el.angeleyes-第86部分
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of the first Shogun； Ieyasu Tokugawa。 But now he tells me that this American raped his daughter； and I say； did you go to the police？ 'What？' he said crossly； 'and involve my poor daughter further？ Do you think I would consider holding her up for public inspection； or dragging her through the courts？ No； no； not a chance。' This had to be settled quickly； privately； absolutely。 I agreed。 Yes； yes； I believe he did right。〃
Tori moved closer to the shorter businessman； and at one point； in leaning over to find something in her handbag； she palmed his wallet out of his inside jacket pocket。 She dug out one of his business cards； and five minutes later slipped the wallet back without having been detected。
The next morning she presented herself at the executive offices of Tandom Polycarbon。 They had a dozen floors in a huge building in Shinjuku； and the chairman's suite was on the top floor。 She asked to see Tok Murashito； but was told that the chairman was in the middle of a board meeting and； furthermore； would be tied up all day。 There was an appointment book on the secretary's burlwood desk； but she did not ask Tori if she wished to make an appointment。 Tori was apparently beneath her notice。
Tori said sweetly； 〃Just tell Mr。 Murashito that Tom Royce's sister is here to see him。''
〃I'm afraid that Murashito…san has left instructions not to be disturbed；〃 the secretary said。
Tori leaned over the desk； put her face close to the secretary's； expanded her wa to its limits。 〃Call him。 I'll wait。〃 The secretary jumped as if poked with a hot fork。 Her hand trembled as it picked up the receiver。 She dialed an internal number； spoke briefly； waited a moment； then spoke again at length。 In a moment she hung up。 She seemed frightened。 〃Murashito…san will see you in his office；〃 she said； getting up。 〃I'll show you the way。''
The secretary led Tori through thick wooden doors； down a hushed carpeted corridor whose walls were covered with color blowups of microscopic views of different man…made fabrics that Tandom Polycarbon had designed； created； and patented。 These photographs were matted and framed like works of art。
Tok Murashito had an office that faced west and south； a magnificent view that was in itself a major work of art。 But the inner walls of his office were adorned with a Braque； a Schiele； and a Manet。 Tori was impressed； as she was meant to be； both by Tok Murashito's wealth and his good taste。
Fuck good taste； Tori thought as the secretary withdrew。
Tok Murashito made certain that she had the office to herself before he made his entrance through a discreet side door hidden within the walnut paneling that housed a wet bar； a magnificent Olmec head that belonged in a Mexican museum； and six shelves of books more suitable to a lawyer's office。
He was shorter than the short drunk man who had spilled the beans the night before at The Neon Starfish； but he was thicker； too； with the wide shoulders and upper arms of a bodybuilder。 The way his muscles stretched his suit； he seemed to belong in a dojo or a gym rather than a boardroom。 The way he was built； Tori saw； he'd have to have all his clothes made to order。
〃Well；〃 Tok Murashito said without preliminaries； 〃what is it you want？〃
Okay； Tori thought。 〃You murdered an American named Tom Royce。〃
Murashito didn't blink。 〃I had just cause。〃
〃I wonder whether the police will think so。〃
〃The police won't be called。〃
〃Oh？ What makes you think that？〃
Tok Murashito walked past his desk； looked out his windows。 It was a magnificent view； but it was also a long way down。
Murashito put his hands behind his back。 〃Why would the police be called？''
〃They usually are when a murder has been mitted。〃
He nodded。 〃That's true。 In fact； they're already on the case。'' He smiled。 〃Surprised； Miss Royce？ The police have been in contact with me。 You see； we knew one another。 Royce and I did business from time to time。〃
Tori recalled Tom Royce's cover as a textile salesman； thought； Fronts have to be maintained in order for them to seem legitimate。 〃So you knew him；〃 she said。 〃Do the police also know you had a motive？〃
Tbk Murashito went very still。 〃Who are you？〃 he said。
Tori ignored him。 ''You didn't report the rape of your daughter； did you？〃
Now an odd thing happened。 Murashito's face changed； and if Tori hadn't known better； she would have sworn it relaxed。 He turned quickly away； as if embarrassed。 〃She's already endured more pain and suffering than any young woman should。''
Tori went silently up behind him。 She said； 〃I'm not Tom Royce's sister。 My name is Tori Nunn。 Do you know me？〃
Tok Murashito shook his head no。
〃I'm the Wild Child。 I could kill you right here and no one would know about it。 Do you understand me？〃
Tbk Murashito said nothing for some time； then he said； 〃You're a foolish young woman。 There is too much fire burning inside you。 Go home。〃 When she did not move； he turned to face her。 ''One of these days you'll discover that there are alternatives far preferable to violence。〃
