jamesclavell.noblehouse-第236节

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　Carefully　he　let　Brian　Kwok　peter　out　and　then　he　said　casually；　〃Who's　Joe？　Joe　Yu？〃
　〃Who？〃
　He　saw　Brian　Kwok　turn　and　stare　at　him；　eyes　strange；　different；　boring　into　him。　Instantly　he　was　on　guard　and　he　prepared。　〃Joe　Yu；〃　he　said　even　more　offhand。
　〃Who？　I　don't　know　any　Joe　Yu　。。。　no。　。。。　What；　what　。。。　what　am　I　doing　here？　What　is　this　place？　What's　happening？　Yu？　Why　。。。　why　should　I　know　him？　Who？〃
　〃No　reason；〃　Armstrong　said；　calming　him。　〃Here；　here's　some　tea；　you　must　be　very　thirsty；　old　chum。〃
　〃Oh　yes　。。。　yes　I　am　。。。　where　。。。　yes　。。。　Christ　what's　happ　。。。　happening？〃
　Armstrong　helped　him　drink。　Then　he　gave　him　another　cigarette　and　further　calmed　him。　In　a　few　moments　Brian　Kwok　was　again　deeply　asleep。　Armstrong　wiped　his　palms　and　his　forehead；　exhausted　too。
　The　door　opened。　Sinders　and　Crosse　came　in。
　〃Very　good；　Robert；〃　Sinders　said　excitedly；　〃very　good　indeed！〃
　〃Yes；〃　Crosse　said。　〃I　felt　he　was　ing　back　too。　Your　timing　was　perfect。〃
　Armstrong　said　nothing；　feeling　soiled。
　〃My　God；〃　Sinders　chortled；　〃this　client's　gold。　The　minister　will　be　delighted。　Atomics　in　a　few　months　and　a　shooting　war　going　on　right　now！　No　wonder　our　Parliamentary　Trade　mission　made　such　marvelous　progress！　Excellent；　Robert；　just　excellent！〃
　〃You　believe　the　client；　sir？〃　Crosse　said。
　〃Absolutely；　don't　you？〃
　〃I　believe　he　was　telling　what　he　knew。　Whether　it's　fact；　that's　another　matter。　Joe　Yu？　Does　Joe　or　Joseph　Yu　mean　anything　to　you？〃　The　others　shook　their　heads。　〃John　Chancellor？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Chung　Li？〃
　Armstrong　said；　〃There's　a　Chung　Li　who's　a　friend　of　Br…　the　client's；　a　car　enthusiast　…　Shanghainese；　big　industrialist　…　could　be　him。〃
　〃Good。　But　Joe　Yu；　that　triggered　something　in　him。　Could　be　important。〃　Crosse　glanced　at　Sinders。　〃Proceed？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　
　65
　
　1：45　P。M。：
　A　roar　of　excitement　went　up　from　fifty　thousand　throats　as　the　seven　entries　for　the　first　race；　jockeys　up；　came　up　the　ramp　out　from　under　the　stands　to　prance　and　skitter　to　the　owners'　paddock　where　trainers　and　owners　waited。　The　owners　and　their　wives　were　dressed　in　their　very　best；　many　of　the　wives　laden　and　over…minked；　Mai…ling　Kwang　and　Dianne　Chen　among　them；　conscious　of　the　envious　stares　of　the　multitude　craning　to　see　the　horses　…　and　them。
　Either　side　of　the　soggy　grass　paddock　and　winner's　circle；　the　packed　mass　of　the　crowds　went　down　to　the　white　sparkling　rails　and　the　perfectly　kept　turf　of　the　encircling　track。　The　winning　post　was　opposite　and　beside　it；　on　the　other　side　of　the　track；　was　the　huge　totalizator　that　would　carry　the　names　of　the　horses　and　jockeys　and　odds；　race　by　race。　The　totalizator　was　owned　and　operated　by　the　Turf　Club；　as　was　the　course。　There　were　no　legal　bookmakers　here　or　outside　or　any　legal　off…course　betting　places。　This　was　the　only　legal　form　of　betting　in　the　Colony。
　The　sky　was　dark　and　forbidding。　Earlier　there　had　been　a　few　sprinkles　but　now　the　air　was　clear。
