jamesclavell.noblehouse-第268部分

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eting　people　here　and　there。　The　kitchen　was　small；　busy　and　sparkling。　The　staff　paid　no　attention　to　them。　A　door　opened　into　a　tiny　private　room；　carefully　soundproofed。　Four　chairs；　a　table　and　phone。　〃My　father　had　this　constructed　during　his　tenure　…　lots　of　business　is　done　at　the　races。　Sit　down　please。　Now〃　…　he　looked　at　Bartlett　…　〃I've　a　business　proposal　for　you；　for　you　and　Casey　as　individuals；　outside　of　our　Par…Con　deal；　nothing　to　do　with　the　Par…Con…Struan　proposal。　Are　you　interested？〃
　〃Sure。　This　a　Hong　Kong　scam？〃
　〃Do　you　mind？〃　Dunross　beamed。　〃It's　an　honest…to…God　Hong　Kong　business　proposal。〃
　〃Okay；　let's　have　it。〃
　〃Before　I　lay　it　out　there　are　ground　rules：　It's　my　game；　you　two're　bystanders　but　you're　in　for　49　percent　of　the　profits；　to　be　shared　equally　between　you　two。　Okay？〃
　〃What's　the　full　game　plan；　Ian？〃　Bartlett　asked　cautiously。
　〃Next：　You　put　up　2　million　U。S。　by　Monday　9：00　a。m。　into　a　Swiss　bank　of　my　choosing。〃
　Bartlett's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Against　what？〃
　〃Against　49　percent　of　the　profit。〃
　〃What　profit？〃
　〃You　put　up　2　million　for　Gornt；　no　paper；　no　chop；　no　nothing　except　against　potential　profit。〃
　Bartlett　grinned。　〃How　long　have　you　known　about　that？〃
　Dunross　smiled　back。　〃I　told　you；　there're　no　secrets　here。　Are　you　in？〃　Dunross　saw　Bartlett　glance　at　Casey　and　he　held　his　breath。
　〃Casey；　you　know　what　this's　all　about？〃
　〃No；　Linc。〃　Casey　turned　to　Dunross。　〃What　is　the　scam；　Ian？〃
　〃First　I　want　to　know　if　I　get　the　2　million　advance　free　and　clear　…　if　you　go　for　this　scheme。〃
　〃What's　the　profit　potential？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃4　to　12　million。　Tax　free。〃
　Casey　blanched。　〃Tax　free？〃
　〃Free　of　any　Hong　Kong　taxes　and　we　can　help　you　avoid　States　taxes　if　you　want。〃
　〃What's　。。。　what's　the　payout　period？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　〃The　profit'll　be　set　in　thirty　days。　The　payout　will　take　five　to　six　months。〃
　〃The　4　to　12　million's　the　total；　or　our　share　only？〃
　〃Your　share。〃
　〃That's　a　lot　of　profit　for　something　pletely；　twenty…four…carat　legal。〃
　There　was　a　great　silence。　Dunross　waited；　willing　them　onward。
　〃2　million　cash？〃　Bartlett　said。　〃No　security；　no　nothing？〃
　〃No。　But　after　I've　laid　it　out　you　can　put　up　or　pass。〃
　〃What's　Gornt　to　do　with　this？〃
　〃Absolutely　nothing。　This　venture　has　nothing　to　do　with　Gornt；　Rothwell…Gornt；　Par…Con；　your　interest　in　them　or　us　or　the　Par…Con　deal。　This　is　totally　outside；　whatever　happens　…　my　word　on　that。　And　my　word　before　God；　that　I'll　never　tell　him　you've　put　up　this　2　million；　that　you　two　are　my　partners　and　in　for　a　piece　…　or；　by　the　way；　that　I　know　about　the　three　of　you　selling　me　short。〃　He　smiled。　〃That　was　a　very　good　idea　by　the　way。〃
　〃The　deal's　swung　by　my　2　million？〃
　〃No。　Greased。　I　haven't　2　million　U。S。　cash　as　you　know；　otherwise　you　wouldn't　be　invited　in。〃
　〃Why　us；　Ian？　You　could　raise　2　mill　from　one　of　your　friends　here；　easy；　if　it's　so　good。〃
　〃Yes。　But　I　choose　to　sweeten　the　lure　to　you　two。　By　the　way；　you　are　held　to　Tuesday　at　midnight。〃　Dunross　said　it　flat。　Then　his　voice　changed　and　the　others　felt　the　glee。　〃But　with　this　…　this　business　venture　…　I　can　dramatize　how　much　superior　we　are　to　Rothwell…Gornt；　how　much　more　exciting　it'll　be　being　associated　with　us　than　him。　You're　a　gambler；　so　am　I。　Raider　Bartlett　they　call　you　and　I'm　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House。　You　gambled　a　paltry　2　million　with　Gornt；　with　no　chop；　why　not　with　me？〃
　Bartlett　glanced　at　Casey。　She　gave　him　neither　a　yes　or　a　no　though　he　knew　the　lure　had　her　in　spades。
　〃Since　you're　setting　the　rules；　Ian；　answer　me　this：　I　put　up　the　2　million。　Why　should　we　share　equally；　Casey　and　I？〃
　〃I　remember　what　you　said　over　dinner　about　drop　dead　money。　You've　got　yours；　she　hasn't。　This　could　be　a　device　to　get　her　hers。〃
　〃Why're　you　so　concerned　over　Casey？　You　trying　to　divide　and　rule？〃
　〃If　that's　possible　then　you　shouldn't　be　in　a　very　special　partnership　and　business　relationship。　She's　your　right　arm；　you　told　me。　She's　clearly　very　important　to　you　and　to　Par…Con　so　she's　entitled　to　share。〃
