jamesclavell.noblehouse-第301节

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　〃Three。　First；　next　year　I'm　going　to　start　another　stock　exchange。　I'll…　〃
　〃You'll　what？〃　Dunross　gaped　at　him；　thrown。　Profitable　Choy　grinned　and　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　face。　〃Sure。　A　stock　exchange　for　Chinese；　run　by　Chinese。〃
　Dunross　laughed　suddenly；　〃You've　got　balls；　Profitable　Choy。　Oh　yes。　Incidentally；　that's　not　a　bad　idea　at　all。　What　about　it；　the　new　exchange？〃
　〃Just　your　benevolent　Old　Friend　assistance　to　get　started；　to　stop　the　big　guys　from　blocking　me。〃
　〃For　50　percent。〃
　〃For　very　favorable　inside　terms。　Very　favorable；　guaranteed。　Next；〃　the　youth　held　on　to　his　hope；　〃I　want　you　to　introduce　me　to　Lando　Mata　and　tell　him　you're　backing　me　as　part　of　my　father's　group　to　bid　for　the　gambling　and　gold　syndicate　monopoly。　All　right？〃
　〃You　said　three　things。　What's　last？〃
　〃In　three　years　a　stewardship　of　the　Turf　Club。　In　that　time　I'll　guarantee　to　donate　a　million　U。S。　to　any　charity　or　charities　you　name；　I'll　back　all　worthy　causes　and　swear　by　God　I'll　make　it　as　easy　for　you　as　I　can。〃　The　young　man　wiped　the　sweat　off。　〃I'm　finished。〃
　Dunross　hesitated。　〃If　the　coin's　real　I'll　agree　to　everything　except　the　part　about　Lando　Mata。〃
　〃No。　That's　part　of　the　deal。〃
　〃I　don't　agree。〃
　〃I've　asked　for　nothing　illegal；　nothing　you　can't　gr…　〃
　〃Lando　Mata's　out！〃
　The　young　man　sighed。　He　took　the　coin　off　the　desk；　stared　at　it。　〃If　that's　out；　then　the　whole　deal's　off　and　I'll　put　Four　Finger　Wu's　ask　in　place。　It's　still　the　same　coin；〃　he　said；　readying　to　play　his　last　card。
　〃And？〃
　〃And　that'll　make　you　party　to　narcotics；　guns　and　everything　you　detest　but　will　have　to　honor。　Sorry；　tai…pan；　but　I'm　bucking　to　be　an　ancestor。〃　He　tossed　the　coin　back　on　the　table。　〃You　choose。〃
　Dunross　was　suddenly　perturbed。　The　favor　was　cleverly　couched。　Nothing　illegal；　nothing　extravagant。　Paul　Choy　had　done　very　well　against　him。　Too　well。　Four　Fingers　was　a　known　quantity。　But　this　one；　this　devil's　spawn？　I　can't　risk　narcotics　…　he　knows　that。
　To　give　himself　time　Dunross　reached　into　his　pocket　and　found　the　little　silk　pouch　and　put　his　coin　on　the　table。　He　moved　his　half　into　the　other。　The　fit　was　perfect。
　Without　knowing　it　both　men　exhaled；　staring　at　the　now…joined　coin　that　would　lock　them　immutably　together。　Dunross　knew　it　was　a　waste　of　time　but　he　would　go　to　the　assayist　anyway。　For　a　moment　he　held　the　two　halves　in　his　hand。　What　to　do　about　this　cocky　young　bugger；　he　asked　himself。　Ah；　now　there's　a　good　thought！　Phillip　Chen　should　be　given　the　problem！
　〃All　right；　Profitable　Choy；〃　he　said　putting　him　very　high　on　his　private　Suspected　Persons　list。　〃I'll　agree　to　grant　your　favor　…　if　your　half's　real　…　except　I'll　ask　Lando；　I　can't　tell　him　anything。　All　right？〃
　〃Thank　you；　tai…pan；　you　won't　regret　it。〃　Wet　with　relief　Profitable　Choy　took　out　a　list　of　names。　〃Here's　all　the　expert　assayists　in　Hong　Kong。　You　like　to　choose　one？　I；　er；　I　checked　and　they're　all　open　to　seven　o'clock。〃
