jamesclavell.noblehouse-第253节
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low holding forth wearing a blazer。 He wears a green hat … that's a Chinese expression meaning he's a cuckold； that his wife's got a lover； actually in her case it was a Chinese friend of his。〃
〃Green hat？〃
〃Yes。 Chinese are marvelous！ They have such a terrific sense of humor。 That fellow took out an ad in one of the Chinese papers some months ago that said； 'I know I wear a green hat but the wife of the man who gave it to me had two of his sons by other men！'〃
Casey stared at him。 〃You mean he signed his name to it？〃
〃Oh yes。 It was a pun on one of his names； but everyone of importance knew who it was。〃
〃Was it true？〃
Peter Marlowe shrugged。 〃It doesn't matter。 The other fellow's nose was neatly out of joint and his wife got hell。〃
〃That's not fair； not fair at all。〃
〃In her case it was。〃
〃What did she do？〃
〃Had two sons by anoth… 〃
〃Oh e on； Mr。 Storyteller！〃
〃Hey look； there's Doc Tooley！〃
She searched the course below； then saw him。 〃He doesn't look happy at all。〃
〃I hope Travkin's all right。 I heard Tooley went to examine him。〃
〃That was some spill。〃
〃Yes。 Terrible。〃
Both had been subjected to Tooley's searching questions about their health； knowing the specter of typhus； perhaps cholera； and certainly hepatitis still hung over them。
〃Joss！〃 Peter Marlowe had said firmly。
〃Joss！〃 she had echoed； trying not to be worried about Linc。 It's worse for a man； she thought； remembering what Tooley had said：
Hepatitis can mess up your liver … and your life； forever； if you're a man。
After a moment she said； 〃People here do seem to be more exciting； Peter。 Is that because of Asia？〃
〃Probably。 The mores are so different。 And here in Hong Kong we collect the cream。 I think Asia's the center of the world and Hong Kong the nucleus。〃 Peter Marlowe waved to someone in another box who waved at Casey。 〃There's another admirer of yours。〃
〃Lando？ He is a fascinating man。〃
Casey had spent time with him between races。
〃You must e to Macao； Miss Tcholok。 Perhaps we could have dinner tomorrow。 Would 7：30 be convenient？〃 Mata had said with his marvelous old world charm and Casey had got the message very quickly。
During lunch Dunross had warned her a little about him。 〃He's a good fellow； Casey；〃 the tai…pan had said delicately。 〃But here； for a quai loh stranger； particularly someone as beautiful as you； on a first trip to Asia； well it's sometimes better to remember that being over eighteen isn't always enough。〃
〃Got you； tai…pan；〃 she had told him with a laugh。 But this afternoon she had allowed herself to be mesmerized by Mata； in the safety of the tai…pan's box。 Alone； her defenses would be up as she knew they would be tomorrow evening： 〃It depends； Lando；〃 she had said； 〃dinner would be fine。 It depends what time I get back from the boat trip … I don't know if it's weather permitting or not。〃
〃With whom are you going？ The tai…pan？〃
〃Just friends。〃
〃Ah。 Well； if not Sunday； my dear； perhaps we could make it Monday。 There are a number of business opportunities for you； here or in Macao； for you and Mr。 Bartlett if you wish； and Par…Con。 May I call you at seven tomorrow to see if you are free？〃
I can deal with him； one way or another； she reassured herself； the thought warming her； though I'll watch the wine and maybe even the water in case of the old Mickey Finn。
〃Peter； the men here； the ones on the make … are they into Mickey Finns？〃
His eyes narrowed。 〃You mean Mata？〃
〃No； just generally。〃
〃I doubt if a Chinese or Eurasian would give one to a quai loh if that's what you're asking。〃 A frown creased him。 〃I'd say you'd have to be fairly circumspect though； with them and with Europeans。 Of course； to be blunt； you'd be high on their list。 You have what it takes to send most of them into an orgiastic faint。〃
〃Thanks much！〃 She leaned on the balcony； enjoying the pliment。 I wish Linc were here。 Be patient。 〃Who's that？〃 she asked。 〃The old man leering at the young girl？ Down on the first balcony。 Look； he's got his hand on her butt！〃
〃Ah； that's one of our local pirates … Four Finger Wu。 The girl's Venus Poon； a local TV star。 The youth talking to them is his nephew。 Actually the rumor is that he's a son。 The fellow's got a Harvard business degree and a U。S。 passport and he's as smart as a whip。 Old Four Fingers is another multimillionaire； rumored to be a smuggler； gold and anything； with one official wife； three concs of various ages and now he's after Venus Poon。 She was Richard Kwang's current。 Was。 But perhaps now with the Victoria takeover she'll dump Four Fingers and go back to him。 Four Fingers lives on a rotten old Aberdeen junk and hoards his enormous wealth。 Ah； look there！ The wrinkled old man and woman the tai…pan's talking to。〃
