night　was　dispelled　by　the　nearby　spin　and　sputter　of　gigantic　neon　signs　running　up　the　sides　of　buildings；　adorning　entryways　large　enough　to　acmodate　a　conquering　army；　squatting　atop　steel　superstructures。
　But　hidden　away　on　a　side　street；　dwarfed　by　the　steel　and　glass　monuments　to　the　nation's　burgeoning　economic　success；　was　a　remnant　of　another；　older　way　of　life；　when　simple　traditions；　not　economic　imperatives；　ruled　Japan。
　〃This　is　where　Kakuei　Sakata　came　when　he　needed　to　be　alone；　to　contemplate　or　to　invoke　the　kami　of　his　world；〃　Big　Ezoe　said；　indicating　the　wood　and　lacquer　Shinto　shrine。　He　reached　out；　pulled　a　cord；　and　the　clang　of　the　bronze　bell　reverberated　through　the　man…made　canyons。　〃Wake　up；　spirits　who　inhabit　the　woods　and　the　streams！〃　Big　Ezoe　laughed。　〃I　wonder　if　there　are　modern　kami；　spirits　who　live　atop　steel　girders　and　neon　signs　that　say　Sony；　who　ride　high…speed　elevators　to　the　hundredth　floor。〃　His　face　crinkled。　〃I　wonder　if　kami　get　acrophobia。〃
　Honno　was　not　amused。　〃How　can　you　be　so　disrespectful？''　
　〃I　suppose　it　es　naturally　to　me；〃　Big　Ezoe　said；　but　Honno　did　not　know　if　he　was　serious　or　if　this　was　just　another　of　his　endless　jokes。　Joking　was　alien　to　Honno；　like　being　waited　upon；　or　having　Eikichi　remember　where　she　put　his　socks　or　where　she　kept　the　sugar。
　〃Nonsense；〃　she　said。　〃When　you　were　born；　you　cried；　ate；　evacuated；　and　slept。　These　things　were　natural。　Everything　else　you　learned。〃
　〃Quite　possibly；〃　Big　Ezoe　said　with　some　amusement。　〃But　then　it　would　have　been　my　granny　who　taught　me　to　laugh　at　the　world。　She　raised　me；　you　see。　She　liked　to　make　fun　of　the　world；　she　said；　because　it　was　such　a　somber　place；　she　otherwise　would　have　mitted　hara…kiri　long　ago。〃
　〃That's　just　what　I　mean；〃　Honno　said　angrily。　〃I'm　sure　your　granny　harbored　no　such　crazy　notions。〃
　〃Well；　I　think　she　did；〃　Big　Ezoe　replied。　〃And　I'm　in　a　better　position　than　you　to　know　it。　Besides；　what　makes　you　think　laughing　at　the　world　is　a　crazy　notion？〃
　〃It's　either　crazy　or　it's　wrong；〃　Honno　said。　〃No　wonder　you　became　a　gangster。〃
　Big　Ezoe　grunted。　''I　don't　think　one　bees　anything；　least　of　all　a　gangster。　My　family　is　Yakuza；　that　is　what　I　am。〃
　〃No；〃　Honno　said。　〃You　say　that　as　if　you　had　no　choice。　But　you　did。　It's　perfectly　clear　why　you　became　a　gangster：　you're　in　love　with　the　life。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　am；〃　he　said　thoughtfully。　〃But　that's　more　than　can　be　said　for　you。　At　least　I'm　in　love　with　something。〃　
　〃I　love　my　husband；〃　Honno　said　immediately。　
　〃That　birdbrain？〃　Big　Ezoe　laughed。　〃What　is　there　to　love　in　a　drone　like　that？''
　〃I　don't　think　it's　any　of　your　business。　What　do　you　know　of　Eikichi's　world；　anyway？〃
　〃More　than　you　could　imagine。〃　Big　Ezoe　looked　up；　past　the　Shinto　shrine's　roof；　to　the　towering　structures　of　Kasumi…gaseki。　〃I　know　you're　reluctant　to　talk　to　me　any　more　than　you　feel　you　have　to；　but　I'm　curious。　What　do　you　see　in　Eikichi　Kansei　that　attracts　you？''
