jamesclavell.noblehouse-第131节

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　〃Hello；　dear；〃　he　said；　his　backbone　jelly。
　〃Hello；　dear；〃　Mai…ling　Kwang　replied　sweetly。　〃Who's　that　whore？〃
　〃Which　one？〃
　〃That　one。〃
　〃Isn't　that　the　。。。　what's　her　name　。。。　the　TV　starlet？〃
　〃Isn't　her　name　Itch…in…her…drawers　Poon；　the　VD　starlet？〃
　He　pretended　to　laugh　with　her　but　he　wanted　to　tear　all　his　hair　out。　The　fact　that　his　latest　mistress　had　e　with　someone　else　would　not　be　lost　on　all　Hong　Kong。　Everyone　would　interpret　it　as　an　infallible　sign　that　he　was　in　absolute　financial　trouble　and　that　she　had；　wisely；　left　the　sinking　junk　for　a　safer　haven。　And　ing　with　his　uncle；　Four　Finger　Wu；　was　even　worse。　That　would　confirm　that　all　Wu's　wealth　had　been　removed　from　the　Ho…Pak；　and　therefore　most　probably　Lando　Mata　and　the　gold　syndicate　had　done　the　same。　All　the　civilized　population　that　counted　were　sure　that　Wu　was　the　syndicate's　prime　smuggler　now　that　Smuggler　Mo　was　dead。　Woe　woe　woe！　Troubles　never　e　singly。
　〃Eh？〃　he　asked　wearily。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　said；　is　the　tai…pan　going　to　approach　the　Victoria　for　us？〃
　He　switched　into　Cantonese　as　Europeans　were　nearby。　〃Regretfully　that　son　of　a　whore's　in　trouble　himself。　No；　he　won't　help　us。　We're　in　great　trouble　which　is　not　our　fault。　The　day　has　been　terrible；　except　for　one　thing：　we　made　a　fine　profit　today。　I　sold　all　our　Noble　House　stock。〃
　〃Excellent。　At　what　price？〃
　〃We　made　2。70　a　share。　It's　all　in　gold　now　in　Zurich。　I'm　putting　it　all　in　our　joint　account；〃　he　added　carefully；　twisting　the　truth；　all　the　while　trying　to　figure　out　a　ploy　to　get　his　wife　out　of　the　room　so　he　could　go　over　to　Four　Finger　Wu　and　Venus　Poon　to　pretend　to　everyone　that　everything　was　fine。
　〃Good。　Very　good。　That's　better。〃　Mai…ling　was　toying　with　her　huge　aquamarine　pendant。　Suddenly　Richard　Kwang's　testicles　chilled。　This　was　the　pendant　he　had　promised　Venus　Poon。　Oh　woe　woe　woe　。。。
　〃Are　you　feeling　all　right？〃　Mai…ling　asked。
　〃I；　er；　I　must　have　eaten　some　bad　fish。　I　think　I　need　to　go　to　the　bathroom。〃
　〃You'd　better　go　now。　I　suppose　we'll　eat　soon。　Shitee's　always　so　late！〃　She　noticed　him　take　a　nervous　sidelong　look　at　Venus　Poon　and　Uncle　Wu　and　her　eyes　turned　baleful　again。　〃That　whore's　really　quite　fascinating。　I'm　going　to　watch　her　until　you　get　back。〃
　〃Why　don't　we　go　together？〃　He　took　her　arm　and　guided　her　down　the　stairs　to　the　door　that　led　to　the　bathrooms；　greeting　friends　here　and　there；　trying　to　exude　confidence。　The　moment　she　was　launched　into　the　ladies'　room　he　rushed　back　up；　walked　over　to　Zeppelin　Tung　who　was　near　them。　He　chatted　a　moment；　then　pretended　to　see　Four　Fingers。　〃Oh　hello；　Honored　Uncle；〃　he　said　expansively。　〃Thank　you　for　bringing　her　here。　Hello；　little　oily　mouth。〃
　〃What？〃　the　old　man　said　suspiciously。　〃I　brought　her　for　me　not　for　you。〃
　〃Yes；　and　don't　you　oily　mouth　me；〃　Venus　Poon　hissed　and　deliberately　took　the　old　man's　arm　and　Richard　Kwang　almost　spat　blood。　〃I　talked　to　my　hairdresser　tonight！　My　mink　on　her　back！　And　isn't　that　my　aquamarine　pendant　too；　the　one　she's　wearing　right　now！　To　think　I　almost　mitted　suicide　tonight　because　I　thought　I'd　displeased　my　Honored　Father　。。。　and　all　the　time　it　was　lies　lies　lies。　Oh　I　almost　want　to　mit　suicide　again。〃
