jamesclavell.noblehouse-第24节

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errible　waste！
　〃The　joint　venture　should　be　set　up　under　Hong　Kong　law；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes　of　course。　There's　…　〃
　〃Sims；　Dawson　and　Dick　can　advise　us　how。　I'll　arrange　an　appointment　for　tomorrow　or　the　day　after。〃
　〃No　need　for　that；　Mr。　Gavallan。　I　already　got　their　tentative　proposals；　hypothetical　and　confidential；　of　course；　just　in　case　we　decided　to　conclude。〃
　〃What？〃　They　gaped　at　her　as　she　took　out　five　copies　of　a　short　form；　legal　contract　and　handed　one　to　each　of　them。
　〃I　found　out　they　were　your　attorneys；〃　she　said　brightly。　〃I　had　our　people　check　them　out　and　I　was　advised　they're　the　best　so　they　were　fine　with　us。　I　asked　them　to　consider　our　joint　hypothetical　needs　…　yours　as　well　as　ours。　Is　anything　the　matter？〃
　〃No；〃　Gavallan　said；　suddenly　furious　that　their　own　firm　had　not　told　them　of　Par…Con's　inquiries。　He　began　to　scan　the　letter。
　Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　Casey　bloody　whatever　her　names　are；　Phillip　Chen　was　thinking；　enraged　at　the　loss　of　face。　May　your　Golden　Gulley　wither　and　be　ever　dry　and　dust…filled　for　your　foul　manners　and　your　fresh；　filthy；　unfeminine　habits！
　God　protect　us　from　American　women！
　Ayeeyah；　it　is　going　to　cost　Lincoln　Bartlett　a　pretty　penny　for　daring　to　stick　this　。。。　this　creature　upon　us；　he　promised　himself。　How　dare　he！
　Nevertheless；　his　mind　was　estimating　the　staggering　value　of　the　deal　they　were　being　offered。　It　has　to　be　at　least　100　million　U。S。；　potentially；　over　the　next　few　years；　he　told　himself；　his　head　reeling。　This　will　give　the　Noble　House　the　stability　it　needs。
　Oh　happy　day；　he　gloated。　And　co…financing　dollar　for　dollar！　Unbelievable！　Stupid　to　give　us　that　so　quickly　without　even　a　tiny　concession　in　return。　Stupid；　but　what　can　you　expect　from　a　stupid　woman？　Ayeeyah；　the　Pacific　Rim　will　gorge　on　all　the　polyurethane　foam　products　we　can　make　…　for　packaging；　building；　bedding　and　insulating。　One　factory　here；　one　in　Taiwan；　one　in　Singapore；　one　in　Kuala　Lumpur　and　a　last；　initially；　in　Jakarta。　We'll　make　millions；　tens　of　millions。　And　as　to　the　puter…leasing　agency；　why　at　the　rental　these　fools　are　offering　us；　10　percent　less　than　IBM's　list　price；　less　our　71/2　percent　mission　…　with　just　a　little　haggling　we　would　have　been　delighted　to　agree　to　5　percent　…　by　next　weekend　I　can　sell　three　in　Singapore；　one　here；　one　in　Kuala　Lumpur　and　one　to　that　shipping　pirate　in　Indonesia　for　a　clear　profit　of　67；500　each；　or　405；000　for　six　phone　calls。　And　as　to　China　。。。
　And　as　to　China　。。。
　Oh　all　gods　great　and　small　and　very　small；　help　this　deal　to　go　through　and　I　will　endow　a　new　temple；　a　cathedral；　in　Tai…ping　Shan；　he　promised；　consumed　with　fervor。　If　China　will　drop　some　controls；　or　even　ease　them　just　a　fraction；　we　can　fertilize　the　paddy　fields　of　Kwantung　Province　and　then　of　all　China　and　over　the　next　twelve　years　this　deal　will　mean　tens　of　hundreds　of　millions　of　dollars；　U。S。　dollars　not　Hong　Kong　dollars！
