jamesclavell.noblehouse-第196部分

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　That's　the　great　law：　Never　trust　another　…　man；　woman　or　child　…　if　you　want　to　stay　alive　and　safe　and　out　of　enemy　clutches。
　I'm　safe　because　I　know　people；　know　how　to　keep　a　closed　mouth　and　know　how　to　further　State　policy　purely　as　part　of　my　own　life　plan。
　So　many　wonderful　plans　to　effect。　So　many　exciting　coups　to　precipitate　and　be　part　of。　And　then　there's　Sevrin　。。。
　Again　he　chuckled　and　Ginny　stirred。　〃Go　to　sleep；　little　princess；〃　he　whispered　soothingly　as　to　a　child。　〃Go　to　sleep。〃
　Obediently　she　did　not　truly　awaken；　just　brushed　her　hair　out　of　her　eyes　and　snuggled　more　fortably。
　Suslev　let　his　eyes　close；　her　body　sweet　against　him。　He　let　his　arm　rest　across　her　loins。　The　rain　had　lessened　during　the　afternoon。　Now　he　noticed　it　had　stopped。　He　yawned　as　he　went　into　sleep；　knowing　the　storm　had　not　yet　ended　its　work。
　
　47
　
　6：25　P。M。：
　Robert　Armstrong　drained　his　beer。　〃Another；〃　he　called　out　blearily；　feigning　drunkenness。　He　was　in　the　Good　Luck　Girlfriend；　a　crowded；　noisy　Wanchai　bar　on　the　waterfront；　filled　with　American　sailors　from　the　nuclear　carrier。　Chinese　hostesses　plied　the　customers　with　drink　and　accepted　banter　and　touch　and　watered　drinks　in　return　at　high　cost。　Occasionally　one　of　them　would　order　a　real　whiskey　and　show　it　to　her　partner　to　prove　that　this　was　a　good　bar　and　they　were　not　being　cheated。
　Above　the　bar　were　rooms　but　it　was　not　wise　for　sailors　to　go　to　them。　Not　all　of　the　girls　were　clean　or　careful；　not　from　choice　just　from　ignorance。　And；　late　at　night；　you　could　be　rolled　though　only　the　very　drunk　were　robbed。　After　all；　there　was　no　need：　sailors　were　ready　to　spend　everything　they　had。
　〃You　want　jig…jig？〃　the　overpainted　child　asked　him。
　Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　your　ancestors；　he　wanted　to　tell　her。　You　should　be　home　in　bed　with　some　schoolbooks。　But　he　did　not　say　it。　That　would　do　no　good。　In　all　probability　her　parents　had　gratefully　arranged　this　job　for　her　so　that　all　the　family　could　survive　just　a　little　better。　〃You　want　drink？〃　he　said　instead；　hiding　that　he　could　speak　Cantonese。
　〃Scottish；　Scottish；〃　the　child　called　out　imperiously。
　〃Why　not　get　tea　and　I'll　give　you　the　money　anyway；〃　he　said　sourly。
　〃Fornicate　all　gods　and　the　mothers　of　gods　I　not　a　cheater！〃　Haughtily　the　child　offered　the　grimy　glass　the　waiter　had　slapped　down。　It　did　contain　cheap　but　real　whiskey。　She　drained　it　without　a　grimace。　〃Waiter！　Another　Scottish　and　another　beer！　You　drink；　I　drink；　then　we　jig…jig。〃
　Armstrong　looked　at　her。　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃Lily。　Lily　Chop。　Twenty…five　dollars　short　time。〃
　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　〃Old。　How　old　you？〃
　〃Nineteen。〃
　〃Huh；　coppers　always　lie！〃
　〃How'd　you　know　I'm　a　copper？〃
　〃Boss　tell　me。　Only　twenty　dollar；　heya？〃
　〃Who's　the　boss？　Which　one's　he？〃
　〃She。　Behind　the　bar。　She　mama…san。〃
　Armstrong　peered　through　the　smoke。　The　woman　was　lean　and　scrawny　and　in　her　fifties；　sweating　and　working　hard；　keeping　up　a　running　vulgar　banter　with　the　sailors　as　she　filled　the　orders。　〃How'd　she　know　I　was　a　copper？〃
　Again　Lily　shrugged。　〃Listen；　she　tell　me　keep　you　happy　or　I　out　in　street。　We　go　upstairs　now；　heya？　On　house；　no　twenty　dollar。〃　The　child　got　up。　He　could　see　her　fear　now。
　〃Sit　down；〃　he　ordered。
　She　sat；　even　more　afraid。　〃If　I　not　pleeze　she　throw　m…　〃
　〃You　please　me。〃　Armstrong　sighed。　It　was　an　old　ploy。　If　you　went；　you　paid；　if　you　didn't　go；　you　paid　and　the　boss　always　sent　a　young　one。　He　passed　over　fifty　dollars。　〃Here。　Go　and　give　it　to　the　mama…san　with　my　thanks。　Tell　her　I　can't　jig…jig　now　because　I've　got　my　monthly！　Honorable　Red's　with　me。〃
　Lily　gawked　at　him　then　cackled　like　an　old　woman。　〃Eeeee；　fornicate　all　gods　that's　a　good　one！〃　She　went　off；　hard　put　to　walk　on　her　high　heels；　her　brassy　chong…sam　slit　very　high；　showing　her　thin；　very　thin　legs　and　buttocks。
　Armstrong　finished　his　beer；　paid　his　bill　and　got　to　his　feet。　At　once　his　table　was　claimed　and　he　pushed　through　the　sweating；　shouting　sailors　for　the　door。
