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It seems a long time ago； the Colonel thought now； that I let him go and he has led me nowhere。 He has known from the beginning。 He knew what I wanted。 I have managed to neutralize him as a force but he has otherwise stymied me。 The Colonel felt a deep sadness inside himself。 It was always his game to win； he thought。 I was a fool to think otherwise。
That Satsugai hated him came as no surprise to the Colonel。 After all； they were from opposite sides of the political spectrum。 And while the Colonel understood better than any Westerner in Japan the importance of the maintenance of its traditions； its heritage； knowing that without those things the country would disintegrate； yet he also understood that the kind of traditionalism that Satsugai represented was as evil and self…serving as anything in Japan could be。 This was a country of heroes； he knew； not of villains。 Those were few and far between。 At that moment； as he stared into those baleful eyes across the warm expanse of his study； the Colonel knew that he had missed something elementary in the puzzle。 There was a piece missing that was； he was convinced； the key to it all。 He had believed that he had pierced Satsugai's secret life many years ago and all his actions since then had stemmed from that assumption。 He now suspected that assumption； was angry at himself for having been so easily fooled。 He played with me as if I were a child； the Colonel thought furiously。
It gave him little fort at the moment that； by his intervening； he had put Satsugai in an agonizing situation。 He was in debt to the Colonel； a man he despised。 It was an intolerable situation for a Japanese； yet Satsugai bore it well。 I have to give him that； the Colonel thought。
My God； he thought； what is it that he has hidden from me all these years？ The old warrior is shrewd yet。 And then the Colonel understood what he must do。 There had already been too much time wasted in an obviously fruitless plot。 He had； as Satsugai himself had just said； to face reality。 And the reality of this situation was that he must break the stalemate in whatever way was possible。 There was only one way now。
The Colonel knew only too well that； as far as Satsugai was concerned； he was invulnerable。 He could； for instance； insult Satsugai and the other would not … could not … take action against him。 There was an obligation to be met。 Satsugai must grin and bear it。 The reverse； however； did not hold true。
For a brief moment； the Colonel was filled with a deep regret。 Nicholas was still so young。 There had been so little time and there were promises he had made that could not now be kept。
The Colonel stared out at the wide expanse of his property； the trees dripping with moisture； bending in the wind。 He looked for the wren but it had long gone； perhaps preferring the storm to idleness。 So much beauty out there； but this day he could feel no joy。
'What have you learned from the Go Rin No Sho？' Kansatsu said one day at the dojo。
'Some of it is obviously quite useful；' Nicholas said； 'though it's mostly mon sense。'
'Many consider it a revelatory work。' Kansatsu's tone was entirely neutral； giving Nicholas no clue as to whether or not he thought。 it was so important。 His eyes glittered like glass； quite opaque。 Behind him the long afternoon slid into the muffled mauve of twilight。 The sun was lost in a steep bank of haze； the resulting light； reflective and diffuse； suffused the sky； laminated the trees until the world seemed monochromatic。
'I almost wish you hadn't given it to me。'
'Could you be more specific？'
'Well； there is something … I don't know … disturbing about it。'
Kansatsu said nothing； merely stood waiting。 Behind him； the soft clash of bokken； the exhaled breaths in unison； filled the place。
'Some might say its purity is its ultimate virtue；' Nicholas said carefully。 'But； to me； it's more of a monomania。 There is something intrinsically dangerous in that。'
'Can you tell me what； precisely？'
'Exclusion。'
As if he had been thinking of this all the time； Kansatsu said；。' Do you know anything of the life of Musashi？'
'Not really； no。'
'Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584；' Kansatsu said seriously。 'As you no doubt know； this was not the best of times for Japan。 There was and had been terrible internal strife brought about by the constant internecine warfare waged by the numerous daimyo。
'Musashi was a ronin； little more than a brigand； really。 His family came from the south； in Kyushu； but by the age of twenty…one he had travelled north to Kyoto and there fought his first battle； decimating a family which had； years before； been responsible for his father's demise。
'There ^re many； many tales told concerning Musashi and one must be most careful in reading these accounts。 As is the case with most historical figures from this country's feudal past； Musashi's history is awash with myth。 This blurring of fact and fancy is all well and good for the reader wishing for simple entertainment。 But for the serious student of history …and this should include all who study bujutsu … it can be a dangerous trap。'
'But myth sometimes sustains the samurai；' Nicholas said。
'Not so。' Kansatsu's tone was emphatic。 'It is history which must sustain the warrior。 History and duty； Nicholas。 Nothing more。 Myth cannot enter into it； for myth distorts judgement。 Even the senses bee infected then。
'In bujutsu we deal with most serious matters。 The defence of life； yes； but that is not all。 Methods of dealing death occupy us daily and there is； literally； no known number to that catalogue。 One cannot be taught these things without the conitant use of responsibility。 And myth is the chief eroder of this responsibility。 Without bushido； you see； we would be nothing more than ninja； mon criminals stalking the streets。 And it is so easy to slip into myth。 So very easy。'
He put his hand out； indicating that Nicholas should sit。 'You have e a long way；' he continued。 'Your technique is flawless and your capacity for learning seems inexhaustible。 However； I believe you have gone as far as you can here。 There remains for you but one more hurdle and it is the most difficult。 In fact； I must tell you that most students who have e this far never go any further。
