jamesclavell.noblehouse-第87部分

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　〃A　few　customers　withdrew　their　savings；〃　Richard　Kwang　said　with　a　scoff。　〃There's　no　trouble。〃
　But　there　was　trouble。　He　knew　it　and　he　was　afraid　everyone　knew　it。　At　first　it　was　just　at　Aberdeen。　Then；　during　the　day；　his　other　managers　had　begun　to　call　with　ever　increasing　anxiety。　He　had　eighteen　branches　throughout　the　Colony。　At　four　of　them；　withdrawals　were　untoward　and　heavy。　At　Mong　Kok；　a　bustling　hive　within　the　teeming　city　of　Kowloon；　a　line　had　formed　in　early　afternoon。　Everyone　had　wanted　all　their　money。　It　was　nothing　like　the　frightening　proportions　at　Aberdeen；　but　enough　to　show　a　clear　indication　of　failing　confidence。　Richard　Kwang　could　understand　that　the　sea　villages　would　hear　about　Four　Finger　Wu's　withdrawals　quickly；　and　would　rush　to　follow　his　lead　…　but　what　about　Mong　Kok？　Why　there？　And　why　Lan　Tao？　Why　at　Tsim　Sha　Tsui；　his　most　profitable　branch；　which　was　almost　beside　the　busy　Golden　Ferry　Terminal　where　150；000　persons　passed　by　daily；　to　and　from　Hong　Kong？
　It　must　be　a　plot！
　Is　my　enemy　and　arch…rival　Smiler　Ching　behind　it？　Is　it　those　fornicators；　those　jealous　fornicators　at　Blacs　or　the　Victoria？
　Is　Thin　Tube　of　Dung　Havergill　masterminding　the　attack？　Or　is　it　pton　Southerby　of　Blacs　…　he's　always　hated　me。　These　filthy　quai　loh！　But　why　should　they　attack　me？　Of　course　I'm　a　much　better　banker　than　them　and　they're　jealous　but　my　business　is　with　civilized　people　and　hardly　touches　them。　Why？　Or　has　it　leaked　somehow　that　against　my　better　judgment；　over　my　objections；　my　partners　who　control　the　bank　have　been　insisting　that　I　borrow　short　and　cheap　and　lend　long　and　high　on　property　deals；　and　now；　through　their　stupidity；　we　are　temporarily　overextended　and　cannot　sustain　a　run？
　Richard　Kwang　wanted　to　shout　and　scream　and　tear　his　hair　out。　His　secret　partners　were　Lando　Mata　and　Tightfist　Tung；　major　shareholders　of　Macao's　gambling　and　gold　syndicate；　along　with　Smuggler　Mo；　who　had　helped　him　form　and　finance　the　Ho…Pak　ten　years　ago。　〃Did　you　see　Old　Blind　Tung's　predictions　this　morning？〃　he　asked；　the　smile　still　on　his　face。
　〃No。　What'd　he　say？〃
　Richard　Kwang　found　the　paper　and　passed　it　over。　〃All　the　portents　show　we're　ready　for　boom。　The　lucky　eight　is　everywhere　in　the　heavens　and　we're　in　the　eighth　month；　my　birthday　is　the　eighth　of　the　eighth　month。　。。。〃
　Barre　read　the　column。　In　spite　of　his　disbelief　in　soothsayers；　he　had　been　too　long　in　Asia　to　dismiss　them　totally。　His　heart　quickened。　Old　Blind　Tung　had　a　vast　reputation　in　Hong　Kong。　〃If　you　believe　him　we're　in　for　the　biggest　boom　in　the　history　of　the　world；〃　he　said。
　〃He's　usually　much　more　cautious。　Ayeeyah；　that　would　be　good；　heya？〃
　〃Better　than　good。　Meanwhile　Richard　old　boy；　let's　finish　our　business；　shall　we？〃
　〃Certainly。　It's　all　a　typhoon　in　an　oyster　shell；　Dunstan。　We're　stronger　than　ever　…　our　stock's　hardly　a　point　off。〃　When　the　market　had　opened；　there　had　been　a　mass　of　small　offerings　to　sell；　which；　if　not　reacted　to　at　once　would　have　sent　their　stock　plummeting。　Richard　Kwang　had　instantly　ordered　his　brokers　to　buy　and　to　keep　buying。　This　had　stabilized　the　stock。　During　the　day；　to　maintain　the　position；　he　had　had　to　buy　almost　five　million　shares；　an　unheard　of　number　to　be　traded　in　one　day。　None　of　his　experts　could　pinpoint　who　was　selling　big。　There　was　no　reason　for　a　lack　of　confidence；　other　than　Four　Finger　Wu's　withdrawals。　All　gods　curse　that　old　devil　and　his　fornicating；　too　smart　Harvard…trained　nephew！　〃Why　not　le…　〃
　The　phone　rang。　〃　'Scuse　me；〃　then　curtly　into　the　phone；　〃I　said　no　interruptions！〃
　〃It's　Mr。　Haply　from　the　Guardian；　he　says　it's　important；〃　his　secretary；　his　niece；　Mary　Yok　said。　〃And　the　tai…pan's　secretary　called。　The　Nelson　Trading　board　meeting's　brought　forward　to　this　afternoon　at　five　o'clock。　Mr。　Mata　called　to　say　he　would　be　there　too。〃
