jamesclavell.noblehouse-第109部分

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er　job　at　midnight。〃
　The　other　job　was　on　a　construction　site　in　Central；　not　far　from　the　Ho…Pak　and　he　knew　he　was　blessed　to　have　two　bonus　jobs　in　one　night　on　top　of　his　regular　day　job　as　a　construction　laborer。　He　knew；　too；　that　it　was　the　expensive　white　powder　that　had　transformed　him　and　taken　his　fatigue　and　pain　away。　Of　course；　he　knew　the　white　powder　was　dangerous。　But　he　was　sensible　and　cautious　and　only　took　it　when　he　was　at　the　limit　of　strength。　That　he　took　it　most　days　now；　twice　a　day　most　days　now；　did　not　worry　him。　Joss；　he　told　himself　with　a　shrug；　taking　the　new　canvas　sack　on　his　back。
　Once　he　had　been　a　farmer　and　the　eldest　son　of　landowning　farmers　in　the　northern　province　of　Shantung；　in　the　fertile；　shifting　delta　of　the　Yellow　River　where；　for　centuries；　they　had　grown　fruit　and　grain　and　soybeans；　peanuts；　tobacco　and　all　the　vegetables　they　could　eat。
　Ah；　our　lovely　fields；　he　thought　happily；　climbing　the　stairs　now；　oblivious　of　his　pounding　heart；　our　lovely　fields　rich　with　growing　crops。　So　beautiful！　Yes。　But　then　the　Bad　Times　began　thirty　years　ago。　The　Devils　from　the　Eastern　Sea　came　with　their　guns　and　their　tanks　and　raped　our　earth；　and　then；　after　warlord　Mao　Tse…tung　and　warlord　Chiang　Kai…shek　beat　them　off；　they　fought　among　themselves　and　again　the　land　was　laid　waste。　So　we　fled　the　famine；　me　and　my　young　wife　and　my　two　sons　and　came　to　this　place；　Fragrant　Harbor；　to　live　among　strangers；　southern　barbarians　and　foreign　devils。　We　walked　all　the　way。　We　survived。　I　carried　my　sons　most　of　the　way　and　now　my　sons　are　sixteen　and　fourteen　and　we　have　two　daughters　and　they　all　eat　rice　once　a　day　and　this　year　will　be　my　lucky　year。　Yes。　I'll　win　the　quinella　or　the　daily　double　and　one　day　we'll　go　home　to　my　village　and　I'll　take　our　lands　back　and　plant　them　again　and　Chairman　Mao　will　wele　us　home　and　let　us　take　our　lands　back　and　we'll　live　so　happily；　so　rich　and　so　happy。　。。。
　He　was　out　of　the　building　now；　in　the　night；　standing　beside　the　truck。　Other　hands　lifted　the　sack　and　stacked　it　with　all　the　other　sacks　of　gold；　more　clerks　checking　and　rechecking　the　numbers。　There　were　two　trucks　in　the　side　street。　One　was　already　filled　and　waiting　under　its　guards。　A　single　unarmed　policeman　was　watching　idly　as　the　traffic　passed。　The　night　was　warm。
　The　old　man　turned　to　go。　Then　he　noticed　the　three　Europeans；　two　men　and　a　woman；　approaching。　They　stopped　near　the　far　truck；　watching　him。　His　mouth　dropped　open。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh！　Look　at　that　whore　…　the　monster　with　the　straw　hair；〃　he　said　to　no　one　in　particular。
　〃Unbelievable！〃　another　replied。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　〃It's　revolting　the　way　their　whores　dress　in　public；　isn't　it？〃　a　wizened　old　loader　said　disgustedly。　〃Flaunting　their　loins　with　those　tight　trousers。　You　can　see　every　fornicating　wrinkle　in　her　lower　lips。〃
　〃I'll　bet　you　could　put　your　whole　fist　and　whole　arm　in　it　and　never　reach　bottom！〃　another　said　with　a　laugh。
　〃Who'd　want　to？〃　Nine　Carat　Chu　asked　and　hawked　loudly　and　spat　and　let　his　mind　drift　pleasantly　to　Saturday　as　he　went　below　again。
　〃I　wish　they　wouldn't　spit　like　that。　It's　disgusting！〃　Casey　said　queasily。
　〃It's　an　old　Chinese　custom；〃　Dunross　said。　〃They　believe　there's　an　evil　god…spirit　in　your　throat　which　you've　got　to　get　rid　of　constantly　or　it　will　choke　you。　Of　course　spitting's　against　the　law　but　that's　meaningless　to　them。〃
　〃What'd　that　old　man　say？〃　Casey　asked；　watching　him　plod　back　into　the　side　door　of　the　bank；　now　over　her　anger　and　very　glad　to　be　going　to　dinner　with　them　both。
　〃I　don't　know　…　I　didn't　understand　his　dialect。〃
　〃I'll　bet　it　wasn't　a　pliment。〃
　Dunross　laughed。　〃You'd　win　that　one；　Casey。　They　don't　think　much　of　us　at　all。〃
　〃That　old　man　must　be　eighty　if　he's　a　day　and　he's　carried　his　load　as　though　it　was　a　feather。　How'd　they　stay　so　fit？〃
　Dunross　shrugged　and　said　nothing。　He　knew。
