jamesclavell.noblehouse-第199章

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　〃No。　We'll　hold　the　stock。〃　Bartlett　was　not　worried　about　the　Rothwell　stock　loss　for　he　was　well　ahead　on　his　share　of　Gornt's　selling…short　ploy。　〃Why　don't　you　quit　for　the　night；　Seymour？　If　you're　up　we'll　have　breakfast　…　the　three　of　us　…　say　about　eight？〃
　〃Good　idea。　Casey；　you'll　fix　me　with　Dawson？〃
　〃First　thing。　They'll　see　you　in　the　morning　sometime。　The　tai…pan　。。。　Ian　Dunross's　told　them　our　deal's　top　priority。〃
　〃It　should　be；〃　Steigler　said。　〃Our　down　payment　gets　Dunross　off　the　hook。〃
　〃If　he　survives；〃　Casey　said。　〃Here　today；　gone　tomorrow　so　let's　enjoy！〃　It　was　one　of　Steigler's　standard　sayings　and　the　phrase　was　still　ringing　in　Bartlett's　head。　Here　today；　gone　tomorrow　。。。　like　the　fire　last　night。　That　could've　been　bad。　I　could've　bashed　my　head　in　the　way　that　poor　bastard　Pennyworth　did。　You　never　know　when　it's　your　turn；　your　accident；　your　bullet　or　your　act　of　God。　Prom　outside　or　inside。　Like　Dad！　Jesus　…　bronzed　and　healthy；　hardly　sick　a　day　in　his　life；　then　the　doc　says　he's　got　the　big　C　and　in　three　months　he's　wasted　away　and　stinking　and　dying　in　great　pain。
　Bartlett　felt　a　sudden　sweat　on　his　forehead。　It　had　been　a　bad　time　then；　during　his　divorce；　burying　his　father；　his　mother　distraught　and　everything　falling　apart。　Then　finalizing　the　divorce。　The　settlement　had　been　vicious　but　he　had　just　managed　to　retain　control　of　the　panies；　to　pay　her　off　without　having　to　sell　out。　He　was　still　paying　even　though　she'd　remarried　…　along　with　an　escalating　maintenance　for　his　children　as　well　as　future　settlements　…　every　cent　still　hurting；　not　the　money　itself　but　the　unfairness　of　California　law；　the　attorney　in　for　a　third　until　death　us　do　part；　screwed　by　my　attorney　and　hers。　One　day　I'll　have　vengeance　on　them；　Bartlett　grimly　promised　himself　again。　On　them　and　all　the　other　goddamn　parasites。
　With　an　effort　he　thrust　them　aside。　For　today。
　Here　today；　gone　tomorrow；　so　let's　enjoy；　he　repeated　as　he　sipped　his　beer；　tied　his　tie　and　looked　at　himself　in　the　mirror。　Without　vanity。　He　liked　living　within　himself　and　he　had　made　his　peace　with　himself；　knowing　who　he　was　and　what　he　was　about。　The　war　had　helped　him　do　that。　And　surviving　the　divorce；　surviving　her；　finding　out　about　her　and　living　with　it　…　Casey　the　only　decent　thing　that　whole　year。
　Casey。
　What　about　Casey？
　Our　rules　are　quite　clear；　always　have　been。　She　set　them：　If　I　have　a　date　or　she　has　a　date；　we　have　dates　and　no　questions　and　no　recriminations。
　Then　why　is　it　I'm　all　uptight　now　that　I've　decided　to　see　Orlanda　without　telling　Casey？
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Almost　time　to　go。
　There　was　a　half…hearted　knock　on　the　door　and　instantly　it　opened　and　Nighttime　Song　beamed　at　him。　〃Missee；〃　the　old　man　announced　and　stepped　aside。　Casey　was　approaching　down　the　corridor；　a　sheaf　of　papers　and　a　notebook　in　her　hand。
　〃Oh　hi；　Casey；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃I　was　just　going　to　phone　you。〃
　〃Hi；　Linc；〃　she　called　out　and　then　said；　〃Doh　jeh；〃　in　Cantonese　to　the　old　man　as　she　passed。　Her　walk　was　happy　as　she　came　into　the　two…bedroom　suite。　〃Got　some　stuff　for　you。〃　She　handed　him　a　sheaf　of　telexes　and　letters　and　went　to　the　cocktail　bar　to　pour　herself　a　dry　martini。　She　wore　casual；　slim…fitting　gray　pants　and　flat　gray　shoes　with　a　gray　silk　open…necked　shirt。　Her　hair　was　tied　back　and　a　pencil　left　there　was　her　only　decoration。　Tonight　she　was　wearing　glasses；　not　her　usual　contacts。　〃The　first　couple　deal　with　the　GXR　merger。　It's　all　signed；　sealed　and　delivered；　and　we　take　possession　September　2。　There's　a　board　meeting　confirmed　at　3：00　p。m。　in　L。A。　…　that　gives　us　plenty　of　time　to　get　back。　I've　ask…　〃
　〃Turn　down　bed；　Master？〃　Nighttime　Song　interrupted　importantly　from　the　door。
　Bartlett　started　to　say　no；　but　Casey　was　already　shaking　her　head。　〃Um　ho；〃　she　said　pleasantly　in　Cantonese；　pronouncing　the　words　well　and　with　care。　〃Cha　z'er；　doh　jeh。〃　No　thank　you；　please　do　it　later。
　Nighttime　Song　stared　at　her　blankly。　〃Wat？〃
