ericlustbader.the ninja-第65部分

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cally。
　She　was　gasping　and　moaning　and　he　didn't　think　that　he　could　hold　out　much　longer。　Her　body　seemed　bottom…heavy。
　'Please！'　she　cried　to　him。　'Please；　please；　please！'　But　he　would　not　raise　a　hand　to　her。　'I　know；'　she　gasped　out；　her　lips　against　his　ear。　The　hot　rain　crashing　against　them；　her　hard　nipples　scraping　his　chest。　'I　know　what　happened　today　…at　the　dojo。'　Her　voice　was　ragged　and　there　were　uneven　gaps　between　the　words。　Still；　he　heard　her。　'I　know　…　oh！　Hit　me；　darling。　Hit　me！'　And　then；　savagely；　'I　fucked　Saigo；　just　as　I'm　fucking　you　now　I'
　He　struck　her　then；　as　she　wanted　him　to　do；　indeed；　as　she　needed　him　to　do。
　'Oh！'　she　cried　out；　her　body　arching。　'Oh；　oh；　oh；　darling！　I'm　going！'
　And；　in　that　moment；　he　felt　a　ring　of　muscles　deep　inside　her　gripping　him；　clamping　his　flesh　in　exquisite　torment；　and　he　too　cried　out；　his　legs　giving　way　at　last。　Her　fists　slipped　from　the　spout　and　they　collapsed　to　the　bottom　of　the　stall；　the　water　on　them；　all　around　them；　the　steam　rising。　Her　arms　came　around　him；　pulling　him　hard　against　her；　both　of　them　still　in　orgasm。
　The　clouds　were　on　fire。
　The　sun；　sliding　downwards　in　its　arc；　broke　across　the　oblique　shoulder　of　Fuji；　turning　the　sky　to　crimson。　As　quickly　as　it　had　e；　the　flare　faded　as　the　sun　dipped　behind　the　mountain　and　all　that　was　left　was　traces　of　pink；　slowly　healing　wounds　on　the　undersides　of　the　passing　clouds。　Soon　they　had　turned　grey。　The　lights　were　lit。
　Kansatsu　sat　cross…legged　in　the　centre　of　the　dojo。　Nicholas　faced　him。　Nothing　was　said。　The　students；　the　other　sensei　had　departed　for　the　night。　These　two　stayed　on；　breathing。
　'Tell　me；'　Kansatsu　said　at　last；　'what　you　have　learned　from　the　Go　Rin　No　Sho。'　His　eyes　remained　closed。
　'There　is　good　in　it；'　said　Nicholas。　'And　evil。'
　'That　is　rare；　Nicholas。'
　'On　the　contrary；　sensei。'
　'So？'
　'I　don't　think　anything　in　life　is　all　good　or　all　bad。'
　Kansatsu　opened　his　eyes　and　nodded。　'You　have　learned　well；　Nicholas。　You　are　an　astute　student。　It　is　a　bad　idea　to　rely　too　heavily　on　one　discipline　or　。one　strategy　set。　This　quickly　bees　ingrained　and　one's　thinking　stagnates。　Rely　only　on　the　situation　that　presents　itself。　If　you　let　notions　of　strategy　dictate　to　you；　you　will　surely　be　defeated。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　again。　'You　would　be　surprised；　Nicholas；　at　the　number　of　quite　good　students　who　make　that　mistake。　Sensei；　too。'
　For　a　time　there　was　silence　between　them。　From　outside　Nicholas　heard　the　muffled　cough　of　a　car　starting。　It　drove　off；　the　beams　from　its　headlights　swinging　briefly　across　his　field　of　vision。　Darkness　returned。　A　plover　twittered；　took　off　in　a　soft　clatter。
　Nicholas　cleared　his　throat。　'I　have　read　it　all。'
　'And　what　do　you　think？'
　'To　be　truthful；　I　don't　know　what　to　think。'
　'Do　the　ninja　interest　you；　Nicholas？'
　'Yes。'
　'Then　why　do　you　hesitate？'
　'I　didn't　know　I　had。'
　'Then　you　had　better　look　inside　yourself。'
　He　thought　for　a　moment。　'I　guess　I　feel　I　should　have　said　no。'
　'Ah。'
　'Ninjutsu　seems　a　forbidden　topic。〃
　'Arcane；　yes。　Forbidden；　no。'　Kansatsu　stared　at　Nicholas　across　the　small　space　between　them。　'Even　here　in　Japan；　there　is　surprisingly　little　known　about　the　ninja。　They　are　from　a　segment　of　society　about　which　no　Japanese　can　be　proud。　But　ninjutsu　is　an　ancient　art。　It　came　from　China；　or　so　it　is　monly　said。　I　do　not　think　that　anyone　could　tell　you　with　absolute　certainty。
　'The　ninja　were　not　bound　by　the　Way　of　the　Warrior。　Bushido　was　only　a　word　to　them。　Their　rise　was　swift。　Because　they　were　so　successful；　the　bushi　used　them　more　and　more。　As　their　wealth　increased；　so　did　the　sophistication　and　diversity　of　their　techniques。　There　came　a　time；　then；　when　the　samurai　came　to　the　ninja　to　learn。　Thus　the　Way　became　perverted。
　'There　are　many　ryu　in　Japan。　More　than　in　any　official　governmental　count。　Among　these；　the　variety　of　disciplines　taught　is　virtually　limitless。　Good　and　evil　are　sometimes　propounded　indiscriminately。'　He　did　not　have　to　ask　if　Nicholas　was　following　his　line　of　thought。　Darkness；　now；　the　clouds　obscuring　the　moon。　Only　man…made　lights　shone。
