jamesclavell.noblehouse-第61部分

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　〃More　drink；　Mother？〃　the　old　amah　asked。
　〃Thank　you；　little　oily　mouth；〃　she　replied　affectionately；　the　warmth　of　the　spirit　soothing　her　anger　away。　〃And　then　you　can　massage　my　neck。　I've　got　a　headache。　You　two　sit　down；　hold　your　tongues　and　don't　make　a　sound　till　Father　gets　back！〃
　
　Phillip　Chen　was　hurrying　down　the　garden　path；　a　flashlight　in　one　hand；　a　shovel　in　the　other。　The　path　curled　downward　through　well…tended　gardens　that　meandered　into　a　grove　of　trees　and　shrubs。　He　stopped　a　moment；　getting　his　bearings；　then　found　the　place　he　sought。　He　hesitated　and　glanced　back；　even　though　he　knew　he　was　well　hidden　from　the　house　now。　Reassured　that　he　could　not　be　watched　he　switched　on　the　flashlight。　The　circle　of　light　wandered　over　the　undergrowth　and　stopped　at　the　foot　of　a　tree。　The　spot　appeared　to　be　untouched。　Carefully　he　pushed　aside　the　natural　mulch。　When　he　saw　the　earth　below　had　been　disturbed　he　cursed　obscenely。　〃Oh　the　swine　。。。　my　own　son！〃　Collecting　himself　with　difficulty　he　began　to　dig。　The　earth　was　soft。
　Ever　since　he　had　left　the　party　he　had　been　trying　to　remember　exactly　when　he　had　last　dug　up　the　box。　Now　he　was　sure　it　had　been　in　the　spring　when　he　needed　the　deeds　to　a　row　of　slum　dwellings　in　Wanchai　that　he　had　sold　for　fifty　times　cost　to　Donald　McBride　for　one　of　his　great　new　developments。
　〃Where　was　John　then？〃　he　muttered。　〃Was　he　in　the　house？〃
　As　he　dug　he　tried　to　recall　but　he　could　not。　He　knew　that　he　would　never　have　dug　up　the　box　when　it　was　dangerous　or　when　there　were　strangers　in　the　house　and　that　he　would　always　have　been　circumspect。　But　John？　Never　would　I　have　thought　。。。　John　must　have　followed　me　somehow。
　The　shovel　struck　the　metal。　Carefully　he　cleaned　off　the　earth　and　pulled　the　protective　cloth　away　from　the　box　and　heavy　lock　and　opened　it。　The　hinges　of　the　lid　were　well　greased。　His　fingers　shaking；　he　held　the　flashlight　over　the　open　box。　All　his　papers　and　deeds　and　private　balance　sheets　seemed　to　be　in　order　and　undisturbed；　but　he　knew　they　must　all　have　been　taken　out　and　read　…　and　copied　or　memorized。　Some　of　the　information　in　his　son's　safety　deposit　box　could　only　have　e　from　here。
　All　the　jewel　boxes；　big　and　small；　were　there。　Nervously　he　reached　out　for　the　one　he　sought　and　opened　it。　The　half…coin　had　vanished　and　the　document　explaining　about　the　coin　had　vanished。
　Tears　of　rage　seeped　down　his　cheeks。　He　felt　his　heart　pounding　and　smelled　the　damp　earth　and　knew　if　his　son　was　there　he　would　happily　have　strangled　him　with　his　own　hands。
　〃Oh　my　son　my　son　。。。　all　gods　curse　you　to　hell！〃
　His　knees　were　weak。　Shakily　he　sat　on　a　rock　and　tried　to　collect　his　wits。　He　could　hear　his　father　on　his　deathbed　cautioning　him：
　〃Never　lose　the　coin　my　son　…　it's　our　key　to　ultimate　survival　and　power　over　the　Noble　House。〃
　That　was　in　1937　and　the　first　time　he　had　learned　the　innermost　secrets　of　the　House　of　Chen：　that　he　who　became　pradore　became　the　ranking　leader　in　Hong　Kong　of　the　Hung　Mun　…　the　great　secret　triad　society　of　China　that；　under　Sun　Yat…sen；　had　bee　the　14K；　originally　formed　to　spearhead　China's　revolt　against　their　hated　Manchu　overlords；　that　the　pradore　was　the　main；　legitimate　link　between　the　Chinese　hierarchy　on　the　Island　and　the　inheritors　of　the　14K　on　the　Mainland；　that　because　of　Chen…tse　Jin　Arn；　known　as　Jin…qua；　the　legendary　chief　merchant　of　the　co…hong　that　had　possessed　the　Emperor's　monopoly　on　all　foreign　trade；　the　House　of　Chen　was　perpetually　interlinked　with　the　Noble　House　by　ownership　and　by　blood。
