jamesclavell.noblehouse-第151章

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　〃That's　Lando　Mata。　He's　also　Portuguese；　from　Macao。〃　Gavallan　wondered　achingly　if　Dunross　would　manage　to　persuade　Mata　to　e　to　their　rescue　with　all　his　millions。　What　would　I　do　if　I　was　tai…pan？　he　asked　himself　wearily。　Would　I　buy　tomorrow；　or　make　a　deal　with　Mata　and　Tightfist　tonight？　With　their　money；　the　Noble　House　would　be　safe　for　generations；　though　out　of　our　control。　No　point　in　worrying　now。　Wait　till　you're　tai…pan。　Then　he　saw　Mata　smiling　at　Orlanda　and　then　both　of　them　looked　over　and　began　to　thread　their　way　toward　them。　His　eyes　watched　her　firm　breasts；　free　under　the　silk。　Taut　nipples。　Good　God；　he　thought；　awed；　even　Venus　Poon　wouldn't　dare　do　that。　When　they　came　up　he　introduced　them　and　stood　back；　odd　man　out；　wanting　to　watch　them。
　〃Hello；〃　Orlanda　said　warmly　to　Casey。　〃Linc　told　me　so　much　about　you　and　how　important　you　are　to　him。〃
　〃And　I've　heard　about　you　too；〃　Casey　said　as　warmly。　But　not　enough。　You're　much　more　lovely　than　Linc　indicated；　she　thought。　Very　much　more。　So　you're　Orlanda　Ramos。　Beautiful　and　soft…spoken　and　feminine　and　a　bitch　piranha　who　has　set　her　sights　on　my　Linc。　Jesus；　what　do　I　do　now？
　She　heard　herself　making　small　talk　but　her　mind　was　still　thinking　Orlanda　Ramos　through。　On　the　one　hand　it　would　be　good　for　Linc　to　have　an　affair；　she　thought。　It　would　take　the　heat　out　of　him。　Last　night　was　as　lousy　for　him　as　it　was　for　me。　He　was　right　about　me　moving　out。　But　once　this　one's　magic　surrounds　him　could　I　extract　him？　Would　she　be　just　another　girl　like　the　others　that　were　nothing　to　me　and　after　a　week　or　so；　nothing　to　him　either？
　Not　this　one；　Casey　decided　with　finality。　I've　got　two　choices。　I　either　stick　to　thirteen　weeks　and　four　days　and　do　battle；　or　don't　and　do　battle。
　She　smiled。　〃Orlanda；　your　dress　is　fantastic。〃
　〃Thanks。　May　I　call　you　Casey？〃
　Both　women　knew　the　war　had　begun。
　Bartlett　was　delighted　that　Casey　obviously　liked　Orlanda。　Gavallan　watched；　fascinated　by　the　four　of　them。　There　was　a　strange　warmth　among　them　all。　Particularly　between　Bartlett　and　Orlanda。
　He　turned　his　attention　to　Mata　and　Casey。　Mata　was　suave；　filled　with　old　world　charm；　concentrating　on　Casey；　playing　her　like　a　fish。　I　wonder　how　far　he'll　get　with　this　one。　Curious　that　Casey　doesn't　seem　to　mind　Orlanda　at　all。　Surely　she's　noticed　that　her　boyfriend's　smitten？　Perhaps　she　hasn't。　Or　perhaps　she　couldn't　care　less　and　she　and　Bartlett　are　just　business　partners　and　nothing　else。　Perhaps　she's　a　dyke　after　all。　Or　maybe　she's　just　frigid　like　a　lot　of　them。　How　sad！
　〃How　do　you　like　Hong　Kong；　Miss　Casey？〃　Mata　asked；　wondering　what　she　would　be　like　in　bed。
　〃Afraid　I　haven't　seen　much　of　it　yet　though　I　did　go　out　to　the　New　Territories　on　the　hotel　tour　and　peek　into　China。〃
　〃Would　you　like　to　go？　I　mean　really　go　into　China？　Say　to　Canton？　I　could　arrange　for　you　to　be　invited。〃
　She　was　shocked。　〃But　we're　forbidden　to　go　into　China　。。。　our　passports　aren't　valid。〃
　〃Oh；　you　wouldn't　have　to　use　your　passport。　The　PRC　doesn't　bother　with　passports。　So　few　quai　loh　go　into　China　there's　no　problem。　They　give　you　a　written　visa　and　they　stamp　that。〃
　〃But　our　State　Department　。。。　I　don't　think　I'd　risk　it　right　now。〃
　Bartlett　nodded。　〃We're　not　even　supposed　to　go　into　the　munist　store　here。　The　department　store。〃
　〃Yes；　your　government　really　is　very　strange；〃　Mata　said。　〃As　if　going　into　a　store　is　subversive！　Did　you　hear　the　rumor　about　the　Hilton？〃
　〃What　about　it？〃
　〃The　story　is　that　they　bought　a　marvelous　collection　of　Chinese　antiques　for　the　new　hotel；　of　course　all　locally。〃　Mata　smiled。　〃It　seems　that　now　the　U。S。　has　decided　they　can't　use　any　of　it；　even　here　in　Hong　Kong。　It's　all　in　storage。　At　least　that's　the　story。〃
　〃It　figures。　If　you　can't　make　it　in　the　States；　you　join　the　government；〃　Bartlett　said　sourly。
　〃Casey；　you　should　decide　for　yourself；〃　Mata　said。　〃Visit　the　store。　It's　called　China　Arts　and　Crafts　on　Queen's　Road。　The　prices　are　very　reasonable　and　the　munists　really　don't　have　horns　and　barbed　tails。〃
