jamesclavell.noblehouse-第256节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ect。 。。。
Her head was pounding terribly and a wave of nausea went through her。 Nearby were some toilets。 She groped to her feet and hobbled over to them。 Behind her； other cleaners were sifting and tidying up。 Tomorrow they would all e again for there would still be plenty to do。 Her own shift was due back at nine in the morning。 In the empty toilet room she took out the tickets； her fingers trembling； wrapped them in a piece of rag and found a loose brick in the wall and put them behind the brick。
Once safely outside she began to breathe。 When the foreman came back with the other old woman he peered down at the man； went through his pockets with great care and found a twist of silver paper they had missed。 Within it was a pinch of White Powder。 〃It will bring 2 HK；〃 he said； knowing it was worth 6。04 HK。 〃We will split it； 70 for me and 30 for you two。〃 For face； One Tooth argued and they settled that he would try to get 3。10 HK for it； and would split it 60 to him and 40 to them。 Satisfied； he went away。
When they were alone again the younger woman began to sift the garbage。
〃What're you doing？〃 One Tooth asked。
〃I just wanted to check those tickets； Elder Sister。 Your eyes are not so good。〃
〃Please yourself；〃 One Tooth said with a shrug。 〃I've picked this lot clean。 I'm going over there。〃 Her gnarled finger pointed at an unnoticed new source of virgin rubbish under a row of seats。 The other woman hesitated then followed and now One Tooth almost chortled with glee； knowing she was safe。 Tomorrow I'll e back plaining of stomach sickness。 I can retrieve my fortune and go home。 Now what shall I do with my wealth？
First the down payment on two quai loh dancing dresses for Third Granddaughter in return for half her earnings in the first year。 She'll make a fine whore in the Good Luck Dance Hall。 Next； Second Son will stop being a coolie on the construction site up on Kotewall Road。 He and Fifth Nephew and Second Grandson will bee builders； and within the week we will put a down payment on a plot of land and begin to build a building 。。。
〃You seem very happy； Elder Sister。〃
〃Oh yes I am； Younger Sister。 My bones ache； the ague is with me as ever； my stomach is upset； but I am alive and that old man is dead。 It is a lesson from the gods。 All gods bear witness； when I first saw him； the first time； I thought it was my husband who died in our flight from Shanghai fifteen years ago。 I thought I was seeing a ghost！ My spirit almost left me for that old man was like his twin！〃
〃Ayeeyah； how horrible！ How terrible！ Ghosts！ All gods protect us from ghosts！〃
Oh yes； the old woman thought； ghosts're terrible。 Now； where was I？ Oh yes 。。。 1；000 will go on the quinella next Saturday。 And out of those winnings I will buy 。。。 I will buy myself a set of false teeth！ Eeeee； how wonderful that will be； she wanted to cry out； almost fainting with suppressed pleasure。 All her life； all her life since she was fourteen when a Manchu rifle butt had smashed out her teeth in one of the constant revolutions against the foreign Ch'ing Dynasty； she had been nicknamed One Tooth。 Always she had hated her nickname。 But now 。。。 oh gods bear witness！ I will buy a set of teeth from my winnings next Saturday … and also I will buy and light two candles in the nearest temple in return for such good joss。
〃I feel faint； Younger Sister；〃 she said； really faint with near ecstasy。 〃Could you get me some water？〃
The other woman went off grumbling。 One Tooth sat down a moment and allowed herself a huge grin； her tongue feeling her gums。 Eeeee； when I win； if I win heavily enough； I will have one gold tooth； right in the center； to remind me。 Gold Tooth Yang； that has a nice sound to it； she thought； far too clever to mutter it aloud； even though she was pletely alone。 Yes； Honorable Gold Tooth Yang； of the Yang Constructions empire 。。。
68
6：15 P。M。：
Suslev was hunched unfortably in the front of the small car belonging to Ernie Clinker and they were grinding up the hill。 All the windows were steamed up； the rain even heavier。 Mud and stones washing down from the steep hillsides made the road surface dangerous。 Already they had passed two minor accidents。
〃Cor； stone the crows； perhaps you'd better spend the night； old chum；〃 Clinker said； driving with difficulty。
