jamesclavell.noblehouse-第263章

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　A　wave　of　nausea　went　through　her。　Can　you　trust　anyone　in　business　here；　or　anywhere？　Man　or　woman？
　At　dinner　last　night　she　had　trusted　him。　Influenced　by　the　wine　and　food　she　had　told　him　about　her　relationship　with　Linc；　and　about　the　bargain　they　had　made。
　〃That's　a　bit　rough；　isn't　it？　On　both　of　you？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　and　no。　We　were　both　over　twenty…one；　Ian；　and　I　wanted　so　much　more　than　being　just　Mrs。　Linc　Bartlett；　a　mother…mistress…servant…dishwasher…diaperwasher…slave　and　a　left…at…home。　That's　the　thing　that　kills　off　any　woman。　You're　always　left。　At　home。　So　home　bees　a　prison　in　the　end；　and　it　drives　you　mad；　being　trapped　until　death　do　us　part！　I've　seen　it　too　many　times。〃
　〃Someone　has　to　look　after　the　home　and　the　children。　It's　the　man's　job　to　make　the　money。　It's　the　wife's　j…　〃
　〃Yes。　Most　times。　But　not　for　me。　I'm　not　prepared　to　accept　that　and　I　don't　think　it's　wrong　to　want　a　different　sort　of　life。　I'm　the　wage　earner　for　my　family。　My　sister's　husband　died　so　there's　my　sister　and　her　kids；　and　my　Ma　and　uncle　are　getting　on。　I'm　educated　and　good　and　better　than　most　in　business。　The　world's　changing；　everything's　changing；　Ian。〃
　〃I　said　before；　not　here　thank　God！〃
　Casey　remembered　how　she　had　readied　to　return　measure　for　measure；　but　had　bitten　back　the　old　Casey　and　said　instead；　〃Ian；　what　about　the　Hag？　How　did　she　do　it？　What　was　her　secret？　How　did　she　bee　more　equal　than　anyone？〃
　〃She　kept　her　hands　on　the　purse　strings。　Absolutely。　Oh　she　conceded　outward　position　and　face　to　Culum　and　following　tai…pans　but　she　kept　the　books；　she　hired　and　fired　through　him　…　she　was　the　strength　of　that　family。　When　Culum　was　dying；　it　was　easy　to　persuade　him　to　make　her　tai…pan。　He　gave　her　the　Struan　chop；　family　chop　and　all　the　reins　and　all　the　secrets。　But；　wisely；　she　kept　it　all　very　secret　and　after　Culum　she　only　appointed　those　she　could　control；　and　never　once　gave　any　one　of　them　the　purse　strings；　or　real　power；　not　until　she　herself　was　dying。〃
　〃But　ruling　through　others；　is　that　enough？〃
　〃Power　is　power　and　I　don't　think　it　matters　so　long　as　you　rule。　For　a　woman　…　after　a　certain　age　…　power　only　es　with　control　of　the　purse。　But　you're　right　about　drop　dead　money。　Hong　Kong's　the　only　place　on　earth　you　can　get　it　to　keep　it。　With　money；　real　money；　you　can　be　more　equal　than　anyone。　Even　Linc　Bartlett。　I　like　him；　by　the　way。　I　like　him　very　much。〃
　〃I　love　him。　Our　partnership's　worked；　Ian。　I　think　it's　been　good　for　Linc　…　oh　how　I　hope　so。　He's　our　tai…pan　and　I'm　not　trying　to　bee　one。　I　just　want　to　succeed　as　a　woman。　He's　helped　me　tremendously；　of　course　he　has。　Without　him　I'd　never　have　made　it。　So　we're　in　business　together；　until　my　birthday。　November　25　this　year。　That's　D　Day。　That's　when　we　both　decide。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　honestly　don't　know。　Oh　I　love　Linc；　more　than　ever；　but　we're　not　lovers。〃
　Later；　ing　back　on　the　ferry；　she　had　been　sorely　tempted　to　ask　him　about　Orlanda。　She　had　decided　not　to。　〃Perhaps　I　should　have；〃　she　muttered　out　loud。
　〃Eh？〃
　〃Oh！〃　She　came　out　of　her　reverie；　finding　herself　in　the　limo　on　the　car　ferry　en　route　to　Hong　Kong。　〃Sorry；　Linc；　I　was　daydreaming。〃
　She　looked　at　him　and　saw　that　he　was　as　handsome　as　ever；　even　though　now　he　stared　back　coldly。　You're　more　attractive　to　me　than　either　Ian　or　Quillan；　she　thought。　And　yet；　right　now；　I'd　prefer　to　pillow　with　either　of　them　than　with　you。　Because　you're　a　bastard。
　〃Do　you　want　to　have　at　it？〃　he　said。　〃You　want　to　vote　your　shares　against　mine？〃
　Casey　stared　back　at　him；　enraged。　Tell　him　to　go　screw；　the　devil　half　of　her　screamed；　he　needs　you　more　than　you　need　him；　you've　got　the　reins　of　Par…Con；　you　know　where　the　bodies　are　buried；　you　can　take　apart　what　you　helped　to　create。　But　the　other　half　of　her　urged　caution。　She　remembered　what　the　tai…pan　had　said　about　this　man's　world；　and　about　power。　And　about　the　Hag。
　So　she　dropped　her　gaze　a　moment　and　allowed　tears　to　seep。　At　once　she　saw　the　change　in　him。
