el.the miko-第77部分

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　〃Ah；〃　the　Chinese　said；　moving　his　head。　〃Then　your；　ah；　keiretsu　is　not　so　much　involved　in　the　heavy　industries　that　began　your　country's　great　economic　leap　forward。〃　He　put　down　his　sweating　glass；　laced　his　fingers　across　his　small　potbelly。　〃It　is　my　understanding　that　these　industries　such　as　steel　manufacturing…long　the　very　core　of　your　economic　progress…are　in　serious　financial　straits　in　these　days　of　worldwide　recession。〃
　Nangi　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　wondering　just　how　well　this　man　was　informed。　He　might　know　the　worst　of　it　or　again　he　might　be　fishing　in　order　to　corroborate　unconfirmed　reports。　It　was　essential　that　Nangi　answer　him　without　giving　anything　away。
　〃There　is　no　problem　with　our　steel　kobun〃　he　said　carefully。　〃We　have　seen　nothing　but　profits　from　it。〃
　〃Indeed。〃　With　that　one　word　Liu　made　it　clear　that　he　did　not　believe　Nangi's　statement。　〃And　what　of　coal　mining？　Textile　manufacturing？　Petrochemicals；　hm？〃
　〃This　topic　is　of　no　interest　to　me。〃
　Liu　turned　his　high　head　like　a　dog　on　point。　〃And　yet；　Mr。　Nangi；　it　is　of　interest　to　me　why　you　would　wish　to　sell　a　division　of　your　organization　that　in　your　words　has　only　made　profits　for　you。〃
　〃We　are　no　longer　interested　in　manufacturing　steel。〃　Perhaps　he　had　said　it　a　shade　too　quickly。　But　at　least　now　he　knew　the　extent　of　the　Chinese's　knowledge。　It　was　formidable　and　he　was　even　more　on　his　guard　now。
　〃The　real　problem　for　Japan　has；　I　think；　just　begun；〃　Liu　said　much　as　an　instructor　will　inform　a　pupil。　〃Your　golden　age　of　unlimited　global　economic　expansion　has　e　to　an　end。　In　years　gone　by　you　could　export　your　finished　product　into　foreign　markets　where　they　were　snapped　up　immediately　over　their　domestic　petition。　It　gave　you　not　only　profits；　of　course；　but　an　ever…expanding　level　of　employment　in　your　own　country。
　〃But　now　times　have　changed。〃　Liu's　fingers　unlaced；　spread　like　a　starfish；　and　closed　down　again；　settling　back　on　his　stomach。　〃Let　us　take　as　our　example　one　of　your　greatest　successes：　automobiles。　Your　invasion　of　the　United　States'　domestic　auto　market　has　caused　a　spate　of　unemployment　in　that　country　and　not　long　ago　forced　one　of　its　giant　corporations　to　the　brink　of　financial　dissolution。
　〃You　know　as　well　as　I　do　how　slow　the　Americans　are　to　take　the　initiative。〃　He　smiled　thinly。　〃But　sooner　or　later　the　deepest　sleeper　must　awake；　and　when　his　strength　is　as　vast　as　is　America's；　the　awakening　can　be　quite　rude。　Repeatedly　now　you　have　been　slapped　with　import　quotas　from　the　U。S。　government。
　〃Now　you　are　beginning　to　understand　what　it　is　like　to　fence　in　the　international　arena。　In　order　to　survive　you　must　export　capital　and　technology；　building　new　Nissan　plants　in　Tennessee　instead　of　in　Kanda。　That　means　less　Japanese　employment；　less　profits。　Your　era　of　free　trade　has　ended。〃
　Despite　the　truth　in　what　Liu　was　saying　Nangi　detected　a　strong　streak　of　jealousy　in　the　other　man's　words。　Wouldn't　the　Chinese　love　to　be　in　our　economic　position；　he　thought　dryly。
