jamesclavell.noblehouse-第188节
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〃Perhaps； but they'd build you something like that； radar equipped。 They … 〃
He stopped as the police patrol boat cut in her deep growling engines； and； with her siren whoopwhoopwhooping； hurtled off into the night； her wake churning。
〃Look at her go；〃 Paul Choy said admiringly in English。 〃Classy son of a bitch！〃
He repeated it in Haklo。 〃I'll bet she's still got the Thai trawler in her magic eye。 They can see everything； every junk； every ship and cove and promontory for miles … even a storm。〃
Thoughtfully Four Finger Wu gave a new course to the helmsman that kept them just in PRC waters heading north for the islands and reefs around Lan Tao Island where he would be safe to make for the next rendezvous。 There they would transfer to another junk with real registrations … PRC and Hong Kong … to slide back into Aberdeen。 Aberdeen！ His fingers nervously touched the half…coin again。 He had forgotten the coin in the excitement。 Now his fingers trembled and his anxiety was rekindled as he thought about his meeting with the tai…pan tonight。 There was plenty of time。 He would not be late。 Even so he increased speed。
〃e；〃 he ordered； motioning Poon and Paul Choy to join him on the cushions aft where they would be more private。
〃Perhaps we'd be wise to stay with our junks； and not get one of those whores； my son。〃 Wu's finger stabbed the darkness where the patrol boat had been。 〃The foreign devils would bee even madder if I had one of those in my fleet。 But this magic eye of yours 。。。 you could install it and show us how to use it？〃
〃I could get experts to do that。 People from the Eastern Sea … it would be better to use them … not British or German。〃
Wu looked at his old friend。 〃Heya？〃
〃I don't want one of those turds or their magic eyes on my ship。 Soon we'd rely on the fornicators and we'd lose our treasures along with our heads；〃 the other man grumbled。
〃But to see when others can't？〃 Wu puffed on his cigarette。 〃Is there another seller； Profitable Choy？〃
〃They would be the best。 And cheapest； Father。〃
〃Cheapest； heya？ How much will this cost？〃
〃I don't know。 20；000 U。S。； perhaps 40 … 〃
The old man exploded。 〃40；000 U。S。？ Am I made of gold？ I have to work for my money！ Am I Emperor Wu？〃
Paul Choy let the old man rave。 He was feeling nothing for him anymore； not after all the night's horror and killing and entrapment and cruelty and blackmail； and most of all because of his father's words against his girl。 He would respect his father for his seamanship； for his courage and his mand。 And as Head of the House。 Nothing more。 And from now on he would treat him like any other man。
When he felt the old man had raved enough； he said； 〃I can have the first magic eye installed and two men trained at no cost to you； if you want。〃
Wu and Poon stared at him。 Wu was instantly on guard。 〃How at no cost？〃
〃I will pay for it for you。〃
Poon started to guffaw but Wu hissed； 〃Shut up； fool； and listen。 Profitable Choy knows things you don't know！〃 His eyes were glittering even more。 If a magic eye； why not a diamond too？ And if a diamond； why not a mink coat and all the necessary plunder that that mealy…mouthed whore will require to sustain her enthusiastic cleft； hands and mouth。
〃How will you pay for it； my son？〃
〃Out of profit。〃
〃Profit on what？〃
〃I want control； for one month； of your money in the Victoria。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃We opened accounts for 22；423；000。 Control for one month。〃
〃To do what with？〃
〃The stock market。〃
〃Ah； gamble？ Gamble with my money？ My hard…earned cash？ Never。〃
〃One month。 We split the profit； Father。〃
〃Oh； we split？ It is my fornicating money but you want half。 Half of what？〃
〃Perhaps another 20 million。〃 Paul Choy let the sum hang。 He saw the avarice on his father's face and knew that though the negotiation would be heated； they would make a deal。 It was only a matter of time。
〃Ayeeyah； that's impossible； out of the question！〃
The old man felt an itch below and he scratched the itch。 His manhood stirred。 Instantly he thought of Venus Poon who had made him stand as he had not stood for years and of their ing bout tonight。 〃Perhaps I shall just pay for this magic eye；〃 he said； testing the young man's resolve。
Paul Choy took his spirit pletely into his own hands。 〃Yes； yes you can； but then I'm leaving Hong Kong。〃
Wu's tongue darted spitefully。 〃You will leave when I tell you to leave。〃
