jamesclavell.noblehouse-第44节

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　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃One　of　our　people's　been　killed。　In　London。　Grant。　Alan　Medford　Grant。〃
　〃Oh。　I　don't　know　him；　do　I？〃
　〃I　think　you　met　him　once　in　Ayrshire。　He　was　a　small；　pixyish　man。　He　was　at　one　of　our　parties　at　Castle　Avisyard　…　it　was　on　our　last　leave。〃
　She　frowned。　〃Don't　remember。〃　She　took　the　offered　telex。　It　read：　〃Regret　to　inform　you　A。　M。　Grant　was　killed　in　motorcycle　accident　this　morning。　Details　will　follow　when　I　have　them。　Sorry。　Regards；　Kiernan。〃
　〃Who's　Kiernan？〃
　〃His　assistant。〃
　〃Grant's　。。。　he　was　a　friend？〃
　〃In　a　way。〃
　〃He's　important　to　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Oh；　sorry。〃
　Dunross　forced　himself　to　shrug　and　keep　his　voice　level。　But　in　his　mind　he　was　cursing　obscenely。　〃Just　one　of　those　things。　Joss。〃
　She　wanted　to　miserate　with　him；　recognizing　at　once　the　depth　of　his　shock。　She　knew　he　was　greatly　perturbed；　trying　to　hide　it　…　and　she　wanted　to　know　immediately　the　who　and　the　why　of　this　unknown　man。　But　she　held　her　peace。
　That's　my　job；　she　reminded　herself。　Not　to　ask　questions；　to　be　calm　and　to　be　there　…　to　pick　up　the　pieces；　but　only　when　I'm　allowed　to。　〃Are　you　ing　down？〃
　〃In　a　moment。〃
　〃Don't　be　long；　Ian。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Thanks　again　for　my　bracelet；〃　she　said；　liking　it　very　much　and　he　said；　〃It's　nothing；〃　but　she　knew　he　had　not　really　heard　her。　He　was　already　at　the　phone　asking　for　long　distance。　She　walked　out　and　closed　the　door　quietly　and　stood　miserably　in　the　long　corridor　that　led　to　the　east　and　west　wings；　her　heart　thumping。　Curse　all　telexes　and　all　telephones　and　curse　Struan's　and　curse　Hong　Kong　and　curse　all　parties　and　all　hangers…on　and　oh　how　I　wish　we　could　leave　forever　and　forget　Hong　Kong　and　forget　work　and　the　Noble　House　and　Big　Business　and　the　Pacific　Rim　and　the　stock　market　and　all　curs…　
　〃Motherrrrr！〃
　She　heard　Glenna's　voice　screeching　from　the　depths　of　her　room　around　the　far　corner　in　the　east　wing　and　at　once　all　her　senses　concentrated。　There　was　frustrated　rage　in　Glenna's　voice；　but　no　danger；　so　she　did　not　hurry；　just　called　back；　〃I'm　ing　。。。　what　is　it；　Glenna？〃
　〃Where　are　youuuuu？〃
　〃I'm　ing；　darling；〃　she　called　out；　her　mind　now　on　important　things。　Glenna　will　look　pretty　in　that　dress；　she　thought。　Oh　I　know；　she　told　herself　happily；　I'll　lend　her　my　little　rope　of　pearls。　That'll　make　it　perfect。
　Her　pace　quickened。
　
　Across　the　harbor　in　Kowloon；　Divisional　Staff　Sergeant　Tang…po；　CID；　the　High　Dragon；　climbed　the　rickety　stairs　and　went　into　the　room。　The　inner　core　of　his　secret　triad　was　already　there。　〃Get　this　through　that　bone　some　of　you　carry　between　your　ears：　the　Dragons　want　Noble　House　Chen　found　and　these　pox…dripping；　dung…eating　Werewolves　caught　so　fast　even　gods　will　blink！〃
　〃Yes；　Lord；〃　his　underlings　chorused；　shocked　at　the　quality　of　his　voice。