　〃Eh；　don't　do　that　yet；　Little　Mealy　Mouth；〃　Four　Finger　Wu　whispered　anxiously；　having　already　negotiated　a　deal　in　excess　of　Smiler　Ching's　offer。　〃Go　away；　Nephew；　you're　giving　her　indigestion。　She　won't　be　able　to　perform！〃
　Richard　Kwang　forced　a　glazed　smile；　muttered　a　few　pleasantries　and　went　off　shakily。　He　headed　for　the　staircase　to　wait　for　his　wife；　and　someone　said；　〃I　see　a　certain　filly's　left　the　paddock　for　more　manured　grass！〃
　〃What　nonsense！〃　he　replied　at　once。　〃Of　course　I　asked　the　old　fool　to　bring　her　since　my　wife　is　here。　Why　else　would　she　be　with　him？　Is　that　old　fool　hung　like　a　bullock？　Or　even　a　bantam　cock？　No。　Ayeeyah；　not　even　Venus　Poon　with　all　the　technique　I　taught　her　can　get　up　what　has　no　thread！　It's　good　for　his　face　to　pretend　otherwise；　heya？　Of　course；　and　she　wanted　to　see　her　Old　Father　and　to　be　seen　too！〃
　〃Eeeee；　that's　clever；　Banker　Kwang！〃　the　man　said；　and　turned　away　and　whispered　it　to　another；　who　said　caustically；　〃Huh；　you'd　swallow　a　bucket　of　shit　if　someone　said　it　was　stewed　beef　with　black　bean　sauce！　Don't　you　know　old　Four　Fingers's　Stalk's　nurtured　by　the　most　expensive　salves　and　ointments　and　ginseng　that　money　can　buy？　Why　only　last　month　his　Number　Six　Concubine　gave　birth　to　a　son！　Eeeee；　don't　worry　about　him。　Before　he's　through　tonight；　Venus　Poon's　in　for　a　drubbing　that'll　make　her　Golden　Gulley　cry　out　for　mercy　in　eight　dialects。　。。。〃
　
　*　*　*
　
　〃Are　you　staying　for　dinner；　tai…pan？〃　Brian　Kwok　asked；　intercepting　him。　〃When　and　if　it　arrives。〃
　〃Yes。　Why？〃
　〃Sorry　I've　got　to　go　back　to　work。　But　there'll　be　someone　else　to　chaperone　you　home。〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　Brian；　aren't　you　overreacting？〃　Dunross　said　as　quietly。
　Brian　Kwok　kept　his　voice　down。　〃I　don't　think　so。　I've　just　phoned　Crosse　to　see　what　happened　about　those　two　loiterers　outside　your　house。　The　moment　our　fellows　arrived　they　took　to　their　heels。〃
　〃Perhaps　they　were　just　thugs　who　don't　like　police。〃
　Brian　Kwok　shook　his　head。　〃Crosse　asked　again　that　you　give　us　the　AMG　papers　right　now。〃
　〃Friday。〃
　〃He　told　me　to　tell　you　there's　a　Soviet　spy　ship　in　port。　There's　already　been　one　killing　…　one　of　their　agents；　knifed。〃
　Dunross　was　shocked。　〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　me？〃
　〃You　know　that　better　than　we　do。　You　know　what's　in　those　reports。　Must　be　quite　serious　or　you　wouldn't　be　so　difficult　…　or　careful　…　yourself。　Crosse　said　。。。　Never　mind　him！　Ian；　look；　we're　old　friends。　I'm　really　very　worried。〃　Brian　Kwok　switched　to　Cantonese。　〃Even　the　wise　can　fall　into　thorns　…　poisoned　thorns。〃
　〃In　two　days　the　police　Mandarin　arrives。　Two　days　is　not　long。〃
　〃True。　But　in　two　days　the　spy　may　hurt　us　very　much。　Why　tempt　the　gods？　It　is　my　ask。〃
　〃No。　Sorry。〃
　Brian　Kwok　hardened。　In　English　he　said；　〃Our　American　friends　have　asked　us　to　take　you　into　protective　custody。〃
　〃What　nonsense！〃