　Richard　Kwang's　heart　skipped　three　beats。　Why？　he　asked　himself；　aghast。　Dew　neh　loh　moh　it　was　supposed　to　be　postponed　to　next　week。　Oh　ko　why？　Then　quickly　he　put　aside　that　question　to　consider　Haply。　He　decided　that　to　answer　now　in　front　of　Barre　was　too　dangerous。　〃I'll　call　him　back　in　a　few　minutes。〃　He　smiled　at　the　red…faced　man　in　front　of　him。　〃Leave　everything　for　a　day　or　two；　Dunstan；　we've　no　problems。〃
　〃Can't；　old　boy。　Sorry。　There　was　a　special　meeting；　have　to　settle　it　today。　The　board　insisted。〃
　〃We've　been　generous　in　the　past　…　you've　forty　million　of　our　money　unsecured　now　…　we're　joint　venturing　another　seventy　million　with　you　on　your　new　building　program。〃
　〃Yes；　indeed　you　are；　Richard；　and　your　profit　will　be　substantial。　But　they're　another　matter　and　those　loans　were　negotiated　in　good　faith　months　ago　and　will　be　settled　in　good　faith　when　they're　due。　We've　never　defaulted　on　a　payment　to　the　Ho…Pak　or　anyone　else。〃　Barre　passed　the　newspaper　back　and　with　it；　signed　documents　imprinted　with　his　corporate　seal。　〃The　accounts　are　consolidated　so　one　check　will　suffice。〃
　The　amount　was　a　little　over　nine　and　a　half　million。
　Richard　Kwang　signed　the　cashier's　check　and　smiled　Sir　Dunstan　Barre　out；　then；　when　it　was　safe；　cursed　everyone　in　sight　and　went　back　into　his　office；　slamming　the　door　behind　him。　He　kicked　his　desk　then　picked　up　the　phone　and　shouted　at　his　niece　to　get　Haply　and　almost　broke　the　phone　as　he　slammed　it　back　onto　its　cradle。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　filthy　quai　loh；〃　he　shrieked　to　the　ceiling　and　felt　much　better。　That　lump　of　dogmeat！　I　wonder　。。。　oh；　I　wonder　if　I　could　prevail　on　the　Snake　to　forbid　any　lines　at　all　tomorrow？　Perhaps　he　and　his　men　could　break　a　few　arms。
　Gloomily　Richard　Kwang　let　his　mind　drift。　It　had　been　a　rotten　day。　It　had　begun　badly　at　the　track。　He　was　sure　his　trainer　…　or　jockey　…　was　feeding　Butterscotch　Lass　pep　pills　to　make　her　run　faster　to　shorten　her　odds　…　she'd　be　favorite　now　…　then　Saturday　they'd　stop　the　pills　and　back　an　outsider　and　clean　up　without　him　being　in　on　the　profit…making。　Dirty　dog　bones；　all　of　them！　Liars！　Do　they　think　I　own　a　racehorse　to　lose　money？
　The　banker　hawked　and　spat　into　the　spittoon。
　Maggot…mouthed　Barre　and　dog　bone　Uncle　Wu！　Those　withdrawals　will　take　most　of　my　cash。　Never　mind；　with　Lando　Mata；　Smuggler　Mo；　Tightfist　Tung　and　the　tai…pan　I'm　quite　safe。　Oh　I'll　have　to　shout　and　scream　and　curse　and　weep　but　nothing　can　really　touch　me　or　the　Ho…Pak。　I'm　too　important　to　them。
　Yes；　it　had　been　a　rotten　day。　The　only　bright　spot　had　been　his　meeting　this　morning　with　Casey。　He　had　enjoyed　looking　at　her；　enjoyed　her　clean…smelling；　smart；　crisp　Americanness　of　the　great　outdoors。　They　had　fenced　pleasantly　about　financing　and　he　felt　sure　he　could　get　all　or　certainly　part　of　their　business。　Clearly　the　pickings　would　be　huge。　She's　so　naive；　he　thought。　Her　knowledge　of　banking　and　finance's　impressive　but　of　the　Asian　world；　nil！　She's　so　naive　to　be　so　open　with　their　plans。　Thank　all　gods　for　Americans。
　〃I　love　America；　Miss　Casey。　Yes。　Twice　a　year　I　go　there；　to　eat　good　steaks　and　go　to　Vegas　…　and　to　do　business　of　course。〃
　Eeeee；　he　thought　happily；　the　whores　of　the　Golden　Country　are　the　best　and　most　available　quai　loh　in　the　world；　and　quai　lohs're　so　cheap　pared　to　Hong　Kong　girls！　Oh　oh　oh！　I　get　such　a　good　feeling　pillowing　them；　with　their　great　deodorized　armpits；　their　great　tits　and　thighs　and　rears。　But　in　Vegas　it's　the　best。　Remember　the　golden…haired　beauty　that　towered　over　me　but　lying　down　she　。。。
　His　private　phone　rang。　He　picked　it　up；　irritated　as　always　that　he　had　had　to　install　it。　But　he　had　had　no　option。　When　his　previous　secretary　of　many　years　had　left　to　get　married；　his　wife　had　planted　her　favorite　niece　firmly　in　her　place；　of　course　to　spy　on　me；　he　thought　sourly。　Eeeee；　what　can　a　man　do？
　〃Yes？〃　he　asked；　wondering　what　his　wife　wanted　now。
　〃You　didn't　call　me　all　day。　。。。　I've　been　waiting　for　hours！〃
　His　heart　leapt　at　the　unexpected　sound　of　the　girl's　voice。　He　dismissed　the　petulance；　her　Cantonese　sweet　like　her　Jade　Gate。　〃Listen；　Little　Treasure；〃　he　said；　his　voice　placating。　〃Your　poor　Father's　been　very　busy　today。　I