jamesclavell.noblehouse-第96节

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in　a　man's　world　early　…　so　I'll　rub　your　nose　in　it。　Yes。　Or　maybe　a　game　of　pool　…　or　billiards。　Sure；　and　I　know　what　reverse　English　is　too。
　Casey　thought　of　her　father　with　a　sudden　shaft　of　joy；　and　how　he　had　taught　her　the　rudiments　of　both　games。　But　it　was　Linc　who　taught　her　how　to　stab　low　on　the　left　side　with　the　cue　to　give　the　ball　a　twist　to　the　right　to　swerve　around　the　eight　ball　…　showed　her　when；　foolishly；　she　had　challenged　him　to　a　game。　He　had　slaughtered　her　before　he　gave　her　any　lessons。
　〃Casey；　you'd　better　make　sure　you　know　all　a　man's　weak　points　before　you　battle　with　him。　I　wiped　the　board　with　you　to　prove　a　point。　I　don't　play　games　for　pleasure　…　just　to　win。　I'm　not　playing　games　with　you。　I　want　you；　nothing　else　matters。　Let's　forget　the　deal　we　made　and　get　married　and　。。。〃
　That　was　just　a　few　months　after　she　had　started　working　for　Linc　Bartlett。　She　was　just　twenty　and　already　in　love　with　him。　But　she　still　wanted　revenge　on　the　other　man　more；　and　independent　wealth　more　and　to　find　herself　more；　so　she　had　said；　〃No；　Linc；　we　agreed　seven　years。　We　agreed　up　front；　as　equals。　I'll　help　you　get　rich　and　I'll　get　mine　on　the　way　to　your　millions；　and　neither　of　us　owes　the　other　anything。　You　can　fire　me　anytime　for　any　reason；　and　I　can　leave　for　any　reason。　We're　equals。　I　won't　deny　that　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart　but　I　still　won't　change　our　deal。　But　if　you're　still　willing　to　ask　me　to　marry　you　when　I　reach　my　twenty…seventh　birthday；　then　I　will。　I'll　marry　you；　live　with　you；　leave　you　…　whatever　you　want。　But　not　now。　Yes　I　love　you　but　if　we　bee　lovers　now　I'll　。。。　I'll　never　be　able　to　。。。　I　just　can't；　Linc；　not　now。　There's　too　much　I　have　to　find　out　about　myself。〃
　Casey　sighed。　What　a　twisted　crazy　deal　it　is。　Has　all　the　power　and　dealing　and　wheeling　…　and　all　the　years　and　tears　and　loneliness　been　worth　it？
　I　just　don't　know。　I　just　don't　know。　And　Par…Con？　Can　I　ever　reach　my　goal：　Par…Con　and　Linc；　or　will　I　have　to　choose　between　them？
　〃Ciranoush？〃　came　through　the　earpiece。
　〃Oh！　Hello；　Mr。　Gornt！〃　She　felt　a　surge　of　warmth。　〃This　is　a　pleasant　surprise；〃　she　added；　collecting　her　wits。
　〃I　hope　I'm　not　disturbing　you？〃
　〃Not　at　all。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　〃I　wondered　if　you　are　able　to　confirm　this　Sunday　yet；　if　you　and　Mr。　Bartlett　are　available？　I　want　to　plan　my　boat　party　and　I'd　like　the　two　of　you　as　my　honored　guests。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Gornt；　but　Linc　can't　make　it。　He's　all　tied　up。〃
　She　heard　the　hesitation　and　then　the　covered　pleasure　in　his　voice。　〃Would　you　care　to　e　without　him？　I　was　thinking　of　having　a　few　business　friends。　I'm　sure　you'd　find　it　interesting。〃
　It　might　be　very　good　for　Par…Con　if　I　went；　she　thought。　Besides；　if　Linc　and　the　tai…pan　are　going　to　Taipei　without　me；　why　can't　I　go　boating　without　them？　〃I'd　love　to；〃　she　said；　warmth　in　her　voice；　〃if　you're　sure　I　won't　be　in　the　way。〃
