jamesclavell.noblehouse-第117章

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you've　much　to　worry　about。　I　really　don't　understand　why　Pug　sold　out　to　them　anyway。〃
　〃Because　he's　not　his　father。　Since　old　Sir　Thomas　died　General　Stores've　been　slipping。　Still；　Pug　makes　6　million　U。S。　personally　and　has　a　five…year　unbreakable　contract　…　so　he　has　all　the　pleasure　and　none　of　the　headaches　and　the　family's　taken　care　of。　He　wants　to　retire　to　England；　Ascot　and　all　that。〃
　〃Ah！　That's　a　very　good　deal　for　old　Pug！〃　McBride　became　more　serious。　〃Quillan；　the　fifth　race　…　the　interest's　enormous。　I'm　worried　there'll　be　interference。　We're　going　to　increase　surveillance　on　all　the　horses。　There're　rumors　th…　〃
　〃About　doping？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃There're　always　rumors　and　someone　will　always　try。　I　think　the　stewards　do　a　very　good　job。〃
　〃The　stewards　agreed　last　night　that　we'd　institute　a　new　rule：　in　future　we'll　have　an　obligatory　chemical　analysis　before　and　after　each　race；　as　they　do　at　the　major　tracks　in　England　or　America。〃
　〃In　time　for　Saturday？　How're　you　going　to　arrange　that？〃
　〃Dr。　Meng；　the　police　pathologist；　has　agreed　to　be　responsible　…　until　we　have　an　expert　arranged。〃
　〃Good　idea；〃　Gornt　said。
　McBride　sighed。　〃Yes；　but　the　Mighty　Dragon's　no　match　for　the　Local　Serpent。〃　He　turned　and　left。
　Gornt　hesitated；　then　went　to　his　trainer　who　stood　beside　Pilot　Fish　talking　with　the　jockey；　another　Australian；　Bluey　White。　Bluey　White　was　ostensibly　a　manager　of　one　of　Gornt's　shipping　divisions　…　the　title　given　to　him　to　preserve　his　amateur　status。
　〃G'day；　Mr。　Gornt；〃　they　said。　The　jockey　touched　his　forelock。
　〃Morning。〃　Gornt　looked　at　them　a　moment　and　then　he　said　quietly；　〃Bluey；　if　you　win；　you've　a　5；000　bonus。　If　you　finish　behind　Noble　Star；　you're　fired。〃
　The　tough　little　man　whitened。　〃Yes；　guv！〃
　〃You'd　better　get　changed　now；〃　Gornt　said；　dismissing　him。
　〃I'll　win；〃　Bluey　White　said　as　he　left。
　The　trainer　said　uneasily；　〃Pilot　Fish's　in　very　good　fettle；　Mr。　Gornt。　He'll　be　try…　〃
　〃If　Noble　Star　wins　you're　fired。　If　Noble　Star　finishes　ahead　of　Pilot　Fish　you're　fired。〃
　〃My　oath；　Mr。　Gornt。〃　The　man　wiped　the　sudden　sweat　off　his　mouth。　〃I　don't　fix　who　ge…　〃
　〃I'm　not　suggesting　you　do　anything。　I'm　just　telling　you　what's　going　to　happen　to　you。〃　Gornt　nodded　pleasantly　and　strode　off。　He　went　to　the　club　restaurant；　which　overlooked　the　course；　and　ordered　his　favorite　breakfast；　eggs　Benedict　with　his　own　special　hollandaise　that　they　kept　for　his　exclusive　use；　and　Javanese　coffee　that　he　also　supplied。
　On　his　third　cup　of　coffee　the　waiter　came　over。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　you're　wanted　on　the　telephone。〃
　He　went　to　the　phone。　〃Gornt。〃
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Gornt；　this's　Paul　Choy　。。。　Mr。　Wu's　nephew。　。。。　I　hope　I'm　not　disturbing　you。〃
　Gornt　covered　his　surprise。　〃You're　calling　rather　early；　Mr。　Choy。〃
　〃Yes　sir；　but　I　wanted　to　be　in　early　the　first　day；〃　the　young　man　said　in　a　rush；　〃so　I　was　the　only　one　here　a　couple　of　minutes　ago　when　the　phone　rang。　It　was　Mr。　Bartlett；　Linc　Bartlett；　you　know；　the　guy　with　the　smuggled　guns；　the　millionaire。〃
　Gornt　was　startled。　〃Bartlett？〃
　〃Yes　sir。　He　said　he　wanted　to　get　hold　of　you；　implied　it　was　kinda　urgent；　said　he'd　tried　your　home。　I　put　two　and　two　together　and　came　up　with　you　might　be　at　the　workout　and　I'd　better　get　off　my　butt。　I　hope　I'm　not　disturbing　you？〃
　〃No。　What　did　he　say？〃　Gornt　asked。
　〃Just　that　he　wanted　to　talk　to　you；　and　were　you　in　town？　I　said　I　didn't　know；　but　I'd　check　around　and　leave　a　message　and　give　him　a　call　back。〃
　〃Where　was　he　calling　from？〃
　〃The　Vic　and　Albert。　Kowloon　side　662233；　extension　773　…　that's　his　office　extension；　not　his　suite。〃
　Gornt　was　very　impressed。　〃A　closed　mouth　catches　no　flies；　Mr。　Choy。〃
　〃Jesus；　Mr。　Gornt；　that's　one　thing　you　never　need　worry　about；〃　Paul　Choy　said　fervently。　〃My　old　Uncle　Wu　wopped　that　into　us　all　like　there　was　no　tomorrow。〃
　〃Good。　Thanks；　Mr。　Choy。　I'll　see　you　shortly。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Gornt　hung　up；　thought　a　moment；　then　dialed　the　hotel。　〃773　please。〃
　〃Linc　Bartlett。〃
