jamesclavell.noblehouse-第84章

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Then　he　said　softly；　〃There's　nothing　to　prevent　you　from　forming　a　pany　to　set　up　your　own　stock　market；　a　Chinese　stock　market。　That's　quite　within　Hong　Kong　law　…　or　lack　of　it。〃　The　old　eyes　glittered。　〃All　you　need　is　money；　contacts；　knowledge　and　telephones。　。。。〃
　
　〃My　money　please；〃　the　old　amah　whispered　hoarsely。　〃Here's　my　savings　book。〃　Her　face　was　flushed　from　the　heat　within　the　Ho…Pak　branch　at　Aberdeen。　It　was　ten　minutes　to　three　now　and　she　had　been　waiting　since　dawn。　Sweat　streaked　her　old　white　blouse　and　black　pants。　A　long　graying　ratty　queue　hung　down　her　back。　〃Ayeeyah；　don't　shove；〃　she　called　out　to　those　behind　her。　〃You'll　get　your　turn　soon！〃
　Wearily　the　young　teller　took　the　book　and　glanced　again　at　the　clock。　Ayeeyah！　Thank　all　gods　we　close　at　three；　she　thought；　and　wondered　anxiously　through　her　grinding　headache　how　they　were　going　to　close　the　doors　with　so　many　irritable　people　crammed　in　front　of　the　grilles；　pressed　forward　by　those　outside。
　The　amount　in　the　savings　book　was　323。42　HK。　Following　Mr。　Sung's　instructions　to　take　time　and　be　accurate　she　went　to　the　files　trying　to　shut　her　ears　to　the　stream　of　impatient；　muttered　obscenities　that　had　gone　on　for　hours。　She　made　sure　the　amount　was　correct；　then　checked　the　clock　again　as　she　came　back　to　her　high　stool　and　unlocked　her　cash　drawer　and　opened　it。　There　was　not　enough　money　in　her　till　so　she　locked　the　drawer　again　and　went　to　the　manager's　office。　An　undercurrent　of　rage　went　through　the　waiting　people。　She　was　a　short　clumsy　woman。　Eyes　followed　her；　then　went　anxiously　to　the　clock　and　back　to　her　again。
　She　knocked　on　his　door　and　closed　it　after　her。　〃I　can't　pay　Old　Ah　Tam；〃　she　said　helplessly。　〃I've　only　100　HK；　I've　delayed　as　much　。。。〃
　Manager　Sung　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　upper　lip。　〃It's　almost　three　so　make　her　your　last　customer；　Miss　Cho。〃　He　took　her　through　a　side　door　to　the　vault。　The　safe　door　was　ponderous。　She　gasped　as　she　saw　the　empty　shelves。　At　this　time　of　the　day　usually　the　shelves　were　filled　with　neat　stacks　of　notes　and　paper　tubes　of　silver；　the　notes　clipped　together　in　their　hundreds　and　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands。　Sorting　the　money　after　closing　was　the　job　she　liked　best；　that　and　touching　the　sensuous　bundles　of　new；　crisp；　fresh　bills。
　〃Oh　this　is　terrible；　Honorable　Sung；〃　she　said　near　to　tears。　Her　thick　glasses　were　misted　and　her　hair　askew。
　〃It's　just　temporary；　just　temporary；　Miss　Cho。　Remember　what　the　Honorable　Haply　wrote　in　today's　Guardian！〃　He　cleared　the　last　shelf；　mitting　his　final　reserves；　cursing　the　consignment　that　had　not　yet　arrived。　〃Here。〃　He　gave　her　15；000　for　show；　made　her　sign　for　it；　and　took　15　for　each　of　the　other　two　tellers。　Now　the　vault　was　empty。
　When　he　came　into　the　main　room　there　was　a　sudden　electric；　exciting　hush　at　the　apparently　large　amount　of　money；　cash　money。
　He　gave　the　money　to　the　other　two　tellers；　then　vanished　into　his　office　again。
　Miss　Cho　was　stacking　the　money　neatly　in　her　drawer；　all　eyes　watching　her　and　the　other　tellers。　One　packet　of　1；000　she　left　on　the　desk。　She　broke　the　seal　and　methodically　counted　out　320；　and　three　ones　and　the　change；　recounted　it　and　slid　it　across　the　counter。　The　old　woman　stuffed　it　into　a　paper　bag；　and　the　next　in　line　irritably　shoved　forward　and　thrust　his　savings　book　into　Miss　Cho's　face。　〃Here；　by　all　the　gods。　I　want　seven　thous…　〃
　At　that　moment；　the　three　o'clock　bell　went　and　Mr。　Sung　appeared　instantly　and　said　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Sorry；　we　have　to　close　now。　All　tellers　close　your　…　〃　The　rest　of　his　words　were　drowned　by　the　angry　roar。
　〃By　all　gods　I've　waited　since　dawn　。。。〃
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　but　I've　been　here　eight　hours。　。。。〃
　〃Ayeeyah；　just　pay　me；　you've　enough　。。。〃
　〃Oh　please　please　please　please　。。。〃
　Normally　the　bank　would　just　have　shut　its　doors　and　served　those　within；　but　this　time；　obediently；　the　three　frightened　tellers　locked　their　tills　in　the　uproar；　put　up　their　CLOSED　signs　and　backed　away　from　the　outstretched　hands。
