el.angeleyes-第15部分

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　〃Stop　it！〃　Tori　said。
　Godzilla　ignored　her。　A　small　blade　snicked　into　his　left　hand。　It　headed　for　Bernard's　throat。
　Tori　drove　her　doubled…up　knuckles　into　Godzilla's　sternum　while　simultaneously　smacking　him　in　the　groin　with　her　knee。　For　a　moment　nothing　happened；　then　Godzilla's　eyes　began　to　water；　his　mouth　flopped　open；　and　he　dropped　Bernard　Godwin　to　the　none　too　clean　floor。
　Tori　knew　her　exit　cue。　She　grabbed　Bernard　by　the　back　of　the　neck　and　got　out　of　there。
　Across　town　in　Roppongi；　in　an　infinitely　more　savory　neighborhood；　they　entered　an　all…night　sushi　restaurant。　A　sign　over　the　door　had　imprinted　on　it　the　image　of　a　round；　spiky　fish。
　〃You　're　buying；　〃　Tori　said　as　they　sat　down。　〃You　owe　me。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　pleasure；〃　Bernard　Godwin　said；　inclining　his　head　in　a　gesture　that　seemed　both　old…fashioned　and　appropriate。　She　was　surprised　that　he　appeared　none　the　worse　for　his　ordeal。
　Tori　ordered　for　them：　bowls　of　baby　eels　to　start；　then　an　assortment　of　sushi　that　included　abalone；　flying　fish　roe；　and　sea　urchin。　Lastly；　she　ordered　broiled　fugu。　All　this　was　quite　deliberate：　the　Japanese　Unique　Culture　Test。　Tori　had　been　subjected　to　it　on　her　arrival；　she　saw　no　reason　why　she　shouldn't　subject　Bernard　Godwin　in　the　same　way。　She　had　taken　him　to　one　of　the　restaurants　licensed　to　serve　blowfish；　which；　in　the　wrong　hands；　could　be　lethally　poisonous。
　They　were　given　hot　towels。　The　hot　sake　came　first；　and　Tori　watched　Bernard　as　he　drank　his。　They　were　on　their　second　bottle　when　the　baby　eels　arrived：　tiny　white　things　in　a　clear　broth。　The　eels　were　without　doubt　disgusting　to　look　at；　but　really　were　quite　tasty。　Tori　ate　with　gusto；　and　was　mildly　disappointed　when　Bernard　dug　in　without　so　much　as　twitching　an　eyelid。　Oh；　well；　she　thought。　There's　plenty　more　to　e。
　All　the　sushi　she　had　ordered　was　food　for　which；　after　a　long　time；　one　might　possibly　acquire　a　taste。　It　was　true　that　many　Japanese　themselves　did　not　care　for　sea　urchin。　But　to　impress　Westerners　as　well　as　to　prove　their　superiority　and　separate…ness；　they　ate　it　anyway；　pretending　to　savor　its　strong　rancid　taste。
　To　her　dismay；　Bernard　tackled　the　sushi　with　a　good　deal　of　aplomb。　He　even　asked　for　more　marinated　ginger　and　wasabi；　the　fiery　green　horseradish。
　〃I　once　read　a　report；〃　he　told　her；　〃that　said　this　ginger　was　a　natural　protection　from　any　nasty　microorganisms　that　might　be　in　the　raw　fish。　Had　you　heard　that　also？〃
　Tori　said　she　hadn't。
　The　fugu　came；　and　Tori　told　him　what　it　was。　Bernard　looked　at　the　fish；　shrugged；　ate　it。　When　they　were　both　finished　with　their　food；　and　Tori　ordered　their　sixth　bottle　of　sake；　Bernard　said；　〃Tell　me；　young　lady；　how　did　I　do？〃
　〃Pardon　me？〃
　〃How　did　I　do　on　the　test　you　just　gave　me？〃　he　said　patiently。　〃Did　I　pass？〃
　Tori　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　laughed　until　the　tears　came　to　her　eyes。　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　she　said；　wiping　at　her　eyes；　''you　really　are　the　limit。〃
　〃Funny；〃　Bernard　Godwin　said　with　a　serious　face；　〃that　was　just　what　I　was　thinking　about　you。〃
　Tori　took　him　back　to　her　apartment；　a　tiny　place　in　an　ugly；　colorless　building　that　looked　like　a　cracker　box　stood　on　end。　But　inside　it　was　fortable；　if　cramped。
