jamesclavell.noblehouse-第211章

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s　transactions。　Now　he　would　have　to　dip　into　his　savings；　which　was　against　all　his　principles。　You　pay　for　whores　out　of　current　earnings；　never　out　of　savings；　so　piss　on　that　police　boat！　he　thought。　Without　the　diamond　present　。。。　Eeeee；　but　her　Beauteous　Box　is　everything　Richard　Kwang　claimed；　and　the　wriggle　of　her　rump　everything　rumor　had　promised。　And　tonight　。。。　tonight　after　the　TV　station　closes；　her　Gorgeous　Gate　is　due　to　open　once　more！
　〃Filthy　joss；　that　sharp…nosed　bandit　finding　us　tonight；〃　he　said；　his　manhood　stirring　at　the　thought　of　Venus　Poon。　〃All　that　money　gone　and　our　expenses　heavy！〃
　〃The　cargo's　lost？〃　Paul　Choy　asked；　greatly　surprised。
　〃Of　course　lost；　gone　to　the　bottom；〃　the　old　man　said　irritably。
　〃You　haven't　got　a　marker　on　it；　or　a　beeper？〃　Paul　Choy　used　the　English　word。　He　explained　it　to　them。　〃I　presumed　it　would　have　one　…　or　a　float　that　would　release　itself　in　a　day　or　two；　chemically　…　so　you　could　recover　it　or　send　frogmen　to　fetch　it　when　it　was　safe　to　do　so。〃　The　two　men　were　gaping　at　him。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃It　is　easy　to　find　these　'beepers'　or　to　arrange　a　delayed　float　for　a　day　or　two？〃　Wu　asked。
　〃Or　a　week　or　two　weeks　if　you　want；　Father。〃
　〃Would　you　write　all　this　down；　how　to　do　it？　Or　you　could　arrange　it？〃
　〃Of　course。　But　why　don't　you　also　have　a　magic　eye；　like　theirs？〃
　〃What　do　we　need　with　them　…　and　who　could　work　them？〃　The　old　man　scoffed　again。　〃We　have　noses　and　ears　and　eyes。〃
　〃But　you　got　caught　tonight。〃
　〃Watch　your　tongue！〃　Wu　said　angrily。　〃That　was　joss；　joss；　a　joke　of　the　gods。　We're　safe　and　that's　all　that　matters！〃
　〃I　disagree；　Captain；〃　Paul　Choy　said；　without　fear　now　as　everything　fell　into　place。　〃It　would　be　easy　to　equip　this　boat　with　a　magic　eye　…　then　you　can　see　them　as　soon　or　sooner　than　they　can　see　you。　They　can't　surprise　you。　So　you　can　thumb　your　noses　at　them　without　fear　and　never　lose　a　cargo。　Heya？〃　He　smiled　inwardly；　seeing　them　hooked。　〃Never　a　mistake；　not　even　a　little　one。　And　never　danger。　And　never　a　lost　cargo。　And　cargo　with　beepers。　You　don't　even　need　to　be　anywhere　near　the　drop。　Only　a　week　later；　heya？〃
　〃That　would　be　perfect；〃　Poon　said　fervently。　〃But　if　the　gods　are　against　you；　Profitable　Choy；　even　magic　eyes　won't　help。　It　was　close　tonight。　That　whore　wasn't　supposed　to　be　here。〃
　They　all　looked　at　the　ship；　just　lying　aft。　Waiting。　A　few　hundred　yards　aft。　Wu　set　the　engine　to　slow　ahead。　〃We　don't　want　to　go　too　deep　into　PRC　waters；〃　he　said　uneasily。　〃Those　civilized　fornicators　are　not　so　polite　or　so　law…abiding。〃　A　shiver　went　through　him。　〃We　could　use　a　magic　eye；　Goodweather　Poon。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　own　one　of　those　patrol　boats？〃　Paul　Choy　said；　baiting　the　hook　again。　〃Or　one　a　little　faster。　Then　you　could　outrun　them。〃
　〃One　of　those？　Are　you　mad？〃
　〃Who　would　sell　us　one？〃　Wu　asked　impatiently。
　〃Japanese。〃
　〃Fornicate　all　Eastern　Sea　Devils；〃　Poon　said。
　〃Perhaps；　but　they'd　build　you　something　like　that；　radar　equipped。　They　…　〃
　He　stopped　as　the　police　patrol　boat　cut　in　her　deep　growling　engines；　and；　with　her　siren　whoopwhoopwhooping；　hurtled　off　into　the　night；　her　wake　churning。
　〃Look　at　her　go；〃　Paul　Choy　said　admiringly　in　English。　〃Classy　son　of　a　bitch！〃
　He　repeated　it　in　Haklo。　〃I'll　bet　she's　still　got　the　Thai　trawler　in　her　magic　eye。　They　can　see　everything；　every　junk；　every　ship　and　cove　and　promontory　for　miles　…　even　a　storm。〃
　Thoughtfully　Four　Finger　Wu　gave　a　new　course　to　the　helmsman　that　kept　them　just　in　PRC　waters　heading　north　for　the　islands　and　reefs　around　Lan　Tao　Island　where　he　would　be　safe　to　make　for　the　next　rendezvous。　There　they　would　transfer　to　another　junk　with　real　registrations　…　PRC　and　Hong　Kong　…　to　slide　back　into　Aberdeen。　Aberdeen！　His　fingers　nervously　touched　the　half…coin　again。　He　had　forgotten　the　coin　in　the　excitement。　Now　his　fingers　trembled　and　his　anxiety　was　rekindled　as　he　thought　about　his　meeting　with　the　tai…pan　tonight。　There　was　plenty　of　time。　He　would　not　be　late。　Even　so　he　increased　speed。
