"Ah, tricks! Tricks!" Naito still smiled, but Blair felt the anger radiate from him, like heat. "You want to see our tricks, then?" "Well, that's what I came here for--" "I told Mr. Murdock," said Naito, drawing his robe more closely about him, "to send a man who would understand. Someone who was not all western ... who had a little of the oriental viewpoint." Blair laughed. "Murdock would think that about me. Because I show a little interest in things oriental--because I don't think a deep freeze or an eight cylinder juke box on wheels is the greatest thing in the world. Nevertheless, Mr. Naito, I come from a middle-class American background, and my viewpoint is still pretty western. Nor am I one of these odd intellectual types who seem to be ashamed of it." "There is hope," said Naito. "I am glad you came." Blair took folded copy paper and a pencil from his pocket. "But shall we get down to business now? First, let me get your full name, and where you come from, and all that. Then the exact name of your sect here, or whatever it is." Naito seemed amused. Yuki stood by with great poise. Blair glanced at her and thought yes, flower. When she stands she grows quietly, like a flower. Then Naito gave the facts. He was Japanese, but had lived in Canada and the United States for some years. He held a doctor's degree from Waseda University in Tokyo, and he had taken post graduate courses in America. He had studied Buddhism in China, Tibet and India. He had drawn from many of the other sects, and founded his own, calling it _Koto_, using the character that meant "event" or "circumstance." "Yes," said Blair politely. "Now what about these magic tricks of yours?" Murdock had said there would be magic tricks. Friends of Murdock's, tourists, had come across the Hataka Shrine and had seen them. Murdock had sent Blair with his Speed Graphic to get the story. The Americans of the security forces, who supported the Tokyo Trib, liked these features very much. From them they became experts on Japan without the annoyance of going too far afield from their wellstocked clubs or comfortable billeting areas. Naito, the high priest, sighed. "I will do it the cheap way, then." * * * * * He took Blair to another corner of the garden. Yuki followed, gliding. Here water trickled from rocks into a small pool where black and orange carp swam. Naito watched the pool for a while, and presently the water stopped running. A moment later it began to seep upward toward the cleft in the rock. "There," said Naito. "What's this supposed to prove?" asked Blair. "Water running uphill," said Naito. "Is that enough of a trick for you?" "I don't get it." "All right. Let's try something else." He moved off, swiftly, angrily, shucked the _geta_ from his feet, entered one of the cottages, and a moment later returned. He held a child's rubber balloon. "It's round," he said, holding it up for Blair to see. "Okay. A round balloon."