jamesclavell.noblehouse-第206节

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　〃I　believe　immediately；　as　much　as　can　be　obtained。　As　you　know；　the　PRC　is　attempting　to　modernize　but　much　of　our　lighting　is　still　by　gas。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Where　would　you　obtain　the　oxides　or　nitrates？〃
　〃Australia　would　probably　be　the　quickest；　though　I've　no　idea　at　this　moment　about　quality。　Outside　of　the　United　States；〃　he　added　delicately；　〃it's　only　found　in　Tasmania；　Brazil；　India；　South　Africa；　Rhodesia　and　the　Urals　。。。　big　deposits　there。〃　Neither　man　smiled。　〃I　imagine　Rhodesia　and　Tasmania'd　be　best。　Is　there　anyone　Phillip　or　I　should　deal　with？〃
　〃A　Mr。　Vee　Cee　Ng；　in　Princes　Building。〃
　Dunross　bit　back　a　whistle　as　another　piece　of　the　puzzle　fell　into　place。　Mr。　Vee　Cee　Ng；　Photographer　Ng；　was　a　great　friend　of　Tsu…yan；　the　missing　Tsu…yan；　his　old　friend　and　associate　who　had　mysteriously　fled　into　China　over　the　Macao　border。　Tsu…yan　had　been　one　of　the　thorium　importers。　Up　to　now；　the　connection　had　been　meaningless。　〃I　know　Mr。　Ng。　By　the　way；　how　is　my　old　friend；　Tsu…yan？〃
　L'eung　was　plainly　startled。　Bull's…eye；　Dunross　thought　grimly；　shocked　that　he　had　never　once　suspected　Tsu…yan　of　being　munist　or　having　munist　leanings。
　〃Tsu…yan？〃　Tiptop　frowned。　〃I　haven't　seen　him　for　a　week　or　more。　Why？〃
　〃I　heard　he　was　visiting　Peking　by　way　of　Macao。〃
　〃Curious！　That's　very　curious。　I　wonder　why　he'd　want　to　do　that　…　an　arch…capitalist？　Well；　wonders　will　never　cease。　If　you'd　be　kind　enough　to　contact　Mr。　Ng　direct；　I'm　sure　he　will　give　you　the　details。〃
　〃I'll　do　that　this　morning。　As　soon　as　I　get　back　to　the　office。〃　Dunross　waited。　There　would　be　other　concessions　before　they　would　grant　what　he　sought；　if　it　was　to　be　granted。　His　mind　was　racing　with　the　implication　of　their　first　request；　how　to　get　thorium　oxides；　whether　to　get　them；　wanting　to　know　how　far　along　the　PRC　was　with　its　atomic　program；　knowing　they　would　never　tell　him　that。　L'eung　took　out　a　pack　of　cigarettes　and　offered　it。
　〃No　thanks；〃　he　said。
　Both　men　lit　up。　Tiptop　coughed　and　blew　his　nose。　〃It's　curious；　tai…pan；〃　he　said；　〃very　curious　that　you　go　out　of　your　way　to　help　the　Victoria　and　Blacs　and　all　your　capitalist　banks　while　the　strong　rumor　is　that　they'll　not　help　you　in　your　need。〃
　〃Perhaps　they'll　see　the　error　of　their　ways；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Sometimes　it's　necessary　to　forget　present　advantages　for　the　mon　good。　It　would　be　bad　for　the　Middle　Kingdom　for　Hong　Kong　to　falter。〃　He　noted　the　scorn　on　L'eung's　face　but　it　did　not　bother　him。　〃It's　ancient　Chinese　doctrine　not　to　forget　Old　Friends；　trusted　ones；　and　as　long　as　I'm　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House　and　have　power；　Mr。　Tip；　I　and　those　like　me　…　Mr。　Johnjohn　for　one；　our　governor　for　another　…　will　give　eternal　friendship　to　the　Middle　Kingdom　and　will　never　permit　hegemonists　to　thrive　on　our　barren　rock。〃
　Tiptop　said　sharply；　〃It　is　our　barren　rock；　Mr。　Dunross；　that　is　presently　administered　by　the　British；　is　it　not？〃
