jamesclavell.noblehouse-第198节
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Plumm turned again and led the way downward。 They hurried but with great caution； not wanting to make any unnecessary noise。 Soon they were near the secret exit。 Without hesitation the two men lifted the false floor and went below into the cool wet of the culvert。 Once they were there and safe； they stopped for breath； their hearts pounding with the suddenness of it all。
When he could talk； Suslev whispered； 〃Kuomintang？〃
Plumm just shrugged。 He wiped the sweat off。 A car rumbled overhead。 He directed his light to the dripping ceiling。 There were many cracks and another avalanche of stones and mud cascaded。 The floor was awash with half a foot of water that covered their shoes。
〃Best we part； old chap；〃 Plumm said softly and Suslev noticed that though the man was sweating； his voice was icy calm and the light never wavered。 〃I'll get Roger to deal with whatever shower that was at once。 Very bloody boring。〃
Suslev's heart was slowing。 He still found it difficult to speak。 〃Where do we meet tomorrow？〃
〃I'll let you know。〃 The Englishman's face was stark。 〃First Voranski； then Metkin and now this。 Too many leaks。〃 He jerked a thumb upward。 〃That was too close。 Maybe your Metkin knew more than you think he did。〃
〃No。 I tell you he knew nothing about Sevrin； nothing； or about that apartment or Clinker or any of it。 Only Voranski and me； we're the only ones who knew。 There's no leak from our side。〃
〃I hope you're right。〃 Plumm added grimly； 〃We'll find out； Roger'll find out one way or another； one day； and then God help the traitor！〃
〃Good。 I want him too。〃
After a pause Plumm said； 〃Call me every half an hour from various phone booths； from 7：30 p。m。 tomorrow。〃
〃All right。 If for any reason there's a problem I'll be at Ginny's from eleven onwards。 One last thing。 If we don't get to look at the AMG papers； what's your opinion about Dunross？〃
〃His memory's incredible。〃
〃Then we isolate him for a chemical interrogation？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Good； tovarich。 I'll make all the preparations。〃
〃No。 We'll snatch him and we'll deliver him。 To the Ivanov？〃
Suslev nodded and told him Metkin's suggestion of blaming the Werewolves； not saying it was Metkin's idea。 〃Eh？〃
Plumm smiled。 〃Clever！ See you tomorrow。〃 He handed Suslev the flashlight； took out a pencil light and turned； going down the culvert； his feet still under water。 Suslev watched until the tall man had turned the corner and vanished。 He had never followed the culvert below。 Plumm had told him not to； that it was dangerous and subject to rockfalls。
He took a deep breath； now over his fright。 Another car rumbled heavily overhead。 That's probably a truck； he thought absently。 More mud and a piece of the concrete fell with a splash； startling him。 Suslev waited； then began to pick his way carefully up the slope。 Another tiny avalanche。 Suddenly Suslev hated the subterranean tube。 It made him feel insecure and doom ridden。
56
11：59 P。M。：
Dunross was looking at the sad hulk of the burned…out Floating Dragon restaurant that lay on her side in twenty feet of Aberdeen water。 The other multistoried eating palaces that floated nearby were still blazing with lights； gaudy and noisy； filled to capacity； their new； hastily erected； temporary kitchens on barges beside their mother ships； cauldrons smoking； fires under the cauldrons； and a mass of cooks and helpers like so many bees。 Waiters hurried up and down precarious gangways with trays and dishes。 Sampans sailed nearby； tourists staring； Hong Kong yan gaping； the hulk a great attraction。
Part of the hulk's superstructure jutted out of the water。 Salvage crews were already working on her under floodlights； salvaging her； readying to float what remained of her。 On her part of the wharf and parking lot temporary roofing and kitchens were set up。 Vendors were busily selling photographs of the blaze； souvenirs； foods of a hundred kinds； and a huge floodlit sign in Chinese and English proudly proclaimed that the new； ONLY TOTALLY MODERN AND FIREPROOF FLOATING RESTAURANT； THE FLOATING DRAGON would soon be in business； bigger than ever； better than ever 。。。 meanwhile sample the foods of our famous chefs。 It was business as usual except that temporarily the restaurant was on land and not on the sea。
