jamesclavell.noblehouse-第252部分

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as　sweetly　asleep　in　the　huge　bed　under　the　light　blanket。　He　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　enjoying　the　sight　of　her　before　he　touched　her。　She　came　out　of　sleep　slowly。　〃Ayeeyah；　I　slept　so　well；　Honored　Sir。　Your　bed　is　so　inviting；〃　she　said　in　Shanghainese　with　a　smile　and　a　yawn　and　stretched　gloriously　as　a　kitten　would　stretch。　〃Did　you　eat　well？〃
　〃Excellently；〃　he　replied　in　the　same　language。　〃Was　yours　equally　fine？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　delicious！〃　she　said　politely。　〃Boat　Steward　Cho　brought　the　same　dishes　you　had。　I　particularly　liked　the　octopus　with　black　bean　and　garlic　sauce。〃　She　sat　up　in　the　bed　and　leaned　against　the　silk　pillows；　quite　naked。　〃Should　I　get　dressed　and　e　on　deck　now？〃
　〃No；　Little　Kitten；　not　yet。〃　Gornt　sat　on　the　bed　and　reached　out　and　touched　her　breasts　and　felt　a　little　shiver　run　through　her。　Her　Chinese　hostess　name　was　Beauty　of　the　Snow　and　he　had　hired　her　for　the　evening　from　the　Happy　Hostess　Night　Club。　He　had　considered　bringing　Mona　Leung；　his　present　girl　friend　instead；　but　she　would　be　far　too　independent　to　remain　below　happily　and　only　e　on　deck　at　his　whim。
　He　had　chosen　Beauty　of　the　Snow　very　carefully。　Her　beauty　was　extraordinary；　in　face　and　body　and　the　texture　of　her　skin。　She　was　eighteen；　and　had　been　in　Hong　Kong　barely　a　month。　A　friend　in　Taiwan　had　told　him　about　her　rarity　and　said　that　she　was　about　to　join　the　Happy　Hostess　Night　Club　from　the　sister　club　in　Taiwan。　Two　weeks　ago　he　had　gone　there　and　made　an　arrangement　that　had　proved　profitable　to　both　of　them。　Tonight　when　Orlanda　had　told　him　she　was　dining　with　Bartlett　and　he　had　invited　them　aboard；　at　once　he　had　called　the　Happy　Hostess　and　bought　Beauty　of　the　Snow　out　of　the　club　for　the　night　and　hurried　her　aboard。
　〃I'm　playing　a　game　on　a　friend　tonight；〃　he　had　told　her。　〃I　want　you　to　stay　here　in　this　cabin；　in　this　place；　until　I　bring　you　on　deck。　It　may　be　an　hour　or　two　but　you　are　to　stay　here；　quiet　as　a　mouse；　until　I　fetch　you。〃
　〃Ayeeyah；　in　this　floating　palace；　I　am　prepared　to　stay　a　week　without　charge。　Just　my　food　and　more　of　the　champagne　。。。　though　pillowing　would　be　extra。　May　I　sleep　in　the　bed　if　I　wish？〃
　〃Certainly；　but　please　shower　first。〃
　〃A　shower？　Bless　all　gods！　Hot　and　cold　water？　That　will　be　paradise　…　this　water　shortage　is　very　unhygienic。〃
　Gornt　had　brought　her　tonight　to　taunt　Orlanda　if　he　decided　he　wanted　to　taunt　her。　Beauty　of　the　Snow　was　much　younger；　prettier；　and　he　knew　that　the　sight　of　her　wearing　one　of　the　elegant　robes　that　once　Orlanda　had　worn　would　send　her　into　a　spasm。　All　through　dinner；　he　had　chortled　to　himself；　wondering　when　he　should　produce　her　for　maximum　effect：　to　excite　Bartlett　and　to　remind　Orlanda　that　she　was　already　old　by　Hong　Kong　standards；　and　that　without　his　active　help　she　would　never　get　Bartlett；　not　the　way　she　wanted。
　Do　I　want　her　married　to　Bartlett？　he　asked　himself；　bemused。
　No。　And　yet；　if　Orlanda　were　Bartlett's　wife　he　would　always　be　in　my　power　because　she　is　and　ever　will　be。　So　far　she　hasn't　forgotten　that。　So　far　she's　been　obedient　and　filial。　And　frightened。
　He　laughed。　Oh　revenge　will　be　sweet　when　I　lower　the　boom　on　you；　my　dear。　As　I　will；　one　day。　Oh　yes；　my　dear；　I　haven't　forgotten　the　snickers　of　all　those　smug　bastards　…　Pug；　Plumm；　Havergill　or　Ian　bloody　Dunross　…　when　they　heard　that　you　couldn't　wait　to　leap　into　bed　with　a　stud　half　my　age。
　Should　I　tell　you　now　that　you're　my　mui　jai？
　When　Orlanda　was　thirteen　her　Shanghainese　mother　had　e　to　see　him。　〃Times　are　very　hard；　Lord；　our　debts　to　the　pany　are　huge　and　your　patience　and　kindness　overwhelm　us。〃
　〃Times　are　bad　for　everyone；〃　he　had　told　her。
　〃Unfortunately；　since　last　week；　my　husband's　department　no　longer　exists。　At　the　end　of　the　month　he　is　to　leave；　after　seventeen　years　of　service；　and　we　cannot　pay　our　debts　to　you。〃
　〃Eduardo　Ramos　is　a　good　man　and　will　easily　find　a　new　and　better　position。〃
　〃Yin　ksiao　shih　ta；〃　she　had　said：　We　lose　much　because　of　a　small　thing。
