jamesclavell.noblehouse-第85部分

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b；　daring　it　to　move；　to　give　him　the　opportunity　to　spit　fire　and　brimstone。
　Sung　shuddered　again。　〃Thank　you；　Chief　Inspector。〃
　〃Let's　go　into　your　office　and　I　can　take　a　statement。〃
　〃Yes；　please。〃　Sung　puffed　himself　up　in　front　of　his　staff；　taking　mand　again。　〃The　rest　of　you　make　up　your　books　and　tidy　up。〃
　He　led　the　way　into　his　office　and　sat　down　and　beamed。　〃Tea；　Chief　Inspector？〃
　〃No　thank　you。〃　Chief　Inspector　Donald　C。　C。　Smyth　was　about　five　foot　ten　and　well　built；　fair　hair　and　blue　eyes　and　a　taut　sunburned　face。　He　pulled　out　a　sheaf　of　papers　and　put　them　on　the　desk。　〃These　are　the　accounts　of　my　men。　At　nine　tomorrow；　you　will　close　their　accounts　and　pay　them。　They'll　e　to　the　back　door。〃
　〃Yes　of　course。　I　would　be　honored。　But　I　will　lose　face　if　so　many　valuable　accounts　leave　me。　The　bank　is　as　sound　as　it　was　yesterday；　Chief　Inspector。〃
　〃Of　course。　Meanwhile　tomorrow　at　nine。　In　cash　please。〃　He　handed　him　some　more　papers。　And　four　savings　books。　〃I'll　take　a　cashier's　check　for　all　of　these。　Now。〃
　〃But　Chief　Inspector；　today　was　extraordinary。　There's　no　problem　with　the　Ho…Pak。　Surely　you　could　。。。〃
　〃Now。〃　Smyth　smiled　sweetly。　〃Withdrawal　slips　are　all　signed　and　ready。〃
　Sung　glanced　at　them。　All　were　Chinese　names　that　he　knew　were　nominees　of　nominees　of　this　man　whose　nickname　was　the　Snake。　The　accounts　totaled　nearly　850；000　HK。　And　that's　just　in　this　branch　alone；　he　thought；　very　impressed　with　the　Snake's　acumen。　What　about　the　Victoria　and　Blacs　and　all　the　other　branches　in　Aberdeen？
　〃Very　well；〃　he　said　wearily。　〃But　I'll　be　very　sorry　to　see　so　many　accounts　leave　the　bank。〃
　Smyth　smiled　again。　〃The　whole　of　the　Ho…Pak's　not　broke　yet；　is　it？〃
　〃Oh　no；　Chief　Inspector；〃　Sung　said；　shocked。　〃We　have　published　assets　worth　a　billion　HK　and　cash　reserves　of　many　tens　of　millions。　It's　just　these　simple　people；　a　temporary　problem　of　confidence。　Did　you　see　Mr。　Haply's　column　in　the　Guardian？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Sung's　face　darkened。　〃Malicious　rumors　spread　by　jealous　tai…pans　and　other　banks！　If　Haply　claims　that；　of　course　it's　true。〃
　〃Of　course！　Meanwhile　I　am　a　little　busy　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Yes。　Of　course。　I'll　do　it　at　once。　I；　er；　I　see　in　the　paper　you've　caught　one　of　those　evil　Werewolves。〃
　〃We've　a　triad　suspect；　Mr。　Sung；　just　a　suspect。〃
　Sung　shuddered。　〃Devils！　But　you'll　catch　them　all　。。。　devils；　sending　an　ear！　They　must　be　foreigners。　I'll　wager　they're　foreigners　never　mind。　Here；　sir；　I've　made　the　checks　。。。〃
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　A　corporal　came　in　and　saluted。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　a　bank　truck's　outside。　They　say　they're　from　Ho…Pak's　Head　Office。〃
　〃Ayeeyah；〃　Sung　said；　greatly　relieved；　〃and　about　time。　They　promised　the　delivery　at　two。　It's　more　money。〃
　〃How　much？〃　Smyth　asked。
　〃Half　a　million；〃　the　corporal　volunteered　at　once；　handing　over　the　manifest。　He　was　a　short；　bright　man　with　dancing　eyes。
　〃Good；〃　Smyth　said。　〃Well；　Mr。　Sung；　that'll　take　the　pressure　off　you；　won't　it。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　it　will。〃　Sung　saw　the　two　men　looking　at　him　and　he　said　at　once；　expansively；　〃If　it　wasn't　for　you；　and　your　men　。。。　With　your　permission　I'd　like　to　call　Mr。　Richard　Kwang　now。　I　feel　sure　he　would　be　honored；　as　I　would　be；　to　make　a　modest　contribution　to　your　police　benevolent　fund　as　a　token　of　our　thanks。〃
　〃That's　very　thoughtful；　but　it's　not　necessary；　Mr。　Sung。〃
　〃But　I　will　lose　terrible　face　if　you　won't　accept；　Chief　Inspector。〃
　〃You're　very　kind；〃　Smyth　said；　knowing　truly　that　without　his　presence　in　the　bank　and　that　of　his　men　outside；　Sung　and　the　tellers　and　many　others　would　be　dead。　〃Thank　you　but　that's　not　necessary。〃　He　accepted　the　cashier's　checks　and　left。
　Mr。　Sung　pleaded　with　the　corporal　who；　at　length；　sent　for　his　superior。　Divisional　Sergeant　Mok　declined　also。　〃Twenty　thousand　times；〃　he　said。