　Bernard　seemed　content　to　settle　in。　He　was　an　exceedingly　magnetic　man；　for　he　carried　with　him　a　singular　kind　of　power。　He　reminded　her　of　images　she　had　seen　of　Julius　Caesar：　the　planular　face；　dominated　by　the　long　patrician　nose；　the　prominent　chin；　the　mander's　eyes；　so　full　of　good　humor　as　well　as　power。　It　was　a　good　face；　strong　and　at　the　same　time　gentle。　It　was　a　glyph　which；　if　you　read　it　correctly；　seemed　to　say；　If　you　are　my　friend；　I　will　take　care　of　you　forever；　but　if　you　are　my　enemy；　I　will　take　you　down　in　such　a　way　that　you　will　not　even　know　it's　happening。　Much　later　she　would　e　to　see　the　guile；　lurking　like　a　pike　in　deep　water；　behind　his　bright　blue　eyes。
　Tori　got　a　couple　of　Kirin　beers　from　the　half　refrigerator；　opened　them；　handed　him　one。　She　liked　that　Bernard　was　fortable　drinking　it　from　the　bottle。　He　was　dressed　in　a　pair　of　dark　blue　trousers；　a　polo　shirt　of　the　same　color；　and　a　handsome　jacket　of　soft　chocolate…colored　lambskin。　He　wore　highly　polished　John　Lobb　stalking　shoes　that　made　no　sound　when　he　walked。
　Tori　liked　the　way　he　moved…not　quickly；　but　lithely；　with　a　sense　of　purpose　always。　His　were　not　the　mannerisms　of　a　young　man；　but　they　certainly　weren't　the　mannerisms　of　an　old　man；　either。　Far　from　it。　Bernard　Godwin　had　obviously　put　his　years　to　good　use；　learning　as　he　went；　from　many　sources。　Tori　found　this　interesting。　In　fact；　she　found　Bernard　Godwin　altogether　fascinating；　but　after　the　incident　in　the　fugu　restaurant　when　he　had　so　effortlessly　seen　through　her；　she　was　careful　not　to　let　him　know　this。　He　wanted　something　from　her。　She　thought　that　the　chances　were　good　that　he　would　get　it；　but　it　was　she　who　wanted　to　set　the　price。
　〃You　said　something　about　a　proposition；〃　Tori　said；　flopping　down　beside　Bernard　Godwin　on　the　rolled…up　futon　she　slept　on　that　doubled　as　a　sofa。
　〃Yes；　indeed。〃　Bernard　had　stretched　out　his　long　legs；　crossing　them　at　the　ankles。　His　eyes　were　hooded；　as　if　the　sake　was　finally　catching　up　to　him　or　he　had　passed　his　bedtime。　〃This　is　something　I've　no　doubt　will　pique　your　interest。〃
　〃First　I'd　like　to　know　how　you　heard　about　me。〃
　Bernard　took　a　sip　of　the　Kirin。　''The　Yakuza　might　call　you　the　Wild　Child；　but　there　are　others　to　whom　you　are　known　as　the　Female　Ronin。''　He　turned　his　head　toward　her。　''In　certain　circles　you　really　are　quite　famous。''
　〃Like　a　celebrity。〃　Tori　got　up；　turned　on　the　stereo。　Jefferson　Airplane。　Stomping　backbeat；　swirling　melody。　Grace　Slick　singing　''White　Rabbit。''　Yeah；　Tori　thought。　You　tell　'em；　Gracie。　Who　knows　what　evil　lurks　in　the　hearts　of　men？　When　Tori　came　back　to　sit　beside　Bernard；　she　said；　〃What　circles？〃
　〃My　kind　of　circle；〃　he　said　in　his　sleepy　voice。　〃Yours；　too；　I　imagine。''　He　sucked　at　his　Kirin。
　〃Yeah？　What　makes　you　so　sure？〃
　〃You　want　it　straight？　Okay。　You're　an　angry　young　woman　looking　for　direction。　Right　now；　you'd　as　soon　throw　yourself　in　the　furnace　as　someone　else。　Right　now；　it　doesn't　matter　all　that　much　to　you　as　long　as　someone　burns。　But　I'm　here　to　tell　you　that　it　does　matter。　It　matters　very　much。〃
　〃Why？〃
　For　some　time　Bernard　Godwin　was　quiet。　Then　he　leaned　forward；　put　the　Kirin　bottle　on　the　free…form　glass　and　iron　coffee　table。　He　put　his　elbows　on　his　knees。　〃There　was　a　guy　I　know；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃This　was　a　long　time　ago。　This　guy　was　about　your　age；　perhaps　a　couple　of　years　younger。　His　mother　had　just　died；　and　all　through　the　funeral　he　was　hoping　his　father　would　walk　into　the　funeral　parlor…just　for　a　minute；　even…to　pay　his　respects。
