jamesclavell.noblehouse-第23章

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riends　from　your　acquaintances。　For　us　first　names　are　a　private　thing。　But　as　the　tai…pan　hasn't　objected　to　the　astonishing　〃Ian〃　there's　not　a　thing　I　can　do。　〃Why　not；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　he　said　blandly。　〃No　need　to　stand　on　ceremony。　Is　there？〃
　Jacques　deVille　and　Struan　and　Dunross　chuckled　inside　at　the　〃Mr。　Bartlett；〃　and　the　way　Gavallan　had　neatly　turned　the　unwanted　acceptance　into　a　put…down　and　a　loss　of　face　that　neither　of　the　Americans　would　ever　understand。
　〃Thanks；　Andrew；〃　Bartlett　said。　Then　he　added；　〃Ian；　may　I　bend　the　rules　and　ask　one　more　question　before　lunch：　Can　you　finalize　by　next　Tuesday；　one　way　or　another？〃
　Instantly　the　currents　in　the　room　reversed。　Lim　and　the　other　servants　hesitated；　shocked。　All　eyes　went　to　Dunross。　Bartlett　thought　he　had　gone　too　far　and　Casey　was　sure　of　it。　She　had　been　watching　Dunross。　His　expression　had　not　changed　but　his　eyes　had。　Everyone　in　the　room　knew　that　the　tai…pan　had　been　called　as　a　man　will　call　another　in　a　poker　game。　Put　up　or　shut　up。　By　next　Tuesday。
　They　waited。　The　silence　seemed　to　hang。　And　hang。
　Then　Dunross　broke　it。　〃I'll　let　you　know　tomorrow；〃　he　said；　his　voice　calm；　and　the　moment　passed　and　everyone　sighed　inwardly　and　the　waiters　continued　and　everyone　relaxed。　Except　Linbar。　He　could　still　feel　the　sweat　on　his　hands　because　he　alone　of　them　knew　the　thread　that　went　through　all　of　the　descendents　of　Dirk　Struan　…　a　strange；　almost　primeval；　sudden　urge　to　violence　…　and　he　had　seen　it　almost　surface　then；　almost　but　not　quite。　This　time　it　had　gone　away。　But　the　knowledge　of　it　and　its　closeness　terrified　him。
　His　own　line　was　descended　from　Robb　Struan；　Dirk　Struan's　half…brother　and　partner；　so　he　had　none　of　Dirk　Struan's　blood　in　his　veins。　He　bitterly　regretted　it　and　loathed　Dunross　even　more　for　making　him　sick　with　envy。
　Hag　Struan　on　you；　Ian　bloody　Dunross；　and　all　your　generations；　he　thought；　and　shuddered　involuntarily　at　the　thought　of　her。
　〃What's　up；　Linbar？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃Oh　nothing；　tai…pan；〃　he　said；　almost　jumping　out　of　his　skin。　〃Nothing　…　just　a　sudden　thought。　Sorry。〃
　〃What　thought？〃
　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　Hag　Struan。〃
　Dunross's　spoon　hesitated　in　midair　and　the　others　stared　at　him。　〃That's　not　exactly　good　for　your　digestion。〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　Bartlett　glanced　at　Linbar；　then　at　Dunross。　〃Who's　Hag　Struan？〃
　〃A　skeleton；〃　Dunross　said　with　a　dry　laugh；　〃We've　lots　of　skeletons　in　our　family。〃
　〃Who　hasn't？〃　Casey　said。
　〃Hag　Struan　was　our　eternal　bogeyman　…　still　is。〃
　〃Not　now；　tai…pan；　surely；〃　Gavallan　said。　〃She's　been　dead　for　almost　fifty　years。〃
