jamesclavell.noblehouse-第255部分

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　Ayeeyah；　he　thought；　filled　with　superstitious　dread。　These　pink　barbarians　are　truly　devils　who　can　twist　us　civilized　people　as　they　wish　and　send　us　mad。　But　if　I　bee　SI　that'll　protect　me　and　give　me　some　of　their　secrets；　and　with　those　secrets　and　other　foreign　devil　secrets　I　will　bee　an　ancestor！
　He　began　to　beam。　His　joss　had　changed　ever　since　he　had　caught　that　old　amah。　Today　the　gods　had　favored　him　greatly。　He　had　forecast　one　quinella；　the　daily　double　and　three　place　horses；　each　time　reinvesting　all　his　winnings　and　now　he　was　5；753　HK　richer。　His　plan　for　the　money　was　already　settled。　He　would　finance　Fifth　Uncle　to　buy　a　used　plastic　molding　machine　to　begin　a　plastic　flower　factory　in　return　for　51　percent；　another　1；000　would　pay　for　the　construction　of　two　dwellings　in　the　resettlement　to　be　rented　and　the　last　1；000　would　be　for　next　Saturday！
　A　Mercedes　sounded　its　horn　deafeningly；　making　him　jump。　Spectacles　Wu　recognized　one　of　the　men　in　the　back：　the　man　Rosemont；　the　CIA　barbarian　with　limitless　funds　to　spend。　So　naive；　they　are；　the　Americans；　he　thought。　Last　year　when　his　relations　had　poured　over　the　border　in　the　exodus；　he　had　sent　them　all　down　to　the　consulate　on　a　roster　basis；　every　month　a　different　name　and　different　story；　to　join　the　constant　and　evergrowing　band　of　rice　Christians　or；　to　be　more　exact；　rice　non…munists。　It　was　easy　to　get　free　meals　and　handouts　from　the　U。S。　Consulate。　All　you　had　to　do　was　to　pretend　to　be　frightened　and　say；　nervously；　that　you　had　just　e　over　the　border；　that　you　were　staunchly　against　Chairman　Mao　and　that　in　your　village　the　munists　did　such　and　such　a　terrible　thing。　The　Americans　would　be　happy　to　hear　about　PRC　troop　movements；　real　or　imagined。　Oh　how　quickly　they　would　write　it　all　down　and　ask　for　more。　Any　information；　any　stupid　piece　of　information　you　could　pick　up　if　you　could　read　a　newspaper　was　to　them　…　if　whispered　with　rolling　eyes　…　very　valuable。
　Three　months　ago　Spectacles　Wu　had　had　a　brainstorm。　Now；　with　four　members　of　his　clan；　one　of　whom　was　originally　a　journalist　on　a　munist　newspaper　in　Canton；　Spectacles　Wu　had　offered　…　but　through　trusted　intermediaries　so　he　and　his　relations　could　not　be　traced　…　to　supply　Rosemont　with　a　monthly　undercover　report；　an　intelligence　pamphlet；　code　name　〃Freedom　Fighter；〃　on　conditions　across　the　Bamboo　Curtain　in　and　around　Canton。　To　prove　the　espionage　quality　Spectacles　Wu　had　offered　to　supply　the　first　two　editions　free　…　to　catch　a　mighty　tiger　it　is　good　business　to　sacrifice　a　stolen　lamb。　If　these　were　considered　acceptable　to　the　CIA；　the　fee　would　be　1；000　HK　each　for　the　next　three；　and　if　these　were　equally　valuable；　then　a　new　contract　would　be　negotiated　for　a　year　of　reports。
