jamesclavell.noblehouse-第75部分

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　〃Yes。〃　She　felt　a　wave　of　heat　go　through　her；　her　cheeks　began　to　burn　and　she　wondered　if　the　color　showed。
　〃So　we　can't　shake；　you　and　I。　It　has　to　be　Linc　Bartlett？〃
　With　an　effort　she　kept　her　eyes　unwavering。　〃A　tai…pan　should　deal　with　a　tai…pan。〃
　〃That's　a　basic　rule；　even　in　America？〃　His　voice　was　soft　and　gentle。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Is　this　your　idea　or　his？〃
　〃Does　it　matter？〃
　〃Very　much。〃
　〃If　I　say　it's　Linc's；　he　loses　face；　and　if　I　say　it's　mine；　he　still　loses　face；　though　in　a　different　way。〃
　Dunross　shook　his　head　slightly　and　smiled。　The　warmth　of　it　increased　her　inner　warmth。　Although　she　was　very　much　in　charge　of　herself；　she　felt　herself　responding　to　his　unadulterated　masculinity。
　〃We're　all　bound　by　face；　aren't　we；　in　some　way　or　another；〃　he　said。
　She　did　not　answer；　just　glanced　away　to　give　herself　time。　Her　eyes　saw　the　portrait　of　the　girl。　How　could　such　a　pretty　girl　bee　known　as　the　Hag；　she　wondered。　It　must　be　hateful　to　bee　old　in　face　and　body　when　you're　young　at　heart　and　still　strong　and　tough　…　so　unfair　for　a　woman。　Will　I　be　known　one　day　as　Hag　Tcholok？　Or　〃that　old　dyke　Tcholok〃　if　I'm　still　alone；　unmarried；　in　the　business　world；　the　man's　world；　still　working　for　the　same　things　they　work　for　…　identity；　power　and　money　…　and　hated　for　being　as　good　or　better　than　they　are　at　it？　I　don't　care　so　long　as　we　win；　Linc　and　I。　So　play　the　part　you've　chosen　tonight；　she　told　herself；　and　thank　the　French　lady　for　her　advice。　〃Remember；　child；〃　her　father　had　drummed　into　her；　〃remember　that　advice；　good　advice；　es　from　unexpected　places　at　unexpected　times。〃　Yes；　Casey　thought　happily；　but　for　Susanne's　reminder　about　how　a　lady　should　operate　in　this　man's　world；　Ian；　perhaps　I　wouldn't　have　given　you　that　face…saving　formula。　But　don't　be　mistaken；　Ian　Struan　Dunross。　This　is　my　deal；　and　in　this　I'm　tai…pan　of　Par…Con。
　Casey　felt　an　untoward　glow　as　another　current　went　through　her。　Never　before　had　she　articulated　her　actual　position　in　Par…Con　to　herself。　Yes；　she　thought；　very　satisfied；　that's　what　I　am。
　She　looked　at　the　girl　in　the　portrait　critically　and　she　saw；　now；　how　wrong　she　had　been　before　and　how　very　special　the　girl　was。　Wasn't　she　the　tai…pan；　in　embryo；　even　then？
　〃You're　very　generous；〃　Dunross　said；　breaking　into　her　thoughts。
　〃No；〃　she　replied　at　once；　prepared；　and　glanced　back　at　him；　and　she　was　thinking；　If　you　want　the　truth；　tai…pan；　I'm　not　generous　at　all。　I'm　merely　being　demure　and　sweet　and　gentle　because　it　makes　you　feel　more　at　home。　But　she　said　none　of　this　to　him；　only　dropped　her　eyes　and　murmured　with　the　right　amount　of　softness；　〃It's　you　who're　generous。〃
　He　took　her　hand　and　bowed　over　it　and　kissed　it　with　old…fashioned　gallantry。
　She　was　startled　and　tried　to　cover　it。　No　one　had　ever　done　that　to　her　before。　In　spite　of　her　resolve　she　was　moved。
　〃Ah　Ciranoush；〃　he　said　with　mock　gravity；　〃any　time　you　need　a　champion；　send　for　me。〃　Then　he　grinned　suddenly。　〃I'll　probably　make　a　bog　of　it　but　never　mind。〃
　She　laughed；　all　tension　gone　now；　liking　him　very　much。　〃You've　got　yourself　a　deal。〃
　Casually　he　put　his　arm　around　her　waist　and　gently　propelled　her　toward　the　stairs。　The　contact　with　him　felt　good　…　too　good；　she　thought。　This　one's　no　child。　Be　cautious。
　
　17
　
　11：58　P。M。：
　Phillip　Chen's　Rolls　screeched　to　a　halt　in　the　driveway　of　his　house。　He　got　out　of　the　backseat；　flushed　with　rage；　Dianne　nervously　in　tow。　The　night　was　dark；　the　lights　of　the　city　and　ships　and　high　rises　blazing　far　below。　〃Bolt　the　gates；　then　you　e　inside　too；〃　he　snapped　to　his　equally　nervous　chauffeur；　then　hurried　for　the　front　door。
　〃Hurry　up；　Dianne；〃　he　said；　irritably　shoving　his　key　into　the　lock。
　〃Phillip；　what　on　earth's　the　matter　with　you？　Why　can't　you　tell　me？　Wh…　〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　he　shouted；　his　temper　snapping；　and　she　jerked　to　a　halt；　shocked。　〃Just　shut　up　and　do　what　you're　told！〃　He　ripped　the　front　door　open。　〃Get　the　servants　here！〃
　〃But　Phi…　〃
