el.the miko-第78部分

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　〃Surely　you　cannot　expect　me　to　make　such　a　monumental　judgment　concerning　my　keiretsu　in　the　blink　of　an　eye？〃　Nangi　said；　turning　his　head　toward　Liu　and　away　from　the　girls；　who　were　busy　brushing　sand　from　their　sleek；　oiled　thighs。
　〃On　the　contrary；　Mr。　Nangi；〃　Liu　said；　tapping　a　long…nailed　finger　against　a　portion　of　his　silk　suit　directly　over　his　heart；　〃I　expect　nothing。　Rather　it　is　you　who　must　deal…and　deal　quickly…　with　the　All…Asia's　unfortunate　difficulties。　Bank　runs　are　like　wildfire　here；　Mr。　Nangi。　Once　the　Chinese　get　something　into　their　heads　it　is　often　an　astoundingly　short　time　before　matters　get　out　of　control。　The　Royal　Hong　Kong　Police　are　well　aware　of　this　peculiarity　and　thus　seek　to　thwart　congregating　masses。　A　flame　in　and　of　itself　is　not　a　particularly　dangerous　element。　But　lit　at　a　gas　station；　well。。。〃　Liu's　hands　spread。
　〃So　you　may　take　all　the　time　you　wish；　Mr。　Nangi。　Please　do　not　feel　any　pressure　from　this　quarter　to　e　to　a　decision。〃　He　reached　into　an　inside　pocket　of　his　jacket。　〃However；　in　a　friendly　effort；　to；　er；　provide　you　with　some　assistance；　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　having　the　papers　drawn　up。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Nangi　thought　about　the　implications　of　this　for　quite　some　time。
　Liu　could　not　quite　keep　the　smug　smile　off　his　face。　〃Despite　some　curious　Western　depictions　we　run　quite　a　well…oiled　machine。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Nangi　said；　hating　this　man　with　a　much　more　detached　passion　now；　〃I　can　see　that。〃
　〃Oh；　no；　Mr。　Nangi。　You　will　pardon　me　for　saying　so；　but　you　do　not　see　it　at　all。〃　Liu　paused　as　the　two　Chinese　girls；　ing　in　off　the　beach；　wiped　their　sandy　feet　on　the　lowest　step　of　the　veranda。　His　deep　avian　eyes　studied　the　face　of　one…the　tall　one　who　had　been　on　the　beach　when　Nangi　had　first　arrived…　as　if　his　gaze　could　penetrate　the　shadows　as　well　as　the　cascade　of　thick　hair　that　fell　across　one　shoulder。　In　a　moment　they　were　gone；　stepping　silently　past　the　two　men　into　the　interior　of　the　villa。
　〃We　shall　have　dinner　soon；〃　Liu　said。　〃Local　langoustes　and　garoupa；　as　well　as　braised　sun　bear　paw；　quite　the　delicacy　here。〃　His　attitude　had　altered　somewhat　at　the　approach　of　the　women　and　Nangi　struggled　with　that　fleeting　change；　trying　to　divine　its　essence。
　〃But；　back　to　the　topic　at　hand；〃　Liu　continued　somewhat　more　briskly。　〃We　are　very　well　coordinated　in　Hong　Kong；　far　better　and　more　extensively　than　the　British　would　dare　consider。〃　His　shoulders　lifted　and　fell。　〃And　why　not？　Hong　Kong　is　our　property；　after　all。　The　true　Government　of　China　has　never　recognized　a　treaty　signed　under　duress；　when　a　different　age　caused　men　to　act　dishonorably。　We　tolerate　the　British　rule　because　it　is　useful　to　us。　I　would　not　deny　how　lucrative　it　is　for　us。　That　would　be　foolish。〃　Liu　stood　up　abruptly。　〃But　I'll　let　you　in　on　a　little　secret。〃　He　reached　into　his　inside　jacket　pocket　and　revealed　a　multipage　document　folded　twice　on　itself。　Carefully；　he　placed　the　document　on　the　small　table　between　them　before　continuing。
　His　eyes　seemed　to　glow　with　an　inner　light。　〃The　recent　land　boom　is　ours。〃　His　head　bobbed。　〃Yes；　it　is　true；　Mr。　Nangi。　The　recent　six…year　real　estate　spiral　was　instigated　by　us。　You　see；　we　had　planned　all　along　to　make　our　announcement　repudiating　the　Crown　Colony's　right　to　govern　here。　But　first　we　had　to　bring　home　to　them　the　true　import　of　the　situation　within　which　they　would　one　day　find　themselves。〃
