jamesclavell.noblehouse-第273节

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r　from　the　Japanese　point　of　view。　Look　what　wonderful　soldiers　they　were；　look　how　they　fought　and　almost　never　allowed　themselves　to　be　captured。　We　were　dishonored　according　to　their　standards　by　surrendering。〃　Peter　Marlowe　shivered。　〃I　felt　dishonored；　still　feel　dishonored。〃
　〃That's　not　right；　Marlowe；〃　Gornt　said。　〃There's　no　dishonor　in　that。　None。〃
　Casey；　standing　beside　Gornt；　put　her　hand　on　his　arm　lightly。　〃Oh　yes。　He's　right；　Peter。　He　really　is。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Dunstan　Barre　said。　〃But　Grey；　what　the　devil　got　Grey　all　teed　off？　Eh？〃
　〃Nothing　and　everything。　He　became　fanatical　about　enforcing　camp　rules　…　which　were　Japanese　rules　…　stupidly；　a　lot　of　us　thought。　As　I　said；　Changi　was　different；　officers　and　men　were　locked　up　together；　no　letters　from　home；　no　food；　two　thousand　miles　of　enemy…occupied　territory　in　every　direction；　malaria；　dysentery；　and　the　death　rate　terrible。　He　hated　this　American　friend　of　mine；　the　King。　It　was　true　the　King　was　a　cunning　businessman　and　he　ate　well　when　others　didn't　and　drank　coffee　and　smoked　tailor…made　cigarettes。　But　he　kept　a　lot　of　us　alive　with　his　skill。　Even；　Grey。　He　even　kept　Grey　alive。　Grey's　hatred　kept　him　alive；　I'm　sure。　The　King　fed　almost　the　whole　American　contingent　…　there　were　about　thirty　of　them；　officers　and　men。　Oh　they　worked　for　it；　American　style；　but　even　so；　without　him　they　would　have　died。　I　would　have。　I　know。〃　Peter　Marlowe　shuddered。　〃Joss。　Karma。　Life。　I　think　I'll　have　that　brandy　now；　Mr。　Gornt。〃
　Gornt　poured。　〃Whatever　happened　to　this　man；　this　fellow　you　call　the　King？　After　the　war？〃
　Pugmire　interrupted　with　a　laugh；　〃One　of　the　buggers　in　our　camp　who　was　a　trader　became　a　bloody　millionaire　afterwards。　Is　it　the　same　with　this　King？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Peter　Marlowe　said。
　〃You　never　saw　him　again；　Peter？〃　Casey　asked；　surprised。　〃You　didn't　see　him　back　in　the　States？〃
　〃No；　no　I　never　did。　I　tried　to　find　him　but　never　could。〃
　〃That's　often　the　rule；　Casey；〃　Gornt　said　casually。　〃When　you　leave　a　regiment　all　debts　and　friendships　are　canceled。〃　He　was　very　content。　Everything's　perfect；　he　told　himself；　thinking　of　the　double　bed　in　his　cabin；　and　smiled　at　her　across　the　deck。　She　smiled　back。
　
　Riko　Anjin　Gresserhoff　went　into　the　foyer　of　the　V　and　A。　It　was　crowded　with　those　having　early…afternoon　tea　or　late　lunches。　As　she　walked　to　the　elevator　a　tremor　went　through　her；　the　eyes　bothering　her　…　not　the　usual　lusting　eyes　of　European　men　or　the　dislike　in　the　eyes　of　their　women　…　but　Chinese　and　Eurasian　eyes。　She　had　never　experienced　so　much　general　hatred。　It　was　a　strange　feeling。　This　was　her　first　time　outside　of　Switzerland；　other　than　school　trips　to　Germany　and　two　journeys　to　Rome　with　her　mother。　Her　husband　had　taken　her　abroad　only　once；　to　Vienna　for　a　week。
　I　don't　like　Asia；　she　thought；　suppressing　another　shudder。　But　then　it's　not　Asia；　it's　Hong　Kong；　surely　it's　just　here；　the　people　here。　And　surely；　there　is　right　on　their　side　to　be　antagonistic。　I　wonder　if　I'll　like　Japan？　Will　I　be　alien；　even　there？
