jamesclavell.noblehouse-第168节

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Beautiful；　courageous　and　loyal　…　to　Bartlett。　I　wonder　if　she　knows　he　breakfasted　with　Orlanda　this　morning；　then　visited　her　flat。　I　wonder　if　they　know　I　know　about　the　2　million　from　Switzerland。　Bartlett's　smart；　very　smart；　and　making　all　the　correct　moves；　but　he's　wide　open　to　attack　because　he's　predictable　and　his　jugular's　an　Asian　girl。　Perhaps　Orlanda；　perhaps　not；　but　certainly　a　youth…filled　Golden　Skin。　Quillan　was　clever　to　bait　the　trap　with　her。　Yes。　Orlanda's　a　perfect　bait；　he　thought；　then　put　his　mind　back　to　Lando　Mata　and　his　millions。　To　get　those　millions　I'd　have　to　break　my　Holy　Oath　and　that　I　will　not　do。
　〃What　calls　do　I　have；　Claudia？〃　he　asked；　a　sudden　ice　shaft　in　his　stomach。　Mata　and　Tightfist　had　been　his　ace；　the　only　one　left。
　She　hesitated；　glanced　at　the　list。　〃Hiro　Toda　called　from　Tokyo；　person　to　person。　Please　return　the　call　when　you've　a　moment。　Alastair　Struan　the　same　from　Edinburgh。　。。。　David　MacStruan　from　Toronto　。。。　your　father　from　Ayr　。。。　old　Sir　Ross　Struan　from　Nice　。。。〃
　〃Uncle　Trussler　from　London；〃　he　said；　interrupting　her；　〃Uncle　Kelly　from　Dublin　。。。　Cousin　Cooper　from　Atlanta；　cous…　〃
　〃From　New　York；〃　Claudia　said。
　〃From　New　York。　Bad　news　travels　fast；〃　he　told　her　calmly。
　〃Yes。　Then　there　was　。。。〃　Her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　〃What're　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃Absolutely　not　cry；〃　he　said；　knowing　that　a　large　proportion　of　her　savings　was　in　Struan　stock。
　〃Yes！　Oh　yes。〃　She　sniffed　and　used　a　handkerchief；　sad　for　him　but　thanking　the　gods　she　had　had　the　foresight　to　sell　at　the　top　of　the　market　and　not　buy　when　the　Head　of　the　House　of　Chen　had　whispered　for　all　the　clan　to　buy　heavily。　〃Ayeeyah；　tai…pan；　sorry；　so　sorry；　please　excuse　me　。。。　yes。　But　it's　very　bad；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Och　aye；　lassie；〃　he　said；　aping　a　broad　Scots　accent；　〃but　only　when　you're　deaded。　Isn't　that　what　the　old　tai…pan　used　to　say？〃　The　old　tai…pan　was　Sir　Ross　Struan；　Alastair's　father；　the　first　tai…pan　he　could　remember。　〃Go　on　with　the　calls。〃
　〃Cousin　Kern　from　Houston　and　Cousin　Deeks　from　Sydney。　That's　the　last　of　the　family。〃
　〃That's　all　of　them。〃　Dunross　exhaled。　Control　of　the　Noble　House　rested　with　those　families。　Each　had　blocks　of　shares　that　had　been　handed　down　to　them；　though　by　House　law　he　alone　voted　all　the　stock　…　while　he　was　tai…pan。　The　family　holdings　of　the　Dunrosses；　descended　from　Dirk　Struan's　daughter　Winifred；　were　10　percent；　the　Struans　from　Robb　Struan；　Dirk's　half…brother；　5　percent；　the　Trusslers　and　Kellys　from　Culum　and　Hag　Struan's　youngest　daughter；　each　5　percent；　the　Coopers；　Kerns　and　Derbys；　descended　from　the　American　trader；　Jeff　Cooper　of　Cooper…Tillman；　Dirk's　lifetime　friend　who　had　married　Hag　Struan's　eldest　daughter；　each　5　percent；　the　MacStruans；　believed　illegitimate　from　Dirk；　21/2　percent；　and　the　Chens　71/2　percent。　