jamesclavell.noblehouse-第104章

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　〃Good。　If　you'd　lost　one　bronze　cash　you'd　be　there　now。　It's　only　because　you　fornicating　won　that　you're　alive　now。〃
　〃Yes；　Father。〃
　Four　Finger　Wu　glared　at　his　son　and　continued　to　hide　his　delight　at　the　huge　windfall。　615；000　HK　less　a　few　dollars。　Unbelievable！　All　with　a　few　phone　calls　and　inside　knowledge；　he　was　thinking。　That's　as　miraculous　as　having　ten　tons　of　opium　leap　ashore　over　the　heads　of　the　Customs　boat！　The　boy's　paid　for　his　education　twenty　times　over　and　he's　here　hardly　three　weeks。　How　clever　。。。　but　also　how　dangerous！
　He　shivered　at　the　thought　of　other　minions　making　decisions　themselves。　Dew　neh　loh　moh　then　I　would　be　in　their　power　and　surely　in　jail　for　their　mistakes　and　not　my　own。　And　yet；　he　told　himself　helplessly；　this　is　the　way　barbarians　act　in　business。　Number　Seven　Son　is　trained　as　a　barbarian。　All　gods　bear　witness；　I　did　not　wish　to　create　a　viper！
　He　looked　at　his　son；　not　understanding　him；　hating　his　direct　way　of　speaking；　the　barbarian　way　and　not　in　innuendo　and　obliquely　like　a　civilized　person。
　And　yet　。。。　and　yet　better　than　600；000　HK　in　one　day。　If　I　had　talked　to　him　beforehand　I　would　never　have　agreed　and　I　would　have　lost　all　that　profit！　Ayeeyah！　Yes；　my　stock　would　be　down　all　that　fortune　in　one　day　。。。　oh　oh　oh！
　He　groped　for　a　box　and　sat　down；　his　heart　thumping　at　that　awful　thought。
　His　eyes　were　watching　his　son。　What　to　do　about　him？　he　asked　himself。　He　could　feel　the　weight　of　the　check　in　his　pocket。　It　seemed　unbelievable　that　his　son　could　make　that　amount　of　money　for　him　in　a　few　hours；　without　moving　the　stock　from　its　hiding　place。
　〃Explain　to　me　why　that　black…faced　foreign　devil　with　the　foul　name　owes　me　so　much　money！〃
　Paul　Choy　explained　the　mechanics　patiently；　desperate　to　please。
　The　old　man　thought　about　that。　〃Then　tomorrow　I　should　do　the　same　and　make　the　same？〃
　〃No；　Honored　Father。　You　take　your　gains　and　keep　them。　Today　was　almost　a　certainty。　It　was　a　sudden　attack；　a　raid。　We　do　not　know　how　the　Noble　House　will　react　tomorrow；　or　if　Gornt　really　intends　to　continue　the　raid。　He　can　buy　back　in　and　be　way　ahead　too。　It　would　be　dangerous　to　follow　Gornt　tomorrow；　very　dangerous。〃
　Four　Finger　Wu　threw　his　cigarette　away。　〃Then　what　should　I　do　tomorrow？〃
　〃Wait。　The　foreign　devil　market's　nervous　and　in　the　hands　of　foreign　devils。　I　counsel　you　to　wait　and　see　what　happens　with　the　Ho…Pak　and　the　Victoria。　May　I　use　your　name　to　ask　the　foreign　devil　Gornt　about　the　Ho…Pak？〃
　〃What？〃
　Patiently　Paul　Choy　refreshed　his　father's　memory　about　the　bank　run　and　possible　stock　manipulation。
　〃Ah；　yes；　I　understand；〃　the　old　man　said　loftily。　Paul　Choy　said　nothing；　knowing　he　did　not。　〃Then　we　。。。　then　I　just　wait？〃
　〃Yes；　Honored　Father。〃
　Four　Fingers　pulled　out　the　check　distastefully。　〃And　this　fornicating　piece　of　paper？　What　about　this？〃
　〃Convert　it　into　gold；　Honored　Father。　The　price　hardly　varies　at　all。　I　could　talk　to　Ishwar　Soorjani；　if　you　wish。　He　deals　in　foreign　exchange。〃
　〃And　where　would　I　keep　the　gold？〃　It　was　one　thing　to　smuggle　other　people's　gold　but　quite　another　to　have　to　worry　about　your　own。
　Paul　Choy　explained　that　physical　possession　of　the　gold　was　not　necessary　to　own　it。
　〃But　I　don't　trust　banks；〃　the　old　man　said　angrily。　〃If　it's　my　gold　it's　my　gold　and　not　a　bank's！〃
　〃Yes；　Father。　But　this　would　be　a　Swiss　bank；　not　in　Hong　Kong；　and　pletely　safe。〃
　〃You　guarantee　it　with　your　life？〃
　〃Yes；　Father。〃
　〃Good。〃　The　old　man　took　out　a　pen　and　signed　his　name　on　the　back　with　instructions　to　Soorjani　to　convert　it　at　once　into　gold。　He　gave　it　to　his　son。　〃On　your　head；　my　son。　And　we　wait　tomorrow？　We　don't　make　money　tomorrow？〃
