jamesclavell.noblehouse-第107章

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　〃Nor　am　I；〃　Bartlett　agreed。　〃No　snake；　dog　or　anything　exotic。〃
　〃Snake's　very　good　in　season；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Especially　the　bile　…　mixed　with　tea。　It's　very　invigorating；　a　great　pick…me…up！　And　little　young　chow　dog　stewed　in　oyster　sauce　is　just　perfect。〃
　〃You've　tried　it？　You've　tried　dog？〃　She　was　shocked。
　〃I　was　told　it　was　chicken。　It　tasted　a　lot　like　chicken。　But　never　eat　dog　and　drink　whiskey　at　the　same　time；　Casey。　They　say　it　turns　the　meat　into　lumps　of　iron　that'll　give　you　a　very　hard　time　indeed。　。。。〃
　He　was　listening　to　himself　make　jokes　and　inconsequential　small　talk　while　he　was　watching　Jacques　and　Susanne　getting　into　a　taxi。　His　heart　went　out　to　them　and　to　Kathy　and　to　all　the　others　and　he　wanted　to　get　on　the　plane　himself；　to　rush　there　and　bring　Avril　back　safely　…　such　a　nice　girl；　part　of　his　family。　。。。
　How　in　the　name　of　Christ　do　you　live　as　a　man；　rule　the　Noble　House　and　stay　sane？　How　do　you　help　the　family　and　make　deals　and　live　with　all　the　rest　of　it？
　〃That's　the　joy　and　the　hurt　of　being　tai…pan；〃　Dirk　Struan　had　said　to　him　in　his　dreams；　many　times。
　Yes；　but　there's　very　little　joy。
　You're　wrong　and　Dirk's　right　and　you're　being　far　too　serious；　he　told　himself。　The　only　serious　problems　are　Par…Con；　the　boom；　Kathy；　AMG's　papers；　Crosse；　John　Chen；　Toda　Shipping；　and　the　fact　that　you　turned　down　Lando　Mata's　offer；　not　necessarily　in　that　order。　So　much　money。
　What　is　it　I　want　out　of　life？　Money？　Power？　Or　all　China？
　He　saw　Casey　and　Bartlett　watching　him。　Since　these　two've　arrived；　he　thought；　I've　had　nothing　but　trouble。　He　looked　back　at　them。　She　was　certainly　worth　looking　at　with　her　tight　pants　and　clinging　blouse。　〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　he　said；　deciding　that　tonight　he　would　like　some　Cantonese　food。
　They　heard　the　page　bell　and　saw　the　paging　board　and　the　name　was　〃Miss　K。　C。　Shuluk。〃　Dunross　beckoned　the　youth。　〃He'll　show　you　to　the　phone；　Casey。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　She　got　up。　Eyes　followed　the　long；　elegant　legs　and　her　sensuous　walk　…　the　women　jealous；　hating　her。
　〃You're　a　son　of　a　bitch；〃　Bartlett　said　calmly。
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　grinned　and　that　took　the　curse　off　everything。　〃20　to　1　says　Taipei　was　a　probe　…　but　I'm　not　calling　you　on　it；　Ian。　No。　I　was　rough　last　night　…　had　to　be；　so　maybe　I　deserved　a　roasting。　But　don't　do　that　a　second　time　with　Casey　or　I'll　hand　you　your　head。〃
　〃Will　you　now？〃
　〃Yes。　She's　off　limits。〃　Bartlett's　eyes　went　back　to　Casey。　He　saw　her　pass　the　Marlowe　table；　stop　a　second　and　greet　them　and　their　children；　then　go　on　again。　〃She　knows　she　wasn't　invited。〃
　Dunross　was　perturbed。　〃Are　you　sure？　I　thought　。。。　I　didn't　cover　properly？　The　moment　I　realized　you　hadn't　told　her　yet　。。。　Sorry；　thought　I'd　covered。〃
　〃Hell；　you　were　perfect！　But　five'll　still　get　you　ten　she　knows　she　wasn't　invited。〃　Bartlett　smiled　again；　and；　once　more；　Dunross　wondered　what　was　under　the　smile。　I'll　have　to　watch　this　bugger　more　closely；　he　thought。　So　Casey's　off　limits；　is　she？　I　wonder　what　he　really　meant　by　that？
　Dunross　had　chosen　the　foyer　deliberately；　wanting　to　be　seen　with　the　now　famous　…　or　infamous　Bartlett　and　his　lady。　He　knew　it　would　fuel　rumors　of　their　impending　deal　and　that　would　further　agitate　the　stock　market　and　put　the　punters　off　balance。　If　the　Ho…Pak　crashed；　provided　it　did　not　bring　other　banks　down　with　it；　the　boom　could　still　happen。　If　Bartlett　and　Casey　would　bend　a　little；　he　thought；　and　if　I　could　really　trust　them；　I　could　make　a　killing　of　killings。　So　many　ifs。　Too　many。　I'm　out　of　control　of　this　battle　at　the　moment。　Bartlett　and　Casey　have　all　the　momentum。　How　far　will　they　cooperate？
　Then　something　Superintendent　Armstrong　and　Brian　Kwok　had　said　triggered　a　vagrant　thought　and　his　anxiety　increased。
　〃What　do　you　think　of　that　fellow　Banastasio？〃　he　asked；　keeping　his　voice　matter…of…fact。
　〃Vincenzo？〃　Bartlett　said　at　once。　〃Interesting　guy。　Why？〃