　'To　be　a　true　champion；　Nicholas；　one　must　explore　the　darkness；　too。'
　That　evening；　Cheong　took　Nicholas　aside。　They　went　into　the　Colonel's　study。　It　smelled　of　tobacco　smoke　and　leather。　Along　with　the　kitchen；　it　was　a　Western　room　in　an　otherwise　very　traditional　Japanese　house。
　Cheong　sat　sideways　on　the　high…backed　wooden　chair　in　front　of　the　Colonel's　roll…top　desk。　Nicholas　sat　on　the　leather　couch；　near　her。
　'You　are　happy　that　Yukio　has　e　to　stay　with　us。'　It　was　not　a　question。
　'Yes；'　he　said　truthfully。　'Is　there　anything　wrong　with　that？'
　Cheong　smiled。　'You　are　growing　up　but　you　are　still　my　child。　I　think　I　have　a　right　to　ask。　You　don't　have　to　answer　me；　you　know。'
　His　eyes　dropped　to　his　hands　for　a　moment。　'I　know　that；'　he　said　softly。
　She　leaned　forward；　enclosed　his　hands　in　hers。　'My　darling；　you　have　nothing　to　fear　from　me。　Whatever　you　and　Yukio　do　is　between　the　two　of　you。　Your　father　may　not　approve　but　he　sees　things　differently　to　what　we　do。　He　is　still　a　soldier　and；　therefore；　mistrusts　everyone　and　everything。'
　Nicholas　looked　at　her。　'He　mistrusts　Yukio。　But　what　…'
　Cheong　shook　her　head。　'It　doesn't　matter；　don't　you　see　that？　It's　a　blind　spot　he　has。　Never　mind。　I'm　quite　certain　he　mistrusted　So…Peng　in　the　beginning。'
　She　turned　and；　opening　a　drawer　in　the　desk　with　a　key；　she　produced　the　dragon…and…tiger　box　that　was　So…Peng's　parting　gift　to　her　and　the　Colonel。　With　deft；　economical　movements　of　her　fingers　she　opened　the　box。
　'You　see；〃　she　said　in　a　hushed　voice；　'there　are　fifteen。'　She　meant　the　emeralds。　'There　were　sixteen；　originally。　One　bought　this　house。〃　She　looked　up　at　him；　I'm　　sure　your　father　told　you　the　story　of　this　present。'　Nicholas　nodded　and　she　continued。　'What　he　didn't　tell　you　was　its　meaning。　I'm　not　certain　whether　even　he　knows　it　fully。'　She　shrugged。　'And　if　he　did；　he　would　most　likely　dismiss　the　idea。　He　is　a　most　pragmatic　man；　your　father。'　She　smiled。　'One　of　his　few　faults；　I'm　afraid。'
　She　put　the　opened　box　with　its　glittering　contents　in　Nicholas's　lap。
　'You　are　free　to　use　six　of　these。　To　convert　into　money　if　your　need　is　sufficient。　No；　hear　me　out。　I　want　you　to　understand　this　fully；　I　think　you　can　accept　what　I'm　going　to　tell　you。'　She　took　a　deep　breath。　'There　must　never　be　less　than　nine　emeralds　in　here。　Ever。　No　matter　what　the　reason；　you　must　not　use　more　than　six。
　'This　is　a　mystical　box；　Nicholas。　It　has　certain　powers。'　She　paused；　as　if　waiting。　'I　see　you're　not　smiling。　Good。　I　believe　it；　as　did　my　father；　So…Peng。　He　was　a　great　and　wise　man　in　all　matters；　Nicholas。　He　was　no　fool。　He　knew　well　that　there　exist　on　the　Asian　continent　many　things；　which　defy　analysis；　which；　perhaps；　have　no　place　in　the　modern　world。　They　relate　to　another　set　of　Laws；　they　are　timeless。'　She　shrugged　again。　'So　I　believe。'　She　took　her　hands　away　from　the　box；　watched　his　face。　'You　are　old　enough　now　to　form　your　own　opinions　about　the　world　and　its　mysteries。　If　you　believe；　then　the　power　will　be　there　for　you　when　some　day　you　need　it。'
　Night。　Nicholas　in　the　living　room；　cross…legged　in　front　of　the　window。
　High　in　the　sky；　clear　now　of　clouds；　the　full　moon　sent　reflected　light　scattering　down　across　the　treetops　and；　closer　to　him；　the　formal　garden。　Intense　black　shadows　streaked　die　window　as　the　tall　pine　near　the　front　of　the　house　was　illuminated　as　if　by　some　celestial　spotlight。　Now　and　again；　as　the　wind　disturbed　the　branches；　the　shadows　moved　up　and　down；　up　and　down；　the　motion　of　a　fairyland　boat　from　tales　his　mother　used　to　tell　him　as　he　was　falling　asleep　years　ago。　That　time　seemed　long　gone　and　Nicholas　wondered　now　whether　this　was　something　all　people　felt：　that　childhood　belonged　to　another；　simpler　time　when　all　decisions　were　minor　and　seemed　of　little　consequence。
　In　times　gone　by；　on　sleepless　nights；　that　lone　pine　had　been　his　protector。　He　knew　every　configuration；　every　angle