James Clavell - Gai-Jin

by Gai-Jin(Lit)

  Personal, Confidential and Private, by hand, to Sir Stanshope, Governor of Hong Kong, from Sir William Aylesbury, Minister to the

  Japans. "I have an official commission for you, a secret one. I want you to deliver this personally to the Governor, as soon as you arrive."

  He scrawled on the bottom "Delivered by hand by Dr. Hoag" and had decided to use him the moment he had heard Jamie would not be on the mail ship, there being no one aboard Prancing

  Cloud he could trust. "It must be given over personally, to no one else, no one is to know you are a Queen's courier. Clear?"

  "Yes sir, of course, Sir William,"

  Hoag said, proudly.

  He knew that now Hoag was putty and he could extract anything he wanted from him. Who began the escapade, what was in their minds at sea and why they did what they did, what really happened at Kanagawa. He smiled to himself, enjoying his position and for his own reasons let the matter rest.

  "Have a safe voyage, and I look forward to seeing you in Hong Kong."

  "Thank you sir."

  Hoag fled, ecstatic to have escaped with his honor intact. Jamie and Skye were waiting anxiously on the High Street. "Nothing, honestly," he said excitedly, "he just wanted to ask medical questions, private ones."

  "You're sure?"

  "Cross my heart and hope to die. Hurry up, time for a quick one before church. I still feel washed out." They went off happily, not noticing

  Sir William watching from his window.

  I wonder how happy those rotters would be if they could read my letter to the Governor, he thought scowling. They're not off the hook yet, none of us are. As if one coffin mattered when the whole world's falling apart, Russia teetering towards war again, Prussia licking her chops over the intestines of central Europe, the

  French with their militant, overblown pride, our

  Indian Empire and Asian colonies at risk because of misguided fools in Parliament, and us awaiting imminent Japanese liquidation.

  On the surface the letter was innocuous.

  Decoded it read: Urgently request all fleet and army reinforcements possible as I expect the Settlement to be attacked any day by Bakufu samurai legions and may have to abandon our base here.

  The Catholic church was candle-lit, the altar glinting, the congregation sparse and Father Leo was bringing the singsong litany of Mass to a close, his deep baritone voice melodious amidst the familiar perfume of incense that drifted over them

  --the service shorter than usual as a few had to catch the mail ship.

  Angelique knelt at prayer in the front pew, Seratard beside her, Andr`e some rows behind,

  Vervene at the back with the rest of the Legation staff, a few traders, Eurasian

  Portuguese, and some officers and men from the

  French ships who had shore leave. The main body of French sailors had other services, earlier or later. Thankfully for all ships companies, there were no priests with the fleet--to have one aboard always considered bad luck, on any ship of any flag.

  Father Leo bowed to the altar, prayed and then blessed the congregation. Angelique took a deep breath, leisurely finished her prayer, waiting for Seratard to move.

  She had already been confessed. In the little box she had said, "Forgive me Father for I have sinned."

  "What sins have you committed this week, my child?"'

  She had heard the barely disguised impatience to learn every thought and deed that had happened, this being the first time she had been to Confession since the troubles began. "I forgot to ask the Blessed Mother for forgiveness in my prayers one night," she said with perfect calm, continuing her pact, and the plan and words she had devised, "and had many bad thoughts and dreams, and was afraid, and forgot I was in God's hands with never a need to fear."

  "Yes, and what else?"'

  A little smile settled, hearing the impatience.

  "I sinned in that though my marriage is legal in the sight of my husband's people and his law and his

  Church there was no time for us to make it conform to the

  True Church."

  "But... but that, that, senhora, that is not, not of itself a sin, you were not responsible for that, he was taken from us. What, what other sins did you commit?"'

  She kept her nostrils closed as much as she could to the stench of garlic and stale wine and unwashed clothes, using a pomaded kerchief. "I sinned in that I could not persuade Sir William to allow me to bury my husband as he wished and therefore I wished."

  "That... that in itself is not a sin, child. What else?"'

  "I sinned in that I could not persuade my husband to become Catholic before we married."

  "Nor is that a sin, senhora. What else?"'

  Now he was beginning to sound exasperated. As she expected. How odd I'm no longer petrified of him and can hear the nuances he seeks to hide.

  Is this another gift of God?

  "Have you, did you commit sins of the flesh?"'

  Her eyes narrowed, the smile froze and she despised him even more, at the same time forgiving him some of it because of his magnanimity in blessing the other coffin. "I have been a correct wife in accordance with the teachings of the Church."

  "Yes but, but did you cohabit with him, not being prop--"'

  "I was properly married according to my husband's law and acted in accordance with the teachings of the True

  Church," she said, adding with an even sharper edge,

  "and now I would like absolution, Father." This was contrary to accepted practice and she waited, holding her breath, ready to sweep out if he probed further against accepted practice.

