jamesclavell.noblehouse-第311部分

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　〃Yes；　yes　I'd　like　that。〃
　He　took　her　forward　first。　The　cabins　were　neat；　no　sign　of　having　been　used。　Each　had　shower　stalls　and　a　toilet。　A　small　general　cabin　served　them　all。　〃We're　rather　popular　with　ladies　at　the　moment　because　they　can　shower　to　their　hearts　content。　The　water　shortage　does　have　advantages。〃
　〃I'll　bet；〃　she　said；　carried　along　by　his　joviality。
　Aft；　separate　from　the　rest　of　the　boat；　was　the　master　cabin。　Big　double　bed。　Neat；　tidy　and　inviting。
　Her　heart　was　sounding　loud　in　her　ears　now；　and　when　he　casually　closed　the　cabin　door　and　put　his　hand　on　her　waist　she　did　not　back　off。　He　came　closer。　She　had　never　kissed　a　man　with　a　beard　before。　Gornt's　body　was　hard　against　hers　and　it　felt　good　to　her；　her　breath　picking　up　tempo；　his　lips　firm　and　cigar　tasting。　Most　of　her　whispered：　Go；　let　go；　and　most　of　her　said；　No；　don't；　and　all　of　her　felt　sensual　in　his　arms；　too　good。
　What　about　Linc？
　The　question　barreled　into　her　mind　like　never　before　and　all　at　once　her　mind　cleared　and；　carried　along　by　his　sensuality；　she　knew　for　the　first　time　with　absolute　clarity　that　it　was　Linc　she　wanted；　not　Par…Con　or　power　if　that　had　to　be　the　choice。　Yes；　it's　Linc；　just　Linc；　and　tonight　I'll　cancel　our　deal。　Tonight　I'll　offer　to　cancel。
　〃Now's　not　the　time；〃　she　whispered；　her　voice　throaty。
　〃What？〃
　〃No；　not　now。　We　can't；　sorry。　〃　She　reached　up　and　kissed　him　lightly　on　the　lips；　talking　through　the　kisses；　〃Not　now；　my　dear；　sorry；　but　we　can't；　not　now。　Tuesday；　perhaps　Tuesday　。。。〃
　He　held　her　away　from　him　and　she　saw　his　dark　eyes　searching　her。　She　held　her　gaze　as　long　as　she　could；　then　buried　her　head　against　his　chest　and　held　him　tenderly；　still　enjoying　the　closeness；　sure　that　she　was　safe　now；　and　that　he　was　convinced。　That　was　a　close　one；　she　thought　weakly；　her　knees　feeling　strange；　all　of　her　pulsating。　I　was　almost　gone　then　and　that　wouldn't　have　been　good；　good　for　me　or　Linc　or　him。
　It　would　have　been　good　for　him；　she　thought　strangely。
　Her　heart　was　pounding　as　she　rested　against　him；　waiting；　recouping；　confident　in　a　moment　…　with　warmth　and　gentleness　and　the　promise　of　next　week　…　he　would　say；　〃Let's　go　back　on　deck。〃
　Then　all　at　once　she　felt　his　arms　tighten　around　her　and　before　she　knew　what　was　happening　she　was　on　the　bed；　his　kisses　strong　and　his　hands　wandering。　She　began　to　fight　back　but　he　caught　her　hands　expertly　and　stretched　her　out　with　his　great　strength　and　lay　across　her；　his　loins　pinioning　her；　making　her　helpless。　At　leisure　he　kissed　her　and　his　passion　and　her　heat　mingled　with　her　fury　and　fear　and　want。　As　much　as　she　struggled；　she　could　not　move。
　The　heat　grew。　In　a　moment　he　shifted　his　grip。　Instantly　she　swept　to　the　attack；　wanting　more　though　now　she　was　preparing　to　fight　seriously。　Again　his　grip　on　her　hands　tightened。　She　felt　herself　swamped；　wanting　to　be　overpowered；　not　wanting　it；　his　passion　strong；　loins　hard；　the　bed　soft。　And　then；　as　abruptly　as　he　had　begun；　he　released　her　and　rolled　away　with　a　laugh。
　〃Let's　have　a　drink！〃　he　said　without　rancor。
　She　was　gasping　for　breath。　〃You　bastard！〃
　〃I'm　not　actually。　I'm　very　legitimate。〃　Gornt　propped　himself　on　an　elbow；　his　eyes　crinkling。　〃But　you；　Ciranoush；　you're　a　liar。〃
　〃Go　to　hell！〃
　His　voice　was　calm　and　genially　taunting。　〃I　will；　soon　enough。　Far　be　it　for　me　to　ask　a　lady　to　prove　such　a　thing。〃
　She　threw　herself　at　him；　her　nails　hacking　for　his　face；　furious　that　he　was　so　controlled　when　she　was　not。　Easily　he　caught　her　hands　and　held　her。　〃Gently　gently　catchee　monkeeee；〃　he　said　even　more　genially。　〃Calm　down；　Ciranoush。　Remember；　we're　both　over　twenty…one；　I've　already　seen　you　almost　naked；　and　if　I　really　wanted　to　rape　you　I'm　afraid　it　wouldn't　be　much　of　a　contest。　You　could　scream　bloody　murder　and　my　crew　wouldn't　hear　a　thing。〃
　〃You're　a　goddamn　lou…　〃
　〃Stop！〃　Gornt　kept　his　smile　but　she　stopped；　sensing　danger。　〃The　tumble　was　not　to　frighten；　just　to　amuse；〃　he　said　gently。　〃A　prank；　nothing　more。　Truly。〃　He　released　her　and　she　scrambled　off　the　bed；　her　breathing　still　heavy。
