jamesclavell.noblehouse-第74节

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ehind　him。
　〃You　want　to　close　all　your　Ho…Pak　accounts？〃　Mr。　Sung　gasped　shakily。
　〃Yes。　Now；〃　Wu　said　and　Paul　Choy　nodded。
　The　manager　said　weakly；　〃But　we　haven't　en…〃
　Wu　hissed；　〃I　want　all　my　money　now。　Cash　or　bullion。　Now！　Don't　you　understand？〃
　Mr。　Sung　winced。　He　dialed　Richard　Kwang　and　explained　quickly。　〃Yes；　yes；　Lord。〃　He　offered　the　phone。　〃Honorable　Kwang　wants　to　speak　to　you；　Honorable　Wu。〃
　But　no　amount　of　persuasion　would　sway　the　old　seaman。　〃No。　Now。　My　money；　and　the　money　of　my　people　now。　And　also　from　those　other　accounts；　the；　er；　those　special　ones　wherever　they　are。〃
　〃But　there　isn't　that　amount　of　cash　in　that　branch；　Honored　Uncle；〃　Richard　Kwang　said　soothingly。　〃I'd　be　glad　to　give　you　a　cashier's　check。〃
　Wu　exploded。　〃I　don't　want　checks　I　want　money！　Don't　you　understand？　Money！〃　He　did　not　understand　what　a　cashier's　check　was　so　the　frightened　Mr。　Sung　began　to　explain。　Paul　Choy　brightened。　〃That'll　be　all　right；　Honored　Uncle；〃　he　said。　〃A　cashier's　check's　。。。〃
　The　old　man　roared；　〃How　can　a　piece　of　paper　be　like　cash　money？　I　want　money；　my　money　now！〃
　〃Please　let　me　talk　to　the　Honorable　Kwang；　Great　Uncle；〃　Paul　Choy　said　placatingly；　understanding　the　dilemma。　〃Perhaps　I　can　help。〃
　Wu　nodded　sourly。　〃All　right；　talk；　but　get　my　cash　money。〃
　Paul　Choy　introduced　himself　on　the　telephone　and　said；　〃Perhaps　it'd　be　easier　in　English；　sir。〃　He　talked　a　few　moments　then　nodded；　satisfied。　〃Just　a　moment；　sir。〃　Then　in　Haklo；　〃Great　Uncle；〃　he　said；　explaining；　〃the　Honorable　Kwang　will　give　you　payment　in　full　in　government　securities；　gold　or　silver　at　his　Head　Office；　and　a　piece　of　paper　which　you　can　take　to　Blacs；　or　the　Victoria　for　the　remainder。　But；　if　I　may　suggest；　because　you've　no　safe　to　put　all　that　bullion　in；　perhaps　you'll　accept　Honorable　Kwang's　cashier's　check　…　with　which　I　can　open　accounts　at　either　bank　for　you。　Immediately。〃
　〃Banks！　Banks　are　foreign　devil　lobster…pot　traps　for　civilized　lobsters！〃
　It　had　taken　Paul　Choy　half　an　hour　to　convince　him。　Then　they　had　gone　to　the　Ho…Pak's　Head　Office　but　Wu　had　left　Two　Hatchet　Tok　with　the　quaking　Mr。　Sung。　〃You　stay　here；　Tok。　If　I　don't　get　my　money　you　will　take　it　out　of　this　branch！〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　So　they　had　gone　to　Central　and　by　noon　Four　Finger　Wu　had　new　accounts；　half　at　Blacs；　half　at　the　Victoria。　Paul　Choy　had　been　staggered　by　the　number　of　separate　accounts　that　had　had　to　be　closed　and　opened　afresh。　And　the　amount　of　cash。
　Twenty…odd　million　HK。
　In　spite　of　all　his　pleading　and　explaining　the　old　seaman　had　refused　to　invest　some　of　his　money　in　selling　Ho…Pak　short；　saying　that　that　was　a　game　for　quai　loh　thieves。　So　Paul　had　slipped　away　and　gone　to　every　stockbroker　he　could　find；　trying　to　sell　short　on　his　own　account。　〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　you've　no　credit。　Of　course；　if　you'll　give　me　your　uncle's　chop；　or　assurance　in　writing；　of　course。　。。。〃
