jamesclavell.noblehouse-第108节

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　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　to　a　safe　distance　and　stood　there　watching　sullenly；　some　of　them　still　shouting　obscenities。　Smyth　grabbed　the　bullhorn。　In　Cantonese　he　said；　〃If　anyone　es　within　twenty　yards；　he'll　be　arrested　and　deported！〃　He　tried　to　catch　his　breath。　〃If　anyone　wants　to　visit　the　Ho…Pak；　line　up　a　hundred　yards　away。〃
　The　scowling　crowd　hesitated；　then　as　Mok　and　the　riot　squad　came　forward　fast；　they　retreated　hastily　and　began　to　move　away；　treading　on　each　other。
　〃I　think　my　bloody　shoulder's　dislocated；〃　Smyth　said　and　cursed　obscenely。
　〃What　do　we　do　about　those　bastards；　sir？〃　Mok　asked；　in　great　pain；　breathing　hard；　his　cheek　raw　and　bleeding；　his　uniform　ripped。
　Smyth　held　his　arm　to　take　the　growing　pain　away　and　looked　across　the　street　at　the　sullen；　gawking　crowd。　〃Keep　the　riot　squad　here。　Get　another　from　West　Aberdeen；　inform　Central。　Where's　my　bloody　hat？　If　I　catch　the　bas…　〃
　〃Sir！〃　one　of　his　men　called　out。　He　was　kneeling　beside　the　girl　who　had　been　trampled　on。　She　was　a　bar　girl　or　a　dance　hall　girl：　she　had　that　sad；　sweet　oh　so　hard；　young…old　look。　Blood　was　dribbling　from　her　mouth；　her　breathing　ing　in　hacking　gasps。
　〃Christ；　get　an　ambulance！〃
　As　Smyth　watched　helplessly；　the　girl　choked　in　her　own　blood　and　died。
　Christian　Toxe；　editor　of　the　Guardian；　was　scribbling　notes；　the　phone　jammed　against　his　ear。　〃What　was　her　name；　Dan？〃　he　asked　over　the　hubbub　of　the　newsroom。
　〃I'm　not　sure。　One　savings　book　said　Su　Tzee…Ian；〃　Dan　Yap　the　reporter　on　the　other　end　of　the　phone　at　Aberdeen　told　him。　〃There　was　4；360　in　it　…　the　other　was　in　the　name　。。。　Hang　on　a　second；　the　ambulance's　just　leaving　now。　Can　you　hear　all　right；　Chris；　the　traffic's　heavy　here。〃
　〃Yes。　Go　on。　The　second　savings　book？〃
　〃The　second　book　was　in　the　name　of　Tak　H'eung　fah。　Exactly　3；000　in　that　one。〃
　Tak　H'eung　fah　seemed　to　touch　a　memory。　〃Do　any　of　the　names　mean　anything？〃　Toxe　asked。　He　was　a　tall　rumpled　man　in　his　untidy　cubbyhole　of　an　office。
　〃No。　Except　one　means　Wisteria　Su　and　the　other　Fragrant　Flower　Tak。　She　was　pretty；　Chris。　Might　have　been　Eurasian。　。。。〃
　Toxe　felt　a　sudden　ice　shaft　in　his　stomach　as　he　remembered　his　own　three　daughters；　six　and　seven　and　eight；　and　his　lovely　Chinese　wife。　He　tried　to　push　that　perpetual　cross　back　into　the　recess　of　his　mind；　the　secret　worry　of　was　it　right　to　mix　East　and　West；　and　what　does　the　future　hold　for　them；　my　darlings；　in　this　lousy　rotten　bigoted　world？
　With　an　effort　he　concentrated　again。　〃That's　quite　a　lot　of　money　for　a　dance　hall　girl；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　I'd　say　she　had　a　patron。　One　interesting　bit：　in　her　purse　was　a　crumpled　envelope　dated　a　couple　of　weeks　ago　with　a　mushy　love　letter　in　it。　It　was　addressed　to　。。。　hang　on　。。。　to　Tak　H'eung　fah；　apartment　14；　Fifth　Alley；　Tsung…pan　Street　in　Aberdeen。　It　was　soppy；　swearing　eternal　love。　Educated　writing　though。〃
