jamesclavell.noblehouse-第233节

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e　not　married　though　they　pretended　and　I　pretended。　When　he　died　there　was　no　money；　or　just　a　little　money。　Hans　Gresserhoff　was　an　acquaintance　of　this　man；　my；　my　stepfather。　His　name　was　Simeon　Tzerak。　He　was　a　displaced　person；　tai…pan；　a　stateless　person　from　Hungary　who　had　taken　up　residence　in　Switzerland。　Before　the　war　he　was　an　accountant；　he　said；　in　Budapest。　My　mother　arranged　my　marriage　to　Hans　Gresserhoff。〃　Now　she　looked　up　from　the　carpet　at　him。　〃It　was　。。。　it　was　a　good　marriage；　tai…pan；　at　least　I　tried　very　hard　to　be　whatever　my　husband　wanted　and　my　mother　wanted。　My　giri；　my　duty　was　to　obey　my　mother；　neh？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　kindly；　understanding　duty　and　giri；　that　most　Japanese　of　words；　most　important　of　words　that　sums　up　a　heritage　and　a　way　of　life。　〃You　have　performed　your　giri　perfectly；　I'm　sure。　What　does　your　mother　say　is　your　giri　now？〃
　〃My　mother　is　dead；　tai…pan。　When　my　stepfather　died　she　did　not　wish　to　live。　The　moment　I　was　married　she　went　up　the　mountain　and　skied　into　a　crevasse。〃
　〃Terrible。〃
　〃Oh　no；　tai…pan；　very　good。　She　died　as　she　wished　to　die；　at　a　time　and　place　of　her　choosing。　Her　man　was　dead；　I　was　safe；　what　more　was　there　for　her　to　do？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　he　told　her；　hearing　the　softness　of　her　voice；　the　sincerity；　and　the　calm。　The　Japanese　word　wa　came　to　his　mind：　harmony。　That's　what　this　girl　has；　he　thought。　Harmony。　Perhaps　that's　what's　so　beautiful　about　her。　Ayeeyah　that　I　could　acquire　such　wa！
　One　of　his　phones　sounded。　〃Yes；　Claudia？〃
　〃It's　Alexi　Travkin；　tai…pan。　Sorry；　he　said　it　was　important。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　To　the　girl　he　said；　〃Excuse　me　a　moment。　Yes；　Alexi？〃
　〃Sorry　to　interrupt；　tai…pan；　but　Johnny　Moore's　sick　and　he　won't　be　able　to　ride。〃　Johnny　Moore　was　their　chief　jockey。
　Dunross's　voice　sharpened。　〃He　seemed　all　right　this　morning。〃
　〃He's　running　103…degree　temperature；　the　doctor　said　it　might　be　food　poisoning。〃
　〃You　mean　he's　been　tampered　with；　Alexi？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　tai…pan。　I　only　know　he's　no　good　for　us　today。〃
　Dunross　hesitated。　He　knew　he　was　better　than　the　rest　of　his　jockeys　though　the　extra　weight　Noble　Star　would　have　to　carry　would　load　the　deck　against　the　horse。　Should　I　or　shouldn't　I？　〃Alexi；　schedule　Tom　Wong。　We'll　decide　before　the　race。〃
　〃Yes。　Thank　you。〃
　Dunross　replaced　the　phone。　〃Anjin's　a　curious　name；〃　he　said。　〃It　means　pilot；　just　pilot；　or　navigator；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃The　legend　in　my　family　is　that　one　of　our　forebears　was　an　Englishman　who　became　a　samurai　and　advisor　to　the　Shogun　Yoshi　Toranaga；　oh　very　many　years　ago；　long　long　ago。　We　have　many　stories　but　they　say　first　he　had　a　fief　in　Hemi；　near　Yokohama；　then　went　with　his　family　to　Nagasaki　as　inspector　general　of　all　foreigners。〃　Again　the　smile　and　the　shrug　and　the　tip　of　her　tongue　moistened　her　lips。　〃It　is　just　legend；　tai…pan。　He　is　supposed　to　have　married　a　highborn　lady　called　Riko。〃　Her　chuckle　filled　the　room。　〃You　know　Japanese！　A　gai…jin；　a　foreigner；　marrying　a　highborn　lady　…　how　could　that　be　possible？　But　anyway；　it　is　a　pleasing　story　and　an　explanation　of　a　name；　neh？〃　She　got　up　and　he　got　up。　〃I　should　go　now。　Yes？〃
　No；　he　wanted　to　say。
　
　The　black　Daimler　pulled　up　outside　the　V　and　A；　the　Struan　arms　discreetly　on　the　doors。　Casey　and　Bartlett　waited　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　Casey　wearing　a　green　dress；　self…conscious　in　a　pert　green　pillbox　hat　and　white　gloves；　Bartlett　broad…shouldered；　wearing　a　blue　tie　to　match　his　well…cut　suit。　Both　were　set…faced。
　The　chauffeur　approached　them。　〃Mr。　Bartlett？〃
　〃Yes。〃　They　came　down　the　steps　to　meet　him。　〃You　our　limo？〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Excuse　me　sir；　but　do　you　both　have　your　badge　tickets；　and　the　invitation　card？〃
　〃Yes；　here　they　are；〃　Casey　said。
　〃Ah；　good。　Sorry　but　without　them　。。。　My　name's　Lim。　The；　er；　the　custom　is　for　the　gentlemen　to　tie　both　badges　through　the　hole　in　their　lapels　and　the　ladies　usually　have　a　pin。〃
　〃Whatever　you　say；〃　Bartlett　said。　Casey　got　in　the　back　and　he　followed。　They　sat　far　apart。　Silently　they　began　to　fix　the　small；　individually　numbered　badges。
　Blandly　Lim　closed　the　door；　noticing　the　frigidity；　and　chortled　inwardly。　He　closed　the　electric　glass　partition　window　and　switched　on　his　inter　mike。　〃If　you　want　to　talk　to　me；　sir；　just　use　the　microphone　above　you。〃　Through　his　rear　mirror　he　saw　Bartlett　use　the　switch　momentarily。
　〃Sure；　thank　you；　Lim。〃
　Once　Lim　was　in　the　traffic　he　reached　under　the　dash　and　touched　a　hidden　switch。　At　once　Bartlett's　voice　came　through　the　speaker。
　〃。。。　going　to　rain？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Linc。　The　radio　said　it　would　but　everyone's　praying。〃　A　hesitation；　then　coldly；　〃I　still　think　you're　wrong。〃
　Lim　settled　back　happily。　His　trusted　older　brother　Lim　Chu；　majordomo　to　the　tai…pans　of　the　Noble　House；　had　arranged　for　another　younger　brother；　an　expert　radio　mechanic；　to　install　this　bypass　switch　so　that　he　could　overhear　his　passengers。　It　had　been　done　at　great　cost　to　protect　the　tai…pan　and　older　brother　Lim　had　ordered　it　was　never　to　be　used　when　the　tai…pan　was　in　the　car。　Never　never　never。　It　never　had　been。　Yet。　Lim　felt　queasy　at　the　thought　of　being　caught　but　their　wish　to　know　…　of　course　to　protect　…　overcame　their　anxiety。　Oh　oh　oh；　he　chortled；　Golden　Pubics　is　certainly　in　a　rage！　Casey　was　seething。
　〃Let's　quit　this；　Linc；　huh？〃　she　said。　〃Since　our　breakfast　meeting　you've　been　like　a　bear　with　a　sore　ass！〃
　〃And　what　about　you？〃　Bartlett　glared　at　her。　〃We're　going　with　Gornt　…　the　way　I　want　it。〃
　〃This's　my　deal；　you've　said　that　fifty　times；　you　promised；　you've　always　listened　before。　Jesus；　we're　on　the　same　side。　I'm　only　trying　to　protect　you。　I　know　you're　wrong。〃
　〃You　think　I'm　wrong。　And　it's　all　because　of　Orlanda！〃
　〃That's　a　crock！　I　went　through　my　reasons　fifty　times。　If　Ian　gets　out　of　the　trap　then　we're　better　off　to　go　with　him　than　Gornt。〃
　Bartlett's　face　was　cold。　〃We've　never　had　a　bust　before；　Casey；　but　if　you　want　to　vote　your　shares；　I'll　vote　mine　and　your　ass'll　be　in　a　vise　before　you　can　count　to　ten！〃
