jamesclavell.noblehouse-第136节

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　Chinese　greens　and　peapods　and　broccoli　and　fifty　other　vegetables　with　crab　meat；　the　skin　of　roast　Peking　duck　with　plum　sauce　and　sliced　spring　onions　and　paper…thin　pancakes；　double…boiled　mushrooms　and　fish　maw；　smoked　pomfret　fish　with　salad；　rice　Yangchow　style；　home　sweet　home　noodles　…　then　happiness　dessert；　sweetened　lotus　seeds　and　lily　in　rice　gruel。　And　tea　continuously。
　Mata　and　Orlanda　helped　Casey　and　Bartlett。　Fleur　and　Peter　Marlowe　were　the　only　other　Europeans　at　their　table。　The　Chinese　presented　their　visiting　cards　and　received　others　in　exchange。　〃Oh　you　can　eat　with　chopsticks！〃　All　the　Chinese　were　openly　astonished；　then　slid　fortably　back　into　Cantonese；　the　bejeweled　women　clearly　discussing　Casey　and　Bartlett　and　the　Marlowes。　Their　ments　were　slightly　guarded　only　because　of　Lando　Mata　and　Orlanda。
　〃What're　they　saying；　Orlanda？〃　Bartlett　asked　quietly　amid　the　noisy　exuberance　particularly　of　the　Chinese。
　〃They're　just　wondering　about　you　and　Miss　Casey；〃　she　said　as　cautiously；　not　translating　the　lewd　remarks　about　the　size　of　Casey's　chest；　the　wondering　where　her　clothes　came　from；　how　much　they　cost；　why　she　didn't　wear　any　jewelry；　and　what　it　must　be　like　to　be　so　tall。　They　were　saying　little　about　Bartlett　other　than　wondering　out　loud　if　he　was　really　Mafia　as　one　of　the　Chinese　papers　had　suggested。
　Orlanda　was　sure　he　wasn't。　But　she　was　sure　also　that　she　would　have　to　be　very　circumspect　in　front　of　Casey；　neither　too　forward　nor　too　slow；　and　never　to　touch　him。　And　to　be　sweet　to　her；　to　try　to　throw　her　off　her　stride。
　Fresh　plates　for　each　course　were　laid　with　a　clatter；　the　used　ones　whisked　away。　Waiters　hurried　to　the　dumbwaiters　in　the　central　section　by　the　staircase　to　dispose　of　the　old　and　grab　steaming　platters　of　the　new。
　The　kitchens；　three　decks　below；　were　an　inferno　with　the　huge　four…feet…wide　iron　woks　fired　with　gas　that　was　piped　aboard。　Some　woks　for　steaming；　some　for　quick　frying；　some　for　deep　frying；　some　for　stewing；　and　many　for　the　pure　white　rice。　An　open；　wood…fired　barbecue。　An　army　of　helpers　for　the　twenty…eight　cooks　were　preparing　the　meats　and　vegetables；　plucking　chickens；　killing　fresh　fish　and　lobsters　and　crabs　and　cleaning　them；　doing　the　thousand　tasks　that　Chinese　food　requires　…　as　each　dish　is　cooked　fleshly　for　each　customer。
　The　restaurant　opened　at　10：00　a。m。　and　the　kitchen　closed　at　10：45　p。m。　…　sometimes　later　when　a　special　party　was　arranged。　There　could　be　dancing　and　a　floor　show　if　the　host　was　rich　enough。　Tonight；　though　there　was　no　late　shift　or　floor　show　or　dancing；　they　all　knew　that　their　share　of　the　tip　from　Shitee　T'Chung's　banquet　would　be　very　good。　Shitee　T'Chung　was　an　expansive　host；　though　most　of　them　believed　that　much　of　the　charity　money　he　collected　went　into　his　stomach　or　those　of　his　guests　or　onto　the　backs　of　his　lady　friends。　He　also　had　the　reputation　of　being　ruthless　to　his　detractors；　a　miser　to　his　family；　and　vengeful　to　his　enemies。
