jamesclavell.noblehouse-第183部分

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　Her　mouth　felt　dry。　She　went　to　the　refrigerator　and　got　a　bottle　of　iced　Perrier　and　the　nice　tang　of　it　made　her　feel　better。　I　wonder　how　the　earth　makes　those　bubbles；　she　thought　idly；　getting　onto　the　bed。　Earlier；　she　had　tried　to　sleep　but　her　mind　was　jumbled　and　would　not　stop　working；　too　much　of　the　new　…　new　foods；　new　smells；　air；　mores；　threats；　people；　customs；　cultures。　Dunross。　Gornt。　Dunross　and　Gornt。　Dunross　and　Gornt　and　Linc。　A　new　Linc。　A　new　you；　frightened　of　a　pretty　piece　of　ass　。。。　yes；　ass　if　you　want　to　be　vulgar　and　that's　new　for　you　too。　Before　you　came　here　you　were　assured；　dynamic；　in　charge　of　your　world；　and　now　you're　not。　All　over　her；　not　just　over　her；　over　that　bitch　Lady　Joanna　too　with　her　so　upper…class　English　accent；　〃Don't　you　remember；　dear；　it's　our　Over　Thirty　Club　Lunch　today。　I　mentioned　it　at　the　tai…pan's　dinner。　。。。〃
　Goddamn　old　bitch。　Over　thirty！　I'm　not　even　twenty…seven！
　That's　right；　Casey。　But　you　are　all　riled　up　like　a　mashed　cat　and　it's　not　just　her　or　Orlanda；　it's　also　Linc　and　the　hundreds　of　available　girls　you've　already　seen　and　you　haven't　even　looked　in　the　dance　halls　and　bars　and　houses　where　they　specialize。　Didn't　Jannelli　wind　you　up　too？
　〃Jesus；　Casey；〃　he　had　said　with　a　great　beam；　〃it's　like　being　back　on　R　and　R　in　my　Korean　days。　It's　still　only　20　bucks　and　you're　the　top　banana！〃
　That　evening　around　ten；　Jannelli　had　called　to　ask　if　she'd　like　to　join　him　and　the　rest　of　the　crew　at　the　Royal　Netherlands　for　a　night　snack。　Her　heart　had　turned　over　when　the　phone　rang；　thinking　it　was　Linc；　and　when　she　had　found　it　wasn't　she　had　pretended　that　she　still　had　lots　to　do　but　had　gratefully　allowed　herself　to　be　persuaded。　Once　there　she　had　had　a　double　order　of　scrambled　eggs　and　bacon　and　toast　and　coffee　that　she　knew　she　did　not　want。
　As　a　protest。　A　protest　against　Asia；　Hong　Kong；　Joanna　and　Orlanda；　and　oh　Jesus　I　wish　I'd　never　got　interested　in　Asia；　never　suggested　to　Linc　we　should　go　international。
　Why　did　you？
　Because　it's　the　only　way　for　U。S。　business　to　go　…　the　only　way　…　the　only　way　for　Par…Con。　Export。　Multinational　but　export。　And　Asia's　the　biggest；　most　teeming　untapped　marketplace　on　earth　and　this　is　the　century　for　Asia。　Yes。　And　the　Dunrosses　and　Gornts've　got　it　made　…　if　they　go　with　us　…　'cause　we've　the　greatest　market　in　the　world　to　back　us；　all　the　cash；　technology；　growth　and　expertise　to　do　it。
　But　why　did　you　go　for　Hong　Kong　so　hot　and　heavy？
　To　get　my　drop　dead　money　and　to　fill　the　time　between　now　and　my　birthday　…　the　end　of　the　seventh　year。
　The　rate　you're　going；　she　told　herself；　soon　you'll　have　no　job；　no　future；　no　Linc　to　say　yes　or　no　to。　A　sigh　took　her。　Earlier；　she　had　gone　to　the　master　suite　and　had　left　Bartlett　a　batch　of　telexes　and　letters　to　sign　with　a　〃hope　you　had　a　good　time〃　note。　When　she　had　e　back　from　her　night　snack　she　had　gone　there　again　and　taken　back　everything　she　had　left　him。　〃It's　Orlanda　that's　really　got　you　going。　Don't　fool　yourself；〃　she　said　out　loud。
　Never　mind；　tomorrow's　another　day。　You　can　dump　Orlanda　easy；　she　told　herself　grimly；　and　now；　having　zeroed　in　on　her　enemy　she　felt　better。