　But　Mr。　Sung　insisted。　Wisely。　And　Richard　Kwang　was　equally　delighted　and　equally　honored　to　approve　the　unsolicited　gift。　20；000　HK。　In　immediate　cash。　〃With　the　bank's　great　appreciation；　Divisional　Sergeant　Mok。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Honorable　Manager　Sung；〃　Mok　said　politely；　pocketing　it；　pleased　to　be　in　the　Snake's　division　and　totally　impressed　that　20；000　was　the　exact　fair　market　figure　the　Snake　had　considered　their　afternoon's　work　was　worth。　〃I　hope　your　great　bank　stays　solvent　and　you　weather　this　storm　with　your　usual　cleverness。　Tomorrow　will　be　orderly；　of　course。　We　will　be　here　at　nine　a。m。　promptly　for　our　cash。　。。。〃
　
　The　old　amah　still　sat　on　the　bench　on　the　harbor　wall；　catching　her　breath。　Her　ribs　hurt　but　then　they　always　hurt；　she　thought　wearily。　Joss。　Her　name　was　Ah　Tam　and　she　began　to　get　up　but　a　youth　sauntered　up　to　her　and　said；　〃Sit　down；　Old　Woman；　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃　He　was　short　and　squat　and　twenty…one；　his　face　pitted　with　smallpox　scars。　〃What's　in　that　bag？〃
　〃What？　What　bag？〃
　〃The　paper　bag　you　clutch　to　your　stinking　old　rags。〃
　〃This？　Nothing；　Honored　Lord。　It's　just　my　poor　shopping　that　…　〃
　He　sat　on　the　bench　beside　her　and　leaned　closer　and　hissed；　〃Shut　up；　Old　Hag！　I　saw　you　e　out　of　the　fornicating　bank。　How　much　have　you　got　there？〃
　The　old　woman　held　on　to　the　bag　desperately；　her　eyes　closed　in　terror　and　she　gasped；　〃It's　all　my　savings；　Hon…　〃
　He　pulled　the　bag　out　of　her　grasp　and　opened　it。　〃Ayeeyah！〃　The　notes　were　old　and　he　counted　them。　〃323！〃　he　said　scornfully。　〃Who　are　you　amah　to　…　a　beggar？　You　haven't　been　very　clever　in　this　life。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　you're　right；　Lord！〃　she　said；　her　little　black　eyes　watching　him　now。
　〃My　h'eung　yau's　20　percent；〃　he　said　and　began　to　count　the　notes。
　〃But　Honored　Sir；〃　she　said；　her　voice　whining　now；　〃20　is　too　high；　but　I'd　be　honored　if　you'd　accept　5　with　a　poor　old　woman's　thanks。〃
　〃15。〃
　〃6！〃
　〃10　and　that's　my　final　offer。　I　haven't　got　all　day！〃
　〃But　sir；　you　are　young　and　strong；　clearly　a　489。　The　strong　must　protect　the　old　and　weak。〃
　〃True；　true。〃　He　thought　a　moment；　wanting　to　be　fair。　〃Very　well；　7　percent。〃
　〃Oh　how　generous　you　are；　sir。　Thank　you；　thank　you。〃　Happily　she　watched　him　count　22　dollars；　then　reach　into　his　jeans　pocket　and　count　out　61　cents。　〃Here。〃　He　gave　her　the　change　and　the　remainder　of　her　money　back。
　She　thanked　him　profusely；　delighted　with　the　bargain　she　had　made。　By　all　the　gods；　she　thought　ecstatically；　7　percent　instead　of；　well；　at　least　15　would　be　fair。　〃Have　you　also　money　in　the　Ho…Pak；　Honored　Lord？〃　she　asked　politely。
　〃Of　course；〃　the　youth　said　importantly　as　though　it　were　true。　〃My　Brotherhood's　account　has　been　there　for　years。　We　have　。。。〃　He　doubled　the　amount　he　first　thought　of。　〃。。。　we　have　over　25；000　in　this　branch　alone。〃
　〃Eeeee；〃　the　old　woman　crooned。　〃To　be　so　rich！　The　moment　I　saw　you　I　knew　you　were　14K　。。。　and　surely　an　Honorable　489。〃
　〃I'm　better　than　that；〃　the　youth　said　proudly　at　once；　filled　with　bravado。　〃I'm　。。。〃　But　he　stopped；　remembering　their　leader's　admonition　to　be　cautious；　and　so　did　not　say；　I'm　Kin　Sop…ming；　Smallpox　Kin；　and　I'm　one　of　the　famous　Werewolves　and　there　are　four　of　us。　〃Run　along；　old　woman；〃　he　said；　tiring　of　her。　〃I've　more　important　things　to　do　than　talk　with　you。〃
　She　got　up　and　bowed　and　then　her　old　eyes　spotted　the　man　who　had　been　in　the　line　in　front　of　her。　The　man　was　Cantonese；　like　her。　He　was　a　rotund　shopkeeper　she　knew　who　had　a　poultry　street　stall　in　one　of　Aberdeen's　teeming　marketplaces。　〃Yes；〃　she　said　hoarsely；　〃but　if　you　want　another　customer　I　see　an　easy　one。　He　was　in　the　queue　before　me。　Over　8；000　he　withdrew。〃
　〃Oh；　where？　Where　is　he？〃　the　youth　asked　at　once。
　〃For　a　15　percent　share？〃
　〃7　…　and　that's　final。　7！〃
　〃All　right。　7。　Look；　over　there！〃　she　whispered。　〃The　fat　man；　plump　as　a　Mandarin；　in　the　white　shirt　…　the　one　who's　sweating　like　he's　just　enjoyed　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain！〃
　〃I　see　him。〃　The　youth　got　up　and　walked　quickly　away　to　intercept　the　man。　He　caught　up　with　him　at　the　corner。　The　man　froze　and　bartered　for　a　while；　paid　16　percent　and　hurried　off；　blessing　his　own　acumen。　The　youth　sauntered　back　to　her。
　〃Here；　Old　Woman；〃　he　said。　〃Th