jamesclavell.noblehouse-第166部分

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thwest　of　Hong　Kong；　just　out　of　the　sea…lanes；　PRC　waters　and　the　vast　mouth　of　the　Pearl　River　just　to　port；　open　sea　to　starboard。　All　sails　were　furled。
　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　coughed。　〃All　gods　curse　all　fornicating　triad　turds！〃
　〃Shall　I　wake　him　again？〃　Goodweather　Poon　asked。
　〃No。　No；　the　fornicator's　told　the　truth　as　much　as　he　knows。〃　Wu's　calloused　fingers　reached　up　and　nervously　touched　the　half…coin　that　he　wore　now　around　his　neck　under　his　ragged　sweat　shirt；　making　sure　it　was　still　there。　A　knot　of　anxiety　welled　at　the　thought　that　the　coin　might　be　genuine；　might　be　Phillip　Chen's　missing　treasure。　〃You　did　very　well；　Goodweather　Poon。　Tonight　you'll　get　a　bonus。〃　His　eyes　went　to　the　southeast；　seeking　the　signal。　It　was　overdue　but　he　was　not　yet　worried。　Automatically　his　nose　sniffed　the　wind　and　his　tongue　tasted　it；　tangy　and　heavy　with　salt。　His　eyes　ranged　the　sky　and　the　sea　and　the　horizon。　〃More　rain　soon；〃　he　muttered。
　Poon　lit　another　cigarette　from　his　butt　and　ground　the　butt　into　the　deck　with　his　horny　bare　foot。　〃Will　it　ruin　the　races　on　Saturday？〃
　The　old　man　shrugged。　〃If　the　gods　will　it。　I　think　it　will　be　piss　heavy　again　tomorrow。　Unless　the　wind　veers。　Unless　the　wind　veers　we　could　have　the　Devil　Winds；　the　Supreme　Winds；　and　those　fornicators　could　scatter　us　to　the　Four　Seas。　Piss　on　the　Supreme　Winds！〃
　〃I'll　piss　on　them　if　there　are　no　races。　My　nose　tells　me　it's　Banker　Kwang's　horse。〃
　〃Huh！　That　stinky；　mealy…mouth　nephew　of　mine　certainly　needs　a　change　of　joss！　The　fool's　lost　his　bank！〃
　Poon　hawked　and　spat　for　luck。　〃Thank　all　gods　for　Profitable　Choy！〃
　Since　Four　Fingers　and　his　captains　and　his　people　had　all　successfully　extracted　all　their　monies　from　the　Ho…Pak；　thanks　to　information　from　Paul　Choy　…　and　since　he　himself　was　still　enjoying　vast　profits　from　his　son's　illicit　manipulation　of　Struan　stock；　Wu　had　dubbed　him　Profitable　Choy。　Because　of　the　profit；　he　had　forgiven　his　son　the　transgression。　But　only　in　his　heart。　Being　prudent；　the　old　man　had　showed　none　of　it　outwardly　except　to　his　friend　and　confidant；　Goodweather　Poon。
　〃Bring　him　on　deck。〃
　〃What　about　this　Werewolf　fornicator？〃　Poon's　horny　toe　stabbed　Kin。　〃Young　Profitable　didn't　like　him　or　this　matter　at　all；　heya？〃
　〃Time　he　grew　up；　time　he　knew　how　to　treat　enemies；　time　he　knew　real　values；　not　ill…omened；　stink…wind；　fatuous　Golden　Mountain　values。〃　The　old　man　spat　on　the　deck。　〃He's　forgotten　who　he　is　and　where　his　interests　lie。〃
　〃You　said　yourself　you　don't　send　a　rabbit　against　a　dragon。　Or　a　minnow　against　a　shark。　You've　your　investment　to　consider　and　don't　forget　Profitable　Choy's　returned　everything　he　cost　you　over　fifteen　years　twenty　times　over。　In　the　money　market　he's　a　High　Dragon　and　only　twenty…six。　Leave　him　where　he's　best；　best　for　you　and　best　for　him。　Heya？〃
　〃Tonight　he's　best　here。〃
　The　old　seaman　scratched　his　ear。　〃I　don't　know　about　that；　Four　Fingers。　That　the　gods　will　decide。　Me；　I'd　have　left　him　ashore。〃　Now　Goodweather　Poon　was　watching　the　southeast。　His　peripheral　vision　had　caught　something。　〃You　see　it？〃
　After　a　moment　Four　Fingers　shook　his　head。　〃There's　plenty　of　time；　plenty　of　time。〃
