jamesclavell.noblehouse-第36章
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our peace。 Oh ko；〃 the tiny wizened old woman continued without a breath as her clawlike fingers reached up automatically and deftly tied his tie； 〃and that's not all！ Number Two Daughter 。。。 Number Two Daughter just won't put on the dress that Honorable First Wife has chosen for her and her rage is flying to Java！ Eeeee； this family！ Here； my Son；〃 she took the telex envelope out of her pocket and handed it to Dunross； 〃here's another barbarian message bringing more congratulations for this happy day that your poor old Mother had to carry up the stairs herself on her poor old legs because the other good…for…nothing servants are good for nothing and bone idle。 。。。〃 She paused momentarily for breath。
〃Thank you； Mother；〃 he said politely。
〃In your Honorable Father's day； the servants worked and knew what to do and your old Mother didn't have to endure dirty strangers in our Great House！〃 She walked out muttering more curses on the caterers。 〃Now don't you be late； my Son； otherwise 。。。〃 She was still talking after she'd closed the door。
〃What's up with her？〃 Penelope asked wearily。
〃She's rattling on about the caterers； doesn't like strangers … you know what she's like。〃 He opened the envelope。 In it was the folded telex。
〃What was she saying about Glenna？〃 his wife asked； having recognized yee…chat； Second Daughter； though her Cantonese was minimal。
〃Just that she was having a fit about the dress you picked for her。〃
〃What's wrong with it？〃
〃Ah Tat didn't say。 Look； Penn； perhaps Glenna should just go to bed … it's almost past her bedtime now and sh… 〃
〃Dreamer！ No chance till hell freezes over。 Even Hag Struan wouldn't keep Glenna from her first grown…up as she calls it！ You did agree Ian； you agreed； I didn't； you did！〃
〃Yes； but don't you th… 〃
〃No。 She's quite old enough。 After all she's thirteen going on thirty。〃 Penelope calmly finished her champagne。 〃Even so I shall now deal with that young lady never mind。〃 She got up。 Then she saw his face。 He was staring at the telex。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃One of our people's been killed。 In London。 Grant。 Alan Medford Grant。〃
〃Oh。 I don't know him； do I？〃
〃I think you met him once in Ayrshire。 He was a small； pixyish man。 He was at one of our parties at Castle Avisyard … it was on our last leave。〃
She frowned。 〃Don't remember。〃 She took the offered telex。 It read： 〃Regret to inform you A。 M。 Grant was killed in motorcycle accident this morning。 Details will follow when I have them。 Sorry。 Regards； Kiernan。〃
〃Who's Kiernan？〃
〃His assistant。〃
〃Grant's 。。。 he was a friend？〃
〃In a way。〃
〃He's important to you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； sorry。〃
Dunross forced himself to shrug and keep his voice level。 But in his mind he was cursing obscenely。 〃Just one of those things。 Joss。〃
She wanted to miserate with him； recognizing at once the depth of his shock。 She knew he was greatly perturbed； trying to hide it … and she wanted to know immediately the who and the why of this unknown man。 But she held her peace。
That's my job； she reminded herself。 Not to ask questions； to be calm and to be there … to pick up the pieces； but only when I'm allowed to。 〃Are you ing down？〃
〃In a moment。〃
〃Don't be long； Ian。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Thanks again for my bracelet；〃 she said； liking it very much and he said； 〃It's nothing；〃 but she knew he had not really heard her。 He was already at the phone asking for long distance。 She walked out and closed the door quietly and stood miserably in the long corridor that led to the east and west wings； her heart thumping。 Curse all telexes and all telephones and curse Struan's and curse Hong Kong and curse all parties and all hangers…on and oh how I wish we could leave forever and forget Hong Kong and forget work and the Noble House and Big Business and the Pacific Rim and the stock market and all curs…
〃Motherrrrr！〃
She heard Glenna's voice screeching from the depths of her room around the far corner in the east wing and at once all her senses concentrated。 There was frustrated rage in Glenna's voice； but no danger； so she did not hurry； just called back； 〃I'm ing 。。。 what is it； Glenna？〃
〃Where are youuuuu？〃
〃I'm ing； darling；〃 she called out； her mind now on important things。 Glenna will look pretty in that dress； she thought。 Oh I know； she told herself happily； I'll lend her my little rope of pearls。 That'll make it perfect。
Her pace quickened。
Across the harbor in Kowloon； Divisional Staff Sergeant Tang…po； CID； the High Dragon； climbed the rickety stairs and went into the room。 The inner core of his secret triad was already there。 〃Get this through that bone some of you carry between your ears： the Dragons want Noble House Chen found and these pox…dripping； dung…eating Werewolves caught so fast even gods will blink！〃
〃Yes； Lord；〃 his underlings chorused； shocked at the quality of his voice。
They were in Tang…po's safe house； a small； drab three…room apartment behind a drab front door on the fifth floor of an equally drab apartment building over very modest shops in a dirty alley just three blocks from their police headquarters of Tsim Sha Tsui District that faced the harbor and the Peak on the tip of Kowloon Peninsula。 There were nine of them： one sergeant； two corporals； the rest constables … all plainclothes detectives of the CID； all Cantonese； all handpicked and sworn with blood oaths to loyalty and secrecy。 They were Tang…po's secret tong or Brotherhood； which protected all street gambling in Tsim Sha Tsui District。