She followed his glance to the next box but one。
〃That's Shitee T'Chung's box；〃 he said。 〃Shitee's a direct descendent of May…may and Dirk through their son Duncan。 Did the tai…pan ever show you Dirk's portraits？〃
〃Yes。〃 A small shiver touched her as she remembered the Hag's knife jammed through the portrait of her father； Tyler Brock。 She considered telling him about it but decided not to。 〃There's a great likeness；〃 she said。
〃There certainly is！ Wish I could see the Long Gallery。 Anyway； that old couple he's talking to live in a tenement； a two…room； sixth…floor walk…up over in Glessing's Point。 They own a huge block of Struan stock。 Every year before each annual board meeting； the tai…pan； whoever he is； has to go cap in hand to ask for the right to vote the stock。 It's always granted； that was part of the original agreement； but he still has to go personally。〃
〃Why's that？〃
〃Face。 And because of the Hag。〃 A flicker of a smile。 〃She was a great lady； Casey。 Oh how I would like to have met her！ During the Boxer revolt in 1899…1900； when China was in another of her conflagrations； the Noble House had all its possessions in Peking； Tiensin； Foochow and Canton wiped out by the Boxer terrorists who were more or less sponsored and certainly encouraged by Tz'u Hsi； the old dowager empress。 They called themselves the Righteous Harmonious Fists and their battle cry was 'Protect the Ch'ing and kill all foreign devils！' Let's face it； the European powers and Japan had pretty much partitioned China。 Anyway； the Boxers fell on all foreign business houses； settlements； the unprotected areas； and obliterated them。 The Noble House was in terrible straits。 At that time the nominal tai…pan was again old Sir Lochlin Struan … he was Robb Struan's last son； born with a withered arm。 He was tai…pan after Culum。 The Hag had appointed him when he was eighteen； just after Culum died … then again after Dirk Dunross … and she'd kept him tied to her apron strings till he died in 1915 at the age of seventy…two。〃
〃Where do you get all this information； Peter？〃
〃I make it up；〃 he said grandly。 〃In any event； the Hag needed a lot of money fast。 Gornt's grandfather had bought up a lot of Struan's paper and he had lowered the boom。 There was no normal source of finance； nowhere she could borrow； for all Asia … all the hongs … were equally in turmoil。 But that fellow's father； the father of the one the tai…pan's talking to； was the King of the Beggars in Hong Kong。 Begging used to be a huge business here。 Anyway； this man came to see her； so the story goes。 'I e to buy a fifth part of the Noble House；' this man said with great dignity； 'is it for sale？ I offer 200；000 taels of silver；' which was exactly the amount she needed to redeem her paper。 For face they haggled and he settled for a tenth； 10 percent … an incredibly fair deal … both knowing that he could have had 30 or 40 percent for the same amount because by that time the Hag was desperate。 He required no contract other than her chop and her promise that once a year she； or the tai…pan； would e to him or his descendents wherever he or they lived； to ask for the vote of the stock。 'So long as the tai…pan asks … the voting power is given。'
〃 'But why； Honorable King of the Beggars？ Why save me from my enemies？' she asked。
〃 'Because your grandfather； old Green…Eyed Devil； once saved my grandfather's face and helped him bee the first King of the Beggars of Hong Kong。' 〃
Casey sighed。 〃Do you believe that； Peter？〃
〃Oh yes。〃 He looked out at Happy Valley。 〃Once this was all a malarial swamp。 Dirk cleaned that up too。〃 He puffed his cigarette。 〃One day I'll write about Hong Kong。〃
〃If you continue to smoke you'll never write anything。〃
〃Point well taken。 Okay； I'll stop。 Now。 For today。 Because you're pretty。〃 He stubbed the cigarette out。 Another smile； different。 〃Eeeee； but I could tell some stories about lots of the people you met today。 I won't； that's not fair； not right。 I can never tell the real stories； though I know lots！〃 She laughed with him； letting her eyes wander from the strange old couple down to the other stands。 Involuntarily she gasped。 Sitting in the lee of the members' balcony she saw Orlanda。 Linc was with her。 He was very close。 Both were very happy together； that was easy to see； even from this distance。
〃What's th… 〃 Peter Marlowe began； then he saw them too。 〃Oh！ Not to worry。〃
After a pause she took her eyes away。 〃