　〃Maybe　she'll　die　out　with　us；　with　Linbar；　Kathy　and　me；　with　our　generation；　but　I　doubt　it。〃　Dunross　looked　at　Linbar　strangely。　〃Will　Hag　Struan　get　out　of　her　coffin　tonight　and　gobble　us　up？〃
　〃I　swear　to　God　I　don't　like　even　joking　about　her　like　that；　tai…pan。〃
　〃The　pox　on　Hag　Struan；〃　Dunross　said。　〃If　she　was　alive　I'd　say　it　to　her　face。〃
　〃I　think　you　would。　Yes；〃　Gavallan　laughed　suddenly。　〃That　I'd　like　to　have　seen。〃
　〃So　would　I。〃　Dunross　laughed　with　him；　then　he　saw　Casey's　expression。　〃Ah；　just　bravado；　Casey。　Hag　Struan　was　a　fiend　from　hell　if　you　believe　half　the　legends。　She　was　Culum　Struan's　wife　…　he　was　Dirk　Struan's　son　…　our　founder's　son。　Her　maiden　name　was　Tess；　Tess　Brock　and　she　was　the　daughter　of　Dirk's　hated　enemy；　Tyler　Brock。　Culum　and　Tess　eloped　in　1841；　so　the　story　goes。　She　was　sweet　sixteen　and　a　beauty；　and　he　heir　to　the　Noble　House。　It　was　rather　like　Romeo　and　Juliet　…　except　they　lived　and　it　made　no　difference　whatsoever　to　the　blood　feud　of　Dirk　against　Tyler　or　the　Struans　versus　the　Brocks；　it　just　heightened　and　plicated　it。　She　was　born　Tess　Brock　in　1825　and　died　Hag　Struan　in　1917；　aged　ninety…two；　toothless；　hairless；　besotten；　vicious　and　dreadful　to　her　very　last　day。　Life's　strange；　heya？〃
　〃Yes。　Unbelievable　sometimes；〃　Casey　said　thoughtfully。　〃Why　is　it　people　change　so　much　growing　old　…　get　so　sour　and　bitter？　Particularly　women？〃
　Fashion；　Dunross　could　have　answered　at　once；　and　because　men　and　women　age　differently。　It's　unfair　…　but　an　immortal　fact。　A　woman　sees　the　lines　beginning　and　the　sagging　beginning　and　the　skin　no　longer　so　fresh　and　firm　but　her　man's　still　fine　and　sought　after　and　then　she　sees　the　young　dolly　birds　and　she's　petrified　she'll　lose　him　to　them　and　eventually　she　will　because　he'll　bee　bored　with　her　carping　and　the　self…fed　agony　of　the　self…mutilation　…　and　too；　because　of　his　built…in　uncontrollable　urge　toward　youth。　。。。
　〃Ayeeyah；　there's　no　aphrodisiac　in　the　world　like　youth；〃　old　Chen…Chen　…　Phillip　Chen's　father　…　Ian's　mentor　would　always　say。　〃None；　young　Ian；　there's　none。　None　none　none。　Listen　to　me。　The　yang　needs　the　yin　juices；　but　young　juices；　oh　yes　they　should　be　young；　the　juices　young　to　extend　your　life　and　nourish　the　yang　…　oh　oh　oh！　Remember；　the　older　your　Male　Stalk　bees　the　more　it　needs　youth　and　change　and　young　enthusiasm　to　perform　exuberantly；　and　the　more　the　merrier！　But　also　remember　that　the　Beauteous　Box　that　nests　between　all　their　thighs；　peerless　though　it　is；　delectable；　delicious；　unearthly；　oh　so　sweet　and　oh　so　satisfying　as　it　also　is；　beware！　Ha！　It's　also　a　trap；　ambush；　torture　chamber　and　your　coffin！〃　Then　the　old；　old　man　would　chuckle　and　his　belly　would　jump　up　and　down　and　the　tears　would　run　down　his　face。　〃Oh　the　gods　are　marvelous；　are　they　not？　They　grant　us　heaven　on　earth　but　it's　living　hell　when　you　can't　get　your　one…eyed　monk　to　raise　his　head　to　enter　paradise。　Joss；　my　child！　That's　our　joss　…　to　crave　the　Greedy　Gulley　until　she　eats　you　up；　but　oh　oh　oh　。。。〃