　The　thought　of　all　this　profit　mollified　his　rage　considerably。　〃I　think　this　proposal　can　form　the　basis　for　further　discussion；〃　he　said；　finishing　reading。　〃Don't　you；　Andrew？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Gavallan　put　the　letter　down。　〃I'll　call　them　after　lunch。　When　would　it　be　convenient　for　Mr。　Bartlett　。。。　and　you　of　course　。。。　to　meet？〃
　〃This　afternoon　…　the　sooner　the　better　…　or　anytime　tomorrow　but　Linc　won't　e。　I　handle　all　the　details；　that's　my　job；〃　Casey　said　crisply。　〃He　sets　policy　…　and　will　formally　sign　the　final　documents　…　after　I've　approved　them。　That's　the　function　of　the　mander…in…chief；　isn't　it？〃　She　beamed　at　them。
　〃I'll　make　an　appointment　and　leave　a　message　at　your　hotel；〃　Gavallan　was　saying。
　〃Perhaps　we　could　set　it　up　now　…　then　that's　out　of　the　way？〃
　Sourly　Gavallan　glanced　at　his　watch。　Almost　lunch；　thank　God。　〃Jacques　…　how're　you　fixed　tomorrow？〃
　〃Morning's　better　than　the　afternoon。〃
　〃And　for　John　too；〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　Gavallan　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed。　〃Mary？　Call　Dawson　and　make　an　appointment　for　eleven　tomorrow　to　include　Mr。　deVille　and　Mr。　John　Chen　and　Miss　Casey。　At　their　offices。〃　He　put　the　phone　down。　〃Jacques　and　John　Chen　handle　all　our　corporate　matters。　John's　sophisticated　on　American　problems　and　Dawson's　the　expert。　I'll　send　the　car　for　you　at　10：30。〃
　〃Thanks；　but　there's　no　need　for　you　to　trouble。〃
　〃Just　as　you　wish；〃　he　said　politely。　〃Perhaps　this　is　a　good　time　to　break　for　lunch。〃
　Casey　said；　〃We've　a　quarter　of　an　hour　yet。　Shall　we　start　on　how　you'd　like　our　financing？　Or　if　you　wish　we　can　send　out　for　a　sandwich　and　work　on　through。〃
　They　stared　at　her；　appalled。　〃Work　through　lunch？〃
　〃Why　not？　It's　an　old　American　custom。〃
　〃Thank　God　it's　not　a　custom　here；〃　Gavallan　said。
　〃Yes；〃　Phillip　Chen　snapped。
　She　felt　their　disapproval　descend　like　a　pall　but　she　did　not　care。　Shit　on　all　of　you；　she　thought　irritably；　then　forced　herself　to　put　that　attitude　away。　Listen；　idiot；　don't　let　these　sons　of　bitches　get　you！　She　smiled　sweetly。　〃If　you　want　to　stop　now　for　lunch；　that's　fine　with　me。〃
　〃Good；〃　Gavallan　said　at　once　and　the　others　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃We　begin　lunch　at　12：40。　You'll　probably　want　to　powder　your　nose　first。〃
　〃Yes；　thank　you；〃　she　said；　knowing　they　wanted　her　gone　so　they　could　discuss　her　…　and　then　the　deal。　It　should　be　the　other　way　around；　she　thought；　but　it　won't　be。　No。　It'll　be　the　same　as　always：　they'll　lay　bets　as　to　who'll　be　the　first　to　score。　But　it'll　be　none　of　them；　because　I　don't　want　any　of　them　at　the　moment；　however　attractive　they　are　in　their　way。　These　men　are　like　all　the　others　I've　met：　they　don't　want　love；　they　just　want　sex。
　Except　Linc。
　Don't　think　about　Linc　and　how　much　you　love　him　and　how　rotten　these　years　have　been。　Rotten　and　wonderful。
　Remember　your　promise。
　I　won't　think　about　Linc　and　love。
　Not　until　my　birthday　which　is　ninety…eight　days　from　now。　The　ninety…eighth　day　ends　the　seventh　year　and　because　of　my　darling　by　then　I'll　have　my　drop　dead　money　and　really　be　equal；　and；　God　willing；　we'll　have　the　Noble　House。　Will　that　be　my　wedding　present　to　him？　Or　his　to　me？
