jamesclavell.noblehouse-第256部分

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ect。　。。。
　Her　head　was　pounding　terribly　and　a　wave　of　nausea　went　through　her。　Nearby　were　some　toilets。　She　groped　to　her　feet　and　hobbled　over　to　them。　Behind　her；　other　cleaners　were　sifting　and　tidying　up。　Tomorrow　they　would　all　e　again　for　there　would　still　be　plenty　to　do。　Her　own　shift　was　due　back　at　nine　in　the　morning。　In　the　empty　toilet　room　she　took　out　the　tickets；　her　fingers　trembling；　wrapped　them　in　a　piece　of　rag　and　found　a　loose　brick　in　the　wall　and　put　them　behind　the　brick。
　Once　safely　outside　she　began　to　breathe。　When　the　foreman　came　back　with　the　other　old　woman　he　peered　down　at　the　man；　went　through　his　pockets　with　great　care　and　found　a　twist　of　silver　paper　they　had　missed。　Within　it　was　a　pinch　of　White　Powder。　〃It　will　bring　2　HK；〃　he　said；　knowing　it　was　worth　6。04　HK。　〃We　will　split　it；　70　for　me　and　30　for　you　two。〃　For　face；　One　Tooth　argued　and　they　settled　that　he　would　try　to　get　3。10　HK　for　it；　and　would　split　it　60　to　him　and　40　to　them。　Satisfied；　he　went　away。
　When　they　were　alone　again　the　younger　woman　began　to　sift　the　garbage。
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　One　Tooth　asked。
　〃I　just　wanted　to　check　those　tickets；　Elder　Sister。　Your　eyes　are　not　so　good。〃
　〃Please　yourself；〃　One　Tooth　said　with　a　shrug。　〃I've　picked　this　lot　clean。　I'm　going　over　there。〃　Her　gnarled　finger　pointed　at　an　unnoticed　new　source　of　virgin　rubbish　under　a　row　of　seats。　The　other　woman　hesitated　then　followed　and　now　One　Tooth　almost　chortled　with　glee；　knowing　she　was　safe。　Tomorrow　I'll　e　back　plaining　of　stomach　sickness。　I　can　retrieve　my　fortune　and　go　home。　Now　what　shall　I　do　with　my　wealth？
　First　the　down　payment　on　two　quai　loh　dancing　dresses　for　Third　Granddaughter　in　return　for　half　her　earnings　in　the　first　year。　She'll　make　a　fine　whore　in　the　Good　Luck　Dance　Hall。　Next；　Second　Son　will　stop　being　a　coolie　on　the　construction　site　up　on　Kotewall　Road。　He　and　Fifth　Nephew　and　Second　Grandson　will　bee　builders；　and　within　the　week　we　will　put　a　down　payment　on　a　plot　of　land　and　begin　to　build　a　building　。。。
　〃You　seem　very　happy；　Elder　Sister。〃
　〃Oh　yes　I　am；　Younger　Sister。　My　bones　ache；　the　ague　is　with　me　as　ever；　my　stomach　is　upset；　but　I　am　alive　and　that　old　man　is　dead。　It　is　a　lesson　from　the　gods。　All　gods　bear　witness；　when　I　first　saw　him；　the　first　time；　I　thought　it　was　my　husband　who　died　in　our　flight　from　Shanghai　fifteen　years　ago。　I　thought　I　was　seeing　a　ghost！　My　spirit　almost　left　me　for　that　old　man　was　like　his　twin！〃
　〃Ayeeyah；　how　horrible！　How　terrible！　Ghosts！　All　gods　protect　us　from　ghosts！〃
　Oh　yes；　the　old　woman　thought；　ghosts're　terrible。　Now；　where　was　I？　Oh　yes　。。。　1；000　will　go　on　the　quinella　next　Saturday。　And　out　of　those　winnings　I　will　buy　。。。　I　will　buy　myself　a　set　of　false　teeth！　Eeeee；　how　wonderful　that　will　be；　she　wanted　to　cry　out；　almost　fainting　with　suppressed　pleasure。　All　her　life；　all　her　life　since　she　was　fourteen　when　a　Manchu　rifle　butt　had　smashed　out　her　teeth　in　one　of　the　constant　revolutions　against　the　foreign　Ch'ing　Dynasty；　she　had　been　nicknamed　One　Tooth。　Always　she　had　hated　her　nickname。　But　now　。。。　oh　gods　bear　witness！　I　will　buy　a　set　of　teeth　from　my　winnings　next　Saturday　…　and　also　I　will　buy　and　light　two　candles　in　the　nearest　temple　in　return　for　such　good　joss。
