jamesclavell.noblehouse-第175部分

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　〃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　against　next　year's　drop　dead　check。　Don…　〃
　〃Oh　no！　No　we　won't　do　that；　Peter。　We　mustn't。　We　agreed。　Other　。。。　otherwise　you're　trapped　ag　。。。　again。〃
　〃Something'll　turn　up；〃　he　said　confidently。　〃Next　month　we've　got　a　Friday　the　thirteenth　and　that's　always　been　lucky　for　us。〃　His　novel　was　published　on　a　thirteenth　and　went　on　to　the　best…seller　list　on　a　thirteenth。　When　he　and　his　wife　were　at　bottom；　three　years　ago；　on　another　thirteenth　he　had　made　a　fine　screenwriting　deal　that　had　carried　them　again。　His　first　directing　assignment　had　been　confirmed　on　a　thirteenth。　And　last　April；　Friday　the　thirteenth；　one　of　the　studios　in　Hollywood　had　bought　the　film　rights　to　his　novel　for　157；000。　The　agent　had　taken　10　percent　and　then　Peter　Marlowe　had　spread　the　remainder　over　five　years　…　in　advance。　Five　years　of　family　drop　dead　money。　25；000　per　year　every　January。　Enough；　with　care；　for　school　and　medical　expenses　and　mortgage　and　car　and　other　payments　…　five　glorious　years　of　freedom　from　all　the　usual　worries。　And　freedom　to　turn　down　a　directing…screenwriting　job　to　e　to　Hong　Kong　for　a　year；　unpaid；　but　free　to　look　for　the　second　book。　Oh　Christ；　Peter　Marlowe　thought；　suddenly　petrified。　What　the　hell　am　I　looking　for　anyway？　What　the　hell　am　I　doing　here？　〃Christ；〃　he　said　miserably；　〃if　I　hadn't　insisted　on　us　going　to　that　party　this　would　never　have　happened。〃
　〃Joss。〃　She　smiled　faintly。　〃Joss；　Peter。　Remember　what　you're　。。。　you're　always　saying　to　me。　Joss。　It's　joss；　just　joss；　Peter。　Oh　Christ　I　feel　awful。〃
　
　42
　
　10：01　A。M。：
　Orlanda　Ramos　opened　the　door　of　her　apartment　and　put　her　sodden　umbrella　into　a　stand。　〃e　in；　Linc；〃　she　said　radiantly。　〃Minha　casa　é　vossa　casa。　My　house　is　yours。〃
　Linc　smiled。　〃You're　sure？〃
　She　laughed　and　said　lightly；　〃Ah！　That　remains　to　be　seen。　It's　just　an　old　Portuguese　custom　。。。　to　offer　one's　house。〃　She　was　taking　off　her　shiny；　very　fashionable　raincoat。　In　the　corridor　he　was　doing　the　same　to　a　soaked；　well…used　raincoat。
　〃Here；　let　me　hang　it　up；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　don't　mind　about　the　wet；　my　amah　will　mop　it　up。　e　on　in。〃
　He　noticed　how　neat　and　tidy　the　living　room　was；　feminine；　in　very　good　taste　and　weling。　She　shut　the　door　behind　him　and　hung　his　coat　on　a　peg。　He　went　over　to　the　French　windows　that　let　out　onto　a　small　balcony。　Her　apartment　was　on　the　eighth　floor　of　Rose　Court　in　Kotewall　Road。
　〃Is　the　rain　always　this　heavy？〃　he　asked。
　〃In　a　real　typhoon　it's　much　worse。　Perhaps　twelve　to　eighteen　inches　in　a　day。　Then　there　are　mud　slides　and　the　resettlement　areas　get　washed　away。〃
　He　was　looking　down　through　the　overcast。　Most　of　the　view　was　blocked　by　high　rises；　ribbon…built　on　the　winding　roads　that　were　cut　into　the　mountainside。　From　time　to　time　he　could　see　glimpses　of　Central　and　the　shoreline　far　below。　〃It's　like　being　in　an　airplane；　Orlanda。　On　a　balmy　night　it　must　be　terrific。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　it　is。　I　love　it。　You　can　see　all　of　Kowloon。　Before　Sinclair　Towers　was　built　…　that's　the　block　straight　ahead　…　we　had　the　best　view　in　Hong　Kong。　Did　you　know　Struan's　own　Sinclair　Towers？　I　think　Ian　Dunross　helped　have　it　built　to　spite　Quillan。　Quillan　has　the　penthouse　apartment　here　。。。　at　least　he　did。〃
　〃It　spoiled　his　view？〃
　〃Ruined　it。〃
　〃That's　an　expensive　attack。〃
　〃No。　Both　blocks　are　immensely　profitable。　Quillan　told　me　everything　in　Hong　Kong's　amortized　over　three　years。　Everything。　Property's　the　thing　to　own。　You　could　make　。。。〃　She　laughed。　〃You　could　improve　your　fortune　if　you　wanted　to。〃
　〃If　I　stay；　where　should　I　live？〃
　〃Here　in　Mid　Levels。　Farther　up　the　Peak　you're　always　very　damp；　the　walls　sweat　and　everything　mildews。〃　She　took　off　her　headscarf　and　shook　her　hair　free；　then　sat　on　the　arm　of　a　chair；　looking　at　his　back；　waiting　patiently。
　〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃Five；　almost　six　years。　Since　the　block　was　built。〃
　He　turned　and　leaned　against　the　window。　〃It's　great；〃　he　said。　〃And　so　are　you。〃
