jamesclavell.noblehouse-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃He　es　from　Edward　Gornt　all　right。　But　Sir　Morgan　Brock　was　really　Edward's　father　and　Kristian　Gornt　his　mother。　She　was　an　American　from　Virginia。　Of　course　it　was　kept　secret　…　society　wasn't　any　more　forgiving　then　than　now。　When　Sir　Morgan　became　tai…pan　of　Brock's　in　1859；　he　fetched　this　illegitimate　son　of　his　out　of　Virginia；　bought　him　a　partnership　in　the　old　American　trading　firm　of　Rothwell　and　pany　in　Shanghai；　and　then　he　and　Edward　bided　their　time　to　destroy　us。　They　almost　did　…　certainly　they　caused　the　death　of　Culum　Struan。　But　then　Lochlin　and　Hag　Struan　broke　Sir　Morgan　and　smashed　Brock　and　Sons。　Edward　Gornt　never　forgave　us；　his　descendents　never　will　either　…　I'd　wager　they　too　have　a　pact　with　their　founder。〃
　〃Does　he　know　we　know？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　he's　enemy。　His　genealogy's　in　the　safe；　with　all　the　others。　My　grandfather　was　the　one　who　discovered　it；　quite　by　chance；　during　the　Boxer　Rebellion　in　'99。　The　list　is　interesting；　Ian；　very。　One　particular　person　for　you。　The　head　of…　〃
　A　sudden　violent　gust　shook　the　building。　One　of　the　ivory　bric…a…brac　on　the　marble　table　toppled　over。　Nervously　Phillip　Chen　stood　it　up。　They　all　stared　at　the　windows；　watching　their　reflections　twist　nauseatingly　as　the　gusts　stretched　the　huge　panes　of　glass。
　〃Tai…fun！〃　Phillip　muttered；　sweat　beading　him。
　〃Yes。〃　They　waited　breathlessly　for　the　〃Devil　Wind〃　to　cease。　These　sudden　squalls　came　haphazardly　from　all　points　of　the　pass；　sometimes　gusting　to　a　hundred　and　fifty　knots。　In　their　wake　was　always　devastation。
　The　violence　passed。　Dunross　went　over　to　the　barometer；　checked　it　and　tapped　it。　980。3。
　〃Still　falling；〃　he　said。
　〃Christ！〃
　Dunross　squinted　at　the　windows。　Now　the　rain　streaks　were　almost　horizontal。　〃Lasting　Cloud　is　due　to　dock　tomorrow　night。〃
　〃Yes；　but　now　she'll　be　hove　to　somewhere　off　the　Philippines。　Captain　Moffatt's　too　canny　to　get　caught；〃　Struan　said。
　〃I　don't　agree。　Moffatt　likes　hitting　schedules。　This　typhoon's　unscheduled。　You　。。。　he　should　have　been　ordered。〃　Dunross　sipped　his　wine　thoughtfully。　〃Lasting　Cloud　better　not　get　caught。〃
　Phillip　Chen　heard　the　undercurrent　of　fury。　〃Why？〃
　〃We've　our　new　puter　aboard　and　two　million　pounds　worth　of　jet　engines。　Uninsured　…　at　least　the　engines　are。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　Alastair　Struan。
　Defensively　the　old　man　said；　〃It　was　that　or　lose　the　contract。　The　engines　are　consigned　to　Canton。　You　know　we　can't　insure　them；　Phillip；　since　they're　going　to　Red　China。〃　Then　he　added　irritably；　〃They're；　er；　they're　South　American　owned　and　there're　no　export　restrictions　from　South　America　to　China。　Even　so；　no　one's　willing　to　insure　them。〃
　After　a　pause　Phillip　Chen　said；　〃I　thought　the　new　puter　was　ing　in　March。〃
　〃It　was　but　I　managed　to　jump　it　forward；〃　Alastair　said。
　〃Who's　carrying　the　paper　on　the　engines？〃　Phillip　Chen　asked。
　〃We　are。〃
　〃That's　a　lot　of　risk。〃　Phillip　Chen　was　very　uneasy。　〃Don't　you　agree；　Ian？〃
　Dunross　said　nothing。