〃But if I can't be profitable and put my expensive training to work； why should I stay？ Did you pay all that money for me to be a pimp on one of your Pleasure Boats？ A deckhand on a junk that can be raped at will by the nearest foreign devil cutter？ No； better I leave！ Better I bee profitable to someone else so that I can begin to repay your investment in me。 I will give Black Beard a month's notice and leave then。〃
〃You will leave when I tell you to leave！〃 Wu added malevolently。 〃You have fished in dangerous waters。〃
〃Yes。〃 And so have you； Paul Choy wanted to add； unafraid。 If you think you can blackmail me； that I'm on your hook； you're on mine and you've more to lose。 Haven't you heard of Queen's evidence； turning Queen's evidence … or plea bargaining？ But he kept this future ploy secret； to be used when necessary； and kept his face polite and bland。 〃All waters are dangerous if the gods decide they're dangerous；〃 he said cryptically。
Wu took a long deep drag of his cigarette； feeling the smoke deep within him。 He had noticed the change in this young man before him。 He had seen many such changes in many men。 In many sons and many daughters。 The experience of his long years screamed caution。 This whelp's dangerous； very dangerous； he thought。 1 think Goodweather Poon was right： it was a mistake to bring Profitable Choy aboard tonight。 Now he knows too much about us。
Yes。 But that's easy to rectify； when I need to； he reminded himself。 Any day or any night。
53
10：03 P。M。：
〃Well； what the devil are you going to do； Paul？〃 the governor asked Havergill。 Johnjohn was with them and they were on the terrace of Government House after dinner； leaning against the low balustrade。 〃Good God！ If the Victoria runs out of money too； this whole Island's ruined； eh？〃
Havergill looked around to make sure they were not being overheard； and dropped his voice。 〃We've been in touch with the Bank of England； sir。 By midnight tomorrow night； London time； there'll be an RAF transport at Heathrow stuffed full of five… and ten…pound notes。〃 His usual confidence returned。 〃As I said； the Victoria is perfectly sound； pletely liquid and our assets here and in England substantial enough to cover any eventuality； well almost any eventuality。〃
〃Meanwhile you may not have enough Hong Kong dollars to weather the run？〃
〃Not if the； er； the problem continues but I'm sure all will be well； sir。〃
Sir Geoffrey stared at him。 〃How the devil did we get into this mess？〃
〃Joss；〃 Johnjohn said wearily。 〃Unfortunately the mint can't print enough Hong Kong dollar notes for us in time。 It'd take weeks to print and to ship the amount we'd need； and it wouldn't be healthy to have all those extra notes in our economy。 The British currency's stopgap； sir。 We can just announce that the； er； that the mint is working overtime to supply our needs。〃
〃How much do we actually need？〃 The governor saw Paul Havergill and Johnjohn look at each other and his disquiet increased。
〃We don't know； sir；〃 Johnjohn said。 〃Colony…wide； apart from ourselves； every other bank will also need to pledge its securities … just as we've pledged ours temporarily to the Bank of England … to obtain the cash they need。 If every depositor on the Colony wants every dollar back 。。。〃 The sweat was beading the banker's face now。 〃We've no way of knowing how extended the other banks are； or the amount of their deposits。 No one knows。〃
〃Is one RAF transport enough？〃 Sir Geoffrey tried not to sound sarcastic。 〃I mean； well； a billion pounds in fives and tens？ How in the hell are they going to collect that number of notes？〃
Havergill mopped his brow。 〃We don't know； sir； but they've promised a first shipment will arrive Monday night at the latest。〃
〃Not till then？〃
〃No sir。 It's impossible before then。〃
〃There's nothing else we can do？〃
Johnjohn swallowed。 〃We considered asking you to declare a bank holiday to stem the tide but； er； we concluded … and the Bank of England agreed … if you did that it might blow the top off the Island。〃
〃No need to worry； sir。〃 Havergill tried to sound convincing。 〃By the end of next week it will all be forgotten。〃
〃I won't forget it； Paul。 And I doubt if China will … or our friends the Labour MPs will。 They may have a point about some form of bank controls。〃
Both bankers bridled and Paul Havergill said deprecatingly； 〃Those two berks don't know their rears from a hole in the wall！ Everything's in control。〃
Sir Geoffrey would have argued that point but he had just seen Rosemont； the CIA deputy director； and Ed Langan； the FBI man； wander out onto the terrace。 〃Keep me advised。 I want a full report at noon。 Would you excuse me a moment？ Please help yourself to another drink。〃
He went off to intercept Rosemont and Langan。 〃Ho
