oWe'll go in now, Sano told Takeda.

He drew his sword, flung open the door, and burst into the hall. on.o.body move! he shouted. oYou're all under arrest!

Chapter 34.

SILENCE DESCENDED UPON the hall as the smugglers stared at Sano and his comrades in shocked dismay. Fragmented scenes coalesced in Sano's vision: tiny Abbot Liu Yun and tall a.s.sistant Director deGraeff standing rigidly side by side; Nirin's fading smile; Interpreter Iishino's stricken face; the Deshima guards clutching their money; a glaring gangster, his arms blue with tattoos. Then chaos erupted.

oRun! shouted the gangster chief.

His men bolted for the opposite door. At the same time, Hirata's team burst through it, swords drawn, halting their flight. The Deshima guards had started to follow the gangsters, but Nirin called, oCome back, you cowards! Kill them, and we're safe!

He drew his sword. His men faltered, then rallied around him, unsheathing their blades. With Nirin in the lead, they advanced on Sano and Takeda. As Sano prepared for battle, he tried to watch everyone at once. DeGraeff was running toward a side exit with Abbot Liu Yun hurrying after him. Interpreter Iishino picked up his desk and fled. Hirata's team faced off against the gangsters. One of them hurled a knife, and the retainer on Hirata's left cried out and fell dead with the blade sticking in his chest.

oLet the gangsters go! Although Sano would have liked to arrest all parties to the smuggling, his small force couldn't handle everyone. oCatch Iishino, Liu Yun, and deGraeff!

Nirin lunged, sword flashing. oNow you'll pay for throwing me down the well.

Sano parried while a tornado of blades churned around him. His counterattack merely slashed Nirin's sleeve. He dodged a cut aimed at his head, then whirled just in time to deflect slices from two Deshima guards. Takeda and his retainers fought the other ten. Energy poured from Sano's spiritual center, bringing with it a heightened awareness, an expanded vision. As he advanced and retreated, he saw Hirata chasing Liu Yun and the Dutchman. The abbot held a dagger in the hand he'd earlier kept hidden under his sleeve.

oYour partner killed my brother, he screamed, tearing after deGraeff. He must have been waiting for the right moment to attack, and the raid had spurred him to action. oNow you'll join Jan Spaen in death. Order will be restored to the universe "the I Ching does not lie. I shall have my revenge on you vile, mercenary Dutch at last!

The terrified barbarian raced around the hall. Abbot Liu Yun shrieked curses in Chinese.

With a quick cut, Sano laid open a Deshima guard's throat. The man fell dead beside another slain by Takeda. Sano leapt over the bodies and continued battling Nirin and three other guards. One of Takeda's retainers cleaved a guard's skull, slashed another's chest, then took a fatal cut across the belly. The supreme judge fought expertly, but his garments hung in shreds, and cuts bled on his exposed legs. Sano felt his own strength diminishing, his reflexes slowing, and his sore shoulder leaking blood. He drew his short sword, fighting two-handed to parry strikes and reduce the stress on his injury.

Abbot Liu Yun cornered deGraeff against the altar, shrilling, oDie! Die! and stabbing at deGraeff. The barbarian threw up his hands in self-defense. The dagger gashed his palms, then pierced his chest. DeGraeff screamed and fell. Hirata tried to pull Liu Yun away, but the abbot jumped on deGraeff and kept stabbing. Then deGraeff seized the dagger, and they grappled in a desperate struggle for its possession. Dutch and Chinese curses filled the hall.

Ducking a slash, Sano swung his blade in an arc and cut a guard's legs out from under him. As he rose, he saw deGraeff win control of the weapon and turn it on Abbot Liu Yun. Now the Chinese man's cries of agony drowned out the ring of blades. Two more guards replaced the fallen man. Sano took a cut to his thigh and stumbled. His opponents closed in for the kill.

Then a figure moved swiftly behind them. They both grunted; their faces went slack, and they fell forward. Blood poured from wounds across the backs of their necks. There stood Hirata, dripping sword raised.

oLiu Yun and the barbarian are killing each other, he told Sano. oGet Iishino. I'll handle this.

