jamesclavell.noblehouse-第220节

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　her　decks　floodlit；　her　flag　fluttering　bravely。　A　jet　shrieked　into　the　night　sky　from　Kai　Tak　and　ining　jets　approaching　Kowloon　were　stacked　up。
　He　could　not　see　the　airport　or　his　own　airplane　from　this　angle　but　he　knew　where　it　was　parked。　This　afternoon　he　had　visited　it　with　police　permission　to　check　and　fetch　some　papers　and　provisions。
　Orlanda；　beside　him；　touched　him　casually　and　he　looked　at　her。　She　smiled　back　and　he　was　warmed。
　〃Great；　isn't　it？〃
　Happily　she　nodded。　There　was　no　need　to　answer。　Both　knew。
　〃It　is；〃　Gornt　said；　thinking　that　Bartlett　was　talking　to　him　and　looked　around　at　him。　〃It's　grand　to　be　afloat　at　night；　master　of　your　own　craft。　We　go　west；　then　almost　due　south　around　Hong　Kong　…　about　three　quarters　of　an　hour。〃　He　beckoned　his　captain　who　was　nearby；　a　silent　lithe　Shanghainese　wearing　neat；　starched　white　ducks。
　〃Shey…shey；〃　thank　you；　the　man　said　taking　the　helm。
　Gornt　waved　to　the　chairs　aft　around　a　table。　〃Shall　we？〃　He　glanced　at　Orlanda。　〃You're　looking　very　pretty；　Orlanda。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。
　〃You're　not　too　cold？〃
　〃Oh　no；　Quillan；　thank　you。〃
　A　liveried　steward　came　from　below。　On　his　tray　were　hot　and　cold　canapés。　In　the　ice　bucket　beside　the　table　was　an　opened　bottle　of　white　wine；　four　glasses；　two　cans　of　American　beer　and　some　soft　drinks。　〃What　can　I　offer　you；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　Gornt　asked。　〃The　wine's　Frascati　but　I　hear　you　prefer　iced　cold　beer　out　of　the　can？〃
　〃Tonight　Frascati　…　beer　later；　if　I　may？〃
　〃Orlanda？〃
　〃Wine　please；　Quillan；〃　she　said　calmly；　knowing　that　he　knew　she　preferred　Frascati　to　any　other　wine。　I'll　have　to　be　very　wise　tonight；　she　thought；　very　strong　and　very　wise　and　very　clever。　She　had　agreed　to　Gornt's　suggestion　at　once　for　she；　too；　loved　the　water　at　night　and　the　restaurant　was　a　favorite　though　she　would　have　preferred　to　have　been　alone　with　Linc　Bartlett。　But　it　was　clearly　an　。。。　No；　she　thought；　correcting　herself。　It　wasn't　an　order；　it　was　a　request。　Quillan's　on　my　side。　And　in　this；　my　side　and　his　side　have　the　same　aim　in　mon：　Linc。　Oh　how　I　enjoy　Linc！
　When　she　looked　at　him　she　saw　he　was　watching　Gornt。　Her　heart　quickened。　It　was　like　once　when　Gornt　had　taken　her　to　Spain　and　she　had　seen　a　mano　a　mano。　Yes；　these　two　men　are　like　matadors　tonight。　I　know　Quillan　still　desires　me　whatever　he　says。　She　smiled　back　at　him；　her　excitement　in　place。　〃Wine　would　be　fine　for　me。〃
　It　was　dark　on　deck；　the　lighting　fortable　and　intimate。　The　steward　poured；　this　wine　as　always　very　good；　delicate；　dry　and　enticing。　Bartlett　opened　an　air　carry　bag　that　he　had　brought　with　him。　〃It's　an　old　American　custom　to　bring　a　gift　the　first　time　you　go　to　a　home　…　I　guess　this　is　a　home。〃　He　put　the　wine　bottle　on　the　table。
　〃Oh　that's　very　kind　of　。。。〃　Gornt　stopped。　Delicately　he　picked　up　the　bottle　and　stared　at　it；　then　got　up　and　looked　at　it　under　the　binnacle　light。　He　sat　down　again。　〃That's　not　a　gift；　Mr。　Bartlett；　that's　bottled　magic。　I　thought　my　eyes　were　deceiving　me。〃　It　was　a　Chateau　Margaux；　one　of　the　great　premier　cru　clarets　from　the　Médoc　in　the　province　of　Bordeaux。　〃I've　never　had　the　'49。　That　was　a　dream　year　for　clarets。　Thank　you。　Thank　you　very　much。〃
