jamesclavell.noblehouse-第105部分

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　he　sipped　the　wine　approvingly；　he　saw　old　Willie　Tusk　look　over　at　him　and　wave。　He　waved　back。
　When　he　was　a　boy　he　used　to　e　over　from　Hong　Kong　three　or　four　times　a　week　with　business　orders　for　Tusk　from　old　Sir　Ross　Struan；　Alastair's　father　…　or；　more　likely；　they　were　orders　from　his　own　father　who；　for　years；　had　run　the　foreign　division　of　the　Noble　House。　Occasionally　Tusk　would　service　the　Noble　House　in　areas　of　his　expertise　…　anything　to　do　with　getting　anything　out　of　Thailand；　Burma　or　Malaya　and　shipping　it　anywhere；　with　just　a　little　h'eung　yau　and　his　standard　trading　fee　of　71/2　percent。
　〃What's　the　half　percent　for；　Uncle　Tusk？〃　he　remembered　asking　one　day；　peering　up　at　the　man　he　now　towered　over。
　〃That's　what　I　call　my　dollymoney；　young　Ian。〃
　〃What's　dollymoney？〃
　〃That's　a　little　extra　for　your　pocket　to　give　away　to　dollies；　to　ladies　of　your　choice。〃
　〃But　why　do　you　give　money　to　ladies？〃
　〃Well　that's　a　long　story；　laddie。〃
　Dunross　smiled　to　himself。　Yes；　a　very　long　story。　That　part　of　his　education　had　had　various　teachers；　some　good；　some　very　good　and　some　bad。　Old　Uncle　Chen…chen　had　arranged　for　his　first　mistress　when　he　was　fourteen。
　〃Oh　do　you　really　mean　it；　Uncle　Chen…chen？〃
　〃Yes；　but　you're　not　to　tell　anyone　or　your　father　will　have　my　guts　for　garters！　Huh；〃　the　lovely　old　man　had　continued；　〃your　father　should　have　arranged　it；　or　asked　me　to　arrange　it　but　never　mind。　Now　wh…　〃
　〃But　when　do　I；　when　do　I　。。。　oh　are　you　sure？　I　mean　how；　how　much　do　I　pay　and　when；　Uncle　Chen…chen？　When？　I　mean　before　or；　or　after　or　when？　That's　what　I　don't　know。〃
　〃You　don't　know　lots！　You　still　don't　know　when　to　talk　and　when　not　to　talk！　How　can　I　instruct　you　if　you　talk？　Have　I　all　day？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Eeeee；〃　old　Chen…chen　had　said　with　that　huge　smile　of　his；　〃eeeee；　but　how　lucky　you　are！　Your　first　time　in　a　Gorgeous　Gorge！　It　will　be　the　first　time；　won't　it？　Tell　the　truth！〃
　〃Er　。。。　well　er　er　well　。。。　er；　yes。〃
　〃Good！〃
　It　wasn't　till　years　after　that　Dunross　had　discovered　that　some　of　the　most　famous　houses　in　Hong　Kong　and　Macao　had　secretly　bid　for　the　privilege　of　servicing　the　first　pillow　time　of　a　future　tai…pan　and　the　great…great…grandson　of　Green…Eyed　Devil　himself。　Apart　from　the　face　the　house　would　gain　for　generations　to　be　the　one　chosen　by　the　pradore　of　the　Noble　House；　it　would　also　be　enormous　joss　for　the　lady　herself。　First　Time　Essence　of　even　the　meanest　personage　was　an　elixir　of　marvelous　value　…　just　as；　in　Chinese　lore；　for　the　elderly　man；　the　yin　juices　of　the　virgin　were　equally　prized　and　sought　after　to　rejuvenate　the　yang。
　〃Good　sweet　Christ；　Uncle　Chen…chen！〃　he　had　exploded。　〃It's　true？　You　actually　sold　me？　You　mean　to　tell　me　you　sold　me　to　a　bloody　house！　Me？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　The　old　man　had　peered　up　at　him；　and　chuckled　and　chuckled；　bedridden　now　in　the　great　house　of　the　Chens　on　the　ridge　of　Struan's　Lookout；　almost　blind　now　and　near　death　but　sweetly　unresisting　and　content。　〃Who　told　you；　who；　eh？　Eh；　young　Ian？〃
　It　was　Tusk；　a　widower；　a　great　frequenter　of　Kowloon's　dance　halls　and　bars　and　houses　who　had　been　told　it　as　a　legend　by　one　of　the　mama…sans　who　had　heard　that　it　was　a　custom　in　the　Noble　House　that　the　pradore　had　to　arrange　the　first　pillow　time　for　the　progeny　of　Green…Eyed　Devil　Struan。　〃Yes；　old　boy；〃　Tusk　had　told　him。　〃Dirk　Struan　said　to　Sir　Gordon　Chen；　old　Chen…chen's　father；　he'd　put　his　Evil　Eye　on　the　House　of　Chen　if　they　didn't　choose　correctly。〃
　〃Balls；〃　Dunross　had　said　to　Tusk；　who　had　continued；　pained；　that　he　was　just　passing　on　a　legend　which　was　now　part　of　Hong　Kong's　folklore　and；　balls　or　not　Ian　old　chum；　your　first　bang…ditty…bang…bang　was　worth　thousands　Hong　Kong　to　that　old　rake！
　〃I　think　that's　pretty　bloody　awful；　Uncle　Chen…chen！〃
　〃But　why？　It　was　a　most　profitable　auction。　It　cost　you　nothing　but　gave　you　enormous　pleasure。　It　cost　me　nothing　but　gave　me　20；000　HK。　The　girl's　house　gained　vast　face　and　so　did　the　girl。　It　cost　her　nothing　but　gave　her　years　of　a　huge　clientele　who　would　want　to　share　the　specialness　of　your　Number　One　choice！〃
