jamesclavell.noblehouse-第189节

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　He　went　off　to　intercept　Rosemont　and　Langan。　〃How're　you　two？〃
　〃Great；　thank　you；　sir。　Great　evening。〃　Both　Americans　watched　Havergill　and　Johnjohn　going　back　inside。　〃How're　our　banker　friends？〃　Rosemont　asked。
　〃Fine；　perfectly　fine。〃
　〃That　MP；　the　Socialist　guy；　Grey；　was　sure　as　hell　getting　under　Havergill's　skin！〃
　〃And　the　tai…pan's；〃　Ed　Langan　added　with　a　laugh。
　〃Oh　I　don't　know；〃　the　governor　said　lightly。　〃A　little　opposition's　a　good　thing；　what？　Isn't　that　democracy　at　its　best？〃
　〃How's　the　Vic；　sir？　How's　the　run？〃
　〃No　problems　that　can't　be　solved；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　replied　with　his　easy　charm。　〃No　need　to　worry。　Would　you　give　me　a　moment；　Mr。　Langan？〃
　〃Certainly；　sir。〃　The　American　smiled。　〃I　was　just　leaving。〃
　〃Not　my　party；　I　trust！　Just　to　replenish　your　drink？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　led　the　way　into　the　garden；　Rosemont　beside　him。　The　trees　were　still　dripping　and　the　night　dark。　He　kept　to　a　path　that　was　puddled　and　muddy。　〃We've　a　slight　problem；　Stanley。　SI's　just　caught　one　of　your　sailors　from　the　carrier　passing　secrets　to　a　KGB　fellow。　Bo…　〃
　Rosemont　stopped；　aghast。　〃Off　the　Ivanov？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Was　it　Suslev？　Captain　Suslev？〃
　〃No。　No；　it　wasn't　that　name。　May　I　suggest　you　get　on　to　Roger　at　once。　Both　men　are　in　custody；　both　have　been　charged　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act　but　I've　cleared　it　with　the　minister　in　London　and　he　agrees　you　should　take　charge　of　your　fellow　at　once　。。。　a　little　less　embarrassing；　what？　He's；　er；　he's　a　puter　chap　I　believe。〃
　〃Son　of　a　bitch！〃　Rosemont　muttered；　then　wiped　the　sudden　sweat　off　his　face　with　his　hand。　〃What　did　he　pass　over？〃
　〃I　don't　know　exactly。　Roger　will　be　able　to　fill　you　in　on　the　details。〃
　〃Do　we　get　to　interrogate　。。。　to　interview　the　KGB　guy　too？〃
　〃Why　not　discuss　that　with　Roger？　The　minister's　in　direct　touch　with　him；　too。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　hesitated。　〃I；　er；　I'm　sure　you'll　appreciate　。。。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　sorry；　sir。　I'd　。。。　I'd　better　get　going　at　once。〃　Rosemont's　face　was　chalky　and　he　went　off　quickly；　collecting　Ed　Langan　with　him。
　Sir　Geoffrey　sighed。　Bloody　spies；　bloody　banks；　bloody　moles　and　bloody　Socialist　idiots　who　know　nothing　about　Hong　Kong。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Time　to　close　the　party　down。
　
　Johnjohn　was　walking　into　the　anteroom。　Dunross　was　near　the　bar。　〃Ian？〃
　〃Oh　hello？　One　for　the　road？〃　Dunross　said。
　〃No；　thanks。　Can　I　have　a　word　in　private？〃
　〃Of　course。　It'll　have　to　be　quick；　I　was　just　leaving。　I　said　I'd　drop　our　friendly　MPs　at　the　ferry。〃
　〃You're　on　a　pink　ticket　too？〃
　Dunross　smiled　faintly。　〃Actually；　old　boy；　I　have　one　whenever　I　want　it；　whether　Penn's　here　or　not。〃
　〃Yes。　You're　lucky；　you　always　did　have　your　life　well　organized；〃　Johnjohn　said　gloomily。
　〃Joss。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Johnjohn　led　the　way　out　of　the　room　onto　the　balcony。　〃Rotten　about　John　Chen；　what？〃
