jamesclavell.noblehouse-第43章

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　〃Yes。　Everything's　grand；　my　darling；〃　Dunross　was　saying　as　he　gave　her　another　little　hug；　and　Bartlett　saw　Adryon　gather　herself　within　the　warmth。　〃Nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　〃Linc　was　showing　me　how　he　played　pool　and　then　。。。　It　was　just　so　sudden。　He　was　like　an　apparition。〃
　〃You　could　have　knocked　me　down　with　a　feather　too　when　he　appeared　like　the　Bad　Fairy。〃　Dunross　laughed；　then　added　to　Bartlett　and　Casey；　〃Quillan　goes　in　for　dramatics。〃　Then　to　Bartlett　alone；　〃We'll　chat　about　that　after　dinner；　you　and　I。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Bartlett　said；　noticing　the　eyes　weren't　smiling。
　The　dinner　gong　sounded。　〃Ah；　thank　God！〃　Dunross　said。　〃e　along；　everyone；　food　at　long　last。　Casey；　you're　at　my　table。〃　He　kept　his　arm　around　Adryon；　loving　her；　and　guided　her　out　into　the　light。
　Casey　and　Bartlett　followed。
　
　Gornt　got　into　the　driver's　seat　of　the　black　Silver　Cloud　Rolls　that　he　had　parked　just　outside　the　Great　House。　The　night　was　good；　though　the　humidity　had　increased　again。　He　was　very　pleased　with　himself。　And　now　for　dinner　and　Jason　Plumm；　he　thought。　Once　that　bugger's　mitted；　Ian　Dunross's　as　good　as　finished　and　I　own　this　house　and　Struan's　and　the　whole　kit　and　caboodle！
　It　couldn't　have　been　better：　first　Casey　and　Ian　almost　at　once；　and　everything　laid　out　in　front　of　him　and　in　front　of　her。　Then　Havergill　and　Richard　Kwang　together。　Then　Bartlett　in　the　billiard　room　and　then　Ian　himself　again。
　Perfect！
　Now　Ian's　called；　Bartlett's　called；　Casey；　Havergill；　Richard　Kwang　and　so's　Plumm。　Ha！　If　they　only　knew。
　Everything's　perfect。　Except　for　Adryon。　Pity　about　her；　pity　that　children　have　to　inherit　the　feuds　of　the　fathers。　But　that's　life。　Joss。　Pity　she　won't　go　out　into　the　world　and　leave　Hong　Kong；　like　Annagrey　…　at　least　until　Ian　Dunross　and　I　have　settled　our　differences；　finally。　Better　she's　not　here　to　see　him　smashed　…　nor　Penelope　too。　Joss　if　they're　here；　joss　if　they're　not。　I'd　like　him　here　when　I　take　possession　of　his　box　at　the　races；　the　permanent　seat　on　all　boards；　all　the　sinecures；　the　legislature　…　oh　yes。　Soon　they'll　all　be　mine。　Along　with　the　envy　of　all　Asia。
　He　laughed。　Yes。　And　about　time。　Then　all　the　ghosts　will　sleep。　God　curse　all　ghosts！
　He　switched　on　the　ignition　and　started　the　engine；　enjoying　the　luxury　of　real　leather　and　fine　wood；　the　smell　rich　and　exclusive。　Then　he　put　the　car　into　gear　and　swung　down　the　driveway；　past　the　carpark　where　all　the　other　cars　were；　down　to　the　huge　wrought…iron　main　gates　with　the　Struan　arms　entwined。　He　stopped　for　passing　traffic　and　caught　sight　of　the　Great　House　in　his　rear　mirror。　Tall；　vast；　the　windows　ablaze；　weling。
　Soon　I　really　will　own　you；　he　thought。　I'll　throw　parties　there　that　Asia's　never　seen　before　and　never　will　again。　I　suppose　I　should　have　a　hostess。
　What　about　the　American　girl？
　He　chuckled。　〃Ah；　Ciranoush；　what　a　lovely　name；〃　he　said　out　loud　with　the　same；　perfect　amount　of　husky　charm　that　he　had　used　previously。　That　one's　a　pushover；　he　told　himself　confidently。　You　just　use　old　world　charm　and　great　wine；　light　but　excellent　food　and　patience　…　along　with　the　very　best　of　upper…class　English；　masculine　sophistication　and　no　swear　words　and　she'll　fall　where　and　when　you　want　her　to。　And　then；　if　you　choose　the　correct　moment；　you　can　use　gutter　English　and　a　little　judicious　roughness；　and　you'll　unlock　all　her　pent…up　passion　like　no　man　ever　has　done。
　If　I　read　her　correctly　she　needs　an　expert　pillowing　rather　badly。
　So　either　Bartlett's　inadequate　or　they're　really　not　lovers　as　the　confidential　report　suggested。　Interesting。