　〃e；〃　he　ordered；　motioning　Poon　and　Paul　Choy　to　join　him　on　the　cushions　aft　where　they　would　be　more　private。
　〃Perhaps　we'd　be　wise　to　stay　with　our　junks；　and　not　get　one　of　those　whores；　my　son。〃　Wu's　finger　stabbed　the　darkness　where　the　patrol　boat　had　been。　〃The　foreign　devils　would　bee　even　madder　if　I　had　one　of　those　in　my　fleet。　But　this　magic　eye　of　yours　。。。　you　could　install　it　and　show　us　how　to　use　it？〃
　〃I　could　get　experts　to　do　that。　People　from　the　Eastern　Sea　…　it　would　be　better　to　use　them　…　not　British　or　German。〃
　Wu　looked　at　his　old　friend。　〃Heya？〃
　〃I　don't　want　one　of　those　turds　or　their　magic　eyes　on　my　ship。　Soon　we'd　rely　on　the　fornicators　and　we'd　lose　our　treasures　along　with　our　heads；〃　the　other　man　grumbled。
　〃But　to　see　when　others　can't？〃　Wu　puffed　on　his　cigarette。　〃Is　there　another　seller；　Profitable　Choy？〃
　〃They　would　be　the　best。　And　cheapest；　Father。〃
　〃Cheapest；　heya？　How　much　will　this　cost？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　20；000　U。S。；　perhaps　40　…　〃
　The　old　man　exploded。　〃40；000　U。S。？　Am　I　made　of　gold？　I　have　to　work　for　my　money！　Am　I　Emperor　Wu？〃
　Paul　Choy　let　the　old　man　rave。　He　was　feeling　nothing　for　him　anymore；　not　after　all　the　night's　horror　and　killing　and　entrapment　and　cruelty　and　blackmail；　and　most　of　all　because　of　his　father's　words　against　his　girl。　He　would　respect　his　father　for　his　seamanship；　for　his　courage　and　his　mand。　And　as　Head　of　the　House。　Nothing　more。　And　from　now　on　he　would　treat　him　like　any　other　man。
　When　he　felt　the　old　man　had　raved　enough；　he　said；　〃I　can　have　the　first　magic　eye　installed　and　two　men　trained　at　no　cost　to　you；　if　you　want。〃
　Wu　and　Poon　stared　at　him。　Wu　was　instantly　on　guard。　〃How　at　no　cost？〃
　〃I　will　pay　for　it　for　you。〃
　Poon　started　to　guffaw　but　Wu　hissed；　〃Shut　up；　fool；　and　listen。　Profitable　Choy　knows　things　you　don't　know！〃　His　eyes　were　glittering　even　more。　If　a　magic　eye；　why　not　a　diamond　too？　And　if　a　diamond；　why　not　a　mink　coat　and　all　the　necessary　plunder　that　that　mealy…mouthed　whore　will　require　to　sustain　her　enthusiastic　cleft；　hands　and　mouth。
　〃How　will　you　pay　for　it；　my　son？〃
　〃Out　of　profit。〃
　〃Profit　on　what？〃
　〃I　want　control；　for　one　month；　of　your　money　in　the　Victoria。〃
　〃Impossible！〃
　〃We　opened　accounts　for　22；423；000。　Control　for　one　month。〃
　〃To　do　what　with？〃
　〃The　stock　market。〃
　〃Ah；　gamble？　Gamble　with　my　money？　My　hard…earned　cash？　Never。〃
　〃One　month。　We　split　the　profit；　Father。〃
　〃Oh；　we　split？　It　is　my　fornicating　money　but　you　want　half。　Half　of　what？〃
　〃Perhaps　another　20　million。〃　Paul　Choy　let　the　sum　hang。　He　saw　the　avarice　on　his　father's　face　and　knew　that　though　the　negotiation　would　be　heated；　they　would　make　a　deal。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　time。
　〃Ayeeyah；　that's　impossible；　out　of　the　question！〃
　The　old　man　felt　an　itch　below　and　he　scratched　the　itch。　His　manhood　stirred。　Instantly　he　thought　of　Venus　Poon　who　had　made　him　stand　as　he　had　not　stood　for　years　and　of　their　ing　bout　tonight。　〃Perhaps　I　shall　just　pay　for　this　magic　eye；〃　he　said；　testing　the　young　man's　resolve。
　Paul　Choy　took　his　spirit　pletely　into　his　own　hands。　〃Yes；　yes　you　can；　but　then　I'm　leaving　Hong　Kong。〃
　Wu's　tongue　darted　spitefully。　〃You　will　leave　when　I　tell　you　to　leave。〃
　〃But　if　I　can't　be　profitable　and　put　my　expensive　training　to　work；　why　should　I　stay？　Did　you　pay　all　that　money　for　me　to　be　a　pimp　on　one　of　your　Pleasure　Boats？　A　deckhand　on　a　junk　that　can　be　raped　at　will　by　the　nearest　foreign　devil　cutter？　No；　better　I　leave！　Better　I　bee　profitable　to　someone　else　so　that　I　can　begin　to　repay　your　investment　in　me。　I　will　give　Black　Beard　a　month's　notice　and　leave　then。〃
　〃You　will　leave　when　I　tell　you　to　leave！〃　Wu　added　malevolently。　〃You　have　fished　in　dangerous　waters。〃
　〃Yes。〃　And　so　have　you；　Paul　Choy　wanted　to　add；　unafraid。　If　you　think　you　can　blackmail　me；　that　I'm　on　your　hook；　you're　on　mine　and　you've　more　to　lose。　Haven't　you　heard　of　Queen's　evidence；　turning　Queen's　evidence　…　or　plea　bargaining？　But　he　kept　this　future　ploy　secret；