　They　were　in　Tang…po's　safe　house；　a　small；　drab　three…room　apartment　behind　a　drab　front　door　on　the　fifth　floor　of　an　equally　drab　apartment　building　over　very　modest　shops　in　a　dirty　alley　just　three　blocks　from　their　police　headquarters　of　Tsim　Sha　Tsui　District　that　faced　the　harbor　and　the　Peak　on　the　tip　of　Kowloon　Peninsula。　There　were　nine　of　them：　one　sergeant；　two　corporals；　the　rest　constables　…　all　plainclothes　detectives　of　the　CID；　all　Cantonese；　all　handpicked　and　sworn　with　blood　oaths　to　loyalty　and　secrecy。　They　were　Tang…po's　secret　tong　or　Brotherhood；　which　protected　all　street　gambling　in　Tsim　Sha　Tsui　District。
　〃Look　everywhere；　talk　to　everyone。　We　have　three　days；〃　Tang…po　said。　He　was　a　strongly　built　man　of　fifty…five　with　slightly　graying　hair　and　heavy　eyebrows　and　his　rank　was　the　highest　he　could　have　and　not　be　an　officer。　〃This　is　the　order　of　me　…　all　my　Brother　Dragons　…　and　the　High　One　himself。　Apart　from　that；〃　he　added　sourly；　〃Big　Mountain　of　Dung　has　promised　to　demote　and　post　us　to　the　border　or　other　places；　all　of　us；　if　we　fail；　and　that's　the　first　time　he's　ever　threatened　that。　All　gods　piss　from　a　great　height　on　all　foreign　devils；　particularly　those　motherless　fornicators　who　won't　accept　their　rightful　squeeze　and　behave　like　civilized　persons！〃
　〃Amen！〃　Sergeant　Lee　said　with　great　fervor。　He　was　a　sometimes　Catholic　because　in　his　youth　he　had　gone　to　a　Catholic　school。
　〃Big　Mountain　of　Dung　made　it　quite　clear　this　afternoon：　results；　or　off　to　the　border　where　there's　not　a　pot　to　piss　in　and　no　squeeze　within　twenty　miles。　Ayeeyah；　all　gods　protect　us　from　failure！〃
　〃Yes；〃　Corporal　Ho　said　for　all　of　them；　making　a　note　in　his　book。　He　was　a　sharp…featured　man　who　was　studying　at　night　school　to　bee　an　accountant；　and　it　was　he　who　kept　the　Brotherhood's　books　and　minutes　of　their　meetings。
　〃Elder　Brother；〃　Sergeant　Lee　began　politely；　〃is　there　a　fixed　reward　we　can　offer　our　informers？　Is　there　a　minimum　or　a　maximum？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Tang…po　told　them；　then　added　carefully；　〃The　High　Dragon　has　said　100；000　HK　if　within　three　days　。。。〃　The　room　was　suddenly　silent　at　the　vastness　of　the　reward。　〃。。。　half　for　finding　Noble　House　Chen；　half　for　finding　the　kidnappers。　And　a　bonus　of　10；000　to　the　Brother　whose　informer　produces　either　…　and　promotion。〃
　〃One　10；000　for　Chen　and　one　ten　for　the　kidnappers？〃　the　corporal　asked。　O　gods　grant　me　the　prize；　he　prayed；　as　they　all　were　praying。　〃Is　that　right；　Elder　Brother？〃
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　that's　what　I　said；〃　Tang…po　replied　sharply；　puffing　his　cigarette。　〃Are　your　ears　filled　with　pus？〃
　〃Oh　no；　sorry　Honorable　Sir。　Please　excuse　me。〃
　All　their　minds　were　on　the　prize。　Sergeant　Lee　was　thinking；　Eeee；　10；000　and　…　and　promotion　if　in　three　days！　Ah；　if　within　three　days　then　it　will　be　in　time　for　Race　Day　and　then　。。。　O　all　gods　great　and　small　bless　me　this　once　and　a　second　time　on　Saturday's　double　quinella。
　Tang…po　was　referring　to　his　notes。　〃Now　to　other　business。　Through　the　cooperation　of　Daytime　Chang　and　the　Honorable　Song；　the　Brotherhood　can　use　their　showers　daily　at　the　V　and　A　between　8：00　a。m。　and　9：00　a。m。；　not　7：00　a。m。　to　8：00　a。m。　as　before。　Wives　and　concubines　on　a　roster　basis。　Corporal　Ho；　you　rearrange　the　roster。〃
