jamesclavell.noblehouse-第174部分

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dn't　know　what　the　devil　we　were　doing　most　of　the　time。　Afraid　not　many　of　the　lads　survived　to　get　to　Changi。〃　Dr。　Tooley　was　a　fine　old　man　with　a　big　nose　and　sparse　hair　and　warm　hands；　and　he　smiled　down　at　Fleur。　〃So；　young　lady；〃　he　said　with　his　kind；　gruff　voice。　〃You've　a　slight　fev…　〃
　〃Oh　。。。　sorry；　Doctor；〃　she　said　quickly；　interrupting　him；　suddenly　white；　〃I；　I　think　。。。〃　She　got　out　of　bed　and　hurried　awkwardly　for　the　bathroom。　The　door　closed　behind　her。　There　was　a　fleck　of　blood　on　the　back　of　her　nightdress。
　〃Is　she　all　right？〃　Marlowe　asked；　his　face　stark。
　〃Temperature's　a　hundred　and　three；　heartbeat's　up。　It　could　just　be　gastroenteritis。　。。。〃　The　doctor　looked　at　him。
　〃Could　it　be　hepatitis？〃
　〃No。　Not　this　quickly。　The　incubation　period's　six　weeks　to　two　months。　I'm　afraid　that　specter's　hanging　over　everyone's　head。　Sorry。〃　A　rain　squall　battered　the　windows。　He　glanced　at　them　and　frowned；　remembering　that　he　had　not　told　Dunross　and　the　Americans　about　the　danger　of　hepatitis。　Perhaps　it'll　be　better　just　to　wait　and　see　and　be　patient。　Joss；　he　thought。　〃Two　months；　to　be　safe。　You've　both　had　all　your　shots　so　there　shouldn't　be　any　problem　about　typhoid。〃
　〃And　the　baby？〃
　〃If　the　cramps　get　worse　she　may　miscarry；　Mr。　Marlowe；〃　the　doctor　said　softly。　〃Sorry；　but　it's　best　to　know。　Either　way　it　won't　be　easy　for　her　…　God　only　knows　what　viruses　and　bacteria're　at　Aberdeen。　The　place's　a　public　sewer　and　has　been　for　a　century。　Shocking；　but　nothing　we　can　do　about　it。〃　He　rummaged　in　his　pocket　for　his　prescription　pad。　〃You　can't　change　the　Chinese　or　habits　of　centuries。　Sorry。〃
　〃Joss；〃　Peter　Marlowe　said；　feeling　rotten。　〃Will　everyone　get　sick？　There　must　have　been　forty　or　fifty　of　us　thrashing　around　in　the　water　…　impossible　not　to　drink　some　of　that　muck。〃
　The　doctor　hesitated。　〃Of　fifty；　perhaps　five'll　be　very　sick；　five'll　be　untouched　and　the　rest'll　be　in　between。　Hong　Kong　yan　…　that's　Hong　Kongites　…　they　should　be　less　affected　than　visitors。　But；　as　you　say；　a　lot　of　it's　joss。〃　He　found　his　pad。　〃I'll　give　you　a　prescription　for　a　rather　newfangled　intestinal　antibiotic　but　continue　with　good　old　Dr。　Colicos's　Remedy　…　that　will　settle　your　tummies。　Watch　her　very　carefully。　Do　you　have　a　thermometer？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　With　。。。〃　A　spasm　went　through　Peter　Marlowe；　shook　him　and　went　away。　〃Traveling　with　young　kids　you　have　to　have　a　survival　kit。〃　Both　men　were　trying　not　to　watch　the　bathroom　door。　They　could　half…hear　her　as　her　pain　waxed　and　waned。
