jamesclavell.noblehouse-第58部分

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　just　can't　imagine　being　twenty…five　let　alone　thirty　and　as　to　forty　。。。　God；　I　think　I'd　rather　be　pushing　up　daisies。〃
　〃Twenty…one's　old　…　yes　ma'am；　mighty　old；〃　he　said。　And　he　thought；　It's　a　long　time　since　you　spent　time　with　such　a　young　one。　Watch　yourself。　This　one's　dynamite。　He　flicked　the　lighter　and　it　lit。　〃What　d'you　know！〃
　〃Thanks；〃　she　said　and　puffed　her　cigarette　alight。　〃You　don't　smoke？〃　she　asked。
　〃No；　not　now。　Used　to　but　Casey　sent　me　illustrated　pamphlets　on　cancer　and　smoking　every　hour　on　the　hour　until　I　got　the　message。　Didn't　faze　me　a　bit　to　stop　…　once　I'd　decided。　It　sure　as　hell　improved　my　golf　and　tennis　and　。。。〃　he　smiled。　〃And　all　forms　of　sports。〃
　〃Casey　is　gorgeous。　Is　she　really　your　executive　vice…president？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃She's　going　to　。。。　it'll　be　very　difficult　for　her　here。　The　men　won't　like　dealing　with　her　at　all。〃
　〃Same　in　the　States。　But　they're　getting　used　to　it。　We　built　Par…Con　in　six　years。　Casey　can　work　with　the　best　of　them。　She's　a　winner。〃
　〃Is　she　your　mistress？〃
　He　sipped　his　beer。　〃Are　all　young　English　ladies　so　blunt？〃
　〃No。〃　She　laughed。　〃I　was　just　curious。　Everyone　says　。。。　everyone　presumes　she　is。〃
　〃That　a　fact？〃
　〃Yes。　You're　the　talk　of　Hong　Kong　society；　and　tonight　will　cap　everything。　You　both　made　rather　a　grand　entrance；　what　with　your　private　jet；　the　smuggled　guns　and　Casey　being　the　last　European　to　see　John　Chen；　so　the　papers　said。　I　liked　your　interview。〃
　〃Eh；　those　bas…　those　press　guys　were　waiting　on　the　doorstep　this　afternoon。　I　tried　to　keep　it　short　and　sharp。〃
　〃Par…Con's　really　worth　half　a　billion　dollars？〃
　〃No。　About　300　million　…　but　it'll　be　a　billion…dollar　pany　soon。　Yes；　it'll　be　soon　now。〃
　He　saw　her　looking　at　him　with　those　frank；　gray…green　eyes　of　hers；　so　adult　yet　so　young。　〃You're　a　very　interesting　man；　Mr。　Linc　Bartlett。　I　like　talking　to　you。　I　like　you　too。　Didn't　at　first。　I　screamed　bloody　murder　when　Father　told　me　I　had　to　chaperone　you；　introduce　you　around　for　a　while。　I　haven't　done　a　very　good　job；　have　I？〃
　〃It's　been　super。〃
　〃Oh　e　on。〃　She　grinned　too。　〃I've　totally　monopolized　you。〃
　〃Not　true。　I　met　Christian　Toxe　the　editor；　Richard　Kwang　and　those　two　Americans　from　the　consulate。　Lannan　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Langan；　Edward　Langan。　He's　nice。　I　didn't　catch　the　other　one's　name　…　I　don't　know　them　really；　they've　just　been　racing　with　us。　Christian's　nice　and　his　wife's　super。　She's　Chinese　so　she's　not　here　tonight。〃
　Bartlett　frowned。　〃Because　she's　Chinese？〃
　〃Oh；　she　was　invited　but　she　wouldn't　e。　It's　face。　To　save　her　husband's　face。　The　nobs　don't　approve　of　mixed　marriages。〃
　〃Marrying　the　natives？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃　She　shrugged。　〃You'll　see。　I'd　better　introduce　you　to　some　more　guests　or　I'll　get　hell！〃
　〃How　about　to　Havergill　the　banker？　What　about　him？〃
　〃Father　thinks　Havergill's　a　berk。〃
　〃Then　by　God　he's　a　twenty…two…carat　berk　from　here　on　in！〃
　〃Good；〃　she　said　and　they　laughed　together。
　〃Linc？〃
　They　looked　around　at　the　two　figures　silhouetted　in　the　shaft　of　light　from　the　doorway。　He　recognized　Casey's　voice　and　shape　at　once　but　not　the　man。　It　was　not　possible　from　where　they　were　to　see　against　the　light。
　〃Hi；　Casey！　How's　it　going？〃
　He　took　Adryon's　arm　casually　and　propelled　her　toward　the　silhouette。　〃I've　been　teaching　Adryon　the　finer　points　of　pool。〃
　Adryon　laughed。　〃That's　the　understatement　of　the　year；　Casey。　He's　super　at　it；　isn't　he？〃
　〃Yes。　Oh　Linc；　Quillan　Gornt　wanted　to　say　hi　before　he　left。〃
　Abruptly　Adryon　jerked　to　a　stop　and　the　color　left　her　face。　Linc　stopped；　startled。　〃What's　wrong？〃　he　asked　her。
　〃Evening；　Mr。　Bartlett；〃　Gornt　said；　moving　toward　them　into　the　light。　〃Hello；　Adryon。〃
　〃What're　you　doing　here？〃　she　said　in　a　tiny　voice。
　〃I　just　came　for　a　few　minutes；〃　Gornt　said。
　〃Have　you　seen　Father？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　get　out。　Get　out　and　leave　this　house　alone。〃　Adryon　said　it　in　the　same　small　voice。
　Bartlett　stared　at　her。　〃What　the　hell's　up？〃
