tc.thebearandthedragon-第79部分

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　〃Ah。〃　The　clerk　nodded。　〃I　see。　Thank　you。　I　must　now　make　a　telephone　call。〃
　It　was　the　way　the　last　statement　was　delivered　that　frightened　Quon：　Ah；　yes；　I　have　to　see　that　the　trash　is　removed　properly。　Ah；　yes；　the　glass　is　broken；　and　I'll　try　to　find　a　repairman。　Ah；　yes；　an　unauthorized　pregnancy；　I'll　call　upstairs　so　that　they'll　know　to　kill　the　baby　when　it　crowns。
　
　Upstairs；　Lien…Hua　could　see　the　difference　in　their　eyes。　When　Lu…Long　had　been　on　his　way；　there'd　been　joy　and　anticipation　in　the　eyes　of　the　nurses　who　oversaw　her　labor。　You　could　see　their　eyes　crinkle　with　smiles　at　the　corners　of　their　masks。。；　but　not　this　time。　Someone　had　e　over　to　where　she　was　in　labor　room　#3　and　said　something　to　the　nurse；　and　her　head　had　turned　rapidly　to　where　Lien…Hua　lay；　and　her　eyes　had　turned　from　passionate　to　。　。　。　something　else；　and　while　Mrs。　Yang　didn't　know　what　other　thing　it　was；　she　knew　the　import。　It　might　not　be　something　the　nurse　particularly　liked；　but　it　was　something　she　would　assist　in　doing；　because　she　had　to。　China　was　a　place　where　people　did　the　things　they　had　to　do；　whether　they　approved　it　or　liked　it　or　not。　Lien…Hua　felt　the　next　contraction。　The　baby　in　her　uterus　was　trying　to　be　born；　not　knowing　that　it　was　racing　to　its　own　destruction　at　the　hands　of　the　State。　But　the　hospital　staffers　knew。　Before；　with　Ju…Long；　they'd　been　close　by；　not　quite　hovering；　but　close　enough　to　watch　and　see　that　things　were　going　well。　Not　now。　Now　they　withdrew；　desiring　not　to　hear　the　sounds　of　a　mother　struggling　to　bring　forth　death　in　a　small　package。
　
　On　the　first　floor；　it　was　equally　plain　to　Yang　Quon。　What　came　back　to　him　now　was　his　firstborn　son；　JuLong；　the　feel　of　his　small　body　in　his　arms；　the　little　noises　he　made；　the　first　smile；　sitting　up；　crawling；　the　first　step　in　their　small　apartment；　the　first　words　he'd　spoken　。　。　。　but　their　little　Large　Dragon　was　dead　now；　never　to　be　seen　again；　crushed　by　the　wheel　of　a　passenger　bus。　An　uncaring　fate　had　ripped　that　child　from　his　arms　and　cast　him　aside　like　a　piece　of　blowing　trash　on　the　street…and　now　the　State　was　going　to　slay　his　second　child。　And　it　would　all　happen　upstairs；　less　than　ten　meters　away；　and　he　couldn't　do　a　thing　about　it。　。　。　。　It　was　a　feeling　not　unknown　to　citizens　of　the　People's　Republic；　where　rule　from　above　was　the　rule；　but　opposed　to　it　now　was　the　most　fundamental　of　human　drives。　The　two　forces　battled　within　the　mind　of　factory　worker　Yang　Quon。　His　hands　shook　at　his　sides　as　his　mind　struggled　with　the　dilemma。　His　eyes　strained；　staring　at　nothing　closer　than　the　room's　wall；　but　straining　even　so。。。　something；　there　had　to　be　something。。。
　There　was　a　pay　telephone；　and　he　did　have　the　proper　coins；　and　he　did　remember　the　number；　and　so　Yang　Quon　lifted　the　receiver　and　dialed　the　number；　unable　to　find　the　ability　within　himself　to　change　fate；　but　hoping　to　find　that　ability　in　another。
　
　〃I'll　get　it；〃　Reverend　Yu　said　in　English；　rising　and　walking　to　where　it　was　ringing。
　〃A　remarkable　guy；　isn't　he？〃　Wise　asked　the　two　Catholics。
　〃A　fine　man；'　Cardinal　DiMilo　agreed。　〃A　good　shepherd　for　his　flock；　and　that　is　all　a　man　can　hope　to　be。〃
　Monsignor's　Schepke's　head　turned　when　he　caught　the　tone　of　Yu's　voice。　Something　was　wrong　here；　and　by　the　sound；　something　serious。　When　the　minister　returned　to　the　sitting　room；　his　face　told　the　tale。
