按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I doubt that。 I'm sure you exaggerate；〃 Mata said。 〃It's just that he's not very pro…American and it drives him mad that the British Empire's no more； that the U。S。 is arbiter of the world's fate and making obvious mistakes； he thinks。 Most British people agree with him； I'm afraid！ It's part jealousy of course。 But you must be patient with Andrew。 After all； your government did give away Hong Kong in '45 to Chiang … only the British navy stopped that。 America did side with Soviet Russia against them over Suez； did support the Jews against them in Palestine … there are dozens of examples。 It's also true lots of us here think your present hostility to China's ill…advised。〃
〃But they're as munist as Russia。 They went to war against us when we were only trying to protect freedom in South Korea。 We weren't going to attack them。〃
〃But historically； China's always crossed the Yalu when any foreign invader approached that border。 Always。 Your MacArthur was supposed to be a historian；〃 Mata said patiently； wondering if she was as naive in bed； 〃he should have known。 He … or your President … forced China into a path it did not want to take。 I'm absolutely sure of that。〃
〃But we weren't invaders。 North Korea invaded the South。 We just wanted to help a people be free。 We'd nothing to gain from South Korea。 We spend billions trying to help people stay free。 Look what China did to Tibet … to India last year。 Seems to me we're always the fall guy and all we want is to protect freedom。〃 She stopped as a murmur of relief went through the room and people began heading for their tables。 Waiters bearing silver…domed platters were trooping in。 〃Thank God！ I'm starving！〃
〃Me too；〃 Bartlett said。
〃Shitee's early tonight；〃 Mata said with a laugh。 〃Orlanda； you should have warned them it's an old custom always to have a snack before any of Shitee's banquets。〃
Orlanda just smiled her lovely smile and Casey said； 〃Orlanda warned Linc； who told me； but I figured I could last。〃 She looked at her enemy who was almost half a head shorter； about five foot three。 For the first time in her life she felt big and oafish。 Be honest； she reminded herself； ever since you walked out of the hotel into the streets and saw all the Chinese girls and women with their tiny hands and feet and bodies and smallness； all dark…eyed and dark…haired； you've felt huge and alien。 Yes。 Now I can understand why they all gape at us so much。 And as for the ordinary tourist； loud； overweight； waddling along 。。。
Even so； Orlanda Ramos； as pretty as you are and as clever as you think you are； you're not the girl for Linc Bartlett。 So you can blow it all out of your ass！ 〃Next time； Orlanda；〃 she said so nicely； 〃I'll remember to be very cautious about what you remend。〃
〃I remend we eat； Casey。 I'm hungry too。〃 Mata said； 〃I do believe we're all at the same table。 I must confess I arranged it。〃 Happily he led the way； more than ever excited by the challenge of getting Casey into bed。 The moment he had seen her he had decided。 Part of it was her beauty and tallness and beautiful breasts； such a wele contrast to the smallness and sameness of the normal Asian girl。 Part was because of the clues Orlanda had given him。 But the biggest part had been his sudden thought that by breaking the Bartlett…Casey connection he might wreck Par…Con's probe into Asia。 Far better to keep Americans and their hypocritical； impractical morality and meddling out of our area as long as we can； he had told himself。 And if Dunross doesn't have the Par…Con deal； then he will have to sell me the control I want。 Then； at long last； I bee the tai…pan of the Noble House； all the Dunrosses and Struans notwithstanding。
Madonna； life is really very good。 Curious that this woman could be the key to the best lock in Asia； he thought。 Then he added contentedly； Clearly she can be bought。 It's only a matter of how much。
37
11：01 P。M。：
Dinner was twelve courses。 Braised abalone with green sprouts； chicken livers and sliced partridge sauce； shark's fin soup； barbecued chicken； Chinese greens and peapods and broccoli and fifty other vegetables with crab meat； the skin of roast Peking duck with plum sauce and sliced spring onions and paper…thin pancakes； double…boiled mushrooms and fish maw； smoked pomfret fish with salad； rice Yangchow style； home sweet home noodles … then happiness dessert； sweetened lotus seeds and lily in rice gruel。 And tea continuously。
Mata and Orlanda helped Casey and Bartlett。 Fleur and Peter Marlowe were the only other Europeans at their table。 The Chinese presented their visiting cards and received others in exchange。 〃Oh you can eat with chopsticks！〃 All the Chinese were openly astonished； then slid fortably back into Cantonese； the bejeweled women clearly discussing Casey and Bartlett and the Marlowes。 Their ments were slightly guarded only because of Lando Mata and Orlanda。
〃What're they saying； Orlanda？〃 Bartlett asked quietly amid the noisy exuberance particularly of the Chinese。
〃They're just wondering about you and Miss Casey；〃 she said as cautiously； not translating the lewd remarks about the size of Casey's chest； the wondering where her clothes came from； how much they cost； why she didn't wear any jewelry； and what it must be like to be so tall。 They were saying little about Bartlett other than wondering out loud if he was really Mafia as one of the Chinese papers had suggested。
Orlanda was sure he wasn't。 But she was sure also that she would have to be very circumspect in front of Casey； neither too forward nor too slow； and never to touch him。 And to be sweet to her； to try to throw her off her stride。
Fresh plates for each course were laid with a clatter； the used ones whisked away。 Waiters hurried to the dumbwaiters in the central section by the staircase to dispose of the old and grab steaming platters of the new。
The kitchens； three decks below； were an inferno with the huge four…feet…wide iron woks fired with gas that was piped aboard。 Some woks for steaming； some for quick frying； some for deep frying； some for stewing； and many for the pure white rice。 An open； wood…fired barbecue。 An army of helpers for the twenty…eight cooks were preparing the meats and vegetables； plucking chickens； killing fresh fish and lobsters and crabs and cleaning them； doing the thousand tasks that Chinese food requires … as each dish is cooked fleshly for each customer。
The restaurant opened at 10：00 a。m。 and the kitchen closed at 10：45 p。m。 … sometimes later when a special party was arranged。 There could be dancing and a floor show if the host was rich enough。 Tonight； though there was no late shift or floor show or dancing； they all knew that their share of the tip from Shitee T'Chung's banquet would be very good。 Shitee T'Chung was an expansive host； though most of them believed that much of the charity money he collected went into his stomach or those of his guests or onto the backs of his lady friends。 He also had the reputation of being ruthless to his detractors； a miser to his family； and vengeful to his enemies。
Never mind； the head chef thought。 A man needs soft lips and hard teeth in this world and everyone knows which will last