jamesclavell.noblehouse-第3部分

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htfully。　〃Lasting　Cloud　better　not　get　caught。〃
　Phillip　Chen　heard　the　undercurrent　of　fury。　〃Why？〃
　〃We've　our　new　puter　aboard　and　two　million　pounds　worth　of　jet　engines。　Uninsured　…　at　least　the　engines　are。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　Alastair　Struan。
　Defensively　the　old　man　said；　〃It　was　that　or　lose　the　contract。　The　engines　are　consigned　to　Canton。　You　know　we　can't　insure　them；　Phillip；　since　they're　going　to　Red　China。〃　Then　he　added　irritably；　〃They're；　er；　they're　South　American　owned　and　there're　no　export　restrictions　from　South　America　to　China。　Even　so；　no　one's　willing　to　insure　them。〃
　After　a　pause　Phillip　Chen　said；　〃I　thought　the　new　puter　was　ing　in　March。〃
　〃It　was　but　I　managed　to　jump　it　forward；〃　Alastair　said。
　〃Who's　carrying　the　paper　on　the　engines？〃　Phillip　Chen　asked。
　〃We　are。〃
　〃That's　a　lot　of　risk。〃　Phillip　Chen　was　very　uneasy。　〃Don't　you　agree；　Ian？〃
　Dunross　said　nothing。
　〃It　was　that　or　lose　the　contract；〃　Alastair　Struan　said；　even　more　irritably。　〃We　stand　to　double　our　money；　Phillip。　We　need　the　money。　But　more　than　that　the　Chinese　need　the　engines；　they　made　that　more　than　clear　when　I　was　in　Canton　last　month。　And　we　need　China　…　they　made　that　clear　too。〃
　〃Yes；　but　12　million；　that's　。。。　a　lot　of　risk　in　one　ship；〃　Phillip　Chen　insisted。
　Dunross　said；　〃Anything　we　can　do　to　take　business　away　from　the　Soviets　is　to　our　advantage。　Besides；　it's　done。　You　were　saying；　Alastair；　there's　someone　on　the　list　I　should　know　about？　The　head　of？〃
　〃Marlborough　Motors。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Dunross　said　with　sudden　grim　delight。　〃I've　detested　those　sods　for　years。　Father　and　son。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃So　the　Nikklins're　descendents　of　Tyler　Brock？　Well　it　won't　be　long　before　we　can　wipe　them　off　the　list。　Good；　very　good。　Do　they　know　they're　on　Dirk　Struan's　oblit　list？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃That's　even　better。〃
　〃I　don't　agree！　You　hate　young　Nikklin　because　he　beat　you。〃　Angrily　Alastair　Struan　stabbed　a　finger　at　Dunross。　〃It's　time　you　gave　up　car　racing。　Leave　all　the　hill　climbs　and　Macao　Grand　Prix　to　the　semiprofessionals。　The　Nikklins　have　more　time　to　spend　on　their　cars；　it's　their　life；　and　now　you've　other　races　to　run；　more　important　ones。〃
　〃Macao's　amateur　and　those　bastards　cheated　last　year。〃
　〃That　was　never　proved　…　your　engine　blew　up。　A　lot　of　engines　blow　up；　Ian。　That　was　just　joss！〃
　〃My　car　was　tampered　with。〃
　〃And　that　was　never　proved　either！　For　Christ's　sake；　you　talk　about　bad　blood？　You're　as　stupid　about　some　things　as　Devil　Struan　himself！〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes；　and…　〃
　Phillip　Chen　interrupted　quickly；　wanting　an　end　to　the　violence　in　the　room。　〃If　it's　so　important；　please　let　me　see　if　I　can　find　out　the　truth。　I've　sources　not　available　to　either　of　you。　My　Chinese　friends　will　know；　should　know；　if　either　Tom　or　young　Donald　Nikklin　were　involved。　Of　course；〃　he　added　delicately；　〃if　the　tai…pan　wishes　to　race；　then　that's　up　to　the　tai…pan。　Isn't　it；　Alastair？〃
　The　older　man　controlled　his　rage　though　his　neck　was　still　choleric。　〃Yes；　yes　you're　right。　Still；　Ian；　my　advice　is　you　cease。　They'll　be　after　you　even　more　because　they　detest　you　equally。〃
　〃Are　there　others　I　should　know　about　…　on　the　list？〃
