jamesclavell.noblehouse-第80节

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ying　degrees。　But　not　one　would　sell　the　Noble　House　to　an　outsider。　Not　one。　Even　so；　one　of　them　did。
　Who？
　The　hours　passed。
　Who？　Sevrin；　what　to　do　about　the　files；　was　AMG　murdered；　how　much　of　the　files're　true？
　Who？
　The　night　was　cool　now　and　the　terrace　had　beckoned　him。　He　stood　under　the　stars。　The　breeze　and　the　night　weled　him。　He　had　always　loved　the　night。　Flying　alone　above　the　clouds　at　night；　so　much　better　than　the　day；　the　stars　so　near；　eyes　always　watching　for　the　enemy　bomber　or　enemy　night　fighter；　thumb　ready　on　the　trigger　。。。　ah；　life　was　so　simple　then；　kill　or　be　killed。
　He　stood　there　for　a　while；　then；　refreshed；　he　went　back　and　locked　the　files　away　and　sat　in　his　great　chair　facing　the　French　windows；　on　guard；　working　out　his　options；　choosing　one。　Then；　satisfied；　he　had　dozed　an　hour　or　so　and　awoke；　as　usual；　just　before　dawn。
　His　dressing　room　was　off　his　study　which　was　next　door　to　their　master　bedroom。　He　had　dressed　casually　and　left　silently。　The　road　was　clear。　Sixteen　seconds　were　clipped　from　his　record。　In　his　penthouse　he　bathed　and　shaved　and　changed　into　a　tropical　suit；　then　went　to　his　office　on　the　floor　below。　It　was　very　humid　today　with　a　curious　look　to　the　sky。　A　tropical　storm's　ing；　he　had　thought。　Perhaps　we'll　be　lucky　and　it　won't　pass　us　by　like　all　the　others　and　it'll　bring　rain。　He　turned　away　from　his　windows　and　concentrated　on　running　the　Noble　House。
　There　was　a　pile　of　overnight　telexes　to　deal　with　on　all　manner　of　negotiations　and　enterprises；　problems　and　business　opportunities　throughout　the　Colony　and　the　great　outside。　From　all　points　of　the　pass。　As　far　north　as　the　Yukon　where　Struan's　had　an　oil…prospecting　joint　venture　with　the　Canadian　timber　and　mining　giant；　McLean…Woodley。　Singapore　and　Malaya　and　as　far　south　as　Tasmania　for　fruit　and　minerals　to　carry　to　Japan。　West　to　Britain；　east　to　New　York；　the　tentacles　of　the　new　international　Noble　House　that　Dunross　dreamed　about　were　beginning　to　reach　out；　still　weak；　still　tentative；　and　without　the　sustenance　he　knew　was　vital　to　their　growth。
　Never　mind。　Soon　they'll　be　strong。　The　Par…Con　deal　will　make　our　web　like　steel；　with　Hong　Kong　the　center　of　the　earth　and　us　the　nucleus　of　the　center。　Thank　God　for　the　telex　and　telephones。
　〃Mr。　Bartlett　please。〃
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Ian　Dunross；　good　morning；　sorry　to　disturb　you　so　early；　could　we　postpone　our　meeting　till　6：30？〃
　〃Yes。　Is　there　a　problem？〃
　〃No。　Just　business。　I've　a　lot　to　catch　up　with。〃
　〃Anything　on　John　Chen？〃
　〃Not　yet；　no。　Sorry。　I'll　keep　you　posted　though。　Give　my　regards　to　Casey。〃
　〃I　will。　Say；　that　was　some　party　last　night。　Your　daughter's　a　charmer！〃
　〃Thanks。　I'll　e　to　the　hotel　at　6：30。　Of　course　Casey's　invited。　See　you　then。　'Bye！〃
　Ah　Casey！　he　thought。
　Casey　and　Bartlett。　Casey　and　Gornt。　Gornt　and　Four　Finger　Wu。
　Early　this　morning　he　had　heard　from　Four　Finger　Wu　about　his　meeting　with　Gornt。　A　pleasant　current　had　swept　through　him　on　hearing　that　his　enemy　had　almost　died。　The　Peak　Road's　no　place　to　lose　your　brakes；　he　thought。