　〃It　was　that　or　lose　the　contract；〃　Alastair　Struan　said；　even　more　irritably。　〃We　stand　to　double　our　money；　Phillip。　We　need　the　money。　But　more　than　that　the　Chinese　need　the　engines；　they　made　that　more　than　clear　when　I　was　in　Canton　last　month。　And　we　need　China　…　they　made　that　clear　too。〃
　〃Yes；　but　12　million；　that's　。。。　a　lot　of　risk　in　one　ship；〃　Phillip　Chen　insisted。
　Dunross　said；　〃Anything　we　can　do　to　take　business　away　from　the　Soviets　is　to　our　advantage。　Besides；　it's　done。　You　were　saying；　Alastair；　there's　someone　on　the　list　I　should　know　about？　The　head　of？〃
　〃Marlborough　Motors。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Dunross　said　with　sudden　grim　delight。　〃I've　detested　those　sods　for　years。　Father　and　son。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃So　the　Nikklins're　descendents　of　Tyler　Brock？　Well　it　won't　be　long　before　we　can　wipe　them　off　the　list。　Good；　very　good。　Do　they　know　they're　on　Dirk　Struan's　oblit　list？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃That's　even　better。〃
　〃I　don't　agree！　You　hate　young　Nikklin　because　he　beat　you。〃　Angrily　Alastair　Struan　stabbed　a　finger　at　Dunross。　〃It's　time　you　gave　up　car　racing。　Leave　all　the　hill　climbs　and　Macao　Grand　Prix　to　the　semiprofessionals。　The　Nikklins　have　more　time　to　spend　on　their　cars；　it's　their　life；　and　now　you've　other　races　to　run；　more　important　ones。〃
　〃Macao's　amateur　and　those　bastards　cheated　last　year。〃
　〃That　was　never　proved　…　your　engine　blew　up。　A　lot　of　engines　blow　up；　Ian。　That　was　just　joss！〃
　〃My　car　was　tampered　with。〃
　〃And　that　was　never　proved　either！　For　Christ's　sake；　you　talk　about　bad　blood？　You're　as　stupid　about　some　things　as　Devil　Struan　himself！〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes；　and…　〃
　Phillip　Chen　interrupted　quickly；　wanting　an　end　to　the　violence　in　the　room。　〃If　it's　so　important；　please　let　me　see　if　I　can　find　out　the　truth。　I've　sources　not　available　to　either　of　you。　My　Chinese　friends　will　know；　should　know；　if　either　Tom　or　young　Donald　Nikklin　were　involved。　Of　course；〃　he　added　delicately；　〃if　the　tai…pan　wishes　to　race；　then　that's　up　to　the　tai…pan。　Isn't　it；　Alastair？〃
　The　older　man　controlled　his　rage　though　his　neck　was　still　choleric。　〃Yes；　yes　you're　right。　Still；　Ian；　my　advice　is　you　cease。　They'll　be　after　you　even　more　because　they　detest　you　equally。〃
　〃Are　there　others　I　should　know　about　…　on　the　list？〃
　After　a　pause；　Struan　said；　〃No；　not　now。〃　He　opened　the　second　bottle　and　poured　as　he　talked。　〃Well；　now　it's　all　yours　…　all　the　fun　and　all　the　sweat。　I'm　glad　to　pass　everything　over　to　you。　After　you've　been　through　the　safe　you'll　know　the　best；　and　the　worst。〃　He　gave　them　each　a　glass　and　sipped　his。　〃By　the　Lord　Jesus；　that's　as　fine　a　wine　as　ever　came　out　of　France。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　Dunross　thought　Dom　Pérignon　overpriced　and　overrated　and　knew　the　year；　'54；　was　not　a　particularly　good　one。　But　he　held　his　peace。
