jamesclavell.noblehouse-第77节

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　movements　too？〃
　〃Of　course；　Honored　Leader；　that's　easy；〃　Dog…eared　Chen　had　said。　〃He's　a　man　of　habit　…　and　easily　frightened。　So　is　his　tai…tai　…　ayeeyah；　that　mealy…mouthed　whore　knows　which　side　of　the　bed　she　sleeps　in！　She'll　pay　up　very　quickly　to　get　him　back。　Yes；　I'm　sure　he'll　be　very　cooperative　now。　But　we'll　have　to　ask　double　what　we　would　settle　for　because　he's　an　acplished　negotiator。　I've　worked　for　the　fornicating　House　of　Chen　all　my　working　life　so　I　know　what　a　miser　he　is。〃
　〃Excellent。　Now；　by　all　the　gods；　how　and　when　should　we　kidnap　Noble　House　Chen　himself？〃
　
　20
　
　4：01　P。M。：
　Sir　Dunstan　Barre　was　ushered　into　Richard　Kwang's　office　with　the　deference　he　considered　his　due。　The　Ho…Pak　Building　was　small　and　unpretentious；　off　Ice　House　Street　in　Central；　and　the　office　was　like　most　Chinese　offices；　small；　cluttered　and　drab；　a　place　for　working　and　not　for　show。　Most　times　two　or　three　people　would　share　a　single　office；　running　two　or　three　separate　businesses　there；　using　the　same　telephone　and　same　secretary　for　all。　And　why　not；　a　wise　man　would　say？　A　third　of　the　overhead　means　more　profit　for　the　same　amount　of　labor。
　But　Richard　Kwang　did　not　share　his　office。　He　knew　it　did　not　please　his　quai　loh　customers　…　and　the　few　that　he　had　were　important　to　his　bank　and　to　him　for　face　and　for　the　highly　sought　after　peripheral　benefits　they　could　bring。　Like　the　possible；　oh　so　important　election　as　a　voting　member　to　the　super…exclusive　Turf　Club；　or　membership　in　the　Hong　Kong　Golf　Club　or　Cricket　Club　…　or　even　the　Club　itself　…　or　any　of　the　other　minor　though　equally　exclusive　clubs　that　were　tightly　controlled　by　the　British　tai…pans　of　great　hongs　where　all　the　really　big　business　was　conducted。
　〃Hello；　Dunstan；〃　he　said　affably。　〃How　are　things　going？〃
　〃Fine。　And　you？〃
　〃Very　good。　My　horse　had　a　great　workout　this　morning。〃
　〃Yes。　I　was　at　the　track　myself。〃
　〃Oh；　I　didn't　see　you！〃
　〃Just　popped　in　for　a　minute　or　two。　My　gelding's　got　a　temperature　…　we　may　have　to　scratch　him　on　Saturday。　But　Butterscotch　Lass　was　really　flying　this　morning。〃
　〃She　almost　pipped　the　track　record。　She'll　definitely　be　trying　on　Saturday。〃
　Barre　chuckled。　〃I'll　check　with　you　just　before　race　time　and　you　can　tell　me　the　inside　story　then！　You　can　never　trust　trainers　and　jockeys；　can　you　…　yours　or　mine　or　anyone's！〃
　They　chatted　inconsequentially；　then　Barre　came　to　the　point。
　Richard　Kwang　tried　to　cover　his　shock。　〃Close　all　your　corporate　accounts？〃
　〃Yes；　old　boy。　Today。　Sorry　and　all　that　but　my　board　thinks　it　wise　for　the　moment；　until　you　weath…　〃
　〃But　surely　you　don't　think　we're　in　trouble？〃　Richard　Kwang　laughed。　〃Didn't　you　see　Haply's　article　in　the　Guardian？　'。。。　malicious　lies　spread　by　certain　tai…pans　and　a　certain　big　bank。　。。。'　〃