　〃Thank　you；　kind　sir。　Would　you　like　coffee？〃
　〃Please。〃　Linc　Bartlett　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair；　peering　at　an　oil　painting。　〃This　a　Quance？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　it　is。　Quillan　gave　it　to　me。　Espresso？〃
　〃Yes。　Black；　please。　Wish　I　knew　more　about　paintings　。。。〃　He　was　going　to　add；　Casey　does；　but　he　stopped　himself　and　watched　her　open　one　of　the　doors。　The　kitchen　was　large；　modern　and　very　well　equipped。　〃That's　like　something　out　of　House　and　Garden！〃
　〃This　was　all　Quillan's　idea。　He　loves　food　and　loves　cooking。　This's　all　his　design；　the　rest　。。。　the　rest　is　mine　though　he　taught　me　good　from　kitsch。〃
　〃You　sorry　you　broke　up　with　him？〃
　〃Yes　and　no。　It's　joss；　karma。　He　。。。　that　was　joss。　The　time　had　e。〃　Her　quietness　touched　him。　〃It　could　never　have　lasted。　Never。　Not　here。〃　He　saw　a　sadness　go　over　her　momentarily　but　she　brushed　it　aside　and　busied　herself　with　the　sparkling　espresso　maker。　All　the　shelves　were　spotless。　〃Quillan　was　a　stickler　for　tidiness；　thank　God　it　rubbed　off　on　me。　My　amah；　Ah　Fat；　she　drives　me　insane。〃
　〃Does　she　live　here？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　yes　of　course；　but　she's　shopping　now　…　her　room's　at　the　end　of　the　corridor。　Look　around　if　you　like。　I　won't　be　a　minute。〃
　Filled　with　curiosity　he　wandered　off。　A　good　dining　room　with　a　round　table　to　seat　eight。　Her　bedroom　was　white　and　pink；　light　and　airy　with　soft　pink　drapes　hung　from　the　ceiling　that　fell　around　the　huge　bed　making　it　into　a　vast　four…poster。　There　were　flowers　in　a　delicate　arrangement。　A　modern　bathroom；　tiled　and　perfect；　with　matching　towels。　A　second　bedroom　with　books　and　phone　and　hi…fi　and　smaller　bed；　again　everything　neat　and　tasteful。
　Casey's　outclassed；　he　told　himself；　remembering　the　easy；　careless　untidiness　of　her　little　house　in　the　Los　Angeles　canyon；　red　brick；　piles　of　books　everywhere；　barbecue；　phones；　duplicators　and　electric　typewriters。　Troubled　at　his　thought　and　the　way　he　automatically　seemed　to　be　paring　them；　he　strolled　back　to　the　kitchen；　bypassing　the　amah's　room；　his　walk　soundless。　Orlanda　was　concentrating　on　the　coffee　maker；　unaware　that　now　he　was　watching　her。　He　enjoyed　watching　her。
　This　morning　he　had　phoned　her　early；　very　concerned；　waking　her；　wanting　to　remind　her　to　see　a　doctor；　just　in　case。　In　the　melee　last　night；　by　the　time　he　and　Casey　and　Dunross　had　got　ashore　she　had　already　gone　home。
　〃Oh；　thank　you；　Linc；　how　thoughtful　of　you　to　phone！　No；　I'm　fine；〃　she　had　said　in　a　happy　rush。　〃At　least　I　am　now。　Are　you　all　right？　Is　Casey　all　right？　Oh　I　can't　thank　you　enough；　I　was　petrified　。。。　You　saved　my　life；　you　and　Casey　。。。〃
　They　had　chatted　happily　on　the　phone　and　she　had　promised　to　see　her　doctor　anyway；　and　then　he　had　asked　if　she'd　like　breakfast。　At　once　she　had　said　yes　and　he　had　gone　Hong　Kong　side；　enjoying　the　downpour；　the　temperature　nice。　Breakfast　atop　the　Mandarin；　eggs　Benedict　and　toast　and　coffee；　feeling　grand；　Orlanda　sparkling　and　so　appreciative　of　him　and　of　Casey。
　〃I　thought　I　was　dead。　I　knew　I'd　drown；　Linc；　but　I　was　too　frightened　to　scream。　If　you　hadn't　done　it　all　so　quickly　I'd　never　。。。　The　moment　I　was　under；　dear　Casey　was　there　and　I　was　alive　again　and　safe　before　I　knew　it。　。。。〃
　It　was　the　best　breakfast　he　had　ever　had。　She　had　ministered　to　him；　small　things；　passing　him　toast　and　pouring　coffee　without　having　to　ask　for　it；　picking　up　his　serviette　when　it　fell；　entertaining　and　being　entertained；　assured　and　feminine；　making　him　feel　masculine　and　strong。　And　she　reached　out　once　and　put　her　hand　on　his　arm；　long　fingers　and　exquisite　nails；　and　the　feel　of　that　touch　still　lingered。　Then　he　had　escorted　her　home　and　inveigled　an　invitation　up　to　her　apartment　and　now　he　was　here；　watching　her　concentrate　in　the　kitchen；　silk　skirt　and　Russian…style　rain　boots；　loose　blouse　that　was　tight　to　her　tiny　waist；　letting　his　eyes　flow　over　her。
　Jesus；　he　thought；　I'd　better　be　careful。
　〃Oh；　I　didn't　see　you；　Linc。　You　walk　quietly　for　a　man　of　your　height！〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　〃Don