Shogun_ A Novel of Japan - James Clavell [419]
“When you swerved into wind and I was amidships, that was to put me overboard. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” Rodrigues answered at once. He got to his feet. “Yes, I’m glad you asked me for that is on my conscience terribly. I’m glad to apologize to you in life for I could not bring myself to confess it to you. Yes, Ingeles. I don’t ask forgiveness or understanding or anything. But I am glad to confess that shame to your face.”
“You think I’d do that to you?”
“No. But then if the time came…. You never know till your own time of trial.”
“You came here to kill me?”
“No. I don’t think so. I don’t think that was first in my mind, though for my people and my country we both know it would be better for you to be dead. So sad, but so true. How foolish is life, eh, Ingeles?”
“I don’t want you dead, Pilot. Just your Black Ship.”
“Listen, Ingeles,” said Rodrigues without anger. “If we meet at sea, you in your ship, armed, me in mine, look to your life. That’s all I came to promise you—only that. I thought it would be possible to tell you that as a friend and still remain your friend. Except for a sea meeting, I am forever in your debt. Salud!”
“I hope to catch your Black Ship at sea. Salud, Pilot.”
Rodrigues stalked off. Yoshinaka and the samurai followed him. At the gateway the Portuguese collected his arms. Soon he was swallowed by the night.
Yoshinaka waited until the sentries sorted themselves out. When he was satisfied that all was secure he limped off to his own quarters. Blackthorne sat back on one of the cushions and in a moment the maid that he had sent for saké happily padded up with the tray. She poured one cup and would have stayed to serve him but he dismissed her. Now he was alone. The night sounds surrounded him again, the rustling and the waterfall and the movements of the night birds.
Everything was as before, but everything had changed.
Sadly he reached out to refill his cup but there was a sibilance of silk and Mariko’s hand held the flask. She poured for him, the other cup for herself.
“Domo, Mariko-san.”
“Do itashimashité, Anjin-san.” She settled herself on the other cushion. They sipped the hot wine.
“He was going to kill you, neh?”
“I don’t know, not for sure.”
“What did it mean—to search like a Spaniard?”
“Some of them strip their prisoners then probe in private places. And not gently. They call it to search con significa, with significance. Sometimes they use knives.”
“Oh.” She sipped and listened to the water among the stones. “It’s the same here, Anjin-san. Sometimes. That’s why it’s never wise to be captured. If you’re captured you’ve dishonored yourself so completely that anything the captor does…. It’s best not to be captured. Neh?”
He stared at the lanterns moving in the cool sweet breeze. “Yoshinaka was right—I was wrong. The search was necessary. It was your idea, neh? You told Yoshinaka to search him?”
“Please excuse me, Anjin-san, I hope that didn’t create an embarrassment for you. It was just that I was afraid for you.”
“I thank thee,” he said, using Latin again, though he was sorry there had been a search. Without the search he would still have a friend. Perhaps, he cautioned himself.
“Thou art welcome,” she said. “But it was only my duty.”
Mariko was wearing a night kimono and overkimono of blue, her hair braided loosely, falling to her waist. She looked back at the far gateway which could be seen through the trees. “You were very clever about the liquor, Anjin-san. I almost pinched myself with anger at forgetting to warn Yoshinaka about that. You were most shrewd to make him drink twice. Do you use poison a lot in your countries?”
“Sometimes. Some people do. It’s a filthy way.”
“Yes, but very effective. It happens here too.”
“Terrible, isn’t it, not being able to trust anyone.”
“Oh, no, Anjin-san, so sorry,” she answered. “That’s just one of life’s most important rules—no more, no less.”
BOOK FOUR
CHAPTER 47
Erasmus glittered in the