Shogun - Clavell James (бесплатные полные книги .TXT) 📗

"If God wills it. One thing Toranaga said disturbed me. He put it this way: 'I can order my Christian freed - the Anjin-san. With his ship, and with his cannon.'"

Rodrigues' vast good humor left him. "Erasmus is still in Yedo? She's still in Toranaga's control?"

"Yes. Would it be serious if the Ingeles were loosed?"

"Serious? That ship would blast hell out of us if she caught our Black Ship twixt here and Macao with him aboard, armed, with a half-decent crew. We've only the small frigate to run interference and she's no match for Erasmus! Nor are we. She could dance around us and we'd have to strike our colors."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. Before God - she'd be a killer." Angrily Rodrigues bunched a fist. "But wait a moment the lngeles said he'd arrived here with no more than twelve men, and not all seamen, many of them merchants and most sick. That few couldn't handle her. The only place he could get a crew would be at Nagasaki - or Macao. He might get enough at Nagasaki! There're those who'd . . . he'd better be kept away from there, and Macao!"

"Say he had a native crew?"

"You mean some of Toranaga's cutthroats? Or wako? You mean if Toranaga's surrendered, all his men become ronin, neh? If the Ingeles had enough time he could train 'em. Easy. Christ Jesus . . . please excuse me, Father, but if the Ingeles got samurai or wako . . . . Can't risk that - he's too good. We all saw that in Osaka! Him loose in that piss-cutter in Asia with a samurai crew...."

Alvito watched him, even more concerned now. "I think I'd better send another message to the Father-Visitor. He should be informed if it's this urgent. He'll know what to do."

"I know what to do!" Rodrigues' fist smashed down on the gunwale. He got to his feet and turned his back. "Listen, Father, hear my confession: The first night - the very first time he stood alongside me on the galley out to sea, when we were going from Anjiro - my heart told me to kill him, then again during the storm. The Lord Jesus help me, that was the time I sent him for'ard and deliberately swerved into the wind without warning, him without a lifeline, to murder him, but the Ingeles didn't go overboard like anyone else would've done. I thought that was the Hand of God, and knew it for certain when later he overruled me and saved my ship, and then when my ship was safe and the wave took me and I was drowning, my last thought was that that also was God's punishment on me for an attempted murder. You don't do that to a pilot - he'd never do that to me! I deserved it that time and then, when I found myself alive and him bending over me, helping me drink, I was so ashamed and again I begged God's forgiveness and swore a Holy oath to try to make it up to him. Madonna!" he burst out in torment, "that man saved me though he knew I tried to murder him. I saw it in his eyes. He saved me and helped me live and now I've got to kill him."

"Why?"

"The Captain-General was right: God help us all if the Ingeles puts to sea in Erasmus, armed, with a half-decent crew."

Blackthorne and Mariko were sleeping in the nocturnal peace of their little house, one of a cluster that made up the Inn of the Camellias, which was on 9th Street South. There were three rooms in each. Mariko had taken one room for herself and Chimmoko, Blackthorne another, and the third that let onto the front door and veranda had been left empty for living and eating and talking.

"You think this is safe?" Blackthorne had asked anxiously. "Not to have Yoshinaka, or more maids or guards sleeping there?"

"No, Anjin-san. Nothing's truly safe. But it will be pleasant to be alone. This inn's thought to be the prettiest and most famous in Izu. It is pretty, neh?"

And it was. Each tiny house was set on elegant pilings with circling verandas and four steps up, made from the finest woods, everything polished and gleaming. Each was separate, fifty paces from its neighbors and surrounded by manicured gardens within the greater garden within the high bamboo wall. There were streamlets, and lily ponds and waterfalls and blossom trees in abundance with day perfumes and night perfumes, sweet smelling and luxurious. Clean stone footpaths, delicately roofed, led to the central baths, cold and hot and very hot, fed by natural springs. Multicolored lanterns and happy servants and maids and never a cross word to disturb the tree bells and bubbling water and singing birds in their aviaries.

"Of course I did ask for two houses, Anjin-san, one for you and one for me. Unfortunately, only one was available, so sorry. But Yoshinaka-san isn't displeased. On the contrary, he was relieved as he wouldn't have to split his men. He has posted sentries on every path so we are quite safe and can't be disturbed as in other places. Why should we be disturbed? What could possibly be wrong with a room here and a room there and Chimmoko to share my bed?"

"Nothing. I've never seen such a beautiful place. How clever you are, and how beautiful."

"Ah, how kind you are to me, Anjin-san. First bathe, then the evening food and lots of sake."

"Good. Very good."

"Put down your dictionary, Anjin-san, please."

"But you're always encouraging me."

"If you put your book down I - I'll tell you a secret."

"What?"

"I've invited Yoshinaka-san to eat with us. And some ladies. To entertain us."

"Ah!"

"Yes. After I leave you, you will select one, neh?"

"But that might disturb your sleep, so sorry."

"I promise I will sleep very heavily, my love. Seriously, a change. might be good for thee."

"Yes, but next year, not now."

"Be serious."

"I am."

"Ah, then in that case, if by chance you politely changed your mind and sent her away soon - after Yoshinaka-san has left with his partner - ah, who knows what the night kami might find for thee then?"

"What?"

"I went shopping today."

"Oh? And what did you buy?"

"Ah!"

She had bought an assortment of the pillow devices that Kiku had shown them, and much later, when Yoshinaka had left and Chimmoko was guarding on the veranda, she offered them to him with a deep bow. Half in jest. he accepted with equal formality, and together they selected a pleasure ring.

"That looks very prickly, Anjin-san, neh? Are you sure you don't mind?"

"No, not if you don't, but stop laughing or you'll ruin everything. Put out the candles."

"Oh no, please, I want to watch."

"For the love of God, stop laughing, Mariko!"

"But you're laughing too."

"Never mind, put the light out or . . . . There, now look what you've done."

"Oh!"

"Stop laughing! It's no good putting your head in the futons...." Then later, trouble.

"Mariko . . .

"Yes, my love?"

"I can't find it."

"Oh! Let me help you."

"Ah, it's all right. I've got it. I was lying on it."

"Oh. You're - you're sure you don't mind?"

"No, but it's a bit, well, not exactly uplifting, all this talking about it and having to wait. Is it?"

"Oh, I don't mind. It was my fault for laughing. Oh, Anjin-san, I love you so, please excuse me."

"You're excused."

"I love to touch thee."

"I've never known anything like your touch."

"What are you doing, Anjin-san?"

"I'm putting it on."

"Is it difficult?"

"Yes. Stop laughing!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, perhaps you-"

"Stop laughing!"

"Please forgive me......"

Afterwards she went to sleep instantly, totally spent. He did not. For him it had been fine, but not perfect. He'd been too worried about her. He'd decided this time was for her pleasure, and not his.

Yes, that was for her, he thought, loving her. But one thing was perfect: I know I've truly satisfied her. For once I'm absolutely sure.

He slept. Later the sound of voices and quarreling, and, mixed with it, Portuguese, began to filter through his slumber. For a moment he thought he was dreaming, then he recognized the voice. "Rodrigues!"