jamesclavell.noblehouse-第260节

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e'd　never　be　freely　invited　into　the　great　houses；　except　maybe　by　Ian。　And　Gornt；　but　that'd　be　to　taunt；　to　jerk　the　reins；　to　remind　her　of　the　past　…　like　last　night　when　that　other　girl　came　on　deck。　I　saw　Orlanda's　face。　Oh　she　covered；　better　than　anyone　could　have　covered　except　maybe　Casey。　She　hated　that　the　other　girl　had　been　below；　in　the　master　suite　that　was　once　hers。
　Maybe　Gornt　didn't　do　that　deliberately？　Maybe　the　girl　came　up　on　her　own。　She　went　back　below　almost　at　once。　Maybe　she　wasn't　supposed　to　e　up　at　all。　Maybe。
　Shit！　There's　too　much　going　on　I　can't　figure：　like　the　General　Stores　and　the　Ho…Pak　rescue　…　too　much　agreed　by　a　couple　of　guys　on　a　Saturday　…　a　couple　of　whiskeys　here　and　a　phone　call　there。　It's　all　dynamite　if　you're　in　the　club　but　Jesus　watch　out　if　you're　not。　Here　you've　got　to　be　British　or　Chinese　to　belong。
　I'm　just　as　much　an　outsider　as　Orlanda。
　Still；　I　could　be　happy　here；　for　a　time。　And　I　could　even　handle　it　here　with　Orlanda；　for　a　short　time；　on　visits。　I　could　handle　the　Pacific　Rim　and　having　Par…Con　as　a　Noble　House　but　for　it　to　be　accepted　as　the　Noble　House　by　British　and　Chinese；　it'll　still　have　to　be　Struan…Par…Con　with　our　name　in　small　letters；　or　Rothwell…Gornt…Par…Con　the　same。
　Casey？
　With　Casey；　Par…Con　could　be　a　Noble　House；　easily。　But　is　Casey　still　to　be　trusted？　Why　didn't　she　tell　me？　Is　she　sucked　in　by　Hong　Kong　and　beginning　to　play　her　own　game　for　Number　One？
　You'd　better　choose；　old　buddy；　while　you're　still　tai…pan。
　
　〃Yes；　Phillip？〃
　They　were　in　the　study　under　the　portrait　of　Dirk　Struan；　and　Dunross　had　chosen　the　place　deliberately。　Phillip　Chen　sat　opposite　him。　Very　formal；　very　correct　and　very　weary。　〃How　is　Alexi？〃
　〃Still　unconscious。　Doc　Tooley　says　he'll　be　all　right　if　he　es　out　of　it　in　a　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃Tiptop？〃
　〃I'm　to　call　him　at　9：00　p。m。〃
　〃Still　no　approval　of　his　offer　from　。。。　from　the　authorities？〃
　Dunross's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　know　the　arrangement　he　suggested？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　tai…pan。　I　。。。　I　was　asked。　I　still　find　it　hard　to　believe　。。。　Brian　Kwok？　God　help　us；　but　yes　。。。　my　opinion　was　asked　before　the　suggestion　was　put　to　you。〃
　〃Why　the　devil　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　Dunross　snapped。
　〃Rightly　you　no　longer　consider　me　pradore　of　the　Noble　House　and　favor　me　with　your　trust。〃
　〃You　consider　yourself　trustworthy？〃
　〃Yes。　I've　proved　it　in　the　past　many　times；　so　did　my　father　…　and　his。　Even　so；　if　I　were　you　and　sitting　where　you　are　sitting；　I　would　not　be　having　this　meeting；　I　would　not　have　you　in　my　house　and　I　would　already　have　decided　the　ways　and　means　of　your　destruction。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　have。〃
　〃Not　you。〃　Phillip　Chen　pointed　at　the　portrait。　〃He　would　have；　but　not　you；　Ian　Struan　Dunross。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　it。〃
　〃I　do。〃
　Dunross　said　nothing；　just　waited。
　〃First　the　coin：　Wait　until　the　favor　is　asked。　I　will　endeavor　to　find　out　what　it　is　in　advance。　If　it　is　too　much　th…　〃