The　bulk　of　the　stock；　50　percent；　the　personal　property　and　legacy　of　Hag　Struan；　was　left　in　a　perpetual　trust；　to　be　voted　by　the　tai…pan　〃whoever　he　or　she　may　be；　and　the　profit　therefrom　shall　be　divided　yearly；　50　percent　to　the　tai…pan；　the　remainder　in　proportion　to　family　holdings　…　but　only　if　the　tai…pan　so　decides；〃　she　had　written　in　her　firm；　bold　hand。　〃If　he　decides　to　withhold　profit　from　my　shares　from　the　family　for　any　reason　he　may；　then　that　increment　shall　go　into　the　tai…pan's　private　fund　for　whatever　use　he　deems　fit。　But　let　all　following　tai…pans　beware：　the　Noble　House　shall　pass　from　safe　Hand　to　safe　Hand　and　the　clans　from　safe　Harbor　to　safe　Harbor　as　the　tai…pan　himself　decreed　or　I　shall　add　my　curse；　before　God；　to　his；　on　him　or　her　who　fails　us。　。。。〃
　Dunross　felt　a　chill　go　through　him　as　he　remembered　the　first　time　he　had　read　her　will　…　as　dominating　as　the　legacy　of　Dirk　Struan。　Why　are　we　so　possessed　by　these　two？　he　asked　himself　again。　Why　can't　we　be　done　with　the　past；　why　should　we　be　at　the　beck　and　call　of　ghosts；　not　very　good　ghosts　at　that？
　I'm　not；　he　told　himself　firmly。　I'm　only　trying　to　measure　up　to　their　standards。
　He　looked　back　at　Claudia；　matronly；　tough　and　very　together　but　now　scared；　scared　for　the　first　time。　He　had　known　her　all　his　life　and　she　had　served　old　Sir　Ross；　then　his　father；　then　Alastair；　and　now　himself　with　a　fanatical　loyalty；　as　had　Phillip　Chen。
　Ah　Phillip；　poor　Phillip。
　〃Did　Phillip　call？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。　And　Dianne。　She　called　four　times。〃
　〃Who　else？〃
　〃A　dozen　or　more。　The　more　important　ones　are　Johnjohn　at　the　bank；　General　Jen　from　Taiwan；　Gavallan　père　from　Paris；　Four　Finger　Wu；　Pug…　〃
　〃Four　Fingers？〃　Dunross's　hope　peaked。　〃When　did　he　call？〃
　She　referred　to　her　list。　〃2：56。〃
　I　wonder　if　the　old　pirate　has　changed　his　mind；　Dunross　thought；　his　excitement　growing。
　Yesterday　afternoon　late　he　had　gone　to　Aberdeen　to　see　Wu　to　seek　his　help　but；　as　with　Lando　Mata；　he　had　got　only　vague　promises。
　〃Listen；　Old　Friend；〃　he　had　told　him　in　halting　Haklo；　〃I've　never　sought　a　favor　from　you　before。〃
　〃A　long　line　of　your　tai…pan　ancestors　have　sought　plenty　favors　and　made　great　profits　from　my　ancestors；〃　the　old　man　had　answered；　his　cunning　eyes　darting。　〃Favors？　Fornicate　all　dogs；　tai…pan；　I　have　not　that　amount　of　money。　20　millions？　How　could　a　poor　old　fisherman　like　me　have　that　cash？〃
　〃More　came　out　of　the　Ho…Pak　yesterday；　old　friend。〃
　〃Ayeeyah；　fornicate　all　those　who　whisper　wrong　informations！　Perhaps　I　withdrew　my　money　safely　but　it　all　has　gone；　gone　to　pay　for　goods；　goods　I　owed　money　for。〃
　〃I　hope　not　for　the　White　Powder；〃　he　had　told　him　grimly。　〃The　White　Powder　is　terrible　joss。　Rumor　has　it　you　are　interested　in　it。　I　advise　against　it　as　a　friend。　My　ancestors；　Old　Green…Eyed　Devil　and　Hag　Struan　of　the　Evil　Eye　and　Dragon's　Teeth；　they　both　put　a　curse　on　those　who　deal　in　the　White　Powder；　not　on　opium　but　on　all　White　Powders　and　those　who　deal　in　them；〃　he　had　said　stretching　the　truth；　knowing　how　superstitious　the　old　man　was。　〃I　advise　against　the　Killing　Powder。　Surely　your　gold　business　is　more　than　profitable？〃
　〃I　know　nothing　of　White　Powder。〃　The　old　man　had　forced　a　smile；　showing　his　gums　and　a　few　twisted　teeth。　〃And　I　don't　fear　curses；　even　from　them！〃
