jamesclavell.noblehouse-第120节

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　〃What？〃
　〃I　want　to　know　everything　you　know　about　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House；　everything　you　did　in　China；　who　you　know；　who　you　met。〃
　〃And　the　cooperation？〃
　〃I　will　tell　you　later。〃
　〃And　in　return　you'll　bring　my　wife　to　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃By　Christmas。〃
　〃How　can　I　trust　you？〃
　〃You　can't。　But　if　you　cooperate　she　will　be　here　at　Christmas。〃　Travkin　was　watching　the　two　photos　Suslev　toyed　with　in　his　fingers；　then　he　saw　the　look　in　his　eyes　and　his　stomach　twisted。　〃Either　way；　you　must　be　honest　with　me。　With　or　without　your　wife；　Prince　Kurgan；　we　always　have　your　son　and　your　grandchildren　hostage。〃
　Travkin　sipped　his　drink；　making　it　last。　〃Now　I　believe　you　are　what　you　are。　Where　do　you　want　to　start？〃
　〃The　tai…pan。　But　first　I　want　to　piss。〃　Suslev　got　up　and　asked　the　waiter　where　the　toilet　was　and　went　out　through　the　kitchen。
　Now　that　Travkin　was　alone　despair　gripped　him。　He　picked　up　the　snapshot　of　the　cottage　that　was　still　on　the　table　and　peered　at　it。　Tears　filled　his　eyes。　He　brushed　them　away　and　felt　the　gun　that　nestled　beneath　his　shoulder　but　that　did　not　help　him　now。　With　all　his　inner　strength　he　resolved　to　be　wise　and　not　believe；　but　in　his　heart　he　knew　he　had　seen　her　picture　and　that　he　would　do　anything；　risk　anything　to　see　her。
　For　years　he　had　tried　to　avoid　these　hunters；　knowing　that　he　was　always　pursued。　He　had　been　the　leader　of　the　Whites　in　his　area　across　the　Trans…Siberian　Railroad　and　he　had　killed　many　Reds。　At　length　he　had　wearied　of　the　killing　and　in　1919　had　left　for　Shanghai　and　a　new　home　until　the　Japanese　armies　came；　escaping　them　to　join　Chinese　guerrillas；　fighting　his　way　south　and　west　to　Chungking；　there　to　join　other　marauders；　English；　French；　Australian；　Chinese　…　anyone　who　would　pay　…　until　the　Japanese　unconditionally　surrendered；　and　so　back　to　Shanghai　again；　soon　to　flee　once　more。　Always　fleeing；　he　thought。
　By　the　blood　of　Christ；　my　darling；　I　know　you're　dead。　I　know　it。　I　was　told　by　someone　who　saw　the　mob　sack　our　palace；　saw　them　swarm　over　you。　。。。
　But　now？
　Are　you　really　alive？
　Travkin　looked　at　the　kitchen　door　with　hatred；　knowing　he　would　forever　be　haunted　until　he　was　certain　about　her。　Who　is　that　shit　eater？　he　thought。　How　did　they　find　me？
　Grimly　he　waited　and　waited　and　then　in　sudden　panic　went　to　find　him。　The　toilet　was　empty。　He　rushed　into　the　street　but　it　was　filled　with　other　people。　The　man　had　vanished。
　There　was　a　vile　taste　in　Travkin's　mouth　now　and　he　was　sick　with　apprehension。　In　the　name　of　God；　what　does　he　want　with　the　tai…pan？
　
　33
　
　5：50　P。M。：
　〃Hello；　Ian；〃　Penelope　said。　〃You're　home　early！　How　was　your　day？〃
　〃Fine；　fine；〃　Dunross　said　absently。　Apart　from　all　the　disasters；　just　before　he　left　the　office　he　had　had　a　call　from　Brian　Kwok　saying；　among　other　things；　that　AMG　was　probably　murdered　and　warned　him　to　take　serious　precautions。
　〃Oh；　it　was　one　of　those；　was　it？〃　she　said　at　once。　〃How　about　a　drink？　Yes。　How　about　champagne？〃
　〃Good　idea。〃　Then　he　noticed　her　smile　and　smiled　back　and　felt　much　better。　〃Penn；　you're　a　mind　reader！〃　He　tossed　his　briefcase　onto　a　sideboard　and　followed　her　into　one　of　the　sitting　rooms　of　the　Great　House。　The　champagne　was　already　in　an　ice　bucket；　opened；　with　two　glasses　partially　filled　and　another　waiting　for　him　in　the　ice。
　〃Kathy's　upstairs。　She's　reading　Glenna　a　bedtime　story；〃　Penelope　said；　pouring　for　him。　〃She　。。。　she's　just　told　me　about　。。。　about　the；　about　the　disease。〃
　〃Oh。〃　He　accepted　the　glass。　〃Thanks。　How's　Andrew　taking　it？　He　didn't　mention　anything　today。〃
　〃She's　going　to　tell　him　tonight。　The　champagne　was　to　give　her　some　courage。〃　Penelope　looked　up　at　him；　anguished。　〃She's　going　to　be　all　right；　isn't　she；　Ian？〃
　〃I　think　so。　I　had　a　long　talk　with　Doc　Tooley。　He　was　encouraging；　gave　me　the　names　of　the　top　three　experts　in　England　and　another　three　in　America。　I've　cabled　for　appointments　with　the　three　in　England　and　Doc　Ferguson's　air…mailing　them　case　histories　…　they'll　be　there　when　you　arrive。〃
　She　sipped　her　wine。　A　light　breeze　made　the　sultry　day　much　better。　The　French　doors　were　open　to　the　garden。　It　was　near　six　o'clock。　〃Do　you　think　we　should　go　at　once？　Will　a　few　days　make　any　difference？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃But　we　should　go？〃
　〃If　it　were　you；　Penn；　we'd've　been　on　the　first　plane　the　very　first　moment。〃
　〃Yes。　If　I'd　told　you。〃
　〃You　would　have　told　me。〃
　〃Yes。　I　suppose　I　would。　I've　made　reservations　for　tomorrow。　Kathy　thought　it　a　good　idea　too。　The　BOAC　flight。〃
　He　was　startled。　〃Claudia　never　mentioned　it。〃
　She　smiled。　〃I　made　them　myself。　I'm　really　quite　capable。　I've　reservations　for　Glenna；　me　and　Kathy。　We　could　take　the　case　histories　with　us。　I　thought　Kathy　should　go　without　any　of　her　children。　They'll　be　perfectly　all　right　with　the　amahs。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　much　the　best。　Doc　Tooley　was　adamant　about　her　taking　it　easy。　That's　the　main　thing　he　said；　lots　of　rest。〃　Dunross　smiled　at　her。　〃Thanks；　Penn。〃
　She　was　staring　at　the　beads　of　condensation　on　the　outside　of　the　bottle　and　the　ice　bucket。　〃Bloody　awful；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Worse；　Penn。　There's　no　cure。　He　thinks　。。。　he　thinks　the　medication　will　arrest　it。〃　He　finished　his　glass　and　poured　for　both　of　them。　〃Any　messages？〃
　〃Oh；　sorry！　Yes；　they're　on　the　sideboard。　There　was　a　long…distance　call　from　Marseilles　a　moment　ago。〃
　〃Susanne？〃
　〃No。　A　Mr。　Deland。〃
　〃He's　our　agent　there。〃
　〃Rotten　about　young　Borge。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Dunross　skimmed　the　messages。　Johnjohn　at　the　bank；　Holdbrook；　Phillip　Chen；　and　the　inevitable　catchall　〃please　call　Claudia。〃　He　sighed。　It　was　only　half　an　hour　since　he　left　the　office　and　he　was　going　to　call　her　anyway。　No　rest　for　the　wicked；　he　thought；　and　smiled　to　himself。
　He　had　enjoyed　besting　Gornt　at　the　exchange。　That　he　did　not　have　the　money　at　the　moment　to　pay　did　not　worry　him。　There's　five　days　of　grace；　he　thought。　Everything's　covered　…　with　joss。　Ah　yes；　joss！