　Never　mind；　the　head　chef　thought。　A　man　needs　soft　lips　and　hard　teeth　in　this　world　and　everyone　knows　which　will　last　the　longer。　〃Hurry　up！〃　he　shouted。　〃Can　I　wait　all　manure…infested　night？　Prawns！　Bring　the　prawns！〃　A　sweating　helper　in　ragged　pants　and　ancient；　sweaty　undershirt　rushed　up　with　a　bamboo　platter　of　the　freshly　caught　and　freshly　peeled　prawns。　The　chef　cast　them　into　the　vast　wok；　added　a　handful　of　monosodium　glutamate；　whisked　them　twice　and　scooped　them　out；　put　a　handful　of　steaming　peapods　on　two　platters　and　divided　up　the　pink；　glistening　succulent　prawns　on　top　equally。
　〃All　gods　urinate　on　all　prawns！〃　he　said　sourly；　his　stomach　ulcer　paining　him；　his　feet　and　calves　leaden　from　his　ten…hour　shift。　〃Send　those　upstairs　before　they　spoil！　Dew　neh　loh　moh　hurry　。。。　that's　my　last　order。　It's　time　to　go　home！〃
　Other　cooks　were　shouting　last　orders　and　cursing　as　they　cooked。　They　were　all　impatient　to　be　gone。　〃Hurry　it　up！〃　Then　one　young　helper　carrying　a　pot　of　used　fat　stumbled　and　the　fat　sprayed　onto　one　of　the　gas　fires；　caught　with　a　whoosh　and　there　was　sudden　pandemonium。　A　cook　screamed　as　the　fire　surrounded　him　and　he　beat　at　it；　his　face　and　hair　singed。　Someone　threw　a　bucket　of　water　on　the　fire　and　spread　it　violently。　Flames　soared　to　the　rafters；　billowing　smoke。　Shouting；　shoving　cooks　moving　out　of　the　fire　were　causing　a　bottleneck。　The　acrid；　black；　oil　smoke　began　to　fill　the　air。
　The　man　nearest　the　single　narrow　staircase　to　the　first　deck　grabbed　one　of　the　two　fire　extinguishers　and　slammed　the　plunger　down　and　pointed　the　nozzle　at　the　fire。　Nothing　happened。　He　did　it　again　then　someone　else　grabbed　it　from　him　with　a　curse；　tried　unsuccessfully　to　make　it　work；　and　cast　it　aside。　The　other　extinguisher　was　also　a　dud。　The　staff　had　never　bothered　to　test　them。
　〃All　gods　defecate　on　these　motherless　foreign　devil　inventions！〃　a　cook　wailed　and　prepared　to　flee　if　the　fire　approached　him。　A　frightened　coolie　choking　on　the　smoke　at　the　other　end　of　the　kitchen　backed　away　from　a　shaft　of　flame　into　some　jars　and　toppled　them。　Some　contained　thousand…year…old　eggs　and　others　sesame　oil。　The　oil　flooded　the　floor　and　caught　fire。　The　coolie　vanished　in　the　sudden　sheet　of　flame。　Now　the　fire　owned　half　the　kitchen。
　It　was　well　past　eleven　o'clock　and　most　diners　had　already　left。　The　top　deck　of　the　Floating　Dragon　was　still　partially　filled。　Most　of　the　Chinese；　Four　Finger　Wu　and　Venus　Poon　among　them；　were　walking　out　or　had　already　left　as　the　last　course　had　already　been　served　long　since　and　it　was　polite　Chinese　custom　to　leave　as　soon　as　the　last　dish　was　finished；　table　by　table。　Only　the　Europeans　were　lingering　over　Cognac　or　port；　and　cigars。
　Throughout　the　boat；　tables　of　mah…jong　were　being　set　up　by　Chinese；　and　the　clitter…clatter　of　the　ivory　tiles　banging　on　the　tables　began　to　dominate。
　〃Do　you　play　mah…jong；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　Mata　asked。
　〃No。　Please　call　me　Linc。〃
　〃You　should　learn　…　it's　better　than　bridge。　Do　you　play　bridge；　Casey？〃
