jamesclavell.noblehouse-第53节
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through the blockade with the supplies they needed。 At that time； Rothwell…Gornt was also in desperate straits because of their huge losses at Shanghai the previous year thanks to the conquest by Mao。 So in December of 1950； he and his father had borrowed heavily and secretly bought a huge shipment of penicillin； morphine； sulfanalamides and other medical supplies in the Philippines； avoiding the obligatory export license。 These they smuggled onto a hired ocean…going junk with one of their trusted crews and sent it to Wampoa； a bleak island in the Pearl River near Canton。 Payment was to be in gold on delivery； but en route； in the secret backwaters of the Pearl River Estuary； their junk had been intercepted by river pirates favoring Chiang Kai…shek's Nationalists and a ransom demanded。 They had no money to ransom the cargo； and if the Nationalists found out that Rothwell…Gornt was dealing with their hated munist enemy； their own future in Asia was lost forever。
Through his pradore Gornt had arranged a meeting in Aberdeen Harbor with Four Finger Wu； supposedly one of the biggest smugglers in the Pearl River Estuary。
〃Where ship now？〃 Four Finger Wu had asked in execrable pidgin English。
Gornt had told him as best he could； conversing in pidgin； not being able to speak Haklo； Wu's dialect。
〃Perhaps； perhaps not！〃 Four Finger Wu smiled。 〃I phone three day。 Nee choh wah password。 Three day； heya？〃
On the third day he phoned。 〃Bad； good； don' know。 Meet two day Aberdeen。 Begin Hour of Monkey。〃 That hour was ten o'clock at night。 Chinese split the day into twelve； two…hour segments； each with a name； always in the same sequence； beginning at 4：00 a。m。 with the Cock； then at 6：00 a。m。 with the Dog； and so on； Boar； Rat； Ox； Tiger； Rabbit； Dragon； Snake； Monkey； Horse and Sheep。
At the Hour of the Monkey on Wu's junk at Aberdeen two days later； he had been given the full payment for his shipment in gold plus an extra 40 percent。 A staggering 500 percent profit。
Four Finger Wu had grinned。 〃Make better trade than quai loh； never mind。 28；000 taels of gold。〃 A tael was a little more than an ounce。 〃Next time me ship。 Yes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You buy； me ship； me sell； 40 percent mine； sale price。〃
〃Yes。〃 Gornt had thankfully tried to press a much larger percentage on him this time but Wu had refused。
〃40 percent only； sale price。〃 But Gornt had understood that now he was in the smuggler's debt。
The gold was in five…tael smuggler bars。 It was valued at the official rate of 35 U。S。 an ounce。 But on the black market； smuggled into Indonesia； India or back into China； it was worth two or three times as much 。。。 sometimes more。 On this one shipment again with Wu's help； Rothwell…Gornt had made a million and a half U。S。 and were on the road to recovery。
After that there had been three more shipments； immensely profitable to both sides。 Then the war had ceased and so had their relationship。
Never a word since then； Gornt thought。 Until the phone call this afternoon。
〃Ah； old friend； can see？ Tonight？〃 Four Finger Wu had said。 〃Can do？ Anytime … I wait。 Same place as old days。 Yes？〃
So now the favor's to be returned。 Good。
Gornt switched on the radio。 Chopin。 He was driving the winding road automatically； his mind on the meetings ahead； the engine almost silent。 He slowed for an advancing truck； then swung out and accelerated on the short straight to overtake a slow…moving taxi。 Going quite fast now he braked sharply in good time nearing the blind corner； then something seemed to snap in the innards of the engine； his foot sank to the floorboards； his stomach turned over and he went into the hairpin too fast。
In panic he jammed his foot on the brake again and again but nothing happened； his hands whirling the wheel around。 He took the first corner badly； swerving drunkenly as he came out of it onto the wrong side of the road。 Fortunately there was nothing ing at him but he overcorrected and lurched for the mountainside； his stomach twisting with nausea； overcorrected again； going very fast now and the next corner leapt at him。 Here the grade was steeper； the road more winding and narrow。 Again he cornered badly but once through he had a split second to grab the hand brake and this slowed him only a little； the new corner was on him； and he came out of it way out of his lane； oning headlights blinding him。
