jamesclavell.noblehouse-第78节
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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； slamming the door behind him。 He kicked his desk then picked up the phone and shouted at his niece to get Haply and almost broke the phone as he slammed it back onto its cradle。
〃Dew neh loh moh on all filthy quai loh；〃 he shrieked to the ceiling and felt much better。 That lump of dogmeat！ I wonder 。。。 oh； I wonder if I could prevail on the Snake to forbid any lines at all tomorrow？ Perhaps he and his men could break a few arms。
Gloomily Richard Kwang let his mind drift。 It had been a rotten day。 It had begun badly at the track。 He was sure his trainer … or jockey … was feeding Butterscotch Lass pep pills to make her run faster to shorten her odds … she'd be favorite now … then Saturday they'd stop the pills and back an outsider and clean up without him being in on the profit…making。 Dirty dog bones； all of them！ Liars！ Do they think I own a racehorse to lose money？
The banker hawked and spat into the spittoon。
Maggot…mouthed Barre and dog bone Uncle Wu！ Those withdrawals will take most of my cash。 Never mind； with Lando Mata； Smuggler Mo； Tightfist Tung and the tai…pan I'm quite safe。 Oh I'll have to shout and scream and curse and weep but nothing can really touch me or the Ho…Pak。 I'm too important to them。
Yes； it had been a rotten day。 The only bright spot had been his meeting this morning with Casey。 He had enjoyed looking at her； enjoyed her clean…smelling； smart； crisp Americanness of the great outdoors。 They had fenced pleasantly about financing and he felt sure he could get all or certainly part of their business。 Clearly the pickings would be huge。 She's so naive； he thought。 Her knowledge of banking and finance's impressive but of the Asian world； nil！ She's so naive to be so open with their plans。 Thank all gods for Americans。
〃I love America； Miss Casey。 Yes。 Twice a year I go there； to eat good steaks and go to Vegas … and to do business of course。〃
Eeeee； he thought happily； the whores of the Golden Country are the best and most available quai loh in the world； and quai lohs're so cheap pared to Hong Kong girls！ Oh oh oh！ I get such a good feeling pillowing them； with their great deodorized armpits； their great tits and thighs and rears。 But in Vegas it's the best。 Remember the golden…haired beauty that towered over me but lying down she 。。。
His private phone rang。 He picked it up； irritated as always that he had had to install it。 But he had had no option。 When his previous secretary of many years had left to get married； his wife had planted her favorite niece firmly in her place； of course to spy on me； he thought sourly。 Eeeee； what can a man do？
〃Yes？〃 he asked； wondering what his wife wanted now。
〃You didn't call me all day。 。。。 I've been waiting for hours！〃
His heart leapt at the unexpected sound of the girl's voice。 He dismissed the petulance； her Cantonese sweet like her Jade Gate。 〃Listen； Little Treasure；〃 he said； his voice placating。 〃Your poor Father's been very busy today。 I've… 〃
〃You just don't want your poor Daughter anymore。 I'll have to throw myself in the harbor or find another person to cherish me oh oh oh。 。。。〃
His blood pressure soared at the sound of her tears。 〃Listen； Little Oily Mouth； I'll see you this evening at ten。 We'll have an eight…course feast at Wanchai at my fav… 〃
〃Ten's too late and I don't want a feast I want a steak and I want to go to the penthouse at the V and A and drink champagne！〃
His spirit groaned at the danger of being seen and reported secretly to his tai…tai。 Oh oh oh！ But； in front of his friends and his enemies and all Hong Kong he would gain enormous face to escort his new mistress there； the young exotic rising star in TV's firmament； Venus Poon。
〃At ten I'll call f… 〃
〃Ten's too late。 Nine。〃
Rapidly he tried to sort out all his meetings tonight to see how he could acmodate her。 〃Listen； Little Treasure； I'll se… 〃
〃Ten's too late。 Nine。 I think I will die now that you don't care anymore。〃
〃Listen。 Your Father has three meetings and I th… 〃
〃Oh my head hurts to think you don't want me anymore oh oh oh。 This abject person will have to slit her wrists； or 。。。。〃 He heard the change in her voice and his stomach twisted at the threat； 〃Or answer the phone calls of others； lesser than her revered Father of course； but just as rich nonetheless and m… 〃
〃All right； Little Treasure。 At nine！〃
