jamesclavell.noblehouse-第30部分

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　A　fly　began　to　batter　itself　irritatingly　against　the　windowpane。　〃Your　dad　wanted　you　to　be　a　soldier？〃
　〃No。　Sun　Tzu；　like　Machiavelli；　wrote　about　life　more　than　death　…　and　about　survival　more　than　war。　。。。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　the　window　then　got　up　and　went　over　to　it　and　obliterated　the　fly　with　a　controlled　savagery　that　sent　warning　signals　through　Bartlett。
　Dunross　returned　to　his　desk。　〃My　father　thought　I　should　know　about　survival　and　how　to　handle　large　bodies　of　men。　He　wanted　me　to　be　worthy　to　bee　tai…pan　one　day；　though　he　never　thought　I'd　amount　to　much。〃　He　smiled。
　〃He　was　tai…pan　too？〃
　〃Yes。　He　was　very　good。　At　first。〃
　〃What　happened？〃
　Dunross　laughed　sardonically。　〃Ah；　skeletons　so　early；　Mr。　Bartlett？　Well；　briefly；　we　had　a　rather　tedious；　long…drawn…out　difference　of　opinion。　Eventually　he　handed　over　to　Alastair　Struan；　my　predecessor。〃
　〃He's　still　alive？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Does　your　British　understatement　mean　you　went　to　war　with　him？〃
　〃Sun　Tzu's　very　specific　about　going　to　war；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Very　bad　to　go　to　war　he　says；　unless　you　need　to。　Quote：　'Supreme　excellence　of　generalship　consists　in　breaking　the　enemy's　resistance　without　fighting。'　〃
　〃You　broke　him？〃
　〃He　removed　himself　from　the　field；　Mr。　Bartlett；　like　the　wise　man　he　was。〃
　Dunross's　face　had　hardened。　Bartlett　studied　him。　Both　men　knew　they　were　drawing　battle　lines　in　spite　of　themselves。
　〃I'm　glad　I　came　to　Hong　Kong；〃　the　American　said。　〃I'm　glad　to　meet　you。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Perhaps　one　day　you　won't　be。〃
　Bartlett　shrugged。　〃Maybe。　Meanwhile　we've　got　a　deal　cooking　…　good　for　you；　good　for　us。〃　He　grinned　abruptly；　thinking　about　Gornt　and　the　cooking　knife。　〃Yes。　I'm　glad　I　came　to　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃Would　you　and　Casey　care　to　be　my　guests　this　evening？　I'm　having　a　modest　bash；　a　party；　at　8：30　odd。〃
　〃Formal？〃
　〃Just　dinner　jacket　…　is　that　all　right？〃
　〃Fine。　Casey　said　you　like　the　tux　and　black　tie　bit。〃　Then　Bartlett　noticed　the　painting　on　the　wall：　an　old　oil　of　a　pretty　Chinese　boat　girl　carrying　a　little　English　boy；　his　fair　hair　tied　in　a　queue。　〃That　a　Quance？　An　Aristotle　Quance？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　it　is；〃　Dunross　said；　barely　covering　his　surprise。
　Bartlett　walked　over　and　looked　at　it。　〃This　the　original？〃
　〃Yes。　You　know　much　about　art？〃
　〃No；　but　Casey　told　me　about　Quance　as　we　were　ing　out　here。　She　said　he's　almost　like　a　photographer；　really　a　historian　of　the　early　times。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　he　is。〃
　〃If　I　remember　this　one's　supposed　to　be　a　portrait　of　a　girl　called　May…may；　May…may　T'Chung；　and　the　child　is　one　of　Dirk　Struan's　by　her？〃
　Dunross　said　nothing；　just　watched　Bartlett's　back。
　Bartlett　peered　a　little　closer。　〃Difficult　to　see　the　eyes。　So　the　boy　is　Gordon　Chen；　Sir　Gordon　Chen　to　be？〃　He　turned　and　looked　at　Dunross。
　〃I　don't　know　for　certain；　Mr。　Bartlett。　That's　one　story。〃
　Bartlett　watched　him　for　a　moment。　The　two　men　were　well　matched；　Dunross　slightly　taller　but　Bartlett　wider　in　the　shoulders。　Both　had　blue　eyes；　Dunross's　slightly　more　greenish；　both　wideset　in　lived…in　faces。
　〃You　enjoy　being　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House？〃　Bartlett　asked。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　don't　know　for　a　fact　what　a　tai…pan's　powers　are；　but　in　Par…Con　I　can　hire　and　fire　anyone；　and　can　close　it　down　if　I　want。〃
　〃Then　you're　a　tai…pan。〃
　〃Then　I　enjoy　being　a　tai…pan　too。　I　want　in　in　Asia　…　you　need　an　in　in　the　States。　Together　we　could　sew　up　the　whole　Pacific　Rim　into　a　tote　bag　for　both　of　us。〃
　Or　a　shroud　for　one　of　us；　Dunross　thought；　liking　Bartlett　despite　the　fact　that　he　knew　it　was　dangerous　to　like　him。
　〃I've　got　what　you　lack；　you've　got　what　I　lack。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Dunross　said。　〃And　now　what　we　both　lack　is　lunch。〃