　Elegant　Jade　had　been　the　only　name　he　knew　her　by。　She　had　been　twenty…two　and　very　practiced；　a　professional　since　she　had　been　sold　to　the　house　by　her　parents　when　she　was　twelve。　Her　house　was　called　the　House　of　a　Thousand　Pleasures。　Elegant　Jade　was　sweet　and　gentle　…　when　it　pleased　her　and　a　total　dragon　when　it　pleased　her。　He　had　been　madly　in　love　with　her　and　their　affair　had　lasted　over　two　summer　holidays　from　boarding　school　in　England；　which　was　the　contract　time　that　Chen…chen　had　arranged。　The　moment　he　had　returned　on　the　first　day　of　the　third　summer　he　had　hurried　to　the　house；　but　she　had　vanished。
　Even　today　Dunross　could　remember　how　distraught　he　had　been；　how　he　had　tried　to　find　her。　But　the　girl　had　left　no　trace　in　her　wake。
　〃What　happened　to　her；　Uncle　Chen…chen？　Really　happened？〃
　The　old　man　sighed；　lying　back　in　his　huge　bed；　tired　now。　〃It　was　time　for　her　to　go。　It　is　always　too　easy　for　a　young　man　to　give　too　much　to　a　girl；　too　much　time；　too　much　thought。　It　was　time　for　her　to　go　。。。　after　her　you　could　choose　for　yourself　and　you　needed　to　put　your　mind　on　the　House　and　not　on　her。　。。。　Oh　don't　try　to　hide　your　desire；　I　understand；　oh；　how　I　understand！　Don't　worry；　she　was　well　paid；　my　son；　you　had　no　child　by　her　。。。〃
　〃Where　is　she　now？〃
　〃She　went　to　Taiwan。　I　made　sure　she　had　enough　money　to　begin　her　own　house；　she　said　that's　what　she　wanted　to　do　and　。。。　and　part　of　my　arrangement　was　that　I　bought　her　out　of　her　contract。　That　cost　me；　was　it　5　。。。　or　10；000。　。。。　I　can't　remember。　。。。　Please　excuse　me；　I'm　tired　now。　I　must　sleep　a　little。　Please　e　back　tomorrow；　my　son。　。。。〃
　Dunross　sipped　his　wine；　remembering。　That　was　the　only　time　that　old　Chen…chen　ever　called　me　my　son；　he　thought。　What　a　grand　old　man！　If　only　I　could　be　so　wise；　so　kind　and　so　wise；　and　worthy　of　him。
　Chen…chen　had　died　a　week　later。　His　funeral　was　the　greatest　Hong　Kong　had　ever　seen；　with　a　thousand　professional　wailers　and　drums　following　the　coffin　to　its　burial　place。　The　white…clad　women　had　been　paid　to　follow　the　coffin；　wailing　loudly　to　the　Heavens；　petitioning　the　gods　to　grease　the　way　of　this　great　man's　spirit　to　the　Void　or　rebirth　or　to　whatever　happens　to　the　spirit　of　the　dead。　Chen…chen　was　a　nominal　Christian　so　he　had　had　two　services　for　safety；　one　Christian；　the　other　Buddhist。　。。。
　〃Hello；　tai…pan！〃
　Casey　was　there　with　Linc　Bartlett　beside　her。　Both　were　smiling　though　both　were　looking　a　little　tired。
　He　greeted　them　and　Casey　ordered　a　Scotch　and　soda　and　Linc　a　beer。
　〃How's　your　day　been？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃Up　and　down；〃　he　said　after　a　pause。　〃How　was　yours？〃
　〃Busy；　but　we're　getting　there；〃　she　said。　〃Your　attorney；　Dawson；　canceled　our　date　this　morning　…　that's　on　again　for　tomorrow　at　noon。　The　rest　of　my　day　was　on　the　phone　and　the　telex　to　the　States；　getting　things　organized。　Service　is　good　here；　this　is　a　great　hotel。　We're　all　set　to　plete　our　side　of　the　agreement。〃
　〃Good。　I　think　I'll　attend　the　meeting　with　Dawson；〃　Dunross　said。　〃That'll　expedite　matters。　I'll　get　him　to　e　over　to　our　offices。　I'll　send　a　car　for　you　at　11：10。〃
　〃No　need　for　that；　tai…pan。　I　know　my　way　on　the　ferry；〃　she　said。　〃I　went　back　and　forth　this　afternoon。　Best　five　cents　American　I've　ever　spent。　How'd　you　keep　the　fares　so　low？〃
　〃We　carried　forty…seven　million　passengers　last　year。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　Bartlett。　〃Will　you　be　at　the　meeting　tomorrow？〃
　〃Not　unless　you　want　me　for　something　special；〃　he　said　easily。　〃Casey　handles　the　legals　initially。　She　knows　what　we　want；　and　we've　got　Seymour　Steigler　III　ing　in　on　Pan　Am's　flight　Thursday　…　he's　our　head　counsel　and　tax　attorney。　He'll　keep　everything　smooth　with　your　attorneys　so　we　can　close　in　seven　days；　easy。〃
　〃Excellent。〃　A　smiling　obsequious　waiter　brought　their　drinks　and　topped　up　Dunross's　glass。　When　they　were　alone　again　Casey　said　quietly；　〃Tai…pan；　your　ships。　You　want　them　as　a　separate　agreement？　If　the　attorneys　draw　it　up　it　won't