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第49部分

jamesclavell.noblehouse-第49部分

小说: jamesclavell.noblehouse 字数: 每页4000字

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 He had believed her and her faith had carried him through four more months of missions … sometimes five missions each day … and more kills and though she was wrong and later he was blown out of the sky; he lived and burned only a little。 And then; when he came out of the hospital; grounded forever; they had married。
 〃Doesn't seem like twenty years;〃 he said; holding in his happiness。
 〃Plus two before;〃 she said; holding in her happiness。
 〃Plus two be… 〃
 The door opened。 Penelope sighed as Ah Tat stalked into the room; talking Cantonese fifty to the dozen; 〃Ayeeyah; my Son; but aren't you ready yet; our honored guests will be here any moment and your tie's not tied and that motherless foreigner from North Kwantung brought unnecessarily into our house to cook tonight 。。。 that smelly offspring of a one…dollar strumpet from North Kwantung where all the best thieves and worst whores e from who fancies himself a cook 。。。 ha! 。。。 This man and his equally despicable foreign staff is befouling our kitchen and stealing our peace。 Oh ko;〃 the tiny wizened old woman continued without a breath as her clawlike fingers reached up automatically and deftly tied his tie; 〃and that's not all! Number Two Daughter 。。。 Number Two Daughter just won't put on the dress that Honorable First Wife has chosen for her and her rage is flying to Java! Eeeee; this family! Here; my Son;〃 she took the telex envelope out of her pocket and handed it to Dunross; 〃here's another barbarian message bringing more congratulations for this happy day that your poor old Mother had to carry up the stairs herself on her poor old legs because the other good…for…nothing servants are good for nothing and bone idle。 。。。〃 She paused momentarily for breath。
 〃Thank you; Mother;〃 he said politely。
 〃In your Honorable Father's day; the servants worked and knew what to do and your old Mother didn't have to endure dirty strangers in our Great House!〃 She walked out muttering more curses on the caterers。 〃Now don't you be late; my Son; otherwise 。。。〃 She was still talking after she'd closed the door。
 〃What's up with her?〃 Penelope asked wearily。
 〃She's rattling on about the caterers; doesn't like strangers … you know what she's like。〃 He opened the envelope。 In it was the folded telex。
 〃What was she saying about Glenna?〃 his wife asked; having recognized yee…chat; Second Daughter; though her Cantonese was minimal。
 〃Just that she was having a fit about the dress you picked for her。〃
 〃What's wrong with it?〃
 〃Ah Tat didn't say。 Look; Penn; perhaps Glenna should just go to bed … it's almost past her bedtime now and sh… 〃
 〃Dreamer! No chance till hell freezes over。 Even Hag Struan wouldn't keep Glenna from her first grown…up as she calls it! You did agree Ian; you agreed; I didn't; you did!〃
 〃Yes; but don't you th… 〃
 〃No。 She's quite old enough。 After all she's thirteen going on thirty。〃 Penelope calmly finished her champagne。 〃Even so I shall now deal with that young lady never mind。〃 She got up。 Then she saw his face。 He was staring at the telex。
 〃What's the matter?〃
 〃One of our people's been killed。 In London。 Grant。 Alan Medford Grant。〃
 〃Oh。 I don't know him; do I?〃
 〃I think you met him once in Ayrshire。 He was a small; pixyish man。 He was at one of our parties at Castle Avisyard … it was on our last leave。〃
 She frowned。 〃Don't remember。〃 She took the offered telex。 It read: 〃Regret to inform you A。 M。 Grant was killed in motorcycle accident this morning。 Details will follow when I have them。 Sorry。 Regards; Kiernan。〃
 〃Who's Kiernan?〃
 〃His assistant。〃
 〃Grant's 。。。 he was a friend?〃
 〃In a way。〃
 〃He's important to you?〃
 〃Yes。〃
 〃Oh; sorry。〃
 Dunross forced himself to shrug and keep his voice level。 But in his mind he was cursing obscenely。 〃Just one of those things。 Joss。〃
 She wanted to miserate with him; recognizing at once the depth of his shock。 She knew he was greatly perturbed; trying to hide it … and she wanted to know immediately the who and the why of this unknown man。 But she held her peace。
 That's my job; she reminded herself。 Not to ask questions; to be calm and to be there … to pick up the pieces; but only when I'm allowed to。 〃Are you ing down?〃
 〃In a moment。〃
 〃Don't be long; Ian。〃
 〃Yes。〃
 〃Thanks again for my bracelet;〃 she said; liking it very much and he said; 〃It's nothing;〃 but she knew he had not really heard her。 He was already at the phone asking for long distance。 She walked out and closed the door quietly and stood miserably in the long corridor that led to the east and west wings; her heart thumping。 Curse all telexes and all telephones and curse Struan's and curse Hong Kong and curse all parties and all hangers…on and oh how I wish we could leave forever and forget Hong Kong and forget work and the Noble House and Big Business and the Pacific Rim and the stock market and all curs… 
 〃Motherrrrr!〃
 She heard Glenna's voice screeching from the depths of her room around the far corner in the east wing and at once all her senses concentrated。 There was frustrated rage in Glenna's voice; but no danger; so she did not hurry; just called back; 〃I'm ing 。。。 what is it; Glenna?〃
 〃Where are youuuuu?〃
 〃I'm ing; darling;〃 she called out; her mind now on important things。 Glenna will look pretty in that dress; she thought。 Oh I know; she told herself happily; I'll lend her my little rope of pearls。 That'll make it perfect。
 Her pace quickened。
 