　〃Listen　carefully；　my　son；〃　the　dying　man　had　whispered。　〃The　tai…pan；　Great…Grandfather　Dirk　Struan；　was　Jin…qua's　creation；　as　was　the　Noble　House。　Jin…qua　nurtured　it；　formed　it　and　Dirk　Struan。　The　tai…pan　had　two　concubines。　The　first　was　Kai…sung；　one　of　Jin…qua's　daughters　by　a　fifth　wife。　Their　son　was　Gordon　Chen；　my　father；　your　grandfather。　The　tai…pan's　second　concubine　was　T'Chung　Jin　May…may；　his　mistress　for　six　years　whom　he　married　in　secret　just　before　the　great　typhoon　that　killed　them　both。　She　was　twenty…one　then；　a　brilliant；　favored　granddaughter　of　Jin…qua；　sold　to　the　tai…pan　when　she　was　seventeen　to　teach　him　civilized　ways　without　his　knowing　he　was　being　taught。　From　them　came　Duncan　and　Kate　who　took　the　surname　T'Chung　and　were　brought　up　in　my　father's　house。　Father　married　off　Kate　to　a　Shanghai　China　Trader　called　Peter　Gavallan　…　Andrew　Gavallan　is　also　a　cousin　though　he　doesn't　know　it。　。。。　So　many　stories　to　tell　and　now　so　little　time　to　tell　them。　Never　mind；　all　the　family　trees　are　in　the　safe。　There　are　so　many。　We're　all　related；　the　Wu；　Kwang；　Sung；　Kau；　Kwok；　Ng　…　all　the　old　families。　Use　the　knowledge　carefully。　Here's　the　key　to　the　safe。
　〃Another　secret；　Phillip；　my　son。　Our　line　es　from　my　father's　second　wife。　Father　married　her　when　he　was　fifty…three　and　she　sixteen。　She　was　the　daughter　of　John　Yuan；　the　illegitimate　son　of　the　great　American　Trader　Jeff　Cooper；　and　a　Eurasian　lady；　Isobel　Yau。　Isobel　Yau　was　the　oh…so…secret　Eurasian　daughter　of　Robb　Struan；　the　tai…pan's　half…brother　and　cofounder　of　the　Noble　House；　so　we　have　blood　from　both　sides　of　the　Struans。　Alastair　Struan　is　a　cousin　and　Colin　Dunross　is　a　cousin　…　the　MacStruans　are　not；　their　history's　in　Grandfather's　diaries。　My　son；　the　English　and　Scots　barbarians　came　to　China　and　they　never　married　those　whom　they　adored　and　most　times　abandoned　when　they　returned　to　the　gray　island　of　mist　and　rain　and　overcast。　My　God　how　I　hate　the　English　weather　and　loathe　the　past！
　〃Yes；　Phillip；　we're　Eurasian；　not　of　one　side　or　the　other。　I've　never　been　able　to　e　to　terms　with　it。　It　is　our　curse　and　our　cross　but　it　is　up　to　all　of　us　to　make　it　a　blessing。　I　pass　our　House　on　to　you　rich　and　strong　like　Jin…qua　wished　…　do　so　to　your　son　and　make　sure　he　does　it　to　his。　Jin…qua　birthed　us；　in　a　way；　gave　us　wealth；　secret　knowledge；　continuity　and　power　…　and　he　gave　us　one　of　the　coins。　Here；　Phillip；　read　about　the　coin。〃
　The　calligraphy　of　the　ancient　scroll　was　exquisite：　〃On　this　nineteenth　day　of　the　second　month　of　the　year　1841　by　barbarian　count；　I；　Chen…tse　Jin　Arn　of　Canton；　Chief　Merchant　of　the　co…hong；　have　this　day　loaned　to　Green…Eyed　Devil　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House；　chief　pirate　of　all　foreign　devils　who　have　made　war　on　the　Heavenly　Kingdom　and　have　stolen　our　island　Hong　Kong；　forty　lacs　of　silver　。。。　one　million　sterling　in　their　specie　。。。　and　have；　with　this　bullion；　saved　him　from　being　swallowed　by　One…Eye；　his　arch…enemy　and　rival。　In　return；　the　tai…pan　grants　us　special　trade　advantages　for　the　next　twenty　years；　promises　that　one　of　the　House　of　Chen　will　forever　be　pradore　to　the　Noble　House；　and　swears　that　he　or　his　descendents　will　honor　all　debts　and　the　debt　of　the　coins。　There　are　four　of　them。　The　coins　are　broken　into　halves。　I　have　given　the　tai…pan　four　halves。　Whenever　one　of　the　other　halves　is　presented　to　him；　or　to　a　following　tai…pan；　he　has　sworn　whatever　favor　is　asked　will　be　granted　。。。　whether　within　their　law；　or　ours；　or　outside　it。
