jamesclavell.noblehouse-第326部分

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clair　Towers。　One　of　the　police　cars　turned　its　light　upward。　Now　they　could　see　the　shreds　of　rooms　open　to　the　skies。　A　tiny　figure　was　teetering　on　the　brink。　〃Get　someone　up　there　and　see　what　the　hell's　going　on！〃
　A　fireman　took　to　his　heels。　。。。
　
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　In　the　darkness　at　the　roadblock　up　on　Kotewall　Road；　onlookers　from　nearby　buildings　had　been　collecting；　everyone　petrified　that　there　would　be　another　slide；　tenants　frantic；　not　knowing　whether　to　evacuate　or　not。　Orlanda　was　still　leaning　numbly　against　the　car；　the　rain　on　her　face　mixing　with　her　tears。　Another　group　of　police　reinforcements　poured　over　the　barrier　onto　the　morass　and　fanned　out　with　heavy…duty　flashlights　searching　the　terrain。　One　heard　a　call　for　help　from　below　and　directed　his　light　into　the　brush；　then　changed　direction　quickly　as　he　saw　Riko　waving　and　shouting；　two　figures　inert　beside　her。
　Down　Kotewall　Road　at　the　fork；　Gornt's　car　skidded　to　a　halt。　Brushing　aside　orders　from　the　harassed　policeman　there；　he　pressed　the　keys　into　his　hand　and　rushed　off　up　the　hill。　When　he　got　near　to　the　barrier　and　saw　the　extent　of　the　disaster　he　was　stunned。　Only　moments　ago　he　had　been　there；　drinking　and　flirting　with　Casey；　everything　settled；　Orlanda　settled；　then　his　whole　victory　upside　down　and　raging　at　Dunross；　but　some　miracle　had　sent　him　away　in　time　and　now　perhaps　all　the　others　were　dead　and　buried　and　gone　forever。　Christ！　Dunross　Orlanda　Casey　Jason　Bar…　
　〃Keep　out　of　the　way！〃　the　policeman　shouted。　More　ambulance　bearers　hurried　past；　firemen　with　axes　following；　up　and　over　the　mess　of　mud　and　boulders　and　trees　toward　the　ruins。　〃Sorry；　but　you　can't　stay　there；　sir。〃
　Gornt　moved　aside；　breathing　heavily　from　his　run。　〃Did　anyone　get　out？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　of　course；　I'm　sure　th…　〃
　〃Have　you　seen　Dunross；　Ian　Dunross？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃The　tai…pan；　Dunross？〃
　〃No；　no　sorry　I　haven't。〃　The　policeman　turned　away　to　intercept　and　calm　some　disheveled　parents。
　Gornt's　eyes　went　back　to　the　disaster；　still　appalled　by　its　immensity。
　〃Jesus；〃　an　American　voice　muttered。
　Gornt　turned。　Paul　Choy　and　Venus　Poon　were　crammed　in　a　new　group　who　were　straggling　up。　Everyone　stared；　dumbfounded；　into　the　darkness。　〃Jesus！〃
　〃What're　you　doing　here；　Paul？〃
　〃Oh　hello；　Mr。　Gornt！　My　。。。　my　uncle's　in　there；〃　Paul　Choy　said；　hardly　able　to　talk。　〃Jesus　Christ；　lookit！〃
　〃Four　Fingers？〃
　〃Yes。　He　。。。〃
　Venus　Poon　overrode　him　grandly。　〃Mr。　Wu's　waiting　for　me　to　discuss　a　movie　contract。　He's　going　to　be　a　film　producer。〃
　Gornt　dismissed　the　patent　fabrication　as　his　mind　raced。　If　he　could　save　Four　Fingers；　perhaps　the　old　man　would　help　extricate　him　from　the　looming　stock　market　debacle。　〃What　floor　was　he　on？〃
　〃The　fifth；〃　Venus　Poon　said。
　〃Paul；　cut　around　to　Sinclair　Road　and　work　your　way　up　this　side　of　the　slope。　I'll　work　down　to　meet　you！　Off　you　go！〃
　The　young　man　raced　off　before　Venus　Poon　could　stop　him。　The　policeman　was　still　distracted。　Without　hesitation　Gornt　darted　for　the　barrier。　He　knew　Plumm's　fifth…floor　apartment　well　…　Four　Fingers　should　be　nearby。　In　the　darkness　he　did　not　notice　Orlanda　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。
　Once　over　the　barrier　he　moved　as　fast　as　he　could；　his　feet　sinking　into　the　earth。　From　time　to　time　he　stumbled。　〃Heya；　Honored　Sir！〃　he　called　out　in　Cantonese　to　a　nearby　stretcher　bearer。　〃Do　you　have　a　spare　flashlight？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　here　you　are！〃　the　man　said。　〃But　beware；　the　path　is　treacherous。　There　are　many　ghosts　here。〃
