jamesclavell.noblehouse-第247章

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　Johnjohn　shook　his　head。　〃I　doubt　it。　If　I　ever　bee　tai…pan　of　the　bank　I'm　going　to　see　it's　wholly　owned　by　its　stockholders　and　controlled　by　directors　appointed　by　them。〃
　〃It　is　now。　We　just　own　21　percent　of　the　bank。〃
　〃You　used　to　own　21　percent。　That　stock's　pledged　against　your　revolving　fund　which　you　can't　and　probably　never　will　repay。　Besides；　21　percent　is　not　control；　thank　God。〃
　〃It　very　nearly　is。〃
　〃My　whole　point。〃　Johnjohn's　voice　was　metallic。　〃That's　dangerous　for　the　bank；　very　dangerous。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃I　do。　I　want　11　percent　back。〃
　〃No　sale；　old　lad。〃
　〃When　I'm　tai…pan；　old　lad；　I'll　get　it　by　hook　or　by　crook。〃
　〃We'll　see。〃
　〃When　I'm　tai…pan　I'm　going　to　make　lots　of　changes。　All　these　locks　for　example。　No　master　keys；　privately　owned。〃
　〃We'll　see。〃　Dunross　smiled。
　
　On　Kowloon　side；　Bartlett　jumped　from　the　wharf　to　the　pitching　boat；　helped　Orlanda　aboard。　Automatically　she　kicked　off　her　high　heels　to　protect　the　fine　teak　deck。
　〃Wele　aboard　the　Sea　Witch；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Evening；　Orlanda；〃　Gornt　said　with　a　smile。　He　was　at　the　helm　and　at　once　he　motioned　to　his　deckhand　who　cast　off　from　the　wharf　that　was　near　the　Kowloon　ferry　terminal。　〃I'm　delighted　you　accepted　my　invitation　to　dinner；　Mr。　Bartlett。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　I　had　one　until　Orlanda　told　me　half　an　hour　ago　。。。　hey；　this's　a　great　boat！〃
　Gornt　jovially　put　the　engines　into　slow　astern。　〃Until　an　hour　ago　I　didn't　know　you　two　were　going　to　dinner　by　yourselves。　I　presumed　you'd　never　seen　Hong　Kong　harbor　by　night　so　I　thought　it'd　make　a　change　for　you。　There　were　a　couple　of　things　I　wanted　to　discuss　privately　so　I　asked　Orlanda　if　she'd　mind　if　I　invited　you　aboard。〃
　〃I　hope　it　was　no　trouble　to　e　Kowloon　side。〃
　〃No　trouble；　Mr。　Bartlett。　It's　routine　to　pick　up　guests　here。〃　Gornt　smiled　a　secret　smile；　thinking　about　Orlanda　and　all　the　other　guests　he　had　fetched　from　this　Kowloon　wharf　over　the　years。　Deftly　Gornt　backed　the　motor　cruiser　away　from　the　Kowloon　dock　near　Golden　Ferry　where　the　waves　slapped　the　quay　dangerously。　He　put　the　engine　levers　into　half　ahead　and　swung　the　tiller　starboard　to　get　out　into　the　roads　and　set　a　westerly　course。
　The　boat　was　seventy　feet；　trim；　elegant；　sparkling　and　she　handled　like　a　speedboat。　They　were　on　the　bridge　deck；　glass…sided；　open　to　the　air　aft；　awnings　overhead　tight　and　crackling　in　the　breeze；　the　wake　churning。　Gornt　wore　rough；　casual　sea　clothes；　a　light　reefer　jacket　and　a　jaunty　peaked　cap　sporting　the　Yacht　Club　emblem。　The　clothes　and　his　trimmed　black；　gray…flecked　beard　suited　him。　He　swayed　easily　with　the　motion　of　the　boat；　very　much　at　home。
　Bartlett　was　watching　him；　at　home　too　in　sneakers　and　casual　sweat　shirt。　Orlanda　was　beside　him　and　he　could　feel　her　though　they　were　not　touching。　She　wore　a　dark　evening　pants　suit　and　a　shawl　against　the　sea　cold　and　she　stood　swaying　easily；　the　wind　in　her　hair；　tiny　without　shoes。
　He　looked　aft　across　the　harbor　at　the　ferries；　junks；　liners　and　the　immense　bulk　of　the　battle…gray　nuclear　carrier；　her　decks　floodlit；　her　flag　fluttering　bravely。　A　jet　shrieked　into　the　night　sky　from　Kai　Tak　and　ining　jets　approaching　Kowloon　were　stacked　up。
　He　could　not　see　the　airport　or　his　own　airplane　from　this　angle　but　he　knew　where　it　was　parked。　This　afternoon　he　had　visited　it　with　police　permission　to　check　and　fetch　some　papers　and　provisions。
　Orlanda；　beside　him；　touched　him　casually　and　he　looked　at　her。　She　smiled　back　and　he　was　warmed。
　〃Great；　isn't　it？〃
　Happily　she　nodded。　There　was　no　need　to　answer。　Both　knew。
　〃It　is；〃　Gornt　said；　thinking　that　Bartlett　was　talking　to　him　and　looked　around　at　him。　〃It's　grand　to　be　afloat　at　night；　master　of　your　own　craft。　We　go　west；　then　almost　due　south　around　Hong　Kong　…　about　three　quarters　of　an　hour。〃　He　beckoned　his　captain　who　was　nearby；　a　silent　lithe　Shanghainese　wearing　neat；　starched　white　ducks。
　〃Shey…shey；〃　thank　you；　the　man　said　taking　the　helm。
