jamesclavell.noblehouse-第20节

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　〃That's　what　people　tell　me。〃
　〃You　don't　believe　it？〃
　〃I　know　the　same　rules　of　survival　apply　here；　there　or　where　the　hell　ever。　Only　the　degree　changes。〃
　Gornt　watched　the　smoke　from　his　cigarette　curling　to　the　ceiling。　His　office　was　large　with　well…used　old　leather　chairs　and　excellent　oils　on　the　walls　and　it　was　filled　with　the　smell　of　polished　leather　and　good　cigars。　Gornt's　high…backed　chair；　old　oak　and　carved；　with　red　plush　fitted　seat　and　back　looked　hard；　functional　and　solid；　Bartlett　thought；　like　the　man。
　〃We　can　outbid　Struan's　and　we've　time　on　our　side；　here；　there；　where　the　hell　ever；〃　Gornt　said。
　Bartlett　laughed。
　Gornt　smiled　too　but　Bartlett　noticed　his　eyes　weren't　smiling。　〃Look　around　Hong　Kong；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Ask　about　us；　and　about　them。　Then　make　up　your　mind。〃
　〃Yes；　I'll　do　that。〃
　〃I　hear　your　aircraft's　impounded。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　it　is。　The　airport　cops　found　some　guns　aboard。〃
　〃I　heard。　Curious。　Well；　if　you　need　any　help　to　unimpound　it；　perhaps　I　can　be　of　service。〃
　〃You　could　help　right　now　by　telling　me　why　and　who。〃
　〃I've　no　idea　…　but　I'll　wager　someone　in　Struan's　knows。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃They　knew　your　exact　movements。〃
　〃So　did　you。〃
　〃Yes。　But　it　was　nothing　to　do　with　us。〃
　〃Who　knew　we　were　to　have　this　meeting；　Mr。　Gornt？〃
　〃You　and　I。　As　we　agreed。　There　was　no　leak　from　here；　Mr。　Bartlett。　After　our　private　meeting　in　New　York　last　year；　everything's　been　by　telephone　…　not　even　a　confirming　telex。　I　subscribe　to　your　wisdom　of　caution；　secrecy　and　dealing　face　to　face。　In　private。　But　who　on　your　side　knows　of　our　。。。　our　continuing　interest？〃
　〃No　one　but　me。〃
　〃Not　even　your　lady　treasurer　executive　vice…president？〃　Gornt　asked　with　open　surprise。
　〃No　sir。　When　did　you　learn　Casey　was　a　she？〃
　〃In　New　York。　e　now；　Mr。　Bartlett；　it's　hardly　likely　we'd　contemplate　an　association　without　ascertaining　your　credentials　and　those　of　your　chief　executives。〃
　〃Good。　That　will　save　time。〃
　〃Curious　to　have　a　woman　in　such　a　key　position。〃
　〃She's　my　right　and　left　arm　and　the　best　executive　I've　got。〃
　〃Then　why　wasn't　she　told　of　our　meeting　today？〃
　〃One　of　the　first　rules　of　survival　is　to　keep　your　options　open。〃
　〃Meaning？〃
　〃Meaning　I　don't　run　my　business　by　mittee。　Besides；　I　like　to　play　off　the　cuff；　to　keep　certain　operations　secret。〃　Bartlett　thought　a　moment　then　added；　〃It's　not　lack　of　trust。　Actually；　I'm　making　it　easier　for　her。　If　anyone　at　Struan's　finds　out　and　asks　her　why　I'm　meeting　with　you　now；　her　surprise　will　be　genuine。〃
　After　a　pause　Gornt　said；　〃It's　rare　to　find　anyone　really　trustworthy。　Very　rare。〃
　〃Why　would　someone　want　M14's　and　grenades　in　Hong　Kong　and　why　would　they　use　my　plane？〃
　〃I　don't　know　but　I'll　make　it　my　business　to　find　out。〃　Gornt　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。　The　ashtray　was　porcelain　…　Sung　dynasty。　〃Do　you　know　Tsu…yan？〃
　〃I've　met　him　a　couple　of　times。　Why？〃
　〃He's　a　very　good　fellow；　even　though　he's　a　director　of　Struan's。〃
　〃He's　Shanghainese？〃
