jamesclavell.noblehouse-第207章

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　however　much　I　try；　however　much　I　read　or　listen　or　ask；　I'll　never　really　know　very　much　about　Hong　Kong　Chinese　or　about　Hong　Kong。　Never。　I'll　only　ever　scratch　the　surface。〃
　She　laughed。　〃It's　the　same　everywhere。〃
　〃Oh　no；　no　it　isn't。　This's　the　potpourri　of　Asia。　Take　that　guy　…　the　one　in　the　third　box　over　…　the　rotund　Chinese。　He's　a　millionaire　many　times　over。　His　wife's　a　kleptomaniac　so　whenever　she　goes　out　he　has　his　people　follow　her　secretly　and　every　time　she　steals　something；　his　fellows　pay　for　it。　All　the　stores　know　her　and　him　and　it's　all　very　civilized　…　where　else　in　the　world　would　you　do　that？　His　father　was　a　coolie　and　his　father　a　highwayman　and　his　a　Mandarin　and　his　a　peasant。　One　of　the　men　near　him's　another　multimillionaire；　opium　and　illegal　stuff　into　China；　and　his　wife's　。。。　ah　well；　that's　another　story。〃
　〃What　story？〃
　He　laughed。　〃Some　wives　have　stories　just　as　fascinating　as　their　husbands；　sometimes　more　so。　One　of　the　wives　you　met　today；　she's　a　nympho　an…　〃
　〃Oh　e　on；　Peter！　It's　like　Fleur　says；　you're　making　it　all　up。〃
　〃Perhaps。　Oh　yes；　but　some　Chinese　ladies　are　just　as　。。。　just　as　predatory　as　any　ladies　on　earth；　on　the　quiet。〃
　〃Chauvinist！　You're　sure？〃
　〃Rumor　has　it　。。。〃　They　laughed　together。　〃Actually　they're　so　much　smarter　than　we　are；　the　Chinese。　I'm　told　the　few　Chinese　married　ladies　here　who　have　a　wandering　eye　usually　prefer　a　European　for　a　lover；　for　safety　…　Chinese　adore　gossip；　love　scandal；　and　it'd　be　rare　to　find　a　Chinese　swinger　who'd　be　able　to　keep　such　a　secret　or　protect　a　lady's　honor。　Rightly；　the　lady　would　be　afraid。　To　be　caught　would　be　very　bad；　very　bad　indeed。　Chinese　law's　quite　strict。〃　He　took　out　a　cigarette。　〃Maybe　that　makes　it　all　the　more　exciting。〃
　〃To　have　a　lover？〃
　He　watched　her；　pondering　what　she　would　say　if　he　told　her　her　nickname　…　whispered　gleefully　to　him　by　four　separate　Chinese　friends。　〃Oh　yes；　ladies　here　get　around；　some　of　them。　Look　over　there；　in　that　box　…　the　fellow　holding　forth　wearing　a　blazer。　He　wears　a　green　hat　…　that's　a　Chinese　expression　meaning　he's　a　cuckold；　that　his　wife's　got　a　lover；　actually　in　her　case　it　was　a　Chinese　friend　of　his。〃
　〃Green　hat？〃
　〃Yes。　Chinese　are　marvelous！　They　have　such　a　terrific　sense　of　humor。　That　fellow　took　out　an　ad　in　one　of　the　Chinese　papers　some　months　ago　that　said；　'I　know　I　wear　a　green　hat　but　the　wife　of　the　man　who　gave　it　to　me　had　two　of　his　sons　by　other　men！'〃
　Casey　stared　at　him。　〃You　mean　he　signed　his　name　to　it？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　It　was　a　pun　on　one　of　his　names；　but　everyone　of　importance　knew　who　it　was。〃
　〃Was　it　true？〃
　Peter　Marlowe　shrugged。　〃It　doesn't　matter。　The　other　fellow's　nose　was　neatly　out　of　joint　and　his　wife　got　hell。〃