　〃Of　course　not。　We'll　pick　you　up　at　the　wharf；　just　opposite　the　hotel；　near　the　Golden　Ferry。　Ten　o'clock　…　casual。　Do　you　swim？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Good　…　the　water's　refreshing。　Water…ski？〃
　〃Love　it！〃
　〃Very　good！〃
　〃Can　I　bring　anything？　Food　or　wine　or　anything？〃
　〃No。　I　think　we'll　have　everything　aboard。　We'll　go　to　one　of　the　outer　islands　and　picnic；　water…ski　…　be　back　just　after　sunset。〃
　〃Mr。　Gornt；　I'd　like　to　keep　this　excursion　to　ourselves。　I'm　told　Confucius　said；　'A　closed　mouth　catches　no　flies。'　〃
　〃Confucius　said　many　things。　He　once　likened　a　lady　to　a　moonbeam。〃
　She　hesitated；　the　danger　signals　up。　But　then　she　heard　herself　say　lightly；　〃Should　I　bring　a　chaperone？〃
　〃Perhaps　you　should；〃　he　said　and　she　heard　his　smile。
　〃How　about　Dunross？〃
　〃He'd　hardly　be　a　chaperone　…　merely　the　destruction　of　what　could　perhaps　be　a　perfect　day。〃
　〃I　look　forward　to　Sunday；　Mr。　Gornt。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　The　phone　clicked　off　instantly。
　You　arrogant　bastard！　she　almost　said　aloud。　How　much　are　you　taking　for　granted？　Just　thank　you　and　click　and　no　good…bye。
　I'm　Linc's　and　not　up　for　grabs。
　Then　why　did　you　play　the　coquette　on　the　phone　and　at　the　party？　she　asked　herself。　And　why　did　you　want　that　bastard　to　keep　your　Sunday　date　quiet？
　Women　like　secrets　too；　she　told　herself　grimly。　Women　like　a　lot　of　things　men　like。
　
　26
　
　8：35　P。M。：
　The　coolie　was　in　the　dingy　gold　vaults　of　the　Ho…Pak　Bank。　He　was　a　small；　old　man　who　wore　a　tattered　grimy　undershirt　and　ragged　shorts。　As　the　two　porters　lifted　the　canvas　sack　onto　his　bent　back；　he　adjusted　the　forehead　halter　and　leaned　against　it；　taking　the　strain　with　his　neck　muscles；　his　hands　grasping　the　two　worn　straps。　Now　that　he　had　the　full　weight；　he　felt　his　overtaxed　heart　pumping　against　the　load；　his　joints　shrieking　for　relief。
　The　sack　weighed　just　over　ninety　pounds　…　almost　more　than　his　own　weight。　The　tally　clerks　had　just　sealed　it。　It　contained　exactly　250　of　the　little　gold　smuggler　bars；　each　of　five　taels　…　a　little　over　six　ounces　…　just　one　of　which　would　have　kept　him　and　his　family　secure　for　months。　But　the　old　man　had　no　thought　of　trying　to　steal　even　one　of　them。　All　of　his　being　was　concentrated　on　how　to　dominate　the　agony；　how　to　keep　his　feet　moving；　how　to　do　his　share　of　the　work；　to　get　his　pay　at　the　end　of　his　shift；　and　then　to　rest。
　〃Hurry　up；〃　the　foreman　said　sourly；　〃we've　still　more　than　twenty　fornicating　tons　to　load。　Next！〃
　The　old　man　did　not　reply。　To　do　so　would　take　more　of　his　precious　energy。　He　had　to　guard　his　strength　zealously　tonight　if　he　was　to　finish。　With　an　effort　he　set　his　feet　into　motion；　his　calves　knotted　and　varicosed　and　scarred　from　so　many　years　of　labor。
　Another　coolie　took　his　place　as　he　shuffled　slowly　out　of　the　dank　concrete　room；　the　shelves　ladened　with　a　seemingly　never…ending　supply　of　meticulous　stacks　of　little　gold　bars　that　waited　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　the　two　neat　bank　clerks　…　waited　to　be　loaded　into　the　next　canvas　sack；　to　be　counted　and　recounted；　then　sealed　with　a　flourish。