　〃Yes。　One　of　the　best。〃　Gornt　looked　up；　his　eyes　very　hard。　〃It's　possible　there　could　be　peripheral　benefit　to　dealing　with　us；　Mr。　Bartlett。　I　hear　Struan's　is　quite　extended　just　now　…　Dunross's　gambling　heavily　on　his　fleet；　particularly　on　the　two　super　bulk　cargo　carriers　he　has　on　order　from　Japan。　The　first's　due　to　be　paid　for　substantially　in　a　week　or　so。　Then；　too；　there's　a　strong　rumor　he's　going　to　make　a　bid　for　Asian　Properties。　You've　heard　of　them？〃
　〃A　big　land　operation；　real　estate；　all　over　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃Yes。　They're　the　biggest　…　even　bigger　than　his　own　K。I。〃
　〃Kowloon　Investments　is　part　of　Struan's？　I　thought　they　were　a　separate　pany。〃
　〃They　are；　outwardly。　But　Dunross　is　tai…pan　of　K。I。　…　they　always　have　the　same　tai…pan。〃
　〃Always？〃
　〃Always。　It's　in　their　Heads　of　Agreement。　But　Ian's　overriding　himself。　The　Noble　House　may　soon　bee　ignoble。　He's　very　cash　light　at　the　moment。〃
　Bartlett　thought　a　moment；　then　he　asked；　〃Why　don't　you　join　with　another　pany；　maybe　Asian　Properties；　and　take　Struan's？　That's　what　I'd　do　in　the　States　if　I　wanted　a　pany　I　couldn't　take　alone。〃
　〃Is　that　what　you　want　to　do　here；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　Gornt　asked　at　once；　pretending　shock。　〃To　'take'　Struan's？〃
　〃Is　it　possible？〃
　Gornt　looked　at　the　ceiling　carefully　before　answering。　〃Yes　…　but　you'd　have　to　have　a　partner。　Perhaps　you　could　do　it　with　Asian　Properties　but　I　doubt　it。　Jason　Plumm；　the　tai…pan；　hasn't　the　balls。　You'd　need　us。　Only　we　have　the　perspicacity；　the　drive；　the　knowledge　and　the　desire。　Nevertheless；　you'd　have　to　risk　a　very　great　deal　of　money。　Cash。〃
　〃How　much？〃
　Gornt　laughed　outright。　〃I'll　consider　that。　First　you'll　have　to　tell　me　how　serious　you　are。〃
　〃And　if　I　am；　would　you　want　in？〃
　Gornt　stared　back；　his　eyes　equally　level。　〃First　I　would　have　to　be　sure；　very　sure；　how　serious　you　are。　It's　no　secret　I　detest　Struan's　generally　and　Ian　Dunross　personally；　would　want　them　obliterated。　So　you　already　know　my　long…term　posture。　I　don't　know　yours。　Yet。〃
　〃If　we　could　take　over　Struan's　…　would　it　be　worth　it？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Oh　yes　…　yes　it'd　be　worth　it；〃　Gornt　said　jovially；　then　once　more　his　voice　iced。　〃But　I　still　need　to　know　how　serious　you　are。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　when　I've　seen　Dunross。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　suggest　the　same　thought　to　him　…　that　together　you　can　swallow　Rothwell…Gornt？〃
　〃My　purpose　here　is　to　make　Par…Con　international；　Mr。　Gornt。　Maybe　up　to　a　30　million　investment　to　cover　a　whole　range　of　merchandising；　factories　and　warehousing。　Up　to　a　short　time　ago　I'd　never　heard　of　Struan's　…　or　Rothwell…Gornt。　Or　your　rivalry。〃
　〃Very　well；　Mr。　Bartlett；　we'll　leave　it　at　that。　Whatever　you　do　will　be　interesting。　Yes。　It　will　be　interesting　to　see　if　you　can　hold　a　knife。〃
　Bartlett　stared　at　him；　not　understanding；
　〃That's　an　old　Chinese　cooking　term；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Do　you　cook？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃It's　a　hobby　of　mine。　The　Chinese　say　it's　important　to　know　how　to　hold　a　knife；　that　you　can't　use　one　until　you　can　hold　it　correctly。　Otherwise　you'll　cut　yourself　and　be　off　to　a　very　bad　start　indeed。　Won't　you？〃
