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do now but I doubt if you do。 Please take my advice and return home。 Take some time to think …'
'There are some answers I want from you；' Nicholas said harshly。 'You set me up for this。 You knew …'
'I knew nothing。 As I said。 Now I know； as do you。 That is better； you will admit； than being unsure。 No decisions can be accurately made； no course of action taken； in such circumstances。 That is basic。 You understand that。' There was a slight interrogative at the end。
'Yes。'
'All right。' Kansatsu sighed and stood up。 They faced each other across the low； lacquered table。 'Let me tell you that which I withheld from you was for your own benefit…'
'My own benefit'
Kansatsu held up one hand。 'Please allow me to finish my thought。 I had； at the time； only conjecture to go on as regards Saigo。' His tone of voice changed； softening somewhat。 'As for yourself； I told you what was in my mind。 Working here will no longer well serve either of us。 That you have survived your journey to Kumamoto is proof enough of that … if you might be inclined to mistrust my word。'
'I would never …'
'No。 I know。 You would not。' Kansatsu came round the table； touched Nicholas on the biceps。 It was the first such gesture he had ever made towards Nicholas。 'You have been my finest pupil。 But the time has e for us to part ways。 You must grow along your own path； Nicholas。 Too long in this ryu； any ryu； can be detrimental to that growth。 But' … he raised a long forefinger … 'before you decide on where to go； your mind must be clear。 And you will admit that you cannot claim such clarity now； hm？'
Nicholas was silent； thinking。
'Take several days； as long as you need； in fact。 Then； when you feel you are ready； e to me。 I will be here。 I shall answer all your questions as best I can。 And； together； we will decide on your future。'
'There is something；' Nicholas said at last； 'that cannot be ignored。'
'And what is that。'
'I have an enemy now。' Don't bother ing after。 'I invaded their territory 1 Ignored their warning。 When they e； I must be prepared。'
Beside him； Kansatsu had never seemed so old and frail as he stared out at the falling snow。
'I am afraid there's been some bad news。'
He stood with his bags in the doorway of his house。 Immediately he thought of Cheong。 'Where's Mother？'
'At your aunt's。 e inside； Nicholas。' The Colonel seemed pale and drawn。
The house seemed subtly different。 Emptier。 'What's happened？'
'It's Satsugai；' the Colonel said evenly。 He had his pipe in one hand； unlit。 'We tried to reach you in Kumamoto。 I finally got hold of Saigo this afternoon。 Itami was surprised to learn Yukio decided to stay with him。'
Nicholas felt a knife twisting inside him。 All my loving darling； I will send to you。 There was a silence。 He could hear the clock on the mantel in the Colonel's study。 All the way in here。 Nothing moved outside。 It was as if the world had frozen over in a new ice age。
The Colonel cleared his throat。 'Satsugai's been killed。 I'm sorry； it's a hell of a homeing。 I can see you didn't have the best of trips。'
Was it so indelibly etched across his face； skywriting that he refused to face？
'How did it happen？'
…The Colonel put the pipe stem to his lips； blew sharply outwards to unclog it。 He looked at the bowl。 'Robbery； the police think。 Satsugai must have surprised the thief。'
'No one else heard him？'
The Colonel shrugged。 'No one else was in the house at the time。 Itami was at her sister's。〃
'Which one？ Ikura？'
'No Teoke。'
Nicholas disliked Teoke。
'Well。' He went to take his bags into his room。 The Colonel stooped to help him and together they； went through the house。
'It's so quiet；' Nicholas said。 'Nothing seems right。'
'No；' the Colonel agreed； something far off in his eyes。 'It's never the same。' He sat on the futon； pressed his thumb and forefinger against his eyelids。 'The servants have gone with your mother and Ataki won't e today。'
Nicholas began to unpack； separating the soiled clothes from the unworn ones。 'Dad；' he said after a time； 'what do you know of the ninja？'
'Oh； not very much。 Why？'
He shrugged； looking down at the shirt he was holding。
'Kansatsu's been talking about them。 Did you know that when firearms were first introduced here in 1543 by the Portuguese they were immediately incorporated into ninjutsu techniques？ No？ And because of that； firearms were shunned by the majority of the other classes … most especially the samurai … until the Meiji Restoration。'
The Colonel got up； went across the room to stand beside his son。 'Nicholas；' he said gently； 'what happened between you and Yukio？' When Nicholas said nothing； he put his hand on his son's shoulder； said； 'Are you afraid to tell me？'
Nicholas turned round to face him。 'Afraid？ No。 I … It's just that I know how you felt about her。 You disliked her from the beginning。'
'So now you won't tell me …'
'I love her；' Nicholas said in anguish。 'And she told me she loved me。 And then。 And then； it all fell apart just as if it had never existed。' The Colonel's heart ached at the look he saw on Nicholas's face。 'How could she go off with Saigo？ How could she do it？' Tears stood in the corners of his eyes。 'I don't understand any of it。'
When he had seen Nicholas standing there in the doorway； the Colonel had felt an enormous urge to tell him everything； to confess。 Now he knew that he would never do that； it would be far too selfish。 It was a burden designed for him alone。 How unfair to make Nicholas carry it for the rest of his life。 But he wanted desperately to say something forting to his son。 He was dumbfounded now by his inarticulateness。 Is this how I have been with him all his life？ he wondered。 I don't know what to say； what would calm him。 He wished that Cheong were here now and was instantly ashamed of the thought。 My God； he thought； am I that estranged from my own son？ Is this what my work has done to me？ It seemed to the Colonel to be the final irony。 And now he realized how he had envied Satsugai's close relationship with Saigo。 It was something he could never have with Nicholas。 The fault； he saw； lay within himself。
He heard the door chimes ringing。 'e on；' he said； and they both went to answer it。
A detective sergeant of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police stood on the steps。 He was a heavy…set youngish man； seeming ill at ease； he knew all too well where he was。 He saluted smartly as the Colonel opened the door。
'Colonel Linnear；' he said。 He had restless brown eyes。 'Lieutenant Tomomi asked me to inform you of the investigation's progress。' He did not have to say which investigation。 'Our latest findings indicate that your brother…in…law …'
'He's not my brother…in…law。'
'Sir？'
'Never mind；' the Colonel said。 'Carry on。'
'Yes； sir。 We have ruled out burglary。 At least； it's no longer at the top of our list。'
'Oh？'
'The coroner's report indicates a double fracture of the cricoid cartilage。 In the larynx。 He was garroted。 And by a professional。 Lieutenant Tomomi believes there is now reason to consider a radical left…wing connection。'
'You mean assassination？'
'Yes； sir。 We are bringing suspects in now。 You know； the usual activists from the JSP； the munists； so forth。' 'Thank you for informing me； Sergeant。'
'No trouble at all； sir。 Good day。' He turned away。 Gravel crunched under his high black boots。
In the weeks that followed； the family life slowly restored itself to a semblance of order。 But； as the Colonel had remarked； it was not the same。
There was Satsugai's funeral； of course； a strictly formal ceremony； delayed for a time until Saigo returned home。
Nicholas found no sadness inside himself at Satsugai's death。 This； of course； was not surprising。 But he also found himself oddly anticipating the funeral and did not realize what it was he was anticipating until he saw Saigo and Itami arrive。 Then his heart sank。 Yukio was nowhere to be seen。 For his part Saigo neither looked nor talked to anyone save his mother。
With Saigo's return； Nicholas had expected Cheong to return home。 Such was not the case。 She continued to stay with Itami for more than a week。 She might have； perhaps； stayed indefinitel