el.angeleyes-第45部分

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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