jamesclavell.noblehouse-第150部分

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　〃What！〃
　〃Every　last　bloody　branch！〃
　〃Christ　almighty　are　you　sure？〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　sure　and　they　say　the　Vic　won't　open　tomorrow　either；　that　the　governor'll　declare　tomorrow　a　bank　holiday！　I　have　it　on　the　highest　authority；　old　boy！〃
　〃Good　sweet　Christ；　the　Vic's　closing？〃
　〃Oh　Christ　we're　all　ruined。　。。。　〃
　〃Listen；　I've　just　talked　to　Johnjohn。　The　run's　spread　to　them　but　he　says　they'll　be　all　right　…　not　to　worry。　。。。　〃
　〃Thank　God！〃
　〃He　says　there　was　a　riot　at　Aberdeen　half　an　hour　ago　when　the　Ho…Pak　branch　there　failed　but　Richard　Kwang's　just　put　out　a　press　release。　He's　'temporarily　closed'　all　their　branches　except　Head　Office　in　Central。　There's　no　need　to　worry；　he's　got　plenty　of　money　and　。。。　〃
　〃Lying　bastard！〃
　〃　。。。　and　anyone　with　Ho…Pak　funds　has　to　go　there　with　their　passbook　and　they'll　get　paid。〃
　〃What　about　their　shares？　When　they　liquidate　how　much　do　you　think　they'll　pay？　Ten　cents　on　the　dollar？〃
　〃God　knows！　But　thousands　are　going　to　lose　their　knickers　in　this　crash！〃
　〃Hey；　tai…pan！　Are　you　going　to　let　your　stock　plummet　or　are　you　going　to　buy？〃
　〃The　Noble　House's　strong　as　it　ever　was；　old　boy；〃　Dunross　said　easily。　〃My　advice　to　you　is　to　buy！〃
　〃How　long　can　you　wait；　tai…pan？〃
　〃We'll　weather　this　slight　problem；　don't　worry。〃　Dunross　continued　to　push　through　the　crowd；　heading　for　the　exit；　Linc　Bartlett　and　Casey　following；　questions　being　fired　at　him。　Most　of　them　he　dismissed　with　a　pleasantry；　a　few　he　answered；　then　Gornt　was　in　front　of　him　and　the　two　of　them　were　in　the　middle　of　a　great　silence。
　〃Ah；　Quillan；　how　did　you　do　on　the　day？〃　he　asked　politely。
　〃Very　good；　thank　you；　Ian；　very　good。　My　partners　and　I　are　3　or　4　million　ahead。〃
　〃You　have　partners？〃
　〃Of　course。　One　doesn't　mount　an　attack　on　Struan's　lightly　…　of　course　one　must　have　very　substantial　financial　backing。〃　Gornt　smiled。　〃Fortunately；　Struan's're　roundly　detested　by　lots　of　good　people　and　have　been　for　a　century　or　more。　I'm　delighted　to　tell　you　I've　just　acquired　another　300；000　shares　for　sale　first　thing。　That　should　just　about　bring　your　house　atumbling　down。〃
　〃We're　not　Humpty…Dumpty。　We're　the　Noble　House。〃
　〃Until　tomorrow。　Yes。　Or　perhaps　the　next　day。　Monday　at　the　latest。〃　Gornt　looked　back　at　Bartlett。　〃Tuesday　for　dinner　is　still　on？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Dunross　smiled。　〃Quillan；　a　man　can　get　burned　selling　short　in　such　a　volatile　market。〃　He　turned　to　Bartlett　and　Casey　and　said　pleasantly；　〃Don't　you　agree？〃
　〃It　sure　as　hell　isn't　like　our　New　York　exchange；〃　Bartlett　replied　to　a　general　laugh。　〃What's　happening　here　today'd　blow　our　whole　economy　to　hell。　Eh　Casey？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Casey　replied　uneasily；　feeling　Gornt's　scrutiny。　〃Hello；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　him。
　〃We're　honored　to　have　you　here；〃　Gornt　said　with　great　charm。　〃May　I　pliment　you　on　your　courage　last　night　…　both　of　you。〃
　〃I　did　nothing　special；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Nor　did　I；〃　Casey　said　unfortably；　very　aware　she　was　the　only　woman　in　the　room　and　now　the　center　of　so　much　attention。　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　Linc　and　Ian　。。。　for　the　tai…pan　and　you　and　the　others；　I'd've　panicked。〃
　〃Ah；　but　you　didn't。　Your　dive　was　perfection；〃　Gornt　said；　to　cheers。