　He　discovered　that　stockbrokering　firms　were　European；　almost　exclusively；　the　vast　majority　British。　Not　one　was　Chinese。　All　the　seats　on　the　stock　exchange　were　European　held；　again　the　vast　majority　British。　〃That　just　doesn't　seem　right；　Mr。　Smith；〃　Paul　Choy　said。
　〃Oh；　I'm　afraid　our　locals；　Mr。；　Mr。　。。。　Mr。　Chee　was　it？〃
　〃Choy；　Paul　Choy。〃
　〃Ah　yes。　I'm　afraid　all　our　locals　aren't　really　interested　in　plicated；　modern　practices　like　broking　and　stock　markets　…　of　course　you　know　our　locals　are　all　immigrants？　When　we　came　here　Hong　Kong　was　just　a　barren　rock。〃
　〃Yes。　But　I'm　interested；　Mr。　Smith。　In　the　States　a　stockbr…　〃
　〃Ah　yes；　America！　I'm　sure　they　do　things　differently　in　America；　Mr。　Chee。　Now　if　you'll　excuse　me　。。。　good　afternoon。〃
　Seething；　Paul　Choy　had　gone　from　broker　to　broker　but　it　was　always　the　same。　No　one　would　back　him　without　his　father's　chop。
　Now　he　sat　on　a　bench　in　Memorial　Square　near　the　Law　Courts　and　the　Struan's　highrise　and　Rothwell…Gornt's；　and　looked　out　at　the　harbor；　and　thought。　Then　he　went　to　the　Law　Court　library　and　talked　his　way　past　the　pedantic　librarian。　〃I'm　from　Sims；　Dawson　and　Dick；〃　he　said　airily。　〃I'm　their　new　attorney　from　the　States。　They　want　some　quick　information　on　stock　markets　and　stock…broking。〃
　〃Government　regulations；　sir？〃　the　elderly　Eurasian　asked　helpfully。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃There　aren't　any；　sir。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　〃Well；　practically　none。〃　The　librarian　went　to　the　shelves。　The　requisite　section　was　just　a　few　paragraphs　in　a　giant　tome。
　Paul　Choy　gaped　at　him。　〃This's　all　of　it？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Paul　Choy's　head　reeled。　〃But　then　it's　wide　open；　the　market's　wide　open！〃
　The　librarian　was　gently　amused。　〃Yes；　pared　to　London；　or　New　York。　As　to　stockbroking；　well；　anyone　can　set　up　as　a　broker；　sir；　providing　someone　wants　them　to　sell　shares　and　there's　someone　who　wants　them　to　buy　and　both　are　prepared　to　pay　mission。　The　problem　is　that　the；　er；　the　existing　firms　control　the　market　pletely。〃
　〃How　do　you　bust　this　monopoly？〃
　〃Oh　I　wouldn't　want　to；　sir。　We're　really　for　the　status　quo　in　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃How　do　you　break　in　then？　Get　a　piece　of　the　action？〃
　〃I　doubt　if　you　could；　sir。　The；　the　British　control　everything　very　carefully；〃　he　said　delicately。
　〃That　doesn't　seem　right。〃
　The　elderly　man　shook　his　head　and　smiled　gently。　He　steepled　his　fingers；　liking　the　young　Chinese　he　saw　in　front　of　him；　envying　him　his　purity　…　and　his　American　education。　〃I　presume　you　want　to　play　the　market　on　your　own　account？〃　he　asked　softly。
　〃Yeah　。。。〃　Paul　Choy　tried　to　cover　his　mistake　and　stuttered；　〃At　least　。。。　Dawson　said　for　me　…　〃
　〃e　now；　Mr。　Choy；　you're　not　from　Sims；　Dawson　and　Dick；〃　he　said；　chiding　him　politely。　〃If　they'd　hired　an　American　…　an　unheard…of　innovation　…　oh　I　would　have　heard　of　it　along　with　a　hundred　others；　long　before　you　even　arrived　here。　You　must　be　Mr。　Paul　Choy；　the　great　Wu　Sang　Fang's　nephew；　who　has　just　e　back　from　Harvard　in　America。〃
　Paul　Choy　gaped　at　him。　〃How'd　you　know？〃
