Chapter 12

           Mr.Ramseysaid,"Mr.Tagomi,thisisMr.Yatabe."Heretiredtoacorneroftheoffice,andtheslenderelderlygentlemancameforward.

           Holdingouthishand,Mr.Tagomisaid,"Iamgladtomeetyouinperson,sir."Thelight,fragileoldhandslippedintohisown;heshookwithoutpressingandreleasedatonce.NothingbrokenIhope,hethought.Heexaminedtheoldgentleman’sfeatures,findinghimselfpleased.Suchastern,coherentspiritthere.Nofoggingofwits.Certainlylucidtransmissionofallthestableancienttraditions.Bestqualitywhichtheoldcouldrepresent…andthenhediscoveredthathewasfacingGeneralTedeki,theformerImperialChiefofStaff.

           Mr.Tagomibowedlow.

           "General,"hesaid.

           "Whereisthethirdparty?"GeneralTedekisaid.

           "Onthedouble,henears,"Mr.Tagomisaid."Informedbyselfathotelroom."Hismindutterlyrattled,heretreatedseveralstepsinthebowingposition,scarcelyabletoregainanerectposture.

           Thegeneralseatedhimself.Mr.Ramsey,nodoubtstillignorantoftheoldman’sidentity,assistedwiththechairbutshowednoparticulardeference.Mr.Tagomihesitantlytookachairfacing.

           "Weloiter,"thegeneralsaid."Regrettablybutunavoidably."

           "True,"Mr.Tagomisaid.

           Tenminutespassed.Neithermanspoke.

           "Excuseme,sir,"Mr.Ramseysaidatlast,fidgeting."Iwilldepartunlessneeded."

           Mr.Tagominodded,andMr.Ramseydeparted.

           "Tea,General?"Mr.Tagomisaid.

           "No,sir.""

           "Sir,"Mr.Tagomisaid,"Iadmittofear.