　〃I　feel　faint；　Younger　Sister；〃　she　said；　really　faint　with　near　ecstasy。　〃Could　you　get　me　some　water？〃
　The　other　woman　went　off　grumbling。　One　Tooth　sat　down　a　moment　and　allowed　herself　a　huge　grin；　her　tongue　feeling　her　gums。　Eeeee；　when　I　win；　if　I　win　heavily　enough；　I　will　have　one　gold　tooth；　right　in　the　center；　to　remind　me。　Gold　Tooth　Yang；　that　has　a　nice　sound　to　it；　she　thought；　far　too　clever　to　mutter　it　aloud；　even　though　she　was　pletely　alone。　Yes；　Honorable　Gold　Tooth　Yang；　of　the　Yang　Constructions　empire　。。。
　
　68
　
　6：15　P。M。：
　Suslev　was　hunched　unfortably　in　the　front　of　the　small　car　belonging　to　Ernie　Clinker　and　they　were　grinding　up　the　hill。　All　the　windows　were　steamed　up；　the　rain　even　heavier。　Mud　and　stones　washing　down　from　the　steep　hillsides　made　the　road　surface　dangerous。　Already　they　had　passed　two　minor　accidents。
　〃Cor；　stone　the　crows；　perhaps　you'd　better　spend　the　night；　old　chum；〃　Clinker　said；　driving　with　difficulty。
　〃No；　not　tonight；〃　Suslev　said　irritably。　〃I　already　told　you　I　promised　Ginny　and　tonight's　my　last　night。〃　Ever　since　the　raid；　Suslev　had　been　in　a　blinding　rage；　his　rage　fed　by　unaccustomed　fear　…　fear　of　the　summons　to　police　HQ　in　the　morning；　fear　of　catastrophic　repercussions　from　the　intercepted　decoded　cable；　fear　of　Center's　probable　displeasure　over　the　loss　of　Voranski；　being　ordered　out　of　Hong　Kong；　the　destruction　of　their　radio　equipment；　the　Metkin　affair　and　now　Koronski's　arrival　and　the　possible　kidnapping　of　Dunross。　Too　many　things　have　gone　wrong　this　trip；　he　thought；　chilled　…　too　long　in　the　game　to　have　any　illusions。　Even　his　phone　conversation　during　the　fifth　race　with　Crosse　had　not　mollified　him。
　〃Not　to　worry；　it's　a　routine　request　to　appear；　Gregor。　Just　a　few　questions　about　Voranski；　Metkin　and　so　on；〃　Crosse　had　said　in　a　disguised　voice。
　〃Kristos；　what's　the　'and　so　on'　？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Sinders　ordered　it；　not　me。〃
　〃You'd　better　cover　me；　Roger。〃
　〃You're　covered。　Listen；　about　this　possible　kidnapping；　it's　a　very　bad　idea。〃
　〃They　want　it　set　up；　so　help　Arthur　make　the　arrangements；　eh；　please？　Unless　you　can　delay　my　departure；　we　will　implement　it　when　it　is　ordered。〃
　〃I　remend　against　it。　This　is　my　bailiwick　and　I　rec…　〃
　〃Center　approves　and　we　will　do　it　if　it　is　ordered！〃　Suslev　wanted　to　order　Roger　Crosse　to　shut　up　or　else；　but　he　was　careful　not　to　offend　their　best　asset　in　Asia。　〃Can　we　meet　tonight？〃
　〃No；　but　I'll　call　you。　How　about　four？　At　10：30？〃　Four　was　their　present　code　for　32　Sinclair　Towers。　10：30　meant　9：30　p。m。
　〃Is　that　wise？〃
　He　had　heard　that　dry　confident　laugh。　〃Very　wise。　Would　those　fools　e　again？　Of　course　it　is　wise。　And　I　guarantee　it！〃
　〃All　right。　Arthur　will　be　there。　We　should　cement　the　plan。〃
