jamesclavell.noblehouse-第73章

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he　banks　would　know　…　but　not　their　corporate　losses　this　year。　That　figure　had　been　too　accurate。　That　was　the　shocker。　And　the　〃。。。　written…up　paper　profit。〃
　He　was　looking　at　the　American；　wondering　how　much　more　inside　knowledge　the　man　had；　feeling　the　trap　closing　on　him　with　no　way　to　maneuver；　yet　knowing　he　could　not　concede　too　much　or　he　would　lose　everything。
　What　to　do？
　He　glanced　at　Dirk　Struan　on　the　wall　and　saw　the　twisted　half…smile　and　the　look　that　said　to　him；　Gamble　laddie；　where　are　thy　balls？
　Very　well。
　〃Don't　worry　about　Struan's。　If　you　decide　to　join　us；　I　want　a　two…year　deal　…　20　million　next　year　too；〃　he　said；　going　for　broke。　〃I'd　like　7　on　signing　the　contract。〃
　Bartlett　kept　the　joy　off　his　face。　〃Okay　on　the　two…year　deal。　As　to　the　cash　flow；　Casey　offered　2　million　down　and　then　one　and　a　half　per　month　on　the　first　of　each　month。　Gavallan　said　that　would　be　acceptable。〃
　〃It's　not。　I'd　like　7　down；　the　rest　spread　monthly。〃
　〃If　I　agree　to　that　I　want　title　to　your　new　Toda　ships　as　a　guarantee　this　year。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　want　guarantees　for？〃　Dunross　snapped。　〃The　whole　point　of　the　deal　is　that　we'd　be　partners；　partners　in　an　immense　expansion　into　Asia。〃
　〃Yes。　But　our　7　million　cash　covers　your　September　payments　to　Toda　Shipping；　takes　you　off　the　Orlin　hook　and　we　get　nothing　in　return。〃
　〃Why　should　I　give　you　any　concession？　I　can　discount　your　contract　immediately　and　get　an　advance　of　18　of　the　20　million　you　provide　with　no　trouble　at　all。〃
　Yes；　you　can；　Bartlett　thought　…　once　the　contract's　signed。　But　before　that　you've　got　nothing。　〃I'll　agree　to　change　the　down　payment；　Ian。　But　in　return　for　what？〃　Casually　he　glanced　at　a　painting　opposite　him；　but　he　did　not　see　it；　for　all　of　his　senses　were　concentrating　on　Dunross；　knowing　they　were　getting　down　to　the　short　strokes。　Title　to　the　huge　Toda　bulk…cargo　ships　would　cover　all　of　Par…Con's　risk　whatever　Dunross　did。
　〃Don't　forget；〃　he　added；　〃your　21　percent　of　the　Victoria　Bank　stock　is　already　in　hock；　signed　over　as　collateral　against　your　indebtedness　to　them。　If　you　fail　on　the　Toda　payment　or　the　Orlin；　your　old　pal　Havergill'll　jerk　the　floor　out。　I　would。〃
　Dunross　knew　he　was　beaten。　If　Bartlett　knew　the　exact　amount　of　their　secret　bank　holdings；　Chen's　secret　holdings；　together　with　their　open　holdings；　there　was　no　telling　what　other　power　the　American　had　over　him。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　give　you　title　to　my　ships　for　three　months；　providing　first；　you　guarantee　to　keep　it　secret　between　the　two　of　us；　second；　that　our　contracts　are　signed　within　seven　days　from　today；　third；　that　you　agree　to　the　cash　flow　I've　suggested。　Last；　you　guarantee　not　to　leak　one　word　of　this　until　I　make　the　announcement。〃
　〃When　do　you　want　to　do　that？〃
　〃Sometime　between　Friday　and　Monday。〃
　〃I'd　want　to　know　in　advance；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Of　course。　Twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃I　want　title　to　the　ships　for　six　months；　contracts　within　ten　days。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　no　deal；〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Very　well；〃　Dunross　said　immediately。　〃Then　let's　return　to　the　party。〃　He　turned　at　once　and　calmly　headed　for　the　stairs。
　Bartlett　was　startled　with　the　abrupt　ending　of　the　negotiations。　〃Wait；〃　he　said；　his　heart　skipping　a　beat。
　Dunross　stopped　at　the　balustrade　and　faced　him；　one　hand　casually　on　the　bannister。
　Grimly　Bartlett　tried　to　gauge　Dunross；　his　stomach　twisting　uneasily。　He　read　finality　in　the　eyes。　〃All　right；　title　till　January　first；　that's　four　months…odd；　secret　to　you；　me　and　Casey；　contracts　next　Tuesday　…　that　gives　me　time　to　get　my　tax　people　here　…　the　cash　flow　as　you　laid　it　out　subject　to　。。。　when's　our　meeting　tomorrow？〃
　〃It　was　at　ten。　Can　we　make　it　eleven？〃
　〃Sure。　Then　it's　a　deal；　subject　to　confirmation　tomorrow　at　eleven。〃
　〃No。　You've'　no　need　for　more　time。　I　might　have　but　you　haven't。〃　Again　the　thin　smile。　〃Yes　or　no？〃
