jamesclavell.noblehouse-第217章

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　crew…cut　heads。
　On　the　far　side　of　the　roof　the　entrance　to　Ginny　Fu's　tenement　jutted　like　an　ancient　funnel。　The　door　was　ajar。　He　went　down。
　〃Halloa；　Gregy；〃　Ginny　Fu　said；　breathlessly　opening　her　front　door　for　him。　She　was　dressed　as　he　had　ordered　in　a　drab　coolie　outfit　with　a　big　straw　conical　hat　hanging　down　her　back；　her　face　and　hands　dirtied。　〃How　I　look？　Like　film　star；　heya？〃
　〃Greta　Garbo　herself；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh　as　she　ran　into　his　arms　and　gave　him　a　great　hug。
　〃You　want　jig…jig　more　'fore　go；　heya？〃
　〃Nyet。　Plenty　of　time　in　the　next　weeks。　Plenty；　heya？〃　He　set　her　down。　He　had　pillowed　with　her　at　dawn；　more　to　prove　his　manhood　than　out　of　desire。　That's　the　problem；　he　thought。　No　desire。　She's　boring。　〃Now；　you　understand　plan；　heya？〃
　〃Oh　yes；〃　she　said　grandly。　〃I　find　go…down　7　and　join　coolies；　carry　bales　to　ship。　Once　on　ship　I　go　door　opposite　stairway；　go　in　and　give　paper。〃　She　pulled　it　out　of　her　pocket　to　show　that　she　had　it　safely。　On　the　paper　was　written　in　Russian；　〃Cabin　3。〃　Boradinov　would　be　expecting　her。　〃In　3　cabin；　can　use　bath；　change　to　clothes　you　buy　and　wait。〃　Another　big　smile。　〃Heya？〃
　〃Excellent。〃　The　clothes　had　cost　little　and　the　buying　saved　any　baggage。　Much　more　simple　without　baggage。　Baggage　would　be　noticed。　Nothing　about　her　should　be　noticed。
　〃Sure　no　need　bring　anything；　Gregy？〃　she　asked　anxiously。
　〃No；　only　makeup　things；　woman　things。　Everything　in　pocket；　understand？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　haughtily。　〃Am　I　fool？〃
　〃Good。　Then　off　you　go。〃
　Once　more　she　embraced　him。　〃Oh　thanks　holiday；　Gregy　…　I　be　bestest　ever。〃　She　left。
　The　meeting　with　Koronski　had　made　him　hungry。　He　went　to　the　battered　refrigerator　and　found　the　chocolates　he　sought。　He　munched　on　one；　then　lit　the　gas　stove　and　began　to　fry　some　eggs。　His　anxiety　began　to　return。　Don't　worry；　he　ordered　himself。　The　plan　will　work；　you　will　get　possession　of　the　tai…pan　and　it　will　be　routine　at　police　headquarters。
　Put　those　things　aside。　Think　of　Ginny。　Perhaps　at　sea　she　won't　be　boring。　She'll　divert　the　nights；　some　of　the　nights；　the　tai…pan　the　days　until　we　dock。　By　then　he'll　be　empty　and　she'll　vanish　into　a　new　life　and　that　danger　will　be　gone　forever　and　I'll　go　to　my　dacha　where　the　Zergeyev　hellcat'll　be　waiting　and　we'll　fight；　she　calling　me　every　obscenity　until　I　lose　my　temper　and　tear　her　clothes　off；　maybe　use　the　whip　again　and　she'll　fight　back　and　fight　back　until　I　fight　into　her　and　explode；　explode　taking　her　with　me　sometimes；　Kristos　how　I　wish　it　was　every　time。　Then　sleeping；　never　knowing　when　she'll　kill　me　in　my　sleep。　But　she's　been　warned。　If　anything　happens　to　me　my　men　will　give　her　to　lepers　on　the　east　side　of　Vladivostok　with　the　rest　of　her　family。
　The　radio　announced　the　seven　o'clock　news　in　English。　〃Good　morning。　This　is　Radio　Hong　Kong。　More　heavy　rain　is　expected。　The　Victoria　Bank　has　confirmed　officially　that　it　will　assume　all　depositor　debts　of　the　Ho…Pak　and　asks　depositors　to　line　up　peacefully　if　they　require　their　money　on　Monday。
　〃During　the　night　there　were　numerous　land　and　mud　slides　throughout　the　Colony。　Worst　hit　were　the　squatters'　settlement　area　above　Aberdeen；　Sau　Ming　Ping；　and　Sui　Fai　Terrace　in　Wan…chai　where　six　major　landslips　affected　buildings　in　the　area。　In　all；　thirty…three　persons　are　known　to　have　lost　their　lives　and　many　are　feared　still　buried　in　the　slides。
　〃There　are　no　new　developments　in　the　foul　murder　and　kidnapping　of　Mr。　John　Chen　by　the　Werewolf　gang。　Rewards　of　100；000　for　information　leading　to　their　capture　have　been　posted。
　〃Reports　from　London　confirm　that　this　year's　harvest　in　the　USSR　has　again　failed。　。。。〃