　〃Hong　Kong　is　and　always　was　earth　of　the　Middle　Kingdom。〃
　〃I　will　let　your　definition　pass　for　the　moment　but　everything　in　Kowloon　and　the　New　Territories　north　of　Boundary　Road　reverts　to　us　in　thirty…five…odd　years　doesn't　it　…　even　if　you　accept　the　Unequal　Treaties　forced　on　our　forebears　which　we　don't。〃
　〃My　forebears　have　always　found　their　Old　Friends　wise；　very　wise；　and　never　men　to　cut　off　their　Stalks　to　spite　a　Jade　Gate。〃
　Tiptop　laughed。　L'eung　continued　to　be　set…faced　and　hostile。
　〃What　do　you　forecast　will　happen　in　1997；　Mr。　Dunross？〃
　〃I　am　not　Old　Blind　Tung；　nor　a　soothsayer；　Mr。　Tip。〃　Dunross　shrugged。　〃1997　can　take　care　of　1997。　Old　friends　will　still　need　old　friends。　Heya？〃
　After　a　pause　Tiptop　said；　〃If　your　bank　will　not　help　the　Noble　House；　nor　Old　Friends；　nor　Orlin；　how　will　you　remain　the　Noble　House？〃
　〃My　forebear；　Green…Eyed　Devil；　was　asked　the　same　question　by　the　Great　and　Honorable　Jin…qua　when　he　was　beset　by　his　enemies；　Tyler　Brock　and　his　scum；　and　he　just　laughed　and　said；　'Neng　che　to　lao'　…　an　able　man　has　many　burdens。　As　I'm　abler　than　most　I　have　to　sweat　more　than　most。〃
　Tip　Tok…toh　smiled　with　him。　〃And　you　are　sweating；　Mr。　Dunross？〃
　〃Well；　let　me　put　it　this　way；〃　Dunross　told　him　cheerfully；　〃I'm　trying　to　avoid　the　eighty…fourth。　As　you　know；　Buddha　said　that　all　men　have　eighty…three　burdens。　If　we　succeed　in　eliminating　one　we　automatically　acquire　another。　The　secret　of　life　is　to　adjust　to　eighty…three　and　avoid　at　all　costs　acquiring　the　eighty…fourth。〃
　The　older　man　smiled。　〃Have　you　considered　selling　part　of　your　pany；　perhaps　even　51　percent？〃
　〃No；　Mr。　Tip。　Old　Green…Eyed　Devil　forbade　that。〃　The　lines　around　Dunross's　eyes　crinkled。　〃He　wanted　us　to　sweat。〃
　〃Let　us　hope　you　don't　have　to　sweat　too　much。　Yes。〃　Tiptop　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。　〃In　troubled　times　it　would　be　good　for　the　Bank　of　China　to　have　a　closer　liaison　with　your　banking　system。　Then　these　crises　would　not　be　so　continuous。〃
　Instantly　Dunross's　mind　leaped　forward。　〃I　wonder　if　the　Bank　of　China　would　consider　having　a　permanent　contact　stationed　within　the　Vic　and　an　equivalent　one　in　yours？〃　He　saw　the　fleeting　smile　and　knew　he　had　guessed　correctly。　〃That　would　ensure　close　monitoring　of　any　crisis；　and　assist　you　should　you　ever　need　international　assistance。〃
　〃Chairman　Mao　advises　self…help　and　that's　what　we　are　doing。　But　your　suggestion　might　be　worthwhile。　I　will　be　glad　to　pass　it　on。〃
　〃I'm　sure　the　bank　would　be　grateful　if　you　would　remend　someone　to　be　their　contact　with　the　great　Bank　of　China。〃
　〃I　would　be　glad　to　pass　that　on　too。　Do　you　think　Blacs　or　the　Victoria　would　advance　the　necessary　foreign　exchange　for　Mr。　Ng's　imports？〃
　〃I'm　sure　they'd　be　delighted　to　be　of　service；　the　Victoria　certainly。　After　all；　the　Victoria　has　had　a　century　and　more　of　association　with　China。　Wasn't　it　instrumental　in　making　most　of　your　foreign　loans；　railway　loans；　aircraft　loans？〃
　〃To　great　profit；〃　Tiptop　said　dryly。　His　eyes　darted　at　L'eung　who　was　staring　intently　at　Dunross。　〃Capitalist　profit；〃　he　added　thinly。
