jamesclavell.noblehouse-第86部分

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ed　off；　blessing　his　own　acumen。　The　youth　sauntered　back　to　her。
　〃Here；　Old　Woman；〃　he　said。　〃The　fornicator　had　8；162。　16　percent　is　。。。〃
　〃1305。92　and　my　7　percent　of　that　is　91。41；〃　she　said　at　once。
　He　paid　her　exactly　and　she　agreed　to　e　tomorrow　to　spot　for　him。
　〃What's　your　name？〃　he　asked。
　〃Ah　Su；　Lord；〃　she　said；　giving　a　false　name。　〃And　yours？〃
　〃Mo　Wu…fang；〃　he　said；　using　a　friend's　name。
　〃Until　tomorrow；〃　she　said　happily。　Thanking　him　again　she　waddled　off；　delighted　with　her　day's　profit。
　His　profit　had　been　good　too。　Now　he　had　over　3；000　in　his　pockets　where　this　morning　he　had　had　only　enough　for　the　bus。　And　it　was　all　windfall　for　he　had　e　to　Aberdeen　from　Glessing's　Point　to　post　another　ransom　note　to　Noble　House　Chen。
　〃It's　for　safety；〃　his　father；　their　leader；　had　said。　〃To　put　out　a　false　scent　for　the　fornicating　police。〃
　〃But　it　will　bring　no　money；〃　he　had　said　to　him　and　to　the　others　disgustedly。　〃How　can　we　produce　the　fornicating　son　if　he's　dead　and　buried？　Would　you　pay　off　without　some　proof　that　he　was　alive？　Of　course　not！　It　was　a　mistake　to　hit　him　with　the　shovel。〃
　〃But　the　fellow　was　trying　to　escape！〃　his　brother　said。
　〃True；　Younger　Brother。　But　the　first　blow　didn't　kill　him；　only　bent　his　head　a　little。　You　should　have　left　it　at　that！〃
　〃I　would　have　but　the　evil　spirits　got　into　me　so　I　hit　him　again。　I　only　hit　him　four　times！　Eeeee；　but　these　highborn　fellows　have　soft　skulls！〃
　〃Yes；　you're　right；〃　his　father　had　said。　He　was　short　and　balding　with　many　gold　teeth；　his　name　Kin　Min…ta；　Baldhead　Kin。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　but　it's　done　so　there's　no　point　in　remembering　it。　Joss。　It　was　his　own　fault　for　trying　to　escape！　Have　you　seen　the　early　edition　of　The　Times？〃
　〃No　…　not　yet；　Father；〃　he　had　replied。
　〃Here；　let　me　read　it　to　you：　'The　Chief　of　all　the　Police　said　today　that　they　have　arrested　a　triad　who　they　suspect　is　one　of　the　Werewolves；　the　dangerous　gang　of　criminals　who　kidnapped　John　Chen。　The　authorities　expect　to　have　the　case　solved　any　moment。'　〃
　They　all　laughed；　he；　his　younger　brother；　his　father　and　the　last　member；　his　very　good　friend；　Dog…eared　Chen　…　Pun　Po　Chen　…　for　they　knew　it　was　all　lies。　Not　one　of　them　was　a　triad　or　had　triad　connections；　and　none　had　ever　been　caught　for　any　crime　before；　though　they　had　formed　their　own　Brotherhood　and　his　father　had；　from　time　to　time；　run　a　small　gambling　syndicate　in　North　Point。　It　was　his　father　who　had　proposed　the　first　kidnapping。　Eeee；　that　was　very　clever；　he　thought；　remembering。　And　when　John　Chen　had；　unfortunately；　had　himself　killed　because　he　stupidly　tried　to　escape；　his　father　had　also　suggested　cutting　off　the　ear　and　sending　it。　〃We　will　turn　his　bad　joss　into　our　good。　'Kill　one　to　terrify　ten　thousand！'　Sending　the　ear　will　terrify　all　Hong　Kong；　make　us　famous　and　make　us　rich！〃
　Yes；　he　thought；　sitting　in　the　sun　at　Aberdeen。　But　we　haven't　made　our　riches　yet。　Didn't　I　tell　father　this　morning：　〃I　don't　mind　going　all　the　way　to　post　the　letter；　Father；　that's　sensible　and　what　Humphrey　Bogart　would　order。　But　I　still　don't　think　it　will　bring　us　any　ransom。〃
　〃Never　mind　and　listen！　I've　a　new　plan　worthy　of　Al　Capone　himself。　We　wait　a　few　days。　Then　we　phone　Noble　House　Chen。　If　we　don't　get　immediate　cash；　then　we　snatch　the　pradore　himself！　Great　Miser　Chen　himself！〃　They　had　all　stared　at　him　in　awe。
　〃Yes；　and　if　you　don't　think　he'll　pay　up　quickly　after　seeing　his　son's　ear　…　of　course　we'll　tell　him　it　was　his　son's　ear　。。。　perhaps　we'll　even　dig　up　the　body　and　show　him；　heya？〃
　Smallpox　Kin　beamed；　recalling　how　they　had　all　chortled。　Oh　how　they　had　chortled；　holding　their　bellies；　almost　rolling　on　the　floor　of　their　tenement　apartment。
　〃Now　to　business。　Dog…eared　Chen；　we　need　your　advice　again。〃　Dog…eared　Chen　was　a　distant　cousin　of　John　Chen　and　worked　for　him　as　a　manager　of　one　of　the　multitudinous　Chen　panies。　〃Your　information　about　the　son　was　perfect。　Perhaps　you　can　supply　us　with　the　father's　movements　too？〃