　Suddenly　the　crowd　within　the　bank　became　a　mob。
　Those　in　front　were　shoved　against　the　counter　as　others　fought　to　get　into　the　bank。　A　girl　shrieked　as　she　was　slammed　against　the　counter。　Hands　reached　out　for　the　grilles　that　were　more　for　decoration　than　protection。　Everyone　was　enraged　now。　One　old　seaman　who　had　been　next　in　line　reached　over　to　try　to　jerk　the　till　drawer　open。　The　old　amah　was　jammed　in　the　seething　mass　of　a　hundred　or　more　people　and　she　fought　to　get　to　one　side；　her　money　clasped　tightly　in　her　scrawny　hands。　A　young　woman　lost　her　footing　and　was　trampled　on。　She　tried　to　get　up　but　the　milling　legs　defied　her　so；　in　desperation；　she　bit　into　one　leg　and　got　enough　respite　to　scramble　up；　stockings　ripped；　chong…sam　torn　and　now　in　panic。　Her　panic　whipped　the　mob　further　then　someone　shouted；　〃Kill　the　motherless　whore's　son　。。。〃　and　the　shout　was　taken　up；　〃Killllllll！〃
　There　was　a　split　second　of　hesitation；　then；　as　one；　they　surged　forward。
　〃Stop！〃
　The　word　blasted　through　the　atmosphere　in　English　and　then　in　Haklo　and　then　in　Cantonese　and　then　in　English　again。
　The　silence　was　sudden　and　vast。
　The　uniformed　chief　inspector　stood　before　them；　unarmed　and　calm；　an　electric　megaphone　in　his　hand。　He　had　e　through　the　back　door　into　an　inner　office　and　now　he　was　looking　at　them。
　〃It's　three　o'clock；〃　he　said　softly　in　Haklo。　〃The　law　says　banks　close　at　three　o'clock。　This　bank　is　now　closed。　Please　turn　around　and　go　home！　Quietly！〃
　Another　silence；　angrier　this　time；　then　the　beginning　of　a　violent　swell　and　one　man　muttered　sullenly；　〃What　about　my　fornicating　money　。。。〃　and　others　almost　took　up　the　shout　but　the　police　officer　moved　fast；　very　fast；　directly　at　the　man；　fearlessly　lifted　the　countertop　and　went　straight　at　him　into　the　mob。　The　mob　backed　off。
　〃Tomorrow；〃　the　police　officer　said　gently；　towering　over　him。　〃You'll　get　all　your　money　tomorrow。〃　The　man　dropped　his　eyes；　hating　the　cold　blue　fish…eyes　and　the　nearness　of　a　foreign　devil。　Sullenly　he　moved　back　a　pace。
　The　policeman　looked　at　the　rest　of　them；　into　their　eyes。　〃You　at　the　back；〃　he　ordered；　instantly　selecting　the　man　with　unerring　care；　his　voice　manding　yet　with　the　same　quiet　confidence；　〃Turn　around　and　make　way　for　the　others。〃
　Obediently　the　man　did　as　he　was　ordered。　The　mob　became　a　crowd　again。　A　moment's　hesitation　then　another　turned　and　began　to　push　for　the　door。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　I　haven't　got　all　day；　hurry　up；〃　he　said　sourly。
　They　all　began　to　leave；　muttering；　furious　…　but　individually；　not　as　a　mob。　Sung　and　the　tellers　wiped　the　sweat　off　their　brows；　then　sat　trembling　behind　the　safety　of　the　counter。
　The　chief　inspector　helped　the　old　amah　up。　A　fleck　of　blood　was　at　the　corner　of　her　mouth。　〃Are　you　all　right；　Old　Lady？〃　he　asked　in　Haklo。
　She　stared　at　him　without　understanding。　He　repeated　it　in　Cantonese。
　〃Ah；　yes　。。。　yes；〃　she　said　hoarsely；　still　clasping　her　paper　bag　tight　against　her　chest。　〃Thank　you；　Honored　Lord。〃　She　scuttled　away　into　the　crowd　and　vanished。　The　room　emptied。　The　Englishman　went　out　to　the　sidewalk　after　the　last　person　and　stood　in　the　doorway；　whistling　tonelessly　as　he　watched　them　stream　away。
　〃Sergeant！〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃You　can　dismiss　the　men　now。　Have　a　detail　here　at　nine　tomorrow。　Put　up　barriers　and　let　the　buggers　into　the　bank　just　three　at　a　time。　Yourself　and　four　men'll　be　more　than　enough。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　The　sergeant　saluted。　The　chief　inspector　turned　back　into　the　bank。　He　locked　the　front　door　and　smiled　at　Manager　Sung。　〃Rather　humid　this　afternoon；　isn't　it？〃　he　said　in　English　to　give　Sung　face　…　all　educated　Chinese　in　Hong　Kong　prided　themselves　in　speaking　the　international　language。
　〃Yes　sir；〃　Sung　replied　nervously。　Normally　he　liked　him　and　admired　this　chief　inspector　greatly。　Yes；　he　thought。　But　this　was　the　first　time　he　had　actually　seen　a　quai　loh　with　the　Evil　Eye；　daring　a　mob；　standing　alone　like　a　malevolent　god　in　front　of　the　mob；　daring　it　to　move；　to　give　him　the　opportunity　to　spit　fire　and　brimstone。
　Sung　shuddered　agai