jamesclavell.noblehouse-第5部分

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　〃No　trouble。〃　Armstrong　led　the　way　through　a　side　door　in　the　Customs　barrier。　Uniformed　police　looked　up；　saluting　him　instantly　and　watched　John　Chen　thoughtfully；　recognizing　him　at　once。
　〃This　Lincoln　Bartlett；〃　Armstrong　continued　with　pretended　geniality；　〃doesn't　mean　anything　to　me。　Should　it？〃
　〃Not　unless　you　were　in　business；〃　John　Chen　said；　then　rushed　on　nervously；　〃He's　nicknamed　'Raider'　…　because　of　his　successful　raids　and　takeovers　of　other　panies；　most　times　much　bigger　than　himself。　Interesting　man；　I　met　him　in　New　York　last　year。　His　conglomerate　grosses　almost　half　a　billion　dollars　a　year。　He　says　he　started　in　'45　with　two　thousand　borrowed　dollars。　Now　he's　into　petrochemicals；　heavy　engineering；　electronics；　missiles　…　lots　of　U。S。　Government　work　…　foam；　polyurethane　foam　products；　fertilizers　…　he　even　has　one　pany　that　makes　and　sells　skis；　sports　goods。　His　group's　Par…Con　Industries。　You　name　it；　he　has　it。〃
　〃I　thought　your　pany　owned　everything　already。〃
　John　Chen　smiled　politely。　〃Not　in　America；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　is　not　my　pany。　I'm　just　a　minor　stockholder　of　Struan's；　an　employee。〃
　〃But　you're　a　director　and　you're　the　eldest　son　of　Noble　House　Chen　so　you'll　be　next　pradore。〃　By　historic　custom　the　pradore　was　a　Chinese　or　Eurasian　businessman　who　acted　as　the　exclusive　intermediary　between　the　European　trading　house　and　the　Chinese。　All　business　went　through　his　hands　and　a　little　of　everything　stuck　there。
　So　much　wealth　and　so　much　power；　Armstrong　thought；　yet　with　a　little　luck；　we　can　bring　you　down　like　Humpty…Dumpty　and　Struan's　with　you。　Jesus　Christ；　he　told　himself；　the　anticipation　sickly　sweet；　if　that　happens　the　scandal's　going　to　blow　Hong　Kong　apart。　〃You'll　be　pradore；　like　your　father　and　grandfather　and　great…grandfather　before　you。　Your　great…grandfather　was　the　first；　wasn't　he？　Sir　Gordon　Chen；　pradore　to　the　great　Dirk　Struan　who　founded　the　Noble　House　and　damn　nearly　founded　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃No。　Dirk's　pradore　was　a　man　called　Chen　Sheng。　Sir　Gordon　Chen　was　pradore　to　Dirk's　son；　Culum　Struan。〃
　〃They　were　half…brothers　weren't　they？〃
　〃So　the　legend　goes。〃
　〃Ah　yes；　legends　…　the　stuff　we　feed　on。　Culum　Struan；　another　legend　of　Hong　Kong。　But　Sir　Gordon；　he's　a　legend　too　…　you're　lucky。〃
　Lucky？　John　Chen　asked　himself　bitterly。　To　be　descended　from　an　illegitimate　son　of　a　Scots　pirate　…　an　opium　runner；　a　whoring　evil　genius　and　murderer　if　some　of　the　stories　are　true　…　and　a　Cantonese　singsong　girl　bought　out　of　a　filthy　little　cathouse　that　still　exists　in　a　filthy　little　Macao　alley？　To　have　almost　everyone　in　Hong　Kong　know　your　lineage　and　to　be　despised　for　it　by　both　races？　〃Not　lucky；〃　he　said；　trying　to　be　outwardly　calm。　His　hair　was　gray…flecked　and　dark；　his　face　Anglo…Saxon　and　handsome；　though　a　little　slack　at　the　jowls；　and　his　dark　eyes　only　slightly　Asian。　He　was　forty…two　and　wore　tropicals；　impeccably　cut　as　always；　with　Hermes　shoes　and　Rolex　watch。
　〃I　don't　agree；〃　Armstrong　said；　meaning　it。　〃To　be　pradore　to　Struan's；　the　Noble　House　of　Asia　。。。　that's　something。　Something　special。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　special。〃　John　Chen　said　it　flat。　Ever　since　he　could　think；　he　had　been　bedeviled　by　his　heritage。　He　could　feel　eyes　watching　him　…　him；　the　eldest　son；　the　next　in　line　…　he　could　feel　the　everlasting　greed　and　the　envy。　It　had　terrified　him　continuously；　however　much　he　tried　to　conquer　the　terror。　He　had　never　wanted　any　of　the　power　or　any　of　the　responsibility。　Only　yesterday　he　had　had　another　grinding　row　with　his　father；　worse　than　ever　before。　〃I　don't　want　any　part　of　Struan's！〃　he　had　shouted。　〃For　the　hundredth　time　I　want　to　get　the　hell　out　of　Hong　Kong；　I　want　to　go　back　to　the　States；　I　want　to　lead　my　own　life；　as　I　want；　where　I　want；　and　how　I　want！〃
　〃For　the　thousandth　time；　you'll　listen　to　me。　I　sent　you　to　Am…　〃
　〃Let　me　run　our　American　interests；　Father。　Please。　There's　more　than　enough　to　do！　You　could　let　me　have　a　couple　of　mill…　〃
