jamesclavell.noblehouse-第19节

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　They　stared　at　her　in　silence。
　Andrew　Gavallan　cross…questioned　her　about　the　figures　but　she　never　faltered。　Their　dislike　for　her　increased。
　Silence。
　She　was　sure　they　were　fogged　by　her　figures。　What　else　can　I　say　to　convince　them？　she　thought；　her　anxiety　growing。　Struan's　will　make　a　bundle　if　they　get　off　their　asses；　we'll　make　a　fortune　and　I'll　get　my　drop　dead　money　at　long　last。　The　foam　part　of　the　deal　alone　will　make　Struan's　rich　and　Par…Con　nearly　80；000　net　a　month　over　the　next　ten　years　and　Linc　said　I　could　have　a　piece。
　〃How　much　do　you　want？〃　he　had　asked　her；　just　before　they　had　left　the　States。
　〃51　percent；〃　she　had　replied　with　a　laugh；　〃since　you're　asking。〃
　〃3　percent。〃
　〃e　on；　Linc；　I　need　my　drop　dead　money。〃
　〃Pull　off　the　whole　package　and　you've　got　a　stock　option　of　100；000　Par…Con　at　four　dollars　below　market。〃
　〃You're　on。　But　I　want　the　foam　pany　too；〃　she　had　said；　holding　her　breath。　〃I　started　it　and　I　want　that。　51　percent。　For　me。〃
　〃In　return　for　what？〃
　〃Struan's。〃
　〃Done。〃
　Casey　waited　outwardly　calm。　When　she　judged　the　moment　correct　she　said　innocently；　〃Are　we　agreed　then；　that　our　proposal　stands　as　is？　We're　fifty…fifty　with　you；　what　could　be　better　than　that？〃
　〃I　still　say　you're　not　providing　50　percent　of　the　financing　of　the　joint　venture；〃　Andrew　Gavallan　replied　sharply。　〃You're　providing　the　machines　and　materials　on　a　lease　carry…back　so　your　risk's　not　equivalent　to　ours。〃
　〃But　that's　for　our　tax　purposes　and　to　lessen　the　amount　of　cash　outlay；　gentlemen。　We're　financing　from　cash　flow。　The　figures　add　up　the　same。　The　fact　that　we　get　a　depreciation　allowance　and　various　rebates　is　neither　here　nor　there。〃　Even　more　innocently；　baiting　the　trap；　she　added；　〃We　finance　in　the　States；　where　we've　the　expertise。　You　finance　in　Hong　Kong　where　you're　the　experts。〃
　
　Quillan　Gornt　turned　back　from　his　office　window。　〃I　repeat；　we　can　better　any　arrangement　you　can　make　with　Struan's；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Any　arrangement。〃
　〃You'd　go　dollar　for　dollar？〃
　〃Dollar　for　dollar。〃　The　Englishman　strolled　back　and　sat　behind　his　paperless　desk　and　faced　Bartlett　again。　They　were　on　the　top　floor　of　the　Rothwell…Gornt　Building　also　fronting　Connaught　Road　and　the　waterfront。　Gornt　was　a　thickset；　hard…faced；　bearded　man；　just　under　six　feet；　with　graying　black　hair　and　graying　bushy　eyebrows　and　brown　eyes。　〃It's　no　secret　our　panies　are　very　serious　rivals；　but　I　assure　you　we　can　outbid　them　and　outmatch　them；　and　I'd　arrange　our　side　of　the　financing　within　the　week。　We　could　have　a　profitable　partnership；　you　and　I。　I'd　suggest　we　set　up　a　joint　pany　under　Hong　Kong　law　…　the　taxes　here're　really　quite　reasonable　…　15　percent　of　everything　earned　in　Hong　Kong；　with　the　rest　of　the　world　free　of　all　taxes。〃　Gornt　smiled。　〃Better　than　the　U。S。A。〃
　〃Much　better；〃　Bartlett　said。　He　was　sitting　in　a　high…backed　leather　chair。　〃Very　much　better。〃
　〃Is　that　why　you're　interested　in　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃One　reason。〃
　〃What're　the　others？〃