　〃And　then　there　is　Yawata；〃　Liu　continued。　He　was　referring　to　Japan's　magnificent　Yawata　Steel　Works；　the　oldest　and　largest　of　the　country's　coastal　mills；　which　began　manufacturing　in　1901。　〃Curious；　I　think。　It　is　an　historic　relic　of　other　times　yet　since　1973　your　government　has　shoveled　more　than　three　billion　dollars　into　updating　and　refining　Yawata's　technology。　And　what　has　it　availed　them？　Today　Yawata　is　in　far　worse　shape　than　it　was　after　the　oil　shock　of　1973。　At　least　then　the　government　could　take　economizing　measures；　streamlining　operations；　severely　rationing　fuel　consumption。　All　those　steps　allowed　Yawata's　operations　to　continue　unabated。
　〃But　today　those　measures　are　still　in　effect；　and　because　the　worldwide　market　has　shrunk　so　significantly；　Yawata's　work　force　has　dropped　from　sixty…one　thousand　in　1969　to　less　than　twenty…four　thousand　today。　Three　of　Nippon　Steel's　blast　furnaces　are　currently　idle　and　a　number　of　their　subsidiary　plants　have　closed　down。
　〃The　American　steel　industry　would；　I　think；　be　delighted　to　return　to　the　seventy　percent　capacity　Yawata　is　currently　running　at。　But　Japan　is　simply　not　geared　for　such　reductions。　And　what　can　you　do？　In　America　Bethlehem　can　lay　off　their　workers；　in　your　country　your　political　and　social　structure　does　not　allow　you　to　fire　your　employees。〃
　Liu　paused　here　as　if　he　expected　Nangi　to　make　some　kind　of　ment。　When　he　did　not；　Liu　seemed　slightly　put　out　and　his　tone　when　he　spoke　again　was　rather　more　sharp。　〃The　end　result　of　this　little　talk；〃　he　said　crisply；　〃is　that　your　keiretsu；　like　most　others；　is　currently　going　through　an　organizational　upheaval。　And　that；　as　we　both　know；　takes　capital。　With　cash　flow　weakened　you　have　been　dipping　rather　heavily　into　your　reserves。〃
　〃We　are　quite　solid。〃
　〃Solid　perhaps。〃　Liu　shrugged。　〃But　I　am　doubtful　that　you　have　enough　reserves　now　to　save　the　All…Asia　Bank。〃
　If　he　is　going　to　offer　me　aid　from　the　other　side　I　shall　have　to　strike　him　across　his　head　with　my　stick；　Nangi　thought。
　〃What　do　the　munists　want　with　the　All…Asia　Bank？〃
　〃Oh；　we　don't　want　any　part　of　it；〃　Liu　said　conversationally。　〃Rather；　we　wish　a　piece　of　your　keiretsu。〃
　Nangi；　despite　having　extended　all　his　feelers　for　clues；　was　thunderstruck。
　〃Oh；　we're　willing　to　pay　a　high　premium　for　the　privilege；〃　Liu　said　into　the　silence；　privately　hating　the　necessity　for　observing　the　niceties　of　conversation　among　equals　just　as　if　he　were　not　face　to　face　with　a　barbarian。　〃An　extremely　high　premium。　It　is　clear　that　the　keiretsu　needs　to　be　underwritten；　we　will　provide　the　new　infusion　of　capital。〃
　〃I'm　not　interested；〃　Nangi　said；　almost　strangling　on　his　hatred　for　this　man　and　all　he　stood　for。
　〃Please　be　kind　enough　to　allow　me　to　plete　my　offer　before　hastily　setting　it　aside；〃　Liu　forced　his　lips　into　the　configuration　of　a　smile。　Well；　he　thought；　what　can　you　expect　from　the　Japanese。　They　do　not　have　our　long　centuries　of　breeding；　they　merely　appropriated　from　our　culture　that　which　they　required　in　order　to　raise　themselves　up　from　the　level　of　the　slavering　beast。　But；　oh；　Buddha；　they　have　not　e　far！
　〃Our　offer　is　this；〃　he　said。　〃You　relinquish　to'　us　one…third　interest　in　your　keiretsu　and　we　will　deliver　to　you；　divided　into　six　semi…yearly　payments；　the　sum　of　five　hundred　million　dollars。〃
　At　first　Nangi　was　not　at　all　certain　that　he　had　heard　correctly。　But；　staring　into　that　long　Manchu　face；　he　had　no　doubts。　Five　hundred　million　dollars！　His　mind　immediately　embraced　all　the　things　made　possible　by　such　an　incredible　infusion　of　capital。　My　God；　he　thought　wildly；　we　could　leap　to　the　top　if　we　are　careful　and　courageous　and；　yes；　just　a　bit　lucky。
