ericlustbader.the ninja-第19节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'But I may tell you with all candour that among all my progeny Cheong has a special place。 She is not the fruit of my loins but she most assuredly is the fruit of my mind； do you follow me？ This is where she es from and you must know this； e to understand it for what it is and what it portends before you leave Singapore。'
He was silent for a time now as if he were dreaming of a far…off land or； perhaps； a time long gone。 The air seemed to split open and rain slanted down out of the charcoal sky； pattering against the small square roof of the garret； dripping from the diminutive eaves。 The green leaves of the trees dipped and shivered under the downpour until； hissing； the world was obliterated as if by a solid wall of water。 Leaning slightly over the side； the Colonel could not even make out the lower roof of So…Peng's house。 Mist； heavily laden as smoke； drifted up to them。 The world was now a grey…green pointillist painting from which only brief shadows emerged as if they were watching the visualization of still…forming thoughts within some godlike brain。
'We seem very alone up here now；' the Colonel said。
So…Peng smiled。 'One is never truly alone in Asia； is that not so？' He stood as still as a statue and it seemed odd to the Colonel that this should be so； primarily because the background was in such violent motion。 Spray bouncing up off the sill showered him with a fine mist and he stepped back from the verge a pace； reminded of standing at the bow of a fast cutter on the open seas。 'The world is different here；' So…Peng continued。 'Our world is different。 We are born with； grow up with； indeed live our entire lives with the concept of eternalness always close to us。 This … shall we say intimacy … I have often thought is a two…edged sword。 It is indubitably our great strength in life but also … this is another confidence … it is our weakness； I fear； our Achilles' heel when it es to dealing with the West。 I am much afraid that too many of my countrymen underestimate Westerners precisely because they think of them as barbarians； unable to grasp fully the Eastern concepts of man； honour and the nature of time。 This can be lethal。 Witness the Japanese。 Idiotic； what they attempted！ Glorious but idiotic。 But the Japanese know well the nobility of failure。
A majority of their national folk heroes would be considered dismal failures by Western standards。 It is the nature of their being； the quality of their thoughts that are revered； deeds count for all； in the West。 The Protestant ethic； I believe it is called； eh？ Well； it is nothing to scoff at； as any Japanese would tell you now。 The Protestant ethic is what defeated Japan。 It was made to pay dearly for the miscalculation of Pearl Harbor。 The United States was truly the sleeping giant； its wrath awesome to behold。' He gazed out upon the frantic rain。 The air was heavy with moisture。 'We as yet lack the necessary understanding of the nature of time。 We still look to yesterday when its eternal…ness was all； we have not yet caught up with the present。' He laughed。 'But give us time。 We are most ingenious people。 Once show us the way and there is our salvation。 We are an extremely flexible people。 Watch out that we do not catch you and overtake you！'
The faraway； dreaming look left So…Peng's eyes as he turned to the Colonel and said； 'But my personal views of philosophy are no doubt of little interest to you。 Words of wisdom … I do not believe in that phrase。 One cannot learn wisdom by sitting at another's feet。 One must live one's own life； make one's own mistakes； feel one's own ecstasy to learn the true meaning of existence； for it is different in each individual。 Fall down； get up； do it all over again in another context。 Experience。 And learn。 That is the only way。
'So。 Enough of prattle。 I am like an old woman today。 Perhaps it is the weather that has made me so。 I am loquacious in storms； perhaps it aids my uneasiness。 Monsoon season was always a time of terror for me when I was a child。
'A fair enough introduction。 You may wonder； Colonel； as to my cultural origins。 Well； my father was Chinese。 Not a Manchu； thank heaven； but a cultured； quiet mandarin。 He was； originally； a merchant； but because of a shrewd mind he soon became an important businessman； emigrating to Singapore when he was thirty…three。 Oh； I am from the mainland； certainly； not from here。 My mother was a Japanese。' His eyes opened wide。 'Oh； now； Colonel； you needn't look so surprised。 Those things happened from time to time。 Not； I admit； with any degree of regularity。 No； no。 And the true nature of my mother's origin was scrupulously concealed for obvious reasons。 Her differing features my father explained away by claiming she came from the North of China； near the Russian border where there is much mixed blood； Mongol and Manchu and heaven knows what else。
