jamesclavell.noblehouse-第113部分

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　Richard　Kwang　shuddered。　Wives　really　are　dragons　and　all　the　same；　he　thought。　Oh　oh　oh！　And　your　lies　sound　false　to　them　even　before　you've　spoken　them。　He　had　not　gone　home　yet　to　face　Mai…ling　who　would　have　already　been　told　by　at　least　three　very　good　friends　about　Venus　Poon。　He　would　let　her　rant　and　scream　and　weep　and　tear　her　hair　for　a　while　to　release　her　devil　wind　and　would　say　that　enemies　had　filled　her　head　with　bile　…　how　can　she　listen　to　such　evil　women？　…　and　then　he　would　meekly　tell　her　about　the　full…length　mink　that　he　had　ordered　three　weeks　ago；　that　he　was　to　collect　today　in　time　for　her　to　wear　to　the　races　Saturday。　Then　there　would　be　peace　in　the　house　…　until　the　next　time。
　He　chortled　at　his　acumen　in　ordering　the　mink。　That　he　had　ordered　it　for　Venus　Poon　and　had；　this　morning；　just　an　hour　ago　in　the　warmth　of　her　embrace；　promised　it　to　her　tonight　so　she　would　wear　it　to　the　races　on　Saturday　did　not　bother　him　at　all。　It's　much　too　good　for　the　strumpet　anyway；　he　was　thinking。　That　coat　cost　40；000　HK。　I'll　get　her　another　one。　Ah；　perhaps　I　could　find　a　secondhand　one。　。。。
　He　saw　Smiler　Ching　leering　at　him。　〃What？〃
　〃Venus　Poon；　heya？〃
　〃I'm　thinking　of　going　into　film　production　and　making　her　a　star；〃　he　said　grandly；　proud　of　the　cover　story　he　had　invented　as　part　of　his　excuse　to　his　wife。
　Smiler　Ching　was　impressed。　〃Eeee；　but　that's　a　risky　business；　heya？〃
　〃Yes；　but　there　are　ways　to　。。。　to　insure　your　risk。〃　He　winked　knowingly。
　〃Ayeeyah；　you　mean　a　nudie　film？　Oh！　Let　me　know　when　you　set　the　production；　I　might　take　a　point　or　two。　Venus　Poon　naked！　Ayeeyah；　all　Asia'd　pay　to　see　that！　What's　she　like　at　the　pillow？〃
　〃Perfect！　Now　that　I've　educated　her。　She　was　a　virgin　when　I　fir…　〃
　〃What　joss！〃　Smiler　Ching　said；　then　added；　〃How　many　times　did　you　scale　the　Ramparts？〃
　〃Last　night？　Three　times　…　each　time　stronger　than　before！〃　Richard　Kwang　leaned　forward。　〃Her　Flower　Heart's　the　best　I've　ever　seen。　Yes。　And　her　triangle！　Lovely　silken　hair　and　her　inner　lips　pink　and　delicate。　Eeeee；　and　her　Jade　Gate　。。。　her　Jade　Gate's　really　heart…shaped　and　her　'one　square　inch'　is　a　perfect　oval；　pink；　fragrant；　and　the　Pearl　on　the　Step　also　pink。　。。。〃　Richard　Kwang　felt　himself　beginning　to　sweat　as　he　remembered　how　she　had　spread　herself　on　the　sofa　and　handed　him　a　big　magnifying　glass。　〃Here；〃　she　had　said　proudly。　〃Examine　the　goddess　your　bald…headed　monk's　about　to　worship。〃　And　he　had。　Meticulously。
　〃The　best　pillow　partner　I've　ever　had；〃　Richard　Kwang　continued　expansively；　stretching　the　truth。　〃I　was　thinking　about　buying　her　a　large　diamond　ring。　Poor　Little　Mealy　Mouth　wept　this　morning　when　I　left　the　apartment　I've　given　her。　She　was　swearing　suicide　because　she's　so　in　love　with　me。〃　He　used　the　English　word。
　〃Eeeee；　you're　a　lucky　man！〃　Smiler　Ching　spoke　no　English　except　the　words　of　love。　He　felt　eyes　on　his　back　and　he　glanced　around。　In　the　next　section　of　the　stands；　fifty　yards　away；　slightly　above　him；　was　the　foreign　devil　policeman　Big　Mountain　of　Dung；　the　hated　chief　of　the　CID　Kowloon。　The　cold　fish…eyes　were　staring　at　him；　binoculars　hanging　from　the　man's　neck。　Ayeeyah；　Ching　muttered　to　himself；　his　mind　darting　over　the　various　checks　and　traps　and　balances　that　guarded　his　main　source　of　revenue。
　〃Eh？　What？　What's　the　matter　with　you；　Smiler　Ching？〃
　〃Nothing。　I　want　to　piss；　that's　all。　Send　the　papers　over　at　two　o'clock　if　you　want　my　money。〃　Sourly　he　turned　away　to　go　to　the　toilet；　wondering　if　the　police　were　aware　of　the　imminent　arrival　of　the　foreign　devil　from　the　Golden　Mountain；　a　High　Tiger　of　the　White　Powders　with　the　outlandish　name　of　Vincenzo　Banastasio。
　He　hawked　and　spat　loudly。　Joss　if　they　do；　joss　if　they　don't。　They　can't　touch　me；　I'm　only　a　banker。
　
　*　*　*
　
　Robert　Armstrong　had　noted　that　Smiler　Ching　was　talking　to　Banker　Kwang　and　knew　surely　that　the　pair　of　them　were　up　to　no　good。　The　police　were　well　aware　of　the　whispers　about　Ching　and　his　Prosperity　Bank　and　the　narcotics　trade　but　so　far　had　no　real　evidence　implicating　him　or　his　bank；　not　even　enough　circumstantial　evidence　to　merit　SB　detention；　interrogation　and　summary　deportation。