　This　was　much　more　money　than　he　could　ever　hope　to　get　out　of　Tomkin　Industries　should　their　merger　go　through。　It　was　more　capital　than　he　could　hope　to　get　from　any　other　source。　He　was　absolutely　certain　Liu　knew　this。　Too；　only　the　Chinese　could　e　up　with　enough　ready　capital　to　see　the　All…Asia　through　the　immediate　crisis　of　the　bank　run。　That　above　all　else　must　be　his　primary　concern。　If　the　All…Asia　went　he　knew　the　entire　keiretsu　would　soon　follow。　Tenchi　had　put　him　in　a　delicate　and　severely　undercapitalized　position。　Anthony　Chin's　treachery　might　be　the　final　straw　that　broke　the　whole　business　empire　apart。　For　that　Nangi　would　curse　him　and　all　his　progeny　to　the　end　of　his　days。
　But　Nangi　had　to　ask　himself　what　the　Chinese　really　wanted　out　of　this　deal。　They　did　not　easily　part　with　such　tremendous　amounts　of　money。　Profits；　yes。　But　they　could　get　profits　in　a　number　of　different　areas　and　with　a　much　smaller　outlay。　Nangi's　mind　raced　to　find　the　answer　to　a　question　he　knew　Liu　would　never　willingly　provide　him　with。　But　there　were　other　answers　which　the　Chinese　would　have　to　give　him　and　perhaps　if　he　asked　the　right　questions　Liu　would　give　him　the　solution　without　knowing　it。
　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Liu；〃　he　said　now；　〃what　do　your　people　propose　to　do　with　your　one…third　interest？〃
　〃Do？〃　he　said；　shifting　in　his　chaise。　〃I　do　not　follow　you。〃
　The　young　Chinese　girl　had　been　joined　by　another　and　Nangi　was　hard　put　to　discern　which　one　was　wearing　the　skimpier　suit。　A　wicker　basket　now　sat　between　them；　a　treasure　chest　on　the　sand　from　which　one　took　a　bottle　of　wine；　pouring　them　both　half　tumblers　of　the　pale　gold　liquid。　As　they　lay　back　on　their　blankets　he　could　see　the　soft；　succulent　swells　of　their　breasts。
　〃It's　quite　simple；〃　Nangi　said　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　girls；　they　were　a　good　deal　more　pleasant　to　look　at　than　the　man　reclining　beside　him。　〃Before　I　even　consider　allowing　an　outside；　er；　firm　access　to　the　keiretsu…no　matter　the　price…I　need　to　know　what　it　intends　to　do　with　its　investment。〃
　〃Why；　make　money；　of　course；〃　Liu　said。　〃What　other　possible　reason　could　we　have？〃
　Nangi　smiled　thinly　as　he　spread　his　hands。　〃You　may　be　able　to　understand　my　caution。　I　have　had　little　contact　with　members　of。。　。your　firm。〃
　〃Perfectly　understandable；〃　Liu　said　a　bit　more　amiably；　he　had　begun　to　sense　a　thaw。　〃I　would　suspect　your　own　motives　if　I　did　not　detect　your　caution。　This　is；　after　all；　not　the　sort　of　business　deal　one　puts　together　every　day。　In　some　ways　we　are　a　very　young　country；　Mr。　Nangi。　The　world　outside　the　Divine　Kingdom　is　new　to　us。　Very　simply　put；　there　are　those　currently　in　power　in　Peking　who　wish　to　probe　the　beginnings　of　an　Oriental　Alliance。　They　feel　a　business　partnership…strictly　business…is　a　sensible　way　in　which　to；　er；　get　the　ball　rolling。〃
　As　if　on　cue；　the　two　Chinese　girls　were　packing　up　their　belongings。　The　sun　seemed　very　hot　even　here　in　the　protection　of　the　veranda…while　they　talked　all　the　ice　had　melted　in　the　pitcher　of　tea…and　the　dazzle　of　the　water　was　blinding；　like　strips　of　endless　gold。
　〃Though　this　is　an　extraordinary　opportunity；〃　Liu　continued　as　he　mopped　his　forehead　with　a　handkerchief；　〃time　is　of　the　essence　and　once　you　leave　China〃…he　shrugged…〃I　fear　it　will　no　longer　obtain。〃
　〃Surely　you　cannot　expect　me　to　make　such　a　monumental　judgment　concerning　my　keiretsu　in　the