jamesclavell.noblehouse-第21节

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ello；　Quillan；〃　she　said　with　a　smile　that　warmed　the　room；　her　English　slightly　American　accented。　〃Sorry　to　interrupt　but　I've　just　got　back　from　Bangkok　and　wanted　to　say　hello。〃
　〃Glad　you　did；　Orlanda。〃　Gornt　smiled　at　Bartlett　who　was　staring　at　her。　〃This　is　Linc　Bartlett；　from　America。　Orlanda　Ramos。〃
　〃Hello；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Hi　。。。　oh；　Linc　Bartlett？　The　American　millionaire　gun…runner？〃　she　said　and　laughed。
　〃What？〃
　〃Oh　don't　look　so　shocked；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Everyone　in　Hong　Kong　knows　…　Hong　Kong's　just　a　village。〃
　〃Seriously　…　how　did　you　know？〃
　〃I　read　it　in　my　morning　paper。〃
　〃Impossible！　It　only　happened　at　5：30　this　morning。〃
　〃It　was　in　the　Fai　Pao　…　the　Express　…　in　the　Stop　Press　column　at　nine　o'clock。　It's　a　Chinese　paper　and　the　Chinese　know　everything　that's　going　on　here。　Don't　worry；　the　English　papers　won't　pick　it　up　till　the　afternoon　editions；　but　you　can　expect　the　press　on　your　doorstep　around　the　happy　hour。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　The　last　thing　I　want's　the　goddamn　press　after　me；　Bartlett　thought　sourly。
　〃Don't　worry；　Mr。　Bartlett；　I　won't　ask　you　for　an　interview；　even　though　I　am　a　free…lance　reporter　for　the　Chinese　press。　I'm　really　very　discreet；〃　she　said。　〃Am　I　not；　Quillan？〃
　〃Absolutely。　I'll　vouch　for　that；〃　Gornt　said。　〃Orlanda's　absolutely　trustworthy。〃
　〃Of　course　if　you　want　to　offer　an　interview　…　I'll　accept。　Tomorrow。〃
　〃I'll　consider　it。〃
　〃I'll　guarantee　to　make　you　look　marvelous！〃
　〃The　Chinese　really　know　everything　here？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　at　once。　〃But　quai　loh　…　foreigners　…　don't　read　the　Chinese　papers；　except　for　a　handful　of　old　China　hands　…　like　Quillan。〃
　〃And　the　whole　of　Special　Intelligence；　Special　Branch　and　the　police　in　general；〃　Gornt　said。
　〃And　Ian　Dunross；〃　she　added；　the　tip　of　her　tongue　touching　her　teeth。
　〃He's　that　sharp？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　〃Oh　yes。　He's　got　Devil　Struan's　blood　in　him。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃You　will；　if　you　stay　here　long　enough。〃
　Bartlett　thought　about　that；　then　frowned。　〃You　knew　about　the　guns　too；　Mr。　Gornt？〃
　〃Only　that　the　police　had　intercepted　contraband　arms　aboard　'the　millionaire　American's　private　jet　which　arrived　last　night。'　It　was　in　my　Chinese　paper　this　morning　too。　The　Sing　Pao。〃　Gornt's　smile　was　sardonic。　〃That's　The　Times　in　Cantonese。　It　was　in　their　Stop　Press　column　too。　But；　unlike　Orlanda；　I　am　surprised　you　haven't　been　intercepted　by　members　of　our　English　press　already。　They're　very　diligent　here　in　Hong　Kong。　More　diligent　than　Orlanda　gives　them　credit　for　being。〃
　Bartlett　caught　her　perfume　but　persisted。　〃I'm　surprised　you　didn't　mention　it；　Mr。　Gornt。〃
　〃Why　should　I？　What　do　guns　have　to　do　with　our　possible　future　association？〃　Gornt　chuckled。　〃If　worst　es　to　worst　we'll　visit　you　in　jail；　Orlanda　and　I。〃
　She　laughed。　〃Yes　indeed。〃
　〃Thanks　a　lot！〃　Again　her　perfume。　Bartlett　put　aside　the　guns　and　concentrated　on　her。　〃Ramos　…　that's　Spanish？〃
