jamesclavell.noblehouse-第137节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Not everyone had run at the first cry of danger。 Gornt hadn't moved。 He puffed his cigar； all his senses concentrated。 Havergill and his wife had walked over to the windows to look out。 Others joined them。 They could see crowds milling around the main entrance two decks below。 〃I don't think we need to worry； my dear；〃 Havergill said。 〃Once the main lot are out we can follow at leisure。〃
Lady Joanna； beside them； said； 〃Did you see Biltzmann rush off？ What a berk！〃 She looked around and saw Bartlett and Casey across the room； waiting beside Dunross。 〃Oh； I'd've thought they'd've fled too。〃
Havergill said； 〃Oh e on； Joanna； not all Yankees are cowards！〃
A sudden shaft of flame and thick black smoke poured out of the dumbwaiter。 The shouting to hurry up began again。
On the far side of the room nearer the fire； Bartlett said hastily； 〃Ian； is there another exit？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Dunross said。 〃Take a look outside。 I'll hold the fort here。〃 Bartlett took off quickly for the exit door to the half deck and Dunross turned to the rest of them。 〃Nothing to worry about；〃 he said； calming them and gauging them quickly。 Fleur Marlowe was white but in control； Casey stared in shock at the people jamming the doorway； Orlanda petrified； near breaking。 〃Orlanda！ It's all right；〃 he said； 〃there's no danger 。。。〃
On the other side of the room Gornt got up and went nearer to the door。 He could see the crush and knew that the stairs below would be jammed。 Shrieks and some screams added to the fear here but Sir Charles Pennyworth was beside the doorway trying to get an orderly withdrawal down the stairs。 More smoke billowed out and Gornt thought； Christ almighty； a bloody fire； half a hundred people and one exit。 Then he noticed the unattended bar。 He went to it and； outwardly calm； poured himself a whiskey and soda； but the sweat was running down his back。
Below on the crowded second…deck landing Lando Mata stumbled and brought a whole group down； Dianne Chen and Kevin with them； creating a blockage in this； the only escape route。 Men and women shrieked impotently； crushed against the floor as others fell or stumbled over them in a headlong dash for safety。 Above on the staircase； Pugmire held on to the bannister and just managed to keep his feet； using his great strength to shove his back against the people and prevent more from falling。 Julian Broadhurst was beside him； frightened too but equally controlled； using his height and weight with Pugmire。 Together they held the breach momentarily； but gradually the weight of those behind overcame them。 Pugmire felt his grip slipping。 Ten steps below； Mata fought to his feet； trampled on a few people in his haste； then shoved on downstairs； his coat half torn from him。 Dianne Chen clawed her way to her feet； dragging Kevin with her。 In the shoving； milling mass of humanity she did not notice a woman grab her diamond pendant neatly and pocket it； then jostle away down the stairs。 Smoke billowing up from the lower deck added to the horror。 Pugmire's hold was broken。 He was half…shoved into the wall by the human flood and Broadhurst missed his footing。 Another small avalanche of people began。 Now the stairs on both levels were clogged。
Four Finger Wu with Venus Poon had been on the first landing when the shout had gone up and he had darted down the last staircase and shoved his way out onto the drawbridge that led to the wharf； Venus Poon a few terrorized steps behind him。 Safe on the wharf； he turned and looked back； his heart pounding； his breathing heavy。 Men and women were stumbling out of the huge ornate doorway onto the jetty； some flames ing out of portholes near the waterline。 A policeman who had been patrolling nearby ran up； watched aghast for a moment； then took to his heels for the nearest telephone。 Wu was still trying to catch his breath when he saw Richard Kwang and his wife rush out pell…mell。 He began to laugh and felt much better。 Venus Poon thought the people looked very funny too。 Onlookers were collecting in safety； no one doing anything to help； just gawking … which is only right； Wu thought in passing。 One must never interfere with the decisions of the gods。 The gods have their own rules and they decide a human's joss。 It's my joss to escape and to enjoy this whore tonight。 All gods help me to maintain my Imperial Iron until she screams for mercy。
〃e along； Little Mealy Mouth；〃 Four Fingers said with a cackle； 〃we can safely leave them to their joss。 Time's wasting。〃
〃No； Father；〃 she said quickly。 〃Any moment the TV cameras and press will arrive … we must think of our image； heya？〃