　〃That's　not　fair；　not　fair　at　all。〃
　〃In　her　case　it　was。〃
　〃What　did　she　do？〃
　〃Had　two　sons　by　anoth…　〃
　〃Oh　e　on；　Mr。　Storyteller！〃
　〃Hey　look；　there's　Doc　Tooley！〃
　She　searched　the　course　below；　then　saw　him。　〃He　doesn't　look　happy　at　all。〃
　〃I　hope　Travkin's　all　right。　I　heard　Tooley　went　to　examine　him。〃
　〃That　was　some　spill。〃
　〃Yes。　Terrible。〃
　Both　had　been　subjected　to　Tooley's　searching　questions　about　their　health；　knowing　the　specter　of　typhus；　perhaps　cholera；　and　certainly　hepatitis　still　hung　over　them。
　〃Joss！〃　Peter　Marlowe　had　said　firmly。
　〃Joss！〃　she　had　echoed；　trying　not　to　be　worried　about　Linc。　It's　worse　for　a　man；　she　thought；　remembering　what　Tooley　had　said：
　Hepatitis　can　mess　up　your　liver　…　and　your　life；　forever；　if　you're　a　man。
　After　a　moment　she　said；　〃People　here　do　seem　to　be　more　exciting；　Peter。　Is　that　because　of　Asia？〃
　〃Probably。　The　mores　are　so　different。　And　here　in　Hong　Kong　we　collect　the　cream。　I　think　Asia's　the　center　of　the　world　and　Hong　Kong　the　nucleus。〃　Peter　Marlowe　waved　to　someone　in　another　box　who　waved　at　Casey。　〃There's　another　admirer　of　yours。〃
　〃Lando？　He　is　a　fascinating　man。〃
　Casey　had　spent　time　with　him　between　races。
　〃You　must　e　to　Macao；　Miss　Tcholok。　Perhaps　we　could　have　dinner　tomorrow。　Would　7：30　be　convenient？〃　Mata　had　said　with　his　marvelous　old　world　charm　and　Casey　had　got　the　message　very　quickly。
　During　lunch　Dunross　had　warned　her　a　little　about　him。　〃He's　a　good　fellow；　Casey；〃　the　tai…pan　had　said　delicately。　〃But　here；　for　a　quai　loh　stranger；　particularly　someone　as　beautiful　as　you；　on　a　first　trip　to　Asia；　well　it's　sometimes　better　to　remember　that　being　over　eighteen　isn't　always　enough。〃
　〃Got　you；　tai…pan；〃　she　had　told　him　with　a　laugh。　But　this　afternoon　she　had　allowed　herself　to　be　mesmerized　by　Mata；　in　the　safety　of　the　tai…pan's　box。　Alone；　her　defenses　would　be　up　as　she　knew　they　would　be　tomorrow　evening：　〃It　depends；　Lando；〃　she　had　said；　〃dinner　would　be　fine。　It　depends　what　time　I　get　back　from　the　boat　trip　…　I　don't　know　if　it's　weather　permitting　or　not。〃
　〃With　whom　are　you　going？　The　tai…pan？〃
　〃Just　friends。〃
　〃Ah。　Well；　if　not　Sunday；　my　dear；　perhaps　we　could　make　it　Monday。　There　are　a　number　of　business　opportunities　for　you；　here　or　in　Macao；　for　you　and　Mr。　Bartlett　if　you　wish；　and　Par…Con。　May　I　call　you　at　seven　tomorrow　to　see　if　you　are　free？〃
　I　can　deal　with　him；　one　way　or　another；　she　reassured　herself；　the　thought　warming　her；　though　I'll　watch　the　wine　and　maybe　even　the　water　in　case　of　the　old　Mickey　Finn。
　〃Peter；　the　men　here；　the　ones　on　the　make　…　are　they　into　Mickey　Finns？〃
　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　mean　Mata？〃
　〃No；　just　generally。〃