　〃This　guy's　father　had　run　out　on　his　wife　when　his　son　was　five　years　old。　He　found　another　woman；　maybe；　or　maybe　he　liked　to　go　from　woman　to　woman；　who　knows？　Anyway；　the　guy　hadn't　seen　his　father　in　all　those　years。　He　hadn't　thought　that　he　really　wanted　to…harboring　in　his　heart　this　hatred　for　his　old　man…but　now　at　the　moment　when　the　minister　was　speaking　of　the　fulfilled　life　of　the　dearly　departed；　he　saw　the　eulogy　for　a　lie；　and　this　guy　knew　that　he　had　to　see　his　father　again。
　〃Soon　after　his　mother　was　buried；　the　guy　traveled　west　to　Chicago；　where　his　father　had　taken　up　residence。　He　ate　lunch　at　a　great　rib　soul　shack　on　the　South　Side；　where　he　was　served　by　a　black　woman　who　had　hickory　ash　in　her　hair；　then　he　walked　to　the　building　where　his　father　worked。
　''His　father　was　a　reporter　for　a　Chicago　paper；　and　when　his　son　asked　to　see　him；　the　guy　was　told　that　his　father　was　out　running　down　a　story。　No　one　knew　where　he　was　or　when　he　would　be　back。
　〃This　guy　said　he　was　the　reporter's　son；　that　he　hadn't　seen　his　father　in　years；　and　that　he'd　wait。　No　one　said　a　thing。
　〃He　was　shown　to　his　father's　desk；　and　he　sat　down　in　an　old　scarred　swivel　chair　that　squeaked　when　he　moved　it　back　and　forth。
　〃He　saw　the　clutter　on　his　father's　desk　and　thought　of　the　clutter　of　his　mother's　life。　He　saw　the　old　IBM　typewriter　on　his　father's　desk　and　thought　of　how　often　his　mother　longed　to　hear　from　his　father；　walking　to　the　mailbox　with　an　expression　of　hope；　returning　with　the　weight　of　a　secret　defeat。　Only　it　hadn't　been　a　secret　from　her　son；　who　saw　everything；　and　hurt　when　she　hurt。
　''This　guy　opened　the　drawers　of　his　father's　desk　one　by　one　as　if　he　hoped　to　reveal　the　ghosts　of　the　past　he　could　not　remember；　the　specters　of　a　past　that　might　have　been。　In　the　lower　right…hand　drawer；　underneath　a　half…empty　box　of　Kleenех；　he　pulled　out　a　framed　picture　of　his　mother　and　himself　as　a　small　boy。　He　could　not　remember　the　picture　having　been　taken。　He　put　the　photograph　away；　as　if　he　were　not　really　certain　that　little　boy　was　him。
　〃Time　passed；　day　into　night。　The　son　fell　asleep；　his　head　on　his　folded　arms；　his　arms　on　his　father's　desk。　When　he　awoke；　he　saw　his　father　standing　in　front　of　the　desk；　peering　down　at　him。
　''　'　Son；'　his　father　said；　'what　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？'　''
　There　was　silence　for　some　time。　Even　Grace　Slick　had　the　sense　to　keep　quiet。　Tori　did　not　stir；　though　she　felt　the　need　to　cut　the　silence　with　music。
　At　last　Bernard　Godwin　got　up；　fetched　two　more　Kirins　for　them　from　the　refrigerator。　Tori　heard　the　tops　popping；　and　it　was　a　kind　of　music。　She　took　the　bottle　Bernard　offered　her；　but　she　didn't　drink　it　right　away。
　Bernard　said；　〃I　guess　in　my　case　the　truth　was　simple：　my　father　was　a　dyed…in…the…wool　sonuvabitch。　People　who　knew　him　better　than　either　I　or　my　mother　did　said　he　had　to　be　like　that　to　be　such　a　good　reporter；　but　I　didn't　give　a　damn　what　they　said。　As　far　as　I　could　see；　he　was　an　abject　failure。　But　there　you　are；　everyone　has　to　have　his　own　opinion。〃
　〃Maybe　we're　not　so　different；〃　Tori　said　at　last。
　Bernard　Godwin　took　a　thoughtful　swig　of　his　beer。　〃Well；　if　life　has　taught　me　anything；　it's　this：　truth　is　a　plex　ani…mal。　Every　time　you　think　you've　caught　it　by　the　tail；　it　turns　around　and　bi