jamesclavell.noblehouse-第219章

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c。　And　always　her　radiance；　the　touch　of　her　perfume。
　〃This　is　the　best　evening　I've　had　in　years。〃
　She　raised　her　glass　with　mock　solemnity。　〃Here's　to　many　more；〃　she　said。　Yes；　here's　to　many　many　more　but　after　we're　married；　or　at　least　engaged。　You're　too　heady；　Linc　Bartlett；　too　tuned　in　to　my　psyche；　too　strong。　〃I'm　glad　you've　enjoyed　it。　So　have　I。　Oh　yes；　so　have　I！〃　She　saw　his　eyes　slide　off　her　as　a　hostess　brushed　by；　her　gown　low　cut。　The　girl　was　lovely；　barely　twenty；　and　she　joined　a　group　of　boisterous　Japanese　businessmen　with　many　girls　at　a　corner　table。　At　once　another　girl　got　up　and　excused　herself　and　went　away。　Orlanda　watched　him　watching　them；　her　mind　now　crystal　clear。
　〃Are　they　all　for　hire？〃　he　asked　involuntarily。
　〃For　pillowing？〃
　His　heart　missed　a　beat　and　he　glanced　back　at　her；　all　attention。　〃Yes；　I　suppose　that's　what　I　meant；〃　he　said　cautiously。
　〃The　answer's　no；　and　yes。〃　She　kept　her　smile　gentle；　her　voice　soft。　〃That's　like　most　things　in　Asia；　Linc。　Nothing's　ever　really　no　or　yes。　It's　always　maybe。　It　depends　on　the　availability　of　a　hostess。　It　depends　on　the　man；　the　money　and　the　amount　she's　in　debt。〃　Her　smile　was　mischievous。　〃Perhaps　I　shall　just　point　you　in　the　right　direction　but　then　you'd　be　up　to　no　good　…　because　you　fascinate　all　pretty　ladies；　big　strong　man　like　you　heya？〃
　〃e　on；　Orlanda！〃　he　said　with　a　laugh　as　she　aped　a　coolie　accent。
　〃I　saw　you　notice　her。　I　don't　blame　you；　she's　lovely；〃　she　said；　envying　the　girl　her　youth　but　not　her　life。
　〃What　did　you　mean　about　debts？〃
　〃When　a　girl　first　es　to　work　here　she　has　to　look　pretty。　Clothes　are　expensive；　hairdressing　expensive；　stockings；　makeup；　everything　expensive；　so　the　mama…san　…　that's　the　woman　who　looks　after　the　girls　…　or　the　nightclub　owner　will　advance　the　girl　enough　to　buy　all　the　things　she　needs。　Of　course　in　the　beginning　all　the　girls　are　young　and　frivolous；　fresh　like　a　first　rose　of　summer；　so　they　buy　and　buy　and　then　they　have　to　pay　back。　Most　have　nothing　when　they　begin；　just　themselves　…　unless　they've　been　a　hostess　in　another　club　and　have　a　following。　Girls　change　nightclubs；　Linc；　naturally；　once　they're　out　of　debt。　Sometimes　an　owner　will　pay　the　debts　of　a　girl　to　acquire　her　and　her　followers　…　many　girls　are　very　popular　and　sought　after。　For　a　girl　it　can　be　well　paying；　if　you　can　dance；　converse　and　speak　several　languages。〃
　〃Their　debts're　heavy　then？〃
　〃Perpetual。　The　longer　they　stay　the　harder　it　is　to　look　pretty　so　the　more　the　cost。　Interest　on　the　debt　is　20　percent　at　the　very　least。　In　the　first　months　the　girl　can　earn　much　to　pay　back　much　but　never　enough。〃　A　shadow　passed　over　her　face。　〃Interest　builds　up；　the　debt　builds　up。　Not　all　patrons　are　patient。　So　the　girl　has　to　seek　other　forms　of　financing。　Sometimes　she　has　to　borrow　from　loan　sharks　to　pay　back　the　patron。　Inevitably　she　seeks　help。　Then　one　night　the　mama…son　points　out　a　man。　'He　wants　to　buy　you　out；'　she'll　say。　An…　〃
　〃What　does　that　mean；　to　buy　a　girl　out？〃
　〃Oh　that's　just　a　nightclub　custom　here。　All　the　girls　have　to　be　here　promptly；　say　eight；　when　the　club　opens；　neat　and　groomed。　They　have　to　stay　till　1：00　p。m。　or　they'll　be　fined　…　and　fined　also　if　they　are　absent　or　if　they're　late　or　not　neat　and　not　groomed　and　not　pleasant　to　the　customers。　If　a　man　wants　to　take　a　girl　out　by　himself；　for　dinner　or　whatever；　and　many　customers　just　take　the　girls　for　dinner　…　many　even　take　a　couple　of　girls　for　dinner；　mostly　to　impress　their　friends　…　he　buys　the　girl　out　of　the　club；　he　pays　the　club　a　fee；　the　amount　depends　on　the　time　left　before　closing。　I　don't　know　how　much　she　gets　of　the　fee；　I　think　it's　30　percent；　but　what　she　makes　outside　is　all　hers；　unless　the　mama…son　negotiates　for　her　before　she　leaves。　Then　the　house　gets　a　fee。〃
　〃Always　a　fee？〃
　〃It's　a　matter　of　face；　Linc。　In　this　place；　which　is　one　of　the　best；　to　buy　a　girl　out　it　would　cost　you　about　80　HK　an　hour；　about　16　U。S。〃
　〃That's　not　much；〃　he　said　absently。
