按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ying degrees。 But not one would sell the Noble House to an outsider。 Not one。 Even so； one of them did。
Who？
The hours passed。
Who？ Sevrin； what to do about the files； was AMG murdered； how much of the files're true？
Who？
The night was cool now and the terrace had beckoned him。 He stood under the stars。 The breeze and the night weled him。 He had always loved the night。 Flying alone above the clouds at night； so much better than the day； the stars so near； eyes always watching for the enemy bomber or enemy night fighter； thumb ready on the trigger 。。。 ah； life was so simple then； kill or be killed。
He stood there for a while； then； refreshed； he went back and locked the files away and sat in his great chair facing the French windows； on guard； working out his options； choosing one。 Then； satisfied； he had dozed an hour or so and awoke； as usual； just before dawn。
His dressing room was off his study which was next door to their master bedroom。 He had dressed casually and left silently。 The road was clear。 Sixteen seconds were clipped from his record。 In his penthouse he bathed and shaved and changed into a tropical suit； then went to his office on the floor below。 It was very humid today with a curious look to the sky。 A tropical storm's ing； he had thought。 Perhaps we'll be lucky and it won't pass us by like all the others and it'll bring rain。 He turned away from his windows and concentrated on running the Noble House。
There was a pile of overnight telexes to deal with on all manner of negotiations and enterprises； problems and business opportunities throughout the Colony and the great outside。 From all points of the pass。 As far north as the Yukon where Struan's had an oil…prospecting joint venture with the Canadian timber and mining giant； McLean…Woodley。 Singapore and Malaya and as far south as Tasmania for fruit and minerals to carry to Japan。 West to Britain； east to New York； the tentacles of the new international Noble House that Dunross dreamed about were beginning to reach out； still weak； still tentative； and without the sustenance he knew was vital to their growth。
Never mind。 Soon they'll be strong。 The Par…Con deal will make our web like steel； with Hong Kong the center of the earth and us the nucleus of the center。 Thank God for the telex and telephones。
〃Mr。 Bartlett please。〃
〃Hello？〃
〃Ian Dunross； good morning； sorry to disturb you so early； could we postpone our meeting till 6：30？〃
〃Yes。 Is there a problem？〃
〃No。 Just business。 I've a lot to catch up with。〃
〃Anything on John Chen？〃
〃Not yet； no。 Sorry。 I'll keep you posted though。 Give my regards to Casey。〃
〃I will。 Say； that was some party last night。 Your daughter's a charmer！〃
〃Thanks。 I'll e to the hotel at 6：30。 Of course Casey's invited。 See you then。 'Bye！〃
Ah Casey！ he thought。
Casey and Bartlett。 Casey and Gornt。 Gornt and Four Finger Wu。
Early this morning he had heard from Four Finger Wu about his meeting with Gornt。 A pleasant current had swept through him on hearing that his enemy had almost died。 The Peak Road's no place to lose your brakes； he thought。
Pity the bastard didn't die。 That would have saved me lots of anguish。 Then he dismissed Gornt and rethought Four Finger Wu。
Between the old seaman's pidgin and his Haklo they could converse quite well。 Wu had told him everything he could。 Gornt's ment on the Ho…Pak； advising Wu to withdraw his money； was surprising。 And cause for concern。 That and Haply's article。
Does that bugger Gornt know something I don't？
He had gone to the bank。 〃Paul； what's going on？〃
〃About what？〃
〃The Ho…Pak。〃
〃Oh。 The run？ Very bad for our banking image； I must say。 Poor Richard！ We're fairly certain he's got all the reserves he needs to weather his storm but we don't know the extent of his mitments。 Of course I called him the moment I read Haply's ridiculous article。 I must tell you； Ian； I also called Christian Toxe and told him in no uncertain terms he should control his reporters and that he'd better cease and desist or else。〃
〃I was told there was a queue at Tsim Sha Tsui。〃
''Oh？ I hadn't heard that。 I'll check。 Even so； surely the Ching Prosperity and the Lo Fat banks will support him。 My God； he's built up the Ho…Pak into a major banking institution。 If he went broke God knows what'll happen。 We even had some withdrawals at Aberdeen ourselves。 No； Ian； let's hope it'll all blow over。 Talking about that； do you think we'll get some rain？ It feels dicey today； don't you think？ The news said there might be a storm ing through。 Do you think it'll rain？〃
〃I don't know。 Let's hope so。 But not on Saturday！〃