　〃Ayeeyah　you　will　listen　to　me！　It's　here；　here　in　Hong　Kong　and　Asia　we　make　our　money！　I　sent　you　to　school　in　America　to　prepare　the　family　for　the　modern　world。　You　are　prepared；　it's　your　duty　to　the　fam…　〃
　〃There's　Richard；　Father；　and　young　Kevin　…　Richard's　ten　times　the　businessman　I　am　and　chomping　at　the　bit。　What　about　Uncle　Jam…　〃
　〃You'll　do　as　I　say！　Good　God；　you　know　this　American　Bartlett　is　vital　to　us。　We　need　your　knowl…　〃
　〃　…　Uncle　James　or　Uncle　Thomas。　Uncle　James'd　be　the　best　for　you；　best　for　the　family　and　the　bes…　〃
　〃You're　my　eldest　son。　You're　the　next　head　of　the　family　and　the　next　pradore！〃
　〃I　won't　be　by　God！〃
　〃Then　you　won't　get　another　copper　cash！〃
　〃And　that　won't　be　much　of　a　change！　We're　all　kept　on　a　pittance；　whatever　outsiders　think！　What　are　you　worth？　How　many　millions？　Fifty？　Seventy？　A　hun…　〃
　〃Unless　you　apologize　at　once　and　finish　with　all　this　nonsense；　finish　with　it　once　and　for　all；　I'll　cut　you　off　right　now！　Right　now！〃
　〃I　apologize　for　making　you　angry　but　I'll　never　change！　Never！〃
　〃I'll　give　you　until　my　birthday。　Eight　days。　Eight　days　to　bee　a　dutiful　son。　That's　my　last　word。　Unless　you　bee　obedient　by　my　birthday　I'll　chop　you　and　your　line　off　our　tree　forever！　Now　get　out！〃
　John　Chen's　stomach　twisted　uneasily。　He　hated　the　interminable　quarreling；　his　father　apoplectic　with　rage；　his　wife　in　tears；　his　children　petrified；　his　stepmother　and　brothers　and　cousins　all　gloating；　wanting　him　gone；　all　of　his　sisters；　most　of　his　uncles；　all　their　wives。　Envy；　greed。　The　hell　with　it　and　them；　he　thought。　But　Father's　right　about　Bartlett；　though　not　the　way　he　thinks。　No。　This　one　is　for　me。　This　deal。　Just　this　one　then　I'll　be　free　forever。
　They　were　almost　through　the　long；　brightly　lit　Customs　Hall　now。
　〃You　going　racing　Saturday？〃　John　Chen　asked。
　〃Who　isn't！〃　The　week　before；　to　the　ecstasy　of　all；　the　immensely　powerful　Turf　Club　with　its　exclusive　monopoly　on　horse　racing　…　the　only　legal　form　of　gambling　allowed　in　the　Colony　…　had　put　out　a　special　bulletin：　〃Though　our　formal　season　does　not　start　this　year　until　October　5；　with　the　kind　permission　of　our　illustrious　Governor；　Sir　Geoffrey　Allison；　the　Stewards　have　decided　to　declare　Saturday；　August　24　a　Very　Special　Race　Day　for　the　enjoyment　of　all　and　as　a　salute　to　our　hardworking　population　who　are　bearing　the　heavy　weight　of　the　second　worst　drought　in　our　history　with　fortitude。　。。。〃
　〃I　hear　you've　got　Golden　Lady　running　in　the　fifth；〃　Armstrong　said。
　〃The　trainer　says　she's　got　a　chance。　Please　e　by　Father's　box　and　have　a　drink　with　us。　I　could　use　some　of　your　tips。　You're　a　great　punter。〃
　〃Just　lucky。　But　my　ten　dollars　each　way　hardly　pares　with　your　ten　thousand。〃
　〃But　that's　only　when　we've　one　of　our　horses　running。　Last　season　was　a　disaster。　。。。　I　could　use　a　winner。〃
　〃So　could　I。〃　Oh　Christ　how　I　need　a　winner；　Armstrong　thought。　But　you；　Johnny　Chen；　it　doesn't　matter　a　twopenny　tick　in　hell　if　you　win　or　lose　ten　thousand　or　a　hundred　thousand。　He　tried　to　curb　his　soaring　jealousy。　Calm　down；　he　told　himself。　Crooks're　a　fact　and　it's　your　job　to　catch　them　if　you　can　…　however　rich；　however　powerful　…　and　to　be　content　with　your　rotten　pay　when　every　street　corner's　groaning　with　free　silver。　Why　envy　this　bastard　…　he's　for　the　chopper　one　way　or　another。　〃Oh　by　the　way；　I　sent　a　constable　to　your　car　to　take　it　through　the　gate。　It'll　be　waiting　at　the　gangway　for　you　and　your　guests。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　great；　thanks。　Sorry　for　the　trouble。〃
　〃No　trouble。　It's　a　matter　of　face。　Isn't　it。　I　thought　it　must　be　pretty　special　for　you　to　e　yourself。〃　Armstrong　could　not　resist　another　barb。　〃As　I　said；　nothing's　too　much　trouble　for　the　Noble　House。〃
　John　Chen　kept　his　polite　smile　but　screw　you；　he　thought。　We　tolerate　you　because　of　what　you　are；　a　very　important　cop；　filled　with　envy；　heavily　in　debt；　surely　corrupt　and　you　know　nothing　about　horses。　Screw　you　in　spades。　Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　your　generations；　John　Chen　thought；　but　he　kept　the　obscenity　hidden　carefully；　for　though　Armstrong　was　roundly　hated　by　all　Hong　Kong　yan；　John　Chen　knew　f