　〃Yes。　Phillip's　taking　it　very　badly。　Where's　Havergill？〃
　〃He　left　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Ah；　that's　why　you　mentioned　'pink　ticket'！　He's　on　the　town？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃How　about　Lily　Su　of　Kowloon？〃
　Johnjohn　stared　at　him。
　〃I　hear　Paul's　quite　enamored。〃
　〃How　do　you　do　it；　know　so　much？〃
　Dunross　shrugged。　He　was　feeling　tired　and　uneasy　and　had　been　hard　put　not　to　lose　his　temper　several　times　tonight　when　Grey　was　in　the　center　of　another　heated　argument　with　some　of　the　tai…pans。
　〃By　the　way；　Ian；　I　tried　to　get　Paul　to　call　a　board　meeting　but　it's　not　in　my　bailiwick。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　They　were　in　a　smaller　anteroom。　Good　Chinese　silk　paintings　and　more　fine　Persian　carpets　and　silver。　Dunross　noticed　the　paint　was　peeling　in　the　corners　of　the　room　and　off　the　fine　moldings　of　the　ceiling；　and　this　offended　him。　This　is　the　British　raj　and　the　paint　shouldn't　be　peeling。
　The　silence　hung。　Dunross　pretended　to　examine　some　of　the　exquisite　snuff　bottles　that　were　on　a　shelf。
　〃Ian　。。。〃　Johnjohn　stopped　and　changed　his　mind。　He　began　again。　〃This　is　off　the　record。　You　know　Tiptop　Toe　quite　well；　don't　you？〃
　Dunross　stared　at　him。　Tiptop　Toe　was　their　nickname　for　Tip　Tok…toh；　a　middle…aged　man　from　Hunan；　Mao　Tse…tung's　home　province；　who　had　arrived　during　the　exodus　in　1950。　No　one　seemed　to　know　anything　about　him；　he　bothered　no　one；　had　a　small　office　in　Princes　Building；　and　lived　well。　Over　the　years　it　was　evident　that　he　had　very　particular　contacts　within　the　Bank　of　China　and　it　came　to　be　presumed　that　he　was　an　official　unofficial　contact　of　the　bank。　No　one　knew　his　position　in　the　hierarchy　but　rumor　had　it　that　he　was　very　high。　The　Bank　of　China　was　the　only　mercial　arm　of　the　PRC　outside　of　China；　so　all　of　its　appointments　and　contacts　were　tightly　controlled　by　the　ruling　hierarchy　in　Peking。
　〃What　about　Tiptop？〃　Dunross　asked；　on　guard；　liking　Tiptop　…　a　charming；　quiet…spoken　man　who　enjoyed　Cognac　and　spoke　excellent　English；　though；　following　a　usual　pattern；　nearly　always　he　used　an　interpreter。　His　clothes　were　well　cut；　though　most　times　he　wore　a　Maoist　jacket；　looked　a　little　like　Chou　En…lai　and　was　just　as　clever。　The　last　time　Dunross　had　dealt　with　him　was　about　some　civilian　aircraft　the　PRC　had　wanted。　Tip　Tok…toh　had　arranged　the　letters　of　credit　and　financing　through　various　Swiss　and　foreign　banks　within　twenty…four　hours。　〃Tiptop's　canny；　Ian；〃　Alastair　Struan　had　said　many　times。　〃You　have　to　watch　yourself　but　he's　the　man　to　deal　with。　I'd　say　he　was　very　high　up　in　the　Party　in　Peking。　Very。〃
　Dunross　watched　Johnjohn；　curbing　his　impatience。　The　smaller　man　had　picked　up　one　of　the　snuff　bottles。　The　bottles　were　tiny；　ornate　ceramic　or　jade　or　glass　bottles　…　many　of　them　beautifully　painted　inside；　within　the　glass：　landscapes；　dancing　girls；　flowers；　birds；　seascapes；　even　poems　in　incredibly　delicate　calligraphy。　〃How　do　they　do　that；　Ian？　Paint　on　the　inside　like　that？〃
　〃Oh　they　use　a　very　fine　brush。　The　stem　of　the　brush's　bent　ninety　degrees。　In　Mandarin　they　call　it　li　myan　huai；　'inside　face　painting。'　〃　Dunross　lifted　up　an　elliptical　one　that　had　a　landscape　on　one　side；　a　spray　of　camellias　on　the　other　and　tiny　calligraphy　on　the　paintings。
