Nishimura laughed. "How little you know about the customs of Japan, Kent-san. Don't you know that we of Japan, we statesmen and business men, transact our most important business to the pleasant accompaniment of women, geisha generally, of course, but this is the same. Why, big business deals are closed the best when the presence of beauty stimulates the brain and makes more receptive the mind of the man you deal with. That's why such is no business for striplings who would let their thoughts wander, but for us maturer and wiser men. Have another drink, Kent-san, and talk safely, as freely as you please. Or possibly I have bored you?"
He hastened to reassure him. "No, not at all; on the contrary, it is all intensely interesting; only I can't understand just why you're so eager to get into the political game. You are making money from your business, and politics must surely interfere."
"Ah, how little you know of politics. Now I shall instruct you." He leaned back on his cushion, drew a deep breath, expanded, reminiscent of the fabled bullfrog. The woman beside him hastened to fill his cup. He drained it and held it out to her mechanically. She filled it again.
"You must know, surely, that in all countries business and politics, economics, go together. That's why it's called political economy." He had adopted a didactic tone, and frowned as if wrestling with ponderous problems, pleased with his rôle as the instructor. "That's the way it is in all civilized countries, only in Japan we have attained somewhat greater perfection, coördination, yes, coördination." The word pleased him. "Still even here it was until quite recently even better than it is to-day. You remember the Manchuria Railway scandal, when such a fuss was made because what had been gained, outside the rules—but what are rules—had found its way to the coffers of the Seiyukai party; and the Kwantung opium affair. Think of it, one official testified that he had turned six million yen of opium money over to the party funds. That's how parties may be made great and be able to see to it that trustworthy men are elected to the Diet. But then the Kenseikai stepped in and caused trouble, foolishly forgetting that some day they may be in power themselves—still, possibly they were actuated by some higher motive, I don't know yet."
Evidently he had remembered that presently he might find himself a Kenseikai candidate. The same thought struck Kittrick.
"But you said that you didn't know whether you'd be a Seiyukai or a Kenseikai candidate. Now, which party platform conforms the most with your principles?" He grinned.
Nishimura waved his hand impatiently. "Oh, platforms! When I was in the States I heard of that all the time. Platforms!" He snapped his fingers. "In Japan we do not tie our statesmen's hands with foolish platforms. We observe the events when they happen and shape our actions accordingly. Wise men do not cross bridges till they come to them. We have no party platforms, at least none to speak of."
"But what do your parties amount to, then?"
"It's the men that count. Our people vote for the men whom they trust, whom they know to be wise. It's the men that count."
"But you haven't explained yet why you're so eager to get into this game?" broke in Kent.