　〃It's　nothing　like　what　I　expected；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃Casey；　you'd　freak　out　at　some　of　the　things。〃
　〃You've　been？〃　she　asked；　surprised。
　〃Sure。〃
　〃I　took　Mr。　Bartlett　this　morning；〃　Orlanda　explained。　〃We　happened　to　be　passing。　I'd　be　glad　to　go　shopping　with　you　if　you　wish。〃
　〃Thanks；　I'd　like　that；〃　Casey　said　as　nicely；　all　her　danger　signals　up。　〃But　we　were　told　in　L。A。　the　CIA　monitors　Americans　who　go　in　and　out　because　they're　sure　it's　a　munist　meeting　place。〃
　〃It　looked　like　an　ordinary　store　to　me；　Casey；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃I　didn't　see　anything　except　a　few　posters　of　Mao。　You　can't　bargain　though。　All　prices're　written　out。　Some　of　the　biggest　bargains　you　ever　did　see。　Pity　we　can't　take　them　back　home。〃　There　was　a　total　embargo　on　all　goods　of　Chinese　origin　into　the　States；　even　antiques　that　had　been　in　Hong　Kong　a　hundred　years。
　〃That's　no　problem；〃　Mata　said　at　once；　wondering　how　much　he　would　make　as　a　middleman。　〃If　there's　anything　you　want　I'd　be　happy　to　purchase　it。〃
　〃But　we　still　can't　get　it　into　the　States；　Mr。　Mata；〃　Casey　said。
　〃Oh　that's　easy　too。　I　do　it　for　American　friends　all　the　time。　I　just　send　their　purchases　to　a　pany　I　have　in　Singapore　or　Manila。　For　a　tiny　fee　they　send　it　to　you　in　the　States　with　a　certificate　of　origin；　Malaya　or　the　Philippines；　whichever　you'd　prefer。〃
　〃But　that'd　be　cheating。　Smuggling。〃
　Mata；　Gavallan　and　Orlanda　laughed　outright　and　Gavallan　said；　〃Trade's　the　grease　of　the　world。　Embargoed　goods　from　the　U。S。　or　Taiwan　find　their　way　to　the　PRC；　PRC　goods　go　to　Taiwan　and　the　U。S。　…　if　they're　sought　after。　Of　course　they　do！〃
　〃I　know；〃　Casey　said；　〃but　I　don't　think　that's　right。〃
　〃Soviet　Russia's　mitted　to　your　destruction　but　you　still　trade　with　her；〃　Gavallan　said　to　Bartlett。
　〃We　don't　ourselves；〃　Casey　said。　〃Not　Par…Con；　though　we've　been　approached　to　sell　puters。　Much　as　we　like　profits　they're　a　no…no。　The　government　does；　but　only　on　very　carefully　controlled　goods。　Wheat；　things　like　that。〃
　〃Wherever　there's　a　willing　buyer　of　anything；　there'll　always　be　a　seller；〃　Gavallan　said；　irritated　by　her。　He　glanced　out　of　the　windows　and　wished　he　was　back　in　Shanghai。　〃Take　Vietnam；　your　Algiers。〃
　〃Sir？〃　Casey　said。
　Gavallan　glanced　back　at　her。　〃I　mean　that　Vietnam　will　bleed　your　economy　to　death　as　it　did　to　France　and　as　Algiers　also　did　to　France。〃
　〃We'll　never　go　into　Vietnam；〃　Bartlett　said　confidently。　〃Why　should　we？　Vietnam's　nothing　to　do　with　us。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　Mata　said；　〃but　nevertheless　the　States　is　having　a　growing　involvement　there。　In　fact；　Mr。　Bartlett；　I　think　you're　being　sucked　into　the　abyss。〃
　〃In　what　way？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃I　think　the　Soviets　have　deliberately　enticed　you　into　Vietnam。　You'll　send　in　troops　but　they　won't。　You'll　be　fighting　Viets　and　the　jungle；　and　the　Soviets　will　be　the　winners。　Your　CIA's　already　there　in　strength。　They're　running　an　airline。　Even　now　airfields　are　being　constructed　with　U。S。　money；　U。S。　arms　are　pouring　in。　You've　soldiers　fighting　there　already。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　Casey　said。
　〃You　can。　They're　called　Special　Forces；　sometimes　Delta　Force。　So　sorry　but　Vietnam's　going　to　be　a　big　problem　for　your　government　unless　it's　very　smart。〃
　Bartlett　said　confidently；　〃Thank　God　it　is。　JFK　handled　Cuba。　He'll　handle　Vietnam　too。　He　made　the　Big　K　back　off　there　and　he　can　do　it　again。　We　won　that　time。　The　Soviets　took　their　missiles　out。〃
　Gavallan　was　grimly　amused。　〃You　should　talk　to　Ian　about　Cuba；　old　chap；　that　really　gets　him　going。　He　says；　and　I　agree；　you　lost。　The　Soviets　sucked　you　into　another　trap。　A　fool's　mate。　He　believes　they　built　their　sites　almost　openly　…　wanting　you　to　detect　them　and　you　did　and　then　there　was　a　lot　of　saber…rattling；　the　whole　world's　frightened　to　death；　and　in　exchange　for　the　Soviet　agreement　to　take　the　missiles　out　of　Cuba　your　President　tore　up　your　Monroe　Doctrine；　the　cornerstone　of　your　whole　security　system。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Certainly。　Didn't　JFK　give　Khrushchev　a　written　promise　not　to　invade　Cuba；　not　to　per