jamesclavell.noblehouse-第274节
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g time since I spoke my own language。 What is my own language？ Japanese？ That's the language my parents and I spoke。 German？ That's the language of our part of Switzerland。 English？ That's the language of my husband even though he claimed that German was his first tongue。
Was he English？
She had asked herself that question many times。 It was not that his German was not fluent； it was just attitudes。 His attitudes were not German； like mine are not Japanese。 Or are they？
I don't know。 But now； now I can find out。
He had never told her what his work was and she had never asked。 After Vienna it had been very easy to predict that it was clandestine and connected somehow to international crime or espionage。 Hans was not the type to be in crime。
So from then on she had been even more cautious。 Once or twice she had thought that they were under surveillance in Zurich and when they went skiing； but he had dismissed it and told her not to worry about him。 〃But be prepared in case of accidents。 Keep all your valuables and private papers； passport and birth certificate in your traveling bag； Ri…chan；〃 he had said； using her nickname。 〃Just in case； just in case。〃
With the death of her husband and his instructions almost all carried out； the money and the tai…pan's phone call and summons； everything had bee new。 Now she could start again。 She was twenty…four。 The past was past and karma was karma。 The tai…pan's money would be more than enough for her needs for years。
On their wedding night； her husband had told her； 〃If anything happens to me； you will get a call from a man called Kiernan。 Cut the phone wires as I will show you and leave Zurich instantly。 Leave everything except the clothes you wear and your travel bag。 Drive to Geneva。 Here is a key。 This key will open a safety deposit box in the Swiss Bank of Geneva on Rue Charles。 In it there's money and some letters。 Follow the instructions exactly； my darling； oh how I love you。 Leave everything。 Do exactly as I've said。 。。。〃
And she had。 Exactly。 It was her giri。
She had cut the phone wires with the wire snips as he had shown her； just behind the box that was attached to the wall so that the cut was hardly noticeable。 In Geneva in the bank there had been a letter of instructions； 10；000 U。S。 in cash in the safety deposit box； a new Swiss passport； stamped； with her photograph but a new name and new birthday and new birth certificate that documented she was born in the city of Berne twenty…three years ago。 She had liked the new name he had chosen for her and she remembered how； in the safety of her hotel room overlooking the lovely lake； she had wept for him。
Also in the safety deposit box had been a savings book in her new name for 20；000 U。S。 in this same bank； and a key； an address and a deed。 The deed was for a small chalet on the lake； private and furnished and paid for； with a caretaker who knew her only by her new name and that she was a widow who had been abroad … the deed registered in her new name though purchased four years before； a few days prior to her marriage。
〃Ah； mistress； I am so happy you have e home at long last。 Traveling in all those foreign places must be very tiring；〃 the pleasant； though simple old lady had said in greeting。 〃Oh； for the last year or so； your home has been rented to such a charming； quiet Englishman。 He paid promptly every month； here are the accounts。 Perhaps he will e back this year； he said； perhaps not。 Your agent is on Avenue Firmet。 。。。〃
Later； wandering around the lovely house； the lake vast and clean in the bowl of mountains； the house clean like the mountains； pictures on the walls； flowers in vases； three bedrooms and a living room and verandas； tiny but perfect for her； the garden cherished； she had gone into the main bedroom。 Among a kaleidoscope of small pictures of various shapes and sizes on one of the walls was what seemed to be part of an old letter in a glass…covered frame； the paper already yellowing。 She recognized his writing。 It was in English。 〃So many happy hours in your arms； Ri…chan； so many happy days in your pany； how do I say that I love you？ Forget me； I will never forget you。 How do I beg God to grant you ten thousand days for every one of mine； my darling； my darling； my darling。〃
The huge double bed was almost convex with its thick eiderdown quilt； multicolored； the windows opened to the tender air； late summer perfumes within it； snow dusting the mountaintops。 She had wept again； the chalet taking her to itself。
