jamesclavell.noblehouse-第296节

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　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。〃
　Dunross　hesitated。
　〃Better　to　leave　it；〃　the　other　man　said　again。　〃It　looks　dicey。〃
　〃All　right。〃　Dunross　was　weary　of　all　the　death　and　suffering。　〃All　right。〃
　Rain　made　the　night　more　filthy　and　the　morass　even　more　dangerous。　Ahead；　past　the　slide　area；　Kotewall　Road　ran　almost　straight　for　seventy　yards；　climbing　steeply；　then　curled　up　and　away　around　the　mountainside。　Already　tenants　were　streaming　out　of　buildings；　evacuating。
　〃There's　no　mistake　about　Tiptop　and　the　money？〃　Gornt　said；　picking　his　way　carefully　with　the　flashlight。
　〃None。　The　bank　runs're　over。〃
　〃Good。　What　did　you　have　to　barter？〃
　Dunross　did　not　answer　him；　just　shrugged。　〃We'll　open　at　30。〃
　〃That　remains　to　be　seen。〃　Gornt　added　sardonically；　〃Even　at　30　I'm　safe。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃I'll　be　about　2　million　U。S。　down。　That's　what　Bartlett　advanced。〃
　Dunross　felt　a　glow。　That'll　teach　Bartlett　to　try　a　heist　on　me；　he　thought。　〃I　knew　about　that。　It　was　a　good　idea　…　but　at　30　you'll　be　down　about　4　million；　Quillan；　his　2　and　2　of　yours。　But　I'll　settle　for　All　Asia　Air。〃
　〃Never。〃　Gornt　stopped　and　faced　him。　〃Never。　My　airline's　still　not　for　sale。〃
　〃Please　yourself。　The　deal's　on　offer　until　the　market　opens。〃
　〃The　pox　on　your　deals。〃
　They　plodded　onward　on　the　top　of　the　slope；　now　nearing　the　foyer　area。　They　passed　a　stretcher　returning。　The　injured　woman　was　no　one　either　of　them　knew。　If　Dunross　were　on　one　of　those；　Gornt　thought　grimly；　it'd　solve　all　my　problems　neatly　。。。
　
　87
　
　1：20　A。M。：
　The　Gurkha　sergeant　had　his　flashlight　directed　downward。　Around　him　were　other　soldiers；　the　young　lieutenant；　firemen　hurrying　up　with　one　of　the　fire　chiefs。
　〃Where　is　he？〃　Fire　Chief　Harry　Hooks　asked。
　〃There；　somewhere　down　there。　His　name's　Bartlett；　Linc　Bartlett。〃　Hooks　saw　the　light　seep　down　a　few　feet　then　stop；　blocked　by　the　maze。　He　lay　down　on　the　ground。　Close　to　the　ground　the　gas　smell　was　heavier。　〃Down　there；　Mr。　Bartlett！　Can　you　hear　me？〃　he　shouted　into　the　wreckage。
　They　all　listened　intently。　〃Yes；〃　came　back　faintly。
　〃Are　you　hurt？〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Can　you　see　our　light？〃
　〃No！〃
　Hooks　cursed；　then　shouted；　〃Stay　where　you　are　for　the　moment！〃
　〃All　right；　but　the　gas　is　heavy！〃
　He　got　up。　The　officer　said；　〃A　Mr。　Gornt　was　here　and　he's　gone　to　get　more　help。〃
　〃Good。　Everyone　spread　out；　see　if　you　can　find　a　passage　down　to　him；　or　where　we　can　get　closer。〃　They　did　as　he　ordered。　In　a　moment　one　of　the　Gurkhas　let　out　a　shout。　〃Over　here！〃
　It　was　a　small　space　between　ugly　broken　slabs　of　concrete；　broken　timbers　and　joists　and　some　steel　H…beams；　perhaps　enough　for　a　man　to　crawl　down　into。　Hooks　hesitated　then　took　off　his　heavy　equipment。　〃No；〃　the　officer　said。　〃We'd　better　try。〃　He　looked　at　his　men。　〃Eh？〃
