jamesclavell.noblehouse-第104部分

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　〃Gregy；〃　she　said；　then　dropped　her　voice；　her　smile　saucy。　〃Finish　drink。　We　begin　holiday！　I　got　vodka　。。。　I　got　other　things！〃
　He　smiled　back　at　her。　〃That　you　have；　golubchik！〃
　〃How　many　day　you　got？〃
　〃At　least　three　but　。。。〃
　〃Oh！〃　She　tried　to　hide　her　disappointment。
　〃。。。　I'm　back　and　forth　to　my　ship。　We've　tonight；　most　of　it；　and　tomorrow　and　all　tomorrow　night。　And　the　stars　will　shine！〃
　〃Three　month　long　time；　Gregy。〃
　〃I'll　be　back　soon。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Ginny　Fu　put　away　her　disappointment　and　became　pragmatic　again。　〃Finish　drink　and　we　begin！〃　She　saw　the　waiter　hurrying　with　her　tea。　Her　eyes　ground　into　the　man　as　he　put　it　down。　〃Huh！　Clearly　it's　cold　and　not　fresh！〃　she　said　disgustedly。　〃Who　am　I！　A　dirty　lump　of　foreign　devil　dogmeat？　No；　I'm　a　civilized　person　from　the　Four　Provinces　who；　because　her　rich　father　gambled　away　all　his　money；　was　sold　by　him　into　concubinage　to　bee　Number　Two　Wife　for　this　chief　of　police　of　the　foreign　devils！　So　go　piss　in　your　hat！〃　She　got　up。
　The　waiter　backed　off　a　foot。
　〃What's　up？〃　Suslev　asked。
　〃Don't　pay　for　teas；　Gregy。　Not　hot！〃　she　said　imperiously。　〃No　give　tip！〃
　Nonetheless　Suslev　paid　and　she　took　his　arm　and　they　walked　out　together；　eyes　following　them。　Her　head　was　high；　but　inside　she　hated　the　looks　from　all　the　Chinese；　even　the　young；　starched　bellboy　who　opened　the　door　…　the　image　of　her　youngest　brother　whose　life　and　schooling　she　paid　for。
　Dunross　was　ing　up　the　steps。　He　waited　for　them　to　pass　by；　an　amused　glint　in　his　eyes；　then　he　was　bowed　in　politely　by　the　beaming　bellboy。　He　headed　through　the　throng　for　the　house　phone。　Many　noticed　him　at　once　and　eyes　followed　him。　He　walked　around　a　group　of　tourists；　camera　bedecked；　and　noticed　Jacques　deVille　and　his　wife　Susanne　at　a　corner　table。　Both　were　set…faced；　staring　at　their　drinks。　He　shook　his　head；　wearily　amused。　Poor　old　Jacques　has　been　caught　again　and　she's　twisting　his　infidelity　in　its　well…worn　wound。　Joss！　He　could　almost　hear　old　Chen…chen　laugh。　〃Man's　life　is　to　suffer；　young　Ian！　Yes；　it's　the　eternal　yin　warring　on　our　oh　so　vulnerable　yang。　。。。〃
　Normally　Dunross　would　have　pretended　not　to　notice　them；　leaving　them　to　their　privacy；　but　some　instinct　told　him　otherwise。　〃Hello；　Jacques　…　Susanne。　How're　things？〃
　〃Oh　hello；　hello；　tai…pan。〃　Jacques　deVille　got　up　politely。　〃Would　you　care　to　join　us？〃
　〃No　thanks；　can't。〃　Then　he　saw　the　depth　of　his　friend's　agony　and　he　remembered　the　car　accident　in　France。　Jacques's　daughter　Avril　and　her　husband！　〃What's　happened？　Exactly！〃　Dunross　said　it　as　a　leader　would　say　it；　requiring　an　instant　answer。
　Jacques　hesitated。　Then　he　said；　〃Exactly；　tai…pan：　I　heard　from　Avril。　She　phoned　from　Cannes　just　as　I　was　leaving　the　office。　She；　she　said；　'Daddy　。。。　Daddy；　Borge's　dead。　。。。　Can　you　hear　me？　I've　been　trying　to　reach　you　for　two　days　。。。　it　was　head…on；　and　the；　the　other　man　was　。。。　My　Borge's　dead　。。。　can　you　hear　me。　。。。'　〃　Jacques's　voice　was　flat。　〃Then　the　line　went　dead。　We　know　she's　in　the　hospital　at　Cannes。　I　thought　it　best　for　Susanne　to　go　at　once。　Her；　her　flight's　delayed　so　。。。　so　we're　just　waiting　here。　They're　trying　to　get　a　call　through　to　Cannes　but　I　don't　hope　for　much。〃
　〃Christ；　I'm　so　sorry；〃　Dunross　said；　trying　to　dismiss　the　twinge　that　had　rushed　through　him　as　his　mind　had　substituted　Adryon　for　Avril。　Avril　was　just　twenty　and　Borge　Escary　a　fine　young　man。　They　had　been　married　just　a　year　and　a　half　and　this　was　their　first　holiday　after　the　birth　of　a　son。　〃What　time's　the　flight？〃
　〃Eight　o'clock　now。〃
　〃Susanne；　would　you　like　us　to　look　after　the　baby？　Jacques；　why　not　get　on　the　flight　…　I'll　take　care　of　everything　here。〃
　〃No；〃　Jacques　said。　〃Thanks　but　no。　It's　best　that　Susanne　go。　She'll　bring　Avril　home。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Susanne　said；　and　Dunross　noticed　that　she　seemed　to　have　sagged。　〃We　have　the　amahs　。。。　it's　best　just　me；　tai…pan。　Merci；　but　no；　this　way　is　best。〃　A　spill　of　tears　went　down　her　cheeks。　〃It's　not　fair　is　it？　Borge　was　so　nice　a　boy！〃