　Gornt　waved　to　the　chairs　aft　around　a　table。　〃Shall　we？〃　He　glanced　at　Orlanda。　〃You're　looking　very　pretty；　Orlanda。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。
　〃You're　not　too　cold？〃
　〃Oh　no；　Quillan；　thank　you。〃
　A　liveried　steward　came　from　below。　On　his　tray　were　hot　and　cold　canapés。　In　the　ice　bucket　beside　the　table　was　an　opened　bottle　of　white　wine；　four　glasses；　two　cans　of　American　beer　and　some　soft　drinks。　〃What　can　I　offer　you；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃　Gornt　asked。　〃The　wine's　Frascati　but　I　hear　you　prefer　iced　cold　beer　out　of　the　can？〃
　〃Tonight　Frascati　…　beer　later；　if　I　may？〃
　〃Orlanda？〃
　〃Wine　please；　Quillan；〃　she　said　calmly；　knowing　that　he　knew　she　preferred　Frascati　to　any　other　wine。　I'll　have　to　be　very　wise　tonight；　she　thought；　very　strong　and　very　wise　and　very　clever。　She　had　agreed　to　Gornt's　suggestion　at　once　for　she；　too；　loved　the　water　at　night　and　the　restaurant　was　a　favorite　though　she　would　have　preferred　to　have　been　alone　with　Linc　Bartlett。　But　it　was　clearly　an　。。。　No；　she　thought；　correcting　herself。　It　wasn't　an　order；　it　was　a　request。　Quillan's　on　my　side。　And　in　this；　my　side　and　his　side　have　the　same　aim　in　mon：　Linc。　Oh　how　I　enjoy　Linc！
　When　she　looked　at　him　she　saw　he　was　watching　Gornt。　Her　heart　quickened。　It　was　like　once　when　Gornt　had　taken　her　to　Spain　and　she　had　seen　a　mano　a　mano。　Yes；　these　two　men　are　like　matadors　tonight。　I　know　Quillan　still　desires　me　whatever　he　says。　She　smiled　back　at　him；　her　excitement　in　place。　〃Wine　would　be　fine　for　me。〃
　It　was　dark　on　deck；　the　lighting　fortable　and　intimate。　The　steward　poured；　this　wine　as　always　very　good；　delicate；　dry　and　enticing。　Bartlett　opened　an　air　carry　bag　that　he　had　brought　with　him。　〃It's　an　old　American　custom　to　bring　a　gift　the　first　time　you　go　to　a　home　…　I　guess　this　is　a　home。〃　He　put　the　wine　bottle　on　the　table。
　〃Oh　that's　very　kind　of　。。。〃　Gornt　stopped。　Delicately　he　picked　up　the　bottle　and　stared　at　it；　then　got　up　and　looked　at　it　under　the　binnacle　light。　He　sat　down　again。　〃That's　not　a　gift；　Mr。　Bartlett；　that's　bottled　magic。　I　thought　my　eyes　were　deceiving　me。〃　It　was　a　Chateau　Margaux；　one　of　the　great　premier　cru　clarets　from　the　Médoc　in　the　province　of　Bordeaux。　〃I've　never　had　the　'49。　That　was　a　dream　year　for　clarets。　Thank　you。　Thank　you　very　much。〃
　〃Orlanda　said　you　liked　red　better　than　white　but　I　guessed　we　might　have　some　fish。〃　Casually　he　put　the　second　bottle　beside　the　first。
　Gornt　stared　at　it。　It　was　a　Chateau　Haut…Brion。　In　good　years　Chateau　Haut…Brion　red　pared　with　all　the　great　Médocs；　but　the　white　…　dry；　delicate　and　little　known　because　it　was　so　scarce　…　was　considered　one　of　the　finest　of　all　the　great　Bordeaux　whites。　The　year　was　'55。
　Gornt　sighed。　〃If　you　know　so　much　about　wines；　Mr。　Bartlett；　why　do　you　drink　beer？〃
　〃I　like　beer　with　pasta；　Mr。　Gornt；　…　and　beer　before　lunch。　But　wine　with　food。〃　Bartlett　grinned。　〃e　Tuesday；　we'll　have　beer　with　the　pasta；　then　Frascati　or　Verdicchio　or　the　Umbrian　Casale　with　。。。　with　what？〃
　〃Piccata？〃
　〃Great；〃　Bartlett　said；　not　wanting　any　piccata　other　than　Orlanda's。　〃That's　just　about　my　favorite。〃　He　kept　his　attention　on　Gornt　and　did　not　glance　at　Orlanda　but　he　knew　she　knew　what　he　meant。　I'm　glad　I　tested　her。
　〃Oh　did　you　have　a　good　time？〃　she　had　said　when　she　had　called　for　him　this　morning　at　the　small　hotel　on　Sunning　Road。　〃Oh　I　do　hope　so；　Linc；　darling。〃
　The　other　girl　had　been　beautiful　but　there　had　been　no　feeling　other　than　lust；　the　satisfaction　of　the　joining　minimal。　He　had　told　her。
　〃Oh　then　that's　my　fault。　We　chose　wrong；〃　she　had　said　unhappily。　〃Tonight　we'll　have　dinner　and　we'll　try　somewhere　else。〃
　Involuntarily　he　smiled　and　looked　at　her。　The　sea　breeze　was　making　her　more　beautiful。　Then　he　noticed　Gornt　watching　them。　〃Are　we　eating　fish　tonight？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Orlanda；　did　you　tell　Mr。　Bartlett　about　Pok　Liu　Chau？〃
　〃No；　Quillan；　just　that　we've　been　invited　for　a　sail。〃
　〃Good。　It　won't　be　a　banquet　but　the　seafood　there's　excellent；　Mr。　Bartlett。　You　pi…　〃
　〃Why　don't　you　call　me　Linc　and　let　me　call　you　Quillan？　The　'mister'　bit　gives　me　indiges