jamesclavell.noblehouse-第2部分

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　our　ships　and　panies　wherever　they　may　be。　The　tai…pan　is　always　alone；　that　being　the　joy　and　the　hurt　of　it。　His　privacy　must　be　guarded　by　all　and　his　back　protected　by　all。　Whatsoever　he　orders；　it　shall　be　obeyed；　and　no　mittees　or　courts　or　inner　circles　shall　ever　be　formed　or　allowed　in　the　pany　to　curb　this　absolute　power。
　〃　'Second：　When　the　tai…pan　stands　on　the　quarterdeck　of　any　of　our　ships　he　takes　precedence　over　the　captain　thereof；　and　his　battle　orders　or　sailing　orders　are　law。　All　captains　will　be　so　sworn　before　God；　before　appointment　to　any　of　our　ships。
　〃　'Third：　The　tai…pan　alone　chooses　his　successor　who　shall　be　selected　only　from　an　Inner　Court　of　six　men。　Of　these；　one　shall　be　our　pradore　who　shall；　in　perpetuity；　be　from　the　House　of　Chen。　The　other　five　shall　be　worthy　to　be　tai…pan；　shall　be　good　men　and　true　with　at　least　five　whole　years　of　service　in　the　pany　as　China　Traders；　and　shall　be　wholesome　in　spirit。　They　must　be　Christian　and　must　be　kinsmen　to　the　clan　Struan　by　birth　or　marriage　…　my　line　and　my　brother　Robb's　line　not　taking　precedence；　unless　by　fortitude　or　qualities　over　and　above　all　others。　This　Inner　Court　may　be　advisors　to　the　tai…pan　if　he　so　desires；　but　let　it　be　said　again；　the　vote　of　the　tai…pan　shall　weight　seven　against　one　for　each　of　them。
　〃　'Fourth：　If　the　tai…pan　be　lost　at　sea；　or　killed　in　battle；　or　vanished　for　six　lunar　months；　before　he　hath　his　successor　chosen；　then　the　Inner　Court　shall　elect　one　of　their　members　to　succeed；　each　having　one　vote；　except　the　vote　of　the　pradore　shall　count　four。　The　tai…pan　shall　then　be　sworn　in　the　same　manner　set　forth　before　his　fellows　…　those　who　voted　against　his　election　in　open　ballot　being　expelled　at　once；　without　remuneration；　from　the　pany　forever。
　〃　'Fifth：　Election　to　the　Inner　Court；　or　removal　therefrom；　shall　be　solely　at　the　tai…pan's　pleasure　and；　on　his　retirement　which　shall　be　at　a　time　when　it　pleasures　him；　he　shall　take　no　more　than　ten　parts　of　every　hundred　of　all　value　for　himself；　except　that　all　our　ships　shall　always　be　excluded　from　any　valuation　。　。　。　our　ships；　their　captains　and　their　crews　being　our　lifeblood　and　our　lifeline　into　future　times。
　〃　'Sixth：　Each　tai…pan　shall　approve　the　election　of　the　pradore。　The　pradore　shall　acknowledge　in　writing　prior　to　his　election　that　he　may　be　removed　at　any　time；　without　need　for　explanations；　that　he　will　step　aside　should　the　tai…pan　wish　it。
　〃　'Last：　The　tai…pan　shall　swear　his　successor；　whom　he　alone　chooses；　in　the　presence　of　the　pradore　using　the　words　set　down　under　my　hand　in　our　family　Bible；　here　in　Hong　Kong；　this　fifteenth　day　of　July　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　1841。'　〃
　Dunross　exhaled。　〃It's　signed　by　Dirk　Struan　and　witnessed　by　…　I　can't　read　the　chop　characters；　sir；　they're　archaic。〃
　Alastair　glanced　at　Phillip　Chen　who　said；　〃The　first　witness　is　my　grandfather's　foster　father；　Chen　Sheng　Arn；　our　first　pradore。　The　second；　my　great…aunt；　T'Chung　Jin　May…may。〃
　〃Then　the　legend's　true！〃　Dunross　said。
　〃Some　of　it。　Yes；　some　of　it。〃　Phillip　Chen　added；　〃Talk　to　my　auntie　Sarah。　Now　that　you're　to　be　tai…pan　she'll　tell　you　lots　of　secrets。　She's　eighty…four　this　year。　She　remembers　my　grandfather；　Sir　Gordon　Chen；　very　well；　and　Duncan　and　Kate　T'Chung；　May…may's　children　by　Dirk　Struan。　Yes。　She　remembers　many　things。　。　。　。〃
　Alastair　Struan　went　over　to　the　lacquered　bureau　and　very　carefully　picked　out　the　heavy　threadbare　Bible。　He　put　on　his　spectacles　and　Dunross　felt　the　hackles　on　his　neck　rise。　〃Repeat　after　me：　I；　Ian　Struan　Dunross；　kinsman　to　the　Struans；　Christian；　sweareth　before　God　in　the　presence　of　Alastair　McKenzie　Duncan　Struan；　ninth　tai…pan；　and　Phillip　T'Chung　Sheng　Chen；　fourth　pradore；　that　I　shall　obey　all　the　Legacy　read　out　by　me　in　their　presence　here　in　Hong　Kong；　that　I　shall　further　bind　the　pany　to　Hong　Kong　and　to　the　China　trade；　that　I　shall　maintain　my　main　place　of　business　here　in　Hong　Kong　while　tai…pan；　that；　before　God；　I　assume　the　promises；　responsibility　and　the　gentleman's　word　of　honor　of　Dirk　Struan　to　his　eternal　friend　Chen…tse　Jin　Arn；　also　known　as　Jin…qua；　or　to　his　successors；　further；　that　I　w…　〃
