jamesclavell.noblehouse-第106部分

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the　wall。　Make　it　300；000。〃
　〃Sell　at　what　figure；　Mr。　Gornt？〃
　〃At　market。〃
　〃It'll　take　time　to　borrow　the　shares。　I'll　have　to　sell　in　much　smaller　lots。　I'll　hav…　〃
　〃Are　you　suggesting　my　credit's　not　good　enough　or　you　can't　perform　normal　stockbroking　functions？〃
　〃No。　No　of　course　not；〃　Stern　replied；　not　wanting　to　offend　his　biggest　customer。
　〃Good；　then　sell　Struan's　short。　Now。〃
　Gornt　watched　him　walk　away。　His　heart　was　beating　nicely。
　Stern　went　to　Sir　Luis　Basilio　of　the　old　stockbroking　firm　of　Basilio　and　Sons；　who　had　a　great　block　of　Struan's　personally；　as　well　as　many　substantial　clients　with　more。　He　borrowed　the　stock　then　walked　to　the　board　and　wrote　the　huge　offering　in　the　sell　column。　The　chalk　scraped　loudly。　Gradually　the　room　fell　silent。　Eyes　switched　to　Dunross　and　Alan　Holdbrook　and　the　Americans；　then　to　Gornt　and　back　to　Dunross　again。　Gornt　saw　Linc　Bartlett　and　Casey　watching　him　and　he　was　glad　she　was　there。　Casey　was　wearing　a　yellow　silk　skirt　and　blouse；　very　Californian；　a　green　scarf　tying　her　golden　hair　back。　Why　is　she　so　sexual；　Gornt　asked　himself　absently。　A　strange　invitation　seemed　to　surround　her。　Why？　Is　it　because　no　man　yet　has　ever　satisfied　her？
　He　smiled　at　her；　nodding　slightly。　She　half…smiled　back　and　he　thought　he　noticed　a　shadow　there。　His　greeting　to　Bartlett　was　polite　and　returned　equally　politely。　His　eyes　held　Dunross　and　the　two　men　stared　at　each　other。
　The　silence　mounted。　Someone　coughed　nervously。　Everyone　was　conscious　of　the　immensity　of　the　offering　and　the　implications　of　it。
　Stern　tapped　his　offering　again。　Holdbrook　leaned　forward　and　consulted　with　Dunross　who　half　shrugged　and　shook　his　head；　then　began　talking　quietly　to　Bartlett　and　Casey。
　Joseph　Stern　waited。　Then　someone　offered　to　buy　a　portion　and　they　haggled　back　and　forth。　Soon　50；000　shares　had　changed　hands　and　the　new　market　price　was　24。90。　He　changed　the　300；000　to　250；000　and　again　waited。　He　sold　a　few　more　but　the　bulk　remained。　Then；　as　there　were　no　takers；　he　came　back　to　his　seat。　He　was　sweating。
　〃If　that　number　stays　there　overnight　it'll　do　Struan's　no　good　at　all。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Gornt　still　watched　Casey。　She　was　listening　intently　to　Dunross。　He　sat　back　and　thought　a　moment。　〃Sell　another　100；000　Ho…Pak　…　and　200；000　Struan's。〃
　〃Good　God；　Mr。　Gornt；　if　Struan's　gets　brought　down　the　whole　market'll　totter；　even　your　own　pany'll　lose。〃
　〃There'll　be　an　adjustment；　lots　of　adjustments；　certainly。〃
　〃There'll　be　a　bloodbath。　If　Struan's　go；　so　will　other　panies；　thousands　of　investors'll　be　wiped　out　an…　〃
　〃I　really　don't　need　a　lecture　on　Hong　Kong　economics；　Mr。　Stern；〃　Gornt　said　coldly。　〃If　you　don't　want　to　follow　instructions　I'll　take　my　business　elsewhere。〃
　Stern　flushed。　〃I'll　。。。　I'll　have　to　round　up　the　shares　first。　That　number　。。。　to　get　that　sum　。。。〃
　〃Then　I　suggest　you　hurry　up！　I　want　that　on　the　board　today！〃　Gornt　watched　him　go；　enjoying　the　moment　immensely。　Cocky　bastard；　he　was　thinking。　Stockbrokers　are　just　parasites；　every　one　of　them。　He　felt　quite　safe。　Bartlett's　money　was　in　his　account。　He　could　buy　back　Ho…Pak　and　Struan's　even　now　and　be　millions　ahead。　Contentedly　his　eyes　strayed　back　to　Casey。　She　was　watching　him。　He　could　read　nothing　in　her　expression。
