jamesclavell.noblehouse-第282章

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ecision？　It's　Bluey；　isn't　it；　we　all　saw　the　whip。　。。。〃
　〃May　I　use　the　mike？〃
　〃Oh　of　course。〃　The　man　hastily　moved　and　Dunross　sat　in　his　place。　He　clicked　on　the　switch。　〃This　is　Ian　Dunross；　the　stewards　have　asked　me　to　make　two　announcements。　。。。〃
　The　silence　was　vast　as　his　words　echoed　and　re…echoed　over　the　stadium。　The　fifty　thousand　held　their　breaths；　careless　of　the　rain；　in　the　stands　and　on　every　soaring　level。　〃First；　the　result　of　the　fifth　race。〃　Dead　silence　but　for　the　sound　of　the　rain。　Dunross　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Pilot　Fish　by　a　nose　from　Noble　Star　by　a　whisker　from　Butterscotch　Lass。　。。。〃　but　the　last　was　drowned　by　the　cheers　and　counter　cheers；　happiness　and　disgust；　and　everyone　throughout　the　stadium　was　shouting；　arguing；　cheering；　cursing　and；　down　in　the　paddock；　Gornt　was　astonished；　having　been　convinced　that　his　jockey　had　been　seen　as　he　had　seen　him；　had　been　caught　and　carpeted　and　the　result　would　be　set　aside。　In　the　pandemonium　the　winning　numbers　flashed　on　to　the　tote：　one；　seven；　eight。
　Dunross　waited　a　moment　and　breezily　repeated　the　result　in　Cantonese；　the　crowd　more　docile；　their　pent…up　anxieties　allayed；　for　the　stewards'　decision　was　final。　〃Second；　the　stewards　have　decided；　due　to　the　weather　and　bad　conditions；　to　cancel　the　rest　of　the　meet　。。。〃　A　vast　groan　went　over　the　crowd。　〃。。。　actually　to　postpone　until　next　Saturday　for　another　special　meet。〃　A　sudden　great　roar　and　excitement　picked　up。　〃We　will　have　a　meet　of　eight　races　and　the　fifth　will　be　the　same　as　today；　with　the　same　runners；　Pilot　Fish；　Butterscotch　Lass；　Winning　Billy；　Street　Vendor；　Golden　Lady；　Lochinvar　and　Noble　Star。　A　special　return　challenge　with　double　stakes；　30；000　added。　。。。〃
　Cheers　and　more　cheers；　applause　and　roars　and　someone　in　the　booth　said；　〃Christ　what　a　great　idea；　tai…pan！　Noble　Star'll　take　that　black　bastard！〃
　〃Oh　no　he　won't！　Butterscotch　。。。〃
　〃Great　idea；　tai…pan。〃
　Into　the　mike　Dunross　said；　〃The　stewards　appreciate　your　continued　support。〃　He　repeated　it　in　Cantonese；　adding；　〃There　will　be　a　further　special　announcement　in　a　few　minutes。　Thank　you！〃　in　both　languages。
　Another　huge　cheer　and　those　in　the　rain　scurried　for　cover　or　for　the　winning　windows；　everyone　chattering；　groaning；　cursing　the　gods　or　blessing　them；　choking　the　exits；　long　lines　of　men；　women　and　children　seeking　the　long　way　home；　a　wonderful　new　happiness　possessing　them。　Only　those　who　possessed　the　winning　double　quinella　numbers；　eight　and　five　in　the　second；　one　and　seven　in　the　fifth；　stood　paralyzed；　staring　at　the　tote；　waiting　for　the　winning　odds　to　be　declared。
　〃Another　announcement；　tai…pan？〃　the　announcer　asked　anxiously。
　〃Yes；〃　Dunross　said。　〃Around　five。〃　Havergill　had　told　him　that　the　deal　with　Richard　Kwang　had　been　struck　and　had　asked　him　to　go　to　the　Victoria　box　as　soon　as　possible。　He　reached　the　exit　door　and　went　down　the　steps　three　at　a　time　to　the　next　level；　very　pleased　with　himself。　Giving　the　race　to　Pilot　Fish's　got　to　throw　Gornt；　he　thought。　Gornt　knew　and　I　knew　it　was　a　carve…up　and　that　Alexi　was　set　up　whatever　he　did　…　which　is　the　major　reason　I　didn't　ride。　They'd've　tried　it　on　me　and　I　would　have　killed　someone。　But　next　Saturday　。。。　ah；　next　Saturday　I'll　ride　and　Bluey　White　won't　dare；　nor　will　the　other　trainers；　next　Saturday'll　be　fair　game　and　they'll　be　on　notice　by　God。　His　excitement　picked　up　a　beat。　Then　ahead　in　the　crowded　corridor　he　saw　Murtagh　waiting　for　him。
　〃Oh　tai…pan；　can　I　se…　〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Dunross　led　him　through　the　kitchen　into　his　private　room。
　〃That　was　a　great　race。　I　won　a　bundle；〃　the　young　man　said　excitedly；　〃and　great　about　Saturday。〃
　〃Good。〃　Then　Dunross　noticed　the　sweat　on　the　man's　forehead。　Oh　Christ；　he　thought。　〃Are　we　in　business；　Mr。　Murtagh？〃
　〃Please　call　me　Dave；　the　brass　said；　er；　they　said　maybe。　They've　scheduled　a　board　meeting　for　tomorrow；　9：00　a。m。　their　time。　Our　time　that's　。。。〃