　〃I　doubt　if　a　Chinese　or　Eurasian　would　give　one　to　a　quai　loh　if　that's　what　you're　asking。〃　A　frown　creased　him。　〃I'd　say　you'd　have　to　be　fairly　circumspect　though；　with　them　and　with　Europeans。　Of　course；　to　be　blunt；　you'd　be　high　on　their　list。　You　have　what　it　takes　to　send　most　of　them　into　an　orgiastic　faint。〃
　〃Thanks　much！〃　She　leaned　on　the　balcony；　enjoying　the　pliment。　I　wish　Linc　were　here。　Be　patient。　〃Who's　that？〃　she　asked。　〃The　old　man　leering　at　the　young　girl？　Down　on　the　first　balcony。　Look；　he's　got　his　hand　on　her　butt！〃
　〃Ah；　that's　one　of　our　local　pirates　…　Four　Finger　Wu。　The　girl's　Venus　Poon；　a　local　TV　star。　The　youth　talking　to　them　is　his　nephew。　Actually　the　rumor　is　that　he's　a　son。　The　fellow's　got　a　Harvard　business　degree　and　a　U。S。　passport　and　he's　as　smart　as　a　whip。　Old　Four　Fingers　is　another　multimillionaire；　rumored　to　be　a　smuggler；　gold　and　anything；　with　one　official　wife；　three　concs　of　various　ages　and　now　he's　after　Venus　Poon。　She　was　Richard　Kwang's　current。　Was。　But　perhaps　now　with　the　Victoria　takeover　she'll　dump　Four　Fingers　and　go　back　to　him。　Four　Fingers　lives　on　a　rotten　old　Aberdeen　junk　and　hoards　his　enormous　wealth。　Ah；　look　there！　The　wrinkled　old　man　and　woman　the　tai…pan's　talking　to。〃
　She　followed　his　glance　to　the　next　box　but　one。
　〃That's　Shitee　T'Chung's　box；〃　he　said。　〃Shitee's　a　direct　descendent　of　May…may　and　Dirk　through　their　son　Duncan。　Did　the　tai…pan　ever　show　you　Dirk's　portraits？〃
　〃Yes。〃　A　small　shiver　touched　her　as　she　remembered　the　Hag's　knife　jammed　through　the　portrait　of　her　father；　Tyler　Brock。　She　considered　telling　him　about　it　but　decided　not　to。　〃There's　a　great　likeness；〃　she　said。
　〃There　certainly　is！　Wish　I　could　see　the　Long　Gallery。　Anyway；　that　old　couple　he's　talking　to　live　in　a　tenement；　a　two…room；　sixth…floor　walk…up　over　in　Glessing's　Point。　They　own　a　huge　block　of　Struan　stock。　Every　year　before　each　annual　board　meeting；　the　tai…pan；　whoever　he　is；　has　to　go　cap　in　hand　to　ask　for　the　right　to　vote　the　stock。　It's　always　granted；　that　was　part　of　the　original　agreement；　but　he　still　has　to　go　personally。〃
　〃Why's　that？〃
　〃Face。　And　because　of　the　Hag。〃　A　flicker　of　a　smile。　〃She　was　a　great　lady；　Casey。　Oh　how　I　would　like　to　have　met　her！　During　the　Boxer　revolt　in　1899…1900；　when　China　was　in　another　of　her　conflagrations；　the　Noble　House　had　all　its　possessions　in　Peking；　Tiensin；　Foochow　and　Canton　wiped　out　by　the　Boxer　terrorists　who　were　more　or　less　sponsored　and　certainly　encouraged　by　Tz'u　Hsi；　the　old　dowager　empress。　They　called　themselves　the　Righteous　Harmonious　Fists　and　their　battle　cry　was　'Protect　the　Ch'ing　and　kill　all　foreign　devils！'　Let's　face　it；　the　European　powers　and　Japan　had　pretty　much　partitioned　China。　Anyway；　the　Boxers　fell　on　all　foreign　business　houses；　settlements；　the　unprotected　areas；　and　obliterated　them。　The　Noble　House　was　in　terrible　straits。　At　that　time　the　nominal　tai…pan　was　again　old　Sir　Lochlin　Struan　…　he　was　Robb　Struan's　last　son；　born　with　a　withered　arm。　He　was　tai…pan　after　Culum。　The　Hag　had　appointed　him　when　he　was　eighteen；　just　after　Culum　died　…　then　again　after　Dirk　Dunross　…　and　she'd　kept　him　tied　to　her　apron　strings　till　he　died　in　1915　at　the　age　of　seventy…two。〃
