jamesclavell.noblehouse-第14节

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'll　see　you　shortly。〃
　〃Yes；　thanks。　See　you。〃
　〃Please　follow　me；　Miss　Tchuluck；〃　Mary　Li　said　and　started　down　the　hall；　her　chong…sam　tight　and　slit　high　on　her　thighs；　long　silk…stockinged　legs　and　saucy　walk。　Casey　watched　her　for　a　moment。　It　must　be　the　cut　that　makes　their　walk　so　blatantly　sexual；　she　thought；　amused　by　such　obviousness。　She　glanced　at　Dunross　and　raised　an　eyebrow。
　He　grinned。　〃See　you　later；　Miss　Tcholok。〃
　〃Please　call　me　Casey。〃
　〃Perhaps　I'd　prefer　Kamalian　Ciranoush。〃
　She　gaped　at　him。　〃How　do　you　know　my　names？　I　doubt　if　even　Linc　remembers。〃
　〃Ah；　it　pays　to　have　friends　in　high　places；　doesn't　it？〃　he　said　with　a　smile。　〃à　bient？t。〃
　〃Oui；　merci；〃　she　replied　automatically。
　He　strode　for　the　elevator　opposite　and　pressed　the　button。　The　doors　opened　instantly　and　closed　after　him。
　Thoughtfully　Casey　walked　after　Mary　Li　who　was　waiting；　ears　still　tuned　for　every　nuance。
　Inside　the　elevator　Dunross　took　out　a　key　and　inserted　it　into　the　lock　and　twisted　it。　Now　the　elevator　was　activated。　It　serviced　the　top　two　floors　only。　He　pressed　the　lower　button。　Only　three　other　persons　had　similar　keys：　Claudia　Chen；　his　executive　secretary；　his　personal　secretary；　Sandra　Yi；　and　his　Number　One　Houseboy；　Lim　Chu。
　The　twenty…first　floor　contained　his　private　offices；　and　the　Inner　Court　boardroom。　The　twenty…second；　the　penthouse；　was　the　tai…pan's　personal　suite。　And　he　alone　had　the　key　to　the　last　private　elevator　that　connected　the　basement　garage　directly　with　the　penthouse。
　〃Ian；〃　his　predecessor　tai…pan；　Alastair　Struan；　had　said　when　he　handed　over　the　keys　after　Phillip　Chen　had　left　them；　〃your　privacy's　the　most　valuable　thing　you　have。　That　too　Dirk　Struan　laid　down　in　his　legacy　and　how　wise　he　was！　Never　forget；　the　private　lifts　aren't　for　luxury　or　ostentation；　any　more　than　the　tai…pan's　suite　is。　They're　there　just　to　give　you　the　measure　of　secrecy　you'll　need；　perhaps　even　a　place　to　hide　yourself。　You'll　understand　better　after　you've　read　the　legacy　and　been　through　the　tai…pan's　safe。　Guard　that　safe　with　all　you've　got。　You　can't　be　too　careful；　there's　lots　of　secrets　there　…　too　many　I　think　sometimes　…　and　some　are　not　so　pretty。〃
　〃I　hope　I　won't　fail；〃　he　had　said　politely；　detesting　his　cousin；　his　excitement　huge　that　at　long　last　he　had　the　prize　he　had　worked　so　hard　to　achieve　and　gambled　so　much　for。
　〃You　won't。　Not　you；〃　the　old　man　had　said　tautly。　〃You've　been　tested；　and　you've　wanted　the　job　ever　since　you　could　think。　Eh？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Dunross　had　said。　〃I've　tried　to　train　for　it。　Yes。　I'm　only　surprised　you've　given　it　to　me。〃
　〃You're　being　given　the　ultimate　in　Struan's　not　because　of　your　birthright　…　that　only　made　you　eligible　for　the　Inner　Court　…　but　because　I　think　you're　the　best　we've　got　to　follow　me；　and　you've　been　conniving　and　pushing　and　shoving　for　years。　That's　the　truth；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Struan's　needs　changing。　Let's　have　more　truth：　The　Noble　House　is　in　a　mess。　It's　not　all　your　fault；　there　was　the　war；　then　Korea；　then　Suez　…　you've　had　bad　joss　for　several　years。　It'll　take　years　to　make　us　safe。　If　Quillan　Gornt　…　or　any　one　of　twenty　enemies　…　knew　half　the　truth；　knew　how　far　we're　overextended；　we'd　be　drowned　in　our　own　useless　paper　within　the　week。〃