　〃It　will　be　too　much。〃
　〃What　will　he　ask　for？〃
　〃Something　to　do　with　narcotics。　There's　a　strong　rumor　Four　Fingers；　Smuggler　Yuen　and　White　Powder　Lee　are　in　partnership；　smuggling　heroin。〃
　〃It's　under　consideration。　They're　not　actually　partners　yet；〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　〃Again；　why　didn't　you　tell　me？　It's　your　duty　as　pradore　to　keep　me　informed；　not　to　write　down　intimate　details　of　our　secrets　and　then　lose　them　to　enemies。〃
　〃Again；　I　ask　forgiveness。　But　now　is　the　time　to　talk。〃
　〃Because　you're　finished？〃
　〃Because　I　might　be　finished　…　if　once　more　I　cannot　prove　my　worth。〃　The　old　man　looked　at　Dunross　bleakly；　seeing　the　face　of　many　tai…pans　in　the　face　of　the　man　opposite　him；　not　liking　the　face　or　that　of　the　man　above　the　fireplace　whose　eyes　bored　into　him　…　the　foreign　devil　pirate　who　had　forsaken　his　great…grandfather　because　of　mixed　blood；　half　of　which　was　his　own。
　Ayeeyah；　he　thought；　curbing　his　anger。　These　barbarians　and　their　intolerance！　Five　generations　of　tai…pans　we've　served　and　now　this　one　threatens　to　change　Dirk's　legacy　for　one　mistake？
　〃About　the　ask：　even　if　it's　connected　with　heroin　or　narcotics；　it　will　concern　some　future　performance　or　action。　Agree　to　it；　tai…pan；　and　I　promise　I　will　deal　with　Four　Fingers　long　before　the　ask　has　to　be　granted。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃This　is　China。　I　will　deal　with　it　in　Chinese　fashion。　I　swear　it　by　the　blood　of　my　ancestors。〃　Phillip　Chen　pointed　at　the　portrait。　〃I　will　continue　to　protect　the　Noble　House　as　I　have　sworn　to　do。〃
　〃What　other　trickeries　did　you　have　in　your　safe？　I've　been　through　all　the　documents　and　balance　sheets　you　gave　Andrew。　With　that　information　in　the　wrong　hands　we're　naked。〃
　〃Yes；　but　only　in　front　of　Bartlett　and　Par…Con；　providing　he　keeps　them　to　himself　and　doesn't　pass　them　over　to　Gornt　or　another　enemy　here。　Tai…pan；　Bartlett　doesn't　strike　me　as　a　malicious　person。　Perhaps　we　can　deal　with　him　to　get　what　he　has　back　and　ask　him　to　agree　to　keep　the　information　secret。〃
　〃To　do　that　you　have　to　barter　with　a　secret　he　doesn't　want　let　out。　Do　you　have　one？〃
　〃Not　yet。　As　partners　to　us　he　should　protect　us。〃
　〃Yes。　But　he's　already　dealing　with　Gornt　and　advanced　2　million　U。S。　to　cover　Gornt　selling　us　short。〃
　Phillip　Chen　whitened。　〃Eeeee；　I　didn't　know　that。〃　He　thought　a　moment。　〃So　Bartlett　will　withdraw　from　us　on　Monday　and　go　over　to　the　enemy？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　At　the　moment　I　think　he's　fence…sitting。　I　would　if　I　were　him。〃
　Phillip　Chen　shifted　in　his　chair。　〃He's　very　fond　of　Orlanda；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Yes；　she　could　be　a　key。　Gornt's　got　to　have　arranged　that；　or　pushed　her　toward　Bartlett。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　tell　him？〃
　〃No；　not　unless　there's　a　reason。　He's　over　twenty…one。〃　Dunross　hardened　even　more。　〃What　do　you　propose？〃
　〃Are　you　agreeing　to　the　new　concessions　First　Central　wants？〃
　〃So　you　know　about　that　too？〃