He joined Supreme Judge Takeda and two surviving retainers in the battle against Nirin and seven remaining guards. Sano hesitated, loath to abandon his allies. Then he looked around. Interpreter Iishino was nowhere in sight. Sano raced down the hall, past hulking statues and gleaming murals, fearing that the leader of the smuggling ring had escaped during the confusion. Then he spotted Iishino.

In a niche near the altar, the interpreter squatted beneath an arch of gilt flames, his desk in front of him. Antic.i.p.ating a victory for his side, he'd apparently chosen this spot as a safe place from which to view the battle. He blanched when he spied Sano. Clutching his desk, he scooted farther back into the niche.

oSsakan-sama, this is not what you think. He flashed a sickly version of his grin. oI can explain everything, everything.

Sano stopped before the despicable man who had framed him and left his cohorts to fight alone. oCome here, Iishino. He wouldn't kill the interpreter, but oh, how he would enjoy seeing Iishino tried and executed.

Iishino flapped his hands. oWait, wait. I am not one of them. His eyes darted with anxious cunning. oI "I discovered the smuggling and infiltrated the ring to learn who the criminals were. I was going to report them to the authorities in time to save you. Iishino smiled and bobbed his head. oIt's the truth, I swear!

oHe's... lying.

The hoa.r.s.e croak came from Abbot Liu Yun, who lay beside the altar. Blood from stab wounds on his torso stained his saffron robe crimson. His face was a mask of agony. Nearby, a.s.sistant Director deGraeff lay dead, the dagger beside his hand. Liu Yun coughed, gasped, then continued: oIishino... started the smuggling.... Paid me to make the mysterious lights... and arrange contact with... black market. And he... killed Spaen.... I saw. He stole... my revenge. But the I Ching was right. I have crossed the abyss... and killed... my brother's Dutch murderer's comrade. Now I can die... in peace. Hsi! I join you now...

His face relaxed; his eyes dulled. Sano marveled at the revenge l.u.s.t that neither time, faith, nor reason could obliterate. Then he looked back at Iishino "and down the bore of a gun the interpreter aimed at him.

oGet away from me, get away! Iishino quavered.

The tubular pistol with carved ivory grip and long metal barrel wobbled in his shaky hands. Sano had instinctively raised his swords to ward off the threat. Fear paralyzed him, even as he registered satisfaction at learning the ident.i.ty of Spaen's killer. His lungs seemed made of iron, incapable of inhaling or exhaling air. He'd never faced a gun before, and his knowledge of firearms came from reading war manuals. Now he truly recognized the power of the foreign weapon. In a swordfight, he could have easily defeated Iishino. The gun made Sano the weaker of them.

oDrop your swords! Iishino ordered.

The lid of his desk lay open; he'd taken the gun out while Sano was watching Abbot Liu Yun. Deploring his lack of foresight, Sano let both swords clatter to the floor. He'd known the smugglers had access to guns. He should have expected the cowardly Iishino to own one. He should have killed Iishino when he'd had the chance!

oPut the gun down, Iishino. Sano's voice sounded thin in his own ears. Hirata and Takeda were still battling Nirin and three guards; the other retainers lay dead. Now a core of angry determination hardened within Sano's fear. The venal, corrupt interpreter was a ruthless killer.

Sano refused to let him win. Though unarmed, he still had his wits to match against the interpreter's advantage. He stepped forward and said evenly, oMy men will defeat yours. Kill me, and they'll be witnesses. You won't escape. So put the gun down.

As Iishino cowered in the niche, his gaze slid back and forth; his mouth worked. Yet he kept the gun aimed at Sano. With his left hand, he reached inside the desk and grabbed his account book "a narrow sheaf of paper bound in black silk and tied with scarlet cord. Tucking this in his sash, he stood. oMove, or I'll shoot!

He thrust the gun forward in both hands. Sano leapt back. Iishino sidled out of the niche and toward the door. Sano eyed the gun's firing mechanism, a raised clamp holding a pointed flint that would ignite the powder when the trigger was pulled. oGuns aren't as reliable as swords, Iishino, Sano said. Swallowing panic, he followed the interpreter. oThe powder may not light. It was a common problem. oAnd you only get one shot. Guns recoiled when fired; even at close range, the bullet could miss its target.

