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lood of Solomon and David； of Moses； runs in your veins； too。 Never forget that。 Whether you choose to do anything about it is purely your concern； I would not tamper with so private a matter。 Yet it is my duty to tell you； to give you the facts； as it were。 I hope you understand this。' He gazed solemnly at his son for a long moment before he opened the tiger and dragon box； the last gift of the enigmatic So…Peng。
Nicholas looked down； stared into the brilliant fire of sixteen half…inch cut emeralds。
Nicholas had been studying bujutsu for nearly seven years now and still felt as if he knew almost nothing。 He was strong and his reflexes superb； he went through the drills and exercises with a great deal of concentration and assiduousness but without any special love or feeling。 This surprised and concerned him。 He had been fully prepared for the hard work； the difficulty； for it was exactly this kind of effort which interested and absorbed him the most。 What he had not reckoned on was any indifference on his part。 It was not； he reflected one day during floor exercises at the dojo； that he had in any way changed his mind about wanting to learn bujutsu。 In fact； if anything； this desire had increased〃。 It was … well； very difficult to put。 Perhaps there was no spark there。
Perhaps it was his instructor。 Tanka was a stolid； solidly built man who believed a great deal in repeated movements and； it seemed； nothing else。 Over and over； Nicholas was obliged to perform the same manoeuvre。 Again and again until he felt that the sequence had been engraved upon his brain and nerves and muscles。 It was boring work and he hated it。 Hated； too； the fact that Tanka treated them as if they were children not yet ready for the adult world。
Ever and again； he would find himself looking over to the far side of the dojo where Kansatsu； the ryu's master； taught； individual classes with a select few of the older students。 He longed to be there instead of here on the dung…heap of un…specialized exercises。
He had e to join the same ryu as Saigo … as had been said； through Itami's intervention … and it galled him further that his cousin； being older and having joined the ryu earlier than Nicholas； was thus far ahead。 This point Saigo brought up to him at every opportunity。 At the dojo he was openly contemptuous of Nicholas … as were many of the other students； because of his occidental aspect； feeling that bujutsu； being one of the most traditional and sacred of Japanese institutions； should not be open to a gaijin； a foreigner … and never referred to Nicholas as his cousin。 However； at home it was quite another matter。 He was scrupulously careful to be polite to Nicholas。 For his part； Nicholas had given up trying to talk the matter out with Saigo after the third unsuccessful attempt。
Truth to tell； Saigo was a thorn in Nicholas's side at the dojo。 When he could have been so much help to the other； he invariably went out of his way to make everything more difficult； even going so far as to bee the unofficial ringleader of the 'opposition'。
One evening； the work over with and the showers taken； Nicholas was dressing when five or six of the boys came up in ones and twos until they had surrounded him。
'What are you doing here？' said one of the largest boys。 'This is where we sit。'
Nicholas said nothing； continuing to dress。 Outwardly he took no notice； but inwardly his heart was beating like a triphammer。
'Don't you have anything to say？' said another boy。 He was small and younger than the others but was seemingly emboldened by their surrounding presence。 He laughed derisively。 'Maybe he doesn't understand Japanese。 Do you think we'll have to speak to him in English like they do with the apes in the zoo？' Everyone laughed。
'That's right；' the big boy said； picking up the cue。 'I want an answer； ape。 Tell us why you're here in our spot； stinking it up like a spot of venereal disease。'
Nicholas stood up。 'Why don't you go off and play somewhere where your jokes will be appreciated。'
'Look； look I' cried the small boy。 〃The ape speaks I〃
'Shut up！' said the big boy； and then to Nicholas： 'I don't much care for your tone； ape。 I think you've just said something you're going to regret。' His right hand chopped downward towards Nicholas's exposed neck without warning。 Nicholas blocked it and then they were all crowding into him。
Through the melee he caught a glimpse of Saigo on his way out； oblivious to the raucous disturbance。 He called out his name。
Saigo checked and came over。 'Hold on 1' he yelled； shouldering his way through the crowd。 He shoved them back against the wall； giving Nicholas some breathing space。 'What's going on here？'
'It's the gaijin；' the big boy said； his fists still clenched。 'Making trouble again。'
'Oho； is that so？〃 Saigo said。 'One against six？ Hard to believe。' He shrugged； slammed the edge of his hand into Nicholas's stomach。
Nicholas pitched forward onto his knees； his forehead touching the floor as if in prayer。 He retched； tried to fill his bursting lungs with air。 He gasped like a fish out of water。
'Don't bother these people any more； Nicholas；' Saigo said； standing over him。 'Where are your manners？ But what can you expect； fellows。 His father's a barbarian and his mother's a Chinese。 C'mon。' He led them away； leaving Nicholas alone on the floor with his pain。
She had e with her attenuated procession quite unexpectedly during the middle of the week； throwing the entire household into a state of unmitigated panic； initiated； of course； by Cheong； who felt that the house was never clean enough； the food never fine enough； her family never well dressed enough to suit Itami。
She looked like a tiny doll； Nicholas thought； a perfect porcelain thing to be put on a pedestal inside a glass case； protected from the elements。 In fact； Itami needed no such exterior protection； she had a will of iron and the power to promote it； even with her husband； Satsugai。
Nicholas watched clandestinely from another room as Cheong herself performed the elaborate tea ceremony for Itami； kneeling on the tatamis before a green lacquered table。 She wore a traditional Japanese robe and her long gleaming hair had been put up with ivory sticks。 He thought that； at that moment； she had never looked so beautiful or so regal。 She was a far cry from the icy aristocracy of Itami； yet perhaps even because of that he had far more admiration for his mother。 Of Itami's kind of woman there were plenty in books of photographs he had seen of an older； pre…war Japan。 But oh； Cheong 1 There were none to touch her。 She carried with her a nobility of soul that Itami could never hope to attain； not in this life； at least。 Though Itami was strong； her magnetism was nothing pared to Cheong's power； for she wielded an inner tranquillity that was as profound as the utter stillness of a hot summer's day； a living jewel； unique。 She was； as Nicholas thought of it； of a whole cloth and this he respected and admired above all else。
He had no great desire to talk to Itami but it would have been very bad manners for him to leave the house without acknowledging her presence； his mother would be furious and； quite naturally； blame herself。 This he did not want and thus； some time later in the afternoon； he pulled open the shoji and stepped through。
Itami looked up。 'Ah； Nicholas； I did not know that you were home。'
'Good afternoon； Aunt。'
'Excuse me a moment；' Cheong said； getting effortlessly to her feet。 'The tea is cold。' For some reason she would not overtly use the servants when Itami was around。 She left them alone and Nicholas began to feel unfortable under the mute scrutiny of Itami's gaze。
He went over to the window； gazed out at the forest of cryptomeria and pine。
'Do you know；' said Itami； 'that hidden within that forest is an ancient Shinto shrine？'
'Yes；' Nicholas said； turning round。 'My father told me。'
'Have you seen it？'
'Not yet。'
'And did you know； Nicholas； that within that shrine is a park filled with mosses？'
'Forty different varieties； I think； Aunt。 Yes； I know of it but I am told that only the priests of the shrine may look upon it。'
'Perhaps it is not so difficult a