　〃What　promises？〃
　〃You　swear　before　God；　blind；　like　all　the　tai…pans　did　before　you！　You'll　learn　soon　enough　what　you　inherit。〃
　〃And　if　I　won't？〃
　〃You　know　the　answer　to　that！〃
　The　rain　was　battering　the　windows　and　its　violence　seemed　to　Dunross　to　equal　the　thumping　in　his　chest　as　he　weighed　the　insanity　of　such　an　open…ended　mitment。　But　he　knew　he　could　not　be　tai…pan　unless　he　did；　and　so　he　said　the　words　and　made　the　mitment　before　God；　and　continued　to　say　the　words　read　out　to　him。
　〃。。。　further　that　I　will　use　all　powers；　and　any　means；　to　keep　the　pany　steadfast　as　the　First　House；　the　Noble　House　of　Asia；　that　I　swear　before　God　to　mit　any　deed　necessary　to　vanquish；　destroy　and　cast　out　from　Asia　the　pany　called　Brock　and　Sons　and　particularly　my　enemy；　the　founder；　Tyler　Brock；　his　son　Morgan；　their　heirs　or　any　of　their　line　excepting　only　Tess　Brock　and　her　issue；　the　wife　of　my　son　Culum；　from　the　face　of　Asia。　。。。〃　Dunross　stopped　again。
　〃When　you've　finished　you　can　ask　any　questions　you　want；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。　〃Finish　it！〃
　〃Very　well。　Lastly：　I　swear　before　God　that　my　successor　as　tai…pan　will　also　be　sworn；　before　God；　to　all　of　this　Legacy；　so　help　me　God！〃
　Now　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　rain　slashing　the　windows。　Dunross　could　feel　the　sweat　on　his　back。
　Alastair　Struan　put　down　the　Bible　and　took　off　his　spectacles。　〃There；　it's　done。〃　Tautly　he　put　out　his　hand。　〃I'd　like　to　be　the　first　to　wish　you　well；　tai…pan。　Anything　I　can　do　to　help；　you　have。〃
　〃And　I'm　honored　to　be　second；　tai…pan；〃　Phillip　Chen　said　with　a　slight　bow；　equally　formally。
　〃Thank　you。〃　Dunross's　tension　was　great。
　〃I　think　we　all　need　a　drink；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。　〃With　your　permission；　I'll　pour；〃　he　added　to　Dunross　with　untoward　formality。　〃Phillip？〃
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。　I…　〃
　〃No。　Ian's　tai…pan　now。〃　Alastair　Struan　poured　the　champagne　and　gave　the　first　glass　to　Dunross。
　〃Thank　you；〃　Dunross　said；　savoring　the　pliment；　knowing　nothing　had　changed。　〃Here's　to　the　Noble　House；〃　he　said；　raising　his　glass。
　The　three　men　drank；　then　Alastair　Struan　took　out　an　envelope。　〃This　is　my　resignation　from　the　sixty…odd　chairmanships；　managing　directorships　and　directorships　that　automatically　go　with　the　tai…pan　position。　Your　appointment　in　my　stead　is　equally　automatic。　By　custom　I　bee　chairman　of　our　London　subsidiary　…　but　you　can　terminate　that　anytime　you　wish。〃
　〃It's　terminated；〃　Dunross　said　at　once。
　〃Whatever　you　say；〃　the　old　man　muttered；　but　his　neck　was　purple。
　〃I　think　you'd　be　more　useful　to　Struan's　as　deputy　chairman　of　the　First　Central　Bank　of　Edinburgh。〃
　Struan　looked　up　sharply。　〃What？〃
　〃That's　one　of　our　appointments；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。　〃Why　that？〃
　〃I'm　going　to　need　help。　Struan's　goes　public　next　year。〃
　Both　men　stared　at　him；　astounded。　〃What！〃
　〃We're　going　publ…　〃
　〃We've　been　a　private　pany　for　132　years！〃　the　old　man　roared。　〃Jesus　bloody　Christ　I've　told　you　a　hundred　times　that's　our　strength；　with　no　god…cursed　stockholders　or　outsiders　prying　into　our　private　affairs！〃　His　face　was　flushed　and　he　fought　to　control　his　anger。　〃Don't　you　ever　listen？〃
　〃All　the　time。　Very　carefully；〃　Dunross　said　in　an　unemotional　voice。　〃The　only　way　we　can　survive　is　to　go　public　。。。　that's　the　only　way　we　can　get　the　capital　we　need。〃
　〃Talk　to　him；　Phillip　…　get　some　sense　into　him。〃
　Nervously　the　pradore　said；　〃How　will　this　affect　the　House　of　Chen？〃
　〃Our　formal　pradore　system　is　ended　from　tonight。〃　He　saw　Phillip　Chen's　face　go　white　but　he　continued；　〃I　have　a　plan　for　you　…　in　writing。　It　changes　nothing；　and　everything。　Officially　you'll　still　be　pradore；　unofficially　we'll　operate　differently。　The　major　change　is　that　instead　of　making　about　a　million　a　year；　in　ten　years　your　share　will　bring　you　20；　in　fifteen　years　about　30。〃
　〃Impossible！〃　Alastair　Struan　burst　out。
　〃Our　net　worth　today's　about　20　million　U。