Within a few hours of being there Dunross had called and she had boarded the first jet and now she was here； most of her work pleted； never a need to return； the past obliterated … if she wished it。 The new passport was genuine as far as she could tell； and the birth certificate。 No reason ever to return to Switzerland … except for the chalet。 And the picture。
She had left it on the wall undisturbed。 And she had resolved； as long as she owned the house； the picture would stay where he had placed it。 Always。
76
5：10 P。M。：
Orlanda was driving her small car； Bartlett beside her； his hand resting lightly across her shoulders。 They had just e over the pass from Aberdeen and now； still in cloud； were heading down the mountainside in Mid Levels toward her home in Rose Court。 They were happy together； aware and filled with expectation。 After lunch they had crossed to Hong Kong and she had driven to Shek…O on the southeastern tip of the Island to show him where some of the tai…pans had weekend houses。 The countryside was rolling and sparsely populated； hills； ravines； the sea always near； sheer cliffs and rocks。
From Shek…O they had slid along the southern road that curled and twisted until they got to Repulse Bay where she had stopped at the wonderful hotel for tea and cakes on the veranda； looking out at the sea； then on again； past Deepwater Cove to Discovery Bay where she stopped again at a lookout。 〃Look over there； Linc； that's Castle Tok！〃 Castle Tok was a vast； incongruous house that looked like a Norman castle and was perched on the cliffside high over the water。 〃During the war the Canadians … Canadian soldiers … were defending this part of the Island against the invading Japanese and they all retreated to Castle Tok for a last stand。 When they were overwhelmed and surrendered there were about two hundred and fifty of them left alive。 The Japanese herded them all onto the terrace of Castle Tok and drove them by bayonet over the terrace wall to the rocks below。〃
〃Jesus。〃 The drop was a hundred feet or more。
〃Everyone。 The wounded； the 。。。 the others； everyone。〃 He had seen her shiver and at once had reached out to touch her。
〃Don't； Orlanda； that's such a long time ago。〃
〃It's not； no； not at all。 I'm afraid history and the war's still very much with us； Linc。 It always will be。 Ghosts walk those terraces by night。〃
〃You believe that？〃
〃Yes。 Oh yes。〃
He remembered looking back at the brooding house； the surf crashing against the rocks below； her perfume surrounding him as she leaned back against him； feeling her heat； glad to be alive and not one of those soldiers。 〃Your Castle Tok looks like something out of the movies。 You ever been inside？〃
〃No。 But they say there are suits of armor and dungeons and it's a copy of a real castle in France。 The owner was old Sir Cha…sen Tok； Builder Tok。 He was a multimillionaire who made his money in tin。 They say that when he was fifty a soothsayer told him to begin building a 'big mansion' or he would die。 So he began to build and he built dozens of places； all mansions； three in Hong Kong； one near Sha Tin and many in Malaya。 Castle Tok was the last one he built。 He was eighty…nine but hale and hearty and like a middle…aged man。 But after Castle Tok the story is he said enough； and quit building。 Within a month he was dead and the soothsayer's prophecy came true。〃
〃You're making it all up； Orlanda！〃
〃Oh no； Linc； I wouldn't； not without telling。 But what's true and what's false？ Who really knows； eh； my darling？〃
〃I know I'm mad about you。〃
〃Oh Linc； you must know I feel the same。〃
They had driven on past Aberdeen； warm and together； his hand on her shoulder； her hair brushing his hand。 From time to time she would point out houses and places and the hours went by imperceptibly； delightfully for both of them。 Now； as they came down from the pass through the clouds and broke out of them； they could see most of the city below。 Lights were not on yet； though here and there the huge colored neon signs down by the water's edge were beginning to brighten。
The traffic was heavy and on the steep mountain roads water still ran in the gutters with piles of fresh mud and rocks and vegetation here and there。 She drove deftly； without taking chances； and he felt safe with her though driving on the wrong side of the road had been hair…raising on the bends。
〃But we're on the correct side；〃 she said。 〃You drive on the wrong side！〃
〃The hell we do。 It's only the English who drive on the left。 You're as American as I am； Orlanda。〃
〃I wish I were； Linc； oh so very much。〃
〃You are。 You sound American and you dress American。〃
〃Ah； but I know what I am； my darling。〃
He le
