jamesclavell.noblehouse-第223部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　of　Aberdeen　water。　The　other　multistoried　eating　palaces　that　floated　nearby　were　still　blazing　with　lights；　gaudy　and　noisy；　filled　to　capacity；　their　new；　hastily　erected；　temporary　kitchens　on　barges　beside　their　mother　ships；　cauldrons　smoking；　fires　under　the　cauldrons；　and　a　mass　of　cooks　and　helpers　like　so　many　bees。　Waiters　hurried　up　and　down　precarious　gangways　with　trays　and　dishes。　Sampans　sailed　nearby；　tourists　staring；　Hong　Kong　yan　gaping；　the　hulk　a　great　attraction。
　Part　of　the　hulk's　superstructure　jutted　out　of　the　water。　Salvage　crews　were　already　working　on　her　under　floodlights；　salvaging　her；　readying　to　float　what　remained　of　her。　On　her　part　of　the　wharf　and　parking　lot　temporary　roofing　and　kitchens　were　set　up。　Vendors　were　busily　selling　photographs　of　the　blaze；　souvenirs；　foods　of　a　hundred　kinds；　and　a　huge　floodlit　sign　in　Chinese　and　English　proudly　proclaimed　that　the　new；　ONLY　TOTALLY　MODERN　AND　FIREPROOF　FLOATING　RESTAURANT；　THE　FLOATING　DRAGON　would　soon　be　in　business；　bigger　than　ever；　better　than　ever　。。。　meanwhile　sample　the　foods　of　our　famous　chefs。　It　was　business　as　usual　except　that　temporarily　the　restaurant　was　on　land　and　not　on　the　sea。
　Dunross　walked　along　the　wharf　toward　one　of　the　sea　steps。　There　were　clusters　of　sampans　nearby；　big　and　small。　Most　of　these　were　for　hire；　each　small　craft　with　one　sculler；　a　man；　woman　or　child　of　any　age；　each　craft　with　a　hooped　canvas　covering　that　sheltered　half　of　the　boat　from　sun　or　rain　or　prying　eyes。　Some　of　the　sampans　were　more　elaborate。　Those　were　the　nighttime　Pleasure　Boats。　Inside　were　reclining　pillows　and　low　tables；　the　better　craft　luxurious　with　plenty　of　room　for　two　to　eat　and　drink　and　then　to　pillow；　the　single　oarsman　discreetly　not　part　of　the　cabin。　You　could　hire　one　for　an　hour　or　a　night　and　the　boat　would　lazily　float　the　byways。　Other　sampans　would　e　with　all　manner　of　drinks　and　foods；　fresh　foods　served　piping　hot；　served　delicately；　and　you　and　your　lady　could　dream　the　night　away　in　perfect　privacy。
　You　could　go　alone　if　you　wished。　Then；　out　near　one　of　the　vast　islands　of　boats；　your　sampans　would　rendezvous　with　Ladies　of　the　Night　and　you　could　choose　and　barter　and　then　drift。　In　the　harbor　you　could　satisfy　any　wish；　any　thirst；　any　desire　…　at　little　cost；　the　price　fair　whoever　you　were　…　if　you　could　pay　and　were　a　man。　Opium；　cocaine；　heroin；　whatever　you　wanted。
　Sometimes　the　food　was　bad　or　the　singsong　girl　bad；　but　this　was　just　joss；　a　regretted　mistake　and　not　deliberate。　Sometimes　you　could　lose　your　wallet　but　then　only　a　simpleton　would　e　among　such　prideful　poverty　to　flaunt　his　wealth。
　Dunross　smiled；　seeing　a　heavyset　tourist　nervously　ease　himself　into　one　of　the　craft；　helped　by　a　chong…samed　girl。　You're　in　good　hands；　he　thought；　very　glad　with　the　hustle　and　bustle　of　business　all　around　him；　buying；　selling；　bartering。　Yes；　he　told　himself；　Chinese　are　the　real　capitalists　of　the　world。
　What　about　Tiptop　and　Johnjohn's　request？　What　about　Lando　Mata　and　Tightfist　and　Par…Con？　And　Gornt？　And　AMG　and　Riko　Anjin　and　Sinders　and　。。。
　Don't　think　about　them　now。　Get　your　wits　about　you！　Four　Finger　Wu　hasn't　summoned　you　to　discuss　the　weather。
　He　passed　the　first　sea　steps　and　headed　along　the　wharf　to　the　main　ones；　the　light　from　the　streetlamps　casting　strong　shadows。　At　once　all　the　sampans　there　began　to　jostle　for　position；　their　owners　calling　out；　beckoning。　When　he　got　to　the　top　of　the　steps　the　motion　stopped。
　〃Tai…pan！〃
　A　well…set　Pleasure　Boat　with　a　Silver　Lotus　flag　aft　eased　directly　through　them。　The　boatman　was　short；　squat　with　many　gold　teeth。　He　wore　torn　khaki　pants　and　a　sweat　shirt。
　Dunross　whistled　to　himself；　recognizing　Four　Finger　Wu's　eldest　son；　the　loh…pan；　the　head　of　Wu's　fleet　of　Pleasure　Boats。　No　wonder　the　other　boats　gave　him　leeway；　he　thought；　impressed　that　Goldtooth　Wu　met　him　personally。　Nimbly　he　went　aboard；　greeting　him。　Goldtooth　sculled　swiftly　away。
