jamesclavell.noblehouse-第124节

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　〃I'm　not　going；　dear。〃
　〃Oh　but　。。。〃
　〃I've　lots　to　do　to　get　ready　for　tomorrow。　You　can　make　an　excuse　for　me　…　of　course　you　have　to　go。　I'll　be　ever　so　busy。　There's　Glenna's　school　things　…　and　Duncan　gets　back　on　Monday　and　his　school　things　have　to　be　sorted。　You'll　have　to　put　him　on　the　aircraft；　make　sure　he　has　his　passport　。。。　You　can　easily　make　an　excuse　for　me　tonight　as　I'm　leaving。〃
　He　smiled　faintly。　〃Of　course；　Penn；　but　what's　the　real　reason？〃
　〃It's　going　to　be　a　big　do。　Robin's　bound　to　be　there。〃
　〃They're　not　back　till　tomorrow！〃
　〃No；　it　was　in　the　Guardian's　Extra。　They　arrived　this　afternoon。　The　whole　delegation。　They're　sure　to　be　invited。〃　The　banquet　was　being　given　by　a　multimillionaire　property　developer；　Sir　Shi…teh　T'Chung；　partially　to　celebrate　the　knighthood　he　had　received　in　the　last　Honors　List；　but　mostly　to　launch　his　latest　charity　drive　for　the　new　wing　of　the　new　Elizabeth　Hospital。　〃I've　really　no　wish　to　go；　and　so　long　as　you're　there；　everything'll　be　all　right。　I　really　want　an　early　night　too。　Please。〃
　〃All　right。　I'll　deal　with　these　calls；　then　I'll　be　off。　I'll　see　you　though　before　I　go。〃　Dunross　walked　upstairs　and　went　into　his　study。　Lim　was　waiting　there；　on　guard。　He　wore　a　white　tunic　and　black　pants　and　soft　shoes。　〃Evening；　Lim；〃　Dunross　said　in　Cantonese。
　〃Good　evening；　tai…pan。〃　Quietly　the　old　man　motioned　him　to　the　window。　Dunross　could　see　two　men；　Chinese；　loitering　across　the　street　outside　the　high　wall　that　surrounded　the　Great　House；　near　the　tall；　open　iron　gates。　〃They've　been　there　some　time；　tai…pan。〃
　Dunross　watched　them　a　moment；　disquieted。　His　own　guard　had　just　been　dismissed　and　Brian　Kwok；　who　was　also　a　guest　at　Sir　Shi…teh's　tonight；　would　e　by　shortly　and　go　with　him；　acting　as　a　substitute。　〃If　they　don't　go　away　by　dusk　call　Superintendent　Crosse's　office。〃　He　wrote　the　number　down；　then　added　in　Cantonese；　his　voice　abruptly　hard；　〃While　I　think　of　it；　Lim；　if　I　want　any　foreign　devil　car　interfered　with；　I　will　order　it。〃　He　saw　the　old　eyes　staring　back　at　him　impassively。　Lim　Chu　had　been　with　the　family　since　he　was　seven；　like　his　father　before　him；　and　his　father；　the　first　of　his　line　who；　in　the　very　old　days；　before　Hong　Kong　had　existed；　had　been　Number　One　Boy　and　looked　after　the　Struan　mansion　in　Macao。
　〃I　don't　understand；　tai…pan。〃
　〃You　cannot　wrap　fire　in　paper。　The　police　are　clever　and　old　Black　Beard's　a　great　supporter　of　police。　Experts　can　examine　brakes　and　deduce　all　sorts　of　information。''
　〃I　know　nothing　of　police。〃　The　old　man　shrugged　then　beamed。　〃Tai…pan；　I　do　not　climb　trees　to　find　a　fish。　Nor　do　you。　May　I　mention　that　in　the　night　I　could　not　sleep　and　I　came　here。　There　was　a　shadow　on　the　veranda　balcony。　The　moment　I　opened　the　study　door　the　shadow　slid　down　the　drainpipe　and　vanished　into　the　shrubs。〃　The　old　man　took　out　a　torn　piece　of　cloth。　〃This　was　on　the　drainpipe。〃　The　cloth　was　nondescript。
