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it would be the last time we would see each other； and he was right。' Her hands moved in a blur along the wooden counter； blithely dissociated from her words。 'I knew that I must take your father and leave Singapore behind forever； our life lay elsewhere； it lay here。 But my heart broke at leaving So…Peng。 He was my father； so much more than a。 father and I so much more than a daughter。 Perhaps that was so because we had chosen each other； it was our minds rather than our blood that were the same。
'That day； as we left； I paused on the porch of his house as I had done so many times when； as a child； I was about to go out； when So…Peng put a hand on my arm。 It was the first and last time he touched me as an adult。 Your father was already somewhat ahead on the street。 〃Now you are me； Cheong；〃 he said to me in the peculiar Mandarin dialect we used only among ourselves in the household。'
'What did he mean？'
'I don't know … I only suspect。' She wiped her hands； dipped them in a bowl of cold lemon water； began to slice again； swiftly and deftly； this time it was cucumbers。 'I cried all the way through the forest until we reached the clearing where the Jeep was parked。 Your father； of course； said nothing； though I've no doubt he wanted to； he would not shame me that way。'
'Did you have to leave？' Nicholas asked。
'I did； yes；' she said； for the first time looking up from her work。 'I had my duty to your father。 That is my life。 I knew it that day and so did So…Peng。 It would have been inconceivable to him that I should stay with him； that I should abandon my duty。 It could not happen。 To abandon duty is to destroy that which makes any individual unique and capable of prodigious feats。
'Duty is the essence of life； Nicholas。 It is the only thing over which death has no dominion。 It is true immortality。'
As it turned out； the Colonel had the entire day free and； it being spring； he took Nicholas to the Jindaiji Botanical Park in the city for the traditional cherry…blossom viewing。
On the way they dropped Cheong at Itami's； she had promised her she would go with her to see her uncle who was ill。
The morning's haze had lifted and a strong easterly wind had already banished the low…lying mist； wispy cirrus arced like a series of Impressionist paintings newly hung in a museum's vast gallery。
So； too； the park seemed to have been dropped wholesale from out of the heavens。 The heavily flowering trees； their long branches bent low under the weight of the palest pink blossoms； took on an ethereal other…worldliness。 At other times of the year the park perhaps showed its rather austere beauty。 But this was April and the splendor displayed here was breathtaking。
Kimonos and brightly coloured oiled paper parasols were much in evidence as they made their leisurely way along the winding paths beneath the two skies； one low and fragrant； the other far out of reach。 They stopped by a vendor selling sweet tofu。 The Colonel bought them each a portion and they ate the confection slowly as they moved on。 Laughing children passed them； indulged by their parents； and young couples； arm in arm。 There were many Americans。
'Father； will you tell me something about the zaibatsu？' Nicholas asked。
The Colonel spooned a bit of tofu into his mouth； chewed reflectively。 'Well； I'm sure you know quite a bit already。'
'I know what the zaibatsu are；' Nicholas said。 'Four of the largest industrial plexes in Japan。 And I know that for a brief time just after the war many of the zaibatsu's top executives were tried for war crimes。 I don't really understand that。'
The Colonel was obliged to stoop slightly as they passed beneath low…hanging branches。 They might have been flying； passing through rose…coloured banks of clouds。 Modern Tokyo seemed never to have existed； to be； rather； a manifestation of some science fiction tale。 An Easterner walking here at this time would have no difficulty in understanding this。 Symbols abounded in Japan； acquiring their own potency。 For the Japanese there was perhaps no more powerful symbol than the cherry blossom。 It stood variously for renewal； purification； love and ineffable； timeless beauty： basic concepts to the Japanese spirit。 All this passed through the Colonel's mind as he decided where to start。
〃As in all things Japanese；' he said； 'the answer is not a simple one。 In fact； its origins lie elsewhere： in Japan's long militaristic history。 With the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868； Japan made a strong and concerted effort to turn away from both the isolation and the feudalism that marked the two hundred…plus years of the powerful Tokugawa shogunate。 This also meant turning away from the traditionalism which； many felt； was the backbone of Japan's strength。'
They turned off to the right； heading down a shallow incline towards a small lake。 The sound of children's voices drifted up to them through the foliage。
'But with this new policy；' the Colonel continued； 'this Westernization； if you will； came； quite naturally； the eroding of the samurai's great power。 After all； they had always been Japan's most stalwart traditionalists。 Now they were branded reactionaries； for they vigorously opposed all that the Meiji Restoration sought to create。 I know that you are well aware that since 1582； when Toyotomi Hideoshi became shogun； only samurai were allowed to wear two swords … the katana was the samurai's province alone。 Now this was all changed。 The Military Conscription Act forbade the wearing of the katana and； by creating a national army posed of 'moners'； effectively did away with the class barrier that had exalted the samurai since its inception in A。D。 792。'
For a time they strolled by the side of the lake； its pure chill blue contrasting with the pink…white of the blossoms。 Toy sailboats drifted across the water； their white sails billowing； their tiny captains running gleefully at the verge of the land to keep up with their progress。
'However； the samurai were not so easily beaten；' the Colonel said。 The miniature sails； moving so steadfastly over the water； recalled to him perfect prints out of Japan's internecine past。 'A great majority of them fought back directly and； when they were defeated； they formed societies。 The main one was called the Genyosha … the Dark Ocean Society … but there were others such as the Kokuryukai … the Black Dragon
Society。 These societies； which are quite active today； are reactionary organizations that believe strongly in imperialism and a manifest destiny for Japan upon the Asian shore。
'Now the Genyosha was born in Fukuoka and is based there still。 But since that part of Kyushu is this country's closest approach to the continent； it's not very surprising that the Genyosha should be most virulent there。'
Nicholas thought of the Mongol invasions； of the violently nationalistic feelings that must have been nurtured there by such precipitous incursions。 And this led him back to thoughts of Satsugai。
They found a bench beside the water； sat down。 On the far side of the lake a child held a bunch of colourful balloons and； farther away； over the massive treetops； he could see plastered against the sky the quivering fragile presence of a box kite； it was painted in the image of a fire…breathing dragon。
'Having failed in their bid to overthrow the Meiji regime overtly； the members of the Genyosha next set about subverting the Restoration covertly； from within。 They were clever men。 They knew that the Meiji oligarchy； which propounded industrialization； would need economic expansion in order to fuel this。 To them； this must involve the exploitation and eventual subjugation of China。
'Working within the prescribed political framework of the new Japanese society； the men of the Genyosha sought to make allies in the highest levels of government。 They made their intensive target the members of the General Staff； where a reactionary philosophy was the norm rather than the exception。
'They were aided in this by the uping general election of 1882。 The Genyosha made deals with the incumbents。 In return for their seeing that these politicians were returned to office； the society was assured that this regime would follow a vigorously