jamesclavell.noblehouse-第47节

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　〃Christ；　is　she　or　isn't　she？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Wearing　anything　underneath？〃
　〃Seek　and　ye　shall　find。〃
　〃I'd　like　to。　She's　stunning。〃
　〃I　thought　so　too；〃　Dunross　said　agreeably；　〃though　I'd　say　100　percent　of　the　other　ladies　don't。〃
　〃Her　breasts　are　perfect；　you　can　see　that。〃
　〃Actually　you　can't。　Just。　It's　all　in　your　mind。〃
　〃I'll　bet　there　isn't　a　pair　in　Hong　Kong　to　touch　them。〃
　〃Fifty　dollars　to　a　copper　cash　says　you're　wrong　…　provided　we　include　Eurasians。〃
　〃How　can　we　prove　who　wins？〃
　〃We　can't。　Actually　I'm　an　ankle　man　myself。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Old　Uncle　Chen…Chen　used　to　say；　'First　look　at　the　ankles；　my　son；　then　you　tell　her　breeding；　how　she'll　behave；　how　she'll　ride；　how　she'll　。。。　like　any　filly。　But　remember；　all　crows　under　heaven　are　black！'　〃
　Brian　Kwok　grinned　with　him　then　waved　at　someone　in　friendly　style。　Across　the　room　a　tall　man　with　a　lived…in　face　was　waving　back。　Beside　him　was　an　extraordinarily　beautiful　woman；　tall；　fair；　with　gray　eyes。　She　waved　happily　too。
　〃Now　there's　an　English　beauty　at　her　best！〃
　〃Who？　Oh；　Fleur　Marlowe？　Yes；　yes　she　is。　I　didn't　know　you　knew　the　Marlowes；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Likewise！　I　met　him　this　afternoon；　Brian。　You've　known　him　long？〃
　〃Oh　a　couple　of　months…odd。　He's　persona　grata　with　us。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。　We're　showing　him　the　ropes。〃
　〃Oh？　Why？〃
　〃Some　months　ago　he　wrote　to　the　missioner；　said　he　was　ing　to　Hong　Kong　to　research　a　novel　and　asked　for　our　cooperation。　Seems　the　Old　Man　happened　to　have　read　his　first　novel　and　had　seen　some　of　his　films。　Of　course　we　checked　him　out　and　he　appears　all　right。〃　Brian　Kwok's　eyes　went　back　to　Casey。　〃The　Old　Man　thought　we　could　do　with　an　improved　image　so　he　sent　word　down　that；　within　limits；　Peter　was　approved　and　to　show　him　around。〃　He　glanced　back　at　Dunross　and　smiled　thinly。　〃Ours　not　to　reason　why！〃
　〃What　was　his　book？〃
　〃Called　Changi；　about　his　POW　days。　The　Old　Man's　brother　died　there；　so　I　suppose　it　hit　home。〃
　〃Have　you　read　it？〃
　〃Not　me　…　I've　too　many　mountains　to　climb！　I　did　skim　a　few　pages。　Peter　says　it's　fiction　but　I　don't　believe　him。〃　Brian　Kwok　laughed。　〃He　can　drink　beer　though。　Robert　had　him　on　a　couple　of　his　Hundred　Pinters　and　he　held　his　end　up。〃　A　Hundred　Pinter　was　a　police　stag　party　to　which　the　officers　contributed　a　barrel　of　a　hundred　pints　of　beer。　When　the　beer　was　gone；　the　party　ended。　Brian　Kwok's　eyes　were　feasting　on　Casey；　and　Dunross　wondered　for　the　millionth　time　why　Asians　favored　Anglo…Saxons　and　Anglo…Saxons　favored　Asians。
　〃Why　the　smile；　tai…pan？〃
　〃No　reason。　But　Casey's　not　bad　at　all；　is　she？〃
　〃Fifty　dollars　says　she's　bat　jam　gai；　heya？〃
　Dunross　thought　a　moment；　weighing　the　bet　carefully。　Bat　jam　gai　meant；　literally；　white　chicken　meat。　This　was　the　way　Cantonese　referred　to　ladies　who　shaved　off　their　pubic　hair。　〃Taken！　You're　wrong；　Brian；　she's　see　yau　gai；〃　which　meant　soya　chicken；　〃or　in　her　case　red；　tender　and　nicely　spicy。　I　have　it　on　the　highest　authority！〃
