jamesclavell.noblehouse-第107节

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quealed。　The　crowd　laughed。　They　fell　silent　as　Spectacles　Wu　came　out　of　nowhere　to　search　him。　Mok　held　Smallpox　Kin　in　a　vise。　Another　uneasy　undercurrent　swept　through　the　onlookers　as　they　saw　the　rolls　of　money；　and　change。　〃Where'd　you　get　all　this？〃　Mok　snarled。
　〃It's　mine。　I'm　。。。　I'm　a　moneylender　and　I'm　collecting　forn…　〃
　〃Where's　your　place　of　business？〃
　〃It's　。。。　it's　in　Third　Alley；　off　Aberdeen　Road。〃
　〃e　on；　we'll　go　and　look。〃
　Mok　released　the　young　man　who；　unafraid；　still　stared　back　angrily。　〃First　give　me　my　money！〃　He　turned　to　the　crowd　and　appealed　to　them。　〃You　saw　him　take　it！　I'm　an　honest　moneylender！　These're　servants　of　the　foreign　devils　and　you　all　know　them！　Foreign　devil　law　forbids　honest　citizens　being　searched！〃
　〃Give　him　back　his　fornicating　money！〃　someone　shouted。
　〃If　he's　a　moneylender　。。。〃　The　crowd　began　to　argue　back　and　forth　and　then　Smallpox　Kin　saw　a　small　opening　in　the　crowd　and　he　darted　for　it。　The　crowd　let　him　pass　and　he　fled　up　the　alley；　vanishing　into　the　traffic；　but　when　Spectacles　Wu　charged　in　pursuit　they　closed　up　and　jostled　him　and　became　a　little　uglier。　Mok　called　him　back。　In　the　momentary　melee　the　old　man　had　disappeared。　Wearily　Mok　said；　〃Let　the　motherless　turd　go！　He　was　just　a　triad　…　another　triad　turd　who　preys　on　law…abiding　people。〃
　〃What're　you　going　to　do　with　his　fornicating　money？〃　someone　called　out　from　the　back　of　the　crowd。
　〃I'm　going　to　give　it　to　an　old　woman's　rest　home；〃　Mok　shouted　back　equally　rudely。　〃Go　defecate　in　your　grandmother's　ear！〃
　Someone　laughed　and　the　crowd　began　to　break　up　and　then　they　all　went　about　their　business。　In　a　moment　Mok　and　Spectacles　Wu　were　standing　like　stones　in　a　river；　the　passersby　eddying　around　them。　Once　back　on　the　main　street；　Mok　wiped　his　brow。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh！〃
　〃Yes。　Why're　they　like　that；　Sergeant　Major？〃　the　young　detective　asked。　〃We're　only　trying　to　help　them。　Why　didn't　the　old　man　just　admit　that　triad　bastard　was　squeezing　him？〃
　〃You　don't　learn　about　mobs　of　people　in　schoolbooks；〃　Mok　said　kindly；　knowing　the　anxiety　of　the　youth　to　succeed。　Spectacles　Wu　was　new；　one　of　the　recent　university　graduates　to　join　the　force。　He　was　not　one　of　Mok's　private　unit。　〃Be　patient。　Neither　of　them　wanted　anything　to　do　with　us　because　we're　police　and　they　all　still　believe　we'll　never　help　them；　only　ourselves。　It's　been　the　same　in　China　since　the　first　policeman。〃
　〃But　this　is　Hong　Kong；〃　the　youth　said　proudly。　〃We're　different。　We're　British　police。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Mok　felt　a　sudden　chill。　He　did　not　wish　to　disillusion　the　youth。　I　used　to　be　loyal　too；　loyal　to　the　Queen　and　to　the　quai　loh　flag。　I　learned　differently。　When　I　needed　help　and　protection　and　security　I　got　none。　Never　once。　The　British　used　to　be　rich　and　powerful　but　they　lost　the　war　to　those　Eastern　Sea　Devils。　The　war　took　all　their　face　away　and　humbled　them　and　put　the　great　tai…pans　into　Stanley　Prison　like　mon　thieves　…　even　the　tai…pans　of　the　Noble　House　and　Great　Bank　and　even　the　great　high　governor　himself　…　put　them　away　like　mon　criminals；　into　Stanley　with　all　their　women　and　all　the　children　and　treated　them　like　turds！