　Joseph　Stern　was　weaving　through　the　brokers。　Again　he　stopped　at　the　Basilio　desk。　Sir　Luis　Basilio　looked　away　from　the　board　and　smiled　up　at　him。　〃So；　Joseph？　You　want　to　borrow　more　Noble　House　shares？〃
　〃Yes；　please。〃
　〃For　Quillan？〃　Sir　Luis　asked。　He　was　a　fine　old　man；　small；　elegant；　very　thin；　and　in　his　seventies　…　this　year's　chairman　of　the　mittee　that　ran　the　exchange。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃e；　sit　down；　let's　talk　a　moment；　old　friend。　How　many　do　you　want　now？〃
　〃200；000。〃
　Sir　Luis　frowned。　〃300；000　on　the　board　…　another　2？　Is　this　an　all…out　attack？〃
　〃He　。。。　he　didn't　say　that　but　I　think　it　is。〃
　〃It's　a　great　pity　those　two　can't　make　peace　with　one　another。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　The　older　man　thought　a　moment；　then　said　even　more　quietly；　〃I'm　considering　suspending　dealing　in　Ho…Pak　shares；　and；　since　lunch；　Noble　House　shares。　I'm　very　worried。　At　this　precise　moment　a　Ho…Pak　crash；　coupled　with　a　Noble　House　crash；　could　wreck　the　whole　market。　Madonna；　it's　unthinkable　for　the　Noble　House　to　crash；　it　would　pull　down　hundreds　of　us；　perhaps　all　Hong　Kong；　unthinkable！〃
　〃Perhaps　the　Noble　House　needs　overhauling。　Can　I　borrow　200；000　shares？〃
　〃First　answer　me　this；　yes　or　no；　and　if　yes　when：　Should　we　suspend　the　Ho…Pak？　Should　we　suspend　Struan's？　I've　polled　all　the　other　members　of　the　mittee　except　you。　They're　divided　almost　equally。〃
　〃Neither　have　ever　been　suspended。　It　would　be　bad　to　suspend　either。　This's　a　free　society　…　in　its　best　sense；　I　think。　You　should　let　it　work　itself　out；　let　them　sort　themselves　out；　the　Struans；　and　the　Gornts　and　all　the　rest；　let　the　best　get　to　the　top　and　the　worst　。。。〃　Stern　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃Ah　but　it's　easy　for　me　to　say　that；　Luis；　I'm　not　a　big　investor　in　either。〃
　〃Where's　your　money？〃
　〃Diamonds。　All　Jews　need　small　things；　things　you　can　carry　and　things　you　can　hide；　things　you　can　convert　easily。〃
　〃There's　no　need　for　you　to　be　afraid　here；　Joseph。　How　many　years　has　your　family　been　here　and　prospered？　Look　at　Solomon　…　surely　he　and　his　family　are　the　richest　in　all　Asia。〃
　〃For　Jews　fear　is　a　way　of　life。　And　being　hated。〃
　Again　the　old　man　sighed。　〃Ah　this　world；　this　lovely　world；　how　lovely　it　should　be。〃　A　phone　rang　and　he　picked　it　up　delicately；　his　hands　tiny；　his　Portuguese　sounding　sweet　and　liquid　to　Stern　though　he　understood　none　of　it。　He　only　caught　〃Se？or　Mata〃　said　deferentially　several　times　but　the　name　meant　nothing　to　him。　In　a　moment　Sir　Luis　replaced　the　receiver　very　thoughtfully。　〃The　financial　secretary　called　just　after　lunch；　greatly　perturbed。　There's　a　deputation　from　Parliament　here　and　a　bank　crash　would　look　extremely　bad　for　all　of　us；〃　he　said。　He　smiled　a　pixyish　smile。　〃I　suggested　he　introduce　legislation　for　the　governor's　signature　to　govern　banks　like　they　had　in　England　and　the　poor　fellow　almost　had　a　fit。　I　really　mustn't　pull　his　leg　so　much。〃　Stern　smiled　with　him。　〃As　if　we　need　government　interference　here！〃　The　eyes　sharpened。　〃So　Joseph；　do　you　vote　to　let　well　alone　…　or　suspend　either　or　both　of　the　stocks；　if　so　when？〃
　Stern　glanced　at　the　clock。　If　he　went　to　the　board　now　he　would　have　plenty　of　time　to　write　up　both　sell　offerings　and　still　be　able　to　challenge　Forsythe。　It　was　a　good　feeling　to　know　that　he　held　the　fate　of　both　houses　in　his　hands；　if　only　temporarily。　〃Perhaps　it　would　be　very　good；　perhaps　bad。　What's　the　voting　so　far？〃