　〃Joss；〃　he　had　said；　hoping　the　trap　was　sprung　and　all　the　seeds　he　had　sown　would；　at　long　last；　bear　fruit。
　〃Joss；〃　she　had　agreed。　〃But　there　is　Orlanda。〃
　〃What　about　Orlanda？〃
　〃Perhaps　she　could　be　a　mui　jai。〃　A　mui　jai　was　a　daughter　given　by　a　debtor　to　a　creditor　forever；　in　settlement　for　debts　that　could　not　otherwise　be　paid　…　to　be　brought　up　as　the　creditor　wished；　or　used　or　given　away　as　the　creditor　wished。　It　was　an　ancient　Chinese　custom；　and　quite　legal。
　Gornt　remembered　the　glow　he　had　felt。　The　negotiations　had　taken　several　weeks。　Gornt　agreed　to　cancel　Ramos's　debts　…　the　debts　that　Gornt　had　so　carefully　encouraged；　agreed　to　reinstate　Ramos；　giving　the　man　a　modest　guaranteed　pension　and　help　in　setting　up　in　Portugal；　and　to　pay　for　Orlanda's　schooling　in　America。　In　return　the　Ramoses　guaranteed　to　provide　Orlanda　to　him；　virgin　and　suitably　enamored；　on　or　before　her　eighteenth　birthday。　There　would　be　no　refusal。　〃This；　by　all　the　gods；　will　be　a　perpetual　secret　between　us。　I　think；　too；　it　would　be　equally　better　to　keep　it　secret　from　her；　Lord；　forever。　But　we　know　and　she　will　know　where　her　rice　bowl　lies。〃
　Gornt　beamed。　The　good　years　were　worth　all　the　patience　and　planning　and　the　little　money　involved。　Everyone　gained；　he　told　himself；　and　there　is　enjoyment　yet　to　e。
　Yes；　he　thought　and　concentrated　on　Beauty　of　the　Snow。　〃Life　is　very　good；〃　he　said；　fondling　her。
　〃I　am　happy　you're　happy；　Honored　Sir。　I　am　happy　too。　Your　shower　was　a　gift　of　the　gods。　I　washed　my　hair；　everything。〃　She　smiled。　〃If　you　don't　want　me　to　play　the　prank　yet　on　your　friends；　would　you　care　to　pillow？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　delighted　as　always　by　the　forthrightness　of　a　Chinese　pillow　partner。　His　father　had　explained　it　early：　〃You　give　them　money；　they　give　you　their　youth；　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain　and　entertain　you。　In　Asia　it's　a　fair　and　honorable　exchange。　The　more　their　youth；　the　more　the　laughter　and　gratification；　the　more　you　must　pay。　That's　the　bargain；　but　don't　expect　romance　or　real　tears　…　that's　not　part　of　their　mitment。　Just　temporary　entertainment　and　pillowing。　Don't　abuse　the　fairness！〃
　Happily　Gornt　took　off　his　clothes　and　lay　beside　her。　She　ran　her　hands　over　his　chest；　the　hair　dark；　muscles　sleek；　and　began。　Soon　she　was　making　the　small　noises　of　passion；　encouraging　him。　And　though　she　had　been　told　by　the　mama…san　that　this　quai　loh　was　different　and　there　was　no　need　to　pretend；　instinctively　she　was　remembering　the　first　rule　of　being　a　pillow　partner　to　strangers：　〃Never　let　your　body　bee　involved　with　a　customer　for　then　you　cannot　perform　with　taste　or　daring。　Never　forget；　when　with　a　quai　loh；　you　must　always　pretend　to　enjoy　him　greatly；　always　pretend　to　achieve　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain；　otherwise　he'll　consider　that　somehow　it's　an　affront　to　his　masculinity。　Quai　loh　are　uncivilized　and　will　never　understand　that　the　yin　cannot　be　bought　and　that　your　gift　of　coupling　is　for　the　customer's　enjoyment　solely。〃
　When　Gornt　was　finished　and　his　heart　had　slowed；　Beauty　of　the　Snow　got　out　of　bed　and　went　to　the　bathroom　and　showered　again；　singing　happily。　In　euphoria　he　rested　and　put　his　hands　under　his　head。　Soon　she　came　back　with　a　towel。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　and　dried　himself　and　she　slid　in　beside　him　once　more。　〃Oh　I　feel　so　clean　and　marvelous。　Shall　we　pillow　again？〃
　〃Not　now；　Beauty　of　the　Snow。　Now　you　can　rest　and　I　will　let　my　mind　wander。　You　have　settled　the　yang　very　favorably。　I　will　inform　the　mama…san。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　politely。　〃I　would　like　you　as　my　special　customer。〃
　He　nodded；　pleasured　by　her　and　her　warmth　and　sensuousness。　When　would　it　be　best　for　her　to　e　on　deck？　he　asked　himself　again；　quite　confident　that　Bartlett　and　Orlanda　would　be　there　now　and　not　in　bed　as　a　civilized　person　would　be。
　A　chuckle　went　through　him。
　There　was　a　porthole　beside　the　bed　and　he　could　see　the　lights　of　Kowloon　in　the　distance；　Kowloon　and　the　dockyard　of　Kowloon。　The　engines　throbbed　sweetly；　and　in　a　moment　he　got　out　of　the　bed　and　went　to　the　cupboard。　In　it　were　some　very　expensive　nightdresses