　At　once　they　grinned　and　all　moved　for　the　hole。　〃No；〃　the　officer　ordered。　〃Sangri；　you're　the　smallest。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sah；〃　the　little　man　said　with　a　great　beam；　his　teeth　white　in　his　dark　face。　They　all　watched　him　squirm　underground　headfirst　like　an　eel。
　Twenty…odd　feet　below；　Bartlett　was　craning　around　in　the　darkness。　He　was　in　a　small　crawlspace；　his　way　up　blocked　by　a　big　slab　of　flooring；　the　smell　of　gas　strong。　Then　his　eyes　caught　a　flicker　of　light　ahead　off　to　one　side　and　he　got　a　quick　look　at　his　surroundings。　He　could　hear　nothing　except　the　drip　of　water　and　the　creaking　wreckage。　With　great　care　he　squirmed　off　toward　where　he　had　seen　the　light。　A　small　avalanche　began　as　he　shoved　some　boards　aside。　Soon　it　stopped。　Above　was　another　small　space。　He　wormed　his　way　up　and　along　this　space　and　reached　a　dead　end。　Another　way；　dead　end。　Above　he　felt　some　loosened　boards　in　the　crumpled　flooring。　He　lay　on　his　back　and　fought　the　boards　away；　coughing　and　choking　in　the　dust。　Abruptly　light　doused　him。　Not　much；　very　little；　but　when　his　eyes　adjusted　it　was　enough　for　him　to　see　a　few　yards。　His　elation　vanished　as　he　realized　the　extent　of　the　tomb。　In　every　direction　he　was　blocked。
　〃Hello　above！〃
　Faintly；　〃We　hear　youuuuu！〃
　〃I'm　in　the　light　now！〃
　After　a　moment；　〃Which　light？〃
　〃How　the　hell　do　I　know　for　chrissake？〃　Bartlett　said。　Don't　panic；　think　and　wait；　he　almost　heard　Spurgeon　say。　Holding　on；　he　waited；　then　the　light　he　was　in　moved　a　little。　〃That　one！〃　he　shouted。
　Instantly　the　light　stopped。
　〃We　have　you　positioned！　Stay　where　you　are！〃
　Bartlett　looked　around；　quartering　the　area　very　carefully。　A　second　time　with　still　the　same　result：　there　was　no　way　out。
　None。
　〃They'll　have　to　dig　me　out；〃　he　muttered；　his　fear　gathering。　。。。
　
　Sangri；　the　young　Gurkha；　was　down　about　ten　feet　under　the　surface　but　well　away　to　the　right　from　Bartlett。　He　could　go　no　farther。　His　way　was　blocked。　He　squirmed　around　and　got　a　purchase　on　a　jagged　concrete　slab　and　moved　it　slightly。　At　once　this　part　of　the　wreckage　began　to　shift。　He　froze；　let　the　slab　rest　again。　But　there　was　no　other　way　to　go；　so；　gritting　his　teeth　and　praying　that　everything　would　not　collapse　on　him　and　whoever　was　below；　he　pulled　the　slab　aside。　The　wreckage　held。　Panting；　he　put　his　flash　into　the　cavity；　then　his　head；　peering　around。
　Another　dead　end。　Impossible　to　go　farther。　Reluctantly；　he　pulled　back。　〃Sergeant；〃　he　shouted　in　Nepalese；　〃I　can　go　no　farther。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Oh　yes　sah；　very　sure！〃
　〃e　back！〃
　Before　he　left　he　shouted　down　into　the　darkness；　〃Hello　down　there！〃
　〃I　hear　you！〃　Bartlett　called　back。
　〃We're　not　far　away！　We'll　get　you　out；　sah！　Don't　worry！〃
　〃Okay！〃
　With　great　difficulty　Sangri　began　to　back　out；　retracing　his　way　painfully。　A　small　avalanche　pelted　him　with　rubble。　Grimly　he　continued　climbing。
　Dunross　and　Gornt　clambered　over　the　wreckage　to　join　the　clusters　of　men　who　were　in　a　chain；　removing　rubble　and　beams　where　they　could。
　〃Evening；　tai…pan；　Mr。　Gornt。　We've　pegged　him　but　we're　not　close。〃　Hooks　pointed　at　the　man　who　was　holding　the　flash　steady。　〃That's　his　direction。〃
