jamesclavell.noblehouse-第160节

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wo　dwellings　that；　until　this　rain；　were　dry。　There　was　one　water　tap　per　hundred　families；　no　sewers；　no　electric　light；　but　the　city　of　these　squatters　thrived　and　was　mostly　well　ordered。　Already　one　uncle　had　a　small　plastic　flower　factory　in　a　hovel　he　had　rented　at　1。50　HK　per　foot　per　month　lower　down　the　slopes；　another　had　rented　a　stall　in　the　market　area　selling　tangy　rice　cakes　and　rice　gruel　in　their　Ning…tok　village　style。　All　seventeen　were　working　…　now　eighteen　mouths　to　feed　with　a　newborn　babe；　born　last　week。　Even　the　two…year…olds　were　given　simple　tasks；　sorting　plastic　petals　for　the　plastic　flowers　the　young　and　old　made　that　gave　many　of　the　hill　dwellers　money　to　buy　food　and　money　to　gamble　with。
　Yes；　Spectacles　Wu　thought　fervently；　all　gods　help　me　to　get　some　of　the　reward　money　for　the　capture　of　the　Werewolves　in　time　for　Saturday's　races　to　put　on　Pilot　Fish；　the　black　stallion　who；　according　to　all　the　portents；　is　definitely　going　to　win。
　He　stifled　a　yawn　as　he　plodded　on　barefoot　down　one　of　the　narrow　twisting　alleys　in　the　resettlement　area；　his　six…year…old　niece　beside　him。　She　was　barefoot　too。　The　rain　kept　misting　his　thick　glasses。　Both　picked　their　way　cautiously；　not　wanting　to　step　on　any　broken　glass　or　rusting　debris　that　was　ever　present。　Sometimes　the　mud　was　ankle…deep。　Both　wore　their　trousers　well　rolled　up　and　she　had　a　vast　straw　coolie　hat　that　dwarfed　her。　His　hat　was　ordinary　and　secondhand　like　his　clothes　and　not　police　regulation。　These　were　the　only　clothes　he　possessed　except　for　the　shoes　he　carried　in　a　plastic　bag　under　his　raincoat　to　protect　them。　Stepping　over　a　foul　pothole　he　almost　lost　his　footing。　〃Fornicate　all　hazards；〃　he　cursed；　glad　that　he　did　not　live　here　and　that　the　rented　room　he　shared　with　his　mother　near　the　East　Aberdeen　police　station　was　dry　and　not　subject　to　quirks　of　the　weather　gods　like　those　here。　And　thank　all　gods　I　don't　have　to　make　this　journey　every　day。　My　clothes　would　be　ruined　and　then　my　whole　future　would　be　in　jeopardy　because　Special　Intelligence　admires　neatness　and　punctuality。　Oh　gods　let　this　be　my　great　day！
　Tiredness　wafted　over　him。　His　head　was　hunched　down　and　he　felt　the　rain　trickling　down　his　neck。　He　had　been　on　duty　all　night。　When　he　was　leaving　the　station　early　this　morning　he　had　been　told　that　there　was　to　be　a　raid　on　the　old　amah；　Ah　Tam；　the　one　connected　with　the　Werewolves；　whom　he　had　found　and　tracked　to　her　lair。　So　he　had　said　that　he　would　hurry　with　his　visit　to　his　grandfather　who　had　been　taken　ill　and　was　near　death　and　hurry　back　in　good　time。
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　There　was　still　time　enough　to　walk　the　mile　to　the　station。　Reassured；　he　went　on　again；　eased　past　a　pile　of　garbage　into　a　bigger　alley　that　skirted　the　storm　drain。　The　storm　drain　was　five　feet　deep　and　served　normally　for　sewer；　laundry　or　sink；　depending　on　the　amount　of　water　therein。　Now　it　was　overflowing；　the　swirling　runoff　adding　to　the　misery　of　those　below。