The taxi skittered in panic to the shoulder and almost went over the side； its horn blaring but he was passed by a fraction of an inch； lurching petrified for the correct side； and then went on down the hill out of control。 A moment of straight road and he managed to jerk the gear lever into low as he hurtled into another blind corner； the engine howling now。 The sudden slowing would have pitched him through the windshield but for his seat belt； his hands almost frozen to the wheel。
He got around this corner but again he was out too far and he missed the oning car by a millimeter； skidded back to his side once more； swerved； overcorrecting； slowing a little now but there was no letup in the grade or twisting road ahead。 He was still going too fast into the new hairpin and ing out of the first part he was too far over。 The heavily laden truck grinding up the hill was helpless。
Panic…stricken he tore the wheel left and just managed to get around the truck with a glancing blow。 He tried to jerk the gear lever into reverse but it wouldn't go； the cogs shrieking in protest。 Then； aghast； he saw slow traffic ahead in his lane； oning traffic in the other and the road vanish around the next bend。 He was lost so he turned left into the mountainside； trying to ricochet and stop that way。
There was a howl of protesting metal； the back side window shattered and he bounced away。 The oning car lurched for the far shoulder； its horn blaring。 He closed his eyes and braced for the head…on collision but somehow it didn't happen and he was past and just had enough strength to jerk the wheel hard over again and went into the mountainside。 He hit with a glancing blow。 The front left fender ripped away。 The car ploughed into the shrub and earth； then slammed into a rock outcrop； reared up throwing Gornt aside； but as the car fell back the near…side wheel went into the storm drain and held； and； just before smashing into the paralyzed little Mini ahead； it stopped。
Gornt weakly pulled himself up。 The car was still half upright。 Sweat was pouring off him and his heart was pounding。 He found it hard to breathe or to think。 Traffic both ways was stopped； snarled。 He heard some horns hooting impatiently below and above； then hurried footsteps。
〃You all right； old chap？〃 the stranger asked。
〃Yes； yes I think so。 My； my brakes went。〃 Gornt wiped the sweat off his forehead； trying to get his brain to work。 He felt his chest； then moved his feet and there was no pain。 〃I 。。。 the brakes went 。。。 I was turning a corner and 。。。 and then everything 。。。〃
〃Brakes； eh？ Not like a Rolls。 I thought you were pretending to be Stirling Moss。 You were very lucky。 I thought you'd had it twenty times。 If I were you I'd switch off the engine。〃
〃What？〃 Then Gornt realized the engine was still gently purring and the radio playing so he turned the ignition off and； after a moment； pulled the keys out。
〃Nice car；〃 the stranger said； 〃but it's a right proper mess now。 Always liked this model。 '62； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 Yes it is。〃
〃You want me to call the police？〃
Gornt made the effort and thought a moment； his pulse still pounding in his ears。 Weakly he unsnapped the seat belt。 〃No。 There's a police station just back up the hill。 If you'd give me a lift to there？〃
〃Delighted； old chap。〃 The stranger was short and rotund。 He looked around at the other cars and taxis and trucks that were stopped in both directions； their Chinese drivers and Chinese passengers gawking at them from their windows。 〃Bloody people；〃 he muttered sourly。 〃You could be dying in the street and you'd be lucky if they stepped over you。〃 He opened the door and helped Gornt out。
〃Thanks。〃 Gornt felt his knees shaking。 For a moment he could not dominate his knees and he leaned against the car。
〃You sure you're all right？〃
〃Oh yes。 It's 。。。 that frightened me to death！〃 He looked at the damage； the nose buried into earth and shrub； a huge score down the right side； the car jammed well into the inside curve。 〃What a bloody mess！〃
〃Yes； but it hasn't telescoped a sausage！ You were bloody lucky you were in a good car； old chap。〃 The stranger let the door swing and it closed with a muted click。 〃Great workmanship。 Well； you can leave it here。 No one's likely to steal it。〃 The stranger laughed； leading the way to his own car which was parked； its blinker lights on； just behind。 〃Hop in； won't take a jiffy。〃
It was then Gornt remembered the mocking half…smile on Dunross's face that he had taken for bravado as he left。 His mind cleared。 Would there have been time for Dunross to tamper 。。。 with his knowledge of engines 。。。 surely he wouldn't 。。。 ？
〃Son of a bitch；〃 he muttered； aghast。
〃Not to worry； old chap；〃 the stranger said； as he eased past the wreck； making the turn。 〃The police'll make all the arrangements for you。〃
Gornt's face close
