jamesclavell.noblehouse-第239部分

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ifetime　let　alone　the　ghastly　tales　his　father　and　mother　would　tell。
　So　there's　to　be　famine　once　more；　tightening　the　belt　once　more；　having　to　buy　wheat　from　abroad；　using　up　our　hard…earned　foreign　currency；　our　future　in　danger；　terrible　danger；　food　our　Achilles'　heel。　Never　enough。　Never　enough　skill　or　tractors　or　fertilizers　or　wealth；　all　the　real　wealth　going　for　arms　and　armies　and　airplanes　and　ships　first；　far　more　important　to　bee　strong　enough　to　protect　ourselves　from　capitalist　swine　and　revisionist　Chinese　swine　and　carry　the　war　to　them　and　smash　them　before　they　smash　us；　but　never　enough　food　for　us　and　our　buffer　lands　…　the　Balkans；　Hungary；　Czechoslovakia；　Poland；　East　Germany；　the　Baltic　lands。　Why　is　it　those　bastards　could　feed　themselves　most　times？　Why　is　it　they　falsify　their　harvests　and　cheat　us　and　lie　and　steal　from　us？　We　protect　them　and　what　do　they　do？　Brood　and　hate　us　and　yet　without　our　armies　and　the　KGB　to　keep　the　filthy　scum　revisionist　dissidents　in　thrall；　they'll　foment　rebellion　…　like　East　Germany　and　Hungary　…　and　turn　the　stupid　masses　against　us。
　But　famine　causes　revolution。　Always。　Famine　will　always　make　the　masses　rise　up　against　their　government。　So　what　can　we　do？　Keep　them　chained　…　all　of　them　…　until　we　smash　America　and　Canada　and　take　their　wheatlands　for　ourselves。　Then　our　system　will　double　their　harvest。
　Don't　fool　yourself；　he　thought；　agonized。　Our　agricultural　system　doesn't　work。　It　never　has。　One　day　it　will。　Meanwhile　we　cannot　feed　ourselves。　Those　motherless　turd　farmers　should　。。。
　〃Stop　it；〃　Suslev　muttered　aloud；　〃you're　not　responsible；　it's　not　your　problem。　Deal　with　your　own　problems；　have　faith　in　the　Party　and　Marxist…Leninism！〃
　The　eggs　were　done　now　and　he　made　toast。　Rain　spattered　the　open　windows。　An　hour　ago　the　all…night　torrent　had　ceased；　but　across　the　street　and　above　the　opposite　tenement　there　were　the　dark　clouds。　More　rain　there；　he　thought；　lots　more。　It's　either　god…cursed　drought　or　god…cursed　flood　in　this　cesspit！　A　gust　caught　one　of　the　sodden；　cardboard　makeshift　lean…tos　on　the　roof　and　collapsed　it。　At　once　stoic　repairs　began；　children　barely　old　enough　to　walk　helping。
　With　deft　hands；　liking　neatness；　he　laid　himself　a　place　at　the　table；　humming　in　time　with　the　radio　music。　Everything's　fine；　he　reassured　himself。　Dunross　will　go　to　the　party；　Koronski　will　supply　the　means；　Plumm　the　client；　Roger　the　protection；　and　all　I　have　to　do　is　go　to　police　headquarters　for　an　hour　or　so；　then　leisurely　board　my　ship。　On　the　midnight　tide　I　kiss　my　arse　to　Hong　Kong；　leaving　the　Werewolves　to　bury　the　dead。　。。。
　The　hackles　of　his　neck　rose　as　he　heard　the　screech　of　an　approaching　police　siren。　He　stood；　paralyzed。　But　the　siren　whined　past　and　went　away。　Stoically　he　sat　and　began　to　eat。　Then　the　secret　phone　rang。
　
　72
　
　7：30　A。M。：
　The　small　Bell　helicopter　swung　in　over　the　city；　just　below　the　overcast；　and　continued　climbing　the　slopes　to　ease　past　the　Peak　funicular　and　the　multiple　high　rises　that　dotted　the　steepness。　Now　the　chopper　was　almost　in　the　bottom　layer　of　cloud。
　Warily　the　pilot　climbed　another　hundred　feet；　slowed　and　hovered；　then　saw　the　misted　helipad　in　the　grounds　of　the　Great　House　near　a　great　jacaranda　tree。　Immediately　he　swooped　to　the　landing。　Dunross　was　already　waiting　there。　He　ducked　low　to　avoid　the　swirling　blades；　got　into　the　left　side　of　the　bubble　and　buckled　on　his　safety　belts　and　headphones。　〃Morning；　Duncan；〃　he　said　into　the　mouth　mike。　〃Didn't　think　you'd　make　it。〃