　It　must　be　very　difficult　for　women；　particularly　Americans；　Dunross　thought；　this　trauma　of　growing　old；　the　inevitability　of　it　happening　so　early；　too　early　…　worse　in　America　than　anywhere　else　on　earth。
　Why　should　I　tell　you　a　truth　you　must　already　know　in　your　bones；　Dunross　asked　himself。　Or　say　further　that　American　fashion　demands　you　try　to　grasp　an　eternal　youth　neither　God　nor　devil　nor　surgeon　can　give　you。　You　can't　be　twenty…five　when　you're　thirty…five　nor　have　a　thirty…five…year…old　youthfulness　when　you're　forty…five；　or　forty…five　when　you're　fifty…five。　Sorry；　I　know　it's　unfair　but　it's　a　fact。
　Ayeeyah；　he　thought　fervently；　thank　God　…　if　there　is　a　God　…　thank　all　gods　great　and　small　I'm　a　man　and　not　a　woman。　I　pity　you；　American　lady　with　the　beautiful　names。
　But　Dunross　answered　simply；　〃I　suppose　that's　because　life's　no　bed　of　roses　and　we're　fed　stupid　pap　and　bad　values　growing　up　…　not　like　the　Chinese　who're　so　sensible　…　Christ；　how　unbelievably　sensible　they　are！　In　Hag　Struan's　case　perhaps　it　was　her　rotten　Brock　blood。　I　think　it　was　her　joss　…　her　fate　or　luck　or　unluck。　She　and　Culum　had　seven　children；　four　sons　and　three　daughters。　All　her　sons　died　violently；　two　of　the　'flux'　…　probably　plague　…　here　in　Hong　Kong；　one　was　murdered；　knifed　in　Shanghai；　and　the　last　was　drowned　off　Ayr　in　Scotland；　where　our　family　lands　are。　That'd　be　enough　to　send　any　mother　around　the　bend；　that　and　the　hatred　and　envy　that　surrounded　Culum　and　her　all　their　lives。　But　when　you　add　this　to　all　the　problems　of　living　in　Asia；　the　passing　over　of　the　Noble　House　to　other　people's　sons　。。。　well；　you　can　understand。〃　Dunross　thought　a　moment；　then　added；　〃Legend　has　it　she　ruled　Culum　Struan　all　his　life　and　tyrannized　the　Noble　House　till　the　day　she　died　…　and　all　tai…pans；　all　daughters…in…law；　all　sons…in…law　and　all　the　children　as　well。　Even　after　she　died。　I　can　remember　one　English　nanny　I　had；　may　she　burn　in　hell　forever；　saying　to　me；　'You　better　behave；　Master　Ian；　or　I'll　conjure　up　Hag　Struan　and　she'll　gobble　you　up。　。。。'　I　can't　have　been　more　than　five　or　six。〃
　〃How　terrible；〃　Casey　said。
　Dunross　shrugged。　〃Nannies　do　that　to　children。〃
　〃Not　all　of　them；　thank　God；〃　Gavallan　said。
　〃I　never　had　one　who　was　any　good　at　all。　Or　a　gan　sun　who　was　ever　bad。〃
　〃What's　a　gan　sun？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃It　means　'near　body；'　it's　the　correct　name　for　an　amah。　In　China　pre…'49；　children　of　well…to…do　families　and　most　of　the　old　European　and　Eurasian　families　out　here　always　had　their　own　'near　body'　to　look　after　them　…　in　many　cases　they　kept　them　all　their　lives。　Most　gan　sun　take　a　vow　of　celibacy。　You　can　always　recognize　them　by　the　long　queue　they　wear　down　their　back。　My　gan　sun's　called　Ah　Tat。　She's　a　great　old　bird。　She's　still　with　us；〃　Dunross　said。