Iishino giggled. oThis is a very superior gun. It belonged to Director Spaen. It fires every time, every time "he showed me. Don't come any closer, I'm warning you.

His voice had a hysterical pitch. The gun shook wildly. As Sano imagined death exploding from the barrel's round, black opening, his heart thudded. He hurried to calm the interpreter.

oIishino, why did you smuggle? he asked, knowing that criminals often liked to justify their actions.

oI had no choice, no choice. As Sano had hoped, Iishino's voice leveled; the gun steadied, and he slowed his backward flight to the door. oGovernor Nagai made a secret deal with the barbarians. He told me to arrange everything. When Sano moved closer, he flinched. oGet away from me!

Sano hastily obeyed. Iishino babbled, oHow could I refuse Governor Nagai? I would lose my position. Besides, he pays me very well, and I need the money. It's very expensive to be always buying gifts for my superiors. It's not enough to do them services.

oServices like helping to frame me? Sano interjected.

oYes "I mean, no! Oh, but you wouldn't understand. Iishino grew angry and more agitated as he spoke. oYou don't know what it is to be so lonely that you would do anything to be accepted. You're just like everyone else who shuns and ridicules me!

Hastening to placate the interpreter, Sano saw a way to learn the motives behind the murders. oI do understand, he said. oI know how cruel people can be, no matter how hard we work or how much we deserve respect.

oYes. Yes! Responding to Sano's genuine sincerity, Iishino nodded vigorously.

Sano edged between the interpreter and the door, oDid Director Spaen also mistreat you? Is that why he died?

Iishino's face crumpled. oI thought he was my friend. The gun dipped, and Sano wondered if he should grab it. No, not yet... oOh, I know he was obligated to be polite to me "especially since I helped sell his private stock of goods. But he was always so nice that I thought he really liked me. I thought a barbarian could appreciate me the way my countrymen didn't. I was so happy, Iishino wailed.

He took a hand from the gun and wiped tears off his cheeks. Sano moved closer, summoning his nerve. oBut then, that night at the cove, I realized I'd only been fooling myself, Iishino continued. oWe'd just brought the boat into the cave "Spaen, Commander Nirin, and I. We were waiting for Liu Yun to bring the gangsters. I was so excited; I laughed and hugged Spaen and said, We make the best partners in the world, you and I "though of course, you Dutch are not as smart as we j.a.panese. o Iishino smiled through his tears in remembered pleasure; he didn't seem to know he'd offended his opartner. Then his expression darkened, and he lifted the gun. oSpaen sneered at me, then said I was a piece of dung who wasn't fit to lick his shoes, and if not for the smuggling, he wouldn't have anything to do with me at all! I saw that our friendship was all in my imagination, my imagination. He scorned me "just like everyone else!

oI was hurt, then angry. To be rejected even by a barbarian! Indignation flared in Iishino's eyes. oHe was wearing his gun "I kept it in my office on Deshima, and let him have it for games with his wh.o.r.e, and whenever he left the island. When he turned away, I grabbed it and shot him.

Now Sano realized that all the complications of the murder case " Spaen's relationships with the other barbarians; Abbot Liu Yun's history; the intricacies of Dutch-j.a.panese foreign affairs; even the smuggling "had been peripheral to the crime. Director Spaen had died because of one man's basic human need for friendship, a motive that transcended cultural, political, and financial concerns. Sano pitied Iishino, with whom he felt a poignant kinship. His own background and nature had made him as much an outsider in the bakufu as Iishino. Had he cared more about the approval of others, he might have someday found himself in the same position: killing in revenge for one slight too many.