　Struan　went　over　to　the　barometer。　It　read　979。2。　〃We're　in　for　a　bad　one。　Well；　never　mind　that。　Ian；　Claudia　Chen　has　a　file　for　you　on　important　matters；　and　a　plete　list　of　our　stockholdings　…　with　names　of　the　nominees。　Any　questions；　have　them　for　me　before　the　day　after　tomorrow　…　I'm　booked　for　London　then。　You'll　keep　Claudia　on；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Claudia　Chen　was　the　second　link　from　tai…pan　to　tai…pan　after　Phillip　Chen。　She　was　executive　secretary　to　the　tai…pan；　a　distant　cousin　to　Phillip　Chen。
　〃What　about　our　bank　…　the　Victoria　Bank　of　Hong　Kong　and　China？〃　Dunross　asked；　savoring　the　question。　〃I　don't　know　our　exact　holdings。〃
　〃That's　always　been　tai…pan　knowledge　only。〃
　Dunross　turned　to　Phillip　Chen。　〃What's　your　holding；　openly　or　through　nominees？〃
　The　pradore　hesitated；　shocked。
　〃In　future　I'm　going　to　vote　your　holdings　as　a　block　with　ours。〃　Dunross　kept　his　eyes　on　the　pradore's。　〃I　want　to　know　now　and　I'll　expect　a　formal　transfer　of　perpetual　voting　power；　in　writing；　to　me　and　following　tai…pans；　tomorrow　by　noon；　and　first　refusal　on　the　shares　should　you　ever　decide　to　sell。〃
　The　silence　grew。
　〃Ian；〃　Phillip　Chen　began；　〃those　shares　。。。〃　But　his　resolve　wavered　under　the　power　of　Dunross's　will。　〃6　percent　。。。　a　little　over　6　percent。　I　。。。　you'll　have　it　as　you　wish。〃
　〃You　won't　regret　it。〃　Dunross　put　his　attention　on　Alastair　Struan　and　the　older　man's　heart　missed　a　beat。　〃How　much　stock　have　we？　How　much's　held　by　nominees？〃
　Alastair　hesitated。　〃That's　tai…pan　knowledge　only。〃
　〃Of　course。　But　our　pradore　is　to　be　trusted；　absolutely；〃　Dunross　said；　giving　the　old　man　face；　knowing　how　much　it　had　hurt　to　be　dominated　in　front　of　Alastair　Struan。　〃How　much？〃
　Struan　said；　〃15　percent。〃
　Dunross　gasped　and　so　did　Phillip　Chen　and　he　wanted　to　shout；　Jesus　bloody　Christ；　we　have　15　percent　and　Phillip　another　6　percent　and　you　haven't　had　the　sodding　intelligence　to　use　what's　got　to　be　a　major　interest　to　get　us　major　funding　when　we're　almost　bankrupt？
　But　instead　he　reached　forward　and　poured　the　remains　of　the　bottle　into　the　three　glasses　and　this　gave　him　time　to　stop　the　pounding　of　his　heart。
　〃Good；〃　he　said　with　his　flat　unemotional　voice。　〃I　was　hoping　together　we'd　make　it　better　than　ever。〃　He　sipped　his　wine。　〃I'm　bringing　forward　the　Special　Meeting。　To　next　week。〃
　Both　men　looked　up　sharply。　Since　1880；　the　tai…pans　of　Struan's；　Rothwell…Gornt　and　the　Victoria　Bank　had；　despite　their　rivalry；　met　annually　in　secret　to　discuss　matters　that　affected　the　future　of　Hong　Kong　and　Asia。
　〃They　may　not　agree　to　bring　the　meeting　forward；〃　Alastair　said。
　〃I　phoned　everyone　this　morning。　It's　set　for　Monday　next　at　9　a。m。　here。〃
　〃Who's　ing　from　the　bank？〃
　〃Deputy　Chief　Manager　Havergill　…　the　old　man's　in　Japan　then　England　on　leave。〃　Dunross's　face　hardened。　〃I'll　have　to　make　do。〃
　〃Paul's　all　right；〃　Alastair　said。　〃He'll　be　the　next　chief。〃
　〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃You've　never　liked　Paul　Havergill；　have　you；　Ian？〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　〃No。　He's　too　insular；　too　Hong　Kong；　too　out　of　date　and　too　pompous。〃
　〃And　he　supported　your　father　against　you。〃
　〃Yes。　But　that's　not　the　reason　he　should　go；　Phillip。　He　should　go　because　he's　in　the　way　of　the　Noble　House。　He's　too　conservat