　Clinker　swerved　to　avoid　a　taxi　cutting　in　and　he　cursed；　then　ground　the　gears；　peering　through　the　windshield　ahead；　getting　into　motion　again。　On　his　side　Suslev　rubbed　the　condensation　away。　〃God…cursed　weather；〃　he　said；　his　mind　elsewhere。　What　about　Travkin？　Stupid　motherless　turd　to　fall　off　after　passing　the　winning　post。　I　thought　he'd　won。　Decadent　fool！　No　real　cossack'd　ever　get　caught　like　that。　So　he's　out　now；　him　and　his　crippled　old　crone　princess　with　the　broken　bones。
　Now　how　do　we　entice　Dunross　to　the　apartment　tomorrow　instead　of　Tuesday　as　Travkin　had　signaled。　It　has　to　be　tonight　or　tomorrow。　At　the　latest　it　must　be　tomorrow　night。　Arthur　must　arrange　it　or　Roger。　They　are　the　keys　to　the　Dunross　plan。
　And　I　must　get　those　files　…　or　Dunross　…　before　I　leave。　One　or　the　other。　They're　my　only　real　protection　against　Center。
　
　Bartlett　and　Casey　got　out　of　the　Struan　limo　at　the　Hilton；　the　resplendent；　turbaned　Sikh　doorman　holding　an　unnecessary　umbrella　…　the　vast　overhang　already　protecting　them　from　the　sheets　of　water。
　〃I'll　be　here；　sir；　whenever　you're　ready；〃　Chauffeur　Lim　said。
　〃Great。　Thanks；〃　Bartlett　replied。　They　went　up　the　steps　to　the　ground　floor　and　took　the　escalator　to　the　foyer。
　〃You're　very　quiet；　Casey；〃　he　said。　All　the　way　from　the　racetrack　they　had　hardly　said　a　word　to　each　other；　both　locked　into　their　own　thoughts。
　〃So're　you；　Linc。　I　thought　you　didn't　want　to　talk。　You　seemed　distracted。〃　She　smiled　tentatively。　〃Maybe　it　was　all　the　excitement。〃
　〃It　was　a　great　day。〃
　〃You　think　the　tai…pan's　going　to　pull　it　off？　The　General　Stores　takeover？〃
　〃Monday　will　tell。〃　Bartlett　went　to　the　reception　desk。　〃Mr。　Banastasio　please？〃
　The　handsome　Eurasian　assistant　manager　said；　〃Just　a　moment　please。　Oh　yes；　he　changed　his　room　again。　Now　it's　832。〃　He　handed　him　a　house　phone。　Bartlett　dialed。
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃Vincenzo？　Linc。　I'm　downstairs。〃
　〃Hey；　Linc；　good　to　hear　your　voice。　Casey　with　you？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃You　want　to　e　up？〃
　〃On　our　way。〃　Bartlett　went　back　to　Casey。
　〃You　sure　you　want　me　along？〃
　〃He　asked　for　you。〃　Bartlett　led　the　way　to　the　elevator；　thinking　of　Orlanda　and　their　date　later；　thinking　of　Biltzmann　and　Gornt　and　Taipei　tomorrow　and　whether　or　not　he　should　ask　Dunross　if　he　could　take　her。　Shit；　life's　plicated　suddenly。　〃It'll　only　be　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said；　〃then　it's　cocktails　with　the　tai…pan。　The　weekend's　going　to　be　interesting。　And　next　week。〃
　〃You　out　for　dinner　tonight？〃
　〃Yes。　We　should　have　breakfast　though。　Seymour　needs　straightening　out　and　as　I'm　off　for　a　couple　of　days　we'd　better　have　our　signals　straight。〃
　They　crowded　into　the　elevator。　Casey　casually　avoided　being　trampled　on　and　ground　her　heel　into　her　assailant's　instep。　〃Oh　so　sorry；〃　she　said　sweetly；　then　muttered　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh〃　which　Peter　Marlowe　had　taught　her　this　afternoon；　just　loud　enough　for　the　woman　to　hear。　She　saw　the　sudden　flush。　Hastily　the　woman　shoved　her　way　out　at　the　mezzanine　floor　and　Casey　knew　she　had　won　a　great　victory。　Amused；