　〃Be　careful；　Fifth　Niece；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes。　Oh　yes；　Sixth　Uncle。　Can　I　e　all　the　way？〃　the　little　girl　asked　happily。
　〃Only　to　the　candy　stall。　Now　be　careful！　Look；　there's　another　piece　of　glass！〃
　〃Is　Honorable　Grandfather　going　to　die？〃
　〃That's　up　to　the　gods。　The　time　of　dying　is　up　to　the　gods；　not　to　us；　so　why　should　we　worry；　heya？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　agreed　importantly。　〃Yes；　gods　are　gods。〃
　All　gods　cherish　Honorable　Grandfather　and　make　the　rest　of　his　life　sweet；　he　prayed；　then　added　carefully；　for　safety；　〃Hail　Mary　Mother　and　Joseph；　bless　old　Grandfather。〃　Who　knows　whether　the　Christian　God　or　even　the　real　gods　exist？　he　thought。　Better　to　try　to　placate　them　all；　if　you　can。　It　costs　nothing。　Perhaps　they'll　help。　Perhaps　they're　sleeping　or　out　to　lunch　but　never　mind。　Life　is　life；　gods　are　gods；　money　is　money；　laws　must　be　obeyed　and　today　I　must　be　very　sharp。
　Last　night　he　had　been　out　with　Divisional　Sergeant　Mok　and　the　Snake。　This　was　the　first　time　he　had　been　taken　with　them　on　one　of　their　special　raids。　They　had　raided　three　gambling　joints　but　had；　curiously；　left　five　much　more　prosperous　ones　untouched　even　though　they　were　on　the　same　floor　of　the　same　tenement　and　he　could　hear　the　click　of　mah…jong　tiles　and　the　cries　of　the　fan…tan　croupiers。
　Dew　neh　loh　moh　I　wish　I　could　get　part　of　the　squeeze；　he　told　himself　then　added；　Get　thee　behind　me；　Satan！　I　want　much　more　to　be　in　Special　Intelligence　because　then　I　will　have　a　safe；　important　job　for　life；　I　will　know　all　manner　of　secrets；　the　secrets　will　protect　me；　and　then；　when　I　retire；　the　secrets　will　make　me　rich。
　They　turned　a　corner　and　reached　the　candy　stall。　He　bartered　with　the　old　toothless　woman　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　paid　her　two　copper　cash　and　she　gave　the　little　girl　a　sweet　rice　cake　and　a　good　pinch　of　the　bits　of　oh　so　chewy　and　tangy　bittersweet　sun…dried　orange　peel　in　a　twist　of　newspaper。
　〃Thank　you；　Sixth　Uncle；〃　the　little　girl　said；　beaming　up　at　him　from　under　her　hat。
　〃I　hope　you　enjoy　them；　Fifth　Niece；〃　he　replied；　loving　her；　glad　that　she　was　pretty。　If　the　gods　favor　us　she　will　grow　up　to　be　very　pretty；　he　thought　contentedly；　then　we　can　sell　her　maidenhead　for　a　vast　amount　of　money；　and　her　later　services　profitably　for　the　good　of　the　family。
　Spectacles　Wu　was　very　proud　that　he　had　been　able　to　do　so　much　for　this　part　of　his　family　in　their　hour　of　need。　Everyone　safe　and　fed　and　now　my　percentage　of　Ninth　Uncle's　plastic　flower　factory；　negotiated　so　patiently；　will；　with　joss；　pay　my　rent　in　a　year　or　two；　and　I　can　eat　good　Ning…tok　rice　gruel　three　times　a　week　free　which　helps　eke　out　my　money　so　that　I　needn't　take　the　squeeze　that　is　so　easy　to　obtain　but　would　ruin　my　future。
　No。　All　gods　bear　witness！　I　will　not　take　the　squeeze　while　there's　a　chance　for　SI　but　it's　not　sensible　to　pay　us　so　little。　Me；　320　HK　a　month；　after　two　years　of　service。　Ayeeyah；　barbarians　are　impossible　to　understand！
　〃You　run　along　now　and　I'll　be　back　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃Be　careful　as　you　go。〃