　They　turned　for　the　door。　Bartlett　was　there　first。　But　he　did　not　open　it　at　once。　〃I　know　it's　not　your　custom　but　since　I'm　going　with　you　to　Taipei；　could　you　call　me　Linc　and　I　call　you　Ian　and　we　begin　to　figure　out　how　much　we're　gonna　bet　on　the　golf　match？　I'm　sure　you　know　my　handicap's　thirteen；　officially；　and　I　know　yours's　ten；　officially；　which　probably　means　at　least　one　stroke　off　both　of　us　for　safety。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Dunross　said　at　once。　〃But　here　we　don't　normally　bet　money；　just　balls。〃
　〃I'm　goddamned　if　I'm　betting　mine　on　a　golf　match。〃
　Dunross　laughed。　〃Maybe　you　will；　one　day。　We　usually　bet　half　a　dozen　golf　balls　here　…　something　like　that。〃
　〃It's　a　bad　British　custom　to　bet　money；　Ian？〃
　〃No。　How　about　five　hundred　a　side；　winning　team　take　all？〃
　〃U。S。　or　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃Hong　Kong。　Among　friends　it　should　be　Hong　Kong。　Initially。〃
　
　Lunch　was　served　in　the　directors'　private　dining　room　on　the　nineteenth　floor。　It　was　an　L…shaped　corner　room；　with　a　high　ceiling　and　blue　drapes；　mottled　blue　Chinese　carpets　and　large　windows　from　which　they　could　see　Kowloon　and　the　airplanes　taking　off　and　landing　at　Kai　Tak　and　as　far　west　as　Stonecutters　Island　and　Tsing　Yi　Island；　and；　beyond；　part　of　the　New　Territories。　The　great；　antique　oak　dining　table　which　could　seat　twenty　easily　was　laid　with　placemats　and　fine　silver；　and　Waterford's　best　crystal。　For　the　six　of　them；　there　were　four　silent；　very　well…trained　waiters　in　black　trousers　and　white　tunics　embroidered　with　the　Struan　emblem。
　Cocktails　had　been　started　before　Bartlett　and　Dunross　arrived。　Casey　was　having　a　dry　vodka　martini　with　the　others　…　except　for　Gavallan　who　had　a　double　pink　gin。　Bartlett；　without　being　asked；　was　served　an　ice…cold　can　of　Anweiser；　on　a　Georgian　silver　tray。
　〃Who　told　you？〃　Bartlett　said；　delighted。
　〃pliments　of　Struan　and　pany；〃　Dunross　said。　〃We　heard　that's　the　way　you　like　it。〃　He　introduced　him　to　Gavallan；　deVille　and　Linbar　Struan；　and　accepted　a　glass　of　iced　Chablis；　then　smiled　at　Casey。　〃How　are　you？〃
　〃Fine；　thanks。〃
　〃Excuse　me；〃　Bartlett　said　to　the　others；　〃but　I　have　to　give　Casey　a　message　before　I　forget。　Casey；　will　you　call　Johnston　in　Washington　tomorrow　…　find　out　who　our　best　contact'd　be　at　the　consulate　here。〃
　〃Certainly。　If　I　can't　get　him　I'll　ask　Tim　Diller。〃
　Anything　to　do　with　Johnston　was　code　for：　how's　the　deal　progressing？　In　answer：　Diller　meant　good；　Tim　Diller　very　good；　Jones　bad；　George　Jones　very　bad。
　〃Good　idea；〃　Bartlett　said　and　smiled　back；　then　to　Dunross；　〃This　is　a　beautiful　room。〃
　〃It's　adequate；〃　Dunross　said。
　Casey　laughed；　getting　the　underplay。　〃The　meeting　went　very　well；　Mr。　Dunross；〃　she　said。　〃We　came　up　with　a　proposal　for　your　consideration。〃
　How　American　to　e　out　with　it　like　that　…　no　finesse！　Doesn't　she　know　business　is　for　after　lunch；　not　before。　〃Yes。　Andrew　gave　me　the　outline；〃　Dunross　replied。　〃Would　you　care　for　another　drink？〃
　〃No　thanks。　I　think　the　proposal　covers　everything；　sir。　Are　there　any　points　you'd　like　me　to　clarify？〃
　〃I'm　sure　there　will　be；　in　due　course；〃　Dunross　said；　privately　amused；　as　always；　by　the　sir　that　many　American　women　used　conversationally；　and　often；　incongruously；　to　waiters。　〃As　soon　as　I've　studied　it　I'll　get　back　to　you。　A　beer　for　Mr。　Bartlett；〃　he　added；　once　more　trying　to　divert　business　until　later。　Then　to　Jacques；　〃？a　va？〃
　〃Oui　merci。　A　rien。〃　Nothing　yet。
　〃Not　to　worry；〃　Dunross　said。　Yesterday　Jacques's　adored　daughter　and　her　husband　had　had　a　bad　car　accident　while　on　holiday　in　France　…　how　bad　he　was　still　waiting　to　hear。　〃Not　to　worry。〃
　〃No。〃　Again　the　Gallic　shrug；　hiding　the　vastness　of　his　concern。
　Jacques　was　Dunross's　first　cousin　and　he　had　joined　Struan's　in　'45。　His　war　had　been　rotten。　In　1940　he　had　sent　his　wife　and　two　infants　to　England　and　had　stayed　in　France。　For　the　duration。　Maquis　and　prison　and　condemned　and　escaped　and　Maquis　again。　Now　he　was　fifty…four；　a　strong；　quiet　man　but　vicious　when　provoked；　with　a　heavy　chest　and　brown　eyes　and　rough　hands　and　many　scars。
　〃In　principle　does　the　deal　sound　okay？〃　Casey　asked。
　Dunross　sighed　inwardly　and　put　his　full　concentration　on　her。　〃I　may　have　a　counterproposal　on　a　couple　of　minor　points。　Meanwhile；〃　he　added　decisively；　〃you　can　proceed　on　the　assumption　that；　in　general　terms；　it's　acceptable。〃
　〃Oh　fine；〃　Casey　said　happily。
　〃Great；〃　Bartlett　said；　e