jamesclavell.noblehouse-第317部分

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　She　smiled　to　herself；　curled　up　in　his　arms。　Linc's　technique　is　nothing　in　parison　with　Quillan's　but　what　my　darling　lacks　in　skill　he　more　than　makes　up　with　strength　and　vigor。　And　tenderness。　He　has　magic　hands　and　lips　for　me。　Never　never　never　before　was　it　ever　like　this。
　〃Pillowing's　just　the　beginning　of　sex；　Orlanda；〃　Gornt　had　said。　〃You　can　bee　an　enchantress。　You　can　fill　a　man　with　such　an　unquenchable　longing　that；　through　you；　he　will　understand　all　life。〃　But　to　reach　ecstasy　you　have　to　seek　it　and　work　for　it。
　Oh　I　will　seek　it　for　Linc。　By　the　Madonna　I　will　put　my　mind　and　my　heart　and　my　soul　to　his　life。　When　he's　angry　I　will　turn　it　into　calm。　Didn't　I　stop　Quillan's　anger　a　thousand　times　by　being　gentle？　Isn't　it　wonderful　to　have　so　much　power；　and　oh　so　easy　once　I　had　learned；　so　very　easy　and　perfect　and　satisfying。
　I　will　read　all　the　best　papers　and　train　my　mind；　and　after　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain　I　will　not　speak；　just　caress；　not　to　arouse　but　just　for　pleasure　and　I'll　never　say；　〃Tell　me　you　love　me！〃　but　say　only；　〃Linc　I　love　you。〃　And　long　before　the　bloom　is　off　my　skin　I　will　have　sons　to　excite　him　and　daughters　to　delight　him　and　then；　long　before　I'm　no　longer　exciting　to　him；　I　will　very　carefully　arrange　another　for　his　pleasure；　a　dullard　with　beautiful　breasts　and　tight　rump　and　I　will　be　suitably　amused　and　benign　…　and　passionate　when　he　fails；　for；　by　then　he　will　be　much　older　and　less　virile　and　my　hands　will　control　the　money　and　I　will　be　ever　more　essential。　And　when　he　tires　of　the　first　I　will　find　another；　and　we　will　live　out　our　lives；　yang　and　yin；　the　yin　ever　dominating　the　yang！
　Yes。　I　will　be　tai…tai。
　And　one　day　he　will　ask　to　go　to　Portugal　to　see　my　daughter　and　I　will　refuse　the　first　time　and　the　second　and　the　third　and　then　we　will　go　…　if　I　have　our　son　in　my　arms。　Then　he　will　see　her　and　love　her　too；　and　that　specter　will　be　laid　to　rest　forever。
　Orlanda　sighed；　feeling　wonderful；　weightless；　with　his　head　resting　fortably　against　her　chest。　Pillowing　without　precautions　is　so　much　more　glorious；　she　thought。　Ecstasy。　Oh　so　wonderful　to　feel　the　surge；　knowing　you're　young　and　fertile　and　ready；　giving　yourself　totally；　deliberately；　praying　to　create　a　new　life　…　his　life　and　yours　joined　forever。　Oh　yes。
　Yes　but　have　you　been　wise？　Have　you？　Say　he　leaves　you？　The　only　other　time　in　your　life　you　deliberately　left　yourself　free　was　that　single　month　with　Quillan。　But　that　was　with　permission。　This　time　you　have　none。
　Say　Linc　leaves　you。　Perhaps　he'll　be　furious　and　tell　you　to　stop　the　child！
　He　won't；　she　told　herself　with　plete　confidence。　Linc's　not　Quillan。　There's　nothing　to　worry　about。　Nothing。　Madonna；　please　help　me！　All　gods　help　me！　Let　his　seed　grow；　oh　please　please　please；　I　beg　you　with　all　my　heart。
　Bartlett　stirred　and　half　awoke。　〃Orlanda？〃
　〃Yes；　my　darling；　I'm　here。　Oh　how　wonderful　you　are！〃　She　cradled　him　happily；　so　glad　that　she　had　given　her　amah　the　day　and　the　night　away。　〃Go　back　to　sleep；　we've　all　the　time　in　the　world；　sleep。〃
　〃Yes　but　。。。〃
　〃Sleep。　In　a　little　while　I'm　going　to　fetch　some　Chinese　food　an…　〃
　〃Maybe　you'd　like　t…　〃
　〃Sleep；　my　darling。　Everything's　arranged。〃
　
　79
　
　7：30　P。M。：
　Three　stories　below　on　the　other　side　of　the　building；　facing　the　mountainside；　Four　Finger　Wu　was　watching　television。　He　was　in　Venus　Poon's　apartment；　in　front　of　her　set；　his　shoes　off；　his　tie　loose；　sprawled　in　the　easy　chair。　The　old　amah　was　sitting　on　a　stiff　chair　beside　him　and　they　both　guffawed　at　the　antics　of　Laurel　and　Hardy。
　〃Eeeeee；　the　Fat　One's　going　to　catch　his　fornicating　foot　in　the　scaffolding；〃　he　chortled；　〃and　the　…　〃