  "As... as you are leaving today, it is necessary to ensure, senhora, to give absolution th--"'

  "I am not leaving by mail ship, Father. Not today."

  "Oh, not leaving?"' she heard the elation and relief, "then, then we can talk, my child, talk at length for the Glory of God. Oh how wonderful are the ways of God."

  He had given her absolution and a modest penance and she had left to join the service.

  Having overcome that hurdle she enjoyed it.

  Her mind wandered but that was normal. Now she could relax and was pleased with herself. She had achieved what she had set out to achieve: Malcolm buried here, as she wished, Gornt launched,

  Hoag on his way, Tess neutralized--with the help of God.

  God is on my side, I'm sure of it.

  He approves, I'm sure of it. Except for Malcolm, ah Malcolm my love, my love...

  "May I escort you home, Angelique?"

  Seratard asked, interrupting her daydreams.

  "Thank you, Monsieur," she said formally, "but

  I am not very good company and would rather stroll quietly by myself."

  "There is a lot to discuss before you leave."

  "Oh, I thought you would know already I'm not leaving with the mail ship--Dr. Hoag forbade it, which saddens me."

  His smile broadened. "Magnificent! That is the best news I've heard in many a day.

  Would you care for dinner at the Legation tonight, just two or three of us--quietly?"

  "Thank you but again no. Perhaps the end of the week, if I feel better."

  "Thursday or Friday, whenever you wish."

  Seratard kissed her hand, and she walked into the open air.

  The wind had freshened again. She was glad for the veil that camouflaged her, no need to hide behind the front of her face. Those who passed greeted her sadly, Nettlesmith among them. "We will truly be sorry to see you go, Ma'am."

  "Thank you, Mr. Nettlesmith, but I'm not going by the mail ship, not today." Again she saw the face light up the moment she said it and was amused.

  "Dr. Hoag has forbidden me to travel, which saddens me."

  "Oh! Of course it would. Not going, eh!

  Oh! Well yes, I can see that, oh, will you excuse me, Ma'am?" He rushed for the Club.

  Within minutes the news would be around the Settlement and there would be no need to say it again. Down the praia she saw And
r`e. He was waiting for her.

  "Hello, Andr`e."

  "I'm glad you're not going," he said simply.

  "Ah. News travels fast."

  "Good news. I need to talk privately."

  "About money?"

  "About money. How you've changed,

  Angelique."

  "For the better, I hope. How are you, old friend?"

  "Old." Andr`e was feeling drab today, and tired. He had seen Hinodeh last night and there had been shadows between them. And violence. While she was massaging him he had lifted up and reached into the neck of her kimono to kiss her breast, loving her to distraction, but she had jerked away and closed her kimono against him. "You promise not to..." she had gasped, and his fury at himself for forgetting--any such trespass sent her into a pathetic, hangdog sorrow that would craze him further--turned into fury at her and he had snarled, "Stop looking like that, stoppit!

  Baka!"

  There were never any tears when he was there, just the constant, abject muttering, "Gomen nasai, Furansu-san, gomen nasai gomen nasai gomen nasai" on and on until the words maddened him and again he shouted,

  "Shut up for Christ's sake!" She had. And stayed kneeling, eyes downcast, hands in her lap, immobile except for an occasional tremble like a whipped dog.

  He had wanted to apologize and hold her in his arms, his love unending, but that would not help him, only make him lose further face so he just got up sullenly and dressed and without a word left their home. Once he was out of the Yoshiwara and across the bridge he went down to the shore and kicked the nearest fishing boat and cursed it until he was spent. Then he sat on the cold pebbles, choked with frustration knowing that she would be weeping and equally angry that she had not managed his mistake more cleverly, knowing that tomorrow they would begin again as though nothing had happened but he was sure, not far below the sweet and gentle demeanor was a vast reservoir of hatred. For him.

  "And why not?" he muttered.

  "Why not what, Andr`e?" Angelique asked.

  "Oh! Nothing, just wandering."

  "Look there's an empty seat. We can sit there and talk."

  The bench faced the sea. The mail ship beckoned her attention and she wondered what would have happened if she had decided to go aboard. I'd only have gone into the Lioness's den earlier than necessary, she thought. No need to worry about that, no need to worry about anything--merely to ease into my new being, testing its limits, and wait. The smoke plume began trickling upwards. The mail ship was getting up steam.

  Only a few tenders remained at her gangway. "I'm not very good company, sorry," she said.

  "Could you let me have some money?"

  "I have only a little. How much do you need?"

  "A thousand guineas."

  "What on earth for?"