　〃Good；〃　Dunross　had　said；　knowing　it　to　be　a　lie。　〃Meanwhile　help　me　to　get　credit。　50　million　for　three　days　is　all　I　want！〃
　〃I　will　ask　among　my　friends；　tai…pan。　Perhaps　they　can　help；　perhaps　we　can　help　together。　But　don't　expect　water　from　an　empty　well。　At　what　interest？〃
　〃High　interest；　if　it's　tomorrow。〃
　〃Not　possible；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Persuade　Tightfist；　you're　an　associate　and　old　friend。〃
　〃Tightfist　is　the　only　fornicating　friend　of　Tightfist；〃　the　old　man　had　said　sullenly　and　nothing　Dunross　could　say　would　change　the　old　man's　attitudes。
　He　reached　for　the　phone。　〃What　other　calls　were　there；　Claudia？〃　he　asked　as　he　dialed。
　〃Johnjohn　at　the　bank；　Phillip　and　Dianne　。。。　oh　I　told　you　about　them。　。。。　Superintendent　Crosse；　then　every　major　stockholder　we　have　and　every　managing　director　of　every　subsidiary；　most　of　the　Turf　Club　。。。　Travkin；　your　trainer；　it's　endless。　。。。〃
　〃Just　a　moment；　Claudia。〃　Dunross　held　onto　his　anxiety　and　said　into　the　phone；　in　Haklo；　〃This　is　the　tai…pan。　Is　my　Old　Friend　there？〃
　〃Sure；　sure；　Mr。　Dunross；〃　the　American　voice　said　politely　in　English。　〃Thanks　for　returning　the　call。　He'll　be　right　with　you；　sir。〃
　〃Mr。　Choy；　Mr。　Paul　Choy？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Your　uncle　told　me　all　about　you。　Wele　to　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃I　。。。　here　he　is　sir。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Dunross　concentrated。　He　had　been　asking　himself　why　Paul　Choy　was　with　Four　Fingers　now　and　not　busily　engaged　in　worming　his　way　into　Gornt's　affairs　and　why　Crosse　called　and　why　Johnjohn。
　〃Tai…pan？〃
　〃Yes；　Old　Friend。　You　wanted　to　speak　to　me？〃
　〃Yes。　Can　。。。　can　we　meet　this　evening？〃
　Dunross　wanted　to　shout。　Have　you　changed　your　mind？　But　good　manners　forbade　it　and　Chinese　did　not　like　phones；　always　preferring　to　meet　face…to…face。　〃Of　course。　About　eight　bells；　in　the　middle　watch；〃　he　said　casually。　Near　midnight。　〃As　near　as　I　can；〃　he　added；　remembering　he　was　to　meet　Brian　Kwok　at　10：45　P。M。
　〃Good。　My　wharf。　There　will　be　a　sampan　waiting。〃
　Dunross　replaced　the　phone；　his　heart　thumping。　〃First　Crosse；　Claudia；　then　bring　in　the　Kirks。　Then　we'll　go　through　the　list。　Set　up　a　conference　call　with　my　father；　Alastair　and　Sir　Ross；　make　it　for　five；　that's　nine　their　time　and　ten　in　Nice。　I'll　call　David　and　the　others　in　the　States　this　evening。　No　need　to　wake　them　in　the　middle　of　their　night。〃
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。〃　Claudia　was　already　dialing。　She　got　Crosse；　handed　him　the　phone　and　left；　closing　the　door　after　her。
　〃Yes；　Roger？〃
　〃How　many　times　have　you　been　into　China？〃
　The　unexpected　question　startled　Dunross　for　a　moment。　〃That's　all　a　matter　of　record；〃　he　said。　〃It's　easy　for　you　to　check。〃
　〃Yes；　Ian；　but　could　you　recall　now？　Please。〃
　〃Four　times　to　Canton；　to　the　fair；　every　year　for　the　last　four　years。　And　once　to　Peking　with　a　trade　mission；　last　year。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　manage　to　get　outside　Canton　…　or　Peking？〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Did　you？〃
　Dunross　hesitated。　The　Noble　House　had　many　assoc