jamesclavell.noblehouse-第255节
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Ayeeyah； he thought； filled with superstitious dread。 These pink barbarians are truly devils who can twist us civilized people as they wish and send us mad。 But if I bee SI that'll protect me and give me some of their secrets； and with those secrets and other foreign devil secrets I will bee an ancestor！
He began to beam。 His joss had changed ever since he had caught that old amah。 Today the gods had favored him greatly。 He had forecast one quinella； the daily double and three place horses； each time reinvesting all his winnings and now he was 5；753 HK richer。 His plan for the money was already settled。 He would finance Fifth Uncle to buy a used plastic molding machine to begin a plastic flower factory in return for 51 percent； another 1；000 would pay for the construction of two dwellings in the resettlement to be rented and the last 1；000 would be for next Saturday！
A Mercedes sounded its horn deafeningly； making him jump。 Spectacles Wu recognized one of the men in the back： the man Rosemont； the CIA barbarian with limitless funds to spend。 So naive； they are； the Americans； he thought。 Last year when his relations had poured over the border in the exodus； he had sent them all down to the consulate on a roster basis； every month a different name and different story； to join the constant and evergrowing band of rice Christians or； to be more exact； rice non…munists。 It was easy to get free meals and handouts from the U。S。 Consulate。 All you had to do was to pretend to be frightened and say； nervously； that you had just e over the border； that you were staunchly against Chairman Mao and that in your village the munists did such and such a terrible thing。 The Americans would be happy to hear about PRC troop movements； real or imagined。 Oh how quickly they would write it all down and ask for more。 Any information； any stupid piece of information you could pick up if you could read a newspaper was to them … if whispered with rolling eyes … very valuable。
Three months ago Spectacles Wu had had a brainstorm。 Now； with four members of his clan； one of whom was originally a journalist on a munist newspaper in Canton； Spectacles Wu had offered … but through trusted intermediaries so he and his relations could not be traced … to supply Rosemont with a monthly undercover report； an intelligence pamphlet； code name 〃Freedom Fighter；〃 on conditions across the Bamboo Curtain in and around Canton。 To prove the espionage quality Spectacles Wu had offered to supply the first two editions free … to catch a mighty tiger it is good business to sacrifice a stolen lamb。 If these were considered acceptable to the CIA； the fee would be 1；000 HK each for the next three； and if these were equally valuable； then a new contract would be negotiated for a year of reports。
The first two had been so highly praised that an immediate deal was struck for five reports at 2；000 HK each。 Next week they were to get their first fee。 Oh how they had congratulated themselves。 The content of the reports was culled from thirty Canton newspapers that came down on the daily Canton train that also brought pigs and poultry and foods of all kinds and could be purchased without effort in Wanchai paper shops。 All they had had to do was to read them meticulously and copy the articles； after removing the munist dialectic： articles about crops； building； economics； Party appointments； births； deaths； sentences； extortions and local color … anything they considered of interest。 Spectacles Wu translated the stories the others picked。
He felt a huge wave of pleasure。 Freedom Fighter had enormous potential。 Their costs were almost nil。 〃But sometimes we must be careful to make a few mistakes；〃 Spectacles Wu had told them； 〃and occasionally we must miss a month … 'we regret our agent in Canton was assassinated for giving away State secrets 。。。' 〃 Oh yes。 And soon； when I'm a full member of SI and a trained espionage agent； I'll know better how to present the press information to the CIA。 Perhaps we'll expand and experiment with a report from Peking； another from Shanghai。 We can get day…old Peking and Shanghai papers equally with no trouble and very little investment。 Thank all gods for American curiosity！
A taxi honked as it splashed past。 He stopped a moment to allow it to pass； then shoved through； careless of the cursing； honking and noise alongside the tall fence that skirted the stadium。 He glanced at his watch。 He had plenty of time。 Headquarters was not far away。
