jamesclavell.noblehouse-第208章

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　Four　Finger　Wu　said；　〃Give　Goodweather　Poon　a　hand。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Are　your　ears　filled　with　vomit？〃　the　old　man　shouted。　〃Give　him　a　hand。〃
　Frightened；　Paul　Choy　reeled　over　to　the　old　seaman；　the　helmsman　watching　interestedly。　〃What　do　you　。。。　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Take　his　legs！〃
　Paul　Choy　tried　to　dominate　his　nausea。　He　closed　his　eyes。　His　nostrils　were　filled　with　the　smell　of　vomit　and　blood。　He　reached　down；　took　the　legs　and　part　of　the　heavy　chain　and　staggered；　half　falling；　to　the　side。　Goodweather　Poon　was　carrying　most　of　the　weight　and　he　could　easily　have　carried　it　all　and　Paul　Choy　too　if　need　be。　Effortlessly　he　balanced　Smallpox　Kin　on　the　gunnel。
　〃Hold　him　there！〃　By　prearrangement　with　Four　Fingers；　the　old　seaman　backed　away；　leaving　Paul　Choy　on　his　own；　the　unconscious；　mutilated　face　and　body　slumped　precariously　against　him。
　〃Put　him　overboard！〃　Wu　ordered。
　〃But　Father　。。。　please　。。。　he's　。。。　he's　not　de　。。。　not　dead　yet。　Pl…　〃
　〃Put　him　over　the　side！〃
　Beside　himself　with　fear　and　loathing；　Paul　Choy　tried　to　pull　the　body　back　aboard　but　the　wind　squalled　and　heeled　the　junk　and　the　last　of　the　Werewolves　toppled　into　the　sea　and　sank　without　a　trace。　Helplessly　Paul　Choy　stared　at　the　waves　slopping　against　the　teak。　He　saw　that　there　was　blood　on　his　shirt　and　on　his　hands。　Another　wave　of　nausea　racked　him；　tormenting　him。
　〃Here！〃　Gruffly　Wu　handed　his　son　a　flask。　It　contained　whiskey；　good　whiskey。　Paul　Choy　choked　a　little　but　his　stomach　held　the　whiskey。　Wu　turned　back　to　the　conn；　waved　the　helmsman　toward　the　freighter；　the　throttle　opened　to　full　ahead。　Paul　Choy　almost　fell　but　managed　to　grab　the　gunnel　and　stay　on　his　feet；　unprepared　for　the　suddenness　of　the　deep…throated　roar　and　burst　of　speed。　When　he　had　his　sea　legs　he　looked　at　his　father。　Now　the　old　man　was　near　the　tiller；　Goodweather　Poon　nearby；　and　both　were　peering　into　the　darkness。　He　could　see　the　small　ship　and　his　stomach　reeled；　and　he　hated　his　father　afresh；　hated　being　on　board　and　being　involved　in　what　obviously　was　smuggling　…　on　top　of　the　horror　of　the　Werewolf。
　Whatever　that　poor　son　of　a　bitch　did；　he　thought；　enraged；　it　doesn't　merit　taking　the　law　into　your　own　hands。　He　should've　been　handed　over　to　the　police　to　be　hanged　or　imprisoned　or　whatever。
　Wu　felt　the　eyes　on　him　and　he　glanced　back。　His　face　did　not　change。　〃e　here；〃　he　ordered；　his　thumbless　hand　stabbing　the　gunnel　in　front　of　him。　〃Stand　here。〃
　Numbly　Paul　Choy　obeyed。　He　was　much　taller　than　his　father　and　Goodweather　Poon　but　he　was　a　piece　of　chaff　against　either　of　them。
　The　junk　sped　through　the　darkness　on　an　intercept　course；　the　sea　black　and　the　night　black　with　just　a　little　moonlight　sifting　through　the　overcast。　Soon　they　were　just　aft　of　the　vessel　and　a　little　to　starboard；　closing　fast。　She　was　small；　slow　and　quite　old　and　she　dipped　uneasily　in　the　gathering　swell。　〃She's　a　coastal　freighter；〃　Goodweather　Poon　volunteered；　〃a　Thai　trawler　we　call　them。　There's　dozens　of　the　fornicators　in　all　Asian　waters。　They're　the　lice　of　the　seas；　Profitable　Choy；　crewed　by　scum；　captained　by　scum；　and　they　leak　like　lobster　pots。　Most　ply　the　Bangkok；　Singapore；　Manila；　Hong　Kong　route；　and　wherever　else　they've　a　cargo　for。　This　one's　out　of　Bangkok。〃　He　hawked　and　spat；　revolting　the　young　man　again。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　voyage　on　one　of　those　stinking　whores。　Th…　〃
　He　stopped。　There　was　another　brief　flashing　signal。　Wu　answered　it。　Then　all　on　deck　saw　the　splash　on　her　starboard　side　as　something　heavy　went　overboard。　At　once　Four　Fingers　rang　up　〃all　engines　stop。〃　The　sudden　quiet　was　deafening。　Bow　lookouts　peered　into　the　darkness；　the　junk　wallowing　and　swerving　as　she　slowed。
　Then　one　of　the　bow　lookouts　signaled　with　a　flag。　At　once　Wu　gave　a　little　engine　and　made　the　correction。　Another　silent　signal　and　another　change　of　direction　and　then　a　sharper；　more　excited　movement　of　the　flag。