　〃Not　such　nonsense；　Ian。　It's　very　well　known　you've　a　photographic　memory。　The　sooner　you　turn　the　papers　over　the　better。　Even　afterwards　you　should　be　careful。　Why　not　tell　me　where　they　are　and　we'll　take　care　of　everything？〃
　Dunross　was　equally　set…faced。　〃Everything's　taken　care　of　now；　Brian。　Everything　stays　as　planned。〃
　The　tall　Chinese　sighed。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃Very　well。　Sorry；　but　don't　say　you　weren't　warned。　Are　Gavallan　and　Jacques　staying　for　dinner　too？〃
　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　I　asked　them　just　to　put　in　an　appearance。　Why？〃
　〃They　could've　gone　home　with　you。　Please　don't　go　anywhere　alone　for　a　while；　don't　try　to　lose　your　guard。　For　the　time　being；　if　you　have　any；　er；　private　dates　call　me。〃
　〃Me；　a　private　date？　Here　in　Hong　Kong？　Really；　what　a　suggestion！〃
　〃Does　the　name　Jen　mean　anything？〃
　Dunross's　eyes　became　stony。　〃You　buggers　can　be　too　nosy。〃
　〃And　you　don't　seem　to　realize　you're　in　a　very　dirty　game　without　Queensberry　rules。〃
　〃I've　got　that　message；　by　God。〃
　'〃Night；　tai…pan。〃
　'〃Night；　Brian。〃　Dunross　went　over　to　the　MPs　who　were　in　a　group　in　one　corner　talking　with　Jacques　deVille。　There　were　only　four　of　them　now；　the　rest　were　resting　after　their　long　journey。　Jacques　deVille　introduced　him。　Sir　Charles　Pennyworth；　Conservative；　Hugh　Guthrie；　Liberal；　Julian　Broadhurst　and　Robin　Grey；　both　Labour。　〃Hello；　Robin；〃　he　said。
　〃Hello；　Ian。　It's　been　a　long　time。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　I'll　be　off；〃　deVille　said；　his　face　careworn。　〃My　wife's　away　and　we've　a　young　grandchild　staying　with　us。〃
　〃Did　you　talk　to　Susanne　in　France？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。　She's　。。。　she'll　be　all　right。　Thank　you　for　calling　Deland。　See　you　tomorrow。　Good　night；　gentlemen。〃　He　walked　off。
　Dunross　glanced　back　at　Robin　Grey。　〃You　haven't　changed　at　all。〃
　〃Nor　have　you；〃　Grey　said；　then　turned　to　Pennyworth。　〃Ian　and　I　met　in　London　some　years　ago；　Sir　Charles。　It　was　just　after　the　war。　I'd　just　bee　a　shop　steward。〃　He　was　a　lean　man　with　thin　lips；　thin　graying　hair　and　sharp　features。
　〃Yes；　it　was　some　years　ago；〃　Dunross　said　politely；　continuing　the　pattern　that　Penelope　and　her　brother　had　agreed　to　so　many　years　ago　…　that　neither　side　was　blood　kin　to　the　other。　〃So；　Robin；　are　you　staying　long？〃
　〃Just　a　few　days；〃　Grey　said。　His　smile　was　as　thin　as　his　lips。　〃I've　never　been　in　this　workers'　paradise　before　so　I　want　to　visit　a　few　unions；　see　how　the　other　ninety…nine　percent　live。〃　Sir　Charles　Pennyworth；　leader　of　the　delegation；　laughed。　He　was　a　florid；　well…covered　man；　an　ex…colonel　of　the　London　Scottish　Regiment；　D。S。O。　and　Bar。　〃Don't　think　they　go　much　on　unions　here；　Robin。　Do　they；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Our　labor　force　does　very　well　without　them；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃Sweated　labor；　tai…pan；〃　Grey　said　at　once。　〃According　to　some　of　your　own　statistics；　government　statistics。〃
　〃Not　our　statistics；　Robin；　merely　your　statisticians；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Our　people　are　the　highest　paid　in　Asia　after　the　Japanes