　〃How　old　are　your　children？〃　Dr。　Tooley　asked　absently；　keeping　the　concern　from　his　voice　as　he　wrote。　When　he　had　e　in　he　had　noticed　the　happy　chaos　of　the　tiny　second　bedroom　off　the　small　drab　living　room　…　barely　big　enough　for　its　two…tiered　bunk；　the　toys　scattered。　〃Mine　are　grown　up　now。　I've　three　daughters。〃
　〃What？　Oh；　ours　are　four　and　eight。　They're　。。。　they're　both　girls。〃
　〃Do　you　have　an　amah？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Yes。　With　all　the　rain　this　morning　she　took　the　kids　to　school。　They　go　across　the　harbor　and　pick　up　a　bo…pi。〃　A　bo…pi　was　an　unlicensed　taxi　that　was　quite　illegal　but　most　everyone　used　them　from　time　to　time。　〃The　school's　off　Garden　Road。　Most　days　they　insist　on　toddling　off　themselves。　They're　perfectly　safe。〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Yes　of　course。〃
　Their　ears　were　fine…tuned　now　to　her　torment。　Each　muted　strain　went　through　both　men。
　〃Well；　don't　worry；〃　the　doctor　said　hesitantly。　〃I'll　have　the　drugs　sent　up　…　there's　a　pharmacy　in　the　hotel。　I'll　have　it　put　on　your　bill。　I'll　e　back　this　evening　at　six；　as　near　to　six　as　I　can。　If　there's　any　problem　。。。〃　He　offered　a　prescription　blank　gently。　〃My　phone　number's　on　this。　Don't　hesitate　to　call；　eh？〃
　〃Thanks。　Now　about　your　bill　。。。〃
　〃No　need　to　worry　about　that；　Mr。　Marlowe。　The　first　order　of　business　is　to　get　you　well。〃　Dr。　Tooley　was　concentrating　on　the　door。　He　was　afraid　to　leave。　〃Were　you　army？〃
　〃No。　Air　force。〃
　〃Ah！　My　brother　was　one　of　the　Few。　He　pranged　in　。。。〃　He　stopped。
　Fleur　Marlowe　was　calling　out　hesitantly　through　the　door；　〃Doctor　。。。　cou　。。。　could　you　。。。　please　。。。〃
　Tooley　went　to　the　door。　〃Yes；　Mrs。　Marlowe？　Are　you　all　right？〃
　〃Cou　。。。　could　you　please　。。。〃
　He　opened　the　door　and　closed　it　after　him。
　The　sour　sweet　stench　in　the　tiny　bathroom　was　heavy　but　he　paid　it　no　attention。
　〃I　。。。　it　。。　。〃　Another　spasm　twisted　her。
　〃Now　don't　worry；〃　he　said；　calming　her；　and　put　one　hand　on　her　back　and　the　other　on　her　stomach；　helping　to　support　her　tormented　abdominal　muscles。　His　hands　massaged　gently　and　with　great　knowledge。　〃There；　there！　Just　let　yourself　go；　I　won't　let　you　fall。〃　He　felt　the　knotting　under　his　fingers　and　willed　his　warmth　and　strength　into　her。　〃You're　just　about　my　daughter's　age；　my　youngest。　I've　three　and　the　eldest　has　two　children。　。。。　There；　just　let　yourself　relax；　just　think　the　pains　away；　soon　you'll　feel　nice　and　warm。　。。。〃　In　time　the　cramps　passed。
　〃I　。。。　God；　sorr　。。。　sorry。〃　The　young　woman　groped　for　the　toilet　roll　but　another　cramp　took　her　and　another。　It　was　awkward　for　him　in　the　small　room　but　he　tended　her　and　kept　his　strong　hands　supporting　her　as　best　he　could。　An　ache　leapt　into　his　back。
　〃I'm　。。。　I'm　all　right　now；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　you。〃
