jamesclavell.noblehouse-第295节

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　or　the　Victoria　had　a　scam　going。　Ever　since　the　meeting　with　Gornt　at　Aberdeen　when　he　had　put　his　theory　of　a　bail…out　by　Blacs　or　the　Victoria　of　the　Ho…Pak　to　Gornt　and　had　seen　a　flicker　behind　those　cunning　eyes；　he　had　wondered　if　he　had　sniffed　out　a　scam　of　the　Big　Boys。　Oh　sure；　they're　Big　Boys　all　right。　They've　got　Hong　Kong　by　the　shorts；　Jesus；　have　they　got　an　inside　track！　And　Jesus；　oh　Jesus　when　at　the　races　Richard　Kwang　asked　him　to　buy　Ho…Pak　and；　almost　at　once；　Havergill　had　announced　his　takeover；　he　had　gone　to　the　men's　room　and　vomited。　10　million　in　Ho…Pak；　Blacs；　Victoria　and　Struan's；　bought　at　the　bottom　of　the　market。　And　then；　tonight；　when　the　nine　o'clock　news　announced　that　China　was　advancing　half　a　billion　cash　so　all　bank　runs　were　finished；　he　knew　he　was　a　multimillionaire；　a　multi…multimillionaire。
　The　young　man　could　not　hold　his　stomach　together　and　rushed　off　to　the　bushes　by　the　side　of　the　road　and　retched　till　he　thought　he　would　die。
　The　English　bystander　turned　his　back　on　him　and　said　quietly　to　a　friend；　〃These　Chinese　fellows　really　don't　have　much　of　a　stiff　upper　lip；　do　they；　old　boy？〃
　Paul　Choy　wiped　his　mouth；　feeling　terrible；　the　thought　of　all　his　maybe　money；　so　near　now；　too　much　for　him。
　The　stretchers　were　passing。　Numbly　he　followed　them　to　the　aid　station。　In　the　background　under　the　makeshift　overhang；　Dr。　Meng　was　doing　emergency　surgery。　Paul　Choy　watched　Dr。　Tooley　turn　back　the　blankets。　A　European　woman。　Her　eyes　were　open　and　staring。　Dr。　Tooley　sighed　and　closed　them。　The　next　was　an　English　boy　of　ten。　Dead　too。　Then　a　Chinese　child。　The　last　stretcher　was　a　Chinese　man；　bleeding　and　in　pain。　。Quickly　the　doctor　gave　him　a　morphia　injection。
　Paul　Choy　turned　aside　and　was　sick　again。　When　he　came　back　Dr。　Tooley　said　kindly；　〃Nothing　you　can　do　here；　Mr。　Choy。　Here；　this'll　settle　your　stomach。〃　He　gave　him　two　aspirins　and　some　water。　〃Why　don't　you　wait　in　one　of　the　cars？　We'll　tell　you　the　instant　we　hear　anything　about　your　uncle。〃
　〃Yes；　thanks。〃
　More　stretchers　were　arriving。　An　ambulance　pulled　up。　Stretcher　bearers　got　the　tagged　injured　aboard　and　the　ambulance　took　off　into　the　drizzle。　Outside；　away　from　the　stench　of　blood　and　death；　the　young　man　felt　better。
　〃Hello；　Paul；　how're　things　going？〃
　〃Oh。　Oh　hello；　tai…pan。　Fine；　thanks。〃　He　had　encountered　the　tai…pan　earlier　and　told　him　about　Four　Fingers。　Dunross　had　been　shocked　and　very　concerned。
　〃Nothing　yet；　Paul？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　Dunross　hesitated。　〃No　news　is　good　news　perhaps。　If　Smiler　Ching　could　survive；　let's　hope　for　the　best；　eh？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Paul　Choy　had　watched　Dunross　hurry　off　up　the　road　toward　the　barrier；　his　mind　rehashing　all　the　permutations　he　had　worked　out。　With　the　tai…pan's　fantastic　takeover　of　General　Stores　…　that　was　so　smart；　oh　so　smart　…　and　now　sliding　out　of　Gornt's　trap；　his　stock's　gotta　go　to　30。　And　with　Ho…Pak　pegged　at　12。50；　the　moment　that's　back　on　the　board　it's　gotta　go　back　to　20。　Now；　figure　it；　17。5　percent　of　10　million　times　50　is　…　
