Tora reached out a hand and tousled the boy's hair. "I'll be back, Sadamu. Whenever I can. You take care of yourself and remember what I taught you."

The boy nodded. Then he looked up at him, a strange expression on his face. "How much money does your master pay you?" he asked.

"He's not a rich man," said Tora. "But I live in his house and eat his food, and besides he gives me what I need for clothes or wine. I'm satisfied. Why?"

The boy's eyes had widened in surprise and satisfaction. "Oh, I just wondered," he said vaguely, adding, "I think you have many useful talents," and ran back to his new friends.

Tora chuckled, shook his head, and left.

Eleven

The Sacrilege

Akitada returned to the university in a somber mood. Ishikawa was not back yet, and so he went to his room again and settled down to reading his students' papers. But his mind was not on his work. He pushed the essays away and stared at the wall. The problem of clearing Nagai of the murder charge was not all that troubled him. There was also the continued absence of both Ishikawa and Oe.

It was not, of course, unusual for either to absent himself from the university. Ishikawa might well have decided to spend his holiday visiting friends, and Oe was probably too embarrassed to show his face. Still Akitada felt vaguely uneasy.

Since he could not concentrate on his work, he decided to look in on Seimei at the ministry, but just as he was leaving, Hirata arrived.

"I was coming to see you," he said. "How are things with young Hiroshi?"

Akitada gave a brief summary of his talk with Nagai.

"Poor foolish boy," sighed Hirata. "By the way, I cannot find Oe anywhere. Knowing how anxious you are to settle this matter, I went to his home, but his servants say that he has not been seen there since yesterday. I asked them if he might have gone out of town to his summer place, but it seems he would not do that without taking them. I must say, it is most unlikely. Oe is much too lazy to live there like a hermit and do for himself. What do you suppose he is up to?"

"You know the man better than I. Could he be hiding with friends until the talk dies down?"

Hirata raised his brows. "What friends?" he asked.

"Well," said Akitada, "there is nothing to be done until he reappears. I am on my way to check on Seimei at the ministry, but will return later to finish some student papers."

• • •

Seimei was bent over Akitada's desk copying manuscripts. Neat stacks of document boxes stood next to him, and his brush flew across the paper. He greeted his master with an expression which managed to be both pleased and sympathetic. Laying down his brush in its wooden rest, he rose to bow to his master.

"It is kind of you to think of me when you have so much on your mind," he said with an earnest look. For a moment Akitada wondered how he had heard about Nagai's arrest already, but Seimei continued, "You must feel the disappointment deeply. I need hardly say how glad I was when I heard that you had chosen your wife. And such a very suitable match! I well remember meeting Miss Hirata when I used to carry messages between the two houses. You were both still children, but even then I used to think how perfectly matched you were." He sighed. "Ah, fortune and misfortune are truly like the twisted strands of a rope."

Akitada turned away. The old man meant well, but sometimes he wished for a little less garrulousness. "Thank you, Seimei," he said, staring at the shelves as if he were checking on their caseload. "You are right. It was . . . is a great disappointment to me." For a moment a powerful sense of loss gripped him and something in his chest contracted painfully. He cleared his throat, covering an involuntary gasp, turned back and said briskly, "Well, I shall soon join you here again. Hirata's problem at the university is just about resolved. Have you made any progress about Prince Yoakira?"

Seimei looked smug. "I am afraid it has been more difficult then I thought. After all even a thief takes ten years to learn his skill, and he is only stealing property. I am looking for plots and stratagems."

Akitada raised his eyebrows. "Where did you pick up such high-flown language?"

"The recording clerk of the Bureau of Records is a very interesting man: a man of letters, as it were. We have much in common." Seimei smiled complacently.

"I am happy to hear it. What does he have to say about the prince's will?"

The old man looked shocked. "Sir, I could not ask him such a blunt question!"

"Oh. Was there some other reason you mentioned him?"

"We have fallen into the habit of meeting after work. He is a widower and lives by himself. It appears we share a passion for chess."

"Really? I had no idea you were such an avid chess player," Akitada said with a smile.

"I find it exercises the mind. One sits and thinks about the next move. Sometimes both players pause and empty their minds by speaking of trivial matters."

"Trivial matters?" Fascinated, Akitada waited.

"Matters such as the recent gossip about the prince's peculiar disappearance might easily be mentioned in passing." Seimei cast a sly glance at his master. "It is natural to theorize about heirs and successors when great men die. It is also natural to express disbelief at the extraordinary wealth of some people."

"Most natural."

"I am to see the documents in question tonight. My chess partner expects to win a small wager."

Akitada made a face. "I see you are a master at the game. How much?"

"One piece of silver."

Fishing around in his sash, Akitada produced the coin. "Go on."

"He did imply that most of the property is settled on the grandson, with a large dowry for his granddaughter."

"Aha! What about appointments? Are there any rumors about who will take his position?"

"That is common knowledge by now. The crown prince's younger brother will succeed to Prince Yoakira's post. But the position he vacates is mentioned for Lord Sakanoue, since he is the late prince's grandson-in-law."

"Better and better! Enough to tempt even that proud gentleman!"

Seimei cleared his throat. "By the sage Master Kung's definition, such a one is no gentleman," he said primly. "Besides the master taught that men should beware of coveting riches lest heaven send calamities to them."

"The sage Confucius has been wrong in this instance," Akitada remarked bitterly. "So far the calamities seem to have befallen the innocent."

Seimei ignored this criticism of his favorite idol. "You also asked about Secretary Okura. People positively enjoy talking about him. It turns out that he is a low class individual, being merely the only son of a wealthy land speculator, a tradesman."

Akitada suppressed a smile. Seimei had the typical snobbery of the hereditary retainer. "What do they say?"

"They make jokes behind his back about his common background. It seems he is spending money lavishly on entertainments to impress the 'good people' while they amuse themselves behind his back at his lack of refinement. There is a particularly shocking rumor that he is so desperate to be accepted that he has been spending nights with the daughter of a high-ranking nobleman in his mansion in the Sanjo ward. A marriage announcement is imminent. The lady is no longer young and said to be extremely unattractive." Seimei paused to let this sink in, then continued, "You will be particularly interested in some talk that he has bought his first place in the examination. People like to embarrass him by asking him to explain Chinese verses."