jamesclavell.noblehouse-第145章

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　pressure　on　one　of　his　elbows　and　he　cried　out；　〃All　gods　bear　witness　it's　the　truth！〃　He　screamed　as　the　joint　went；　and　fainted。　Across　the　room　Dog…eared　Chen　groaned　with　fear。　He　started　to　cry　out　but　one　of　the　men　smashed　him　in　the　face；　his　head　crashed　against　the　wall　and　he　collapsed；　unconscious。
　Now　all　their　eyes　went　to　Kin　Pak。　〃It's　true；〃　Kin　Pak　gasped　in　terror　at　the　suddenness　of　everything。　〃Everything　he　told　you。　It's　true！〃
　Goodweather　Poon　cursed　him。　Then　he　said；　〃Did　you　search　Noble　House　Chen　before　you　buried　him？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord；　at　least　I　didn't；　he　。。。〃　Shakily　he　pointed　at　his　father's　body。　〃He　did。〃
　〃You　were　there？〃
　The　youth　hesitated。　Instantly　Poon　darted　at　him；　moving　with　incredible　speed　for　such　an　old　man。　His　knife　knicked　Kin　Pak's　cheek　a　deliberate　fraction　below　his　eyes　and　stayed　there。　〃Liar！〃
　〃I　was　there；〃　the　youth　choked　out；　〃I　was　going　to　tell　you；　Lord；　I　was；　there。　I　won't　lie　to　you　I　swear　it！〃
　〃The　next　time　you　lie　it　will　be　your　left　eye。　You　were　there；　heya？〃
　〃Yes　。。。　yes；　Lord！〃
　〃Was　he　there？〃　he　said　pointing　at　Smallpox　Kin。
　〃No；　Lord。〃
　〃Him？〃
　〃Yes。　Dog…eared　was　there！〃
　〃Did　you　search　the　body？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord；　yes　I　helped　our　father。〃
　〃All　his　pockets；　everything？〃
　〃Yes　yes　everything。〃
　〃Any　papers？　Notebook；　diary？　Jewelry？〃
　The　youth　hesitated；　frantic；　trying　to　think；　the　knife　never　moving　away　from　his　face。　〃Nothing；　Lord；　that　I　remember。　We　sent　all　his　things　to　Noble　House　Chen；　except；　except　the　money。　We　kept　the　money。　And　his　watch　…　I'd　forgotten　his　watch！　It's；　it's　that　one！〃　He　pointed　at　the　watch　on　his　father's　outstretched　wrist。
　Goodweather　Poon　swore　again。　Four　Finger　Wu　had　told　him　to　recapture　John　Chen；　to　get　any　of　his　possessions　the　kidnappers　still　had；　particularly　any　coins　or　parts　of　coins；　and　then；　equally　anonymously；　to　dispose　of　the　kidnappers。　I'd　better　phone　him　in　a　moment；　he　thought。　I'd　better　get　further　instructions。　I　don't　want　to　make　a　mistake。
　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　money？〃
　〃We　spent　it；　Lord。　There　were　only　a　few　hundred　dollars　and　some　change。　It's　gone。〃
　One　of　the　men　said；　〃I　think　he's　lying！〃
　〃I'm　not；　Lord；　I　swear　it！〃　Kin　Pak　almost　burst　into　tears。　〃I'm　not。　Pl…　〃
　〃Shut　up！　Shall　I　cut　this　one's　throat？〃　the　man　said　genially；　motioning　at　Smallpox　Kin　who　was　still　unconscious；　sprawled　across　the　table；　the　pool　of　blood　thickening。
　〃No；　no；　not　yet。　Hold　him　there。〃　Goodweather　Poon　scratched　his　piles　while　he　thought　a　moment。　〃We'll　go　and　dig　up　Number　One　Son　Chen。　Yes　that's　what　we'll　do。　Now；　Little　Turd；　who　killed　him？〃
　At　once　Kin　Pak　pointed　at　his　father's　body。　〃He　did。　It　was　terrible。　He's　our　father　and　he　hit　him　with　a　shovel　。。。　he　hit　him　with　a　shovel　when　he　tried　to　escape　the　night　。。。　the　night　we　got　him。〃　The　youth　shuddered；　his　face　chalky；　his　fear　of　the　knife　under　his　eye　consuming　him。　〃It；　it　wasn't　my　fault；　Lord。〃
　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃Soo　Tak…gai；　Lord；〃　he　said　instantly；　using　their　prearranged　emergency　names。
　〃Him？〃　The　finger　pointed　at　his　brother。
　〃Soo　Tak…tong。〃
　〃Him？〃
　〃Wu…tip　Sup。〃
　〃And　him？〃
　The　youth　looked　at　his　father's　body。　〃He　was　Goldtooth　Soo；　Lord。　He　was　very　bad　but　we　。。。　we；　we　had　to　obey。　We　had　to　obey　him；　he　was　our；　our　father。〃
　〃Where　did　you　take　Number　One　Son　Chen　before　you　killed　him？〃
　〃To　Sha　Tin；　Lord；　but　I　didn't　kill　him。　We　snatched　him　Hong　Kong　side　then　put　him　in　the　back　of　a　car　we　stole　and　went　to　Sha　Tin。　There's　an　old　shack　our　father　rented；　just　outside　the　village　。。。　he　planned　everything。　We　had　to　obey　him。〃
　Poon　grunted　and　nodded　at　his　men。　〃We'll　search　here　first。〃　At　once　they　released　Smallpox　Kin；　the　unconscious　youth　who　slumped　to　the　floor；　leaving　a　trail　of　blood。　〃You；　bind　up　his　finger！〃　Hastily　Kin　Pak　grabbed　an　old　dishcloth　and；　near　vomiting；　began　to　tie　a　rough　tourniquet　around　the　stump。