　〃Where　do　you　get　all　this　information；　Peter？〃
　〃I　make　it　up；〃　he　said　grandly。　〃In　any　event；　the　Hag　needed　a　lot　of　money　fast。　Gornt's　grandfather　had　bought　up　a　lot　of　Struan's　paper　and　he　had　lowered　the　boom。　There　was　no　normal　source　of　finance；　nowhere　she　could　borrow；　for　all　Asia　…　all　the　hongs　…　were　equally　in　turmoil。　But　that　fellow's　father；　the　father　of　the　one　the　tai…pan's　talking　to；　was　the　King　of　the　Beggars　in　Hong　Kong。　Begging　used　to　be　a　huge　business　here。　Anyway；　this　man　came　to　see　her；　so　the　story　goes。　'I　e　to　buy　a　fifth　part　of　the　Noble　House；'　this　man　said　with　great　dignity；　'is　it　for　sale？　I　offer　200；000　taels　of　silver；'　which　was　exactly　the　amount　she　needed　to　redeem　her　paper。　For　face　they　haggled　and　he　settled　for　a　tenth；　10　percent　…　an　incredibly　fair　deal　…　both　knowing　that　he　could　have　had　30　or　40　percent　for　the　same　amount　because　by　that　time　the　Hag　was　desperate。　He　required　no　contract　other　than　her　chop　and　her　promise　that　once　a　year　she；　or　the　tai…pan；　would　e　to　him　or　his　descendents　wherever　he　or　they　lived；　to　ask　for　the　vote　of　the　stock。　'So　long　as　the　tai…pan　asks　…　the　voting　power　is　given。'
　〃　'But　why；　Honorable　King　of　the　Beggars？　Why　save　me　from　my　enemies？'　she　asked。
　〃　'Because　your　grandfather；　old　Green…Eyed　Devil；　once　saved　my　grandfather's　face　and　helped　him　bee　the　first　King　of　the　Beggars　of　Hong　Kong。'　〃
　Casey　sighed。　〃Do　you　believe　that；　Peter？〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃　He　looked　out　at　Happy　Valley。　〃Once　this　was　all　a　malarial　swamp。　Dirk　cleaned　that　up　too。〃　He　puffed　his　cigarette。　〃One　day　I'll　write　about　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃If　you　continue　to　smoke　you'll　never　write　anything。〃
　〃Point　well　taken。　Okay；　I'll　stop。　Now。　For　today。　Because　you're　pretty。〃　He　stubbed　the　cigarette　out。　Another　smile；　different。　〃Eeeee；　but　I　could　tell　some　stories　about　lots　of　the　people　you　met　today。　I　won't；　that's　not　fair；　not　right。　I　can　never　tell　the　real　stories；　though　I　know　lots！〃　She　laughed　with　him；　letting　her　eyes　wander　from　the　strange　old　couple　down　to　the　other　stands。　Involuntarily　she　gasped。　Sitting　in　the　lee　of　the　members'　balcony　she　saw　Orlanda。　Linc　was　with　her。　He　was　very　close。　Both　were　very　happy　together；　that　was　easy　to　see；　even　from　this　distance。
　〃What's　th…　〃　Peter　Marlowe　began；　then　he　saw　them　too。　〃Oh！　Not　to　worry。〃
　After　a　pause　she　took　her　eyes　away。　〃