　The　elevator　came　and　she　went　to　her　suite　on　the　sixth　floor；　the　room　boy　not　opening　her　door　for　her。　Alone　and　with　the　door　bolted；　she　felt　better。　The　red　message　light　on　the　phone　was　blinking　but　she　paid　it　no　attention；　quickly　taking　off　her　shoes；　hat；　gloves　and　coat；　putting　them　at　once　in　a　vast　closet；　the　clothes　already　there　neat　and　organized；　like　her　three　pairs　of　shoes。　The　suite　was　small　but　delicate；　a　living　room；　bedroom　and　bath。　Flowers　from　Struan's　were　on　the　table　and　a　bowl　of　fruit　from　the　hotel。
　Her　fingers　slid　the　gift　wrapping　away　neatly。　Inside　was　a　rectangular　black　plush　box　and　she　opened　it。　Warmth　went　through　her。　The　pendant　was　on　a　thin　gold　chain；　the　jade　green　with　flecks　of　lighter　green；　carved　like　a　cornucopia。　Light　shimmered　off　the　polished　surface。　At　once　she　put　it　on；　studying　it　in　the　mirror；　admiring　the　stone　as　it　lay　against　her　breast。　She　had　never　been　given　jade　before。
　Underneath　the　black；　plush…covered　cardboard　was　the　envelope。　It　was　a　plain　envelope；　not　Struan's；　the　seal　equally　plain；　made　of　ordinary　red　sealing　wax。　With　great　care　she　slid　a　paper　knife　under　the　seal　and　studied　the　pages；　one　by　one；　a　small　frown　on　her　forehead。　Just　a　jumble　of　numbers　and　letters　and　an　occasional　symbol。　A　tiny；　satisfied　smile　touched　her　lips。　She　found　the　hotel　letter…writing　folder　and；　settling　herself　fortably　at　the　desk；　began　to　copy　the　pages；　one　by　one。
　When　she　had　finished　she　checked　them。　She　put　the　copies　into　a　hotel　envelope　and　sealed　it；　the　originals　in　another　envelope；　a　plain　one　she　took　out　of　her　bag。　Next　she　found　the　new　stick　of　red　sealing　wax；　lit　a　match　and　daubed　the　melting　wax　on　both　envelopes；　sealing　them；　making　sure　the　seal　on　the　envelope　of　the　originals　was　a　pattern　of　the　one　Dunross　had　made。　The　phone　rang；　startling　her。　She　watched　it；　her　heart　thumping；　until　it　stopped。　Once　more　at　ease；　she　went　back　to　her　labor；　ensuring　there　were　no　telltale　indentations　left　on　the　pad　that　she　had　used；　examining　it　under　the　light。　As　soon　as　she　was　satisfied；　she　stamped　the　envelope　containing　the　copies；　addressed　it　to：　R。　Anjin；　Box　154；　General　Post　Office；　Sydney；　Australia。　This　and　the　other　envelope　with　the　originals　she　put　into　her　handbag。
　Carefully　she　rechecked　that　nothing　had　been　missed；　then　went　to　a　small　refrigerator　near　the　stocked　bar　and　took　out　a　bottle　of　sparkling　mineral　water　and　drank　some。
　Again　the　phone　rang。　She　watched　it；　sipping　the　soda　water；　her　mind　checking　and　rechecking；　thinking　about　her　lunch　with　Dunross；　wondering　if　she　had　been　wise　to　accept　his　invitation　to　cocktails　tonight　and；　later；　to　dinner　with　him　and　his　friends。　I　wonder　if　there　will　be　friends　or　if　we　will　be　alone。　Would　I　like　to　be　alone　with　that　man？