〃That's curious advice； ing from you。〃
〃Giri。 I did what I had to do。〃
Tori looked him in the eye。 〃Just as I do；〃 she said。
Tok Murashito stared at her for a long time。 Then he shook his head。 〃Time makes fools of us all； Miss Nunn。 I strive to remember that； but all too often it slips my mind。〃 When she said nothing； he said； 〃Will you kill me now？〃
〃If I did；〃 Tori said； 〃your daughter's pain would forever be on my conscience。〃
〃Well；〃 Tbk Murashito said； 〃after all； perhaps there is such a thing in the world as justice。〃 He never took his eyes from her。 〃Tell me； why did you e here。 Miss Nunn？〃
〃To let you know that I was here；〃 Tori said。 〃To see how you would react。''
〃You were testing me。〃
〃In a manner of speaking。''
He passed a hand across his face。 〃I must say that this is the first time I have been tested by a woman。''
〃How does it feel？〃
〃To be truthful； it makes me unfortable。〃
Tori nodded。 〃The traditional roles have been reversed。〃
〃That's not what I meant；〃 Tok Murashito said carefully。 〃What makes me unfortable is your easy acceptance of violence。〃
''You think that because I am female I should hate violence。''
〃That is my experience； yes。〃 He shrugged。 〃Someone has to fight against violence； don't you think？ If women abandon their traditional role as peacemakers； where will we be？〃
〃Mr。 Murashito；〃 Tori said； 〃you are something of an enigma。〃
〃I think I shall take that as a pliment； young lady。〃
Tori frowned。 〃No one's ever called me young lady before。〃
〃Well；〃 Tok Murashito said； 〃I think it's about time they did。〃
The dream of the past began to dissolve in much the same way as a reflection of the moon on water breaks up with the ing of rain。 Tori became aware of something dark and metallic impinging on her consciousness； and she rose through the layers of sleep； from delta to beta to alpha。
Her eyes fluttered open and she saw the figure standing at the foot of the bed； half illuminated by the lamp at her bedside。 She was far more aware of the figure than she was of her surroundings。 She hardly knew where she was or how she had gotten here。 What had happened to her？ Slowly； in patchwork fashion； she remembered the nightmarish chase inside the Kinji…to； leading to the final confrontation with Fukuda。
But； again； the dark metallic rings brought her out of the well of her memories； and at last she understood that what she was feeling was the expansion of the figure's wa； a dangerous weapon that was about to be used against her。
〃Who are you？〃
Koi moved closer。 〃I am Fukuda's spiritual sister。 I have e to repay you for killing her。〃
And immediately Tori thought of her encounter with Tok Murashito。 Now； it seemed； in an eerie replaying of the scene； she was Tok； and this woman was what Tori had been so many years ago。
Tori saw a rather small handsome woman with wide shoulders； narrow hips； black； glossy hair。 Her black eyes seemed opaque； or perhaps they were utterly transparent； and the darkness was the ghost hidden inside herself。
Tori allowed herself to touch the other woman's wa； felt an engine that would not stop； something so relentless that it would not give even its owner surcease。 She felt what Big Ezoe had defined as the water tap that would not shut off。
〃What is your name？〃 Tori said。
''I have given myself the name of Koi。''
''You are a foolish woman。 There is far too much fire burning in you。 Go home。〃
Koi said； 〃I will leave when you are dead。〃
〃So much violence inside you； eating you alive。 Don't you see it？〃
〃Not before。〃
〃No； of course you don't。 I didn't； either； years ago。 I'm not sure that even now I do。〃
''I don't understand you。''
Tori looked at Koi。 〃In respect to Fukuda's death； I did what I had to do。 Giri。 She stalked me； laid a trap for me。 She was determined that only one of us was going to leave that tunnel。''
〃This is irrelevant to me。 I； too； must do what I have to do。〃
Grasping； at last； what Tok Murashito had meant。 Tori said； 〃Listen to me； Koi。 There's a difference between doing what you have to do and doing what you have been told to do。〃
〃There is no difference。〃
〃If that's so；〃 Tori said； 〃then there is no self。 In that case； you don't exist at all； but are purely the creation of someone else…who would that be； Big Ezoe？ Of course。 Big Ezoe。 There is no Koi； only Big Ezoe's automaton。〃 She watched the other woman。 〃Tell me； Koi； who are you？〃
〃I am the hard machine。〃
〃That may be what you are； but it isn't who you are。〃 Silence。 ''You can't tell me because you don't know。 I'll bet there was never a time in your life when yon were you； plain and simple； with no one else telling you what to do and what to be。〃
Koi said nothing for a long time。 Her eyes seemed to have fixed on that peculiar middle distance that exists only in the back of the mind。 At last she said； 〃I was trained by a sensei known as the Man of One Tree。 He adopted me； or so it seemed； when my parents no longer knew what to do with me。 I am cursed。 I was born hinoeuma； in the year of the husband killers。''
Her head moved slightly； but her eyes did not change their focus。 〃The Man of One Tree taug