But hurt feelings didn't justify murder; pity must not obstruct justice. Sano eased nearer to Iishino. oWhat happened next?

oSpaen fell. Commander Nirin shouted. I dropped the gun and bent over Spaen. As Iishino's gaze turned inward, Sano could almost see the scene reflected in his eyes. oThere was so much blood. He didn't move, or answer when I called his name. I began to weep. I didn't mean to kill him, only to hurt him as he'd hurt me!

oThen Abbot Liu Yun was there. He said, ~Dump Spaen in the ocean and say he escaped from Deshima.' But Commander Nirin said, ~If his body washes ash.o.r.e, everyone will see he was shot. The murder of a barbarian will bring Edo officials to investigate. The Deshima staff will be the obvious suspects, and Governor Nagai will sacrifice us to protect himself.'

oAbbot Liu Yun undressed Spaen and cut up the bullet wound with his knife. Then he began cursing and stabbing the body. He said he'd agreed to help with the smuggling so he could kill Spaen, and he was angry that someone else had beaten him to it. Commander Nirin pulled Liu Yun away and lifted Spaen into the boat. I took a crucifix that I'd planned to sell to the Christians and put it around Spaen's neck.

oSo that if he was found, the authorities would think a Christian had killed him? Sano asked quietly.

oNo. So that my friend's spirit would have the blessing of his G.o.d. A sob caught in Iishino's throat; the gun now pointed at the floor.

Soon, Sano thought. oAnd Peony? Why did you kill her?

oOne night when I was at the Half Moon Pleasure House, she stole my account book. Later she tried to blackmail me. Spaen had told her the book was a record of all the goods smuggled and everyone involved. She knew I dealt in Christian contraband, and when you told her about the crucifix on Spaen's body, she guessed that I had killed him. The night he disappeared, she saw me come to his room and lead him away. If I didn't pay, she would send the book to Edo, and I would be executed. She misled you by lying about Urabe being on Deshima because she didn't want you to find out about me before I paid. But I didn't have the money. So I killed her. I had no choice.

A weary desolation saturated Iishino's voice. He sank to his knees, letting the gun dangle. oI never meant to hurt anyone. Things just... happened.

oSuch as when you burned my house? Sano said, fitting the last crime into the scheme of events.

Sadly Iishino nodded. oI wanted to make sure you would never expose my crimes to the Edo authorities. I had no choice, no choice.

Sano took one cautious step forward, then another, until he stood within touching distance of Iishino. He noticed that Hirata and Supreme Judge Takeda had reduced the opposition down to Nirin and one guard. Their swords clashed with increasing ferocity as they circled and darted some twenty paces away. With luck, the battle could end in victory for Sano's side. One grab, and the gun was his "

oStop! Don't go in there!

The cry from the door shattered Sano's concentration. Iishino's head swiveled. They both stared as Chief Ohira walked into the hall. Judges Segawa and Dazai followed, panting and fl.u.s.tered.

oHe got away from us, Segawa whined.

Fearing that Ohira had come to aid the smugglers, Sano was puzzled yet relieved when the chief merely knelt by the door. But the interruption jarred Iishino out of his lethargy. He leapt to his feet and poked the gun at Sano's face. oGet away!

Sano sprang backward, heart in his throat. oIishino, he began.

Iishino's eyes shone with renewed defiance. oYou think you can trick me. But I'm too smart, too smart. You won't capture me, because I'm going to kill you! His shaking finger touched the trigger.

Even as Sano stared at his own death, a terrible premonition wafted over him like a bad odor, taking his attention from Iishino. He looked toward the door and saw Chief Ohira draw his short sword. Judges Segawa and Dazai hovered behind him; the battle raged on.

oOhira! Sano shouted. oNo!

With an unearthly howl, Chief Ohira plunged the sword deep into his abdomen. Sano's samurai spirit applauded Ohira's decision, which precluded the disgrace of public execution and restored honor, but his conscience sickened over causing another death. He realized he'd thought he could somehow save the chief. But Sano couldn't succ.u.mb to guilt now; penance must wait. Iishino was watching Ohira's death agonies. Sano lunged. He locked one hand over the interpreter's, the other around the gun barrel.

oLet go, let go! Iishino screamed.

As they struggled for control of the weapon, it wavered wildly in their joined grip, describing haphazard arcs in the air. The scrawny Iishino was stronger than Sano had expected "a bundle of wiry sinew and frenetic energy. He stomped and kicked with his wooden-soled shoes. Pain hobbled Sano's legs. Shrieking like a child throwing a tantrum, Iishino rammed his head into Sano's chest. Sano stumbled, trying to keep hold of the gun. Iishino spat in his eyes. Hot saliva blinded him. They whirled in a bizarre dance. Sano forced the gun upward, aiming at the ceiling. If he could discharge the bullet harmlessly...

