jamesclavell.noblehouse-第50部分

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the　usual　post　box　and　destroy　this　as　we　have　agreed。〃
　〃Possession　of　what？〃　Phillip　Chen　had　muttered；　beside　himself　with　anxiety。　His　hands　were　shaking　now　as　he　read　the　second　letter。　It　was　dated　three　weeks　ago。　〃Dear　Mr。　Bartlett。　This　will　confirm　your　arrival　dates。　Everything's　prepared。　I　look　forward　to　seeing　you　again　and　meeting　Mr。　K。　C。　Tcholok。　Thanks　for　the　fifty　cash　which　arrived　safely　…　all　future　monies　are　to　go　to　a　numbered　account　in　Zurich　…　I'll　give　you　the　bank　details　when　you　arrive。　Thank　you　also　for　agreeing　to　our　unwritten　understanding　that　if　I　can　assist　you　in　the　way　I've　claimed　I　can；　then　I'm　in　for　3　percent　of　the　action　of　the　new　Par…Con　（Asia）　Trading　pany。
　〃I　enclose　a　few　more　things　of　interest：　note　the　date　that　Struan's　demand　notes　（countersigned　by　my　father）　bee　due　to　pay　Toda　Shipping　for　their　new　super　container　ships　…　September　1；　11　and　15。　There's　not　enough　money　in　Struan's　till　to　meet　them。
　〃Next：　to　answer　Mr。　Tcholok's　question　about　my　father's　position　in　any　takeover　or　proxy　fight。　He　can　be　neutralized。　Enclosed　photocopies　are　a　sample　of　many　that　I　have。　These　show　a　very　close　relationship　with　White　Powder　Lee　and　his　cousin；　Wu　Sang　Fang　who's　also　known　as　Four　Finger　Wu；　from　the　early　fifties；　and　secret　ownership　with　them　…　even　today　…　of　a　property　pany；　two　shipping　panies　and　Bangkok　trading　interests。　Though　outwardly；　now；　both　pose　as　respectable　businessmen；　property　developers　and　shipping　millionaires；　it's　mon　knowledge　they　have　been　successful　pirates　and　smugglers　for　years　…　and　there's　a　very　strong　rumor　in　Chinese　circles　that　they　are　the　High　Dragons　of　the　opium　trade。　If　my　father's　connection　with　them　was　made　public　it　would　take　his　face　away　forever；　would　sever　the　very　close　links　he　has　with　Struan's；　and　all　the　other　hongs　that　exist　today；　and　most　important；　would　destroy　forever　his　chance　for　a　knighthood；　the　one　thing　he　wants　above　all。　Just　the　threat　of　doing　this　would　be　enough　to　neutralize　him　…　even　make　him　an　ally。　Of　course　I　realize　these　papers　and　the　others　I　have　need　further　documentation　to　stick　in　a　court　of　law　but　I　have　this　already　in　abundance　in　a　safe　place。　。。。〃
　Phillip　Chen　remembered　how；　panic…stricken；　he　had　searched　frantically　for　the　further　documentation；　his　mind　shrieking　that　it　was　impossible　for　his　son　to　have　so　much　secret　knowledge；　impossible　for　him　to　have　Struan's　balance　sheets　of　the　prepublic　days；　impossible　to　know　about　Four　Finger　Wu　and　those　secret　things。
　Oh　gods　that's　almost　everything　I　know　…　even　Dianne　doesn't　know　half　of　that！　What　else　does　John　know　…　what　else　has　he　told　the　American？
　Beside　himself　with　anxiety　he　had　searched　every　envelope　but　there　was　nothing　more。
　〃He　must　have　another　box　somewhere　…　or　safe；〃　he　had　muttered　aloud；　hardly　able　to　think。
　Furiously　he　had　scooped　everything　into　his　briefcase；　hoping　that　a　more　careful　examination　would　answer　his　questions　…　and　slammed　the　box　shut　and　locked　it。　At　a　sudden　thought；　he　had　reopened　it。　He　had　pulled　the　slim　tray　out　and　turned　it　upside　down。　Taped　to　the　underside　were　two　keys。　One　was　a　safety　deposit　box　key　with　the　number　carefully　filed　off。　He　stared　at　the　other；　paralyzed。　He　recognized　it　at　once。　It　was　the　key　to　his　own　safe　in　his　house　on　the　crest。　He　would　have　bet　his　life　that　the　only　key　in　existence　was　the　one　that　he　always　wore　around　his　neck；　that　had　never　been　out　of　his　possession　…　ever　since　his　father　had　given　it　to　him　on　his　deathbed　sixteen　years　ago。
