jamesclavell.noblehouse-第259部分

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hich　darkened　window。　。。。
　
　When　Orlanda　had　first　seen　Casey；　she　had　immediately　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　Casey　had　been　to　her　apartment　and　confronted　Bartlett　…　that's　what　I　would　have　done；　she　told　herself。　And；　even　though　she　knew　now　where　Casey　had　been；　fear　again　swept　through　her　at　the　sight　of　her　rival。　Has　she　power　over　him　through　Par…Con？　she　asked　herself；　trembling。　Can　she　control　Linc　through　stocks　or　shares？　If　Linc's　first　wife　nearly　destroyed　him　financially　and　Casey　saved　him　as　many　times　as　he　said；　she's　bound　to　have　him　tied　up。　I　would　if　I　were　she；　of　course　I　would。
　Involuntarily　Orlanda　glanced　back。　Casey　was　still　watching　Rose　Court。　Beyond　her；　Dunross　and　others　…　Riko；　Toxe；　Phillip　and　Dianne　Chen　among　them　…　came　out　of　the　foyer　and　started　down　the　hill。　She　dismissed　them　and　everything　except　the　question　of　how　to　deal　with　Linc　when　she　returned。　Should　she　tell　him　about　meeting　Casey　or　not？　Numbly　she　took　the　remainder　of　her　packages　from　her　car。　I　know　one　thing；　she　told　herself　over　and　over　again。　Linc's　mine；　and　Casey　or　no　Casey　I'll　marry　him；　whatever　the　cost。
　Casey　had　seen　Dunross　e　out　of　the　foyer　and　she　watched　him；　enjoying　the　sight　of　him；　tall；　debonair；　ten　years　younger　than　when　she　first　saw　him；　and　it　pleased　her　very　much　that　she　had　helped　him。　Then；　just　as　she　turned　away；　she　heard　him　call　out；　〃Casey！　Casey！　Hang　on　a　moment！〃　She　glanced　back。　〃How　about　joining　us　for　dinner？〃　he　called　out　to　her。
　She　shook　her　head；　not　in　the　mood；　and　called　out；　〃Thanks　but　I've　a　date！　See　you　tomorr…　〃
　At　that　moment　the　earth　fell　away。
　
　82
　
　8：56　P。M。：
　The　landslide　had　begun　further　up　the　mountain　on　the　other　side　of　Po　Shan　Road；　and　it　swept　across　the　road；　smashing　into　a　two…story　garage；　its　mass　and　velocity　so　vast　that　the　garage　building　rotated　and　toppled　off　the　garden　terrace；　slid　down　for　a　short　distance；　then　fell　over。　The　slide　gathered　momentum　and　rushed　past　a　darkened　high　rise；　crossed　Conduit　Road　and　smashed　into　Richard　Kwang's　two…story　house；　obliterating　it。　Then；　together　with　these　buildings；　the　slip；　now　nine　hundred　feet　long　and　two　hundred　feet　wide　…　fifty　thousand　tons　of　earth　and　rock　…　continued　on　its　downward　path　across　Kotewall　Road　and　struck　Rose　Court。
　The　landslide　had　taken　seven　seconds。
　When　Rose　Court　was　struck；　it　appeared　to　shudder；　and　then　the　building　came　away　from　its　foundations　and　moved　forward　in　the　direction　of　the　harbor；　toppled　over　and　broke　up　near　the　middle　like　a　man　kneeling　then　falling。
　As　it　fell；　the　upper　stories　struck　and　ripped　off　a　corner　of　the　upper　stories　of　Sinclair　Towers　below；　then　crumpled　and　disintegrated　into　rubble。　Part　of　the　slide　and　the　demolished　building　continued　on　and　fell　into　a　construction　site　farther　down　the　mountain；　then　stopped。　The　lights　went　out　as　the　building　collapsed　in　a　cloud　of　dust。　And　now　over　all　Mid　Levels　there　was　a　stunned；　vast　silence。　Then　the　screams　began。　。。。
　
