jamesclavell.noblehouse-第208节

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　〃Are　you　going　to　call　a　board　meeting　right　now　or　not？〃
　〃Your　stock's　plunging。　You've　no　assets　to　pledge　to　support　the　run　on　your　stock；　your　bank　holdings　are　already　pledged；　the　stock　in　your　treasury　gets　more　valueless　every　minute。　On　Monday　or　Tuesday；　Gornt　will　buy　back　in　and　then　he'll　control　Struan's。〃
　Dunross　watched　him。　〃You'll　let　Gornt　take　us　over？　I　don't　believe　you。　You'll　buy　in　before　he　does。　Or　have　you　already　made　a　deal　to　split　up　Struan's　between　you？〃
　〃No　deal。　Not　yet。　But　if　you'll　resign　from　Struan's　right　now；　agree　in　writing　to　sell　us　as　much　of　your　treasury　stock　as　we　want　at　market　price　at　Monday's　closing；　agree　to　appoint　a　new　tai…pan　of　our　board's　choosing；　we'll　announce　that　we're　supporting　Struan's　totally。〃
　〃When　would　you　make　the　announcement？〃
　〃Monday　at　3：10。〃
　〃In　other　words　you'll　give　me　nothing。〃
　〃You've　always　said　the　best　thing　about　Hong　Kong　was　that　it　was　a　free　marketplace；　where　the　strong　survive　and　the　weak　perish。　Why　didn't　you　persuade　Sir　Luis　to　withdraw　your　stock　from　trading？〃
　〃He　suggested　it。　I　refused。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Struan's　is　as　strong　as　ever。〃
　〃Wasn't　the　real　reason　face　…　and　your　foolish　pride？　Sorry；　there's　nothing　I　can　do　to　prevent　the　inevitable。〃
　〃Balls！〃　Dunross　said　and　Havergill　flushed。　〃You　can　call　a　meeting。　You　can　c…　〃
　〃No　meeting！〃
　〃Ian。〃　Johnjohn　tried　to　soften　the　open　hostility　between　the　two　men。　〃Listen；　Paul；　how　about　a　promise：　If；　through　Ian；　we　get　China's　cash；　you　will　call　a　meeting　of　the　board　at　once；　an　extraordinary　meeting；　today。　You　could　do　that　…　there　are　enough　directors　in　town；　and　it's　fair。　Eh？〃
　Havergill　hesitated。　〃I'll　consider　it。〃
　〃That's　not　good　enough；〃　Dunross　said　hotly。
　〃I'll　consider　it。　Kindly　call　Tipt…　〃
　〃When's　the　meeting？　If？〃
　〃Next　week。〃
　〃No。　Today　as　Johnjohn　suggests。〃
　〃I　said　I'll　consider　it；〃　Havergill　said；　flaring。　〃Now　please　call　Tiptop。〃
　〃If　you'll　guarantee　to　call　the　board　no　later　than　tomorrow　at　ten！〃
　Havergill's　voice　harshened。　〃I　will　not　be　blackmailed　as　I　was　the　last　time。　If　you　don't　want　to　call　Tiptop；　I　will。　I　can　now。　If　they　want　to　lend　us　their　money；　they'll　lend　it　to　us　whoever　the　hell　calls。　You've　agreed　to　the　thorium　deal；　you've　agreed　to　meet　Yu　next　month；　we　agree　to　support　that　deal　whoever　controls　the　Noble　House。　I　am　not　empowered　to　grant　you　any　further　loans。　So　take　it　or　leave　it。　I　will　consider　calling　a　board　meeting　before　Monday's　market　opens。　That's　all　I　promise。〃
　The　silence　was　heavy　and　electric。
　Dunross　shrugged。　He　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed。
　〃Weyyyyy？〃　The　woman's　voice　was　arrogant。
　〃The　Honorable　Tip　Tok…toh　please；〃　he　said　in　Cantonese。　〃This　is　the　tai…pan。〃
　〃Ah；　the　tai…pan。　Ah；　please　wait　a　moment。〃　Dunross　waited。　A　bead　of　sweat　gathered　on　the　bottom　of　Johnjohn's　chin。　〃Weyyyy？　Tai…pan；　the　doctor's　with　him；　he's　very　sick。　Please　call　back　later！〃　The　phone　clicked　off　before　Dunross　could　say　anything。　He　redialed。