〃My God yes！ If the races were rained out that would be terrible。 We can't have that。 Oh； by the way； Ian； it was a lovely party last night。 I enjoyed meeting Bartlett and his girl friend。 How're your negotiations with Bartlett proceeding？〃
〃First class！ Listen； Paul 。。。〃
Dunross smiled to himself； remembering how he had dropped his voice even though in Havergill's office 。。。 Havergill's office which overlooked the whole of Central District was book…lined and very carefully soundproofed。 〃I've closed my deal。 It's two years initially。 We sign the papers within seven days。 They're putting up 20 million cash in each of the years； succeeding ones to be negotiated。〃
〃Congratulations； my dear fellow。 Heartiest congratulations！ And the down payment？〃
〃Seven。〃
〃That's marvelous！ That covers everything nicely。 It'll be marvelous to have the Toda specter away from the balance sheet … and with another million for Orlin； well； perhaps they'll give you more time； then at long last you can forget all the bad years and look forward to a very profitable future。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Have you got your ships chartered yet？〃
〃No。 But I'll have charterers in time to service our loan。〃
〃I noticed your stock's jumped two points。〃
〃It's on the way now。 It's going to double； within thirty days。〃
〃Oh？ What makes you think so？〃
〃The boom。〃
〃Eh？〃
〃All the signs point that way； Paul。 Confidence's up。 Our Par…Con deal will lead the boom。 It's long overdue。〃
〃That would be marvelous！ When do you make the initial announcement about Par…Con？〃
〃Friday； after the market closes。〃
〃Excellent。 My thought entirely。 By Monday everyone will be on the bandwagon！〃
〃But let's keep everything in the family until then。〃
〃Of course。 Oh； did you hear Quillan almost killed himself last night？ It was just after your party。 His brakes failed on the Peak Road。〃
〃Yes I heard。 He should have killed himself … that would have sent Second Great pany's stock skyrocketing with happiness！〃
〃e now； Ian！ A boom eh？ You really think so？〃
〃Enough to want to buy heavily。 How about a million credit … to buy Struan's？〃
〃Personal … or for the House？〃
〃Personal。〃
〃We would hold the stock？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃And if the stock goes down？〃
〃It won't。〃
〃Say it does； Ian？〃
〃What do you suggest？〃
〃Well； it's all in the family so why don't we say if it goes two points below market at today's closing； we can sell and debit your account with the loss？〃
〃Three。 Struan's is going to double。〃
〃Yes。 Meanwhile； let's say two until you sign the Par…Con deal。 The House is rather a lot over on its revolving credit already。 Let's say two； eh？〃
〃All right。〃
I'm safe at two； Dunross thought again； reassuring himself。 I think。
Before he had left the bank he had gone by Johnjohn's office。 Bruce Johnjohn； second deputy chief manager and heir apparent to Havergill； was a stocky； gentle man with a hummingbird's vitality。 Dunross had given him the same news。 Johnjohn had been equally pleased。 But he had advised caution on projecting a boom and； contrary to Havergill； was greatly concerned with the Ho…Pak run。
〃I don't like it at all； Ian。 It's very smelly。〃
〃Yes。 What about Haply's article？〃
〃Oh； it's all nonsense。 We don't go in for those sort of shenanigans。 Blacs？ Equally foolish。 Why should we want to eliminate a major Chinese bank； even if we could。 The Ching Bank might be the culprit。 Perhaps。 Perhaps old Smiler Ching would … he and Richard have been rivals for years。 It could be a bination of half a dozen banks； Ching included。 It might even be that Richard's depositors are really scared。 I've heard all sorts of rumors for three months or so。 They're in deep with dozens of dubious property schemes。 Anyway； if he goes under it'll affect us all。 Be bloody careful； Ian！〃
〃I'll be glad when you're upstairs； Bruce。〃
〃Don't sell Paul short … he's very clever and he's been awfully good for Hong Kong and the bank。 But we're in for some hairy times in Asia； Ian。 I must say I think you're very wise to try to diversify into South America … it's a huge market and untapped by us。 Have you considered South Africa？〃
〃What about it？〃
〃Let's have lunch next week。 Wednesday？ Good。 I've an idea for you。〃
〃Oh？ What？〃
〃It'll wait； old chum。 You heard about Gornt？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Very unusual for a Rolls； what？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃He's very sure he can take Par…Con away from you。〃
〃He won't。〃
〃Have you seen Phillip today？〃
〃Phillip Chen？ No； why？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Bumped into him at the track。 He seemed 。。。 wel