　Dunross　studied　it；　perturbed。　He　glanced　at　Dirk　Struan's　oil　painting　over　the　fireplace。　It　was　perfectly　in　position。　He　moved　it　away　and　saw　that　the　hair　he　had　delicately　balanced　on　a　hinge　of　the　safe　was　untouched。　Satisfied；　he　replaced　the　picture；　then　checked　the　locks　on　the　French　windows。　The　two　men　were　still　loitering。　For　the　first　time　Dunross　was　very　glad　that　he　had　an　SI　guard。
　
　34
　
　7：58　P。M。：
　It　was　hot　and　humid　in　Phillip　Chen's　study　and　he　was　sitting　beside　the　phone　staring　at　it　nervously。　The　door　swung　open　and　he　jumped。　Dianne　sailed　in。
　〃There's　no　point　in　waiting　anymore；　Phillip；〃　she　said　irritably。　〃You'd　better　go　and　change。　That　devil　Werewolf　won't　call　tonight。　Something　must　have　happened。　Do　e　along！〃　She　wore　an　evening　chong…sam　in　the　latest；　most　expensive　fashion；　her　hair　bouffant；　and　she　was　bejeweled　like　a　Christmas　tree。　〃Yes。　Something　must　have　happened。　Perhaps　the　police　。。。　huh；　it's　too　much　to　expect　they　caught　him。　More　likely　that　fang　pi　devil's　playing　with　us。　You'd　better　change　or　we'll　be　late。　If　you　hurr…　〃
　〃I　really　don't　want　to　go；〃　he　snapped　back　at　her。　〃Shitee　T'Chung's　a　bore　and　now　that　he's　Sir　Shitee　he's　a　double　one。〃　Years　ago　Shi…teh　had　adulterated　down　to　bee　the　nickname　Shitee　to　his　intimate　friends。　〃Anyway；　it's　hardly　eight　o'clock　and　dinner's　not　till　9：30　and　he's　always　late；　his　banquets　are　always　at　least　an　hour　late。　For　God's　sake；　you　go！〃
　〃Ayeeyah　you've　got　to　e。　It's　a　matter　of　face；〃　she　replied；　equally　ill…tempered。　〃My　God；　after　today　at　the　stock　market　。。。　if　we　don't　go　we'll　lose　terrible　face　and　it's　sure　to　push　the　stock　down　further！　All　Hong　Kong　will　laugh　at　us。　They　can't　wait。　They'll　say　we're　so　ashamed　the　House　can't　pay　its　bills　that　we　won't　show　our　face　in　public。　Huh！　And　as　for　Shitee's　new　wife；　Constance；　that　mealy…mouthed　whore　can't　wait　to　see　me　humbled！〃　She　was　near　screeching。　Her　losses　on　the　day　exceeded　100；000　of　her　own　secret　private　dollars。　When　Phillip　had　called　her　from　the　stock　market　just　after　three　to　relate　what　had　happened　she　had　almost　fainted。　〃Oh　ko　you　have　to　e　or　we'll　be　ruined！〃
　Miserably　her　husband　nodded。　He　knew　what　gossips　and　rumormongers　would　be　at　the　banquet。　All　day　he　had　been　inundated　with　questions；　moans　and　panic。　〃I　suppose　you're　right。〃　He　was　down　almost　a　million　dollars　on　the　day　and　if　the　run　continued　and　Gornt　won　he　knew　he　would　be　wiped　out。　Oh　oh　oh　why　did　I　trust　Dunross　and　buy　so　heavily？　he　was　thinking；　so　angry　that　he　wanted　to　kick　someone。　He　looked　up　at　his　wife。　His　heart　sank　as　he　recognized　the　signs　of　her　awesome　displeasure　at　the　world　in　general；　and　him　in　particular。　He　quaked　inside。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　meekly。　〃I　won't　be　a　moment。〃
　When　he　got　to　the　door　the　phone　rang。　Once　more　his　heart　twisted　and　he　felt　sick。　There　had　been　four　calls　since　around　six。　Each　had　been　a　business　call　decrying　the　fate　of　the　stock；　and　were　the　rumors　true　and　oh　ko；　Phillip；　I'd　better　sell　…　each　time　worse　than　the　last。　〃Weyyyy？〃　he　asked　angrily。