　The　first　two　had　been　so　highly　praised　that　an　immediate　deal　was　struck　for　five　reports　at　2；000　HK　each。　Next　week　they　were　to　get　their　first　fee。　Oh　how　they　had　congratulated　themselves。　The　content　of　the　reports　was　culled　from　thirty　Canton　newspapers　that　came　down　on　the　daily　Canton　train　that　also　brought　pigs　and　poultry　and　foods　of　all　kinds　and　could　be　purchased　without　effort　in　Wanchai　paper　shops。　All　they　had　had　to　do　was　to　read　them　meticulously　and　copy　the　articles；　after　removing　the　munist　dialectic：　articles　about　crops；　building；　economics；　Party　appointments；　births；　deaths；　sentences；　extortions　and　local　color　…　anything　they　considered　of　interest。　Spectacles　Wu　translated　the　stories　the　others　picked。
　He　felt　a　huge　wave　of　pleasure。　Freedom　Fighter　had　enormous　potential。　Their　costs　were　almost　nil。　〃But　sometimes　we　must　be　careful　to　make　a　few　mistakes；〃　Spectacles　Wu　had　told　them；　〃and　occasionally　we　must　miss　a　month　…　'we　regret　our　agent　in　Canton　was　assassinated　for　giving　away　State　secrets　。。。'　〃　Oh　yes。　And　soon；　when　I'm　a　full　member　of　SI　and　a　trained　espionage　agent；　I'll　know　better　how　to　present　the　press　information　to　the　CIA。　Perhaps　we'll　expand　and　experiment　with　a　report　from　Peking；　another　from　Shanghai。　We　can　get　day…old　Peking　and　Shanghai　papers　equally　with　no　trouble　and　very　little　investment。　Thank　all　gods　for　American　curiosity！
　A　taxi　honked　as　it　splashed　past。　He　stopped　a　moment　to　allow　it　to　pass；　then　shoved　through；　careless　of　the　cursing；　honking　and　noise　alongside　the　tall　fence　that　skirted　the　stadium。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　He　had　plenty　of　time。　Headquarters　was　not　far　away。
　The　rain　became　heavier　but　he　did　not　feel　it；　the　warmth　of　winnings　in　his　pocket　lightening　his　footsteps。　He　squared　his　shoulders。　Be　strong；　be　wise；　he　ordered　himself。　Tonight　I　must　be　alert。　Perhaps　they　will　ask　my　opinion。　I　know　the　munist　Superintendent　Brian　Kwok　is　a　liar　here　and　there　and　exaggerating。　And　as　to　atomics；　what's　so　important　about　that？　Of　course　the　Middle　Kingdom　has　its　own　atomics。　Any　fool　knows　what's　been　going　on　for　years　in　Sinkiang　near　the　shores　of　Lake　Bosteng…hu。　And　of　course；　soon　we'll　have　our　own　rockets　and　satellites。　Of　course！　Are　we　not　civilized？　Did　we　not　invent　gunpowder　and　rockets　but　discard　them　millennia　ago　as　barbaric？
　
　Throughout　the　stadium　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence；　women　cleaners　raked　up　the　sodden　leavings　of　the　thousands；　patiently　sifting　the　rubbish　carefully　for　a　lost　coin　or　ring；　fountain　pen　or　bottles　that　were　worth　a　single　copper　cash。　Crouched　beside　a　pile　of　garbage　cans　in　the　lee　of　the　rain　was　a　man。
　〃e　on；　old　fellow；　you　can't　sleep　there；〃　a　woman　cleaner　said；　not　unkindly；　shaking　him。　〃It's　time　to　go　home！〃　The　old　man's　eyes　fluttered　open　for　an　instant；　he　began　to　get　up　but　stopped；　gave　out　a　great　sigh　and　subsided　like　a　rag　doll。
　〃Ayeeyah；〃　One　Tooth　Yang　muttered。　She　had　seen　enough　of　death　throughout　her　seventy　years　to　recognize　its　finality；　〃Hey；　Younger　Sister；〃　she　called　out　politely　to　her　friend　and　second　member　of　her　team。　〃e　over　here！　This　old　man's　dead。〃
　Her　friend　was　sixty…four；　bent　and　lined　but　equally　strong　and　also　Shanghainese。　She　came　out　of　the　rain　and　peered　down。　〃He　looks　like　a　beggar。〃