　〃Mr。　Choy！　Mr。　Choy！〃
　It　was　Dr。　Tooley　beckoning　him　from　the　aid　station。　His　heart　stopped。　He　ran　back　as　fast　as　he　could。
　〃I'm　not　sure　but　follow　me；　please。〃
　There　was　no　mistake。　It　was　Four　Finger　Wu。　He　was　dead；　seemingly　unharmed。　On　his　face　was　a　wonderful　calmness　and　a　strange；　seraphic　smile。
　Tears　spilled　down　Paul　Choy's　cheeks。　He　squatted　beside　the　stretcher；　his　grief　possessing　him。　passionately　Dr。　Tooley　left　him　and　hurried　over　to　the　other　stretchers；　someone　screaming　now；　another　distraught　mother　clutching　the　broken　body　of　a　child　in　her　arms。
　Paul　Choy　stared　at　the　face；　a　good　face　in　death；　hardly　seeing　it。
　Now　what？　he　asked　himself；　wiping　away　his　tears；　not　really　feeling　he　had　lost　a　father　but　rather　the　head　of　the　family；　which　in　Chinese　families　is　worse　than　losing　your　own　father。　Jesus；　now　what？　I'm　not　the　eldest　son　so　I　don't　have　to　make　the　arrangements。　But　even　so；　what　do　I　do　now？
　Sobbing　distracted　him。　It　was　an　old　man　sobbing　over　an　old　woman；　lying　on　a　nearby　stretcher。　So　much　death　here；　too　much；　Paul　Choy　thought。　Yes。　But　the　dead　must　bury　the　dead；　the　living　must　go　on。　I'm　no　longer　bound　to　him。　And　I'm　American。
　He　lifted　the　blanket　as　though　to　cover　Four　Finger　Wu's　face　and　deftly　slipped　off　the　thong　necklace　with　its　half…coin　and　pocketed　it。　Again　making　sure　no　one　was　watching；　he　went　through　the　pockets。　Money　in　a　billfold；　a　bunch　of　keys；　the　personal　pocket　chop。　And　the　diamond　ring　in　its　little　box。
　He　got　up　and　went　to　Dr。　Tooley。　〃Excuse　me；　Doc。　Would　you；　would　you　please　leave　the　old　man　there？　I'll　be　back　with　a　car。　The　family；　we'd　。。。　Is　that　okay？〃
　〃Of　course。　Inform　the　police　before　you　take　him　away；　their　Missing　Persons　is　set　up　at　the　roadblock。　I'll　sign　the　death　certificate　tomorrow。　Sorry　there's　no　ti…　〃　Again　the　kind　man　was　distracted　and　he　went　over　to　Dr。　Meng。　〃Here；　let　me　help。　It's　like　Korea；　eh？〃
　Paul　Choy　walked　down　the　hill；　careless　of　the　drizzle；　his　heart　light；　stomach　settled；　future　settled。　The　coin's　mine　now；　he　told　himself；　certain　that　Four　Fingers　would　have　told　no　one　else；　keeping　to　his　usual　pattern　of　secrecy；　only　trusting　those　he　had　to。
　Now　that　I've　possession　of　his　personal　chop　I　can　chop　whatever　I　like；　do　whatever　I　like；　but　I'm　not　going　to　do　that。　That's　cheating。　Why　should　I　cheat　when　I'm　ahead？　I'm　smarter　than　any　of　his　other　sons。　They　know　it；　I　know　it　and　that's　not　being　crazy。　I　am　better。　It's　only　fair　I　keep　the　coin　and　all　the　profits　on　the　2　mill。　I'll　set　the　family　up；　modernize　everything；　equip　the　ships；　anything　they　want。　But　with　my　profit　I'm　going　to　start　my　own　empire。　Sure。　But　first　I'm　going　to　Hawaii。　。。。
　
　At　the　head　of　the　line　of　cars　near　the　first　slip　Dunross　stopped　beside　his　car　and　opened　the　door　to　the　backseat。　Casey　jerked　out　of　a　reverie　and　the　color　drained　out　of　her　face。　〃Linc？〃