〃No； not tonight；〃 Suslev said irritably。 〃I already told you I promised Ginny and tonight's my last night。〃 Ever since the raid； Suslev had been in a blinding rage； his rage fed by unaccustomed fear … fear of the summons to police HQ in the morning； fear of catastrophic repercussions from the intercepted decoded cable； fear of Center's probable displeasure over the loss of Voranski； being ordered out of Hong Kong； the destruction of their radio equipment； the Metkin affair and now Koronski's arrival and the possible kidnapping of Dunross。 Too many things have gone wrong this trip； he thought； chilled … too long in the game to have any illusions。 Even his phone conversation during the fifth race with Crosse had not mollified him。
〃Not to worry； it's a routine request to appear； Gregor。 Just a few questions about Voranski； Metkin and so on；〃 Crosse had said in a disguised voice。
〃Kristos； what's the 'and so on' ？〃
〃I don't know； Sinders ordered it； not me。〃
〃You'd better cover me； Roger。〃
〃You're covered。 Listen； about this possible kidnapping； it's a very bad idea。〃
〃They want it set up； so help Arthur make the arrangements； eh； please？ Unless you can delay my departure； we will implement it when it is ordered。〃
〃I remend against it。 This is my bailiwick and I rec… 〃
〃Center approves and we will do it if it is ordered！〃 Suslev wanted to order Roger Crosse to shut up or else； but he was careful not to offend their best asset in Asia。 〃Can we meet tonight？〃
〃No； but I'll call you。 How about four？ At 10：30？〃 Four was their present code for 32 Sinclair Towers。 10：30 meant 9：30 p。m。
〃Is that wise？〃
He had heard that dry confident laugh。 〃Very wise。 Would those fools e again？ Of course it is wise。 And I guarantee it！〃
〃All right。 Arthur will be there。 We should cement the plan。〃
Clinker swerved to avoid a taxi cutting in and he cursed； then ground the gears； peering through the windshield ahead； getting into motion again。 On his side Suslev rubbed the condensation away。 〃God…cursed weather；〃 he said； his mind elsewhere。 What about Travkin？ Stupid motherless turd to fall off after passing the winning post。 I thought he'd won。 Decadent fool！ No real cossack'd ever get caught like that。 So he's out now； him and his crippled old crone princess with the broken bones。
Now how do we entice Dunross to the apartment tomorrow instead of Tuesday as Travkin had signaled。 It has to be tonight or tomorrow。 At the latest it must be tomorrow night。 Arthur must arrange it or Roger。 They are the keys to the Dunross plan。
And I must get those files … or Dunross … before I leave。 One or the other。 They're my only real protection against Center。
Bartlett and Casey got out of the Struan limo at the Hilton； the resplendent； turbaned Sikh doorman holding an unnecessary umbrella … the vast overhang already protecting them from the sheets of water。
〃I'll be here； sir； whenever you're ready；〃 Chauffeur Lim said。
〃Great。 Thanks；〃 Bartlett replied。 They went up the steps to the ground floor and took the escalator to the foyer。
〃You're very quiet； Casey；〃 he said。 All the way from the racetrack they had hardly said a word to each other； both locked into their own thoughts。
〃So're you； Linc。 I thought you didn't want to talk。 You seemed distracted。〃 She smiled tentatively。 〃Maybe it was all the excitement。〃
〃It was a great day。〃
〃You think the tai…pan's going to pull it off？ The General Stores takeover？〃
〃Monday will tell。〃 Bartlett went to the reception desk。 〃Mr。 Banastasio please？〃
The handsome Eurasian assistant manager said； 〃Just a moment please。 Oh yes； he changed his room again。 Now it's 832。〃 He handed him a house phone。 Bartlett dialed。
〃Yeah？〃
〃Vincenzo？ Linc。 I'm downstairs。〃
〃Hey； Linc； good to hear your voice。 Casey with you？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃You want to e up？〃
〃On our way。〃 Bartlett went back to Casey。
〃You sure you want me along？〃
〃He asked for you。〃 Bartlett led the way to the elevator； thinking of Orlanda and their date later； thinking of Biltzmann and Gornt and Taipei tomorrow and whether or not he should ask Dunross if he could take her。 Shit； life's plicated suddenly。 〃It'll only be a few minutes；〃 he said； 〃then it's cocktails with the tai…pan。 The weekend's going to be interesting。 And next week。〃
〃You out for dinner tonight？〃
〃Yes。 We should have breakfast though。 Seymour needs straightening out and as I'm off for a couple of days we'd better have our signals straight。〃
They crowded into the elevator。 Casey casually avoided being trampled on and ground her heel into her assailant's instep。 〃Oh so sorry；〃 she said sweetly； then muttered 〃Dew neh loh moh〃 which Peter Marlowe had taught her this afternoon； just loud enough for the woman to hear。 She saw the sudden flush。 Hastily the woman shoved her way out at the mezzanine floor and Casey knew she had won a great victory。 Amused；
