jamesclavell.noblehouse-第274部分

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g　time　since　I　spoke　my　own　language。　What　is　my　own　language？　Japanese？　That's　the　language　my　parents　and　I　spoke。　German？　That's　the　language　of　our　part　of　Switzerland。　English？　That's　the　language　of　my　husband　even　though　he　claimed　that　German　was　his　first　tongue。
　Was　he　English？
　She　had　asked　herself　that　question　many　times。　It　was　not　that　his　German　was　not　fluent；　it　was　just　attitudes。　His　attitudes　were　not　German；　like　mine　are　not　Japanese。　Or　are　they？
　I　don't　know。　But　now；　now　I　can　find　out。
　He　had　never　told　her　what　his　work　was　and　she　had　never　asked。　After　Vienna　it　had　been　very　easy　to　predict　that　it　was　clandestine　and　connected　somehow　to　international　crime　or　espionage。　Hans　was　not　the　type　to　be　in　crime。
　So　from　then　on　she　had　been　even　more　cautious。　Once　or　twice　she　had　thought　that　they　were　under　surveillance　in　Zurich　and　when　they　went　skiing；　but　he　had　dismissed　it　and　told　her　not　to　worry　about　him。　〃But　be　prepared　in　case　of　accidents。　Keep　all　your　valuables　and　private　papers；　passport　and　birth　certificate　in　your　traveling　bag；　Ri…chan；〃　he　had　said；　using　her　nickname。　〃Just　in　case；　just　in　case。〃
　With　the　death　of　her　husband　and　his　instructions　almost　all　carried　out；　the　money　and　the　tai…pan's　phone　call　and　summons；　everything　had　bee　new。　Now　she　could　start　again。　She　was　twenty…four。　The　past　was　past　and　karma　was　karma。　The　tai…pan's　money　would　be　more　than　enough　for　her　needs　for　years。
　On　their　wedding　night；　her　husband　had　told　her；　〃If　anything　happens　to　me；　you　will　get　a　call　from　a　man　called　Kiernan。　Cut　the　phone　wires　as　I　will　show　you　and　leave　Zurich　instantly。　Leave　everything　except　the　clothes　you　wear　and　your　travel　bag。　Drive　to　Geneva。　Here　is　a　key。　This　key　will　open　a　safety　deposit　box　in　the　Swiss　Bank　of　Geneva　on　Rue　Charles。　In　it　there's　money　and　some　letters。　Follow　the　instructions　exactly；　my　darling；　oh　how　I　love　you。　Leave　everything。　Do　exactly　as　I've　said。　。。。〃
　And　she　had。　Exactly。　It　was　her　giri。
　She　had　cut　the　phone　wires　with　the　wire　snips　as　he　had　shown　her；　just　behind　the　box　that　was　attached　to　the　wall　so　that　the　cut　was　hardly　noticeable。　In　Geneva　in　the　bank　there　had　been　a　letter　of　instructions；　10；000　U。S。　in　cash　in　the　safety　deposit　box；　a　new　Swiss　passport；　stamped；　with　her　photograph　but　a　new　name　and　new　birthday　and　new　birth　certificate　that　documented　she　was　born　in　the　city　of　Berne　twenty…three　years　ago。　She　had　liked　the　new　name　he　had　chosen　for　her　and　she　remembered　how；　in　the　safety　of　her　hotel　room　overlooking　the　lovely　lake；　she　had　wept　for　him。
　Also　in　the　safety　deposit　box　had　been　a　savings　book　in　her　new　name　for　20；000　U。S。　in　this　same　bank；　and　a　key；　an　address　and　a　deed。　The　deed　was　for　a　small　chalet　on　the　lake；　private　and　furnished　and　paid　for；　with　a　caretaker　who　knew　her　only　by　her　new　name　and　that　she　was　a　widow　who　had　been　abroad　…　the　deed　registered　in　her　new　name　though　purchased　four　years　before；　a　few　days　prior　to　her　marriage。
