jamesclavell.noblehouse-第267章

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elf；　Casey　joined　the　line　in　front　of　the　winner's　pay　window　clutching　her　winning　tickets；　well　aware　of　the　envious　stares　of　others　who　walked　along　the　corridor　outside　the　boxes。　Agonized　betters　were　already　putting　down　their　money　at　other　windows　for　the　second　race　that　was　the　first　leg　of　the　double　quinella。　To　win　a　quinella　they　had　to　forecast　the　first　and　second　runners　in　any　order。　The　double　quinella　put　the　second　race　together　with　the　fifth　that　was　today's　big　race。　The　double　quinella　payout　would　be　huge；　the　odds　against　forecasting　four　horses　immense。　The　minimum　bet　was　5　HK。　There　was　no　maximum。　〃Why's　that；　Linc？〃　she　had　asked　just　before　the　race；　craning　over　the　balcony　watching　the　horses　in　the　gate；　all　Hong　Kong　yan　with　their　binoculars　focused。
　〃Look　at　the　tote。〃　The　electronic　numbers　were　flashing　and　changing　as　money　went　onto　different　horses；　narrowing　the　odds；　to　freeze　just　before　the　off。　〃Look　at　the　total　money　invested　on　this　race；　Casey！　It's　better　than　three　and　a　half　million　Hong　Kong。　That's　almost　a　dollar　for　every　man　woman　and　child　in　Hong　Kong　and　it's　only　the　first　race。　This's　gotta　be　the　richest　track　in　the　world！　These　guys　are　gambling　crazy。〃
　A　vast　roar　went　up　as　the　starters'　gate　opened。　She　had　looked　at　him　and　smiled。　〃You　okay？〃
　〃Sure。　You？〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃
　Yes　I　am；　she　thought　again；　waiting　her　turn　to　collect　her　money。　I'm　a　winner！　She　laughed　out　loud。
　〃Oh　hello；　Casey！　Ah；　you　won　too？〃
　〃Oh！　Oh　hello；　Quillan；　yes　I　did。〃　She　moved　out　of　her　place　back　to　Gornt；　the　others　in　the　line　all　strangers　to　her。　〃I　only　had　10　on　her　but　yes　I　won。〃
　〃The　amount　doesn't　matter；　it's　the　winning。〃　Gornt　smiled。　〃I　like　your　hat。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Curious；　she　thought；　both　Quillan　and　Ian　had　mentioned　it　immediately。　Damn　Linc！
　〃It's　very　lucky　to　pick　the　first　winner；　first　time　at　the　track。〃
　〃Oh　I　didn't。　It　was　a　tip。　Peter　gave　it　to　me。　Peter　Marlowe。〃
　〃Ah　yes。　Marlowe。〃　She　saw　his　eyes　change　slightly。　〃You're　still　on　for　tomorrow？〃
　〃Oh。　Oh　yes。　Is　it　weather　permitting？〃
　〃Even　if　it's　raining。　Lunch　anyway。〃
　〃Great。　The　dock　at　ten　sharp。　Which's　your　box？〃　She　noticed　an　instant　change　which　he　tried　to　hide。
　〃I　don't　have　one。　I'm　not　a　steward。　Yet。　I'm　a　fairly　permanent　guest　at　the　Blacs　box　and　from　time　to　time　I　borrow　the　whole　place　for　a　party。　It's　down　the　corridor。　Would　you　care　to　e　by？　Blacs　is　an　excellent　bank　an…　〃
　〃Ah　but　not　as　good　as　the　Vic；〃　Johnjohn　called　out　good…naturedly　as　he　passed。　〃Don't　believe　a　word　he　says；　Casey。　Congratulations！　Good　joss　to　get　the　first。　See　you　both　later。〃
　Casey　watched　him　thoughtfully。　Then　she　said；　〃What　about　all　the　bank　runs；　Quillan？　No　one　seems　to　care　…　it's　as　though　they're　not　happening；　the　stock　market's　not　crashing；　and　there's　no　pending　doom。〃
　Gornt　laughed；　conscious　of　the　ears　that　were　tuned　to　their　conversation。　〃Today　is　race　day；　a　rarity；　and　tomorrow　will　take　care　of　tomorrow。　Joss！　The　stock　market　opens　10：00　a。m。　Monday　and　next　week　will　decide　a　lot　of　fates。　Meanwhile　every　Chinese　who　could　get　his　money　out；　has　it　in　his　fist；　here　today。　Casey；　it's　your　turn。〃
　She　collected　her　money。　15　to　one。　150　HK。　〃Hallelujah！〃　Gornt　collected　a　vast　bundle　of　red　notes；　15；000。　〃Hey；　fantastic！〃
　〃Worst　race　I've　ever　seen；〃　a　sour　American　voice　said。　〃Hell；　it　was　fantastic　they　didn't　bust　the　jockey　and　disallow　the　win。〃
　〃Oh　hello；　Mr。　Biltzmann；　Mr。　Pugmire。〃　Casey　remembered　them　from　the　night　of　the　fire。　〃Bust　who？〃
　Biltzmann　stood　in　the　place　line。　〃Stateside　there'd　be　an　objection　a　mile　wide。　ing　into　the　straight　out　of　the　last　bend　you　could　see　Excellent　Day's　jockey　pull　the　bejesus　out　of　her。　It　was　a　fix　…　he　wasn't　trying。〃
　Those　in　the　know；　the　very　few；　smiled　to　themselves。　The　whisper　in　the　jockeys'　rooms　and　trainers'　rooms　had　been　that　Excellent　Day　wasn't　to　win　but　Winner's　Delight　would。
