jamesclavell.noblehouse-第23节

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　〃Ah；　but　you'll　need　me　and　my　special　friends。　Even　with　Paul　on　or　off　the　fence；　you　and　the　Yankee　can't　pull　it　off；　not　without　me　and　mine。〃
　〃Why　else　am　I　talking　to　you？〃
　〃Listen；　don't　forget　I'm　not　asking　for　any　piece　of　the　American's　pie。〃
　Gornt　kept　his　voice　calm。　〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　anything？〃
　〃I　know　you。　Oh　yes。　I　know　you；　old　boy。〃
　〃Do　you　now？〃
　〃Yes。　You　won't　be　satisfied　just　with　destructing　our　'friend；'　you'll　want　the　whole　pie。〃
　〃Will　I　now？〃
　〃Yes。　You've　wanted　a　stake　in　the　U。S。　market　too　long。〃
　〃And　you。〃
　〃No。　We　know　where　our　toast's　toasted。　We're　content　to　trail　along　behind。　We're　content　with　Asia。　We　don't　want　to　be　a　noble　anything。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃No。　Then　it's　a　deal？〃
　〃No；〃　Gornt　said。
　〃I'll　drop　the　shipping　totally。　Instead　I'll　take　Ian's　Kowloon　Investments；　the　Kai　Tak　operation；　and　40　percent　of　the　landholdings　in　Thailand　and　Singapore；　and　I'll　accept　25　percent　of　Par…Con　and　three　places　on　the　board。〃
　〃Get　stuffed！〃
　〃The　offer's　good　till　Monday。〃
　〃Which　Monday？〃
　〃Next　Monday。〃
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　your　Mondays！〃
　〃And　yours！　I'll　make　you　a　last　offer。　Kowloon　Investments　and　their　Kai　Tak　operation　totally；　35　percent　of　all　their　landholdings　in　Thailand　and　Singapore；　and　10　percent　of　the　Yankee　pie　with　three　seats　on　the　board。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃Yes。　Again；　the　offer's　good　till　next　Monday。　And　don't　think　you　can　gobble　us　in　the　process。〃
　〃Have　you　gone　mad？〃
　〃I　told　you　…　I　know　you。　Is　it　a　deal？〃
　〃No。〃
　Again　the　soft；　malevolent　laugh。　〃Till　Monday　…　next　Monday。　That's　time　enough　for　you　to　make　up　your　mind。〃
　〃Will　I　see　you　at　Ian's　party　tonight？〃　Gornt　asked　thinly。
　〃Have　you　gone　bonkers！　I　wouldn't　go　if　。。。　Good　God；　Quillan；　are　you　really　going　to　accept？　In　person？〃
　〃I　wasn't　going　to　…　but　now　I　think　I　will。　I　wouldn't　want　to　miss　perhaps　the　last　great　party　of　the　Struans'　last　tai…pan。　。。。〃
　
　
　7
　
　12：01　P。M。　：
　In　the　boardroom　it　was　still　rough　going　for　Casey。　They　would　take　none　of　the　baits　she　offered。　Her　anxiety　had　increased　and　now　as　she　waited　she　felt　a　wave　of　untoward　fear　go　through　her。
　Phillip　Chen　was　doodling；　Linbar　fiddling　with　his　papers；　Jacques　deVille　watching　her　thoughtfully。　Then　Andrew　Gavallan　stopped　writing　the　latest　percentages　she　had　quoted。　He　sighed　and　looked　up　at　her。　〃Clearly　this　should　be　a　co…financing　operation；〃　he　said；　his　voice　sharp。　Electricity　in　the　room　soared　and　Casey　had　difficulty　suppressing　a　cheer　as　he　added；　〃How　much　would　Par…Con　be　prepared　to　put　up；　joint　financing；　for　the　whole　deal？〃
　〃18　million　U。S。　this　year　should　cover　it；〃　she　answered　immediately；　noting　happily　that　they　all　covered　a　gasp。
　The　published　net　worth　of　Struan's　last　year　was　almost　28　million；　and　she　and　Bartlett　had　gauged　their　offer　on　this　figure。