　〃There　might　be　an　opportunity　for　further　profit　but　I　could　not　guarantee　it。　I　might　know　around　noon。〃
　〃Call　me　here　at　noon。〃
　〃Yes；　Father。　Of　course　if　we　had　our　own　exchange　we　could　manipulate　a　hundred　stocks　。。。〃　Paul　Choy　let　the　idea　hang　in　the　air。
　〃What？〃
　Carefully　the　young　man　began　to　explain　how　easy　it　would　be　for　them　to　form　their　own　exchange；　a　Chinese…dominated　exchange；　and　the　limitless　opportunities　for　profit　their　own　exchange　would　give。　He　talked　for　an　hour；　gaining　confidence　with　the　minutes；　explaining　as　simply　as　he　could。
　〃If　it's　so　easy；　my　son；　why　hasn't　Tightfist　Tung　done　it　…　or　Big　Noise　Sung　…　or　Moneybags　Ng　…　or　that　half…barbarian　gold…smuggler　from　Macao　…　or　Banker　Kwang　or　dozens　of　others；　heya？〃
　〃Perhaps　they've　never　had　the　idea；　or　courage。　Perhaps　they　want　to　work　within　the　foreign　devil　system　…　the　Turf　Club；　Cricket　Club；　knighthoods；　and　all　that　English　foolishness。　Perhaps　they　are　afraid　to　go　against　the　tide　or　they　haven't　got　the　knowledge。　We　have　the　knowledge　and　expertise。　Yes。　And　I've　a　friend　in　the　Golden　Mountain；　a　good　friend；　who　was　at　school　with　me　who　co…　〃
　〃What　friend？〃
　〃He's　Shanghainese　and　a　dragon　in　stocks；　a　broker　in　New　York　now。　Together；　with　the　cash　support；　we　could　do　it。　I　know　we　could。〃
　〃Ayeeyah！　With　a　northern　barbarian？〃　Four　Finger　Wu　scoffed。　〃How　could　you　trust　him？〃
　〃I　think　you　could　trust　him；　Honored　Father　…　of　course　you'd　set　boundaries　against　weeds　like　a　good　market　gardener　does。〃
　〃But　all　business　power　in　Hong　Kong　is　in　the　hands　of　foreign　devils。　Civilized　persons　couldn't　support　an　opposition　exchange。〃
　〃You　may　be　right；　Honored　Father；〃　Paul　Choy　agreed　cautiously；　keeping　his　excitement　off　his　face　and　out　of　his　voice。　〃But　all　Chinese　love　to　gamble。　Yet　at　the　moment　there's　not　one　civilized　person　stockbroker！　Why　do　foreign　devils　keep　us　out？　Because　we'd　outplay　them。　For　us　the　stock　market's　the　greatest　profession　in　the　world。　Once　our　people　in　Hong　Kong　see　our　market　is　wide　open　to　civilized　persons　and　their　panies；　they'll　flock　to　us。　Foreign　devils　will　be　forced　to　open　up　their　own　exchange　to　us　as　well。　We're　better　gamblers　than　they　are。　After　all；　Honorable　Father〃　…　he　waved　his　hand　at　the　shore；　at　the　tall　high　rises　and　the　boats　and　junks　and　floating　restaurants　…　〃this　could　be　all　yours！　It's　in　stocks　and　shares　and　the　stock　market　that　the　modern　man　owns　the　might　of　his　world。〃
　Four　Fingers　smoked　leisurely。　〃How　much　would　your　stock　market　cost；　Number　Seven　Son？〃
　〃A　year　of　time。　An　initial　investment　of　。。。　I　don't　know　exactly。〃　The　young　man's　heart　was　grinding。　He　could　sense　his　father's　avarice。　The　implications　of　forming　a　Chinese　stock　exchange　in　this　unregulated　capitalistic　society　were　so　far…reaching　to　him　that　he　felt　faint。　It　would　be　so　easy　given　time　and　。。。　and　how　much？　〃I　could　give　you　an　estimate　within　a　week。〃
　Four　Fingers　turned　his　shrewd　old　eyes　on　his　son　and　he　could　read　his　son's　excitement；　and　his　greed。　Is　it　for　money；　or　for　power？　he　asked　himself。
　It's　for　both；　he　decided。　The　young　fool　doesn't　know　that　they're　both　the　same。　He　thought　about　Phillip　Chen's　power　and　the　power　of　the　Noble　House　and　the　power　of　the　half…coin　that　John　Chen　had　stolen。　Phillip　Chen　and　his　wife　are　fools　too；　he　told　himself。　They　should　remember　that　there　are　always　ears　on　the　other　side　of　walls　and　once　a　jealous　mother　knows　a　secret　it　is　a　secret　no　longer。　Nor　can　secrets　be　kept　in　hotels；　among　foreign　devils；　who　always　presume　servants　cannot　speak　the　barbarian　tongue；　nor　have　long　ears　and　sharp　eyes。