　〃This　is　Hong　Kong；　Mr。　Choy。　It's　a　very　tiny　place。　We　have　to　know　what's　going　on。　That's　how　we　survive。　You　do　want　to　play　the　market？〃
　〃Yes。　Mr。　。。。　？〃
　〃Manuel　Perriera。　I'm　Portuguese　from　Macao。〃　The　librarian　took　out　a　fountain　pen　and　wrote　in　beautiful　copybook　writing　an　introduction　on　the　back　of　one　of　his　visiting　cards。　〃Here。　Ishwar　Soorjani's　an　old　friend。　His　place　of　business　is　just　off　the　Nathan　Road　in　Kowloon。　He's　a　Parsee　from　India　and　deals　in　money　and　foreign　exchange　and　buys　and　sells　stocks　from　time　to　time。　He　might　help　you　…　but　remember　if　he　loans　money；　or　credit；　it　will　be　expensive　so　you　should　not　make　any　mistakes。〃
　〃Gee　thanks；　Mr。　Perriera。〃　Paul　Choy　stuck　out　his　hand。　Surprised；　Perriera　took　it。　Paul　Choy　shook　warmly　then　began　to　rush　off　but　stopped。　〃Say；　Mr。　Perriera　。。。　the　stock　market。　Is　there　a　long　shot？　Anything？　Any　way　to　get　a　piece　of　the　action？〃
　Manuel　Perriera　had　silver…gray　hair　and　long；　beautiful　hands；　and　pronounced　Chinese　features。　He　considered　the　youth　in　front　of　him。　Then　he　said　softly；　〃There's　nothing　to　prevent　you　from　forming　a　pany　to　set　up　your　own　stock　market；　a　Chinese　stock　market。　That's　quite　within　Hong　Kong　law　…　or　lack　of　it。〃　The　old　eyes　glittered。　〃All　you　need　is　money；　contacts；　knowledge　and　telephones。　。。。〃
　
　〃My　money　please；〃　the　old　amah　whispered　hoarsely。　〃Here's　my　savings　book。〃　Her　face　was　flushed　from　the　heat　within　the　Ho…Pak　branch　at　Aberdeen。　It　was　ten　minutes　to　three　now　and　she　had　been　waiting　since　dawn。　Sweat　streaked　her　old　white　blouse　and　black　pants。　A　long　graying　ratty　queue　hung　down　her　back。　〃Ayeeyah；　don't　shove；〃　she　called　out　to　those　behind　her。　〃You'll　get　your　turn　soon！〃
　Wearily　the　young　teller　took　the　book　and　glanced　again　at　the　clock。　Ayeeyah！　Thank　all　gods　we　close　at　three；　she　thought；　and　wondered　anxiously　through　her　grinding　headache　how　they　were　going　to　close　the　doors　with　so　many　irritable　people　crammed　in　front　of　the　grilles；　pressed　forward　by　those　outside。
　The　amount　in　the　savings　book　was　323。42　HK。　Following　Mr。　Sung's　instructions　to　take　time　and　be　accurate　she　went　to　the　files　trying　to　shut　her　ears　to　the　stream　of　impatient；　muttered　obscenities　that　had　gone　on　for　hours。　She　made　sure　the　amount　was　correct；　then　checked　the　clock　again　as　she　came　back　to　her　high　stool　and　unlocked　her　cash　drawer　and　opened　it。　There　was　not　enough　money　in　her　till　so　she　locked　the　drawer　again　and　went　to　the　manager's　office。　An　undercurrent　of　rage　went　through　the　waiting　people。　She　was　a　short　clumsy　woman。　Eyes　followed　her；　then　went　anxiously　to　the　clock　and　back　to　her　again。
　She　knocked　on　his　door　and　closed　it　after　her。　〃I　can't　pay　Old　Ah　Tam；〃　she　said　helplessly。　〃I've　only　100　HK；　I've　delayed　as　much　。。。〃
　Manager　Sung　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　upper　lip。　〃It's　almost　three　so　make　her　your　last　customer；　Miss　Cho。〃　He　took　her　through　a　side　door　to　the　vault。　The　safe　door　was　ponderous。　She　gasped　as　she　saw　the　empty　shelves。　At　this　time　of　the　day　usually　the　shelves　were　filled　with　neat　stacks　of　notes　and　paper　tubes　of　silver；　the　notes　cli