jamesclavell.noblehouse-第152节

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udia？〃
　〃Superintendent　Kwok　on　line　two。　He　says　it's　important。〃
　〃All　right。　Sorry；　Penn；　got　to　go；　I'll　pick　you　up　in　good　time　for　your　flight。　'Bye；　darling。　。。。　Anything　else；　Claudia？〃
　〃Bill　Foster's　plane　from　Sydney's　delayed　another　hour。　Mr。　Havergill　and　Johnjohn　will　see　you　at　9：30。　I　called　to　confirm。　I　hear　they've　been　at　the　bank　since　six　this　morning。〃
　Dunross's　uneasiness　grew。　He　had　been　trying　to　talk　to　Havergill　since　3：00　p。m。　yesterday　but　the　deputy　chairman　had　not　been　available　and　last　night　was　not　the　time。　〃That's　not　good。　There　was　a　crowd　already　outside　the　bank　when　I　came　in　at　7：30。〃
　〃The　Vic　won't　fail；　will　it？〃
　He　heard　the　anxiety　in　her　voice。　〃If　they　do　we're　all　up　the　spout。〃　He　stabbed　line　two。　〃Hi；　Brian；　what's　up？〃　Brian　Kwok　told　him　about　John　Chen。
　〃Jesus　Christ；　poor　John！　After　giving　them　the　ransom　money　last　night　I　thought　。。。　what　bastards！　He's　been　dead　some　days？〃
　〃Yes。　At　least　three。〃
　〃The　bastards！　Have　you　told　Phillip　or　Dianne？〃
　〃No；　not　yet。　I　wanted　to　tell　you　first。〃
　〃You　want　me　to　call　them？　Phillip's　at　home　now。　After　the　payoff　last　night　I　told　him　to　miss　the　eight　o'clock　morning　meeting。　I'll　call　him　now。〃
　〃No；　Ian；　that's　my　job。　Sorry　to　bring　bad　news　but　I　thought　you　should　know　about　John。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　yes；　old　chum；　thanks。　Listen；　I've　a　do　at　the　governor's　around　seven　but　that'll　be　through　by　10：30。　Would　you　like　a　drink　or　a　late　snack？〃
　〃Yes。　Good　idea。　How　about　the　Quance　Bar　at　the　Mandarin？〃
　〃10：45？〃
　〃Good。　By　the　way；　I've　left　word　for　your　tai…tai　to　go　straight　through　Immigration。　Sorry　to　bring　bad　news。　'Bye。〃
　Dunross　put　down　the　phone；　got　up　and　stared　out　of　the　window。　The　inter　buzzed　but　he　did　not　hear　it。　〃Poor　bugger！〃　he　muttered。　〃What　a　bloody　waste！〃
　There　was　a　discreet　knock；　then　the　door　opened　a　fraction。　Claudia　said；　〃Excuse　me；　tai…pan；　Lando　Mata　on　line　two。〃
　Dunross　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　desk。　〃Hello　Lando；　can　we　meet　at　10：20？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　of　course。　I　heard　about　Zeppelin。　Awful！　I　just　got　out　with　my　own　life！　Damned　fire！　Still；　we　got　out；　eh？　Joss！〃
　〃Have　you　been　in　touch　with　Tightfist　yet？〃
　〃Yes。　He's　arriving　on　the　next　ferry。〃
　〃Good。　Lando；　I　may　need　you　to　back　me　today。〃
　〃But　Ian；　we　went　through　that　last　night。　I　thought　I　ma…　〃
　〃Yes。　But　I　want　your　backing　today。〃　Dunross's　voice　had　hardened。
　There　was　a　long　pause。　〃I'll　。。。　I'll　talk　to　Tightfist。〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　Tightfist　too。　Meanwhile　I'd　like　to　know　I　have　your　backing　now。〃
　〃You've　reconsidered　our　offer？〃
　〃Do　I　have　your　backing；　Lando？　Or　not。〃
　Another　pause。　Mata's　voice　was　more　nervous。　〃I'll　。。。　I'll　tell　you　when　I　see　you　at　10：20。　Sorry；　Ian；　but　I　really　must　talk　to　Tightfist　first。　See　you　for　coffee。　'Bye！〃
　The　phone　clicked　off。　Dunross　replaced　his　receiver　gently　and　muttered　sweetly；　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh；　Lando　old　friend。〃
