jamesclavell.noblehouse-第292章

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　〃Got　to　see　the　tai…pan！〃　Murtagh　dropped　his　voice；　his　excitement　showing。　〃There's　a　chance　that　head　office'll　go　for　it；　if　Ian'll　concede　a　little！　Casey　still　here？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Bartlett　said　at　once　and　all　his　senses　focused；　everything　else　forgotten。　〃What　concessions？〃　he　asked　warily。
　〃Double　the　foreign　exchange　period　and　he's　to　deal　direct　with　First　Central；　giving　us　first　option　on　all　future　loans　for　five　years。〃
　〃That's　not　much；〃　Bartlett　said；　hiding　his　perplexity。　〃What's　the　whole　deal　now？〃
　〃Can't　stop；　Linc；　gotta　get　the　tai…pan's　okay。　They're　waiting；　but　it's　just　as　Casey　and　me　laid　it　out。　Hell；　if　we　pull　this　off　the　tai…pan'll　owe　us　favors　till　hell　freezes！〃　Murtagh　rushed　off。
　Bartlett　stared　after　him　blankly。　His　feet　began　to　take　him　back　into　the　house　but　he　stopped　and　returned　to　his　place　in　the　line。　There's　plenty　of　time；　he　told　himself。　No　need　to　ask　her　yet。　Think　it　out。
　Casey　had　told　him　about　the　Royal　Belgium's　connection　with　First　Central；　and　Murtagh　had　elaborated　this　afternoon；　adding　how　hard　it　was　to　get　an　in　here　with　the　Establishment　but　that　was　all。　Bartlett　had　noted　the　Texan's　nervousness　and　Casey's　nervousness。　At　the　time　he'd　put　it　down　to　the　races。
　But　now？　he　asked　himself　suspiciously。　Casey　and　Murtagh　and　the　tai…pan！　〃First　Central'll　go　for　the　deal　if　〃　and　〃the　tai…pan'll　owe　us　favors　till　hell　freezes。　。。。〃　and　〃just　as　Casey　and　me　laid　it　out。〃　She's　the　go…between？　Casey'd　run　rings　around　that　joker　and　she's　no　messenger。　Hell；　Casey　has　to　lead　him　by　the　nose。　He's　no　match　for　her。　So　probably　she　put　him　up　to　…　to　what？　What　does　the　tai…pan　need　most？
　Credit；　fast；　in　millions　by　Monday。
　Jesus；　First　Central's　going　to　back　him！　That's　got　to　be　it。　If。　If　he　makes　concessions；　and　he's　got　to　make　some　to　get　out　from　under　。。。
　〃You　want　the　car；　sir？〃
　〃Oh。　Yes；　Lim；　sure。　Police　headquarters　in　Wanchai。　Thanks。〃　He　got　into　the　back；　his　mind　buzzing。
　So　Casey's　got　a　private　game　going。　It　must've　been　in　the　works　a　day　or　so　but　she　hasn't　told　me。　Why？　If　I'm　right　and　the　scam　succeeds；　Ian's　got　the　wherewithal　to　fight　off　Gornt；　even　cream　him。　She's　gone　out　of　her　way　to　help　him　against　Gornt。　Without　my　okay。　Why？　And　in　return　for　what？
　Drop　dead　money！　Is　the　50…50　a　payoff　…　my　2　mill　but　she　shares　50…50？
　Sure。　That's　one　possibility　…　one　that　I　know　about　now。　What're　the　others？　Jesus！　Casey　independent；　maybe　going　with　the　enemy？　They're　still　both　enemy；　Ian　and　Gornt。
　His　excitement　increased。
　What　to　do？
　The　money　at　risk　with　Gornt　is　covered　every　which　way。　The　2　mill　with　Struan's　is　covered　too；　and　stays。　I'd　never　planned　to　jerk　it　…　that　was　just　testing　Casey。　The　Struan　deal's　good　either　way。　The　Gornt　deal's　good；　either　way。　So　my　plan's　still　good　…　I　can　still　jump　either　way；　though　the　timing's　critical。
　But　now　there's　Orlanda。
　If　it's　Orlanda；　it's　the　States　or　somewhere　else　but　not　here。　It's　quite　clear　she'd　never　be　wele　in　Happy　Valley's　winner's　circle。　Or　in　the　cliques　and　clubs。　She'd　never　be　freely　invited　into　the　great　houses；　except　maybe　by　Ian。　And　Gornt；　but　that'd　be　to　taunt；　to　jerk　the　reins；　to　remind　her　of　the　past　…　like　last　night　when　that　other　girl　came　on　deck。　I　saw　Orlanda's　face。　Oh　she　covered；　better　than　anyone　could　have　covered　except　maybe　Casey。　She　hated　that　the　other　girl　had　been　below；　in　the　master　suite　that　was　once　hers。
　Maybe　Gornt　didn't　do　that　deliberately？　Maybe　the　girl　came　up　on　her　own。　She　went　back　below　almost　at　once。　Maybe　she　wasn't　supposed　to　e　up　at　all。　Maybe。
　Shit！　There's　too　much　going　on　I　can't　figure：　like　the　General　Stores　and　the　Ho…Pak　rescue　…　too　much　agreed　by　a　couple　of　guys　on　a　Saturday　…　a　couple　of　whiskeys　here　and　a　phone　call　there。　It's　all　dynamite　if　you're　in　the　club　but　Jesus　watch　out　if　you're　not。　Here　you've　got　to　be　British　or　Chinese　to　belong。
　I'm　just　as　much　an　outsider　as　Orlanda。