　〃Yes。　Susanne；　I'll　get　Penn　to　go　over　daily　so　don't　worry；　we'll　make　sure　the　babe's　fine　and　Jacques　too。〃　Dunross　weighed　them　both。　He　was　confident　that　Jacques　was　well　in　control。　Good；　he　thought。　Then　he　said　as　an　order；　〃Jacques；　when　Susanne's　safely　on　the　flight　go　back　to　the　office。　Telex　our　man　in　Marseilles。　Get　him　to　arrange　a　suite　at　the　Capitol；　to　meet　her　with　a　car　and　ten　thousand　dollars　worth　of　francs。　Tell　him　from　me　he's　to　be　at　her　beck　and　call　as　long　as　she's　there。　He's　to　call　me　tomorrow　with　a　plete　report　on　Avril；　the　accident；　who　was　driving　and　who　the　other　driver　was。〃
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。〃
　〃You　sure　you're　all　right？〃
　Jacques　forced　a　smile。　〃Oui。　Merci；　man　ami。〃
　〃Rien。　I'm　so　sorry；　Susanne　…　call　collect　if　we　can　do　anything。〃　He　walked　away。　Our　man　in　Marseilles　is　good；　he　thought。　He'll　take　care　of　everything。　And　Jacques's　a　man　of　iron。　Have　I　covered　everything？　Yes；　I　think　so。　It's　dealt　with　for　the　moment。
　God　protect　Adryon　and　Glenna　and　Duncan　and　Penn；　he　thought。　And　Kathy；　and　all　the　others。　And　me　…　until　the　Noble　House　is　inviolate。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　It　was　exactly　6：30。　He　picked　up　a　house　phone。　〃Mr。　Bartlett；　please。〃　A　moment；　then　he　heard　Casey's　voice。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Ah；　hello；　Ciranoush；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Would　you　tell　him　I'm　in　the　lobby。〃
　〃Oh　hello；　sure！　Would　you　like　to　e　up？　We're　…　〃
　〃Why　don't　you　e　down？　I　thought；　if　you're　not　too　busy　I'd　take　you　on　my　next　appointment　…　it　might　be　interesting　for　you。　We　could　eat　afterwards；　if　you're　free。〃
　〃I'd　love　that。　Let　me　check。〃
　He　heard　her　repeat　what　he　had　said　and　he　wondered；　very　much；　about　his　bet　with　Claudia。　Impossible　that　those　two　aren't　lovers；　he　thought；　or　haven't　been　lovers；　living　so　close　together。　Wouldn't　be　natural！
　〃We'll　be　right　down；　tai…pan！〃　He　heard　the　smile　in　her　voice　as　he　hung　up。
　The　Most　High　Headwaiter　was　hovering　beside　him　now；　waiting　for　the　rare　honor　of　seating　the　tai…pan。　He　had　been　summoned　by　the　Second　Headwaiter　the　moment　the　news　had　arrived　that　Dunross　had　been　seen　approaching　the　front　door。　His　name　was　Afternoon　Pok　and　he　was　gray…haired；　majestic；　and　ruled　this　shift　with　a　bamboo　whip。
　〃Ah　Honored　Lord；　this　is　a　pleasure；〃　the　old　man　said　in　Cantonese　with　a　deferential　bow。　〃Have　you　eaten　rice　today？〃　This　was　the　polite　way　of　saying　good…day　or　good　evening　or　how　are　you　in　Chinese。
　〃Yes；　thank　you；　Elder　Brother；〃　Dunross　replied。　He　had　known　Afternoon　Pok　most　of　his　life。　As　long　as　he　could　remember；　Afternoon　Pok　had　been　the　headwaiter　in　the　foyer　from　noon　till　six；　and　many　times　when　Dunross　was　young；　sent　on　an　errand　here；　sore　from　a　whipping　or　cuffing；　the　old　man　would　seat　him　in　a　corner　table；　slip　him　a　pastry；　tap　him　kindly　on　the　head　and　never　give　him　a　bill。　〃You're　looking　prosperous！〃
　〃Thank　you；　tai…pan。　Oh；　you　are　looking　very　healthy　too！　But　you've　still　only　one　son！　Don't　you　think　it's　time　your　revered　Chief　Wife　found　you　a　second　wife？〃
　They　smiled　together。　〃Please　follow　me；〃　the　old　man　said　importantly　and　led　the　way　to　the　choice　table　that　had　miraculously　appeared　in　a　spacious；　favored　place　acquired　by　four　energetic　waiters　who　had　squeezed　other　guests　and　the　tables　out　of　the　way。　Now　they　stood；　almost　at　attention；　all　beaming。
　〃Your　usual；　sir？〃　the　wine　waiter　asked。　〃I've　a　bottle　of　the　'52。〃
　〃Perfect；〃　Dunross　said；　knowing　this　would　be　the　La　Doucette　that　he　enjoyed　so　much。　He　would　have　preferred　tea　but　it　was　a　matter　of　face　to　accept　the　wine。　The　bottle　was　already　there；　in　an　ice　bucket。　〃I'm　expecting　Mr。　Bartlett　and　Miss　Tcholok。〃　Another　waiter　went　at　once　to　wait　for　them　at　the　elevator。
　〃If　there's　anything　you　need；　please　call　me。〃　Afternoon　Pok　bowed　and　walked　off；　every　waiter　in　the　foyer　nervously　conscious　of　him。　Dunross　sat　down　and　noticed　Peter　and　Fleur　Marlowe　trying　to　control　two　pretty；　boisterous　girls　of　four　and　eight　and　he　sighed　and　thanked　God　his　daughters　were　past　that　age。　As　he　sipped　the　wine　approvin