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第334部分

jamesclavell.noblehouse-第334部分

小说: jamesclavell.noblehouse 字数: 每页4000字

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 〃Why there?〃
 〃Safer; tai…pan; in case we start the whole mess a…shifting。 e on; mates; lend a hand。 But take care!〃
 So they began to dig and to carry away everything removable。 It was very hard work。 All surfaces were wet and treacherous; the wreckage itself unbalanced。 Beams; joists; flooring; planks; concrete; plaster; pots; radios; TV sets; bureaus; clothes; all in an untidy impossible jumble。 Work stopped as they uncovered another body。
 〃Get a medic up here!〃 Hooks shouted。
 〃She's alive?〃
 〃In a manner of speaking。〃 The woman was old; her once white smock and black trousers tattered and mud…colored; her long hair tied in a ratty queue。 It was Ah Poo。
 〃Someone's gan sun;〃 Dunross said。
 Gornt was staring incredulously at the place she had been found; a tiny hole within an ugly; almost solid; jagged mess of broken and reinforced concrete。 〃How the hell do people survive?〃
 Hooks's face split with his grin; his broken teeth brown and tobacco stained。 〃Joss; Mr。 Gornt。 There's always hope so long as a body can breathe。 Joss。〃 Then he bellowed below。 〃Send a stretcher up here; Charlie! On the double!〃
 It came quickly。 The stretcher bearers carried her away。 Work continued。 The pit deepened。 An hour later; four or five feet lower they were blocked by tons of steel beams。 〃We'll have to detour;〃 Hooks said。 Patiently they began again。 A few feet later again blocked。 〃Detour over there。〃
 〃Can't we saw through this mess?〃
 〃Oh yes; tai…pan; but one spark and we're all bloody angels。 e on; lads。 Here。 Let's try here。〃
 Men rushed to obey 。。。
 
