jamesclavell.noblehouse-第119章

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　〃This　all　depends　on　whether　your　figures　are　correct　…　the　amounts　and　the　dates。〃
　〃Check　them　out。　There　must　be　a　way　you　can　do　that　…　enough　to　convince　yourself。〃
　〃Why　the　sudden　change；　Mr。　Bartlett？　You　said　you'd　wait　till　Tuesday　…　perhaps　later。〃
　〃We've　done　some　checking　and　I　don't　like　the　figures　I've　e　up　with。　We　owe　Dunross　nothing。　We'd　be　crazy　to　go　with　him　when　he's　so　weak。　As　it　is；　what　I'm　offering　you　is　a　great　gamble；　great　odds：　the　Noble　House　against　2　lousy　million。　If　we　win　that'd　be　parlayed　into　hundreds　of　millions。〃
　〃And　if　we　fail？〃
　Bartlett　shrugged。　〃Maybe　I'll　go　home。　Maybe　we'll　work　out　a　Rothwell…Gornt…Par…Con　deal。　You　win　sometimes　and　you　lose　a　lot　more　times。　But　this　raid's　too　good　not　to　try　it。　Without　you　it'd　never　work。　I've　seen　enough　of　Hong　Kong　to　know　it　has　its　own　special　rules。　I've　no　time　to　learn　them。　Why　should　I　…　when　I've　got　you。〃
　〃Or　Dunross？〃
　Bartlett　laughed　and　Gornt　read　no　guile　in　him。　〃You're　not　stretched；　you're　not　vulnerable；　he　is　…　that's　his　bad　luck。　What　d'you　say？　Is　the　raid　on？〃
　〃I'd　say　you're　very　persuasive。　Who　gave　you　the　information　…　and　the　document？〃
　〃Tuesday　I'll　tell　you。　When　Struan's　have　crashed。〃
　〃Ah；　there's　a　payoff　to　Mister　X？〃
　〃There's　always　a　payoff。　It'll　e　off　the　top；　but　no　more　than　5　percent　…　any　more　es　out　of　my　share。〃
　〃Two　o'clock　Friday；　Mr。　Bartlett？　That's　when　I　decide　to　buy　back　in　and　perhaps　lose　your　2　million　…　or　we　confer　and　continue　the　surge？〃
　〃Friday　at　two。〃
　〃If　we　continue　over　the　weekend　you'll　cover　any　further　risk　with　further　funds？〃
　〃No。　You　won't　need　any　more。　2　million's　tops。　By　Friday　afternoon　either　his　stock　will　be　way　down　and　we'll　have　him　running　scared；　or　not。　This's　no　long…term；　well…organized　raid。　It's　a　once；　er；　a　onetime　attempt　to　fool's　mate　an　opponent。〃　Bartlett　grinned　happily。　〃I　risk　2　lousy　million　for　a　game　that　will　go　down　in　history　books。　In　less　than　a　week　we　knock　off　the　Noble　House　of　Asia！〃
　Gornt　nodded；　torn。　How　far　can　I　trust　you；　Mr。　Bloody　Raider；　you　with　the　key　to　Devil　Dunross？　He　glanced　out　of　the　window　and　watched　a　child　skulling　a　boat　among　the　junks；　the　sea　as　safe　and　familiar　to　her　as　dry　land。　〃I'll　think　about　what　you　said。〃
　〃How　long？〃
　〃Till　eleven。〃
　〃Sorry；　this's　a　raid；　not　a　business　deal。　It's　now　…　or　not　at　all！〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃There's　a　lot　to　do；　Mr。　Gornt。　I　want　this　settled　now　or　not　at　all。〃
　Gornt　glanced　at　his　watch。　There　was　plenty　of　time。　A　call　to　the　right　Chinese　newspaper　and　whatever　he　told　them　would　be　on　the　stands　in　an　hour。　He　smiled　grimly　to　himself。　His　own　ace　in　the　hole　was　Havergill。　Everything　dovetailed　perfectly。
　A　seabird　cawed　and　flew　inland；　riding　some　thermals　toward　the　Peak。　He　watched　it。　Then　his　eyes　noticed　the　Great　House　on　the　crest；　white　against　the　green　of　the　slopes。　〃It's　a　deal；〃　he　said　and　stuck　out　his　hand。　Bartlett　shook。　〃Great。　This　is　strictly　between　us？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Where　d'you　want　the　2　million？〃
　〃The　Bank　of　Switzerland　and　Zurich；　in　Zurich；　account　number　181819。〃　Gornt　reached　into　his　pocket；　noticing　his　fingers　were　trembling。　〃I'll　write　it　down　for　you。〃
　〃No　need。　The　account's　in　your　name？〃
　〃Good　God；　no！　Canberra　Limited。〃
　〃Canberra　Limited's　2　million　richer！　And　in　three　days　with　any　luck；　you'll　be　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House。　How　about　that！〃　Bartlett　opened　the　door　and　got　out。　〃See　you。〃
　〃Wait；〃　Gornt　said；　startled；　〃I'll　drop　you　wh…　〃
　〃No　thanks。　I've　got　to　get　to　a　phone。　Then　at　9：15　I've　an　interview　with　your　friend　Orlanda；　Miss　Ramos　…　thought　there　was　no　harm　in　it。　After　that　maybe　I'll　take　a　few　pictures。〃　He　waved　cheerily　and　walked　off。
　Gornt　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　hands。　Before　leaving　the　club　he　had　phoned　Orlanda　to　phone　Bartlett　and　make　the　date。　That's　very　good；　he　thought；　still　in　shock。　She'll　keep　an　eye　on　him　once　they're　lovers；　and　they　will　be；　Casey　or　not。　Orlanda　has　too　much　to　gain。