　〃Orlanda　said　you　liked　red　better　than　white　but　I　guessed　we　might　have　some　fish。〃　Casually　he　put　the　second　bottle　beside　the　first。
　Gornt　stared　at　it。　It　was　a　Chateau　Haut…Brion。　In　good　years　Chateau　Haut…Brion　red　pared　with　all　the　great　Médocs；　but　the　white　…　dry；　delicate　and　little　known　because　it　was　so　scarce　…　was　considered　one　of　the　finest　of　all　the　great　Bordeaux　whites。　The　year　was　'55。
　Gornt　sighed。　〃If　you　know　so　much　about　wines；　Mr。　Bartlett；　why　do　you　drink　beer？〃
　〃I　like　beer　with　pasta；　Mr。　Gornt；　…　and　beer　before　lunch。　But　wine　with　food。〃　Bartlett　grinned。　〃e　Tuesday；　we'll　have　beer　with　the　pasta；　then　Frascati　or　Verdicchio　or　the　Umbrian　Casale　with　。。。　with　what？〃
　〃Piccata？〃
　〃Great；〃　Bartlett　said；　not　wanting　any　piccata　other　than　Orlanda's。　〃That's　just　about　my　favorite。〃　He　kept　his　attention　on　Gornt　and　did　not　glance　at　Orlanda　but　he　knew　she　knew　what　he　meant。　I'm　glad　I　tested　her。
　〃Oh　did　you　have　a　good　time？〃　she　had　said　when　she　had　called　for　him　this　morning　at　the　small　hotel　on　Sunning　Road。　〃Oh　I　do　hope　so；　Linc；　darling。〃
　The　other　girl　had　been　beautiful　but　there　had　been　no　feeling　other　than　lust；　the　satisfaction　of　the　joining　minimal。　He　had　told　her。
　〃Oh　then　that's　my　fault。　We　chose　wrong；〃　she　had　said　unhappily。　〃Tonight　we'll　have　dinner　and　we'll　try　somewhere　else。〃
　Involuntarily　he　smiled　and　looked　at　her。　The　sea　breeze　was　making　her　more　beautiful。　Then　he　noticed　Gornt　watching　them。　〃Are　we　eating　fish　tonight？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Orlanda；　did　you　tell　Mr。　Bartlett　about　Pok　Liu　Chau？〃
　〃No；　Quillan；　just　that　we've　been　invited　for　a　sail。〃
　〃Good。　It　won't　be　a　banquet　but　the　seafood　there's　excellent；　Mr。　Bartlett。　You　pi…　〃
　〃Why　don't　you　call　me　Linc　and　let　me　call　you　Quillan？　The　'mister'　bit　gives　me　indigestion。〃
　They　all　laughed。　Gornt　said；　〃Linc；　with　your　permission　we'll　not　open　your　gift　tonight。　Chinese　food's　not　for　these　great　wines；　they　wouldn't　plement　each　other。　I'll　keep　them；　if　I　may；　for　our　dinner　Tuesday？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　There　was　a　small　silence　within　the　muted　thunder　of　the　diesel　engines　below。　Immediately　sensing　Gornt　wanted　privacy；　Orlanda　got　up　with　a　smile。　〃Excuse　me　a　second；　I　just　want　to　powder　my　nose。〃
　〃Use　the　forward　cabins；　the　forward　gangway；　Orlanda；〃　Gornt　said；　watching　her。
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　and　walked　off；　in　one　way　glad；　in　another　hurt。　The　forward　cabins　were　for　guests。　She　would　have　automatically　gone　down　this　gangway　to　the　main　cabin；　to　the　toilet　off　the　master　suite　…　the　suite　that　once　was　theirs。　Never　mind。　The　past　is　the　past　and　now　there's　Linc；　she　thought；　going　forward。
　Bartlett　sipped　his　wine；　wondering　why　Orlanda　had　seemed　to　hesitate。　He　concentrated　on　Gornt。　〃How　many　does　this　boat　sleep？〃