　Liu　was　smiling　now　with　an　evil　triumph。　〃Nowadays；　you　see；　it　is　we　who　are　the　master。　We　say　'Jump！'　and　the　Queen　jumps。　The　whole　world　saw　it。　Her　Majesty's　loss　of　face　was　enormous　in　hastening　here　and　abasing　herself　at　our　feet　in　order　to　ensure　her　country's　continued　interests　in　this　quarter　of　the　world。
　〃But　that　humiliation　would　not　have　been　so　great；　Britain's　situation　quite　so　dire　without　the　illustration　of　how；　with　a　few　well…chosen　words；　we　are　able　to　shake　the　Western　economy　of　this　Colony；　of　how　we　are　able　to　affect　the　finances　of　so　many。〃
　Liu's　fingers　were　clasped　behind　his　back。　〃Even　you；　Mr。　Nangi；　must　admit　that　our　latest　five…year　plan　is　a　brilliant　one；　the　only　way　to　gain　our　goal：　the　eventual　total　control　of　the　vast　monetary　flow　in　and　out　of　Hong　Kong。〃
　Nangi　reached　for　the　folded　document　and　began　to　read　it　assiduously　in　order　to　calm　himself。　God　in　heaven；　he　thought。　If　the　Crown's　authorities　ever　got　wind　of　this　they'd　have　a　collective　stroke　at　the　very　least。　Surely　the　Colony's　chief　of　police　and　internal　security　would　be　given　the　ax。　How　could　this　kind　of　manipulation　have　gone　on　right　under　their　noses？　It　must　have　been　vast！　Ah；　Madonna；　they're　all　fools　here！　My　own　people　were　totally　foxed。　And　I　was　convinced　they　were　well　informed。　Why　should　the　officials　here　be　any　different？
　But　debating　unanswered　questions　was　a　waste　of　time　and　he　quickly　turned　his　mind　to　other　matters。　First　and　foremost；　the　contract。　On　initial　reading　it　appeared　to　be　hardnosed　but　essentially　fair。　There　were　no　hidden　strings；　no　floating　clauses　that　Liu　had　not　brought　up。
　Nangi　raised　his　head　for　a　moment；　ing　up　for　air。　〃I　see　here　on　page　three　that　the　first　inflow　of　capital　doesn't　mence　until　ninety　days　after　the　signing　of　this　contract。〃
　Liu　nodded；　delighted　they　had　gotten　this　far。　〃That　is　correct。　There　are　a　number　of；　er；　realistic　entanglements　at　gathering　and　transshipping　that　large　an　amount　of　money。〃
　〃Gold。〃
　〃If　that　is　your　wish。　It　will　be　handled　via　the　Sun　Wa　Trading　pany。〃
　〃But　surely　your。。。　ah。。。　firm　is　of　a　sufficient　size　to　begin　payment　on　signing。〃
　Now　Liu's　long　face　looked　pained。　His　hands；　ing　around　from　behind　his　back；　were　like　prehensile　hooks。　〃Regrettably；　accelerating　the　timetable　of　payments　is　impossible。　My　firm　has　a　number　of　prior　mitments　that　it　must　see　to　concluding　first。　There　just　isn't　enough　capital　for　another　ninety　days　or　so。〃
　Nangi　sat　up；　grasping　the　white　jade　dragon　head　of　his　walking　stick。　Now　we　e　to　the　nub　of　it　all；　he　thought。　I　must　outmaneuver　him　here　or　not　at　all。　〃Mr。　Liu；　as　you　yourself　have　said；　my　situation　vis…a…vis　the　All…Asia　Bank　is　critical。　If　I　am　forced　to　wait　three　months　for　your　money；　I　will　lose　tha　part　of　my　keiretsu。　That　would　not　be　in　either　of　our　interests。〃　And　Nangi　thought　desperately；　How　I　wish　we　were　already　one　with　the　American　pany　so　that　I　could　call　down　then…capital。　But　he　saw　the　impossibility　of　the　situation。　Even　had　Sato's　kobun　merged　with　Sphynx　he　did　not　believe　that　the　pany　could　have　provided　enough　money　within　the　deadline　period。　Maddeningly；　Liu　was　right。　He　had　to　stave　off　the　run　before　it　became　a　stampede。　Otherwise　no　amount　of　infused　capital　would　save　the　bank。