　〃And　the　Thin　One's　going　to　hit　him　with　the　plank！　Eeeeee。〃　They　both　laughed　at　the　routine　they　had　seen　a　hundred　times　in　a　hundred　re…re…reruns　of　the　old　black…and…white　movies。　Then　the　film　ended　and　Venus　Poon　reappeared　to　announce　the　next　program　and　he　sighed。　She　was　looking　directly　at　him　from　the　box　and　he　…　along　with　every　other　male　viewer　…　was　certain　that　her　smile　was　for　him　alone；　and　though　he　did　not　understand　her　English；　he　understood　her　very　well。　His　eyes　were　glued　to　her　breasts　that　had　fascinated　him　for　hours；　examining　them　closely；　never　seeing　or　feeling　a　sign　of　the　surgical　interference　that　all　Hong　Kong　whispered　about。
　〃I　attest　your　tits　are　blemishless；　certainly　the　biggest　and　best　I've　ever　touched；〃　he　had　volunteered　importantly；　still　mounted；　the　night　before　last。
　〃You're　just　saying　that　to　please　your　poor　impoverished　Daughter　oh　oh　oh！〃
　〃Impoverished？　Ha！　Didn't　Banker　Kwang　give　you　that　miserable　fur　yesterday　and　I　hear　he　added　an　extra　1；000　to　his　monthly　check！　And　me；　didn't　I　supply　the　winner　of　the　first；　third　and　the　runner…up　in　the　fifth？　30；000　those　brought　you　minus　15　percent　for　my　informant　…　for　less　effort　than　it　takes　me　to　fart！〃
　〃P'shaw！　That　25；800　HK's　not　worth　talking　about；　I　have　to　buy　my　own　wardrobe；　a　new　costume　every　day！　My　public　demands　it；　I　have　my　public　to　think　of。〃
　They　had　argued　back　and　forth　until；　feeling　the　moment　of　truth　approaching；　he　had　asked　her　to　move　her　buttocks　more　vigorously。　She　had　obliged　with　such　enthusiasm　that　he　was　left　a　husk。　When　at　length　he　had　miraculously　recovered　his　spirit　from　the　Void　he　choked　out；　〃Ayeeyah；　Little　Strumpet；　if　you　can　do　that　one　more　time　I'll　give　you　a　diamond　ring　the　…　no；　no；　not　now　by　all　the　gods！　Am　I　a　god？　Not　now；　Little　Mealy　Mouth；　no；　not　now　and　not　tomorrow　but　the　next　day。　。。。〃
　And　now　it　was　the　next　day。　Elated　and　filled　with　anticipation　he　watched　her　on　television；　all　smiles　and　dimples　as　she　said　good　night　and　the　new　program　began。　Tonight　was　her　early　night　and　in　his　mind　he　could　almost　see　her　hurry　out　of　the　TV　station　to　his　waiting　Rolls；　sure　that　she　would　be　just　as　anxious。　He　had　sent　Paul　Choy　with　the　Rolls　to　escort　her　to　the　station　tonight；　to　talk　English　with　her；　to　ensure　she　arrived　safely　and　returned　quickly。　And　then；　after　their　new　bout；　the　Rolls　would　take　them　to　the　barbarian　eating　palace　in　the　barbarian　hotel　with　its　foul　barbarian　food　and　foul　smells　but　one　of　the　places　where　all　the　tai…pans　go；　and　all　important；　civilized　persons　go　with　their　wives　　…　and；　when　their　wives　were　busy；　with　their　whores　…　so　he　could　show　off　his　mistress　and　how　rich　he　was　to　all　Hong　Kong；　and　she　could　show　off　the　diamond。
　〃Ayeeyah；〃　he　chortled　out　loud。
　〃Eh；　Honored　Lord？〃　the　amah　asked　suspiciously。　〃What's　amiss？〃
　〃Nothing；　nothing。　Please　give　me　some　brandy。〃
　〃My　mistress　doesn't　like　the　brandy　smell！〃
　〃Huh；　old　woman；　give　me　brandy。　Am　I　a　fool？　Am　I　a　barbarian　from　the　Outer　Provinces？　Of　course　I　have　fragrant　tea　leaves　to　chew　before　our　bout。　Brandy！〃
　She　went　off　grumbling　but　he　paid　her　no　attention　…　she　was　just　trying　to　protect　her　mistress's　interests　and　that　was　perfectly　correct。
　His　fingers　touched　the　small　box　in　his　pocket。　He　had　purchased　the　ring　this　morning；　wholesale；　from　a　first　cousin　who　owed　him　a　favor。　The　stone　was　worth　48；000　at　least　though　the　real　cost　was　barely　half　that　amount；　the　quality　blue…white　and　excellent；　the　carats　substantial。
　Another　bout　like　the　last　one　will　be　well　worth　it；　he　thought　ecstatically；　though　a　little　uneasily。　Oh　yes。　Eeee；　that　last　time　I　thought　my　spirit　was　truly　gone　forever　into　the　Void；　taken　by　the　gods　at　the　height　of　all　life！　Eeee；　how　lucky　I　would　be　to　go　thence；　at　that　exact　moment！　Yes；　but　more　wonderful　to　e　back　to　storm　the　Jade　Gate　again　and　again　and　once　more！
　He　laughed　out　loud；　daring　the　gods；　very　content。　Today　had　been　excellent　for　him。　He　had　met　secretly　with　Smuggler　Yuen　and　White　Powder　Lee　and　they　had　elected　him　chief　of　their　new　Brotherhood；　which　was　only　right；　he　thought。　Hadn't　he　supplied　the　link　to　the　marketplace　through　the　foreign　devil　Ban　…　whatever　his　name　was　…　because　he　had　lent　money　to　Number　One　Son　Chen　who；　in　return　for　such　favors；　had　proposed　the　gun　into　opium　scheme　to　him　but　had　had　the　stupidi