jamesclavell.noblehouse-第76节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Good；〃　Smyth　said。　〃Well；　Mr。　Sung；　that'll　take　the　pressure　off　you；　won't　it。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　it　will。〃　Sung　saw　the　two　men　looking　at　him　and　he　said　at　once；　expansively；　〃If　it　wasn't　for　you；　and　your　men　。。。　With　your　permission　I'd　like　to　call　Mr。　Richard　Kwang　now。　I　feel　sure　he　would　be　honored；　as　I　would　be；　to　make　a　modest　contribution　to　your　police　benevolent　fund　as　a　token　of　our　thanks。〃
　〃That's　very　thoughtful；　but　it's　not　necessary；　Mr。　Sung。〃
　〃But　I　will　lose　terrible　face　if　you　won't　accept；　Chief　Inspector。〃
　〃You're　very　kind；〃　Smyth　said；　knowing　truly　that　without　his　presence　in　the　bank　and　that　of　his　men　outside；　Sung　and　the　tellers　and　many　others　would　be　dead。　〃Thank　you　but　that's　not　necessary。〃　He　accepted　the　cashier's　checks　and　left。
　Mr。　Sung　pleaded　with　the　corporal　who；　at　length；　sent　for　his　superior。　Divisional　Sergeant　Mok　declined　also。　〃Twenty　thousand　times；〃　he　said。
　But　Mr。　Sung　insisted。　Wisely。　And　Richard　Kwang　was　equally　delighted　and　equally　honored　to　approve　the　unsolicited　gift。　20；000　HK。　In　immediate　cash。　〃With　the　bank's　great　appreciation；　Divisional　Sergeant　Mok。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Honorable　Manager　Sung；〃　Mok　said　politely；　pocketing　it；　pleased　to　be　in　the　Snake's　division　and　totally　impressed　that　20；000　was　the　exact　fair　market　figure　the　Snake　had　considered　their　afternoon's　work　was　worth。　〃I　hope　your　great　bank　stays　solvent　and　you　weather　this　storm　with　your　usual　cleverness。　Tomorrow　will　be　orderly；　of　course。　We　will　be　here　at　nine　a。m。　promptly　for　our　cash。　。。。〃
　
　The　old　amah　still　sat　on　the　bench　on　the　harbor　wall；　catching　her　breath。　Her　ribs　hurt　but　then　they　always　hurt；　she　thought　wearily。　Joss。　Her　name　was　Ah　Tam　and　she　began　to　get　up　but　a　youth　sauntered　up　to　her　and　said；　〃Sit　down；　Old　Woman；　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃　He　was　short　and　squat　and　twenty…one；　his　face　pitted　with　smallpox　scars。　〃What's　in　that　bag？〃
　〃What？　What　bag？〃
　〃The　paper　bag　you　clutch　to　your　stinking　old　rags。〃
　〃This？　Nothing；　Honored　Lord。　It's　just　my　poor　shopping　that　…　〃
　He　sat　on　the　bench　beside　her　and　leaned　closer　and　hissed；　〃Shut　up；　Old　Hag！　I　saw　you　e　out　of　the　fornicating　bank。　How　much　have　you　got　there？〃
　The　old　woman　held　on　to　the　bag　desperately；　her　eyes　closed　in　terror　and　she　gasped；　〃It's　all　my　savings；　Hon…　〃
　He　pulled　the　bag　out　of　her　grasp　and　opened　it。　〃Ayeeyah！〃　The　notes　were　old　and　he　counted　them。　〃323！〃　he　said　scornfully。　〃Who　are　you　amah　to　…　a　beggar？　You　haven't　been　very　clever　in　this　life。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　you're　right；　Lord！〃　she　said；　her　little　black　eyes　watching　him　now。
　〃My　h'eung　yau's　20　percent；〃　he　said　and　began　to　count　the　notes。
　〃But　Honored　Sir；〃　she　said；　her　voice　whining　now；　〃20　is　too　high；　but　I'd　be　honored　if　you'd　accept　5　with　a　poor　old　woman's　thanks。〃
　〃15。〃
　〃6！〃
　〃10　and　that's　my　final　offer。　I　haven't　got　all　day！〃