　Behind　the　paddock　and　winner's　circle；　on　this　level；　were　the　jockeys'　changing　rooms　and　the　offices　of　the　officials　…　food　concessions　and　the　first　banks　of　betting　windows。　Above　them　were　the　stands；　four　terraced　tiers；　each　cantilevered　floor　with　its　own　bank　of　betting　windows。　The　first　tier　was　for　nonvoting　members；　next　for　voting　members；　and　the　two　top　floors　set　aside　for　the　private　boxes　and　radio　room。　Each　box　had　its　own　private　kitchen。　Each　of　the　ten　annually　elected　stewards　had　a　box　and　then　there　were　some　permanent　ones：　first　his　Excellency　the　governor；　patron　of　the　club；　then　the　mander…in…chief；　one　each　for　Blacs　and　the　Victoria。　And　last；　Struan's。　Struan's　was　in　the　best　position；　exactly　opposite　the　winning　post。
　〃Why's　that；　tai…pan？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃Because　Dirk　Struan　began　the　Turf　Club；　set　the　rules；　brought　out　a　famous　racing　expert；　Sir　Roger　Blore；　to　be　the　first　secretary　of　the　club。　He　put　up　all　the　money　for　the　first　meeting；　money　for　the　stands；　money　to　import　the　first　batch　of　horses　from　India　and　helped　persuade　the　first　plenipotentiary；　Sir　William　Longstaff；　to　deed　the　land　to　the　Turf　Club　in　perpetuity。〃
　〃e　now；　tai…pan；〃　Donald　McBride；　the　track　steward　for　this　meeting；　said　jovially；　〃tell　it　as　it　happened；　eh？　You　say　Dirk　'helped　persuade'？　Didn't　Dirk　just　'order'　Longstaff　to　do　it？〃
　Dunross　laughed　with　the　others　still　seated　at　the　table　he　had　hosted；　Casey；　Hiro　Toda　and　McBride；　who　had　just　arrived　to　visit。　There　was　a　bar　and　three　round　tables　in　the　box；　each　seating　twelve　fortably。　〃I　prefer　my　version；〃　he　said。　〃In　any　event；　Casey；　the　legend　is　that　Dirk　was　voted　this　position　by　popular　acclaim　when　the　first　stands　were　built。〃
　〃That's　not　true　either；　Casey；〃　Willie　Tusk　called　out　from　the　next　table。　〃Didn't　old　Tyler　Brock　demand　the　position　as　the　right　of　Brock　and　Sons？　Didn't　he　challenge　Dirk　to　put　up　the　position　on　a　race；　man　to　man；　at　the　first　meeting？〃
　〃No；　that's　just　a　story。〃
　〃Did　those　two　race；　tai…pan？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃They　were　going　to。　But　the　typhoon　came　too　soon；　so　they　say。　In　any　event　Culum　refused　to　budge　so　here　we　are。　This's　ours　while　the　course　exists。〃
　〃And　quite　right　too；〃　McBride　said；　with　his　happy　smile。　〃The　Noble　House　deserves　the　best。　Since　the　very　first　stewards　were　elected；　Miss　Casey；　the　tai…pan　of　Struan's　has　always　been　a　steward。　Always。　By　popular　acclaim。　Well；　I　must　be　off。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch；　smiled　at　Dunross。　With　great　formality　he　said；　〃Permission　to　start　the　first　race；　tai…pan？〃
　Dunross　grinned　back　at　him。　〃Permission　granted。〃　McBride　hurried　off。
　Casey　stared　at　Dunross。　〃They　have　to　ask　your　permission　to　begin？〃
　〃It's　just　a　custom。〃　Dunross　shrugged。　〃I　suppose　it's　a　good　idea　for　someone　to　say；　'All　right；　let's　begin；'　isn't　it？　I'm　afraid　that　unlike　Sir　Geoffrey；　the　governors　of　Hong　Kong　in　the　past　haven't　been　known　for　their　punctuality。　Besides；　tradition　is　not　a　bad　thing　at　all　…　gives　you　a　sense　of　continuity；　of　belonging　…　and　protection。〃　He　finished　his　coffee。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me　a　moment；　I　must　do　a　few　things。〃