　In　the　tunnel　under　Sinclair　Road；　Suslev　was　choking；　half…buried　in　rubble。　Part　of　the　tunnel　roof　was　torn　off；　water　gushing　in　now　from　fractured　mains　and　drains；　the　tunnel　filling　rapidly。　He　scrambled　and　fought　up　into　the　open；　his　confused　mind　helpless；　not　knowing　what　was　happening；　what　had　happened；　only　that　somehow　he　must　have　been　captured　and　drugged　and　now　he　was　in　a　wake…sleep　nightmare　from　the　Red　Room。　He　looked　around；　panic…stricken。　All　buildings　were　dark；　power　gone；　a　monstrous　pile　of　shrieking；　shifting　wreckage　surrounding　him。　Then　his　glands　overpowered　him　and　he　fled　pell…mell　down　Sinclair　Road。　。。。
　
　Far　above　on　Kotewall　Road；　those　on　the　other　side　of　the　barrage　were　safe　though　paralyzed　with　shock。　The　few　still　on　their　feet；　Casey　among　them；　could　not　believe　what　they　had　witnessed。　The　vast　slide　had　torn　away　all　of　the　roadway　as　far　as　they　could　see。　Most　of　the　mountainside　that　a　moment　ago　was　terraced　was　now　an　undulating；　ugly　mud…earth…rock　slope　…　roads　vanished；　buildings　gone；　and　Dunross　and　his　party　carried　away　somewhere　down　the　slope。
　Casey　tried　to　scream　but　she　had　no　voice。　Then；　〃Oh　Jesus　Christ！　Linc！〃　tore　from　her　mouth　and　her　feet　moved　and　before　she　knew　what　was　happening　she　was　scrambling；　falling；　groping　her　way　toward　the　wreckage。　The　darkness　was　awful　now；　the　screams　awful；　voices　beginning；　shouts　for　help　from　everywhere；　the　unbelievable　twisted　pile　of　debris　still　moving　here　and　there；　bits　still　falling　and　being　crushed。　All　at　once　the　night　was　lit　by　power　lines　exploding；　sending　cascades　of　fireballs　into　the　air　among　the　wreckage。
　Frantically　she　rushed　to　where　the　foyer　once　had　been。　Extended　below；　far　below；　the　darkness　obscuring　almost　everything；　was　the　twisted　mass　of　rubble；　concrete　blocks；　girders；　shoes；　toys；　pots　pans　sofas　chairs　beds　radios　TVs　clothes　limbs　books；　three　cars　that　had　been　parked　outside；　and　more　screams。　Then　in　the　light　of　the　exploding　power　lines　she　saw　the　mashed　wreckage　that　was　once　the　elevator　down　the　slope；　broken　arms　and　legs　jutting　from　its　carcass。
　〃Linc！〃　she　shrieked　at　the　top　of　her　voice；　again　and　again；　not　knowing　she　was　crying；　the　tears　streaming　down　her　face。　But　there　was　no　answer。　Desperately　she　clambered　and　half　fell　and　groped　her　way　into　and　over　the　dangerous　rubble。　Around　her；　men　and　women　were　shouting；　screaming。　Then　she　heard　a　faint　wail　of　terror　nearby　and　part　of　the　rubble　moved。　She　was　on　her　knees　now；　stockings　torn；　dress　torn；　knees　bruised　and　she　pulled　away　some　bricks　and　found　a　small　cavity；　and　there　was　a　Chinese　child　of　three　or　four；　beyond　terror；　coughing；　almost　choking；　trapped　under　a　vast；　groaning　pile　of　debris　in　the　rubble　dust。
　〃Oh　Jesus　you　poor　darling。〃　Casey　looked　around　frantically　but　there　was　no　one　to　help。　Part　of　the　rubble　shifted；　screaming　and　groaning；　a　big　chunk　of　concrete　with　its　imbedded；　reinforcing　iron　almost　hanging　loose。　Careless　of　her　safety；　Casey　fought　the　debris　away；　fingers　bleeding。　Again　the　wreckage　twisted　over　her　as　some　of　it　slid　farther　down　the　slope。　Desperately　she　clawed　a　crawlspace　and　grabbed　the　child's　arm；　helping　her　to　squeeze　out；　then　caught　her　in　her　arms　and　darted　back　to　safety　as　this　part　of　the　wreckage　collapsed　and　she　stood　alone；　the　trembling　child　safe　and　unhurt　in　her　arms；　clutching　her　tightly。　。。。
　
