jamesclavell.noblehouse-第130部分

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　〃Sit　down！　Nothing　that　you　shouted　at　me；　me　your　faithful　wife　in　front　of　the　servants？　Nothing　that　I　was　ordered　into　my　own　dining　room　like　a　mon　whore？　Heya？〃　Her　voice　began　rising　and　she　let　herself　go；　knowing　instinctively　that　this　was　the　perfect　time；　now　that　they　were　alone　in　the　house；　knowing　that　he　was　defenseless　and　she　could　press　her　advantage。　〃You　think　it's　nothing　that　you　abuse　me；　me　who　has　given　you　the　best　years　of　her　life；　working　and　slaving　and　guarding　you　for　twenty…three　years？　Me；　Dianne　Mai…wei　T'Chung　who　has　the　blood　of　the　great　Dirk　Struan　in　her　veins；　who　came　to　you　virgin；　with　property　in　Wanchai；　North　Point　and　even　on　Lan　Tao；　with　stocks　and　shares　and　the　best　schooling　in　England？　Me　who　never　plains　about　your　snoring　and　whoring　or　about　the　brat　you　sired　out　of　that　dance…hall　girl　you've　sent　to　school　in　America！〃
　〃Eh？〃
　〃Oh　I　know　all　about　you　and　her　and　all　the　others　and　all　the　other　nasty　things　you　do；　and　that　you　never　loved　me　but　just　wanted　my　property　and　a　perfect　decoration　to　your　drab　life。　。。。〃
　Phillip　Chen　was　trying　to　close　his　ears　but　he　could　not。　His　heart　was　pounding。　He　hated　rows　and　hated　the　shriek　to　her　voice　that；　somehow；　was　perfectly　tuned　to　set　his　teeth　on　edge；　his　brain　oscillating　and　his　bowels　in　turmoil。　He　tried　to　interrupt　her　but　she　overrode　him；　battering　him；　accusing　him　of　all　sorts　of　dalliances　and　mistakes　and　private　matters　that　he　was　shocked　she　knew　about。
　〃。。。　and　what　about　your　club？〃
　〃Eh；　what　club？〃
　〃The　private　Chinese　lunch　club　with　forty…three　members　called　the　74　in　a　block　off　Pedder　Street　that　contains　a　gourmet　chef　from　Shanghai；　teen…age　hostesses　and　bedrooms　and　saunas　and　devices　that　dirty　old　men　need　to　raise　their　Steamless　Stalks？　Eh？〃
　〃It's　nothing　like　that　at　all；〃　Phillip　Chen　spluttered；　aghast　that　she　knew。　〃It's　a　pi…　〃
　〃Don't　lie　to　me！　You　put　up　87；000　good　U。S。　greenbacks　as　the　down　payment　with　Shitee　T'Chung　and　those　two　mealy…mouthed　friends　of　yours　and　even　now　pay　4；000　HK…a…month　fees。　Fees　for　what？　You'd　better　。。。　Where　do　you　think　you're　going？〃
　Meekly　he　sat　down　again。　〃I　…　I　was　…　I　want　to　go　to　the　bathroom。〃
　〃Huh！　Whenever　we　have　a　discussion　you　want　the　bathroom！　You're　just　ashamed　of　the　way　you　treat　me　and　guilty。　。。。〃　Then；　seeing　him　about　to　explode　back　at　her；　she　switched　abruptly；　her　voice　crooningly　gentle。　〃Poor　Phillip！　Poor　boy！　Why　were　you　so　angry？　Who's　hurt　you？〃
　So　he　told　her；　and　once　he　began　the　telling　he　felt　better　and　his　anguish　and　fear　and　fury　started　to　melt　away。　Women　are　clever　and　cunning　in　these　things；　he　told　himself　confidently；　rushing　on。　He　told　her　about　opening　John's　safety　deposit　in　the　bank；　about　the　letters　to　Linc　Bartlett　and　about　finding　a　duplicate　key　to　his　own　safe　in　their　bedroom。　〃I　brought　all　the　letters　back；〃　he　said；　almost　in　tears；　〃they're　upstairs；　you　can　read　them　for　yourself。　My　own　son！　He's　betrayed　us！〃
　〃My　God；　Phillip；〃　she　gasped；　〃if　the　tai…pan　found　out　you　and　Father　Chen…chen　were　keeping　。。。　if　he　knew　he'd　ruin　us！〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　know！　That's　why　I've　been　so　upset！　By　the　rules　of　Dirk's　legacy　he　has　the　right　and　the　means。　We'd　be　ruined。　But；　but　that's　not　all。　John　knew　where　our　secret　safe　was　in　the　garden　an…　〃
　〃Wat？〃
　〃Yes；　and　he　dug　it　up。〃　He　told　her　about　the　coin。
　〃Ayeeyah！〃　She　stared　at　him　in　absolute　shock；　half　her　mind　filled　with　terror；　the　other　half　with　ecstasy；　for　now；　whether　John　came　back　or　not；　he　had　destroyed　himself。　John　would　never　inherit　now！　My　Kevin's　Number　One　Son　now　and　future　pradore　to　the　Noble　House！　Then　her　fears　drowned　her　excitement　and　she　muttered；　aghast；　〃If　there's　still　a　House　of　Chen。〃
　〃What？　What　did　you　say？〃
　〃Nothing；　never　mind。　Wait　a　moment；　Phillip；　let　me　think。　Oh　the　rotten　boy！　How　could　John　do　this　to　us；　we　who　have　cherished　him　all　his　life！　You　。。。　you'd　better　go　to　the　bank。　Get　300；000　out　…　in　case　you　need　to　barter　more。　We　must　get　John　back　at　all　costs。　Would　he　keep　the　coin　with　him；　on　him；　or　would　it　be　in　his　other　safety　deposit　box？〃