　〃e　now；　Mr。　Biltzmann；〃　Dunross　said。　Unnoticed；　he'd　heard　the　exchange　as　he　was　passing　and　had　stopped。　〃If　the　jockey　wasn't　trying；　or　if　there　was　any　tampering；　the　stewards　would　be　on　to　it　at　once。〃
　〃Maybe　it's　okay　for　amateurs；　Ian；　and　this　little　track　but　on　any　professional　track　at　home；　Excellent　Day's　jockey'd　be　banned　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　I　had　my　glasses　on　him　all　the　time。〃　Biltzmann　sourly　collected　his　place　winnings　and　stomped　off。
　Dunross　said　quietly；　〃Pug；　did　you　see　the　jockey　do　anything　untoward？　I　didn't　watch　the　race　myself。〃
　〃No；　no　I　didn't。〃
　〃Anyone？〃　Those　nearby　shook　their　heads。
　〃Seemed　all　right　to　me；〃　someone　said。　〃Nothing　out　of　the　ordinary。〃
　〃None　of　the　stewards　queried　anything。〃　Then　Dunross　noticed　the　large　roll　of　notes　in　Gornt's　hand。　He　looked　up　at　him。　〃Quillan？〃
　〃No。　But　I　must　tell　you　frankly　I　find　that　berk's　manner　appalling。　I　hardly　think　he'd　be　a　proper　addition　to　the　Turf　Club。〃　Just　then　he　saw　Robin　Grey　go　past　to　place　a　bet　and　smiled　at　a　sudden　thought。　〃Excuse　me；　will　you？〃　He　nodded　politely　and　walked　off。　Casey　saw　Dunross　watching　the　roll　of　notes　that　Gornt　put　into　a　pocket　and　was　inwardly　aghast　at　the　momentary　look　on　his　face。
　〃Could　Biltzmann　。。。　could　he've　been　correct？〃　she　asked　nervously。
　〃Of　course。〃　Dunross　put　his　full　attention　on　her。　〃Fixing　happens　everywhere。　That's　really　not　the　point。　There's　been　no　objection　from　any　of　the　stewards　or　jockeys　or　trainers。〃　His　eyes　were　slate　gray。　The　small　vein　in　his　forehead　was　pulsating。　〃That's　not　the　real　point　at　issue。〃　No；　he　was　thinking。　It's　a　matter　of　bloody　manners。　Even　so；　calm　yourself。　You　have　to　be　very　cool　and　very　calm　and　very　collected　this　weekend。
　All　day　he　had　had　nothing　but　trouble。　The　only　bright　moment　had　been　Riko　Anjin　Gresserhoff。　But　then　AMG's　last　letter　had　once　more　filled　him　with　gloom。　It　was　still　in　his　pocket　and　it　had　told　him　that　if　by　chance　he　had　not　destroyed　the　original　files；　to　heat　a　dozen　specified　pages　that　were　spread　throughout；　the　secret　information　written　in　invisible　ink　on　these　pages　to　be　passed　privately　to　the　prime　minister　or　the　current　head　of　MI…6；　Edward　Sinders；　personally　…　and　a　copy　given　to　Riko　Anjin　in　a　sealed　envelope。
　If　I　do　that　then　I　have　to　admit　the　files　I　gave　him　were　false；　he　thought；　weary　of　AMG；　espionage　and　his　instructions。　God…damnit；　Murtagh　doesn't　arrive　till　later；　Sir　Geoffrey　can't　call　London　till　4：00　p。m。　about　Tiptop　and　Brian　Kwok　and；　Christ　Jesus；　now　some　rude　bastard　calls　us　all　amateurs　。。。　which　we　are。　I'll　bet　a　hundred　to　a　bent　hatpin　Quillan　knew　before　the　race。
　At　a　sudden　thought　he　said　casually；　〃How　did　you　pick　the　winner；　Casey？　With　the　proverbial　pin？〃
　〃Peter　gave　it　to　me。　Peter　Marlowe。〃　Her　face　changed。　〃Oh！　Do　you　think　he　heard　it　was　fixed？〃
　〃If　I　thought　that　for　a　moment；　the　race　would　have　been　set　aside。　There's　nothing　I　can　do　now。　Biltzmann　。。。〃　Suddenly　he　gasped　as　the　idea　hit　him　in　all　its　glory。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　Dunross　took　her　arm　and　led　her　aside。　〃To　get　your　drop　dead　money　are　you　prepared　to　gamble？〃　he　asked　softly。
　〃Sure；　sure；　Ian；　if　it's　legal。　But　gamble　what？〃　she　asked；　her　innate　caution　uppermost。
　〃Everything　you've　got　in　the　bank；　your　house　in　Laurel　Canyon；　your　stock　in　Par…Con　against　2　to　4　million　within　thirty　days。　How　about　it？〃
　Her　heart　was　thumping；　his　obvious　excitement　sweeping　her。　〃Okay；〃　she　said　and　then　wished　she　hadn't　said　it；　her　stomach　fluttering。　〃Jesus！〃
　〃Good。　Stay　here　a　second。　I'll　go　and　find　Bartlett。〃
　〃Wait！　Is　he　part　of　this？　What　is　this；　Ian？〃
　He　beamed。　〃A　modest　business　opportunity。　Yes；　Bartlett's　essential。　Does　that　make　you　change　your　mind？〃
　〃No；〃　she　told　him　uneasily；　〃but　I　said　I　wanted　to　get　my　。。。　my　stake　outside　of　Par…Con。〃
　〃I　haven't　forgotten。　Wait　here。〃　Dunross　hurried　back　into　his　box；　found　Bartlett　and　brought　him　back；　led　the　way　down　the　bustling　corridor　to　the　Struan　kitchen；　greeting　people　here　and　there。　The　kitchen　was　small；　busy　and　sparkling。　The　staff　paid　no　attention