jamesclavell.noblehouse-第51部分

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　〃But　Linc；　what's　a　coi…　〃
　〃That's　all　I'm　telling　you　now；　Casey；　but　you　tell　me　does　Armstrong　figure　there's　some　connection　between　Chen's　kidnapping　and　the　guns？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　She　had　shrugged。　〃I　don't　think　so；　Linc。　I　couldn't　even　give　you　odds。　He's　too　cagey　that　one。〃　Again　she　had　hesitated。　〃Linc；　have　you　made　a　deal；　any　deal　with　Gornt？〃
　〃No。　Nothing　firm。　Gornt　just　wants　Struan　out　and　wants　to　join　with　us　to　smash　them。　I　said　we'd　discuss　it　Tuesday。　Over　dinner。〃
　〃What're　you　going　to　tell　the　tai…pan　after　dinner？〃
　〃Depends　on　his　questions。　He'll　know　it's　good　strategy　to　probe　enemy　defenses。〃
　Casey　had　begun　to　wonder　who's　the　enemy；　feeling　very　alien　even　here　among　all　the　other　ladies。　She　had　felt　only　hostility　except　from　these　two；　Penelope　and　Kathren　Gavallan　…　and　a　woman　she　had　met　earlier　in　the　line　for　the　toilet。
　〃Hello；〃　the　woman　had　said　softly。　〃I　hear　you're　a　stranger　here　too。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　am；〃　Casey　had　said；　awed　by　her　beauty。
　〃I'm　Fleur　Marlowe。　Peter　Marlowe's　my　husband。　He's　a　writer。　I　think　you　look　super！〃
　〃Thanks。　So　do　you。　Have　you　just　arrived　too？〃
　〃No。　We've　been　here　for　three　months　and　two　days　but　this　is　the　first　really　English　party　we've　been　to；〃　Fleur　said；　her　English　not　as　clipped　as　the　others。　〃Most　of　the　time　we're　with　Chinese　or　by　ourselves。　We've　a　flat　in　the　Old　V　and　A　annex。　God；〃　she　added；　looking　at　the　toilet　door　ahead。　〃I　wish　she'd　hurry　up　…　my　back　teeth　are　floating。〃
　〃We're　staying　at　the　V　and　A　too。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　You　two　are　rather　famous。〃　Fleur　Marlowe　laughed。
　〃Infamous！　I　didn't　know　they　had　apartments　there。〃
　〃They're　not；　really。　Just　two　tiny　bedrooms　and　a　sitting　room。　The　kitchen's　a　cupboard。　Still；　it's　home。　We've　got　a　bath；　running　water；　and　the　loos　flush。〃　Fleur　Marlowe　had　big　gray　eyes　that　tilted　pleasingly　and　long　fair　hair　and　Casey　thought　she　was　about　her　age。
　〃Your　husband's　a　journalist？〃
　〃Author。　Just　one　book。　He　mostly　writes　and　directs　films　in　Hollywood。　That's　what　pays　the　rent。〃
　〃Why're　you　with　Chinese？〃
　〃Oh；　Peter's　interested　in　them。〃　Fleur　Marlowe　had　smiled　and　whispered　conspiratorially；　looking　around　at　the　rest　of　the　women；　〃They're　rather　overpowering　aren't　they　…　more　English　than　the　English。　The　old　school　tie　and　all　that　balls。〃
　Casey　frowned。　〃But　you're　English　too。〃
　〃Yes　and　no。　I'm　English　but　I　e　from　Vancouver；　B。C。　We　live　in　the　States；　Peter　and　I　and　the　kids；　in　good　old　Hollywood；　California。　I　really　don't　know　what　I　am；　half　of　one；　half　of　the　other。〃
　〃We　live　in　L。A。　too；　Linc　and　I。〃
　〃I　think　he's　smashing。　You're　lucky。〃
　〃How　old　are　your　kids？〃
　〃Four　and　eight　…　thank　God　we're　not　water　rationed　yet。〃
　〃How　do　you　like　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃It's　fascinating；　Casey。　Peter's　researching　a　book　here　so　it's　marvelous　for　him。　My　God；　if　half　the　legends　are　true　。。。　the　Struans　and　Dunrosses　and　all　the　others；　and　your　Quillan　Gornt。〃
　〃He's　not　mine。　I　just　met　him　this　evening。〃
　〃You　created　a　minor　earthquake　by　walking　across　the　room　with　him。〃　Fleur　laughed。　〃If　you're　going　to　stay　here；　talk　to　Peter；　he'll　fill　you　in　on　all　sorts　of　scandals。〃　She　nodded　at　Dianne　Chen　who　was　powdering　her　nose　at　one　of　the　mirrors。　〃That's　John　Chen's　stepmother；　Phillip　Chen's　wife。　She's　wife　number　two　…　his　first　wife　died。　She's　Eurasian　and　hated　by　almost　everyone；　but　she's　one　of　the　kindest　persons　I've　ever　known。〃