'However； of Cheong's origins I have no specific information。 Perhaps she knows or then again perhaps not。 It was never discussed between us。 Perhaps； one day； she will tell you。 But that； of course； is between the two of you。 For myself； I believe it matters little； if at all； for her matrix is here。 It is where she grew up； it is what fixed her。
'When one is able to see the matrix from which a precious stone is taken； one is invariably better able to judge the quality of that stone。' He shook his head。 'But this is a。 somewhat cold example。 Let me give you another。 One meets an extraordinarily beautiful woman but； in spending time with her； one gradually finds her behaviour somewhat erratic； confusing … in short； inprehensible。 Now； perhaps； one learns； subsequently； that this same woman was the middle daughter of three。 It is now possible that one has taken the first step in unravelling the mystery of this beautiful woman's strange behaviour。 And； of course； the more one learns； the less odd her behaviour bees until； at length； it is perfectly understandable。' He sniffed once at the air。 'It will be over soon；' he said。 'e。 Let us descend。'
They sat； the three of them … the Colonel； Cheong and So…Peng … around the red lacquered table in the room of screens while Chia Sheng silently served them course after course of food。 The Colonel had not in three years seen so much food at once； nor tasted one dish after another so delicious or so exquisitely presented。 There was； firstly； every manner of dim sum … tiny delicate rice…dough dumplings； filled with a variety of stuffings。 Then there was fish soup； hot and spicy without being in the least heavy。 Thirdly； there were six kinds of rice； from the simply boiled white to a kind of double…fried version with minced seafood and cooked egg yolk。 The fourth course consisted of a cold salad spiced with white horseradish and cucumber。 Then came the main courses： cut fowl； golden brown； crisped； rubbed with coarse salt and herbs； broiled shrimps； hardy langoustes； cracked crabs； their shining carapaces blue and red； fresh from the boiling water。 And lastly； great crescent slices of melon； the juice already running down along the sloping sides； onto the clay plates； like the rivulets of an icy stream。
At last they were through and So…Peng； pushing his rind…garlanded plate from him； heaved a deep sigh and patted his stomach。 'Tell me about your matrix； Colonel；' he said。
And the Colonel told him all about his father； all he had been told about the mother he hardly knew； struck down by diphtheria when he was only two。 All about his stepmother； whom he despised for no one particular reason but rather for many diffuse ones。 He told So…Peng about his feelings at being an only child； a concept that the other found as fascinating and absorbing as he found it strange。 About his boyhood in rural Sussex and the road to school which eventually brought him； as it did to most； to London。 Of his burgeoning interest in the Far East； his studies and his eventual enlistment。
'And now；' said So…Peng； 'you are to embark upon a new chapter of your life。 You are about to bee a politician and more； a maker of history。 Very good。 Very good。 Soon I； too； must leave Singapore for a time。 My services are needed elsewhere。 Thus this bees； truly； a farewell party。' He paused now； as if waiting for something to occur。 Long moments passed in silence with just the lentitudinous dripping from the last of the rain leaving the lush loquat trees that surrounded the house。
Presently Chia Sheng appeared； holding a shadowed object close to her。 When she reached the table； she lowered the object into So…Peng's hands。 This time she did not leave them but stood silently at his side。
So…Peng held the object before him； chest high； and the Colonel saw that it was a copper box perhaps ten inches by eight across； enamelled and elaborately lacquered。 On its top was exquisitely painted a fiery； scaled dragon； entwined with an enormous； powerful tiger。
Still holding the box； So…Peng said； 'It is now my duty to apologize to you； dearest Cheong； for being away from Singapore on the day of your marriage to Colonel Linnear。 I have thought upon this for many months； deciding what would be most appropriate； for； as you know； everything that is mine is yours also。 As it is with all my children。' The box was now lowered slowly
