jamesclavell.noblehouse-第288节
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the screams began。 。。。
In the tunnel under Sinclair Road； Suslev was choking； half…buried in rubble。 Part of the tunnel roof was torn off； water gushing in now from fractured mains and drains； the tunnel filling rapidly。 He scrambled and fought up into the open； his confused mind helpless； not knowing what was happening； what had happened； only that somehow he must have been captured and drugged and now he was in a wake…sleep nightmare from the Red Room。 He looked around； panic…stricken。 All buildings were dark； power gone； a monstrous pile of shrieking； shifting wreckage surrounding him。 Then his glands overpowered him and he fled pell…mell down Sinclair Road。 。。。
Far above on Kotewall Road； those on the other side of the barrage were safe though paralyzed with shock。 The few still on their feet； Casey among them； could not believe what they had witnessed。 The vast slide had torn away all of the roadway as far as they could see。 Most of the mountainside that a moment ago was terraced was now an undulating； ugly mud…earth…rock slope … roads vanished； buildings gone； and Dunross and his party carried away somewhere down the slope。
Casey tried to scream but she had no voice。 Then； 〃Oh Jesus Christ！ Linc！〃 tore from her mouth and her feet moved and before she knew what was happening she was scrambling； falling； groping her way toward the wreckage。 The darkness was awful now； the screams awful； voices beginning； shouts for help from everywhere； the unbelievable twisted pile of debris still moving here and there； bits still falling and being crushed。 All at once the night was lit by power lines exploding； sending cascades of fireballs into the air among the wreckage。
Frantically she rushed to where the foyer once had been。 Extended below； far below； the darkness obscuring almost everything； was the twisted mass of rubble； concrete blocks； girders； shoes； toys； pots pans sofas chairs beds radios TVs clothes limbs books； three cars that had been parked outside； and more screams。 Then in the light of the exploding power lines she saw the mashed wreckage that was once the elevator down the slope； broken arms and legs jutting from its carcass。
〃Linc！〃 she shrieked at the top of her voice； again and again； not knowing she was crying； the tears streaming down her face。 But there was no answer。 Desperately she clambered and half fell and groped her way into and over the dangerous rubble。 Around her； men and women were shouting； screaming。 Then she heard a faint wail of terror nearby and part of the rubble moved。 She was on her knees now； stockings torn； dress torn； knees bruised and she pulled away some bricks and found a small cavity； and there was a Chinese child of three or four； beyond terror； coughing； almost choking； trapped under a vast； groaning pile of debris in the rubble dust。
〃Oh Jesus you poor darling。〃 Casey looked around frantically but there was no one to help。 Part of the rubble shifted； screaming and groaning； a big chunk of concrete with its imbedded； reinforcing iron almost hanging loose。 Careless of her safety； Casey fought the debris away； fingers bleeding。 Again the wreckage twisted over her as some of it slid farther down the slope。 Desperately she clawed a crawlspace and grabbed the child's arm； helping her to squeeze out； then caught her in her arms and darted back to safety as this part of the wreckage collapsed and she stood alone； the trembling child safe and unhurt in her arms； clutching her tightly。 。。。
When the avalanche toppled the high rise and tore up most of the roadway and parapet； Dunross and the others on its edge were hurtled down the steep slope； head over heels； brush and vegetation breaking part of their fall。 The tai…pan picked himself up in the semidarkness； felt himself blankly； dazed； astonished to find he could stand and was unhurt。 From near him came whimpers of agony。 The slope was steep and everywhere muddy and sodden as he groped up to Dianne Chen。 She was semiconscious； groaning； one leg twisted brutally underneath her。 Part of her shinbone jutted through the skin but as far as he could see； no arteries were severed and there was no dangerous bleeding。 As carefully as he could he straightened her and her limb； but she let out a howl of pain and fainted。 He felt someone nearby and glanced up。 Riko was standing there； her dress ripped； her shoes gone； her hair akimbo； a small trickle of blood from her nose。
〃Christ； you all right？〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes；〃 she said shakily。 〃It's 。。。 was it an earthquake？〃
