jamesclavell.noblehouse-第118节
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brokers are just parasites； every one of them。 He felt quite safe。 Bartlett's money was in his account。 He could buy back Ho…Pak and Struan's even now and be millions ahead。 Contentedly his eyes strayed back to Casey。 She was watching him。 He could read nothing in her expression。
Joseph Stern was weaving through the brokers。 Again he stopped at the Basilio desk。 Sir Luis Basilio looked away from the board and smiled up at him。 〃So； Joseph？ You want to borrow more Noble House shares？〃
〃Yes； please。〃
〃For Quillan？〃 Sir Luis asked。 He was a fine old man； small； elegant； very thin； and in his seventies … this year's chairman of the mittee that ran the exchange。
〃Yes。〃
〃e； sit down； let's talk a moment； old friend。 How many do you want now？〃
〃200；000。〃
Sir Luis frowned。 〃300；000 on the board … another 2？ Is this an all…out attack？〃
〃He 。。。 he didn't say that but I think it is。〃
〃It's a great pity those two can't make peace with one another。〃
〃Yes。〃
The older man thought a moment； then said even more quietly； 〃I'm considering suspending dealing in Ho…Pak shares； and； since lunch； Noble House shares。 I'm very worried。 At this precise moment a Ho…Pak crash； coupled with a Noble House crash； could wreck the whole market。 Madonna； it's unthinkable for the Noble House to crash； it would pull down hundreds of us； perhaps all Hong Kong； unthinkable！〃
〃Perhaps the Noble House needs overhauling。 Can I borrow 200；000 shares？〃
〃First answer me this； yes or no； and if yes when： Should we suspend the Ho…Pak？ Should we suspend Struan's？ I've polled all the other members of the mittee except you。 They're divided almost equally。〃
〃Neither have ever been suspended。 It would be bad to suspend either。 This's a free society … in its best sense； I think。 You should let it work itself out； let them sort themselves out； the Struans； and the Gornts and all the rest； let the best get to the top and the worst 。。。〃 Stern shook his head wearily。 〃Ah but it's easy for me to say that； Luis； I'm not a big investor in either。〃
〃Where's your money？〃
〃Diamonds。 All Jews need small things； things you can carry and things you can hide； things you can convert easily。〃
〃There's no need for you to be afraid here； Joseph。 How many years has your family been here and prospered？ Look at Solomon … surely he and his family are the richest in all Asia。〃
〃For Jews fear is a way of life。 And being hated。〃
Again the old man sighed。 〃Ah this world； this lovely world； how lovely it should be。〃 A phone rang and he picked it up delicately； his hands tiny； his Portuguese sounding sweet and liquid to Stern though he understood none of it。 He only caught 〃Se？or Mata〃 said deferentially several times but the name meant nothing to him。 In a moment Sir Luis replaced the receiver very thoughtfully。 〃The financial secretary called just after lunch； greatly perturbed。 There's a deputation from Parliament here and a bank crash would look extremely bad for all of us；〃 he said。 He smiled a pixyish smile。 〃I suggested he introduce legislation for the governor's signature to govern banks like they had in England and the poor fellow almost had a fit。 I really mustn't pull his leg so much。〃 Stern smiled with him。 〃As if we need government interference here！〃 The eyes sharpened。 〃So Joseph； do you vote to let well alone … or suspend either or both of the stocks； if so when？〃
Stern glanced at the clock。 If he went to the board now he would have plenty of time to write up both sell offerings and still be able to challenge Forsythe。 It was a good feeling to know that he held the fate of both houses in his hands； if only temporarily。 〃Perhaps it would be very good； perhaps bad。 What's the voting so far？〃
〃I said； almost equal。〃 There was another burst of excitement and both men looked up。 Some more Struan shares were changing hands。 The new market price dropped to 24。70。 Now Phillip Chen was leaning over Holdbrook's desk。
〃Poor Phillip； he doesn't look well at all；〃 Sir Luis said passionately。
〃No。 Pity about John。 I liked him。 What about the Werewolves？ Do you think the papers are overplaying it？〃
〃No。 No； I don't。〃 The old eyes twinkled。 〃No more than you； Joseph。〃
〃What？〃
〃You've decided to pass。 You want to let today's time run out； don't you？ That's what you want； isn't it？〃
〃What better solution could there be？〃