　Linc　Bartlett　laughed。　〃She's　a　wiz；　Lando。　Don't　play　her　for　money。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　can　have　a　game　sometime。　You　play；　don't　you；　Orlanda？〃　Mata　said；　remembering　Gornt　was　an　acplished　player。
　〃Yes；　a　little；〃　Orlanda　said　softly　and　Casey　thought　grimly；　I'll　bet　the　bitch's　a　wiz　too。
　〃I'd　love　a　game；〃　Casey　said　sweetly。
　〃Good；〃　Mata　said。　〃One　day　next　week　。。。　oh；　hello；　tai…pan！〃
　Dunross　greeted　them　all　with　his　smile。　〃How　did　you　enjoy　the　food？〃
　〃It　was　fantastic！〃　Casey　said；　happy　to　see　him　and　greatly　aware　of　how　handsome　he　looked　in　his　tuxedo。　〃Would　you　like　to　join　us？〃
　〃Thanks　bu…　〃
　〃Good　night；　tai…pan；〃　Dianne　Chen　said；　ing　up　to　him；　her　son　Kevin　…　a　short；　heavyset　youth　with　dark　curly　hair　and　full　lips　…　in　tow。
　Dunross　introduced　them。　〃Where's　Phillip？〃
　〃He　was　going　to　e　but　he　phoned　to　say　he　was　delayed。　Well；　good　night　。。。〃　Dianne　smiled　and　so　did　Kevin　and　they　headed　for　the　door；　Casey　and　Orlanda　wide…eyed　at　Dianne's　jewelry。
　〃Well；　I　must　be　off　too；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃How　was　your　table？〃
　〃Rather　trying；〃　Dunross　said　with　his　infectious　laugh。　He　had　eaten　with　the　MPs　…　with　Gornt；　Shi…teh　and　his　wife　at　the　Number　One　table　…　and　there　had　been　sporadic　angry　outbursts　above　the　clatter　of　plates。　〃Robin　Grey's　rather　outspoken；　and　ill…informed；　and　some　of　us　were　having　at　him。　For　once　Gornt　and　I　were　on　the　same　side。　I　must　confess　our　table　got　served　first　so　poor　old　Shi…teh　and　his　wife　could　flee。　He　took　off　like　a　dose　of　salts　fifteen　minutes　ago。〃
　They　all　laughed　with　him。　Dunross　was　watching　Marlowe。　He　wondered　if　Marlowe　knew　that　Grey　was　his　brother…in…law。　〃Grey　seems　to　know　you　quite　well；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　〃He　has　a　good　memory；　tai…pan；　though　his　manners　are　off。〃
　〃I　don't　know　about　that；　but　if　he　has　his　way　in　Parliament　God　help　Hong　Kong。　Well；　I　just　wanted　to　say　hello　to　all　of　you。〃　He　smiled　at　Bartlett　and　Casey。　〃How　about　lunch　tomorrow？〃
　〃Fine；〃　Casey　said。　〃How　about　ing　to　the　V　and　A？〃　She　noticed　Gornt　get　up　to　leave　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room　and　she　wondered　again　who　would　win。　〃Just　before　dinner　Andrew　was　say…　〃
　Then；　with　all　of　them；　she　heard　faint　screams。　There　was　a　sudden　hush；　everyone　listening。
　〃Fire！〃
　〃Christ；　look！〃　They　all　stared　at　the　dumbwaiter。　Smoke　was　pouring　out。　Then　a　small　tongue　of　flame。
　A　split　second　of　disbelief；　then　everyone　jumped　up。　Those　nearest　the　main　staircase　rushed　for　the　doorway；　crowding　it；　as　others　took　up　the　shout。　Bartlett　leapt　to　his　feet　and　dragged　Casey　with　him。　Mata　and　some　of　the　guests　began　to　run　for　the　bottleneck。
　〃Hold　it！〃　Dunross　roared　above　the　noise。　Everyone　stopped。　〃There's　plenty　of　time。　Don't　hurry！〃　he　ordered。　〃There's　no　need　to　run；　take　your　time！　There's　no　danger　yet！〃　His　admonition　helped　those　who　were　overly　frightened。　They　started　easing　out　of　the　crammed　doorway。　But　below；　on　the　staircases；　the　shouts　and　hysteria　had　increased。
　Not　everyone　had　run　at　the　first　cry　of　danger。　Gornt　hadn't　moved。　He　puffed　his　cigar；　all　his　senses　concentrated。　Have