　〃It'd　be　in　the　box　…　or　hidden　at　his　flat　in　Sinclair　Towers。〃
　Her　face　closed。　〃How　can　we　search　that　place　with　her　in　residence？　That　wife　of　his？　That　strumpet　Barbara！　If　she　suspects　we're　after　something　。。。〃　Her　mind　caught　a　vagrant　thread。　〃Phillip；　does　it　mean；　whoever　presents　the　coin　gets　whatever　they　want？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Eeeeee！　What　power！〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Now　her　mind　was　working　cleanly。　〃Phillip；〃　she　said；　in　control　again；　everything　else　forgotten；　〃we　need　all　the　help　we　can　get。　Phone　your　cousin　Four　Fingers　。。。〃　He　looked　at　her；　startled；　then　began　to　smile。　〃。。。　arrange　with　him　to　have　some　of　his　street　fighters　follow　you　secretly　to　protect　you　when　you　pay　over　the　ransom；　then　to　follow　the　Werewolf　to　his　lair　and　to　rescue　John　whatever　the　cost。　Whatever　you　do　don't　tell　him　about　the　coin　…　just　that　you　want　help　to　rescue　poor　John。　That's　it。　We　must　get　poor　John　back　at　all　costs。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　much　happier　now。　〃Four　Fingers　is　the　perfect　choice。　He　owes　us　a　favor　or　two。　I　know　where　I　can　reach　him　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Good。　Off　you　go　to　the　bank；　but　give　me　the　key　to　the　safe。　I'll　cancel　my　hairdressing　appointment　and　I'll　read　John's　papers　at　once。〃
　〃Very　good。〃　He　got　up　immediately。　〃The　key's　upstairs；〃　he　said；　lying；　and　hurried　out；　not　wanting　her　prying　into　the　safe。　There　were　a　number　of　things　there　he　did　not　want　her　to　know　about。　I'd　better　hide　them　somewhere　else；　he　thought　uneasily；　just　in　case。　His　euphoria　evaporated　and　his　overwhelming　anxiety　returned。　Oh　my　poor　son；　he　told　himself　near　tears。　Whatever　possessed　you？　I　was　a　good　father　to　you　and　you'll　always　be　my　heir　and　I've　loved　you　like　I　loved　your　mother。　Poor　Jennifer；　poor　little　thing；　dying　birthing　my　first…born　son。　O　all　gods：　let　me　get　my　poor　son　back　again；　safe　again；　whatever　he's　done；　let　us　extract　ourselves　from　all　this　madness；　and　I'll　endow　a　new　temple　for　all　of　you　equally！
　The　safe　was　behind　the　brass　bedstead。　He　pulled　it　away　from　the　wall；　opened　the　safe　and　took　out　all　of　John's　papers；　then　his　very　private　deeds；　letters　and　promissory　notes　which　he　stuffed　into　his　coat　pocket　and　went　downstairs　again。
　〃Here　are　John's　letters；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　I'd　save　you　the　trouble　of　moving　the　bed。〃
　She　noticed　the　bulge　in　his　coat　pocket　but　said　nothing。
　〃I'll　be　back　by　5：30　p。m。　sharp。〃
　〃Good。　Drive　carefully；〃　she　said　absently；　her　whole　being　concentrated　on　a　single　problem　…　how　to　get　the　coin　for　Kevin　and　herself。　Secretly。
　The　phone　rang。　Phillip　Chen　stopped　at　the　front　door　as　she　picked　it　up。　〃Weyyyy？〃　Her　eyes　glazed。　〃Oh　hello；　tai…pan；　how're　you　today？〃　Phillip　Chen　blanched。
　〃Just　fine　thank　you；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Is　Phillip　there？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　just　a　minute。〃　She　could　hear　many　voices　behind　Dunross's　voice　and　she　thought　she　heard　an　undercurrent　of　covered　urgency　which　increased　her　dread。　〃Phillip；　it's　for　you；〃　she　said；　trying　to　keep　the　nervousness　out　of　her　voice。　〃The　tai…pan！〃　She　held　up　the　phone；　motioning　him　silently　to　keep　the　earpiece　a　little　away　from　his　ear　so　she　could　hear　too。
　〃Yes；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Hello；　Phillip。　What're　your　plans　this　afternoon？〃
　〃Nothing　particular。　I　was　just　leaving　to　go　to　the　bank；　why？〃
　〃Before　you　do　that；　drop　by　the　exchange。　The　market's　gone　mad。　The　run　on　the　Ho…Pak's　Colony…wide　now　and　the　stock's　teetering　even　though　Richard's　supporting　it　for　all　he's　worth。　Any　moment　it'll　crash。　The　run's　spilling　over　to　lots　of　other　banks；　I　hear　…　the　Ching　Prosperity；　even　the　Vic　。。。〃　Phillip　Chen　and　his　wife　glanced　at　each　other；　perturbed。　〃I　heard　the　Vic's　got　problems　at　Aberdeen　and　at　Central。　Everything's　down；　all　our　blue　chips：　the　V　and　A；　Kowloon　Investments；　Hong　Kong　Power；　Rothwell…Gornt；　Asian　Properties；　H。K。L。F。；　Zong　Securities；　Solomon　Textiles；　us　。。。　everyone。〃
　〃How　many　points　are　we　off？〃
　〃From　this　morning？　Three　points。〃
　Phillip　Che