　〃But　sir；　you　are　young　and　strong；　clearly　a　489。　The　strong　must　protect　the　old　and　weak。〃
　〃True；　true。〃　He　thought　a　moment；　wanting　to　be　fair。　〃Very　well；　7　percent。〃
　〃Oh　how　generous　you　are；　sir。　Thank　you；　thank　you。〃　Happily　she　watched　him　count　22　dollars；　then　reach　into　his　jeans　pocket　and　count　out　61　cents。　〃Here。〃　He　gave　her　the　change　and　the　remainder　of　her　money　back。
　She　thanked　him　profusely；　delighted　with　the　bargain　she　had　made。　By　all　the　gods；　she　thought　ecstatically；　7　percent　instead　of；　well；　at　least　15　would　be　fair。　〃Have　you　also　money　in　the　Ho…Pak；　Honored　Lord？〃　she　asked　politely。
　〃Of　course；〃　the　youth　said　importantly　as　though　it　were　true。　〃My　Brotherhood's　account　has　been　there　for　years。　We　have　。。。〃　He　doubled　the　amount　he　first　thought　of。　〃。。。　we　have　over　25；000　in　this　branch　alone。〃
　〃Eeeee；〃　the　old　woman　crooned。　〃To　be　so　rich！　The　moment　I　saw　you　I　knew　you　were　14K　。。。　and　surely　an　Honorable　489。〃
　〃I'm　better　than　that；〃　the　youth　said　proudly　at　once；　filled　with　bravado。　〃I'm　。。。〃　But　he　stopped；　remembering　their　leader's　admonition　to　be　cautious；　and　so　did　not　say；　I'm　Kin　Sop…ming；　Smallpox　Kin；　and　I'm　one　of　the　famous　Werewolves　and　there　are　four　of　us。　〃Run　along；　old　woman；〃　he　said；　tiring　of　her。　〃I've　more　important　things　to　do　than　talk　with　you。〃
　She　got　up　and　bowed　and　then　her　old　eyes　spotted　the　man　who　had　been　in　the　line　in　front　of　her。　The　man　was　Cantonese；　like　her。　He　was　a　rotund　shopkeeper　she　knew　who　had　a　poultry　street　stall　in　one　of　Aberdeen's　teeming　marketplaces。　〃Yes；〃　she　said　hoarsely；　〃but　if　you　want　another　customer　I　see　an　easy　one。　He　was　in　the　queue　before　me。　Over　8；000　he　withdrew。〃
　〃Oh；　where？　Where　is　he？〃　the　youth　asked　at　once。
　〃For　a　15　percent　share？〃
　〃7　…　and　that's　final。　7！〃
　〃All　right。　7。　Look；　over　there！〃　she　whispered。　〃The　fat　man；　plump　as　a　Mandarin；　in　the　white　shirt　…　the　one　who's　sweating　like　he's　just　enjoyed　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain！〃
　〃I　see　him。〃　The　youth　got　up　and　walked　quickly　away　to　intercept　the　man。　He　caught　up　with　him　at　the　corner。　The　man　froze　and　bartered　for　a　while；　paid　16　percent　and　hurried　off；　blessing　his　own　acumen。　The　youth　sauntered　back　to　her。
　〃Here；　Old　Woman；〃　he　said。　〃The　fornicator　had　8；162。　16　percent　is　。。。〃
　〃1305。92　and　my　7　percent　of　that　is　91。41；〃　she　said　at　once。
　He　paid　her　exactly　and　she　agreed　to　e　tomorrow　to　spot　for　him。
　〃What's　your　name？〃　he　asked。
　〃Ah　Su；　Lord；〃　she　said；　giving　a　false　name。　〃And　yours？〃
　〃Mo　Wu…fang；〃　he　said；　using　a　friend's　name。
　〃Until　tomorrow；〃　she　said　happily。　Thanking　him　again　she　waddled　off；　delighted　with　her　day's　profit。
　His　profit　had　been　good　too。　Now　he　had　over　3；000　in　his　pockets　where　this　morning　he　had　had　only　enough　for　the　bus。　And　it　was　all　windfall　for　he　had　e　to　Aberdeen　from　Glessing's　Point　to　post　another　ransom　note　to　Noble　House　Chen。
　〃It's　for　safety；〃　his　father；　their　leader；　had　said。　〃To　put　out　a　false　scent　for　the　fornicating　police。〃
