jamesclavell.noblehouse-第204节

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a　boy　and　thirty…one　for　a　girl；　nothing's　set；　there's　no　soul；　no　personality；　no　person　。。。　up　to　that　time　there's　no　person。〃　He　turned　back　in　the　tiny　kitchen　and　set　the　kettle　to　boil；　trying　to　sound　convincing。　〃It's；　it's　best　to　believe　that；　eh？　How　could　it　be　anything　but　。。。　but　an　it。　There's　no　person　till　then；　thirty…odd　days　after　birth；　so　that　doesn't　make　it　so　bad。　It's　still　ghastly　for　the　mother　but　not　so　bad。　Sorry；　I'm　not　making　much　sense。〃
　〃Oh　you　are。　I　hope　she'll　be　all　right　now；〃　Casey　said；　wanting　to　touch　him；　not　knowing　whether　to　or　not。　He　looked　so　dignified　in　his　misery；　trying　to　sound　so　calm；　yet　just　a　little　boy　to　her。
　〃Chinese　and　Japanese　are　really　very　sensible；　Casey。　Their　。。。　their　superstitions　make　life　easier。　I　suppose　their　infant　mortality　rate　was　so　awful　in　olden　days　that　that　made　some　wise　father　invent　that　wisdom　to　save　a　mother's　grief。〃　He　sighed。　〃Or　more　likely；　some　wiser　mother　invented　it　to　succor　a　broken　father。　Eh？〃
　〃Probably；〃　she　said；　out　of　her　depth；　watching　his　hands　make　the　tea。　First　boiling　water　into　the　teapot；　the　pot　rinsed　carefully；　then　the　water　thrown　away。　Three　spoons　of　tea　and　one　for　the　pot；　the　boiling　water　brought　to　the　pot。　〃Sorry　we've　no　tea　bags；　I　can't　get　used　to　them　though　Fleur　says　they're　just　as　good　and　cleaner。　Sorry；　tea's　all　we've　got。〃　He　brought　the　tea　tray　into　the　living　room　and　set　it　on　the　dining　table。　〃Milk　and　sugar？〃　he　asked。
　〃Fine；〃　she　said；　never　having　had　it　that　way。
　It　tasted　strange。　But　strong　and　life…giving。　They　drank　in　silence。　He　smiled　faintly。　〃Christ；　without　a　cuppa；　eh？〃
　〃It's　great。〃
　His　eyes　saw　his　half…opened　book。　〃Oh！〃
　〃I　like　what　I've　read　so　far；　Peter。　How　true　is　it？〃
　Absently　he　poured　himself　another　cup。　〃As　true　as　any　telling　about　any　happening　fifteen　years　after　the　event。　As　best　as　I　can　remember　the　incidents　are　accurate。　The　people　in　the　book　didn't　live；　though　people　like　them　did　and　said　those　sort　of　things　and　did　those　deeds。〃
　〃It's　unbelievable。　Unbelievable　that　people；　youths　could　survive　that。　How　old　were　you　then？〃
　〃Changi　began　when　I　was　just　eighteen　and　ended　when　I　was　twenty…one　…　twenty…one　and　a　bit。〃
　〃Who're　you　in　the　book？〃
　〃Perhaps　I'm　not　there　at　all。〃
　Casey　decided　to　let　that　pass。　For　the　time　being。　Until　she　had　finished。　〃I'd　better　go。　You　must　be　exhausted。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not。　Actually；　I'm　not　tired。　I've　got　some　notes　to　write　up　…　I'll　sleep　after　the　kids're　off　to　school。　But　you；　you　must　be。　I　can't　thank　you　enough；　Casey。　I　owe　you　a　favor。〃
　She　smiled　and　shook　her　head。　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Peter；　you　know　so　much　about　this　place；　who　would　you　go　with；　Dunross　or　Gornt？〃
　〃In　business；　Gornt。　For　the　future；　Dunross；　if　he　can　weather　this　storm。　From　what　I　hear；　though；　that's　not　likely。〃
　〃Why　Dunross　for　the　future？〃
　〃Face。　Gornt　hasn't　the　style　to　be　the　tai…pan　…　or　the　necessary　background。〃
