jamesclavell.noblehouse-第127节
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d person。
And yet 。。。 and yet better than 600；000 HK in one day。 If I had talked to him beforehand I would never have agreed and I would have lost all that profit！ Ayeeyah！ Yes； my stock would be down all that fortune in one day 。。。 oh oh oh！
He groped for a box and sat down； his heart thumping at that awful thought。
His eyes were watching his son。 What to do about him？ he asked himself。 He could feel the weight of the check in his pocket。 It seemed unbelievable that his son could make that amount of money for him in a few hours； without moving the stock from its hiding place。
〃Explain to me why that black…faced foreign devil with the foul name owes me so much money！〃
Paul Choy explained the mechanics patiently； desperate to please。
The old man thought about that。 〃Then tomorrow I should do the same and make the same？〃
〃No； Honored Father。 You take your gains and keep them。 Today was almost a certainty。 It was a sudden attack； a raid。 We do not know how the Noble House will react tomorrow； or if Gornt really intends to continue the raid。 He can buy back in and be way ahead too。 It would be dangerous to follow Gornt tomorrow； very dangerous。〃
Four Finger Wu threw his cigarette away。 〃Then what should I do tomorrow？〃
〃Wait。 The foreign devil market's nervous and in the hands of foreign devils。 I counsel you to wait and see what happens with the Ho…Pak and the Victoria。 May I use your name to ask the foreign devil Gornt about the Ho…Pak？〃
〃What？〃
Patiently Paul Choy refreshed his father's memory about the bank run and possible stock manipulation。
〃Ah； yes； I understand；〃 the old man said loftily。 Paul Choy said nothing； knowing he did not。 〃Then we 。。。 then I just wait？〃
〃Yes； Honored Father。〃
Four Fingers pulled out the check distastefully。 〃And this fornicating piece of paper？ What about this？〃
〃Convert it into gold； Honored Father。 The price hardly varies at all。 I could talk to Ishwar Soorjani； if you wish。 He deals in foreign exchange。〃
〃And where would I keep the gold？〃 It was one thing to smuggle other people's gold but quite another to have to worry about your own。
Paul Choy explained that physical possession of the gold was not necessary to own it。
〃But I don't trust banks；〃 the old man said angrily。 〃If it's my gold it's my gold and not a bank's！〃
〃Yes； Father。 But this would be a Swiss bank； not in Hong Kong； and pletely safe。〃
〃You guarantee it with your life？〃
〃Yes； Father。〃
〃Good。〃 The old man took out a pen and signed his name on the back with instructions to Soorjani to convert it at once into gold。 He gave it to his son。 〃On your head； my son。 And we wait tomorrow？ We don't make money tomorrow？〃
〃There might be an opportunity for further profit but I could not guarantee it。 I might know around noon。〃
〃Call me here at noon。〃
〃Yes； Father。 Of course if we had our own exchange we could manipulate a hundred stocks 。。。〃 Paul Choy let the idea hang in the air。
〃What？〃
Carefully the young man began to explain how easy it would be for them to form their own exchange； a Chinese…dominated exchange； and the limitless opportunities for profit their own exchange would give。 He talked for an hour； gaining confidence with the minutes； explaining as simply as he could。
〃If it's so easy； my son； why hasn't Tightfist Tung done it … or Big Noise Sung … or Moneybags Ng … or that half…barbarian gold…smuggler from Macao … or Banker Kwang or dozens of others； heya？〃
〃Perhaps they've never had the idea； or courage。 Perhaps they want to work within the foreign devil system … the Turf Club； Cricket Club； knighthoods； and all that English foolishness。 Perhaps they are afraid to go against the tide or they haven't got the knowledge。 We have the knowledge and expertise。 Yes。 And I've a friend in the Golden Mountain； a good friend； who was at school with me who co… 〃
〃What friend？〃
〃He's Shanghainese and a dragon in stocks； a broker in New York now。 Together； with the cash support； we could do it。 I know we could。〃
〃Ayeeyah！ With a northern barbarian？〃 Four Finger Wu scoffed。 〃How could you trust him？〃
〃I think you could trust him； Honored Father … of course you'd set boundaries against weeds like a good market gardener does。〃
〃But all business power in Hong Kong is in the hands of foreign devils。 Civilized persons couldn't support an opposition exchange。〃
