jamesclavell.noblehouse-第300节

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　〃Sir？〃
　〃This　is　China。　Lots　of　curious　things　happen　in　China。　You　think　I'm　a　fool　to　be　bamboozled　by　an　ancient　legend？〃
　The　young　man　shook　his　head；　his　throat　tight。　〃No。　You're　absolutely　no　fool；　tai…pan。　But　if　I　present　the　coin；　you　will　grant　the　favor。〃
　〃What's　your　favor？〃
　〃First　I　guess　I'd　like　to　know　if　you're　。。。　if　you're　satisfied　it's　one　of　the　four。　I'm　satisfied。〃
　〃Are　you　now？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃You　know　this　coin　was　stolen　from　Phillip　Chen？〃　Paul　Choy　stared　at　him；　then　recovered　quickly。　〃This　coin's　from　Four　Finger　Wu。　I　know　of　no　theft。　It　came　from　my　father；　that's　all　I　know。　It　was　my　father's。〃
　〃You　should　give　it　back　to　Phillip　Chen。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　see　it；　this　particular　one；　in　his　possession；　sir？〃
　Dunross　had　already　talked　to　Phillip　Chen　about　the　coin。　〃Is　there　no　way　to　prove　it's　yours；　Phillip？〃　he　had　asked　him。
　〃None；　tai…pan。　None；〃　the　old　man　had　said；　wringing　his　hands。
　Dunross　kept　his　eyes　boring　into　the　youth。　〃It's　Phillip　Chen's。〃
　Paul　Choy　shifted　uneasily。　〃There　were　four　coins；　tai…pan。　Mr。　Chen's　coin　must　be　one　of　the　others。　This　one　belongs；　belonged　to　my　father。　You　remember　what　he　said　at　Aberdeen？〃
　Dunross　stared　at　him　silently；　trying　to　shake　him；　dealing　with　him　Western　style。　Paul　Choy　wavered　but　held　his　gaze　steady。　Interesting；　Dunross　thought。　You're　a　tough　little　bastard　and　good。　Now；　are　you　an　emissary　of　Goldtooth　Wu；　the　eldest　son；　or　a　thief　and　here　on　your　own　account？　He　left　the　silence　hanging；　using　it　to　undermine　his　opponent　while　he　rethought　his　position。　The　moment　Paul　Choy　had　called　yesterday　to　ask　for　an　appointment　he　had　known　the　reason。　But　how　to　handle　it？　Four　Fingers　barely　dead　and　now　I've　a　new　enemy；　he　thought；　strong；　well　trained　with　lots　of　balls。　Even　so；　he's　got　weak　links　like　anyone。　Like　you　have。　Gornt's　one　of　them。　Riko　could　be　another。　Ah；　Riko！　What　is　it　about　her　that　moves　you　so　much？
　Forget　that！　How　do　you　recover　the　half…coin　before　the　favor？
　〃I　presume　you　have　your　half　with　you。　Let's　go　to　the　assayist　right　now。〃　He　got　up；　testing　Paul　Choy。
　〃No　sir；　sorry　but　no。〃　Paul　Choy　felt　his　heart　about　to　burst；　the　thong　around　his　neck　suddenly　a　noose；　the　half…coin　burning　into　his　flesh。　〃Sorry；　but　I　don't　think　that's　a　good　idea。〃
　〃I　think　it's　a　very　good　idea；〃　Dunross　continued　brusquely；　pressuring　him。　〃We'll　go　and　fetch　it。　e　along！〃
　〃No。　No　thanks；　tai…pan。〃　Paul　Choy　said　it　with　a　polite　firmness　Dunross　recognized。　〃Could　we　please　do　it　next　week？　Say　a　week　Friday？　There's　no　hurry　now。〃
　〃I　won't　be　in　Hong　Kong　on　Friday。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　You'll　be　in　Japan。　Could　you　put　aside　an　hour　during　your　stay　there？　Anytime　to　suit　you。　To　go　visit　an　assayist？〃
　Dunross's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　seem　to　know　a　lot；　Mr。　Choy。〃
　〃It's　easy　to　find　out　anything　here；　sir。　Japan　would　be　better　for　both　of　us。　Less　chance　of　a；　a　foul…up　and　in　Japan　we're　both　equal。〃