　〃Is　that　so　important？〃
　〃Totally；　here。　If　Par…Con　wants　a　hundred　years　of　growth；　Dunross。　If　you're　in　just　for　a　killing；　a　quick　in…and…out　raid；　go　with　Gornt。〃
　She　finished　her　tea　thoughtfully。　〃What　do　you　know　about　Orlanda？〃
　〃Lots；〃　he　said　at　once。　〃But　knowing　scandal　or　gossip　about　a　living　person　isn't　the　same　as　knowing　legends　or　gossip　about　ancient　times。　Is　it？〃
　She　watched　him　back。　〃Even　for　a　favor？〃
　〃That's　different。〃　His　eyes　narrowed　slightly。　〃Are　you　asking　for　a　favor？〃
　She　set　her　teacup　down　and　shook　her　head。　〃No；　Peter；　not　now。　I　might　later　but　not　now。〃　She　saw　his　frown　deepen。　〃What？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　was　wondering　why　Orlanda　was　a　threat　to　you。　Why　tonight？　Obviously；　that　leads　to　Linc。　That　leads　inevitably　to：　she's　out　with　him　now；　which　explains　why　you　sounded　so　ghastly　when　I　called。〃
　〃Did　I？〃
　〃Yes。　Oh；　of　course；　I'd　noticed　Linc　looking　at　her　at　Aberdeen　and　you　looking　at　him　and　her　looking　at　you。〃　He　sipped　some　tea；　his　face　hardening。　〃That　was　quite　a　party。　Lots　of　beginnings　at　that　party；　great　tensions；　big　drama。　Fascinating；　if　you　can　disassociate　yourself　from　it。　But　you　can't；　can　you？〃
　〃Do　you　always　watch　and　listen？〃
　〃I　try　to　train　myself　as　an　observer。　I　try　to　use　my　ears　and　eyes　and　other　senses；　properly；　as　they　should　be　used。　You're　the　same。　Not　much　escapes　you。〃
　〃Maybe；　maybe　not。〃
　〃Orlanda's　Hong　Kong…trained　and　Gornt…trained　and　if　you　plan　a　clash　with　her　over　Linc　you'd　better　be　prepared　for　a　battle　royal　…　if　she's　decided　to　try　to　grab　him；　which　I　don't　know　yet。〃
　〃Would　Gornt　be　using　her？〃
　After　a　pause；　he　said；　〃I'd　imagine　Orlanda's　Orlanda's　keeper。　Aren't　most　ladies？〃
　〃Most　ladies　gear　their　lives　to　a　man；　whether　they　want　to　or　not。〃
　〃From　what　I　know　about　you；　you　can　take　care　of　any　opposition。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　about　me？〃
　〃Lots。〃　Again　the　faint；　easy；　gentle　smile。　〃Amongst　them；　that　you're　smart；　brave　and　have　great　face。〃
　〃I'm　so　tired　of　face；　Peter。　In　the　future　。。。〃　Her　smile　was　equally　warm。　〃From　here　on　in；　in　my　book；　a　person's　going　to　gain　ass　…　or　arse　as　you　call　it　…　or　lose　it。〃
　He　laughed　with　her。　〃The　way　you　say　it　sounds　more　ladylike。〃
　〃I'm　no　lady。〃
　〃Oh　but　you　are。〃　He　added　more　gently；　〃I　saw　the　way　Linc　looked　at　you　at　Dunross's　party　too。　He　loves　you。　And　he'd　be　a　fool　to　swap　you　for　her。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Peter。〃　She　got　up　and　kissed　him　and　left；　at　peace。　When　she　got　out　of　the　elevator　on　her　floor；　Nighttime　Song　was　there。　He　padded　ahead　of　her　and　opened　her　door　with　a　flourish。　He　saw　her　eyes　go　to　the　door　at　the　end　of　the　corridor。
　〃Master　not　home；〃　he　volunteered　grandly。　〃Not　yet　e　back。〃
　Casey　sighed。　〃You've　just　lost　more　ass；　old　friend。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　She　shut　the　door；　feeling　pleased　with　herself。　In　bed；　she　began　to　read　again。　With　the　dawn　she　finished　the　book。　Then　she　slept。
　
　58
　
　9：25　A。M。：