　Or　a　good…bye　present。
　〃Where's　the　ladies'　room？〃　she　asked；　getting　up；　and　they　all　stood　and　towered　over　her；　except　Phillip　Chen　whom　she　topped　by　an　inch；　and　Gavallan　directed　her。
　Linbar　Struan　opened　the　door　for　her　and　closed　it　behind　her。　Then　he　grinned。　〃A　thousand　says　you'll　never　make　it；　Jacques。〃
　〃Another　thousand；〃　Gavallan　said。　〃And　ten　that　you　won't；　Linbar。〃
　〃You're　on；〃　Linbar　replied；　〃provided　she's　here　a　month。〃
　〃You're　slowing　up；　aren't　you；　old　chap？〃　Gavallan　said；　then　to　Jacques；　〃Well？〃
　The　Frenchman　smiled。　〃Twenty　that　you；　Andrew；　will　never　charm　such　a　lady　into　bed　…　and　as　to　you；　poor　young　Linbar。　Fifty　against　your　racehorse　says　the　same。〃
　〃I　like　my　filly　for　God's　sake。　Noble　Star's　got　a　great　chance　of　being　a　winner。　She's　the　best　in　our　stable。〃
　〃Fifty。〃
　〃A　hundred　and　I'll　consider　it。〃
　〃I　don't　want　any　horse　that　much。〃　Jacques　smiled　at　Phillip　Chen。　〃What　do　you　think；　Phillip？〃
　Phillip　Chen　got　up。　〃I　think　I'll　go　home　to　lunch　and　leave　you　stallions　to　your　dreams。　It's　curious　though　that　you're　all　betting　the　others　won't　…　not　that　any　of　you　could。〃　Again　they　laughed。
　〃Stupid　to　give　us　the　extra；　eh？〃　Gavallan　said。
　〃The　deal's　fantastic；〃　Linbar　Struan　said。　〃Christ；　Uncle　Phillip；　fantastic！〃
　〃Like　her　derrière；〃　deVille　said　as　a　connoisseur　would。　〃Eh；　Phillip？〃
　Good…naturedly　Phillip　Chen　nodded　and　walked　out；　but　as　he　saw　Casey　disappearing　into　the　ladies'　room；　he　thought；　Ayeeyah；　who'd　want　the　big　lump　anyway？
　Inside　the　ladies'　room；　Casey　looked　around；　appalled。　It　was　clean　but　smelled　of　old　drains　and　there　were　pails　piled　one　on　top　of　another　and　some　were　filled　with　water。　The　floor　was　tiled　but　water…spotted　and　messy。　I've　heard　the　English　are　not　very　hygienic；　she　thought　disgustedly；　but　here　in　the　Noble　House？　Ugh！　Astonishing！
　She　went　into　one　of　the　cubicles；　its　floor　wet　and　slippery；　and　after　she　had　finished　she　pulled　the　handle　and　nothing　happened。　She　tried　it　again；　and　again；　and　still　nothing　happened　so　she　cursed　and　lifted　off　the　top　of　the　cistern。　The　cistern　was　dry　and　rusty。　Irritably　she　unbolted　the　door　and　went　to　the　basin　and　turned　on　the　water　but　none　came　out。
　What's　the　matter　with　this　place？　I'll　bet　those　bastards　sent　me　here　deliberately！
　There　were　clean　hand　towels　so　she　poured　a　pail　of　water　into　the　basin　awkwardly；　spilling　some；　washed　her　hands；　then　dried　them；　furious　that　her　shoes　had　got　splashed。　At　a　sudden　thought；　she　took　another　pail　and　flushed　the　toilet；　then　used　still　another　bucket　to　clean　her　hands　again。　When　she　left；　she　felt　very　soiled。
　I　suppose　the　goddamn　pipe's　broken　somewhere　and　the　plumber　won't　e　until　tomorrow。　Goddamn　all　water　systems！
　Calm　down；　she　told　herself。　You'll　start　making　mistakes。
　The　corridor　was　covered　with　fine　Chinese　silk　carpet；　and　the　walls　were　lined　with　oil　paintings　of　clipper　ships　and　Chinese　landscapes。　As　she　approached　she　could　hear　the　muted　vo