jamesclavell.noblehouse-第173节

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n　he　had　made　arrangements　and　had　left　his　office　and　e　here。
　The　public　phone　booth　near　the　newsstand　was　occupied　so　he　bought　an　afternoon　paper　and　glanced　at　the　headlines。　Twenty　killed　in　resettlement　mud　slides　above　Aberdeen　。。。　Rain　to　continue　。。。　Will　Saturday's　Great　Race　Day　be　canceled？　。。。　JFK　warns　Soviets　not　to　interfere　in　Vietnam　。。。　Atom　Test　Ban　Treaty　signed　in　Moscow　by　Dean　Rusk；　Andrei　Gromyko　and　Sir　Alec　Douglas…Home；　rejected　by　France　and　China　。。。　Malayan　munists　step　up　offensive　。。。　Kennedy's　second　son；　born　prematurely；　dies　。。。　Manhunt　for　the　British　Great　Train　Robbers　continues　。。。　Profumo　scandal　damages　Conservative　Party　。。。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　are　you　waiting　for　the　phone？〃　an　American　woman　asked　from　behind　him。
　〃Oh；　oh　yes；　thank　you；　sorry！　I　didn't　see　that　it　was　empty。〃　He　went　into　the　booth；　closed　the　door；　put　in　the　coin　and　dialed。　The　ringing　tone　began。　He　felt　his　anxiety　rising。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Mr。　Lop…sing　please；〃　he　said；　not　sure　of　the　voice　yet。
　〃There's　no　Mr。　Lop…ting　here。　Sorry；　you　have　a　wrong　number。〃
　〃I　want　to　leave　a　message；〃　he　said；　relieved　to　recognize　Suslev's　voice。
　〃You　have　a　wrong　number。　Look　in　your　phone　book。〃
　When　the　code　was　pleted　correctly；　he　began；　〃Sorry　to　c…　〃
　〃What　is　your　number？〃　interrupted　him　harshly。
　Jacques　gave　it　at　once。
　〃Is　it　a　phone　booth？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Immediately　the　phone　clicked　off。　As　he　hung　up　he　felt　a　sudden　sweat　on　his　hands。　Suslev's　number　was　only　to　be　used　in　an　emergency　but　this　was　an　emergency。　He　stared　at　the　phone。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　the　American　woman　called　out　through　the　glass　doors。　〃Can　I　use　the　phone？　I　won't　be　a　moment。〃
　〃Oh！　Oh　I'm　…　I　won't　be　a　second；〃　Jacques　said；　momentarily　flustered。　He　saw　that　three　Chinese　were　waiting　impatiently　behind　her　now。　They　stared　at　him　balefully。　〃I'm　。。。　I'll　just　be　a　second。〃　He　reclosed　the　door；　sweat　on　his　back。　He　waited　and　waited　and　waited　and　then　the　phone　rang。　〃Hello？〃
　〃What's　the　emergency？〃
　〃I　。。。　I　just　heard　from　Nice。〃　Carefully　Jacques　told　Suslev　about　his　conversation　with　his　wife　without　mentioning　any　names。　〃I'm　going　there　at　once　on　the　evening　flight　…　and　I　thought　I'd　better　tell　you　personally　so　the…　〃
　〃No；　this　evening's　too　soon。　Book　tomorrow；　on　the　evening　flight。〃
　Jacques　felt　his　world　collapse。　〃But　I　talked　to　the　tai…pan　a　few　minutes　ago　and　he　said　it　was　all　right　for　me　to　go　tonight。　I'm　booked。　I　can　be　back　in　three　days；　she　really　sounded　awful　on　the　phone。　Don't　you　th…　〃
　〃No！〃　Suslev　told　him　more　sharply。　〃I　will　call　you　tonight　as　arranged。　This　could　all　have　waited　till　then。　Don't　use　this　number　again　unless　there's　a　real　emergency！〃
　Jacques　opened　his　mouth　to　answer　hotly　but　the　phone　was　already　dead。　He　had　heard　the　anger。　But　this　is　an　emergency；　he　told　himself；　enraged；　beginning　to　redial。　Susanne　needs　me　there　and　so　does　Avril。　And　the　tai…pan　was　all　for　it。
