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med by modern Tokyo。 There was industrial grit beneath the soles of their shoes； the exhaust of a half a million engines in their nostrils； a smog of pollutants in their eyes。 And； of course； the dense night was dispelled by the nearby spin and sputter of gigantic neon signs running up the sides of buildings； adorning entryways large enough to acmodate a conquering army； squatting atop steel superstructures。
But hidden away on a side street； dwarfed by the steel and glass monuments to the nation's burgeoning economic success； was a remnant of another； older way of life； when simple traditions； not economic imperatives； ruled Japan。
〃This is where Kakuei Sakata came when he needed to be alone； to contemplate or to invoke the kami of his world；〃 Big Ezoe said； indicating the wood and lacquer Shinto shrine。 He reached out； pulled a cord； and the clang of the bronze bell reverberated through the man…made canyons。 〃Wake up； spirits who inhabit the woods and the streams！〃 Big Ezoe laughed。 〃I wonder if there are modern kami； spirits who live atop steel girders and neon signs that say Sony； who ride high…speed elevators to the hundredth floor。〃 His face crinkled。 〃I wonder if kami get acrophobia。〃
Honno was not amused。 〃How can you be so disrespectful？''
〃I suppose it es naturally to me；〃 Big Ezoe said； but Honno did not know if he was serious or if this was just another of his endless jokes。 Joking was alien to Honno； like being waited upon； or having Eikichi remember where she put his socks or where she kept the sugar。
〃Nonsense；〃 she said。 〃When you were born； you cried； ate； evacuated； and slept。 These things were natural。 Everything else you learned。〃
〃Quite possibly；〃 Big Ezoe said with some amusement。 〃But then it would have been my granny who taught me to laugh at the world。 She raised me； you see。 She liked to make fun of the world； she said； because it was such a somber place； she otherwise would have mitted hara…kiri long ago。〃
〃That's just what I mean；〃 Honno said angrily。 〃I'm sure your granny harbored no such crazy notions。〃
〃Well； I think she did；〃 Big Ezoe replied。 〃And I'm in a better position than you to know it。 Besides； what makes you think laughing at the world is a crazy notion？〃
〃It's either crazy or it's wrong；〃 Honno said。 〃No wonder you became a gangster。〃
Big Ezoe grunted。 ''I don't think one bees anything； least of all a gangster。 My family is Yakuza； that is what I am。〃
〃No；〃 Honno said。 〃You say that as if you had no choice。 But you did。 It's perfectly clear why you became a gangster： you're in love with the life。〃
〃Perhaps I am；〃 he said thoughtfully。 〃But that's more than can be said for you。 At least I'm in love with something。〃
〃I love my husband；〃 Honno said immediately。
〃That birdbrain？〃 Big Ezoe laughed。 〃What is there to love in a drone like that？''
〃I don't think it's any of your business。 What do you know of Eikichi's world； anyway？〃
〃More than you could imagine。〃 Big Ezoe looked up； past the Shinto shrine's roof； to the towering structures of Kasumi…gaseki。 〃I know you're reluctant to talk to me any more than you feel you have to； but I'm curious。 What do you see in Eikichi Kansei that attracts you？''
Honno did not want to answer him； but she felt duty bound to defend her husband in the face of this mobster's insults。 〃There is great honor；〃 Honno said。 〃Also； he needs me。 And there is a solidness about him that makes me feel secure。〃
〃Security。 Ah； now we e to the heart of the matter。 By security； don't you really mean submission？ Isn't there； after all； a secret pleasure to be had in submitting to power； to giving up one's free will？ Just as there is surely a similar pleasure in the sacrifices a mother makes for the sake of her child。〃 Big Ezoe almost seemed to be talking to himself。 ''Eikichi makes you feel secure； no doubt； because of his strict adherence to rules and regulations。 At home； he barely talks to you。 When he wants you； he calls； Oi！ Hey！ He is your child； you see。〃 Big Ezoe was still looking upward。 〃So he needs you。 Yes。 He needs you to make his food for him。 To lay out his clothes in the morning。 And you are； as we know； a working woman。 How early do you have to get up； Honno； to make sure your husband's needs are met？〃
〃It isn't like that；〃 Honno protested。
〃Oh？ How is it； then？ Tell me。〃
〃You are so good with words。〃 Honno was so enraged she could hardly speak。 〃You twist them； turn them inside out so they suit your purpose。 I am not that skilled。〃