　〃Not　much　to　a　millionaire；　my　dear。　But　for　thousands　here；　80　HK　has　to　last　a　family　for　a　week。〃
　Bartlett　was　watching　her；　wondering　about　her；　wanting　her；　so　glad　that　he　didn't　have　to　buy　her　out。　Shit；　that'd　be　terrible。　Or　would　it？　he　asked　himself。　At　least　that　way　it'd　be　a　few　bucks；　then　in　the　sack　and　move　on　again。　Is　that　what　I　want？
　〃What？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　was　just　thinking　what　a　rotten　life　these　girls　have。〃
　〃Oh　not　rotten；　not　rotten　at　all；〃　she　said　with　the　immense　innocence　he　found　shattering。　〃This　is　probably　the　best　time　in　their　lives；　certainly　the　first　time　in　their　lives　they've　ever　worn　anything　pretty；　been　flattered　and　sought　after。　What　other　kind　of　job　can　they　get　if　you're　a　girl　without　a　great　education？　Secretarial　if　you're　lucky；　or　else　in　a　factory；　twelve　to　fourteen　hours　a　day　for　10　HK　a　day。　You　should　go　to　one；　Linc；　see　the　conditions。　I'll　take　you。　Please？　You　must　see　how　people　work；　then　you'll　understand　about　us　here。　I'd　love　to　be　your　guide。　Now　that　you're　staying　you　should　know　everything；　Linc；　experience　everything。　Oh　no；　they　think　themselves　lucky。　At　least　for　a　short　time　in　their　lives　they　live　well　and　eat　well　and　laugh　a　lot。〃
　〃No　tears？〃
　〃Always　tears。　But　tears　is　a　way　of　life　for　a　girl。〃
　〃Not　for　you。〃
　She　sighed　and　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。　〃I've　had　my　share。　But　you　make　me　forget　all　the　tears　I've　ever　had。〃　A　sudden　burst　of　laughter　made　them　look　up。　The　four　Japanese　businessmen　were　hunched　down　with　six　girls；　their　table　loaded　with　drinks　and　more　arriving。　〃I'm　so　happy　I　don't　have　to　。。。　have　to　serve　the　Japanese；〃　she　said　simply；　〃I　bless　my　joss　for　that。　But　they　are　the　biggest　spenders；　Linc；　much　more　than　any　other　tourists。　They　spend　even　more　than　the　Shanghainese；　so　they　get　the　best　service　even　though　they're　hated　and　they　know　they're　hated。　They　don't　seem　to　care　that　their　spending　buys　them　nothing　except　falsehoods。　Perhaps　they　know　it；　they're　clever；　very　clever。　Certainly　they　have　a　different　attitude　to　pillowing　and　to　Ladies　of　the　Night；　different　from　other　people。〃　Another　burst　of　laughter　〃Chinese　call　them　lang　syin　gou　fei　in　Mandarin；　literally　'wolf's　heart；　dog's　lungs；'　meaning　men　without　conscience。〃
　He　frowned。　〃That　doesn't　make　sense。〃
　〃Oh　but　it　does！　You　see　Chinese　cook　and　eat　every　part　of　fish；　fowl　or　animal　except　for　a　wolf's　heart　and　a　dog's　lungs。　They're　the　only　two　things　that　you　cannot　flavor　…　they　always　stink　whatever　you　do　to　them。〃　She　looked　back　at　the　other　table。　〃To　Chinese；　Japanese　men're　lang　syin　gou　fei。　So　is　money。　Money　has　no　conscience　either。〃　She　smiled　a　strange　smile　and　sipped　her　liqueur。　〃Nowadays　many　mama…sans　or　owners　will　advance　money　to　a　girl　to　help　her　learn　Japanese。　To　entertain；　of　course　you　have　to　municate；　no？〃
　Another　bevy　of　girls　went　past　and　she　saw　them　look　at　Bartlett　and　then　at　her　speculatively　and　look　away　again。　Orlanda　knew　they　despised　her　because　she　was　Eurasian　and　with　a　quai　loh　customer。　They　joined　another　table。　The　club　was　filling　up。
　〃Which　one　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。
　〃What？〃
　She　laughed　at　his　shock。　〃Oh　e　now；　Linc　Bartlett；　I　saw　your　wandering　eye。　Is　…　〃
　〃Stop　it；　Orlanda！〃　he　said　unfortably；　a　sudden　edge　to　his　voice。　〃In　this　place　it's　impossible　not　to　notice。〃
　〃Of　course；　that's　why　I　suggested　it；〃　she　said　immediately；　forcing　her　smile　steady；　her　reactions　very　fast　and　again　she　touched　him；　her　hand　tender　on　his　knee。　〃I　picked　this　place　for　you　so　you　could　feast　your　eyes。〃　She　snapped　her　fingers。　Instantly　the　ma？tre　d'　was　there；　kneeling　politely　beside　their　low　table。　〃Give　me　your　card；〃　she　said　imperiously　in　Shanghainese；　almost　sick　with　an　apprehension　that　she　hid　perfectly。
　At　once　the　man　produced　what　looked　like　a　playbill。　〃Leave　me　your　flashlight。　I'll　call　you　when　I　need　you。〃
　The　man　went　away。　Like　a　conspirator　she　moved　closer。　Now　their　legs　were　touching。　Linc　put　his　arm　around　her。　She　directed　the　pencil　light　at　the　playbill。　There　were　photograp