jamesclavell.noblehouse-第121节

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　〃You　can't　carry　everyone；　Ian。〃
　〃I　know。　But　no　one；　no　one　in　the　family　will　ever　need　for　anything　while　I'm　alive　and　that's　going　to　be　forever。〃
　His　wife　looked　at　him　and　remembered　the　first　time　she　had　seen　him；　a　godlike　youth　sitting　in　his　shattered　fighter　that　should　have　crashed　but　somehow　miraculously　hadn't。　Ian；　just　sitting　there；　then　getting　out；　holding　the　terror　down；　she　seeing　in　his　eyes　for　the　first　time　what　death　was　like　but　him　dominating　it　and　ing　back　and　just　accepting　the　cup　of　tea　saying；　〃Oh；　jolly　good；　thanks。　You're　new；　aren't　you？〃　in　his　lovely　patrician　accent　that　was　so　far　from　her　own　background。
　Such　a　long　time　ago；　a　thousand　years　ago；　another　lifetime；　she　thought。　Such　wonderful　ghastly　terrible　beautiful　agonizing　days：　will　he　die　today　or　e　back　today？　Will　I　die　today；　in　the　morning　bombing　or　in　the　evening　one？　Where's　Dad　and　Mum　and　is　the　phone　just　bombed　out　of　service　as　usual　or　has　the　rotten　little　terraced　house　in　Streatham　vanished　along　with　all　the　other　thousands　like　it？
　One　day　it　had　and　then　she　had　no　past。　Just　Ian　and　his　arms　and　strength　and　confidence；　and　she　terrified　that　he　would　go　like　all　the　others。　That　was　the　worst　part；　she　told　herself。　The　waiting　and　anticipating　and　knowing　how　mortal　the　Few　were　and　we　all　are。　My　God　how　quickly　we　had　to　grow　up！
　〃I　hope　it　is　forever；　darling；〃　she　said　in　her　cool；　flat　voice；　wanting　to　hide　the　immensity　of　her　love。　〃Yes。　I　want　you　to　be　immortal！〃
　He　grinned　at　her；　loving　her。　〃I'm　immortal；　Penn；　never　mind。　After　I'm　dead　I'll　still　be　watching　over　you　and　Glenna　and　Duncan　and　Adryon　and　all　the　rest。〃
　She　watched　him。　〃Like　Dirk　Struan　does？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said　serious　now。　〃He's　a　presence　I'll　never　match。　He's　perpetual　…　I'm　temporary。〃　His　eyes　were　watching　hers。　〃You're　rather　serious　tonight；　aren't　you？〃
　〃You're　rather　serious　tonight；　aren't　you？〃
　They　laughed。　She　said；　〃I　was　just　thinking　how　transient　life　is；　how　violent；　unexpected；　how　cruel。　First　John　Chen　and　now　Borge；　Kathy　。。。〃　A　little　shiver　went　through　her；　ever　petrified　she　would　lose　him。　〃Who's　next？〃
　〃Any　one　of　us。　Meanwhile　be　Chinese。　Remember　under　heaven　all　crows　are　black。　Life　is　good。　Gods　make　mistakes　and　go　to　sleep　so　we　do　the　best　we　can　and　never　trust　a　quai　loh！〃
　She　laughed；　at　peace　again。　〃There　are　times；　Ian　Struan　Dunross；　when　I　quite　like　you。　Do　you　th…　〃　The　phone　rang　and　she　stopped　and　thought；　God　curse　that　bloody　phone。　If　I　was　omnipotent　I'd　outlaw　all　phones　after　6：00　p。m。　but　then　poor　Ian'd　go　mad；　and　the　bloody　Noble　House'd　crumble　and　that's　poor　Ian's　life。　I'm　second；　so　are　the　children　and　that's　as　it　should　be。　Isn't　it？
　〃Oh　hello；　Lando；〃　Dunross　was　saying；　〃what's　new？〃
　〃Hope　I'm　not　disturbing　you；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　he　replied；　all　his　energy　concentrated。　〃I've　just　got　in。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　〃Sorry；　but　I'm　withdrawing　the　15　million　support　I　promised　for　tomorrow。　Temporarily。　The　market　makes　me　nervous。〃
