jamesclavell.noblehouse-第266部分

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　〃Did　those　two　race；　tai…pan？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃They　were　going　to。　But　the　typhoon　came　too　soon；　so　they　say。　In　any　event　Culum　refused　to　budge　so　here　we　are。　This's　ours　while　the　course　exists。〃
　〃And　quite　right　too；〃　McBride　said；　with　his　happy　smile。　〃The　Noble　House　deserves　the　best。　Since　the　very　first　stewards　were　elected；　Miss　Casey；　the　tai…pan　of　Struan's　has　always　been　a　steward。　Always。　By　popular　acclaim。　Well；　I　must　be　off。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch；　smiled　at　Dunross。　With　great　formality　he　said；　〃Permission　to　start　the　first　race；　tai…pan？〃
　Dunross　grinned　back　at　him。　〃Permission　granted。〃　McBride　hurried　off。
　Casey　stared　at　Dunross。　〃They　have　to　ask　your　permission　to　begin？〃
　〃It's　just　a　custom。〃　Dunross　shrugged。　〃I　suppose　it's　a　good　idea　for　someone　to　say；　'All　right；　let's　begin；'　isn't　it？　I'm　afraid　that　unlike　Sir　Geoffrey；　the　governors　of　Hong　Kong　in　the　past　haven't　been　known　for　their　punctuality。　Besides；　tradition　is　not　a　bad　thing　at　all　…　gives　you　a　sense　of　continuity；　of　belonging　…　and　protection。〃　He　finished　his　coffee。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me　a　moment；　I　must　do　a　few　things。〃
　〃Have　fun！〃　She　watched　him　go；　liking　him　even　more　than　last　night。　Just　then　Peter　Marlowe　came　in　and　Dunross　stopped　a　moment。　〃Oh　hello；　Peter；　good　to　see　you。　How's　Fleur？〃
　〃Getting　better；　thank　you；　tai…pan。〃
　〃e　on　in！　Help　yourself　to　a　drink　…　I'll　be　back　in　a　moment。　Put　your　money　on　number　five；　Excellent　Day；　in　the　first！　See　you　later。〃
　〃Thanks；　tai…pan。〃
　Casey　beckoned　to　Peter　Marlowe　but　he　did　not　see　her。　His　eyes　had　fixed　on　Grey　who　was　with　Julian　Broadhurst　out　on　the　balcony；　haranguing　some　of　the　others。　She　saw　his　face　close　and　her　heart　leaped；　remembering　their　hostility；　so　she　called　out；　〃Peter！　Hi；　e　and　sit　down。〃
　His　eyes　unglazed。　〃Oh！　Oh　hello；〃　he　said。
　〃e　sit　down。　Fleur's　going　to　be　fine。〃
　〃She　certainly　appreciated　your　going　to　see　her。〃
　〃It　was　a　pleasure。　Are　the　kids　okay？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　You？〃
　〃Fantastic。　This　is　the　only　way　to　go　to　a　race！〃　Lunch　in　the　Struan　box　for　the　thirty…six　guests　had　been　a　lavish　buffet　of　hot　Chinese　foods　or；　if　they　preferred；　hot　steak…and…kidney　pie　and　vegetables；　with　plates　of　smoked　salmon；　hors　d'oeuvres　and　cold　cuts；　cheeses　and　pastries　of　all　kinds　and　as　a　topper；　a　meringue　sculpture　of　the　Struan　Building　…　all　prepared　in　their　own　kitchen。　Champagne；　with　the　best　red　and　white　wines；　liqueurs。　〃I'm　gonna　have　to　diet　for　fifty　years。〃
　〃Not　you。　How　goes　it？〃
　She　felt　his　probing　eyes。　〃Fine。　Why？〃
