jamesclavell.noblehouse-第156章

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ople　still　here。　He　finished　his　drink；　set　the　glass　down　and　walked　over　to　the　group　surrounding　Dunross　…　Orlanda　was　still　sitting；　twisting　her　handkerchief　in　her　hands；　Fleur　and　Peter　Marlowe　still　outwardly　calm；　and　Dunross；　as　always；　in　control。　Good；　he　thought；　blessing　his　own　heritage　and　training。　It　was　part　of　British　tradition　that　in　danger；　however　petrified　you　are；　you　lose　face　by　showing　it。　Then；　too；　he　reminded　himself；　most　of　us　have　been　bombed　most　of　our　lives；　shot　at；　sunk；　slammed　into　POW　jails　or　been　in　the　Services。　Gornt's　sister　had　been　in　the　Women's　Royal　Naval　Service　…　his　mother　an　air　raid　warden；　his　father　in　the　army；　his　uncle　killed　at　Monte　Cassino；　and　he　himself　had　served　with　the　Australians　in　New　Guinea　after　escaping　from　Shanghai；　and　had　fought　his　way　into　and　through　Burma　to　Singapore。
　〃Ian；〃　he　said；　keeping　his　voice　suitably　nonchalant；　〃it　sounds　as　though　the　fire's　on　the　first　landing　now。　I　suggest　a　swim。〃
　Dunross　glanced　back　at　the　fire　near　the　exit　door。　〃Some　of　the　ladies　don't　swim。　Let's　give　it　a　couple　of　minutes。〃
　〃Very　well。　I　think　those　who　don't　mind　jumping　should　go　on　deck。　That　particular　fire's　really　very　boring。〃
　Casey　said；　〃I　don't　find　it　very　boring　at　all。〃
　They　all　laughed。　〃It's　just　an　expression；〃　Peter　Marlowe　explained。
　An　explosion　below　decks　rocked　the　boat　slightly。　The　momentary　silence　was　eerie。
　In　the　kitchen　the　fire　had　spread　to　the　storage　rooms　and　was　surrounding　the　four　remaining　hundred…gallon　drums　of　oil。　The　one　that　had　blown　up　had　torn　a　gaping　hole　in　the　floor　and　buckled　the　side　of　the　boat。　Burning　embers　and　burning　oil　and　some　seawater　poured　into　the　scuppers。　The　force　of　the　explosion　had　ruptured　some　of　the　great　timbers　of　the　flat…bottomed　hull　and　water　was　seeping　through　the　seams。　Hordes　of　rats　scrambled　out　of　the　way　seeking　an　escape　route。
　Another　of　the　thick　metal　drums　blew　up　and　ripped　a　vast　hole　in　the　side　of　the　boat　just　below　the　waterline；　scattering　fire　in　all　directions。　The　people　on　the　wharf　gasped　and　some　reeled　back　though　there　was　no　danger。　Others　laughed　nervously。　Still　another　drum　exploded　and　another　shaft　of　flames　sprayed　everywhere。　The　ceiling　supports　and　joists　were　seriously　weakened　and；　oil　soaked；　began　to　burn。　Above　on　the　first　deck；　the　feet　of　the　frenzied　escapees　pounded　dangerously。
　Just　above　the　first　landing　Grey　still　had　the　child　in　his　arms。　He　held　on　to　the　bannister　with　one　hand；　frightened；　shoving　people　behind　and　in　front　of　him。　He　waited　his　turn；　then　shielding　the　child　as　best　he　could；　ducked　around　the　flames　on　the　landing　and　darted　down　the　stairs；　the　way　mostly　clear。　The　carpet　by　the　threshold　was　beginning　to　smoke　and　one　heavyset　man　stumbled；　the　whole　floor　shaky。
　〃e　on；〃　Grey　shouted　desperately　to　those　behind。　He　made　the　threshold；　others　close　behind　and　in　front。　Just　as　he　reached　the　drawbridge　the　last　two　drums　exploded；　the　whole　floor　behind　him　disappeared　and　he　and　the　child　and　others　were　hurled　forward　like　so　much　chaff。
　Hugh　Guthrie　rushed　out　of　the　onlookers　and　pulled　them　to　safety。　〃You　all　right；　old　chap？〃　he　gasped。
　Grey　was　half　stunned；　gasping　for　breath；　his　clothes　smoldering；　and　Guthrie　helped　beat　them　out。　〃Yes　。。。　yes　I　think　so　。。。〃　he　said　half　out　of　himself。
　Guthrie　gently　lifted　the　unconscious　child　and　peered　at　him。　〃Poor　little　bastard！〃
　〃Is　he　dead？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Here　。。。〃　Guthrie　gave　the　little　Chinese　boy　to　an　onlooker　and　both　men　charged　back　to　the　gateway　to　help　the　others　who　were　still　numbed　by　the　explosion　and　helpless。　〃Christ　all　bloody　mighty；〃　he　gasped　as　he　saw　that　now　the　whole　entrance　was　impassable。　Above　the　uproar；　they　heard　the　wail　of　approaching　sirens。
　The　fire　on　the　top　deck　near　the　exit　was　building　nastily。　Frightened；　coughing　people　were　streaming　back　into　the　room；　forced　back　up　the　stairs　by　the　fire　that　now　owned　the　lower　deck。　Pandemonium　and　the　stench　of　fear　were　heavy　on　the　air。
