jamesclavell.noblehouse-第64节

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…　tell　him　we　got　problems　…　then　go　get　these　processed　tonight。　I'll　phone　you　when　these　two've　bedded　down。〃
　〃You　crazy？〃　Povitz　said。　〃You're　not　tailing　them　alone。〃
　〃Have　to；　Marty；　the　film　might　be　important。　We're　not　risking　that。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Goddamnit；　Marty；　I'm　tai…pan　of　this　operation。〃
　〃Orders　says　two　g…　〃
　〃Screw　orders！〃　Connochie　hissed。　〃Just　call　Rosemont　and　don't　foul　up　the　film。〃　Then　he　raised　his　voice　and　said　breezily；　〃Great　night　for　a　sail；　huh？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　He　nodded　at　the　sparkle　of　light　on　the　crest　of　the　Peak；　then　focused　on　it　through　his　super…powered　telescopic　lens　viewfinder。　〃You　live　up　there；　you　got　it　made；　huh？〃
　
　Dunross　and　Bartlett　were　facing　each　other　in　the　Long　Gallery　at　the　head　of　the　staircase。　Alone。
　〃Have　you　made　a　deal　with　Gornt？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃No；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃Not　yet。〃　He　was　as　crisp　and　tough　as　Dunross　and　his　dinner　jacket　fitted　as　elegantly。
　〃Neither　you　nor　Casey？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃No。〃
　〃But　you　have　examined　possibilities？〃
　〃We're　in　business　to　make　money；　Ian　…　as　are　you！〃
　〃Yes。　But　there're　ethics　involved。〃
　〃Hong　Kong　ethics？〃
　〃May　I　ask　how　long　you　have　been　dealing　with　Gornt？〃
　〃About　six　months。　Are　you　agreeing　to　our　proposal　today？〃
　Dunross　tried　to　put　away　his　tiredness。　He　had　not　wanted　to　seek　out　Bartlett　tonight　but　it　had　been　necessary。　He　felt　the　eyes　from　all　the　portraits　on　the　walls　watching　him。　〃You　said　Tuesday。　I'll　tell　you　Tuesday。〃
　〃Then　until　then；　if　I　want　to　deal　with　Gornt　or　anyone　else；　that's　my　right。　If　you　accept　our　offer　now；　it's　a　deal。　I'm　told　you're　the　best；　the　Noble　House；　so　I'd　rather　deal　with　you　than　him　…　providing　I　get　top　dollar　with　all　the　necessary　safeguards。　I'm　cash　heavy；　you're　not。　You're　Asian　heavy；　I'm　not。　So　we　should　deal。〃
　Yes；　Bartlett　told　himself；　covering　his　foreboding；　though　delighted　that　his　diversion　this　morning　with　Gornt　had　produced　the　confrontation　so　quickly　and　brought　his　opponent　to　bay　…　at　the　moment；　Ian；　you're　just　that；　an　opponent；　until　we　finalize；　if　we　finalize。
　Is　now　the　time　to　blitzkrieg？
　He　had　been　studying　Dunross　all　evening；　fascinated　by　him　and　the　undercurrents　and　everything　about　Hong　Kong　…　so　totally　alien　to　anything　he　had　ever　experienced　before。　New　jungle；　new　rules；　new　dangers。　Sure；　he　thought　grimly；　with　both　Dunross　and　Gornt　as　dangerous　as　a　swamp　full　of　rattlers　and　no　yardstick　to　judge　them　by。　I've　got　to　be　cautious　like　never　before。
　He　felt　his　tension　strongly；　conscious　of　the　eyes　that　watched　from　the　walls。　How　far　dare　I　push　you；　Ian？　How　far　do　I　gamble？　The　profit　potential's　huge；　the　prize　huge；　but　one　mistake　and　you'll　eat　us　up；　Casey　and　me。　You're　a　man　after　my　own　heart　but　even　so　still　an　opponent　and　governed　by　ghosts。　Oh　yes；　I　think　Peter　Marlowe　was　right　in　that　though　not　in　everything。