　Brian　laughed。　〃Introduce　me。〃
　〃Introduce　yourself。　You're　over　twenty…one。〃
　〃I'll　let　you　win　the　hill　climb　on　Sunday！〃
　〃Dreamer！　Off　you　go　and　a　thousand　says　you　won't。〃
　〃What　odds'll　you　give　me？〃
　〃You　must　be　joking！〃
　〃No　harm　in　asking。　Christ；　I'd　like　to　carry　the　book　on　that　one。　Where's　the　lucky　Mr。　Bartlett？〃
　〃I　think　he's　in　the　garden　…　I　told　Adryon　to　chaperone　him。　Excuse　me　a　moment。　。。。〃　Dunross　turned　away　to　greet　someone　Brian　Kwok　did　not　recognize。
　Upward　of　150　guests　had　already　arrived　and　been　greeted　personally。　Dinner　was　for　217；　each　carefully　seated　according　to　face　and　custom　at　round　tables　that　were　already　set　and　candlelit　on　the　lawns。　Candles　and　candelabra　in　the　halls；　liveried　waiters　offering　champagne　in　cut　glass　crystal；　or　smoked　salmon　and　caviar　from　silver　trays　and　tureens。
　A　small　band　was　playing　on　the　dais　and　Brian　Kwok　saw　a　few　uniforms　among　the　dinner　jackets；　American　and　British；　army；　navy　and　air　force。　It　was　no　surprise　that　Europeans　were　dominant。　This　party　was　strictly　for　the　British　inner　circle　that　ruled　Central　District　and　were　the　power　block　of　the　Colony；　their　Caucasian　friends；　and　a　few　very　special　Eurasians；　Chinese　and　Indians。　Brian　Kwok　recognized　most　of　the　guests：　Paul　Havergill　of　the　Victoria　Bank　of　Hong　Kong；　old　Sir　Samuel　Samuels；　multimillionaire；　tai…pan　of　twenty　real　estate；　banking；　ferry　and　stock…broking　panies；　Christian　Toxe；　editor　of　the　China　Guardian；　talking　to　Richard　Kwang；　chairman　of　the　Ho…Pak　Bank；　multimillionaire　shipowner　V。　K。　Lam　talking　to　Phillip　and　Dianne　Chen；　their　son　Kevin　with　them；　the　American　Zeb　Cooper；　inheritor　of　the　oldest　American　trading　pany；　Cooper…Tillman；　having　his　ear　bent　by　Sir　Dunstan　Barre；　tai…pan　of　Hong　Kong　and　Lan　Tao　Farms。　He　noticed　Ed　Langan；　the　FBI　man；　among　the　guests　and　this　surprised　him。　He　had　not　known　that　Langan　or　the　man　he　was　talking　to；　Stanley　Rosemont；　a　deputy　director　of　the　China…watching　CIA　contingent；　were　friends　of　Dunross。　He　let　his　eyes　drift　over　the　chattering　group　of　men；　and　the　mostly　separate　groups　of　their　wives。
　They're　all　here；　he　thought；　all　the　tai…pans　except　Gornt　and　Plumm；　all　the　pirates；　all　here　in　incestuous　hatred　to　pay　homage　to　the　tai…pan。
　Which　one　is　the　spy；　the　traitor；　controller　of　Sevrin；　Arthur？
　He's　got　to　be　European。
　I'll　bet　he's　here。　And　I'll　catch　him。　Yes。　I'll　catch　him；　soon；　now　that　I　know　about　him。　We'll　catch　him　and　catch　them　all；　he　thought　grimly。　And　we'll　catch　these　crooks　with　their　hands　in　their　tills；　we'll　stamp　out　their　piracies　for　the　mon　good。
　〃Champagne；　Honored　Sir？〃　the　waiter　asked　in　Cantonese　with　a　toothy　smile。
　Brian　accepted　a　full　glass。　〃Thank　you。〃
　The　waiter　bowed　to　hide　his　lips。　〃The　tai…pan　had　a　blue…covered　file　among　his　papers　when　he　came　in　tonight；〃　he　whispered　quickly。
　〃Is　there　a　safe；　a　secret　hiding　place　here？〃　Brian　asked　equally　cautiously　in　the　same　dialect。
