Читаем Shogun полностью

"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!"

Mariko murmured, still locked in sleep.

At the sound of footsteps on the path he lurched to his knees in controlled panic. He lifted her as if she were a doll, went for the shoji, and stopped just as it was opened from the outside. It was Chimmoko. The maid's head was lowered and her eyes discreetly closed. He rushed past her with Mariko in his arms and laid her gently in her own quilts, still half asleep, and ran silently for his own room again, the sweat chill on him though the night was warm. He groped into a kimono and hurried out again to the veranda. Yoshinaka had reached the second step.

"Nan desu ka, Yoshinaka-san?"

"Gomen nasai, Anjin-san," Yoshinaka said. He pointed to the flares at the far gate of the inn, adding many words that Blackthorne did not understand. But the gist of it was that that man there, the barbarian, he wants to see you and I told him to wait and he said he wouldn't wait, acting like a daimyo which he isn't, and tried to push past, which I stopped. He said he was your friend. Is he?

"Heya, Ingeles! It's me, Vasco Rodrigues!"

"Hey, Rodrigues!" Blackthorne shouted back happily. "Be right with you. Hai, Yoshinaka-san. Kare wa watashi no ichi yujin desu." He's my friend.

"Ah so desu!"

"Hai. Domo."

Blackthorne ran down the steps to go to the gateway. Behind him he heard Mariko's voice, "Nan ja, Chimmoko?" and a whisper back and then she called out with authority, "Yoshinaka-san!"

"Hai, Toda-sama!"

Blackthorne glanced around. The samurai walked up the steps and crossed toward Mariko's room. Her door was closed. Chimmoko stood outside it. Now her own crumpled bedding was near the door where she would always sleep, correctly, should her mistress not wish her to be in the room with her. Yoshinaka bowed to the door and began to report. Blackthorne walked along the path with growing elation, barefoot, his eyes on the Portuguese, the width of the welcoming smile, the light from the flares dancing off his earrings and the buckle of his jaunty hat.

"Hey, Rodrigues! It's great to see you. How's your leg? How'd you find me?"

"Madonna, you've grown, Ingeles, filled out! Yes, fit and healthy and acting like a piss-cutting daimyo!" Rodrigues gave him a bear hug and he returned it.

"How's your leg?"

"Hurts like shit but it works and I found you by asking where the great Anjin-san was - the big barbarian bandit bastard with the blue eyes!"

They laughed together, swapping obscenities, careless of the samurai and servants that surrounded them. In a moment Blackthorne sent a servant for sake and led the way back. Both strolled with their sailor's gait, Rodrigues' right hand, by habit, on his rapier's hilt, the other thumb hooked into his wide belt near his pistol. Blackthornwas a few inches taller but the Portuguese had even wider shoulders and a barrel-chested power to him.

Yoshinaka was waiting on the veranda.