jamesclavell.noblehouse-第184节

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　reward　offered　by　the　High　Dragons　for　John's　recapture；　curiously；　dead　or　alive？〃
　〃Ask　them。〃
　〃I　have。　At　least；　I　asked　someone　who　knows　one　of　them。〃　The　Snake　shrugged。　〃Nothing。　Nothing　at　all。〃　He　hesitated。　〃We'll　have　to　go　back　into　John's　past。〃
　Armstrong　felt　a　shaft　of　cold　that　he　kept　buried。　〃Good　idea。〃
　〃Did　you　know　Mary　knew　him？　In　the　POW　camp　at　Stanley？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Armstrong　drank　some　beer　without　tasting　it。
　〃She　might　give　us　a　lead　…　if　John　was；　say；　connected　with　black　market　in　the　camp。〃　His　pale　blue　eyes　held　Armstrong's　pale　blue　eyes。　〃Might　be　worth　asking。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　that。　Yes；　I'll　think　about　that。〃　The　big　man　bore　the　Snake　no　malice。　If　he　had　been　the　Snake　he　would　have　asked　too。　The　Werewolves　were　very　bad　news　and　the　first　wave　of　terror　had　already　rushed　through　Chinese　society。　How　many　more　people　know　about　Mary　and　John　Chen？　he　asked　himself。　Or　about　the　40；000　that's　still　burning　a　hole　in　my　desk；　still　burning　a　hole　in　my　soul。　〃It　was　a　long　time　ago。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Armstrong　lifted　his　beer。　〃You've　got　your　'friends'　helping　you？〃
　〃Let's　just　say　very　substantial　rewards　and　payments　are　being　made　…　paid　gratefully；　I　hasten　to　add；　by　our　gambling　fraternity。〃　The　sardonic　smile　left　Smyth's　face。　And　the　banter。　〃We've　got　to　get　those　sodding　Werewolves　very　fast　or　they'll　really　upset　our　applecart。〃
　
　52
　
　9：15　P。M。：
　Four　Finger　Wu　was　on　the　tall　poop　of　the　motorized　junk　that　was　wallowing　in　the　chop　at　the　rendezvous　well　out　to　sea；　all　lights　doused。　〃Listen；　Werewolf　turd；〃　he　hissed　irritably　at　Smallpox　Kin　who　lay　quivering　on　the　deck　at　his　feet；　mindless　with　pain；　trussed　with　rope　and　heavy　chain。　〃I　want　to　know　who　else　is　in　your　fornicating　gang　and　where　you　got　the　coin　from；　the　half…coin。〃　There　was　no　answer。　〃Wake　the　fornicator　up！〃
　Obligingly　Goodweather　Poon　poured　another　bucket　of　seawater　over　the　prostrate　youth。　When　this　had　no　effect；　he　leaned　down　with　his　knife。　At　once　Smallpox　Kin　screamed　and　came　out　of　his　stupor。　〃What；　what　is　it；　Lord？〃　he　shrieked。　〃No　more　。。。　what　is　it；　what　do　you　want？〃
　Four　Finger　Wu　repeated　what　he　had　said。　The　youth　shrieked　again　as　Goodweather　Poon　probed。　〃I've　told　you　everything　。。。　everything　。。。〃　Desperately；　never　believing　that　there　could　be　so　much　pain　in　the　universe；　beyond　caring；　he　babbled　again　who　were　the　members　of　the　gang；　all　their　real　names　and　addresses；　even　about　the　old　amah　in　Aberdeen。　〃。。。　my　father　gave　me　the　coin　。。。　I　don't　know　where　。。。　he　gave　it　to　me　never　saying　wh　。。。　he　got　it　I　swearrrrrr　。。。〃　His　voice　trailed　away。　Once　more　he　fainted。
　Four　Fingers　spat　disgustedly。　〃The　youth　of　today　have　no　fortitude！〃