　And　then　after　the　war；　even　though　they　had　humbled　the　Eastern　Devils；　they　never　regained　their　power；　or　their　face。
　Now　in　Hong　Kong　and　in　all　Asia；　now　it's　not　the　same　and　never　will　be　as　before。　Now　every　year　the　British　get　poorer　and　poorer　and　less　powerful　and　how　can　they　protect　me　and　my　family　from　evildoers　if　they're　not　rich　and　powerful？　They　pay　me　nothing　and　treat　me　like　dogmeat！　Now　my　only　protection　is　money；　money　in　gold　so　that　we　can　flee　if　need　be　…　or　money　in　land　or　houses　if　we　do　not　need　to　flee。　How　can　I　educate　my　sons　in　England　or　America　without　money？　Will　the　grateful　Government　pay？　Not　a　fornicating　brass　cash；　and　yet　I'm　supposed　to　risk　my　life　to　keep　the　streets　clean　of　fornicating　triads　and　pickpockets　and　rioting　lumps　of　leper　turd！
　Mok　shivered。　The　only　safety　for　my　family　is　in　my　own　hands　as　always。　Oh　how　wise　the　teachings　of　our　ancestors　are！　Was　the　police　missioner　loyal　to　me　when　I　needed　money；　even　steerage　money；　for　my　son　to　go　to　school　in　America？　No。　But　the　Snake　was。　He　loaned　me　10；000　dollars　at　only　10　percent　interest　so　my　son　went　like　a　Mandarin　by　Pan　American　aircraft；　with　three　years　of　school　money；　and　now　he's　a　qualified　architect　with　a　Green　Card　and　next　month　he'll　have　an　American　passport　and　then　he　can　e　back　and　no　one　will　be　able　to　touch　him。　He　can　help　protect　my　generation　and　will　protect　his　own　and　his　son's　and　his　son's　sons！　Yes；　the　Snake　gave　me　the　money；　long　since　paid　back　with　full　interest　out　of　money　he　helped　me　earn。　I　shall　be　loyal　to　the　Snake　…　until　he　turns。　One　day　he'll　turn；　all　quai　loh　do；　all　snakes　do；　but　now　I'm　a　High　Dragon　and　neither　gods　nor　devils　nor　the　Snake　himself　can　hurt　my　family　or　my　bank　accounts　in　Switzerland　and　Canada。
　〃e　along；　we'd　better　go　back；　young　Spectacles　Wu；〃　he　said　kindly　and　when　he　got　back　to　the　barriers　he　told　Chief　Inspector　Smyth　what　had　happened。
　〃Put　the　money　in　our　kitty；　'Major；〃　Smyth　said。　〃Order　a　grand　banquet　for　our　lads　tonight。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃It　was　Detective　Constable　Wu？　The　one　who　wants　to　join　SI？〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Spectacles　is　very　keen。〃
　Smyth　sent　for　Wu；　mended　him。　〃Now；　where's　that　old　amah？〃
　Wu　pointed　her　out。　They　saw　her　looking　at　the　corner　the　thug　had　gone　around；　waiting　impatiently。　After　a　minute　she　squirmed　out　of　the　swarm　and　hobbled　away；　muttering　obscenities。
　〃Wu；〃　Smyth　ordered；　〃follow　her。　Don't　let　yourself　be　seen。　She'll　lead　you　to　the　rotten　little　bugger　who　fled。　Be　careful；　and　when　she　goes　to　ground；　phone　the　'major。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Do　not　take　any　risks　…　perhaps　we　can　catch　the　whole　gang；　there's　bound　to　be　a　gang。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Off　you　go。〃　They　watched　him　following　her。　〃That　lad's　going　to　be　good。　But　not　for　us；　'Major；　eh？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃I　think　I'll　remend　him　to　SI。　Perhaps　…　〃
