jamesclavell.noblehouse-第299章

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　feeling　for　the　air　cushion　that　was　building　nicely　…　his　left　hand　controlling　speed；　climbing　or　descending；　his　right　hand　direction；　his　feet　on　the　rudder　pedals　keeping　the　whole　unstable　aircraft　straight；　preventing　torque。　Dunross　loved　to　fly　choppers。　It　was　so　much　more　of　a　challenge　than　fixed…wing　flying。　It　required　so　much　concentration　and　skill　that　he　forgot　his　problems；　the　flying　cleansing　him。　But　he　rarely　flew　alone。　The　sky　was　for　professionals　or　for　those　who　flew　daily；　so　he　would　always　have　a　pilot…instructor　along　with　him；　the　presence　of　the　other　man　not　detracting　from　his　pleasure。
　His　hands　felt　the　cushion　building　and　then　the　craft　was　an　inch　airborne。　Instantly　he　corrected　the　slight　slide　to　the　right　as　a　wind　gusted。　He　checked　his　instruments；　feeling　for　dangers；　eyes　outside；　ears　tuned　to　the　music　of　the　engine。　When　all　was　stable；　he　increased　revs　as　he　raised　the　left　lever；　eased　the　stick　forward　and　left　an　inch；　feet　pensating；　and　went　into　a　skidding　left　turn；　gaining　altitude　and　speed　to　drop　away　down　the　mountainside。
　Once　he　was　steady　he　pushed　the　transmit　button　on　the　stick；　reporting　in　to　Air　Traffic　Control　at　Kai　Tak。
　〃Watch　your　revs；〃　Mac　said。
　〃Got　it。　Sorry。〃　Dunross　corrected　just　a　fraction　too　hastily　and　cursed　himself；　then　got　the　helicopter　trimmed　nicely；　cruising　sweetly；　everything　in　the　green；　a　thousand　feet　above　sea　level　heading　out　across　the　harbor　toward　Kowloon；　the　New　Territories　and　the　hill…climb　area。
　〃You　really　going　to　do　the　hill　climb；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Doubt　it；　Duncan；〃　he　said　through　the　mike。　〃But　I　wanted　our　ride　anyway。　I've　been　looking　forward　to　it　all　week。〃　Duncan　MacIver　ran　this　small　helicopter　business　from　the　airport。　Most　of　his　business　was　local；　most　from　government　for　surveys。　The　police　hired　him　sometimes；　the　fire　department。　Customs。　He　was　a　short　man；　ex…RAF；　with　a　lined　face；　very　wide；　sharp　eyes　that　raked　constantly。
　Once　Dunross　was　settled　and　trimmed；　MacIver　leaned　forward　and　put　circles　of　cardboard　over　the　instruments　to　force　Dunross　to　fly　by　feel　and　sound　only；　to　listen　to　the　pitch　and　tone；　slowing　meant　the　engine　was　working　harder　so　they　were　climbing　…　watch　for　stalling　…　and　faster；　that　it　was　diving；　losing　altitude。
　〃Tai…pan；　look　down　there。〃　MacIver　pointed　at　the　scar　on　one　of　the　mountainsides　just　outside　Kowloon；　it　scored　a　path　through　one　of　the　vast　squatter　hovel　slums。　〃There're　mud　slides　all　over。　Did　you　hear　the　seven　o'clock　news？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　did。〃
　〃Let　me　take　her　a　minute。〃　Dunross　took　his　hands　and　feet　off　the　controls。　MacIver　went　into　a　lovely　diving　turn　to　swoop　nearer　the　settlement　to　examine　the　damage。　The　damage　was　great。　Perhaps　two　hundred　of　the　hovels　were　scattered　and　buried。　Others　near　the　slide　were　now　even　more　precarious　than　before。　Smoke　from　the　fires　that　came　with　every　slide　still　hung　like　a　pall。
　〃Christ！　It　looks　terrible。〃
　〃I　was　up　at　dawn　this　morning。　The　fire　department　asked　me　to　help　them　on　Hill　Three；　over　above　Aberdeen。　They　had　a　slide　there　a　couple　of　days　ago；　a　child　almost　got　buried。　Last　night　there　was　another　slip　in　the　same　area。　Very　dicey。　The　slip's　about　two　hundred　feet　by　fifty。　Two　or　three　hundred　hovels　gone　but　only　ten　dead　…　bloody　lucky！〃　MacIver　circled　for　a　moment；　made　a　note　on　a　pad；　then　gunned　the　ship　back　to　altitude　and　to　course。　Once　she　was　steady；　level　and　trimmed　he　said；　〃She's　all　yours。〃　Dunross　took　control。
　Sha　Tin　was　ing　up　on　their　right…side　horizon。　When　they　were　close；　MacIver　took　off　the　cardboard　instrument　covers。　〃Good；〃　he　said　checking　the　readings。　〃Spot　on。〃
　〃Had　any　interesting　jobs　recently？〃
　〃Just　more　of　the　same。　Got　a　charter　for　Macao；　weather　permitting；　tomorrow　morning。〃
　〃Lando　Mata？〃
　〃No；　some　American　called　Banastasio。　Watch　your　revs！　Oh；　there's　your　landfall。〃