　Liu　said　nothing；　tapped　his　fingertips　together　to　an　odd　internal　rhythm。
　〃Time　is　of　the　essence　for　me　as　well　as　for　you；〃　Nangi　said；　carefully　feeding　emotion　into　his　voice。　〃If　I　decide　to　sign…　and　as　you　have　said　that　must　be　before　I　leave　Hong　Kong…　then　there　must　be　a　rider　that　specifies　delivery　of　enough　capital　to　cover　the　anticipated　run　and　the　short…term　obligations…say　the　next　six　months…the　bank　is　required　to　pay。〃　Nangi；　concealing　all　emotion　from　his　face　and　voice；　took　a　mental　deep　breath。　It　was　sink　or　swim　now；　he　knew。　〃Thirty…five　million　dollars；　U。S。；　payable　no　later　than　twelve　hours　after　signing。〃
　Liu　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Beneath　the　sounds　of　the　quiet　surf　they　could　hear　the　small；　forting　clinks　as　the　women　worked　in　the　kitchen。　Liu　required　of　all　his　women　that　they　be　able　to　cook；　and　cook　well。　He　tapped　the　side　of　a　nail　against　his　pursed　lips。
　〃You　drive　a　hard　bargain。　That　is　a　not　inconsiderable　sum。〃
　〃You　ought　to　know；〃　Nangi　said；　gambling。　〃You're　the　one　who　got　me　into　this。〃
　Liu　managed　a　smile。　Nangi　took　that　as　a　sign　that　the　Chinese　could　not　contain　his　pride　and　he　thought；　I'm　leading　him　in　the　right　direction。
　〃Perhaps；　after　all；　something　of　the　sort　could　be　arranged。〃　Liu　nodded　as　if　in　final　decision。　〃Yes。　I　believe　that　we　might　be　able　to　deduct　that　much　from　the　first　of　the　payments　to　the　keiretsu。〃
　Oh；　no；　you　don't；　Nangi　thought。　〃The　thirty…five　million　is　over　and　above　the　purchase　price；　totally　independent　and　non…recoverable。　I　don't　want　the　bank's　financial　operations　tied　to　the　keiretsu　in　any　way。　Ultimately　that　would　hamper　our　profit　potential　here；　as　well　you　know。〃
　Nangi's　heart　thudded　wildly　as　Liu　considered　the　proposition。　His　hooded　eyes　revealed　nothing。　Nangi　knew　that　this　was　his　chance：　an　immediate　bailout；　an　infusion　of　desperately　needed　capital　in　exchange　for　a　third　interest　in　the　keiretsu。　Troublesome　but　not　crucial。　Between　them；　he　and　Sato　could　veto　anything　the　munists　wanted　that　they　did　not。　Besides；　working　with　and　not　against　the　munists　in　their　own　country　would　bring　its　own　rewards。
　Liu；　for　his　part；　was　taking　somewhat　longer　than　Nangi　judged　he　needed　to　make　the　decision。　He　was　as　still　as　a　statue；　his　parchmentlike　skin　glowing　in　the　light。　At　length　he　stirred；　as　a　constrictor　will　when　it　has　roused　itself　from　a　long　somnolence　and　is　preparing　itself　to　feed　again。
　〃It　can　be　done；〃　Liu　said。　〃In　that　event；　however；　we　would　require　that　you　sign　over　to　us　a　somewhat　larger　portion　of　your　keiretsu。　Fifty…one　percent。〃
　Nangi　showed　none　of　the　terror　that　gripped　his　heart　in　that　terrible　frozen　moment。　Fifty…one　percent！　Jesus；　Joseph；　and　Mary；　he　thought。　Sato　and　I　will　lose　control　of　our　own　pany！
　〃I　should　not　be　making　this　offer　at　all；　you　know。〃　Liu's　voice　had　turned　plummy。　〃My　government　does　not　easily　cast　that　much　money　on　the；　er；　international　waters。〃　He　leaned　forward。　〃But　I　see　that　you　are　much　like　your　pany　and　that　pleases　me。　Together　we　can　make　a　fortune　here　and　in　your　country。〃　He　stood　up。　〃It　has　been　a　long　day　for　us　both。　I　trust　you　are　as　famished　as　I　am。〃
　He　smiled　down　at　Nangi。　〃This　offer　is　one　of　a　kind。　I　would　caution　you　about　that。　Six　P。M。　tomorrow　is　the　deadline。　And　that　is　absolute。〃　He　lifted　a　hand；　the　perfect　host。　〃And　now　to　the　f