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lways has been； it cannot be otherwise。 It is the blood flowing out of the centuries and its imperative cannot be denied； neither by politicians' rhetoric nor by any kind of collective amnesia。 Do you understand me； Colonel？ The Germans deny their racism now。 But how foolish； for how can diey？ Easier to deny that air is the source of one's life。
'China has naught to fear fronj Japan nowadays。 This I tell you as a … confidence； eh？ The pressure now es from the Bolsheviks and they are to be feared more than ever the Japanese were。
'Bushido； Colonel。 Do you understand this concept？'
The Colonel nodded。 'Yes。 I think so。'
'Good。 Then you understand what I mean。' He looked out at the sky； entirely grey now and moving； as if some unseen giant were waving a rippling pennant at them。 'That is a measure of friendship； did you know that？ Good friendship； I am speaking of now … not a friendship as one might find between business associates or neighbourly acquaintances。 In this kind of friendship； which is rarer these days than one might believe； munication no longer bees a problem or； as it most often is； a barrier。 Do you agree with this notion of mine？'
'Yes； sir； most assuredly。'
'Umm。 Something told me that you might。' He laughed softly； not unkindly。 'You know； it was a day just like this one when Cheong first came to me。 She was a very small child； not even three yet； I believe。 Once there had been quite a large family。 I don't know whatever happened to them； apparently no one does； for I made many inquiries over a good many years。 All fruitless。
'After a while it did not seem to matter at all。 This was her family and I could not have loved her more if she were my own daughter。 I have many children and now many grandchildren and great…grandchildren。 My goodness； so many is their number now that I sometimes confuse a name with the wrong face。 But it is excusable。 I am an old man and my mind
is otherwise occupied with numerous matters。
'But I may tell you with all candour that among all my progeny Cheong has a special place。 She is not the fruit of my loins but she most assuredly is the fruit of my mind； do you follow me？ This is where she es from and you must know this； e to understand it for what it is and what it portends before you leave Singapore。'
He was silent for a time now as if he were dreaming of a far…off land or； perhaps； a time long gone。 The air seemed to split open and rain slanted down out of the charcoal sky； pattering against the small square roof of the garret； dripping from the diminutive eaves。 The green leaves of the trees dipped and shivered under the downpour until； hissing； the world was obliterated as if by a solid wall of water。 Leaning slightly over the side； the Colonel could not even make out the lower roof of So…Peng's house。 Mist； heavily laden as smoke； drifted up to them。 The world was now a grey…green pointillist painting from which only brief shadows emerged as if they were watching the visualization of still…forming thoughts within some godlike brain。
'We seem very alone up here now；' the Colonel said。
So…Peng smiled。 'One is never truly alone in Asia； is that not so？' He stood as still as a statue and it seemed odd to the Colonel that this should be so； primarily because the background was in such violent motion。 Spray bouncing up off the sill showered him with a fine mist and he stepped back from the verge a pace； reminded of standing at the bow of a fast cutter on the open seas。 'The world is different here；' So…Peng continued。 'Our world is different。 We are born with； grow up with； indeed live our entire lives with the concept of eternalness always close to us。 This … shall we say intimacy … I have often thought is a two…edged sword。 It is indubitably our great strength in life but also … this is another confidence … it is our weakness； I fear； our Achilles' heel when it es to dealing with the West。 I am much afraid that too many of my countrymen underestimate Westerners precisely because they think of them as barbarians； unable to grasp fully the Eastern concepts of man； honour and the nature of time。 This can be lethal。 Witness the Japanese。 Idiotic； what they attempted！ Glorious but idiotic。 But the Japanese know well the nobility of failure。
A majority of their national folk heroes would be considered dismal failures by Western standards。 It is the nature of their being； the quality of their thoughts that are revered； deeds count for all； in the West。 The Protestant ethic； I believe it is called； eh？ Well； it is nothing to scoff at； as any Japanese would tell you now。 The Protestant ethic is what defeated Japan。 It was made to pay dearly for the miscalculation of Pearl Harbor。 The United States was truly the sleeping giant； its wrath awesome to behold。' He gazed out upon the frantic rain。 The air was heavy with moisture。 'We as yet lack the necessary understanding of the nature of time。 We still look to yesterday when its eternal…ness was all； we have not yet caught up with the present。' He laughed。 'But give us time。 We are most ingenious people。 Once show us the way and there is our salvation。 We are an extremely flexible people。 Watch out that we do not catch you and overtake you！'
The faraway； dreaming look left So…Peng's eyes as he turned to the Colonel and said； 'But my personal views of philosophy are no doubt of little interest to you。 Words of wisdom … I do not believe in that phrase。 One cannot learn wisdom by sitting at another's feet。 One must live one's own life； make one's own mistakes； feel one's own ecstasy to learn the true meaning of existence； for it is different in each individual。 Fall down； get up； do it all over again in another context。 Experience。 And learn。 That is the only way。
'So。 Enough of prattle。 I am like an old woman today。 Perhaps it is the weather that has made me so。 I am loquacious in storms； perhaps it aids my uneasiness。 Monsoon season was always a time of terror for me when I was a child。
'A fair enough introduction。 You may wonder； Colonel； as to my cultural origins。 Well； my father was Chinese。 Not a Manchu； thank heaven； but a cultured； quiet mandarin。 He was； originally； a merchant； but because of a shrewd mind he soon became an important businessman； emigrating to Singapore when he was thirty…three。 Oh； I am from the mainland； certainly； not from here。 My mother was a Japanese。' His eyes opened wide。 'Oh； now； Colonel； you needn't look so surprised。 Those things happened from time to time。 Not； I admit； with any degree of regularity。 No； no。 And the true nature of my mother's origin was scrupulously concealed for obvious reasons。 Her differing features my father explained away by claiming she came from the North of China； near the Russian border where there is much mixed blood； Mongol and Manchu and heaven knows what else。
'However； of Cheong's origins I have no specific information。 Perhaps she knows or then again perhaps not。 It was never discussed between us。 Perhaps； one day； she will tell you。 But that； of course； is between the two of you。 For myself； I believe it matters little； if at all； for her matrix is here。 It is where she grew up； it is what fixed her。
'When one is able to see the matrix from which a precious stone is taken； one is invariably better able to judge the quality of that stone。' He shook his head。 'But this is a。 somewhat cold example。 Let me give you another。 One meets an extraordinarily beautiful woman but； in spending time with her； one gradually finds her behaviour somewhat erratic； confusing … in short； inprehensible。 Now； perhaps； one learns； subsequently； that this same woman was the middle daughter of three。 It is now possible that one has taken the first step in unravelling the mystery of this beautiful woman's strange behaviour。 And； of course； the more one learns； the less odd her behaviour bees until； at length； it is perfectly understandable。' He sniffed once at the air。 'It will be over soon；' he said。 'e。 Let us descend。'
They sat； the three of them … the Colonel； Cheong and So…Peng … around the red lacquered table in the room of screens while Chia Sheng silently served them course after course of food。 The Colonel had not in three years seen so much foo