　〃Astonishing！　What　patience！　What's　the　writing　say？〃
　Dunross　peered　at　the　tiny　column　of　characters。　〃Ah；　it's　one　of　Mao's　sayings：　'Know　yourself；　know　your　enemy；　a　hundred　battles；　a　hundred　victories。'　Actually　the　Chairman　took　it　out　of　Sun　Tzu。〃
　Thoughtfully　Johnjohn　examined　it。　The　windows　beyond　him　were　open。　A　small　breeze　twisted　the　neat　curtains。　〃Would　you　talk　to　Tiptop　for　us？〃
　〃About　what？〃
　〃We　want　to　borrow　the　Bank　of　China's　cash。〃
　Dunross　gaped　at　him。　〃Eh？〃
　850 JAMES　CLAVELL
　〃Yes；　for　a　week　or　so。　They're　full　to　the　gills　with　Hong　Kong　dollars　and　there's　no　run　on　them。　No　Chinese'd　dare　line　up　outside　the　Bank　of　China。　They　carry　Hong　Kong　dollars　as　part　of　their　foreign　exchange。　We'd　pay　good　interest　for　the　loan　and　put　up　whatever　collateral　they'd　need。〃
　〃This　is　a　formal　request　by　the　Victoria？〃
　〃No。　It　can't　be　formal。　This's　my　idea；　I　haven't　even　discussed　it　with　Paul　…　only　with　you。　Would　you？〃
　Dunross's　excitement　crested。　〃Do　I　get　my　100　million　loan　tomorrow　by　10：00　a。m。？〃
　〃Sorry；　I　can't　do　that。〃
　〃But　Havergill　can。〃
　〃He　can　but　he　won't。〃
　〃So　why　should　I　help　you？〃
　〃Ian；　if　the　bank　doesn't　stand　as　solid　as　the　Peak；　the　market'll　crash；　and　so　will　the　Noble　House。〃
　〃If　I　don't　get　some　financing　right　smartly　I'm　in　the　shit　anyway。〃
　〃I'll　do　what　I　can　but　will　you　talk　to　Tiptop　at　once？　Ask　him。　I　can't　approach　him　。。。　no　one　can　officially。　You'd　be　doing　the　Colony　a　great　service。〃
　〃Guarantee　my　loan　and　I'll　talk　to　him　tonight。　An　eye　for　an　eye　and　a　loan　for　a　loan。〃
　〃If　you　can　deliver　his　promise　of　a　credit　up　to　half　a　billion　in　cash　by　2：00　p。m。　tomorrow；　I'll　get　you　the　backing　you　need。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃I　don't　know！〃
　〃Give　that　to　me　in　writing　by　10：00　a。m。　signed　by　you；　Havergill　and　the　majority　of　the　board　and　I'll　go　and　see　him。〃
　〃That's　not　possible。〃
　〃Tough。　An　eye　for　an　eye　and　a　loan　for　a　loan。〃　Dunross　got　up。　〃Why　should　the　Bank　of　China　bale　out　the　Victoria？〃
　〃We're　Hong　Kong；〃　Johnjohn　said　with　great　confidence。　〃We　are。　We're　the　Victoria　Bank　of　Hong　Kong　and　China！　We're　old　friends　of　China。　Without　us　there's　nothing　…　the　Colony'd　fall　apart　and　so　would　Struan's　and　therefore　so　would　most　of　Asia。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　that！〃
　〃Without　banking；　particularly　us；　China's　in　bad　shape。　We've　been　partners　for　years　with　China。〃
　〃Then　ask　Tiptop　yourself。〃
　〃I　can't。〃　Johnjohn's　jaw　was　jutting。　〃Did　you　know　the　Trade　Bank　of　Moscow　has　again　asked　for　a　license　to　trade　in　Hong　Kong？〃
　Dunross　gasped。　〃Once　they're　in　we're　all　on　the　merry…go…round。〃
　〃We've　been　offered；　privately；　substantial　Hong　Kong　dollars　immediately。〃
　〃The　board'll　vote　against　it。〃
　〃The　point　is；　my　dear　chap；　if　you're　no　longer　on　the　board；　the　new　board　can　do　what　the　hell　it　likes；〃　Johnjohn　said　simply。　〃If　the　'new'　board　agrees；　the　governor　and　the　Colonial　Office　can　easily　be　persuaded。　That'd　be　a　small　price　to　pay　…　to　save　our　dollar。　Once　a