　〃Oh　yes！〃
　He　bent　down　and　she　hugged　him。　He　hugged　her　back　and　left。　She　headed　up　the　hill；　part　of　the　rice　cake　already　in　her　mouth；　the　cloying　tacky　sweetness　oh　so　delicious。
　The　rain　was　monotonous　and　heavy。　Flooding　from　the　storm　drain　carried　debris　against　the　shacks　in　its　path　but　she　climbed　the　path　carefully；　skirting　it；　fascinated　by　the　rushing　water。　The　overflow　was　deep　in　parts　and　here　where　the　way　was　steeper；　almost　like　rapids。　Without　warning　a　jagged　five…gallon　can　came　swirling　down　the　drain　and　hurled　itself　at　her；　narrowly　missing　her；　to　smash　through　a　cardboard　wall。
　She　stood　stock…still；　frightened。
　〃Get　on；　there's　nothing　to　steal　here！〃　a　furious　householder　called　out　at　her。　〃Go　home！　You　shouldn't　be　here。　Go　home！〃
　〃Yes　。。。　yes；〃　she　said　and　began　to　hurry；　the　climb　more　difficult　now。　At　that　moment　the　earth　just　below　her　gave　way　and　the　slide　began。　Hundreds　of　tons　of　sludge　and　rock　and　earth　surged　downward　burying　everything　in　its　path。　It　went　on　for　fifty　yards　or　more　in　seconds；　tearing　the　flimsy　structures　apart；　scattering　men；　women　and　children；　burying　some；　maiming　others；　cutting　an　oozing　swath　where　once　was　village。
　Then　it　stopped。　As　suddenly　as　it　began。
　On　all　the　mountainside　there　was　a　great　silence　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　rain。　Abruptly　the　silence　ceased。　Shouts　and　cries　for　help　began。　Men　and　women　and　children　rushed　out　of　untouched　hovels；　blessing　the　gods　for　their　own　safety；　adding　to　the　pandemonium　and　wails　for　help。　Friends　helped　friends；　neighbors　helped　neighbors；　mothers　searched　for　children；　children　for　parents；　but　the　great　majority　nearby　just　stood　there　in　the　rain　and　blessed　their　joss　that　this　slide　had　passed　them　by。
　The　little　girl　was　still　teetering　on　the　brink　of　the　chasm　where　the　earth　had　fallen　away。　She　stared　down　into　it　with　disbelief。　Eleven　feet　below　her　now　were　fangs　of　rocks　and　sludge　and　death　where　seconds　ago　was　solid　ground。　The　lip　was　crumbling　and　small　avalanches　of　mud　and　stones　cascaded　into　the　abyss；　aided　by　the　flooding　from　the　storm　drain。　She　felt　her　feet　slipping　so　she　took　a　tentative　step　backward　but　more　of　the　earth　gave　way　so　she　stopped；　petrified；　the　remains　of　the　rice　cake　still　firmly　in　her　hands。　Her　toes　dug　into　the　soft　earth　to　try　to　keep　her　balance。
　〃Don't　move；〃　an　old　man　called　out。
　〃Get　away　from　the　edge；〃　another　shouted　and　the　rest　watched　and　waited　and　held　their　breath　to　see　what　the　gods　would　decide。
　Then　a　ten…foot　slice　of　the　lip　collapsed　and　toppled　into　the　maw　carrying　the　little　girl　with　it。　She　was　buried　just　a　little。　Up　to　her　knees。　She　made　sure　her　rice　cake　was　safe　then　burst　into　tears。
　
　44
　
　11：30　A。M。：
　Superintendent　Armstrong's　police　car　eased　its　way　through　the　milling　angry　crowds　that　had　spilled　over　into　the　road　outside　the　Ho…Pak　Bank；　heading　for　the　East　Aberdeen　police　station。　Mobs　were　also　clogging　the　streets　outside　all　the　other　banks　in　the　area；　big　and　small　…　even　the　Victoria　which　was　across　the　street　from　t