　Ah　sons；　he　mused。　Sons　are　certainly　the　wealth　of　a　father　…　but　sometimes　also　cause　the　death　of　the　father。
　A　man's　a　fool　to　trust　a　son。　pletely。　Heya？
　〃Very　well；　my　son；〃　he　said　easily。　〃Give　me　your　plan；　written　down；　and　the　amount。　And　I　will　decide。〃
　
　Phillip　Chen　got　out　of　the　taxi　at　the　grass　triangle　in　Kowloon　Tong；　the　attaché　case　clutched　to　his　chest。　The　driver　turned　the　meter　off　and　looked　at　him。　The　meter　read　17。80　HK。　If　it　had　been　left　up　to　Phillip　he　would　not　have　taken　the　same　taxi　all　the　way　from　Struan's　Lookout；　which　meant　using　the　taxi　ferry；　the　meter　running　all　the　time。　No。　He　would　have　crossed　the　harbor　by　the　Golden　Ferry　for　15　cents；　and　got　another　taxi　in　Kowloon　and　saved　at　least　8　dollars。　Terrible　waste　of　money；　he　thought。
　Carefully　he　counted　out　18　dollars。　As　an　afterthought　he　added　a　thirty…cent　tip；　feeling　generous。　The　man　drove　off　and　left　him　standing　near　the　grassy　triangle。
　Kowloon　Tong　was　just　another　suburb　of　Kowloon；　a　multitudinous　nest　of　buildings；　slums；　alleys；　people　and　traffic。　He　found　Essex　Road；　that　skirted　the　garden；　and　walked　around　the　road。　The　attaché　case　seemed　to　be　getting　heavier　and　he　felt　sure　everyone　knew　it　contained　200；000　HK。　His　nervousness　increased。　In　an　area　like　this　you　could　buy　the　death　of　a　man　for　a　few　hundred　if　you　knew　whom　to　ask　…　and　for　this　amount；　you　could　hire　an　army。　His　eyes　were　on　the　broken　pavement。　When　he　had　gone　almost　all　the　way　around　the　triangle　he　saw　the　arrow　on　the　pavement　pointing　at　the　wall。　His　heart　was　weighty　in　his　chest；　hurting　him。　It　was　quite　dark　here；　with　few　streetlights。　The　hole　was　formed　by　some　bricks　that　had　fallen　away。　He　could　see　what　looked　like　a　crumpled…up　newspaper　within　the　hole。　He　hastily　took　it　out；　made　sure　there　was　nothing　else　left；　then　went　over　to　a　seat　under　a　lamp　and　sat　down。　When　his　heart　had　slowed　and　his　breathing　bee　more　calm　he　opened　the　newspaper。　In　it　was　an　envelope。　The　envelope　was　flat　and　some　of　his　anxiety　left　him。　He　had　been　petrified　that　he　was　going　to　get　the　other　ear。
　The　note　said：　〃Walk　to　Waterloo　Road。　Go　north　toward　the　army　camp；　staying　on　the　west　side　of　the　road。　Beware；　we　are　watching　you　now。〃
　A　shiver　went　through　him　and　he　looked　around。　No　one　seemed　to　be　watching　him。　Neither　friend　nor　foe。　But　he　could　feel　eyes。　His　attaché　case　became　even　more　leaden。
　All　gods　protect　me；　he　prayed　fervently；　trying　to　gather　his　courage　to　continue。　Where　the　devil　are　Four　Finger　Wu's　men？
　Waterloo　Road　was　nearby；　a　busy　main　thoroughfare。　He　paid　the　crowds　no　attention；　just　plodded　north　feeling　naked；　seeing　no　one　in　particular。　The　shops　were　all　open；　restaurants　bustling；　the　alleyways　more　crowded。　In　the　nearby　embankment　a　goods　train　whistled　mournfully；　going　north；　mixing　with　the　blaring　horns　that　all　traffic　used　indiscriminately。　The　night　was　bleak；　the　sky　overcast　and　very　humid。
　Wearily　he　walked　half　a　mile；　crossing　side　streets　and　alleys。　In　a　knot　of　people　he　stopped　to　let　a　truck　pass；　then　went　across　the　mouth　of　another　narrow　alleyway；　moving　this　way　and　that　as　oners　jostled　him。　Suddenly　two　young　men　were　in　front　of　him；　barring　his　path；　and　one　hissed；　〃Tin　koon　chi　fook！〃
　〃Eh？〃
　Both　wore　caps　pulled　down　low；　both　wore　dark　glasses；　their　faces　similar。　〃Tin　koon　chi　fook！〃　Smallpox　Kin　repeated　malevolently。　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　give　me　the　bag！〃
　〃Oh！〃　Blankly　Phillip　Chen　handed　it　to　him。　Smallpox　Kin　grabbed　it。　〃Don't　look　around；　and　keep　on　walking　north！〃
　〃All　right；　but　please　keep　your　prom…　〃　Phillip　Chen　stopped。
　The　two　youths　were　gone。　It　seemed　that　they　had　only　been　in　front　of　him　a　split　second。