The Way Of The Traitor Part 10

Dr. Ito's source of information about foreign science! The letter beneath Sano's sash seemed to expand. To cover his eagerness, he said quickly, oWhat sort of relationships did the barbarians have with Director Spaen? Were they friendly? Did they have any disagreements?

Ohira frowned. oThe law prohibits my forming a close acquaintance with barbarians. I'm not in a position to know how they feel about one another. And I can a.s.sure you that they always behave civilly in my presence. I don't tolerate unruliness.

oThe barbarians try not to let us interpreters overhear anything important, Iishino said. oBut sometimes they fail. He pantomimed listening at a door. oI once heard Spaen and a.s.sistant Director deGraeff arguing about ~private trade.' I don't know what that meant, because they saw me and stopped talking.

oAnd Dr. Huygens? Sano said.

oHe takes meals with the others and treats them when they're sick, but otherwise he keeps to himself.

oThis is where a.s.sistant Director deGraeff lives, Ohira announced.

Sano followed Ohira up to the balcony of a house near the west guard station, glad to learn of Spaen's acrimonious relations with at least one comrade. So much the easier to implicate a barbarian in the crime. Only the thought of the Dutch ship dampened Sano's rising spirits. How would the barbarian crew react to news of Spaen's murder?

Guards admitted Sano, Ohira, and Iishino to an office whose basic layout resembled Director Spaen's. But the walls were bare, the floor uncluttered. Stacked ledgers stood on the desk, edges perfectly aligned. The only personal item visible was a small framed picture, turned facedown. Two more guards and a servant kept watch over a.s.sistant Director deGraeff, who sat at the desk, spine straight, writing with an inked goose quill. He wore a brown coat, black knee-length trousers, stockings, and shoes, and a wide-collared white shirt. His stench permeated the hot, stuffy atmosphere.

oThe honorable investigator will speak with you now! Chief Ohira barked at the Dutchman.

Interpreter Iishino translated. The guards yanked the barbarian out of his seat and shoved him onto the floor, shouting, oBow down!

The barbarian prostrated himself. Alarmed by the tone Deshima's staff had set for the interview, Sano said, oPlease get up and return to your seat. This man was a representative of the powerful nation whose ship waited offsh.o.r.e, and Sano saw nothing to be gained from antagonizing witnesses. When the barbarian had resumed his place, Sano eyed him cautiously.

Tall and spare, a.s.sistant Director deGraeff had lank gray hair that fell to his shoulders. Gray stubble shadowed his face, which was long and narrow, with a pointed nose, thin mouth, and deeply cleft chin. A craggy brow overhung his wary gray eyes.

Sano introduced himself, then said, oI'm sorry to bring you bad news. Director Jan Spaen is dead.

The barbarian looked to Iishino, who translated. Sano hated this tedious method of communication. Uneasily he wondered whether he could trust the officious interpreter not to twist his words, or the barbarian's.

DeGraeff clasped his hands and bowed his head over them, remaining silent for a moment before he spoke.

oHe thanks you for the information, Iishino said. oHe will a.s.sume Director Spaen's responsibilities at once, so that trade may proceed without interruption.

Now Sano found an unexpected advantage in not knowing the suspect's language. Without the distraction of words, he could concentrate on deGraeff's expression and tone of voice while the barbarian spoke. Before deGraeff averted his eyes in prayer, Sano had glimpsed an odd look in them: shock, or elation? Sano thought it significant that deGraeff hadn't asked the obvious question: How did Spaen die?

oDirector Spaen was murdered, Sano said. oHis killer must be caught and punished. Therefore, I must ask you some questions.

DeGraeff listened to the translation, nodded, replied. oHe'll cooperate fully, Iishino said. He spoke to deGraeff in Dutch, then said to Sano, oI told the barbarian that he should tell us everything he knows right now. If he refuses, he'll be beaten. Smiling, he waited for Sano's approval.

Resisting Iishino's attempt to lead the interrogation, Sano addressed deGraeff. oI understand that you haven't eaten all day. I apologize for your discomfort. Food will be brought to you soon. To Iishino: oTell him what I said. And from now on, I'll ask the questions.

Iishino's mouth formed a circle of surprise. oBut ssakan-sama "

oJust do it! Sano said, exasperated by the constant interference. Would that he spoke Dutch, and could manage without Iishino! While the interpreter translated, Sano told the servant, oBring the food, and be quick.