　〃Ah；　mistress；　I　am　so　happy　you　have　e　home　at　long　last。　Traveling　in　all　those　foreign　places　must　be　very　tiring；〃　the　pleasant；　though　simple　old　lady　had　said　in　greeting。　〃Oh；　for　the　last　year　or　so；　your　home　has　been　rented　to　such　a　charming；　quiet　Englishman。　He　paid　promptly　every　month；　here　are　the　accounts。　Perhaps　he　will　e　back　this　year；　he　said；　perhaps　not。　Your　agent　is　on　Avenue　Firmet。　。。。〃
　Later；　wandering　around　the　lovely　house；　the　lake　vast　and　clean　in　the　bowl　of　mountains；　the　house　clean　like　the　mountains；　pictures　on　the　walls；　flowers　in　vases；　three　bedrooms　and　a　living　room　and　verandas；　tiny　but　perfect　for　her；　the　garden　cherished；　she　had　gone　into　the　main　bedroom。　Among　a　kaleidoscope　of　small　pictures　of　various　shapes　and　sizes　on　one　of　the　walls　was　what　seemed　to　be　part　of　an　old　letter　in　a　glass…covered　frame；　the　paper　already　yellowing。　She　recognized　his　writing。　It　was　in　English。　〃So　many　happy　hours　in　your　arms；　Ri…chan；　so　many　happy　days　in　your　pany；　how　do　I　say　that　I　love　you？　Forget　me；　I　will　never　forget　you。　How　do　I　beg　God　to　grant　you　ten　thousand　days　for　every　one　of　mine；　my　darling；　my　darling；　my　darling。〃
　The　huge　double　bed　was　almost　convex　with　its　thick　eiderdown　quilt；　multicolored；　the　windows　opened　to　the　tender　air；　late　summer　perfumes　within　it；　snow　dusting　the　mountaintops。　She　had　wept　again；　the　chalet　taking　her　to　itself。
　Within　a　few　hours　of　being　there　Dunross　had　called　and　she　had　boarded　the　first　jet　and　now　she　was　here；　most　of　her　work　pleted；　never　a　need　to　return；　the　past　obliterated　…　if　she　wished　it。　The　new　passport　was　genuine　as　far　as　she　could　tell；　and　the　birth　certificate。　No　reason　ever　to　return　to　Switzerland　…　except　for　the　chalet。　And　the　picture。
　She　had　left　it　on　the　wall　undisturbed。　And　she　had　resolved；　as　long　as　she　owned　the　house；　the　picture　would　stay　where　he　had　placed　it。　Always。
　
　76
　
　5：10　P。M。：
　Orlanda　was　driving　her　small　car；　Bartlett　beside　her；　his　hand　resting　lightly　across　her　shoulders。　They　had　just　e　over　the　pass　from　Aberdeen　and　now；　still　in　cloud；　were　heading　down　the　mountainside　in　Mid　Levels　toward　her　home　in　Rose　Court。　They　were　happy　together；　aware　and　filled　with　expectation。　After　lunch　they　had　crossed　to　Hong　Kong　and　she　had　driven　to　Shek…O　on　the　southeastern　tip　of　the　Island　to　show　him　where　some　of　the　tai…pans　had　weekend　houses。　The　countryside　was　rolling　and　sparsely　populated；　hills；　ravines；　the　sea　always　near；　sheer　cliffs　and　rocks。
　From　Shek…O　they　had　slid　along　the　southern　road　that　curled　and　twisted　until　they　got　to　Repulse　Bay　where　she　had　stopped　at　the　wonderful　hotel　for　tea　and　cakes　on　the　veranda；　looking　out　at　the　sea；　then　on　again；　past　Deepwater　Cove　to　Discovery　Bay　where　she　stopped　again　at　a　lookout。　〃Look　over　there；　Linc；　that's　Castle　Tok！〃　Castle　Tok　was　a　vast；　incongruous　house　that　looked　like　a　Norman　castle　and　was　perched　on　the　cliffside　high　over　the　water。　〃During　the　war　the　Canadians　…　Canadian　soldiers　…　were　defending　this　part　of　the　Island　against　the　invading　Japanese　and　they　all　retreated　to　Castle　Tok　for　a　last　stand。　When　they　were　overwhelmed　and　surrendered　there　were　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　of　them　left　alive。　The　Japanese　herded　them　all　onto　the　terrace　of　Castle　Tok　and　drove　them　by　bayonet　over　the　terrace　wall　to　the　rocks　below。〃
