The Way of the Traitor: A Samurai Mystery by Laura Joh Rowland Page B
Authors: Laura Joh Rowland
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trophies such as Director Spaen had owned. What, besides a mutual desire for money, had bound these dissimilar men together? Sano moved on to deGraeff's adjoining bedchamber, where the same austerity prevailed. Cabinets and chests held a minimum of worn clothing.
oThose are everything he has, and it's all there, all there, Iishino said. oThere's nothing that doesn't belong, either.
From the doorway, Assistant Director deGraeff and Chief Ohira watched, expressions stony.
oWhat are these? Sano asked Iishino, holding up some papers he'd found in the bedside cupboard. All bore red censors' seals; the law required that foreign documents be inspected before entering Japan.
Iishino bustled over and scanned the papers. oLetters from Assistant Director deGraeff's father. He is dying, and begs his son to come home, become a priest, and take over his position in the village church.
The paucity of clues discouraged Sano, as did the absence of blood. He looked under the futon, bed, and other furniture; he examined floor and walls for secret hiding places. But he found no knife, which could have been dumped into the sea along with Spaen's corpse. Sano peered out the window into the yard. The ground looked hard and smooth, the grass kept short by the barbarians' grazing cow. The soil in the vegetable garden seemed undisturbed. Sano guessed that a search for buried evidence would prove futile.
DeGraeff spoke. Iishino said, oHe asks if you're satisfied that he didn't kill Director Spaen.
Far from it, Sano thought, yet he was forced to admit temporary defeat. Identifying the killer "and incriminating the Dutch "wouldn't be easy. Keenly he regretted the inner drives that always endangered his life. What cruel god had endowed him with this fatal curiosity and desire for truth?
The servant returned with a tray of food, which the barbarian eyed hungrily.
oWell, ssakan-sama, Chief Ohira said, odo you still think you can solve the mystery?
With an effort, Sano kept his voice and expression untroubled. oThat will be all for now, he told the Dutchman. He nodded to the servant, who set the tray before deGraeff.
oWatch the barbarian eat, Interpreter Iishino said, giggling.
Thoroughly tired of Iishino, Sano nonetheless couldn't help staring as the Dutchman devoured the food. Instead of sipping soup from his bowl, he slurped it out of a wooden spoon. Instead of using chopsticks, he crammed rice, fish, and vegetables into his mouth with his hands. Between bites, he swilled huge, noisy gulps of water and sake. Such crude table manners disgusted Sano, while intuition told him that the Dutchman knew more about Director Spaen's death than he'd admitted.
Accompanied by Chief Ohira and Interpreter Iishino, Sano descended the stairs and walked down the street toward the residence of Dr. Nicolaes Huygens: Dr. Ito's trusted friend and Sano's last Dutch suspect, upon whom his hopes for a quick, successful end to the investigation now rested.
Chapter 8
THE DOOR TO Dr. Huygens's residence stood wide open and unguarded when Sano arrived there with Chief Ohira and Interpreter Iishino.
oI can assure you that this negligence is atypical, and the sentries will be disciplined for it, Ohira said grimly, preceding Sano and Iishino through the door.
In the doctor's study, shelves held wooden boxes labeled in foreign script; leatherbound books; a human skull; cases displaying seashells, rocks, butterflies, and other insects; and clear glass jars in which floated preserved specimens, including a two-headed newborn kitten. On the floor sat shallow pans filled with water, in which lived crabs, snails, and sea urchins. Potted plants stood on the windowsills, and a samurai youth was watering them with a spouted pot. Two guards leaned on either side of the desk beneath the window, watching the Dutchman.
Dr. Huygens sat with his back to the door, his head bent over something he was working on amid a jumble of books and writing materials.
oWhat are
oThose are everything he has, and it's all there, all there, Iishino said. oThere's nothing that doesn't belong, either.
From the doorway, Assistant Director deGraeff and Chief Ohira watched, expressions stony.
oWhat are these? Sano asked Iishino, holding up some papers he'd found in the bedside cupboard. All bore red censors' seals; the law required that foreign documents be inspected before entering Japan.
Iishino bustled over and scanned the papers. oLetters from Assistant Director deGraeff's father. He is dying, and begs his son to come home, become a priest, and take over his position in the village church.
The paucity of clues discouraged Sano, as did the absence of blood. He looked under the futon, bed, and other furniture; he examined floor and walls for secret hiding places. But he found no knife, which could have been dumped into the sea along with Spaen's corpse. Sano peered out the window into the yard. The ground looked hard and smooth, the grass kept short by the barbarians' grazing cow. The soil in the vegetable garden seemed undisturbed. Sano guessed that a search for buried evidence would prove futile.
DeGraeff spoke. Iishino said, oHe asks if you're satisfied that he didn't kill Director Spaen.
Far from it, Sano thought, yet he was forced to admit temporary defeat. Identifying the killer "and incriminating the Dutch "wouldn't be easy. Keenly he regretted the inner drives that always endangered his life. What cruel god had endowed him with this fatal curiosity and desire for truth?
The servant returned with a tray of food, which the barbarian eyed hungrily.
oWell, ssakan-sama, Chief Ohira said, odo you still think you can solve the mystery?
With an effort, Sano kept his voice and expression untroubled. oThat will be all for now, he told the Dutchman. He nodded to the servant, who set the tray before deGraeff.
oWatch the barbarian eat, Interpreter Iishino said, giggling.
Thoroughly tired of Iishino, Sano nonetheless couldn't help staring as the Dutchman devoured the food. Instead of sipping soup from his bowl, he slurped it out of a wooden spoon. Instead of using chopsticks, he crammed rice, fish, and vegetables into his mouth with his hands. Between bites, he swilled huge, noisy gulps of water and sake. Such crude table manners disgusted Sano, while intuition told him that the Dutchman knew more about Director Spaen's death than he'd admitted.
Accompanied by Chief Ohira and Interpreter Iishino, Sano descended the stairs and walked down the street toward the residence of Dr. Nicolaes Huygens: Dr. Ito's trusted friend and Sano's last Dutch suspect, upon whom his hopes for a quick, successful end to the investigation now rested.
Chapter 8
THE DOOR TO Dr. Huygens's residence stood wide open and unguarded when Sano arrived there with Chief Ohira and Interpreter Iishino.
oI can assure you that this negligence is atypical, and the sentries will be disciplined for it, Ohira said grimly, preceding Sano and Iishino through the door.
In the doctor's study, shelves held wooden boxes labeled in foreign script; leatherbound books; a human skull; cases displaying seashells, rocks, butterflies, and other insects; and clear glass jars in which floated preserved specimens, including a two-headed newborn kitten. On the floor sat shallow pans filled with water, in which lived crabs, snails, and sea urchins. Potted plants stood on the windowsills, and a samurai youth was watering them with a spouted pot. Two guards leaned on either side of the desk beneath the window, watching the Dutchman.
Dr. Huygens sat with his back to the door, his head bent over something he was working on amid a jumble of books and writing materials.
oWhat are
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