　〃One　coin　I　keep；　one　I　give　to　the　warlord　Wu　Fang　Choi；　my　cousin；　one　will　be　given　to　my　grandson　Gordon　Chen；　and　the　last　recipient　I　keep　secret。　Remember；　he　who　reads　this　in　the　future；　do　not　use　the　coin　lightly；　for　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House　must　grant　anything　…　but　only　once。　And　remember　that　though　the　Green…Eyed　Devil　himself　will　honor　his　promise　and　so　will　his　descendents；　he　is　still　a　mad…dog　barbarian；　cunning　as　a　filthy　Manchu　because　of　our　training；　and　as　dangerous　always　as　a　nest　of　vipers。〃
　Phillip　Chen　shuddered　involuntarily；　remembering　the　violence　that　was　always　ready　to　explode　in　Ian　Dunross。　He's　a　descendent　of　Green…Eyed　Devil　all　right；　he　thought。　Yes；　him　and　his　father。
　Goddamn　John！　What　possessed　him？　What　devilment　has　he　planned　with　Linc　Bartlett？　Has　Bartlett　got　the　coin　now？　Or　does　John　still　have　it　with　him　and　now　perhaps　the　kidnappers　have　it。
　While　his　tired　brain　swept　over　the　possibilities；　his　fingers　checked　the　jewel　boxes；　one　by　one。　Nothing　was　missing。　The　big　one　he　left　till　last。　There　was　a　tightness　in　his　throat　as　he　opened　it　but　the　necklace　was　still　there。　A　great　sigh　of　relief　went　through　him。　The　beauty　of　the　emeralds　in　the　flashlight　gave　him　enormous　pleasure　and　took　away　some　of　his　anxiety。　How　stupid　of　Hag　Struan　to　order　them　to　be　burned　with　her　body。　What　an　arrogant；　awful；　unholy　waste　that　would　have　been！　How　wise　of　Father　to　intercept　the　coffin　before　the　fire　and　remove　them。
　Reluctantly　he　put　the　necklace　away　and　began　to　close　up　the　safe。　What　to　do　about　the　coin？　I　almost　used　it　the　time　the　tai…pan　took　away　our　bank　stock　…　and　most　of　our　power。　Yes。　But　I　decided　to　give　him　time　to　prove　himself　and　this　is　the　third　year　and　nothing　is　yet　proved；　and　though　the　American　deal　seems　grand　it　is　not　yet　signed。　And　now　the　coin　is　gone。
　He　groaned　aloud；　distraught；　his　back　aching　like　his　head。　Below　was　all　the　city；　ships　tied　up　at　Glessing's　Point　and　others　in　the　roads。　Kowloon　was　equally　brilliant　and　he　could　see　a　jetliner　taking　off　from　Kai　Tak；　another　turning　to　make　a　landing；　another　whining　high　overhead；　its　lights　blinking。
　What　to　do？　he　asked　himself　exhaustedly。　Does　Bartlett　have　the　coin？　Or　John？　Or　the　Werewolves？
　In　the　wrong　hands　it　could　destroy　us　all。
　
　
　TUESDAY
　
　18
　
　12：36　A。M。：
　Gornt　said；　〃Of　course　Dunross　could　have　buggered　my　brakes；　Jason！〃
　〃Oh　e　on；　for　God's　sake！　Climbing　under　your　car　during　a　party　with　two　hundred　guests　around？　Ian's　not　that　stupid。〃
　They　were　in　Jason　Plumm's　penthouse　above　Happy　Valley；　the　midnight　air　good　though　the　humidity　had　increased　again。　Plumm　got　up　and　threw　his　cigar　butt　away；　took　a　fresh　one　and　lit　it。　The　tai…pan　of　Asian　Properties；　the　third　largest　hong；　was　taller　than　Gornt；　in　his　late　fifties；　thin…faced　and　elegant；　his　smoking　jacket　red　velvet。　〃Even　Ian　bloody　Dunross's　not　that　much　of　a　bloody　berk。〃
　〃You're　wrong。　For　all　his　Scots　cunning；　he's　an　animal　of　sudden　action；