　The　fishing　village　at　Sha　Tin　was　near　tracks　that　led　back　into　the　hills　where　the　hill　climb　was　to　be　held。　The　course　consisted　of　a　crude　dirt　road　bulldozed　out　of　the　mountainside。　At　the　foot　of　the　slopes　were　a　few　cars；　some　on　trailers　and　trailer　rigs；　but　almost　no　spectators。　Normally　there　would　be　hundreds；　Europeans　mostly。　It　was　the　only　car…racing　event　in　the　Colony。　British　law　forbade　using　any　part　of　the　public　road　system　for　racing；　and　this　was　the　reason　that　the　annual　amateur　Grand　Prix　race　at　Macao　had　been　organized　under　the　joint　banner　of　the　Sportscar　and　Rally　Club　of　Hong　Kong　and　the　Portuguese　Municipal　Council。　Last　year　Guillo　Rodriguez　of　the　Hong　Kong　Police　had　won　the　sixty…lap　race　in　three　hours　twenty…six　minutes　at　an　average　speed　of　72　mph；　and　Dunross；　driving　a　Lotus；　and　Brian　Kwok　in　a　borrowed　E…Type　Jag　had　been　neck　and　neck　for　second　place　until　Dunross　blew　a　tire；　flat　out；　going　into　Fisherman's　Bend　and　nearly　killed　himself　at　the　same　spot　where　his　engine　blew　in　'59；　the　year　before　he　became　tai…pan。
　Dunross　was　concentrating　on　his　landing　now；　knowing　that　they　would　be　watched。
　The　chopper　was　lined　up；　revs　correct　for　descent；　wind　ahead　and　to　the　right；　swirling　a　little　as　they　came　closer　to　the　ground。　Dunross　held　her　meticulously。　At　the　exact　spot；　he　corrected　and　stopped；　hovering；　in　total　control；　then；　keeping　everything　coordinated；　eased　off　the　throttle　oh　so　gently；　raising　the　left　lever　to　change　the　pitch　of　the　blades　to　cushion　the　landing。　The　landing　skids　touched　the　earth。　Dunross　took　off　the　remaining　throttle　and　smoothly　lowered　the　lever　to　bottom。　The　landing　was　as　good　as　he　had　ever　done。
　MacIver　said　nothing；　paying　him　a　fine　pliment　by　pretending　to　take　it　for　granted；　and　watched　while　Dunross　began　the　shutdown　drill。　〃Tai…pan；　why　don't　you　let　me　finish　it　for　you；〃　he　said。　〃Those　fellows　look　somewhat　anxious。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　Dunross　kept　his　head　down　and　went　to　the　rain…coated　group；　his　feet　squelching　in　the　mud。　〃Morning。〃
　〃It's　bloody　awful；　tai…pan；〃　George　T'Chung；　Shitee　T'Chung's　eldest　son；　said。　〃I　tried　my　bus　out　and　she　stuck　on　the　first　bend。〃　He　pointed　at　the　track。　The　E…Type　was　bogged　down　with　one　of　its　fenders　bent。　〃I'll　have　to　get　a　tractor。〃　A　spatter　of　rain　washed　them。
　〃Bloody　waste　of　time；〃　Don　Nikklin　said　sourly。　He　was　a　short；　bellicose　man　in　his　late　twenties。　〃We　should　have　canceled　it　yesterday。〃
　Quite　true；　Dunross　thought　contentedly；　but　then　I　wouldn't　have　had　the　excuse　to　fly；　and　the　extreme　pleasure　of　seeing　you　here；　your　morning　wasted。　〃The　consensus　was　to　try　for　today。　Everyone　agreed　it　was　a　long　shot；〃　Dunross　said　sweetly。　〃You　were　there。　So　was　your　father。　Eh？〃
　McBride　said　hastily；　〃I　formally　suggest　we　postpone。〃
　〃Approved。〃　Nikklin　went　off　back　to　his　brand…new　four…wheel…drive　truck　with　its　souped…up　Porsche　under　a　neat　tarp。
　〃Friendly　fellow；〃　someone　said。
　They　watched　as　Nikklin　got　his　rig　into　motion　and　swirled　away　with　great　skill　on　the　treacherous　dirt　road；　past　the　chopper；　its　engine　dying　and　the　rotors　slowing　down。
　〃Pity　he's　such　a　shit；〃　someone　else　said。　〃He's　an　awfully　good　driver。〃
　〃Roll　on　Macao；　eh；　tai…pan？〃　George　T'Chung　said　with　a　laugh；　his　voice　patrician　and　English　public　school。
　〃Yes；〃　Dunross　said；　his　voice　sharpening；　looking　forward　to　November；　to　beating　Nikklin　again。　He　had　beaten　him　three　out　of　six　tries　but　he　had　never　won　the　Grand　Prix；　his　cars　never　strong　enough　to　sustain　his　heavy　right　foot。　〃This　time　I'll　win；　by　God。〃
　〃Oh　no　you　won't；　tai…pan。　This's　my　year！　I've　a　Lotus　22；　the　works；　my　old　man　sprung　for　the　lot。　You'll　see　my　tail　for　all　sixty　laps！〃
　〃Not　on　your　nelly！　My　new　E…Type'll　。。。〃　Dunross　stopped。　A　police　car　was　skidding　and　slipping　in　the　quagmire；　approaching　him。　Why's　Sinders　here　so　early？　he　asked　himself；　his　stomach　tightening。　He　had　said　noon。　Involuntarily　his　hand　moved　to　check　that　the　envelope　was　safe　in　his　buttoned…down　hip　pocket。　His　fingers　reassured　him。
　Last　night　when　he　had　returned　to　P。　B。　White's　study　he　had　taken　out　the　eleven　pieces　of　paper　and　examined　them　ag