　There　was　a　short　pause；　then　an　equally　rude　voice　said　in　crude　Cantonese；　〃You're　in　a　foul　temper　whoever　you　are！　Where　are　your　fornicating　manners？〃
　〃Who's　this？　Eh；　who's　calling？〃　he　asked　in　Cantonese。
　〃This　is　the　Werewolf。　The　Chief　Werewolf；　by　all　the　gods！　Who're　you？〃
　〃Oh！〃　The　blood　drained　from　Phillip　Chen's　face。　In　panic　he　beckoned　his　wife。　She　rushed　forward　and　bent　to　listen　too；　everything　else　forgotten　except　the　safety　of　the　House。　〃This　。。。　this　is　Honorable　Chen；〃　he　said　cautiously。　〃Please；　what's　。。。　what's　your　name？〃
　〃Are　your　ears　filled　with　wax？　I　said　I　was　the　Werewolf。　Am　I　so　stupid　to　give　you　my　name？〃
　〃I'm　。。。　I'm　sorry　but　how　do　I　know　you're　。。。　you're　telling　me　the　truth？〃
　〃How　do　I　know　who　you　are？　Perhaps　you're　a　dung…eating　policeman。　Who　are　you？〃
　〃I'm　Noble　House　Chen。　I　swear　it！〃
　〃Good。　Then　I　wrote　you　a　letter　saying　I'd　call　about　6：00　p。m。　today。　Didn't　you　get　the　letter？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　got　the　letter；〃　Phillip　Chen　said；　trying　to　control　a　relief　that　was　mixed　with　rage　and　frustration　and　terror。　〃Let　me　talk　to　my　Number　One　Son；　please。〃
　〃That's　not　possible；　no；　not　possible！　Can　a　frog　think　of　eating　a　swan？　Your　son's　in　another　part　of　the　Island　。。。　actually　he's　in　the　New　Territories；　not　near　a　telephone　but　quite　safe；　Noble　House　Chen；　oh　yes；　quite　safe。　He　lacks　for　nothing。　Do　you　have　the　ransom　money？〃
　〃Yes　。。。　at　least　I　could　only　raise　100；000。　Th…　〃
　〃All　gods　bear　witness　to　my　fornicating　patience！〃　the　man　said　angrily。　〃You　know　very　well　we　asked　for　500；000！　5　or　10　it's　still　like　one　hair　on　ten　oxen　to　you！〃
　〃Lies！〃　Phillip　Chen　shrieked。　〃That's　all　lies　and　rumors　spread　by　my　enemies！　I'm　not　that　rich。　。。。　Didn't　you　hear　about　the　stock　market　today？〃　Phillip　Chen　groped　for　a　chair；　his　heart　pounding；　and　sat　down　still　holding　the　phone　so　she　could　listen　too。
　〃Ayeeyah；　stock　market！　We　poor　farmers　don't　deal　on　the　stock　market！　Do　you　want　his　other　ear？〃
　Phillip　Chen　blanched。　〃No。　But　we　must　negotiate。　Five　is　too　much。　One　and　a　half　I　can　manage。〃
　〃If　I　settle　for　one　and　a　half　I　will　be　the　laughingstock　of　all　China！　Are　you　accusing　me　of　displaying　a　lamb's　head　but　selling　dogmeat？　One　and　a　half　for　the　Number　One　Son　of　Noble　House　Chen？　Impossible！　It's　face！　Surely　you　can　see　that。〃
　Phillip　Chen　hesitated。　〃Well；〃　he　said　reasonably；　〃you　have　a　point。　First　I　want　to　know　when　I　get　my　son　back。〃
　〃As　soon　as　the　ransom's　paid！　I　promise　on　the　bones　of　my　ancestors！　Within　a　few　hours　of　getting　the　money　he'll　be　put　on　the　main　Sha　Tin　Road。〃
　〃Ah；　he's　in　Sha　Tin　now？〃
　〃Ayeeyah；　you　can't　trap　me；　Noble　House　Chen。　I　smell　dung　in　this　conversation。　Are　the　fornicating　police　listening？　Is　the　dog　acting　fierce　because　his　master's　listening？　Have　you　called　the　police？〃
　〃No；　I　swear　it。　I　haven't　called　the　police　and　I'm　not　trying　to　trap　you；　but　please；　I　need　assurances；　reasonable　assurances。〃　Phillip　Chen　was　beaded　with　sweat。　〃You're　quite　safe；　you　have　my　oath；　I　ha