　Jesus！　Ghosts　and　the　extent　of　the　hatreds！　Dunross；　Gornt；　Penelope；　young　Struan；　Adryon　。。。　Adryon　so　brave　after　her　initial　fright。
　He　looked　back　at　the　cold　blue　eyes　watching　him。　What　would　I　do　now；　Ian；　if　I　were　you；　you　with　your　wild…ass　heritage　standing　there　so　outwardly　confident？
　I　don't　know。　But　I　know　me　and　I　know　what　Sun　Tzu　said　about　battlefields：　only　bring　your　opponent　to　battle　at　a　time　and　a　place　of　your　own　choosing。　Well　it's　chosen　and　it's　here　and　now。
　〃Tell　me；　Ian；　before　we　decide；　how　are　you　going　to　pay　off　your　three　September　notes　to　Toda　Shipping？〃
　Dunross　was　shocked。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃You　haven't　got　a　charter　yet　and　your　bank　won't　pay　without　one；　so　it's　up　to　you；　isn't　it？〃
　〃The　bank　。。。　there's　no　problem。〃
　〃But　I　understand　you've　already　overextended　your　line　of　credit　20　percent。　Doesn't　that　mean　you'll　have　to　find　a　new　line　of　credit？〃
　〃I'll　have　one　if　I　need　it；〃　Dunross　said；　his　voice　edgy；　and　Bartlett　knew　he　had　gotten　under　his　guard。
　〃12　million　to　Toda's　a　lot　of　cash　when　you　add　it　to　your　other　indebtedness。〃
　〃What　other　indebtedness？〃
　〃The　installment　of　6；800；000　U。S。　due　September　8　on　your　Orlin　International　Banking　loan　of　30　million　unsecured；　you've　4。2　million　in　consolidated　corporate　losses　so　far　this　year　against　a　written…up　paper　profit　of　seven　and　a　half　last　year；　and　12　million　from　the　loss　of　Eastern　Cloud　and　all　those　contraband　engines。〃
　The　color　was　out　of　Dunross's　face。　〃You　seem　to　be　particularly　well　informed。〃
　〃I　am。　Sun　Tzu　said　that　you've　got　to　be　well　informed　about　your　allies。〃
　The　small　vein　in　Dunross's　forehead　was　pulsating。　〃You　mean　enemies。〃
　〃Allies　sometimes　bee　enemies；　Ian。〃
　〃Yes。　Sun　Tzu　also　hammered　about　spies。　Your　spy　can　only　be　one　of　seven　men。〃
　Bartlett　replied　as　harshly；　〃Why　should　I　have　a　spy？　That　information's　available　from　banks　…　all　you've　got　to　do　is　dig　a　little。　Toda's　bank's　the　Yokohama　National　of　Japan　…　and　they're　tied　in　with　Orlin　in　a　lot　of　deals　…　so're　we。　Stateside。〃
　〃Whoever　your　spy　is；　he's　wrong。　Orlin　will　extend。　They　always　have。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　it　this　time。　I　know　those　bastards　and　if　they　smell　a　killing；　they'll　have　your　ass　so　fast　you'll　never　know　what　happened。〃
　〃A　killing　of　Struan's？〃　Dunross　laughed　sardonically。　〃There's　no　way　Orlin　or　any　god…cursed　bank　could　…　or　would　want　us　wrecked。〃
　〃Maybe　Gornt's　got　a　deal　cooking　with　them。〃
　〃Christ　Jesus。　。。。〃　Dunross　held　on　to　his　temper　with　an　effort。　〃Has　he　or　hasn't　he？〃
　〃Ask　him。〃
　〃I　will。　Meanwhile　if　you　know　anything；　tell　me　now！〃
　〃You've　got　enemies　every　which　way。〃
　〃So　have　you。〃
　〃Yes。　Does　that　make　us　good　or　bad　partners？〃　Bartlett　stared　back　at　Dunross。　Then　his　eyes　fell　on　a　portrait　at　the　far　end　of　the　gallery。　Ian　Dunross　was　staring　down　at　him　from　the　wall；　the　likeness　marvelous；　part　of　a　three…masted　clipper　in　the　background。
　〃Is　that　。。。　Jesus；　that's　gotta　be　Dirk；　Dirk　Struan！〃
　Dunross　turned　and　looked　at　the　painting。　〃Yes。〃
