jamesclavell.noblehouse-第260部分

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d　voices。　At　once　Crosse　switched　frequencies　but　the　others　were　operating　perfectly。
　〃Shit；　he's　using　a　portable　shaver　to　block　us；〃　Rosemont　said　disgustedly。　〃That　bastard's　a　pro！　Fifty　to　a　blown　cent　they　block　all　the　bugs　we　got；　hundred　says　when　they　e　back　on　this　channel　it'll　all　be　goddamn　chitchat。　I　told　you　Banastasio　was　cream。〃
　
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　10：52　A。M。：
　〃Tai…pan；　Dr。　Samson　calling　from　London。　He's　on　line　three。〃
　〃Oh　thank　you；　Claudia。〃　Dunross　punched　the　button。　〃Hello；　Doctor。　You're　up　late。〃
　〃I've　just　e　back　from　the　hospital　…　sorry　not　to　call　before。　You　were　calling　about　your　sister；　Mrs。　Gavallan？〃
　〃Yes。　How　is　she？〃
　〃Well；　sir；　we've　begun　another　stringent　series　of　tests。　Mentally；　I　must　say　she's　in　very　good　shape。　I'm　afraid　physically　not　so　good。　。。。〃
　Dunross　listened　with　a　sinking　heart　as　the　doctor　went　into　detail　about　multiple　sclerosis；　how　no　one　really　knew　much　about　it；　that　there　was　no　known　cure　and　that　the　disease　went　in　descending　plateaus　…　once　some　deterioration　of　the　nerve　structure　had　taken　place　it　was　not　possible　with　present　medications　to　climb　back　to　the　previous　level。　〃I've　taken　the　liberty　of　calling　in　Professor　Klienberg　from　the　clinic　at　UCLA　in　Los　Angeles　for　a　consultation　…　he's　the　world　expert　on　the　disease。　Please　rest　assured　we　will　do　everything　we　can　for　Mrs。　Gavallan。〃
　〃It　doesn't　sound　as　if　you　can　do　anything　at　all。〃
　〃Well；　it's　not　quite　as　bad　as　that；　sir。　If　Mrs。　Gavallan　takes　care；　rests；　and　is　sensible；　she　can　have　a　normal　life　for　many　years。〃
　〃How　long　is　many　years？〃　Dunross　heard　the　long　hesitation。　Oh　Kathy；　poor　Kathy！
　〃I　don't　know。　Many　times　this　sort　of　problem's　in　the　hands　of　God；　Mr。　Dunross。　Patients　do　not　follow　the　same　time　patterns。　In　Mrs。　Gavallan's　case　I　could　answer　you　better　in　six　months；　perhaps　by　Christmas。　Meanwhile；　I　have　taken　her　on　as　a　National　Health　patient　so　then　…　〃
　〃No。　She　should　be　a　private　patient；　Dr。　Samson。　Please　send　all　bills　to　my　office。〃
　〃Mr。　Dunross；　there's　no　difference　in　the　quality　of　service　I　give　to　her。　She　just　has　to　wait　a　little　while　in　my　waiting　room　and　be　in　a　ward；　not　a　private　room　at　the　hospital。〃
　〃Please　make　her　a　private　patient。　I　would　prefer　it；　so　would　her　husband。〃
　Dunross　heard　the　sigh　and　hated　it。　〃Very　well；〃　the　doctor　was　saying。　〃I　have　all　your　numbers　and　I'll　call　you　the　instant　Professor　Klienberg　has　made　his　examination　and　the　tests　are　concluded。〃
　Dunross　thanked　him　and　replaced　the　phone。　Oh　Kathy；　poor　dear　Kathy。
　Earlier　when　he　had　got　up　at　dawn　he　had　talked　to　her　and　to　Penelope。　Kathy　had　said　how　much　better　she　felt　and　how　Samson　was　most　encouraging。　Penn　had　told　him　later　that　Kathy　was　looking　very　tired。　〃It　doesn't　seem　very　good；　Ian。　Is　there　any　chance　you　could　e　here　for　a　week　or　two　before　October　10？〃
　〃Not　at　the　moment；　Penn；　but　you　never　know。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　take　Kathy　to　Avisyard　as　soon　as　she　gets　out　of　the　hospital。　Next　week　at　the　latest。　She'll　be　better　there。　The　land　will　make　her　better；　don't　worry；　Ian。〃
　〃Penn；　when　you　get　to　Avisyard；　would　you　go　out　to　the　Shrieking　Tree　for　me？〃
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　He　heard　the　concern　in　her　voice。　〃Nothing；　darling；〃　he　told　her；　thinking　about　Jacques　and　Phillip　Chen　…　how　can　I　explain　about　them？　〃Nothing　particular；　just　more　of　the　same。　I　just　wanted　you　to　say　hello　to　our　real　Shrieking　Tree。〃
　〃Our　Jacaranda　there's　no　good？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　she's　fine；　but　not　the　same。　Perhaps　you　should　bring　a　cutting　back　to　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃No。　Better　we　leave　it　where　it　is。　Then　you　have　to　e　home；　don't　you；　Ian？〃
　〃Can　I　make　a　bet　for　you　this　afternoon？〃
　Again　a　pause。　〃Ten　dollars　on　the　horse　you　choose。　I'll　back　your　choice。　I'll　always　back　your　choice。　Call　me　tomorrow。　Love　you　。。。　'bye。〃
