el.angeleyes-第40节
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ng or anyone else。''
〃But I am married to Eikichi；〃 Honno said miserably。 〃I owe him my honor。''
〃Men…and women； too； Mrs。 Kansei…are fallible。 They lie； cheat； steal； betray。 It is human nature； a way of life。 To depend on a man…or a woman…is to invite disaster。 A warrior avoids this； and therein lies his…or her…ultimate strength。〃
〃These are just words；〃 Honno said。 〃Hollow words。〃
Big Ezoe regarded her for a long time。 At last he said； ''You're perfectly right。〃 He picked up his menu。 〃And tonight I think it's high time we turned them into reality。〃
First there was the moss garden； verdant； lush； glowing like an emerald in the reflected light beneath the yellow and green cut…leaf maples。 Then there was the pool； deep； dark； mysterious； in whose depths from time to time could be discerned the speckled back of a lazy koi。 Like the arc of a curve； the koi's back appeared and disappeared； as full of meaning as the first brush stroke on rice paper； black ink spilled across the white page； a book yet to be written； yet to be read。
〃Mama…san reads the portents here；〃 Big Ezoe said； as if divining Honno's thoughts。 〃The koi dance and； in so doing； speak to her of the future。 So she says。〃
They had e to the northern outskirts of Tokyo； where there were still wooden houses from before the war； like this one。 At this time of the evening the most extraordinary light existed in the bower beneath the carefully pruned maple trees； fusing leaf and pond； moss and butterfly； making even time seem to stand still。
〃How do you know this place？〃 Honno said。 〃Is this where you e when you need sexual release？〃 It was that kind of place； an outpost of the water trade； the euphemism used to describe Japan's vast underworld of pleasure gardens； where even the forbidden was accepted。
Big Ezoe smiled。 He led her away from the koi pool； across the courtyard； into the house。 Mama…san was in the doorway； as if she expected them。 She bowed to Big Ezoe and； when he introduced Honno； she was warm and weling。 They took off their shoes； which were stored in a beautiful kyoti wood cabinet in the stone and wood entrance。 Fresh flowers were everywhere。 Some almost hid the shunga； erotic woodblock prints； hung on the walls。 Mama…san showed them into a six…tatami room； dominated by a massive red…painted tansu chest with a great deal of intricate ironwork。 A simple porcelain vase held a single yellow chrysanthemum amid a spray of dark green leaves。 She had tea brought； but almost immediately Big Ezoe excused himself。
〃Does he e here often？〃 Honno asked。
〃Oh； no；〃 Mama…san said。 She seemed almost sad at the thought。 She had gray hair； a round； pleasant face。 She was dressed immaculately in the old fashion。 The edge of a yellow under…kimono was visible beneath a kimono of spring green。 Gorgeous wooden bs kept her hair in its plex pattern。 Her face was white； black； and crimson with traditional make…up。 〃He almost never es。〃
〃How do you know him？〃
Mama…san cocked her head； looking like a mockingbird on a branch。 〃My dear； Big Ezoe owns this establishment。〃 She gave Honno the tiniest； most ingratiating smile。 〃Tell me； did he take you to his club in the Ginza for lunch today？〃
〃His club？〃
〃Oh； most assuredly。〃 Mama…san's head bobbed； and her expression was that of a mother proud of the acplishments other son。 〃Big Ezoe owns many； many things。 But he acquires nothing。〃 She cocked her head again。 〃Do you understand？〃
〃I'm not sure。〃
〃Well。〃 Mama…san settled her hands in her lap。 The light from the next room； filtered by the rice…paper shoji screens； fell obliquely across her face； softening it and； at the same time； making an abstraction of it； so that Honno was reminded of the restricted view of Tokyo from the Ginza club's restaurant。 ''Here is what I mean。 A man acquires wealth； but of what use is wealth if he has no wisdom？ Oh； he may ride in the grandest Mercedes； have his clothes made for him abroad； live in a house in Kojimachi； but if he owns no respect； then he is nothing； and his life is but coins sifting through his fingers。〃
〃This is how you define Big Ezoe？〃
''But I wasn't speaking of him； not in any direct way；'' Mama…san said。 〃I was trying to make you understand the nature of
things。 Events； often shocking； require an underlying logic so the mind can understand what the eyes cannot。〃
At that moment Big Ezoe reappeared。 ''We must go upstairs now； Mama…san。〃
The old woman bowed。 〃I understand。〃
〃Have you finished？''
She gave him an enigmatic look。 〃Well。〃 The patterns shifted； black…white…black； across her face as she moved。 〃There won't be a finish to this。〃