　〃Why's　she　hated？〃
　〃They're　jealous；　most　of　them。　After　all；　she's　wife　of　the　pradore　of　the　Noble　House。　We　met　her　early　on　and　she　was　terrific　to　me。　It's　。。。　it's　difficult　living　in　Hong　Kong　for　a　woman；　particularly　an　outsider。　Don't　really　know　why　but　she　treated　me　like　family。　She's　been　grand。〃
　〃She's　Eurasian？　She　looks　Chinese。〃
　〃Sometimes　it's　hard　to　tell。　Her　maiden　name's　T'Chung；　so　Peter　says；　her　mother's　Sung。　The　T'Chungs　e　from　one　of　Dirk　Struan's　mistresses　and　the　Sung　line's　equally　illegitimate　from　the　famous　painter；　Aristotle　Quance。　Have　you　heard　of　him？〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃
　〃Lots　of；　er；　our　best　Hong　Kong　families　are；　well；　old　Aristotle　spawned　four　branches　。。。〃
　At　that　moment　the　toilet　door　opened　and　a　woman　came　out　and　Fleur　said；　〃Thank　God！〃
　While　Casey　was　waiting　her　turn　she　had　listened　to　the　conversations　of　the　others　with　half　an　ear。　It　was　always　the　same：　clothes；　the　heat；　the　water　shortages；　plaints　about　amahs　and　other　servants；　how　expensive　everything　was　or　the　children　or　schools。　Then　it　was　her　turn　and　afterward；　when　she　came　out；　Fleur　Marlowe　had　vanished　and　Penelope　had　e　up　to　her。　〃Oh　I　just　heard　about　your　not　wanting　to　leave。　Don't　pay　any　attention　to　Joanna；〃　Penelope　had　said　quietly。　〃She's　a　pill　and　always　has　been。〃
　〃It　was　my　fault　…　I'm　not　used　to　your　customs　yet。〃
　〃It's　all　very　silly　but　in　the　long　run　it's　much　easier　to　let　the　men　have　their　way。　Personally　I'm　glad　to　leave。　I　must　say　I　find　most　of　their　conversation　boring。〃
　〃Yes；　it　is；　sometimes。　But　it's　the　principle。　We　should　be　treated　as　equals。〃
　〃We'll　never　be　equal；　dear。　Not　here。　This　is　the　Crown　Colony　of　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃That's　what　everyone　tells　me。　How　long　are　we　expected　to　stay　away？〃
　〃Oh；　half　an　hour　or　so。　There's　no　set　time。　Have　you　known　Quillan　Gornt　long？〃
　〃Tonight　was　the　first　time　I'd　met　him；〃　Casey　said。
　〃He's　…　he's　not　wele　in　this　house；〃　Penelope　said。
　〃Yes；　I　know。　I　was　told　about　the　Christmas　party。〃
　〃What　were　you　told？〃
　She　related　what　she　knew。
　There　was　a　sharp　silence。　Then　Penelope　said；　〃It's　not　good　for　strangers　to　be　involved　in　family　squabbles；　is　it？〃
　〃No。〃　Casey　added；　〃but　then　all　families　squabble。　We're　here；　Linc　and　I；　to　start　a　business　…　we're　hoping　to　start　a　business　with　one　of　your　big　panies。　We're　outsiders　here；　we　know　that　…　that's　why　we're　looking　for　a　partner。〃
　〃Well；　dear；　I'm　sure　you'll　make　up　your　mind。　Be　patient　and　be　cautious。　Don't　you　agree；　Kathren？〃　she　asked　her　sister…in…law。
　〃Yes；　Penelope。　Yes　I　do。〃　Kathren　looked　at　Casey　with　the　same　level　gaze　that　Dunross　had。　〃I　hope　you　choose　correctly；　Casey。　Everyone　here's　pretty　vengeful。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃One　reason's　because　we're　such　a　closely　knit　society；　very　interrelated；　and　everyone　knows　everyone　else　…　and　almost　all　their　secrets。　Another's　because　hatreds　here　go　back　generations　and　have　been　nurtured　for　generations。　When　you　hate　you　hate　with　all　your　heart。　Another's　because　this　is　a　piratical　society　with　very　few　curbs　so　you　can　get　away　with　all　sorts　of　vengeances。　Oh　yes。　Another's　because　here　the　stakes　are　high　…　if　you　make　a　pile　of　gold　you　can　keep　it　legally　even　if　it's　made　outside　the　law。　Hong　Kong's　a　place　of　transit　…　no　one　ever　es　here　to　stay；　even　Chinese；　just　to　make　money　and　leave。　It's　the　most　different　place　on　earth。〃