　He　thought　a　moment　then　dialed。　〃Mr。　Bartlett　please。〃
　〃No　answer　his　phone。　You　want　message？〃　the　operator　said。
　〃Please　transfer　me　to　Miss　K。　C。　Tcholok。〃
　〃Wat？〃
　〃Casey　。。。　Miss　Casey！〃
　The　call　tone　rang　and　Casey　answered　sleepily；　〃Hello？〃
　〃Oh　sorry；　I'll　call　you　back　later。　。。。〃
　〃Oh；　Ian？　No　。。。　no；　that's　all　right；　I　should　。。。　should　have　been　up　hours　ago　。。。〃　He　heard　her　stifle　a　yawn。　〃。。。　Jesus；　I'm　tired。　I　didn't　dream　that　fire　did　I？〃
　〃No。　Ciranoush；　I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　you　were　both　all　right。　How're　you　feeling？〃
　〃Not　so　hot。　I　think　I　must　have　stretched　a　few　muscles　。。。　don't　know　if　it　was　the　laughing　or　throwing　up。　You　all　right？〃
　〃Yes。　So　far。　You　haven't　a　temperature　or　anything？　That's　what　Doc　Tooley　said　to　watch　out　for。〃
　〃Don't　think　so。　I　haven't　seen　Linc　yet。　Did　you　talk　to　him？〃
　〃No　…　there's　no　reply。　Listen；　I　wanted　to　ask　you　two　to　cocktails；　at　six。〃
　〃That's　lovely　with　me。〃　Another　yawn。　〃I'm　glad　you're　okay。〃
　〃I'll　call　you　back　later　to　。。。〃
　Again　the　inter。　〃The　governor's　on　line　two；　tai…pan。　I　told　him　you'd　be　at　the　morning　meeting。〃
　〃All　right。　Listen；　Ciranoush；　cocktails　at　six；　if　not　cocktails　maybe　late　supper。　I'll　call　later　to　confirm。〃
　〃Sure；　Ian。　And　Ian；　thanks　for　calling。〃
　〃Nothing。　'Bye。〃　Dunross　stabbed　line　two。　〃Morning；　sir。〃
　〃Sorry　to　disturb　you；　Ian；　but　I　need　to　talk　to　you　about　that　awful　fire；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　said。　〃It's　a　miracle　that　more　weren't　lost；　the　minister's　hopping　mad　about　poor　Sir　Charles　Pennyworth's　death　and　quite　furious　that　our　security　procedures　allowed　that　to　happen。　The　Cabinet　have　been　informed　so　we　can　expect　high…level　repercussions。〃
　Dunross　told　him　his　idea　about　the　kitchens　for　Aberdeen；　pretending　it　was　Shi…teh　T'Chung's。
　〃Excellent。　Shitee's　clever！　That's　a　start。　Meanwhile　Robin　Grey　and　Julian　Broadhurst　and　the　other　MPs　have　already　phoned　for　a　meeting　to　protest　our　inpetent　fire　regulations。　My　aide　said　Grey　was　quite　incensed。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　sighed。　〃Rightly　so；　perhaps。　In　any　event　that　gentleman's　going　to　stir　things　up　nastily；　if　he　can。　I　hear　he's　scheduled　a　press　conference　for　tomorrow　with　Broadhurst。　Now　that　poor　Sir　Charles's　dead　Broadhurst　bees　the　senior　member　and　God　only　knows　what'll　happen　if　those　two　get　on　their　high　horse　about　China。〃
　〃Ask　the　minister　to　muzzle　them；　sir。〃
　〃I　did　and　he　said；　'Good　God；　Geoffrey；　muzzle　an　MP？　That'd　be　worse　than　trying　to　set　fire　to　Parliament　itself。'　It's　all　really　very　trying。　My　thought　was　that　you　might　be　able　to　cool　Mr。　Grey　down。　I'll　seat　him　next　to　you　tonight。〃
　〃I　don't　think　that's　a　good　idea　at　all；　sir。　The　man's　a　lunatic。〃
　〃I　quite　agree；　Ian；　but　I　really　would　appreciate　it　if　you　tried。　You're　the　only　one　I'd　trust。　Quillan　would　hit　him。　Quillan's　already　phoned　in　a　formal　refusal　purely　because　of　Grey。　Perhaps　you　could　invite　the　fellow　to　the　races　on　Saturday　also？〃
　Dunross　remembered　Peter　Marlowe。　〃Why　not　invite　Grey　and　the　others　to　your　box　and　I'll　take　him　over　part　of　the　time。〃　Thank　God　Penn　won't　be　here；　he　thought。