　Gornt　thanked　him　and　hurried　off；　making　better　time。　Nearing　where　the　foyer　would　have　been　he　stopped。　Up　the　mountainside　as　far　as　he　could　see　was　the　ugly　sloping　gash　of　the　slide；　a　hundred　yards　wide。　On　the　edges　of　all　three　tiers　were　other　buildings　and　high　rises；　one　under　construction；　and　the　thought　of　being　caught　in　one　of　those　nauseated　him。　All　of　Conduit　Road　had　gone；　trees　torn　up；　parapets　gone。　When　he　looked　below　he　shuddered。　〃It's　impossible；〃　he　muttered；　remembering　the　size　and　strength　of　the　high　rise　and　the　joy　of　Rose　Court　over　the　years。　Then　he　saw　the　lights　skeetering　over　the　top　of　Sinclair　Towers；　the　building　that　he　had　always　hated　…　had　hated　Dunross　even　more　for　financing　and　owning　…　for　destroying　his　wonderful　view。　When　he　noticed　the　upper　corner　missing；　a　flash　of　pleasure　went　through　him；　but　it　quickly　turned　to　bile　as　he　remembered　his　own　penthouse　apartment　that　had　been　on　the　twelfth　floor　of　Rose　Court；　and　all　the　good　times　he　had　had　with　Orlanda；　there　and　on　the　eighth　floor；　now　rubble　and　death　filled。　〃Christ；〃　he　said　out　loud；　blessing　his　joss。　Then　he　went　onward。　。。。
　
　Casey　was　sitting　on　a　pile　of　rubble；　waiting　and　in　misery。　Rescuers　were　all　over　the　slope　working　in　semidarkness；　picking　their　way　over　the　dangerous　surfaces；　alternatively　calling　and　listening　for　calls　from　those　who　were　trapped。　Here　and　there　a　few　were　digging　desperately；　moving　rubble　away　as　another　unfortunate　was　found。
　Nervously　she　got　up　and　peered　down　the　slope；　seeking　Dunross。　He　had　quickly　disappeared　from　her　line　of　sight　into　the　wreckage；　but　from　time　to　time　she　had　caught　a　glint　from　his　flashlight。　Now　for　some　minutes　she　had　seen　nothing。　Her　anxiety　increased；　the　minutes　hanging；　and　whenever　the　wreck　settled　more　fear　had　whipped　her。　Linc；　Linc's　somewhere　there；　was　pounding　on　her　brain。　I've　got　to　do　something；　I　can't　just　sit；　better　to　sit　and　wait　and　pray　and　wait；　wait　for　Ian　to　e　back。　He'll　find　him　。。。
　In　a　sudden　fright　she　leapt　to　her　feet。　A　great　section　halfway　down　the　slope　had　broken　free；　scattering　rescuers　who　ran　for　their　lives。　In　a　moment　the　chain　reaction　ceased　and　it　was　quiet　again　but　her　heart　kept　up　its　pounding。　There　was　no　moving　glint　of　Dunross's　light　to　reassure　her。　〃Oh　Jesus　let　him　be　all　right！〃
　〃Casey？　Casey；　is　that　you？〃　Gornt　came　out　of　the　darkness　and　scrambled　up　to　her。
　〃Oh　Quillan；〃　she　began　pathetically　and　he　held　her　in　his　arms；　his　strength　giving　her　strength。　〃Please　help　Lin…　〃
　〃I　came　as　soon　as　I　heard；〃　he　told　her　quickly；　overriding　her。　〃It　was　on　the　wireless。　Christ；　I　was　petrified　you　were　。。。　I　never　expected　。。。　Hold　on；　Casey！〃
　〃I'm　。。。　I'm　all　right。　Linc's　in　。。。　he's　in　there　somewhere；　Quillan。〃
　〃What？　But　how？　Did　he　an…　〃
　〃He　was　in　Or　。。。　Orlanda's　apartment　and　Ia…　〃
　〃Perhaps　you're　wrong；　Casey。　Lis…　〃
　〃No。　Orlanda　told　me。〃
　〃Eh？　She　got　out　too？〃　Gornt　gasped。　〃Orlanda　got　out？〃
　〃Yes。　She　was　with　me；　near　me；　back　there；　I　saw　it　all　happen；　Quillan；　I　saw　the　whole　terrible　avalanche　and　the　whole　building　collapse　and　then　I　ran　here；　Ian　came　to　help　and　Linc's　d…　〃
　〃Dunross？　He　got　out　too？〃　he　asked；　bile　in　his　mouth。
　〃Oh　yes。　Yes；　he's　down　there　now。　Some　of　the　building　shifted　and　the　elevator；　the　elevator　was　full　of　bodies。　He's　down　there　somewhere；　looking　。。。　looking　in　case　。。。〃　Her　voice　died　away。
　She　saw　Gornt　shift　his　attention　to　the　slope。　〃Who　else　got　out？〃
　〃Jacques；　the　Chens；　that　newspaperman；　I　don't　know　。。。〃　She　could　not　see　his　face　so　she　could　not　read　him。　〃You're　sorry　that　。。。　that　Ian's　alive？〃
　〃No。　On　the　contrary。　Where　did　he　go？〃
　〃Down　there。〃　She　took　his　flashlight　and　directed　it。　〃There；　where　that　outcrop　is。　He；　I　haven't　seen　him　for　a　while　but　just　there。　You　see　the　remains　of　the　elevator？　Near　there。〃　Now　she　could　see　his　face　better；　dark　eyes；　the　bearded　chiseled　face；　but　it　told　her　nothing。
　〃Stay　here；〃　he　said。　〃You're　safe　here。〃　He　took　the　flashlight　and　moved　into　the　wreckage；　soon　to　be　swallowed　by　it。
　The　rain　was　heavier　now；　warm　like　the　night　was　warm；　and　Gornt　spat　the　bile　out　of　his　mouth；　glad　that　his　enemy　was　alive；　hating　that　he　was　alive；　but　wanting　him　alive　more。
　It　was　very　slippery　as　he　worked　his　way　down。　A　slab　teetered　and　gave　way。　He　stumbled；　barked　his　shin　and　cursed；　then　moved　onward；　his　flashlight　seeking　safety　where　he　knew　there　was　none。　So　Ian　bloody　tai…pan　Dunross　got　out　before　it　collapsed；　he　was　thinking。　That　bugger's　got　a　charmed　life！　Christ！　Bu