jamesclavell.noblehouse-第25节

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　The　corridor　was　covered　with　fine　Chinese　silk　carpet；　and　the　walls　were　lined　with　oil　paintings　of　clipper　ships　and　Chinese　landscapes。　As　she　approached　she　could　hear　the　muted　voices　from　the　boardroom　and　a　laugh　…　the　kind　of　laugh　that　es　from　a　ribald　joke　or　a　smutty　remark。　She　knew　the　moment　she　opened　the　door；　the　good　humor　and　radeship　would　vanish　and　the　awkward　silence　would　return。
　She　opened　the　door　and　they　all　got　up。
　〃Are　you　having　trouble　with　your　water　mains？〃　she　asked；　holding　her　anger　down。
　〃No；　I　don't　think　so；〃　Gavallan　said；　startled。
　〃Well；　there's　no　water。　Didn't　you　know？〃
　〃Of　course　there's　no　…　Oh！〃　He　stopped。　〃You're　staying　at　the　V　and　A　so　。。。　Didn't　anyone　tell　you　about　the　water　shortage？〃
　They　all　began　talking　at　once　but　Gavallan　dominated　them。　〃The　V　and　A　has　its　own　water　supply　…　so　do　a　couple　of　other　hotels　…　but　the　rest　of　us're　on　four　hours　of　water　every　fourth　day；　so　you've　got　to　use　a　pail。　Never　occurred　to　me　you　didn't　know。　Sorry。〃
　〃How　do　you　manage？　Every　fourth　day？〃
　〃Yes。　For　four　hours；　6：00　a。m。　till　8：00　a。m。；　then　5：00　till　7：00　in　the　evening。　It's　a　frightful　bore　because　of　course　it　means　we've　got　to　store　four　days'　supply。　Pails；　or　the　bath；　whatever　you　can。　We're　short　of　pails　…　it's　our　water　day　tomorrow。　Oh　my　God；　there　was　water　for　you；　wasn't　there？〃
　〃Yes；　but　。。。　You　mean　the　water　mains　are　turned　off？　Everywhere？〃　she　asked　incredulously。
　〃Yes；〃　Gavallan　said　patiently。　〃Except　for　those　four　hours　every　fourth　day。　But　you're　all　right　at　the　V　and　A。　As　they're　right　on　the　waterfront　they　can　refill　their　tanks　daily　from　lighters　…　of　course；　they　have　to　buy　it。〃
　〃You　can't　shower　or　bathe？〃
　Linbar　Struan　laughed。　〃Everyone　gets　pretty　grotty　after　three　days　in　this　heat　but　at　least　we're　all　in　the　same　sewer。　Still　it's　survival　training　to　make　sure　there's　a　full　pail　before　you　go。〃
　〃I　had　no　idea；〃　she　said；　aghast　that　she　had　used　three　pails。
　〃Our　reservoirs　are　empty；〃　Gavallan　explained。　〃We've　had　almost　no　rain　this　year　and　last　year　was　dry　too。　Bloody　nuisance　but　there　you　are。　Just　one　of　those　things。　Joss。〃
　〃Then　where　does　your　water　e　from？〃
　They　stared　at　her　blankly。　〃From　China　of　course。　By　pipes　over　the　border　into　the　New　Territories；　or　by　tanker　from　the　Pearl　River。　The　government's　just　chartered　a　fleet　of　ten　tankers　that　go　up　the　Pearl　River；　by　agreement　with　Peking。　They　bring　us　about　10　million　gallons　a　day。　It'll　cost　the　government　upwards　of　25　million　for　this　year's　charter。　Saturday's　paper　said　our　consumption's　down　to　30　million　gallons　a　day　for　our　31/2　million　population　…　that　includes　industry。　In　your　country；　one　person　uses　150　gallons　a　day；　so　they　say。〃
　〃It's　the　same　for　everyone？　Four　hours　every　fourth　day？〃
　〃Even　at　the　Great　House　you　use　a　pail。〃　Gavallan　shrugged　again。　〃But　the　tai…pan's　got　a　place　at　Shek…O　that　has　its　own　well。　We　all　pile　over　there　when　we're　invited；　to　get　the　slime　off。〃
　She　thought　again　of　the　three　pails　of　water　she　had　used。　Jesus；　she　thought；　did　I　use　it　all？　I　don't　recall　if　there's　any　left。