〃Oh you do love me don't you！〃 Though she was speaking Cantonese Venus Poon used the English word and his heart flipped。 English was the language of love for modern Chinese； there were no romantic words in their own language。 〃Tell me！〃 she said imperiously。 〃Tell me you love me！〃
He told her； abjectly； then hung up。 The mealy…mouthed little whore； he thought irritably。 But then； at nineteen she's a right to be demanding and petulant and difficult if you're almost sixty and she makes you feel twenty and the Imperial Yang blissful。 Eeeee； but Venus Poon's the best I've ever had。 Expensive but； eeee； she's got muscles in her Golden Gulley that only the legendary Emperor Kung wrote about！
He felt his yang stir and scratched pleasantly。 I'll give that little baggage what for tonight。 I'll buy an extra specially large device； ah yes； a ring with bells on it。 Oh oh oh！ That'll make her wriggle！
Yes； but meanwhile think about tomorrow。 How to prepare for tomorrow？
Call your High Dragon friend。 Divisional Sergeant Tang…po at Tsim Sha Tsui and enlist his help to see that his branch and all branches in Kowloon are well policed。 Phone Blacs and Cousin Tung of the huge Tung Po Bank and Cousin Smiler Ching and Havergill to arrange extra cash against the Ho…Pak's securities and holdings。 Ah yes； phone your very good friend Joe Jacobson； VP of the Chicago Federal and International Merchant Bank … his bank's got assets of four billion and he owes you lots of favors。 Lots。 There're lots of quai loh who're deeply in your debt； and civilized people。 Call them all！
Abruptly Richard Kwang came out of his reverie as he remembered the tai…pan's summons。 His soul twisted。 Nelson Trading's deposits in bullion and cash were huge。 Oh ko if Nels…
The phone jangled irritably。 〃Uncle； Mr。 Haply's on the line。〃
〃Hello； Mr。 Haply； how nice to talk to you。 Sorry I was engaged before。〃
〃That's all right； Mr。 Kwang。 I just wanted to check a couple of facts if I may。 First； the riot at Aberdeen。 The police w… 〃
〃Hardly a riot； Mr。 Haply。 A few noisy； impatient people； that's all；〃 he said； despising Haply's Canadian…American accent； and the need to be polite。
〃I'm looking at some photos right now； Mr。 Kwang； the ones that're in this afternoon's Times … it looks like a riot all right。〃
The banker squirmed in his chair and fought to keep his voice calm。 〃Oh … oh well I wasn't there so 。。。 I'll have to talk to Mr。 Sung。〃
〃I did； Mr。 Kwang。 At 3：30。 Spent half an hour with him。 He said if it hadn't been for the police they'd've torn the place apart。〃 There was a hesitation。 〃You're right to play it down； but； say； I'm trying to help； and I can't without the facts； so if you'll level with me 。。。 How many folks wanted their money out at Lan Tao？〃
Richard Kwang said； 〃18；〃 halving the real figure。
〃Our guy said 36。 82 at Sha Tin。 How about Mong Kok？〃
〃A cupful。〃
〃My guy said 48； and there was a good 100 left at closing。 How about Tsim Sha Tsui？〃
〃I haven't got the figures yet； Mr。 Haply；〃 Richard Kwang said smoothly； consumed with anxiety； hating the staccato questioning。
〃All the evening editions're heavy with the Ho…Pak run。 Some're even using the word。〃
〃Oh ko。 。。。〃
〃Yeah。 I'd say you'd better get ready for a real hot day tomorrow； Mr。 Kwang。 I'd say your opposition's very well organized。 Everything's too pat to be a coincidence。〃
〃I certainly appreciate your interest。〃 Then Richard Kwang added delicately； 〃If there's anything I can do 。。。〃
Again the irritating laugh。 〃Have any of your big depositors pulled out today？〃
Richard Kwang hesitated a fraction of a moment and he heard Haply jump into the breach。 〃Of course I know about Four Finger Wu。 I meant the big British hongs。〃
〃No； Mr。 Haply； not yet。〃
〃There's a strong rumor that Hong Kong and Lan Tao Farms's going to change banks。〃
Richard Kwang felt that barb in his Secret Sack。 〃Let's hope it's not true； Mr。 Haply。 Who're the tai…pans and what big bank or banks？ Is it the Victoria or Blacs？〃
〃Perhaps it's Chinese。 Sorry； I can't divulge a news source。 But you'd better get organized … it sure as hell looks as though the big guys are after you。〃
21
4：25 P。M。：
〃They don't sleep together； tai…pan；〃 Claudia Chen said。
〃Eh？〃 Dunross looked up absently from the stack of papers he was going through。
〃No。 At least they didn't last night。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Bartlett and your Cirrannousshee。〃
Dunross stopped working。 〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 Separate rooms； separate beds； breakfast together in the main room … both neat and tidy and dressed in modest robes which is interesting because neither wears anything in bed。〃
〃They don't？〃
〃No； at least they didn't last night。〃