　After　a　pause；　Struan　said；　〃No；　not　now。〃　He　opened　the　second　bottle　and　poured　as　he　talked。　〃Well；　now　it's　all　yours　…　all　the　fun　and　all　the　sweat。　I'm　glad　to　pass　everything　over　to　you。　After　you've　been　through　the　safe　you'll　know　the　best；　and　the　worst。〃　He　gave　them　each　a　glass　and　sipped　his。　〃By　the　Lord　Jesus；　that's　as　fine　a　wine　as　ever　came　out　of　France。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　Dunross　thought　Dom　Pérignon　overpriced　and　overrated　and　knew　the　year；　'54；　was　not　a　particularly　good　one。　But　he　held　his　peace。
　Struan　went　over　to　the　barometer。　It　read　979。2。　〃We're　in　for　a　bad　one。　Well；　never　mind　that。　Ian；　Claudia　Chen　has　a　file　for　you　on　important　matters；　and　a　plete　list　of　our　stockholdings　…　with　names　of　the　nominees。　Any　questions；　have　them　for　me　before　the　day　after　tomorrow　…　I'm　booked　for　London　then。　You'll　keep　Claudia　on；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Claudia　Chen　was　the　second　link　from　tai…pan　to　tai…pan　after　Phillip　Chen。　She　was　executive　secretary　to　the　tai…pan；　a　distant　cousin　to　Phillip　Chen。
　〃What　about　our　bank　…　the　Victoria　Bank　of　Hong　Kong　and　China？〃　Dunross　asked；　savoring　the　question。　〃I　don't　know　our　exact　holdings。〃
　〃That's　always　been　tai…pan　knowledge　only。〃
　Dunross　turned　to　Phillip　Chen。　〃What's　your　holding；　openly　or　through　nominees？〃
　The　pradore　hesitated；　shocked。
　〃In　future　I'm　going　to　vote　your　holdings　as　a　block　with　ours。〃　Dunross　kept　his　eyes　on　the　pradore's。　〃I　want　to　know　now　and　I'll　expect　a　formal　transfer　of　perpetual　voting　power；　in　writing；　to　me　and　following　tai…pans；　tomorrow　by　noon；　and　first　refusal　on　the　shares　should　you　ever　decide　to　sell。〃
　The　silence　grew。
　〃Ian；〃　Phillip　Chen　began；　〃those　shares　。。。〃　But　his　resolve　wavered　under　the　power　of　Dunross's　will。　〃6　percent　。。。　a　little　over　6　percent。　I　。。。　you'll　have　it　as　you　wish。〃
　〃You　won't　regret　it。〃　Dunross　put　his　attention　on　Alastair　Struan　and　the　older　man's　heart　missed　a　beat。　〃How　much　stock　have　we？　How　much's　held　by　nominees？〃
　Alastair　hesitated。　〃That's　tai…pan　knowledge　only。〃
　〃Of　course。　But　our　pradore　is　to　be　trusted；　absolutely；〃　Dunross　said；　giving　the　old　man　face；　knowing　how　much　it　had　hurt　to　be　dominated　in　front　of　Alastair　Struan。　〃How　much？〃
　Struan　said；　〃15　percent。〃
　Dunross　gasped　and　so　did　Phillip　Chen　and　he　wanted　to　shout；　Jesus　bloody　Christ；　we　have　15　percent　and　Phillip　another　6　percent　and　you　haven't　had　the　sodding　intelligence　to　use　what's　got　to　be　a　major　interest　to　get　us　major　funding　when　we're　almost　bankrupt？
　But　instead　he　reached　forward　and　poured　the　remains　of　the　bottle　into　the　three　glasses　and　this　gave　him　time　to　stop　the　pounding　of　his　heart。
　〃Good；〃　he　said　with　his　flat　unemotional　voice。　〃I　was　hoping　together　we'd　make　it　better　than　ever。〃　He　sipped　his　wine。　〃I'm　bringing　forward　the　Special　Meeting。　To　next　week。〃
　Both　men　looked　up　sharply。　Since　1880；　the　tai…pans　of　Struan's；　Rothwell…Gornt　and　the　Victoria　Bank　had；　despite　their　rivalry；　met　annually　in　secret　to　discuss　matters　that　affected　the　future　of　Hong　Kong　and　Asia。
　〃They　may　not　agree　to　bring　the　meeting　forward；〃　Alastair　said。
　〃I　phoned　everyone　this　morning。　It's　set　for　Monday　next　at　9　a。m。　here。〃
　〃Who's　ing　from　the　bank？〃
　〃Deputy　Chief　Manager　Havergill　…　the　old　man's　in　Japan　then　England　on　leave。〃　Dunross's　face　hardened。　〃I'll　have　to　make　do。〃
　〃Paul's　all　right；〃　Alastair　said。　〃He'll　be　the　next　chief。〃
　〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃You've　never　liked　Paul　Havergill；　have　you；　Ian？〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　〃No。　He's　too　insular；　too　Hong　Kong；　too　out　of　date　and　too　pompous。〃
　〃And　he　supported　your　father　against　you。〃
　〃Yes。　But　that's　not　the　reason　he　should　go；　Phillip。　He　should　go　because　he's　in　the　way　of　the　Noble　House。　He's　too　conservative；　far　too　generous　to　Asian　Properties　and　I　think　he's　a　secret　ally　of　Rothwell…Gornt。〃
　〃I　don't　agree；〃　Alastair　said。
　〃I　know。　But　we　need　money　to　expand　and　I　intend　to　get　the　money。　So　I　intend　to　use　my　21　percent　very　seriously。〃
　The　storm　outside　had　intensified　but　they　did　not　seem　to　notice。
　〃I　don't　advise　you　to　set　your　cap　against　the　Victoria；〃　Phillip　Chen　said　gravely。
　〃I　agree；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。
　〃I　won't。　Provided　my　bank　cooperates。〃　Dunross　watched　the　rain　streaks　for　a　moment。　〃By　the　way；　I've　also　invited　Jason…Plumm　to　the　meeting。〃
　〃What　the　hell　for？〃　Struan　asked；　his　neck　reddening　again。
　〃Between　us　and　his　Asian　Properties　we…　〃
　〃Plumm's　on　Dirk　Struan's　oblit　list；　as　you　call　it；　and　absolutely　opposed　to　us。〃
　〃Between　the　four　of　us　we　have　a　majority　say　in　Hong　Kong…　〃　Dunross　broke　off　as　the　phone　rang　loudly。　They　all　looked　at　it。
　Alastair　Struan　said　sourly；　〃It's　your　phone　now；　not　mine。〃　Dunross　picked　it　up。　〃Dunross！〃　He　listened　for　a　moment　then　said；　〃No；　Mr。　Alastair　Struan　has　retired；　I'm　tai…pan　of　Struan's　now。　Yes。　Ian　Dunross。　What's　the　telex　say？〃　Again　he　listened。　〃Yes；　thank　you。〃
　He　put　down　the　phone。　At　length　he　broke　the　silence。　〃It　was　from　our　office　in　Taipei。　Lasting　Cloud　has　foundered　off　the　north　coast　of　Formosa。　They　think　she's　gone　down　with　all　hands。　。。。〃
　
　
　SUNDAY；
August　18；　1963
　
　1
　
　8：45　P。M。：
　The　police　officer　was　leaning　against　one　corner　of　the　information　counter　watching　the　tall　Eurasian　without　watching　him。　He　wore　a　light　tropical　suit　and　a　police　tie　and　white　shirt；　and　it　was　hot　within　the　brightly　lit　terminal　building；　the　air　humid　and　smell…laden；　milling　noisy　Chinese　as　always。　Men；　women；　children；　babes。　An　abundance　of　Cantonese；　some　Asians；　a　few　Europeans。
　〃Superintendent？〃
　One　of　the　information　girls　was　offering　him　a　phone。　〃It's　for　you；　sir；〃　she　said　and　smiled　prettily；　white　teeth；　dark　hair；　dark　sloe　eyes；　lovely　golden　skin。
　〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　noticing　that　she　was　Cantonese　and　new；　and　did　not　mind　that　the　reality　of　her　smile　was　empty；　with　nothing　behind　it　but　a　Cantonese　obscenity。　〃Yes？〃　he　said　into　the　phone。
　〃Superintendent　Armstrong？　This　is　the　tower　…　Yankee　2's　just　landed。　On　time。〃
　〃Still　Gate　16？〃
　〃Yes。　She'll　be　there　in　six　minutes。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Robert　Armstrong　was　a　big　man　and　he　leaned　across　the　counter　and　replaced　the　phone。　He　noticed　her　long　legs　and　the　curve　of　her　rump　in　the　sleek；　just　too　tight；　uniformed　chong…sam　and　he　wondered　briefly　what　she　would　be　like　in　bed。　〃What's　your　name？〃　he　asked；　knowing　that　any　Chinese　hated　to　be　named　to　any　policeman；　let　alone　a　European。
　〃Mona　Leung；　sir。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Mona　Leung。〃　He　nodded　to　her；　kept　his　pale　blue　eyes　on　her　and　saw　a　slight　shiver　of　apprehension　go　through　her。　This　pleased　him。　Up　yours　too；　he　thought；　then　turned　his　attention　back　to　his　prey。
　The　Eurasian；　John　Chen；　was　standing　beside　one　of　the　exits；　alone；　and　this　surprised　him。　Also　that　he　was　nerv