　〃Good　morning　Mr。　Bartlett；　this's　Mr。　Gornt。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　〃Hey；　thanks　for　returning　my　call。　I've　had　disturbing　news　which　sort　of　ties　in　with　what　we　were　discussing。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。　Does　Toda　Shipping　mean　anything　to　you？〃　Gornt's　interest　soared。　〃Toda　Shipping's　a　huge　Japanese　conglomerate；　shipyards；　steel　mills；　heavy　engineering。　Struan's　have　a　two…ship　deal　with　them；　bulk　vessels　I　believe。　Why？〃
　〃It　seems　Toda　have　some　notes　due　from　Struan's；　6　million　in　three　installments　…　on　the　first；　eleventh；　and　fifteenth　of　next　month　…　and　another　6　million　in　90　days。　Then　there's　another　6。8　million　due　on　the　eighth　to　Orlin　International　Bank　…　you　know　them？〃
　With　a　great　effort　Gornt　kept　his　voice　matter…of…fact。　〃I've；　I've　heard　of　them；〃　he　said；　astounded　that　the　American　would　have　such　details　of　the　debts。　〃So？〃　he　asked。
　〃So　I　heard　Struan's　have　only　1。3　million　in　cash；　with　no　cash　reserves　and　not　enough　cash　flow　to　make　payment。　They're　not　expecting　a　significant　block　of　ine　until　they　get　17　million　as　their　share　of　one　of　Kowloon　Investments'　property　deals；　not　due　until　November；　and　they're　20　percent　overextended　at　the　Victoria　Bank。〃
　〃That's　。。。　that's　very　intimate　knowledge；〃　Gornt　gasped；　his　heart　thumping　in　his　chest；　his　collar　feeling　tight。　He　knew　about　the　20　percent　overdraft　…　Plumm　had　told　him　…　all　the　directors　of　the　bank　would　know。　But　not　the　details　of　their　cash；　or　their　cash　flow。
　〃Why're　you　telling　me　this；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃
　〃How　liquid　are　you？〃
　〃I've　already　told　you；　I'm　twenty　times　stronger　than　Struan's；〃　he　said　automatically；　the　lie　ing　easily；　his　mind　churning　the　marvelous　opportunities　all　this　information　unlocked。　〃Why？〃
　〃If　I　go　through　with　the　Struan　deal　he'll　be　using　my　cash　down　payment　to　get　off　the　Toda　and　Orlin　hooks　…　if　his　bank　doesn't　extend　his　credit。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Will　the　Vic　support　him？〃
　〃They　always　have。　Why？〃
　〃If　they　don't；　then　he's　in　big　trouble。〃
　〃Struan's　are　substantial　stockholders。　The　bank　is　obliged　to　support　them。〃
　〃But　he's　overdrawn　there　and　Havergill　hates　him。　Between　Chen's　stock；　Struan's　and　their　nominees；　they've　21　percent。　。。。〃
　Gornt　almost　dropped　the　phone。　〃Where　the　hell　did　you　get　that　information？　No　outsider　could　possibly　know　that！〃
　〃That's　right；〃　he　heard　the　American　say　calmly；　〃but　that's　a　fact。　Could　you　muster　the　other　79　percent？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃If　I　had　a　partner　who　could　put　the　bank　against　him　just　this　once　and　he　couldn't　get　credit　elsewhere　。。。　bluntly：　it's　a　matter　of　timing。　Dunross's　mortally　overextended　and　that　means　he's　vulnerable。　If　his　bank　won't　give　him　credit；　he's　got　to　sell　something　…　or　get　a　new　line　of　credit。　In　either　case　he's　wide　open　for　an　attack　and　ripe　for　a　takeover　at　a　fire…sale　price。〃
　Gornt　mopped　his　brow；　his　brain　reeling。　〃Where　the　hell　did　you　get　all　this　information？〃
　〃Later；　not　now。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃When　we're　down　to　the　short　strokes。〃
　〃How　。。。　how　sure　are　you　your　figures　are　correct？〃
　〃Very。　We've　his　balance　sheets　for　the　last　seven　years。〃
　In　spite　of　his　resolve　Gornt　gasped。　〃That's　impossible！〃
　〃Want　to　bet？〃
　Gornt　was　really　shaken　now　and　he　tried　to　get　his　mind　working。　Be　cautious；　he　admonished　himself。　For　chrissake　control　yourself。　〃If　。。。　if　you've　all　that；　if　you　know　that　and　get　one　last　thing　。。。　their　interlocking　corporate　structure；　if　you　knew　that　we　could　do　anything　we　want　with　Struan's。〃
　〃We've　got　that　too。　You　want　in？〃
　Gornt　heard　himself　say　calmly；　not　feeling　calm　at　all；　〃Of　course。　When　could　we　meet？　Lunch？〃
　〃How　about　now？　But　not　here；　and　not　at　your　office。　This　has　to　be　kept　very　quiet。〃
　Gornt's　heart　hurt　in　his　chest。　There　was　a　rotten　taste　in　his　mouth　and　he　wondered　very　much　how　far　he　could　trust　Bartlett。　〃I'll　。。。　I'll　send　a　car　for　you。　We　could　chat　in　the　car。〃
　〃Good　idea；　but　why　don't　I　meet　you　Hong　Kong　side。　The　Golden　Ferry　Terminal　in　an　hour。〃
　〃Excellent。　My　car's　a　Jag　…　license's　8888。　I'll　be　by　the　taxi　rank。〃
　He　h