　〃Nothing　to　worry　about；〃　Dunross　said；　his　stomach　churning。　〃Gornt's　up　to　his　tricks。　That's　all。〃
　〃I'm　really　very　worried。　It's　not　just　Gornt。　It's　the　Ho…Pak　and　the　way　the　whole　market's　reacting；〃　Mata　said。　〃With　the　bank　run　seeping　over　to　the　Ching　Prosperity　and　even　the　Vic　。。。　all　the　signs　are　very　bad　so　I　want　to　wait　and　see。〃
　〃Tomorrow's　the　day；　Lando。　Tomorrow。　I　was　counting　on　you。〃
　〃Have　you　tripled　our　next　gold　consignment　as　I　asked？〃
　〃Yes；　I　did　that　personally。　I've　Zurich's　telexed　confirms　in　the　usual　code。〃
　〃Excellent；　excellent！〃
　〃I'll　need　your　letter　of　credit　tomorrow。〃
　〃Of　course。　If　you'll　send　a　messenger　to　my　home　now　I'll　give　you　my　check　for　the　full　amount。〃
　〃Personal　check？〃　Dunross　held　on　to　his　astonishment。　〃On　which　bank；　Lando？〃
　〃The　Victoria。〃
　〃Christ；　that's　a　lot　of　money　to　remove　just　now。〃
　〃I'm　not　removing　it；　I'm　just　paying　for　some　gold。　I'd　rather　have　some　of　my　funds　in　gold　outside　Hong　Kong　for　the　next　week　or　so；　and　this's　an　ideal　moment　to　do　it。　You　can　get　them　to　telex　it　first　thing　tomorrow。　First　thing。　Yes。　I'm　not　withdrawing　funds；　Ian；　just　paying　for　gold。　If　I　were　you　I'd　try　to　get　liquid　too。〃
　Again　his　stomach　fell　over。　〃What　have　you　heard？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　controlled。
　〃You　know　me；　I'm　just　more　cautious　than　you；　tai…pan。　The　cost　of　my　money　es　very　high。〃
　〃No　more　than　mine。〃
　〃Yes。　We'll　consult　tomorrow；　then　we'll　see。　But　don't　count　on　our　15　million。　Sorry。〃
　〃You've　heard　something。　I　know　you　too　well。　What　is　it？　Chi　pao　pu　chu　huo。〃　Literally；　Paper　cannot　wrap　up　a　fire；　meaning　a　secret　cannot　be　kept　forever。
　There　was　a　long　pause；　then　Mata　said　in　a　lower　voice；　〃Confidentially；　Ian；　old　Tightfist's　selling　heavily。　He's　getting　ready　to　unload　all　his　holdings。　That　old　devil　may　be　dying　but　his　nose　is　as　sensitive　to　the　loss　of　a　brass　cash　as　ever　and　I've　never　known　him　to　be　wrong。〃
　〃All　his　holdings？〃　Dunross　asked　sharply。　〃When　did　you　talk　to　him？〃
　〃We've　been　in　contact　all　day。　Why？〃
　〃I　reached　him　after　lunch　and　he　promised　he　wouldn't　sell　or　loan　any　Struan's。　Has　he　changed　his　mind？〃
　〃No。　I'm　sure　he　hasn't。　He　can't。　He　hasn't　any　Struan　stock。〃
　〃He　has　400；000　shares！〃
　〃He　did　have；　tai…pan；　though　actually　the　number　was　nearer　600；000　…　Sir　Luis　had　very　few　shares　of　his　own；　he's　one　of　Tightfist's　many　nominees。　He's　unloaded　all　600；000　shares。　Today。〃
　Dunross　bit　back　an　obscenity。　〃Oh？〃
　〃Listen；　my　young　friend；　this　is　all　in　the　strictest　confidence　but　you　should　be　prepared：　Tightfist　ordered　Sir　Luis　to　sell　or　loan　all　his　Noble　House　stock　the　moment　the　rumors　started　this　morning。　100；000　was　spread　throughout　the　brokers　and　sold　immediately；　the　remainder　。。。　the　half　million　shares　you　bought　from　Gornt　were　Tightfist's。　The　moment　it　was　evident　there　was　a　major　assault　on　the　House　and　Gornt　was　selling　short；　Tightfist　told　Sir　Luis　to　go　ahead　and　loan　it　all；　except　for　a　token　1；000　shares；　which　he's　kept。　For　face。　Yours。　When　the　exchange　closed；　Tightfist　was　very　pleased。　On　the　day　he's　almost　2　million　ahead。〃
　Dunross　was　standing　rock　still。　He　heard　that　his　voice　was　matter…of…fact　and　level　and　controlled　and　that　pleased　him；　but　he　was　in　shock。　If　Tightfist　had　sold；　the　Chins　would　sell　and　a　dozen　other　friends　would　follow　his　lead　and　that　meant　chaos。　〃The　old　bugger！〃　he　said；　bearing　him　no　grudge。　It　was　his　own　fault；　he　had　not　reached　Tightfist　in　time。　〃Lando；　what　about　your　300；000　shares　…　plus？〃
　He　heard　the　Portuguese　hesitate　and　his　stomach　twisted　again。　〃I've　still　got　them。　I　bought　at　16　when　you　first　went　public　so　I'm　not　worried　yet。　Perhaps　Alastair　Struan　was　right　when　he　advised　against　going　public　…　the　Noble　House's　only　vulnerable　because　of　that。〃
　〃Our　growth　rate's　five　times　Gornt's　and　without　going　public　we　could　never　have　weathered　the　disasters　I　inherited。　We're　supported　by　the　Victoria。　We've　still　got　our　bank　stock　and　a　majority　vote　on　the　board　so　they　have　to　support　us。　We're　really　very　strong　and　once　this　temporary　situation's　over　we'll　be　the　biggest　conglomerate　in　Asia。〃
　〃Perhaps。　But　perhaps　you'd　have　been　wiser　to　accept　our　proposal　instead　of　leaving　yourself　constantly　open　to　the　risk　of　takeovers　or　market　disasters。〃
　〃I　couldn't　then。　I　can't　now。　Nothing's　changed。〃　Dunross　smiled　grimly。　Lando　Mata；　Tightfist　Tung　and　Gambler　Chin　collectively　had　offered　him　20　percent　of　their　gold　and　gambling　syndicate　revenue　for　50　percent　of　Struan's　…　if　he　kept　it　as　a　wholly　private…owned　pany。
　〃e；　tai…pan；　be　sensible！　Tightfist　and　I　will　give　you　100　million　cash　today　for　50　percent　ownership。　U。S。　dollars。　Your　position　as　tai…pan　will　not　be　touched；　you　will　head　the　new　syndicate　and　manage　our　gold　and　gambling　monopolies；　secretly　or　openly　…　with　10　percent　of　all　profit　as　a　personal　fee。〃
　〃Who　appoints　the　next　tai…pan？〃
　〃You　do　…　in　consultation。〃
　〃There；　you　see！　It's　impossible。　A　50　percent　control　gives　you　power　over　Struan's　and　that　I'm　not　allowed　to　give。　That　would　negate　Dirk's　legacy；　make　my　oath　invalid　and　give　away　absolute　control。　Sorry；　it's　not　possible。〃
　〃Because　of　an　oath　to　an　unknown；　unknowable　god　in　which　you　don't　believe　…　on　behalf　of　a　murdering　pirate　who's　been　dead　over　a　hundred　years？〃
　〃For　whatever　reason　the　answer　is；　thank　you；　no。〃
　〃You　could　easily　lose　the　whole　pany。〃
　〃No。　Between　the　Struans　and　the　Dunrosses　we　have　60　percent　voting　control　and　I　alone　vote　all　the　stock。　What　I'd　lose　is　everything　material　we　own；　and　cease　to　be　the　Noble　House；　and　that　by　the　Lord　God；　is　not　going　to　happen　either。〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。　Then　Mata　said；　his　voice　friendly　as　always；　〃Our　offer　is　good　for　two　weeks。　If　joss　is　against　you　and　you　fail；　the　offer　to　head　the　new　syndicate　stands。　I　shall　sell　or　lend　my　stock　at　21。〃
　〃Below　20　…　not　at　21。〃
　〃It　will　go　that　low？〃
　〃No。　Just　a　habit　I　have。　20　is　better　than　21。〃
　〃Yes。　Good。　Then　let　us　see　what　tom