　Casey　repeated　it。　The　old　man　snorted；　irritated　that　Golden　Pubics　had　the　bad　manners　to　address　him　in　his　own　language。　〃Turn　down　bed；　heya？　Now　heya？〃　he　asked　in　bad　English。
　Casey　repeated　the　Cantonese；　again　with　no　reaction；　began　again　then　stopped　and　said　wearily　in　English；　〃Oh　never　mind！　Not　now。　You　can　do　it　later。〃
　Nighttime　Song　beamed；　having　made　her　lose　face。　〃Yes；　Missee。〃　He　closed　the　door　with　just　enough　of　a　slam　to　make　his　point。
　〃Asshole；〃　she　muttered。　〃He　had　to　understand　me；　I　know　I　said　it　right；　Linc。　Why　is　it　they　insist　on　not　understanding？　I　tried　it　on　my　maid　and　all　she　said　was　'wat'　too。〃　She　laughed　in　spite　of　herself　as　she　aped　the　coarse　guttural；　〃Wat　you　say；　heya？〃
　Bartlett　laughed。　〃They're　just　ornery。　But　where'd　you　learn　Chinese？〃
　〃It's　Cantonese。　I　got　a　teacher　…　fitted　in　an　hour　this　morning　…　thought　I　should　at　least　be　able　to　say；　Hi；　Good　morning。　Give　me　the　bill　please　。。。　ordinary　things。　Goddamn　but　it's　plicated。　All　the　tones。　In　Cantonese　there　are　seven　tones　…　seven　ways　of　saying　the　same　word。　You　ask　for　the　check；　it's　mai　dan；　but　if　you　say　it　just　a　little　wrong；　it　means　fried　eggs；　they're　mai　dan　too；　and　one'll　get　you　fifty　the　waiter'll　bring　you　the　fried　eggs　just　to　put　you　down。〃　She　sipped　her　martini　and　added　an　extra　olive。　〃I　needed　that。　You　want　another　beer？〃
　Bartlett　shook　his　head。　〃This's　fine。〃　He　had　read　all　the　telexes。
　Casey　sat　on　the　sofa　and　opened　her　notepad。　〃Vincenzo　Banastasio's　secretary　phoned　and　asked　me　to　confirm　his　suite　for　Saturday　an…　〃
　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　due　in　Hong　Kong。　You？〃
　〃I　think　I　remember　him　saying　something　about　going　to　Asia　the　last　time　we　saw　him　。。。　at　the　track　last　month　…　at　Del　Mar　…　the　time　John　Chen　was　there。　Terrible　about　John；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　hope　they　get　those　Werewolves。　Bastards　to　murder　him　and　put　that　sign　on　him　like　that。〃
　〃I　wrote　a　condolence　note　for　us　to　his　father　and　to　his　wife　Dianne　…　you　remember　we　met　her　at　Ian's　and　at　Aberdeen　…　Jesus；　that　seems　like　a　million　years　ago。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Bartlett　frowned。　〃I　still　don't　remember　Vincenzo　saying　anything。　He　staying　here？〃
　〃No；　he　wants　to　be　Hong　Kong　side。　I　confirmed　the　booking　at　the　Hilton　by　phone　and　I'll　do　it　in　person　tomorrow。　He's　on　JAL's　Saturday　morning　flight　from　Tokyo。〃　Casey　peered　at　him　over　her　glasses。　〃You　want　me　to　schedule　a　meeting？〃
　〃How　long's　he　staying？〃
　〃Over　the　weekend。　A　few　days。　You　know　how　vague　he　is。　How　about　Saturday　after　the　races？　We'll　be　Hong　Kong　side　and　it's　an　easy　walk　from　Happy　Valley　if　we　can't　get　a　ride。〃
　Bartlett　was　going　to　say。　Let's　make　it　Sunday；　but　then　he　remembered　Taipei　on　Sunday。　〃Sure；　Saturday　after　the　races。〃　Then　he　saw　her　look。　〃What？〃
　〃I　was　just　wondering　what　Banastasio's　about。〃
　〃When　he　bought　4　percent　of　our　Par…Con　stock；〃　he　said；　〃we　ran　it　through　Seymour；　the　SEC　and　a　few　others　and　they're　all　satisfied　his　money　was　clean。　He's　never　been　arrested　or　charged；　though　there're　a　lot　of　rumors。　He's　never　given　us　any　trouble；　never　wanted　in　on　any　board；　never　turns　up　for　any　shareholder　meetings；　always　gives　me　his　proxy；　and　he　came　through　with　the　money　when　we　needed　it。〃　He　stared　at　her。　〃So？〃
　〃So　nothing；　Linc。　You　know　my　opinion　of　him。　I　agree　we　can't　take　the　stock　back。　He　bought　it　free　and　clear　and　asked　first；　and　we　sure　as　hell　needed　his　money　and　put　it　to　great　use。〃　She　adjusted　her　glasses　and　made　a　note。　〃I'll　fix　the　meeting　and　be　polite　as　always。　Next：　Our　pany　account　at　the　Victoria　Bank's　operating。　I　put　in　25；000　and　here's　your　checkbook。　We've　established　a　revolving　fund　and　First　Central's　ready　to　transfer　the　initial　7　million　to　the　account　whenever　we　say　so。　There's　a　confirm　telex　there。　I　also　opened　a　personal　account　for　you　at　the　same　bank　…　here's　your　checkbook　with　another　25　grand　…　20　in　an　HK　treasury　bill　on　a　daily　rollover。〃　She　grinned。　〃That　should　buy　a　couple　of　bowls　of　chop　suey　and　a　good　piece　of　jade　though　I　hear　the　phonies　are　hard　to　tell　from　the　real　ones。〃
　〃No　jade。〃　B