　〃Nor　me；〃　the　older　man　said；　and　Dunross　adjusted　the　headphone　volume　to　hear　better。　〃Doubt　if　we'll　be　able　to　get　back；　tai…pan。　The　overcast's　dropping　too　fast　again。　Best　leave　if　we're　leaving。　You　have　control。〃
　〃Here　we　go。〃
　Gently　Dunross's　left　hand　twisted　the　throttle　grip　and　increased　the　revs　smoothly　and　eased　the　lever　up；　while　his　right　hand　moved　the　control　stick　right；　left；　forward；　back；　inching　it　in　a　gentle　tiny　circle；　seeking　and　feeling　for　the　air　cushion　that　was　building　nicely　…　his　left　hand　controlling　speed；　climbing　or　descending；　his　right　hand　direction；　his　feet　on　the　rudder　pedals　keeping　the　whole　unstable　aircraft　straight；　preventing　torque。　Dunross　loved　to　fly　choppers。　It　was　so　much　more　of　a　challenge　than　fixed…wing　flying。　It　required　so　much　concentration　and　skill　that　he　forgot　his　problems；　the　flying　cleansing　him。　But　he　rarely　flew　alone。　The　sky　was　for　professionals　or　for　those　who　flew　daily；　so　he　would　always　have　a　pilot…instructor　along　with　him；　the　presence　of　the　other　man　not　detracting　from　his　pleasure。
　His　hands　felt　the　cushion　building　and　then　the　craft　was　an　inch　airborne。　Instantly　he　corrected　the　slight　slide　to　the　right　as　a　wind　gusted。　He　checked　his　instruments；　feeling　for　dangers；　eyes　outside；　ears　tuned　to　the　music　of　the　engine。　When　all　was　stable；　he　increased　revs　as　he　raised　the　left　lever；　eased　the　stick　forward　and　left　an　inch；　feet　pensating；　and　went　into　a　skidding　left　turn；　gaining　altitude　and　speed　to　drop　away　down　the　mountainside。
　Once　he　was　steady　he　pushed　the　transmit　button　on　the　stick；　reporting　in　to　Air　Traffic　Control　at　Kai　Tak。
　〃Watch　your　revs；〃　Mac　said。
　〃Got　it。　Sorry。〃　Dunross　corrected　just　a　fraction　too　hastily　and　cursed　himself；　then　got　the　helicopter　trimmed　nicely；　cruising　sweetly；　everything　in　the　green；　a　thousand　feet　above　sea　level　heading　out　across　the　harbor　toward　Kowloon；　the　New　Territories　and　the　hill…climb　area。
　〃You　really　going　to　do　the　hill　climb；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Doubt　it；　Duncan；〃　he　said　through　the　mike。　〃But　I　wanted　our　ride　anyway。　I've　been　looking　forward　to　it　all　week。〃　Duncan　MacIver　ran　this　small　helicopter　business　from　the　airport。　Most　of　his　business　was　local；　most　from　government　for　surveys。　The　police　hired　him　sometimes；　the　fire　department。　Customs。　He　was　a　short　man；　ex…RAF；　with　a　lined　face；　very　wide；　sharp　eyes　that　raked　constantly。
　Once　Dunross　was　settled　and　trimmed；　MacIver　leaned　forward　and　put　circles　of　cardboard　over　the　instruments　to　force　Dunross　to　fly　by　feel　and　sound　only；　to　listen　to　the　pitch　and　tone；　slowing　meant　the　engine　was　working　harder　so　they　were　climbing　…　watch　for　stalling　…　and　faster；　that　it　was　diving；　losing　altitude。
　〃Tai…pan；　look　down　there。〃　MacIver　pointed　at　the　scar　on　one　of　the　mountainsides　just　outside　Kowloon；　it　scored　a　path　through　one　of　the　vast　squatter　hovel　slums。　〃There're　mud　slides　all　over。　Did　you　hear　the　seven　o'clock　news？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　did。〃