He said； 〃Are you familiar with the Hagakure； the Book of Hidden Leaves？ Yes？ Then you may recall a key passage that tells of the clever samurai。 When he gathers sufficient experience； he discovers； much to his dismay； that all the plex rules and regulations of society by which he has so scrupulously lived his life are nothing more than meaningless illusion。 The Hagakure further counsels the samurai to hold his tongue once the truth is made manifest to him； so that he will not prematurely reveal it to those younger and more ignorant than himself。''
Honno said nothing for a time。 Her cheeks were unaccountably hot with shame。 How she despised Big Ezoe at this moment。 More than she ever could have imagined。 At last she recovered sufficiently to say； 〃How is it you know where Sakata…san worshiped？〃
Big Ezoe contemplated her for some time。 〃You know； Mrs。 Kansei； you must learn to lighten your spirit。 Burdens such as you evidently carry bee insupportable over time。〃 He moved inside the wooden roof of the tiny shrine。 〃The answer to your question is a simple one。 I have many friends； even more contacts。 More than one of them is a samurai。 No doubt Sakata was seen here on a number of his midday pilgrimages。〃
〃Is there anything you don't know？〃 Honno asked。
〃Sure；〃 Big Ezoe said； taking the key from her。 〃What Sakata was hiding。〃 With some difficulty； he bent down； lifted up the cloth draped over the center of the shrine。 He slid the key into the lock of a small door cut in the wooden side。
Inside he found two books that looked like ledgers。 He handed them to Honno； who opened one； leafed through the pages which were covered by a tight hand…drawn scrawl。 The second ledger revealed the same。 The writing was not kanji or any other with which Honno was familiar。
''What is this？'' Honno asked。
Big Ezoe； looking over her shoulder； said。 〃I'm not sure； but if I had to hazard a guess； I 'd say it was some kind of code。''
''Great；'' Honno said。 ''What am I supposed to do with these books？ I don't even know what they contain。〃 It was then she thought of Giin； and everything fell into place。
Honno had met Giin almost ten years ago； before she had known that Eikichi Kansei existed。 At that time Giin was highly placed in a ministry； she was never quite sure which。 She was meant to have married Giin。 She would have； except for the fact that he； like her father； was an inveterate gambler。
She had been so young then； still so full of mixed emotions about her father。 His death last year had changed that； of course。 Noboru's memory was purer than Noboru had been in life。 All the contradictory emotions Honno felt for her father were swept away； to be replaced by the overriding virtue of filial piety。 Hino…euma woman or not； she was her father's daughter。
But the one thing she would not do was to give her love to another man who gambled； a man who； more than anything else； reminded Honno of her father。 While it was true that Giin was far more intelligent than Noboru Yamato ever had been…in fact； he was a genius； of sorts…there were other； more telling traits they shared。 They both had obsessive personalities； they were tyrants in their professional lives； and they had an underlying weakness： they loved to gamble。
In fact； they couldn't stop。 It was an axiom of their personalities： obsessive； domineering； certain they were always right。 And； oddly； their mounting losses did not disabuse them of their vanity。 Quite the opposite。 They could not believe their losses； would not recognize the danger as those losses mounted precipitously。 They were focused on only one thing： their passion to win。 Because winning was essential to their personalities； they could not survive without it。
Indeed； Noboru Yamato had not survived his obsession。 But Giin had； just barely。 Honno had heard that he was no longer in the public sector； but whether that had been his choice or his masters'； she did not know。 He had been a ronin…an ex…minister looking for work in the private sector…for some time before he had found a job that suited him。
He had bee a professor of philosophy at a Tokyo university； which was either laughable or pathetic； depending on your point of view。 He would have been the least flexible person Honno had ever known…except for her father。 And； considering that philosophy was a continual bending of thought； tenet； and ideology…a living dialectic with the universe； as it were…Honno considered it odd that Giin should end up teaching philosophy。
She insisted on seeing him alone； although Big Ezoe wanted to e with her。 Privately； she would have been appalled to face Giin for the first time in ten years with a Yakuza oyabun at her side。
She met him in his office； l