　Pity　the　bastard　didn't　die。　That　would　have　saved　me　lots　of　anguish。　Then　he　dismissed　Gornt　and　rethought　Four　Finger　Wu。
　Between　the　old　seaman's　pidgin　and　his　Haklo　they　could　converse　quite　well。　Wu　had　told　him　everything　he　could。　Gornt's　ment　on　the　Ho…Pak；　advising　Wu　to　withdraw　his　money；　was　surprising。　And　cause　for　concern。　That　and　Haply's　article。
　Does　that　bugger　Gornt　know　something　I　don't？
　He　had　gone　to　the　bank。　〃Paul；　what's　going　on？〃
　〃About　what？〃
　〃The　Ho…Pak。〃
　〃Oh。　The　run？　Very　bad　for　our　banking　image；　I　must　say。　Poor　Richard！　We're　fairly　certain　he's　got　all　the　reserves　he　needs　to　weather　his　storm　but　we　don't　know　the　extent　of　his　mitments。　Of　course　I　called　him　the　moment　I　read　Haply's　ridiculous　article。　I　must　tell　you；　Ian；　I　also　called　Christian　Toxe　and　told　him　in　no　uncertain　terms　he　should　control　his　reporters　and　that　he'd　better　cease　and　desist　or　else。〃
　〃I　was　told　there　was　a　queue　at　Tsim　Sha　Tsui。〃
　''Oh？　I　hadn't　heard　that。　I'll　check。　Even　so；　surely　the　Ching　Prosperity　and　the　Lo　Fat　banks　will　support　him。　My　God；　he's　built　up　the　Ho…Pak　into　a　major　banking　institution。　If　he　went　broke　God　knows　what'll　happen。　We　even　had　some　withdrawals　at　Aberdeen　ourselves。　No；　Ian；　let's　hope　it'll　all　blow　over。　Talking　about　that；　do　you　think　we'll　get　some　rain？　It　feels　dicey　today；　don't　you　think？　The　news　said　there　might　be　a　storm　ing　through。　Do　you　think　it'll　rain？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Let's　hope　so。　But　not　on　Saturday！〃
　〃My　God　yes！　If　the　races　were　rained　out　that　would　be　terrible。　We　can't　have　that。　Oh；　by　the　way；　Ian；　it　was　a　lovely　party　last　night。　I　enjoyed　meeting　Bartlett　and　his　girl　friend。　How're　your　negotiations　with　Bartlett　proceeding？〃
　〃First　class！　Listen；　Paul　。。。〃
　Dunross　smiled　to　himself；　remembering　how　he　had　dropped　his　voice　even　though　in　Havergill's　office　。。。　Havergill's　office　which　overlooked　the　whole　of　Central　District　was　book…lined　and　very　carefully　soundproofed。　〃I've　closed　my　deal。　It's　two　years　initially。　We　sign　the　papers　within　seven　days。　They're　putting　up　20　million　cash　in　each　of　the　years；　succeeding　ones　to　be　negotiated。〃
　〃Congratulations；　my　dear　fellow。　Heartiest　congratulations！　And　the　down　payment？〃
　〃Seven。〃
　〃That's　marvelous！　That　covers　everything　nicely。　It'll　be　marvelous　to　have　the　Toda　specter　away　from　the　balance　sheet　…　and　with　another　million　for　Orlin；　well；　perhaps　they'll　give　you　more　time；　then　at　long　last　you　can　forget　all　the　bad　years　and　look　forward　to　a　very　profitable　future。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Have　you　got　your　ships　chartered　yet？〃
　〃No。　But　I'll　have　charterers　in　time　to　service　our　loan。〃
　〃I　noticed　your　stock's　jumped　two　points。〃
　〃It's　on　the　way　now。　It's　going　to　double；　within　thirty　days。〃
　〃Oh？　What　makes　you　think　so？〃
　〃The　boom。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　〃All　the　signs　point　that　way；　Paul。　Confidence's　up。　Our　Par…Con　deal　will　lead　the　boom。　It's　long　overdue。〃
　〃That　would　be　marvelous！　When　do　you　make　the　initial　announcement　about　Par…Con？〃