　〃The　servants　say　in　his　office　on　the　next　floor；〃　the　man　said。　His　name　was　Wine　Waiter　Feng；　and　he　was　one　of　SI's　undercover　network　of　intelligence　agents。　His　cover　as　a　waiter　for　the　pany　that　catered　all　Hong　Kong's　best　and　most　exclusive　parties　gave　him　great　value。　〃Perhaps　it's　behind　the　painting；　I　heard。　。。。〃　He　stopped　suddenly　and　switched　to　pidgin　English。　〃Champigy…nee　Missee？〃　he　asked　toothily；　offering　the　tray　to　the　tiny　old　Eurasian　lady　who　was　ing　up　to　them。　〃Wery　wery　first　class。〃
　〃Don't　you　Missee　me；　you　impertinent　young　puppy；〃　she　rapped　haughtily　in　Cantonese。
　〃Yes；　Honored　Great…Aunt；　sorry；　Honored　Great…Aunt。〃　He　beamed　and　fled。
　〃So；　young　Brian　Kwok；〃　the　old　lady　said；　peering　up　at　him。
　She　was　eighty…eight；　Sarah　Chen；　Phillip　Chen's　aunt；　a　tiny　bird…like　person　with　pale　white　skin　and　Asian　eyes　that　darted　this　way　and　that。　And　though　she　appeared　frail　her　back　was　upright　and　her　spirit　very　strong。　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you。　Where's　John　Chen？　Where's　my　poor　grand…nephew？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Great　Lady；〃　he　said　politely。
　〃When　are　you　going　to　get　my　Number　One　Grand…nephew　back？〃
　〃Soon。　We're　doing　everything　we　can。〃
　〃Good。　And　don't　you　interfere　with　young　Phillip　if　he　wants　to　pay　John's　ransom　privately。　You　see　to　it。〃
　〃Yes。　I'll　do　what　I　can。　Is　John's　wife　here？〃
　〃Eh？　Who？　Speak　up；　boy！〃
　〃Is　Barbara　Chen　here？〃
　〃No。　She　came　earlier　but　as　soon　as　that　woman　arrived　she　'got　a　headache'　and　left。　Huh；　I　don't　blame　her　at　all！〃　Her　old　rheumy　eyes　were　watching　Dianne　Chen　across　the　room。　〃Huh；　that　woman！　Did　you　see　her　entrance？〃
　〃No；　Great　Lady。〃
　〃Huh；　like　Dame　Nellie　Melba　herself。　She　swept　in；　handkerchief　to　her　eyes；　her　eldest　son　Kevin　in　tow　…　I　don't　like　that　boy　…　and　my　poor　nephew　Phillip　like　a　second…class　cook　boy　in　the　rear。　Huh！　The　only　time　Dianne　Chen　ever　wept　was　in　the　crash　of　'56　when　her　stocks　went　down　and　she　lost　a　fortune　and　wet　her　drawers。　Ha！　Look　at　her　now；　preening　herself！　Pretending　to　be　upset　when　everyone　knows　she's　acting　as　though　she's　already　Dowager　Empress！　I　could　pinch　her　cheeks！　Disgusting！〃　She　looked　back　at　Brian　Kwok。　〃You　find　my　grand…nephew　John　…　I　don't　want　that　woman　or　her　brat　loh…pan　of　our　house。〃
　〃But　he　can　be　tai…pan？〃
　They　laughed　together。　Very　few　Europeans　knew　that　though　tai…pan　meant　great　leader；　in　the　old　days　in　China　a　tai…pan　was　the　colloquial　title　of　a　man　in　charge　of　a　whorehouse　or　public　toilet。　So　no　Chinese　would　ever　call　himself　tai…pan；　only　loh…pan　…　which　also　meant　great　leader　or　head　leader。　Chinese　and　Eurasians　were　greatly　amused　that　Europeans　enjoyed　calling　themselves　tai…pan；　stupidly　passing　over　the　correct　title。
　〃Yes。　If　he's　the　right　pan；〃　the　old　woman　said　and　they　chuckled。　〃You　find　my　John　Chen；　young　Brian　Kwok！〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　we'll　find　him。〃
　〃Good。　Now；　what　do　you　think　of　Golden　Lady's　chances　on　Saturday？〃
　〃Good；　if　the　going's　dry。　At　three　to　one　she's　worth　a　bundle。　Watch　Noble　Star　…　she's　got　a　chance　too。〃
　〃Good。　After　dinner　e　and　find　me。　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃Yes；　G