jamesclavell.noblehouse-第104节
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et ballot。 Each year Gornt's name was put on the open list of nominees for steward and each year he failed to get enough votes。 Most stewards were reelected by the membership automatically until they retired； though from time to time there was lobbying。
〃Very well；〃 McBride said； 〃when his name's proposed I'll mention your opposition。〃
Gornt smiled thinly。 〃That'll be tantamount to getting him elected。〃
McBride chuckled。 〃I don't think so； Quillan； not this time。 Pug asked me to introduce him around。 I must admit he gets off on the wrong foot every time。 I introduced him to Paul Havergill and Biltzmann immediately started paring banking procedures here with those in the States； and not very pleasantly either。 And with the tai…pan 。。。〃 McBride's graying eyebrows soared。 〃。。。 he said he was sure glad to meet him as he wanted to learn about Hag Struan and Dirk Struan and all the other pirates and opium smugglers in his past！〃 He sighed。 〃Ian and Paul'll certainly blackball him for you； so I don't think you've much to worry about。 I really don't understand why Pug sold out to them anyway。〃
〃Because he's not his father。 Since old Sir Thomas died General Stores've been slipping。 Still； Pug makes 6 million U。S。 personally and has a five…year unbreakable contract … so he has all the pleasure and none of the headaches and the family's taken care of。 He wants to retire to England； Ascot and all that。〃
〃Ah！ That's a very good deal for old Pug！〃 McBride became more serious。 〃Quillan； the fifth race … the interest's enormous。 I'm worried there'll be interference。 We're going to increase surveillance on all the horses。 There're rumors th… 〃
〃About doping？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃There're always rumors and someone will always try。 I think the stewards do a very good job。〃
〃The stewards agreed last night that we'd institute a new rule： in future we'll have an obligatory chemical analysis before and after each race； as they do at the major tracks in England or America。〃
〃In time for Saturday？ How're you going to arrange that？〃
〃Dr。 Meng； the police pathologist； has agreed to be responsible … until we have an expert arranged。〃
〃Good idea；〃 Gornt said。
McBride sighed。 〃Yes； but the Mighty Dragon's no match for the Local Serpent。〃 He turned and left。
Gornt hesitated； then went to his trainer who stood beside Pilot Fish talking with the jockey； another Australian； Bluey White。 Bluey White was ostensibly a manager of one of Gornt's shipping divisions … the title given to him to preserve his amateur status。
〃G'day； Mr。 Gornt；〃 they said。 The jockey touched his forelock。
〃Morning。〃 Gornt looked at them a moment and then he said quietly； 〃Bluey； if you win； you've a 5；000 bonus。 If you finish behind Noble Star； you're fired。〃
The tough little man whitened。 〃Yes； guv！〃
〃You'd better get changed now；〃 Gornt said； dismissing him。
〃I'll win；〃 Bluey White said as he left。
The trainer said uneasily； 〃Pilot Fish's in very good fettle； Mr。 Gornt。 He'll be try… 〃
〃If Noble Star wins you're fired。 If Noble Star finishes ahead of Pilot Fish you're fired。〃
〃My oath； Mr。 Gornt。〃 The man wiped the sudden sweat off his mouth。 〃I don't fix who ge… 〃
〃I'm not suggesting you do anything。 I'm just telling you what's going to happen to you。〃 Gornt nodded pleasantly and strode off。 He went to the club restaurant； which overlooked the course； and ordered his favorite breakfast； eggs Benedict with his own special hollandaise that they kept for his exclusive use； and Javanese coffee that he also supplied。
On his third cup of coffee the waiter came over。 〃Excuse me； sir； you're wanted on the telephone。〃
He went to the phone。 〃Gornt。〃
〃Hello； Mr。 Gornt； this's Paul Choy 。。。 Mr。 Wu's nephew。 。。。 I hope I'm not disturbing you。〃
Gornt covered his surprise。 〃You're calling rather early； Mr。 Choy。〃
〃Yes sir； but I wanted to be in early the first day；〃 the young man said in a rush； 〃so I was the only one here a couple of minutes ago when the phone rang。 It was Mr。 Bartlett； Linc Bartlett； you know； the guy with the smuggled guns； the millionaire。〃
Gornt was startled。 〃Bartlett？〃
〃Yes sir。 He said he wanted to get hold of you； implied it was kinda urgent； said he'd tried your home。 I put two and two together and came up with you might be at the workout and I'd better get off my butt。 I hope I'm not disturbing you？〃
〃No。 What did he say？〃 Gornt asked。
〃Just that he wanted to talk to you； and were you in town？ I said I didn't know； but I'd check around and leave a message and give him a call back。〃
〃Where was he calling from？〃