　Gavallan　said；　〃Mine　was　more　like　a　mother　to　me　than　my　real　mother。〃
　〃So　Hag　Struan's　your　great…grandmother？〃　Casey　said　to　Linbar。
　〃Christ　no！　No；　I'm　…　I'm　not　from　Dirk　Struan's　line；〃　he　replied　and　she　saw　sweat　on　his　forehead　that　she　did　not　understand。　〃My　line　es　from　his　half…brother；　Robb　Struan。　Robb　Struan　was　Dirk's　partner。　The　tai…pan's　descended　directly　from　Dirk；　but　even　so　。。。　none　of　us're　descended　from　the　Hag。〃
　〃You're　all　related？〃　Casey　asked；　feeling　curious　tensions　in　the　room。　She　saw　Linbar　hesitate　and　glance　at　Dunross　as　she　looked　at　him。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Andrew's　married　to　my　sister；　Kathy。　Jacques　is　a　cousin；　and　Linbar　。。。　Linbar　carries　our　name。〃　Dunross　laughed。　〃There're　still　lots　of　people　in　Hong　Kong　who　remember　the　Hag；　Casey。　She　always　wore　a　long　black　dress　with　a　big　bustle　and　a　funny　hat　with　a　huge　moth…eaten　feather；　everything　totally　out　of　fashion；　and　she'd　have　a　black　stick　with　a　silver　handle　on　it　with　her。　Most　times　she　was　carried　in　a　sort　of　palanquin　by　four　bearers　up　and　down　the　streets。　She　wasn't　much　more　than　five　foot　but　round　and　tough　as　a　coolie's　foot。　The　Chinese　were　equally　petrified　of　her。　Her　nickname　was　'Honorable　Old　Foreign　Devil　Mother　with　the　Evil　Eye　and　Dragon's　Teeth。'　〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Gavallan　said　with　a　short　laugh。　〃My　father　and　grandmother　knew　her。　They　had　their　own　trading　pany　here　and　in　Shanghai；　Casey；　but　got　more　or　less　wiped　out　in　the　Great　War　and　joined　up　with　Struan's　in　'19。　My　old　man　told　me　that　when　he　was　a　boy　he　and　his　friends　used　to　follow　the　Hag　around　the　streets　and　when　she　got　particularly　angry　she'd　take　out　her　false　teeth　and　chomp　them　at　them。〃　They　all　laughed　with　him　as　he　parodied　her。　〃My　old　man　swore　the　teeth　were　two　feet　tall　and　on　some　form　of　spring　and　they'd　go；　crunch　crunch　crunch！〃
　〃Hey　Andrew；　I'd　forgotten　that；〃　Linbar　broke　in　with　a　grin。　〃My　gan　sun；　old　Ah　Fu；　knew　Hag　Struan　well　and　every　time　you'd　mention　her；　Ah　Fu's　eyes'd　turn　up　and　she'd　petition　the　gods　to　protect　her　from　the　evil　eye　and　magic　teeth。　My　brother　Kyle　and　I　。。。〃　He　stopped；　then　began　again　in　a　different　voice。　〃We　used　to　tease　Ah　Fu　about　her。〃
　Dunross　said　to　Casey；　〃There's　a　portrait　of　her　up　at　the　Great　House　…　two　in　fact。　If　you're　interested；　I'll　show　them　to　you　one　day。〃
　〃Oh　thanks　…　I'd　like　that。　Is　there　one　of　Dirk　Struan？〃
　〃Several。　And　one　of　Robb；　his　half…brother。〃
　〃I'd　love　to　see　them。〃
　〃Me　too；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃Hell；　I've　never　even　seen　a　photo　of　my　grandparents；　let　alone　a　portrait　of　my　great…great…grandfather。　I've　always　wanted　to　know　about　my　forebears；　wh