jamesclavell.noblehouse-第135节

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　〃Wherever　there's　a　willing　buyer　of　anything；　there'll　always　be　a　seller；〃　Gavallan　said；　irritated　by　her。　He　glanced　out　of　the　windows　and　wished　he　was　back　in　Shanghai。　〃Take　Vietnam；　your　Algiers。〃
　〃Sir？〃　Casey　said。
　Gavallan　glanced　back　at　her。　〃I　mean　that　Vietnam　will　bleed　your　economy　to　death　as　it　did　to　France　and　as　Algiers　also　did　to　France。〃
　〃We'll　never　go　into　Vietnam；〃　Bartlett　said　confidently。　〃Why　should　we？　Vietnam's　nothing　to　do　with　us。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　Mata　said；　〃but　nevertheless　the　States　is　having　a　growing　involvement　there。　In　fact；　Mr。　Bartlett；　I　think　you're　being　sucked　into　the　abyss。〃
　〃In　what　way？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃I　think　the　Soviets　have　deliberately　enticed　you　into　Vietnam。　You'll　send　in　troops　but　they　won't。　You'll　be　fighting　Viets　and　the　jungle；　and　the　Soviets　will　be　the　winners。　Your　CIA's　already　there　in　strength。　They're　running　an　airline。　Even　now　airfields　are　being　constructed　with　U。S。　money；　U。S。　arms　are　pouring　in。　You've　soldiers　fighting　there　already。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　Casey　said。
　〃You　can。　They're　called　Special　Forces；　sometimes　Delta　Force。　So　sorry　but　Vietnam's　going　to　be　a　big　problem　for　your　government　unless　it's　very　smart。〃
　Bartlett　said　confidently；　〃Thank　God　it　is。　JFK　handled　Cuba。　He'll　handle　Vietnam　too。　He　made　the　Big　K　back　off　there　and　he　can　do　it　again。　We　won　that　time。　The　Soviets　took　their　missiles　out。〃
　Gavallan　was　grimly　amused。　〃You　should　talk　to　Ian　about　Cuba；　old　chap；　that　really　gets　him　going。　He　says；　and　I　agree；　you　lost。　The　Soviets　sucked　you　into　another　trap。　A　fool's　mate。　He　believes　they　built　their　sites　almost　openly　…　wanting　you　to　detect　them　and　you　did　and　then　there　was　a　lot　of　saber…rattling；　the　whole　world's　frightened　to　death；　and　in　exchange　for　the　Soviet　agreement　to　take　the　missiles　out　of　Cuba　your　President　tore　up　your　Monroe　Doctrine；　the　cornerstone　of　your　whole　security　system。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Certainly。　Didn't　JFK　give　Khrushchev　a　written　promise　not　to　invade　Cuba；　not　to　permit　an　invasion　from　American　territory　…　or　from　any　other　place　in　the　Western　Hemisphere？　Written；　by　God！　So　now；　a　hostile　European　power；　Soviet　Russia；　totally　against　your　Monroe　Doctrine；　is　openly　established　ninety　miles　off　your　coast；　the　borders　of　which　are　guaranteed　in　writing　by　your　own　President　and　ratified　by　your　own　Congress。　The　Big　K　pulled　off　a　colossal　coup　never　duplicated　in　your　whole　history。　And　all　for　nothing！〃　Gavallan's　voice　harshened。　〃Now　Cuba's　nicely　safe；　thank　you　very　much；　where　it'll　grow；　expand　and　eventually　infect　all　South　America。　Safe　for　Soviet　subs；　ships；　aircraft。　。。。　Christ　almighty　that's　certainly　a　marvelous　victory！〃
　Casey　looked　at　Bartlett；　shocked。　〃But　surely；　Linc；　surely　that's　not　right。〃
　Bartlett　was　as　shocked。　〃I　guess　。。。　if　you　think　about　it；　Casey；　I　guess。　。。。　It　sure　as　hell　cost　them　nothing。〃
　〃Ian's　convinced　of　it；〃　Gavallan　said。　〃Talk　to　him。　As　to　Vietnam；　no　one　here　thinks　President　Kennedy　can　handle　that　either；　much　as　we　admire　him　personally。　Asia's　not　like　Europe；　or　the　Americas。　They　think　differently　here；　act　differently　and　have　different　values。〃
　There　was　a　sudden　silence。　Bartlett　broke　it。　〃You　think　there'll　be　war　then？〃
　Gavallan　glanced　at　him。　〃Nothing　for　you　to　worry　about。　Par…Con　should　do　very　well。　You've　heavy　industry；　puters；　polyurethane　foam；　government　contracts　into　aerospace；　petrochemicals；　sonics；　wireless　equipment　。。。　With　your　goods　and　our　expertise　if　there's　a　war；　well；　the　sky's　the　limit。〃
　〃I　don't　think　I'd　like　to　profit　that　way；〃　Casey　said；　irritated　by　him。　〃That's　a　lousy　way　to　earn　a　buck。〃
　Gavallan　turned　on　her。　〃A　lot　of　things　on　this　earth　are　lousy；　and　wrong　and　unfair。　。。。〃　He　was　going　to　give　her　both　barrels；　infuriated　with　the　way　she　kept　interrupting　his　conversation　with　Bartlett　but　he　decided　that　now　was　not　the　time；　nor　the　place；　so　he　said　pleasantly；　〃But　of　course　you're　right。　No　one　wants　to　profit　from　death。　If　you'll　excuse　me　I'll　be　going。　。。。　You　know　everyone　has　place　cards？　Dinner'll　start　any　moment。　Matter　of　face。〃
　He　walked　off。
　Casey　said；　〃I　don't　think　he　likes　me　at　all。〃
　They　laughed　at　the　way　she　said　it。　〃What　you　said　was　right；　Casey；〃　Orlanda　told　her。　〃You　were　right。　War　is　terrible。〃
　〃You　were　here　during　it？〃　Casey　asked　innocently。
　〃Yes；　but　in　Macao。　I'm　Portuguese。　My　mother　told　me　it　wasn't　too　bad　there。　The　Japanese　didn't　trouble　Macao　because　Portugal　was　neutral。〃　Orlanda　added　sweetly；　〃Of　course　I'm　only　twenty…five　now　so　1　hardly　remember　any　of　it。　I　was　not　quite　seven　when　the　war　ended。　Macao's　nice；　Casey。　So　different　from　Hong　Kong。　You　and　Linc　might　like　to　go　there。　It's　worth　seeing。　I'd　love　to　be　your　guide。〃
　I'll　bet；　Casey　thought；　feeling　her　twenty…six　was　old　against　Orlanda　who　had　the　skin　of　a　seventeen…year…old。　〃That'd　be　great。　But　Lando；　what's　with　Andrew？　Why　was　he　so　teed　off？　Because　I'm　a　woman　VP　and　all　that？〃
　〃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。
　
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　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；　th