　〃Quite；〃　Dunross　said。　〃You　must　excuse　us　capitalists；　Mr。　Tip。　Perhaps　our　only　defense　is　that　many　of　us　are　Old　Friends　of　the　Middle　Kingdom。〃
　L'eung　spoke　to　Tiptop　briefly　in　a　dialect　Dunross　did　not　understand。　Tiptop　answered　him　affirmatively。　Both　men　looked　back　at　him。　〃I'm　sorry　but　you　must　excuse　me　now；　Mr。　Dunross；　I　really　must　get　some　medication。　Perhaps　you'd　phone　me　here　after　lunch；　say　around　2：30。〃
　Dunross　got　up　and　stretched　out　his　hand；　not　sure　if　he　had　succeeded　but　very　sure　he　had　better　do　something　about　the　thorium　very　quickly；　certainly　before　2：30。　〃Thank　you　for　seeing　me。〃
　〃What　about　our　fifth　race？〃　The　older　man　peered　up　at　him；　walking　with　him　to　the　door。
　〃Noble　Star's　worth　a　bet。　Each　way。〃
　〃Ah！　Butterscotch　Lass？〃
　〃Same。〃
　〃And　Pilot　Fish？〃
　Dunross　laughed。　〃The　stallion's　good　but　not　in　the　same　class；　unless　there's　an　act　of　God；　or　the　devil。〃
　They　were　at　the　front　door　now　and　a　servant　had　opened　it　wide。　Again　L'eung　spoke　in　the　dialect　Dunross　did　not　recognize。　Again　Tiptop　answered　affirmatively　and　led　the　way　outside。　At　once　L'eung　walked　off　down　toward　the　tennis　court。
　〃I'd　like　you　to　meet　a　friend；　a　new　friend；　Mr。　Dunross；〃　Tiptop　said。　〃He　could；　perhaps；　be　doing　a　lot　of　business　with　you　in　the　future。　If　you　wish。〃
　Dunross　saw　the　flinty　eyes　and　his　good　humor　vanished。
　The　Chinese　ing　back　with　L'eung　was　well　formed；　fit　and　in　his　forties。　His　hair　was　blue…black　and　tousled　from　his　game；　his　tennis　clothes　modern；　smart　and　American。　On　the　court　behind　him；　the　other　three　waited　and　watched。　All　were　fit　and　well　dressed。
　〃May　I　introduce　Dr。　Joseph　Yu　from　California？　Mr。　Ian　Dunross。〃
　〃Hi；　Mr。　Dunross；〃　Joseph　Yu　said　with　easy　American　familiarity。　〃Mr。　Tip's　filled　me　in　on　you　and　Struan's　…　happy　to　meet　you。　Mr。　Tip　thought　we　should　meet　before　I　leave　…　we're　going　into　China　tomorrow；　Betty　'n'　I；　my　wife　and　I。〃　He　waved　a　vague　hand　toward　one　of　the　women　on　the　tennis　court。　〃We're　not　expecting　to　e　back　for　some　time　so　I'd　like　to　make　a　date　to　meet　in　Canton　in　a　month　or　so。〃　He　glanced　back　at　Tiptop。　〃No　trouble　about　Mr。　Dunross's　visa；　anything　like　that？〃
　〃No；　Dr。　Yu。　Oh　no。　None　at　all。〃
　〃Great。　If　I　give　you　a　call；　Mr。　Dunross；　or　Mr。　Tip　does；　can　we　arrange　something　at　a　couple　days'　notice？〃
　〃Certainly；　if　all　the　paper　work's　done。〃　Dunross　kept　the　smile　on　his　face；　noticing　the　assured　hardness　in　Yu。　〃What　had　you　in　mind？〃
　〃If　you'll　excuse　us；〃　Tiptop　said；　〃we'll　leave　you　two　together。〃　He　nodded　politely　and　went　back　inside　with　L'eung。
　〃I'm　from　the　States；〃　Yu　continued　cheerfully；　〃American　born；　Sacramento。　I'm　third…generation　California　though　I　was　educated；　in　part；　in　Canton。　My　Ph。　D。　is　from　Stanford；　aerospace　engineering；　my　specialty　rocketry　and　rocket　fuels。　NASA's　where　I've　spent　my　best　years；　best　since　college。〃　Yu　was　no　longer　smiling。　〃The　equipment　I'll　be　ordering　will　be　all　manner　of　sophisticated　metallurgy　and　aerospace　hardware。　Mr。　Tip　said　you'd　be　our　best　bet　as　the　importer。　T