jamesclavell.noblehouse-第166节

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into　Armstrong。　〃By　the　way；　you're　on　the　16/2　tonight　at　6　30　and　you're　also　seconded　to　SI。　I've　already　talked　to　the　missioner。〃
　〃No；　and　I　can't　interrog…　〃
　〃Oh　but　my　dear　fellow　you　can　and　you　will。　You're　the　only　one　who　can；　Brian's　far　too　clever　to　be　caught　like　an　amateur。　Of　course　I'm　as　astounded　he's　the　mole　as　you　are；　as　the　governor　was！〃
　〃Please。　I　don…　〃
　〃He　betrayed　Fong…fong；　another　friend　of　yours；　eh？　He　must　have　leaked　the　AMG　papers。　It　must　be　he　who's　furnished　all　our　dossiers　to　the　enemy　and　all　the　other　information。　God　knows　what　knowledge　he's　had　access　to　on　the　General　Staff　Course　and　all　the　other　courses。〃　Crosse　puffed　his　cigarette；　his　face　ordinary。　〃In　SI　he　has　the　highest　security　clearances　and　I　certainly　agree　he　was　being　groomed　for　high　office　…　I　was　even　going　to　make　him　my　number　two！　So　we'd　better　find　out　very　quickly　everything　about　him。　Curious；　we　were　looking　for　a　Soviet　mole　and　it　turns　out　we　have　a　PRC　one　instead。〃　He　stubbed　out　the　cigarette。　〃I've　ordered　a　Classification　One　interrogation　on　him　to　begin　at　once。〃
　The　color　drained　out　of　Armstrong's　face　and　he　stared　at　Crosse；　hating　him　openly。　〃You're　a　bastard；　a　fucking　rotten　bastard。〃
　Crosse　laughed　gently。　〃True。〃
　〃Are　you　a　fag　too？〃
　〃Perhaps。　Perhaps　only　occasionally　and　only　when　it　pleases　me。　Perhaps。〃　Crosse　watched　him　calmly。　〃e　now；　Robert；　do　you　really　think　I　could　be　blackmailed？　Me？　Blackmailed？　Really；　Robert；　don't　you　understand　life？　I　hear　homosexuality　is　quite　normal；　even　in　high　places。〃
　〃Is　it？〃
　〃Nowadays；　yes；　quite　normal；　almost　fashionable；　for　some。　Oh　yes；　yes　it　is；　my　dear　fellow；　and　it's　practiced；　from　time　to　time；　by　a　most　catholic　grouping　of　VIPs　everywhere。　Even　in　Moscow。〃　Crosse　lit　another　cigarette。　〃Of　course；　one　should　be　discreet；　selective　and　preferably　unmitted；　but　a　penchant　for　the　peculiar　could　have　all　sorts　of　advantages　in　our　profession。　Couldn't　it？〃
　〃So　you　justify　any　sort　of　evil；　any　sort　of　shit；　murder；　cheating；　lying　in　the　name　of　the　bloody　SI　…　is　that　it？〃
　〃Robert；　I　justify　nothing；　I　know　you're　distraught　but　I　think　that's　enough　of　that。〃
　〃You　can't　force　me　into　SI。　I'll　resign。〃
　Crosse　laughed　scornfully。　〃But　my　dear　fellow；　what　about　all　your　debts？　What　about　the　40；000　by　Monday？〃　He　got　up；　his　eyes　granite。　His　voice　was　hardly　changed　but　now　there　was　a　vicious　edge　to　it。　〃We're　both　over　twenty…one；　Robert。　Break　him；　and　do　it　very　quickly。〃
　
　45
　
　3：00　P。M。：
　The　closing　bell　of　the　Stock　Exchange　rang　but　the　sound　was　drowned　in　the　fetid　pandemonium　of　massed　brokers　desperately　trying　to　plete　their　final　transactions。
　For　Struan's；　the　day　had　been　disastrous。　Huge　amounts　of　stock　had　been　shoved　onto　the　market　to　be　bought　tentatively；　then　hurled　back　again　as　rumors　fed　on　more　rumors　and　more　stock　was　offered。　The　share　price　plummeted　from　24。70　to　17。50　and　there　were　still　300；000　shares　on　offer　in　the　sell　column。　All　bank　shares　were　down；　the　market　was　reeling。　Everyone　expected　the　Ho…Pak　to　fail　tomorrow　…　only　Sir　Luis　Basilio　suspending　trading　in　bank　shares　at　noon　had　saved　the　bank　from　going　under　then。