　〃Yes。　We'd　better　tell　the　foreman。〃　One　Tooth　Yang　knelt　and　carefully　went　through　his　ragged　pockets。　There　were　3　HK　in　change；　nothing　else。　〃That's　not　much；〃　she　said。　〃Never　mind。〃　She　divided　the　coins　equally。　Over　the　years　they　had　always　divided　what　they　found。
　〃What's　that　in　his　left　hand？〃　the　other　woman　asked。　One　Tooth　bent　the　clawlike　hand　open。　〃Just　some　tickets。〃　She　peered　at　them；　then　held　them　close　to　her　eyes　and　flicked　through　them。　〃It's　the　double　quinella　。。。〃　she　began；　then　suddenly　cackled；　〃Eeee；　the　poor　fool　got　the　first　leg　and　lost　the　second　。。。　he　chose　Butterscotch　Lass！〃　Both　women　laughed　hysterically　at　the　mischief　of　the　gods。
　〃That　must　have　sent　the　poor　old　ancient　into　the　seizure　…　it　would　me！　Ayeeyah；　to　be　so　close　and　yet　so　far；　Elder　Sister。〃
　〃Joss。〃　One　Tooth　Yang　cackled　again　and　tossed　the　tickets　into　a　garbage　can。　〃Gods　are　gods　and　men　are　men　but　eee；　I　can　imagine　the　old　fellow　dying。　I　would　have　too！〃　The　two　old　women　laughed　again；　the　bad　joss　hurting　them　and　the　older　one　rubbed　her　chest　to　ease　the　pain。　〃Ayeeyah；　I　must　get　a　physic。　Go　and　tell　the　foreman　about　him。　Younger　Sister；　eeee；　but　I'm　tired　tonight。　Such　bad　joss；　he　was　close　to　being　a　millionaire　but　now？　Joss！　Go　tell　the　foreman。　I'm　tired　tonight；〃　she　said　again；　leaning　on　her　rake；　her　voice　wavering。
　The　other　woman　went　off　marveling　at　the　gods　and　how　quickly　they　can　give　or　take　away　…　if　they　exist　at　all；　she　thought　in　passing。　Ah　joss！
　Wearily　One　Tooth　Yang　continued　her　work；　her　head　aching；　but　the　moment　she　was　sure　she　was　alone　and　unobserved　she　darted　for　the　garbage　can　and　frantically　retrieved　the　tickets；　her　heart　pounding　like　never　in　her　whole　life。　Frantically　she　checked　that　her　eyes　had　not　deceived　her　and　the　numbers　were　correct。　But　there　was　no　mistake。　Each　ticket　was　a　winning　ticket。　Equally　frantically　she　stuffed　them　in　her　pocket　then　made　absolutely　sure　she　had　not　left　one　carelessly　in　the　rubbish。　Quickly　she　piled　more　rubbish　on　top　and　lifted　this　can　and　dumped　it　into　another；　all　the　time　her　mind　shrieking；　Tomorrow　I　can　redeem　the　tickets；　I　have　three　days　to　redeem　them！　Oh　bless　all　gods；　I'm　rich　I'm　rich　I'm　rich！　There　must　be　a　hundred　or　two　hundred　tickets　and　each　a　5　HK　ticket；　each　ticket　pays　265　HK　。。。　if　there's　a　hundred　tickets　that's　26；500　HK；　if　two　hundred　tickets　53；000　HK。　。。。
　Feeling　faint；　she　squatted　beside　the　corpse；　leaning　against　the　wall；　not　noticing　it。　She　knew　she　dare　not　count　the　tickets　now；　there　was　no　time。　Every　second　was　vital。　She　had　to　prepare。　〃Be　cautious；　old　fool；〃　she　muttered　aloud；　then　once　more　almost　went　into　panic。　Stop　talking　aloud！　Be　careful；　you　old　fool；　or　Younger　Sister　will　suspect　。。。　Oh　oh　oh　is　she　now　telling　the　foreman　what　she　suspects？　Oh　what　shall　I　do？　The　joss　is　mine；　I　found　the　old　man　。。。　ayeeyah；　what　shall　I　do？　Perhaps　they'll　search　me。　If　they　see　me　in　this　state　they're　bound　to　suspect。　。。。
　Her　head　was　pounding　terribly　and　a　wa