　He　remembered　the　first　time　she　had　said；　I　love　you；　and　then；　later；　when　he　had　asked　her　to　marry　him；　all　the　refusals　and　then　eventually；　through　shattering　tears；　the　real　reason：　〃Oh　Christ；　Ian；　I'm　not　good　enough　for　you。　You're　upper　class；　I'm　not。　The　way　I　talk　now；　I　acquired。　It　was　because　I　was　evacuated　at　the　beginning　of　the　war　to　the　country　…　my　God　I'd　only　been　outside　London　twice　in　my　whole　life　till　then；　just　to　the　seaside。　I　was　evacuated　to　a　wonderful　old　manor　house　in　Hampshire　where　all　the　other　girls　were　from　one　of　your　fine　upperclass　schools；　Byculla　was　its　name。　There　was　a　mix…up；　Ian；　my　whole　school　went　somewhere　else；　just　me　to　Byculla；　and　it　was　only　then　that　I　found　I　talked　different；　differently　…　there；　you　see　I　still　forget　sometimes！　Oh　God；　you've　no　idea　how　awful　it　was　to　find　out　so　young　that　。。。　that　I　was　mon　and　talked　mon　and　that　there　are　such　limitless　differences　in　England；　the　way　we　talk　…　the　way　we　talk　so　important！
　〃Oh　how　I　worked　to　imitate　the　others。　They　helped　me　and　there　was　one　teacher　who　was　so　wonderful　to　me。　I　hurled　myself　into　the　new　life；　theirs；　and　I　swore　to　better　myself　and　never　go　back；　never；　never；　never；　and　I　won't。　But　I　can't　marry　you；　my　darling　…　let's　just　stay　lovers　…　I'll　never　be　good　enough。〃
　But　in　time；　her　time；　they　had　married。　Granny　Dunross　had　persuaded　her。　Penelope　had　agreed　but　only　after　going　out　to　the　Shrieking　Tree；　alone。　She　had　never　told　him　what　she　had　said。
　I'm　lucky；　Dunross　thought。　She's　the　best　wife　a　man　could　have。
　Since　ing　back　from　the　track　at　dawn　he　had　worked　steadily。　Half　a　hundred　cables。　Dozens　of　international　phone　calls。　Countless　locals。　At　9：30　he　had　called　the　governor　about　Tiptop's　proposal。　〃I'll　have　to　consult　the　minister；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　had　said。　〃The　earliest　I　could　call　him　would　be　four　this　afternoon。　This　must　be　kept　entirely　secret；　Ian。　Dear　oh　dear；　Brian　Kwok　must　be　very　important　to　them！〃
　〃Or　perhaps　just　another　convenient　concession　for　the　money。〃
　〃Ian；　I　don't　think　the　minister　will　agree　to　a　trade。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Her　Majesty's　Government　might　consider　it　a　precedent；　a　bad　one。　I　would。〃
　〃The　money's　vital。〃
　〃The　money's　a　temporary　problem。　Precedents　unfortunately　last　forever。　You　were　at　the　track？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃How's　the　form？〃
　〃They　all　looked　in　fine　fettle。　Alexi　Travkin　says　Pilot　Fish's　our　main　opposition　and　the　going　will　be　soft。　Noble　Star's　grand　though　she's　never　raced　in　the　wet。〃
　〃Will　it　rain？〃
　〃Yes。　But　perhaps　we'll　be　lucky；　sir。〃
　〃Let's　hope　so。　Terrible　times；　Ian。　Still；　these　things　are　sent　to　try　us；　eh？　Are　you　going　to　John's　funeral？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃So　am　I。　Poor　fellow　。。。〃
　At　the　funeral　this　morning　Dunross　had　said　kind　words　about　John　Chen　for　the　face　of　the　House　of　Chen　and　for　all　the　Chen　forebears　who　had　served　the　Noble　House　so　long　and　hard。
　〃Thank　you；　tai…pan；〃　Phillip　Chen　had　said　simply。　〃Again；　I'm　sorry。〃
　Later　he　had　said　to　Phillip　Chen　privately；　〃Sorry　is　sorry　but　that　still　doesn't　help　us　extricate　ourselves　from　the　trap　your　son；　and　you；　put　us　into。　Or　solve　bloody　Four　Fingers　and　the　third　coin。〃
　〃I　know；　I　know！〃　Phillip　Chen　had　said；　wringing　his　hands。　〃I　know；　and　unless　we　can　get　the　stock　back　up　we're　ruined；　we're　all　ruined！　Oh　ko；　after　you'd　announced　the　boom　I　bought　and　bought　and　now　we're　ruined。〃
　Dunross　had　said　sharply；　〃We've　got　the　weekend；　Phillip。　Now　listen　to　me；　damnit！　You　will　claim　every　favor　you're　owed。　I　want　Lando　Mata　and　Tightfist　Tung's　backing　by　Sunday　midnight。　At　least　20　million。〃
　〃But；　tai…pan；　don…　〃
　〃If　I　don't　get　that　by　Sunday　midnight；　have　your　resignation　on　my　desk　by　9：00　a。m。；　you're　no　longer　pradore；　your　son　Kevin's　out　and　all　your　branch　is　out　forever　and　I'll　choose　a　new　pradore　from　another　branch。〃
　Now　he　exhaled　heavily；　hating　that　Phillip　Chen　and　John　Chen　…　and　probably　Jacques　deVille　…　had　betrayed　their　trust。　He　went　to　the　coffee　tray　and　poured　himself　some　coffee。　Today　it　did　not　taste　good　to　him。　The　phones　had　been　incessant；　most　of　the　calls　about　the　looming　collapse　of　the　market；　the　banking　system。　Havergill；　Johnjohn；　Richard　Kwang。　Nothing