　〃Portuguese。　From　Macao。　My　father　worked　for　Rothwell…Gornt　in　Shanghai　…　my　mother's　Shanghainese。　I　was　brought　up　in　Shanghai　until　'49；　then　went　to　the　States　for　a　few　years；　to　high　school　in　San　Francisco。〃
　〃Did　you？　L。A。's　my　hometown　…　I　went　to　high　school　in　the　Valley。〃
　〃I　love　California；〃　she　said。　〃How　d'you　like　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃I've　just　arrived。〃　Bartlett　grinned。　〃Seems　I　made　an　explosive　entrance。〃
　She　laughed。　Lovely　white　teeth。　〃Hong　Kong's　all　right　…　provided　you　can　leave　every　month　or　so。　You　should　visit　Macao　for　a　weekend　…　it's　old　worldly；　very　pretty；　only　forty　miles　away　with　good　ferries。　It's　very　different　from　Hong　Kong。〃　She　turned　back　to　Gornt。　〃Again；　I'm　sorry　to　interrupt；　Quillan；　just　wanted　to　say　hello。　。。。〃　She　started　to　leave。
　〃No；　we're　through　…　I　was　just　going；〃　Bartlett　said；　interrupting　her。　〃Thanks　again；　Mr。　Gornt。　See　you　Tuesday　if　not　before。　。。。　Hope　to　see　you　again；　Miss　Ramos。〃
　〃Yes；　that　would　be　nice。　Here's　my　card　…　if　you'll　grant　the　interview　I　guarantee　a　good　press。〃　She　held　out　her　hand　and　he　touched　it　and　felt　her　warmth。
　Gornt　saw　him　to　the　door　and　then　closed　it　and　came　back　to　his　desk　and　took　a　cigarette。　She　lit　the　match　for　him　and　blew　out　the　flame；　then　sat　in　the　chair　Bartlett　had　used。
　〃Nice…looking　man；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes。　But　he's　American；　naive；　and　a　very　cocky　bastard　who　may　need　taking　down　a　peg。〃
　〃That's　what　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Perhaps。　Did　you　read　his　dossier？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Very　interesting。〃　Orlanda　smiled。
　〃You're　not　to　ask　him　for　money；〃　Gornt　said　sharply。
　〃Ayeeyah；　Quillan；　am　I　that　dumb？〃　she　said　as　abrasively；　her　eyes　flashing。
　〃Good。〃
　〃Why　would　he　smuggle　guns　into　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃Why　indeed；　my　dear？　Perhaps　someone　was　just　using　him。〃
　〃That　must　be　the　answer。　If　I　had　all　his　money　I　wouldn't　try　something　as　stupid　as　that。〃
　〃No；〃　Gornt　said。
　〃Oh；　did　you　like　that　bit　about　my　being　a　free…lance　reporter？　I　thought　I　did　that　very　well。〃
　〃Yes；　but　don't　underestimate　him。　He's　no　fool。　He's　very　sharp。　Very。〃　He　told　her　about　the　Casale。　〃That's　too　much　of　a　coincidence。　He　must　have　a　dossier　on　me　too；　a　detailed　one。　Not　many　know　of　my　liking　for　that　place。〃
　〃Maybe　I'm　in　it　too。〃
　〃Perhaps。　Don't　let　him　catch　you　out。　About　the　free　lancing。〃
　〃Oh；　e　on；　Quillan；　who　of　the　tai…pans　except　you　and　Dunross　read　the　Chinese　papers　…　and　even　then　you　can't　read　all　of　them。　I've　already　done　a　column　or　two　。。。　'by　a　Special　Correspondent。'　If　he　grants　me　an　interview　I　can　write　it。　Don't　worry。〃　She　moved　the　ashtray　closer　for　him。　〃It　went　all　right；　didn't　it？　With　Bartlett？〃
　〃Perfectly。　You're　wasted。　You　should　be　in　the　movies。〃
　〃Then　talk　to　your　friend　about　me；　please；　please；　Quillan　dear。　Charlie　Wang's　the　biggest　producer　in　Hong　Kong　and　owes　you　lots　of　favors。　Charlie　Wang　has　so　many　movies　going　that　。。。　just　one　chance　is　all　I　need。　。。。　I　could　bee　a　star！　Please？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　he　asked　dryly。　〃But　I　don't　think　you're　his　type。〃