　The　night　was　dark　and　an　ill…tempered　wind　gusted　from　time　to　time　under　a　lowering　overcast；　the　powerful　and　well…tuned　engine　purring　nicely；　making　just　enough　way　to　lessen　the　junk's　inevitable　corkscrewing　…　the　rolling　pitch　and　toss。　They　were　a　few　miles　southwest　of　Hong　Kong；　just　out　of　the　sea…lanes；　PRC　waters　and　the　vast　mouth　of　the　Pearl　River　just　to　port；　open　sea　to　starboard。　All　sails　were　furled。
　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　coughed。　〃All　gods　curse　all　fornicating　triad　turds！〃
　〃Shall　I　wake　him　again？〃　Goodweather　Poon　asked。
　〃No。　No；　the　fornicator's　told　the　truth　as　much　as　he　knows。〃　Wu's　calloused　fingers　reached　up　and　nervously　touched　the　half…coin　that　he　wore　now　around　his　neck　under　his　ragged　sweat　shirt；　making　sure　it　was　still　there。　A　knot　of　anxiety　welled　at　the　thought　that　the　coin　might　be　genuine；　might　be　Phillip　Chen's　missing　treasure。　〃You　did　very　well；　Goodweather　Poon。　Tonight　you'll　get　a　bonus。〃　His　eyes　went　to　the　southeast；　seeking　the　signal。　It　was　overdue　but　he　was　not　yet　worried。　Automatically　his　nose　sniffed　the　wind　and　his　tongue　tasted　it；　tangy　and　heavy　with　salt。　His　eyes　ranged　the　sky　and　the　sea　and　the　horizon。　〃More　rain　soon；〃　he　muttered。
　Poon　lit　another　cigarette　from　his　butt　and　ground　the　butt　into　the　deck　with　his　horny　bare　foot。　〃Will　it　ruin　the　races　on　Saturday？〃
　The　old　man　shrugged。　〃If　the　gods　will　it。　I　think　it　will　be　piss　heavy　again　tomorrow。　Unless　the　wind　veers。　Unless　the　wind　veers　we　could　have　the　Devil　Winds；　the　Supreme　Winds；　and　those　fornicators　could　scatter　us　to　the　Four　Seas。　Piss　on　the　Supreme　Winds！〃
　〃I'll　piss　on　them　if　there　are　no　races。　My　nose　tells　me　it's　Banker　Kwang's　horse。〃
　〃Huh！　That　stinky；　mealy…mouth　nephew　of　mine　certainly　needs　a　change　of　joss！　The　fool's　lost　his　bank！〃
　Poon　hawked　and　spat　for　luck。　〃Thank　all　gods　for　Profitable　Choy！〃
　Since　Four　Fingers　and　his　captains　and　his　people　had　all　successfully　extracted　all　their　monies　from　the　Ho…Pak；　thanks　to　information　from　Paul　Choy　…　and　since　he　himself　was　still　enjoying　vast　profits　from　his　son's　illicit　manipulation　of　Struan　stock；　Wu　had　dubbed　him　Profitable　Choy。　Because　of　the　profit；　he　had　forgiven　his　son　the　transgression。　But　only　in　his　heart。　Being　prudent；　the　old　man　had　showed　none　of　it　outwardly　except　to　his　friend　and　confidant；　Goodweather　Poon。
　〃Bring　him　on　deck。〃
　〃What　about　this　Werewolf　fornicator？〃　Poon's　horny　toe　stabbed　Kin。　〃Young　Profitable　didn't　like　him　or　this　matter　at　all；　heya？〃
　〃Time　he　grew　up；　time　he　knew　how　to　treat　enemies；　time　he　knew　real　values；　not　ill…omened；　stink…wind；　fatuous　Golden　Mountain　values。〃　The　old　man　spat　on　the　deck。　〃He's　forgotten　who　he　is　and　where　his　interests　lie。〃
　〃You　said　yourself　you　don't　send　a　rabbit　against　a　dragon。　Or　a　minnow　against　a　shark。　You've　your　investment　to　consider　and　don't　forget　Profitable　Choy's　returned　everything　he　cost　you　over　fifteen　years　twenty　times　over。　In　the　money　market　he's　a　High　Dragon　and　only　twenty…six。　Leave　him　where　he's　best；　best　for　you　and　best　for　him。　Heya？〃
　〃Tonight　he's　best　here。〃
　The　old　seaman　scratched　his　ear。　〃I　don't　know　about　that；　Four　Fingers。　That　the　gods　will　decide。　Me；　I'd　have　left　him　ashore。〃　Now　Goodweather　Poon　was　watching　the　southeast。　His　peripheral　vision　had　caught　something。　〃You　see　it？〃