　〃Make　the　first　offer　20　million；〃　Linc　had　told　her。　〃You　should　hook　'em　at　25　which'd　be　great。　It's　essential　we　co…finance；　but　the　suggestion's　got　to　e　from　them。〃
　〃But　look　at　their　balance　sheet；　Linc。　You　can't　tell　for　sure　what　their　real　net　worth　is。　It　could　be　10　million　either　way；　maybe　more。　We　don't　know　how　strong　they　really　are　。。。　or　how　weak。　Look　at　this　item：　'14。7　million　retained　in　subsidiaries。'　What　subsidiaries；　where　and　what　for？　Here's　another　one：　'7。4　million　transferred　to　…　'　〃
　〃So　what；　Casey？　So　it's　30　million　instead　of　25。　Our　projection's　still　valid。〃
　〃Yes　…　but　their　accounting　procedures　。。。　My　God；　Linc；　if　we　did　one　percent　of　this　in　the　States　the　SEC'd　have　our　asses　in　a　sling　and　we'd　end　up　in　jail　for　fifty　years。〃
　〃Yes。　But　it's　not　against　their　law；　which　is　a　major　reason　for　going　to　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃20　is　too　much　for　openers。〃
　〃I'll　leave　it　to　you；　Casey。　Just　remember　in　Hong　Kong　we　play　Hong　Kong　rules　…　whatever's　legal。　I　want　in　their　game。〃
　〃Why？　And　don't　say　'for　my　goddamn　pleasure。'　〃
　Linc　had　laughed。　〃Okay　…　then　for　your　goddamn　pleasure。　Just　make　the　Struan　deal！〃
　The　humidity　in　the　boardroom　had　increased。　She　would　have　liked　to　reach　for　a　tissue　but　she　kept　still；　willing　them　onward；　pretending　calm。
　Gavallan　broke　the　silence。　〃When　would　Mr。　Bartlett　confirm　the　offer　of　18　million　。。。　if　we　accepted？〃
　〃It's　confirmed；〃　she　said　sweetly；　passing　over　the　insult。　〃I　have　clearance　to　mit　up　to　20　million　on　this　deal　without　consulting　Linc　or　his　board；〃　she　said；　deliberately　giving　them　room　to　maneuver。　Then　she　added　innocently；　〃Then　it's　all　settled？　Good。〃　She　began　to　sort　out　her　papers。　〃Next：　I'd…　〃
　〃Just　a　moment；〃　Gavallan　said；　off　balance。　〃I；　er；　18　is　。。。　In　any　event　we　have　to　present　the　package　to　the　tai…pan。〃
　〃Oh；〃　she　said；　pretending　surprise。　〃I　thought　we　were　negotiating　as　equals；　that　you　four　gentlemen　had　powers　equal　to　mine。　Perhaps　I'd　better　talk　to　Mr。　Dunross　directly　in　the　future。〃
　Andrew　Gavallan　flushed。　〃The　tai…pan　has　final　say。　In　everything。〃
　〃I'm　very　glad　to　know　it；　Mr。　Gavallan。　I　only　have　final　say　up　to　20　million。〃　She　beamed　at　them。　〃Very　well；　put　it　to　your　tai…pan。　Meanwhile；　shall　we　set　a　time　limit　on　the　consideration　period？〃
　Another　silence。
　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃　Gavallan　said；　feeling　trapped。
　〃Whatever　the　minimum　is。　I　don't　know　how　fast　you　like　to　work；〃　Casey　said。
　Phillip　Chen　said；　〃Why　not　table　that　answer　until　after　lunch；　Andrew？〃
　〃Yes　…　good　idea。〃
　〃That's　fine　with　me；〃　Casey　said。　I've　done　my　job；　she　thought。　I'll　settle　for　20　million　when　it　could've　been　30　and　they're　men　and　expert；　and　over　twenty…one　and　they　think　I'm　a　sucker。　But　now　I　get　my　drop　dead　money。　Dear　God　in　heaven　let　this　deal　go　through　because　then　I'm　free　forever。
　Free　to　do　what？
　Never　mind；　she　told　herself。　I'll　think　about　that　later。
　She　heard　herself　continue　the　pattern：　〃Shall　we　go　through　the　details　of　how　you'd　like　the　18　million　and　。。。〃