　〃What　does　she　risk？〃
　〃She'll　put　up　her　house；　her　savings；　her　Par…Con　stock　…　that's　everything　she　has　…　alongside　yours。　She'll　sign　it　all　over　for　a　half　share。　Right？〃
　Casey　nodded；　numb。　〃Sure。〃
　Sharply　Bartlett　glanced　at　Casey。　〃I　thought　you　said　you　knew　nothing　about　this？〃
　She　looked　at　him。　〃Couple　of　minutes　ago；　Ian　asked　if　I'd　gamble　my　all　to　get　some　drop　dead　money；　big　money。〃　She　gulped　and　added；　〃I　said　okay　and　already　wish　I　hadn't。〃
　Bartlett　thought　a　moment。　〃Casey；　blunt：　You　want　in　or　you　want　out？〃
　〃In。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Then　Bartlett　beamed。　〃Okay；　tai…pan；　now　who　do　we　have　to　kill？〃
　
　Nine　Carat　Chu；　who　was　a　sometime　gold　coolie　for　the　Victoria　Bank　and　also　the　father　of　two　sons　and　two　daughters　…　Lily　Su　who　was　Havergill's　occasional　friend　and　Wisteria　who　was　John　Chen's　mistress；　whose　joss　was　to　be　trampled　to　death　outside　the　Ho…Pak　at　Aberdeen　…　waited　his　turn　at　the　betting　window。
　〃Yes；　old　man？〃　the　impatient　teller　said。
　He　pulled　out　a　roll　of　money。　It　was　all　the　money　he　had　and　all　the　money　he　could　borrow；　leaving　only　enough　for　three　inhalations　of　the　White　Powder　that　he　would　need　to　see　him　through　his　night　shift　tonight。　〃The　double　quinella；　by　all　the　gods！　Eight　and　five　in　the　second　race；　seven　and　one　in　the　fifth。〃
　The　teller　methodically　counted　out　the　crumpled　bills。　728　HK。　He　pressed　the　buttons　of　those　numbers　and　checked　the　first　ticket。　It　was　correct：　five　and　eight　…　second　race；　seven　and　one　…　fifth　race。　Carefully　he　counted　145　tickets；　each　of　5　HK；　the　minimum　bet；　and　gave　them　to　him　with　3　HK　change。　〃Hurry　up；　by　all　the　gods；〃　the　next　in　line　called　out。　〃Are　your　fingers　in　your　Black　Hole？〃
　〃Be　patient！〃　the　old　man　muttered；　feeling　faint；　〃this　is　serious　business！〃　Carefully　he　checked　his　tickets。　The　first；　three　random　ones　and　the　last　were　correct；　and　the　number　of　tickets　correct；　so　he　gave　up　his　place　and　pushed　his　way　out　of　the　press　into　the　air。　Once　in　the　air　he　felt　a　little　better；　still　nauseated　but　better。　He　had　walked　all　the　way　from　his　night　shift　of　work　at　the　construction　site　of　the　new　high　rise　up　above　Kotewall　Road　in　Mid　Levels　to　save　the　fare。
　Again　he　checked　his　tickets。　Eight　and　five　in　this　race　and　seven　and　one　in　the　fifth；　the　big　race。　Good；　he　thought；　putting　them　carefully　into　his　pocket。　I've　done　the　best　I　can。　Now　it　is　up　to　the　gods。
　His　chest　was　hurting　him　very　much　so　he　fought　through　the　crowd　to　the　toilet　and　there　he　lit　a　match　and　inhaled　the　smoke　from　the　bubbling　White　Powder。　In　time　he　felt　better　and　went　outside　again。　The　second　race　was　already　on。　Beside　himself　with　anxiety　he　pushed　and　shoved　his　way　to　the　rails；　careless　of　the　curses　that　followed　him。　The　horses　were　rounding　the　far　bend；　galloping　toward　him　into　the　last　straight　for　the　winning　post；　now　past　in　a　thundering　blur　as　he　strained　his　rheumy　old　eyes　to　find　his　numbers。
　〃Who's　leading？〃　he　gasped　but　no　one　paid　any　attention　to　him；　just　shouted　their　own　choice　on　to　victory　in　a　growing　seething　roar　that　was　all　possessing；　then　vanished　as　the　winner　won。
　〃Who　won？〃　Nine　Carat　Chu　gasped；　his　head　exploding。
　〃Who　cares！〃　someone　said　with　a　stream　of　curses。　〃It　wasn't　mine！　All　gods　piss　on　that　jockey　forever！〃
　〃I　can't　read　the　tote；　who　won？〃
　〃It　was　a　photo　finish；　old　fool；　can't　you　see！　There　were　three　horses　bunched　together。　Fornicate　all　photo　finishes！　We　must　wait。〃
　〃But　the　numbers　。。。　what　are　the　numbers？〃
　〃Five　and　eight　and　four；　Lucky　Court；　my　horse！　e　on　you　son　of　a　whore's　left　tit！　Four　and　eight　for　the　quinella　by　all　the　gods！〃
　They　waited。　And　waited。　The　old　man　thought　he　would　faint　so　he　put　his　mind　on　to　better　things；　like　his　conversation　with　Noble　House　Chen　this　morning。　Three　times　he　had　called　and　each　time　a　servant　had　answered　and　hung　up。　It　was　only　when　he　had　said　〃Werewolf〃　that　Noble　House　Chen　himself　had　e　to　the　phone。
　〃Please　excuse　me　for　mentioning　the　te