　After　a　moment　Four　Fingers　shook　his　head。　〃There's　plenty　of　time；　plenty　of　time。〃
　〃Yes。〃　The　old　seaman　glanced　back　at　the　body　trussed　with　chains　like　a　plucked　chicken。　His　face　split　into　a　grin。　〃Eeeee；　but　when　Profitable　Choy　turned　white　like　a　jellyfish　at　this　fornicator's　first　scream　and　first　blood；　I　had　to　break　wind　to　release　my　laughter　to　save　his　face！〃
　〃The　young　today　have　no　fortitude；〃　Wu　repeated；　then　lit　a　new　cigarette　and　nodded。　〃But　you're　right。　After　tonight　Profitable's　going　to　be　left　where　he　belongs　to　bee　even　more　profitable。〃　He　glanced　down　at　Smallpox　Kin。　〃Is　he　dead？〃
　〃Not　yet。　What　a　dirty　motherless　whore　to　hit　Number　One　Son　Noble　House　Chen　with　a　shovel　and　then　lie　about　it　to　us；　heya？　And　to　cut　off　Chen's　ear　and　blame　his　father　and　brothers　and　lie　about　that　too！　And　then　taking　the　ransom　even　though　they　couldn't　deliver　the　goods！　Terrible！〃
　〃Disgusting！〃　The　old　man　guffawed。　〃Even　more　terrible　to　get　caught。　But　then　you　showed　the　fornicator　the　error　of　his　rotten　ways；　Goodweather　Poon。〃
　They　both　laughed；　happy　together。
　〃Shall　I　cut　off　his　other　ear；　Four　Fingers？〃
　〃Not　yet。　Soon；　yes；　very　soon。〃
　Again　Poon　scratched　his　head。　〃One　thing　I　don't　understand。　I　don't　understand　why　you　told　me　to　put　their　sign　on　Number　One　Son　and　leave　him　as　they　planned　to　leave　him。〃　He　frowned　at　Four　Fingers。　〃When　this　fornicator's　dead　that's　all　the　Werewolves　dead；　heya？　So　what　good　is　the　sign？〃
　Four　Fingers　cackled。　〃All　es　clear　to　he　who　waits。　Patience；〃　he　said；　very　pleased　with　himself。　The　sign　implied　the　Werewolves　were　very　much　alive。　If　only　he　and　Poon　knew　that　they　were　all　dead；　he　could　at　any　time　resurrect　them；　or　the　threat　of　them。　At　his　whim。　Yes；　he　thought　happily；　kill　one　to　terrify　ten　thousand！　The　〃Werewolves〃　can　easily　bee　a　continuous　source　of　extra　revenue　at　very　little　cost。　A　few　phone　calls；　a　judicious　kidnapping　or　two；　perhaps　another　ear。　〃Patience；　Goodweather　Poon。　Soon　you'll　un…　〃　He　stopped。　Both　men　had　centered　their　eyes　on　the　same　spot　in　the　darkness。　A　small；　dimly　lit　freighter　was　just　nosing　into　sight。　In　a　moment　two　lights　flashed　at　her　masthead。　At　once　Wu　went　to　the　conn　and　flashed　an　answering　signal。　The　freighter　flashed　the　confirm。　〃Good；〃　Wu　said　happily；　flashing　his　reconfirm。　The　deck　crew　had　also　seen　the　lights。　One　hurried　below　to　fetch　the　rest　of　the　seamen　and　the　others　went　to　their　action　stations。　Wu's　eyes　fell　on　Smallpox　Kin。　〃First　him；〃　he　said　malevolently。　〃Fetch　my　son　here。〃
　Weakly　Paul　Choy　groped　his　way　on　deck。　He　gulped　the　fresh　air　gratefully；　the　stench　from　below　decks　overpowering。　He　climbed　the　gangway　to　the　poop。　When　he　saw　the　red　mess　on　the　deck　and　the　partial　person　on　the　deck；　his　stomach　revolted　and　once　more　he　threw　up　over　the　side。
　Four　Finger　Wu　said；　〃Give　Goodweather　Poon　a　hand。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Are　your　ears　filled　with　vomit？〃　the　old　man　shouted。　〃Give　him　a　hand。〃
　Frigh