　〃Very　well。　Next：　Roger　asked　me　to　meet　you　at　the　bank　at　six　o'clock　tomorrow。〃
　Dunross　let　the　silence　hang。
　〃Ian？〃
　〃Yes　sir？〃
　〃At　six。　Sinders　should　be　there　by　then。〃
　〃Do　you　know　him；　sir？　Personally？〃
　〃Yes。　Why？〃
　〃I　just　wanted　to　be　sure。〃　Dunross　heard　the　governor's　silence。　His　tension　increased。
　〃Good。　At　six。　Next：　Did　you　hear　about　poor　John　Chen？〃
　〃Yes　sir；　just　a　few　minutes　ago。　Rotten　luck。〃
　〃I　agree。　Poor　fellow！　This　Werewolf　mess　couldn't've　e　at　a　worse　time。　It　will　surely　bee　a　cause　célèbre　for　all　opponents　of　Hong　Kong。　Damned　nuisance；　apart　from　the　tragedy　so　far。　Dear　me；　well；　at　least　we　live　in　interesting　times　with　nothing　but　problems。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Is　the　Victoria　in　trouble？〃　Dunross　asked　the　question　casually　but　he　was　listening　intently　and　he　heard　the　slightest　hesitation　before　Sir　Geoffrey　said　lightly；　〃Good　Lord　no！　My　dear　fellow；　what　an　astonishing　idea！　Well；　thank　you；　Ian；　everything　else　can　wait　till　our　meeting　at　noon。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Dunross　put　the　phone　down　and　mopped　his　brow。　That　hesitation　was　bloody　ominous；　he　told　himself。　If　anyone'd　know　how　bad　things　are　it'd　be　Sir　Geoffrey。
　A　rain　squall　battered　the　windows。　So　much　to　do。　His　eyes　went　to　the　clock。　Linbar　due　now；　then　Sir　Luis。　He　already　decided　what　he　wanted　from　the　head　of　the　stock　exchange；　what　he　must　have　from　him。　He　had　not　mentioned　it　at　the　meeting　of　the　Inner　Court　this　morning。　The　others　had　soured　him。　All　of　them　…　Jacques；　Gavallan；　Linbar　…　were　convinced　the　Victoria　would　support　Struan's　to　the　limit。　〃And　if　they　don't？〃　he　had　asked。
　〃We've　the　Par…Con　deal。　It's　inconceivable　the　Victoria　won't　help！〃
　〃If　they　don't？〃
　〃Perhaps　after　last　night　Gornt　won't　continue　to　sell。〃
　〃He'll　sell。　What　do　we　do？〃
　〃Unless　we　can　stop　him　or　put　off　the　Toda　and　Orlin　payments　we're　in　very　great　trouble。〃
　We　can't　put　off　the　payments；　he　thought　again。　Without　the　bank　or　Mata　or　Tightfist　…　even　the　Par…Con　deal　won't　stop　Quillan。　Quillan　knows　he's　got　all　day　today　and　all　Friday　to　sell　and　sell　and　sell　and　I　can't　buy　ev…　
　〃Master　Linbar；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Show　him　in；　please。〃　He　glanced　at　the　clock。　The　younger　man　came　in　and　closed　the　door。　〃You're　almost　two　minutes　late。〃
　〃Oh？　Sorry。〃
　〃I　don't　seem　to　be　able　to　get　through　to　you　about　punctuality。　It's　impossible　to　run　sixty…three　panies　without　executive　punctuality。　If　it　happens　one　more　time　you　lose　your　yearly　bonus。〃
　Linbar　flushed。　〃Sorry。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　take　over　our　Sydney　operation　from　Bill　Foster。〃
　Linbar　Struan　brightened。　〃Yes　certainly。　I'd　like　that。　I've　wanted　an　operation　of　my　own　for　some　time。〃
　〃Good。　I'd　like　you　to　be　on　the　Qantas　flight　tomorrow　an…　〃
　〃Tomorrow？　Impossible！〃　Linbar　burst　out；　his　happiness　evaporating。　〃It'll　take　me　a　couple　of　weeks　to　get　ev…　〃
　Dunross's　voice　became　so　gentle　but　so　slashing　that　Linbar　Struan　blanched。　〃I　realize　that；　Linbar。　But　I　want　you　to　go　there　tomorrow。　Stay　two　weeks　and　then　e　back　and　report