　Another　coolie　heaved　his　burden　into　the　truck；　stared　at　her；　hawked；　spat　and　plodded　away　again。　〃Up　yours　too；〃　Casey　muttered　and　then　parodied　an　awful　hawk　and　a　twenty…foot　spit　and　they　laughed　with　her。　The　Chinese　just　stared。
　〃Ian；　what's　this　all　about？　What're　we　here　for？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　see　fifty　tons　of　gold。〃
　Casey　gasped。　〃Those　sacks're　filled　with　gold？〃
　〃Yes。　e　along。〃　Dunross　led　the　way　down　the　dingy　stairs　into　the　gold　vault。　The　bank　officials　greeted　him　politely　and　the　unarmed　guards　and　loaders　stared。　Both　Americans　felt　disquieted　under　the　stares。　But　their　disquiet　was　swamped　by　the　gold。　Neat　stacks　of　gold　bars　on　the　steel　shelves　that　surrounded　them　…　ten　to　a　layer；　each　stack　ten　layers　high。
　〃Can　I　pick　one　up？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃Help　yourself；〃　Dunross　told　them；　watching　them；　trying　to　test　the　extent　of　their　greed。　I'm　gambling　for　high　stakes；　he　thought　again。　I　have　to　know　the　measure　of　these　two。
　Casey　had　never　touched　so　much　gold　in　her　life。　Nor　had　Bartlett。　Their　fingers　trembled。　She　caressed　one　of　the　little　bars；　her　eyes　wide；　before　she　lifted　it。　〃It's　so　heavy　for　its　size；〃　she　muttered。
　〃These're　called　smuggler　bars　because　they're　easy　to　hide　and　to　transport；〃　Dunross　said；　choosing　his　words　deliberately。　〃Smugglers　wear　a　sort　of　canvas　waistcoat　with　little　pockets　in　it　that　hold　the　bars　snugly。　They　say　a　good　courier　can　carry　as　much　as　eighty　pounds　a　trip　…　that's　almost　1；300　ounces。　Of　course　they　have　to　be　fit　and　well　trained。〃
　Bartlett　was　hefting　two　in　each　hand；　fascinated　by　them。　〃How　many　make　up　eighty　pounds？〃
　〃About　two　hundred；　give　or　take　a　little。〃
　Casey　looked　at　him；　her　hazel　eyes　bigger　than　usual。　〃Are　these　yours；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Good　God；　no！　They　belong　to　a　Macao　pany。　They're　shifting　it　from　here　to　the　Victoria　Bank。　Americans　or　English　aren't　allowed　by　law　to　own　even　one　of　these。　But　I　thought　you　might　be　interested　because　it's　not　often　you　see　fifty　tons　all　in　one　place。〃
　〃I　never　realized　what　real　money　was　like　before；〃　Casey　said。　〃Now　I　can　understand　why　my　dad's　and　uncle's　eyes　used　to　light　up　when　they　talked　about　gold。〃
　Dunross　was　watching　her。　He　could　see　no　greed　in　her。　Just　wonder。
　〃Do　banks　make　many　shipments　like　this？〃　Bartlett　asked；　his　voice　throaty。
　〃Yes；　all　the　time；〃　Dunross　said　and　he　wondered　if　Bartlett　had　taken　the　bait　and　was　considering　a　Mafioso…style　hijack　with　his　friend　Banastasio。　〃We've　a　very　large　shipment　ing　in　in　about　three　weeks；〃　he　said；　increasing　the　lure。
　〃What's　fifty　tons　worth？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　Dunross　smiled　to　himself　remembering　Zeppelin　Tung　with　his　exactitude　of　figures。　As　if　it　mattered！　〃63　million　dollars　legally；　give　or　take　a　few　thousand。〃
　〃And　you're　moving　it　just　with　a　bunch　of　old　men；　two　trucks　that're　not　even　armored　and　no　guards？〃
　〃Of　course。　That's　no　problem　in　Hong　Kong；　which's　one　of　the　reasons　our　police　are　so　sensitive　about　guns　here。　If　they've　the　only　guns　in　the　Colony；　well；　what　can　the　crooks　and　nasties　do　except　curse？〃
　〃But　where're　the　police？　I　didn't　see　but　one　and　he　wasn't　armed。〃
　〃Oh；　they're　around；　I　suppose；〃　Dunross　said；　deliberately　underplaying　it。
　Casey　peered　at　the　gold　bar；　enjoying　the　touch　of　the　metal。　〃It　feels　so　cool　and　so　permanent。　Tai…pan；　if　it's　63　million　legal；　what's　it　worth　on　the　black　market？〃
　Dunross　noticed　tiny　beads　of　perspiration　now　on　her　upper　lip。　〃However　much　someone's　prepared　to　pay。　At　the　moment；　I　hear　the　best　market's　India。　They'd　pay　about　80　to　90　an　ounce；　U。S。；　delivered　into　India。〃
　Bartlett　smiled　crookedly　and　reluctantly　put　his　four　bars　back　onto　their　pile。　〃That's　a　lot　of　profit。〃
　They　watched　in　silence　as　another　canvas　bag　was　sealed；　the　bars　checked　and　rechecked　by　both　clerks。　Again　the　two　loaders　lifted　the　sack　onto　a　bent　back　and　the　man　plodded　out。
　〃What're　those？〃　Casey　asked；　pointing　to　some　much　bigger　bars　that　were　in　another　part　of　the　vault。
　〃They're　the　regulation　four…hundred…ounce　bars；〃　Dunross　said。　〃They　weigh　around　twenty…five　pounds　apiece。〃　The　bar　was　stamped　with　a　ha