 Across the harbor in Kowloon; Divisional Staff Sergeant Tang…po; CID; the High Dragon; climbed the rickety stairs and went into the room。 The inner core of his secret triad was already there。 〃Get this through that bone some of you carry between your ears: the Dragons want Noble House Chen found and these pox…dripping; dung…eating Werewolves caught so fast even gods will blink!〃
 〃Yes; Lord;〃 his underlings chorused; shocked at the quality of his voice。
 They were in Tang…po's safe house; a small; drab three…room apartment behind a drab front door on the fifth floor of an equally drab apartment building over very modest shops in a dirty alley just three blocks from their police headquarters of Tsim Sha Tsui District that faced the harbor and the Peak on the tip of Kowloon Peninsula。 There were nine of them: one sergeant; two corporals; the rest constables … all plainclothes detectives of the CID; all Cantonese; all handpicked and sworn with blood oaths to loyalty and secrecy。 They were Tang…po's secret tong or Brotherhood; which protected all street gambling in Tsim Sha Tsui District。
 〃Look everywhere; talk to everyone。 We have three days;〃 Tang…po said。 He was a strongly built man of fifty…five with slightly graying hair and heavy eyebrows and his rank was the highest he could have and not be an officer。 〃This is the order of me … all my Brother Dragons … and the High One himself。 Apart from that;〃 he added sourly; 〃Big Mountain of Dung has promised to demote and post us to the border or other places; all of us; if we fail; and that's the first time he's ever threatened that。 All gods piss from a great height on all foreign devils; particularly those motherless fornicators who won't accept their rightful squeeze and behave like civilized persons!〃
 〃Amen!〃 Sergeant Lee said with great fervor。 He was a sometimes Catholic because in his youth he had gone to a Catholic school。
 〃Big Mountain of Dung made it quite clear this afternoon: results; or off to the border where there's not a pot to piss in and no squeeze within twenty miles。 Ayeeyah; all gods protect us from failure!〃
 〃Yes;〃 Corporal Ho said for all of them; making a note in his book。 He was a sharp…featured man who was studying at night school to bee an accountant; and it was he who kept the Brotherhood's books and minutes of their meetings。
 〃Elder Brother;〃 Sergeant Lee began politely; 〃is there a fixed reward we can offer our informers? Is there a minimum or a maximum?〃
 〃Yes;〃 Tang…po told them; then added carefully; 〃The High Dragon has said 100;000 HK if within three days 。。。〃 The room was suddenly silent at the vastness of the reward。 〃。。。 half for finding Noble House Chen; half for finding the kidnappers。 And a bonus of 10;000 to the Brother who

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