jamesclavell.noblehouse-第236章

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aterials　you　require。　Wool。　Rice。　With　my　scheme　you　control　your　own　flow　of　materials；　the　foreign　shippers　get　ships　and　a　steady　cash　flow　to　finance　and　order　more　ships；　to　lease　back；　to　carry　more　and　more　raw　materials　and　more　cars；　more　television　sets；　more　electronic　goods；　and　more　goods　outward　bound　to　the　States　…　and　heavy　industry　plants　and　machines　to　the　rest　of　the　world。　Last；　back　to　your　most　vital　import　of　all：　oil。　Here's　a　suggested　pattern　for　a　new　fleet　of　bulk　oil　carriers；　half　a　million　to　a　million　tons　dead　weight　each。〃
　Toda　gasped　and　abruptly　finished　the　translation　himself。　Astounded；　they　all　sucked　in　their　breath　when　he　mentioned　the　half　a　million　to　a　million　tons。
　Dunross　sat　back　enjoying　the　tension。　He　watched　them　glance　at　one　another；　then　at　Toda；　waiting　for　him　to　react。
　〃I　。。。　I　think　we　had　better　study　your　proposals；　tai…pan；〃　Toda　said；　trying　to　keep　his　voice　level。　〃Obviously　they　are　far…reaching。　May　we　get　back　to　you　later？〃
　〃Yes。　You're　ing　to　the　races　tomorrow？　Lunch'll　be　12：45。〃
　〃Thank　you；　yes；　if　it's　not　too　much　trouble；〃　Toda　said　with　sudden　nervousness；　〃but　it　would　be　impossible　for　us　to　have　an　answer　by　that　time。〃
　〃Of　course。　You　got　your　invitations　and　badges？〃
　〃Yes；　thank　you。　I；　er；　I　hope　everything　turns　out　well　for　you。　Your　proposal　certainly　sounds　far…reaching。〃
　They　left。　For　a　moment　Dunross　allowed　himself　to　enjoy　the　excitement。　I've　got　them；　he　thought。　Christ；　in　a　year　we　can　have　the　biggest　fleet　in　Asia；　all　totally　financed；　with　no　risks　to　financier；　builder；　operator　or　supplier；　with　oil　tankers；　huge　tankers　as　its　nucleus　…　if　we　can　weather　this　typhoon。
　All　I　need's　some　luck。　Somehow　I've　got　to　stave　off　the　crash　till　Tuesday　when　we　sign　with　Par…Con。　Par…Con　pays　for　our　ships；　but　what　about　Orlin　and　what　about　Gornt？
　〃Mr。　Jacques's　on　his　way　up；　tai…pan。　Mr。　Phillip's　in　his　office　and'll　e　up　whenever　you're　ready。　Roger　Crosse　called；　your　appointment's　at　7：00　p。m。　instead　of　6：00。　He　said　Mr。　Sinders's　plane　was　late。　He's　informed　the　governor　and　everyone　connected。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Claudia。〃　He　glanced　at　his　list　of　calls。　He　dialed　the　V　and　A　and　asked　for　Bartlett。　He　was　out。　〃Miss　Tcholok　please。〃
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Hello！　Ian　Dunross　returning　your　call　and　Linc　Bartlett's　call。　How're　things？〃
　There　was　a　slight　pause。　〃Interesting。　Tai…pan；　can　I　drop　by？〃
　〃Of　course。　How　about　cocktails　at　6：15　at　the　Mandarin？　That'd　give　me　half　an　hour…odd　before　my　next　appointment。　Eh？〃　A　twinge　of　anxiety　went　through　him　at　the　thought　of　Crosse；　Sinders　and　AMG's　admonition　about　never　giving　up　the　files。
　〃Is　it　possible　for　me　to　e　by　the　office？　I　could　leave　now　and　be　there　in　half　to　three　quarters　of　an　hour？　I　have　something　to　talk　over　with　you。　I'll　make　it　as　short　as　possible。〃
　〃All　right。　I　may　have　to　keep　you　waiting　a　moment　or　two　but　e　on　over。〃　He　put　the　phone　down；　frowning。　What's　up　there？
　The　door　opened。　Jacques　deVille　came　in。　He　looked　careworn　and　tired。　〃You　wanted　me；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Yes；　sit　down；　Jacques。　I　understood　you　were　going　to　be　on　the　plane　last　night。〃
　〃We　talked；　Susanne　and　I；　and　she　thought　it　best　for　Avril　if　I　waited　a　day　or　two。　。。。〃
　Dunross　listened　with　fascination　as　they　began　to　talk；　still　astounded　that　Jacques　could　be　a　munist　plant。　But　now　he　had　thought　through　the　possibility。　It　was　easily　possible　for　Jacques；　being　young；　an　idealist　and　in　the　Maquis　during　the　hated　and　terrible　Nazi　occupation　of　France　to　have　had　his　idealistic　nationalism　and　anti…Nazi　feelings　channeled　into　munism　…　Christ；　wasn't　Russia　our　ally　in　those　days？　Wasn't　munism　fashionable　everywhere　in　those　days　even　in　America？　Didn't　Marx　and　Lenin　seem　so　sensible　then？　Then。　Before　we　knew　the　truth　about　Stalin；　about　gulags　and　KGB　and　police　state　and　mass　murders　and　mass　conquests　and　never　freedom。