　Still；　I　could　be　happy　here；　for　a　time。　And　I　could　even　handle　it　here　with　Orlanda；　for　a　short　time；　on　visits。　I　could　handle　the　Pacific　Rim　and　having　Par…Con　as　a　Noble　House　but　for　it　to　be　accepted　as　the　Noble　House　by　British　and　Chinese；　it'll　still　have　to　be　Struan…Par…Con　with　our　name　in　small　letters；　or　Rothwell…Gornt…Par…Con　the　same。
　Casey？
　With　Casey；　Par…Con　could　be　a　Noble　House；　easily。　But　is　Casey　still　to　be　trusted？　Why　didn't　she　tell　me？　Is　she　sucked　in　by　Hong　Kong　and　beginning　to　play　her　own　game　for　Number　One？
　You'd　better　choose；　old　buddy；　while　you're　still　tai…pan。
　
　〃Yes；　Phillip？〃
　They　were　in　the　study　under　the　portrait　of　Dirk　Struan；　and　Dunross　had　chosen　the　place　deliberately。　Phillip　Chen　sat　opposite　him。　Very　formal；　very　correct　and　very　weary。　〃How　is　Alexi？〃
　〃Still　unconscious。　Doc　Tooley　says　he'll　be　all　right　if　he　es　out　of　it　in　a　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃Tiptop？〃
　〃I'm　to　call　him　at　9：00　p。m。〃
　〃Still　no　approval　of　his　offer　from　。。。　from　the　authorities？〃
　Dunross's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　know　the　arrangement　he　suggested？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　tai…pan。　I　。。。　I　was　asked。　I　still　find　it　hard　to　believe　。。。　Brian　Kwok？　God　help　us；　but　yes　。。。　my　opinion　was　asked　before　the　suggestion　was　put　to　you。〃
　〃Why　the　devil　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　Dunross　snapped。
　〃Rightly　you　no　longer　consider　me　pradore　of　the　Noble　House　and　favor　me　with　your　trust。〃
　〃You　consider　yourself　trustworthy？〃
　〃Yes。　I've　proved　it　in　the　past　many　times；　so　did　my　father　…　and　his。　Even　so；　if　I　were　you　and　sitting　where　you　are　sitting；　I　would　not　be　having　this　meeting；　I　would　not　have　you　in　my　house　and　I　would　already　have　decided　the　ways　and　means　of　your　destruction。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　have。〃
　〃Not　you。〃　Phillip　Chen　pointed　at　the　portrait。　〃He　would　have；　but　not　you；　Ian　Struan　Dunross。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　it。〃
　〃I　do。〃
　Dunross　said　nothing；　just　waited。
　〃First　the　coin：　Wait　until　the　favor　is　asked。　I　will　endeavor　to　find　out　what　it　is　in　advance。　If　it　is　too　much　th…　〃
　〃It　will　be　too　much。〃
　〃What　will　he　ask　for？〃
　〃Something　to　do　with　narcotics。　There's　a　strong　rumor　Four　Fingers；　Smuggler　Yuen　and　White　Powder　Lee　are　in　partnership；　smuggling　heroin。〃
　〃It's　under　consideration。　They're　not　actually　partners　yet；〃　Phillip　Chen　said。
　〃Again；　why　didn't　you　tell　me？　It's　your　duty　as　pradore　to　keep　me　informed；　not　to　write　down　intimate　details　of　our　secrets　and　then　lose　them　to　enemies。〃
　〃Again；　I　ask　forgiveness。　But　now　is　the　time　to　talk。〃
　〃Because　you're　finished？〃
　〃Because　I　might　be　finished　…　if　once　more　I　cannot　prove　my　worth。〃　The　old　man　looked　at　Dunross　bleakly；　seeing　the　face　of　many　tai…pans　in　the　face　of　the　man　opposite　him；　not　liking　the　face　or　that　of　the　man　above　the　fireplace　whose　eyes　bored　into　him　…　the　foreign　devil　pirate　who　had　forsaken　his　great…grandfather　because　of　mixed　blood；　half　of　which　was　his　own。
　Ayeeyah；　he　thought；　curbing　his　anger。　These　barbarians　and　their　intolerance！　Five　generations　of　tai…pans　we've　served　and　now　this　one　threatens　to　change　Dirk's　legacy　for　one　mistake？
　〃About　the　ask：　even　if　it's　connected　with　heroin　or　narcotics；　it　will　concern　some　future　performance　or　action。　Agree　to　it；　tai…pan；　and　I　promise　I　will　deal　with　Four　Fingers　long　before　the　ask　has　to　be　granted。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃This　is　China。　I　will　deal　with　it　in　Chinese　fashion。　I　swear　it　by　the　blood　of　my　ancestors。〃　Phillip　Chen　pointed　at　the　portrait。　〃I　will　continue　to　protect　the　Noble　House　as　I　have　sworn　to　do。〃
　〃What　other　trickeries　did　you　have　in　your　safe？　I've　been　through　all　the　documents　and　balance　sheets　you　gave　Andrew。　With　that　information　in　the　wrong　hands　we're　naked。〃
　〃Yes；　but　only　in　front　of　Bartlett　and　Par…Con；　providing　he　keeps　them　to　himself　and　doesn't　pass　them　over　to　Gornt　or　another　enemy　here。　Tai…pan；　Bartlett　doesn't　strike　me　as　a　malicious　person。　Perhaps　we　can　deal　with　him　to　get　what　he　has　back　and　ask　him　to　agree　to　keep　the　information　secret。〃
　〃To　do　that　you　have　to　barter　with　a　secret　he　doesn't　want　let　o