　Well；　he'll　slip　sometime；　Robert　Armstrong　thought　calmly；　and　turned　his　binoculars　back　on　to　Pilot　Fish；　then　to　Noble　Star；　then　to　Butterscotch　Lass；　and　then　to　Golden　Lady；　John　Chen's　mare。　Which　one's　got　the　form？
　He　yawned　and　stretched　wearily。　It　had　been　another　long　night　and　he　had　not　yet　been　to　bed。　Just　as　he　was　leaving　Kowloon　Police　HQ　last　night　there　had　been　a　flurry　of　excitement　as　another　anonymous　caller　phoned　to　say　that　John　Chen　had　been　seen　out　in　the　New　Territories；　in　the　tiny　fishing　village　of　Sha　Tau　Kwok　which　bisected　the　eastern　tip　of　the　border。
　He　had　rushed　out　there　with　a　team　and　searched　the　village；　hovel　by　hovel。　His　search　had　had　to　be　done　very　cautiously　for　the　whole　border　area　was　extremely　sensitive；　particularly　at　the　village　where　there　was　one　of　the　three　border　checkpoints。　The　villagers　were　a　hardy；　tough；　unpromising　bellicose　lot　that　wanted　to　be　left　alone。　Particularly　by　foreign　devil　police。　The　search　had　proved　to　be　just　another　false　alarm　though　they　had　uncovered　two　illegal　stills；　a　small　heroin　factory　that　converted　raw　opium　into　morphine　and　thence　into　heroin；　and　had　broken　up　six　illegal　gambling　dens。
　When　Armstrong　had　got　back　to　Kowloon　HQ　there　was　another　call　about　John　Chen；　this　time　Hong　Kong　side　in　Wanchai；　down　near　Glessing's　Point　in　the　dock　area。　Apparently　John　Chen　had　been　seen　being　bundled　into　a　tenement　house；　a　dirty　bandage　over　his　right　ear。　This　time　the　caller　had　given　his　name　and　driver's　license　number　so　that　he　could　claim　the　reward　of　50；000　HK；　offered　by　Struan's　and　Noble　House　Chen。　Again　Armstrong　had　brought　units　to　surround　the　area　and　had　led　the　meticulous　search。　It　was　already　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　by　the　time　he　called　off　the　operation　and　dismissed　his　men。
　〃Brian；　it's　me　for　bed；〃　he　said。　〃Waste　of　another　fang…pi　night。〃
　Brian　Kwok　yawned　too。　〃Yes。　But　while　we're　this　side；　how　about　breakfast　at　the　Para　and　then；　then　let's　go　and　look　at　the　morning　workouts？〃
　At　once　most　of　Robert　Armstrong's　tiredness　fell　away。　〃Great　idea！〃
　The　Para　Restaurant　in　Wanchai　Road　near　Happy　Valley　Racecourse　was　always　open。　The　food　was　excellent；　cheap　and　it　was　a　well…known　meeting　place　for　triads　and　their　girls。　When　the　two　policemen　strode　into　the　large；　noisy；　bustling；　plate…clattering　room　a　sudden　silence　fell。　The　proprietor；　One　Foot　Ko；　limped　over　to　them　and　beamed　them　to　the　best　table　in　the　place。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　you　too；　Old　Friend；〃　Armstrong　said　grimly　and　added　some　choice　obscenities　in　gutter　Cantonese；　staring　back　pointedly　at　the　nearest　group　of　gaping　young　thugs　who　nervously　turned　away。
　One　Foot　Ko　laughed　and　showed　his　bad　teeth。　〃Ah；　Lords；　you　honor　my　poor　establishment。　Dim　sum？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Dim　sum　…　small　chow　or　small　foods　…　were　bite…sized　dough　envelopes　packed　with　minced　shrimps　or　vegetables　or　various　meats　then　steamed　or　deep…fried　and　eaten　with　a　touch　of　soya；　or　saucers　of　chicken　and　other　meats　in　various　sauces　or　pastries　of　all　kinds。
　〃Your　Worships　are　going　to　the　track？〃
　Brian　Kwok　nodded；　sipping　his　jasmine　tea；　his　eyes　roving　the　diners；　making　many　of　them　very　nervous。　〃Who's　going　to　win　the　fifth？〃　he　asked。
　The　restaurateur　hesitated；　knowing　he'd　better　tell　the　truth。　He　said　carefully　in　Cantonese；　〃They　say　that　neither　Golden　Lady；　Noble　Star；　Pilot　Fish　or　Butterscotch　Lass　has　。。。　has　yet　been　touted　as　having　an　edge。〃　He　saw　the　cold　black…brown　eyes　e　to　rest　on　him　and　he　tried　not　to　shudder。　〃By　all　the　gods；　that's　what　they　say。〃
　〃Good。　I'll　e　here　Saturday　morning。　Or　I'll　send　my　sergeant。　Then　you　can　whisper　in　his　ear　if　some　foul　play's　contemplated。　Yes。　And　if　it　turns　out　one　of　those　are　doped　or　cut　and　I　don't　know　about　it　on　Saturday　morning　。。。　perhaps　your　soups　will　addle　for　fifty　years。〃
　One　Foot　smiled　nervously。　〃Yes；