　〃I　guess　I've　a　lot　to　learn；〃　she　said。　Yes；　they　all　thought。　Yes；　you　bloody　have。
　
　〃Tai…pan？〃
　〃Yes；　Claudia？〃　Dunross　said　into　the　inter。
　〃The　meeting　with　Casey's　just　broken　for　lunch。　Master　Andrew　is　on　line　four。　Master　Linbar's　on　his　way　up。〃
　〃Cancel　him　till　after　lunch。　Any　luck　on　Tsu…yan？〃
　〃No　sir。　The　plane　landed　on　time　at　8：40。　He's　not　at　his　office　in　Taipei。　Or　his　flat。　I'll　keep　trying；　of　course。　Another　thing；　I've　just　had　an　interesting　call；　tai…pan。　It　seems　that　Mr。　Bartlett　went　to　Rothwell…Gornt　this　morning　and　had　a　private　meeting　with　Mr。　Gornt。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃　he　asked；　ice　in　his　stomach　suddenly。
　〃Yes；　oh　very　yes。〃
　Bastard；　Dunross　thought。　Does　Bartlett　mean　me　to　find　out？　〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　putting　the　question　aside　for　the　moment；　but　very　glad　to　know。　〃You've　got　a　thousand　dollars　on　any　horse　on　Saturday。〃
　〃Oh　thank　you；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Back　to　work；　Claudia！〃　He　punched　the　number　four　button。　〃Yes；　Andrew？　What's　the　deal？〃
　Gavallan　told　him　the　important　part。
　〃20　million　in　cash？〃　he　asked　with　disbelief。
　〃In　marvelous；　beautiful　U。S。　cash！〃　Dunross　could　feel　his　beam　down　the　phone。　〃And　when　I　asked　when　Bartlett　would　confirm　the　deal　the　little　scrubber　had　the　bloody　cheek　to　say；　'Oh　it's　confirmed　now　…　I　can　mit　up　to　20　million　on　this　deal　without　consulting　him　or　anyone。'　Do　you　think　that's　possible？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Dunross　felt　a　little　weak　in　the　knees。　〃Bartlett's　due　any　moment。　I'll　ask。〃
　〃Hey；　tai…pan；　if　this　goes　through　。。。〃
　But　Dunross　was　hardly　listening　as　Gavallan　ran　on　ecstatically。　It's　an　unbelievable　offer；　he　was　telling　himself。
　It's　too　good。　Where's　the　flaw？
　Where's　the　flaw？
　Ever　since　he　had　bee　tai…pan　he　had　had　to　maneuver；　lie；　cajole　and　even　threaten　…　Havergill　of　the　bank　for　one　…　far　more　than　ever　he　had　expected；　to　stay　ahead　of　the　disasters　he　had　inherited；　and　the　natural　and　political　ones　that　seemed　to　be　besetting　the　world。　Even　going　public　had　not　given　him　the　capital　and　time　he　had　expected　because　a　worldwide　slump　had　ripped　the　markets　to　pieces。　And　last　year　in　August；　Typhoon　Wanda　had　struck；　leaving　havoc　in　her　wake；　hundreds　dead；　a　hundred　thousand　homeless；　half　a　thousand　fishing　boats　sunk；　twenty　ships　sunk；　one　of　their　three　thousand　tonners　flung　ashore；　their　giant　half…pleted　wharf　wrecked　and　their　entire　building　program　smashed　for　six　months。　In　the　fall　the　Cuban　crisis　and　more　slump。　This　spring　de　Gaulle　had　vetoed　Britain's　entry　into　the　mon　Market　and　more　slump。　China　and　Russia　quarreling　and　more　slump。　。。。
　And　now　I've　almost　got　20　million　U。S。　but　I　think　we're　somehow　involved　in　gun…running；　Tsu…yan's　apparently　on　the　run　and　John　Chen's　God　knows　where！　〃Christ　all　sodding　mighty！〃　he　said　angrily。　〃What？〃　Gavallan　stopped；　aghast；　in　midflow。　〃What's　up？〃
　〃Oh　nothing　…　nothing；　Andrew；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　to　do　with　you。　Tell　me　about　her。　What's　she　like？〃