　〃No；　nothing　yet。　Quillan's　fairly　sure　he's　pinpointed　the　area。　Gurkhas　are　bing　that　part　right　now。　I'm　going　back　to　relieve　him。〃　Dunross　tried　to　sound　confident。　〃The　experts　say　there's　a　very　good　chance　he'll　be　okay。　Not　to　worry。　You　all　right？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　thanks。〃
　When　he　had　returned　from　their　first　search；　he　had　sent　Lim　for　coffee；　sandwiches　and　a　bottle　of　brandy；　knowing　the　night　would　be　very　long。　He　had　wanted　Casey　to　leave　with　Riko　but　she　had　refused。　So　Riko　had　gone　back　to　her　hotel　in　the　other　car　with　Lim。
　〃You　want　a　brandy；　Ian？〃　Casey　said。
　〃Thanks。〃　He　watched　her　pour　for　him；　noticing　her　fingers　were　steady。　The　brandy　tasted　good。　〃I'll　take　Quillan　a　sandwich。　Why　not　put　a　good　slug　of　brandy　into　the　coffee；　eh？　I'll　take　that。〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　said；　glad　for　something　to　do。　〃Have　any　others　been　rescued？〃
　〃Donald　McBride　…　he's　all　right；　just　shaken。　Both　he　and　his　wife。〃
　〃Oh　good。　Any；　any　bodies？〃
　〃None　that　I　know　of；〃　he　said；　deciding　not　to　tell　her　about　Plumm　or　his　old　friend　Southerby；　chairman　of　Blacs。　At　that　moment　Adryon　and　Martin　Haply　hurtled　up　and　Adryon　threw　her　arms　around　him；　sobbing　with　relief。　〃Oh；　Father　we　just　heard；　oh；　Father；　I　was　petrified。〃
　〃There；　there；〃　he　said；　gentling　her。　〃I'm　fine。　Good　God；　Adryon；　no　bloody　landslip　will　ever　touch　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　Ho…　〃
　〃Oh　don't　say　that；〃　she　begged　him　with　a　shiver　of　superstitious　dread。　〃Don't　ever　say　that！　This's　China；　gods　listen；　don't　say　that！〃
　〃All　right；　my　love！〃　Dunross　hugged　her　and　smiled　at　Martin　Haply　who　was　also　wet　with　relief。　〃Everything　all　right？〃
　〃Oh　yes　sir；　we　were　over　in　Kowloon；　I　was　covering　the　other　slide　when　we　heard　the　news。〃　The　youth　was　so　relieved。　〃Goddamn　I'm　pleased　to　see　you；　tai…pan。　We　。。。　afraid　we　bashed　up　the　car　a　little　getting　up　here。〃
　〃Never　mind。〃　Dunross　held　Adryon　away　from　him。　〃All　right；　pet？〃
　Again　she　hugged　him。　〃Oh　yes。〃　Then　she　saw　Casey。　〃Oh。　Oh　hello；　Casey　I　was；　er；　so　…　〃
　〃Oh　don't　be　silly。　e　on　out　of　the　rain。　Both　of　you。〃
　Adryon　obeyed。　Martin　Haply　hesitated　then　said　to　Dunross；　〃If　you　don't　mind；　sir；　I'll　just　look　around。〃
　〃Christian　got　out；〃　Dunross　said　quickly。　〃He　ph…　〃
　〃Yes　sir。　I　called　the　office。　Thanks。　Won't　be　long；　honey；〃　he　said　to　Adryon　and　went　off　toward　the　barrier。　Dunross　watched　him　go；　young；　tough　and　very　assured；　then　caught　sight　of　Gornt　hurrying　down　the　hill。　Gornt　stopped；　well　away　from　the　car　and　beckoned　him　anxiously。
　Dunross　glanced　at　Casey；　his　heart　thumping　uneasily。　From　where　she　was　she　could　not　see　Gornt。　〃I'll　be　back　soon　as　I　can。〃
　〃Take　care！〃
　Dunross　came　up　to　Gornt。　The　older　man　was　filthy；　clothes　torn；　beard　matted　and　his　face　set。
　〃We've　pegged　him；〃　Gornt　said。　〃Bartlett。〃
　〃He's　dead？〃
　〃No。　We've　found　him　but　we　can't　get　at　him。〃　Gornt　motioned　at　the　thermos。　〃Is　that　tea？〃
　〃Coffee　with　brandy。〃
　Gornt　took　it；　drank　gratefully。　〃Casey's　still　in　the　car？〃
　〃Yes。　How　deep　is　he？〃
　〃We　don't　know。　Deep。　Perhaps　it's　best　not　to　say　anything　about　him　to　her；　not　yet。〃