　Honno　did　not　want　to　answer　him；　but　she　felt　duty　bound　to　defend　her　husband　in　the　face　of　this　mobster's　insults。　〃There　is　great　honor；〃　Honno　said。　〃Also；　he　needs　me。　And　there　is　a　solidness　about　him　that　makes　me　feel　secure。〃
　〃Security。　Ah；　now　we　e　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。　By　security；　don't　you　really　mean　submission？　Isn't　there；　after　all；　a　secret　pleasure　to　be　had　in　submitting　to　power；　to　giving　up　one's　free　will？　Just　as　there　is　surely　a　similar　pleasure　in　the　sacrifices　a　mother　makes　for　the　sake　of　her　child。〃　Big　Ezoe　almost　seemed　to　be　talking　to　himself。　''Eikichi　makes　you　feel　secure；　no　doubt；　because　of　his　strict　adherence　to　rules　and　regulations。　At　home；　he　barely　talks　to　you。　When　he　wants　you；　he　calls；　Oi！　Hey！　He　is　your　child；　you　see。〃　Big　Ezoe　was　still　looking　upward。　〃So　he　needs　you。　Yes。　He　needs　you　to　make　his　food　for　him。　To　lay　out　his　clothes　in　the　morning。　And　you　are；　as　we　know；　a　working　woman。　How　early　do　you　have　to　get　up；　Honno；　to　make　sure　your　husband's　needs　are　met？〃
　〃It　isn't　like　that；〃　Honno　protested。
　〃Oh？　How　is　it；　then？　Tell　me。〃
　〃You　are　so　good　with　words。〃　Honno　was　so　enraged　she　could　hardly　speak。　〃You　twist　them；　turn　them　inside　out　so　they　suit　your　purpose。　I　am　not　that　skilled。〃
　He　said；　〃Are　you　familiar　with　the　Hagakure；　the　Book　of　Hidden　Leaves？　Yes？　Then　you　may　recall　a　key　passage　that　tells　of　the　clever　samurai。　When　he　gathers　sufficient　experience；　he　discovers；　much　to　his　dismay；　that　all　the　plex　rules　and　regulations　of　society　by　which　he　has　so　scrupulously　lived　his　life　are　nothing　more　than　meaningless　illusion。　The　Hagakure　further　counsels　the　samurai　to　hold　his　tongue　once　the　truth　is　made　manifest　to　him；　so　that　he　will　not　prematurely　reveal　it　to　those　younger　and　more　ignorant　than　himself。''
　Honno　said　nothing　for　a　time。　Her　cheeks　were　unaccountably　hot　with　shame。　How　she　despised　Big　Ezoe　at　this　moment。　More　than　she　ever　could　have　imagined。　At　last　she　recovered　sufficiently　to　say；　〃How　is　it　you　know　where　Sakata…san　worshiped？〃
　Big　Ezoe　contemplated　her　for　some　time。　〃You　know；　Mrs。　Kansei；　you　must　learn　to　lighten　your　spirit。　Burdens　such　as　you　evidently　carry　bee　insupportable　over　time。〃　He　moved　inside　the　wooden　roof　of　the　tiny　shrine。　〃The　answer　to　your　question　is　a　simple　one。　I　have　many　friends；　even　more　contacts。　More　than　one　of　them　is　a　samurai。　No　doubt　Sakata　was　seen　here　on　a　number　of　his　midday　pilgrimages。〃
　〃Is　there　anything　you　don't　know？〃　Honno　asked。
　〃Sure；〃　Big　Ezoe　said；　taking　the　key　from　her。　〃What　Sakata　was　hiding。〃　With　some　difficulty；　he　bent　down；　lifted　up　the　cloth　draped　over　the　center　of　the　shrine。　He　slid　the　key　into　the　lock　of　a　small　door　cut　in　the　wooden　side。
　Inside　he　found　two　books　that　looked　like　ledgers。　He　handed　them　to　Honno；　who　opened　one；　leafed　through　the　pages　which　were　covered　by　a　tight　hand…drawn　scrawl。