　He　knew　she　was　not。　The　sweat　had　soaked　her。　He　sponged　off　her　face　and　dried　it　for　her。　Then　he　helped　her　stand；　taking　her　weight；　gentling　her　all　the　time。　He　cleaned　her。　The　paper　showed　traces　of　blood　and　the　bowl　traces　of　blood　mucus　among　the　discolored　water　but　she　was　not　hemorrhaging　yet　and　he　sighed　with　relief。　〃You're　going　to　be　fine；〃　he　said。　〃Here；　hold　on　a　second。　Don't　be　afraid！〃　He　guided　her　hands　to　the　sink。　Quickly　he　folded　a　dry　towel　lengthwise　and　wrapped　it　tightly　around　her　stomach；　tucking　the　ends　in　to　hold　it。　〃This's　the　best　for　gippy　tummy；　the　very　best。　It　supports　your　tum　and　keeps　it　warm。　My　grandfather　was　a　doctor　too；　in　the　Indian　Army；　and　he　swore　this　was　the　best。〃　He　looked　at　her　keenly。　〃You're　a　fine　brave　young　lady。　You're　going　to　be　fine。　Ready？〃
　〃Yes。　Sorr…　sorry　about　。。。〃
　He　opened　the　door。　Peter　Marlowe　rushed　to　help。　They　put　her　to　bed。
　She　lay　there　exhausted；　a　thread　of　damp　hair　on　her　forehead。
　Dr。　Tooley　brushed　it　away　and　stared　down　at　her　thoughtfully。　〃I　think；　young　lady；　that　we'll　put　you　into　a　nursing　home　for　a　day　or　two。〃
　〃Oh　but　。。。　but　。。。〃
　〃Nothing　to　worry　about。　But　we'd　better　give　the　baby…to…be　every　chance；　eh？　And　with　two　small　children　here　to　fret　over。　Two　days　of　rest　will　be　enough。〃　His　gruff　voice　touched　both　of　them；　calming　them。　〃I'll　make　the　arrangements　and　be　back　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。〃　He　looked　at　Peter　Marlowe　under　his　great　bushy　eyebrows。　〃The　nursing　home's　in　Kowloon　so　it'll　save　any　long　journey　to　the　Island。　A　lot　of　us　use　it　and　it's　good；　clean　and　equipped　for　any　emergency。　Perhaps　you'd　pack　a　small　bag　for　her？〃　He　wrote　the　address　and　phone　number。　〃So；　young　lady；　I'll　be　back　in　a　few　minutes。　It'll　be　best；　then　you　won't　have　to　worry　about　the　children。　I　know　what　a　trial　that　can　be　if　you're　sick。〃　He　smiled　at　both　of　them。　〃Don't　worry　about　a　thing；　Mr。　Marlowe；　eh？　I'll　talk　to　your　houseboy　and　ask　him　to　help　make　things　shipshape　here。　And　don't　worry　about　the　money。〃　The　deep　lines　around　his　eyes　deepened　even　more。　〃We're　very　philanthropic　here　in　Hong　Kong　with　our　young　guests。〃
　He　went　out。　Peter　Marlowe　sat　on　the　bed。　Disconsolate。
　〃I　hope　the　kids　got　to　school　all　right；〃　she　said。
　〃Oh　yes。　Ah　Sop's　fine。〃
　〃How　will　you　manage？〃
　〃Easy。　I'll　be　like　Old　Mother　Hubbard。　It'll　only　be　a　day　or　two。〃
　She　moved　wearily；　leaning　on　a　hand　and　watching　the　rain；　and　beyond　it；　the　flat　gray　of　the　hotel　across　the　narrow　street　that　she　hated　so　much　because　it　cut　off　the　sky。　〃I　。。。　I　hope　it's　not　going　。。。　going　to　cost　too　much；〃　she　said；　her　voice　weightless。
　〃Don't　worry　about　it；　Fleur。　We'll　be　all　right。　The　Writers　Guild'll　pay。〃
　〃Will　they？　I　bet　they　won't；　Peter；　not　in　time。　Blast！　We　。。。　we're　so　tight　on　our　budget　already。〃
　〃I　can　always　borrow　ag