　Dunross　smiled　faintly。　〃You're　very　sure　of　yourself；　Profitable　Choy。〃
　〃Just　try　to　keep　ahead　of　the　game；　sir。〃
　
　Casey　came　out　of　the　Struan　Building　and　went　to　the　waiting　Rolls。　At　once　Lim　opened　the　door　for　her。　She　sank　back　into　the　deep　cushions　feeling　nothing；　knowing　nothing　except　that　her　anguish　was　consuming　her　and　any　moment　she　would　break；　not　even　noticing　Lim　ease　the　car　into　the　heavy　traffic　to　head　for　the　vehicular　ferry。
　Tears　were　very　near。　So　much　time　before　we　leave；　she　thought。　Everything　packed　and　sent　to　the　airplane。　I'm　checked　out；　all　bills　paid；　but　so　much　time　still　left。
　For　a　moment　she　considered　just　stopping　the　car　and　walking　off　but　that　would　have　been　worse；　no　privacy；　no　protection　and　she　felt　so　terrible。　Yet　I've　got　to　get　out；　be　by　myself。　I've　got　to。　Oh　Jesus；　Linc　poor　Linc。　〃Lim；〃　she　said　on　an　impulse；　〃go　to　the　Peak。〃
　〃Missee？〃
　〃Just　drive　to　the　top　of　the　Peak；　to　the　lookout。　Please？〃　she　said；　desperately　trying　to　keep　her　voice　ordinary。　〃I've；　I　haven't　been　there。　I　want　to　see　it　before　I　go。　Please。〃
　〃Yes；　Missee。〃
　Casey　leaned　back　and　closed　her　eyes　against　the　tears　that　poured　out　silently。
　
　90
　
　6：45　P。M。：
　It　was　almost　sunset。
　Up　at　Lo　Wu；　the　central　border　village　between　the　Colony　and　China；　the　usual　crowds　of　Chinese　were　crossing　the　bridge　in　both　directions。　The　bridge　was　barely　fifty　yards　long　and　spanned　a　trickling　muddy　stream　and　yet　those　fifty　yards；　for　some；　were　a　million　miles。　At　both　ends　were　guard　posts　and　immigration　checkpoints　and　customs；　and　in　the　middle；　a　small　removable　barrier。　Two　Hong　Kong　police　stood　there　and　two　PRC　soldiers。　Two　train　tracks　went　across　the　bridge。
　In　the　old　days　trains　came　from　Canton　to　Hong　Kong　and　back　again；　nonstop；　but　now　passenger　trains　stopped　on　either　side　and　passengers　crossed　on　foot。　And　the　trains　themselves　went　back　the　way　they　came。　Freight　trains　from　China　went　through　without　problem。　Most　days。
　Each　day　hundreds　of　locals　crossed　the　border　as　they　would　cross　any　road。　Their　fields　or　work　was　on　both　sides　of　the　border　and　had　been　so　for　generations。　These　border　people　were　a　hardy；　suspicious　lot；　hating　change；　hating　interference；　hating　uniforms；　hating　police　particularly　and　foreigners　of　every　kind。　A　foreigner　to　them；　as　to　most　Chinese；　was　anyone　not　of　their　village。　To　them　there　was　no　border；　could　never　be　a　border。
　The　Lo　Wu　bridge　was　one　of　the　most　sensitive　single　spots　in　all　China　…　it　and　the　other　two　crossing　points。　Of　these；　one　was　at　Mau　Kam　Toh　where　cattle　and　vegetables　came　daily　over　a　rickety　bridge　across　this　same　stream　that　marked　most　of　the　border。　The　last；　at　the　very　eastern　tip　of　the　border；　was　at　the　fishing　village　of　Tau　Kok。　Here　the　border　was　not　marked　but；　by　mon　consent；　was　said　to　run　down　the　middle　of　the　single　village　street。
　These　were　China's　only　contact　points　with　the　West。　Everything　was　meticulously　controlled　and　monitored　…　by　both　sides。　The　tension　and　manner　of　the　guards　was　a　barometer。