　〃Nothing。〃　He　glanced　off　at　Grey　again；　then　turned　his　attention　to　the　others。
　〃May　I　introduce　Peter　Marlowe？　Hiro　Toda　of　Toda　Shipping　Industries　of　Yokohama。　Peter's　a　novelist…screenwriter　from　Hollywood。〃　Then　all　at　once　his　book　rushed　into　her　mind　and　Changi　and　three　and　a　half　years　as　a　prisoner　of　war　and　she　waited　for　the　explosion。　There　was　a　hesitation　between　both　men。　Toda　politely　offered　his　business　card　and　Peter　Marlowe　gave　his　in　return；　equally　politely。　He　hesitated　a　moment　then　put　out　his　hand。　〃How're　you？〃
　The　Japanese　shook　it。　〃This's　an　honor；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃It's　not　often　one　meets　a　famous　author。〃
　〃I'm　not；　no；　not　at　all。〃
　〃You're　too　modest。　I　liked　your　book　very　much。　Yes。〃
　〃You've　read　it？〃　Peter　Marlowe　stared　at　him。　〃Really？〃　He　sat　and　looked　at　Toda；　who　was　much　shorter　than　he；　lithe　and　well　built；　more　handsome　and　well　dressed　in　a　blue　suit；　a　camera　hanging　on　his　chair；　his　eyes　equally　level；　the　two　men　of　an　age。　〃Where　did　you　find　it？〃
　〃In　Tokyo。　We　have　many　English　bookshops。　Please　excuse　me；　I　read　the　paperback；　not　the　hardback。　There　was　no　hardback　on　sale。　Your　novel　was　very　illuminating。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Peter　Marlowe　took　out　his　cigarettes　and　offered　them。　Toda　took　one。
　Casey　said；　〃Smoking's　not　good　for　you；　you　both　know　that！〃
　They　smiled　at　her。　〃We'll　give　them　up　for　Lent；〃　Peter　Marlowe　said。
　〃Sure。〃
　Peter　Marlowe　looked　back　at　Toda。　〃You　were　army？〃
　〃No；　Mr。　Marlowe。　Navy。　Destroyers。　I　was　at　the　Battle　of　the　Coral　Sea　in　'42；　then　at　Midway；　sub…lieutenant；　later　at　Guadalcanal。　I　was　sunk　twice　but　lucky。　Yes；　I　was　lucky；　apparently　more　lucky　than　you。〃
　〃We're　both　alive；　both　in　one　piece；　more　or　less。〃
　〃More　or　less；　Mr。　Marlowe。　I　agree。　War　is　a　curious　way　of　life。〃　Toda　puffed　his　cigarette。　〃Sometime；　if　it　would　please　you　and　not　hurt；　I　would　like　to　talk　about　your　Changi；　about　its　lessons　and　our　wars。　Please？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃I'm　here　for　a　few　days；〃　Toda　said。　〃At　the　Mandarin；　back　next　week。　A　lunch；　or　dinner　perhaps？〃
　〃Thank　you。　I'll　call。　If　not　this　time　perhaps　next。　One　day　I'll　be　in　Tokyo。〃
　After　a　pause　the　Japanese　said；　〃We　need　not　discuss　your　Changi；　if　you　wish。　I　would　like　to　know　you　better。　England　and　Japan　have　much　in　mon。　Now　if　you'll　excuse　me；　I　think　I　should　place　my　bet。〃　He　bowed　politely　and　walked　off。　Casey　sipped　her　coffee。
　〃Was　that　very　hard　for　you？　Being　polite？〃
　〃Oh　no；　Casey。　No；　it　wasn't；　not　at　all。　Now　we're　equal；　he　and　I；　any　Japanese。　The　Japanese　…　and　Koreans　…　I　hated　were　the　ones　with　bayonets　and　bullets　when　I　had　none。〃　She　saw　him　wipe　the　sweat　off；　noticing　his　twisted　smile。　〃　'Mahlu；　I　wasn't　ready　to　meet　one　here。〃