　〃I　said；　almost　equal。〃　There　was　another　burst　of　excitement　and　both　men　looked　up。　Some　more　Struan　shares　were　changing　hands。　The　new　market　price　dropped　to　24。70。　Now　Phillip　Chen　was　leaning　over　Holdbrook's　desk。
　〃Poor　Phillip；　he　doesn't　look　well　at　all；〃　Sir　Luis　said　passionately。
　〃No。　Pity　about　John。　I　liked　him。　What　about　the　Werewolves？　Do　you　think　the　papers　are　overplaying　it？〃
　〃No。　No；　I　don't。〃　The　old　eyes　twinkled。　〃No　more　than　you；　Joseph。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You've　decided　to　pass。　You　want　to　let　today's　time　run　out；　don't　you？　That's　what　you　want；　isn't　it？〃
　〃What　better　solution　could　there　be？〃
　〃If　I　wasn't　so　old　I'd　agree　with　you。　But　being　so　old　and　not　knowing　about　tomorrow；　or　if　I　shall　live　to　see　tomorrow；　I　prefer　my　drama　today。　Very　well。　I'll　discount　your　vote　this　time　and　now　the　mittee's　deadlocked　so　I　will　decide；　as　I'm　allowed　to　do。　You　can　borrow　200；000　Noble　House　shares　until　Friday；　Friday　at　two。　Then　I　may　ask　for　them　back　…　I　have　to　think　of　my　own　House；　eh？〃　The　sharp　but　kindly　eyes　in　the　lined　face　urged　Stern　to　his　feet。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now；　my　friend？〃
　Joseph　Stern　smiled　sadly。　〃I'm　a　stockbroker。〃
　He　went　to　the　board　and　wrote　in　the　Ho…Pak　sell　column　with　a　firm　hand。　Then　in　the　new　silence　he　went　to　the　Struan　column　and　wrote　the　figure　clearly；　conscious　that　he　was　on　center　stage　now。　He　could　feel　the　hate　and　the　envy。　More　than　500；000　Noble　House　shares　were　now　on　offer；　more　than　at　any　one　time　in　the　history　of　the　exchange。　He　waited；　wanting　the　clock　to　run　out。　There　was　a　flurry　of　interest　as　Soorjani；　the　Parsee；　bought　some　blocks　of　shares　but　it　was　well　known　he　was　nominee　for　many　of　the　Struan　and　Dunross　family　and　supporters。　And　though　he　bought　150；000；　it　made　little　difference　to　the　enormity　of　Gornt's　offering。　The　quiet　was　hurting。　One　minute　to　go　now。
　〃We　buy！〃　The　tai…pan's　voice　shattered　the　silence。
　〃All　my　shares？〃　Stern　asked　hoarsely；　his　heart　racing。
　〃Yes。　Yours　and　all　the　rest。　At　market！〃
　Gornt　was　on　his　feet。　〃With　what？〃　he　asked　sardonically。　〃That's　almost　9　million　cash。〃
　Dunross　was　on　his　feet　too；　a　taunting　half…smile　on　his　face。　〃The　Noble　House　is　good　for　that　…　and　millions　more。　Has　anyone　ever　doubted　it？〃
　〃I　doubt　it　…　and　I　sell　short　tomorrow！〃
　At　that　moment　the　finish　bell　sounded　shrilly；　the　tension　broke　and　there　was　a　roar　of　approval。
　〃Christ　what　a　day。　。。。〃
　〃Good　old　tai…pan。　。。。〃
　〃Couldn't　stand　much　more　of　that　。。。〃
　〃Is　Gornt　going　to　beat　him　this　time　。。。　？〃
　〃Maybe　those　rumors　are　all　nonsense　。。。〃
　〃Christ　I　made　a　bloody　fortune　in　missions　。。。〃
　〃I　think　Ian's　running　scared。　。。。〃
　〃Don't　forget　he's　got　five　days　to　pay　for　the　shares　。。。〃
　〃He　can't　buy　like　that　tomorrow　。。。〃
　〃Christ；　tomorrow！　What's　going　to　happen　tomorrow　。。。〃
　Casey　shifted　in　her　seat；　her　heart　thumping。　She　pried　her　eyes　off　Gornt　and　Dunross　and　looked　back　at　Bartlett；　who　sat　staring　at　the　board；　whistling　tonelessly。　She　was　awed　…　awed　and　a　little　frightened。
　Just　before　ing　here　to　meet　Dunross；　Linc　Bartlett　had　told　her　his　plan；　about　his　call　to　Gornt　and　all　about　the　meeting　with　him。　〃Now　you　know　it　all；　Casey；〃　he　had　said　softly；　grinning　at　her。　〃Now　they're　both　set　up　and　we　control　the　battlefield；　all　for　2　million。　Both're　at　each　other's　throats；　both　going　for　the　jugular；　each　ready　to　cannibal