　〃What　is　amiss？〃　Schepke　asked　in　his　perfect　Mandarin。　Perhaps　this　was　not　something　for　the　American　reporters。
　〃One　of　my　congregation〃　Yu　replied；　as　he　reached　for　his　jacket。　〃She　is　pregnant；　in　labor　even　now…but　her　pregnancy　is　unauthorized；　and　her　husband　fears　the　hospital　will　try　to　kill　it。　I　must　go　to　help。〃
　〃Franz；　was　gibt's　hier？〃　DiMilo　asked　in　German。　The　Jesuit　then　replied　in　Attic　Greek　to　make　damned　sure　the　Americans　wouldn't　get　it。
　〃You've　been　told　about　this；　Eminence；〃　Monsignor　Schepke　explained　in　the　language　of　Aristotle。　〃The　abortionists　here　mit　what　is　virtually　murder　in　any　civilized　country　in　the　world；　and　the　decision　to　do　so；　in　this　case；　is　purely　political　and　ideological。　Yu　wishes　to　go　and　help　the　parents　prevent　this　vile　act。〃
　DiMilo　needed　less　than　a　second。　He　stood；　and　turned　his　head。　〃Fa　An？〃
　〃Yes；　Renato？〃
　〃May　we　e　with　you　and　assist？　Perhaps　our　diplomatic　status　will　have　practical　value；〃　His　Eminence　said；　in　badly　accented　but　prehensible　Mandarin。
　It　didn't　take　long　for　Reverend　Yu　either：　〃Yes；　a　fine　idea！　Renato；　I　cannot　allow　this　child　to　die！〃
　If　the　desire　to　procreate　is　the　most　fundamental　known　to　mankind；　then　there　are　few　more　powerful　calls　to　action　for　an　adult　than　child…in…danger　For　this；　men　race　into　burning　buildings　and　jump　into　rivers。　For　this　now；　three　clergymen　would　go　to　a　munity　hospital　to　challenge　the　power　of　the　world's　most　populous　nation。
　〃What's　happening？〃　Wise　asked；　surprised　by　the　sudden　shifts　in　language　and　the　way　the　three　churchmen　had　leapt　to　their　feet。
　〃A　pastoral　emergency。　A　member　of　Yu's　congregation　is　in　the　hospital。　She　needs　him；　and　we　will　go　with　our　friend　to　assist　in　his　pastoral　duties；〃　DiMilo　said。　The　cameras　were　still　running；　but　this　was　the　sort　of　thing　that　got　edited　out。　But　what　the　hell；　Wise　thought。
　〃Is　it　far？　Can　we　help？　Want　us　to　run　you　over？〃
　Yu　thought　it　over　and　quickly　decided　that　he　couldn't　make　his　bike　go　as　fast　as　the　American　news　van。　〃That　is　very　kind。　Yes。〃
　〃Well；　let's　go；　then。〃　Wise　stood　and　motioned　to　the　door。　His　crew　broke　down　their　gear　in　a　matter　of　seconds　and　beat　them　all　out　the　door。
　Longfu　Hospital　turned　out　to　be　less　than　two　miles　away；　facing　a　north…south　street。　It　was；　Wise　thought；　a　place　designed　by　a　blind　architect；　so　lacking　in　aesthetic　as　to　be　a　definite　government…owned　building　even　in　this　country。　The　munists　had　probably　killed　off　anyone　with　a　sense　of　style　back　in　1950　or　so；　and　no　one　had　attempted　to　take　his　place。　Like　most　reporters；　the　CNN　team　came　in　the　front　door　in　the　manner　of　a　police　SWAT　team。　The　cameraman's　tool　was　up　on　his　shoulder；　with　the　soundman　beside　him；　Barry　Wise　and　the　producer　trailing　while　they　looked　for　good　establishing　shots。　To　call　the　lobby　dreary　was　generous。　A　Mississippi　state　prison　had　a　better　atmosphere　than　this；　to　which　was　added　the　disinfectant　smell　that　makes　dogs　cringe　in　the　vet's　office　and　made　kids　hug　your　neck　harder　for　fear　of　the　ing　needle。