　〃Just　wondering；〃　Dunross　said；　outwardly　calm　but　inwardly　shocked　that　he　had　been　right。　〃Have　you　known　him　long？〃
　〃Three　or　four　years。　Casey　an'　I　have　gone　to　the　track　with　him　a　few　times　…　to　Del　Mar。　He's　a　big…time　gambler　there　and　in　Vegas。　He'll　bet　50；000　on　a　race　…　so　he　told　us。　He　and　John　Chen　are　quite　friendly。　Is　he　a　friend　of　yours？〃
　〃No。　I've　never　met　him　but　I　heard　John　mention　him　once　or　twice；〃　he　said；　〃and　Tsu…yan。〃
　〃How　is　Tsu…yan？　He's　another　gambler。　When　I　saw　him　in　L。A。；　he　couldn't　wait　to　get　to　Vegas。　He　was　at　the　track　the　last　time　we　were　there　with　John　Chen。　Nothing　yet　on　John　or　the　kidnappers？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Rotten　luck。〃
　Dunross　was　hardly　listening。　The　dossier　he　had　had　prepared　on　Bartlett　had　given　no　indication　of　any　Mafia　connections　…　but　Banastasio　linked　everything。　The　guns；　John　Chen；　Tsu…yan　and　Bartlett。
　Mafia　meant　dirty　money　and　narcotics；　with　a　constant　search　for　legitimate　fronts　for　the　laundering　of　money。　Tsu…yan　used　to　deal　heavily　in　medical　supplies　during　Korea　…　and　now；　so　the　story　went；　he　was　heavily　into　gold　smuggling　in　Taipei；　Indonesia　and　Malaya　with　Four　Finger　Wu。　Could　Banastasio　be　shipping　guns　to　。。。　to　whom？　Had　poor　John　Chen　stumbled　onto　something　and　was　he　kidnapped　for　that　reason？
　Does　that　mean　part　of　Par…Con's　money　is　Mafia　money　…　is　Par…Con　Mafia…dominated　or　controlled　by　Mafia？
　〃I　seem　to　remember　John　saying　Banastasio　was　one　of　your　major　stockholders；〃　he　said；　stabbing　into　the　dark　again。
　〃Vincenzo's　got　a　big　chunk　of　stock。　But　he's　not　an　officer　or　director。　Why？〃
　Dunross　saw　that　now　Bartlett's　blue　eyes　were　concentrated　and　he　could　almost　feel　the　mind　waves　reaching　out；　wondering　about　this　line　of　questioning。　So　he　ended　it。　〃It's　curious　how　small　the　world　really　is；　isn't　it？〃
　
　*　*　*
　
　Casey　picked　up　the　phone；　inwardly　seething。　〃Operator；　this　is　Miss　Tcholok。　You've　a　call　for　me？〃
　〃Ah　one　moment　plees。〃
　So　I'm　not　invited　to　Taipei；　she　was　thinking　furiously。　Why　didn't　the　tai…pan　just　e　out　and　say　it　and　not　twist　things　around　and　why　didn't　Linc　tell　me　about　it　too？　Jesus；　is　he　under　the　tai…pan's　spell　like　I　was　last　night？　Why　the　secret？　What　else　are　they　cooking？
　Taipei；　eh？　Well　I've　heard　it's　a　man's　place　so　if　all　they're　after's　a　dirty　weekend　it's　fine　with　me。　But　not　if　it's　business。　Why　didn't　Linc　say？　What's　there　to　hide？
　Casey's　fury　began　to　grow；　then　she　remembered　what　the　Frenchwoman　had　said　about　beautiful　Chinoise　so　readily　available　and　her　fury　turned　to　an　untoward　anxiety　for　Linc。
　Goddamn　men！
　Goddamn　men　and　the　world　they've　made　exclusively　to　fit　themselves。　And　it's　worse　here　than　anywhere　I've　ever　been。
　Goddamn　the　English！　They're　all　so　smooth　and　smart　and　their　manners　great　and　they　say　please　and　thank　you　and　get　up　when　you　e　in　and　hold　your　chair　for　you　but；　just　under　the　surface；　they're　just　as　rotten　as　any　others。　They're　worse。　They're　hypocrites；　that's　what　they　are！　Well　I'll　get　even。　One　day　we'll　play　golf；　Mr。　Tai…pan　Dunross　and　you'd　better　be　good　because　I　can　play　down　to　ten　on　a　good　day　…　I　learned　about　golf　in　a　man's　world　early　…　so　I'll　rub　your　nose　in　it。　Yes。　Or　maybe　a　game　of　pool　…　or　billiards。　Sure；　and　I　know　what　reverse　English　is　too。
　Casey　thought　of　her　father　with　a　sudden　shaft　of　joy；　and　how　he　had　taught　her　the　rudiments　of　both　games。　But　it　was　Linc　who　taught　her　how　to　stab　low　on　the　left　side　with　the　cue　to　give　the　ball　a　twist　to　the　right　to　swerve　around　the　eight　ball　…　showed　her　when；　foolishly；　she　had　challenged　him　to　a　game。　He　had　slaughtered　her　before　he　gave　her　any　lessons。
　〃Casey；　you'd　better　make　sure　you　know　all　a　man's　weak　points　before　you　battle　with　him。　I　wiped　the　board　with　you　to　prove　a　point。　I　don't　play　games　for　pleasure　…　just　to　win。　I'm　not　playing　games　with　you。　I　want　you；　nothing　else　matters。　Let's　forget　the　deal　we　made　and　get　married　and　。。。〃
　That　was　just　a　few　months　after　she　had　started　working　for　Linc　Bartlett。　She　was　just　twenty　and　already　in　love　with　him。　But　she　still　wanted　revenge　on　the　other　man　more；　and　independent　w