　〃Let　me　take　her　a　minute。〃　Dunross　took　his　hands　and　feet　off　the　controls。　MacIver　went　into　a　lovely　diving　turn　to　swoop　nearer　the　settlement　to　examine　the　damage。　The　damage　was　great。　Perhaps　two　hundred　of　the　hovels　were　scattered　and　buried。　Others　near　the　slide　were　now　even　more　precarious　than　before。　Smoke　from　the　fires　that　came　with　every　slide　still　hung　like　a　pall。
　〃Christ！　It　looks　terrible。〃
　〃I　was　up　at　dawn　this　morning。　The　fire　department　asked　me　to　help　them　on　Hill　Three；　over　above　Aberdeen。　They　had　a　slide　there　a　couple　of　days　ago；　a　child　almost　got　buried。　Last　night　there　was　another　slip　in　the　same　area。　Very　dicey。　The　slip's　about　two　hundred　feet　by　fifty。　Two　or　three　hundred　hovels　gone　but　only　ten　dead　…　bloody　lucky！〃　MacIver　circled　for　a　moment；　made　a　note　on　a　pad；　then　gunned　the　ship　back　to　altitude　and　to　course。　Once　she　was　steady；　level　and　trimmed　he　said；　〃She's　all　yours。〃　Dunross　took　control。
　Sha　Tin　was　ing　up　on　their　right…side　horizon。　When　they　were　close；　MacIver　took　off　the　cardboard　instrument　covers。　〃Good；〃　he　said　checking　the　readings。　〃Spot　on。〃
　〃Had　any　interesting　jobs　recently？〃
　〃Just　more　of　the　same。　Got　a　charter　for　Macao；　weather　permitting；　tomorrow　morning。〃
　〃Lando　Mata？〃
　〃No；　some　American　called　Banastasio。　Watch　your　revs！　Oh；　there's　your　landfall。〃
　The　fishing　village　at　Sha　Tin　was　near　tracks　that　led　back　into　the　hills　where　the　hill　climb　was　to　be　held。　The　course　consisted　of　a　crude　dirt　road　bulldozed　out　of　the　mountainside。　At　the　foot　of　the　slopes　were　a　few　cars；　some　on　trailers　and　trailer　rigs；　but　almost　no　spectators。　Normally　there　would　be　hundreds；　Europeans　mostly。　It　was　the　only　car…racing　event　in　the　Colony。　British　law　forbade　using　any　part　of　the　public　road　system　for　racing；　and　this　was　the　reason　that　the　annual　amateur　Grand　Prix　race　at　Macao　had　been　organized　under　the　joint　banner　of　the　Sportscar　and　Rally　Club　of　Hong　Kong　and　the　Portuguese　Municipal　Council。　Last　year　Guillo　Rodriguez　of　the　Hong　Kong　Police　had　won　the　sixty…lap　race　in　three　hours　twenty…six　minutes　at　an　average　speed　of　72　mph；　and　Dunross；　driving　a　Lotus；　and　Brian　Kwok　in　a　borrowed　E…Type　Jag　had　been　neck　and　neck　for　second　place　until　Dunross　blew　a　tire；　flat　out；　going　into　Fisherman's　Bend　and　nearly　killed　himself　at　the　same　spot　where　his　engine　blew　in　'59；　the　year　before　he　became　tai…pan。
　Dunross　was　concentrating　on　his　landing　now；　knowing　that　they　would　be　watched。
　The　chopper　was　lined　up；　revs　correct　for　descent；　wind　ahead　and　to　the　right；　swirling　a　little　as　they　came　closer　to　the　ground。　Dunross　held　her　meticulously。　At　the　exact　spot；　he　corrected　and　stopped；　hovering；　in　total　control；　then；　keeping　everything　coordinated；　eased　off　the　throttle　oh　so　gently；　raising　the　left　lever　to　change　the　pitch　of　the　blades　to　cushion　the　landing。　The　landing　skids　touched　the　earth。　Dunross　took　off　the　remaining　throttle　and　smoothly　lowered　the　lever　to　bottom。　The　landing　was　as　good　as　he　had　ever　done。
　MacIver　said　nothing；　paying　him　a　fine　pliment　by　pretending　to　take　it　for　granted；　and　watched　while　Dunross　began　the　shutdown　drill。　〃Tai…pan；　why　don't　you　let　me　finish　it　for　you；〃　he　said。　〃Those　fellows　look　somewhat　anxious。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　Dunross　kept　his　head　down　and　went　to　the　rain…coated　group；　his　feet　squelching　in　the　mud。　〃Morning。〃
　〃It's　bloody　awful；　tai…pan；〃　George　T'Chung；　Shitee　T'Chung's　eldest　son；　said。　〃I　tried　my　bus　out　and　she　stuck　on　the　first　bend。〃　He　pointed