　〃Oh　ko；〃　he　said　aloud；　once　more　consumed　with　rage。
　Dunross　said；　〃You　all　right？　How　about　a　brandy？〃
　〃No；　no　thank　you；〃　Phillip　Chen　said　shakily；　back　in　the　present　now。　With　an　effort　he　pulled　his　mind　together　and　stared　at　the　tai…pan；　knowing　he　should　tell　him　everything。　But　he　dare　not。　He　dare　not　until　he　knew　the　extent　of　the　secrets　stolen。　Even　then　he　dare　not。　Apart　from　many　transactions　the　authorities　could　easily　misconstrue；　and　others　that　could　be　highly　embarrassing　and　lead　to　all　sorts　of　court　cases；　civil　if　not　criminal　…　stupid　English　law；　he　thought　furiously；　stupid　to　have　one　law　for　everyone；　stupid　not　to　have　one　law　for　the　rich　and　another　for　the　poor；　why　else　work　and　slave　and　gamble　and　scheme　to　be　rich　…　apart　from　all　this　he　would　still　have　had　to　admit　to　Dunross　that　he　had　been　documenting　Struan　secrets　for　years；　that　his　father　had　done　so　before　him　…　balance　sheets；　stockholdings　and　other　secret；　very　very　private　personal　family　things；　smugglings　and　payoffs　…　and　he　knew　it　would　be　no　good　saying　I　did　it　just　for　protection；　to　protect　the　House；　because　the　tai…pan　would　rightly　say；　yes　but　it　was　to　protect　the　House　of　Chen　and　not　the　Noble　House；　and　he　would　rightly　turn　on　him；　turn　his　full　wrath　on　him　and　his　brood；　and　in　the　holocaust　of　a　fight　against　Struan's　he　was　bound　to　lose　…　Dirk　Struan's　will　had　provided　for　that　…　and　everything　that　almost　a　century　and　a　half　had　built　up　would　vanish。
　Thank　all　gods　that　everything　was　not　in　the　safe；　he　thought　fervently。　Thank　all　gods　the　other　things　are　buried　deep。
　Then；　suddenly；　some　words　from　his　son's　first　letter　ripped　to　the　forefront　of　his　mind；　〃。。。　Add　to　these　photocopies　the　other　thing　I　told　you　about　。。。〃
　He　paled　and　staggered　to　his　feet。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　tai…pan　。。。　I；　er；　I'll　say　good　night。　I'll　just　fetch　Dianne　and　I　。。。　I'll　。。。　thank　you；　good　night。〃　He　hurried　off　toward　the　house。
　Dunross　stared　after　him；　shocked。
　
　〃Oh；　Casey；〃　Penelope　was　saying；　〃may　I　introduce　Kathren　Gavallan　…　Kathren's　Ian's　sister。〃
　〃Hi！〃　Casey　smiled　at　her；　liking　her　at　once。　They　were　in　one　of　the　antechambers　on　the　ground　floor　among　other　ladies　who　were　talking　or　fixing　their　makeup　or　standing　in　line；　waiting　their　turn　to　visit　the　adjoining　powder　room。　The　room　was　large；　fortable　and　mirrored。　〃You　both　have　the　same　eyes　…　I'd　recognize　the　resemblance　anywhere；〃　she　said。　〃He's　quite　a　man；　isn't　he？〃
　〃We　think　so；〃　Kathren　replied　with　a　ready　smile。　She　was　thirty…eight；　attractive；　her　Scots　accent　pleasing；　her　flowered　silk　dress　long　and　cool。　〃This　water　shortage's　a　bore；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　Must　be　very　difficult　with　children。〃
　〃No；　chérie；　the　children；　they　just　love　it；〃　Susanne　deVille　called　out。　She　was　in　her　late　forties；　chic；　her　French　accent　slight。　〃How　can　you　insist　they　bathe　every　night？〃
　〃My　two　are　the　same。〃　Kathren　smiled。　〃It　bothers　us　parents；　but　it　doesn't　seem　to　bother　them。　It's　a　bore　though；　trying　to　run　a　house。〃