　Peter　Marlowe's　dog…eared　paperback　caught　her　eye。　She　picked　it　up；　plumped　the　pillows　more　fortably　and　began　to　read。　The　pages　slid　by。　Abruptly　the　phone　went。　She　had　been　so　engrossed　she　jumped　and　a　sudden；　vast　happiness　flooded　her。　〃Hi；　Linc；　did　you　have　a　good　time？〃
　〃Casey；　it's　me；　Peter　Marlowe；　I'm　terribly　sorry　to　call　so　late　but　I　checked　and　your　room　boy　said　your　light　was　still　on。　。。。　I　hope　I　didn't　wake　you？〃
　〃Oh；　oh　no　Peter。〃　Casey　felt　sick　with　disappointment。　〃What's　up？〃
　〃Sorry　to　call　so　late　but　there's　a　slight　emergency；　I've　got　to　go　to　the　hospital　and　I've　。。。　you　said　to　call。　I　ho…　〃
　〃What　is　it？〃　Casey　was　pletely　zeroed　in　now。
　〃I　don't　know。　They　just　asked　if　I'd　e　at　once。　The　reason　I　called　was　about　the　kids。　There'll　be　a　room　boy　looking　in　every　so　often　but　I　wanted　to　leave　a　note　for　them　with　your　number　in　case　they　wake　up；　just　in　case　they　wake　up；　a　friendly　face　to　call　so　to　speak。　When　we　all　met　yesterday　in　the　foyer；　they　both　thought　you　a　smasher。　They　probably　won't　wake　but　just　in　case。　Could　they　call　you？　I'm　sor…　〃
　〃Of　course。　Even　better；　why　don't　I　e　right　over？〃
　〃Oh　no；　I　wouldn't　think　of　it。　If　you　j…　〃
　〃I'm　not　sleepy　and　you　are　right　next　door。　It's　no　problem；　Peter；　I'm　on　my　way。　So　you　just　go　ahead　to　the　hospital。〃
　It　took　her　only　a　minute　to　dress　in　pants　and　blouse　and　cashmere　sweater。　Before　she　even　pressed　the　elevator　button；　Nighttime　Song　was　there；　wide…eyed　and　inquisitive。　She　volunteered　nothing。
　Downstairs；　she　crossed　the　foyer　and　went　out　onto　Nathan　Road；　across　the　side　road　and　into　the　foyer　of　the　Annex。　Peter　Marlowe　was　waiting　for　her。　〃This's　Miss　Tcholok；〃　he　said　hurriedly　to　the　night　porter。　〃She'll　be　with　the　kids　till　I　return。〃
　〃Yes　sir；〃　the　Eurasian　said；　equally　wide…eyed。　〃The　boy'll　show　you　up；　miss。〃
　〃Hope　everything's　okay；　Peter。　。。。〃　She　stopped。　He　was　out　the　swinging　doors；　trying　to　hail　a　cab。
　The　apartment　was　small；　on　the　sixth　floor；　the　front　door　ajar。　The　floor　boy；　Nighttime　Po；　shrugged　and　went　off　muttering；　cursing　barbarians　。。。　as　if　he　couldn't　look　after　two　sleeping　children　who　played　hide　and　seek　with　him　every　evening。
　Casey　closed　the　door　and　peeked　into　the　tiny　second　bedroom。　Both　children　were　fast　asleep　in　the　bunk；　Jane；　the　little　one；　in　the　upper　berth　and　Alexandra　sprawled　in　the　lower　one。　Her　heart　went　out　to　them。　Blond；　touseled；　angelic；　with　teddy　bears　clutched　in　their　arms。　Oh　how　I'd　love　to　have　children；　she　thought。　Linc's　children。
　Would　you？　All　the　diapers；　always　locked　in；　sleepless　nights　and　no　freedom。
　I　don't　know。　I　think　so。　Oh　yes；　for　two　like　these；　oh　yes。
　Casey　didn't　know　whether　to　tuck　them　up　or　not。　The　air　was　warm　so　she　decided　to　do　nothing　lest　she　wake　them。　In　the　refrigerator　she　found　bottled　water　and　this　refreshed　her　and　settled　her　racing　heart。　Then　she　sat　in　the　easy　chair。　After　a　moment　she　took　Peter's　book　out　of　her　handbag　and；　once　more；　began　to　read。
　Two　hours　later　he　returned。　She　had　not　noticed　the　time　pass。
　〃Oh；〃　she　said；　seeing　his　face。　〃She　lost　the　baby？〃
　He　nodded；　dulled。　〃Sorry　to　be　so　long。　Would　you　like　a　cup　of　tea？〃
　〃Sure；　hey；　Peter；　let　me　d…　〃
　〃No。　No　thank　you。　I　know　where　everything　is。　I'm　sorry　to　put　you　to　all　this　trouble。〃
　〃It's　no　trouble。　She's　all　right　though？　Fleur？〃
　〃They；　they　think　so。　It　was　the　stomach　cramps　that　did　it；　and　the　touch　of　enteric。　Too　soon　to　tell　but　there's　no　real　danger　there；　that's　what　they　said。　The；　the　miscarriage；　they　said　it's　always　a　bit　rough；　physically　and　emotionally。〃