　〃Good　at　figures；　fast　and　confident；　but　impatient。　And　she's　the　best…looking　bird　I've　seen　in　years；　with　potentially　the　best　pair　of　knockers　in　town。〃　Gavallan　told　him　about　the　bets。　〃I　think　Linbar's　got　the　inside　track。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　fire　Poster　and　send　Linbar　down　to　Sydney　for　six　months；　get　him　to　sort　everything　out　there。〃
　〃Good　idea。〃　Gavallan　laughed。　〃That'll　stop　his　farting　in　church　…　though　they　say　the　ladies　Down　Under　are　very　acmodating。〃
　〃You　think　this　deal　will　go　through？〃
　〃Yes。　Phillip　was　ecstatic　about　it。　But　it's　shitty　dealing　through　a　woman　and　that's　the　truth。　Do　you　think　we　could　bypass　her　and　deal　with　Bartlett　direct？〃
　〃No。　He　was　quite　clear　in　his　correspondence　that　K。　C。　Tcholok　was　his　chief　negotiator。〃
　〃Oh　well　。。。　into　the　breach　and　all　that！　What　we　do　for　the　Noble　House！〃
　〃Have　you　found　her　weak　spot？〃
　〃Impatience。　She　wants　to　'belong'　…　to　be　one　of　the　boys。　I'd　say　her　Achilles'　heel　is　that　she　desperately　wants　acceptance　in　a　man's　world。〃
　〃No　harm　in　wanting　that　…　like　the　Holy　Grail。　The　meeting　with　Dawson's　set　for　eleven　tomorrow？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Get　Dawson　to　cancel　it；　but　not　until　nine　tomorrow　morning。　Tell　him　to　make　an　excuse　and　reset　it　for　Wednesday　at　noon。〃
　〃Good　idea；　keep　her　off　balance；　what？〃
　〃Tell　Jacques　I'll　take　that　meeting　myself。〃
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。　What　about　John　Chen？　You'll　want　him　there？〃
　After　a　pause　Dunross　said；　〃Yes。　Have　you　seen　him　yet？〃
　〃No。　He's　expected　for　lunch　…　you　want　me　to　chase　him？〃
　〃No。　Where's　Phillip？〃
　〃He　went　home。　He's　ing　back　at　2：30。〃
　Good；　Dunross　thought；　and　tabled　John　Chen　until　that　time。　〃Listen　。。。〃　The　inter　buzzed。　〃Just　a　minute；　Andrew。〃　He　punched　the　hold。　〃Yes；　Claudia？〃
　〃Sorry　to　interrupt；　tai…pan；　but　I've　got　your　call　to　Mr。　Jen　in　Taipei　on　line　two　and　Mr。　Bartlett's　just　arrived　downstairs。〃
　〃Bring　him　in　as　soon　as　I'm　through　with　Jen。〃　He　stabbed　line　four　again。　〃Andrew；　I　may　be　a　couple　of　minutes　late。　Host　drinks　and　that　sort　of　thing　for　me。　I'll　bring　Bartlett　up　myself。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　Dunross　stabbed　line　two。　〃Tsaw　an；〃　he　said　in　Mandarin　dialect　…　How　are　you？　…　glad　to　talk　to　Wei…wei's　uncle；　General　Jen　Tang…wa；　deputy　chief　of　the　illegal　Kuomintang　secret　police　for　Hong　Kong。
　〃Shey…shey；〃　then　in　English；　〃What's　up；　tai…pan？〃
　〃I　thought　you　should　know　。。。〃　Dunross　told　him　briefly　about　the　guns　and　Bartlett；　that　the　police　were　involved；　but　not　about　Tsu…yan　or　John　Chen。
　〃Ayeeyah！　That's　very　curious　indeed。〃
　〃Yes。　I　thought　so　too。　Very　curious。〃
　〃You're　convinced　it's　not　Bartlett？〃
　〃Yes。　There　appears　to　be　no　reason。　None　at　all。　It'd　be　stupid　to　use　your　own　plane。　Bartlett's　not　stupid；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Who'd　need　that　sort　of　armament　here？〃
　There　was　a　pause。　〃Criminal　elements。〃
　〃Triads？〃
　〃Not　all　triads　are　criminals。〃
　〃No；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　find　out。　I'm　sure　it's　nothing　to　do　with　us；　Ian。　Are　you