　〃How　far　down　is　he？〃
　〃By　the　sound　of　his　voice　about　twenty　feet。〃
　〃Christ！〃
　〃Aye；　Christ　it　is。　The　poor　bugger's　in　a　pickle。　Look't　those！〃　Heavy　steel　H…beams　were　blocking　the　way　down。　〃We　daren't　use　cutters；　too　much　gas。〃
　〃There　must　be　another　way？　From　the　side？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃We're　looking。　Best　we　can　do's　get　more　men　and　clear　what　we　can　away。〃　Hooks　glanced　off　at　an　encouraging　shout。　They　all　hurried　toward　the　excited　soldiers。　Below　a　mess　of　torn…up　flooring　that　the　men　had　taken　away　was　a　rough　passageway　that　seemed　to　lead　downward；　twisting　out　of　sight。　They　saw　one　of　the　small　men　jump　into　the　cavity；　then　vanish。　Others　watched；　shouting　encouragement。　The　way　was　easy　for　six　feet；　very　hard　for　the　next　ten　feet；　twisting　and　turning；　then　he　was　blocked。　〃Hello　down　there；　sah；　can　you　see　my　light？〃
　〃Yes！〃　Bartlett's　voice　was　louder。　There　was　almost　no　need　to　shout。
　〃I'm　going　to　move　the　light　around；　sah。　Please　if　it　gets　near；　please　give　me　right　or　left；　up　or　down；　sah。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Bartlett　could　see　a　tiny　part　of　light　up　and　to　his　right　through　a　mass　of　the　beams；　girders　and　joists　and　broken　rooms。　Directly　above　him　was　an　impenetrable　mess　of　flooring　and　girders。　Once　he　lost　the　light　beam　but　soon　picked　it　up　again。　〃Right　a　bit；〃　he　called；　his　voice　already　a　little　hoarse。　Obediently　the　light　moved。　〃Down！　Stop　there！　Now　up　a　fraction。〃　It　seemed　to　take　an　age　but　the　light　centered　on　him。　〃That's　it！〃
　The　soldier　held　the　flash　steadily；　made　a　cradle　for　it　with　rubble；　then　took　his　hand　away。　'〃All　right；　sah？〃　he　shouted。
　〃Yesss！　You're　on　the　money！〃
　〃I'm　going　back　for　more　help。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　The　soldier　retreated。　In　ten　minutes　he　had　guided　Hooks　back。　The　fire　chief　gauged　the　path　of　the　beam　and　meticulously　examined　the　obstacle　course　ahead。　〃Stone　the　crows；　it'll　take　a　month　of　Sundays；〃　he　muttered。　Then；　containing　his　dread；　he　took　out　his　pass　and　measured　the　angle　carefully。
　〃Don't　you　worry；　mate；〃　he　called　down。　〃We'll　get　you　out　nice　and　easy。　Can　you　get　closer　to　the　light？〃
　〃No。　I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃Just　stay　where　you　are　and　rest。　Are　you　hurt？〃
　〃No；　no　but　I　can　smell　gas。〃
　〃Don't　worry；　lad；　we're　not　far　away。〃　Hooks　clambered　out　of　the　passage。　On　the　surface　again；　he　measured　the　line　on　the　pass　and　then　paced　out　over　the　tilted　surface。　〃He's　below　this　spot；　tai…pan；　Mr。　Gornt；　within　five　feet　or　so；　about　twenty　feet　down。〃　They　were　two　thirds　of　the　way　down　the　slope；　closer　to　Sinclair　Road　than　to　Kotewall。　There　was　no　way　in　from　the　sides　that　they　could　see；　mud　and　earth　of　the　slide　heavier　to　the　right　than　to　the　left。
　〃The　only　thing　we　can　do's　dig；〃　he　said　with　finality。　〃We　can't　get　a　crane　here；　so　it's　elbow　grease。　We'll　try　here　first。〃　Hooks　indicated　an　area　that　seemed　promising；　ten　feet　away；　close　to　the　hole　the　soldiers　had　discovered。
　〃Why　there？〃
　〃Safer；　tai…pan；　in　case　we　sta