jamesclavell.noblehouse-第52部分

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　Again　Lee　waited。　He　did　not　know　how　a　Dragon　was　elected；　or　exactly　how　many　there　were；　or　who　the　High　Dragon　was。　He　only　knew　that　his　Dragon　was　Tang…po　who　was　a　wise　and　cautious　man　who　had　their　interests　at　heart。
　〃He　also　said　one　or　two　of　our　foreign　devil　superiors　are　getting　itchy　piles　about　their　fornicating　slice　of　the　gambling　money。〃
　Lee　spat　disgustedly。　〃What　do　those　fornicators　do　for　their　share？　Nothing。　Just　close　their　fornicating　eyes。　Except　the　Snake。〃　This　was　the　nickname　of　Chief　Inspector　Donald　C。　C。　Smyth　who　openly　organized　his　district　of　East　Aberdeen　and　sold　favors　and　protection　on　all　levels；　in　front　of　his　Chinese　underlings。
　〃Ah　him！　He　should　be　stuffed　down　the　sewer；　that　fornicator。　Soon　those　who　he　pays　off　above　him　won't　be　able　to　hide　his　stink　anymore。　And　his　stench'll　spread　over　all　of　us。〃
　〃He's　due　to　retire　in　a　couple　of　years；〃　Lee　said　darkly。　〃Perhaps　he'll　finger　his　rear　to　all　those　high…ups　until　he　leaves　and　there　won't　be　a　thing　they　can　do。　His　friends　are　very　high；　so　they　say。〃
　〃Meanwhile？〃　Tang…po　asked。
　Lee　sighed。　〃My　advice；　Elder　Brother；　is　to　be　cautious；　not　to　do　it　if　you　can　avoid　it。　If　you　can't　。。。〃　he　shrugged。　〃Joss。　Is　it　decided？〃
　〃No；　not　yet。　It　was　mentioned　at　our　weekly　meeting。　For　consideration。〃
　〃Has　an　approach　been　made　to　the　Gang　of　Three？〃
　〃I　understand　White　Powder　Lee　made　the　approach；　Younger　Brother。　It　seems　the　three　are　going　to　join　together。〃
　Lee　gasped。　〃With　blood　oaths？〃
　〃It　seems　so。〃
　〃They're　going　to　work　together？　Those　devils？〃
　〃So　they　said。　I'll　bet　old　Four　Finger　Wu　will　be　the　Highest　Tiger。〃
　〃Ayeeyah；　that　one？　They　say　he's　murdered　fifty　men　himself；〃　Lee　said　darkly。　He　shivered　at　the　danger。　〃They　must　have　three　hundred　fighters　in　their　pay。　It'd　be　better　for　all　of　us　if　those　three　were　dead　…　or　behind　bars。〃
　〃Yes。　But　meanwhile　White　Powder　Lee　says　they're　ready　to　expand；　and　for　a　little　cooperation　from　us　they　can　guarantee　a　giant　return。〃　Tang…po　mopped　his　brow　and　coughed　and　lit　another　cigarette。　〃Listen；　Little　Brother；〃　he　said　softly。　〃He　swears　they've　been　offered　a　very　large　source　of　American　money；　cash　money　and　bank　money；　and　a　very　large　retail　outlet　for　their　goods　there；　based　in　this　place　called　Manhattan。〃
　Lee　felt　the　sweat　on　his　forehead。　〃A　retail　outlet　there　。。。　ayeeyah；　that　means　millions。　They　will　guarantee？〃
　〃Yes。　With　very　little　for　us　to　do。　Except　close　our　eyes　and　make　sure　Marine　and　Narcotics　Branch　seize　only　the　correct　shipments　and　close　their　eyes　when　they're　supposed　to。　Isn't　it　written　in　the　Ancient　Books：　If　you　don't　squeeze；　lightning　will　strike　you？〃
　Again　a　silence。　〃When　does　the　decision　。。。　when's　it　going　to　be　decided？〃
　〃Next　week。　If　it's　decided　yes；　well；　the　flow　of　trade　will　take　months　to　organize；　perhaps　a　year。〃　Tang…po　glanced　at　the　clock　and　got　up。　〃Time　for　our　shower。　Nighttime　Song　has　arranged　dinner　for　us　afterwards。〃
　〃Eeeee；　very　good。〃　Uneasily　Lee　turned　out　the　single　overhead　light。　〃And　if　the　decision　is　no？〃
　Tang…po　stubbed　out　his　cigarette　and　coughed。　〃If　no　。。。〃　He　shrugged。　〃We　only　have　one　life；　gods　notwithstanding；　so　it　is　our　duty　to　think　of　our　families。　One　of　my　relations　is　a　captain　with　Four　Finger　Wu。　。。。〃
　
　11
　
　8：30　P。M。　：
　〃Hello；　Brian；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Wele。〃
　〃Evening；　tai…pan　…　congratulations　…　great　night　for　a　party；〃　Brian　Kwok　said。　A　liveried　waiter　appeared　out　of　nowhere　and　he　accepted　a　glass　of　champagne　in　fine　crystal。　〃Thanks　for　inviting　me。〃
　〃You're　very　wele。〃　Dunross　was　standing　beside　the　door　of　the　ballroom　in　the　Great　House；　tall　and　debonair；　Penelope　a　few　paces　away　greeting　other　guests。　The　half…full　ballroom　was　open　to　crowded　floodlit　terraces　and　gardens　where　the　majority　of　brightly　dressed　ladies　and　dinner…jacketed　men　stood　in　groups　or　sat　at　round　tables。　A　cool　breeze　had　e　with　nightfall。
　〃Penelope　darling；〃　Dunross　called　out；　〃you　remember　Superintendent　Brian　Kwok。〃
　〃Oh　of　course；〃　she　said；　threading　her　way　over　to　them　with　her　happy　smile；　not　remembering　at　all。　〃How're　you？〃