　〃Jesus；　Casey；　don't　cry；　I'm　sorry　。。。〃　he　was　saying　and　his　arms　reached　out　for　her。　〃Jesus；　you've　never　cried　before　。。。　Listen；　we've　been　through　the　mill　a　dozen　times；　hell；　fifty　times；　there's　no　need　to　get　so　uptight。　We've　got　Struan's　and　Gornt　locked　into　battle。　There's　no　difference　in　the　end。　We'll　still　be　the　Noble　House；　but　up　front；　up　front　Gornt's　better；　I　know　I'm　right。〃
　Oh　no；　you're　not；　she　thought　contentedly；　warm　in　his　embrace。
　
　64
　
　12：32　P。M。：
　Brian　Kwok　was　screaming　and　beyond　terror。　He　knew　he　was　in　prison　and　in　hell　and　it　had　gone　on　forever。　His　whole　insane　world　was　an　instant　of　never…ending　blinding　light；　everything　blood…colored；　the　cell　walls　floor　ceiling　blood…colored；　no　doors　or　windows；　and　the　floor　awash　with　blood；　but　everything　twisted　and　all　upside　down　for　somehow　he　was　lying　on　the　ceiling；　his　whole　being　in　torment；　frantically　trying　to　claw　his　way　down　to　normality；　each　time　falling　back　into　the　mess　of　his　own　vomit；　then　the　next　instant　once　more　in　the　blackness；　grinding　pulsating　voices　laughing；　drowning　out　his　friend；　drowning　out　Robert　who　pleaded　with　the　devils　to　stop　stop　for　the　love　of　God　stop；　then　once　more　the　eye…tearing　head…exploding　bloodlight；　seeing　the　blood　waters　that　would　not　fall；　groping　desperately；　stretching　down　for　the　chairs　and　table　that　sat　in　the　blood　water　but　falling　back；　always　falling　back；　floor　meeting　ceiling　everything　wrong　upside　sideways　madness　madness　the　devil's　invention　。。。
　Bloodlight　and　darkness　and　laughter　and　stench　and　blood　again；　on　and　on　and　on　。。。
　He　knew　he　had　begun　raving　years　ago；　begging　them　to　stop；　begging　them　to　let　him　go；　swearing　he　would　do　anything　but　let　him　go；　that　he　was　not　the　one　they　sought；　not　due　for　hell　。。。　It's　a　mistake；　it's　all　a　mistake；　no　it's　not　a　mistake　I　was　the　enemy　who　was　the　enemy　what　enemy？　Oh　please　let　the　world　turn　right　side　up　and　let　me　lie　where　I　should　be　lying　up　there；　down　there；　where　oh　Jesus　Christ　Robert　Christ　help；　help　meeeeee　。。。
　〃All　right；　Brian。　I'm　here。　I'm　putting　everything　right。　I　am。　I'm　putting　everything　right！〃　He　heard　the　passionate　words　e　soaring　out　of　the　maelstrom；　drowning　the　laughter。　The　enveloping　blood　went　away。　He　felt　his　friend's　hand；　cool　and　gentle；　and　he　clutched　it；　terrified　lest　it　was　another　dream　within　a　dream　within　a　dream；　oh　Christ　Robert　don't　leave　me。　。。。
　Oh　Jesus　it's　impossible！　Look　there！　The　ceiling's　there　where　it　should　be　and　I'm　here；　I'm　lying　on　the　bed　where　I　should　be　and　the　room's　dim　but　soft　where　it　should　be；　everything's　clean；　flowers；　blinds　drawn　but　flowers　and　the　water　properly　in　the　vase　and　I'm　right　side　up；　I'm　right　side　up。　〃Oh　Christ；　Robert　。。。〃
　〃Hello；　chum；〃　Robert　Armstrong　said　gently。
　〃Oh　Jesus　Robert　thank　you　thank　you；　I'm　right　side　up　oh　thank　you　thank　you　。。。〃
　It　was　hard　to　talk　and　he　felt　weak；　his　strength　gone；　but　it　was　glorious　just　to　be　here；　out　of　the　nightmare；　his　friend's　face　misted　but　real。　And　smoking；　am　I　smoking？　Oh　yes。　Yes　I　think　I　remember　Robert　left　me　a　packet　of　cigarettes　though　those　devils　came　and　found　them　and　took　them　away　last　week　。。。　thank　God　for　smoke　。。。　When　was　it；　last　month；　last　week；　when？　I　remember　yes　but　Robert　came　back　again　and　gave　me　a　secret　drag　last　month；　was　it　last　month？　〃Oh　that　tastes　so　good；　so　good　and　the　peace；　no　nightmare；　Robert；　not　seeing　blood　up　there；　the　ceiling　awash；　not　lying　up　there　but　down　here　not　in　hell　oh　thank　you　thank　you　。。。〃
　〃I　must　go　now。〃
　〃Oh　Christ　don't　go　they　may　e　back　no　don't　go　sit　and　stay　please　stay。　Look；　we'll　talk；　yes；　that's　it；　talk；　you　wanted　to　talk　。。。　don't　leave。　Please　talk　。。。〃
　〃All　right；　old　friend；　then　talk。　I　won't　go　while　we　talk。　What　do　you　want　to　tell　me；　eh？　Certainly　I'll　stay　while　you　talk。　Tell　me　about　Ning…tok　and　your　father。　Didn't　you　go　back　to　see　him？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　I　went　back　to　see　him　once；　yes；　just　before　he　died；　my　friends　helped　me；　they　helped　me　it　only　took　a　day；　my　friends　helped　me