　〃Our　paper's　good　…　it's　not　useless！　You're　exaggerating　…　as　usual！〃
　〃It's　worth　twenty　cents　on　the　dollar　because　we've　insufficient　capital；　not　enough　cash　flow　and　we're　absolutely　in　mortal　danger。〃
　〃Rubbish！〃
　〃Is　it？〃　Dunross's　voice　had　sharpened　for　the　first　time。　〃Rothwell…Gornt　could　swallow　us　in　a　month　if　they　knew　the　value　of　our　present　accounts　receivable；　against　our　pressing　liabilities。〃
　The　old　man　had　just　stared　at　him　without　answering。　Then　he　said；　〃It's　a　temporary　condition。　Seasonable　and　temporary。〃
　〃Rubbish！　You　know　very　well　you're　giving　me　the　job　because　I'm　the　only　man　who　can　clean　up　the　mess　you　leave；　you；　my　father；　and　your　brother。〃
　〃Aye；　I'm　gambling　you　can。　That's　true　enough；〃　Alastair　had　flared　at　him。　〃Aye。　You've　surely　got　the　right　amount　of　Devil　Struan　in　your　blood　to　serve　that　master　if　you've　a　mind。〃
　〃Thank　you。　I　admit　I'll　let　nothing　stand　in　my　way。　And　since　this　is　a　night　for　truth；　I　can　tell　you　why　you've　always　hated　me；　why　my　own　father　has　also　hated　me。〃
　〃Can　you　now？〃
　〃Yes。　It's　because　I　survived　the　war　and　your　son　didn't　and　your　nephew；　Linbar；　the　last　of　your　branch　of　the　Struan's；　is　a　nice　lad　but　useless。　Yes；　I　survived　but　my　poor　brothers　didn't；　and　that's　still　sending　my　father　around　the　bend。　It's　the　truth；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Alastair　Struan　had　said。　〃Aye；　I'm　afraid　it　is。〃
　〃I'm　not　afraid　it　is。　I'm　not　afraid　of　anything。　Granny　Dunross　saw　to　that。〃
　
　〃Heya；　tai…pan；〃　Claudia　Chen　said　brightly　as　the　elevator　door　opened。　She　was　a　jolly；　gray…haired　Eurasian　woman　in　her　mid…sixties；　and　she　sat　behind　a　huge　desk　that　dominated　the　twenty…first…floor　foyer。　She　had　served　the　Noble　House　for　forty…two　years　and　succeeding　tai…pans；　exclusively；　for　twenty…five　of　them。　〃Neh　hoh　mah？〃　How're　you？
　〃Ho　ho；〃　he　replied　absently。　Good。　Then　in　English；　〃Did　Bartlett　call？〃
　〃No。〃　She　frowned。　〃He's　not　expected　until　lunch。　Do　you　want　me　to　try　to　reach　him？〃
　〃No；　never　mind。　What　about　my　call　to　Foster　in　Sydney？〃
　〃That's　not　through　either。　Or　your　call　to　Mr。　MacStruan　in　Edinburgh。　Something's　troubling　you？〃　she　asked；　having　instantly　sensed　his　mood。
　〃What？　Oh；　no；　nothing。〃　He　threw　off　his　tension　and　walked　past　her　desk　into　his　office　that　overlooked　the　harbor　and　sat　in　an　easy　chair　beside　the　phone。　She　closed　the　door　and　sat　down　nearby；　her　notepad　ready。
　〃I　was　just　remembering　my　D　Day；〃　he　said。　〃The　day　I　took　over。〃
　〃Oh。　Joss；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Joss；〃　she　repeated；　〃and　a　long　time　ago。〃
　He　laughed。　〃Long　time？　It's　forty　lifetimes。　It's　barely　three　years　but　the　whole　world's　changed　and　it's　going　so　fast。　What's　the　next　couple　of　years　going　to　be　like？〃