'Nicholas； you must now find that hurdle within yourself and make the leap。 I can no longer aid or even guide you。 Either it will be there or it will not。'
'Does this mean you want me to leave the ry〃？' Nicholas found that he was having difficulty in swallowing。
Kansatsu shook his head。 'I mean nothing of the sort。 You are perfectly free to stay here for as long as you wish to stay。'
Nicholas knew that he was missing something and； furiously； he backtracked over the conversation； trying to think what it was。 Kansatsu did not seem disappointed with him。 On the contrary； there was a subtle undercurrent of excitement running through him。 Think 1 What； had he missed？
Kansatsu stood up。 'In lieu of a lesson today；' he said。 Td like you to give a demonstration for the class。' He stared down at Nicholas。 'e' along now。'
He went out into the centre of the floor； clapped his hands together once。 All sound； all motion immediately ceased and all heads turned expectantly towards him； student and sense： alike。
Kansatsu picked four students at what appeared to be random。 They were all last…year students and among the biggest physically in the ryu。 All were older than Nicholas。
Kansatsu turned and beckoned to Nicholas； who walked out to stand beside him。 In his right hand he carried a bokken。 'Please form up around Nicholas；' Kansatsu said to the students； they moved around him in a rough circle。 Kansatsu beckoned to a sensei； who gave over his bokken to the master。 Kansatsu delivered this up to Nicholas。 'Now；' he whispered so that only Nicholas could hear； 'we shall see how well you have digested the words of the Niten ryu； Musashi's school。〃
He backed away； leaving Nicholas； a bokken in each hand； surrounded by the four students。 They were all armed with single bokken。 All of them had been at the ryu longer than he。
Darkness falling like a final curtain and he encircled； the stealthy pad of bare feet against polished wood； a sun orbited by four bright moons。
The dragonfly。
It was but one of the tai…sabaki； the circular movements consisting of glides and spins developed by Musashi's two…Heavens ryu。
He had seen this and others performed to perfection by Kansatsu countless times。 He had read about these in numerous texts which the sensei had given him。 He had； even； practised some on his own。 But never in bat。
He must let the strategy of the others dictate his first movements； for only by the convergence of their attacks could he successfully use the tai…sabaki and only the tai…sabaki would give him a victory against four opponents。
Two came at him； one on each side； both raising their bokken in the traditional two…handed kenjutsu grip。 Crying aloud； they slashed at him simultaneously。
It was the reverse butterfly。 He whirled in an arc and； as he did so； his right…handed weapon swept down； slamming against one student's thighs。 At the same time； the second weapon was rising and he continued the swirling motion of his torso； sweeping the rising bokken against the second student's windpipe。 Both crashed to the ground； were replaced by the second set of adversaries。 He had half a mind to use the waterwheel here but changed his mind as the vectors changed； feinting it only。 He split them； whirling still； and； his back arched； his right bokken stabbed end first into the mid…section of the student on his left while his left…hand weapon blurred upwards； slamming into the last student's。 His bokken clattered to the floor。 It was the interlacing cross； one of the most difficult of the tai…sabaki。
He returned to stillness； his bokken poised； quivering the air as if they had a life of their own and wished now to see more action。
'Saigo；' he heard Kansatsu call。 The four students quit the field。 Saigo stepped into it。 He came to the ryu now less and less frequently。 Nicholas did not know to which ryu he belonged； no one seemed to。 But he knew that it was none of the ones in the Tokyo area。
Without warning； Saigo ran at Nicholas。 His katana was still sheathed but in a blur it was out； extending outwards and down towards Nicholas。 Saigo had bee adept at； among other things； iaijutsu； the art of the 'fast draw'。 The object was to incorporate the unsheathing of one's katana into the actual thrust against an opponent。 The iai sensei could kill his enemy before that person was even aware that he had drawn his weapon。
One moment Saigo was unarmed； the next … perhaps a tenth of a second later … he had struck with lethal force。 But even as he had used the iai draw Nicholas had been swivelling backwards on his right foot so that he now faced Saigo with his left side only。 The blow； which had been meant for Nicholas's heart； now swept down into empty air and with his left…hand bokken Nicholas made contact； sweeping the katana's blade up and away from him； swivelled again so that for an instant his back was to his opponent； driving the blade away still； using the other's momentum。 Then he had pleted the circular sweep and his right…hand bokken slashed into Saigo's exposed left side。 The waterwheel。
He stood now with the entire class watching him； his feet spread； his bokken on either side of him； staring down at Saigo's sprawled form。 There would be； he knew； a wicked purple welt raising the flesh where he had hit the other which would stay with him for more than a week。
There was absolute silence in the room； the kind of stillness that weighs on the ears until it bees in itself painful。
Nicholas saw nothing but the face of his cousin staring up at him。 Never in his life had he seen a look which contained so much hate。 Nicholas had caused him to lose face in front of the ryu； he； a graduate； felled by one of the pupils。 The intensity of their silent private war was such that for a moment it appeared as if lightning might light the room。
Then Kansatsu had clapped his hands twice and the onlookers broke up； class was out for the day。
Nicholas found that he was trembling； the muscles jumping as if out of control und