 88
 
 4:10 A。M。:
 Bartlett could hear them loudly now。 From time to time dust and dirt would cascade; sodden rubble in its wake; as timbers and beams and mess above were removed。 His rescuers seemed to be about ten yards away as far as he could judge; still five or six feet above him; the trickle of light making the waiting easier。 His own escape was blocked all around。 Earlier he had considered going back; down under this flooring; then down again to try to find another route and seek better safety that way。
 〃Better wait; Mr。 Bartlett!〃 Hooks had shouted to him。 〃We knows where you be!〃
 So he had stayed。 He was rain soaked; lying on some boards; not too unfortably and well protected by heavy beams。 Most of his line of sight was blocked a few feet away。 Above was more twisted flooring。 There was just enough room to lie down or; with care; to sit up。 The smell of gas was strong but he had no headache yet and felt he was safe enough; the air good enough to last forever。 He was tired; very tired。 Even so; he forced himself to stay awake。 From his vantage point he knew it would take them the rest of the night; perhaps part of the day; to work a shaft to him。 That did not worry him at all。 They were there。 And he had made contact。 An hour ago he had heard Dunross nearby。 〃Linc? Linc; it's Ian!〃
 〃What the hell're you doing here?〃 he had called back happily。
 〃Looking for you。 Don't worry; we're not far away。〃
 〃Sure。 Say; Ian;〃 he had begun; his anxiety almost overwhelming; 〃Orlanda; Orlanda Ramos; you know her? I was wai… 〃
 〃Yes。 Yes I saw her just after the slip hit the building。 She's fine。 She's waiting up at Kotewall。 She's fine。 How about you?〃
 〃Hell; no sweat;〃 he had said; almost light…headed now; knowing she was safe。 And when Dunross had told him about his own miraculous escape and that Casey had seen the whole catastrophe happen; he was appalled at the thought of how close the others had all been to disaster。 〃Jesus! A couple of minutes either way and you'd all've been clobbered。〃
 〃Joss!〃
 They had chatted for a while then Dunross had moved out of the way so the rescue could continue。
 Thinking about Orlanda now; another tremor shook him and again he thanked God that she was safe and Casey was safe。 Orlanda'd never make it underground; he thought。 Casey maybe; but not Orlanda。 Never。 But that's no loss of face either。
 He eased himself more fortably; his soaking clothes making his skin crawl; the shouts and noises of the approaching rescue forting。 To pass the time; he continued his reverie about the two women。 I've never known a body like Orlanda's or a woman like her。 It's almost as though I've known her for years; not a couple of days。 That's a fact。 She's exciting; unknown; female; wonderfully dangerous。 Casey's no danger。 She'd make a great wife; a great partner but she's not female like Orlanda is。 Sure Orlanda likes pretty clothes; expensive presents; and if what people here say is true she'll spend money like there's no tomorrow。 But isn't that what most of it's for? My ex's taken care of; so're the kids。 Shouldn't I have some fun? And be able to protect her from the Biltzmanns of the world?
 Sure。 But I still don't know what it is about her … or Hong Kong … that's got to me。 It's the best place I've ever been and I feel more at home here than back home。 〃Maybe; Linc; you've been here in a previous lifetime;〃 Orlanda had said。
 〃You believe in reincarnation?〃
 〃Oh yes。〃
 Wouldn't that be wonderful; he thought in his reverie; not noticing the gas or that now the gas was touching him a little。 To have more than one lifetime would be the best luck in all the world an… 
 〃Linc!〃
 〃Hey! Hi; Ian; what's cooking?〃 Bartlett's happiness picked up。 Dunross's voice was quite close。 Very close。
 〃Nothing。 We're just going to take a short break。 It's heavy going。 We've got to detour again but we're only a few yards away。 Thought I'd chat。 As far as we can judge we're about five feet above you; ing in from the west。 Can you see us yet?〃
 〃No。 There's a floor above me; all busted up; and beams; but I'm okay。 I can last out easy。 Hey; you know something?〃
 〃What?〃
 〃Tonight's the first time you called me Linc。〃
 〃Oh? I hadn't noticed。〃
 Bullshit; Bartlett thought and grinned to himself。 〃What y… 〃 A sudden chill took both men as the wreckage began groaning; twisting here and there。 In a moment the noise ceased; most of it。 Bartlett began to breathe easier。 〃What you going to do tomorrow?〃
 〃What about?〃
 〃The stock market。 How are you going to beat Gornt?〃 He listened with growing awe as Dunross told him about the Bank of China's money; Plumm's party and his challenge to Gornt; backed by his new 50 million revolving fund。
 〃Fantastic! Who's supporting you; Ian?〃
 〃Father Christmas!〃
 Bartlett laughed。 〃So Murtagh came through; huh?〃 He heard the silence and smiled again。
 〃Casey told you?〃
 〃No。 No; I had that figured。 I told you Casey's as smart as a whip。 So you're home free。 Congratulations;〃 he said with a grin; meaning it。 〃I thought I had you; Ian。〃 Bartlett laughed。 〃You really think your stock'll open at 30?〃
 〃I'm hoping。〃
 〃If you're hoping; that means you and your pals have fixed it。 But Gornt's smart。 You won't get him。〃
 〃Oh yes I will。〃
 〃No you won't! How about our deal?〃
 〃Par…Con? That stands of course。 I thought that was all arranged?〃
 Bartlett heard the dry innocence。 〃Quillan must be fit to be tied。〃
 〃He is! He's just above。 He's helping too。〃
 Bartlett was surprised。 〃Why?〃
 There was a pause。 〃Quillan's a first…class; twenty…four…carat berk but 。。。 I don't know。 Maybe he likes you!〃
 〃Screw you too!〃 Bartlett was equally good…natured。 〃What're you going to do about Quillan?〃
 〃I've made him a proposal。〃 Dunross told it to him。
 Bartlett grunted。 〃So my 2 mill's down the sewer?〃
 〃Of course。 That 2 million is。 But your share of the General Stores takeover'll bring you 5; perhaps more; our Struan…Par…Con deal much more。〃
 〃You really figure 5?〃
 〃Yes。 You 5; Casey 5。〃
 〃Great! I always wanted her to get her drop dead money。〃 I wonder what she'll do now? he asked himself。 〃She's always wanted to be independent and now she is。 Great! What?〃 he asked; missing what Dunross had said。
 〃I just said; would you like to talk to her? It's dicey but safe enough。〃
 〃No;〃 Bartlett said firmly。 〃Just say hi; I can say it better when I'm out。〃
 〃Casey's said she's not moving till you are。〃 There was a slight pause。 〃Orlanda too。 How about her? You want to say hello or anything?〃
 〃No thanks。 Plenty of time later。 Tell them both to go home。〃
 〃They 

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