　〃Of　course；　Honored　Leader；　that's　easy；〃　Dog…eared　Chen　had　said。　〃He's　a　man　of　habit　…　and　easily　frightened。　So　is　his　tai…tai　…　ayeeyah；　that　mealy…mouthed　whore　knows　which　side　of　the　bed　she　sleeps　in！　She'll　pay　up　very　quickly　to　get　him　back。　Yes；　I'm　sure　he'll　be　very　cooperative　now。　But　we'll　have　to　ask　double　what　we　would　settle　for　because　he's　an　acplished　negotiator。　I've　worked　for　the　fornicating　House　of　Chen　all　my　working　life　so　I　know　what　a　miser　he　is。〃
　〃Excellent。　Now；　by　all　the　gods；　how　and　when　should　we　kidnap　Noble　House　Chen　himself？〃
　
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　4：01　P。M。：
　Sir　Dunstan　Barre　was　ushered　into　Richard　Kwang's　office　with　the　deference　he　considered　his　due。　The　Ho…Pak　Building　was　small　and　unpretentious；　off　Ice　House　Street　in　Central；　and　the　office　was　like　most　Chinese　offices；　small；　cluttered　and　drab；　a　place　for　working　and　not　for　show。　Most　times　two　or　three　people　would　share　a　single　office；　running　two　or　three　separate　businesses　there；　using　the　same　telephone　and　same　secretary　for　all。　And　why　not；　a　wise　man　would　say？　A　third　of　the　overhead　means　more　profit　for　the　same　amount　of　labor。
　But　Richard　Kwang　did　not　share　his　office。　He　knew　it　did　not　please　his　quai　loh　customers　…　and　the　few　that　he　had　were　important　to　his　bank　and　to　him　for　face　and　for　the　highly　sought　after　peripheral　benefits　they　could　bring。　Like　the　possible；　oh　so　important　election　as　a　voting　member　to　the　super…exclusive　Turf　Club；　or　membership　in　the　Hong　Kong　Golf　Club　or　Cricket　Club　…　or　even　the　Club　itself　…　or　any　of　the　other　minor　though　equally　exclusive　clubs　that　were　tightly　controlled　by　the　British　tai…pans　of　great　hongs　where　all　the　really　big　business　was　conducted。
　〃Hello；　Dunstan；〃　he　said　affably。　〃How　are　things　going？〃
　〃Fine。　And　you？〃
　〃Very　good。　My　horse　had　a　great　workout　this　morning。〃
　〃Yes。　I　was　at　the　track　myself。〃
　〃Oh；　I　didn't　see　you！〃
　〃Just　popped　in　for　a　minute　or　two。　My　gelding's　got　a　temperature　…　we　may　have　to　scratch　him　on　Saturday。　But　Butterscotch　Lass　was　really　flying　this　morning。〃
　〃She　almost　pipped　the　track　record。　She'll　definitely　be　trying　on　Saturday。〃
　Barre　chuckled。　〃I'll　check　with　you　just　before　race　time　and　you　can　tell　me　the　inside　story　then！　You　can　never　trust　trainers　and　jockeys；　can　you　…　yours　or　mine　or　anyone's！〃
　They　chatted　inconsequentially；　then　Barre　came　to　the　point。
　Richard　Kwang　tried　to　cover　his　shock。　〃Close　all　your　corporate　accounts？〃
　〃Yes；　old　boy。　Today。　Sorry　and　all　that　but　my　board　thinks　it　wise　for　the　moment；　until　you　weath…　〃
　〃But　surely　you　don't　think　we're　in　trouble？〃　Richard　Kwang　laughed。　〃Didn't　you　see　Haply's　article　in　the　Guardian？　'。。。　malicious　lies　spread　by　certain　tai…pans　and　a　certain　big　bank。　。。。'　〃
　〃Oh　yes；　I　saw　that。　More　of　his　poppycock；　I'd　say。　Ridiculous！　Spread　rumors？　Why　should　anyone　do　that？　Huh；　I　talked　to　both　Paul　Havergill　and　Southerby　this　morning　and　they　said　Haply　better　watch　out　this　time　if　he　implies　it's　them　or　he'll　get　a　libel　suit。　That　young　man　deserves　a　horsewhipping！　However　。。。　I'd　like　a　cashier's　check　now　…　sorry；　but　you　know　how　boards　are。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　do。〃　Richard　Kwang　kept　his　smile　on　the　surface　of　his　face　but　he　hated　the　big　florid　man　even　more　than　usual。　He　knew　that　the　board　was　a　rubber　stamp　for　Barre's　decisions。　〃We've　no　problems。　We're　a　billion…dollar　bank。　As　to　the　Aberdeen　branch；　they're　just　a　lot　of　superstitious　locals。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　Barre　watched　him。　〃I　heard　you　had　a　few　problems　at　your　Mong　Kok　branch　this　afternoon　too；　also　at　Tsim　Sha　Tsui　。。。　at　Sha　Tin　in　the　New　Territories；　even；　God　help　us；　on　Lan　Tao。〃　Lan　Tao　Island　was　half　a　dozen　miles　east　of　Hong　Kong；　the　biggest　island　in　the　whole　archipelago　of　almost　three　hundred　islands　that　made　up　the　Colony　…　but　almost　unpopulated　because　it　was　waterless。
　〃A　few　customers　withdrew　their　savings；〃　Richard　Kwang　said　with　a　scoff。　〃There's　no　trouble。〃
　But　there　was　trouble。　He　knew　it　and　he　was　afraid　everyone　knew　it。　At　first　it　was　j