The Way of the Traitor: A Samurai Mystery (4 page)

oDeshima, he said to Hirata as they settled into a ferry.
Deshima: the fan-shaped island, some three hundred paces long, whose inner curve faced the Nagasaki shore; where the Dutch East India Company officials lived like prisoners in a heavily guarded compound. From the water surrounding the island's rocky foundation rose tall poles bearing placards that read, ABSOLUTELY NO BOATS PAST THIS POINT! A high wooden fence, topped with sharp spikes, enclosed the compound. Sano craned his neck, but saw only thatched roofs and pine trees within. He could see nothing of the barbarians who had captured his youthful imagination, but his disillusionment with his own country only intensified his desire to know about the outside world.
The ferry bobbed over the waves, then glided up on the beach.
Sano climbed out and saw troops fanning toward the city and hills in search parties. Commanders barked orders. One, arms waving wildly, berated a group of kneeling samurai.
Behind Sano, the captain laughed nastily. oThe Deshima guards. They should be executed for letting the barbarian escape.
One guard, apparently wanting to avoid this fate, drew his sword. With a blood-chilling yell, he plunged it into his belly. Hirata gasped. Sano looked away, shaken.
oWelcome! Through the crowd, a black-robed official hurried toward them. Porters, guards, and palanquins followed. Bowing deeply, he said, oA thousand pardons for this inconvenience. We'll take you to the governor now.
THROUGH THE WINDOWS of his palanquin, Sano watched the sights of Nagasaki move past. He rode like a visiting dignitary, with Hirata and the captain in palanquins behind him, while their Nagasaki escorts walked ahead to clear the way. Sano might almost believe he wasn't a prisoner of the captain, who would soon transfer him to the governor's custody and deliver Chamberlain Yanagisawa's orders concerning him.
The palanquin tilted as the bearers ascended Nagasaki's narrow, crowded streets. Crammed closely together, the shops and houses of the merchant district clung precariously to the hillside. Stone staircases were built alongside the steepest roads. People scurried up and down these, and through the mud from a heavy rain last night. Merchants and peddlers hawked sake, food, and housewares; children gathered around a juggler; an old woman told fortunes. A fishy tang laced the bright morning air. And through the normal everyday bustle, Sano saw news of the Dutchman's disappearance spread.
Mounted samurai in full armor barked questions and orders at pedestrians: oHas a foreign barbarian passed this way? Report any sightings at once!
Footsoldiers ransacked houses and shops, shouting, oAnyone caught harboring or aiding the barbarian will die!
Sano feared they might begin slaughtering innocent townspeople if the missing trader wasn't found soon. Trapped in his cushioned vehicle, he longed to run off and join the search. But the captain would kill him if he did, then probably collect a reward from Chamberlain Yanagisawa. And without the governor's sanction, Sano had no right to interfere. Clenching his teeth in frustration, he forced himself to sit still for the ride.
The palanquin crossed a wooden bridge over a river that flowed between high stone embankments. Here, above the merchant district, the streets were wider, less crowded, and populated mostly by samurai. Tile-roofed mansions, enclosed by long barracks with barred windows, lined the streets. Sano saw the crests of Ky®shdaimyo on guarded gates. Troops streamed through these, searching for the Dutch barbarian. Finally the procession stopped before an ornate portal with a double tile roof. From beyond the barracks came men's angry shouts, and the stomp and neigh of horses.
oI've brought the shogun's envoys to Governor Nagai, Sano heard the Nagasaki official announce.
Guards admitted them into a courtyard jammed with men. Mounted troops and footsoldiers marched past Sano as he stepped out of the palanquin. A commander issued orders to his squadron: oSearch the hills. If you find him, capture him alive. We don't want an international incident.
In a stall by the gate, guards checked men in and out, hanging a wooden name plate on a board to indicate someone's entry, or taking one down when someone else left.
oIf you will please come this way? Sano's escort led him, Hirata, and the captain into the rambling, two-story mansion with half-timbered walls and latticed windows. They left their shoes and swords in the entryway and walked down a corridor past chambers where officials argued loudly as they pored over maps and secretaries drafted reports about the disaster. At the corridor's end, by the open door to a garden, stood two men.