　〃　'Mahlu？　What's　that；　Cantonese？〃
　〃Malayan。　It　means　'ashamed。'　〃　He　smiled　to　himself。　It　was　a　contraction　of　puki　mahlu。　Mahlu　ashamed；　puki　a　Golden　Gulley。　Malays　grant　feelings　to　that　part　of　a　woman：　hunger；　sadness；　kindness；　rapaciousness；　hesitancy；　shame；　anger　…　anything　and　everything。
　〃No　need　to　be　ashamed；　Peter；〃　she　said；　not　understanding。　〃I'm　astonished　you'd　talk　to　any　of　them　after　all　that　POW　horror。　Oh　I　really　liked　the　book。　Isn't　it　marvelous　that　he'd　read　it　too？〃
　〃Yes。　That　threw　me。〃
　〃May　I　ask　you　one　question？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You　said　Changi　was　genesis。　What　did　you　mean？〃
　He　sighed。　〃Changi　changed　everyone；　changed　values　permanently。　For　instance；　it　gave　you　a　dullness　about　death　…　we　saw　too　much　of　it　to　have　the　same　sort　of　meaning　to　outsiders；　to　normal　people。　We're　a　generation　of　dinosaurs；　we　the　few　who　survived。　I　suppose　anyone　who　goes　to　war；　any　war；　sees　life　with　different　eyes　if　they　end　up　in　one　piece。〃
　〃What　do　you　see？〃
　〃A　lot　of　bull　that's　worshipped　as　the　be…all　and　end…all　of　existence。　So　much　of　'normal；　civilized'　life　is　bull　that　you　can't　imagine　it。　For　us　ex…Changi…ites　…　we're　lucky；　we're　cleansed；　we　know　what　life　is　really　all　about。　What　frightens　you；　doesn't　frighten　me；　what　frightens　me；　you'd　laugh　at。〃
　〃Like　what？〃
　He　grinned　at　her。　〃That's　enough　about　me　and　my　karma。　I've　a　hot　tip　for　th…　〃　He　stopped　and　stared　off。　〃Good　sweet　Christ　who's　that？〃
　Casey　laughed。　〃Riko　Gresserhoff。　She's　Japanese。〃
　〃Which　one's　Mr。　Gresserhoff？〃
　〃She's　a　widow。〃
　〃Hallelujah！〃　They　watched　her　go　across　the　room；　out　onto　the　terrace。
　〃Don't　you　dare；　Peter！〃
　His　voice　became　Olympian。　〃I'm　a　writer！　It's　a　matter　of　research！〃
　〃Baloney！〃
　〃You're　right。〃
　〃Peter；　they　say　all　first　novels　are　autobiographical。　Who　were　you　in　the　book？〃
　〃The　hero　of　course。〃
　〃The　King？　The　American　trader？〃
　〃Oh　no。　Not　him。　And　that's　quite　enough　of　my　past。　Let's　talk　about　you。　You　sure　you're　all　right？〃　His　eyes　held　hers；　willing　the　truth　out　of　her。
　〃What？〃
　〃There　was　a　rumor　that　you　were　in　tears　last　night。〃
　〃Nonsense。〃
　〃Sure？〃
　She　looked　back　at　him；　knowing　he　saw　inside　of　her。　〃Of　course。　I'm　fine。〃　A　hesitation。　〃Sometime；　sometime　I　might　need　a　favor。〃
　〃Oh？〃　He　frowned。　〃I'm　in　McBride's　box；　two　down　the　hall。　It's　quite　okay　to　visit　if　you　want。〃　He　glanced　off　at　Riko。　His　pleasure　faded。　Now　she　was　talking　to　Robin　Grey　and　Julian　Broadhurst；　the　Labour　MPs。　〃Guess　it's　not　my　day；〃　he　muttered。　〃I'll　be　back　later；　got　to　bet。　See　you；　Casey。〃
　〃What's　your　hot　tip？〃
　〃Number　seven；　Winner's　Delight。〃
　Winner's　Delight；　an　outsider；　won　handily　by　half　a　length　over　the　favorite；　Excellent　Day。　Hugely　pleased　with　herself；　Casey　joined　the　lin