　〃You　must　have　wanted　everyone　to　know　that　you're　seeking　support　from　them；　tai…pan。　Why　else　invite　Murtagh　to　your　box　at　the　races；　why　else　invite　him　here？　It　was　easy　to　put　two　and　two　together；　even　if　one　hasn't　copies　of　his　telexes　y…　〃
　〃Have　you？〃
　〃Some　of　them。〃　Phillip　Chen　took　out　a　handkerchief　and　wiped　his　hands。　〃Will　you　concede？〃
　〃No。　I　told　him　I'd　think　about　it　…　he's　waiting　downstairs　for　my　answer　but　it's　got　to　be　no。　I　can't　guarantee　to　give　them　first　option　on　all　future　loans。　I　can't　because　the　Victoria　has　so　much　power　here　and　so　much　of　our　paper　and　they'd　squeeze　us　to　death。　In　any　event　I　can't　replace　them　with　an　American　bank　that's　already　proved　to　be　politically　unreliable。　They're　fine　as　a　backup　and　fantastic　if　they'll　get　us　out　of　this　mess　but　I'm　not　sure　about　them　long…term。　They　have　to　prove　themselves。〃
　〃They　must　be　ready　to　promise　too。　After　all；　giving　us　2　million　to　cement　the　General　Stores　takeover's　a　great　vote　of　confidence；　heya？〃
　Dunross　let　that　pass。　〃What　had　you　in　mind？〃
　〃May　I　suggest　you　counter　by　making　a　specific　offer：　all　Canadian；　U。S。；　Australian　and　South　American　loans　for　five　years　…　that　covers　our　expansion　in　those　territories　…　plus　the　immediate　loan　for　two　giant　oil　tankers　to　be　purchased　through　Toda；　on　the　lease…back　scheme；　and；　for　an　associate；　firm　orders　for　a　further　seven。〃
　〃Christ　Jesus；　who's　got　that　type　of　operation？〃　Dunross　exploded。
　〃Vee　Cee　Ng。〃
　〃Photographer　Ng？　Impossible。〃
　〃Within　twenty　years　Vee　Cee　will　have　a　fleet　bigger　than　Onassis。〃
　〃Impossible。〃
　〃Very　probably；　tai…pan。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃I've　been　asked　to　help　finance　and　arrange　a　huge　extension　to　his　fleet。　If　we　put　the　first　seven　tankers　into　our　package　with　the　promise　of　more；　and　I　can；　I　can；　that　should　satisfy　First　Central。〃　Phillip　Chen　wiped　the　perspiration　off　his　forehead。　〃Heya？〃
　〃Christ；　that'd　satisfy　the　Chase　Manhattan　and　the　Bank　of　America　jointly！　Vee　Cee？〃　Then　Dunross's　boggled　mind　jerked　into　top　efficiency。　〃Ah！　Vee　Cee　plus　thoriums　plus　Old　Friends　plus　all　sorts　of　delicate　hardware　plus　oil　plus　Old　Friends。　Eh？〃
　Phillip　smiled　tentatively。　〃All　crows　under　heaven　are　black。〃
　〃Yes。〃　After　a　pause；　he　said；　〃First　Central　might　go　for　it。　But　what　about　Bartlett？〃
　〃With　First　Central　you　don't　need　Par…Con。　First　Central　will　be　happy　to　help　us　get　an　alternate　backer　or　partner　in　the　States。　It'd　take　a　little　time；　but　with　Jacques　in　Canada；　David　MacStruan　here；　Andrew　in　Scotland　。。。　Tai…pan；　I　don't　know　what's　in　your　mind　about　Andrew　and　this　man　Kirk　but　the　theories　he's　been　sporting　strike　me　as　farfetched；　very　farfetched。〃
　〃You　were　saying　about　Bartlett？〃
　〃I　suggest　we　pray　that　First　Central　takes　the　bait；　that　Tiptop　gives　us　the　money；　that　I　can　cover　First　Central　with　a　syndicate　of　Mata；　Tightfist　and　Four　Fingers。　Then　you；　David　MacStruan　and　I　can　easily　find　an　alternate　to　Par…Con。　I　suggest　we　open　an　immediate　office　in　New　York。　Put　David　in　charge　for　three　months　with　。。。　perhaps　Kevin　as　his　assistant。〃　Phillip　Chen　let　that　set　a　moment　in　the　air　and　rushed　on。　〃Within　three　months　we　should　know　if　young　Kevin　has　any　value　…　I　think　you'll　be　very　impressed；　tai…pa