　〃English？〃　Toxe　asked　surprised；　writing　swiftly。
　〃No。　Characters。　There　was　something　about　the　writing　…　could　be　a　quai　loh。〃
　〃Did　you　get　a　copy？〃
　〃The　police　wouldn't　le…　〃
　〃Get　a　photocopy。　Beg　borrow　or　steal　a　photocopy　in　time　for　the　afternoon　edition。　A　week's　bonus　if　you　do　it。〃
　〃Cash　this　afternoon？〃
　〃All　right。〃
　〃You　have　it。〃
　〃Any　signature？〃
　〃　'Your　only　love。'　The　love　was　in　English。〃
　〃Mr。　Toxe！　Mrs。　Publisher's　on　line　two！〃　The　English　secretary　called　out　through　the　open　door；　her　desk　just　outside　the　glass　partition。
　〃Oh　Christ；　I'll　。。。　I'll　call　her　back。　Tell　her　I've　got　a　big　story　breaking。〃　Then　into　the　phone　again；　〃Dan；　keep　on　this　story　…　keep　close　to　the　police；　go　with　them　to　the　dead　girl's　flat　…　if　it's　her　flat。　Find　out　who　owns　it　…　who　her　people　are；　where　they　live。　Call　me　back！〃　Toxe　hung　up　and　called　out　to　his　assistant　editor；　〃Hey；　Mac！〃
　The　lean；　dour；　gray…haired　man　got　up　from　his　desk　and　wandered　in。　〃Aye？〃
　〃I　think　we　should　put　out　an　extra。　Headline　。。。〃　He　scrawled　on　a　piece　of　paper；　〃Mob　Kills　Fragrant　Flower！〃
　〃How　about　'Mob　Murders　Fragrant　Flower'　？〃
　〃Or；　'First　Death　at　Aberdeen'　？〃
　〃　'Mob　Murders'　is　better。〃
　〃That's　it　then。　Martin！〃　Toxe　called　out。　Martin　Haply　looked　up　from　his　desk　and　came　over。　Toxe　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair　as　he　told　them　both　what　Dan　Yap　had　related。　〃Martin；　do　a　follow…up：　'The　beautiful　young　girl　was　crushed　by　the　feet　of　the　mob　…　but　who　were　the　real　killers？　Is　it　an　inpetent　government　who　refuses　to　regulate　our　outdated　banking　system？　Are　the　killers　those　who　started　the　rumors？　Is　the　run　on　the　Ho…Pak　as　simple　as　it　sounds　。。。　'　etcetera。〃
　〃Got　it。〃　Haply　grinned　and　went　back　to　his　desk　in　the　main　office。　He　gulped　a　cold　cup　of　coffee　out　of　a　plastic　cup　and　started　to　type；　his　desk　piled　high　with　reference　books；　Chinese　newspapers　and　stock　market　reports。　Teletypes　chattered　in　the　background。　A　few　silent　copy　boys　and　trainees　delivered　or　picked　up　copy。
　〃Hey；　Martin！　What's　the　latest　from　the　stock　market？〃
　Martin　Haply　dialed　a　number　without　looking　at　the　phone；　then　called　back　to　the　editor。　〃Ho…Pak's　down　to　24。60；　four　points　from　yesterday。　Struan's　are　down　a　point　though　there's　been　some　heavy　buying。　Hong　Kong　Lan　Tao　up　three　points　…　the　story's　just　been　confirmed。　Dunstan　Barre　took　their　money　out　yesterday。〃
　〃They　did？　Then　you　were　right　again！　Shit！〃
　〃Victoria's　off　half　a　point　…　all　banks　are　edgy　and　no　buyers。　There's　a　rumor　a　line's　forming　outside　Blacs　and　the　Victoria's　head　office　in　Central。〃　Both　men　gasped。
　〃Send　someone　to　check　the　Vic！〃　Mac　hurried　out。　Jesus　Christ；　Toxe　thought；　his　stomach　churning；　Jesus　Christ　if　a　run　starts　on　the　Vic　the　whole　sodding　island'll　collapse　and　my　sodding　savings　with　it。
　He　leaned　back　in　his　old　chair　and　put　his　feet　on　the　desk；　loving　his　job；　loving　the　pressure　and　immediacy。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　call　her？〃　his　secretary　asked。　She　was　round　and　unflappable。