　〃Good　idea；　Jacques；〃　Dunross　had　said　at　once。　〃Take　all　the　time　you　need。　Andrew　can　cover　for　you。〃
　And　now　。。。　Merde；　what　do　I　do？　Suslev's　not　my　keeper！
　Isn't　he？
　DeVille　stopped　dialing；　his　sweat　chilling；　and　hung　up。
　〃Are　you　finished；　sir？〃　the　American　woman　called　out　with　her　insistent　smile。　She　was　in　her　fifties；　her　hair　fashionably　blue。　〃There's　a　line　waiting。〃
　〃Oh　。。。　oh　yes；　sorry。〃　He　fought　the　door　open。
　〃You　forgot　your　paper；　sir；〃　she　said　politely。
　〃Oh；　oh　thank　you。〃　Jacques　deVille　reached　back　for　it　and　came　out　in　misery。　At　once　all　the　Chinese；　three　men　and　a　woman；　surged　forward；　elbowing　him　and　the　American　lady　out　of　the　way。　A　heavyset　matron　got　to　the　door　first　and　slammed　it　shut　behind　her；　the　others　crowding　to　be　next。
　〃Hey　。。。　it　was　my　turn；〃　the　American　woman　began　angrily　but　they　paid　no　attention　to　her　except　to　curse　her　and　her　antecedents　openly　and　with　great　vulgarity。
　
　Suslev　was　standing　in　the　sleazy　Kowloon　apartment　that　was　one　of　Arthur's　safe　houses；　his　heart　still　thumping　from　the　suddenness　of　the　call。　There　was　a　damp；　musky；　soiled　smell　of　ancient　cooking　in　the　room　and　he　stared　down　at　the　phone；　furious　with　Jacques　deVille。　Stupid　motherless　turd。　Jacques　is　being　a　liability。　Tonight　I'll　tell　Arthur　what　should　be　done　with　him。　The　sooner　the　better！　Yes；　and　the　sooner　you　calm　down　yourself　the　better；　he　cautioned　himself。　Angry　people　make　mistakes。　Put　away　your　anger！
　With　an　effort；　he　did　just　that　and　went　out　onto　the　dim；　paint…peeled　landing；　locking　the　door　behind　him。　Another　key　unlocked　Ginny　Fu's　door　next　to　his。
　〃You　want　vodka？〃　she　asked　with　her　saucy　smile。
　〃Yes。〃　He　grinned　back；　pleased　to　look　at　her。　She　was　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　old　sofa　and　wore　only　a　smile。　They　had　been　kissing　when　his　phone　had　rung　the　first　time。　There　were　two　phones　in　her　apartment。　Hers　and　the　other　one；　the　secret　one　in　the　cupboard　that　only　he　used　and　answered。　Arthur　had　told　him　it　was　safe；　bootlegged；　unlisted　and　impossible　to　bug。　Even　so；　Suslev　only　used　the　other　apartment　and　its　phone　for　emergencies。
　Matyeryebyets；　Jacques；　he　thought；　still　edgy　from　the　sudden　shrilling　of　his　private　phone。
　〃Drink；　tovarich；〃　Ginny　said；　offering　the　glass。　〃Then　drink　me；　heya？〃
　He　grinned　back；　took　the　vodka　and　ran　an　appreciative　hand　over　her　cute　little　rump。　〃Ginny；　golubushka；　you're　a　good　girl。〃
　〃You　bet！　I　best　girl　for　you。〃　She　reached　up　and　fondled　his　earlobe。　〃We　jig…jig　heya？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　He　drank　the　fiery　liquid　sparingly；　wanting　it　to　last。　Her　tiny　nimble　fingers　were　undoing　his　shirt。　He　stopped　her　for　a　moment　and　kissed　her；　she　weling　his　kiss　and　returning　it　equally。　〃Wait　till　clothes　off；　heya？〃　she　chuckled。
　〃Next　week　I　go；　eh？〃　he　said；　holding　her　in　his　bear　hug。　〃How　about　you　ing　too；　eh？　The　holiday　I've　always　promised　you？〃
　〃Oh？　Oh　truly？〃　Her　smile　was　immense。　〃Wen？　Wen？　You　no　tease？〃
　〃You　can　e　with　me。　We'll　stop　in　Manila；　our　first　stop's　Manila；　then　north　and　back　here　in　a　month。〃
