jamesclavell.noblehouse-第93节
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〃Yes。 Susanne； I'll get Penn to go over daily so don't worry； we'll make sure the babe's fine and Jacques too。〃 Dunross weighed them both。 He was confident that Jacques was well in control。 Good； he thought。 Then he said as an order； 〃Jacques； when Susanne's safely on the flight go back to the office。 Telex our man in Marseilles。 Get him to arrange a suite at the Capitol； to meet her with a car and ten thousand dollars worth of francs。 Tell him from me he's to be at her beck and call as long as she's there。 He's to call me tomorrow with a plete report on Avril； the accident； who was driving and who the other driver was。〃
〃Yes； tai…pan。〃
〃You sure you're all right？〃
Jacques forced a smile。 〃Oui。 Merci； man ami。〃
〃Rien。 I'm so sorry； Susanne … call collect if we can do anything。〃 He walked away。 Our man in Marseilles is good； he thought。 He'll take care of everything。 And Jacques's a man of iron。 Have I covered everything？ Yes； I think so。 It's dealt with for the moment。
God protect Adryon and Glenna and Duncan and Penn； he thought。 And Kathy； and all the others。 And me … until the Noble House is inviolate。 He glanced at his watch。 It was exactly 6：30。 He picked up a house phone。 〃Mr。 Bartlett； please。〃 A moment； then he heard Casey's voice。
〃Hello？〃
〃Ah； hello； Ciranoush；〃 Dunross said。 〃Would you tell him I'm in the lobby。〃
〃Oh hello； sure！ Would you like to e up？ We're … 〃
〃Why don't you e down？ I thought； if you're not too busy I'd take you on my next appointment … it might be interesting for you。 We could eat afterwards； if you're free。〃
〃I'd love that。 Let me check。〃
He heard her repeat what he had said and he wondered； very much； about his bet with Claudia。 Impossible that those two aren't lovers； he thought； or haven't been lovers； living so close together。 Wouldn't be natural！
〃We'll be right down； tai…pan！〃 He heard the smile in her voice as he hung up。
The Most High Headwaiter was hovering beside him now； waiting for the rare honor of seating the tai…pan。 He had been summoned by the Second Headwaiter the moment the news had arrived that Dunross had been seen approaching the front door。 His name was Afternoon Pok and he was gray…haired； majestic； and ruled this shift with a bamboo whip。
〃Ah Honored Lord； this is a pleasure；〃 the old man said in Cantonese with a deferential bow。 〃Have you eaten rice today？〃 This was the polite way of saying good…day or good evening or how are you in Chinese。
〃Yes； thank you； Elder Brother；〃 Dunross replied。 He had known Afternoon Pok most of his life。 As long as he could remember； Afternoon Pok had been the headwaiter in the foyer from noon till six； and many times when Dunross was young； sent on an errand here； sore from a whipping or cuffing； the old man would seat him in a corner table； slip him a pastry； tap him kindly on the head and never give him a bill。 〃You're looking prosperous！〃
〃Thank you； tai…pan。 Oh； you are looking very healthy too！ But you've still only one son！ Don't you think it's time your revered Chief Wife found you a second wife？〃
They smiled together。 〃Please follow me；〃 the old man said importantly and led the way to the choice table that had miraculously appeared in a spacious； favored place acquired by four energetic waiters who had squeezed other guests and the tables out of the way。 Now they stood； almost at attention； all beaming。
〃Your usual； sir？〃 the wine waiter asked。 〃I've a bottle of the '52。〃
〃Perfect；〃 Dunross said； knowing this would be the La Doucette that he enjoyed so much。 He would have preferred tea but it was a matter of face to accept the wine。 The bottle was already there； in an ice bucket。 〃I'm expecting Mr。 Bartlett and Miss Tcholok。〃 Another waiter went at once to wait for them at the elevator。
〃If there's anything you need； please call me。〃 Afternoon Pok bowed and walked off； every waiter in the foyer nervously conscious of him。 Dunross sat down and noticed Peter and Fleur Marlowe trying to control two pretty； boisterous girls of four and eight and he sighed and thanked God his daughters were past that age。 As he sipped the wine approvingly； he saw old Willie Tusk look over at him and wave。 He waved back。
When he was a boy he used to e over from Hong Kong three or four times a week with business orders for Tusk from old Sir Ross Struan； Alastair's father … or； more likely； they were orders from his own father who； for years； had run the foreign division of the Noble House。 Occasionally Tusk would service the Noble House in areas of his expertise … anything to do with getting anything out of Thailand； Burma or Malaya and shipping it anywhere； with just a little h'eung yau and his standard trading fee of 71/2 percent。