　〃Jesus。〃　The　drop　was　a　hundred　feet　or　more。
　〃Everyone。　The　wounded；　the　。。。　the　others；　everyone。〃　He　had　seen　her　shiver　and　at　once　had　reached　out　to　touch　her。
　〃Don't；　Orlanda；　that's　such　a　long　time　ago。〃
　〃It's　not；　no；　not　at　all。　I'm　afraid　history　and　the　war's　still　very　much　with　us；　Linc。　It　always　will　be。　Ghosts　walk　those　terraces　by　night。〃
　〃You　believe　that？〃
　〃Yes。　Oh　yes。〃
　He　remembered　looking　back　at　the　brooding　house；　the　surf　crashing　against　the　rocks　below；　her　perfume　surrounding　him　as　she　leaned　back　against　him；　feeling　her　heat；　glad　to　be　alive　and　not　one　of　those　soldiers。　〃Your　Castle　Tok　looks　like　something　out　of　the　movies。　You　ever　been　inside？〃
　〃No。　But　they　say　there　are　suits　of　armor　and　dungeons　and　it's　a　copy　of　a　real　castle　in　France。　The　owner　was　old　Sir　Cha…sen　Tok；　Builder　Tok。　He　was　a　multimillionaire　who　made　his　money　in　tin。　They　say　that　when　he　was　fifty　a　soothsayer　told　him　to　begin　building　a　'big　mansion'　or　he　would　die。　So　he　began　to　build　and　he　built　dozens　of　places；　all　mansions；　three　in　Hong　Kong；　one　near　Sha　Tin　and　many　in　Malaya。　Castle　Tok　was　the　last　one　he　built。　He　was　eighty…nine　but　hale　and　hearty　and　like　a　middle…aged　man。　But　after　Castle　Tok　the　story　is　he　said　enough；　and　quit　building。　Within　a　month　he　was　dead　and　the　soothsayer's　prophecy　came　true。〃
　〃You're　making　it　all　up；　Orlanda！〃
　〃Oh　no；　Linc；　I　wouldn't；　not　without　telling。　But　what's　true　and　what's　false？　Who　really　knows；　eh；　my　darling？〃
　〃I　know　I'm　mad　about　you。〃
　〃Oh　Linc；　you　must　know　I　feel　the　same。〃
　They　had　driven　on　past　Aberdeen；　warm　and　together；　his　hand　on　her　shoulder；　her　hair　brushing　his　hand。　From　time　to　time　she　would　point　out　houses　and　places　and　the　hours　went　by　imperceptibly；　delightfully　for　both　of　them。　Now；　as　they　came　down　from　the　pass　through　the　clouds　and　broke　out　of　them；　they　could　see　most　of　the　city　below。　Lights　were　not　on　yet；　though　here　and　there　the　huge　colored　neon　signs　down　by　the　water's　edge　were　beginning　to　brighten。
　The　traffic　was　heavy　and　on　the　steep　mountain　roads　water　still　ran　in　the　gutters　with　piles　of　fresh　mud　and　rocks　and　vegetation　here　and　there。　She　drove　deftly；　without　taking　chances；　and　he　felt　safe　with　her　though　driving　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road　had　been　hair…raising　on　the　bends。
　〃But　we're　on　the　correct　side；〃　she　said。　〃You　drive　on　the　wrong　side！〃
　〃The　hell　we　do。　It's　only　the　English　who　drive　on　the　left。　You're　as　American　as　I　am；　Orlanda。〃
　〃I　wish　I　were；　Linc；　oh　so　very　much。〃
　〃You　are。　You　sound　American　and　you　dress　American。〃
　〃Ah；　but　I　know　what　I　am；　my　darling。〃
　He　le