　Suslev　didn't　hear　the　rest　of　the　broadcast。　He　knew　the　report　from　London　was　true。　Top…secret　KGB　forecasts　had　predicted　the　harvest　would　once　more　be　below　even　that　necessary　for　subsistence。
　Kristos；　why　the　hell　can't　we　feed　ourselves？　he　wanted　to　shout；　knowing　famine；　knowing　the　bloatedness　and　pains　in　his　own　lifetime　let　alone　the　ghastly　tales　his　father　and　mother　would　tell。
　So　there's　to　be　famine　once　more；　tightening　the　belt　once　more；　having　to　buy　wheat　from　abroad；　using　up　our　hard…earned　foreign　currency；　our　future　in　danger；　terrible　danger；　food　our　Achilles'　heel。　Never　enough。　Never　enough　skill　or　tractors　or　fertilizers　or　wealth；　all　the　real　wealth　going　for　arms　and　armies　and　airplanes　and　ships　first；　far　more　important　to　bee　strong　enough　to　protect　ourselves　from　capitalist　swine　and　revisionist　Chinese　swine　and　carry　the　war　to　them　and　smash　them　before　they　smash　us；　but　never　enough　food　for　us　and　our　buffer　lands　…　the　Balkans；　Hungary；　Czechoslovakia；　Poland；　East　Germany；　the　Baltic　lands。　Why　is　it　those　bastards　could　feed　themselves　most　times？　Why　is　it　they　falsify　their　harvests　and　cheat　us　and　lie　and　steal　from　us？　We　protect　them　and　what　do　they　do？　Brood　and　hate　us　and　yet　without　our　armies　and　the　KGB　to　keep　the　filthy　scum　revisionist　dissidents　in　thrall；　they'll　foment　rebellion　…　like　East　Germany　and　Hungary　…　and　turn　the　stupid　masses　against　us。
　But　famine　causes　revolution。　Always。　Famine　will　always　make　the　masses　rise　up　against　their　government。　So　what　can　we　do？　Keep　them　chained　…　all　of　them　…　until　we　smash　America　and　Canada　and　take　their　wheatlands　for　ourselves。　Then　our　system　will　double　their　harvest。
　Don't　fool　yourself；　he　thought；　agonized。　Our　agricultural　system　doesn't　work。　It　never　has。　One　day　it　will。　Meanwhile　we　cannot　feed　ourselves。　Those　motherless　turd　farmers　should　。。。
　〃Stop　it；〃　Suslev　muttered　aloud；　〃you're　not　responsible；　it's　not　your　problem。　Deal　with　your　own　problems；　have　faith　in　the　Party　and　Marxist…Leninism！〃
　The　eggs　were　done　now　and　he　made　toast。　Rain　spattered　the　open　windows。　An　hour　ago　the　all…night　torrent　had　ceased；　but　across　the　street　and　above　the　opposite　tenement　there　were　the　dark　clouds。　More　rain　there；　he　thought；　lots　more。　It's　either　god…cursed　drought　or　god…cursed　flood　in　this　cesspit！　A　gust　caught　one　of　the　sodden；　cardboard　makeshift　lean…tos　on　the　roof　and　collapsed　it。　At　once　stoic　repairs　began；　children　barely　old　enough　to　walk　helping。
　With　deft　hands；　liking　neatness；　he　laid　himself　a　place　at　the　table；　humming　in　time　with　the　radio　music。　Everything's　fine；　he　reassured　himself。　Dunross　will　go　to　the　party；　Koronski　will　supply　the　means；　Plumm　the　client；　Roger　the　protection；　and　all　I　have　to　do　is　go　to　police　headquarters　for　an　hour　or　so；　then　leisurely　board　my　ship。　On　the　midnight　tide　I　kiss　my　arse　to　Hong　Kong；　leaving　the　Werewolves　to　bury　the　dead。　。。。
　The　hackles　of　his　neck　rose　as　he　heard　the　screech　of　an　approaching　police　siren。　He　stood；　paralyzed。　But　the　siren　whined　past　and　went　away。　Stoically　he　sat　and　began　to　eat。　Then　the　secret　phone　rang。
　
　72
　
　7：30　A。M。：
　The　small　Bell　helicopter　swung　in　over　the　city；　just　below　the　overcast；　and　continued　climbing　the　slopes　to　ease　past　the　Peak　funicular　and　the　multiple　high　rises　that　dotted　the　steepness。　Now　the　chopper　was　almost　in　the　bottom　layer　of　cloud。
　Warily　the　pilot　climbed　another　hundred　feet；　slowed　and　hovered；　then　saw　the　misted　helipad　in　the　grounds　of　the　Great　House　near　a　great　jacaranda　tree。　Immediately　he　swooped　to　the　landing。　Dunross　was　already　waiting　there。　He　ducked　low　to　avoid　the　swirling　blades；　got　into　the　left　side　of　the　bubble　and　buckled　on　his　safety　belts　and　headphones。　〃Morning；　Duncan；〃　he　said　into　the　mouth　mike。　〃Didn't　think　you'd　make　it。〃