〃What's the half percent for； Uncle Tusk？〃 he remembered asking one day； peering up at the man he now towered over。
〃That's what I call my dollymoney； young Ian。〃
〃What's dollymoney？〃
〃That's a little extra for your pocket to give away to dollies； to ladies of your choice。〃
〃But why do you give money to ladies？〃
〃Well that's a long story； laddie。〃
Dunross smiled to himself。 Yes； a very long story。 That part of his education had had various teachers； some good； some very good and some bad。 Old Uncle Chen…chen had arranged for his first mistress when he was fourteen。
〃Oh do you really mean it； Uncle Chen…chen？〃
〃Yes； but you're not to tell anyone or your father will have my guts for garters！ Huh；〃 the lovely old man had continued； 〃your father should have arranged it； or asked me to arrange it but never mind。 Now wh… 〃
〃But when do I； when do I 。。。 oh are you sure？ I mean how； how much do I pay and when； Uncle Chen…chen？ When？ I mean before or； or after or when？ That's what I don't know。〃
〃You don't know lots！ You still don't know when to talk and when not to talk！ How can I instruct you if you talk？ Have I all day？〃
〃No sir。〃
〃Eeeee；〃 old Chen…chen had said with that huge smile of his； 〃eeeee； but how lucky you are！ Your first time in a Gorgeous Gorge！ It will be the first time； won't it？ Tell the truth！〃
〃Er 。。。 well er er well 。。。 er； yes。〃
〃Good！〃
It wasn't till years after that Dunross had discovered that some of the most famous houses in Hong Kong and Macao had secretly bid for the privilege of servicing the first pillow time of a future tai…pan and the great…great…grandson of Green…Eyed Devil himself。 Apart from the face the house would gain for generations to be the one chosen by the pradore of the Noble House； it would also be enormous joss for the lady herself。 First Time Essence of even the meanest personage was an elixir of marvelous value … just as； in Chinese lore； for the elderly man； the yin juices of the virgin were equally prized and sought after to rejuvenate the yang。
〃Good sweet Christ； Uncle Chen…chen！〃 he had exploded。 〃It's true？ You actually sold me？ You mean to tell me you sold me to a bloody house！ Me？〃
〃Of course。〃 The old man had peered up at him； and chuckled and chuckled； bedridden now in the great house of the Chens on the ridge of Struan's Lookout； almost blind now and near death but sweetly unresisting and content。 〃Who told you； who； eh？ Eh； young Ian？〃
It was Tusk； a widower； a great frequenter of Kowloon's dance halls and bars and houses who had been told it as a legend by one of the mama…sans who had heard that it was a custom in the Noble House that the pradore had to arrange the first pillow time for the progeny of Green…Eyed Devil Struan。 〃Yes； old boy；〃 Tusk had told him。 〃Dirk Struan said to Sir Gordon Chen； old Chen…chen's father； he'd put his Evil Eye on the House of Chen if they didn't choose correctly。〃
〃Balls；〃 Dunross had said to Tusk； who had continued； pained； that he was just passing on a legend which was now part of Hong Kong's folklore and； balls or not Ian old chum； your first bang…ditty…bang…bang was worth thousands Hong Kong to that old rake！
〃I think that's pretty bloody awful； Uncle Chen…chen！〃
〃But why？ It was a most profitable auction。 It cost you nothing but gave you enormous pleasure。 It cost me nothing but gave me 20；000 HK。 The girl's house gained vast face and so did the girl。 It cost her nothing but gave her years of a huge clientele who would want to share the specialness of your Number One choice！〃
Elegant Jade had been the only name he knew her by。 She had been twenty…two and very practiced； a professional since she had been sold to the house by her parents when she was twelve。 Her house was called the House of a Thousand Pleasures。 Elegant Jade was sweet and gentle … when it pleased her and a total dragon when it pleased her。 He had been madly in love with her and their affair had lasted over two summer holidays from boarding school in England； which was the contract time that Chen…chen had arranged。 The moment he had returned on the first day of the third summer he had hurried to the house； but she had vanished。
Even today Dunross could remember how distraught he had been； how he had tried to find her。 But the girl had left no trace in her wake。
〃What happened to her； Uncle Chen…chen？ Really happened？〃
The old man sighed； lying back in his huge bed； tired now。 〃It was time for her to go。 It is always too easy for a young man to