　Poon　sighed；　not　knowing　what　to　do　first。　After　a　moment　he　opened　the　suitcase。　All　their　eyes　went　to　the　mountain　of　notes。　They　all　felt　the　greed。　Poon　shifted　the　knife　into　his　other　hand　and　closed　the　suitcase。　He　left　it　in　the　center　of　the　table　and　started　to　search　the　dingy　apartment。　There　was　just　a　table；　a　few　chairs　and　an　old　iron　bedstead　with　a　soiled　mattress。　Paper　was　peeling　off　the　walls；　the　windows　mostly　boarded　up　and　glassless。　He　turned　the　mattress　over；　then　searched　it　but　it　concealed　nothing。　He　went　into　the　filthy；　almost　empty　kitchen　and　switched　on　the　light。　Then　into　the　foul…smelling　toilet。　Smallpox　Kin　whimpered；　ing　around。
　In　a　drawer　Goodweather　Poon　found　some　papers；　ink　and　writing　brushes。　〃What's　this　for？〃　he　asked；　holding　up　one　of　the　papers。　On　it　was　written　in　bold　characters：　〃This　Number　One　Son　Chen　had　the　stupidity　to　try　to　escape　us。　No　one　can　escape　the　Werewolves！　Let　all　Hong　Kong　beware。　Our　eyes　are　everywhere！〃
　〃What's　this　for；　heya？〃
　Kin　Pak　looked　up　from　the　floor；　desperate　to　please。　〃We　couldn't　return　him　alive　to　Noble　House　Chen　so　our　father　ordered　that　。。。　that　tonight　we　were　to　dig　Number　One　Son　up　and　put　that　on　his　chest　and　put　him　beside　the　Sha　Tin　Road。〃
　Goodweather　Poon　looked　at　him。　〃When　you　start　to　dig　you'd　better　find　him　quickly；　the　first　time；〃　he　said　malevolently。　〃Yes。　Or　your　eyes；　Little　Turd；　won't　be　anywhere。〃
　
　35
　
　9：30　P。M。：
　Orlanda　Ramos　came　up　the　wide　staircase　of　the　vast　Floating　Dragon　restaurant　at　Aberdeen　and　moved　through　the　noisy；　chattering　guests　at　Sir　Shi…teh　T'Chung's　banquet　looking　for　Linc　Bartlett　…　and　Casey。
　The　two　hours　that　she　had　spent　with　Linc　this　morning　for　the　newspaper　interview　had　been　revealing；　particularly　about　Casey。　Her　instincts　had　told　her　the　sooner　she　brought　the　enemy　to　battle　the　better。　It　had　been　easy　to　have　them　both　invited　tonight　…　Shi…teh　was　an　old　associate　of　Gornt　and　an　old　friend。　Gornt　had　been　pleased　with　her　idea。
　They　were　on　the　top　deck。　There　was　a　nice　smell　of　the　sea　ing　through　the　large　windows；　the　night　good　though　humid；　overcast；　and　all　around　were　the　lights　of　the　high　rises　and　the　township　of　Aberdeen。　Out　in　the　harbor；　nearby；　were　the　brooding　islands　of　junks；　partially　lit；　where　150；000　boat　people　lived　their　lives。
　The　room　they　were　in；　scarlet　and　gold　and　green；　stretched　half　the　length　and　the　whole　breadth　of　the　boat；　off　the　central　staircase。　Ornate　wood　and　plaster　gargoyles　and　unicorns　and　dragons　were　everywhere　throughout　the　three　soaring　decks　of　the　restaurant　ablaze　with　lights　and　packed　with　diners。　Below　decks；　the　cramped　kitchens　held　twenty…eight　cooks；　an　army　of　helpers；　a　dozen　huge　cauldrons　…　steam；　sweat　and　smoke。　Eighty…two　waiters　serviced　the　Floating　Dragon。　There　were　seats　for　four　hundred　on　each　of　the　first　two　decks　and　two　hundred　on　the　third。　Sir　Shi…teh　had　taken　over　the　whole　top　deck　and　now　it　was　well　filled　with　his　guests；　standing　in　impatient　groups　amid　the　round　tables　that　seated　twelve。
　Orlanda　felt　fine　tonight　and　very　confident。　She　had　again　dressed　meticulously　for　Bartlett。　This　morning　when　she　had　had　the　interview　with　him　she　had　worn　casual　American　clothes　and　little　makeup；　and　the　loose；　silk　blouse　that　she　had　selected　so　carefully　did　not　flaunt　her　bralessness；　merely　suggested　it。　This　daring　new　fashion　pleased　her　greatly；　making　her　even　more　aware　of　her　femininity。　Tonight　she　wore　delicate　white　silk。　She　knew　her　figure　was　perfect；　that　she　was　envied　for　her　open；　unconscious　sensuality。
　That's　what　Quillan　did　for　me；　she　thought；　her　lovely　head　high　and　the　curious　half…smile　lighting　her　face　…　one　of　the　many　things。　He　made　me　understand　sensuality。
　Havergill　and　his　wife　were　in　front　of　her　and　she　saw　their　eyes　on　her　breasts。　She　laughed　to　herself；　well　aware　that；　even　discreetly；　she　would　be　the　only　woman　in　the　room　who　had　dared　to　be　so　modern；　to　emulate　the　fashion　that　had　begun　the　year　before　in　Swinging　London。
　〃Evening；　Mr。　Havergill；　Mrs。　Havergill；〃　she　said　politely；　moving　around　th