jamesclavell.noblehouse-第299节

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　〃That　won't　help　her。〃　Casey　was　trying　very　hard　to　keep　her　voice　level　and　the　tears　away。　〃I　talked　to　her　last　night　and　she　broke　up；　poor　lady。　She's　。。。　she's　in　her　sixties；　nice　woman。　Linc's　her　only　son。〃　A　tear　seeped　in　spite　of　her　resolve。　〃She；　she　asked　me　to　bring　him　back。　His　will　says　he's　to　be　cremated。〃
　〃Look；　Casey；〃　Dunross　said　quickly；　〃perhaps　I　could　make　the　arr…　〃
　〃No。　Oh　no；　thanks；　Ian。　Everything's　done。　I've　done　it。　I　wanted　to　do　it。　The　airplane's　cleared　and　all　the　paper　work　done。〃
　〃When　do　you　leave？〃
　〃At　ten　tonight。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Dunross　was　surprised。　〃I'll　be　there　to　see　you　off。〃
　〃No；　no　thanks。　The　car's　fine　but　there's　no　ne…　〃
　〃I　insist。〃
　〃No。　Please？〃　She　looked　at　him；　begging　him。　After　a　moment　he　said；　〃What's　your　plan？〃
　〃Nothing　very　much。　I'm　going　to　。。。　I'm　going　to　make　sure　all　his　wishes　are　taken　care　of；　papers；　his　will；　and　wind　up　his　affairs。　Then　I'll　reorganize　Par…Con　…　I'll　try　to　reorganize　it　as　he'd　want；　and　then；　then　I　don't　know。　All　that'll　take　me　thirty　days。　Maybe　I'll　be　back　in　thirty　days　to　begin；　maybe　I'll　send　Forrester　or　someone　else。　I　don't　know。　I'll　let　you　know　in　thirty　days。　Everything's　covered　till　then。　You've　got　my　numbers。　Please　call　me　anytime　if　there's　a　problem。〃　She　started　to　get　up　but　he　stopped　her。
　〃Before　you　go　there's　something　I　should　tell　you。　I　didn't　last　night　because　the　time　wasn't　right。　Perhaps　now　is；　I'm　not　sure；　but　just　before　I　left　Linc　he　asked　me　if　I'd　consider　being　a　best　man。〃　He　saw　Casey　go　white　and　rushed　on。　〃I　told　him　it　would　be　an　honor。〃
　〃He　said　me？　He　wanted　to　marry　me？〃　she　asked　incredulously。
　〃We'd　been　talking　about　you。　Doesn't　that　follow？〃
　〃He　never　mentioned　Orlanda？〃
　〃Not　at　that　time。　No。　Earlier　on　he'd　been　very　concerned　about　her　because　he　was　in　her　flat　and　didn't　know　what　had　happened　to　her。〃　Dunross　watched　her。　〃When　I　told　him　she　was　safe　he　was　very　relieved；　naturally。　When　I　told　him　you'd　almost　been　caught　in　the　landslide　he　almost　had　a　heart　attack。　Then；　just　as　I　was　leaving　I　heard　him　say　softly；　'Guess　it'd　be　too　much　to　hope　for　those　two　to　be　friends。'　I　wasn't　sure　if　I　was　meant　to　hear　that　…　while　we　were　digging　he'd　been　talking　to　himself　a　lot。〃　He　finished　his　drink。　〃I'm　sure　he　meant　you；　Casey。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃It's　a　good　try；　Ian。　I'll　bet　it　was　Orlanda。〃
　〃I　think　you're　wrong。〃
　Again　a　silence。　〃Maybe。　Friends？〃　She　looked　at　him。　〃Are　you　going　to　be　friends　with　Quillan？〃
　〃No。　Never。　But　that's　not　the　same。　Orlanda's　a　nice　person。　Truly。〃
　〃I'm　sure。〃　Casey　stared　at　her　drink；　sipped　but　did　not　taste　it。　〃What　about　Quillan？　What　happened　today？　I'm　afraid　I　didn't　hear。　What　did　you　do　about　him？　I　saw　you　closed　at　30。01　but　I　。。。　I　really　didn't　notice　much　else。〃
　Dunross　felt　a　sudden　glow。　Because　of　the　Kotewall　catastrophe　the　governor　had　ordered　the　stock　market　to　remain　closed　all　Monday。　And　the　banks；　as　a　sign　of　mourning。　By　ten　this　morning；　the　Bank　of　China's　cash　was　on　hand　in　every　branch　of　every　bank；　throughout　the　Colony。　The　bank　runs　fizzled。　By　three　o'clock　many　customers　were　lined　up　returning　to　deposit　their　cash　once　more。
