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Authors: Susanna Hughes
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in
the restaurant overlooking Green Park, the leaves on the trees
browned and yellowed by the season, though still mostly clinging
precariously to the branches.
'So you live
in Italy now?' he asked.
'Yes. In a
castle on an island in Lake Trasimeno.'
'It is
beautiful, yes?'
'Very.'
'And may I
please be personal?'
'You may.'
'You do not
wear a wedding band. You are not married?'
'No.'
'But you are
with a man nevertheless?'
'Yes...' She
saw his face fall slightly as she said it, '...and no.'
'No?' He
brightened at this.
'The castle
belongs to a man, yes, but I am a free agent. I do what I please.
We have an arrangement.'
'It is what
you called civilised?'
'Yes, I
suppose so.'
'And he allows
you to do whatever...'
'It is not a
question of him allowing anything,' she said quickly. It came out
more sternly than she intended. Of course she could hardly tell
Kanjii the truth; that it was not a question of what Devlin allowed
her but what she allowed him.
'He must be
a... an unusual man I think.'
'Yes, that
would be a fair description,' she smiled. They both ordered
espresso coffee. It came in tiny white cups. Kanjii talked about
Japan and his business and how he tried to adapt himself to
European ways. It was, he told her, very confusing especially when
it came to women.
'In Japan the
women, they now become more liberated, like the West. But still
there are old traditions.'
'Which do you
prefer?'
He smiled to
himself. 'I like of course, you sophisticated Western women. So
confident. So stylish.'
'But?'
'If I am
honest, of course I prefer the old ways. It is natural. Japanese
men were privileged. They were honoured. They were feted. Women
were servants to men, even wives were servants. I would be
hypocrite if I say I did not like this. I did. I do. But I know
things will change. And I like also the Western way. I find the
women, women like you... interesting.'
'Tell me about
geishas,' Stephanie said as the coffee arrived.
'That is a
very complex question.'
'Is it? I
thought they were a sort of prostitute.'
Kanjii laughed
out loud. 'You are very direct.'
'Aren't
they?'
'Oh yes. Yes,
that is precisely what they are. But much more also. More
honourable I think. And especially more trained. It takes some
years to become a geisha, the system is very regulated.'
'And that
still exists.'
'Oh yes. Not
as much perhaps. And it is now very expensive. Now in Japan there
are prostitutes like anywhere in the world. You pay only for sex,
quick sex. In the geisha house it is not only sex. It is ritual and
respect. The old ways...'
'Old
ways?'
'Ways to
please a man, ways to honour a man.'
'Sexual
ways?'
'Yes of
course. But in the old Japan sex was regarded as an art or perhaps
a science. It was taken very seriously. Here in the West I think it
is often regarded in the same way as you regard fast food,
something to be dealt with quickly.'
'I don't like
fast food,' Stephanie said, gazing into his eyes.
Kanjii
returned her stare while he took a sip of his coffee. She noticed
he had very long eyelashes.
'The arts of
sex belong to the geisha. That is why they must study. If a man has
been with the geishas it is something he will never forget.'
'And a
woman?'
He looked her
straight in the eye. There was a silence before he said, 'The arts
of the geisha were designed for men. I see no reason why, in these
modern times, they cannot be adapted to a woman.'
'Sounds
fascinating.'
'You will
excuse me for being a little slow. I still find you Western women
very...'
'Direct?'
'Yes.' He
paused. 'Perhaps you would like to judge for yourself?'
'How can I do
that?' His dark eyes seemed to be making her heart beat faster.
'I invite you
to my penthouse. The view is spectacular.'
'And?'
'I think you
will be surprised. Pleasantly surprised.'
'When?' she
said bluntly.
'Why not this
afternoon?'
'Why not?' The
prospect of spending the afternoon with Kanjii was a thousand times
more interesting than more shopping. And she was
the restaurant overlooking Green Park, the leaves on the trees
browned and yellowed by the season, though still mostly clinging
precariously to the branches.
'So you live
in Italy now?' he asked.
'Yes. In a
castle on an island in Lake Trasimeno.'
'It is
beautiful, yes?'
'Very.'
'And may I
please be personal?'
'You may.'
'You do not
wear a wedding band. You are not married?'
'No.'
'But you are
with a man nevertheless?'
'Yes...' She
saw his face fall slightly as she said it, '...and no.'
'No?' He
brightened at this.
'The castle
belongs to a man, yes, but I am a free agent. I do what I please.
We have an arrangement.'
'It is what
you called civilised?'
'Yes, I
suppose so.'
'And he allows
you to do whatever...'
'It is not a
question of him allowing anything,' she said quickly. It came out
more sternly than she intended. Of course she could hardly tell
Kanjii the truth; that it was not a question of what Devlin allowed
her but what she allowed him.
'He must be
a... an unusual man I think.'
'Yes, that
would be a fair description,' she smiled. They both ordered
espresso coffee. It came in tiny white cups. Kanjii talked about
Japan and his business and how he tried to adapt himself to
European ways. It was, he told her, very confusing especially when
it came to women.
'In Japan the
women, they now become more liberated, like the West. But still
there are old traditions.'
'Which do you
prefer?'
He smiled to
himself. 'I like of course, you sophisticated Western women. So
confident. So stylish.'
'But?'
'If I am
honest, of course I prefer the old ways. It is natural. Japanese
men were privileged. They were honoured. They were feted. Women
were servants to men, even wives were servants. I would be
hypocrite if I say I did not like this. I did. I do. But I know
things will change. And I like also the Western way. I find the
women, women like you... interesting.'
'Tell me about
geishas,' Stephanie said as the coffee arrived.
'That is a
very complex question.'
'Is it? I
thought they were a sort of prostitute.'
Kanjii laughed
out loud. 'You are very direct.'
'Aren't
they?'
'Oh yes. Yes,
that is precisely what they are. But much more also. More
honourable I think. And especially more trained. It takes some
years to become a geisha, the system is very regulated.'
'And that
still exists.'
'Oh yes. Not
as much perhaps. And it is now very expensive. Now in Japan there
are prostitutes like anywhere in the world. You pay only for sex,
quick sex. In the geisha house it is not only sex. It is ritual and
respect. The old ways...'
'Old
ways?'
'Ways to
please a man, ways to honour a man.'
'Sexual
ways?'
'Yes of
course. But in the old Japan sex was regarded as an art or perhaps
a science. It was taken very seriously. Here in the West I think it
is often regarded in the same way as you regard fast food,
something to be dealt with quickly.'
'I don't like
fast food,' Stephanie said, gazing into his eyes.
Kanjii
returned her stare while he took a sip of his coffee. She noticed
he had very long eyelashes.
'The arts of
sex belong to the geisha. That is why they must study. If a man has
been with the geishas it is something he will never forget.'
'And a
woman?'
He looked her
straight in the eye. There was a silence before he said, 'The arts
of the geisha were designed for men. I see no reason why, in these
modern times, they cannot be adapted to a woman.'
'Sounds
fascinating.'
'You will
excuse me for being a little slow. I still find you Western women
very...'
'Direct?'
'Yes.' He
paused. 'Perhaps you would like to judge for yourself?'
'How can I do
that?' His dark eyes seemed to be making her heart beat faster.
'I invite you
to my penthouse. The view is spectacular.'
'And?'
'I think you
will be surprised. Pleasantly surprised.'
'When?' she
said bluntly.
'Why not this
afternoon?'
'Why not?' The
prospect of spending the afternoon with Kanjii was a thousand times
more interesting than more shopping. And she was
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