Big Ezoe watched； as if suddenly wary； then he returned her bow and gestured for Honno to follow him。 There was a man standing in the hallway； at the foot of the stairs。 He had about him the air of one of Big Ezoe's men。 He looked studiedly away from Honno as she followed Big Ezoe up the stairs。
〃Where are we going？〃 she asked。 〃Why are we here？〃
It was dark on the second floor。 Their feet made no sound on the tatami mats。 Sliding shoji screened off one room from another； so that the place had a sense of munality that spoke to the heart of the Japanese culture； where individuality was an unfortable concept。
〃This is a sleepless place；〃 Big Ezoe said softly。 〃And yet it is just the spot where dreams are born。〃
He stopped in front of a shoji near the end of the hall。 He put his hand on the ash…wood frame； turned to her； said； 〃Trust； Mrs。 Kansei； is too often misplaced。 Won't you see my words turned into reality？''
He threw open the sliding shoji； and Honno stared into the room beyond。 There were two people…a man and a woman…entwined on the futon。 There was a crush of movement； rhythmic； primitive； unmistakable。 Then the man； aware through the veil of his pleasure that he was being observed； flung the woman off his hips。 The woman rolled out of the bedcovers； and Honno saw the woman was a man。 He sat up； stared into Honno's face。
All at once Honno's blood froze。 She was looking right at Eikichi。 Her husband making love to another man。 It was inconceivable。 This must be a painting or a photograph； Honno thought。 It cannot be real。 She felt dizzy。 And then Mama…san's words flooded back through her。 Mama…san had spoken of Kojimachi。 Kojimachi was one of Tokyo's poshest neighborhoods。 It was where Eikicki had grown up； where he went to high school。 It was where his parents lived； where he aspired to live。 If a man owns no respect； then he is nothing； and his life is but coins sifting through his fingers。 Mama…san； in her oblique way； had been trying to prepare Honno for this scene。
''Honno…san！'' Eikichi screeched。 ''How dare you e here！ How dare you lie to me！ How dare you spy on me！〃 The look of contempt on his face was acid。 〃Well； why should I be surprised？ You're hinoeuma。 Oh； yes； I know。 Stupid you！〃 Seeing the look of dread and shame on her face； he was not about to stop now。 There was a kind of gleeful malevolence that seemed to bubble out of him like lava from the mouth of a volcano。 〃Your father came to see my parents a month before our wedding。 He was concerned； you see； for their reputation； their standing in the munity。 He wanted some remuneration for his information and； because I got to him before he had a chance to speak to my parents； I paid him off myself。 Why not？ His information was valuable to me； although not in any way he could suspect； the poor fool。 I saw it as a lever to keep you in line； just in case you rebelled at some point； willful girl that you are； against my true lifestyle。〃 He drew the thin young man back to him； lovingly embraced him。 〃Now； hinoeuma woman； get out of here； so I can finish what I've started！〃
Honno wanted to cry out； but she could not。 Just like that； with the thunderclap of Eikichi's voice； reality was brought home to her。 She turned away； too horrified； too out of control； to answer him。
She tore past Big Ezoe； raced back down the stairs； through the entryway； out into the courtyard。 Running barefoot into me darkness beneath the maples； where the tiny sounds of the koi pool could fort her； where the lazy； somnolent fish could soothe away the fever burning inside her。
Then she turned away and； to her horror； vomited in a series of wracking convulsions。 She gave a little moan； and crawling to the edge of the pool； lowered her face beneath the water。 Coolness surrounded her； and she opened her eyes to the darkness； the life beneath me water。
When she rose； gasping； from below； she saw Big Ezoe sitting on the other side of the pool。 He handed her her shoes。 She was so humiliated she could not face him。
〃You bastard；〃 she said； 〃you knew about Eikichi all along。〃 She was gasping for breath； as if she had been running for a very long time。 〃How long has he been ing here？〃
''Three years；'' Big Ezoe said。 ''Nothing about meeting you； courting you； marrying you； changed his schedule。〃
〃Because I am hinoeuma； born in the year of the husband killer；〃 Honno said miserably。
Big Ezoe looked off into the night。 There were fireflies out； and here beside the koi pool； beneath the maples； it was possible to forget all about Tokyo； the hypermodern superstructures； the of