　〃Friday；　after　the　market　closes。〃
　〃Excellent。　My　thought　entirely。　By　Monday　everyone　will　be　on　the　bandwagon！〃
　〃But　let's　keep　everything　in　the　family　until　then。〃
　〃Of　course。　Oh；　did　you　hear　Quillan　almost　killed　himself　last　night？　It　was　just　after　your　party。　His　brakes　failed　on　the　Peak　Road。〃
　〃Yes　I　heard。　He　should　have　killed　himself　…　that　would　have　sent　Second　Great　pany's　stock　skyrocketing　with　happiness！〃
　〃e　now；　Ian！　A　boom　eh？　You　really　think　so？〃
　〃Enough　to　want　to　buy　heavily。　How　about　a　million　credit　…　to　buy　Struan's？〃
　〃Personal　…　or　for　the　House？〃
　〃Personal。〃
　〃We　would　hold　the　stock？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃And　if　the　stock　goes　down？〃
　〃It　won't。〃
　〃Say　it　does；　Ian？〃
　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃
　〃Well；　it's　all　in　the　family　so　why　don't　we　say　if　it　goes　two　points　below　market　at　today's　closing；　we　can　sell　and　debit　your　account　with　the　loss？〃
　〃Three。　Struan's　is　going　to　double。〃
　〃Yes。　Meanwhile；　let's　say　two　until　you　sign　the　Par…Con　deal。　The　House　is　rather　a　lot　over　on　its　revolving　credit　already。　Let's　say　two；　eh？〃
　〃All　right。〃
　I'm　safe　at　two；　Dunross　thought　again；　reassuring　himself。　I　think。
　Before　he　had　left　the　bank　he　had　gone　by　Johnjohn's　office。　Bruce　Johnjohn；　second　deputy　chief　manager　and　heir　apparent　to　Havergill；　was　a　stocky；　gentle　man　with　a　hummingbird's　vitality。　Dunross　had　given　him　the　same　news。　Johnjohn　had　been　equally　pleased。　But　he　had　advised　caution　on　projecting　a　boom　and；　contrary　to　Havergill；　was　greatly　concerned　with　the　Ho…Pak　run。
　〃I　don't　like　it　at　all；　Ian。　It's　very　smelly。〃
　〃Yes。　What　about　Haply's　article？〃
　〃Oh；　it's　all　nonsense。　We　don't　go　in　for　those　sort　of　shenanigans。　Blacs？　Equally　foolish。　Why　should　we　want　to　eliminate　a　major　Chinese　bank；　even　if　we　could。　The　Ching　Bank　might　be　the　culprit。　Perhaps。　Perhaps　old　Smiler　Ching　would　…　he　and　Richard　have　been　rivals　for　years。　It　could　be　a　bination　of　half　a　dozen　banks；　Ching　included。　It　might　even　be　that　Richard's　depositors　are　really　scared。　I've　heard　all　sorts　of　rumors　for　three　months　or　so。　They're　in　deep　with　dozens　of　dubious　property　schemes。　Anyway；　if　he　goes　under　it'll　affect　us　all。　Be　bloody　careful；　Ian！〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　when　you're　upstairs；　Bruce。〃
　〃Don't　sell　Paul　short　…　he's　very　clever　and　he's　been　awfully　good　for　Hong　Kong　and　the　bank。　But　we're　in　for　some　hairy　times　in　Asia；　Ian。　I　must　say　I　think　you're　very　wise　to　try　to　diversify　into　South　America　…　it's　a　huge　market　and　untapped　by　us。　Have　you　considered　South　Africa？〃
　〃What　about　it？〃
　〃Let's　have　lunch　next　week。　Wednesday？　Good。　I've　an　idea　for　you。〃
　〃Oh？　What？〃
　〃It'll　wait；　old　chum。　You　heard　about　Gornt？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Very　unusual　for　a　Rolls；　what？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃He's　very　sure　he　can　take　Par…Con　away　from　you。〃
　〃He　won't。〃
　〃Have　you　seen　Phillip　today？〃
　〃Phillip　Chen？　No；　why？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Bumped　into　him　at　the　track。　He　seemed　。。。　wel