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ogether 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 wanted to say； 'I'm glad' because she found that she was。 No one wanted a lush for a sister。 It was as if her tongue cleaved to the roof of her mouth when she wanted to say something nice to Gelda。 I really can't give her anything at all； she thought in wonder。 Not even the tiniest thing。 She felt a wave of shame wash over her like her mother's long hands； slippery with soap； bathing her。
When she was older； she would wait until everyone had left the house。 She would take a bath and emerge； moist and warm； one great snowy towel around her thin body and another smaller one wound about her long hair like a turban。 And； as if she were in some far…off Byzantine city … that must have been from her constant reading … she would flop down on this very couch； her back against the foamy cushions； her legs up and dangling over the back。 Thus positioned； she would turn her head； watch the slow wheel of the day as it streamed in through the skylight and by its shape and its position in the room could divine the precis