　〃I　am　so　sorry。〃
　He　glanced　back　at　her　and　she　saw　the　strong；　bent；　lived…in　face。　〃Not　to　worry；　Casey。　Fleur's　all　right；〃　he　said；　holding　his　voice　firm。　〃The；　the　Japanese　believe　that　nothing's　set　until　after　birth；　until　after　thirty　days；　thirty　days　for　a　boy　and　thirty…one　for　a　girl；　nothing's　set；　there's　no　soul；　no　personality；　no　person　。。。　up　to　that　time　there's　no　person。〃　He　turned　back　in　the　tiny　kitchen　and　set　the　kettle　to　boil；　trying　to　sound　convincing。　〃It's；　it's　best　to　believe　that；　eh？　How　could　it　be　anything　but　。。。　but　an　it。　There's　no　person　till　then；　thirty…odd　days　after　birth；　so　that　doesn't　make　it　so　bad。　It's　still　ghastly　for　the　mother　but　not　so　bad。　Sorry；　I'm　not　making　much　sense。〃
　〃Oh　you　are。　I　hope　she'll　be　all　right　now；〃　Casey　said；　wanting　to　touch　him；　not　knowing　whether　to　or　not。　He　looked　so　dignified　in　his　misery；　trying　to　sound　so　calm；　yet　just　a　little　boy　to　her。
　〃Chinese　and　Japanese　are　really　very　sensible；　Casey。　Their　。。。　their　superstitions　make　life　easier。　I　suppose　their　infant　mortality　rate　was　so　awful　in　olden　days　that　that　made　some　wise　father　invent　that　wisdom　to　save　a　mother's　grief。〃　He　sighed。　〃Or　more　likely；　some　wiser　mother　invented　it　to　succor　a　broken　father。　Eh？〃
　〃Probably；〃　she　said；　out　of　her　depth；　watching　his　hands　make　the　tea。　First　boiling　water　into　the　teapot；　the　pot　rinsed　carefully；　then　the　water　thrown　away。　Three　spoons　of　tea　and　one　for　the　pot；　the　boiling　water　brought　to　the　pot。　〃Sorry　we've　no　tea　bags；　I　can't　get　used　to　them　though　Fleur　says　they're　just　as　good　and　cleaner。　Sorry；　tea's　all　we've　got。〃　He　brought　the　tea　tray　into　the　living　room　and　set　it　on　the　dining　table。　〃Milk　and　sugar？〃　he　asked。
　〃Fine；〃　she　said；　never　having　had　it　that　way。
　It　tasted　strange。　But　strong　and　life…giving。　They　drank　in　silence。　He　smiled　faintly。　〃Christ；　without　a　cuppa；　eh？〃
　〃It's　great。〃
　His　eyes　saw　his　half…opened　book。　〃Oh！〃
　〃I　like　what　I've　read　so　far；　Peter。　How　true　is　it？〃
　Absently　he　poured　himself　another　cup。　〃As　true　as　any　telling　about　any　happening　fifteen　years　after　the　event。　As　best　as　I　can　remember　the　incidents　are　accurate。　The　people　in　the　book　didn't　live；　though　people　like　them　did　and　said　those　sort　of　things　and　did　those　deeds。〃
　〃It's　unbelievable。　Unbelievable　that　people；　youths　could　survive　that。　How　old　were　you　then？〃
　〃Changi　began　when　I　was　just　eighteen　and　ended　when　I　was　twenty…one　…　twenty…one　and　a　bit。〃
　〃Who're　you　in　the　book？〃
　〃Perhaps　I'm　not　there　at　all。〃
　Casey　decided　to　let　that　pass。　For　the　time　being。　Until　she　had　finished。　〃I'd　better　go。　You　must　be　exhausted。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not。　Actually；　I'm　not　tired。　I've　got　some　notes　to　write　up　…　I'll　sleep　after　the　kids're　off　to　school。　But　you；　you　must　be。　I　can't　thank　you　enough；　Casey。　I　owe　you　a　favor。〃
　She　smiled　and　shook　her　head。　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Peter；　you　know　so　much　about　this　place；　who　would　you　go　with；　Dunross　or　Gornt？〃
　〃In　business；　Gornt。　For　the　future；　Dunross；　if　he　can　weather　this　storm。　From　what　I　hear；　though；　that's　not　likely。〃
　〃Why　Dunross　for　the　future？〃
　〃Face。　Gornt　hasn't　the　style　to　be　the　tai…pan　…　or　the　necessary　background。〃
　〃Is　that　so　important？〃
　〃Tota