jamesclavell.noblehouse-第248章

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　〃Why　don't　you　call　me　Linc　and　let　me　call　you　Quillan？　The　'mister'　bit　gives　me　indigestion。〃
　They　all　laughed。　Gornt　said；　〃Linc；　with　your　permission　we'll　not　open　your　gift　tonight。　Chinese　food's　not　for　these　great　wines；　they　wouldn't　plement　each　other。　I'll　keep　them；　if　I　may；　for　our　dinner　Tuesday？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　There　was　a　small　silence　within　the　muted　thunder　of　the　diesel　engines　below。　Immediately　sensing　Gornt　wanted　privacy；　Orlanda　got　up　with　a　smile。　〃Excuse　me　a　second；　I　just　want　to　powder　my　nose。〃
　〃Use　the　forward　cabins；　the　forward　gangway；　Orlanda；〃　Gornt　said；　watching　her。
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　and　walked　off；　in　one　way　glad；　in　another　hurt。　The　forward　cabins　were　for　guests。　She　would　have　automatically　gone　down　this　gangway　to　the　main　cabin；　to　the　toilet　off　the　master　suite　…　the　suite　that　once　was　theirs。　Never　mind。　The　past　is　the　past　and　now　there's　Linc；　she　thought；　going　forward。
　Bartlett　sipped　his　wine；　wondering　why　Orlanda　had　seemed　to　hesitate。　He　concentrated　on　Gornt。　〃How　many　does　this　boat　sleep？〃
　〃Ten　fortably。　There's　a　regular　crew　of　four　…　captain…engineer；　a　deckhand；　cook　and　steward。　I'll　show　you　around　later　if　you　like。〃　Gornt　lit　a　cigarette。　〃You　don't　smoke？〃
　〃No；　no　thanks。〃
　〃We　can　cruise　for　a　week　without　refueling。　If　necessary。　We　still　conclude　our　deal　on　Tuesday？〃
　〃That's　still　D　Day。〃
　〃Have　you　changed　your　mind？　About　Struan's？〃
　〃Monday'll　still　decide　the　battle。　Monday　at　3：00　p。m。　When　the　market　closes；　you've　got　Ian　or　you　haven't　and　it's　a　standoff　again。〃
　〃This　time　it　won't　be　a　standoff。　He's　ruined。〃
　〃It　sure　as　hell　looks　that　way。〃
　〃Are　you　still　going　to　Taipei　with　him？〃
　〃That's　still　the　plan。〃
　Gornt　took　a　deep　drag　of　his　cigarette。　His　eyes　checked　the　lie　of　his　ship。　They　were　well　out　into　the　main　channel。　Gornt　got　up　and　stood　beside　the　captain　a　moment　but　the　captain　had　also　seen　the　small　unlit　junk　ahead　and　he　skirted　it　without　danger。　〃Full　ahead；〃　Gornt　said　and　came　back。　He　refilled　the　glasses；　chose　one　of　the　deep…fried　dim　sum　and　looked　at　the　American。　〃Linc；　may　I　be　blunt？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Orlanda。〃
　Bartlett's　eyes　narrowed。　〃What　about　her？〃
　〃As　you　probably　know；　she　and　I　were　very　good　friends　once。　Very　good。　Hong　Kong's　a　very　gossipy　place　and　you'll　hear　all　sorts　of　rumors；　but　we're　still　friends　though　we　haven't　been　together　for　three　years。〃　Gornt　looked　at　him　under　his　shaggy　black…gray　eyebrows。　〃I　just　wanted　to　say　that　I　wouldn't　want　her　harmed。〃　His　teeth　glinted　with　his　smile　in　the　gimbaled　light　over　the　table。　〃And　she's　as　fine　a　person　and　panion　as　you　could　find。〃
　〃I　agree。〃
　〃Sorry；　don't　want　to　belabor　anything；　just　wanted　to　make　three　points；　one　man　to　another。　That　was　the　first。　The　second's　that　she's　as　closed…mouthed　as　any　woman　I've　ever　known。　The　third's　that　she's　nothing　to　do　with　business　…　I'm　not　using　her；　she's　not　a　prize；　or　bait　or　anything　like　that。〃
　Bartlett　let　the　silence　hang。　Then　he　nodded。　〃Sure。〃
　〃You　don't　believe　me？〃
　Bartlett　laughed。　It　was　a　good　laugh。　〃Hell；　Quillan；　this's　Hong　Kong！　I'm　out　of　my　depth　in　more　ways　than　you　can　shake　a　stick　at。　I　don't　even　know　if　Pok　Liu　Chau's　the　name　of　the　restaurant；　a　part　of　Hong　Kong　or　in　Red　China。〃　He　drank　the　wine；　enjoying　it。　〃As　to　Orlanda；　she's　great　and　you've　no　need　to　worry。　I　got　the　message。〃
　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind　my　mentioning　it。〃
　Bartlett　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　glad　you　did。〃　He　hesitated；　then　because　the　other　man　was　open　he　decided　to　get　everything　into　the　open。　〃She　told　me　about　the　child。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃Why　the　frown？〃
　〃I'm　just　surprised　she'd　mention　her　now。　Orlanda　must　like　you　very　much。〃
　Bartlett　felt　the　power　of　the　eyes　watching　him　and　he　tried　to　read　if　there　was　envy　there。　〃I　hope　she　does。　She　said　you'd　been　great　to　her　since　you　split。　And　to　her　folks。〃