　〃Oh　a　real　month　。。。　oh　Gregy！〃　She　hugged　him　with　all　her　might。　〃I　make　best　ship's　captain　girl　all　China！〃
　〃Yes；　yes　you　will。〃
　〃Wen　go　。。。　wen　we　go？〃
　〃Next　week。　I'll　tell　you　when。〃
　〃Good。　Tomorrow　I　go　get　passport　th…　〃
　〃No；　no　passport；　Ginny。　They'll　never　give　it　to　you。　Those　viblyadoks'll　stop　you。　They　won't　ever　let　you　e　with　me　。。。　oh　no；　golubushka；　those　dirty　police　will　never　let　you　e　with　me。〃
　〃Then　wat　I　do；　heya？〃
　〃I'll　smuggle　you　aboard　in　a　chest！〃　His　laugh　was　rich。　〃Or　perhaps　on　a　magic　carpet。　Eh？〃
　She　peered　up　at　him；　her　dark　eyes　wide　and　brimming　and　anxious。　〃True　you　take　me？　True？　One　month　on　your　ship；　heya？〃
　〃At　least　a　month。　But　don't　tell　anyone。　The　police　watch　me　all　the　time　and　if　they　know；　you　won't　be　able　to　e　with　me。　Understand？〃
　〃All　gods　bear　witness　not　tell　a　weevil；　not　even　my　mother；〃　Ginny　swore　vehemently；　then　hugged　him　again　with　the　vastness　of　her　happiness。　〃Eeeee；　I　get　huge　face　as　captain's　lady！〃　Another　hug　and　then　she　let　her　fingers　stray　and　he　jerked　involuntarily。　She　laughed　and　began　to　undress　him　again。　〃I　give　you　best　time；　best。〃
　She　used　her　fingers　and　her　lips　expertly；　probing　and　touching　and　withdrawing　and　moving　against　him；　concentrating　on　her　task　until　he　cried　out　and　became　one　with　the　gods　in　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain。　Her　hands　and　lips　stayed　on　him；　not　leaving　while　the　last　tiny　fraction　of　pleasure　remained。　Then　she　ceased　and　curled　against　him　and　listened　to　the　deepness　of　his　breathing；　very　contented　that　she　had　done　her　job　well。　She；　herself；　she　had　not　experienced　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain　though　she　had　pretended　to　several　times；　to　increase　his　pleasure。　Only　twice　in　all　the　times　that　they　had　pillowed　had　she　reached　the　zenith　and　both　times　she　had　been　very　drunk　and　not　really　sure　if　she　had　or　if　she　had　not。　It　was　only　with　Third　Nighttime　Sandwich　Cook　Tok　at　the　Victoria　and　Albert　that　she　would　zenith　every　time。　All　gods　bless　my　joss；　she　thought　happily。　With　one　month　holiday　and　the　extra　money　Gregor　will　give　me；　and；　with　joss；　one　more　year　with　him；　we'll　have　enough　money　to　open　our　own　restaurant　and　I　can　have　sons　and　grandsons　and　bee　one　with　the　gods。　Oh　how　lucky　I　am！
　She　was　tired　now　for　she　had　had　to　work　hard；　so　she　curled　more　fortably　against　him；　closed　her　eyes；　liking　him；　thankful　to　the　gods　that　they　had　helped　her　to　overe　her　distaste　for　his　size　and　his　white；　toadlike　skin　and　his　rancid　body　smell。　Thank　all　gods；　she　thought　happily　as　she　wafted　into　sleep。
　Suslev　was　not　sleeping。　He　was　just　drifting；　his　mind　and　his　body　at　peace。　The　day　had　been　good　and　a　little　very　bad。　After　meeting　with　Crosse　at　the　racetrack　he　had　returned　to　his　ship；　appalled　that　there　could　be　a　security　leak　from　the　Ivanov。　He　had　encoded　Crosse's　information　about　Operation　Dry　Run　and　all　the　other　things　and　sent　it　off　in　the　privacy　of　his　cabin。　Ining　messages　told　him　that　Voranski　would　not　be　replaced　until　the　next　visit　of　the　Sovetsky　Ivanov；　that　the　sp