　〃Jesus　Christ；　what　a　stinker！〃　someone　said。　〃Screwed　by　the　sodding　bell。〃
　〃Look　at　the　tai…pan！〃　another　burst　out。　〃Christ　almighty；　you'd　think　it　was　just　another　day　and　not　the　death　knell　of　the　Noble　House！〃
　〃He's　got　balls　has　our　Ian；　no　doubt　about　that。　Look　at　that　smile　on　him。　Christ；　his　stock　goes　from　24。70　to　17。50　in　one　day　when　it's　never　been　below　25　since　the　poor　bugger　went　public　and　it's　as　though　nothing's　happened。　Tomorrow　Gornt　has　to　get　control！〃
　〃I　agree　…　or　the　bank。〃
　〃The　Vic？　No；　they've　troubles　of　their　own；〃　another　said；　joining　the　excited；　sweating　group。
　〃Holy　mackerel；　you　really　think　Gornt　will　do　it？　Gornt　tai…pan　of　the　new　Noble　House？〃
　〃Can't　imagine　it！〃　another　shouted　over　the　din。
　〃Better　get　used　to　it；　old　boy。　But　I　agree；　you'd　never　know　Ian's　world's　crashing　about　his　testicles　。。。〃
　〃About　bloody　time！〃　someone　else　called　out。
　〃Oh　e　on；　the　tai…pan's　a　good　fellow；　Gornt's　an　arrogant　bastard。〃
　〃They're　both　bastards！〃　another　said。
　〃Oh　I　don't　know。　But　I　agree　Ian's　cold　all　right。　Ian's　as　cold　as　charity　and　that's　pretty　chilly。　。。。　〃
　〃But　not　as　cold　as　poor　old　Willy；　he's　dead　poor　bastard！〃
　〃Willy？　Willy　who？〃　someone　asked　amid　the　laughter。　〃Eh？〃
　〃Oh　for　chrissake；　Charlie；　it's　just　a　ditty；　a　poem！　Willy　rhymes　with　chilly；　that's　all。　How　did　you　do　on　the　day？〃
　〃I　made　a　pile　in　missions。〃
　〃I　made　a　pile　too。〃
　〃Fantastic。　I　unloaded　100　percent　of　all　my　own　shares。　I'm　liquid　now；　thank　God！　It'll　be　tough　on　some　of　my　clients　but　easy　e　easy　go　and　they　can　afford　it！〃
　〃I'm　still　holding　58；000　Struan's　and　no　takers　。。。〃
　〃Jesusschriiist！〃
　〃What's　up？〃
　〃The　Ho…Pak's　finished！　They've　closed　their　doors。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃Every　last　bloody　branch！〃
　〃Christ　almighty　are　you　sure？〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　sure　and　they　say　the　Vic　won't　open　tomorrow　either；　that　the　governor'll　declare　tomorrow　a　bank　holiday！　I　have　it　on　the　highest　authority；　old　boy！〃
　〃Good　sweet　Christ；　the　Vic's　closing？〃
　〃Oh　Christ　we're　all　ruined。　。。。　〃
　〃Listen；　I've　just　talked　to　Johnjohn。　The　run's　spread　to　them　but　he　says　they'll　be　all　right　…　not　to　worry。　。。。　〃
　〃Thank　God！〃
　〃He　says　there　was　a　riot　at　Aberdeen　half　an　hour　ago　when　the　Ho…Pak　branch　there　failed　but　Richard　Kwang's　just　put　out　a　press　release。　He's　'temporarily　closed'　all　their　branches　except　Head　Office　in　Central。　There's　no　need　to　worry；　he's　got　plenty　of　money　and　。。。　〃
　〃Lying　bastard！〃
　〃　。。。　and　anyone　with　Ho…Pak　funds　has　to　go　there　with　their　passbook　and　they'll　get　paid。〃
　〃What　about　their　shares？　When　they　liquidate　how　much　do　you　think　they'll　pay？　Ten　cents　on　the　dollar？〃
　〃God　knows！　But　thousands　are　going　to　lose　their　knickers　in　this　crash！〃
　〃Hey；　tai…pan！　Are　you　going　to　let　your　stock　plummet　or　are　you　going　to　buy？〃
　〃The　Noble　House's　strong　as　it　ever　was；　old　boy；〃　Dunross　said　easily。　〃My　advice　to　you　is　to　buy！〃
　〃How　long　can　you　wait；　tai…pan？〃