　〃This's　the　tai…pan；　I　wan…　〃
　〃This　phone　is　terrible。〃　The　amah　doubled　her　volume。　〃He's　sick；〃　she　shouted。　〃Call　back　later。〃
　Dunross　called　in　ten　minutes。　Now　the　line　was　busy。　He　kept　on　trying　with　no　luck。
　There　was　a　knock　and　the　harassed　chief　cashier　hurried　in。　〃Sorry；　sir；　but　there's　no　let　up　in　the　queues；　we've　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　go。　I　suggest　we　limit　withdrawals　now；　say　a　thou…　〃
　〃No；〃　Havergill　said　at　once。
　〃But　sir；　we're　almost　empty。　Don't　y…　〃
　〃No。　The　Victoria　must　keep　going。　We　must。　No。　Keep　honoring　every　penny。〃
　The　man　hesitated；　then　went　out。　Havergill　mopped　his　brow。　Johnjohn　too。　Dunross　dialed　again。　Still　busy。　Just　before　three　he　tried　a　last　time；　then　dialed　the　phone　pany　asking　them　to　check　the　line。　〃It's　temporarily　out　of　order；　sir；〃　the　operator　said。
　Dunross　put　the　phone　down。　〃Twenty　to　a　brass　farthing　it's　deliberately　off　the　hook。〃　His　watch　read　3：01。　〃Let's　find　out　about　the　market。〃
　Havergill　wiped　the　palms　of　his　hands。　Before　he　could　dial；　the　phone　rang。　〃Chief　cashier；　sir。　We've　。。。　we're　all　right　now。　Last　customer　has　been　paid。　The　doors've　closed。　Blacs　just　made　it　too；　sir。〃
　〃Good。　Check　the　remaining　currency　in　the　vault　and　call　me　back。〃
　〃Thank　God　it's　Friday；〃　Johnjohn　said。
　Havergill　dialed。　〃Charles？　What's　the　latest？〃
　〃The　market　finished　off　37　points。　Our　stock's　off　8　points。〃
　〃Christ；〃　Johnjohn　said。　The　bank　had　never　fallen　so　much　before；　even　during　the　'56　riots。
　〃Struan's？〃
　〃9。50。〃
　Both　bankers　looked　at　Dunross。　His　face　was　impassive。　He　redialed　Tiptop　as　the　stockbroker　continued　to　reel　off　the　closing　prices。　Again　a　busy　signal。　〃I'll　call　again　from　the　office；〃　he　said。　〃The　moment　I　get　him　I'll　call　you。　If　no　China　money；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃There　are　only　two　solutions。　We　wait　for　the　pounds；　the　governor　declaring　Monday　a　bank　holiday　or　as　long　as　we　need。　Or　we　accept　the　Moscow　trade…bank　offer。〃
　〃Tiptop　was　bloody　clear　that'll　backfire。　That'll　throw　a　monkey　wrench　in　Hong　Kong　forever。〃
　〃Those　are　the　only　solutions。〃
　Dunross　got　up。　〃There's　only　one。　By　the　way；　did　the　governor　phone　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Havergill　said。　〃He　wants　us　to　open　the　vaults　at　6：00　p。m。　for　him；　you；　Roger　Crosse　and　some　fellow　called　Binders。　What's　all　that　about？〃
　〃Didn't　he　tell　you？〃
　〃No。　Just　that　it　was　something　covered　by　the　Official　Secrets　Act。〃
　〃See　you　at　six。〃　Dunross　walked　out。
　Havergill　wiped　more　sweat　off　with　a　handkerchief。　〃The　only　good　thing　about　all　this　is　that　that　arrogant　sod's　in　worse　trouble；〃　he　muttered　angrily。　He　dialed　Tiptop's　number。　And　again。　The　interoffice　phone　rang。　Johnjohn　picked　it　up　for　Havergill。　〃Yes？〃
　〃This　is　the　chief　cashier；　sir。　There's　only　716；027　HK　in　the　vault。〃　The　man's　voice　trembled。　〃We're　。。。　that's　all　we've　left；　sir。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Johnjohn　put　the　phone　down　and　told　Havergill。　The　deputy　chairman　did　not　answer；　just　redialed　Tiptop's　number。　It　was　still　busy。　〃You'd　better　open　a　dialogue　with　the　Soviet　contact。〃