　〃But　the　Struans　and　Dunrosses　and　Gornts　have　been　here　for　generations；〃　Casey　said。
　〃Yes；　but　individually　they　came　here　for　one　reason　only：　money。　Money's　our　god　here。　And　as　soon　as　you　have　it；　you　vanish；　European；　American　…　and　certainly　the　Chinese。〃
　〃You　exaggerate；　Kathy　dear；〃　Penelope　said。
　〃Yes。　It's　still　the　truth。　Another　reason's　that　we　live　on　the　edge　of　catastrophe　all　the　time：　fire；　flood；　plague；　landslide；　riots。　Half　our　population　is　munist；　half　Nationalist；　and　they　hate　each　other　in　a　way　no　European　can　ever　understand。　And　China　…　China　can　swallow　us　any　moment。　So　you　live　for　today　and　to　hell　with　everything；　grab　what　you　can　because　tomorrow；　who　knows？　Don't　get　in　the　way！　People　are　rougher　here　because　everything　really　is　precarious；　and　nothing　lasts　in　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃Except　the　Peak；〃　Penelope　said。　〃And　the　Chinese。〃
　〃Even　the　Chinese　want　to　get　rich　quickly　to　get　out　quickly　…　them　more　than　most。　You　wait；　Casey；　you'll　see。　Hong　Kong　will　work　its　magic　on　you　…　or　evil；　depending　how　you　see　it。　For　business　it's　the　most　exciting　place　on　earth　and　soon　you'll　feel　you're　at　the　center　of　the　earth。　It's　wild　and　exciting　for　a　man；　my　God；　it's　marvelous　for　a　man　but　for　us　it's　awful　and　every　woman；　every　wife；　hates　Hong　Kong　with　a　passion　however　much　they　pretend　otherwise。〃
　〃e　on；　Kathren；〃　Penelope　began；　〃again　you　exaggerate。〃
　〃No。　No　I　don't。　We're　all　threatened　here；　Penny；　you　know　it！　We　women　fight　a　losing　battle　。。。〃　Kathren　stopped　and　forced　a　weary　smile。　〃Sorry；　I　was　getting　quite　worked　up。　Penn；　I　think　I'll　find　Andrew　and　if　he　wants　to　stay　I'll　slip　off　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Are　you　feeling　all　right；　Kathy？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　just　tired。　The　young　one's　a　bit　of　a　trial　but　next　year　he'll　be　off　to　boarding　school。〃
　〃How　was　your　checkup？〃
　〃Fine。〃　Kathy　smiled　wearily　at　Casey。　〃When　you've　the　inclination　give　me　a　call。　I'm　in　the　book。　Don't　choose　Gornt。　That'd　be　fatal。　'Bye；　darling；〃　she　added　to　Penelope　and　left。
　〃She's　such　a　dear；〃　Penelope　said。　〃But　she　does　work　herself　into　a　tizzy。〃
　〃Do　you　feel　threatened？〃
　〃I'm　very　content　with　my　children　and　my　husband。〃
　〃She　asked　whether　you　feel　threatened；　Penelope。〃　Susanne　deVille　deftly　powdered　her　nose　and　studied　her　reflection。　〃Do　you？〃
　〃No。　I'm　overwhelmed　at　times。　But　。。。　but　I'm　not　threatened　any　more　than　you　are。〃
　〃Ah；　chérie；　but　I　am　Parisienne；　how　can　I　be　threatened？　You've　been　to　Paris；　m'selle？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Casey　said。　〃It's　beautiful。〃
　〃It　is　the　world；〃　Susanne　said　with　Gallic　modesty。　〃Ugh；　I　look　at　least　thirty…six。〃
　〃Nonsense；　Susanne。〃　Penelope　glanced　at　her　watch。　〃I　think　we　can　start　going　back　now。　Excuse　me　a　second。　。。。〃
　Susanne　watched　her　go　then　turned　her　attention　back　to　Casey。　〃Jacques　and　I　came　out　to　Hong　Kong　in　1946。〃
　〃You're　family　too？〃
　〃Jacques's　father　married　a　Dunross　in　the　First　World　War　…　an　aunt　of　the　tai…pan's。〃　She　leaned　forward　to　the　mirror　and　touched　a　fleck　of　powder　away。　〃In　Struan's　it　is　important　to　be　family。〃
　Casey　saw　the　shrewd　Gallic　eyes　watching　her　in　the　mirror。　〃Of　course；　I　agree　with　you　that　it　is　nonsense　for　the　ladies　to　leave　after　dinner；　for　clearly；