　For　his　part；　Barry　Wise　was　unnaturally　alert。　He　called　it　his　Marine　training；　though　he'd　never　seen　bat　operations。　But　one　January　night　in　Baghdad；　he'd　started　looking　out　the　windows　forty　minutes　before　the　first　bombs　had　fallen　from　the　Stealth　fighters；　and　kept　looking　until　what　U。S。　Air　Force　planners　had　called　the　AT&T　Building　took　the　first　spectacular　hit。　He　took　the　producer's　arm　and　told　him　to　keep　his　head　up。　The　other　ex…Marine　nodded　agreement。　For　him　it　was　the　suddenly　grim　looks　on　the　faces　of　the　three　clergymen；　who'd　been　so　genial　until　the　phone　had　rung。　For　that　old　Italian　guy　to　look　this　way…it　had　to　be　something；　they　both　were　sure；　and　whatever　it　was；　it　wouldn't　be　pleasant；　and　that　often　made　for　a　good　news　story；　and　they　were　only　seconds　from　their　satellite　uplink。　Like　hunters　hearing　the　first　rustle　of　leaves　in　the　forest；　the　four　CNN　men　looked　alertly　for　the　game　and　the　shot。
　〃Reverend　Yu！〃　Yang　Quon　called；　walking…almost　running…to　where　they　were。
　〃Eminence；　this　is　my　parishioner；　Mr。　Yang。〃
　〃Buon　giorno；〃　DiMilo　said　in　polite　greeting。　He　looked　over　to　see　the　newsies　taking　their　pictures　and　keeping　out　of　the　way；　more　politely　than　he'd　expected　them　to　do。　While　Yu　spoke　with　Yang；　he　walked　over　to　Barry　Wise　to　explain　the　situation。
　〃You　are　right　to　observe　that　relations　between　the　Catholics　and　the　Baptists　are　not　always　as　friendly　as　they　ought　to　be；　but　on　this　issue　we　stand　as　one。　Upstairs；　the　officials　of　this　government　wish　to　kill　a　human　baby。　Yu　wants　to　save　that　child。　Franz　and　I　will　try　to　help。〃
　〃This　could　get　messy；　sir；〃　Wise　warned。　〃The　security　personnel　in　this　country　can　play　rough。　I've　seen　it　before。〃
　DiMilo　was　not　an　imposing　man　in　physical　terms。　He　was　short　and　a　good　thirty　pounds　overweight；　the　American　figured。　His　hair　was　thinning。　His　'skin　was　sagging　with　age。　He　probably　went　out　of　breath　going　up　two　flights　of　stairs。　But　for　all　that；　the　Cardinal　summoned　what　manhood　he　had　and　transformed　himself　before　the　American's　eyes。　The　genial　smile　and　gentle　disposition　evaporated　like　steam　in　cold　air。　Now　he　looked　more　like　a　general　on　a　battlefield。
　〃The　life　of　an　innocent　child　is　at　risk；　Signore　Wise；〃　was　all　DiMilo　said；　and　it　was　all　he　had　to　say。　The　Cardinal　walked　back　to　his　Chinese　colleague。
　〃Get　that？〃　Wise　asked　his　cameraman；　Pete　Nichols。
　〃Fuckin'　A；　Barry！〃　the　guy　said　behind　his　eyepiece。
　Yang　pointed。　Yu　headed　that　way。　DiMilo　and　Schepke　followed。　At　the　reception　desk；　the　head　clerk　lifted　a　phone　and　made　a　call。　The　CNN　crew　followed　the　others　into　the　stairwell　and　headed　up　to　the　second　floor。
　If　anything；　the　obstetrics　and　gynecology　floor　was　even　more　drab　than　the　first。　They　heard　the　shouts；　cries；　and　moans　of　women　in　labor；　because　in　China；　the　public…health　system　did　not　waste　drugs　on　women　giving　birth。　Wise　caught　up　to　see　that　Yang　guy；　the　father　of　the　baby；　standing　still　in　the　corridor；　trying　to　identify　the　cries　of　his　own　wife　from　all　the　others。　Evidently；　he　failed。　Then　he　walked　to　the　nurse's　desk。
　Wise　didn't　need　to　understand　Chinese　to　get　what　the　exchange　was　all　about。　Yang　was　supported　by　Reverend　Yu　and　demanded　to　know　where　his　wife　was。　The　head　nurse　asked　what　the　hell　they　were　doing　here；　and　told　them　all　that　they　had　to　leave　at　once！　Yang；　his　back　straight　with　dignity　and　fear；　refused　and　repeated　his　question。　Again　the　head　nurse　told　him　to　get　lost。　Then　Yang　seriously　broke　the　rules　by　reaching　across　the　high　countertop　and　grabbing　the　nurse。　You　could　see　it　in　her　eyes