　〃Oh　yes；　I　saw　that。　More　of　his　poppycock；　I'd　say。　Ridiculous！　Spread　rumors？　Why　should　anyone　do　that？　Huh；　I　talked　to　both　Paul　Havergill　and　Southerby　this　morning　and　they　said　Haply　better　watch　out　this　time　if　he　implies　it's　them　or　he'll　get　a　libel　suit。　That　young　man　deserves　a　horsewhipping！　However　。。。　I'd　like　a　cashier's　check　now　…　sorry；　but　you　know　how　boards　are。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　do。〃　Richard　Kwang　kept　his　smile　on　the　surface　of　his　face　but　he　hated　the　big　florid　man　even　more　than　usual。　He　knew　that　the　board　was　a　rubber　stamp　for　Barre's　decisions。　〃We've　no　problems。　We're　a　billion…dollar　bank。　As　to　the　Aberdeen　branch；　they're　just　a　lot　of　superstitious　locals。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　Barre　watched　him。　〃I　heard　you　had　a　few　problems　at　your　Mong　Kok　branch　this　afternoon　too；　also　at　Tsim　Sha　Tsui　。。。　at　Sha　Tin　in　the　New　Territories；　even；　God　help　us；　on　Lan　Tao。〃　Lan　Tao　Island　was　half　a　dozen　miles　east　of　Hong　Kong；　the　biggest　island　in　the　whole　archipelago　of　almost　three　hundred　islands　that　made　up　the　Colony　…　but　almost　unpopulated　because　it　was　waterless。
　〃A　few　customers　withdrew　their　savings；〃　Richard　Kwang　said　with　a　scoff。　〃There's　no　trouble。〃
　But　there　was　trouble。　He　knew　it　and　he　was　afraid　everyone　knew　it。　At　first　it　was　just　at　Aberdeen。　Then；　during　the　day；　his　other　managers　had　begun　to　call　with　ever　increasing　anxiety。　He　had　eighteen　branches　throughout　the　Colony。　At　four　of　them；　withdrawals　were　untoward　and　heavy。　At　Mong　Kok；　a　bustling　hive　within　the　teeming　city　of　Kowloon；　a　line　had　formed　in　early　afternoon。　Everyone　had　wanted　all　their　money。　It　was　nothing　like　the　frightening　proportions　at　Aberdeen；　but　enough　to　show　a　clear　indication　of　failing　confidence。　Richard　Kwang　could　understand　that　the　sea　villages　would　hear　about　Four　Finger　Wu's　withdrawals　quickly；　and　would　rush　to　follow　his　lead　…　but　what　about　Mong　Kok？　Why　there？　And　why　Lan　Tao？　Why　at　Tsim　Sha　Tsui；　his　most　profitable　branch；　which　was　almost　beside　the　busy　Golden　Ferry　Terminal　where　150；000　persons　passed　by　daily；　to　and　from　Hong　Kong？
　It　must　be　a　plot！
　Is　my　enemy　and　arch…rival　Smiler　Ching　behind　it？　Is　it　those　fornicators；　those　jealous　fornicators　at　Blacs　or　the　Victoria？
　Is　Thin　Tube　of　Dung　Havergill　masterminding　the　attack？　Or　is　it　pton　Southerby　of　Blacs　…　he's　always　hated　me。　These　filthy　quai　loh！　But　why　should　they　attack　me？　Of　course　I'm　a　much　better　banker　than　them　and　they're　jealous　but　my　business　is　with　civilized　people　and　hardly　touches　them。　Why？　Or　has　it　leaked　somehow　that　against　my　better　judgment；　over　my　objections；　my　partners　who　control　the　bank　have　been　insisting　that　I　borrow　short　and　cheap　and　lend　long　and　high　on　property　deals；　and　now；　through　their　stupidity；　we　are　temporarily　overextended　and　cannot　sustain　a　run？
　Richard　Kwang　wanted　to　shout　and　scream　and　tear　his　hair　out。　His　secret　partners　were　Lando　Mata　and　Tightfist　Tung；　major　shareholders　of　Macao's　gambling　and　gold　syndicate；　along　with　Smuggler　Mo；　who　had　helped　him　form　and　finance　the　Ho…Pak　ten　years　ago。　〃Did　you　see　Old　Blind　Tung's　predictions　this　morning？〃　he　asked；　the　smile　still　on　his　face。