　〃Ah　Sun！　Ah　Tak！〃
　The　two　tousled；　sleepy　amahs　appeared　hastily　out　of　the　kitchen　and　gaped　at　him；　shocked　at　his　untoward　rage。　〃Yes　Father？　Yes　Mother？〃　they　chorused　in　Cantonese。　〃What　in　the　name　of　all　gods　ha…　〃
　〃Hold　your　tongues！〃　Phillip　Chen　roared；　his　neck　red　and　now　his　face　more　red。　〃Go　into　that　room　and　stay　there　until　I　tell　you　all　to　e　out！〃　He　pulled　the　door　open。　It　was　their　dining　room　and　the　windows　faced　the　road　north。　〃All　of　you　stay　there　until　I　tell　you　to　e　out　and　if　any　of　you　moves　or　looks　out　of　the　windows　before　I　e　back　I'll　。。。　I'll　have　some　friends　put　weights　on　you　and　get　you　all　thrown　into　the　harbor！〃
　The　two　amahs　began　wailing　but　everyone　hurriedly　obeyed　him　and　he　slammed　the　door　shut。
　〃Stop　it　both　of　you！〃　Dianne　Chen　screeched　at　the　amahs；　then　reached　over　and　pinched　one　sharply　on　the　cheek。　This　stopped　the　old　woman's　wailing　and　she　gasped；　her　eyes　rolling；　〃What's　got　into　everyone？　What's　got　into　Father？　Oh　oh　oh；　his　rage's　gone　to　Java　。。。　oh　oh　oh。　。。。〃
　〃Shut　up；　Ah　Tak！〃　Dianne　fanned　herself；　seething；　beside　herself　with　fury。　What　in　the　name　of　all　gods　has　got　into　him？　Doesn't　he　trust　me　…　me；　his　only　true　wife　and　the　love　of　his　life？　In　all　my　life　。。。　And　to　rush　off　like　that　from　the　tai…pan's　party　when　everything　was　going　so　fine　…　us　the　talk　of　Hong　Kong　and　everyone　admiring　my　darling　Kevin；　fawning　on　him；　now　surely　the　new　heir　of　the　House　of　Chen；　for　everyone　agrees　John　Chen　would　certainly　have　died　of　shock　when　his　ear　was　cut　off。　Anyone　would！　I　certainly　would。
　She　shivered；　feeling　her　own　ear　being　cut　again　and　being　kidnapped　as　in　her　dream　this　afternoon　when　she　had　awoken　in　a　cold　sweat　from　her　nap。
　〃Ayeeyah；〃　she　muttered　to　no　one　in　particular。　〃Has　he　gone　mad？〃
　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　her　chauffeur　said　confidently；　〃I　think　he　has。　It's　the　result　of　the　kidnapping。　I've　never　seen　Father　like　this　in　all　my　yea…　〃
　〃Who　asked　you？〃　Dianne　shrieked。　〃It's　all　your　fault　anyway！　If　you'd　brought　my　poor　John　home　instead　of　leaving　him　to　his　mealy…mouthed　whores　this　would　never　have　happened！〃
　Again　the　two　amahs　began　whimpering　at　her　fury　and　she　turned　her　spleen　on　them　for　a　moment；　adding；　〃And　as　to　you　two；　while　I　think　of　it；　the　quality　of　service　in　this　house's　enough　to　give　anyone　loose　bowels。　Have　you　asked　me　if　I　need　a　physic　or　aspirins？　Or　tea？　Or　a　cold　towel？〃
　〃Mother；〃　one　of　them　said　placatingly；　hopefully　pointing　at　the　lacquered　sideboard；　〃I　can't　make　tea　but　would　you　like　some　brandy？〃
　〃Wat？　Ah；　very　good。　Yes；　yes；　Ah　Tak。〃
　At　once　the　old　woman　bustled　over　to　the　sideboard　and　opened　it；　brought　out　some　cognac　that　she　knew　her　mistress　liked；　poured　it　into　a　glass。　〃Poor　Mother；　to　have　Father　in　such　a　rage！　Terrible！　What's　possessed　him　and　why　doesn't　he　want　us　to　look　out　of　the　window？〃
　Because　he　doesn't　want　you　turtle…dung　thieves　to　see　him　dig　up　his　secret　safe　in　the　garden；　Dianne　was　thinking。　Or　even　me。　She　smiled　grimly　to　herself；　sipping　the　fine　smooth　liquor；　calmer　in　the　knowledge　that　she　knew　where　the　iron　box　was　buried。　It　was　only　right　that　she　should　have　protected　him　by　secretly　watching　him　bury　it；　in　case。　God　forbid；　the　gods　took　him　from　this　earth　before　he　could　tell　her　where　the　secret　hiding　place　was。　It　had　been　her　duty　to　break　her　promise　not　to　watch　him　that　night　during　the　Japanese　Occupation　when　he　had　wisely　scooped　up　all　their　valuables　and　hidden　them。
　She　did　not　know　what　was　in　the　box　now。　She　did　not　care。　It　had　been　opened　and　closed　many　times；　all　in　secret；　as　far　as　he　was　concerned。　She　did　not　care　so　long　as　she　knew　where　her　husband　was；　where　all　his　deposit　boxes　of　various　kinds　were；　their　keys；　just　in　case。
　After　all；　she　told　herself　confidently；　if　he　dies；　without　me　the　House　of　Chen　will　crumble。　〃Stop　sniveling；　Ah　Sun！〃　She　got　up　and　closed　the　long　drapes。　Outside　the　night　was　dark　and　she　could　see　nothing　of　the　garden；　only　the　driveway；　the　tall　iron　gates　and　the　road　beyond。
　〃More　drink；　Mother？〃　the　old　ama