　Just　before　the　market　opened　at　ten　o'clock　this　morning　Gornt　had　called　him。
　〃I　accept；〃　he　had　said。
　〃You　don't　want　to　bargain？〃
　〃I　want　no　quarter　from　you；　just　as　you　expect　none　from　me。　The　papers　are　on　their　way。〃　The　phone　had　gone　dead。
　〃What　about　Quillan？〃　she　asked　again。
　〃We　made　a　deal。　We　opened　at　28　but　I　let　him　buy　back　in　at　18。〃
　She　gaped　at　him。　Without　thinking　she　made　the　quick　calculation。　〃That'd　cost　him　just　about　2　million。　But　that's　Linc's　2　million。　So　Quillan's　off　the　hook！〃
　〃I　told　Linc　the　deal　and　that　it'd　cost　him　the　2　million　and　he　laughed。　I　did　point　out　that　with　General　Stores　and　the　Par…Con　deal；　his　capital　loss　of　2　is　set　off　against　a　capital　gain　of　20　or　more。〃　Dunross　watched　her；　gauging　her。　〃I　think　it's　fair　that　the　2　was　forfeit。〃
　〃You're　not　telling　me　you　let　Gornt　off　the　hook　for　nothing？〃
　〃No。　I've　got　my　airline　back。　The　control　of　All　Asia　Air。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Casey　shivered　remembering　the　story　of　that　Christmas　night　when　Gornt　and　his　father　went　unexpectedly　to　the　Great　House。　Her　sadness　was　brimming。　〃Do　me　a　favor？〃
　〃Of　course。　Providing　it's　not　for　Quillan。〃
　She　had　been　going　to　ask　Dunross　to　let　Gornt　in　as　a　steward；　to　let　him　have　a　box。　But　now　she　did　not。　She　knew　it　would　have　been　a　waste　of　time。
　〃What　favor？〃
　〃Nothing。　Nothing　now。　I'll　be　off；　Ian。〃　Weary；　so　weary；　she　got　up。　Her　knees　were　trembling。　All　of　her　was　aching　monstrously。　She　held　out　her　hand。　He　took　it　and　kissed　it　with　the　same　grace…filled　gesture　she　remembered　from　the　night　of　the　party；　the　first　night　in　the　Long　Gallery　when；　frightened；　she　had　seen　the　knife　buried　in　the　heart　of　the　portrait。　All　at　once　her　agony　crested　and　she　wanted　to　scream　out　her　hatred　of　Hong　Kong　and　the　people　of　Hong　Kong　who　had　somehow　caused　the　death　of　her　Linc。　But　she　did　not。
　Later；　she　ordered　herself；　holding　on　to　the　limit　of　her　strength。　Don't　break。　Don't　let　go。　Be　self…contained。　You　have　to；　now。　Linc's　gone　forever。
　〃See　you　soon；　Casey。〃
　〃　'Bye；　Ian；〃　she　said　and　left。
　He　stared　at　the　closed　door　a　long　time；　then　sighed　and　pressed　a　buzzer。
　In　a　moment　Claudia　came　in。　〃Evening；　tai…pan；〃　she　said　with　her　enormous　warmth。　〃There're　a　few　calls　that　should　be　dealt　with　…　most　important；　Master　Duncan　wants　to　borrow　1；000　HK。〃
　〃What　the　devil　for？〃
　〃It　seems　he　wants　to　buy　a　diamond　ring　for　a　'lady。'　I　tried　to　pry　her　name　out　of　him　but　he　wouldn't　tell。〃
　Oh　God；　the　sheila；　Dunross　thought　as　the　memory　rushed　back　of　what　his　son　had　said　about　his　〃girl。〃　Sheila　Scragger；　the　nurse　from　England；　on　holiday　with　Duncan　at　the　Australian　station　called　Paldoon。　〃Well；　he's　not　going　to　buy　much　for　1；000。　Tell　him　he　has　to　ask　me。　No；　wait！〃　He　thought　a　moment。　〃Give　him　1；000　out　of　petty　cash　…　offer　it　to　him　at　3　percent　interest　per　month　against　his　written　guarantee　that　you　can　stop　it　from　his　pocket　money　at　the　rate　of　100　a　month。　If　he　falls　for　that　it'll　teach　him　a　fine　lesson。　If　he　doesn't　I'll　give　him　the　1；000；　but　not　till　next　Easter。〃
