jamesclavell.noblehouse-第13部分

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　…　some　powered；　some　ponderously　sailing　this　way　and　that。　Crammed　double…decker　ferries　darted　in　and　out　of　the　traffic　like　so　many　dragonflies；　and　everywhere　tiny　sampans；　oared　or　powered；　scurried　unafraid　across　the　ordered　sea…lanes。
　Where　do　all　these　people　live？　she　asked　herself；　appalled。　And　how　do　they　support　themselves？
　A　room　boy　opened　the　door　with　his　passkey；　without　knocking；　and　Linc　Bartlett　strode　in。　〃You　look　great；　Casey；〃　he　said；　shutting　the　door　behind　him。
　〃So　do　you。　This　gun　thing's　bad；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Anyone　here？　Any　maids　in　the　rooms？〃
　〃We're　alone；　but　the　houseboys　seem　to　e　in　and　out　as　they　please。〃
　〃This　one　had　his　key　out　before　I　reached　the　door。〃　Linc　told　her　what　had　happened　at　the　airport。　Then　he　dropped　his　voice。　〃What　about　John　Chen？〃
　〃Nothing。　He　just　made　nervous；　light　conversation。　He　didn't　want　to　talk　shop。　I　don't　think　he'd　recovered　from　the　fact　that　I'd　turned　out　to　be　a　woman。　He　dropped　me　at　the　hotel　and　said　they'd　send　a　car　at　9：15。〃
　〃So　the　plan　worked　fine？〃
　〃Very　fine。〃
　〃Good。　Did　you　get　it？〃
　〃No。　I　said　I　was　authorized　by　you　to　take　delivery　and　offered　the　initial　sight　draft。　But　he　pretended　to　be　surprised　and　said　he'd　talk　to　you　privately　when　he　drives　you　back　after　the　lunch。　He　seemed　very　nervous。〃
　〃Doesn't　matter。　Your　car'll　be　here　in　a　few　minutes。　I'll　see　you　at　lunch。〃
　〃Should　I　mention　the　guns　to　Struan's？　To　Dunross？〃
　〃No。　Let's　wait　and　see　who　brings　it　up。〃
　〃You　think　it　might　be　them？〃
　〃Easily。　They　knew　our　flight　plan；　and　they've　a　motive。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃To　discredit　us。〃
　〃But　why？〃
　〃Maybe　they　think　they　know　our　battle　plan。〃
　〃But　then　wouldn't　it　have　been　much　wiser　for　them　not　to　do　anything　…　to　sucker　us　in？〃
　〃Maybe。　But　this　way　they've　made　the　opening　move。　Day　One：　Knight　to　King　Bishop　3。　The　attack's　launched　on　us。〃
　〃Yes。　But　by　whom　…　and　are　we　playing　White　or　Black？〃
　His　eyes　hardened　and　lost　their　friendliness。　〃I　don't　care；　Casey；　as　long　as　we　win。〃　He　left。
　Something's　up；　she　told　herself。　Something　dangerous　he's　not　telling　me　about。
　〃Secrecy's　vital；　Casey；〃　he　had　said　back　in　the　early　days。　〃Napoleon；　Caesar；　Patton　…　any　of　the　great　generals　…　often　hid　their　real　plan　from　their　staff。　Just　to　keep　them　…　and　therefore　enemy　spies　…　off　balance。　If　I　withhold　from　you　it's　not　mistrust；　Casey。　But　you　must　never　withhold　from　me。〃
　〃That's　not　fair。〃
　〃Life's　not　fair。　Death's　not　fair。　War's　not　fair。　Big　business　is　war。　I'm　playing　it　like　it　was　war　and　that's　why　I'm　going　to　win。〃
　〃Win　what？〃
　〃I　want　Par…Con　Industries　bigger　than　General　Motors　and　Exxon　bined。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃For　my　goddamn　pleasure。〃
　〃Now　tell　me　the　real　reason。〃
　〃Ah；　Casey；　that's　why　I　love　you。　You　listen　and　you　know。〃
　〃Ah；　Raider；　I　love　you　too。〃
　Then　they　had　both　laughed　together　for　they　knew　they　did　not　love　the　other；　not　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　that　word。　They　had　agreed；　way　back　in　the　beginning；　to　put　aside　the　ordinary　for　the　extraordinary。　For　seven　years。
　Casey　looked　out　of　the　window　at　the　harbor　and　the　ships　in　the　harbor。
　Crush；　destroy　and　win。　Big　Business；　the　most　exciting　Monopoly　game　in　the　world。　And　my　leader's　Raider　Bartlett；　Master…craftsman。　But　time's　running　out　on　us；　Linc。　This　year；　the　seventh　year；　the　last　year　ends　on　my　birthday；　November　25；　my　twenty…seventh　birthday。　。。。
　Her　ears　heard　the　half　knock　and　the　passkey　in　the　lock　and　she　turned　to　say　e　in　but　the　starched　houseboy　was　already　in。
　〃Morning　Missee　I'm　Number　One　Houseboy　Daytime　Chang。〃　Chang　was　gray　haired　and　solicitous。　He　beamed。　〃Tidy　room　plees？〃
　〃Don't　any　of　you　ever　wait　for　someone　to　say　e　in？〃　she　asked　sharply。
　Chang　stared　at　her　blankly。　〃Missee？〃
　〃Oh　never　mind；〃　she　said　wearily。
　〃Pretty　day；　heya？　Which　first；　Master's　room　or　Missee's？〃
　〃Mine。　Mr。　Bartlett　hasn't　used　his　yet。〃
