jamesclavell.noblehouse-第324章

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　undulating；　ugly　mud…earth…rock　slope　…　roads　vanished；　buildings　gone；　and　Dunross　and　his　party　carried　away　somewhere　down　the　slope。
　Casey　tried　to　scream　but　she　had　no　voice。　Then；　〃Oh　Jesus　Christ！　Linc！〃　tore　from　her　mouth　and　her　feet　moved　and　before　she　knew　what　was　happening　she　was　scrambling；　falling；　groping　her　way　toward　the　wreckage。　The　darkness　was　awful　now；　the　screams　awful；　voices　beginning；　shouts　for　help　from　everywhere；　the　unbelievable　twisted　pile　of　debris　still　moving　here　and　there；　bits　still　falling　and　being　crushed。　All　at　once　the　night　was　lit　by　power　lines　exploding；　sending　cascades　of　fireballs　into　the　air　among　the　wreckage。
　Frantically　she　rushed　to　where　the　foyer　once　had　been。　Extended　below；　far　below；　the　darkness　obscuring　almost　everything；　was　the　twisted　mass　of　rubble；　concrete　blocks；　girders；　shoes；　toys；　pots　pans　sofas　chairs　beds　radios　TVs　clothes　limbs　books；　three　cars　that　had　been　parked　outside；　and　more　screams。　Then　in　the　light　of　the　exploding　power　lines　she　saw　the　mashed　wreckage　that　was　once　the　elevator　down　the　slope；　broken　arms　and　legs　jutting　from　its　carcass。
　〃Linc！〃　she　shrieked　at　the　top　of　her　voice；　again　and　again；　not　knowing　she　was　crying；　the　tears　streaming　down　her　face。　But　there　was　no　answer。　Desperately　she　clambered　and　half　fell　and　groped　her　way　into　and　over　the　dangerous　rubble。　Around　her；　men　and　women　were　shouting；　screaming。　Then　she　heard　a　faint　wail　of　terror　nearby　and　part　of　the　rubble　moved。　She　was　on　her　knees　now；　stockings　torn；　dress　torn；　knees　bruised　and　she　pulled　away　some　bricks　and　found　a　small　cavity；　and　there　was　a　Chinese　child　of　three　or　four；　beyond　terror；　coughing；　almost　choking；　trapped　under　a　vast；　groaning　pile　of　debris　in　the　rubble　dust。
　〃Oh　Jesus　you　poor　darling。〃　Casey　looked　around　frantically　but　there　was　no　one　to　help。　Part　of　the　rubble　shifted；　screaming　and　groaning；　a　big　chunk　of　concrete　with　its　imbedded；　reinforcing　iron　almost　hanging　loose。　Careless　of　her　safety；　Casey　fought　the　debris　away；　fingers　bleeding。　Again　the　wreckage　twisted　over　her　as　some　of　it　slid　farther　down　the　slope。　Desperately　she　clawed　a　crawlspace　and　grabbed　the　child's　arm；　helping　her　to　squeeze　out；　then　caught　her　in　her　arms　and　darted　back　to　safety　as　this　part　of　the　wreckage　collapsed　and　she　stood　alone；　the　trembling　child　safe　and　unhurt　in　her　arms；　clutching　her　tightly。　。。。
　
　When　the　avalanche　toppled　the　high　rise　and　tore　up　most　of　the　roadway　and　parapet；　Dunross　and　the　others　on　its　edge　were　hurtled　down　the　steep　slope；　head　over　heels；　brush　and　vegetation　breaking　part　of　their　fall。　The　tai…pan　picked　himself　up　in　the　semidarkness；　felt　himself　blankly；　dazed；　astonished　to　find　he　could　stand　and　was　unhurt。　From　near　him　came　whimpers　of　agony。　The　slope　was　steep　and　everywhere　muddy　and　sodden　as　he　groped　up　to　Dianne　Chen。　She　was　semiconscious；　groaning；　one　leg　twisted　brutally　underneath　her。　Part　of　her　shinbone　jutted　through　the　skin　but　as　far　as　he　could　see；　no　arteries　were　severed　and　there　was　no　dangerous　bleeding。　As　carefully　as　he　could　he　straightened　her　and　her　limb；　but　she　let　out　a　howl　of　pain　and　fainted。　He　felt　someone　nearby　and　glanced　up。　Riko　was　standing　there；　her　dress　ripped；　her　shoes　gone；　her　hair　akimbo；　a　small　trickle　of　blood　from　her　nose。
　〃Christ；　you　all　right？〃
　〃Yes　。。。　yes；〃　she　said　shakily。　〃It's　。。。　was　it　an　earthquake？〃
　At　that　moment　there　was　another　crackling　explosion　of　power　cables　short…circuiting；　and　momentarily　fireballs　lit　up　the　area。　〃Oh　my　God！〃　he　gasped。　〃It's　like　London　in　the　blitz。〃　Then　he　caught　sight　of　Phillip　Chen　in　an　inert　heap　around　a　sapling；　sprawled　headfirst　down　the　slope。　〃Stay　here　with　Dianne；〃　he　ordered　and　scrambled　down　the　slope。　Hanging　onto　his　dread；　he　turned　Phillip　over。　His　pradore　was　still　breathing。　Dunross　shook　with　relief。　He　settled　him　as　best　he　could　and　looked　around　in　the　gloom。　Others　were　picking　themselves　up。　Nearby；　Christian　Toxe　was　shaking　his　head；　trying　to　clear　it。