The rain became heavier but he did not feel it； the warmth of winnings in his pocket lightening his footsteps。 He squared his shoulders。 Be strong； be wise； he ordered himself。 Tonight I must be alert。 Perhaps they will ask my opinion。 I know the munist Superintendent Brian Kwok is a liar here and there and exaggerating。 And as to atomics； what's so important about that？ Of course the Middle Kingdom has its own atomics。 Any fool knows what's been going on for years in Sinkiang near the shores of Lake Bosteng…hu。 And of course； soon we'll have our own rockets and satellites。 Of course！ Are we not civilized？ Did we not invent gunpowder and rockets but discard them millennia ago as barbaric？
Throughout the stadium on the other side of the fence； women cleaners raked up the sodden leavings of the thousands； patiently sifting the rubbish carefully for a lost coin or ring； fountain pen or bottles that were worth a single copper cash。 Crouched beside a pile of garbage cans in the lee of the rain was a man。
〃e on； old fellow； you can't sleep there；〃 a woman cleaner said； not unkindly； shaking him。 〃It's time to go home！〃 The old man's eyes fluttered open for an instant； he began to get up but stopped； gave out a great sigh and subsided like a rag doll。
〃Ayeeyah；〃 One Tooth Yang muttered。 She had seen enough of death throughout her seventy years to recognize its finality； 〃Hey； Younger Sister；〃 she called out politely to her friend and second member of her team。 〃e over here！ This old man's dead。〃
Her friend was sixty…four； bent and lined but equally strong and also Shanghainese。 She came out of the rain and peered down。 〃He looks like a beggar。〃
〃Yes。 We'd better tell the foreman。〃 One Tooth Yang knelt and carefully went through his ragged pockets。 There were 3 HK in change； nothing else。 〃That's not much；〃 she said。 〃Never mind。〃 She divided the coins equally。 Over the years they had always divided what they found。
〃What's that in his left hand？〃 the other woman asked。 One Tooth bent the clawlike hand open。 〃Just some tickets。〃 She peered at them； then held them close to her eyes and flicked through them。 〃It's the double quinella 。。。〃 she began； then suddenly cackled； 〃Eeee； the poor fool got the first leg and lost the second 。。。 he chose Butterscotch Lass！〃 Both women laughed hysterically at the mischief of the gods。
〃That must have sent the poor old ancient into the seizure … it would me！ Ayeeyah； to be so close and yet so far； Elder Sister。〃
〃Joss。〃 One Tooth Yang cackled again and tossed the tickets into a garbage can。 〃Gods are gods and men are men but eee； I can imagine the old fellow dying。 I would have too！〃 The two old women laughed again； the bad joss hurting them and the older one rubbed her chest to ease the pain。 〃Ayeeyah； I must get a physic。 Go and tell the foreman about him。 Younger Sister； eeee； but I'm tired tonight。 Such bad joss； he was close to being a millionaire but now？ Joss！ Go tell the foreman。 I'm tired tonight；〃 she said again； leaning on her rake； her voice wavering。
The other woman went off marveling at the gods and how quickly they can give or take away … if they exist at all； she thought in passing。 Ah joss！
Wearily One Tooth Yang continued her work； her head aching； but the moment she was sure she was alone and unobserved she darted for the garbage can and frantically retrieved the tickets； her heart pounding like never in her whole life。 Frantically she checked that her eyes had not deceived her and the numbers were correct。 But there was no mistake。 Each ticket was a winning ticket。 Equally frantically she stuffed them in her pocket then made absolutely sure she had not left one carelessly in the rubbish。 Quickly she piled more rubbish on top and lifted this can and dumped it into another； all the time her mind shrieking； Tomorrow I can redeem the tickets； I have three days to redeem them！ Oh bless all gods； I'm rich I'm rich I'm rich！ There must be a hundred or two hundred tickets and each a 5 HK ticket； each ticket pays 265 HK 。。。 if there's a hundred tickets that's 26；500 HK； if two hundred tickets 53；000 HK。 。。。
Feeling faint； she squatted beside the corpse； leaning against the wall； not noticing it。 She knew she dare not count the tickets now； there was no time。 Every second was vital。 She had to prepare。 〃Be cautious； old fool；〃 she muttered aloud； then once more almost went into panic。 Stop talking aloud！ Be careful； you old fool； or Younger Sister will suspect 。。。 Oh oh oh is she now telling the foreman what she suspects？ Oh what shall I do？ The joss is mine； I found the old man 。。。 ayeeyah； what shall I do？ Perhaps they'll search me。 If they see me in this state they're bound to suspect。 。。。
Her head was pounding terribly and a wa