　〃No。　What'd　he　say？〃
　Richard　Kwang　found　the　paper　and　passed　it　over。　〃All　the　portents　show　we're　ready　for　boom。　The　lucky　eight　is　everywhere　in　the　heavens　and　we're　in　the　eighth　month；　my　birthday　is　the　eighth　of　the　eighth　month。　。。。〃
　Barre　read　the　column。　In　spite　of　his　disbelief　in　soothsayers；　he　had　been　too　long　in　Asia　to　dismiss　them　totally。　His　heart　quickened。　Old　Blind　Tung　had　a　vast　reputation　in　Hong　Kong。　〃If　you　believe　him　we're　in　for　the　biggest　boom　in　the　history　of　the　world；〃　he　said。
　〃He's　usually　much　more　cautious。　Ayeeyah；　that　would　be　good；　heya？〃
　〃Better　than　good。　Meanwhile　Richard　old　boy；　let's　finish　our　business；　shall　we？〃
　〃Certainly。　It's　all　a　typhoon　in　an　oyster　shell；　Dunstan。　We're　stronger　than　ever　…　our　stock's　hardly　a　point　off。〃　When　the　market　had　opened；　there　had　been　a　mass　of　small　offerings　to　sell；　which；　if　not　reacted　to　at　once　would　have　sent　their　stock　plummeting。　Richard　Kwang　had　instantly　ordered　his　brokers　to　buy　and　to　keep　buying。　This　had　stabilized　the　stock。　During　the　day；　to　maintain　the　position；　he　had　had　to　buy　almost　five　million　shares；　an　unheard　of　number　to　be　traded　in　one　day。　None　of　his　experts　could　pinpoint　who　was　selling　big。　There　was　no　reason　for　a　lack　of　confidence；　other　than　Four　Finger　Wu's　withdrawals。　All　gods　curse　that　old　devil　and　his　fornicating；　too　smart　Harvard…trained　nephew！　〃Why　not　le…　〃
　The　phone　rang。　〃　'Scuse　me；〃　then　curtly　into　the　phone；　〃I　said　no　interruptions！〃
　〃It's　Mr。　Haply　from　the　Guardian；　he　says　it's　important；〃　his　secretary；　his　niece；　Mary　Yok　said。　〃And　the　tai…pan's　secretary　called。　The　Nelson　Trading　board　meeting's　brought　forward　to　this　afternoon　at　five　o'clock。　Mr。　Mata　called　to　say　he　would　be　there　too。〃
　Richard　Kwang's　heart　skipped　three　beats。　Why？　he　asked　himself；　aghast。　Dew　neh　loh　moh　it　was　supposed　to　be　postponed　to　next　week。　Oh　ko　why？　Then　quickly　he　put　aside　that　question　to　consider　Haply。　He　decided　that　to　answer　now　in　front　of　Barre　was　too　dangerous。　〃I'll　call　him　back　in　a　few　minutes。〃　He　smiled　at　the　red…faced　man　in　front　of　him。　〃Leave　everything　for　a　day　or　two；　Dunstan；　we've　no　problems。〃
　〃Can't；　old　boy。　Sorry。　There　was　a　special　meeting；　have　to　settle　it　today。　The　board　insisted。〃
　〃We've　been　generous　in　the　past　…　you've　forty　million　of　our　money　unsecured　now　…　we're　joint　venturing　another　seventy　million　with　you　on　your　new　building　program。〃
　〃Yes；　indeed　you　are；　Richard；　and　your　profit　will　be　substantial。　But　they're　another　matter　and　those　loans　were　negotiated　in　good　faith　months　ago　and　will　be　settled　in　good　faith　when　they're　due。　We've　never　defaulted　on　a　payment　to　the　Ho…Pak　or　anyone　else。〃　Barre　passed　the　newspaper　back　and　with　it；　signed　documents　imprinted　with　his　corporate　seal。　〃The　accounts　are　consolidated　so　one　check　will　suffice。〃
　The　amount　was　a　little　over　nine　and　a　half　million。
　Richard　Kwang　signed　the　cashier's　check　and　smiled　Sir　Dunstan　Barre　out；　then；　when　it　was　safe；　cursed　everyone　in　sight　and　went　back　into　his　office；　slammin