　〃I　can　adapt。　Didn't　I　act　exactly　as　you　wanted　with　Bartlett。　Am　I　not　dressed　perfectly；　American　style？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　you　are。〃　Gornt　looked　at　her；　then　said　delicately；　〃You　could　be　perfect　for　him。　I　was　thinking　you　could　perhaps　have　something　more　permanent　than　an　affair。　。。。〃
　All　her　attention　concentrated。　〃What？〃
　〃You　and　he　could　fit　together　like　a　perfect　Chinese　puzzle。　You're　good…humored；　the　right　age；　beautiful；　clever；　educated；　marvelous　at　the　pillow；　very　smart　in　the　head；　with　enough　of　an　American　patina　to　put　him　at　ease。〃　Gornt　exhaled　smoke　and　added；　〃And　of　all　the　ladies　I　know；　you　could　really　spend　his　money。　Yes；　you　two　could　fit　perfectly　。。。　he'd　be　very　good　for　you　and　you'd　brighten　his　life　considerably。　Wouldn't　you？〃
　〃Oh　yes；〃　she　said　at　once。　〃Oh　yes　I　would。〃　She　smiled　then　frowned。　〃But　what　about　the　woman　he　has　with　him？　They're　sharing　a　suite　at　the　Vic。　I　heard　she's　gorgeous。　What　about　her；　Quillan？〃
　Gornt　smiled　thinly。　〃My　spies　say　they　don't　sleep　together　though　they're　better　than　friends。〃
　Her　face　fell。　〃He's　not　queer；　is　he？〃
　Gornt　laughed。　It　was　a　good　rich　laugh。　〃I　wouldn't　do　that　to　you；　Orlanda！　No；　I'm　sure　he's　not。　He's　just　got　a　strange　arrangement　with　Casey。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　Gornt　shrugged。
　After　a　moment　she　said；　〃What　do　I　do　about　her？〃
　〃If　Casey　Tcholok's　in　your　way；　remove　her。　You've　got　claws。〃
　〃You're　。。。　Sometimes　I　don't　like　you　at　all。〃
　〃We're　both　realists；　you　and　I。　Aren't　we。〃　He　said　it　very　flat。
　She　recognized　the　undercurrent　of　violence。　At　once　she　got　up　and　leaned　across　the　desk　and　kissed　him　lightly。　〃You're　a　devil；〃　she　said；　placating　him。　〃That's　for　old　times。〃
　His　hand　strayed　to　her　breast　and　he　sighed；　remembering；　enjoying　the　warmth　that　came　through　the　thin　material。　〃Ayeeyah；　Orlanda；　we　had　some　good　times；　didn't　we？〃
　She　had　been　his　mistress　when　she　was　seventeen。　He　was　her　first　and　he　had　kept　her　for　almost　five　years　and　would　have　continued　but　she　went　with　a　youth　to　Macao　when　he　was　away　and　he　had　been　told　about　it。　And　so　he　had　stopped。　At　once。　Even　though　they　had　a　daughter　then；　he　and　she；　one　year　old。
　〃Orlanda；〃　he　had　told　her　as　she　had　begged　for　forgiveness；　〃there's　nothing　to　forgive。　I've　told　you　a　dozen　times　that　youth　needs　youth；　and　there'd　e　a　day。　。。。　Dry　your　tears；　marry　the　lad　…　I'll　give　you　a　dowry　and　my　blessing。　。。。〃　And　throughout　all　her　weepings　he　had　remained　firm。　〃We'll　be　friends；〃　he　had　assured　her；　〃and　I'll　take　care　of　you　when　you　need　it。　。。。〃
　The　next　day　he　had　turned　the　heat　of　his　covert　fury　on　the　youth；　an　Englishman；　a　minor　executive　in　Asian　Properties　and；　within　the　month；　he　had　broken　him。
　〃It's　a　matter　of　face；〃　he　had　told　her　calmly。
　〃Oh　I　know；　I　understand　but　。。。　what　shall　I　do　now？〃　she　had　wailed。　〃He's　leaving　tomorrow　for　England　and　he　wants　me　to　go　with　him　and　marry　him　but　I　can't　marry　now；　he's　got　no　money　or　future　or　job　or　money。　。。。〃
　〃Dry　your　tears；　then　go　shopping。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Yes。　Here's　a　present。〃　He　had　given　her　a　first…class；　return　ticket　to