One was perhaps fifty years of age. Broad across the shoulders and chest, he exuded an air of elegance even as he paced in agitation. Two ornate swords hung at his waist. His rust-colored silk kimono, patterned with gold ginkgo leaves, emphasized his ruddy complexion. The graying hair drawn back from his shaved crown was glossy with oil.
oIt will be very bad for us if we don't find him at once, he fumed. Despite his anger, his voice had a mellow, melodious tone "like that of an actor feigning emotion in a Kabuki drama. He wiped his sweating forehead with his sleeve. oWhat a fiasco!
The other man was a spare, plainly dressed samurai with ashen hair and a stiff posture. Sano, approaching with his party, heard him mutter, o... never would have happened if...
oAnd what's that supposed to mean? The first man's smooth voice tightened. oYou " Then he spied his visitors.
oGovernor Nagai, may I present the shogun's envoys. Deftly the escort managed the introductions.
oI'm here to perform an inspection of Nagasaki, Honorable Governor, Sano said when his turn came.
Shrugging off his agitation like a discarded robe, Nagai bowed in a relaxed, courteous manner. The lines of his face smoothed into a pleasant expression. His coarse features "broad, porous nose, thick lips, and fleshy jowls "had an agile mobility that lent him a semblance of handsomeness.
oWelcome to Nagasaki. You had a pleasant journey, I hope? Yes. Well. The words issued from Governor Nagai in a honeyed flow. oI apologize for the temporary state of confusion. But everything is under control.
Sano had heard Nagai mentioned in Edo. His admirers praised the administrative skills that had raised him from lowly provincial inspector to commissioner of finance, then won him Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's favor and a prestigious Nagasaki governorship. His detractors said he abused his power to enrich himself, and got away with it because of his talent for pleasing the right people.
Governor Nagai gestured to his companion. oThis is Ohira Yonemon, chief officer of Deshima. He was just leaving to make sure no more barbarians disappear.
Ohira wordlessly bowed his farewells. On him would rest the major blame for any problem on Deshima, Sano knew. His square jaws were clenched, his pale lips compressed, and he looked physically ill. His skin had a blanched pallor, with purplish pouches under the eyes as if he hadn't slept in a long time. As he walked away, his rigid shoulders trembled.
The captain stepped forward. oThe Honorable Chamberlain Yanagisawa's orders, he said, handing Governor Nagai a scroll case.
Governor Nagai read the enclosed document with a neutral expression, and his geniality didn't waver when he addressed Sano again. oYes. Well. Come, let's go to my private office and discuss your plans for the inspection, he said.
After ordering an assistant to give the captain quarters in the barracks, he ushered Sano and Hirata upstairs to a bright, spacious room. Sliding doors opened onto a balcony, below which the city's rooftops spilled down the hill in a picturesque clutter. In the distance, sky and sea were azure; the harbor looked deceptively peaceful. Faint street noises drifted in on the warm breeze. Governor Nagai knelt behind the desk, his back to shelves filled with ledgers. Sano and Hirata knelt opposite on silk cushions. The room held the usual cabinets and chests found in any official's chambers, but one curious feature caught Sano's attention.
In the alcove stood a table with long, spindly legs. On this sat a peculiar wooden box the size of a man's head, with a white enamel circle on its upright face. Twelve strange symbols, inlaid in gold, rimmed the circle, from whose center extended slender gold pointers. The box emitted loud, rhythmic clicks.
oI see you've noticed my European clock. Governor Nagai regarded the object fondly. He offered refreshments, ordering them from a servant who appeared at the door. oIt and the table were gifts from the Dutch barbarian who has disappeared: East India Company Trade Director Jan Spaen.
oRemarkable, Sano said. He recalled Chamberlain Yanagisawa mentioning the wealth that a Nagasaki official could reap from the overseas commerce. Apparently it came from both Japanese merchants as taxes, and from foreign merchants as presents intended to facilitate trade relations. But more intriguing than the possibility of riches was the thought of meeting the men whose culture produced such wonders as a mechanical timekeeping device.
oYour reputation precedes you, ssakan-sama, Governor Nagai said. oThe last time I was in Edo, I heard about your capture of the Bundori Killer.