　〃There's　no　American　outfit　as　big　as　mine　here　in　strength　yet；　and　there　should　be。　This　is　the　age　of　the　Pacific。　But　you　could　benefit　from　our　ing。　We've　a　lot　of　expertise　you　don't　have　and　a　major　say　in　areas　of　the　U。S。　market。　On　the　other　hand；　Rothwell…Gornt　…　and　Struan's　…　have　the　expertise　we　lack　and　a　major　say　in　the　Asian　markets。〃
　〃How　can　we　cement　a　relationship？〃
　〃First　I　have　to　find　out　what　Struan's　are　after。　I　started　negotiating　with　them；　and　I　don't　like　changing　airplanes　in　mid…ocean。〃
　〃I　can　tell　you　at　once　what　they're　after：　profit　for　them　and　the　hell　with　anyone　else。〃　Gornt's　smile　was　hard。
　〃The　deal　we've　discussed　seems　very　fair。〃
　〃They're　past　masters　at　appearing　to　be　very　fair　and　putting　up　a　half　share；　then　selling　out　at　their　own　choosing　to　skim　the　profit　and　yet　retain　control。〃
　〃That　wouldn't　be　possible　with　us。〃
　〃They've　been　at　it　for　almost　a　century　and　a　half。　They've　learned　a　few　tricks　by　now。〃
　〃So've　you。〃
　〃Of　course。　But　Struan's　is　very　different　from　us。　We　own　things　and　panies　…　they're　percentagers。　They've　little　more　than　a　5　percent　holding　in　most　of　their　subsidiaries　yet　they　still　exercise　absolute　control　by　special　voting　shares；　or　by　making　it　mandatory　in　the　Articles　of　Association　that　their　tai…pan's　also　tai…pan　of　the　subsidiary　with　overriding　say。〃
　〃That　sounds　smart。〃
　〃It　is。　And　they　are。　But　we're　better　and　straighter　…　and　our　contacts　and　influence　in　China　and　throughout　the　Pacific　Rim；　except　for　the　U。S。　and　Canada；　are　stronger　than　theirs　and　growing　stronger　every　day。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　our　pany　operations　originated　in　Shanghai　…　the　greatest　city　in　Asia　…　where　we　were　dominant。　Struan's　has　always　concentrated　on　Hong　Kong　which；　until　recently；　was　almost　a　provincial　backwater。〃
　〃But　Shanghai's　a　dead　issue　and　has　been　since　the　mies　closed　off　the　Mainland　in　'49。　There's　no　foreign　trade　going　through　Shanghai　today　…　it's　all　through　Canton。〃
　〃Yes。　But　it's　the　Shanghainese　who　left　China　and　came　south　with　money；　brains　and　guts；　who　made　Hong　Kong　what　it　is　today　and　what　it'll　be　tomorrow：　the　now　and　future　metropolis　of　the　whole　Pacific。〃
　〃Better　than　Singapore？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　〃Manila？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　〃Tokyo？〃
　〃That　will　ever　only　be　for　Japanese。〃　Gornt's　eyes　sparkled；　the　lines　on　his　face　crinkled。　〃Hong　Kong　is　the　greatest　city　in　Asia；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Whoever　masters　it　will　eventually　master　Asia。　。。。　Of　course　I'm　talking　about　trade；　financing；　shipping　and　big　business。〃
　〃What　about　Red　China？〃
