Nagaoka’s dry voice cut through the blur of Akitada’s confusion. “A very fine specimen, don’t you think?” His eyes lingered on the mask with an intent, almost passionate expression.
“Er, yes. Very lifelike. What precisely is it?”
“Oh, a bugaku mask. Quite old. Either Chinese or Korean in origin. It represents one of the Indian characters in a Buddhist play.”
A mask for a dancer! Akitada reached across and lifted it from the box. He saw now that it was the hollow wood carving of the face and top of the head only. The ribbons with which the performer tied it on dangled from its edges. The mask’s cap was really quite different in style from those worn at court, and the large hooked nose was definitely foreign. But the workmanship was masterful and it was painted in lifelike colors. The piercing eyes were holes through which the actor looked during a performance.
Bugaku dances were much admired at court and occasionally put on by great nobles to entertain the emperor and his family. A connection of this mask to the Imperial Treasury was quite possible. To be sure, no mask was mentioned on Toshikage’s list, but perhaps this was a more recent theft.
“Is it valuable?” he asked Nagaoka.
Nagaoka pursed his lips. “It is almost certainly two hundred years old and in excellent condition. Yes. I would think for a collector or someone wishing to make a present to a great man or to a temple it might well be worth twenty rolls of brocade.” He looked down at his hands, adding, “However, I do not expect an offer of that size.”
“How do you come by rare objects like this?”
“Usually someone needs money and unearths something from the family treasure-house. Sometimes, more rarely, it is an import from Korea.”
“And this?”
Nagaoka met his eyes with a hooded glance. “Part of my reputation, my lord, rests on the absolute confidentiality with which I transact business.”
“Of course. But do you not wonder if such a precious object might really belong to the person selling it?”
Nagaoka smiled thinly. “I make certain. Besides, the buyer usually asks about the provenance. It adds to the value of the piece.”
Akitada raised his brows. “What about the confidentiality, then?”
The smile widened a fraction. “It may be said to be confined to six ears only.”
Akitada thought for a moment, then fished Toshikage’s list from his sash. Handing it to Nagaoka, he said, “This does not involve a sale, so I hope the matter will be confined to only you and me. These items have been removed from a collection illegally and may have been offered for sale during the past month. Can you give me any information about such a transaction involving any or all of the items listed?”
Nagaoka stared at him a moment, then read the list. Frowning, he reread it, then looked at Akitada with a strange expression on his face. “You say these things were stolen?”
Akitada shook his head. “They were stolen only if they are being offered for sale. Otherwise they have merely been removed without permission.”
“Ah.” Nagaoka returned the list. His fingers shook slightly. “I am happy to say that I have no news to give you. Indeed, if they have been stolen, then someone has committed a sacrilege of the most serious nature. Such things would not be offered for sale to a reputable dealer like myself. Handling the transaction and being in possession of any one of the objects could mean death or deportation. I would most certainly report any rumors circulating among my colleagues, as I trust would they.”
Akitada nodded. He was only mildly surprised that Nagaoka had recognized the origin of the objects. A man of his experience would certainly know what was contained in the Imperial Treasury. “Thank you. I thought so, but needed confirmation. What about taking the goods out of the capital and selling them in a distant province, or even in Korea?”
Nagaoka thought. “It is possible, but dangerous. You would have to assume in the first case that the thief has a buyer in mind who is already disloyal to His Majesty and is willing to pay a great deal to possess such goods. Such a man needs to be very secure in his position.”
Akitada looked at Nagaoka with new respect. The man was extraordinarily shrewd. Perhaps his profession had taught him a great deal about the secret desires of the powerful. “And in the second instance?” he asked.
“The thief would have to approach one of the foreign traders either here or at the port city of Naniwa. We have not had any trade ships arrive from Korea in over a year and none are expected to leave for there, since there has been a cooling of relations between our countries. This has been very bad for men of my profession, but it almost certainly means that such objects would not be offered to Korean merchants. They could not leave the country and, as I said, possessing them is dangerous.”
“Yes. I think you are quite right. Thank you. Do you yourself travel a great deal in your business?”
“Not often nowadays.”
Silence fell. Akitada wondered how to introduce the subject of the brother, when Nagaoka cleared his throat and said, “It was very kind of you, my lord, to take an interest in my family affairs the other day, but I hope you will not trouble yourself further on my unfortunate brother’s behalf.”
“Oh? You have had reassuring news, then? The police have another suspect, perhaps?”
Nagaoka did not meet his eyes. “Not precisely. Forgive me. I am not at liberty to discuss the case with anyone, but I have hopes the matter will be resolved soon.”
Now what had happened? Akitada hesitated, then asked the question which had troubled him all along. “I don’t suppose there is any question in your mind about the victim’s identity?”
Nagaoka stared at him dumfounded. “Of course not. I recognized my wife immediately.”
So that eliminated Akitada’s suspicion that the corpse was someone else!
Nagaoka looked miserable, but somehow Akitada did not think it was grief which had him so downcast today. Had Kobe threatened him? Or was there another, deeper reason? Had he decided it was too dangerous to have Akitada poke his nose into his family affairs? Either way the message was clear. Akitada was to stay out of the business.
Thanking Nagaoka again for his help with Toshikage’s list, Akitada took his leave.
The servant, less sullen and in an unexpectedly chatty mood, was waiting at the door with his shoes. “Winter’s here for sure,” he said for an opening. “A bit chilly out today.”
“So it is,” agreed Akitada, sitting down. “I see you have had your hands full with all the leaves. It must be a big job to take care of everything by yourself.”
“And little thanks I get from the master,” grumbled the man, busying himself with Akitada’s boots. “The funeral’s coming up. That’ll make more work, even if it is to be a small affair.”
“Very sad, yes. Did you like your mistress?”
A strange, secretive look passed over the servant’s face. “She was very beautiful.” He paused, then added, “And much younger than the master.”
“I suppose it must have been dull for a young lady here with your master gone so much from home?”
“Hmm,” said the servant, rising to his feet.
Akitada reached into his sash and counted some copper coins into his hand. “Here,” he said, “for your trouble.”
The servant grinned and bowed. They walked companionably toward the gate.
“She was making eyes at the master’s brother,” the man volunteered suddenly. “Fair drove him away, she did. But the master was blind to her ways. Always among his old pots and things, or going out to buy more. The gods only know why people want such stuff.”
“It is one of the mysteries of life. I suppose it was you who gave him the news about her death? That must have been difficult for you.”
The servant nodded. “That it was. You could have knocked me down with a thin reed when the police came pounding at the gate that morning, asking questions as if I was a thief. I had to tell them he wasn’t expected in till later and I had no idea where he’d gone. They kept at me like hungry gnats, but in the end they told me what’d happened and went about their business, leaving it to me to tell him. He got back soon after. I must say, he took it well enough. Turned right around and went to the jail to see his brother.”