　On　the　narrow　stairway　the　old　man　faltered。　He　regained　his　balance　with　difficulty；　then　lifted　a　foot　to　climb　another　step　…　only　twenty…eight　more　now　…　and　then　another　and　he　had　just　made　the　landing　when　his　calves　gave　out。　He　tottered　against　the　wall；　leaning　against　it　to　ease　the　weight；　his　heart　grinding；　both　hands　grasping　the　straps；　knowing　he　could　never　resettle　the　load　if　he　stepped　out　of　the　harness；　terrified　lest　the　foreman　or　a　subforeman　would　pass　by。　Through　the　spectrum　of　pain　he　heard　footsteps　ing　toward　him　and　he　fought　the　sack　higher　onto　his　back　and　into　motion　once　more。　He　almost　toppled　over。
　〃Hey；　Nine　Carat　Chu；　are　you　all　right？〃　the　other　coolie　asked　in　Shantung　dialect；　steadying　the　sack　for　him。
　〃Yes　。。。　yes　。。。〃　He　gasped　with　relief；　thankful　it　was　his　friend　from　his　village　far　to　the　north　and　the　leader　of　his　gang　of　ten。　〃Fornicate　all　gods；　I　。。。　I　just　slipped。　。。。〃
　The　other　man　peered　at　him　in　the　coarse　light　from　the　single　bare　light　overhead。　He　saw　the　tortured；　rheumy　old　eyes　and　the　stretched　muscles。　〃I'll　take　this　one；　you　rest　a　moment；〃　he　said。　Skillfully　he　eased　off　the　weight　and　swung　the　sack　to　the　floorboards。　〃I'll　tell　that　motherless　foreigner　who　thinks　he's　got　brains　enough　to　be　a　foreman　that　you've　gone　to　relieve　yourself。〃　He　reached　into　his　ragged；　torn　pants　pocket　and　handed　the　old　man　one　of　his　small；　screwed…up　pieces　of　cigarette　foil。　〃Take　it。　I'll　deduct　it　from　your　pay　tonight。〃
　The　old　man　mumbled　his　thanks。　He　was　all　pain　now；　barely　thinking。　The　other　man　swung　the　sack　onto　his　back；　grunting　with　the　effort；　leaned　against　the　head　band；　then；　his　calves　knotted；　slowly　went　back　up　the　stairs；　pleased　with　the　deal　he　had　made。
　The　old　man　slunk　off　the　landing　into　a　dusty　alcove　and　squatted　down。　His　fingers　trembled　as　he　smoothed　out　the　cigarette　foil　with　its　pinch　of　white　powder。　He　lit　a　match　and　held　it　carefully　under　the　foil　to　heat　it。　The　powder　began　to　blacken　and　smoke。　Carefully　he　held　the　smoking　powder　under　his　nostrils　and　inhaled　deeply；　again　and　again；　until　every　grain　had　vanished　into　the　smoke　that　he　pulled　oh　so　gratefully　into　his　lungs。
　He　leaned　back　against　the　wall。　Soon　the　pain　vanished　and　left　euphoria。　It　was　all…pervading。　He　felt　young　again　and　strong　again　and　now　he　knew　that　he　would　finish　his　shift　perfectly　and　this　Saturday；　when　he　went　to　the　races；　he　would　win　the　double　quinella。　Yes；　this　would　be　his　lucky　week　and　he　would　put　most　of　his　winnings　down　on　a　piece　of　property；　yes；　a　small　piece　of　property　at　first　but　with　the　boom　my　property　will　go　up　and　up　and　up　and　then　I'll　sell　that　piece　and　make　a　fortune　and　buy　more　and　more　and　then　I'll　be　an　ancestor；　my　grandchildren　flocking　around　my　knees　。。。
　He　got　up　and　stood　tall　then　went　back　down　the　stairs　again　and　stood　in　line；　waiting　his　turn　impatiently。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　hurry　up；〃　he　said　in　his　lilting　Shantung　dialect；　〃I　haven't　all　night！　I've　another　job　at　midnight。〃
　The　other　job　was　on　a　construction　site　in　Central；　not　far　from　the　Ho…Pak