The servant rushed from the room. Ohira and the guards eyed Sano with disapproval. oYou are very kind to the barbarian, Ohira said in an accusing tone. oIs that wise?

Sano remembered the oath he'd taken, and wondered uneasily whether feeding a hungry man could be misconstrued as promoting Dutch interests over j.a.panese. Another wrong step, so soon after placating the ship's crew? But he read in the barbarians strange, pale eyes the relief that here at last was a reasonable, compa.s.sionate j.a.panese official. Perhaps deGraeff would cooperate out of grat.i.tude.

oWhen and where did you last see Jan Spaen? Sano asked.

The barbarian spoke, and Iishino translated: oAt sunset last night, during our evening meal in the common room.

oWhat did you and your comrades do after the meal?

oI went to my chambers, and a.s.sumed the others went to theirs. It was the usual routine. There was a bad storm, so I stayed in all night.

Even without understanding Dutch, Sano couldn't mistake the barbarian's weary, rehea.r.s.ed tone: DeGraeff must have answered these same questions many times. oDid you see or hear anything unusual outside?

oNothing except the rain and thunder.

oDid you know Director Spaen had left Deshima, or where he was going?

oNo, he didn't tell me, Iishino translated as deGraeff leaned his head on his bony hand.

oHow long had you known Director Spaen? Sano asked, oand what was your relationship with him?

The barbarian spoke, eyes devoid of emotion. oThey met ten years ago, in Batavia, Indonesia, Iishino said. oDeGraeff was a clerk for the East India Company, and Spaen was an a.s.sistant trade director then. They traded European goods for spices, then sold the spices around the world. The company was pleased with their profits. They were promoted and a.s.signed to j.a.pan.

oWere you and Spaen on friendly terms?

DeGraeff's smile bordered on a sneer. Beneath his courtesy, Sano detected a harsh, uncompromising nature, an antipathy toward people in general. oOf course. Otherwise, we wouldn't have asked the company to keep us together when we left Indonesia.

oWhat is ~private trade'? Sano asked.

If this question surprised deGraeff, he didn't show it. His gaze remained steady, his body still. oEast India Company agents often buy and sell goods independently when they go on voyages, financing the ventures themselves. That is private trade.

oYou use your employer's ships to transport these goods and it's trade networks to distribute them? Free of charge, while competing with the company? To Sano, this sounded highly dubious, if not illegal: oDoesn't this violate it's monopoly on East Indies trade?

oWe must compensate ourselves for the low salaries the company pays us.

Now Sano saw a possible motive for Spaen's murder. oDid you and Director Spaen profit from your private trade?

This time the barbarian paused between Iishino's translation and his own reply, though his expression didn't change. oYes. But I don't see why it concerns you. j.a.pan has no law against Dutch private trade. Your merchants don't care whether they deal with the company or with individuals. And your shogun doesn't care either, as long as he collects his share of the revenue.

oWho inherits Jan Spaen's share of the profits? Already guessing the answer, Sano moved closer to deGraeff.

A flicker of emotion momentarily broke the barbarian's gaze. oI do. I was his partner; he had no family.

Sano stopped as near deGraeff as the man's foul odor would allow. oIs that why you killed him? For the money?

DeGraeff shot out of his chair. oI didn't kill Spaen! Gone was his spurious courtesy; anger flushed his cheeks.

oSit! Sano ordered. Alarmed and frightened, he held his ground against the towering barbarian. oYou admit you broke your country's law for the sake of profit. Why would you stop short of murder?

With a sigh of exasperation, deGraeff sat, crossed his legs, and folded his arms. He looked at the ceiling instead of at Sano or Iishino when he spoke. oJan Spaen had only ten thousand koban to his name. He liked women and gambling. He speculated on ventures that didn't always work out. He was better at spending than saving. I had more to gain by continuing our partnership than by killing Spaen for such a paltry sum. Now, may I please return to my work? The guards tell me the ship has arrived. There's much to be done, and Spaen's death has left it all to me.

Sano didn't consider ten thousand koban paltry; in j.a.pan, it could keep a man in comfort for a lifetime. oHow exactly would you benefit from continuing your partnership? he asked, hiding his fear of another unnerving face-off with a barbarian. oWhy couldn't you use Spaen's money to buy more goods, then carry on alone?

oNeither of us could have accomplished alone what we did as a team. We worked well together.