　〃They're　nice　people。　It's　rough　in　Asia　to　raise　five　children；　raise　them　well。　It　was　always　our　pany　policy　to　help　families　where　we　could。〃　Gornt　sipped　his　wine。　〃The　first　time　I　saw　Orlanda　was　when　she　was　ten。　It　was　a　Saturday　at　the　races　in　Shanghai。　In　those　days　everyone　would　dress　up　in　their　best　clothes　and　stroll　the　paddocks。　It　was　her　first　formal　ing　out。　Her　father　was　a　manager　in　our　shipping　division　…　a　good　fellow；　Eduardo　Ramos；　third…generation　Macao；　his　wife　pure　Shanghainese。　But　Orlanda　。。。〃　Gornt　sighed。　〃Orlanda　was　the　prettiest　girl　I'd　ever　seen。　Her　dress　was　white　。。。　I　don't　remember　seeing　her　after　that　until　she　came　back　from　school。　She　was　almost　eighteen　then　and；　well；　I　fell　madly　in　love　with　her。〃　Gornt　looked　up　from　his　glass。　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　lucky　I　felt　all　those　years　with　her。〃　His　eyes　hardened。　〃Did　she　tell　you　I　broke　the　man　who　seduced　her？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good。　Then　you　know　it　all。〃　Gornt　added　with　great　dignity；　〃I　just　wanted　to　mention　my　three　points。〃
　Bartlett　felt　a　sudden　warmth　toward　the　other　man。　〃I　appreciate　them。〃　He　leaned　forward　to　accept　more　wine。　〃Why　don't　we　leave　it　this　way。　e　Tuesday　all　debts　and　friendships　are　canceled　and　we　start　fresh。　All　of　us。〃
　〃Meanwhile；　which　side　are　you　on？〃　Gornt　asked；　the　front　of　his　face　a　smile。
　〃For　the　raid；　yours；　one　hundred　percent！〃　Bartlett　said　at　once。　〃For　Par…Con's　probe　into　Asia？　I'm　in　the　middle。　I　wait　for　the　winner。　I　lean　toward　you　and　I　hope　you're　the　winner；　but　I'm　waiting。〃
　〃The　two　aren't　the　same？〃
　〃No。　I　set　the　ground　rules　of　the　raid　way　back。　I　said　the　raid　was　a　onetime　operation；　a　fool's　mate。〃　Bartlett　smiled。　〃Sure；　Quillan；　I'm　a　hundred　percent　with　you　on　the　raid　…　didn't　I　put　up　the　2　million　with　no　chop；　no　paper；　just　a　handshake？〃
　After　a　pause；　Gornt　said；　〃In　Hong　Kong；　sometimes　that's　more　valuable。　I　haven't　the　exact　figures　but　on　paper　we're　between　24　and　30　million　HK　ahead。〃
　Bartlett　raised　his　glass。　〃Hallelujah！　But　meanwhile　how　about　the　bank　run？　How　will　that　affect　us？〃
　Gornt　frowned。　〃I　don't　think　it　will。　Our　market's　very　volatile　but　Blacs　and　the　Vic　are　solid；　unbreakable；　the　government　has　to　support　both　of　them。　There's　a　rumor　the　governor'll　declare　Monday　a　bank　holiday　and　close　the　banks　for　as　long　as　needed　…　it's　just　a　matter　of　time　before　cash　bees　available　to　stop　the　loss　of　confidence。　Meanwhile；　a　lot　will　get　burned　and　a　lot　of　banks　will　go　to　the　wall　but　that　shouldn't　affect　our　plan。〃
　〃When　do　you　buy　back　in？〃
　〃That　depends　on　when　you　dump　Struan's。〃
　〃How　about　noon　Monday？　That　gives　you　plenty　of　time　before　closing　for　you　and　your　secret　nominees　to　buy　after　the　news　leaks　and　the　shares　go　down　some　more。〃
　〃Excellent。　Chinese　work　on　rumors；　very　much；　so　the　market　can　swing　from　boom　to　bust　or　vice　versa　very　easily。　Noon　is　fine。　You'll　do　that　in　Taipei？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I'll　need　a　telex　confirmation。〃
　〃Casey'll　give　it　to　you。〃
　〃She　knows？　About　the　plan？〃
　〃Yes。　Now　she　does。　How　many　shares　do　you　need　for　control？〃
　〃You　should　have　that　information。〃
　〃That's　the　only　piece　missing。〃
　〃When　we　buy　in　we'll　have　enough　to　give　us　at　least　three　immediate　seats　on　the　board　and　Ian's　through。　Once　we're　on　the　board　Struan's　is　in　our　power；　and　then；　very　soon；　I　merge　Struan's　with　Rothwell…Gornt。〃
　〃And　you're　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Gornt's　eyes　glinted。　He　refilled　the　glasses。　〃Health！〃
　〃Health！〃
　They　drank；　content　with　their　deal。　But　in　their　secret　hearts　neither　trusted　the　other；　not　even　a　little。　Both　were　very　glad　they　had　contingency　plans　…　if　need　be。
　
　Grim…faced；　the　three　men　came　out　of　Government　House　and　got　into　Crosse's　car。　Crosse　drove。　Sinders　sat　in　the　front；　Rosemont　in　the　back　and　both　of　them　held　on　tightly　to　their　still　unread　copies　of　the　AMG　files。　The　night　was　dark；　the　sky　scudding　and　the　traffic　heavier　than　usual。
　Rosemont；　sitting　in　the　back；　said；　〃You　think　the　guv'll　read　the　originals　before　he　shreds　them？〃
　〃I　would；〃　Sinders　replied　without　turning　to　look　at　him。
　〃Sir　Geoffrey's　much　too　clever　to　do　that；〃　Cro