〃The Vic and Albert。 Kowloon side 662233； extension 773 … that's his office extension； not his suite。〃
Gornt was very impressed。 〃A closed mouth catches no flies； Mr。 Choy。〃
〃Jesus； Mr。 Gornt； that's one thing you never need worry about；〃 Paul Choy said fervently。 〃My old Uncle Wu wopped that into us all like there was no tomorrow。〃
〃Good。 Thanks； Mr。 Choy。 I'll see you shortly。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Gornt hung up； thought a moment； then dialed the hotel。 〃773 please。〃
〃Linc Bartlett。〃
〃Good morning Mr。 Bartlett； this's Mr。 Gornt。 What can I do for you？〃
〃Hey； thanks for returning my call。 I've had disturbing news which sort of ties in with what we were discussing。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 Does Toda Shipping mean anything to you？〃 Gornt's interest soared。 〃Toda Shipping's a huge Japanese conglomerate； shipyards； steel mills； heavy engineering。 Struan's have a two…ship deal with them； bulk vessels I believe。 Why？〃
〃It seems Toda have some notes due from Struan's； 6 million in three installments … on the first； eleventh； and fifteenth of next month … and another 6 million in 90 days。 Then there's another 6。8 million due on the eighth to Orlin International Bank … you know them？〃
With a great effort Gornt kept his voice matter…of…fact。 〃I've； I've heard of them；〃 he said； astounded that the American would have such details of the debts。 〃So？〃 he asked。
〃So I heard Struan's have only 1。3 million in cash； with no cash reserves and not enough cash flow to make payment。 They're not expecting a significant block of ine until they get 17 million as their share of one of Kowloon Investments' property deals； not due until November； and they're 20 percent overextended at the Victoria Bank。〃
〃That's 。。。 that's very intimate knowledge；〃 Gornt gasped； his heart thumping in his chest； his collar feeling tight。 He knew about the 20 percent overdraft … Plumm had told him … all the directors of the bank would know。 But not the details of their cash； or their cash flow。
〃Why're you telling me this； Mr。 Bartlett？〃
〃How liquid are you？〃
〃I've already told you； I'm twenty times stronger than Struan's；〃 he said automatically； the lie ing easily； his mind churning the marvelous opportunities all this information unlocked。 〃Why？〃
〃If I go through with the Struan deal he'll be using my cash down payment to get off the Toda and Orlin hooks … if his bank doesn't extend his credit。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Will the Vic support him？〃
〃They always have。 Why？〃
〃If they don't； then he's in big trouble。〃
〃Struan's are substantial stockholders。 The bank is obliged to support them。〃
〃But he's overdrawn there and Havergill hates him。 Between Chen's stock； Struan's and their nominees； they've 21 percent。 。。。〃
Gornt almost dropped the phone。 〃Where the hell did you get that information？ No outsider could possibly know that！〃
〃That's right；〃 he heard the American say calmly； 〃but that's a fact。 Could you muster the other 79 percent？〃
〃What？〃
〃If I had a partner who could put the bank against him just this once and he couldn't get credit elsewhere 。。。 bluntly： it's a matter of timing。 Dunross's mortally overextended and that means he's vulnerable。 If his bank won't give him credit； he's got to sell something … or get a new line of credit。 In either case he's wide open for an attack and ripe for a takeover at a fire…sale price。〃
Gornt mopped his brow； his brain reeling。 〃Where the hell did you get all this information？〃
〃Later； not now。〃
〃When？〃
〃When we're down to the short strokes。〃
〃How 。。。 how sure are you your figures are correct？〃
〃Very。 We've his balance sheets for the last seven years。〃
In spite of his resolve Gornt gasped。 〃That's impossible！〃
〃Want to bet？〃
Gornt was really shaken now and he tried to get his mind working。 Be cautious； he admonished himself。 For chrissake control yourself。 〃If 。。。 if you've all that； if you know that and get one last thing 。。。 their interlocking corporate structure； if you knew that we could do anything we want with Struan's。〃
〃We've got that too。 You want in？〃
Gornt heard himself say calmly； not feeling calm at all； 〃Of course。 When could we meet？ Lunch？〃
〃How about now？ But not here； and not at your office。 This has to be kept very quiet。〃
Gornt's heart hurt in his chest。 There was a rotten taste in his mouth and he wondered very much how far he could trust Bartlett。 〃I'll 。。。 I'll send a car for you。 We could chat in the car。〃
〃Good idea； but why don't I meet you Hong Kong side。 The Golden Ferry Terminal in an hour。〃
〃Excellent。 My car's a Jag … license's 8888。 I'll be by the taxi rank。〃
He h