　〃Yes。〃　The　old　seaman　glanced　back　at　the　body　trussed　with　chains　like　a　plucked　chicken。　His　face　split　into　a　grin。　〃Eeeee；　but　when　Profitable　Choy　turned　white　like　a　jellyfish　at　this　fornicator's　first　scream　and　first　blood；　I　had　to　break　wind　to　release　my　laughter　to　save　his　face！〃
　〃The　young　today　have　no　fortitude；〃　Wu　repeated；　then　lit　a　new　cigarette　and　nodded。　〃But　you're　right。　After　tonight　Profitable's　going　to　be　left　where　he　belongs　to　bee　even　more　profitable。〃　He　glanced　down　at　Smallpox　Kin。　〃Is　he　dead？〃
　〃Not　yet。　What　a　dirty　motherless　whore　to　hit　Number　One　Son　Noble　House　Chen　with　a　shovel　and　then　lie　about　it　to　us；　heya？　And　to　cut　off　Chen's　ear　and　blame　his　father　and　brothers　and　lie　about　that　too！　And　then　taking　the　ransom　even　though　they　couldn't　deliver　the　goods！　Terrible！〃
　〃Disgusting！〃　The　old　man　guffawed。　〃Even　more　terrible　to　get　caught。　But　then　you　showed　the　fornicator　the　error　of　his　rotten　ways；　Goodweather　Poon。〃
　They　both　laughed；　happy　together。
　〃Shall　I　cut　off　his　other　ear；　Four　Fingers？〃
　〃Not　yet。　Soon；　yes；　very　soon。〃
　Again　Poon　scratched　his　head。　〃One　thing　I　don't　understand。　I　don't　understand　why　you　told　me　to　put　their　sign　on　Number　One　Son　and　leave　him　as　they　planned　to　leave　him。〃　He　frowned　at　Four　Fingers。　〃When　this　fornicator's　dead　that's　all　the　Werewolves　dead；　heya？　So　what　good　is　the　sign？〃
　Four　Fingers　cackled。　〃All　es　clear　to　he　who　waits。　Patience；〃　he　said；　very　pleased　with　himself。　The　sign　implied　the　Werewolves　were　very　much　alive。　If　only　he　and　Poon　knew　that　they　were　all　dead；　he　could　at　any　time　resurrect　them；　or　the　threat　of　them。　At　his　whim。　Yes；　he　thought　happily；　kill　one　to　terrify　ten　thousand！　The　〃Werewolves〃　can　easily　bee　a　continuous　source　of　extra　revenue　at　very　little　cost。　A　few　phone　calls；　a　judicious　kidnapping　or　two；　perhaps　another　ear。　〃Patience；　Goodweather　Poon。　Soon　you'll　un…　〃　He　stopped。　Both　men　had　centered　their　eyes　on　the　same　spot　in　the　darkness。　A　small；　dimly　lit　freighter　was　just　nosing　into　sight。　In　a　moment　two　lights　flashed　at　her　masthead。　At　once　Wu　went　to　the　conn　and　flashed　an　answering　signal。　The　freighter　flashed　the　confirm。　〃Good；〃　Wu　said　happily；　flashing　his　reconfirm。　The　deck　crew　had　also　seen　the　lights。　One　hurried　below　to　fetch　the　rest　of　the　seamen　and　the　others　went　to　their　action　stations。　Wu's　eyes　fell　on　Smallpox　Kin。　〃First　him；〃　he　said　malevolently。　〃Fetch　my　son　here。〃
　Weakly　Paul　Choy　groped　his　way　on　deck。　He　gulped　the　fresh　air　gratefully；　the　stench　from　below　decks　overpowering。　He　climbed　the　gangway　to　the　poop。　When　he　saw　the　red　mess　on　the　deck　and　the　partial　person　on　the　deck；　his　stomach　revolted　and　once　more　he　threw　up　over　the　side。
　Four　Finger　Wu　said；　〃Give　Goodweather　Poon　a　hand。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Are　your　ears　filled　with　vomit？〃　the　old　man　shouted。　〃Give　him　a　hand。〃
　Frightened；　Paul　Choy　reeled　over　to　the　old　seaman；　the　helmsman　watching　interestedly。　〃What　do　you　。。。　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Take　his　legs！〃
　Paul　Choy　tried　to　dominate　his　nausea。　He　closed　his　eyes。　His　nostrils　were　filled　with　the　smell　of　vomit　and　blood。　He　reached　down；　took　the　legs　and　part　of　the　heavy　chain　and　staggered；　half　falling；　to　the　side。　Goodweather　Poon　was　carrying　most　of　the　weight　and　he　could　easily　have　carried　it　all　and　Paul　Choy　too　if　need　be。　Effortlessly　he　balanced　Smallpox　Kin　on　the　gunnel。