　Since　his　stockbroker　had　called　him　in　panic　at　a　few　minutes　past　ten　about　the　rumors　sweeping　the　exchange　and　how　their　stock　was　shifting；　he　had　been　bolstering　his　defenses　against　the　sudden；　unexpected　attack。　With　Phillip　Chen；　Holdbrook；　Gavallan　and　deVille　he　had　marshaled　all　the　major　stockholders　they　could　reach　and　told　them　that　the　rumors　Struan's　couldn't　meet　their　obligations　were　nonsense　and　suggested　they　refuse　to　lend　Gornt　any　big　blocks　of　Struan　stock　but　to　keep　him　dangling；　letting　him　have　a　few　shares　here　and　there。　He　told　the　selected　few　in　the　strictest　confidence　that　the　Par…Con　deal　was　signed；　sealed　and　about　to　be　chopped；　and　that　this　was　a　marvelous　opportunity　to　smash　Rothwell…Gornt　once　and　for　all。
　〃If　Gornt　sells　short；　let　him。　We　pretend　to　be　vulnerable　but　support　the　stock。　Then　Friday　we　announce；　our　stock'll　soar　and　he'll　lose　his　shirt；　tie　and　trousers；〃　he　had　told　them　all。　〃We　get　back　our　airline　along　with　his；　and　with　his　ships　and　ours　together；　we'll　dominate　all　air　and　surface　inbound　and　outbound　trade　in　Asia。〃
　If　we　could　really　smash　Gornt；　he　thought　fervently；　we'd　be　safe　for　generations。　And　we　could；　given　joss；　Par…Con　and　more　joss。　Christ；　but　it's　going　to　be　very　dicey！
　He　had　exuded　confidence　all　day；　not　feeling　confident　at　all。　Many　of　his　big　stockholders　had　called　nervously　but　he　had　quieted　them。　Both　Tightfist　Tung　and　Four　Finger　Wu　owned　major　blocks　of　stock　through　devious　nominees。　He　had　phoned　both　this　afternoon　to　get　their　agreement　not　to　loan　or　sell　their　major　holdings　for　the　next　week　or　so。　Both　had　agreed　but　it　had　not　been　easy　with　either　of　them。
　All　in　all；　Dunross　thought；　I've　fought　off　the　initial　onslaught。　Tomorrow　will　tell　the　real　story　…　or　Friday：　is　Bartlett　enemy；　friend　or　Judas？
　He　felt　his　anger　rising　but　he　pushed　it　back。　Be　calm；　he　told　himself；　think　calmly。　I　will　but　it's　bloody　curious　that　everything　Bartlett　said　the　night　of　the　party　…　all　those　very　secret　things　he　had　so　readily　and　suddenly　produced　to　shatter　my　defenses　…　miraculously　went　through　the　market　today　like　a　typhoon。　Who's　the　spy？　Who　gave　him　the　info？　Is　he　the　Sevrin　spy　too？　Well；　never　mind　for　the　moment；　everything's　covered。　I　think。
　Dunross　went　to　the　phone　and　asked　the　operator　to　get　Mr。　Deland；　person　to　person；　and　to　call　him　back。
　〃Would　Susanne　be　there　yet？〃　Penelope　asked。
　〃I　think　so。　If　her　plane's　on　time。　It's　about　eleven；　Marseilles　time；　so　it　shouldn't　be　an　emergency。　Bloody　shame　about　Borge！　I　liked　him。〃
　〃What's　Avril　going　to　do？〃
　〃She's　going　to　be　all　right。　Avril's　going　to　e　home　to　bring　up　the　child　and　soon　she'll　meet　a　Prince　Charming；　a　new　one；　and　her　son'll　join　Struan's　and　meanwhile　she'll　be　protected　and　cherished。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　that；　Ian　…　about　the　Prince　Charming？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　firmly。　〃I　believe　everything　will　be　all　right。　It's　going　to　be　all　right；　Penn；　for　her；　for　Kathy；　for　。。。　for　everyone。〃
　〃You　can't　carry　everyone；　Ian。〃
　〃I　know。　But　no　one；　no　one　in　the　family　will　ever　need　for　anythin