To ensure that no individual commanded too much power over the international port, Nagasaki actually had three governors, who took turns ruling the city. While one was in Edo, reporting to the shogun " and visiting his family held hostage to his good behavior "the others served alternate shifts. Fate had saddled Governor Nagai with the Dutchman's unfortunate disappearance. But he'd surely benefited from his trips to the capital, testing the political climate there. Sano guessed that the courteous treatment he was receiving meant Governor Nagai knew he enjoyed the shogun's albeit unreliable favor. Yet the governor, though subject to Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, also had Chamberlain Yanagisawa's orders, and would know of his animosity toward Sano. However, perhaps Sano could use Nagai's conflicting loyalties to his advantage.
oHis Excellency took a special interest in the Bundori Murder investigation, Sano said, mentioning the shogun to make Governor Nagai think he was secure in Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's protection, which he'd earned by solving the case. He must survive his stay in Nagasaki and return to his proper post.
oYes. Of course. Well. Governor Nagai acknowledged the ploy by sucking his lips. oI shall be happy to lend you and your retainer a fine mansion, servants, and horses.
This concession was a good sign, even if it wasn't what Sano really wanted. oThank you, Nagai-san. The servant brought tea and cakes, which he accepted, tasted, and praised according to polite convention. oThese cakes have a unique and delicious tang. He suppressed a smile as he saw Hirata, seasickness gone now, eating hungrily for the first time in days. oWhat is the seasoning?
oMace and cinnamon, Governor Nagai answered between bites, ofrom the Indonesian Spice Islands. Here in Nagasaki, foreign traders bring us all the flavors of the world.
This was the opening Sano needed. oPerhaps I should begin my inspection with an assessment of the current state of foreign commerce. Starting with the Dutch trade. If he must carry out the charade, he would at least realize his dream of seeing the barbarians.
oYes. Well. Governor Nagai smiled and sipped his tea. oI'm afraid that the current state of Dutch-Japanese relations is hardly typical. He looked out the window. Down the hill, troops filed through the streets, still searching. oIf you inspect Deshima now, you'll carry an inaccurate report back to Edo "and Chamberlain Yanagisawa.
Was the governor asking Sano not to criticize his administration, or implying that Chamberlain Yanagisawa would back his refusal? Whatever his reason for invoking the chamberlain's authority, Sano couldn't afford to yield. His status in Nagasaki was ambiguous enough that losing this power play would establish him as the governor's inferior, rather than approximate equal.
oI'll help restore conditions to normal so that my inspection of the Dutch trade may proceed, he said.
A speculative gleam lit Nagai's eyes. oAre you offering to assume charge of the hunt for Trade Director Spaen? His bland tone didn't quite hide his eagerness. oYes. Well. That's very kind. But you needn't trouble yourself. Still, if you insist...
Sano saw the trap. By taking over the investigation, he would relieve Governor Nagai of an onerous burden "and play right into Chamberlain Yanagisawa's hands. Failure to locate the Dutch barbarian would mean his death. But if he refused the task, he might spend the next six months accomplishing nothing of value, growing increasingly bitter toward the bakufu, missing Aoi, and worrying about his future.
oI insist, Sano said.
Governor Nagai relaxed with an audible sigh. A reckless exhilaration filled Sano. Now he would be doing real work, pursuing truth, if not justice, and following the Way of the Warrior as he perceived it. He would see the barbarians. And success could bring a political bonus as well as personal satisfaction: owing him a favor, Governor Nagai might agree to ignore Chamberlain Yanagisawa's orders. Sano glanced at Hirata, whose mouth dropped: From what he'd seen and heard today, he guessed the danger Sano courted.
oHirata-san, I won't be needing you for this investigation, Sano said. To shield his retainer from the consequences of possible failure, he must keep Hirata at a distance from this dangerous task. If his actions caused his own ruin, then so be it; but he would not "could not "endure the pain of harming his faithful companion. oWhen we leave here, see the baggage safely to our lodgings. Then you may amuse yourself in town.
oAmuse myself, Hirata echoed, not quite managing to conceal his hurt at the dismissal, or his fear for Sano.
oGovernor Nagai, I would appreciate any details you can give me about the barbarian's disappearance, Sano said. oWhen was it noticed, and by whom?
The governor offered more tea and cakes, eager to cooperate now. oJust after daybreak, during a routine inspection by Chief Ohira and the guards.