　Bartlett　walked　over　and　studied　it。　Now　that　he　looked　closer　he　could　see　that　the　sea　captain　was　not　Dunross；　but　even　so；　there　was　a　curious　similarity。　〃Jacques　was　right；〃　he　said。
　〃No。〃
　〃He's　right。〃　He　turned　and　studied　Dunross　as　though　the　man　was　a　picture；　paring　them　back　and　forth。　At　length　he　said；　〃It's　the　eyes　and　the　line　of　the　jaw。　And　the　taunting　look　in　the　eyes　which　says；　'You'd　better　believe　I　can　kick　the　shit　out　of　you　anytime　I　want　to。'　〃
　The　mouth　smiled　at　him。　〃Does　it　now？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃There's　no　problem　on　a　line　of　credit；　new　or　old。〃
　〃I　think　there　is。〃
　〃The　Victoria's　our　bank　…　we're　big　stockholders。〃
　〃How　big？〃
　〃We've　alternate　sources　of　credit　if　need　be。　But　we'll　get　everything　we　want　from　the　Vic。　They're　cash　heavy　too。〃
　〃Your　Richard　Kwang　doesn't　think　so。〃
　Dunross　looked　back　from　the　portrait　sharply。　〃Why？〃
　〃He　didn't　say；　Ian。　He　didn't　say　anything；　but　Casey　knows　bankers　and　she　read　the　bottom　line　and　that's　what　she　thinks　he　thinks。　I　don't　think　she's　much　taken　by　Havergill　either。〃
　After　a　pause；　Dunross　said；　〃What　else　does　she　think？〃
　〃That　maybe　we　should　go　with　Gornt。〃
　〃Be　my　guest。〃
　〃I　may。　What　about　Taipei？〃　Bartlett　asked；　wanting　to　keep　Dunross　off　balance。
　〃What　about　it？〃
　〃I'm　still　invited？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　of　course。　That　reminds　me；　you're　released　into　my　custody　by　kind　permission　of　the　assistant　missioner　of　police。　Armstrong　will　be　so　informed　tomorrow。　You'll　have　to　sign　a　piece　of　paper　that　you　guarantee　you'll　return　when　I　do。〃
　〃Thanks　for　arranging　it。　Casey　is　still　not　invited？〃
　〃I　thought　we　settled　that　this　morning。〃
　〃Just　asking。　What　about　my　airplane？〃
　Dunross　frowned；　off　balance。　〃I　suppose　it's　still　impounded。　Did　you　want　to　use　it　for　the　Taipei　trip？〃
　〃It'd　be　convenient；　wouldn't　it；　then　we　could　leave　to　suit　ourselves。〃
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃　Dunross　watched　him。　〃And　your　offer's　firm　until　Tuesday？〃
　〃Firm；　just　as　Casey　said。　Until　close　of　business　Tuesday。〃
　〃Midnight　Tuesday；〃　Dunross　countered。
　〃Do　you　always　barter　whatever　the　hell　someone　says？〃
　〃Don't　you？〃
　〃Okay；　midnight　Tuesday。　Then　one　minute　into　Wednesday　all　debts　and　friendships　are　canceled。〃　Bartlett　needed　to　keep　the　pressure　on　Dunross；　needed　the　counteroffer　now　and　not　Tuesday　so　he　could　use　it　with　or　against　Gornt。　〃The　guy　from　Blacs；　the　chairman；　what　was　his　name？〃
　〃pton　Southerby。〃
　〃Yes；　Southerby。　I　was　talking　to　him　after　dinner。　He　said　they　were　all　the　way　in　back　of　Gornt。　He　implied　Gornt　also　has　a　lot　of　Eurodollars　on　call　if　he　ever　needed　them。〃　Again　Bartlett　saw　the　piece　of　information　slam　home。　〃So　I　still　don't　know　how　you're　going　to　pay　Toda　Shipping；〃　he　said。
　Dunross　didn't　answer　at　once。　He　was　still　trying　to　find　a　way　out　of　the　maze。　Each　time　he　came　back　to　the　beginning：　the　spy　must　be　Gavallan；　deVille；　Linbar　Struan；　Phillip　Chen；　Alastair　Struan；　David　MacStruan；　or　his　father；　Colin　Dunross。　Some　of　Bartlett's　information　the　banks　would　know　…　but　not　their　corporate　losses　this　year。　That　figure　had　been　too　accurate。　T