　〃Ten　fortably。　There's　a　regular　crew　of　four　…　captain…engineer；　a　deckhand；　cook　and　steward。　I'll　show　you　around　later　if　you　like。〃　Gornt　lit　a　cigarette。　〃You　don't　smoke？〃
　〃No；　no　thanks。〃
　〃We　can　cruise　for　a　week　without　refueling。　If　necessary。　We　still　conclude　our　deal　on　Tuesday？〃
　〃That's　still　D　Day。〃
　〃Have　you　changed　your　mind？　About　Struan's？〃
　〃Monday'll　still　decide　the　battle。　Monday　at　3：00　p。m。　When　the　market　closes；　you've　got　Ian　or　you　haven't　and　it's　a　standoff　again。〃
　〃This　time　it　won't　be　a　standoff。　He's　ruined。〃
　〃It　sure　as　hell　looks　that　way。〃
　〃Are　you　still　going　to　Taipei　with　him？〃
　〃That's　still　the　plan。〃
　Gornt　took　a　deep　drag　of　his　cigarette。　His　eyes　checked　the　lie　of　his　ship。　They　were　well　out　into　the　main　channel。　Gornt　got　up　and　stood　beside　the　captain　a　moment　but　the　captain　had　also　seen　the　small　unlit　junk　ahead　and　he　skirted　it　without　danger。　〃Full　ahead；〃　Gornt　said　and　came　back。　He　refilled　the　glasses；　chose　one　of　the　deep…fried　dim　sum　and　looked　at　the　American。　〃Linc；　may　I　be　blunt？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Orlanda。〃
　Bartlett's　eyes　narrowed。　〃What　about　her？〃
　〃As　you　probably　know；　she　and　I　were　very　good　friends　once。　Very　good。　Hong　Kong's　a　very　gossipy　place　and　you'll　hear　all　sorts　of　rumors；　but　we're　still　friends　though　we　haven't　been　together　for　three　years。〃　Gornt　looked　at　him　under　his　shaggy　black…gray　eyebrows。　〃I　just　wanted　to　say　that　I　wouldn't　want　her　harmed。〃　His　teeth　glinted　with　his　smile　in　the　gimbaled　light　over　the　table。　〃And　she's　as　fine　a　person　and　panion　as　you　could　find。〃
　〃I　agree。〃
　〃Sorry；　don't　want　to　belabor　anything；　just　wanted　to　make　three　points；　one　man　to　another。　That　was　the　first。　The　second's　that　she's　as　closed…mouthed　as　any　woman　I've　ever　known。　The　third's　that　she's　nothing　to　do　with　business　…　I'm　not　using　her；　she's　not　a　prize；　or　bait　or　anything　like　that。〃
　Bartlett　let　the　silence　hang。　Then　he　nodded。　〃Sure。〃
　〃You　don't　believe　me？〃
　Bartlett　laughed。　It　was　a　good　laugh。　〃Hell；　Quillan；　this's　Hong　Kong！　I'm　out　of　my　depth　in　more　ways　than　you　can　shake　a　stick　at。　I　don't　even　know　if　Pok　Liu　Chau's　the　name　of　the　restaurant；　a　part　of　Hong　Kong　or　in　Red　China。〃　He　drank　the　wine；　enjoying　it。　〃As　to　Orlanda；　she's　great　and　you've　no　need　to　worry。　I　got　the　message。〃
　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind　my　mentioning　it。〃
　Bartlett　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　glad　you　did。〃　He　hesitated；　then　because　the　other　man　was　open　he　decided　to　get　everything　into　the　open。　〃She　told　me　about　the　child。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃Why　the　frown？〃
　〃I'm　just　surprised　she'd　mention　her　now。　Orlanda　must　like　you　very　much。〃
　Bartlett　felt　the　power　of　the　eyes　watching　him　and　he　tried　to　read　if　there　was　envy　there。　〃I　hope　she　does。　She　said　you'd　been　great　to　her　since　you　split。　And　to　her　folks。〃
　〃They're　nice　people。　It's　rough　in　Asia　to　raise　five　children；　raise　them　well。　It　was　always　our　pany　policy　to　help　families　where　we　could。〃　Gornt　sipped　his　wine。　〃The　first　time　I　saw　Orlanda　was　when　she　was　ten。　It　was　a　Saturday