But Iishino's fingers covered the trigger guard. When Sano tried to push them away, the interpreter ducked his head and bit him on the forearm. Sano involuntarily relaxed his pressure on the gun. Iishino yanked it between them so that the barrel was directly in front of Sano's eyes.

oI'm going to kill you! The interpreter spoke through teeth red with Sano's blood. oI hate you and everyone else. You made me a criminal!

Straining and gasping, Sano tried to push the gun away, to wrench it from Iishino's hands. He slammed Iishino against a pillar. Still the interpreter didn't let go. The cold steel barrel grazed Sano's cheek. The gun held more terror for him than any blade, no matter how expertly wielded. Panic flooded his body and mind, banishing trained discipline as he fought. Iishino's hot, sweaty fingers clawed his hands, seeking the trigger. In desperation, Sano pulled the interpreter clear of the pillar. He locked his leg around Iishino's and yanked.

Iishino emitted a surprised yip and toppled backward. They crashed to the floor, Sano landing on top. The impact drove a bolt of pain into his injured shoulder. Now the gun was trapped between their chests, with Sano's weight immobilizing their locked hands and pinning Iishino down. Sano tried to shake the weapon and dislodge the flint. The interpreter jabbed bony knees against Sano, who lurched sideways to protect his groin. Over and over they rolled, their faces almost touching, the gun barrel separating their chins. Now Sano forgot his wish to see this murderer, traitor, and enemy formally tried and executed. To survive, he must kill Iishino.

A pillar halted their motion with a crash. Using all his strength, Sano heaved on the gun. Iishino's body came up with it. Sano shoved him down again, banging his head on the stone floor. Iishino's grip on the gun slackened. Sano jammed the barrel under his chin. Now Sano's finger was on the curved metal trigger. He squeezed.

The world exploded. The gun recoiled against Sano's chest with a stunning blow. His ears rang; acrid gunpowder smoke filled his lungs. Warm, wet blood covered his face, reddening his vision. He'd shot himself instead of Iishino!

Moaning, Sano scrambled off the interpreter. As his hands frantically probed his body for a wound, dizziness weakened him. He was dying... Then he felt hands on his shoulders, heard Hirata saying, oSsakan-sama, it's all right. Iishino is dead; so are Nirin and the guards. You're fine. It's over.

The news turned Sano's moans into the giddy laughter of relief. He wasn't shot; he would live. He'd won. Then he looked at Iishino. Laughter shriveled in his throat.

The interpreter lay motionless on his back, hands still clutching the gun. Below the left side of his jaw, a hole in his neck marked the bullet's entrance. The blood had soaked his clothes, the gun, his hands, the floor "and Sano. His toothy mouth gaped in a rictus of surprise; his eyes bulged with shock. The bullet had exited through his scalp in a spray of white bone fragments, pulpy, grayish brain tissue, and still more blood.

Supreme Judge Takeda stood beside Sano. oI'll send a report of today's events to Edo, stating that the tribunal declares you and your retainer innocent on all counts. The other judges murmured in grudging accord. oAnd you shall receive a reward for your heroic crusade against traitors who have undermined the shogun's authority.

The words impinged on Sano like discordant music. Slowly he rose and surveyed the twenty-one dead. Was it justice that had been served tonight "or his self-interest? j.a.pan and the shogun's regime "both of which he'd grown to hate "or his own personal code of honor? Instead of triumph, Sano felt Iishino's blood on his skin, tasted its metallic salinity. Had he sought only justice, or revenge on his enemies? Had he selfishly sacrificed Peony, Ohira, and Old Carp to his own principles "to satisfy a craven need for adventure and moral superiority "as he had Aoi, the woman he couldn't stop loving? How could he go on without knowing the truth about himself?

oCome on, ssakan-sama. Hirata took his arm. oLet's get out of here.

Chapter 35.