　Bartlett　hesitated；　all　his　instincts　saying　close　now；　stick　out　your　hand　and　close；　you've　everything　you　wanted。　Yes　…　but　what　about　Casey？　〃This's　Casey's　deal。　She　can　mit　up　to　20　million。　You　mind　shaking　with　her？〃
　〃A　tai…pan　deals　with　a　tai…pan　on　a　closing；　it's　an　old　Chinese　custom。　Is　she　tai…pan　of　Par…Con？〃
　〃No；〃　Bartlett　said　evenly。　〃I　am。〃
　〃Good。〃　Dunross　came　back　and　put　out　his　hand；　calling　him；　playing　with　him；　reading　his　mind。　〃Then　it's　a　deal？〃
　Bartlett　looked　at　the　hand　then　into　the　cold　blue　eyes；　his　heart　pounding　heavily。　〃It's　a　deal　…　but　I　want　her　to　close　it　with　you。〃　Dunross　let　his　hand　fall。　〃I　repeat；　who's　tai…pan　of　Par…Con？〃　Bartlett　looked　back　levelly。　〃A　promise　is　a　promise；　Ian。　It's　important　to　her；　and　I　promised　she　had　the　ball　up　to　20　million。〃　He　saw　Dunross　begin　to　turn　away；　so　he　said　firmly；　〃Ian；　if　I　have　to　choose　between　the　deal　and　Casey；　my　promise　to　Casey；　then　that's　no　contest。　None。　I'd　consider　it　a　fav…　〃　He　stopped。　Both　their　heads　jerked　around　as　there　was　a　slight；　involuntary　noise　from　an　eavesdropper　in　the　shadows　at　the　far　end　of　　the　gallery　where　there　was　a　group　of　high…backed　settees　and　tall　winged　chairs。　Instantly；　Dunross　spun　on　his　heel　and；　catlike；　hurtled　silently　to　the　attack。　Bartlett's　reactions　were　almost　as　fast。　He；　too；　went　quickly　in　support。
　Dunross　stopped　at　the　green　velvet　settee。　He　sighed。　It　was　no　eavesdropper　but　his　thirteen…year…old　daughter；　Glenna；　fast　asleep；　curled　up；　all　legs　and　arms　like　a　young　filly；　angelic　in　her　crumpled　party　dress；　his　wife's　thin　rope　of　pearls　around　her　neck。
　Bartlett's　heart　slowed　and　he　whispered；　〃Jesus；　for　a　moment　。。。　Hey；　she's　as　cute　as　a　button！〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　children？〃
　〃Boy　and　two　girls。　Brett's　sixteen；　Jenny's　fourteen　and　Mary　is　thirteen。　Unfortunately　I　don't　see　them　very　often。〃　Bartlett；　gaining　his　breath　again；　continued　quietly；　〃They're　on　the　East　Coast　now。　Afraid　I'm　not　very　popular。　Their　mother　。。。　we；　we　were　divorced　seven　years　ago。　She's　remarried　now　but　。。。〃　Bartlett　shrugged；　then　looked　down　at　the　child。　〃She's　a　doll！　You're　lucky。〃
　Dunross　leaned　over　and　gently　picked　up　his　child。　She　hardly　stirred；　just　nestled　closer　to　him；　contentedly。　He　looked　at　the　American　thoughtfully。　Then　he　said；　〃Bring　Casey　back　here　in　ten　minutes。　I'll　do　what　you　ask　…　as　much　as　I　disapprove　of　it　…　because　you　wish　to　honor　your　promise。〃　He　walked　away；　sure…footed；　and　disappeared　into　the　east　wing　where　Glenna's　bedroom　was。
　After　a　pause；　Bartlett　glanced　up　at　the　portrait　of　Dirk　Struan。　The　smile　mocked　him。　〃Go　screw　yourself；〃　he　muttered；　feeling　that　Dunross　had　outsmarted　him　somehow。　Then　he　grinned。　〃Eh；　what　the　hell！　Your　boy's　doing　all　right；　Dirk　old　buddy！〃
　He　went　for　the　stairs。　Then　he　noticed　an　unlit　portrait　in　a　half…hidden　alcove。　He　stopped。　The　oil　painting　was　of　an　old　gray…bearded　sea　captain　with　one　eye；　hook…nosed　and　arrogant；　his　face　scarred；　a　cutlass　on　the　table　beside　him。
　Bartlett　gasped　as　he　saw　that　the　canvas　was　slashed　and　counterslashed；　with　a　short　knife　buried　in　the　man's　heart；　impaling　the　painting　to　the　wall。
　
　Casey　was　staring　at　the　knife。　She　tried　to　hide　her　shock。　She　was　alone　in　the　gallery；　waiting　uneasily。　Dance　music　wafted　up　from　below　…　rhythm　and　blues　music。　A　short　wind　tugged　the　curtains　and　moved　a　strand　of　her　hair。　A　mosquito　droned。
　〃That's　Tyler　Brock。〃
　Casey　spun　around；　startled。　Dunross　was　watching　her。　〃Oh；　I　didn't　hear　you　e　back；〃　she　said。
　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　make　you　jump。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　all　right。〃
　She　looked　back　at　the　painting。　〃Peter　Marlowe　was　telling　us　about　him。〃
　〃He　knows　a　lot　about　Hong　Kong；　but　not　everything；　and　not　all　his　information's　accurate。　Some　of　it's　quite　wrong。〃
　After　a　moment　she　said；　〃It's　。。。　it's　a　bit　melodramatic；　isn't　it；　leaving　the　knife　like　that？〃
　〃Hag　Struan　did　it。　She　ordered　it　left　that　way。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃It　pleased　her。　She　was　tai…pan。〃
　〃Seriously；　why？〃
　〃I　was　serious。〃　Dunross　shrugged。　〃She　hated　her　father　and　wanted　us　all　to　be　reminded　about　our　heritage。〃
　Casey　frowned；　then　motioned