jamesclavell.noblehouse-第226章

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hem。
　〃Oh　you　poor　man；〃　Venus　Poon　said　soothingly；　her　mind　darting　while　her　fingers　were　tender　and　deft。　She　had　barely　half　an　hour　to　reach　her　rendezvous　with　Four　Finger　Wu；　and　while　she　knew　it　would　be　wise　to　keep　him　waiting；　she　did　not　want　to　keep　him　waiting　too　long　in　case　his　ardor　lagged。　Their　last　encounter　had　excited　him　so　much　he　had　promised　her　a　diamond　if　the　performance　was　repeated。
　〃I　guarantee　it；　Lord；〃　she　had　gasped　weakly；　her　skin　clammy　with　sweat　from　two　hours　of　concentrated　labor；　feeling　herself　afloat　with　the　immensity　of　his　at　long　last　explosion。
　Her　eyes　crossed　as　she　remembered　Four　Finger　Wu's　prodigious　efforts；　his　size；　conformity　and　undoubted　technique。　Ayeeyah；　she　thought；　still　massaging　the　neck　of　her　former　lover；　I　will　need　every　tael　of　energy　and　every　measure　of　juice　the　yin　can　muster　to　dominate　that　old　reprobate's　yowling　yang。　〃How　is　your　neck；　my　dearest　love？〃　she　crooned。
　〃Better；　better；〃　Richard　Kwang　said　reluctantly。　His　head　had　cleared　and　he　was　well　aware　that　her　fingers　were　as　skilled　as　her　mouth　and　her　peerless　parts。
　He　pulled　her　down　onto　his　knee　and　confidently　slipped　his　hand　into　the　low…cut　black　silk　evening　dress　that　he　had　bought　for　her　last　week　and　fondled　her　breasts。　When　she　did　not　resist；　he　slipped　one　strap　off　and　plimented　her　on　the　size；　texture；　taste　and　shape　of　the　whole。　Her　warmth　shafted　him　and　he　stirred。　At　once　his　other　hand　went　for　the　yin　but　before　he　knew　it　she　had　neatly　squirmed　out　of　his　grasp。　〃Oh　no；　Father！　Honorable　Red's　visiting　me　and　as　much　as　I　wa…　〃
　〃Eh？〃　Banker　Kwang　said　suspiciously。　〃Honorable　Red？　Honorable　Red's　not　due　till　the　day　after　tomorrow！〃
　〃Oh　no；　he　arrived　with　storm　th…　〃
　〃Eh？　He's　due　the　day　after　tomorrow。　I　know。　I　looked　at　my　calendar　and　made　sure　before　I　came　here！　Am　I　a　fool？　Do　I　fish　for　a　tiger　in　a　stream？　We　have　a　long…standing　date　tonight；　all　night。　Why　else　am　I　supposed　to　be　in　Taiwan？　You're　never　early　and　ne…　〃
　〃Oh　no　it　was　this　morning　…　the　shock　of　the　fire　and　the　greater　shock　that　you　had　forsaken　me；　br…　〃
　〃e　here；　you　little　baggage…　〃
　〃Oh　no；　Father；　Honorable　R…　〃
　Before　she　could　avoid　him；　his　hands　darted　out　and　he　sat　her　back　on　his　knees　and　began　to　lift　her　dress　but　Venus　Poon　was　an　old　stager　in　this　kind　of　warfare　and　champion　of　a　hundred　jousts；　even　though　she　was　only　nineteen。　She　fought　him　not；　just　pressed　closer；　twisted　and　got　one　hand　on　him；　caressingly；　and　whispered　throatily；　〃Oh　but　Father；　it's　very　bad　joss　to　interfere　with　Honorable　Red　and　as　much　as　I　desire　your　immensity　within；　we　both　know　there　are　other　ways　for　the　yin　to　titillate　the　vital　vortex。〃
　〃But　first　I　wan…　〃
　〃First？　First？〃　Pleased　with　herself；　she　felt　him　strengthening。　〃Ah；　how　strong　you　are！　It's　easy　to　see　why　all　the　weevil…mouthed　baggages　want　my　old　Father；　ayeeyah；　such　a　strong；　violent；　marvelous　man。〃
　Deftly　she　revealed　the　yang。　Deftly　she　dominated　it　and　left　him　gasping。　〃Bed；　dearest　love；〃　he　croaked。　〃First　a　brandy　then　a　little　sleep　an…　〃
　〃Quite　right；　but　not　here　oh　no！〃　she　said　firmly；　helping　him　up。
　〃Eh？　But　I'm　supposed　to　be　in　Tai…　〃
　〃Yes；　so　you'd　better　go　to　your　club！〃
　〃But　I…　〃
　〃Oh　but　you've　exhausted　your　poor　Daughter。〃　She　feigned　weakness　as　she　tidied　him　and　had　him　up　and　at　the　door　before　he　really　knew　what　was　happening。　There；　she　kissed　him　passionately；　swore　eternal　love；　promised　that　she　would　see　him　tomorrow　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　Shakily　he　stared　at　the　door；　his　knees　gone；　his　skin　clammy；　wanting　to　hammer　on　it　to　demand　rest　in　the　bed　he　had　paid　for。　But　he　didn't。　He　had　no　strength　and　tottered　to　the　elevator。
　Going　down；　he　suddenly　beamed；　delighted　with　himself。　The　check　he　had　given　her　was　for　one　month's　rent　only。　She　had　forgotten　he　had　agreed　the　month　before　to　increase　the　amount　by　500　a　month。　Eeeee；　Little　Marvelous　Mouth；　he　chortled；　the　yang　outsmarted　the　yin　after　all！　Oh　what　a　good　drubbing　I　gave　you　tonight；　and　oh　that　Clouds　and　the　Rain！　Tonight　it　was　truly　the　Small　Death　and　the　Great　Birth　and　certainly　cheap　at　twice　one　month's　rent　even　with　the　increase！