　Johnjohn　went　red。　〃But　that's　impossible　…　〃
　〃Do　it！　Do　it　now！〃　Havergill；　equally　choleric；　redialed　Tiptop。　Still　busy。
　
　Dunross　went　into　his　office。
　〃Mr。　Toda's　here　with　the　usual　entourage；　tai…pan。〃　Claudia　did　not　hide　her　distaste　or　nervousness。
　〃Show　them　in　please。〃
　〃Mr。　Alastair　called　twice　…　asked　that　you　call　him　back　the　moment　you　e　in。　And　your　father。〃
　〃I'll　call　them　later。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Here's　the　telex　for　Nelson　Trading　from　Switzerland　confirming　that　they've　purchased　triple　the　regular　order　of　gold　for　the　Great　Good　Luck　pany　of　Macao。〃
　〃Good。　Send　a　copy　to　Lando　at　once　and　request　the　funds。〃
　〃This　telex　is　from　Orlin　Merchant　Bank　confirming　they　regret　they　cannot　renew　the　loan　and　require　payment。〃
　〃Telex　them；　'Thank　you。'　〃
　〃I　checked　with　Mrs。　Dunross　and　they　arrived　safely。〃
　〃Good。　Get　Kathy's　specialist's　home　number　so　I　can　call　him　over　the　weekend。〃
　Claudia　made　another　note。　〃Master　Duncan　called　from　Sydney　to　say　he　had　a　great　evening　and　he's　on　the　Monday　Qantas　flight。　Here's　a　list　of　your　other　calls。〃
　He　glanced　at　the　long　list；　wondering　fleetingly　if　his　son　was　no　longer　a　virgin；　or　was　not　even　before　the　lovely　Sheila。　Thinking　of　a　lovely　sheila　reminded　him　again　of　the　exquisite　Snow　Jade。　Curious　her　name　was　Snow　Jade　…　she　reminded　me　so　much　of　Elegant　Jade　who's　somewhere　in　Taipei　in　charge　of　a　House　of　Many　Pleasures。　Perhaps　the　time's　e　to　find　Elegant　Jade　and　thank　her。　Once　more　he　remembered　old　Chen…chen's　admonition　when　he　was　dying。　〃Listen；　my　son；〃　old　Chen…chen　had　whispered；　his　voice　failing；　〃never　try　to　find　her。　You　will　take　away　her　face　and　take　away　beauty；　both　from　her　and　from　you。　Now　she'll　be　old；　her　Jade　Gate　withered　and　her　pleasures　will　e　from　good　food　and　good　brandy。　Children　of　the　Pleasure　World　do　not　age　well；　nor　do　their　tempers。　Leave　her　to　her　joss　and　to　her　memories。　Be　kind。　Always　be　kind　to　those　who　give　you　their　youth　and　their　yin　to　succor　your　yang。　Eeeee；　how　I　wish　I　was　as　young　as　you　again。　。。。〃
　Dunross　sighed。　His　evening　with　Snow　Jade　had　been　impeccable。　And　filled　with　laughter。
　〃I　don't　eat　dessert；〃　he　had　replied　at　once。　〃I'm　on　a　diet。〃
　〃Oh　ko；　not　you；　tai…pan。　I　help　you　lose　weight　never　mind。〃
　〃Thank　you　but　no　dessert　and　never　in　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃Ah！　Four　Fingers　said　you'd　say　that；　tai…pan；　and　for　me　not　to　be　shamed。〃　She　had　beamed　and　poured　him　a　whiskey。　〃I'm　to　say；　Have　passport　can　travel。〃
　They　had　laughed　together。　〃What　else　did　Four　Fingers　say？〃　The　tip　of　her　tongue　touched　her　lips。　〃Only　that　foreign　devils　are　mighty　very　peculiar　in　some　things。　Like　saying　no　dessert！　As　if　it　mattered。〃　She　watched　him。　〃I've　never　been　with　a　barbarian　before。〃
　〃Oh？　Some　of　us　are　really　quite　civilized。〃　Dunross　smiled　to　himself；　remembering　how　tempted　he　was；　their　banter　and　the　great　meal；　everything　good…humored　and　satisfying。　Yes。　But　that　doesn't　forgive　that　old　bastard　Four　Fingers；　nor