　Angrily　she　walked　over　to　the　mirror　and　pushed　her　hair　back　into　place；　then　saw　him　in　the　mirror；　still　lying　casually　on　the　bed　watching　her；　and　she　whirled；　〃You're　a　black…eyed　bastard！〃
　Gornt　let　out　a　bellow　of　laughter；　infectious；　belly…shaking；　and；　all　at　once；　seeing　the　foolishness　of　it　all；　she　began　to　laugh　too。　In　a　moment　they　were　both　aching　with　laughter；　he　spread　out　on　the　bed　and　Casey　leaning　against　the　sea　chest。
　On　deck；　as　good　friends；　they　drank　some　champagne　that　was　already　opened　in　a　silver　bucket；　the　silent；　obsequious　steward　serving　them；　then　going　away。
　At　the　dock　in　Kowloon；　she　kissed　him　again。　〃Thanks　for　a　lovely　time。　Tuesday；　if　not　before！〃　She　went　ashore　and　waved　the　ship　good…bye　a　long　time；　then　hurried　home。
　
　Spectacles　Wu　was　also　hurrying　home。　He　was　tired　and　anxious　and　filled　with　dread。　The　way　up　through　the　maze　of　dwellings　and　hovels　in　the　resettlement　area　high　above　Aberdeen　was　difficult；　slippery　and　dangerous；　mud　and　mess　everywhere；　and　he　was　breathing　hard　from　the　climb。　The　runoff　in　the　concrete　storm　drain　had　overflowed　its　banks　many　times　in　many　places；　the　flood　shoving　structures　aside　and　spreading　more　havoc。　Smoke　hung　over　many　of　the　wrecked　dwellings；　some　still　smoldering　from　the　fires　that　had　spread　so　quickly　when　the　slides　began。　He　skirted　the　deep　slide　where　Fifth　Niece　had　almost　perished　the　day　before　yesterday；　a　hundred　or　more　hovels　wrecked　by　new　slides　in　the　same　area。
　The　candy　shop　had　vanished　and　the　old　woman　with　it。　〃Where　is　she？〃　he　asked。
　The　scavenger　shrugged　and　continued　to　sift　through　wreckage；　seeking　good　wood　or　good　cardboard　or　corrugated　iron。
　〃How　is　it　above？〃　he　asked。
　〃As　below；〃　the　man　said　in　halting　Cantonese。　〃Some　good；　some　bad。　Joss。〃
　Wu　thanked　him。　He　was　barefoot；　carrying　his　shoes　to　protect　them　and　now　he　left　the　storm　drain　and　forced　his　way　over　some　of　the　debris　wreckage　to　find　the　path　that　meandered　upward。　From　where　he　was　he　could　not　see　his　area　though　it　seemed　there　were　no　slides　there。　Armstrong　had　allowed　him　to　e　home　to　check　when　the　radio　news　had　again　reported　bad　slides　in　this　part　of　the　resettlement　area。　〃But　be　back　as　quickly　as　you　can。　Another　interrogation's　scheduled　for　seven　o'clock。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　I'll　be　back；〃　he　muttered　out　loud。
　The　sessions　had　been　very　tiring　but　for　him　good；　with　much　praise　from　Armstrong　and　the　chief　of　SI；　his　place　in　SI　assured　now；　transfer　and　training　to　begin　next　week。　He　had　had　little　sleep；　partially　because　the　session　hours　bore　no　relationship　to　day　or　night；　and　partially　because　of　his　wish　to　succeed。　The　client　was　shifting　from　English　to　Ning…tok　dialect　to　Cantonese　and　back　again　and　it　had　been　hard　to　follow　all　the　ramblings。　It　was　only　when　his　fingers　had　touched　the　wonderful；　rare　roll　of　bills　in　his　pocket；　his　winnings　at　the　races；　that　a　lightness　had　taken　hold　and　carried　him　through　the　difficult　hours。　Again　he　touched　them　to　reassure　himself；　blessing　his　joss；　as　he　climbed　the　narrow　pathway；　the　path　at　times　a　rickety　bridge　over　small　ravines；　climbing　steadily。　People　passed　by；　going　down；　and　others　were　following　going　up；　the　noise　of　hammers　and　rebuilding；　reroofing　all　over　the　mountainside。
　His　area　was　a　hundred　yards　ahead　now；　around　this　corner；　and　he　turned　it　and　stopped。　His　area　was　no　more；　just　a　deep　scar　in　the　earth；　the　piled…up　avalanche　of　mud　and　debris　two　hundred　feet　below。　No　dwellings　where　there　had　been　hundreds。
　Numbly　he　climbed；　skirting　the　treacherous　slide；　and　went　to　the　nearest　hovel；　banging　on　the　door。　An　old　woman　opened　it　suspiciously。
　〃Excuse　me；　Honored　Lady；　I'm　Wu　Cho…tam's　son　from　Ning…tok。　。。。〃
　The　woman；　One　Tooth　Yang；　stared　at　him　blankly；　then　started　speaking　but　Wu　did　not　understand　her　language　so　he　thanked　her　and　went　off；　remembering　that　this　was　one　of　the　areas　settled　by　the　Yang；　some　of　the　northern　foreigners　who　came