jamesclavell.noblehouse-第154节
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your revolving credit。 And there's the 500；000 shares you bought today which have to be paid for on Monday。 Sorry no。〃
〃Put it to the board。〃 Dunross knew that he had enough votes to carry it over Havergill's opposition。
Another silence。 〃Very well。 I'll certainly do that … at the next board meeting。〃
〃No。 That's not for three weeks。 Please call an emergency meeting。〃
〃Sorry no。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I don't have to explain my reasons to you； Ian；〃 Havergill said crisply。 〃Struan's doesn't own or control this institution； though you do have a large interest in us； as we have in you； and you are our valued customer。 I'll be glad to put it up at the next board meeting。 Calling emergency meetings is within my control。 Solely。〃
〃I agree。 So is the granting of the credit。 You don't need a meeting。 You could do that now。〃
〃I will be glad to put the request to the board at the next meeting。 Was there anything else？〃
Dunross controlled his urge to wipe the barely concealed smugness off his enemy's face。 〃I need the credit to support my stock。 Now。〃
〃Of course； and Bruce and I really do understand that the Par…Con down payment will give you the financing to plete your ship transactions and make a partial Orlin payment。〃 Havergill puffed his cigarette。 〃By the way； I understand Orlin won't renew … you'll have to pay them off totally within thirty days as per the contract。〃
Dunross flushed。 〃Where did you hear that？〃
〃From the chairman； of course。 I called him last night to ask if the… 〃
〃You what？〃
〃Of course。 My dear chap；〃 Havergill said； now openly enjoying Dunross's and Johnjohn's shock。 〃We have every right to inquire。 After all； we're Struan's bankers and we need to know。 Our equity's also at risk if you are to fail； isn't it？〃
〃And you'll help that happen？〃
Havergill stubbed out his cigarette with vast enjoyment。 〃It's not to our interest for any big business to fail in the Colony； let alone the Noble House。 Oh dear no！ You needn't worry。 At the right time we'll step in and buy your shares。 We'll never allow the Noble House to fail。〃
〃When's the right time？〃
〃When the shares are at a value we consider correct。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃I'd have to look into it； Ian。〃
Dunross knew he was beaten but he showed none of it。 〃You'll allow the stock to go down until they're at giveaway prices and then you'll buy control。〃
〃Struan's is a public pany now； however the various panies interlock；〃 Havergill said。 〃Perhaps it would have been wise to follow Alastair's advice； and mine … we did point out the risks you'd take as a public pany。 And perhaps you should have consulted us before buying that massive quantity of shares。 Clearly Quillan thinks he has you and you really are stretched a bit； old boy。 Well； never fear； Ian； we will not allow the Noble House to fail。〃
Dunross laughed。 He got up。 〃The Colony will be a much better place with you out of it。〃
〃Oh？〃 Havergill snapped。 〃My term of office lasts until November 23。 You may be out of the Colony before me！〃
〃Don't you think 。。。〃 Johnjohn began； aghast at Havergill's fury； but stopped as the deputy chairman turned on him。
〃Your term of office begins November 24。 Providing the annual general meeting confirms the appointment。 Until that time I run the Victoria。〃
Dunross laughed again。 〃Don't be too sure of that。〃 He walked out。
Angrily Johnjohn broke the silence。 〃You could easily call an emergency meeting。 You could eas… 〃
〃The matter is closed！ Do you understand？ Closed！〃 Furiously Havergill lit another cigarette。 〃We've got problems of our own that have to be solved first。 But if that bastard squeezes out of the vise this time I shall be very surprised。 He's in a dangerous position； very dangerous。 We know nothing about this damned American and his girl friend。 We do know Ian's recalcitrant； arrogant and out of his depth。 He's the wrong man for the job。〃
〃That's not t… 〃
〃We're a profit…making institution； not a charity； and the Dunrosses and Struans have had too much say in our affairs for too many years。 If we can get control we bee the Noble House of Asia … we do！ We get his block of our stock back。 We fire all the directors and put in new management at once； we double our money and I'd leave a lasting legacy to the bank forever。 That's what we're here for … to make money for our bank and for our shareholders！ I've always considered your friend Dunross a very high risk and now he's going to the wall。 And if I can help hang him I will！〃
* * *