　Chang　grinned　toothily。　Ayeeyah；　did　you　and　Master　tumble　together　in　yours；　Missee；　before　he　went　out？　But　there　were　only　fourteen　minutes　between　Master's　arrival　and　leaving　and　certainly　he　did　not　look　flushed　when　he　went　away。
　Ayeeyah；　first　it's　supposed　to　be　two　men　foreign　devils　sharing　my　suite　and　then　one's　a　she　…　confirmed　by　Nighttime　Ng；　who　of　course　went　through　her　luggage　and　found　serious　proof　that　she　was　a　true　she　…　proof　reconfirmed　this　morning　with　great　gusto　by　Third　Toiletmaid　Fung。
　Golden　pubics！　How　vile！
　And　Golden　Pubics　is　not　only　not　the　Master's　chief　wife　…　she　is　not　even　a　second　wife；　and　oh　ko；　worst　of　all　she　did　not　have　the　good　manners　to　pretend　she　was　so　the　hotel　rules　could　be　honored　and　everyone　save　face。
　Chang　chortled；　for　this　hotel　had　always　had　astounding　rules　about　ladies　in　men's　rooms　…　oh　gods　what　else　is　a　bed　for？　…　and　now　a　female　was　living　openly　in　barbarian　sin！　Oh　how　tempers　had　soared　last　night。　Barbarians！　Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　barbarians！　But　this　one　is　surely　a　dragon　because　she　stared　down　the　Eurasian　assistant　manager；　and　the　Eurasian　night　manager；　and　even　old　mealy…mouth；　Chief　Manager　Big　Wind　himself。
　〃No　no　no；〃　he　had　wailed；　so　Chang　had　been　told。
　〃Yes　yes　yes；〃　she　had　replied；　insisting　that　she　have　the　adjoining　half　of　the　Fragrant　Spring　suite。
　It　was　then　that　Honorable　Mong；　chief　porter　and　chief　triad　and　therefore　leader　of　the　hotel；　solved　the　unsolvable。　〃The　Fragrant　Spring　suite　has　three　doors；　heya？〃　he　had　said。　〃One　for　each　bedroom；　one　for　the　main　room。　Let　her　be　shown　into　Fragrant　Spring　B　which　is　the　inferior　room　anyway；　through　its　own　door。　But　the　inner　door　to　the　main　sitting　room　and　thence　to　the　Master's　quarters　shall　be　tight　locked。　But　let　a　key　be　left　nearby。　If　the　mealy…mouthed　whore　unlocks　the　door　herself　。。。　what　can　one　do？　And　then；　if　there　happens　to　be　a　mix…up　in　bookings　tomorrow　or　the　next　day　and　our　honorable　chief　manager　has　to　ask　the　billionaire　and　his　strumpet　from　the　Land　of　the　Golden　Mountain　to　leave；　well　so　sorry　never　mind；　we　have　bookings　enough　and　to　spare　and　our　face　to　protect。〃
　And　so　it　was　done。
　The　outer　door　to　B　was　unlocked　and　Golden　Pubics　invited　in。　That　she　took　up　the　key　and　at　once　unlocked　the　inner　door　…　who　is　to　say？　That　the　door　is　open　now；　well；　certainly　I　would　never　tell　any　outsider；　my　lips　are　sealed。　As　always。
　Ayeeyah；　but　though　outer　doors　may　be　locked　and　be　prudish；　the　inner　ones　may　be　flung　wide　and　be　luscious。　Like　her　Jade　Gate；　he　thought　pensively。　Dew　neh　loh　moh　I　wonder　what　it　would　be　like　to　storm　a　Jade　Gate　the　size　of　hers？　〃Make　bed；　Missee？〃　he　asked　sweetly　in　English。
　〃Go　right　ahead。〃
　Oh　how　truly　awful　the　sound　of　their　barbarian　tongue　is。　Ugh！
　Daytime　Chang　would　have　hawked　and　cleared　the　spit　god　from　his　mouth；　but　that　was　against　hotel　rules。
　〃Heya；　Daytime　Chang；〃　Third　Toiletmaid　Fung　said　brightly　as　she　came　into　the　bedroom　after　knocking　half…heartedly　on　the　suite　door　long　after　she　had　opened　it。　〃Yes；　Missee；　so　sorry；　Missee；〃　in　English；　then　again　to　Chang　in　Cantonese；　〃Haven't　you　finished　yet？　Is　her　dung　so　sweet　you　want　to　dawdle　in　her　drawers？〃
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　in　yours；　Sister。　Watch　your　tongue　or　your　old　father　may　give　you　a　good　drubbing。〃
　〃The　only　drubbing　your　old　mother　wants；　you　can't　help　me　with！　e　on；　let　me　help　you　make　her　bed　quickly。　There's　a　mah…jong　game　beginning　in　half　an　hour。　Honorable　Mong　sent　me　for　you。〃
　〃Oh；　thank　you；　Sister。　Heya；　did　you　really　see　her　pubics？〃
　〃Haven't　I　told　you　already？　Am　I　a　liar？　They're　pure　golden；　lighter　than　her　head　hair。　She　was　in　the　bath　and　I　was　as　close　as　we　are　now。　And；　oh　yes；　her　nipples're　pinkish；　not　brown。〃
　〃Eeee！　Imagine！〃
　〃Just　like　a　sow's。〃
　〃How　awful！〃
　〃Yes。　Did　you　read　today's　mercial　Daily？〃
　〃No；　Sister；　not　yet。　Why？〃
　〃Well　their　astrologer　says　this　is　a　very　good　week　for　me　and　today　the　financial　editor　says　it　looks　as　though　there's　a　new　boom　beginning。〃
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　you　don't　say！〃
　〃So　I　told　my　broker　this　morning　to　buy　a　thousa