jamesclavell.noblehouse-第128节

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one　in　particular。　The　shops　were　all　open；　restaurants　bustling；　the　alleyways　more　crowded。　In　the　nearby　embankment　a　goods　train　whistled　mournfully；　going　north；　mixing　with　the　blaring　horns　that　all　traffic　used　indiscriminately。　The　night　was　bleak；　the　sky　overcast　and　very　humid。
　Wearily　he　walked　half　a　mile；　crossing　side　streets　and　alleys。　In　a　knot　of　people　he　stopped　to　let　a　truck　pass；　then　went　across　the　mouth　of　another　narrow　alleyway；　moving　this　way　and　that　as　oners　jostled　him。　Suddenly　two　young　men　were　in　front　of　him；　barring　his　path；　and　one　hissed；　〃Tin　koon　chi　fook！〃
　〃Eh？〃
　Both　wore　caps　pulled　down　low；　both　wore　dark　glasses；　their　faces　similar。　〃Tin　koon　chi　fook！〃　Smallpox　Kin　repeated　malevolently。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　give　me　the　bag！〃
　〃Oh！〃　Blankly　Phillip　Chen　handed　it　to　him。　Smallpox　Kin　grabbed　it。　〃Don't　look　around；　and　keep　on　walking　north！〃
　〃All　right；　but　please　keep　your　prom…　〃　Phillip　Chen　stopped。
　The　two　youths　were　gone。　It　seemed　that　they　had　only　been　in　front　of　him　a　split　second。　Still　in　shock　he　forced　his　feet　into　motion；　trying　to　etch　the　little　he　had　seen　of　their　faces　on　his　memory。　Then　an　oning　woman　shoved　him　rudely　and　he　swore；　their　faces　fading。　Then　someone　grabbed　him　roughly。
　〃Where's　the　fornicating　bag？〃
　〃What？〃　he　gasped；　staring　down　at　the　evil…looking　thug　who　was　Goodweather　Poon。
　〃Your　bag　…　where's　it　gone？〃
　〃Two　young　men　。。。〃　Helplessly　he　pointed　backward。　The　man　cursed　and　hurried　past；　weaving　in　and　out　of　the　crowd；　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　whistled　shrilly。　Few　people　paid　any　attention　to　him。　Other　toughs　began　to　converge；　then　Goodweather　Poon　caught　sight　of　the　two　youths　with　the　attaché　case　as　they　turned　off　the　well…lit　main　road　into　an　alley。　He　broke　into　a　run；　others　following　him。
　Smallpox　Kin　and　his　younger　brother　went　into　the　crowds　without　hurrying；　the　alley　unlit　except　for　the　bare　bulbs　of　the　dingy　stalls　and　stores。　They　grinned；　one　to　another。　pletely　confident　now；　they　took　off　their　glasses　and　caps　and　stuffed　them　into　their　pockets。　Both　were　very　similar　…　almost　twins　…　and　now　they　melted　even　more　into　the　raucous　shoppers。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　that　old　bastard　looked　frightened　to　death！〃　Smallpox　Kin　chortled。　〃In　one　step　we　have　reached　heaven！〃
　〃Yes。　And　next　week　when　we　snatch　him　he'll　pay　up　as　easily　as　an　old　dog　farts！〃
　They　laughed　and　stopped　a　moment　in　the　light　of　a　stall　and　peeked　into　the　bag。　When　they　both　saw　the　bundle　of　notes　both　sighed。　〃Ayeeyah；　truly　we've　reached　heaven　with　one　step；　Elder　Brother。　Pity　the　son　is　dead　and　buried。〃