　Venus　Poon　finished　brushing　her　teeth　and　began　to　repair　her　makeup。　She　spotted　her　amah　in　the　bathroom　mirror。　〃Ah　Poo；〃　she　called　shrilly；　〃fetch　my　raincoat；　the　old　black　one；　and　phone　for　a　taxi　。。。　and　hurry　or　I'll　pinch　both　your　cheeks！〃
　The　old　woman　scurried　to　obey；　delighted　that　her　mistress　was　out　of　her　foul　mood。　〃I've　already　phoned　for　a　taxi；〃　she　wheezed。　〃He'll　be　downstairs；　waiting　at　the　side　entrance　as　soon　as　Mother　gets　there　but　you'd　better　give　Father　a　few　minutes　in　case　he　suspects　something！〃
　〃Huh；　that　old　Turtle　Top's　good　for　nothing　now！　All　he　has　strength　for　is　to　fall　into　the　back　of　his　car　and　be　driven　to　his　club！〃
　Venus　Poon　put　the　finishing　touches　to　her　lips　and　smiled　at　herself　in　the　mirror；　admiring　herself　greatly。　Now　for　the　diamond；　she　thought　excitedly。
　*　*　*
　〃When　see　again；　Paw'll？〃　Lily　Su　asked。
　〃Soon。　Next　week。〃　Havergill　finished　dressing　and　reluctantly　picked　up　his　raincoat。　The　room　they　were　in　was　small　but　clean　and　pleasant；　and　had　a　bathroom　with　hot　and　cold　running　water　that　the　hotel　management　had　had　installed　privately；　at　great　cost；　with　the　clandestine　help　of　some　experts　in　the　water　board。　〃I'll　call　you；　as　usual。〃
　〃Why　sad；　Paw'll？〃
　He　turned　and　looked　at　her。　He　had　not　told　her　that　soon　he　would　be　leaving　Hong　Kong。　From　the　bed；　she　watched　him　back；　her　skin　shiny　and　youth…filled。　She　had　been　his　friend　for　almost　four　months　now；　not　his　exclusive　friend　since　he　did　not　pay　her　rent　or　other　expenses。　She　was　a　hostess　in　the　Happy　Hostess　Dance　Hall　that　was　his　favorite　nighttime　meeting　place；　Kowloon　side。　The　owner　there；　One　Eye　Pok；　was　an　old　and　valued　client　of　the　bank　over　many　years；　and　the　mama…san　a　clever　woman　who　appreciated　his　custom。　He　had　had　many　Happy　Hostess　friends　over　the　years；　most　for　a　few　hours；　some　for　a　month；　very　few　for　longer；　and　only　one　bad　experience　in　fifteen　years　…　a　girl　had　tried　blackmail。　At　once　he　had　seen　the　mama…　san。　The　girl　had　left　that　very　night。　Neither　she　nor　her　triad　pimp　was　ever　seen　again。
　〃Why　sad；　heya？〃
　Because　I'm　leaving　Hong　Kong　soon；　he　wanted　to　tell　her。　Because　I　want　an　exclusivity　I　can't　have；　mustn't　have；　dare　not　have　…　and　have　never　wanted　with　any　before。　Dear　God　in　Heaven　how　I　want　you。
　〃Not　sad；　Lily。　Just　tired；〃　he　said　instead；　the　bank　troubles　adding　to　the　weight　upon　him。
　〃Everything　be　all　good；〃　she　said　reassuringly。　〃Call　soon；　heya？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　I　will。〃　His　arrangement　with　her　was　simple：　a　phone　call。　If　he　could　not　reach　her　directly　he　would　call　the　mama…san　and　that　night　he　would　e　to　the　dance　hall；　alone　or　with　friends；　and　he　and　Lily　would　dance　a　few　dances　for　face　and　drink　some　drinks　and　then　she　would　leave。　After　half　an　hour　he　would　pay　his　bill　and　e　here　…　everything　paid　for　in　advance。　They　did　not　walk　together　to　this　private　and　exclusive　meeting　place　because　she　did　not　wish　to　be　seen　on　the　streets　or　by　neighbors　with　a　foreign　devil。　It　would　be　disastrous　for　a　girl's　reputation　to　be　seen　alone　with　a　barbarian。　In　public。　Outside　of　her　place　of　work。　Any　girl　of　beddable　age　would　at　once　be　presumed　to　be　the　lowest　type　of　harlot；　a　foreign　devil's　harlot　and　despised　as　such；　sneered　at　openly；　and　her　value　diminished。
　Havergill　knew　this。　It　did　not　bother　him。　In　Hong　Kong　it　was　a　fact　of　life。　〃Doh　jeh；〃　he　said；　thank　you　…　loving　her；　wanting　to　stay；　or　to　take　her　with　him。　〃Doh　jeh；〃　he　just　said　and　left。
　Once　alone　she　allowed　the　yawn　that　had　almost　possessed　her　many　times　this　evening　to　overwhelm　her　and　she　lay　back　on　the　bed　and　stretched　luxuriously。　The　bed　was　rumpled　but　a　thousand　times　better　than　the　cot　in　the　room　she　rented　in　Tai…ping　Shan。
　A　soft　knock。　〃Honored　Lady？〃
　〃Ah　Chun？〃
　〃Yes。〃　The　door　opened　and　the　old　woman　padded　in。　She　brought　cl