　She　said　nothing　but　she　was　warmed　by　that　thought；　not　for　the　first　time。　Somehow　life　had　been　different　since　she　had　taken　off　her　clothes　without　thinking。　Gavallan　had　called　this　morning　to　ask　how　she　was。　So　had　others。　At　the　exchange　she　had　felt　the　looks　strongly。　There　had　been　lots　of　pliments。　Many　from　strangers。　She　felt　that　Dunross　and　Gornt　and　Bartlett　remembered　because　she　had　not　failed　them。　Or　herself。　Yes；　she　thought；　you　gained　great　face　before　all　the　men。　And　increased　the　jealousy　of　all　their　women。　Curious。
　〃Are　you　selling　short；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　Gornt　was　saying。　〃Not　personally；〃　Bartlett　told　him　with　a　small　smile。　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃You　should；〃　Gornt　said　agreeably。　〃There's　a　great　deal　of　money　to　be　made　in　a　falling　market；　as　I'm　sure　you　know。　A　great　deal　of　money　will　change　hands　with　control　of　Struan's。〃　He　put　his　eyes　back　onto　Casey；　excited　by　her　courage　and　her　body　and　by　the　thought　that　she　would　be　ing　sailing　on　Sunday　alone。　〃And　you；　Ciranoush；　are　you　in　the　market？〃　he　asked。
　Casey　heard　her　name　and　the　way　he　said　it。　A　thrill　took　her。　Beware；　she　cautioned　herself。　This　man's　dangerous。　Yes。　And　so　is　Dunross　and　so　is　Linc。
　Which？
　I　think　I　want　all　three　of　them；　she　thought；　heat　rushing　into　her。
　The　day　had　been　exciting　and　grand　from　the　first　moment　when　Dunross　had　phoned　her　so　solicitously。　Then　getting　up；　feeling　no　ill　effects　from　the　fire　or　the　emetics　of　Dr。　Tooley。　Then　working　away　happily　all　morning　on　all　the　cables　and　telexes　and　phone　calls　to　the　States；　tidying　business　problems　of　Par…Con's　far…flung　conglomerate；　cementing　a　merger　that　had　been　on　their　agenda　for　months；　selling　off　another　pany　very　profitably　to　acquire　one　that　would　further　enhance　Par…Con's　stab　into　Asia　…　whomever　they　were　in　business　with。　Then；　unexpectedly；　being　invited　for　lunch　by　Linc。　。。。　Dear　handsome　confident　attractive　Linc；　she　thought；　remembering　the　lunch　they　had　had　atop　the　Victoria　and　Albert　in　the　great；　green　dining　room　overlooking　the　harbor；　Linc　so　attentive；　Hong　Kong　Island　and　the　sea　roads　obscured　by　the　driving　rain。　Half　a　grapefruit；　a　small　salad；　Perrier；　all　perfectly　served；　just　what　she　wanted。　Then　coffee。
　〃How　about　going　to　the　Stock　Exchange；　Casey？　Say　2：30？〃　he　had　said。　〃Ian　invited　us。〃
　〃I've　still　got　lots　to　do；　Linc；　an…　〃
　〃But　that　place　is　something　else　and　the　things　those　guys　get　away　with's　unbelievable。　Insider　trading's　a　way　of　life　here　and　quite　legal。　Jesus；　it's　fantastic　…　wonderful　…　a　great　system！　What　they　do　here　legally　every　day'd　get　you　twenty　years　in　the　States。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　it　right；　Linc。〃
　〃No；　but　this　is　Hong　Kong　and　their　rules　please　them　and　it　is　their　country　and　they　support　themselves　and　their　government　only　creams　off　15　percent　tax；〃　he　had　said。　〃I　tell　you；　Casey；　if　you　want　drop　dead　money　it's　here　for　the　taking。〃
　〃Let's　hope！　You　go；　Linc；　I've　really　got　a　pile　of　stuff　to　get　through。〃
　〃It　can　wait。　Today　might　be　the　clincher。　We　should　be　in　at　the　kill。〃
　〃Gornt's　going　to　win？〃
　〃Sure；　unless　Ian　gets　massive　financing。　I　hear　the　Victoria　won't　support　him。　And　Orlin　won't　renew　his　loan；　just　as　I　forecast！〃
　〃Gornt　told　you？〃
　〃Just　before　lunch　…　but　everyone　knows　everything　in　this　place。　Never　known　anything　like　it。〃
　〃Then　maybe　Ian　knows　you　put　up　the　2　million　to　start　Gornt　off。〃
　〃Maybe。　It　doesn't　matter；　so　long　as　they　don't　know　Par…Con's　on　the　way　to　bee　the　new　Noble　House。　How　'bout　Tai…pan　Bartlett？〃
