jamesclavell.noblehouse-第335部分

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　〃No　thanks。　Plenty　of　time　later。　Tell　them　both　to　go　home。〃
　〃They　won't。　I'm　afraid　you're　rather　popular。〃
　Bartlett　laughed　and　sat　up　and　bumped　his　head。　A　pain　snaked　down　his　back　and　he　grunted；　then　moved　more　fortably；　his　head　almost　touching　the　roof。
　Dunross　was　cramped　in　a　small　space　not　far　away　at　the　bottom　of　the　twisting　passage；　hating　the　closeness；　his　claustrophobia　nauseating；　a　chill　cold　sweat　soaking　him　because　of　it。　He　could　see　no　sign　of　Bartlett　but　he　had　noted　his　voice　sounded　strong　and　confident。　Hooks　had　asked　him　to　keep　Bartlett　talking　while　they　rested；　in　case　the　gas　was　enveloping　him。　〃You　never　know；　tai…pan；　gas　can　sneak　up　on　you。　We　need　him　alert。　We'll　be　needing　his　help　soon　now。〃
　The　tai…pan　squirmed　around　uneasily；　sensing　danger。　Someone　was　climbing　down；　rubble　cascading　with　him。　It　was　Hooks。　He　stopped　a　few　feet　above。
　〃All　right；　tai…pan。　Best　e　out　now；　we'll　get　some　of　my　lads　back　in。〃
　〃Right　away。　Linc！　Stay　awake。　We're　starting　again。〃
　〃Okay；　no　sweat。　Say；　Ian；　would　you　consider　being　a　best　man？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　he　said　at　once；　his　brain　shouting；　Which　one？　〃It'd　be　an　honor。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　he　heard　Bartlett　say　and　as　much　as　he　wanted　to　know；　he　knew　he　could　never　ask。　He　was　sure　Bartlett　would　volunteer　the　who。　But　all　Bartlett　said　was；　〃Thanks。　Yes；　thanks　very　much。〃　He　smiled；　surprised。　Linc's　learning；　he　told　himself。　It'll　be　good　to　have　him　as　a　partner　…　and　a　voting　member　of　the　Turf　Club。　Casey　too　…　〃We'll　have　you　out　in　a　jiffy！〃
　Just　as　he　was　leaving　he　heard：　〃Wouldn't　it　be　great　if　they　could　be　friends？　Guess　that's　too　much　to　hope　for？〃
　Dunross　was　not　sure　if　it　had　been　meant　for　him。　〃What？〃　he　called　out。
　〃Nothing；〃　Bartlett　replied。　〃Say；　Ian；　we've　got　lots　to　do　this　week！　Hey；　I'm　glad　you　won　over　Gornt！〃　Yes；　he　told　himself　happily。　It'll　be　good　maneuvering　with　you；　watching　you　carefully；　building　our　Noble　House。
　About　eight　yards　away；　a　few　feet　up；　Dunross　turned　awkwardly　and　began　to　climb　back。
　Sixteen　feet　above　him；　Gornt　and　the　others　were　waiting　beside　the　greatly　widened　mouth　of　the　pit。　Dawn　was　lightening　the　east；　a　patch　of　sky　now　among　the　enveloping　clouds。　All　over　the　slope　tired　men　were　still　digging；　searching；　calling　and　listening。　Wearily　Hooks　clambered　out　of　the　deepening　pit。　At　that　moment　there　was　a　tremendous　noise　from　up　near　Po　Shan　Road。　All　heads　jerked　around。　Then　far　above　and　to　the　left　they　saw　part　of　the　slope　moving。　The　noise　increased；　then　a　wall　of　water　and　mud　surged　from　behind　the　curve　of　the　hillside　up　Kotewall　Road　and；　gathering　speed；　rushed　at　them。　Men　began　to　flee　as　the　sludge　crest　swept　down　to　where　the　foyer　had　been　and　poured　over　the　slope　and　wreckage；　inundating　it；　the　enormous　mass　of　the　sludge　pressing　the　crest　forward　and　down。　Gornt　saw　it　ing　and　hung　on　to　an　H…beam；　the　others　hanging　on　as　best　they　could。　The　foul；　stinking　murk　swept　up　to　them　and　passed；　Gornt　buried　to　his　knees　but　his　grip　firm　against　the　suction。　The　wave　surged　onward　leaving　inches　of　slush　over　everything。　Hooks　and　the　others　pulling　themselves　out；　everything　else　momentarily　forgotten。
　Gornt　had　not　forgotten。
　From　where　he　was　he　could　see　down　into　the　pit。　He　saw　Dunross's　hands　and　head　appear　out　of　the　sludge。　The　hands　grabbed　a　hold。　More　sludge　was　sweeping　downward　into　the　pit；　finding　a　level；　filling　it。　Dunross's　grip　slipped　and　he　was　sucked　under　but　he　fought　out　again　and　hung　on　precariously。
　Gornt　watched。　And　waited。　And　did　not　move。　The　mud　poured　down。　The　level　rose　more。
　Dunross　felt　himself　falling；　the　suction　very　great。　He　was　choking　in　the　slime；　but　his　fingers　held；　he　forced　his　toes　into　a　crevice　and　began　to　climb。　Somehow　he　tore　himself　out　of　the　suction　and　now　he　was　safe；　hugging　the　side；　half　out　of　the　mud；　his　chest　heaving；　heart　pounding；　retching。　Still　half　in　shock；　his　knees　trembling；　he　wiped　the　mud　from　his　eyes　and　mouth　and　stared　around　blankly。　Then　he　saw　Gornt　ten　feet　above；　watching　him；　resting　easily　against　an　outcrop　。。。