〃Look everywhere； talk to everyone。 We have three days；〃 Tang…po said。 He was a strongly built man of fifty…five with slightly graying hair and heavy eyebrows and his rank was the highest he could have and not be an officer。 〃This is the order of me … all my Brother Dragons … and the High One himself。 Apart from that；〃 he added sourly； 〃Big Mountain of Dung has promised to demote and post us to the border or other places； all of us； if we fail； and that's the first time he's ever threatened that。 All gods piss from a great height on all foreign devils； particularly those motherless fornicators who won't accept their rightful squeeze and behave like civilized persons！〃
〃Amen！〃 Sergeant Lee said with great fervor。 He was a sometimes Catholic because in his youth he had gone to a Catholic school。
〃Big Mountain of Dung made it quite clear this afternoon： results； or off to the border where there's not a pot to piss in and no squeeze within twenty miles。 Ayeeyah； all gods protect us from failure！〃
〃Yes；〃 Corporal Ho said for all of them； making a note in his book。 He was a sharp…featured man who was studying at night school to bee an accountant； and it was he who kept the Brotherhood's books and minutes of their meetings。
〃Elder Brother；〃 Sergeant Lee began politely； 〃is there a fixed reward we can offer our informers？ Is there a minimum or a maximum？〃
〃Yes；〃 Tang…po told them； then added carefully； 〃The High Dragon has said 100；000 HK if within three days 。。。〃 The room was suddenly silent at the vastness of the reward。 〃。。。 half for finding Noble House Chen； half for finding the kidnappers。 And a bonus of 10；000 to the Brother whose informer produces either … and promotion。〃
〃One 10；000 for Chen and one ten for the kidnappers？〃 the corporal asked。 O gods grant me the prize； he prayed； as they all were praying。 〃Is that right； Elder Brother？〃
〃Dew neh loh moh that's what I said；〃 Tang…po replied sharply； puffing his cigarette。 〃Are your ears filled with pus？〃
〃Oh no； sorry Honorable Sir。 Please excuse me。〃
All their minds were on the prize。 Sergeant Lee was thinking； Eeee； 10；000 and … and promotion if in three days！ Ah； if within three days then it will be in time for Race Day and then 。。。 O all gods great and small bless me this once and a second time on Saturday's double quinella。
Tang…po was referring to his notes。 〃Now to other business。 Through the cooperation of Daytime Chang and the Honorable Song； the Brotherhood can use their showers daily at the V and A between 8：00 a。m。 and 9：00 a。m。； not 7：00 a。m。 to 8：00 a。m。 as before。 Wives and concubines on a roster basis。 Corporal Ho； you rearrange the roster。〃
〃Hey； Honored Lord；〃 one of the young detectives called out； 〃did you hear about Golden Pubics？〃
〃Eh？〃
The youth related what Daytime Chang had told him this morning when he went to the hotel kitchens for breakfast。 They all guffawed。
〃Ayeeyah； imagine that！ Like gold； heya？〃
〃Have you ever pillowed a foreign devil； Honorable Lord？〃
〃No never。 No。 Ayeeyah； the very thought 。。。 ugh！〃
〃I'd like one；〃 Lee said with a laugh； 〃just to see what was what！〃
They laughed with him and one called out； 〃A Jade Gate's a Jade Gate but they say some foreign devils are lopsided！〃
〃I heard they were cleft sideways！〃
〃Honored Sir； there was another thing；〃 the young detective said when the laughter had died down。 〃Daytime Chang told me to tell you Golden Pubics has a miniature transmitter…receiver … best he'd ever seen； better than anything we've got； even in Special Branch。 She carries it around with her。〃
Tang…po stared at him。 〃That's curious。 Now why should a foreign devil woman want a thing like that？〃
Lee said； 〃Something to do with the guns？〃
〃I don't know； Younger Brother。 Women with transceivers？ Interesting。 It wasn't in her luggage when our people went through it last night； so it must've been in her handbag。 Good； very good。 Corporal Ho； after our meeting leave a gift for Daytime Chang … a couple of reds。〃 A red note was 100 HK。 〃I'd certainly like to know who those guns were for；〃 he added thoughtfully。 〃Make sure all our informers know I'm very interested in that too。〃
〃Is Noble House Chen tied into the guns and these two foreign devils？〃 Lee asked。
〃I think so； Younger Brother。 I think so。 Yes。 Another curiosity … to send an ear is not civilized … not so soon。 Not civilized at all。〃
〃Ah； then you think the Werewolves're foreign devils？ Or fornicating half…persons？ Or Portuguese？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Tang…po said sourly。 〃But it happened in our district； so it's a matter of face for all of us。 Big Mountain of Dung is very enraged。 His face is in the mangle too。〃
〃Eeee；〃 Lee said； 〃that fornicator has such a very filthy temper。〃
〃Yes。 Perhaps the information about the transceiver will appease him。 I think I'll ask all my Brothers to put surveillance on Golden Pubics and her gun…running friend just in case。 Now； there was something else。 。。。〃 Again Tang…po referred to his notes。 〃Ah yes； why is our contribution from the Happy Hostess Night Club down 30 percent？〃
〃A new ownership's just taken over； Honored Sir；〃 Sergeant Lee； in whose area the dance hall was； said。 〃One Eye Pok sold out to a Shanghainese fornicator called Wang … Happy Wang。 Happy Wang says the Fragrant Grease's too high； business is bad； very bad。〃
〃Dew neh loh moh on all Shanghainese。 Is it？〃
〃It's down； but not much。〃
〃That's right； Honored Sir；〃 Corporal Ho said。 〃I was there at midnight to collect the fornicating week's advance … the stink fornicating place was about half full。〃
〃Any foreign devils there？〃
〃Two or three； Honored Lord。 No one of importance。〃
〃Give Honorable Happy Wang a message from me：