　Smallpox　Kin　shrugged　as　they　went　on；　turning　into　a　smaller　alley；　then　another；　surefooted　in　the　darkening　maze。　〃Honorable　Father's　right。　We　have　turned　ill　luck　into　good。　It　wasn't　your　fault　that　bastard's　head　was　soft！　Not　at　all！　When　we　dig　him　up　and　leave　him　on　the　Sha　Tin　Road　with　the　note　on　his　fornicating　chest。　。。。〃　He　stopped　a　moment　and　they　stepped　aside　in　the　bustling；　jostling　crowds　to　allow　a　laden；　broken…down　truck　to　squeeze　past。　As　they　waited　he　happened　to　glance　back。　At　the　far　end　of　this　alley　he　saw　three　men　change　direction；　seeing　him；　then　begin　to　hurry　toward　him。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　we're　betrayed；〃　he　gasped　then　shoved　his　way　forward　and　took　to　his　heels；　his　brother　close　behind。
　The　two　youths　were　very　fast。　Terror　lent　cunning　to　their　feet　as　they　rushed　through　the　cursing　crowd；　maneuvering　around　the　inevitable　potholes　and　small　stalls；　the　darkness　helping　them。　Smallpox　Kin　led　the　charge。　He　ducked　between　some　stalls　and　fled　down　the　narrow　unlit　passageway；　the　attaché　case　clutched　tightly。　〃Go　home　a　different　way；　Young　Brother；〃　he　gasped。
　At　the　next　corner　he　rushed　left　and　his　brother　went　directly　on。　Their　three　pursuers　split　up　as　well；　two　following　him。　It　was　almost　impossible　to　see　now　in　the　darkness　and　the　alleys　twisted　and　turned　and　never　a　dead　end。　His　chest　was　heaving　but　he　was　well　ahead　of　his　pursuers。　He　fled　into　a　shortcut　and　at　once　turned　into　a　bedraggled　store　that；　like　all　the　rest；　served　as　a　dwelling。　Careless　of　the　family　huddled　around　a　screeching　television　he　rushed　through　them　and　out　the　back　door；　then　doubled　back　to　the　end　of　the　alley。　He　peered　around　the　corner　with　great　caution。　A　few　people　watched　him　curiously　but　continued　on　their　way　without　stopping；　wanting　no　part　of　what　clearly　was　trouble。
　Then；　hoping　he　was　safe；　he　slid　into　the　crowds　and　walked　away　quietly；　his　head　down。　His　breath　was　still　labored　and　his　head　was　filled　with　obscenities　and　he　swore　vengeance　on　Phillip　Chen　for　betraying　them。　All　gods　bear　witness；　he　thought　furiously；　when　we　kidnap　him　next　week；　before　we　let　him　go　I'll　slice　off　his　nose！　How　dare　he　betray　us　to　the　police！　Hey；　wait　a　moment；　were　those　police？
　He　thought　about　that　as　he　wandered　along　in　the　stream；　cautiously　doubling　back　from　time　to　time；　just　in　case。　But　now　he　was　sure　he　was　not　followed。　He　let　his　mind　consider　the　money　and　he　beamed。　Let's　see；　what　will　I　do　with　my　50；000！　I'll　put　40　down　on　an　apartment　and　rent　it　out　at　once。　Ayeeyah；　I'm　a　property　owner！　I'll　buy　a　Rolex　and　a　revolver　and　a　new　throwing　knife。　I'll　give　my　wife　a　bracelet　or　two；　and　a　couple　to　White　Rose　at　the　Thousand　Pleasure　Whorehouse。　Tonight　we'll　have　a　feast。
　
　Happily　he　continued　on　his　way。　At　a　street　stall　he　bought　a　small　cheap　suitcase　and；　in　an　alley；　secretly　transferred　the　money　into　it。　Farther　down　the　street　in　another　side　alley　he　sold　Phillip　Chen's　good　leather　attaché　case　to　a　hawker　for　a　handsome　sum　after　haggling　for　five　minutes。　Now；　very　pleased　with　himself；　he　caught　a　bus　for　Kowloon　City　where　his　father　had　rented　a　small　apartment　in　an　assumed　name　as　one　of　their　havens；　far　away　from　their　real　home　in　Wanchai　near　Glessing's　Point。　He　did　not　notice　Goodweather　Poon　board　the　bus；　nor　the　other　two　men；　nor　the　taxi　that　followed　the　bus。