　Dunross　came　around　the　corner　in　his　Jaguar　fast；　climbing　the　winding　road　easily；　then　turned　into　a　driveway　and　stopped　an　inch　from　the　tall　gates。　The　gates　were　set　into　high　walls。　In　a　moment　a　Chinese　porter　peered　through　the　side　door。　When　he　recognized　the　tai…pan　he　opened　the　gates　wide　and　waved　him　through。
　The　driveway　curled　and　stopped　outside　an　ornate　Chinese　mansion。　Dunross　got　out。　Another　servant　greeted　him　silently。　The　grounds　were　well　kept　and　down　a　slope　was　a　tennis　court　where　four　Chinese；　two　men　and　two　women；　were　playing　mixed　doubles。　They　paid　no　attention　to　him　and　Dunross　did　not　recognize　any　of　them。
　〃Please　follow　me；　tai…pan；〃　the　servant　said。
　Dunross　hid　his　curiosity　as　he　was　shown　into　an　anteroom。　This　was　the　first　time　he　or　anyone　that　he　knew　had　ever　been　invited　into　Tiptop's　home。　The　interior　was　clean　and　busy　with　the　strange；　careless　but　usual　Chinese　mixture　of　good　lacquer　antiques　and　ugly　modern　bric…a…brac。　Walls　were　paneled　and　ornate　with　a　few　bad　prints　hanging　on　them。　He　sat　down。　Another　servant　brought　tea　and　poured。
　Dunross　could　feel　that　he　was　being　observed　but　this　too　was　usual。　Most　of　these　old　houses　had　spyholes　in　the　walls　and　doors　…　there　were　many　even　in　the　Great　House。
　When　he　had　got　back　to　the　Great　House　this　morning　near　4：00　a。m。　he　had　gone　straight　to　his　study　and　opened　the　safe。　There　was　no　doubt；　with　even　a　cursory　glance；　that　one　of　the　two　remaining　coins　fitted　the　imprints　that　were　in　Four　Finger　Wu's　beeswax　matrix。　No　doubt　at　all。　His　fingers　were　trembling　when　he　broke　the　half…coin　from　its　restraining　sealing　wax　in　Dirk　Struan's　Bible　and　cleaned　it。　It　fitted　the　indentations　perfectly。
　〃Christ；〃　he　had　muttered。　〃Now　what？〃　Then　he　had　put　the　matrix　and　the　coin　back　into　the　safe。　His　eyes　saw　the　loaded　automatic　and　the　empty　space　where　AMG's　files　had　been。　Uneasily　he　had　relocked　the　safe　and　went　to　bed。　There　was　a　message　on　his　pillow：　〃Father　dear：　Will　you　wake　me　when　you　leave？　We　want　to　watch　the　tryouts。　Love；　Adryon。　P。S。　Can　I　invite　Martin　to　the　races　Saturday　please　please　please？　P。P。S。　I　think　he's　super。　P。P。P。S。　You're　super　too。　P。P。P。P。S。　You're　out　late；　aren't　you？　Now　it's　3：16！！！！〃
　He　had　tiptoed　to　her　room　and　opened　her　door　but　she　was　fast　asleep。　When　he　had　left　this　morning　he　had　had　to　knock　twice　to　awaken　her。　〃Adryon！　It's　6：30。〃
　〃Oh！　Is　it　raining？〃　she　said　sleepily。
　〃No。　Soon　will　be。　Shall　I　open　the　blinds？〃
　〃No；　Father　dear；　thank　you　。。。　doesn't　matter；　Martin　won't　。。。　won't　mind。〃　She　had　stifled　a　yawn。　Her　eyes　had　closed　and；　almost　instantly；　she　was　deep　asleep　again。
　Amused；　he　had　shaken　her　lightly　but　she　had　not　e　out　of　sleep。　〃Doesn't　matter；　Father。　Martin　won't　。。。〃　And　now；　remembering　how　lovely　she　was　and　what　his　wife　had　said　about　the　pill；　he　decided　to　make　a　very　serious　check　on　Martin　Haply。　Just　in　case。
　〃Ah；　tai…pan；　sorry　to　keep　you　waiting。〃
　Dunross　got　up　and　shook　the　outstretched　hand。　〃It's　good　of　you　to　see　me；　Mr。　Tip。　Sorry　to　hear　about　your　cold。〃
　Tip　Tok…toh　was　in　his　sixties；　graying；　with　a　round　nice　face。　He　wore　a　dre