jamesclavell.noblehouse-第229部分

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case　they　wake　up；　a　friendly　face　to　call　so　to　speak。　When　we　all　met　yesterday　in　the　foyer；　they　both　thought　you　a　smasher。　They　probably　won't　wake　but　just　in　case。　Could　they　call　you？　I'm　sor…　〃
　〃Of　course。　Even　better；　why　don't　I　e　right　over？〃
　〃Oh　no；　I　wouldn't　think　of　it。　If　you　j…　〃
　〃I'm　not　sleepy　and　you　are　right　next　door。　It's　no　problem；　Peter；　I'm　on　my　way。　So　you　just　go　ahead　to　the　hospital。〃
　It　took　her　only　a　minute　to　dress　in　pants　and　blouse　and　cashmere　sweater。　Before　she　even　pressed　the　elevator　button；　Nighttime　Song　was　there；　wide…eyed　and　inquisitive。　She　volunteered　nothing。
　Downstairs；　she　crossed　the　foyer　and　went　out　onto　Nathan　Road；　across　the　side　road　and　into　the　foyer　of　the　Annex。　Peter　Marlowe　was　waiting　for　her。　〃This's　Miss　Tcholok；〃　he　said　hurriedly　to　the　night　porter。　〃She'll　be　with　the　kids　till　I　return。〃
　〃Yes　sir；〃　the　Eurasian　said；　equally　wide…eyed。　〃The　boy'll　show　you　up；　miss。〃
　〃Hope　everything's　okay；　Peter。　。。。〃　She　stopped。　He　was　out　the　swinging　doors；　trying　to　hail　a　cab。
　The　apartment　was　small；　on　the　sixth　floor；　the　front　door　ajar。　The　floor　boy；　Nighttime　Po；　shrugged　and　went　off　muttering；　cursing　barbarians　。。。　as　if　he　couldn't　look　after　two　sleeping　children　who　played　hide　and　seek　with　him　every　evening。
　Casey　closed　the　door　and　peeked　into　the　tiny　second　bedroom。　Both　children　were　fast　asleep　in　the　bunk；　Jane；　the　little　one；　in　the　upper　berth　and　Alexandra　sprawled　in　the　lower　one。　Her　heart　went　out　to　them。　Blond；　touseled；　angelic；　with　teddy　bears　clutched　in　their　arms。　Oh　how　I'd　love　to　have　children；　she　thought。　Linc's　children。
　Would　you？　All　the　diapers；　always　locked　in；　sleepless　nights　and　no　freedom。
　I　don't　know。　I　think　so。　Oh　yes；　for　two　like　these；　oh　yes。
　Casey　didn't　know　whether　to　tuck　them　up　or　not。　The　air　was　warm　so　she　decided　to　do　nothing　lest　she　wake　them。　In　the　refrigerator　she　found　bottled　water　and　this　refreshed　her　and　settled　her　racing　heart。　Then　she　sat　in　the　easy　chair。　After　a　moment　she　took　Peter's　book　out　of　her　handbag　and；　once　more；　began　to　read。
　Two　hours　later　he　returned。　She　had　not　noticed　the　time　pass。
　〃Oh；〃　she　said；　seeing　his　face。　〃She　lost　the　baby？〃
　He　nodded；　dulled。　〃Sorry　to　be　so　long。　Would　you　like　a　cup　of　tea？〃
　〃Sure；　hey；　Peter；　let　me　d…　〃
　〃No。　No　thank　you。　I　know　where　everything　is。　I'm　sorry　to　put　you　to　all　this　trouble。〃
　〃It's　no　trouble。　She's　all　right　though？　Fleur？〃
　〃They；　they　think　so。　It　was　the　stomach　cramps　that　did　it；　and　the　touch　of　enteric。　Too　soon　to　tell　but　there's　no　real　danger　there；　that's　what　they　said。　The；　the　miscarriage；　they　said　it's　always　a　bit　rough；　physically　and　emotionally。〃
　〃I　am　so　sorry。〃
　He　glanced　back　at　her　and　she　saw　the　strong；　bent；　lived…in　face。　〃Not　to　worry；　Casey。　Fleur's　all　right；〃　he　said；　holding　his　voice　firm。　〃The；　the　Japanese　believe　that　nothing's　set　until　after　birth；　until　after　thirty　days；　thirty　days　for　a　boy　and　thirty…one　for　a　girl；　nothing's　set；　there's　no　soul；　no　personality；　no　person　。。。　up　to　that　time　there's　no　person。〃　He　turned　back　in　the　tiny　kitchen　and　set　the　kettle　to　boil；　trying　to　sound　convincing。　〃It's；　it's　best　to　believe　that；　eh？　How　could　it　be　anything　but　。。。　but　an　it。　There's　no　person　till　then；　thirty…odd　days　after　birth；　so　that　doesn't　make　it　so　bad。　It's　still　ghastly　for　the　mother　but　not　so　bad。　Sorry；　I'm　not　making　much　sense。〃
　〃Oh　you　are。　I　hope　she'll　be　all　right　now；〃　Casey　said；　wanting　to　touch　him；　not　knowing　whether　to　or　not。　He　looked　so　dignified　in　his　misery；　trying　to　sound　so　calm；　yet　just　a　little　boy　to　her。
　〃Chinese　and　Japanese　are　really　very　sensible；　Casey。　Their　。。。　their　superstitions　make　life　easier。　I　suppose　their　infant　mortality　rate　was　so　awful　in　olden　days　that　that　made　some　wise　father　invent　that　wisdom　to　save　a　mother's　grief。〃　He　sighed。　〃Or　more　likely；　some　wiser　mother　invented　it　to　succor　a　broken　father。　Eh？〃