　〃Hey；　Honored　Lord；〃　one　of　the　young　detectives　called　out；　〃did　you　hear　about　Golden　Pubics？〃
　〃Eh？〃
　The　youth　related　what　Daytime　Chang　had　told　him　this　morning　when　he　went　to　the　hotel　kitchens　for　breakfast。　They　all　guffawed。
　〃Ayeeyah；　imagine　that！　Like　gold；　heya？〃
　〃Have　you　ever　pillowed　a　foreign　devil；　Honorable　Lord？〃
　〃No　never。　No。　Ayeeyah；　the　very　thought　。。。　ugh！〃
　〃I'd　like　one；〃　Lee　said　with　a　laugh；　〃just　to　see　what　was　what！〃
　They　laughed　with　him　and　one　called　out；　〃A　Jade　Gate's　a　Jade　Gate　but　they　say　some　foreign　devils　are　lopsided！〃
　〃I　heard　they　were　cleft　sideways！〃
　〃Honored　Sir；　there　was　another　thing；〃　the　young　detective　said　when　the　laughter　had　died　down。　〃Daytime　Chang　told　me　to　tell　you　Golden　Pubics　has　a　miniature　transmitter…receiver　…　best　he'd　ever　seen；　better　than　anything　we've　got；　even　in　Special　Branch。　She　carries　it　around　with　her。〃
　Tang…po　stared　at　him。　〃That's　curious。　Now　why　should　a　foreign　devil　woman　want　a　thing　like　that？〃
　Lee　said；　〃Something　to　do　with　the　guns？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Younger　Brother。　Women　with　transceivers？　Interesting。　It　wasn't　in　her　luggage　when　our　people　went　through　it　last　night；　so　it　must've　been　in　her　handbag。　Good；　very　good。　Corporal　Ho；　after　our　meeting　leave　a　gift　for　Daytime　Chang　…　a　couple　of　reds。〃　A　red　note　was　100　HK。　〃I'd　certainly　like　to　know　who　those　guns　were　for；〃　he　added　thoughtfully。　〃Make　sure　all　our　informers　know　I'm　very　interested　in　that　too。〃
　〃Is　Noble　House　Chen　tied　into　the　guns　and　these　two　foreign　devils？〃　Lee　asked。
　〃I　think　so；　Younger　Brother。　I　think　so。　Yes。　Another　curiosity　…　to　send　an　ear　is　not　civilized　…　not　so　soon。　Not　civilized　at　all。〃
　〃Ah；　then　you　think　the　Werewolves're　foreign　devils？　Or　fornicating　half…persons？　Or　Portuguese？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Tang…po　said　sourly。　〃But　it　happened　in　our　district；　so　it's　a　matter　of　face　for　all　of　us。　Big　Mountain　of　Dung　is　very　enraged。　His　face　is　in　the　mangle　too。〃
　〃Eeee；〃　Lee　said；　〃that　fornicator　has　such　a　very　filthy　temper。〃
　〃Yes。　Perhaps　the　information　about　the　transceiver　will　appease　him。　I　think　I'll　ask　all　my　Brothers　to　put　surveillance　on　Golden　Pubics　and　her　gun…running　friend　just　in　case。　Now；　there　was　something　else。　。。。〃　Again　Tang…po　referred　to　his　notes。　〃Ah　yes；　why　is　our　contribution　from　the　Happy　Hostess　Night　Club　down　30　percent？〃
　〃A　new　ownership's　just　taken　over；　Honored　Sir；〃　Sergeant　Lee；　in　whose　area　the　dance　hall　was；　said。　〃One　Eye　Pok　sold　out　to　a　Shanghainese　fornicator　called　Wang　…　Happy　Wang。　Happy　Wang　says　the　Fragrant　Grease's　too　high；　business　is　bad；　very　bad。〃
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　Shanghainese。　Is　it？〃
　〃It's　down；　but　not　much。〃
　〃That's　right；　Honored　Sir；〃　Corporal　Ho　said。　〃I　was　there　at　midnight　to　collect　the　fornicating　week's　advance　…　the　stink　fornicating　place　was　about　half　full。〃
　〃Any　foreign　devils　there？〃
　〃Two　or　three；　Honored　Lord。　No　one　of　importance。〃
　〃Give　Honorable　Happy　Wang　a　message　from　me：