　Casey　remembered　his　sudden　grin　and　the　warmth　flooding　out　at　her　and　she　felt　it　now；　standing　on　the　floor　of　the　Stock　Exchange；　watching　him；　crowds　of　men　around　her；　only　three　important　…　Quillan；　Ian　and　Linc　…　the　most　vital　and　exciting　of　all　the　men　she　had　ever　met。　She　smiled　back　at　them　equally；　then　said　to　Gornt；　〃No；　I'm　not　in　the　market；　not　personally。　I　don't　like　gambling　…　the　cost　of　my　money　es　too　high。〃
　Someone　muttered；　〃What　a　rotten　thing　to　say！〃
　Gornt　paid　no　attention　and　kept　his　eyes　on　her。　〃Wise；　very　wise。　Of　course；　sometimes　there's　a　sure　thing；　sometimes　you　can　make　a　killing。〃　He　looked　at　Dunross　who　was　watching　with　his　curious　smile。　〃Figuratively；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。　Well；　Quillan；　see　you　tomorrow。〃
　〃Hey；　Mr。　Bartlett；〃　someone　called　out；　〃have　you　made　a　deal　with　Struan's　or　not？〃
　〃Yes；〃　another　said；　〃and　what　does　Raider　Bartlett　think　of　a　raid　Hong　Kong　style？〃
　Another　silence　fell。　Bartlett　shrugged。　〃A　raid　is　a　raid　wherever；〃　he　said　carefully；　〃and　I'd　say　this　one's　mounted　and　launched。　But　you　never　know　you've　won　until　you've　won　and　all　the　votes　are　counted。　I　agree　with　Mr。　Dunross。　You　can　get　burned。〃　He　grinned　again；　his　eyes　dancing。　〃I　also　agree　with　Mr。　Gornt。　Sometimes　you　can　make　a　killing；　figuratively。〃
　There　was　another　burst　of　laughter。　Dunross　used　it　to　push　through　to　the　door。　Bartlett　and　Casey　followed。　At　his　chauffeured　Rolls　below；　Dunross　said；　〃e　on；　get　in　…　sorry；　I've　got　to　hurry；　but　the　car'll　take　you　home。〃
　〃No；　that's　all　right；　we'll　take　a　cab。　。。。〃
　〃No；　get　in。　In　this　rain　you'll　have　to　wait　half　an　hour。〃
　〃The　ferry'll　do　fine；　tai…pan；〃　Casey　said。　〃He　can　drop　us　there。〃　They　got　in　and　drove　off；　the　traffic　snarled。
　〃What're　you　going　to　do　about　Gornt？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　Dunross　laughed　and　Casey　and　Bartlett　tried　to　gauge　the　strength　of　it。　〃I'm　going　to　wait；〃　he　said。　〃It's　an　old　Chinese　custom：　Patience。　Everything　es　to　him　who　waits。　Thanks　for　keeping　mum　about　our　deal。　You　handled　that　rather　well。〃
　〃You'll　announce　tomorrow　after　the　market　closes；　as　planned？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　〃I'd　like　to　leave　my　options　open。　I　know　this　market；　you　don't。　Perhaps　tomorrow。〃　Dunross　looked　at　them　both　clearly。　〃Perhaps　not　until　Tuesday　when　we've　actually　signed。　I　presume　we　still　have　a　deal？　Until　Tuesday　at　midnight？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Casey　said。
　〃Can　the　announcement　time　be　left　to　me？　I'll　tell　you　beforehand　but　I　may　need　the　timing　to　。。。　to　maneuver。〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Of　course；　if　we're　down　the　pipe　then；　it's　no　deal。　I　understand　quite　clearly。〃
　〃Gornt　can　get　control？〃　Casey　asked。　Both　of　them　saw　the　change　in　the　Scotsman's　eyes。　The　smile　was　still　there　but　it　was　only　on　the　surface。
　〃No；　not　actually；　but　of　course　with　enough　stock　he　can　force　his　way　immediately　onto　the　board　and　appoint　other　directors。　Once　on　the　board　he　will　be　party　to　most　of　our　secrets　and　he'll　disrupt　and　destroy。〃　Dunross　glanced　back　at　Casey。　〃His　purpose　is　to　destroy。〃
　〃Because　of　the　past？〃
　〃Partially。〃　Dunross　smiled；　but　this　time　they　saw　a　deep…seated　tiredness　within　it。　〃The　stakes　are　high；　face　is　involved；　huge　face；　and　this's　Hong　Kong。　Here　the　strong　survive　and　the　weak　perish　but　en　route　the　government　doesn't　steal　from　you；　or　protect　you。　If　you　don't　want