　〃Bloody　sodding　Christ；〃　he　was　muttering　over　and　over。　〃There　must　be　a　couple　of　hundred　people　living　there。〃　He　reeled　to　his　feet　then　slipped　in　the　mud　and　cursed　again。　〃I've　。。。　I've　got　to　get　to　a　phone。　Give　me；　give　me　a　hand　will　you？〃　Toxe　swore　as　he　slipped　again。　〃It's　my　ankle；　the　bloody　thing's　twisted　a　bit。〃
　Dunross　helped　him　stand　and　then；　with　Riko　on　Toxe's　other　side；　they　climbed　awkwardly　back　to　the　remains　of　the　roadway。　People　were　still　standing　paralyzed；　others　clambering　over　the　first　slide　to　see　if　they　could　help；　a　few　of　the　tenants　frantic　and　moaning。　One　mother　was　being　held　back；　her　husband　already　running　falling　clambering　toward　the　wreckage；　their　three　children　and　amah　somewhere　there。
　The　moment　they　were　on　level　ground；　Toxe　hobbled　off　down　Kotewall　Road　and　Dunross　rushed　for　his　car　to　fetch　his　flashlight　and　emergency　medical　pack。
　Lim　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Then　Dunross　remembered　his　chauffeur　had　been　with　them　when　the　avalanche　hit。　As　he　found　the　keys　to　unlock　the　trunk　he　searched　his　memory。　Who　was　with　us？　Toxe；　Riko；　Jacques　…　no；　Jacques　had　left　…　Phillip　and　Dianne　Chen；　Barre　。。。　no　we　left　Barre　at　the　party。　Jesus　Christ！　The　party！　I'd　forgotten　the　party！　Who　was　still　there？　Richard　Kwang　and　his　wife；　Plumm；　Johnjohn；　no　he'd　gone　earlier；　Roger　Crosse；　no　wait　a　minute；　didn't　he　leave？
　Dunross　jerked　open　the　trunk　and　found　two　flashlights　and　the　medical　kit；　a　length　of　rope。　He　ran　back　to　Riko；　his　back　hurting　him　now。　〃Will　you　go　back　and　look　after　Dianne　and　Phillip　till　I　can　get　help？〃　His　voice　was　deliberately　firm。　〃Here。〃　He　gave　her　a　flashlight；　some　bandages　and　a　bottle　of　aspirin。　〃Off　you　go。　Dianne's　broken　her　leg。　I　don't　know　about　Phillip。　Do　what　you　can　and　stay　with　them　till　an　ambulance　es　or　I　e　back。　All　right？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　all　right。〃　Her　eyes　flickered　with　fear　as　she　looked　above。　〃Will　there　。。。　is　there　any　danger　from　another　slide？〃
　〃No。　You'll　be　quite　safe。　Go　quickly！〃　His　will　took　away　her　fear　and　she　started　down　the　slope　with　the　flashlight；　picking　her　way　carefully。　It　was　only　then　he　noticed　that　she　was　barefoot。　Then　he　remembered　Dianne　had　been　barefoot　too　and　Phillip。　He　stretched　to　ease　his　back。　His　clothes　were　ripped；　but　he　paid　them　no　attention　and　rushed　for　the　barrier。　In　the　distance　he　heard　police　sirens。　His　relief　became　almost　nauseating　as　he　broke　into　a　run。
　Then　he　noticed　Orlanda　at　the　head　of　the　line　of　cars。　She　was　staring　fixedly　at　where　Rose　Court　had　been；　her　mouth　moving；　tiny　spasms　trembling　her　face　and　body；　and　he　remembered　the　night　of　the　fire　when　she　had　been　equally　petrified　and　near　snapping。　Quickly　he　went　to　her　and　shook　her　hard；　hoping　to　jerk　her　out　of　the　panic　breakdown　that　he　had　witnessed　so　many　times　during　the　war。　〃Orlanda！〃
　She　came　out　of　her　almost　trance。　〃Oh　。。。　oh　。。。　what；　what　。。。〃
　Greatly　relieved；　he　saw　her　eyes　were　normal　now　and　the　agony　normal；　the　spilling　tears　normal。　〃You're　all　right。　Nothing　to　worry　about。　Get　hold　now；　you're　all　right；　Orlanda！〃　he　said；　his　voice　kind　though　very　firm；　and　leaned　her　against　the　hood　of　a　car　and　left　her。
　Her　eyes　focused。　〃Oh　my　God！　Linc！〃　Then　she　shrieked　after　him　through　her　tears；　〃Linc　。。。　Linc's　there！〃
　He　jerked　to　a　stop；　turned　back。　〃Where？　Where　was　he？〃
　〃He's　。。。　in　my；　my　apartment。　It's　on　the　eighth　floor　。。。　it's　on　the　eighth　floor！〃
　Dunross　ran　off　again；　his　flashlight　the　only　moving　speck　of　light　on　the　morass。
　Here　and　there　people　were　groping　blindly；　ankle…deep　in　the　soaking　earth；　their　hands　cupped　around　matches；　heading　for　the　ruins。　As　he　came　nearer　the　catastrophe；　his　heart　twisted。　He　could　smell　gas。　Every　second　the　smell　became　stronger。
　〃Put　out　the　matches；　for　chrissake！〃　he　roared。　〃You'll　blow　us　all　to　helllll！〃
　Then　he　saw　Casey　。。。
　
　The　police　car　following　the　fire　truck　roared　up　the　hill；　sirens　howling；　the　traffic　heavy　here　and　no　one　getting　out　of　the　way。　Inside