　She　nodded；　then　added　sadly；　〃Poor　Miss　Casey。　She's　dying　inside。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Here　are　your　calls；　tai…pan。　Master　Linbar　called　from　Sydney；　please　call　him　back　when　you　have　a　moment。　He　thinks　he's　got　Woolara　back　in　line。〃
　Dunross　stared　at　her。　〃I'll　be　damned！〃
　〃Mr。　Alastair　called　with　congratulations；　and　your　father；　and　most　members　of　the　family。　Please　call　Master　Trussler　in　Jo'burg；　it's　about　thoriums。〃　She　sniffed。　〃Mrs。　Gresserhoff　called　to　say　good…bye。〃
　〃When's　she　off？〃　Dunross　asked　nonmittally；　knowing　the　flight。
　〃Tomorrow；　JAL's　early　flight。　Isn't　it　awful　about　Travkin？　Oh　I'm　so　sad　about　him。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Travkin　had　died　in　the　night。　Dunross　had　visited　him　at　the　Matilda　Hospital　several　times　but　his　trainer　had　never　recovered　consciousness　since　the　Saturday　accident。　〃Have　we　tracked　down　any　next　of　kin？〃
　〃No。　He　had　no　special　girl　friend　or；　or　anyone。　Master　Jacques　has　made　the　burial　arrangements。〃
　〃Good。　Yes。　That's　the　least　we　can　do　for　him。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　ride　Saturday？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Dunross　hesitated。　〃Remind　me　to　talk　to　the　stewards　about　making　the　fifth　the　Travkin　Stakes　…　a　way　of　thanking　him。〃
　〃Yes。　Oh；　that　would　be　wonderful。　I　did　so　like　him；　yes　that　would　be　wonderful。〃
　Dunross　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Is　my　next　appointment　downstairs　yet？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good；〃　the　tai…pan　said；　his　face　closing。
　He　went　down　to　the　next　floor；　to　his　office。　〃Afternoon；　Mr。　Choy；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　He　had　already　sent　condolences　about　Four　Finger　Wu。
　When　the　door　was　shut；　Paul　Choy　wiped　his　hands　without　noticing　it。　〃I've　e　about　step　one；　sir。　Sorry　we　had　to　put　it　off　from　yesterday；　but；　er；　the　wax　impressions　…　they　fitted　one　of　your　two　remaining　half…coins？〃
　〃First　I　would　ask　who　has　the　other　half；　now　that　Four　Fingers　is　an　ancestor。〃
　〃The　family　Wu；　sir。〃
　〃Who　in　the　family　Wu？〃　Dunross　asked　harshly；　deliberately　rough。　〃The　coin　was　given　to　an　individual　who　would　pass　it　on　to　an　individual。　Who？〃
　〃Me。　Sir。〃　Paul　Choy　stared　back　at　the　tai…pan；　unafraid；　even　though　his　heart　was　beating　faster　than　it　had　ever　beaten　…　even　more　than　when　he　was　on　the　junk　a　lifetime　ago　…　the　young　Werewolf's　blood　on　his　hands；　the　half…dead；　mutilated　body　leaning　against　him；　and　his　father　shouting　at　him　to　throw　the　man　overboard。
　〃You'll　have　to　prove　Four　Fingers　gave　it　to　you。〃
　〃Sorry；　tai…pan；　I　don't　have　to　prove　anything；〃　Paul　Choy　replied　confidently。　〃I　just　have　to　present　the　coin　and　ask　the　favor。　In　secret。　Everything　secret；　that's　the　deal。　If　it's　the　real　coin　your　honor　and　the　face　of　the　Noble　House　is　at　stake　and　the　fa…　〃
　〃I　know　what　I　have　at　stake。〃　Dunross　made　his　voice　grate。　〃Do　you？〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃This　is　China。　Lots　of　curious　things　ha