　Her　thoughts　went　back　to　the　small；　untidy；　slightly　balding　Hans　Gresserhoff；　and　the　four　years　of　life　that　she　had　led　with　him；　weeks　alone；　sleeping　alone；　waking　alone；　walking　alone；　no　real　friends；　rarely　going　out；　her　husband　strangely　secretive；　cautioning　her　about　making　friends；　wanting　her　to　be　alone　and　always　safe　and　calm　and　patient。　That　was　the　hardest　part　to　bear；　she　thought。　Patience。　Patience　alone；　patience　together；　asleep　or　awake。　Patience　and　outwardly　calm。　When　all　the　time　she　was　like　a　volcano；　desperate　to　erupt。
　That　he　loved　her　was　beyond　doubt。　All　she　felt　for　him　was　giri；　duty。　He　gave　her　money　and　her　life　was　smooth；　neither　rich　nor　poor　…　even；　like　the　country　of　their　choice。　His　arrivals　and　departures　had　no　pattern。　When　he　was　with　her　he　always　wanted　her；　wanted　to　be　near　her。　Their　pillowing　satisfied　him　but　not　her；　though　she　pretended；　for　his　pleasure。　But　then；　she　told　herself；　you　have　had　no　other　man　to　judge　by。
　He　was　a　good　man　and　it　was　as　I　told　the　tai…pan。　I　tried　to　be　a　good　wife　to　him；　to　obey　him　in　everything；　to　honor　my　mother's　wish；　to　fulfill　my　giri　to　her；　and　to　him。　And　now？
　She　looked　down　at　her　wedding　ring　and　twisted　it　on　her　finger。　For　the　first　time　since　she　had　married　she　took　it　off　and　looked　at　it　closely　in　the　palm　of　her　hand。　Small；　empty　and　uninteresting。　So　many　lonely　nights；　tears　in　the　nights；　waiting　waiting　waiting。　Waiting　for　what？　Children　forbidden；　friends　forbidden；　travel　forbidden。　Not　forbidden　as　a　Japanese　would：　Kin　jiru！　But；　〃Don't　you　think；　my　dear；〃　he　would　say；　〃don't　you　think　it　would　be　better　if　you　didn't　go　to　Paris　while　I'm　away？　We　can　go　the　next　time　I'm　here　。。。〃　both　of　them　knowing　they　would　never　go。
　The　time　in　Vienna　had　been　terrible。　It　was　the　first　year。　They　went　for　a　week。　〃I　have　to　go　out　tonight；〃　he　had　told　her　the　first　night。　〃Please　stay　in　the　room；　eat　in　the　room　till　I　get　back。〃　Two　days　passed　and　when　he　came　back　he　was　sallow…faced　and　drawn；　frightened；　and　then　at　once；　in　the　darkest　part　of　the　night；　they　had　got　into　their　hired　car　and　fled　back　to　Switzerland；　going　the　long　way；　the　wrong　way；　up　through　the　Tyrolian　mountains；　his　eyes　constantly　on　the　rear　mirrors　in　case　they　were　being　followed；　not　talking　to　her　until　they　were　safe　across　the　border　once　more。
　〃But　why；　why；　Hans？〃
　〃Because　nothing！　Please。　You're　not　to　ask　questions；　Riko。　That　was　your　agreement　。。。　our　agreement。　I'm　sorry　about　the　holiday。　We'll　go　to　Wengen　or　Biarritz；　it　will　be　grand；　it　will　be　grand　there。　Please　remember　your　giri　and　that　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart。〃
　Love！
　I　do　not　understand　that　word；　she　thought；　standing　there　at　the　window；　looking　at　the　harbor；　sullen　clouds；　the　light　bad。　Strange　that　in　Japanese　we　do　not　have　such　a　word。　Only　duty　and　shades　of　duty；　affection　and　shades　of　affection。　Not　lieben。　Ai？　Ai　really　means　respect　though　some　use　it　for　lieben。
　Riko　caught　herself　thinking　in　German　and　she　smiled。　Most　times　she　thought　in　German　though　today；　with　the　tai…pan；　she　had　thought　in　Japanese。　It's　such　a　long　time　since　I　spoke　my　own　language。　What　is　my　own　language？　Japanese？　That's　the　language　my　pare