　Suddenly　there　was　an　ominous　silence；　then　shouts　and　an　angry　roar。　The　two　policemen　rushed　back　around　the　corner。　In　their　absence　the　crowd　had　shoved　aside　parts　of　the　barricade；　overpowering　the　four　policemen；　and　now　were　surging　into　the　bank。　Manager　Sung　and　his　assistant　were　vainly　trying　to　close　the　doors　against　the　shouting；　cursing　throng。　The　barricades　began　to　buckle。
　〃Get　the　riot　squad！〃
　Mok　raced　for　the　squad　car。　Fearlessly　Smyth　rushed　to　the　head　of　the　line　with　his　bullhorn。　The　tumult　drowned　his　order　to　stop　fighting。　More　reinforcements　came　running　from　across　the　street。　Quickly　and　efficiently　they　charged　to　Smyth's　support；　but　the　mob　was　gathering　strength。　Sung　and　his　tellers　slammed　the　door　shut　but　it　was　forced　open　again。　Then　a　brick　came　out　of　the　crowd　and　smashed　one　of　the　plate…glass　windows。　There　was　a　roar　of　approval。　The　people　in　front　were　trying　to　get　out　of　the　way　and　those　at　the　back　were　trying　to　get　to　the　door。　More　bricks　were　hurtled　at　the　building；　then　pieces　of　wood　grabbed　from　a　building　site　nearby。　Another　stone　went　through　the　glass　and　it　totally　shattered。　Roaring；　the　mob　surged　forward。　A　girl　fell　and　was　crushed。
　〃e　on；〃　Smyth　shouted；　〃give　me　a　hand！〃　He　grabbed　one　of　the　barriers　and；　with　four　other　policemen；　used　it　as　a　shield　and　shoved　it　against　the　front　of　the　mob；　forcing　them　back。　Above　the　uproar　he　shouted　for　them　to　use　their　shoulders　and　they　fought　the　frenzied　crowd。　Other　policemen　followed　his　lead。　More　bricks　went　into　the　bank　and　then　the　shout　went　up；　〃Kill　the　fornicating　bank　thieves；　kill　them；　they've　stolen　our　money　。。。〃
　〃Kill　the　fornicators　。。。〃
　〃I　want　my　money　。。。〃
　〃Kill　the　foreign　devils　。。。〃
　Smyth　saw　the　mood　of　those　near　him　change　and　his　heart　stopped　as　they　took　up　the　shout　and　forgot　the　bank　and　their　hands　reached　out　for　him。　He　had　seen　that　look　before　and　knew　he　was　a　dead　man。　That　other　time　was　during　the　riots　of　'56　when　200；000　Chinese　suddenly　went　on　a　senseless　rampage　in　Kowloon。　He　would　have　been　killed　then　if　he　had　not　had　a　Sten　gun。　He　had　killed　four　men　and　blasted　a　path　to　safety。　Now　he　had　no　gun　and　he　was　fighting　for　his　life。　His　hat　was　ripped　away；　someone　grabbed　his　Sam　Browne　belt　and　a　fist　went　into　his　groin；　another　into　his　face　and　talons　clawed　at　his　eyes。　Fearlessly；　Mok　and　others　charged　into　the　milling　mess　to　rescue　him。　Someone　hacked　at　Mok　with　a　brick；　another　with　a　piece　of　wood　that　tore　a　great　gash　in　his　cheek。　Smyth　was　engulfed；　his　hands　and　arms　desperately　trying　to　protect　his　head。　Then　the　riot　squad's　Black　Maria；　siren　screaming；　skidded　around　the　corner。　The　ten…man　team　fell　on　the　crowd　roughly　and　pulled　Smyth　away。　Blood　seeped　from　his　mouth；　his　left　arm　dangled　uselessly。
　〃You　all　right；　sir？〃
　〃Yes；　for　chrissake　get　those　sodding　barriers　up！　Get　those　bastards　away　from　the　bank　…　fire　hoses！〃
　But　the　fire　hoses　weren't　necessary。　At　the　first　violent　charge　of　the　riot　squad　the　front　of　the　mob　had　wilted　and　now　the　rest　had　retreated