　〃More　of　the　same；　tai…pan。　I　hear　you　met　Miss　Casey　Tcholok　at　our　front　door。〃
　〃Eh；　who　told　you　that？〃　he　asked　sharply。
　〃Great　good　God；　tai…pan；　I　can't　reveal　my　sources。　But　I　heard　you　stared　at　her　and　she　stared　at　you。　Heya？〃
　〃Nonsense！　Who　told　you　about　her？〃
　〃Last　night　I　called　the　hotel　to　see　that　everything　was　all　right。　The　manager　told　me。　Do　you　know　that　silly　man　was　going　to　be　'overbooked'？　Huh；　if　they　share　a　suite　or　a　bed　or　don't；　never　mind　I　told　him。　This　is　1963　and　the　modern　age　with　lots　of　liberations；　and　anyway　it's　a　fine　suite　with　two　entrances　and　separate　rooms　and　most　important　they're　our　guests。〃　She　chortled。　〃I　pulled　a　little　rank。　。。。　Ayeeyah；　power　is　a　pretty　toy。〃
　〃Did　you　tell　young　Linbar　or　the　others；　about　K。　C。　being　female？〃
　〃No。　No　one。　I　knew　you　knew。　Barbara　Chen　told　me　Master　John　had　already　phoned　you　about　Casey　Tcholok。　What's　she　like？〃
　〃Beddable　would　be　one　word；〃　he　said　and　grinned。
　〃Yes　…　but　what　else？〃
　Dunross　thought　a　moment。　〃She's　very　attractive；　very　well　dressed　…　though　subdued　today；　for　our　benefit　I　imagine。　Very　confident　and　very　observant　…　she　noticed　the　front　door　was　out　of　whack　and　asked　about　it。〃　He　picked　up　an　ivory　paper　knife　and　toyed　with　it。　〃John　didn't　like　her　at　all。　He　said　he'd　bet　she　was　one　of　those　pathetic　American　women　who're　like　California　fruit：　great　to　look　at；　with　plenty　of　body；　but　no　taste　whatsoever！〃
　〃Poor　Master　John；　much　as　he　likes　America；　he　does　prefer　certain；　er；　aspects　of　Asia！〃
　Dunross　laughed。　〃How　clever　a　negotiator　she　is　we'll　soon　find　out。〃　He　smiled。　〃I　sent　her　in　unannounced。〃
　〃I'll　wager　50　HK　at　least　one　of　them　knew　in　advance　she　was　a　she。〃
　〃Phillip　Chen　of　course　…　but　that　old　fox　wouldn't　tell　the　others。　A　hundred　says　neither　Linbar；　Jacques　or　Andrew　Gavallan　knew。〃
　〃Done；〃　Claudia　said　happily。　〃You　can　pay　me　now；　tai…pan。　I　checked　very　discreetly；　this　morning。〃
　〃Take　it　out　of　petty　cash；〃　he　told　her　sourly。
　〃So　sorry。〃　She　held　out　her　hand。　〃A　bet　is　a　bet；　tai…pan。〃
　Reluctantly　he　gave　her　the　red　one…hundred…dollar　note。
　〃Thank　you。　Now；　a　hundred　says　Casey　Tcholok　will　walk　all　over　Master　Linbar；　Master　Jacques　and　Andrew　Gavallan。〃
　〃What　do　you　know？〃　he　asked　her　suspiciously。　〃Eh？〃
　〃A　hundred？〃
　〃All　right。〃
　〃Excellent！〃　she　said　briskly；　changing　the　subject。　〃What　about　the　dinners　for　Mr。　Bartlett？　The　golf　match　and　the　trip　to　Taipei？　Of　course；　you　can't　take　a　woman　along　on　those。　Shall　I　cancel　them？〃
　〃No。　I'll　talk　to　Bartlett　…　he'll　understand。　I　did　invite　her　to　Saturday's　races　though；　with　him。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　two　too　many。　I'll　cancel　the　Pangs；　they　won't　mind。　Do　you　want　to　sit　them　together　at　your　table？〃
　Dunross　frowned。　〃She　should　be　at　my　table；　guest　of　honor；　and　sit　him　next　to　Penelope；　guest　of　honor。〃
　〃Very　well。　I'll　call　Mrs。　Dunross　and　tell　her。　Oh　and　Barbara　…　Master　John's　wife　…　wants　to　talk　with　you。〃　Claudia　sighed　and　smoothed　a　crease　in　her　neat　dark　blue　chong…sam。　〃Master　John　didn't　e　back　last　nigh