The doctor was counting Fleur Marlowe's pulse beats against his old…fashioned； gold fob watch。 One hundred and three。 Too many； he thought sadly。 Her wrist was delicate。 He laid it back on the bedcovers； his sensitive fingers aware of the fever。 Peter Marlowe came out of the small bathroom of their apartment。
〃Not good； eh？〃 Tooley said gruffly。
Peter Marlowe's smile was weary。 〃Rather tedious actually。 Just cramps and not much ing out； just a little liquid。〃 His eyes rested on his wife who lay wanly in the small double bed。 〃How're you； pet？〃
〃Fine；〃 she said。 〃Fine thank you； Peter。〃
The doctor reached for his old…fashioned bag and put his stethoscope away。 〃Was； er； was there any blood； Mr。 Marlowe？〃
Peter Marlowe shook his head and sat tiredly。 Neither he nor his wife had slept much。 Their cramps had begun about 4：00 a。m。 and had continued since then with ever…increasing strain。 〃No； at least not yet；〃 he said。 〃It feels rather like an ordinary bout of dysentery … cramps； a lot of palaver and very little to show for it。〃
〃Ordinary？ You've had dysentery？ When？ What kind of dysentery？〃
〃I think it was enteric。 I； I was a POW in Changi in '45 … actually between '42 and '45； partially in Java but mostly in Changi。〃
〃Oh。 Oh I see。 Sorry about that。〃 Dr。 Tooley remembered all the horror stories that came out of Asia after the war about the treatment of British and American troops by the Japanese Army。 〃I always felt betrayed in a curious way；〃 the doctor said sadly。 〃The Japanese'd always been our ally 。。。 they're an island nation； so're we。 Good fighters。 I was a doctor with the Chindits。 Went in with Wingate twice。〃 Wingate was an eccentric British general who had devised a pletely unorthodox battle plan to send highly mobile columns of marauding British soldiers； code name Chindits； from India into the jungles of Burma deep behind Japanese lines； supplying them by airdrop。 〃I was lucky … the whole Chindit operation was rather dicey；〃 he said。 As he talked he was watching Fleur； weighing clues； sending his experience into her； trying to detect the disease now； trying to isolate the enemy among a myriad of possibilities before it harmed the fetus。 〃Bloody planes kept missing our drops。〃
〃I met a couple of your fellows at Changi。〃 The younger man searched his memory。 〃In '43 or '44； I can't remember when exactly。 Or any names。 They'd been sent down to Changi after they were captured。〃
〃That'd be '43。〃 The doctor was somber。 〃One whole column got caught and ambushed early on。 Those jungles are unbelievable if you've never been in one。 We didn't know what the devil we were doing most of the time。 Afraid not many of the lads survived to get to Changi。〃 Dr。 Tooley was a fine old man with a big nose and sparse hair and warm hands； and he smiled down at Fleur。 〃So； young lady；〃 he said with his kind； gruff voice。 〃You've a slight fev… 〃
〃Oh 。。。 sorry； Doctor；〃 she said quickly； interrupting him； suddenly white； 〃I； I think 。。。〃 She got out of bed and hurried awkwardly for the bathroom。 The door closed behind her。 There was a fleck of blood on the back of her nightdress。
〃Is she all right？〃 Marlowe asked； his face stark。
〃Temperature's a hundred and three； heartbeat's up。 It could just be gastroenteritis。 。。。〃 The doctor looked at him。
〃Could it be hepatitis？〃
〃No。 Not this quickly。 The incubation period's six weeks to two months。 I'm afraid that specter's hanging over everyone's head。 Sorry。〃 A rain squall battered the windows。 He glanced at them and frowned； remembering that he had not told Dunross and the Americans about the danger of hepatitis。 Perhaps it'll be better just to wait and see and be patient。 Joss； he thought。 〃Two months； to be safe。 You've both had all your shots so there shouldn't be any problem about typhoid。〃
〃And the baby？〃
〃If the cramps get worse she may miscarry； Mr。 Marlowe；〃 the doctor said softly。 〃Sorry； but it's best to know。 Either way it won't be easy for her … God only knows what viruses and bacteria're at Aberdeen。 The place's a public sewer and has been for a century。 Shocking； but nothing we can do about it。〃 He rummaged in his pocket for his prescription pad。 〃You can't change the Chinese or habits of centuries。 Sorry。〃
〃Joss；〃 Peter Marlowe said； feeling rotten。 〃Will everyone get sick？ There must have been forty or fifty of us thrashing around in the water … impossible not to drink some of that muck。〃
The doctor hesitated。 〃Of fifty； perhaps five'll be very sick； five'll be untouched and the rest'll be in between。 Hong Kong yan … that's Hong Kongites … they should be less affected than visitors。 But； as you say； a lot of it's joss。〃 He found his pad。 〃I'll give you a prescription for a r