　〃You　wele　anytime；〃　the　mama…san　called　out　as　he　passed　her。
　〃Sure；〃　he　called　back　without　malice。
　The　rain　was　just　a　thin　drizzle　now　and　the　day　growing　dark。　On　the　street　were　many　more　raucous　sailors；　all　of　them　American　…　British　sailors　had　been　ordered　out　of　this　area　for　the　first　few　days　by　their　captains。　His　skin　felt　wet　and　hot　under　his　raincoat。　In　a　moment　he　left　Gloucester　Road　and　the　waterfront　and　strolled　through　the　crowds　up　O'Brien　Road；　splashing　through　the　puddles；　the　city　smelling　good　and　clean　and　washed。　At　the　corner　he　turned　into　Lochart　Road　and　at　length　found　the　alley　he　sought。　It　was　busy；　as　usual；　with　street　stalls　and　shops　and　scrawny　dogs；　chickens　packed　into　cages；　dried　fried　ducks　and　meats　hanging　from　hooks；　vegetables　and　fruits。　Just　inside　the　mouth　of　the　alley　was　a　small　stall　with　stools　under　a　canvas　overhang　to　keep　off　the　drizzle。　He　nodded　at　the　owner；　chose　a　shadowed　corner；　ordered　a　bowl　of　Singapore　noodles　…　fine；　lightly　fried　vermicelli…like　noodles；　dry；　with　chili　and　spices　and　chopped　shrimps　and　fresh　vegetables　…　and　began　to　wait。
　Brian　Kwok。
　Always　back　to　Brian　Kwok。
　And　always　back　to　the　40；000　in　used　notes　that　he　had　found　in　his　desk　drawer；　the　one　he　always　kept　locked。
　Concentrate；　he　told　himself；　or　you'll　slip。　You'll　make　a　mistake。　You　can't　afford　a　mistake！
　He　was　weary　and　felt　an　overpowering　dirtiness　that　soap　and　hot　water　would　not　cleanse　away。　With　an　effort　he　forced　his　eyes　to　seek　his　prey；　his　ears　to　hear　the　street　sounds；　and　his　nose　to　enjoy　the　food。
　He　had　just　finished　the　bowl　when　he　saw　the　American　sailor。　The　man　was　thin　and　wore　glasses　and　he　towered　over　the　Chinese　pedestrians　even　though　he　walked　with　a　slight　stoop。　His　arm　was　around　a　street　girl。　She　held　an　umbrella　over　them　and　was　tugging　at　him。
　〃No；　not　this　way；　baby；〃　she　pleaded。　〃My　room　other　way　。。。　unnerstan'？〃
　〃Sure；　honey；　but　first　we　go　this　way　then　we'll　go　your　way。　Huh？　e　on；　darlin'。〃
　Armstrong　hunched　deeper　into　the　shadows。　He　watched　them　approach；　wondering　if　this　was　the　one。　The　man's　accent　was　Southern　and　sweet…sounding　and　he　was　in　his　late　twenties。　As　he　strolled　along　the　busy　street　he　looked　this　way　and　that；　seeking　his　bearings。　Then　Armstrong　saw　him　spot　the　tailor's　shop　on　one　corner　of　the　alley　that　was　called　Pop…ting's　Handmade　Suits；　and；　opposite　it；　a　small；　open…faced　restaurant　lit　with　bare　bulbs　and　with　a　crudely　written　sign　nailed　to　a　post：　WELE　TO　AMERICAN　SAILORS。　The　bold　column　of　Chinese　characters　over　the　door　read：　〃A　Thousand　Years'　Health　to　Mao　Tse…tung　Restaurant。〃
　〃C'mon；　honey；〃　the　sailor　said；　brightening。　〃Let's　have　a　beer　here。〃
　〃No　good　place；　baby；　better　e　my　bar；　heya？　Bett…　〃
　〃Goddamnit　we're　having　a　beer　here。〃　He　went　into　the　open　shop　and　sat　at　one　of　the　plastic　tables；　bulky　in　his　raincoat。　Sullenly　she　followed。　〃Beer。　Two　beers！　San　Miguel；　huh？　You　savvy　huh？〃
　From　where　he　sat；　Armstrong　could　see　them　both　clearly。　One　of　the　tables　was　filled　with　four　coolies　who　noisily　sucked　noodles　and　soup　into　their　mouths。　They　glanced　at　the　sailor　and　the　girl　briefly。　One　made　an　obscene　remark　and　the　others　laughed。　The　girl　blushed；　turning　her　back　to　them。　The　sailor　hummed　as　he　looked　around　carefully；　sipping　his　beer；　then　stood　up。　〃I　gotta　use　the　can。〃　Unerringly　he　went　to　the　back　through　the　flyblown　string　curtain；　the　counterman　watching　him　sourly；　Armstrong　sighed　and　relaxed。　The　trap　was　sprung。
　In　a　moment　the　sailor　returned。　〃C'mon；〃　he　said；　〃let's　get　outta　here。〃　He　drained　his　glass；　paid；　and　they　went　off　arm　in　arm　again　the　way　they　had　e。
　〃You　want　more　S'pore　noodles？〃　the　stall　keeper　asked　Armstrong　rudely；　his　hostile　eyes　just　slits　in　his　high…boned　face。
　〃No　thanks。　Just　another　beer。〃
　〃No　beer。〃
　〃Fornicate　you　and　all　your　line；〃　Armstrong　hissed　in　perfect　gutter　Cantonese。　〃Am　I　a　fool　from　the　Golden　Mountain？　No；　I'm　a　guest　in　your　fornicating　restaurant。　Get　me　a　fornicating　beer　or　I'll　have　my　men　s