　Casey's　heart　was　thumping。　Ever　since　their　breakfast　meeting　with　Seymour　Steigler；　the　day　had　been　heavy　going。　Bartlett　was　adamant　that　their　best　course　lay　with　Gornt　and　nothing　she　could　say　would　dissuade　him。　After　an　hour　of　trying　she　had　closed　the　meeting　and　gone　off　to　deal　with　a　pile　of　overnight　telexes；　then；　remembering　suddenly　at　the　last　moment；　had　rushed　out　in　a　panic　and　bought　her　hat。
　When　she　had　met　Bartlett　in　the　foyer　with　great　trepidation；　wanting　the　hat　to　please　him；　she　had　begun　to　make　peace　but　he　had　interrupted　her。　〃Forget　it；〃　he　had　said。　〃So　we　disagree。　So　what？〃
　She　had　waited　and　waited　but　he　hadn't　even　noticed。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃I　told　you。　Gornt's　best　for　us。〃
　〃I　meant　my　hat。〃　She　had　seen　his　blank　stare。
　〃Oh　that's　what's　different！　Hey；　it's　okay。〃
　She　had　felt　like　tearing　it　off　and　hurling　it　at　him。　〃It's　Parisian；〃　she　had　said　half…heartedly。　〃It　says　hats　and　gloves　on　the　invitation；　remember？　It's　a　crock　but　Ian　said　that　la…　〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　he　can　get　out　of　the　trap？〃
　〃He's　clever。　And　the　tai…pan。〃
　〃Gornt's　got　him　on　the　run。〃
　〃It　looks　that　way。　So　let's　forget　it　for　now。　Maybe　we'd　better　wait　outside。　The　car's　ing　at　noon　promptly。〃
　〃Just　a　minute；　Casey。　What　have　you　got　cooking？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　know　you　better　than　anyone。　What　do　you　have　on　the　burner？〃
　Casey　hesitated；　unsure　of　herself；　wondering　if　she　should　reveal　the　First　Central　ploy。　But　there's　no　reason　to；　she　reassured　herself。　If　Ian　gets　the　credit　and　squeezes　out；　I'll　be　the　first　to　know。　Ian　promised。　Then　Linc　can　cover　his　2　million　with　Gornt　and　they　can　buy　back　in　to　cover　their　selling　short　and　make　a　huge　profit。　At　the　same　time　Ian；　Linc　and　I　get　in　at　the　bottom　of　the　market　and　make　our　own　killing。　I'll　be　the　first　to　know　after　Murtagh　and　Ian。　Ian　promised。　Yes；　yes　he　did。　But　can　I　trust　him？
　A　wave　of　nausea　went　through　her。　Can　you　trust　anyone　in　business　here；　or　anywhere？　Man　or　woman？
　At　dinner　last　night　she　had　trusted　him。　Influenced　by　the　wine　and　food　she　had　told　him　about　her　relationship　with　Linc；　and　about　the　bargain　they　had　made。
　〃That's　a　bit　rough；　isn't　it？　On　both　of　you？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　and　no。　We　were　both　over　twenty…one；　Ian；　and　I　wanted　so　much　more　than　being　just　Mrs。　Linc　Bartlett；　a　mother…mistress…servant…dishwasher…diaperwasher…slave　and　a　left…at…home。　That's　the　thing　that　kills　off　any　woman。　You're　always　left。　At　home。　So　home　bees　a　prison　in　the　end；　and　it　drives　you　mad；　being　trapped　until　death　do　us　part！　I've　seen　it　too　many　times。〃
　〃Someone　has　to　look　after　the　home　and　the　children。　It's　the　man's　job　to　make　the　money。　It's　the　wife's　j…　〃
　〃Yes。　Most　times。　But　not　for　me。　I'm　not　prepared　to　accept　that　and　I　don't　think　it's　wrong　to　want　a　different　sort　of　life。　I'm　the　wage　earner　for　my　family。　My　sister's　husband　died　so　there's　my　sister　and　her　kids；　and　my　Ma　and　uncle　are　getting　on。　I'm　educated　and　good　and　better　than　most　in　business。　The　world's　cha