　He　watched　Bartlett；　envying　him。　In　a　few　moments　the　American　had　vanished　into　the　crowds　of　Wanchai。
　Suddenly　he　was　very　tired。　It's　all　too　pat；　too　fine；　too　easy；　he　told　himself。　And　yet　。。。　and　yet！　Shakily　he　lit　a　cigarette。　Where　did　Bartlett　get　those　papers？
　Inexorably　his　eyes　went　back　to　the　Great　House　on　the　Peak。　He　was　possessed　by　it　and　by　a　hatred　so　vast　that　it　swept　his　mind　back　to　his　ancestors；　to　Sir　Morgan　Brock　whom　the　Struans　broke；　to　Gorth　Brock　whom　Dirk　Struan　murdered；　to　Tyler　Brock　whom　his　daughter　betrayed。　Without　wishing　it；　he　renewed　the　oath　of　vengeance　that　he　had　sworn　to　his　father；　that　his　father　had　sworn　to　his　…　back　to　Sir　Morgan　Brock　who；　penniless；　destroyed　by　his　sister；　Hag　Struan；　paralyzed；　a　shell　of　a　man；　had　begged　for　vengeance　on　behalf　of　all　the　Brock　ghosts　on　the　Noble　House　and　all　the　descendents　of　the　most　evil　man　who　had　ever　lived。
　Oh　gods　give　me　strength；　Quillan　Gornt　prayed。　Let　the　American　be　telling　the　truth。　I　will　have　vengeance。
　
　28
　
　10：50　A。M。：
　The　sun　bore　down　on　Aberdeen　through　a　slight　overcast。　The　air　was　sultry；　ninety…two　degrees　Fahrenheit　with　ninety　percent　humidity。　It　was　low　tide。　The　smell　of　rotting　kelp　and　offal　and　exposed　mudflats　added　to　the　oppressive　weight　of　the　day。
　There　were　five　hundred　or　more　sullen　impatient　people　jamming　against　one　another；　trying　to　surge　through　the　bottleneck　of　barriers　ahead　that　the　police　had　erected　outside　this　branch　of　Ho…Pak。　The　barriers　allowed　only　one　person　through　at　a　time。　Men　and　women　of　all　ages；　some　with　infants；　were　constantly　jostling　each　other；　no　one　waiting　a　turn；　everyone　trying　to　inch　forward　to　get　to　the　head　of　the　line。
　〃Look　at　the　bloody　fools；〃　Chief　Inspector　Donald　C。C。　Smyth　said。　〃If　they'd　stretch　out　and　not　crowd　they'd　all　get　through　quicker；　and　we　could　leave　one　copper　here　to　keep　order　and　the　rest　of　us　could　go　to　lunch　instead　of　getting　the　riot　squad　ready。　Do　it！〃
　〃Yes　sir；〃　Divisional　Sergeant　Mok　said　politely。　Ayeeyah；　he　was　thinking　as　he　walked　over　to　the　squad　car；　the　poor　fool　still　doesn't　understand　that　we　Chinese　are　not　stupid　foreign　devils　…　or　devils　from　the　Eastern　Sea　…　who'll　line　up　patiently　for　hours。　Oh　no；　we　civilized　persons　understand　life　and　it's　every　man　for　himself。　He　clicked　on　the　police　transmitter。　〃Divisional　Sergeant　Mok！　The　chief　inspector　wants　a　riot　squad　here　on　the　double。　Park　just　behind　the　fish　market　but　keep　in　contact！〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Mok　sighed　and　lit　a　cigarette。　More　barriers　had　been　erected　across　the　street；　outside　Blacs　and　the　Victoria　Aberdeen　branches；　and　more　at　the　Ching　Prosperity　Bank　around　the　corner。　His　khaki　uniform　was　ironed　sharp　on　the　creases　and　there　were　big　sweat　rings　under　his　arms。　He　was　very　concerned。　This　crowd　was　very　dangerous　and　he　did　not　want　a　repetition　of　yesterday。　If　the　bank　shut　its　doors　before　three　he　was　sure　the　crowd　would　tear　the　place　apart。　He　knew　that　if　he　still　had　any　money　in　there；　he　would　be　the　first　to　tear　the　door　open　to　get　his　money。　Ayeeyah；　he　thought；　very　thankful　for　the　Snake's　authority　that　had　unlocked　all　their　money　this　morning　to　the　last　penny。
　〃Piss　on　all　banks！〃　Mok　muttered　to　no　one。　〃All　gods；　let　the　Ho…Pak　pay　all　customers　today！　Let　it　fail　tomorrow！　Tomorrow's　my　day　off　so　let　it　fail　tomorrow。〃　He　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。
　〃Sergeant　Major？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Look　over　there！〃　the　eager　young　plainclothes　detective　said；　hurrying　up　to　him。　He　wore　spectacles　and　was　in　his　early　twenties。　〃By　the　Victoria　Bank。　The　old　woman。　The　old　amah。〃
　〃Where？　Oh　yes；　I　see　her。〃　Mok　watched　her　for　a　while　but　detected　nothing　untoward。　Then　he　saw　her　scuttle　through　the　crowd　and　whisper　to　a　young　tough；　wearing　jeans；　who　was　leaning　against　a　railing。　She　pointed　to　an　old　man　who　had　just　e　out　of　the　bank。　At　once　the　young　tough　sauntered　after　him　and　the　old　amah　squeezed　and　squirmed　and　cursed　her　way　back　to　the　head　of　the　barrier　where　she　could　see　those　who　entered　and　those　who　came　out。
　〃That's