　Gornt　said　calmly；　〃It's　a　long　story。　It　can　wait　until　tomorrow　…　or　next　week。　I　just　wanted　to　confirm　our　dinner　on　Tuesday　…　and　if　you're　free　over　the　weekend；　perhaps　you　two　would　like　to　e　out　on　my　boat　for　the　day。　Sunday　if　the　weather's　good。〃
　〃Thanks；　I　think　so；　but　may　we　confirm　tomorrow？〃　Bartlett　asked；　still　nonplussed　by　Adryon。
　〃Adryon；〃　Gornt　said　gently；　〃Annagrey's　leaving　next　week；　she　asked　me　to　ask　you　to　give　her　a　call。〃　Adryon　did　not　answer；　just　stared　at　him；　and　Gornt　added　to　the　other　two；　〃Annagrey's　my　daughter。　They're　good　friends　…　they've　both　gone　to　the　same　schools　most　of　their　lives。　She's　off　to　university　in　California。〃
　〃Oh　…　then　if　there's　anything　we　could　do　for　her　。。。〃　Casey　said。
　〃That's　very　kind　of　you；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　meet　her　Tuesday。　Perhaps　we　can　talk　about　it　then。　I'll　say　g…　〃
　The　door　at　the　far　end　of　the　billiard　room　swung　open　and　Dunross　stood　there。
　Gornt　smiled　and　turned　his　attention　back　to　them。　〃Good　night；　Mr。　Bartlett　…　Ciranoush。　See　you　both　on　Tuesday。　Good　night；　Adryon。〃　He　bowed　slightly　to　them　and　walked　the　length　of　the　room　and　stopped。　〃Good　night；　Ian；〃　he　said　politely。　〃Thank　you　for　your　hospitality。〃
　〃　'Night；〃　Dunross　said；　as　politely；　and　stood　aside；　a　slight　smile　twisting　his　lips。
　He　watched　Gornt　walk　out　of　the　front　door　and　then　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　billiard　room。　〃Almost　time　for　dinner；〃　he　said；　his　voice　calm。　And　warm。　〃You　must　all　be　starving。　I　am。〃
　〃What　。。。　what　did　he　want？〃　Adryon　said　shakily。
　Dunross　came　up　to　her　with　a　smile；　gentling　her。　〃Nothing。　Nothing　important；　my　pet。　Quillan's　mellowing　in　his　old　age。〃
　〃You're　sure？〃
　〃Sure。〃　He　put　his　arm　around　her　and　gave　her　a　little　hug。　〃No　need　to　worry　your　pretty　head。〃
　〃Has　he　gone？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Bartlett　started　to　say　something　but　stopped　instantly　as　he　caught　Dunross's　eye　over　Adryon's　head。
　〃Yes。　Everything's　grand；　my　darling；〃　Dunross　was　saying　as　he　gave　her　another　little　hug；　and　Bartlett　saw　Adryon　gather　herself　within　the　warmth。　〃Nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　〃Linc　was　showing　me　how　he　played　pool　and　then　。。。　It　was　just　so　sudden。　He　was　like　an　apparition。〃
　〃You　could　have　knocked　me　down　with　a　feather　too　when　he　appeared　like　the　Bad　Fairy。〃　Dunross　laughed；　then　added　to　Bartlett　and　Casey；　〃Quillan　goes　in　for　dramatics。〃　Then　to　Bartlett　alone；　〃We'll　chat　about　that　after　dinner；　you　and　I。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Bartlett　said；　noticing　the　eyes　weren't　smiling。
　The　dinner　gong　sounded。　〃Ah；　thank　God！〃　Dunross　said。　〃e　along；　everyone；　food　at　long　last。　Casey；　you're　at　my　table。〃　He　kept　his　arm　around　Adryon；　loving　her；　and　guided　her　out　into　the　light。
　Casey　and　Bartlett　followed。
　
　Gornt　got　into　the　driver's　seat　of　the　black　Silver　Cloud　Rolls　that　he　had　parked　just　outside　the　Great　House。　The　night　was　good；　though　the　humidity　had　increased　again。　He　was　very　pleased　with　himself。　And　now　for　dinner　and　Jason　Plumm；　he　thought。　Once　that　bugger's　mitted；　Ian　Dunross's　as　good　as　finished　and　I　own　this　house　and　Struan's　and　the　whole　kit　and　caboodle！
　It　couldn't　have　been　better：　first　Casey　and　Ian　almost　at　once；　and　everything　laid　out　in　front　of　him　and　in　front　of　her。　Then　Havergill　and　Richard　Kwang　together。　Then　Bartlett　in　the　billiard　room　and　then　Ian　himself　again。
　Perfect！
　Now　Ian's　called；　Bartlett's　called；　Casey；　Havergill；　Richard　Kwang　and　so's　Plumm。　Ha！　If　they　only　knew。
　Everything's　perfect。　Except　for　Adryon。　Pity　about　her；　pity　that　children　have　to　inherit　the　feuds　of　the　fathers。　But　that's　life。　Joss。　Pity　she　won't　go　out　into　the　world　and　leave　Hong　Kong；　like　Annagrey　…　at　least　until　Ian　Dunross　and　I　have　settled　our　differences；　finally。　Better　she's　not　here　to　see　him　smashed　…　nor　Penelope　too。　Joss　if　they're　here；　joss　if　they're　not。　I'd　like　him　here　when　I　take　possession　of　his　box　at　the　races；　the　permanent　seat　on　all　boards；　all　the　sinecures；　the　legislature　…　oh　yes。　Soon　they'll　all　be　mine。　Along　with　the　envy　of　all　Asia。
　He　laughed。　Yes。　And　about　time。　Then