Dunross walked along the wharf toward one of the sea steps。 There were clusters of sampans nearby； big and small。 Most of these were for hire； each small craft with one sculler； a man； woman or child of any age； each craft with a hooped canvas covering that sheltered half of the boat from sun or rain or prying eyes。 Some of the sampans were more elaborate。 Those were the nighttime Pleasure Boats。 Inside were reclining pillows and low tables； the better craft luxurious with plenty of room for two to eat and drink and then to pillow； the single oarsman discreetly not part of the cabin。 You could hire one for an hour or a night and the boat would lazily float the byways。 Other sampans would e with all manner of drinks and foods； fresh foods served piping hot； served delicately； and you and your lady could dream the night away in perfect privacy。
You could go alone if you wished。 Then； out near one of the vast islands of boats； your sampans would rendezvous with Ladies of the Night and you could choose and barter and then drift。 In the harbor you could satisfy any wish； any thirst； any desire … at little cost； the price fair whoever you were … if you could pay and were a man。 Opium； cocaine； heroin； whatever you wanted。
Sometimes the food was bad or the singsong girl bad； but this was just joss； a regretted mistake and not deliberate。 Sometimes you could lose your wallet but then only a simpleton would e among such prideful poverty to flaunt his wealth。
Dunross smiled； seeing a heavyset tourist nervously ease himself into one of the craft； helped by a chong…samed girl。 You're in good hands； he thought； very glad with the hustle and bustle of business all around him； buying； selling； bartering。 Yes； he told himself； Chinese are the real capitalists of the world。
What about Tiptop and Johnjohn's request？ What about Lando Mata and Tightfist and Par…Con？ And Gornt？ And AMG and Riko Anjin and Sinders and 。。。
Don't think about them now。 Get your wits about you！ Four Finger Wu hasn't summoned you to discuss the weather。
He passed the first sea steps and headed along the wharf to the main ones； the light from the streetlamps casting strong shadows。 At once all the sampans there began to jostle for position； their owners calling out； beckoning。 When he got to the top of the steps the motion stopped。
〃Tai…pan！〃
A well…set Pleasure Boat with a Silver Lotus flag aft eased directly through them。 The boatman was short； squat with many gold teeth。 He wore torn khaki pants and a sweat shirt。
Dunross whistled to himself； recognizing Four Finger Wu's eldest son； the loh…pan； the head of Wu's fleet of Pleasure Boats。 No wonder the other boats gave him leeway； he thought； impressed that Goldtooth Wu met him personally。 Nimbly he went aboard； greeting him。 Goldtooth sculled swiftly away。
〃Make yourself at home； tai…pan；〃 Goldtooth said easily in perfect English…accented English。 He had a B。Sc。 from London University and had wanted to remain in England。 But Four Fingers had ordered him home。 He was a gentle； quiet； kind man whom Dunross liked。
〃Thank you。〃
On the lacquered table was fresh tea and whiskey and glasses； brandy and bottled water。 Dunross looked around carefully。 The cabin was neat and lit with little lights； clean； soft and expensive。 A small radio played good music。 This must be Goldtooth's flagship； he thought； amused and very much on guard。
There was no need to ask where Goldtooth was taking him。 He poured himself a little brandy； adding soda water。 There was no ice。 In Asia he never used ice。
〃Christ；〃 he muttered suddenly； remembering what Peter Marlowe had said about the possibility of infectious hepatitis。 Fifty or sixty people have that hanging over their heads now； if they know it or not。 Gornt's one of them too。 Yes； but that sod's got the constitution of a meat ax。 The bugger hasn't even had a touch of the runs。 What to do about him？ What's his permanent solution？
It was cool and pleasant in the cabin； half open to the breeze； the sky dark。 A huge junk moved past； chugging throatily； and he lay back enjoying the tensions he felt； the anticipation。 His heart was steady。 He sipped the brandy； drifting； being patient。
The side of the sampan scraped another。 His ears focused。 Bare feet padded aboard。 Two sets of feet； one nimble the other not。 〃Halloa； tai…pan！〃 Four Fingers said； grinning toothlessly。 He ducked under the canopy and sat down。 〃How you okay？〃 he said in dreadful English。
〃Fine and you？〃 Dunross stared at him； trying to hide his astonishment。 Four Finger Wu was dressed in a good suit with a clean white shirt and gaudy tie and carried shoes and socks。 The last time Dunross had seen him like this was the night of the fire and before that； the only other time years ago； at Shitee T'Chung's immense wedding。
More feet approached。 Awkwardly Paul Choy sat down。 〃Evening； sir。 I'm Paul Choy。〃
〃Are you all right？〃 he asked； sensing great d