　For　an　instant　his　whole　being　concentrated；　seeing　the　sardonic　twisted　smile；　the　hate　open　and　disappointment　vast；　and　he　knew　that　if　he　had　been　above　and　Gornt　trapped　as　he　had　been　trapped；　he　would　have　watched　and　waited　too。
　Would　I？
　I'd've　watched　and　waited　equally　and　never　never　a　helping　hand。　Not　for　Gornt。　And　then；　at　long　last；　Dirk　Struan's　curse　would　be　ended；　be　laid　to　rest；　and　those　who　follow　me　never　bedeviled　again。
　Then　the　instant　was　over。　His　head　cleared。　He　remembered　Bartlett　and　he　stared　downward　in　horror。　Where　the　crawlspace　had　been　was　now　only　a　slimy　pool。
　〃Oh　Christ！　Helllp！〃　he　cried　out。　Then　there　was　sudden　pandemonium　and　others　were　in　the　pit；　Hooks　and　firemen　and　soldiers；　and　they　hurled　themselves　impotently　at　the　slime　with　shovels　and　with　hands。
　Dunross　pulled　himself　out。　Shakily　he　stood　on　the　edge。　In　anguish。　Gornt　had　already　gone。　In　a　little　while　all　attempts　ceased。　The　puddle　remained。
　
　
　TUESDAY
　
　89
　
　5：39　P。M。：
　Dunross　stood　at　the　bay　window　of　his　penthouse　atop　the　Struan　Building；　watching　the　harbor。　The　sunset　was　wonderful；　visibility　unlimited；　the　sky　clear　except　for　a　few　tinged　cumulus　westward　over　Mainland　China；　reddish　there；　darkness　touching　the　eastern　horizon。　Below；　the　harbor　was　busy　as　usual；　ordinary　as　usual；　Kowloon　glowing　in　the　falling　sun。
　Claudia　knocked　and　opened　the　door。　Casey　came　in。　Her　face　was　stark；　her　tawny　hair　like　the　sunset。　Her　grief　made　her　ethereal。
　〃Hello；　Casey。〃
　〃Hello；　Ian。〃
　There　was　no　need　to　say　any　more。　Everything　about　Bartlett　had　been　said　already。　It　had　taken　until　late　last　night　to　get　his　body　out。　Casey　had　waited　on　the　slope　for　him。　Then　she　had　gone　back　to　the　hotel。　This　morning　she　had　called　and　now　she　was　here。
　〃Drink？　Tea？　Coffee？　There's　wine。　I　made　martinis。〃
　〃A　martini。　Thanks；　Ian；〃　she　said；　her　voice　flat；　the　hurt　in　it　tearing　him。　〃Yes；　I'd　like　that。〃
　She　sat　on　the　sofa。　He　poured　and　put　in　an　olive。　〃Everything　can　wait；　Casey；〃　he　said　passionately。　〃There's　no　hurry。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　know。　But　we　agreed。　Thanks。〃　She　accepted　the　chilled　glass　and　raised　it。　〃Joss。〃
　〃Joss。〃
　She　sipped　the　ice…cold　liquor；　all　her　movements　studied；　almost　apart　from　herself；　then　opened　her　briefcase　and　put　a　manila　envelope　on　his　desk。　〃This　contains　all　the　John　Chen　papers　about　Struan's　and　everything　he　offered　or　told　us。　These're　all　the　copies　I　have　here。　The　ones　in　the　States　I'll　shred。〃　Casey　hesitated。　〃You're　sure　to　have　made　changes　by　now　but；　well；　it's　all　there。〃
　〃Thanks。　Did　Linc　give　anything　to　Gornt？〃
　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。〃　Again　the　hesitation。　〃For　safety　I'd　consider　part　of　the　information　leaked。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Next；　our　Par…Con…Struan　deal。〃　The　sheaf　of　documents　she　gave　him　was　quite　thick。　〃All　six　copies　are　signed　and　sealed　with　the　corporate　seal。　I've　the　executive　power　to　sign。〃　She　hesitated。　〃We　had　a　deal；　Linc　and　I。　I　willed　him　voting　power　of　all　my　stock　for　ten　years；　he　did　the　same　for　me。　So　I'm　head　of　Par…Con。〃
　Dunross's　eyes　widened　slightly。　〃For　ten　years？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said　without　emotion；　feeling　nothing；　wanting　nothing　except　to　weep　and　to　die。
　Later　I　can　be　weak；　she　thought。　Now　I　must　be　strong　and　wise。　〃For　ten　years。　Linc　。。。　Linc　had　voting　control。　I'll　send　you　a　formal　verification　when　it's　official。〃
　Dunross　nodded。　From　the　lacquer　desk　he　brought　back　an　equivalent　set　of　papers。　〃These　are　the　same。　I've　chopped　them　formally。　This〃　…　he　put　an　envelope　onto　the　pile　…　〃this's　our　private　agreement　giving　Par…Con　title　to　my　ships　as　collateral。〃
　〃Thanks。　But　with　your　revolving　fund　that's　not　necessary。〃
　〃Even　so；　it　was　part　of　our　agreement。〃　Dunross　watched　her；　admiring　her　courage。　There　had　been　no　tears　at　the　new　beginning　on　the　slope；　just　a　numbed　nod　and；　〃I'll　wait。　I'll　wait　until　。。。　I'll　wait。〃　Orlanda　had　broken　at　once。　He　had　sent　her　to　a　hotel　and；　later；　a　d