　〃Hold　him　there！〃　By　prearrangement　with　Four　Fingers；　the　old　seaman　backed　away；　leaving　Paul　Choy　on　his　own；　the　unconscious；　mutilated　face　and　body　slumped　precariously　against　him。
　〃Put　him　overboard！〃　Wu　ordered。
　〃But　Father　。。。　please　。。。　he's　。。。　he's　not　de　。。。　not　dead　yet。　Pl…　〃
　〃Put　him　over　the　side！〃
　Beside　himself　with　fear　and　loathing；　Paul　Choy　tried　to　pull　the　body　back　aboard　but　the　wind　squalled　and　heeled　the　junk　and　the　last　of　the　Werewolves　toppled　into　the　sea　and　sank　without　a　trace。　Helplessly　Paul　Choy　stared　at　the　waves　slopping　against　the　teak。　He　saw　that　there　was　blood　on　his　shirt　and　on　his　hands。　Another　wave　of　nausea　racked　him；　tormenting　him。
　〃Here！〃　Gruffly　Wu　handed　his　son　a　flask。　It　contained　whiskey；　good　whiskey。　Paul　Choy　choked　a　little　but　his　stomach　held　the　whiskey。　Wu　turned　back　to　the　conn；　waved　the　helmsman　toward　the　freighter；　the　throttle　opened　to　full　ahead。　Paul　Choy　almost　fell　but　managed　to　grab　the　gunnel　and　stay　on　his　feet；　unprepared　for　the　suddenness　of　the　deep…throated　roar　and　burst　of　speed。　When　he　had　his　sea　legs　he　looked　at　his　father。　Now　the　old　man　was　near　the　tiller；　Goodweather　Poon　nearby；　and　both　were　peering　into　the　darkness。　He　could　see　the　small　ship　and　his　stomach　reeled；　and　he　hated　his　father　afresh；　hated　being　on　board　and　being　involved　in　what　obviously　was　smuggling　…　on　top　of　the　horror　of　the　Werewolf。
　Whatever　that　poor　son　of　a　bitch　did；　he　thought；　enraged；　it　doesn't　merit　taking　the　law　into　your　own　hands。　He　should've　been　handed　over　to　the　police　to　be　hanged　or　imprisoned　or　whatever。
　Wu　felt　the　eyes　on　him　and　he　glanced　back。　His　face　did　not　change。　〃e　here；〃　he　ordered；　his　thumbless　hand　stabbing　the　gunnel　in　front　of　him。　〃Stand　here。〃
　Numbly　Paul　Choy　obeyed。　He　was　much　taller　than　his　father　and　Goodweather　Poon　but　he　was　a　piece　of　chaff　against　either　of　them。
　The　junk　sped　through　the　darkness　on　an　intercept　course；　the　sea　black　and　the　night　black　with　just　a　little　moonlight　sifting　through　the　overcast。　Soon　they　were　just　aft　of　the　vessel　and　a　little　to　starboard；　closing　fast。　She　was　small；　slow　and　quite　old　and　she　dipped　uneasily　in　the　gathering　swell。　〃She's　a　coastal　freighter；〃　Goodweather　Poon　volunteered；　〃a　Thai　trawler　we　call　them。　There's　dozens　of　the　fornicators　in　all　Asian　waters。　They're　the　lice　of　the　seas；　Profitable　Choy；　crewed　by　scum；　captained　by　scum；　and　they　leak　like　lobster　pots。　Most　ply　the　Bangkok；　Singapore；　Manila；　Hong　Kong　route；　and　wherever　else　they've　a　cargo　for。　This　one's　out　of　Bangkok。〃　He　hawked　and　spat；　revolting　the　young　man　again。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　voyage　on　one　of　those　stinking　whores。　Th…　〃
　He　stopped。　There　was　another　brief　flashing　signal。　Wu　answered　it。　Then　all　on　deck　saw　the　splash　on　her　starboard　side　as　something　heavy　went　overboard。　At　once　Four　Fingers　rang　up　〃all　engines　stop。〃　The　sudden　quiet　was　deafening。　Bow　lookouts　peered　into　the　darkness；　the　junk　wallowing　and　swerving　as　she　slowed。
　Then　one　of　the　bow　lookouts　signaled　with　a　flag。　At　once　Wu　gave　a　little　engine　and　made　the　correction。　Another　silent　signal　and　another　change　of　direction　and　then　a　sharper；　more　excited　movement　of　the　flag。
　Immediately　Wu　reversed　engines。　The　props　bit　the　sea　heavily。　Then　he　killed　the　thrust；　the　junk　swerving　closer　to　the　line　of　bobbing　buoys。　The　gnarled　old　man　seemed　to　be　part　of　the　ship　as　Paul　Choy　watched　him　with　his