　But　do　you　want　her？　As　a　toy　…　perhaps。　As　a　tool　…　of　course。　As　a　hostess　no；　much　too　pushy。
　Now　the　road　was　clear　so　he　pulled　out　and　went　down　to　the　junction　and　turned　left　and　soon　he　was　on　Peak　Road　going　downhill　toward　Magazine　Gap　where　Plumm's　penthouse　apartment　was。　After　dinner　with　him　he　was　going　to　a　meeting；　then　to　Wanchai；　to　one　of　his　private　apartments　and　the　weling　embrace　of　Mona　Leung。　His　pulse　quickened　at　the　thought　of　her　violent　lovemaking；　her　barely　hidden　hatred　for　him　and　all　quai　loh　that　was　ever　in　perpetual　conflict　with　her　love　of　luxury；　the　apartment　that　was　on　loan　to　her　and　the　modest　amount　of　money　he　gave　her　monthly。
　〃Never　give　'em　enough　money；〃　his　father　William　had　told　him　early　on。　〃Clothes；　jewelry；　holidays　…　that's　fine。　But　not　too　much　money。　Control　them　with　dollar　bills。　And　never　think　they　love　you　for　you。　They　don't。　It's　only　your　money；　only　your　money　and　always　will　be。　Just　under　the　surface　they'll　despise　you；　always　will。　That's　fair　enough　if　you　think　about　it　…　we're　not　Chinese　and　never　will　be。〃
　〃There's　never　an　exception？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Not　for　a　quai　loh；　my　son。　I　don't　think　so。　Never　has　been　with　me　and　I've　known　a　few。　Oh　she'll　give　you　her　body；　her　children；　even　her　life；　but　she'll　always　despise　you。　She　has　to；　she's　Chinese　and　we're　quai　loh！〃
　Ayeeyah；　Gornt　thought。　That　advice's　proved　itself　time　and　time　again。　And　saved　me　so　much　anguish。　It'll　be　good　to　see　the　Old　Man；　he　told　himself。　This　year　I'll　give　him　a　fine　Christmas　present：　Struan's。
　He　was　driving　carefully　down　the　left　side　of　the　winding　road　hugging　the　mountainside；　the　night　good；　the　surface　fine　and　the　traffic　light。　Normally　he　would　have　been　chauffeur…driven　but　tonight　he　wanted　no　witnesses　to　his　meeting　with　Plumm。
　No；　he　thought。　Nor　any　witnesses　when　I　meet　Four　Finger　Wu。　What　the　hell　does　that　pirate　want？　Nothing　good。　Bound　to　be　dangerous。　Yes。　But　during　the　Korean　War　Wu　did　you　a　very　large　favor　and　perhaps　now　is　the　time　he　wants　the　favor　repaid。　There's　always　a　reckoning　sooner　or　later；　and　that's　fair　and　that's　Chinese　law。　You　get　a　present；　you　give　one　back　a　little　more　valuable。　You　have　a　favor　done　。。。
　In　1950　when　the　Chinese　munist　armies　in　Korea　were　battering　and　bleeding　their　way　south　from　the　Yalu　with　monstrous　losses；　they　were　desperately　short　of　all　strategic　supplies　and　very　willing　to　pay　mightily　those　who　could　slip　through　the　blockade　with　the　supplies　they　needed。　At　that　time；　Rothwell…Gornt　was　also　in　desperate　straits　because　of　their　huge　losses　at　Shanghai　the　previous　year　thanks　to　the　conquest　by　Mao。　So　in　December　of　1950；　he　and　his　father　had　borrowed　heavily　and　secretly　bought　a　huge　shipment　of　penicillin；　morphine；　sulfanalamides　and　other　medical　supplies　in　the　Philippines；　avoiding　the　obligatory　export　license。　These　they　smuggled　onto　a　hired　ocean…going　junk　with　one　of　their　trusted　crews　and　sent　it　to　Wampoa；　a　bleak　island　in　the　Pearl　River　near　Canton。　Payment　was　to　be　in　gold　on　delivery；　but　en　route；　in　the　secret　backwaters　of　the　Pearl　River　Estuary；　their　junk　had　been　intercepted　by　river　pirates　favoring　Chiang　Kai…shek's　Nationalists　and　a　ransom　demanded。　They　had　no　money　to　ransom　the　cargo；　and　if　the　Nationalists　found　out　that　Rothwell…Gornt　was　dealing　with　their　hated　munist　enemy；　their　own　future　in　Asia　was　lost　forever。
　Through　his　pradore　Gornt　had　arranged　a　meeting　in　Aberdeen　Harbor　with　Four　Finger　Wu；　supposedly　one　of　the　biggest　smugglers　in　the　Pearl　River　Estuary。
　〃Where　ship　now？〃　Four　Finger　Wu　had　asked　in　execrable　pidgin　English。
　Gornt　had　told　him　as　best　he　could；　conversing　in　pidgin；　not　being　able　to　speak　Haklo；　Wu's　dialect。