　Penelope　said；　〃God；　I　hate　it！　This　summer's　been　ghastly。　You're　lucky　tonight；　usually　we'd　be　dripping！〃　She　was　checking　her　makeup　in　the　mirror。　〃I　can't　wait　till　next　month。　Kathren；　did　I　tell　you　we're　going　home　for　a　couple　of　weeks　leave　…　at　least　I　am。　Ian's　promised　to　e　too　but　you　never　know　with　him。〃
　〃He　needs　a　holiday；〃　Kathren　said　and　Casey　noticed　shadows　in　her　eyes　and　care　rings　under　her　makeup。　〃Are　you　going　to　Ayr？〃
　〃Yes；　and　London　for　a　week。〃
　〃Lucky　you。　How　long　are　you　staying　in　Hong　Kong；　Casey？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　It　all　depends　on　what　Par…Con　does。〃
　〃Yes。　Andrew　said　you　had　a　meeting　all　day　with　them。〃
　〃I　don't　think　they　went　much　for　having　to　talk　business　with　a　woman。〃
　〃That　is　the　understatement；〃　Susanne　deVille　said　with　a　laugh；　lifting　her　skirts　to　pull　down　her　blouse。　〃Of　course　my　Jacques　is　half　French　so　he　understands　that　women　are　in　the　business。　But　the　English　。。。〃　Her　eyebrows　soared。
　〃The　tai…pan　didn't　seem　to　mind；〃　Casey　said；　〃but　then　I　haven't　had　any　real　dealings　with　him　yet。〃
　〃But　you　have　with　Quillan　Gornt；〃　Kathren　said；　and　Casey；　very　much　on　guard　even　in　the　privacy　of　the　ladies'　room；　heard　the　undercurrent　in　her　voice。
　〃No；〃　she　replied。　〃I　haven't　…　not　before　tonight　…　but　my　boss　has。〃
　Just　before　dinner　she　had　had　time　to　tell　Bartlett　the　story　of　Gornt's　father　and　Colin　Dunross。
　〃Jesus！　No　wonder　Adryon　went　cross…eyed！〃　Bartlett　had　said。　〃And　in　the　billiard　room　too。〃　He　had　thought　a　moment　then　he　had　shrugged。　〃But　all　that　means　is　that　this　puts　more　pressure　on　Dunross。〃
　〃Maybe。　But　their　enmity　goes　deeper　than　anything　I've　experienced；　Linc。　It　could　easily　backfire。〃
　〃I　don't　see　how　…　yet。　Gornt　was　just　opening　up　a　flank　like　a　good　general　should。　If　we　hadn't　had　John　Chen's　advance　information；　what　Gornt　said　could've　been　vital　to　us。　Gornt's　got　no　way　of　knowing　we're　ahead　of　him。　So　he's　stepping　up　the　tempo。　We　haven't　even　got　our　big　guns　out　yet　and　they're　both　wooing　us　already。〃
　〃Have　you　decided　yet　which　one　to　go　with？〃
　〃No。　What's　your　hunch？〃
　〃I　haven't　got　one。　Yet。　They're　both　formidable。　Linc；　do　you　think　John　Chen　was　kidnapped　because　he　was　feeding　us　information？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Why？〃
　〃Before　Gornt　arrived　I　was　intercepted　by　Superintendent　Armstrong。　He　questioned　me　about　what　John　Chen　had　said　last　night；　what　we'd　talked　about；　exactly　what　was　said。　I　told　him　everything　I　could　remember　…　except　I　never　mentioned　I　was　to　take　delivery　of　'it。'　Since　I　still　don't　know　what　'it'　is。〃
　〃It's　nothing　illegal；　Casey。〃
　〃I　don't　like　not　knowing。　Not　now。　It's　getting　。。。　I'm　getting　out　of　my　depth；　the　guns；　this　brutal　kidnapping　and　the　police　so　insistent。〃
　〃It's　nothing　illegal。　Leave　it　at　that。　Did　Armstrong　say　there　was　a　connection？〃
　〃He　volunteered　nothing。　He's　a　strong；　silent　English　gentleman　police　officer　and　as　smart　and　well　trained　as　anything　I've　seen　in　the　movies。　I'm　sure　he　was　sure　I　was　hiding　something。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Linc；　what's　John　Chen　got　that's　so　important　to　us？〃
　She　remembered　how　he　had　studied　her；　his　eyes　deep　and　blue　and　quizzical　and　laughing。
　〃A　coin；〃　he　had　said　calmly。
　〃What？〃　she　had　asked；　astounded。
　〃Yes。　Actually　half　a　coin。〃
　〃But　Linc；　what's　a　coi…　〃
　〃That's　all　I'm　telling　you　now；　Casey；　but　you　tell　me　does　Armstrong　figure　there's　some　connection　between　Chen's　kidnapping　and　the　guns？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Sh