jamesclavell.noblehouse-第150章

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　time。　Christ；　I　need　a　drink。　Excuse　me　a　moment。〃　He　stalked　on；　heading　for　the　bar　that　was　set　up　to　one　side。
　〃Extraordinary；〃　Sir　Charles　said。
　Guthrie　said　with　a　slight；　nervous　laugh；　〃For　a　moment　I　thought　he　was　going　for　Marlowe。〃
　They　all　watched　him；　then　Broadhurst　noticed　Dunross　frowning　after　Grey；　his　face　set　and　cold。　〃Don't　pay　any　attention　to　him；　Mr。　Dunross。　I'm　afraid　Grey's　very　tiresome　and　a　rather　vulgar　bore。　He's　。。。　well　he's　not　at　all　representative　of　the　Labour　echelon；　thank　God。　You'd　like　our　new　leader；　Harold　Wilson；　you'd　approve　of　him。　Next　time　you're　in　London　I'd　be　glad　to　introduce　you　if　you've　time。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Actually　I　was　thinking　about　Marlowe。　It's　hard　to　believe　he　'sold　out'　or　betrayed　anyone。〃
　〃You　never　know　about　people；　do　you？〃
　
　Grey　got　a　whiskey　and　soda　and　turned　and　went　across　the　room。　〃Well；　if　it　isn't　Flight　Lieutenant　Marlowe！〃
　Peter　Marlowe　turned；　startled。　His　smile　vanished　and　the　two　men　stared　at　one　another。　Fleur　Marlowe　froze。
　〃Hello；　Grey；〃　Marlowe　said；　his　voice　flat。　〃I　heard　you　were　in　Hong　Kong。　In　fact；　I　read　your　interview　in　the　afternoon　paper。〃　He　turned　to　his　wife。　〃Darling；　this　is　Robin　Grey；　MP。〃　He　introduced　him　to　the　Chinese；　one　of　whom　was　Sir　Shi…teh　T'Chung。
　〃Ah；　Mr。　Grey；　it's　an　honor　to　have　you　here；〃　Shi…teh　said　with　an　Oxford　English　accent。　He　was　tall；　dark；　good…looking；　slightly　Chinese　and　mostly　European。　〃We　hope　your　stay　in　Hong　Kong　will　be　good。　If　there's　anything　I　can　do；　just　say　the　word！〃
　〃Ta；〃　Grey　said　carelessly。　They　all　noticed　his　rudeness。　〃So；　Marlowe！　You　haven't　changed　much。〃
　〃Nor　have　you。　You've　done　well　for　yourself。〃　Marlowe　added　to　the　others；　〃We　were　in　the　war　together。　I　haven't　seen　Grey　since　'45。〃
　〃We　were　POWs；　Marlowe　and　I；〃　Grey　said；　then　added；　〃We're　on　opposite　sides　of　the　political　blanket。〃　He　stopped　and　stepped　out　of　the　way　to　allow　Orlanda　Ramos　to　pass。　She　greeted　Shi…teh　with　a　smile　and　continued　on。　Grey　watched　her　briefly；　then　turned　back。　〃Marlowe　old　chap；　are　you　still　in　trade？〃　It　was　a　private　English　insult。　〃Trade〃　to　someone　like　Marlowe　who　came　from　a　long　line　of　English　officers　meant　everything　mon　and　lower　class。
　〃I'm　a　writer；〃　Marlowe　said。　His　eyes　went　to　his　wife　and　his　eyes　smiled　at　her。
　〃I　thought　you'd　still　be　in　the　RAF；　regular　officer　like　your　illustrious　forebears。〃
　〃I　was　invalided　out；　malaria　and　all　that。　Rather　boring；〃　Marlowe　said；　deliberately　lengthening　his　patrician　accent　knowing　that　it　would　infuriate　Grey。　〃And　you're　in　Parliament？　How　very　clever　of　you。　You　represent　Streatham　East？　Wasn't　that　where　you　were　born？〃
　Grey　flushed。　〃Yes；　yes　it　was　。。。〃
　Shi…teh　covered　his　embarrassment　at　the　undercurrents　between　them。　〃I　must；　er；　see　about　dinner。〃　He　hurried　off。　The　other　Chinese　excused　themselves　and　turned　away。
　Fleur　Marlowe　fanned　herself。　〃Perhaps　we　should　find　our　table；　Peter；〃　she　said。
　〃A　good　idea；　Mrs。　Marlowe；〃　Grey　said。　He　was　in　as　tight　control　as　Peter　Marlowe。　〃How's　the　King？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　seen　him　since　Changi。〃　Marlowe　looked　down　on　Grey。
　〃But　you're　in　touch　with　him？〃
　〃No。　No；　actually　I'm　not。〃
　〃You　don't　know　where　he　is？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃That's　strange；　seeing　how　close　you　two　were。〃　Grey　ripped　his　eyes　away　and　glanced　at　Fleur　Marlowe　and　thought　she　was　the　prettiest　woman　he　had　ever　seen。　So　pretty　and　fine　and　English　and　fair；　just　like　his　ex…wife　Trina　who　went　off　with　an　American　barely　a　month　after　he　was　reported　missing　in　action。　Barely　a　month。　〃Did　you　know　we　were　enemies　in　Changi；　Mrs。　Marlowe？〃　he　said　with　a　gentleness　that　she　found　frightening。
　〃Peter's　never　discussed　Changi　with　me；　Mr。　Grey。　Or　anyone　that　I　know　of。〃
　〃Curious。　It　was　an　awesome　experience；　Mrs。　Marlowe。　I've　forgotten　none　of　it。　I　。。。　well；　sorry　to　interrupt　。。。〃　He　glanced　up　at　Marlowe。　He　began　to　say　something　but　changed　his　mind　and　turned　away。
　〃Oh；　Peter；　what　an　awful　man！〃　Fleur　said。　〃He　gave　me　the　creeps。〃