　Today　the　guards　on　the　PRC　side　of　Lo　Wu　had　been　jittery。　Because　of　that；　the　Hong　Kong　side　was　nervous　too；　not　knowing　what　to　expect　…　perhaps　a　sudden　closure；　perhaps　a　sudden　invasion　like　last　year；　the　Colony　existing　at　the　whim　of　China。　〃And　that's　a　fact　of　life；〃　Chief　Inspector　Smyth　muttered。　Today　he　had　been　assigned　here　for　special　duty　and　he　was　standing　uneasily　near　the　police　station　that　was　discreetly　set　back　a　hundred　yards　from　the　real　border　so　as　not　to　offend　or　create　waves。　Christ；　he　thought；　waves？　One　fart　in　London　could　start　millions　of　refugees　marching　here　…　if　the　powers　across　the　border　decided　that　that　tiny　piece　of　wind　was　an　affront　to　the　dignity　of　China。
　〃e　on；　for　chrissake；〃　he　said　impatiently；　his　khaki　shirt　sticking　to　his　back；　his　eyes　on　the　road　back　to　Hong　Kong。　The　road　was　puddled。　It　curled　away。　Then；　in　the　distance；　he　saw　the　police　car　approaching。　Greatly　relieved；　he　went　to　meet　it。　Armstrong　got　out。　Then　Brian　Kwok。　Smyth　saluted　Robert　Armstrong　with　his　swagger　stick　to　cover　his　shock。　Brian　Kwok　was　in　civilian　clothes。　There　was　a　curious；　vacant；　petrified　look　in　his　eyes。　〃Hello；　Robert；〃　Smyth　said。
　〃Hello。　Sorry　to　be　late；〃　Armstrong　said。
　〃It's　only　a　couple　of　minutes。　Actually　I　was　told　sunset。〃　Smyth　squinted　westward。　The　sun　was　not　yet　down。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Brian　Kwok。　It　was　hard　to　keep　the　contempt　out　of　his　face。
　The　tall；　handsome　Chinese　took　out　a　pack　of　cigarettes。　His　fingers　trembled　as　he　offered　it　to　Smyth。
　〃No　thanks；〃　Smyth　said　coldly。　Armstrong　took　one。　〃I　thought　you'd　given　up　smoking？〃
　〃I　did。　I　started　again。〃
　Brian　Kwok　laughed　nervously。　〃Afraid　it's　me。　Robert's　been　trying　to　keep　。。。　to　keep　Crosse　and　his　angels　off　my　back。〃
　Neither　man　laughed。
　〃Is　anyone　ing？　Anyone　else？〃　Smyth　asked。
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Not　officially。〃　Armstrong　looked　around。　There　were　the　usual　gaping　bystanders　but　they　appeared　haphazard。　〃They're　here　though。　Somewhere。〃　Both　men　felt　the　hackles　on　their　necks　rising。　〃You　can　get　on　with　it。〃
　Smyth　took　out　a　formal　document。　〃Wu　Chu…toy；　alias　Brian　Kar…shun　Kwok；　you　are　formally　charged　with　espionage　against　Her　Majesty's　Government　on　behalf　of　a　foreign　power。　Under　the　authority　of　the　Deportation　Order　of　Hong　Kong　you　are　formally　ordered　out　of　the　Crown　Colony。　If　you　return　you　are　formally　warned　you　do　so　at　your　peril　and　are　liable　for　arraignment　and　imprisonment　at　Her　Majesty's　pleasure。〃　Grimly　Smyth　handed　him　the　paper。
　Brian　Kwok　took　it。　It　seemed　to　take　him　time　to　see　and　to　hear；　his　senses　dulled。　〃Now　。。。　now　what　happens？〃
　Smyth　said；　〃You　walk　over　that　bloody　bridge　and　go　back　to　your　pals。〃
　〃Eh？　You　think　I'm　a　fool？　You　think　I　believe　you're；　you're　letting　me　go？〃　Brian　Kwok　spun　on　Armstrong。　〃Robert；　I　keep　telling　you　they're　playing　with　me；　with　you；　they'll　never　let　me　go　free！　You　know　that！〃
　〃You're　free；　Brian。〃
　〃No　。。。　no；　I　know　what's　happening。　The　moment　I；　the　moment　I'm　almost