　〃We　think　Hong　Kong　benefits　the　PRC　…　as　we　call　the　People's　Republic　of　China。　We're　the　controlled　'open　door'　for　them。　Hong　Kong　and　Rothwell…Gornt　represent　the　future。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　since　Shanghai　was　the　business　and　industrial　center　of　China；　the　pacesetter；　Shanghainese　are　the　go…getters　of　China；　always　have　been　and　always　will　be。　And　now　the　best　are　with　us　here。　You'll　soon　see　the　difference　between　Cantonese　and　Shanghainese。　Shanghainese're　the　entrepreneurs；　the　industrialists；　promoters　and　internationalists。　There's　not　a　great　textile　or　shipping　magnate　or　industrialist　who　isn't　Shanghainese。　Cantonese…run　family　businesses；　Mr。　Bartlett；　they're　loners；　but　Shanghainese　understand　partnerships；　corporate　situations　and　above　all；　banking　and　financing。〃　Gornt　lit　another　cigarette。　〃That's　where　our　strength　is；　why　we're　better　than　Struan's　…　why　we'll　be　number　one　eventually。〃
　Linc　Bartlett　studied　the　man　opposite　him。　From　the　dossier　that　Casey　had　prepared　he　knew　that　Gornt　had　been　born　in　Shanghai　of　British　parents；　was　forty…eight；　a　widower　with　two　grown　children；　and　that　he　had　served　as　a　captain　in　the　Australian　infantry　'42…'45　in　the　Pacific。　He　knew　too　that　he　ruled　Rothwell…Gornt　very　successfully　as　a　private　fief　and　had　done　so　for　eight　years　since　he　took　over　from　his　father。
　Bartlett　shifted　in　the　deep　leather　chair。　〃If　you've　got　this　rivalry　with　Struan's　and　you're　so　sure　you'll　be　number　one　eventually；　why　wait？　Why　not　take　them　now？〃
　Gornt　was　watching　him；　his　craggy　face　set。　〃There's　nothing　in　the　world　that　I'd　like　to　do　more。　But　I　can't；　not　yet。　I　nearly　did　three　years　ago　…　they'd　overreached　themselves；　the　previous　tai…pan's　joss　had　run　out。〃
　〃Joss？〃
　〃It's　a　Chinese　word　meaning　luck；　fate；　but　a　bit　more。〃　Gornt　watched　him　thoughtfully。　〃We're　very　superstitious　out　here。　Joss　is　very　important；　like　timing。　Alastair　Struan's　joss　ran　out；　or　changed。　He　had　a　disastrous　last　year；　and　then；　in　desperation；　handed　over　to　Ian　Dunross。　They　almost　went　under　that　time。　A　run　had　started　on　their　stock。　I　went　after　them；　but　Dunross　squeezed　out　of　the　run　and　stabilized　the　market。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃Let's　say　he　exercised　an　undue　amount　of　influence　in　certain　banking　circles；〃　Gornt　remembered　with　cold　fury　how　Havergill　at　the　bank　had　suddenly；　against　all　their　private；　secret　agreements；　not　opposed　Struan's　request　for　a　temporary；　enormous　line　of　credit　that　had　given　Dunross　the　time　to　recover。
　Gornt　remembered　his　blinding　rage　when　he　had　called　Havergill。　〃What　the　hell　did　you　do　that　for？〃　he　had　asked　him。　〃A　hundred　million　as　an　Extraordinary　Credit？　You've　saved　their　necks　for　chrissake！　We　had　them。　Why？〃　Havergill　had　told　him　that　Dunross　had　mustered　enough　votes　on　the　board　and　put　an　extreme　amount　of　personal　pressure　on　him。　〃There　was　nothing　I　could　do。　。。。〃
　Yes；　Gornt　thought；　looking　at　the　American。　I　lost　that　time　but　I　think　you're　the　twenty…four…carat　explosive　key　that　will　trigger　the　bomb　to　blow　Struan's　to　hell　out　of　Asia　forever。　〃Dunross　went　to　the　edge　that　time；　Mr。　Bartlett。　He　made　some　implacable　enemies。　But　now　we're　equally　strong。　It's　what　you'd　call　a　stand…off。　They　can't　take　us　and　we　can't　take　them。〃
　〃Unless　they　make　a　mistake。〃
　〃Or　we　make　a　mistake。〃　The　older　man　blew　a　smoke　ring　and　studied　it。　At　length　he　glanced　back　at　Bartlett。　〃We'll　win　eventually。　Time　in　Asia's　a　little　different　from　time　in　the　U。S。A。〃
　〃That's　what　peopl