　〃We'll　weather　this　slight　problem；　don't　worry。〃　Dunross　continued　to　push　through　the　crowd；　heading　for　the　exit；　Linc　Bartlett　and　Casey　following；　questions　being　fired　at　him。　Most　of　them　he　dismissed　with　a　pleasantry；　a　few　he　answered；　then　Gornt　was　in　front　of　him　and　the　two　of　them　were　in　the　middle　of　a　great　silence。
　〃Ah；　Quillan；　how　did　you　do　on　the　day？〃　he　asked　politely。
　〃Very　good；　thank　you；　Ian；　very　good。　My　partners　and　I　are　3　or　4　million　ahead。〃
　〃You　have　partners？〃
　〃Of　course。　One　doesn't　mount　an　attack　on　Struan's　lightly　…　of　course　one　must　have　very　substantial　financial　backing。〃　Gornt　smiled。　〃Fortunately；　Struan's're　roundly　detested　by　lots　of　good　people　and　have　been　for　a　century　or　more。　I'm　delighted　to　tell　you　I've　just　acquired　another　300；000　shares　for　sale　first　thing。　That　should　just　about　bring　your　house　atumbling　down。〃
　〃We're　not　Humpty…Dumpty。　We're　the　Noble　House。〃
　〃Until　tomorrow。　Yes。　Or　perhaps　the　next　day。　Monday　at　the　latest。〃　Gornt　looked　back　at　Bartlett。　〃Tuesday　for　dinner　is　still　on？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Dunross　smiled。　〃Quillan；　a　man　can　get　burned　selling　short　in　such　a　volatile　market。〃　He　turned　to　Bartlett　and　Casey　and　said　pleasantly；　〃Don't　you　agree？〃
　〃It　sure　as　hell　isn't　like　our　New　York　exchange；〃　Bartlett　replied　to　a　general　laugh。　〃What's　happening　here　today'd　blow　our　whole　economy　to　hell。　Eh　Casey？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Casey　replied　uneasily；　feeling　Gornt's　scrutiny。　〃Hello；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　him。
　〃We're　honored　to　have　you　here；〃　Gornt　said　with　great　charm。　〃May　I　pliment　you　on　your　courage　last　night　…　both　of　you。〃
　〃I　did　nothing　special；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Nor　did　I；〃　Casey　said　unfortably；　very　aware　she　was　the　only　woman　in　the　room　and　now　the　center　of　so　much　attention。　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　Linc　and　Ian　。。。　for　the　tai…pan　and　you　and　the　others；　I'd've　panicked。〃
　〃Ah；　but　you　didn't。　Your　dive　was　perfection；〃　Gornt　said；　to　cheers。
　She　said　nothing　but　she　was　warmed　by　that　thought；　not　for　the　first　time。　Somehow　life　had　been　different　since　she　had　taken　off　her　clothes　without　thinking。　Gavallan　had　called　this　morning　to　ask　how　she　was。　So　had　others。　At　the　exchange　she　had　felt　the　looks　strongly。　There　had　been　lots　of　pliments。　Many　from　strangers。　She　felt　that　Dunross　and　Gornt　and　Bartlett　remembered　because　she　had　not　failed　them。　Or　herself。　Yes；　she　thought；　you　gained　great　face　before　all　the　men。　And　increased　the　jealousy　of　all　their　women。　Curious。
　〃Are　you　selling　short；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　Gornt　was　saying。　〃Not　personally；〃　Bartlett　told　him　with　a　small　smile。　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃You　should；〃　Gornt　said　agreeably。　〃There's　a　great　deal　of　money　to　be　made　in　a　falling　market；　as　I'm　sure　you　know。　A　great　deal　of　money　will　change　hands　with　control　of　Struan's。〃　He　put　his　eyes　back　onto　Casey；　excited　by　her　courage　and　her　body　and　by　the　thought　that　sh