　〃Nor　me；〃　the　older　man　said；　and　Dunross　adjusted　the　headphone　volume　to　hear　better。　〃Doubt　if　we'll　be　able　to　get　back；　tai…pan。　The　overcast's　dropping　too　fast　again。　Best　leave　if　we're　leaving。　You　have　control。〃
　〃Here　we　go。〃
　Gently　Dunross's　left　hand　twisted　the　throttle　grip　and　increased　the　revs　smoothly　and　eased　the　lever　up；　while　his　right　hand　moved　the　control　stick　right；　left；　forward；　back；　inching　it　in　a　gentle　tiny　circle；　seeking　and　feeling　for　the　air　cushion　that　was　building　nicely　…　his　left　hand　controlling　speed；　climbing　or　descending；　his　right　hand　direction；　his　feet　on　the　rudder　pedals　keeping　the　whole　unstable　aircraft　straight；　preventing　torque。　Dunross　loved　to　fly　choppers。　It　was　so　much　more　of　a　challenge　than　fixed…wing　flying。　It　required　so　much　concentration　and　skill　that　he　forgot　his　problems；　the　flying　cleansing　him。　But　he　rarely　flew　alone。　The　sky　was　for　professionals　or　for　those　who　flew　daily；　so　he　would　always　have　a　pilot…instructor　along　with　him；　the　presence　of　the　other　man　not　detracting　from　his　pleasure。
　His　hands　felt　the　cushion　building　and　then　the　craft　was　an　inch　airborne。　Instantly　he　corrected　the　slight　slide　to　the　right　as　a　wind　gusted。　He　checked　his　instruments；　feeling　for　dangers；　eyes　outside；　ears　tuned　to　the　music　of　the　engine。　When　all　was　stable；　he　increased　revs　as　he　raised　the　left　lever；　eased　the　stick　forward　and　left　an　inch；　feet　pensating；　and　went　into　a　skidding　left　turn；　gaining　altitude　and　speed　to　drop　away　down　the　mountainside。
　Once　he　was　steady　he　pushed　the　transmit　button　on　the　stick；　reporting　in　to　Air　Traffic　Control　at　Kai　Tak。
　〃Watch　your　revs；〃　Mac　said。
　〃Got　it。　Sorry。〃　Dunross　corrected　just　a　fraction　too　hastily　and　cursed　himself；　then　got　the　helicopter　trimmed　nicely；　cruising　sweetly；　everything　in　the　green；　a　thousand　feet　above　sea　level　heading　out　across　the　harbor　toward　Kowloon；　the　New　Territories　and　the　hill…climb　area。
　〃You　really　going　to　do　the　hill　climb；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Doubt　it；　Duncan；〃　he　said　through　the　mike。　〃But　I　wanted　our　ride　anyway。　I've　been　looking　forward　to　it　all　week。〃　Duncan　MacIver　ran　this　small　helicopter　business　from　the　airport。　Most　of　his　business　was　local；　most　from　government　for　surveys。　The　police　hired　him　sometimes；　the　fire　department。　Customs。　He　was　a　short　man；　ex…RAF；　with　a　lined　face；　very　wide；　sharp　eyes　that　raked　constantly。
　Once　Dunross　was　settled　and　trimmed；　MacIver　leaned　forward　and　put　circles　of　cardboard　over　the　instruments　to　force　Dunross　to　fly　by　feel　and　sound　only；　to　listen　to　the　pitch　and　tone；　slowing　meant　the　engine　was　working　harder　so　they　were　climbing　…　watch　for　stalling　…　and　faster；　that　it　was　diving；　losing　altitude。
　〃Tai…pan；　look　down　there。〃　MacIver　pointed　at　the　scar　on　one　of　the　mountainsides　just　outside　Kowloon；　it　scored　a　path　through　one　of　the　vast　squatter　hovel　slums。　〃There're　mud　slides　all　over。　Did　you　hear　the　seven　o'clock　news？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　did。〃
　〃Let　me　take　her　a　minute。〃　Dunross　took　his　hands　and　feet　off　the　controls。　MacIver　went　into　a　lovely　diving　turn　to　swoop　nearer　the　settlement　to　examine　the　damage。　The　damage　was　great。　Perhaps　two　hundred　of　the　hovels　were　scattered　and　buried。　Others　near　the　slide　were　now　even　more　precarious　than　before。　Smoke　from　the　fires　that　came　with　every　slide　still　hung　like　a　pall。
　〃Christ！　It　looks　terrible。〃
　〃I　was　up　at　dawn　this　morning。　The　fire　department　asked　me　to　help　them　on　Hill　Three；　over　above　Aberdeen。　They　had　a　slide　there　a　co