〃You may be right； Honored Father；〃 Paul Choy agreed cautiously； keeping his excitement off his face and out of his voice。 〃But all Chinese love to gamble。 Yet at the moment there's not one civilized person stockbroker！ Why do foreign devils keep us out？ Because we'd outplay them。 For us the stock market's the greatest profession in the world。 Once our people in Hong Kong see our market is wide open to civilized persons and their panies； they'll flock to us。 Foreign devils will be forced to open up their own exchange to us as well。 We're better gamblers than they are。 After all； Honorable Father〃 … he waved his hand at the shore； at the tall high rises and the boats and junks and floating restaurants … 〃this could be all yours！ It's in stocks and shares and the stock market that the modern man owns the might of his world。〃
Four Fingers smoked leisurely。 〃How much would your stock market cost； Number Seven Son？〃
〃A year of time。 An initial investment of 。。。 I don't know exactly。〃 The young man's heart was grinding。 He could sense his father's avarice。 The implications of forming a Chinese stock exchange in this unregulated capitalistic society were so far…reaching to him that he felt faint。 It would be so easy given time and 。。。 and how much？ 〃I could give you an estimate within a week。〃
Four Fingers turned his shrewd old eyes on his son and he could read his son's excitement； and his greed。 Is it for money； or for power？ he asked himself。
It's for both； he decided。 The young fool doesn't know that they're both the same。 He thought about Phillip Chen's power and the power of the Noble House and the power of the half…coin that John Chen had stolen。 Phillip Chen and his wife are fools too； he told himself。 They should remember that there are always ears on the other side of walls and once a jealous mother knows a secret it is a secret no longer。 Nor can secrets be kept in hotels； among foreign devils； who always presume servants cannot speak the barbarian tongue； nor have long ears and sharp eyes。
Ah sons； he mused。 Sons are certainly the wealth of a father … but sometimes also cause the death of the father。
A man's a fool to trust a son。 pletely。 Heya？
〃Very well； my son；〃 he said easily。 〃Give me your plan； written down； and the amount。 And I will decide。〃
Phillip Chen got out of the taxi at the grass triangle in Kowloon Tong； the attaché case clutched to his chest。 The driver turned the meter off and looked at him。 The meter read 17。80 HK。 If it had been left up to Phillip he would not have taken the same taxi all the way from Struan's Lookout； which meant using the taxi ferry； the meter running all the time。 No。 He would have crossed the harbor by the Golden Ferry for 15 cents； and got another taxi in Kowloon and saved at least 8 dollars。 Terrible waste of money； he thought。
Carefully he counted out 18 dollars。 As an afterthought he added a thirty…cent tip； feeling generous。 The man drove off and left him standing near the grassy triangle。
Kowloon Tong was just another suburb of Kowloon； a multitudinous nest of buildings； slums； alleys； people and traffic。 He found Essex Road； that skirted the garden； and walked around the road。 The attaché case seemed to be getting heavier and he felt sure everyone knew it contained 200；000 HK。 His nervousness increased。 In an area like this you could buy the death of a man for a few hundred if you knew whom to ask … and for this amount； you could hire an army。 His eyes were on the broken pavement。 When he had gone almost all the way around the triangle he saw the arrow on the pavement pointing at the wall。 His heart was weighty in his chest； hurting him。 It was quite dark here； with few streetlights。 The hole was formed by some bricks that had fallen away。 He could see what looked like a crumpled…up newspaper within the hole。 He hastily took it out； made sure there was nothing else left； then went over to a seat under a lamp and sat down。 When his heart had slowed and his breathing bee more calm he opened the newspaper。 In it was an envelope。 The envelope was flat and some of his anxiety left him。 He had been petrified that he was going to get the other ear。
The note said： 〃Walk to Waterloo Road。 Go north toward the army camp； staying on the west side of the road。 Beware； we are watching you now。〃
A shiver went through him and he looked around。 No one seemed to be watching him。 Neither friend nor foe。 But he could feel eyes。 His attaché case became even more leaden。
All gods protect me； he prayed fervently； trying to gather his courage to continue。 Where the devil are Four Finger Wu's men？
Waterloo Road was nearby； a busy main thoroughfare。 He paid the crowds no attention； just plodded north feeling naked； seeing no one in particular。 The shops were all open； restaurants bustling； the alleyways more crowded。 In the