　Bartlett　grinned。　〃Hold　a　knife；　is　it？　I'll　remember　that。　No；　I　can't　cook。　Never　got　around　to　learning　…　Casey　can't　cook　worth　a　damn　either。〃
　〃The　Chinese　say　there're　three　arts　in　which　no　other　civilization　can　pare　to　theirs　…　literature；　brush　painting　and　cooking。　I'm　inclined　to　agree。　Do　you　like　good　food？〃
　〃The　best　meal　I　ever　had　was　in　a　restaurant　just　outside　Rome　on　the　Via　Flaminia；　the　Casale。〃
　〃Then　we've　at　least　that　in　mon；　Mr。　Bartlett。　The　Casale's　one　of　my　favorites　too。〃
　〃Casey　took　me　there　once　…　spaghetti　alla　matriciana　al　dente　and　buscetti　with　an　ice…cold　bottle　of　beer　followed　by　the　piccata　and　more　beer。　I'll　never　forget　it。〃
　Gornt　smiled。　〃Perhaps　you'll　have　dinner　with　me　while　you're　here。　I　can　offer　you　alla　matriciana　too　…　actually　it'll　pare　favorably；　it's　the　very　same　recipe。〃
　〃I'd　like　that。〃
　〃And　a　bottle　of　Valpolicella；　or　a　great　Tuscany　wine。〃
　〃Personally；　I　like　beer　with　pasta。　Iced　American　beer　out　of　the　can。〃
　After　a　pause　Gornt　asked；　〃How　long　are　you　staying　in　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃As　long　as　it　takes；〃　Bartlett　said　without　hesitation。
　〃Good。　Then　dinner　one　day　next　week？　Tuesday　or　Wednesday？〃
　〃Tuesday'd　be　fine；　thanks。　May　I　bring　Casey？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Then　Gornt　added；　his　voice　flatter；　〃By　that　time　perhaps　you'll　be　more　sure　of　what　you　want　to　do。〃
　Bartlett　laughed。　〃And　by　that　time　you'll　find　out　if　I　can　hold　a　knife。〃
　〃Perhaps。　But　just　remember　one　thing；　Mr。　Bartlett。　If　we　ever　join　forces　to　attack　Struan's；　once　the　battle　is　joined；　there　will　be　almost　no　way　to　withdraw　without　getting　severely　mauled。　Very　severely　mauled　indeed。　I'd　have　to　be　very　sure。　After　all；　you　can　always　retire　hurt　to　the　U。S。A。　to　fight　another　day。　We　stay　…　so　the　risks　are　unequal。〃
　〃But　the　spoils　are　unequal　too。　You'd　gain　something　priceless　which　doesn't　mean　ten　cents　to　me。　You'd　bee　the　Noble　House。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Gornt　said；　his　eyes　lidding。　He　leaned　forward　to　select　another　cigarette　and　his　left　foot　moved　behind　the　desk　to　press　a　hidden　floor　switch。　〃Let's　leave　everything　until　Tues…　〃
　The　inter　clicked　on。　〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Gornt；　would　you　like　me　to　postpone　the　board　meeting？〃　his　secretary　asked。
　〃No；〃　Gornt　said。　〃They　can　wait。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Miss　Ramos　is　here。　Could　you　spare　her　a　few　minutes？〃
　Gornt　pretended　to　be　surprised。　〃Just　a　moment。〃　He　looked　up　at　Bartlett。　〃Have　we　concluded？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Bartlett　got　up　at　once。　〃Tuesday's　firm。　Let's　keep　everything　cooking　till　then。〃　He　turned　to　go　but　Gornt　stopped　him。　〃Just　a　moment；　Mr。　Bartlett；〃　he　said；　then　into　the　inter；　〃ask　her　to　e　in。〃　He　clicked　off　the　switch　and　stood　up。　〃I'm　glad　to　have　had　the　meeting。〃
　The　door　opened　and　the　girl　came　in。　She　was　twenty…five　and　stunning　with　short　black　hair　and　sloe　eyes；　clearly　Eurasian；　casually　dressed　in　tight；　American　washed　jeans　and　a　shirt。　〃Hello；　Quillan；〃　she　said　with　a　smile　that　warmed　the　room；　her　English　slightly　Americ