At that moment there was another crackling explosion of power cables short…circuiting； and momentarily fireballs lit up the area。 〃Oh my God！〃 he gasped。 〃It's like London in the blitz。〃 Then he caught sight of Phillip Chen in an inert heap around a sapling； sprawled headfirst down the slope。 〃Stay here with Dianne；〃 he ordered and scrambled down the slope。 Hanging onto his dread； he turned Phillip over。 His pradore was still breathing。 Dunross shook with relief。 He settled him as best he could and looked around in the gloom。 Others were picking themselves up。 Nearby； Christian Toxe was shaking his head； trying to clear it。
〃Bloody sodding Christ；〃 he was muttering over and over。 〃There must be a couple of hundred people living there。〃 He reeled to his feet then slipped in the mud and cursed again。 〃I've 。。。 I've got to get to a phone。 Give me； give me a hand will you？〃 Toxe swore as he slipped again。 〃It's my ankle； the bloody thing's twisted a bit。〃
Dunross helped him stand and then； with Riko on Toxe's other side； they climbed awkwardly back to the remains of the roadway。 People were still standing paralyzed； others clambering over the first slide to see if they could help； a few of the tenants frantic and moaning。 One mother was being held back； her husband already running falling clambering toward the wreckage； their three children and amah somewhere there。
The moment they were on level ground； Toxe hobbled off down Kotewall Road and Dunross rushed for his car to fetch his flashlight and emergency medical pack。
Lim was nowhere to be seen。 Then Dunross remembered his chauffeur had been with them when the avalanche hit。 As he found the keys to unlock the trunk he searched his memory。 Who was with us？ Toxe； Riko； Jacques … no； Jacques had left … Phillip and Dianne Chen； Barre 。。。 no we left Barre at the party。 Jesus Christ！ The party！ I'd forgotten the party！ Who was still there？ Richard Kwang and his wife； Plumm； Johnjohn； no he'd gone earlier； Roger Crosse； no wait a minute； didn't he leave？
Dunross jerked open the trunk and found two flashlights and the medical kit； a length of rope。 He ran back to Riko； his back hurting him now。 〃Will you go back and look after Dianne and Phillip till I can get help？〃 His voice was deliberately firm。 〃Here。〃 He gave her a flashlight； some bandages and a bottle of aspirin。 〃Off you go。 Dianne's broken her leg。 I don't know about Phillip。 Do what you can and stay with them till an ambulance es or I e back。 All right？〃
〃Yes； yes； all right。〃 Her eyes flickered with fear as she looked above。 〃Will there 。。。 is there any danger from another slide？〃
〃No。 You'll be quite safe。 Go quickly！〃 His will took away her fear and she started down the slope with the flashlight； picking her way carefully。 It was only then he noticed that she was barefoot。 Then he remembered Dianne had been barefoot too and Phillip。 He stretched to ease his back。 His clothes were ripped； but he paid them no attention and rushed for the barrier。 In the distance he heard police sirens。 His relief became almost nauseating as he broke into a run。
Then he noticed Orlanda at the head of the line of cars。 She was staring fixedly at where Rose Court had been； her mouth moving； tiny spasms trembling her face and body； and he remembered the night of the fire when she had been equally petrified and near snapping。 Quickly he went to her and shook her hard； hoping to jerk her out of the panic breakdown that he had witnessed so many times during the war。 〃Orlanda！〃
She came out of her almost trance。 〃Oh 。。。 oh 。。。 what； what 。。。〃
Greatly relieved； he saw her eyes were normal now and the agony normal； the spilling tears normal。 〃You're all right。 Nothing to worry about。 Get hold now； you're all right； Orlanda！〃 he said； his voice kind though very firm； and leaned her against the hood of a car and left her。
Her eyes focused。 〃Oh my God！ Linc！〃 Then she shrieked after him through her tears； 〃Linc 。。。 Linc's there！〃
He jerked to a stop； turned back。 〃Where？ Where was he？〃
〃He's 。。。 in my； my apartment。 It's on the eighth floor 。。。 it's on the eighth floor！〃
Dunross ran off again； his flashlight the only moving speck of light on the morass。
Here and there people were groping blindly； ankle…deep in the soaking earth； their hands cupped around matches； heading for the ruins。 As he came nearer the catastrophe； his heart twisted。 He could smell gas。 Every second the smell became stronger。
〃Put out the matches； for chrissake！〃 he roared。 〃You'll blow us all to helllll！〃
Then he saw Casey 。。。
The police car following the fire truck roared up the hill； sirens howling； the traffic heavy here and no one getting out of the way。 Inside