　Kowloon　City　was　a　festering　mess　of　slums　and　open　drains　and　squalid　dwellings。　Smallpox　Kin　knew　he　was　safe　here。　No　police　ever　came；　except　in　great　strength。　When　China　had　leased　the　New　Territories　for　ninety…nine　years　in　1898　it　had　maintained　suzerainty　over　Kowloon　City　in　perpetuity。　In　theory　the　ten　square　acres　were　Chinese　territory。　The　British　authorities　left　the　area　alone　provided　it　remained　quiet。　It　was　a　seething　mass　of　opium　dens；　illegal　gambling　schools；　triad　headquarters；　and　a　sanctuary　for　the　criminal。　From　time　to　time　the　police　would　sweep　through。　The　next　day　the　Kowloon　City　would　bee　as　it　had　always　been。
　The　stairs　to　the　fifth…floor　apartment　in　the　tenement　building　were　rickety　and　messy；　the　plaster　cracked　and　mildewed。　He　was　tired　now。　He　knocked　on　the　door；　in　their　secret　code。　The　door　opened。
　〃Hello；　Father；　hello；　Dog…eared　Chen；〃　he　said　happily。　〃Here's　the　cash！〃　Then　he　saw　his　younger　brother。　〃Oh　good；　you　escaped　too？〃
　〃Of　course！　Dung…eating　police　in　civilian　clothes！　We　ought　to　kill　one　or　two　for　their　impertinence。〃　Kin　Pak　waved　a　。38。　〃We　ought　to　have　vengeance！〃
　〃Perhaps　you're　right；　now　that　we've　got　the　first　money；〃　Father　Kin　said。
　〃I　don't　think　we　should　kill　any　police；　that　would　send　them　mad；〃　Dog…eared　Chen　said　shakily。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　police！〃　young　Kin　Pak　said　and　pocketed　the　gun。
　Smallpox　Kin　shrugged。　〃We've　got　the　cash　th…　〃
　At　that　moment　the　door　burst　open。　Goodweather　Poon　and　three　of　his　men　were　in　the　room；　knives　out。　Everyone　froze。　Abruptly　Father　Kin　slid　a　knife　out　of　his　sleeve　and　ducked　left　but　before　he　could　throw　it　Goodweather　Poon's　knife　was　flailing　through　the　air　and　it　thwanged　into　his　throat。　He　clawed　at　it　as　he　fell　backward。　Neither　Dog…eared　Chen　nor　the　brothers　had　moved。　They　watched　him　die。　The　body　twitched；　the　muscles　spasmed　for　a　moment；　then　was　still。
　〃Where's　Number　One　Son　Chen？〃　Goodweather　Poon　said；　a　second　knife　in　his　hand。
　〃We　don't　know　any　Num…　〃
　Two　of　the　men　fell　on　Smallpox　Kin；　slammed　his　hands　outstretched　on　the　table　and　held　them　there。　Goodweather　Poon　leaned　forward　and　sliced　off　his　index　finger。　Smallpox　Kin　went　gray。　The　other　two　were　paralyzed　with　fear。
　〃Where's　Number　One　Son　Chen？〃
　Smallpox　Kin　was　staring　blankly　at　his　severed　finger　and　the　blood　that　was　pulsing　onto　the　table。　He　cried　out　as　Goodweather　Poon　lunged　again。　〃Don't　don't；〃　he　begged；　〃he's　dead　。。。　dead　and　we've　buried　him　I　swear　it！〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Near　the　Sha　。。。　the　Sha　Tin　Road。　Listen；〃　he　screeched　desperately；　〃we'll　split　the　money　with　you。　We'll　…　〃　He　froze　as　Goodweather　Poon　put　the　tip　of　his　knife　into　his　mouth。
　〃Just　answer　questions；　you　fornicating　whore's　turd；　or　I'll　slit　your　tongue。　Where's　Number　One　Son's　things？　The　things　he　had　on　him？〃
　〃We；　we　sent　everything　to　Noble　House　Chen；　everything　except　the　money　he　had。　I　swear　it。〃　He　whimpered　at　the　pain。　Suddenly　the　two　men　put　pressure　on　one　of　his　elbows　and　he　cried　out；　〃All　gods　bear　witness　it's　the　truth！〃　He　screamed