　〃You're　suggesting　you　won't　be　here？〃
　〃No；　no；　tai…pan。　But　as　you　said；　this　is　China；　strange　things　happen　in　China。　Four　Fingers　and　his　group're　well　connected　too。　The　coin's　a　one　shot　…　person　to　person　…　and　should　be　handled　that　way。　That's　the　way　I　figure　it。〃
　Paul　Choy　was　sweating　now；　thanking　God　that　part　of　the　〃favor〃　was　that　everything　was　to　be　secret。　Ever　since　he　had　brought　back　the　body　of　Four　Fingers　he　had　been　maneuvering　for　power　in　the　family。　At　length　he　had　achieved　exactly　what　he　wanted；　the　very　special　position　…　in　Mafia　terms　…　of　consigliere；　chief　advisor　to　Goldtooth　Wu；　the　eldest　son；　now　titular　head　of　the　Seaborne　Wu。　That's　what　we　are；　he　thought；　his　fear　rising　again。　We're　Chinese　mafioso。　Isn't　there　blood　on　me　too？　I　was　aboard　with　the　opium。　What　does　Goldtooth　know　that　I　don't？
　〃You　can　trust　me　implicitly；　Goldtooth；〃　he　had　said　to　his　brother；　fighting　for　his　future。
　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　little　choice。　I'm　in　uncharted　waters。　I　need　all　the　help　I　can　get。　Your　expertise　will　be　very　valuable；〃　Goldtooth　had　said　in　his　clipped　English　English　when　they　were　in　the　final　stages　of　negotiation。
　〃I　figure　we　can　work　together。〃
　〃Let's　be　blunt；　Brother。　We're　both　university　trained；　the　rest　aren't。　We　need　each　other　and　the　Seaborne　Wu　must　be　modernized。　I　can't　do　it。　I　need　serious　help　…　my　years　running　his　Pleasure　Boats　hardly　fit　me　for　mand。　I　kept　asking　but；　well；　you　know　our　father。　Good　God；　I　couldn't　even　change　a　girl's　hourly　rate　without　getting　his　approval。　His　four　fingers　were　on　every　ship；　in　every　transaction　in　the　fleet。〃
　〃Sure；　but　now　if　his　captains'll　go　along　with　change；　in　a　year　you'll　have　the　best…run　Chinese　operation　in　Asia。〃
　〃That's　exactly　what　I　want。　Exactly。〃
　〃What　about　opium？〃
　〃The　Seaborne　Wu　have　always　carried　that　cargo。〃
　〃What　about　guns？〃
　〃What　guns？〃
　〃I　heard　whispers　Four　Fingers　was　going　into　gun…running。〃
　〃I　know　nothing　about　guns。〃
　〃Let's　get　rid　of　the　opium…heroin　racket。　Let's　stay　to　hell　out　of　narcotics。　Isn't　it　true　he　was　joining　up　with　those　two　jokers；　Smuggler　Yuen　and　White　Powder　Lee？〃
　〃Rumors。　I'll　consider　what　you　suggest。　But　let　me　say　I'm　captain　of　the　fleets　and　head　of　the　Seaborne　Wu　now。　My　decision　is　final。　We'll　consult。　You'll　be　consigliere　with　all　that　means；　but　if　I　make　a　decision　it's　final。　For　instance；　I　heard　about　the　coup；　the　stock　market　coup；　that　you　pulled　off　without　his　permission。　It　was　brilliant；　yes；　but　there's　to　be　no　more　of　that　…　I　must　be　consulted　and　must　know　in　advance。〃
　〃Agreed。　But　from　here　on　in；　I'm　also　in　business　on　my　own　account。　I've　resigned　from　Gornt's。　Next；　any　private　dealings　I　began　with　Four　Fingers　are　mine　to　continue。〃
　〃What　are　they？〃
　〃Friday　he　advanced　me　2　million　to　play　the　market。　My　deal　was　17。5　percent　of　the　profits。　I　want　all　the　profits。〃
　〃50　percent。〃
　〃90。　As　of　right　now；　there's　nothing　to　keep　me　in　Hong　Kong。　Even　at　50　percent；　if　I　sell　the　present　holdings　…　and　only　I　know　what　they　are　by　the　way　…　I'm　worth　around　3　million　U。S。〃