  He took a deep breath. "Her name is

  Hinodeh," he said and told her a story of falling in love and wanting her for himself and nothing about the real reason, his sickness. "It's difficult to tell everything, of course I can't, but I cannot live without that woman and the money is needed for her contract, I've got to have it. I must."

  "There's no way I could find that amount,

  Andr`e," she said, genuinely shocked but moved.

  "What about Henri, surely he could provide you with a loan?"

  "He's refused, and refused to advance me anything on my salary, I think he enjoys my dependence."

  "If I was to talk to him an--"

  "No, you mustn't, that would be the worst thing to do."

  He looked at her in a new way. "When you get your marriage settlement, I pray it's fast, I'll work to make it fast, I want you to lend it to me, a thousand."

  "If I can, I will, I will, Andr`e."

  "Can you let me have some now? A hundred, that will keep the mama-san off my back for a week--she was the one who helped you," he added, driving in a nail.

  She let that pass, well aware of the many ways he had helped her, or had promised never to mention any of them, her mind jumping forward to new conclusions: this Hinodeh is an added security for me. "I'll ask Jamie for an advance."

  "There's the money Sir William said you could keep, two hundred and sixty-three guineas, wasn't it, from the safe."

  "Yes, there's some of that left." She looked out to sea to avoid his eyes, their disturbing intentness, wondering how he knew and to mask her abhorrence of this different Andr`e with his underlying, searing edge of hysteria. Foolish to be like that, doesn't he realize our Fates are locked together? But then he is in love so I can forgive him. "I sent some home."

  "I'm working on your behalf, Angelique, every day with Henri. The Ward of the State, he's sure of it. Henri's important to your future, he and the Ambassador will be your champions in the coming fight, I guarantee it.

  You're wise to stay here and wait, it's safer, better," he said and she remembered how, not so long ago, he had told her it was vital for her to go.

  He was watching her, hard to see her clearly through the veil, remembering the signed affidavit he had deposited with his will in the British

  Minister's safe, not trusting Seratard--against any "accident" happening to him. The affidavit that told about the Tokaid@o assassin's lovemaking and the abortion--when and how it was achieved and the evidence buried--and about the death of the assassin. Then there was the second page of the letter her father had written her months ago that he had torn up in front of her but had put back together, the page that would damn any marriage settlement that Tess Struan might agree to when the screws were really turned on her--all of it to use, when necessary, Angelique his only passport to possession of Hinodeh and a comfortable future.

  Raiko and Meikin and selling secrets and buying secrets? A pipedream, he told himself bitterly. I've given them the whole campaign plan and what have I in return? Promises--and no chance to offset those against my other debt. "A hundred," he said, too tired and angry to say please.

  She did not take her eyes off the sea.

  "How long will we have to wait? For Tess to act."

  "It depends how Tess receives the news, or

  Hoag, what she does at the funeral. She will wait your thirty days--are you carrying or are you not--before deciding," he said in the same matter-of-fact voice, ramming back the past, wanting her dependent again. She looked back at him, glad for the veil. He thought her eyes were friendly--perhaps afraid, perhaps not. "Add ten days for that news to reach her. Ten to think, ten to send a message back. About two months, perhaps less."

  "What will the message be?"

  "Venomous." His own eyes slitted. "But

  I've a few ideas, plans. I can help to make you a rich woman. We have to wait, nothing to do for a while, just wait. Patience,

  Angelique. Patience and a little luck...

  I've ideas."

  And so have I, Andr`e Blackmailer. Many.

  And plans. For you, Tess, and for the future.

  Tenderly she leaned over and touched him. "I'm so glad you have a love to cherish. You're blessed," she said, meaning it. Then, as only a woman could, she put that tenderness aside forever, and her plans back in place. "The money will be waiting for you at six, Andr`e--I'm glad you're my friend."

  "I'm glad too... thanks for the loan."

  "So again we must be patient, both of us, and wait? That is what we must do, yes? A little luck and patience? I can be patient. A little luck and patience. Good. So be it."

  He watched her walk away, straight and confident and, for all her splendid petiteness, somehow tall.

  BOOK FIVE

  YEDO

  Thursday, 1st January 1863:

  Toranaga Yoshi had arrived back in Yedo

  Castle from Ky@oto eight days ago, tired and angry, the journey from Hamamatsu way station a forced march.

  The lines in his face were etched deeper. Where men were afraid of him before, now they were petrified.

  His anger would turn on them like a lash. During the journey he had driven himself and them, sleeping only a few
hours, demented by any delay, dissatisfied with the Inns, the baths and food and service and the future. Captain Abeh bore the brunt, all of them knowing it was only frustration and grief over the death of Koiko, the beloved.

  Abeh had arranged her cremation, and that of