　〃Probably；〃　she　said；　out　of　her　depth；　watching　his　hands　make　the　tea。　First　boiling　water　into　the　teapot；　the　pot　rinsed　carefully；　then　the　water　thrown　away。　Three　spoons　of　tea　and　one　for　the　pot；　the　boiling　water　brought　to　the　pot。　〃Sorry　we've　no　tea　bags；　I　can't　get　used　to　them　though　Fleur　says　they're　just　as　good　and　cleaner。　Sorry；　tea's　all　we've　got。〃　He　brought　the　tea　tray　into　the　living　room　and　set　it　on　the　dining　table。　〃Milk　and　sugar？〃　he　asked。
　〃Fine；〃　she　said；　never　having　had　it　that　way。
　It　tasted　strange。　But　strong　and　life…giving。　They　drank　in　silence。　He　smiled　faintly。　〃Christ；　without　a　cuppa；　eh？〃
　〃It's　great。〃
　His　eyes　saw　his　half…opened　book。　〃Oh！〃
　〃I　like　what　I've　read　so　far；　Peter。　How　true　is　it？〃
　Absently　he　poured　himself　another　cup。　〃As　true　as　any　telling　about　any　happening　fifteen　years　after　the　event。　As　best　as　I　can　remember　the　incidents　are　accurate。　The　people　in　the　book　didn't　live；　though　people　like　them　did　and　said　those　sort　of　things　and　did　those　deeds。〃
　〃It's　unbelievable。　Unbelievable　that　people；　youths　could　survive　that。　How　old　were　you　then？〃
　〃Changi　began　when　I　was　just　eighteen　and　ended　when　I　was　twenty…one　…　twenty…one　and　a　bit。〃
　〃Who're　you　in　the　book？〃
　〃Perhaps　I'm　not　there　at　all。〃
　Casey　decided　to　let　that　pass。　For　the　time　being。　Until　she　had　finished。　〃I'd　better　go。　You　must　be　exhausted。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not。　Actually；　I'm　not　tired。　I've　got　some　notes　to　write　up　…　I'll　sleep　after　the　kids're　off　to　school。　But　you；　you　must　be。　I　can't　thank　you　enough；　Casey。　I　owe　you　a　favor。〃
　She　smiled　and　shook　her　head。　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Peter；　you　know　so　much　about　this　place；　who　would　you　go　with；　Dunross　or　Gornt？〃
　〃In　business；　Gornt。　For　the　future；　Dunross；　if　he　can　weather　this　storm。　From　what　I　hear；　though；　that's　not　likely。〃
　〃Why　Dunross　for　the　future？〃
　〃Face。　Gornt　hasn't　the　style　to　be　the　tai…pan　…　or　the　necessary　background。〃
　〃Is　that　so　important？〃
　〃Totally；　here。　If　Par…Con　wants　a　hundred　years　of　growth；　Dunross。　If　you're　in　just　for　a　killing；　a　quick　in…and…out　raid；　go　with　Gornt。〃
　She　finished　her　tea　thoughtfully。　〃What　do　you　know　about　Orlanda？〃
　〃Lots；〃　he　said　at　once。　〃But　knowing　scandal　or　gossip　about　a　living　person　isn't　the　same　as　knowing　legends　or　gossip　about　ancient　times。　Is　it？〃
　She　watched　him　back。　〃Even　for　a　favor？〃
　〃That's　different。〃　His　eyes　narrowed　slightly。　〃Are　you　asking　for　a　favor？〃
　She　set　her　teacup　down　and　shook　her　head。　〃No；　Peter；　not　now。　I　might　later　but　not　now。〃　She　saw　his　frown　deepen。　〃What？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　was　wondering　why　Orlanda　was　a　threat　to　you。　Why　tonight？　Obviously；　that　leads　to　Linc。　That　leads　inevitably　to：　she's　out　with　him　now；　which　explains　why　you　sounded　so　ghastly　when　I　called。〃
　〃Did　I？〃
　〃Yes。　Oh；　of　course；　I'd　noticed　Linc　looking　at　her　at　Aberdeen　and　you　looking　at　him　and　her　looking　at　you。〃　He　sipped　some　tea；　his　face　hardening。　〃That　was　quite　a　party。　Lots　of　beginnings　at　that　party；　great　tensions；　big　drama。　Fascinating；　if　you　can　disassociate　yourself　from　it。　But　you　can't；　can　you？〃
　〃Do　you　always　watch　and　listen？〃
　〃I　try　to　train　myself　as　an　observer。　I　try　to　use　my　ears　and　eyes　and　other　senses；　properly；　as　they　should　be　used。　You're　the　same。　Not　much　escapes　you。〃
　〃Maybe；　maybe　not。〃
　〃Orlanda's　Hong　Kong…trained　and　Gornt…trained　and　if　you　plan　a　clash　with　her　over　Linc　you'd　better　be　prepared　for　a　battle　royal　…　if　she's　decided　to　try　to　grab　him；　which　I　don't　know　yet。〃
　〃Would　Gornt　be　using　her？〃
　After　a　pause；　he　said；　〃I'd　imagine　Orlanda's　Orlanda's　keeper。　Aren't　most　ladies？〃
　〃Most　ladies　gear　their　lives　to　a　man；　whether　they　want　to　or　not。〃
　〃From　what　I　know　about　you；　you　can　take　care　of　any　opposition。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　about　me？〃
　〃Lots。〃　Again　the　faint；　easy；　gentle　smile。　〃Amongst　them；　that　you're　smart；　brave　and　have　great　face。〃
　〃I'm　so　tired　of　face；　Peter。　In　the　future　。。。〃　Her　smile　was　equally　warm。　〃From　here　on　in；　in　my　book；　a　person's　going　to　gain