　They　had　haggled　and　settled　at　70　percent；　Goldtooth's　30　percent　to　be　deposited　in　a　Swiss　bank；　a　numbered　account。
　〃I　figure　the　market'll　be　on　the　e　for　two　more　days；　then　I　off…load。　My　decision；　okay？〃
　〃Yes。　Profitable　suits　you；　Younger　Brother；　better　than　Paul。　I'd　like　to　stay　with　Profitable。　What　else　were　you　doing　with　Four　Fingers？〃
　〃There　was　one　last　scam。　He　swore　me　to　secrecy；　forever。　Forever；　with　blood　oaths。　I　have　to　honor　his　wish。〃
　Reluctantly　Goldtooth　Wu　had　agreed　and　now；　waiting　for　the　tai…pan　to　answer　him　about　Japan；　the　young　man's　confidence　was　brimming。　I'm　rich。　I've　all　Goldtooth's　power　if　I　need　it；　and　I've　a　U。S。　passport　and　I'm　going　to　Hawaii。　In　Japan　there's　a　chance　I　can　outsmart　Dunross　…　no；　not　outsmart　him；　he's　far　too　good　for　that；　but　maybe　there　I　can　get　a　safe；　fair　shake　to　prove；　once　and　for　all；　my　coin's　real。
　〃Would　Japan　suit　you；　tai…pan？〃　he　repeated。
　〃I　hear　you　made　a　killing　on　the　market？〃
　The　youth　beamed；　not　expecting　the　non　sequitur。　〃Yes　sir。　I'm　about　5。5　million　U。S。　ahead。〃
　Dunross　whistled。　〃That's　not　bad　for　a　couple　of　weeks　work；　Profitable　Choy。　At　15　percent　tax；〃　he　added　innocently。
　The　youth　winced　and　fell　into　the　trap。　〃Hell；　I'm　a　U。S。　citizen；　so　subject　to　U。S。　taxes　every　which　way。〃　He　hesitated。　〃I've　a　couple　of　ideas　that'd　。。。　say；　tai…pan；　we　might　make　a　deal　that'd　be　good　for　you　and　good　for　me。〃
　Dunross　saw　Paul　Choy's　eyes　flatten　and　his　caution　increase。
　〃My　Old　Man　trusted　you；〃　the　youth　said。　〃You　and　he　were　Old　Friends。　Maybe　I　could　inherit　that　…　be　worth　that；　one　day。〃
　〃Return　the　coin　freely　and　I'll　grant　all　sorts　of　favors。〃
　〃First　things　first；　tai…pan。　First　we　find　out　if　my　coin's　real。　Japan；　okay？〃
　〃No。　Here；　or　not　at　all！〃　Dunross　snapped；　deciding　to　gamble。
　Paul　Choy's　eyes　slitted　even　more。　Abruptly　he　decided　too　and　reached　under　his　shirt　and　took　out　the　coin　and　laid　it　on　the　desk。　〃I　ask　a　favor　in　Jin…qua's　name　from　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House。〃
　In　the　silence　Dunross　stared　at　the　coin。　〃Well？〃
　〃First；　I　want　Old　Friend　status；　equal　to　Four　Fingers　with　all　that　that　implies。　Second：　I　want　to　be　appointed　a　director　of　Struan's　for　a　four…year　period　at　a　salary　equal　to　other　directors　…　for　face　I'll　buy　a　block　of　shares　at　market　bringing　my　holdings　to　100；000　shares。〃　He　felt　a　bead　of　sweat　drop　off　his　chin　in　the　silence。　〃Next：　I　want　to　joint　venture；　50…50　partners；　a　pharmaceutical　plant　with　Struan's；　capitalized　at　6　million　U。S。　…　I　put　up　half　within　30　days。〃
　Dunross　stared　at　him；　perplexed。　〃To　do　what？〃
　〃The　market　for　pharmaceuticals　throughout　Asia　is　vast。　We　could　make　a　bundle；　given　your　expertise　in　manufacturing；　mine　in　marketing。　Agreed？〃
　〃Is　that　all？　All　the　favor？〃
　〃Three　more　things。　Th…　〃
　〃Only　three？〃　Dunross　asked　witheringly。
　〃Three。　First；　next　year　I'm　going　to　start　another　stock　exchange。　I'll…　〃
　〃You'll　what？〃　Dunross　gaped　at　him；　thrown。　Profitable　Choy