　〃Fine　thanks　…　congratulations！〃
　〃Thank　you　…　make　yourself　at　home。　Dinner's　at　nine　fifteen；　Claudia　has　the　seating　lists　if　you've　lost　your　card。　Oh　excuse　me　a　moment。　。。。〃　She　turned　away　to　intercept　some　other　guests；　her　eyes　trying　to　watch　everywhere　to　see　that　everything　was　going　well　and　that　no　one　stood　alone　…　knowing　in　her　secret　heart　that　if　there　was　a　disaster　there　was　nothing　for　her　to　do；　that　others　would　make　everything　well　again。
　〃You're　very　lucky；　Ian；〃　Brian　Kwok　said。　〃She　gets　younger　every　year。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃So。　Here's　to　twenty　more　years！　Health！〃　They　touched　glasses。　They　had　been　friends　since　the　early　fifties　when　they　had　met　at　the　first　racing　hill　climb　and　had　been　friendly　rivals　ever　since　…　and　founding　members　of　the　Hong　Kong　Sports　Car　and　Rally　Club。
　〃But　you；　Brian；　no　special　girl　friend？　You　arrive　alone？〃
　〃I'm　playing　the　field。〃　Brian　Kwok　dropped　his　voice。　〃Actually　I'm　staying　single　permanently。〃
　〃Dreamer！　This's　your　year　…　you're　the　catch　of　Hong　Kong。　Even　Claudia's　got　her　eyes　on　you。　You're　a　dead　duck；　old　chap。〃
　〃Oh　Christ！〃　Brian　dropped　the　banter　for　a　moment。　〃Say；　tai…pan；　could　I　have　a　couple　of　private　minutes　this　evening？〃
　〃John　Chen？〃　Dunross　asked　at　once。
　〃No。　We've　got　every　man　looking；　but　nothing　yet。　It's　something　else。〃
　〃Business？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　private？〃
　〃Private。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Dunross　said；　〃I'll　find　you　after　dinner。　What　ab…　〃
　A　burst　of　laughter　caused　them　to　look　around。　Casey　was　standing　in　the　center　of　an　admiring　group　of　men　…　Linbar　Struan　and　Andrew　Gavallan　and　Jacques　deVille　among　them　…　just　outside　one　of　the　tall　French　doors　that　led　to　the　terrace。
　〃Eeeee；〃　Brian　Kwok　muttered。
　〃Quite；〃　Dunross　said　and　grinned。
　She　was　dressed　in　a　floor…length　sheath　of　emerald　silk；　molded　just　enough　and　sheer　just　enough。
　〃Christ；　is　she　or　isn't　she？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Wearing　anything　underneath？〃
　〃Seek　and　ye　shall　find。〃
　〃I'd　like　to。　She's　stunning。〃
　〃I　thought　so　too；〃　Dunross　said　agreeably；　〃though　I'd　say　100　percent　of　the　other　ladies　don't。〃
　〃Her　breasts　are　perfect；　you　can　see　that。〃
　〃Actually　you　can't。　Just。　It's　all　in　your　mind。〃
　〃I'll　bet　there　isn't　a　pair　in　Hong　Kong　to　touch　them。〃
　〃Fifty　dollars　to　a　copper　cash　says　you're　wrong　…　provided　we　include　Eurasians。〃
　〃How　can　we　prove　who　wins？〃
　〃We　can't。　Actually　I'm　an　ankle　man　myself。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Old　Uncle　Chen…Chen　used　to　say；　'First　look　at　the　ankles；　my　son；　then　you　tell　her　breeding；　how　she'll　behave；　how　she'll　ride；　how　she'll　。。。　like　any　filly。　But　remember；　all　crows　under　heaven　are　black！'　〃
　Brian　Kwok　grinned　with　him　then　waved　at　someone　in　friendly　style。　Across　the　room　a　tall　man　with　a　lived…in　face　was　waving　back。　Beside　him　was　an　extraordinarily　beautiful　woman；　tall；　fair；　with　gray　eyes。　She　waved　happily　too。
　〃Now　there's　an　English　beauty　at　her　best！〃
　〃Who？　Oh；　Fleur　Marlowe？　Yes；　yes　she　is。　I　didn't　know　you　knew　the　Marlowes；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Likewise！　I　met　him　this　afternoon；　Brian。　You've　known　him　long？〃
　〃Oh　a　couple　of　months…odd。　He's　persona　grata　with　us。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。　We're　showing　him　the　ropes。〃
　〃Oh？　Why？〃
　〃Some　months　ago　he　wrote　to　the　missioner；　said　he　was　ing　to　Hong　Kong　to　research　a　novel　and　asked　for　our　cooperation。　Seems　the　Old　Man　happened　to　have　read　his　first　novel　and　had　seen　some　of　his　films。　Of　course　we　checked　him　out　and　he　appears　all　right。〃　Brian　Kwok's　eyes　went　back　to　Casey。　〃The　Old　Man　thought　we　could　do　with　an　improved　image　so　he　sent　word　down　that；　within　limits；　Peter　was　approved　and　to　show　him　around。〃　He　glanced　back　at　Dunross　and　smiled　thinly。　〃Ours　not　to　reason　why！〃
　〃What　was　his　book？〃
　〃Called　Changi；　about　his　POW　days。　The　Old　Man's　brother　died　there；　so　I　suppose　it　hit　home。〃
　〃Have　you　read　it？〃
　〃Not　me　…　I've　too　many　mountains　to　climb！　I　did　skim　a　few　pages。