　〃Who？　Oh　shit；　Peg；　I'd　forgotten。　Yes　…　call　the　Dragon。〃
　The　Dragon　was　the　wife　of　the　publisher；　Mong　Pa…tok；　the　present　head　of　the　sprawling　Mong　family　who　owned　this　paper　and　three　Chinese　newspapers　and　five　magazines；　whose　antecedents　went　back　to　the　earliest　days。　The　Mongs　were　supposed　to　have　descended　from　the　first　editor…owner…publisher　of　the　paper；　Morley　Skinner。　The　story　was　that　Dirk　Struan　had　given　Skinner　control　of　the　paper　in　return　for　helping　him　against　Tyler　Brock　and　his　son　Gorth　by　hushing　up　the　killing　of　Gorth　in　Macao。　It　was　said　Dirk　Struan　had　provoked　the　duel。　Both　men　had　used　fighting　irons。　Once；　some　years　ago；　Toxe　had　heard　old　Sarah　Chen　in　her　cups　relate　that　when　the　Brocks　came　to　collect　Gorth's　body　they　did　not　recognize　him。　The　old　woman　had　added　that　her　father；　Sir　Gordon　Chen；　had　had　to　mobilize　most　of　Chinatown　to　prevent　the　Brocks　from　setting　afire　the　Struan　warehouses。　Tyler　Brock　had　set　Tai…ping　Shan　alight　instead。　Only　the　great　typhoon　that　came　that　night　stopped　the　whole　city　from　going　up　in　flames　…　the　same　holocaust　that　had　destroyed　Dirk　Struan's　Great　House　and　him　and　his　secret　Chinese　wife；　May…may。
　〃She's　on　line　two。〃
　〃Eh？　Oh！　All　right；　Peg。〃　Toxe　sighed。
　〃Ah　Mr。　Toxe；　I　was　waiting　your　call；　heya？〃
　〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　or　Mr。　Mong？〃
　〃Your　pieces　on　the　Ho…Pak　Bank；　yesterday　and　today；　that　the　adverse　rumors　about　the　Ho…Pak　are　untrue　and　started　by　tai…pans　and　another　big　bank。　I　see　more　today。〃
　〃Yes。　Haply's　quite　sure。〃
　〃My　husband　and　I　hear　this　not　true。　No　tai…pans　or　banks　are　putting　out　rumors　or　have　put　out　rumors。　Perhaps　wise　to　drop　this　attack。〃
　〃It's　not　an　attack；　Mrs。　Mong；　just　an　attitude。　You　know　how　susceptible　Chinese　are　to　rumors。　The　Ho…Pak's　as　strong　as　any　bank　in　the　Colony。　We　feel　sure　the　rumors　were　started　by　a　bi…　〃
　〃Not　by　tai…pans　and　not　big　bank。　My　husband　and　I　not　like　this　attitude　never　mind。　Please　to　change；〃　she　said　and　he　heard　the　granite　in　her　voice。
　〃That's　editorial　policy　and　I　have　control　over　editorial　policy；〃　he　said　grimly。
　〃We　are　publisher。　It　is　our　newspaper。　We　tell　you　to　stop　so　you　will　stop。〃
　〃You're　ordering　me　to　stop？〃
　〃Of　course　it　is　order。〃
　〃Very　well。　As　you　order　it；　it's　stopped。〃
　〃Good！〃　The　phone　went　dead。　Christian　Toxe　snapped　his　pencil　and　threw　it　against　the　wall　and　began　to　curse。　His　secretary　sighed　and　discreetly　closed　the　door　and　when　he　was　done　Toxe　opened　the　door。　〃Peg；　how　about　some　coffee？　Mac！　Martin！〃
　Toxe　sat　back　at　his　desk。　The　chair　creaked。　He　mopped　the　sweat　off　his　cheeks　and　lit　a　cigarette　and　inhaled　deeply。
　〃Yes；　Chris？〃　Haply　asked。
　〃Martin；　cancel　the　piece　I　asked　for　and　do　another　on　Hong　Kong　banking　and　the　need　to　have　some　form　of　banking　insurance。　。。。〃
　Both　men　gaped　at　him。
　〃Our　publisher　doesn't　like　the　rumors　approach。〃
　Martin　Haply　flushed。　〃Well　screw　him！　You　heard　the　guys　yourself　at　the　tai…pan's　party！〃
　〃That　proves　nothing。　You've　no　proof。　We're