THE EIGHTH MONTH had arrived, bringing chill nights and clear, invigorating days. Through a sunny hilltop meadow of waving golden gra.s.ses, Sano strolled with Dr. Huygens. The autumn wind breathed a scent of frost and wood fires. Birds soared in the crystalline blue sky, lamenting summer's end with plaintive cries. Patches of scarlet, ocher, and brown wove through the green tapestry of the forests. The barbarian wore his black hat and cloak; he carried a large round basket. Nearby hovered the ten guards designated to escort the doctor on his official twice-yearly search for medicinal plants.

Stooping, Huygens picked a vine and whispered so the guards wouldn't hear him speak j.a.panese: oGood for burns. He smiled at Sano, putting the plant in his basket.

Sano tossed in a handful of the mint often prescribed by j.a.panese doctors. oGood for stomachache, he told Huygens.

In quiet harmony, they combed the meadow for remedies, exchanging medical lore. Fifteen days had pa.s.sed since the raid on the Chinese temple. The morning after, Sano had gone to Deshima to inform the surviving Dutchmen of deGraeff's death and to apologize to Dr. Huygens for wrongly suspecting him of murder. Later he and Supreme Judge Takeda had replaced the entire Deshima security staff with trustworthy men culled through intensive interviewing and evaluation of service records and character references. While Sano regretted the inevitable loss of crucial links in the Dutch-j.a.panese information network, he guessed that it would soon flourish again, though hopefully without violence. When his work was done, Sano, leery of more treason charges, had refrained from meeting Dr. Huygens again "until today.

Far below them lay the city, tranquil in the bright sunlight. The troops had left the streets; the war drums had ceased their call of doom. On the harbor's sparkling water floated a stately ship whose sail bore the Tokugawa crest. It had arrived yesterday, bearing a message from Edo: When the shogun had discovered Sano's absence, he'd overruled Chamberlain Yanagisawa's orders, commanding Sano to return home at once. Newly secure in Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's favor, knowing he would leave Nagasaki today, Sano had risked a last visit with his barbarian friend.

Dr. Huygens picked a mantis off a blade of gra.s.s and put it in a gla.s.s vial. oTake back to Amsterdam; show other doctors, he said.

He pantomimed viewing the creature through the magnifying device, and they laughed at the memory of Sano's encounter with barbarian science. As they hunted more specimens, Sano's gaze wandered down the harbor channel, where he saw the Dutch ship anch.o.r.ed beside the rocky outcrop of Takayama. Sails furled, dwarfed by the distance, it now seemed as harmless as a child's toy.

After the raid, Sano had brought Captain Oss the bodies of Interpreter Iishino and Abbot Liu Yun, who had killed Jan Spaen and Maarten deGraeff. Oss had retreated from the harbor. A few of the crew remained on board while the rest had accompanied the cargo to Deshima. The Dutch merchants had sold their goods. The new East India Company staff had taken up residence on the island. Now the ship awaited favorable winds for departure.

oSoon we go, Dr. Huygens said. oHome.

Home, to rebuild the life Jan Spaen had destroyed; to resume his medical practice and continuing effort to atone for his youthful crime. As Sano contemplated Huygens's long ocean journey, he thought how small his country was compared to the vast world beyond its sh.o.r.es. He realized that j.a.pan couldn't hold the world at bay forever. The bakufu's policies provided a flimsy barrier. More foreigners would come "not just from the Netherlands, but also from many barbarian kingdoms "with superior ships and weapons, hungry for new trade and territory. Now Sano could see the shogun and the bakufu not as omnipotent tyrants, but as small men afraid of a future they couldn't control. j.a.pan must eventually surrender its isolation, and what then?

Sano envisioned a day when barbarians would freely walk the streets of j.a.pan's cities and his descendants travel to distant lands. j.a.panese and barbarians would speak one another's languages, share ideas. His adventurous spirit thrilled to the possibilities. But Sano could also imagine foreign warships attacking j.a.pan; the boom of gunfire rocking sea and land; cities burning; the death of his people in wars more destructive than any before. Sano didn't know which vision would come to pa.s.s, but he realized how vulnerable j.a.pan was, how fragile the culture that dominated and nurtured him. Even Bushido might not survive the onslaught of foreign influence.