　〃10：00　p。m。　this　evening。　Yes。　Excellent；　Mr。　Murtagh；　then　call　me　on　this　number。〃　Dunross　wrote　it　down。　〃Please　don't　lose　it　and　don't　give　it　to　anyone　else。〃
　〃Oh；　of　course；　tai…pan；　I'll　call　the　very　moment　。。。　How　late　can　I　call？〃
　〃The　moment　you　put　the　phone　down　to　them。　Keep　calling　till　you　get　me。〃　Dunross　got　up。　〃Sorry　but　there's　rather　a　lot　to　do。〃
　〃Oh　sure；　sure！〃　Murtagh　added　uneasily；　〃Say；　tai…pan；　I　just　heard　about　the　2　million　down　on　the　General　Stores　tender。　2　million　from　us　by　9：30　Monday's　gotta　be　kinda　pushing　it。〃
　〃I　rather　expected　it　would　be　…　for　your　group。　Fortunately；　Mr。　Murtagh；　I　never　planned　on　that　modest　amount　of　cash　being　your　money。　I　know　First　Central　is　inclined　to　be　like　the　mills　of　God　…　they　grind　slowly　…　unless　they　wish　to　remove　themselves　from　the　arena；〃　he　added；　remembering　many　friends　who　had　been　hurt　by　their　precipitous　withdrawal　years　back。　〃Not　to　worry；　my　new　external　source　of　credit's　more　th…　〃
　〃What？〃　Murtagh　blanched。
　〃My　new　external　source　of　finance　reacts　at　once　to　any　sudden　business　opportunities；　Mr。　Murtagh。　This　took　them　just　eight　minutes。　They　seem　to　have　more　confidence　than　your　principals。〃
　〃Hell；　tai…pan；　please　call　me　Dave；　it's　not　lack　of　confidence　but；　well；　they've　no　idea　of　Asia。　I've　got　to　convince　them　the　General　Stores　takeover's　got　to　double　your　gross　in　three　years。〃
　〃In　one；〃　Dunross　interrupted　firmly；　enjoying　himself。　〃So　sorry　your　group　won't　share　in　our　huge　profits　from　that　minor　section　of　our　immense　expansion　plans。　Do　have　some　tea　in　the　box；　sorry；　I　just　have　to　make　a　phone　call。〃　He　took　Murtagh's　elbow　and　firmly　led　him　out　of　the　door；　shutting　it　after　him。
　In　the　kitchen　Murtagh　was　staring　at　the　closed　door；　the　happy　clatter　of　plates　and　Cantonese　obscenities　from　the　twenty　cooks　and　helpers　a　vast　din。　〃Jesus；〃　he　muttered　in　near　panic；　〃eight　minutes？　Shit；　are　the　goddamn　Swiss　horning　in　on　our　client？〃　He　tottered　away。
　Inside　the　room　Dunross　was　on　his　private　phone；　listening　to　the　ringing　tone。　〃Weyyyyy？〃
　〃Mr。　Tip　please；〃　he　said　carefully　in　Cantonese。　〃This　is　Mr。　Dunross　calling。〃
　He　heard　the　phone　put　down　with　a　clatter　and　the　amah　shriek；　〃It's　the　phone！　For　you；　Father！〃
　〃Who　is　it？〃
　〃A　foreign　devil。〃
　Dunross　smiled。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Ian　Dunross；　Mr。　Tip。　I　was　just　concerned　that　your　illness　wasn't　worse。〃
　〃Ah；　ah；　yes；　so　sorry　I　could　not　arrive。　Yes。　I；　I　had　some　pressing　business；　you　understand？　Yes。　Very　pressing。　Oh　by　the　way；　that　was　bad　joss　about　Noble　Star。　I　just　heard　on　the　wireless　that　Pilot　Fish　won　by　a　nose　after　an　objection。　What　was　the　objection？〃
　Patiently　Dunross　explained　and　answered　questions　about　his　General　Stores　takeover　bid；　delighted　that　that　news　had　already　reached　him。　If　Tiptop；　then　all　newspapers。　Good；　he　thought；　waiting　Tiptop　out　but　Tiptop　outsmarted　him。　〃Well；　thank　you　for　calling；　tai…pan。〃
　At　once　Dunross　said；　〃It　was　my　pleasure；　oh　by　the　way；　confidentially；　I　understand　it　may　well　be　possible　that　the　police　have　discovered　one　of　their　underlings　has　made　a　mistake。〃
　〃Ah。　I　presume　the　mistake　will　be　corrected　immediately？〃
　〃I　would　presume　very　soon；　if　the　person　concerned　wishes　to　resign　and　take　advantage　of　permission　to　travel　abroad。〃
　〃How　soon　might　very　soon　be；　tai…pan？〃　Dunross　was　picking　his　words　carefully；　deliberately　vague　though　formal　now。　〃There　are　certain　formalities；　but　it　is　possible　that　it　could　be　quickly　achieved。　Unfortunately　VIPs　have　to　be　consulted　elsewhere。　I'm　sure　you　understand。〃
　〃Certainly。　But　the　mighty　dragon　is　no　match　for　the　native　serpent；　heya？　I　understand　there　is　one　of　your　VVIPs　already　in　Hong　Kong。　A　Mr。　Sinders？〃
　Dunross　blinked　at　the　extent　of　Tiptop's　knowledge。　〃I　have　certain　approvals　already；〃　he　said；　disquieted。
　〃I　would　have　thought　very　few　approvals　were　necessary。　True　gold　fears　no　fire。〃
　〃Yes。　Is　there　somewhere　I　could　call　you　this　evening　…　to　report　progress？〃
　〃This　number　will　find　me。　Please　call　me　at　9：00　p。m。〃　Tiptop's　voice　became　even　drier。　〃I　understand　it　might　well　be　possible　that　your　la