　〃Ian；　we'd　better　get　the　hell　out　of　here；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Yes。　Quillan；　would　you　please　lead　the　way　and　take　charge　of　the　deck；〃　Dunross　said。　〃I'll　hold　this　end。〃
　Gornt　turned　and　roared；　〃Everyone　this　way！　You'll　be　safe　on　deck　。。。　one　at　a　time。　。。。〃He　opened　the　door　and　positioned　himself　by　it　and　tried　to　bring　order　to　the　hasty　retreat　…　a　few　Chinese；　the　remainder　mostly　British。　Once　in　the　open　everyone　was　much　less　frightened　and　grateful　to　be　away　from　the　smoke。
　Bartlett；　waiting　in　the　room；　felt　excitement　but　still　no　fear　for　he　knew　he　could　smash　any　one　of　the　windows　and　get　Casey　and　himself　out　and　into　the　sea。　People　stumbled　past。　Flames　from　the　dumbwaiter　increased　and　there　was　a　dull　explosion　below。
　〃How　you　doing；　Casey？〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃Out　you　go！〃
　〃When　you　go。〃
　〃Sure。〃　Bartlett　grinned　at　her。　The　room　was　thinning。　He　helped　Lady　Joanna　through　the　doorway；　then　Havergill；　who　was　limping；　and　his　wife。
　Casey　saw　that　Orlanda　was　still　frozen　to　her　chair。　Poor　girl；　she　thought　passionately；　remembering　her　own　absolute　terror　in　her　own　fire。　She　went　over　to　her。　〃e　on；〃　she　said　gently　and　helped　her　up。　The　girl's　knees　were　trembling。　Casey　kept　her　arm　around　her。
　〃I　。。。　I've　lost　。。。　my　purse；〃　Orlanda　muttered。
　〃No；　here　it　is。〃　Casey　picked　it　up　from　the　chair　and　kept　her　arm　around　her　as　she　half…pushed　her　past　the　flames　into　the　open。　The　deck　was　crowded　but　once　outside　Casey　felt　enormously　better。
　〃Everything's　fine；〃　Casey　said　encouragingly。　She　guided　her　to　the　railing。　Orlanda　held　on　tightly。　Casey　turned　back　to　look　for　Bartlett　and　saw　both　him　and　Gornt　watching　her　from　inside　the　room。　Bartlett　waved　at　her　and　she　waved　back；　wishing　he　were　outside　with　her。
　Peter　Marlowe　herded　his　wife　onto　the　deck　and　came　up　to　her。　〃You　all　right；　Casey？〃
　〃Sure。　How　you　doing；　Fleur？〃
　〃Fine。　Fine。　It's　。。。　it's　rather　pleasant　outside；　isn't　it？〃　Fleur　Marlowe　said；　feeling　faint　and　awful；　petrified　at　the　idea　of　jumping　from　this　great　height。　〃Do　you　think　it's　going　to　rain？〃
　〃The　sooner　the　better。〃　Casey　looked　over　the　side。　In　the　murky　waters；　thirty　feet　below；　sampans　were　beginning　to　collect。　All　boatmen　knew　that　those　on　the　top　would　have　to　jump　soon。　From　their　vantage　they　could　see　that　the　fire　possessed　most　of　the　first　and　second　decks。　A　few　people　were　trapped　there；　then　one　man　hurled　a　chair　through　one　of　the　windows；　broke　the　glass　away；　scrambled　through　and　fell　into　the　sea。　A　sampan　darted　forward　and　threw　him　a　line。　Others　who　were　trapped　followed。　One　woman　never　came　up。
　The　night　was　dark　though　the　flames　lit　everything　nearby；　casting　eerie　shadows。　The　crowds　on　the　wharf　parted　as　the　screaming　fire　engines　pulled　up。　Immediately　Chinese　firemen　and　British　officers　dragged　out　the　hoses。　Another　detachment　joined　up　to　the　nearby　fire　hydrant　and　the　first　jet　of　water　played　onto　the　fire　and　there　was　a　cheer。　In　seconds　six　hoses　were　in　operation　and　two　masked　firemen　with　asbestos　clothing　and　breathing　equipment　strapped　to　their　backs　rushed　the　entrance　and　began　to　drag　those　who　were　lying　unconscious　out　of　danger。　Another　huge　explosion　sprayed　them　with　burning　embers。　One　of　the　firemen　doused　everyone　with　water　then　directed　the　hose　back　on　the　entrance　again。
　The　top　deck　was　empty　now　except　for　Bartlett；　Dunross　and　Gornt。　They　felt　the　deck　sway　under　them　and　almost　lost　their　footing。　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Bartlett　gasped；　〃we　going　to　sink？〃
　〃Those　explosions　could've　blown　her　bottom　out；〃　Gornt　said　urgently。　〃e　on！〃　He　went　through　the　door　quickly；　Bartlett　followed。
　Now　Dunross　was　alone。　The　smoke　was　very　bad；　the　heat　and　stench　revolting　him。　He　made　a　conscious　effort　not　to　flee；　dominating　his　terror。　At　a　sudden　thought　he　ran　back　across　the　room　to　the　doorway　of　the　main　staircase　to　make　sure　there　was　no　one　there。　Then　he　saw　the　inert　figure　of　a　man　on　the　staircase。　Flames　were　everywhere。　He　felt　his　own　fear　surging　again　but　once　more　he　held　it　down；　dar