　When　the　avalanche　toppled　the　high　rise　and　tore　up　most　of　the　roadway　and　parapet；　Dunross　and　the　others　on　its　edge　were　hurtled　down　the　steep　slope；　head　over　heels；　brush　and　vegetation　breaking　part　of　their　fall。　The　tai…pan　picked　himself　up　in　the　semidarkness；　felt　himself　blankly；　dazed；　astonished　to　find　he　could　stand　and　was　unhurt。　From　near　him　came　whimpers　of　agony。　The　slope　was　steep　and　everywhere　muddy　and　sodden　as　he　groped　up　to　Dianne　Chen。　She　was　semiconscious；　groaning；　one　leg　twisted　brutally　underneath　her。　Part　of　her　shinbone　jutted　through　the　skin　but　as　far　as　he　could　see；　no　arteries　were　severed　and　there　was　no　dangerous　bleeding。　As　carefully　as　he　could　he　straightened　her　and　her　limb；　but　she　let　out　a　howl　of　pain　and　fainted。　He　felt　someone　nearby　and　glanced　up。　Riko　was　standing　there；　her　dress　ripped；　her　shoes　gone；　her　hair　akimbo；　a　small　trickle　of　blood　from　her　nose。
　〃Christ；　you　all　right？〃
　〃Yes　。。。　yes；〃　she　said　shakily。　〃It's　。。。　was　it　an　earthquake？〃
　At　that　moment　there　was　another　crackling　explosion　of　power　cables　short…circuiting；　and　momentarily　fireballs　lit　up　the　area。　〃Oh　my　God！〃　he　gasped。　〃It's　like　London　in　the　blitz。〃　Then　he　caught　sight　of　Phillip　Chen　in　an　inert　heap　around　a　sapling；　sprawled　headfirst　down　the　slope。　〃Stay　here　with　Dianne；〃　he　ordered　and　scrambled　down　the　slope。　Hanging　onto　his　dread；　he　turned　Phillip　over。　His　pradore　was　still　breathing。　Dunross　shook　with　relief。　He　settled　him　as　best　he　could　and　looked　around　in　the　gloom。　Others　were　picking　themselves　up。　Nearby；　Christian　Toxe　was　shaking　his　head；　trying　to　clear　it。
　〃Bloody　sodding　Christ；〃　he　was　muttering　over　and　over。　〃There　must　be　a　couple　of　hundred　people　living　there。〃　He　reeled　to　his　feet　then　slipped　in　the　mud　and　cursed　again。　〃I've　。。。　I've　got　to　get　to　a　phone。　Give　me；　give　me　a　hand　will　you？〃　Toxe　swore　as　he　slipped　again。　〃It's　my　ankle；　the　bloody　thing's　twisted　a　bit。〃
　Dunross　helped　him　stand　and　then；　with　Riko　on　Toxe's　other　side；　they　climbed　awkwardly　back　to　the　remains　of　the　roadway。　People　were　still　standing　paralyzed；　others　clambering　over　the　first　slide　to　see　if　they　could　help；　a　few　of　the　tenants　frantic　and　moaning。　One　mother　was　being　held　back；　her　husband　already　running　falling　clambering　toward　the　wreckage；　their　three　children　and　amah　somewhere　there。
　The　moment　they　were　on　level　ground；　Toxe　hobbled　off　down　Kotewall　Road　and　Dunross　rushed　for　his　car　to　fetch　his　flashlight　and　emergency　medical　pack。
　Lim　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Then　Dunross　remembered　his　chauffeur　had　been　with　them　when　the　avalanche　hit。　As　he　found　the　keys　to　unlock　the　trunk　he　searched　his　memory。　Who　was　with　us？　Toxe；　Riko；　Jacques　…　no；　Jacques　had　left　…　Phillip　and　Dianne　Chen；　Barre　。。。　no　we　left　Barre　at　the　party。　Jesus　Christ！　The　party！　I'd　forgotten　the　party！　Who　was　still　there？　Richard　Kwang　and　his　wife；　Plumm；　Johnjohn；　no　he'd　gone　earlier；　Roger　Crosse；　no　wait　a　minute；　didn't　he　leave？
　Dunross　jerked　open　the　trunk　and　found　two　flashlights　and　the　medical　kit；　a　length　of　rope。　He　ran　back　to　Riko；　his　back　hurting　him　now。　〃Will　you　go　back　and　look　after　Dianne　and　Phillip　till　I　can　get　help？〃　His　voice　was　deliberately　firm。　〃Here。〃　He　gave　her　a　flashlight；　some　bandages　and　a　bottle　of　aspirin。　〃Off　you　go。　Dianne's　broken　her　leg。　I　don't　know　about　Phillip。　Do　what　you　can　and　stay　with　them　till　an　ambulance　es　or　I　e　back。　All　right？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　all　right。〃　Her　eyes　flickered　with　fear　as　she　looked　above。　〃Will　there　。。。　is　there　any　danger　from　another　slide？〃
　〃No。　You'll　be　quite　safe。　Go　quickly！〃　His　will　took　awa