〃Image？ It's the pillow and the Gorgeous G… 〃
〃Later！〃 she said imperiously and he bit back the curse he was going to add。 〃Don't you want to be hailed as a hero？〃 she said sharply。 〃Perhaps even a knighthood like Shitee； heya？〃 Quickly she dirtied her hands and her face and carefully ripped one of the straps above her breast and went near to the gangway where she could see and be seen。 Four Fingers watched her blankly。 A quai loh honor like Shitee？ he thought astounded。 Eeeeee； why not！ He followed her warily； taking great care not to get too close to any danger。
They saw a tongue of flame sweep out of the chimney on the top deck and frightened people looking down from the three decks of windows。 People were collecting on the wharf。 Others were stumbling out to safety in hysterics； many coughing from the smoke that was beginning to possess the whole restaurant。 There was another shouting crush in the doorway； a few went down and some scuttled from under the milling feet； those behind shrieking at those in front to hurry； and again Four Fingers and other onlookers laughed。
On the top deck Bartlett leaned over the railings and looked down at the hull and the jetty below。 He could see crowds on the wharf and milling； hysterical people fighting out of the entrance。 There was no other staircase； ladder or escape possibility on either side。 His heart was hammering but he was not afraid。 There's no real danger； yet； he thought。 We can jump into the water below。 Easy。 It's what； thirty； forty feet … no sweat if you don't belly flop。 He ran back along the deck that used up half the length of the boat。 Black smoke； sparks and a little flame surged out of the funnels。
He opened the top…deck door and closed it quickly in order not to create any added draft。 The smoke was much worse and the flames ing out of the dumbwaiter were continuous now。 The smoke smell on the air was acrid and carried the stench of burning meat。 Almost everyone was crowded around the far doorway。 Gornt was standing apart by himself watching them； sipping a drink。 Bartlett thought； Jesus； there's one cold…blooded bastard！ He skirted the dumbwaiter carefully； his eyes smarting from the smoke； and almost knocked over Christian Toxe who was hunched over the telephone shouting into it above the noise； 〃。。。 I don't give a shit； get a photographer out here right now； and then phone the fire department！〃 Angrily Toxe slammed down the phone and muttering； 〃Stupid bastards；〃 went back to his wife； a matronly Chinese woman who stared at him blankly。 Bartlett hurried toward Dunross。 The tai…pan stood motionless beside Peter and Fleur Marlowe； Orlanda and Casey； whistling tonelessly。
〃Nothing； Ian；〃 he said quietly； noticing his voice sounded strange； 〃not a goddamn thing。 No ladders； nothing。 But we can jump； easy； if necessary。〃
〃Yes。 We're lucky being on this deck。 The others may not be so lucky。〃 Dunross watched the smoke and fire spurting from the dumbwaiter that was near the exit door。 〃We'll have to decide pretty soon which way to go；〃 he said gently。 〃That fire could cut us off from the outside。 If we go out we may never get back in and we'll have to jump。 If we stay in； we can only use the stairs。〃
〃Jesus；〃 Casey muttered。 She was trying to calm her racing heart and the feeling of claustrophobia that was welling up。 Her skin felt clammy and her eyes were darting from the exit to the doorway and back again。 Bartlett put an arm around her。 〃It's no sweat； we can jump anytime。〃
〃Yes； sure； Linc。〃 Casey was holding on grimly。 〃You can swim； Casey？〃 Dunross asked。 〃Yes。 I 。。。 was caught in a fire once。 Ever since then I've been frightened to death of them。〃 It was a few years before when her little house in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles was in the path of one of the sudden summer conflagrations and she had been bottled in； the winding canyon road already burning below。 She had turned on all the water sprinklers and begun to hose the roof。 The clawing heat of the fire had reached out at her。 Then the fire had crested； jumping from the top of one valley to the opposite side； to begin burning down both sides toward the valley floor； whipped by hundred…mile…an…hour gusts self…generated by the fire。 The roaring flames obliterated trees and houses； came closer and there was no way out。 In terror； she kept the hose on her roof。 Cats and dogs from the homes above fled past her and one wild…eyed Alsatian cowered in the lee of her house。 The heat and the smoke and the terror surrounded her and it went on and on but this part of the fire stopped fifty feet from her boundary。 For no reason。 Above； all the house