　〃But　it　will　bring　no　money；〃　he　had　said　to　him　and　to　the　others　disgustedly。　〃How　can　we　produce　the　fornicating　son　if　he's　dead　and　buried？　Would　you　pay　off　without　some　proof　that　he　was　alive？　Of　course　not！　It　was　a　mistake　to　hit　him　with　the　shovel。〃
　〃But　the　fellow　was　trying　to　escape！〃　his　brother　said。
　〃True；　Younger　Brother。　But　the　first　blow　didn't　kill　him；　only　bent　his　head　a　little。　You　should　have　left　it　at　that！〃
　〃I　would　have　but　the　evil　spirits　got　into　me　so　I　hit　him　again。　I　only　hit　him　four　times！　Eeeee；　but　these　highborn　fellows　have　soft　skulls！〃
　〃Yes；　you're　right；〃　his　father　had　said。　He　was　short　and　balding　with　many　gold　teeth；　his　name　Kin　Min…ta；　Baldhead　Kin。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　but　it's　done　so　there's　no　point　in　remembering　it。　Joss。　It　was　his　own　fault　for　trying　to　escape！　Have　you　seen　the　early　edition　of　The　Times？〃
　〃No　…　not　yet；　Father；〃　he　had　replied。
　〃Here；　let　me　read　it　to　you：　'The　Chief　of　all　the　Police　said　today　that　they　have　arrested　a　triad　who　they　suspect　is　one　of　the　Werewolves；　the　dangerous　gang　of　criminals　who　kidnapped　John　Chen。　The　authorities　expect　to　have　the　case　solved　any　moment。'　〃
　They　all　laughed；　he；　his　younger　brother；　his　father　and　the　last　member；　his　very　good　friend；　Dog…eared　Chen　…　Pun　Po　Chen　…　for　they　knew　it　was　all　lies。　Not　one　of　them　was　a　triad　or　had　triad　connections；　and　none　had　ever　been　caught　for　any　crime　before；　though　they　had　formed　their　own　Brotherhood　and　his　father　had；　from　time　to　time；　run　a　small　gambling　syndicate　in　North　Point。　It　was　his　father　who　had　proposed　the　first　kidnapping。　Eeee；　that　was　very　clever；　he　thought；　remembering。　And　when　John　Chen　had；　unfortunately；　had　himself　killed　because　he　stupidly　tried　to　escape；　his　father　had　also　suggested　cutting　off　the　ear　and　sending　it。　〃We　will　turn　his　bad　joss　into　our　good。　'Kill　one　to　terrify　ten　thousand！'　Sending　the　ear　will　terrify　all　Hong　Kong；　make　us　famous　and　make　us　rich！〃
　Yes；　he　thought；　sitting　in　the　sun　at　Aberdeen。　But　we　haven't　made　our　riches　yet。　Didn't　I　tell　father　this　morning：　〃I　don't　mind　going　all　the　way　to　post　the　letter；　Father；　that's　sensible　and　what　Humphrey　Bogart　would　order。　But　I　still　don't　think　it　will　bring　us　any　ransom。〃
　〃Never　mind　and　listen！　I've　a　new　plan　worthy　of　Al　Capone　himself。　We　wait　a　few　days。　Then　we　phone　Noble　House　Chen。　If　we　don't　get　immediate　cash；　then　we　snatch　the　pradore　himself！　Great　Miser　Chen　himself！〃　They　had　all　stared　at　him　in　awe。
　〃Yes；　and　if　you　don't　think　he'll　pay　up　quickly　after　seeing　his　son's　ear　…　of　course　we'll　tell　him　it　was　his　son's　ear　。。。　perhaps　we'll　even　dig　up　the　body　and　show　him；　heya？〃
　Smallpox　Kin　beamed；　recalling　how　they　had　all　chortled。　Oh　how　they　had　chortled；　holding　their　bellies；　almost　rolling　on　the　floor　of　their　tenement　apartment。
　〃Now　to　business。　Dog…eared　Chen；　we　need　your　advice　again。〃　Dog…eared　Chen　was　a　distant　cousin　of　John　Chen　and　worked　for　him　as　a　manager　of　one　of　the　multitudinous　Chen　panies。　〃Your　information　about　the　son　was　perfect。　Perhaps　you　can　supply　us　with　the　father's　movements　too？〃