　Immediately　Wu　reversed　engines。　The　props　bit　the　sea　heavily。　Then　he　killed　the　thrust；　the　junk　swerving　closer　to　the　line　of　bobbing　buoys。　The　gnarled　old　man　seemed　to　be　part　of　the　ship　as　Paul　Choy　watched　him　with　his　eyes　fixed　into　the　sea　ahead。　Nimbly　Wu　maneuvered　the　ponderous　junk　into　the　course　of　the　buoys。　In　a　few　moments　a　seaman　with　a　long；　hooked　boarding　pole　leaned　out　from　the　main　deck　and　hooked　the　line。　The　rough　cork　buoys　were　brought　aboard　deftly；　other　seamen　helping；　and　the　line　attached　securely　to　a　stanchion。　With　practiced　skill　the　chief　deckhand　cut　away　the　buoys　and　cast　them　overboard　while　more　seamen　made　sure　that　the　bales　attached　to　the　other　end　of　the　line　below　the　surface　were　safe　and　secure。　Paul　Choy　could　see　the　bales　clearly　now。　There　were　two　of　them；　perhaps　six　foot　by　three　foot　by　three　foot；　roped　together　heavily　underwater；　their　sinking　weight　keeping　the　thick　line　taut。　As　soon　as　all　was　tight　and　safe；　the　cargo　secure　alongside　though　still　five　or　six　feet　beneath　the　surface　of　the　sea；　the　chief　deckhand　signaled。　At　once　Four　Fingers　brought　the　junk　to　cruising　speed　and　they　sped　away　on　a　different　tack。
　The　whole　operation　had　been　done　in　silence；　effortlessly　and　in　seconds。　In　moments　the　weak　riding　lights　of　the　Thai　trawler　had　vanished　into　the　darkness　and　they　were　alone　on　the　sea　once　more。
　Wu　and　Goodweather　Poon　lit　cigarettes。　〃Very　good；〃　Goodweather　Poon　said。　Four　Fingers　did　not　reply；　his　ears　listening　to　the　pleasing　note　of　the　engines。　No　trouble　there；　he　thought。　His　senses　tested　the　wind。　No　trouble　there。　His　eyes　ranged　the　darkness。　Nothing　there　either；　he　told　himself。　Then　why　are　you　uneasy？　Is　it　Seventh　Son？
　He　glanced　at　Paul　Choy　who　was　at　the　port　side；　his　back　toward　him。　No。　No　danger　there　either。
　Paul　Choy　was　watching　the　bales。　They　kicked　up　a　small　wake。　His　curiosity　peaked　and　he　was　feeling　a　little　better；　the　whiskey　warming　and　the　salt　smelling　good　now；　that　and　the　excitement　of　the　rendezvous　and　being　away　and　safe。　〃Why　don't　you　bring　them　aboard；　Father？　You　could　lose　them。〃
　Wu　motioned　Poon　to　answer。
　〃Better　to　leave　the　harvest　of　the　sea　to　the　sea；　Profitable　Choy；　until　it's　quite　safe　to　bring　it　ashore。　Heya？〃
　〃My　name's　Paul；　not　Profitable。〃　The　young　man　looked　back　at　his　father　and　shivered。　〃There　was　no　need　to　murder　that　fornicator！〃
　〃The　captain　didn't；〃　Goodweather　Poon　said　with　a　grin；　answering　for　the　old　man。　〃You　did；　Profitable　Choy。　You　did；　you　threw　him　overboard。　I　saw　it　clearly。　I　was　within　half　a　pace　of　you。〃
　〃Lies！　I　tried　to　pull　him　back！　And　anyway　he　ordered　me　to。　He　threatened　me。〃
　The　old　seaman　shrugged。　〃Tell　that　to　a　fine；　foreign　devil　judge；　Profitable　Choy；　and　that　won't　be　fornicating　profitable　at　all！〃
　〃My　name's　not　Pro…　〃
　〃The　Captain　of　the　Fleets　has　called　you　Profitable　so　by　all　the　gods　Profitable　you　are　forever。　Heya？〃　he　added；　grinning　at　Four　Fingers。
　The　old　man　said　nothing；　just　smiled　and　showed　his　few　broken　teeth　and　that　made　his　grimace　even　more　frightening。　His　bald　head　and　weathered　face　nodded　his　agreement。　Then　he　put　his　eyes　on　his　son。　Paul　Choy　shivered　in　spite　of　his　resolve。
　〃Your　secret's　safe　with　me；　my　son。　Never　fear。　No　one　aboard　this　boat　saw　anything。　Did　they；　Goodweather　Poon？〃
　〃No；　nothing。　By　all　gods　great　and　small！　No　one　saw　anything！〃
　Paul　Choy　stared　back　sullenly。　〃You　can't　wrap　paper　in　fire！〃
　Goodweather　Poon　guffawed。　〃On　this　boat　you　can！〃
　〃Yes；〃　Wu　said；　his　voice　a　rasp。　〃On　this　boat　you　can　keep　a　secret　forever。〃　He　lit　another　cigarette；　hawked　and　spat。　〃Don't　you　want　to　know　what's　in　those　bales？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃It's　opium。　Delivered　on　shore　this　night's　work　will　bring　a　200；000　profit；　just　to　me；　with　plenty　in　bonuses　for　my　crew。〃
　〃That　profit's　not　worth　the　risk；　not　to　me。　I　made　you　th…　〃　Paul　Choy　stopped。
　Four　Finger　Wu　looked　at　him。　He　spat　on　the　deck　and　passed　the　conn　to　Goodweather　Poon　and　went　to　the　great　cushioned　seats　aft　that　ringed　the　poop。　〃e　here；　Profitable　Choy；〃　he　manded。
　Frightened；　Paul　Choy　sat　at　the　point　indicated。　Now　t