　〃Have　fun！〃　She　watched　him　go；　liking　him　even　more　than　last　night。　Just　then　Peter　Marlowe　came　in　and　Dunross　stopped　a　moment。　〃Oh　hello；　Peter；　good　to　see　you。　How's　Fleur？〃
　〃Getting　better；　thank　you；　tai…pan。〃
　〃e　on　in！　Help　yourself　to　a　drink　…　I'll　be　back　in　a　moment。　Put　your　money　on　number　five；　Excellent　Day；　in　the　first！　See　you　later。〃
　〃Thanks；　tai…pan。〃
　Casey　beckoned　to　Peter　Marlowe　but　he　did　not　see　her。　His　eyes　had　fixed　on　Grey　who　was　with　Julian　Broadhurst　out　on　the　balcony；　haranguing　some　of　the　others。　She　saw　his　face　close　and　her　heart　leaped；　remembering　their　hostility；　so　she　called　out；　〃Peter！　Hi；　e　and　sit　down。〃
　His　eyes　unglazed。　〃Oh！　Oh　hello；〃　he　said。
　〃e　sit　down。　Fleur's　going　to　be　fine。〃
　〃She　certainly　appreciated　your　going　to　see　her。〃
　〃It　was　a　pleasure。　Are　the　kids　okay？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　You？〃
　〃Fantastic。　This　is　the　only　way　to　go　to　a　race！〃　Lunch　in　the　Struan　box　for　the　thirty…six　guests　had　been　a　lavish　buffet　of　hot　Chinese　foods　or；　if　they　preferred；　hot　steak…and…kidney　pie　and　vegetables；　with　plates　of　smoked　salmon；　hors　d'oeuvres　and　cold　cuts；　cheeses　and　pastries　of　all　kinds　and　as　a　topper；　a　meringue　sculpture　of　the　Struan　Building　…　all　prepared　in　their　own　kitchen。　Champagne；　with　the　best　red　and　white　wines；　liqueurs。　〃I'm　gonna　have　to　diet　for　fifty　years。〃
　〃Not　you。　How　goes　it？〃
　She　felt　his　probing　eyes。　〃Fine。　Why？〃
　〃Nothing。〃　He　glanced　off　at　Grey　again；　then　turned　his　attention　to　the　others。
　〃May　I　introduce　Peter　Marlowe？　Hiro　Toda　of　Toda　Shipping　Industries　of　Yokohama。　Peter's　a　novelist…screenwriter　from　Hollywood。〃　Then　all　at　once　his　book　rushed　into　her　mind　and　Changi　and　three　and　a　half　years　as　a　prisoner　of　war　and　she　waited　for　the　explosion。　There　was　a　hesitation　between　both　men。　Toda　politely　offered　his　business　card　and　Peter　Marlowe　gave　his　in　return；　equally　politely。　He　hesitated　a　moment　then　put　out　his　hand。　〃How're　you？〃
　The　Japanese　shook　it。　〃This's　an　honor；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃It's　not　often　one　meets　a　famous　author。〃
　〃I'm　not；　no；　not　at　all。〃
　〃You're　too　modest。　I　liked　your　book　very　much。　Yes。〃
　〃You've　read　it？〃　Peter　Marlowe　stared　at　him。　〃Really？〃　He　sat　and　looked　at　Toda；　who　was　much　shorter　than　he；　lithe　and　well　built；　more　handsome　and　well　dressed　in　a　blue　suit；　a　camera　hanging　on　his　chair；　his　eyes　equally　level；　the　two　men　of　an　age。　〃Where　did　you　find　it？〃
　〃In　Tokyo。　We　have　many　English　bookshops。　Please　excuse　me；　I　read　the　paperback；　not　the　hardback。　There　was　no　hardback　on　sale。　Your　novel　was　very　illuminating。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Peter　Marlowe　took　out　his　cigarettes　and　offered　them。　Toda　took　one。
　Casey　said；　〃Smoking's　not　good　for　you；　you　both　know　that！〃
　They　smiled　at　her。　〃We'll　give　them　up　for　Lent；〃　Peter　Marlowe　said。
　〃Sure。〃
　Peter　Marlowe　looked　back　at　Toda。　〃You　were　army？〃
　〃No；　Mr。　Marlowe。　Navy。　Destroyers。　I　was　at　the　Battle　of　the　Coral　Sea　in　'42；　then　at　Mi