　〃Make　yourself　at　home；　tai…pan；〃　Goldtooth　said　easily　in　perfect　English…accented　English。　He　had　a　B。Sc。　from　London　University　and　had　wanted　to　remain　in　England。　But　Four　Fingers　had　ordered　him　home。　He　was　a　gentle；　quiet；　kind　man　whom　Dunross　liked。
　〃Thank　you。〃
　On　the　lacquered　table　was　fresh　tea　and　whiskey　and　glasses；　brandy　and　bottled　water。　Dunross　looked　around　carefully。　The　cabin　was　neat　and　lit　with　little　lights；　clean；　soft　and　expensive。　A　small　radio　played　good　music。　This　must　be　Goldtooth's　flagship；　he　thought；　amused　and　very　much　on　guard。
　There　was　no　need　to　ask　where　Goldtooth　was　taking　him。　He　poured　himself　a　little　brandy；　adding　soda　water。　There　was　no　ice。　In　Asia　he　never　used　ice。
　〃Christ；〃　he　muttered　suddenly；　remembering　what　Peter　Marlowe　had　said　about　the　possibility　of　infectious　hepatitis。　Fifty　or　sixty　people　have　that　hanging　over　their　heads　now；　if　they　know　it　or　not。　Gornt's　one　of　them　too。　Yes；　but　that　sod's　got　the　constitution　of　a　meat　ax。　The　bugger　hasn't　even　had　a　touch　of　the　runs。　What　to　do　about　him？　What's　his　permanent　solution？
　It　was　cool　and　pleasant　in　the　cabin；　half　open　to　the　breeze；　the　sky　dark。　A　huge　junk　moved　past；　chugging　throatily；　and　he　lay　back　enjoying　the　tensions　he　felt；　the　anticipation。　His　heart　was　steady。　He　sipped　the　brandy；　drifting；　being　patient。
　The　side　of　the　sampan　scraped　another。　His　ears　focused。　Bare　feet　padded　aboard。　Two　sets　of　feet；　one　nimble　the　other　not。　〃Halloa；　tai…pan！〃　Four　Fingers　said；　grinning　toothlessly。　He　ducked　under　the　canopy　and　sat　down。　〃How　you　okay？〃　he　said　in　dreadful　English。
　〃Fine　and　you？〃　Dunross　stared　at　him；　trying　to　hide　his　astonishment。　Four　Finger　Wu　was　dressed　in　a　good　suit　with　a　clean　white　shirt　and　gaudy　tie　and　carried　shoes　and　socks。　The　last　time　Dunross　had　seen　him　like　this　was　the　night　of　the　fire　and　before　that；　the　only　other　time　years　ago；　at　Shitee　T'Chung's　immense　wedding。
　More　feet　approached。　Awkwardly　Paul　Choy　sat　down。　〃Evening；　sir。　I'm　Paul　Choy。〃
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　he　asked；　sensing　great　disfort；　and　fear。
　〃Sure；　yes；　thank　you；　sir。〃
　Dunross　frowned。　〃Well　this's　a　pleasure；〃　he　said；　letting　it　pass。　〃You're　working　for　your　uncle　now？〃　he　asked；　knowing　all　about　Paul　Choy；　keeping　up　the　pretense　he　and　Four　Fingers　had　agreed　to；　and　very　impressed　with　the　young　man。　He　had　heard　of　his　stock　market　coup　through　his　old　friend　Soorjani。
　〃No　sir。　I'm　with　Rothwell…Gornt's。　I　just　started　a　couple　of　days　ago。　I'm　here　to　interpret　。。。　if　you　need　me。〃　Paul　Choy　turned　to　his　father　and　explained　what　had　been　said。
　Four　Fingers　nodded。　〃Blandeee？〃
　〃It's　fine；　thank　you。〃　Dunross　raised　his　glass。　〃Good　you　see；　heya；　〃　he　continued　in　English；　waiting　for　the　old　man　to　begin　in　Haklo。　It　was　a　matter　of　face　and；　with　the　presence　of　Paul　Choy；　Dunross's　latent　caution　had　increased　a　thousandfold。
　The　old　seaman　chatted　inconsequentially　for　a　while；　drinking　whiskey。　Paul　Choy　was　not　offered　a　drink；　nor　did　he　take　one。　He　sat　in　the　shadows；　listening；　frightened；　not　knowing　what　to　expect。　His　father　had　sworn　him　to　perpetual　secrecy　with　hair…raising　blood　oaths。
　Finally　Wu　gave　up　waiting　the　tai…pan　out　and　started　in　Haklo。　〃Our　families　have　been　Old　Friends　for　many　years；〃　he　said；　speaking　slowly　and　carefully；　aware　that　Dunross's　Haklo　was　not　perfect。　〃Very　many　years。〃
　〃Yes。　Seaborne　Wu　and　Struan's　like　brothers；〃　the　tai…pan　replied　cautiously。
　Four　Fingers　grunted。　〃The　present　is　like　the　past　and　the　past　the　present。　Heya？〃
　〃Old　Blind　Tung　says　past　and　present　same。　Heya？〃
　〃What　does　the　name　Wu　Kwok　mean　to　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House？〃
　Dunross's　stomach　twisted。　〃He　your　great…grandfather；　heya？　Your　illustrious　forebear。　Son　and　chief　admiral　of　even　more　illustrious　sea　warlord；　Wu　Fang　Choi；　whose　flag；　the　Silver　Lotus；　flew　all　four　seas。〃
　〃The　very　one！〃　Four　Fingers　leaned　closer　and　Dunross's　caution　doubled。　〃What　was　the　connection　between　Green…Eyed　Devil　。。。　between　the　first　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House　and　the　illustrious　Wu　Kwok？〃
　〃They　meet　at　se