〃If I wasn't so old I'd agree with you。 But being so old and not knowing about tomorrow； or if I shall live to see tomorrow； I prefer my drama today。 Very well。 I'll discount your vote this time and now the mittee's deadlocked so I will decide； as I'm allowed to do。 You can borrow 200；000 Noble House shares until Friday； Friday at two。 Then I may ask for them back … I have to think of my own House； eh？〃 The sharp but kindly eyes in the lined face urged Stern to his feet。 〃What are you going to do now； my friend？〃
Joseph Stern smiled sadly。 〃I'm a stockbroker。〃
He went to the board and wrote in the Ho…Pak sell column with a firm hand。 Then in the new silence he went to the Struan column and wrote the figure clearly； conscious that he was on center stage now。 He could feel the hate and the envy。 More than 500；000 Noble House shares were now on offer； more than at any one time in the history of the exchange。 He waited； wanting the clock to run out。 There was a flurry of interest as Soorjani； the Parsee； bought some blocks of shares but it was well known he was nominee for many of the Struan and Dunross family and supporters。 And though he bought 150；000； it made little difference to the enormity of Gornt's offering。 The quiet was hurting。 One minute to go now。
〃We buy！〃 The tai…pan's voice shattered the silence。
〃All my shares？〃 Stern asked hoarsely； his heart racing。
〃Yes。 Yours and all the rest。 At market！〃
Gornt was on his feet。 〃With what？〃 he asked sardonically。 〃That's almost 9 million cash。〃
Dunross was on his feet too； a taunting half…smile on his face。 〃The Noble House is good for that … and millions more。 Has anyone ever doubted it？〃
〃I doubt it … and I sell short tomorrow！〃
At that moment the finish bell sounded shrilly； the tension broke and there was a roar of approval。
〃Christ what a day。 。。。〃
〃Good old tai…pan。 。。。〃
〃Couldn't stand much more of that 。。。〃
〃Is Gornt going to beat him this time 。。。 ？〃
〃Maybe those rumors are all nonsense 。。。〃
〃Christ I made a bloody fortune in missions 。。。〃
〃I think Ian's running scared。 。。。〃
〃Don't forget he's got five days to pay for the shares 。。。〃
〃He can't buy like that tomorrow 。。。〃
〃Christ； tomorrow！ What's going to happen tomorrow 。。。〃
Casey shifted in her seat； her heart thumping。 She pried her eyes off Gornt and Dunross and looked back at Bartlett； who sat staring at the board； whistling tonelessly。 She was awed … awed and a little frightened。
Just before ing here to meet Dunross； Linc Bartlett had told her his plan； about his call to Gornt and all about the meeting with him。 〃Now you know it all； Casey；〃 he had said softly； grinning at her。 〃Now they're both set up and we control the battlefield； all for 2 million。 Both're at each other's throats； both going for the jugular； each ready to cannibalize the other。 Now we wait。 Monday's D Day。 If Gornt wins； we win。 If Dunross wins； we win。 Either way we bee the Noble House。〃
32
3：03 P。M。：
Alexi Travkin who trained the racehorses of the Noble House went up the busy alley off Nathan Road in Kowloon and into the Green Dragon Restaurant。 He wore a small 。38 under his left arm and his walk was light for a man of his age。
The restaurant was small； ordinary and drab； with no tablecloths on the dozen or so tables。 At one of them； four Chinese were noisily eating soup and noodles； and； as he came in； a bored waiter by the cash register looked up from his racing form and began to get up with a menu。 Travkin shook his head and walked through the archway that led to the back。
The little room contained four tables。 It was empty but for one man。
〃Zdrastvuytye；〃 Suslev said lazily； his light clothes well cut。
〃Zdrastvuytye；〃 Travkin replied； his Slavic eyes narrowing even more。 Then he continued in Russian； 〃Who're you？〃
〃A friend； Highness。〃
〃Please don't call me that； I'm not a highness。 Who're you？〃
〃Still a friend。 Once you were a prince。 Will you join me？〃 Suslev politely motioned to a chair。 There was an opened bottle of vodka on his table and two glasses。 〃Your father Nicoli Petrovitch was a prince too； like his father and back for generations； Prince of Kurgan and even Tobol。〃
〃You talk in ciphers； friend；〃 Travkin said； outwardly calm； and sat opposite him。 The feel of the 。38 took away some of his apprehension。 〃From your accent you're Muscovite … and Georgian。〃
Suslev laughed。 〃Your ear is very good； Prince Kurgan。 Yes I'm Muscovite but I was born in Georgia。 My name's unimportant but I'm a friend wh… 〃
〃Of me； Russia or the Soviets？〃
〃Of all three。 Vodka？〃 Suslev asked； lifting the bottle。
〃Why not？〃 Travkin watched the other man pour the two glasses； then without hesitation he picked up the wrong glass； the one farthest from him； and lifted it。 〃Health！〃
Without hesitation Suslev picked up the other； touc