　〃Nothing　to　bother　about；　my　darling。〃
　〃Why　were　you　enemies？〃
　〃Not　now；　my　pet；　later。〃　Marlowe　smiled　at　her；　loving　her。　〃Grey's　nothing　to　us。〃
　
　36
　
　9：45　P。M。：
　Linc　Bartlett　saw　Orlanda　before　she　saw　him　and　she　took　his　breath　away。　He　couldn't　help　paring　her　with　Casey　who　was　beside　him　talking　to　Andrew　Gavallan。　Orlanda　was　wearing　white　silk；　floor…length；　backless　with　a　halter　neck　that；　discreetly；　somehow；　seemed　to　offer　her　golden　body。　Casey　wore　her　green　that　he　had　seen　many　times；　her　tawny　hair　cascading。
　〃Would　you　both　like　to　e　to　Shi…teh's　tonight？〃　Orlanda　had　asked　him　this　morning。　〃It　could　be　important　for　you　and　your　Casey　to　be　there。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　almost　all　business　that　counts　in　Hong　Kong　is　done　at　this　type　of　function；　Mr。　Bartlett。　It　could　be　very　important　for　you　to　bee　involved　with　people　like　Shi…teh　…　and　in　the　Turf　Club；　Cricket　Club；　even　the　Club　itself；　though　that'd　be　impossible。〃
　〃Because　I'm　American？〃
　〃Because　someone　has　to　die　to　create　an　opening　…　an　English　or　Scotsman。〃　She　had　laughed。　〃The　waiting　list's　as　long　as　Queen's　Road！　It's　men　only；　very　stuffy；　old　leather　chairs；　old　men　sleeping　off　their　three…hour　and　ten…gin　lunches；　The　Times　and　all　that。〃
　〃Hell；　that　sounds　exciting！〃
　She　had　laughed　again。　Her　teeth　were　white　and　he　could　see　no　blemish　in　her。　They　had　talked　over　breakfast　and　he　had　found　her　more　than　easy　to　talk　to。　And　to　be　with。　Her　perfume　was　enticing。　Casey　rarely　wore　perfume　…　she　said　that　she'd　found　it　just　another　distraction　to　the　businessmen　she　had　to　deal　with。　With　Orlanda；　breakfast　had　been　coffee　and　toast　and　eggs　and　crisp　bacon；　American　style；　at　a　brand…new　hotel　she　suggested；　called　the　Mandarin。　Casey　didn't　eat　breakfast。　Just　coffee　and　toast　sometimes；　or　croissants。
　The　interview　had　passed　easily　and　the　time　too　fast。　He　had　never　been　in　the　pany　of　a　woman　with　such　open　and　confident　femininity。　Casey　was　always　so　strong；　efficient　and　cool　and　not　feminine。　By　choice；　her　choice　and　my　agreement；　he　reminded　himself。
　〃That's　Orlanda？〃　Casey　was　looking　at　him；　one　eyebrow　arched。
　〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　trying　unsuccessfully　to　read　her。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃I　think　she's　dynamite。〃
　〃Which　way？〃
　Casey　laughed。　She　turned　to　Gavallan　who　was　trying　to　concentrate　and　be　polite　but　whose　mind　was　taken　up　with　Kathy。　After　Kathy　had　told　him　this　evening；　he　had　not　wanted　to　leave　her　but　she　had　insisted；　saying　that　it　was　important　for　him　to　be　there。　〃Do　you　know　her；　Andrew？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃The　girl　in　white。〃
　〃Where？　Oh！　Oh　yes；　but　only　by　reputation。〃
　〃Is　it　good　or　bad？〃
　〃That；　er；　depends　on　your　point　of　view；　Casey。　She's；　she's　Portuguese；　Eurasian；　of　course。　Orlanda　was　Gornt's　friend　for　quite　a　few　years。〃
　〃You　mean　his　mistress？〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　that's　the　word；〃　he　told　her　politely；　disliking　Casey's　directness　intensely。　〃But　it　was　all　very　discreet。〃
　〃Gornt's　got　taste。　Did　you　know　she　was　his　steady；　Linc？〃
　〃She　told　me　this　morning。　I　met　her　at　Gornt's　a　couple　of　days　ago。　He　said　they　were　still　friends。〃
　〃Gornt's　not　to　be　trusted；〃　Gavallan　said。
　Casey　said；　〃He's　got　heavy　backers；　in　and　outside　Hong　Kong；　I　was　told。　Far　as　I　know　he's　not　stretched　at　the　moment；　as　you　are。　You　must　have　heard　he　wants　us　to　deal　with　him；　not　you。〃
　〃We're　not　stretched；〃　Gavallan　said。　He　looked　at　Bartlett。　〃We　do　have　a　deal？〃
　〃We　sign　Tuesday。　If　you're　ready；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃We're　ready　now。〃
　〃Ian　wants　us　to　keep　it　quiet　till　Saturday　and　that's　fine　with　us；〃　Casey　said。　〃Isn't　it；　Linc？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Bartlett　glanced　back　at　Orlanda。　Casey　followed　his　eyes。
　She　had　noticed　her　the　first　moment　the　girl　had　hesitated　in　the　doorway。　〃Who's　she　talking　to；　Andrew？〃　The　man　was　interesting…looking；　lithe；　elegant　and　in　his　fifties。
　〃That's　Lando　Mata。　He's　also　Portuguese；　from　Macao。〃　Gavallan　wondered　achingly　if　Dunross　would　manage　to　persuade　Mata　to　e　to　their　rescue　with　all　his　millions。　What