　But　how　could　all　that　munist　nonsense　last　for　someone　like　Jacques？　How　could　someone　like　Jacques　retain　such　convictions　and　keep　them　buried　for　so　long　…　if　indeed　he　is　the　Sevrin　plant　AMG　claimed？
　〃What　did　you　think　of　Grey？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃A　total　cretin；　tai…pan。　He's　far　too　left…wing　for　me。　Even　Broadhurst's　a　little　too　left　for　my　taste。　As　I'm　。。。　I'm　staying　now；　can　I　take　over　Bartlett　and　Casey　again？〃
　〃No；　for　the　time　being　I'll　deal　with　them；　but　you　take　care　of　the　contract。〃
　〃It's　being　drawn　up　now。　I've　already　been　on　to　our　solicitors。　One　slight　problem。　Dawson　met　with　Bartlett's　lawyer；　Mr。　Steigler；　this　morning。　Mr。　Steigler　wants　to　renegotiate　the　payment　schedule　and　put　off　signing　till　next　weekend。〃
　A　wave　of　fury　rushed　through　Dunross。　He　tried　to　keep　it　off　his　face。　That's　got　to　be　the　reason　for　Casey　wanting　a　meeting；　he　thought。　〃I'll　deal　with　that；〃　he　said；　putting　the　problem　aside　for　the　more　pressing　one：　Jacques　deVille；　who　should　be　innocent　until　proven　guilty。
　He　looked　at　him；　liking　the　craggy；　chunky　man；　remembering　all　the　fine　times　they　had　had　in　Avisyard　and　in　France。　He；　Penelope；　Jacques　and　Susanne；　their　children　along　for　Christmas　or　summer　holidays；　good　food　and　good　wine　and　good　laughter　and　great　plans　for　the　future。　Jacques　certainly　the　wisest；　the　most　close…mouthed；　and　until　the　AMG　accusation；　possibly　the　next　in　line。　But　now　you're　not；　not　until　you've　proved　yourself　and　I'm　certain。　Sorry　my　friend；　but　you　must　be　tested。
　〃I'm　making　some　organizational　changes；〃　he　said。　〃Linbar　went　to　Sydney　today　as　you　know。　I'm　going　to　leave　him　there　for　a　month　to　try　to　get　the　Woolara　merger　fixed。　I　don't　hope　for　much。　I　want　you　to　take　over　Australia。〃　He　saw　Jacques's　eyes　widen　momentarily　but　could　not　read　if　it　was　concern　or　happiness。　〃I've　pushed　the　button　on　our　Toda　plan　and　I　w…　〃
　〃How　did　he　take　it？〃
　〃Hook；　line　and　bait。〃
　〃Merde；　but　that　is　great。〃　Dunross　saw　Jacques　beam　and　read　no　guile　in　him。　The　man　had　been　one　of　the　main　planners　for　the　shipping　scheme；　working　out　the　intricacies　of　the　financing。　〃What　a　shame　poor　John's　not　alive　to　know；〃　Jacques　said。
　〃Yes。〃　John　Chen　had　been　working　closely　with　Jacques　deVille。　〃Have　you　seen　Phillip？〃
　〃I　had　dinner　with　him　last　night。　Poor　fellow；　he's　aged　twenty　years。〃
　〃So　have　you。〃
　A　Gallic　shrug。　〃Life；　mon　ami！　But　yes；　yes　I　am　sad　about　poor　Avril　and　poor　Borge。　Please　excuse　me；　I　interrupted　you。〃
　〃I'd　like　you　to　take　over　Australasia　…　effective　today　…　and　be　responsible　for　putting　into　effect　all　our　Australian　and　New　Zealand　plans。　Keep　this　to　yourself　for　the　month　…　I'll　tell　Andrew　only　…　but　get　yourself　organized　and　be　prepared　to　leave　then。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　Jacques　hesitated。
　〃What？　Susanne　never　did　like　Hong　Kong　…　you'll　have　no　problem　there；　will　you？〃
　〃Oh　no；　tai…pan。　Since　the　accident　。。。　frankly　I　was　going　to　ask　you　if　I　could　move　for　a　while。　Susanne's　not　been　happy　here　and　。。。　But　I　was　going　to　ask　if　I　could　take　over　Canada　for　a　year　or　so。〃
　Dunross　was　startled　at　the　new　thought。　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。　I　thought　that　perhaps　I　could　be　useful　there。　My　contacts　among　French…Canadians　are　good；　very　good。　Perhaps　we　could　shift　Struan's　Canadian　office　from　Toronto　to　Montreal　or　to　Ottawa。　I　could　help　very　much　from　there。　If　our　Japanese　connection　goes　through；　we'll　need　wood　pulp；　woods；　copper；　wheat；　coal　and　a　dozen　other　Canadian　raw　materials。〃　He　smiled　wanly；　then　rushed　onward。　〃We　both　know　how　Cousin　David's　been　chomping　to　get　back　out　here　and　I　thought；　if　I　moved　there；　he　could　return。　Actually　he's　better　equipped　to　be　here；　to　deal　with　Australasia；　non？　He　speaks　Cantonese；　a　little　Japanese　and　reads　and　writes　Chinese　which　I　don't。　But　whatever　you　say；　tai…pan。　I'll　take　Australasia　if　you　wish。　It　is　true　I　would　like　a　change。〃
　Dunross　let　his　mind　range。　He　had　decided　to　isolate　Jacques　from　Hong　Kong　while　he　found　out　the　truth。　It　would　be　too　easy　to　tell　Crosse　or　Sinders　secretly　and　ask　them　to　use　their　sources　to　investigate；　to　watch　and　to　probe。　But　Jacques　was　a　member　of　the　Inner　Court。　As　su