　〃Perhaps；　perhaps　not！〃　Four　Finger　Wu　smiled。　〃I　phone　three　day。　Nee　choh　wah　password。　Three　day；　heya？〃
　On　the　third　day　he　phoned。　〃Bad；　good；　don'　know。　Meet　two　day　Aberdeen。　Begin　Hour　of　Monkey。〃　That　hour　was　ten　o'clock　at　night。　Chinese　split　the　day　into　twelve；　two…hour　segments；　each　with　a　name；　always　in　the　same　sequence；　beginning　at　4：00　a。m。　with　the　Cock；　then　at　6：00　a。m。　with　the　Dog；　and　so　on；　Boar；　Rat；　Ox；　Tiger；　Rabbit；　Dragon；　Snake；　Monkey；　Horse　and　Sheep。
　At　the　Hour　of　the　Monkey　on　Wu's　junk　at　Aberdeen　two　days　later；　he　had　been　given　the　full　payment　for　his　shipment　in　gold　plus　an　extra　40　percent。　A　staggering　500　percent　profit。
　Four　Finger　Wu　had　grinned。　〃Make　better　trade　than　quai　loh；　never　mind。　28；000　taels　of　gold。〃　A　tael　was　a　little　more　than　an　ounce。　〃Next　time　me　ship。　Yes？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　buy；　me　ship；　me　sell；　40　percent　mine；　sale　price。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Gornt　had　thankfully　tried　to　press　a　much　larger　percentage　on　him　this　time　but　Wu　had　refused。
　〃40　percent　only；　sale　price。〃　But　Gornt　had　understood　that　now　he　was　in　the　smuggler's　debt。
　The　gold　was　in　five…tael　smuggler　bars。　It　was　valued　at　the　official　rate　of　35　U。S。　an　ounce。　But　on　the　black　market；　smuggled　into　Indonesia；　India　or　back　into　China；　it　was　worth　two　or　three　times　as　much　。。。　sometimes　more。　On　this　one　shipment　again　with　Wu's　help；　Rothwell…Gornt　had　made　a　million　and　a　half　U。S。　and　were　on　the　road　to　recovery。
　After　that　there　had　been　three　more　shipments；　immensely　profitable　to　both　sides。　Then　the　war　had　ceased　and　so　had　their　relationship。
　Never　a　word　since　then；　Gornt　thought。　Until　the　phone　call　this　afternoon。
　〃Ah；　old　friend；　can　see？　Tonight？〃　Four　Finger　Wu　had　said。　〃Can　do？　Anytime　…　I　wait。　Same　place　as　old　days。　Yes？〃
　So　now　the　favor's　to　be　returned。　Good。
　Gornt　switched　on　the　radio。　Chopin。　He　was　driving　the　winding　road　automatically；　his　mind　on　the　meetings　ahead；　the　engine　almost　silent。　He　slowed　for　an　advancing　truck；　then　swung　out　and　accelerated　on　the　short　straight　to　overtake　a　slow…moving　taxi。　Going　quite　fast　now　he　braked　sharply　in　good　time　nearing　the　blind　corner；　then　something　seemed　to　snap　in　the　innards　of　the　engine；　his　foot　sank　to　the　floorboards；　his　stomach　turned　over　and　he　went　into　the　hairpin　too　fast。
　In　panic　he　jammed　his　foot　on　the　brake　again　and　again　but　nothing　happened；　his　hands　whirling　the　wheel　around。　He　took　the　first　corner　badly；　swerving　drunkenly　as　he　came　out　of　it　onto　the　wrong　side　of　the　road。　Fortunately　there　was　nothing　ing　at　him　but　he　overcorrected　and　lurched　for　the　mountainside；　his　stomach　twisting　with　nausea；　overcorrected　again；　going　very　fast　now　and　the　next　corner　leapt　at　him。　Here　the　grade　was　steeper；　the　road　more　winding　and　narrow。　Again　he　cornered　badly　but　once　through　he　had　a　split　second　to　grab　the　hand　brake　and　this　slowed　him　only　a　little；　the　new　corner　was　on　him；　and　he　came　out　of　it　way　out　of　his　lane；　oning　headlights　blinding　him。
　The　taxi　skittered　in　panic　to　the　shoulder　and　almost　went　over　the　side；　its　horn　blaring　but　he　was　passed　by　a　fraction　of　an　inch；　lurching　petrified　for　the　correct　side；　and　then　went　on　down　the　hill　out　of　control。　A　moment　of　straight　road　and　he　managed　to　jerk　the　gear　lever　into　low　as　he　hurtled　into　another　blind　corner；　the　engine　howling　now。　The　sudden　slowing　would　have　pitched　him　through　the　windshield　but　for　his　seat　belt；　his　hands　almost　frozen　to　the　wheel。
　He　got　around　this　corner　but　again　he　was　out　too　far　and　he　missed　the　oning　car　by　a　millimeter；　skidded　back　to　his　side　once　more；　swerved；　overcorrecting；　slowing　a　little　now　but　there　was　no　letup　in　the　grade　or　twisting　road　ahead