　〃18　is　hardly　adequate；〃　Phillip　Chen　interrupted；　the　lie　ing　very　easily。　〃There　are　all　sorts　of　added　costs。　。。。〃
　In　perfect　negotiating　style　Casey　argued　and　allowed　them　to　push　her　to　20　million　and　then；　with　apparent　reluctance；　she　said；　〃You　gentlemen　are　exceptional　businessmen。　Very　well；　20　million。〃　She　saw　their　hidden　smiles　and　laughed　to　herself。
　〃Good；〃　Gavallan　said；　very　satisfied。
　〃Now；〃　she　said；　wanting　to　keep　the　pressure　on；　〃how　do　you　want　our　joint　venture　corporate　structure　to　be？　Of　course　subject　to　your　tai…pan　…　sorry；　subject　to　the　tai…pan's　approval；〃　she　said；　correcting　herself　with　just　the　right　amount　of　humility。
　Gavallan　was　watching　her；　irritably　wishing　she　were　a　man。　Then　I　could　say；　up　yours；　or　go　shit　in　your　hat；　and　we'd　laugh　together　because　you　know　and　I　know　you　always　have　to　check　with　the　tai…pan　in　some　way　or　another　…　whether　it's　Dunross　or　Bartlett　or　a　board　or　your　wife。　Yes；　and　if　you　were　a　man　we　wouldn't　have　this　bloody　sexuality　in　the　boardroom　which　doesn't　belong　here　in　the　first　place。　Christ；　if　you　were　an　old　bag　maybe　that'd　make　a　difference　but；　shit；　a　bird　like　you？
　What　the　hell　gets　into　American　women？　Why　in　the　name　of　Christ　don't　they　stay　where　they　belong　and　be　content　with　what　they're　great　at？　Stupid！
　And　stupid　to　concede　financing　so　quickly；　and　even　more　stupid　to　give　us　an　extra　two　million　when　ten　would　probably　have　been　acceptable　in　the　first　place。　For　God's　sake；　you　should　have　been　more　patient　and　you　would　have　made　a　much　better　deal！　That's　the　trouble　with　you　Americans；　you've　…　no　finesse　and　no　patience　and　no　style　and　you　don't　understand　the　art　of　negotiation；　and　you；　dear　lady；　you're　much　too　impatient　to　prove　yourself。　So　now　I　know　how　to　play　you。
　He　glanced　at　Linbar　Struan　who　was　watching　Casey　covertly；　waiting　for　him　or　Phillip　or　Jacques　to　continue。　When　I'm　tai…pan；　Gavallan　thought　grimly；　I'm　going　to　break　you；　young　Linbar；　break　you　or　make　you。　You　need　shoving　out　into　the　world　on　your　own；　to　make　you　think　for　yourself；　to　rely　on　yourself；　not　on　your　name　and　your　heritage。　Yes；　with　a　lot　more　hard　work　to　take　some　of　the　heat　out　of　your　yang　…　the　sooner　you　remarry　the　better。
　His　eyes　switched　to　Jacques　deVille　who　smiled　back　at　him。　Ah　Jacques；　he　thought　without　rancor；　you're　my　main　opposition。　You're　doing　what　you　usually　do：　saying　little；　watching　everything；　thinking　a　lot　…　rough；　tough　and　mean　if　necessary。　But　what's　in　your　mind　about　this　deal？　Have　I　missed　something？　What　does　your　canny　legal　Parisian　mind　forecast？　Ah　but　she　stopped　you　in　your　tracks　with　her　joke　about　your　joke　about　her　nose；　eh？
　I'd　like　to　bed　her　too；　he　thought　absently；　knowing　Linbar　and　Jacques　had　already　decided　the　same。　Of　course　…　who　wouldn't？
　What　about　you；　Phillip　Chen？
　Oh　no。　Not　you。　You　like　them　very　much　younger　and　have　it　done　to　you；　strangely；　if　there's　any　truth　to　the　rumors；　heya？
　He　looked　back　at　Casey。　He　could　read　her　impatience。　You　don't　look　lesbian；　he　thought　and　groaned　inwardly。　Is　that　your　other　weakness？　Christ；　that'd　be　a　terrible　wa