jamesclavell.noblehouse-第170章
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overnment employees。 Thank God it's Saturday tomorrow！ If Ian says there's a chance we could get China's cash； of course he can't risk giving away such a confidence！ Ian； did you hear the Ho…Pak's closed its doors？〃
〃No。 I've been chasing around like a blue…arsed fly since I left Tiptop。〃
〃The Ching Prosperity closed too； the Far East and India's tottering； Blacs is eking out its reserves and like us； praying they can last the next half an hour to closing。〃 He shoved the phone across his pristine desk。 〃Ian； please call Tiptop now； it's just 2：30。〃
Dunross kept his face stony and his voice level。 〃There're a couple of things to settle first； Paul。 What about the thorium imports？〃 He had told them he had contacted Photographer Ng who had happily given him an immediate firm order for as much of the rare earth as he could obtain。 〃Will you provide the foreign exchange？〃
〃Yes； provided the trade is not restricted。〃
〃I'll need that in writing。〃
〃You'll have it before closing tonight。 Please call him now。〃
〃In ten minutes。 It's a matter of face。 You'll agree to having a permanent Bank of China contact in the building？〃
〃Yes。 I'm sure they'll never let one of our people inside their building； but no matter。〃 Havergill glanced at his watch again； then looked at Johnjohn。 〃The fellow'd have to be monitored and we might have to change a few procedures for security； eh？〃
Johnjohn nodded。 〃Yes； but that shouldn't cause any problem； Paul。 If it was Tiptop himself； that would be perfect。 Ian； do you think there's a chance？〃
〃I don't know。 Now； what about the Yu trade？〃
Havergill said； 〃We can't finance any smuggling。 You would of necessity be on your own。〃
〃Who said anything about smuggling？〃
〃Quite。 Then let me say we'll have to take a careful look at the Yu trade when and if you are asked to assist them。〃
〃e on； Paul； you know damn well it's part of the deal … if there's a deal。 Why else would they have wanted me to meet him？〃
Johnjohn interjected； 〃Why not table that one； Ian？ We'll bend every which way to assist you when the time es。 You told Yu the same thing … that you'd wait and see but no actual mitment； eh？〃
〃But you agree to help in every way to assist me？〃
〃Yes； on this and the thorium。〃
〃Then what about my loan？〃
Paul Havergill said； 〃I'm not permitted to grant it； Ian。 We've already been through that。〃
〃Then call a board meeting right now。〃
〃I'll consider it。 Let's see how things're going； eh？〃 Paul Havergill pressed a button and spoke into the small speaker。 〃Stock Exchange； please。〃
In a moment a voice came over the speaker。 Behind the voice they could hear pandemonium。 〃Yes； Mr。 Havergill？〃
〃Charles； what's the latest？〃
〃The whole market's off 28 points 。。。〃 Both bankers blanched。 The small vein in Dunross's forehead was pulsing。 〃。。。 and it looks like the beginning of a panic。 The bank's off 7 points； Struan's is down to 11。50 。。。〃
〃Christ！〃 Johnjohn muttered。
〃。。。 Rothwell…Gornt off 7； Hong Kong Power off 5； Asian Land 11 。。。 everything's skidding。 All bank stocks are tumbling。 The Ho…Pak's frozen at 12 and when it gets unfrozen it'll go to a dollar。 The Far East and India is only paying out maximum 1；000 a customer。〃
Havergill's nervousness increased。 Far East was one of the biggest in the Colony。
〃I hate to be a pessimist but it looks like New York in '29！ I th… 〃 The voice was drowned out by a surge of shouting。 〃Sorry； there's another huge sell offering up on Struan's； 200；000 shares。 。。。〃
〃Christ； where the hell's all the stock ing from？〃 Johnjohn asked。
〃From every Tom； Dick and Harry in Hong Kong；〃 Dunross said coldly。 〃Including the Victoria。〃
〃We had to protect our investors；〃 Havergill said； then added into the mike； 〃Thank you； Charles。 Call me back at a quarter to three。〃 He clicked the speaker off。 〃There's your answer； Ian。 I cannot in all conscience remend to the board we bail you out with another unsecured 100 million loan。〃
〃Are you going to call a board meeting right now or not？〃
〃Your stock's plunging。 You've no assets to pledge to support the run on your stock； your bank holdings are already pledged； the stock in your treasury gets more valueless every minute。 On Monday or Tuesday； Gornt will buy back in and then he'll control Struan's。〃
Dunross watched him。 〃You'll let Gornt take us over？ I don't believe you。 You'll buy in before he does。 Or have you already made a deal to split up Struan's between you？〃
〃No deal。 Not yet。 But if you'll resign from Struan's right now； agree in writing to sell us as much of your treasury stock as we want at market price at Monday's closing； agree to appoint a new tai…pan of our board's choosing； we'll announce that we're supporting Struan's totally。〃
〃When would you make the announcement？〃
〃Monday at 3：10。〃
〃In other words you'll give me nothing。〃
〃You've always said the best thing about Hong Kong was that it was a free marketplace； where the strong survive and the weak perish。 Why didn't you persuade Sir Luis to withdraw your stock from trading？〃
〃He suggested it。 I refused。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Struan's is as strong as ever。〃
〃Wasn't the real reason face … and your foolish pride？ Sorry； there's nothing I can do to prevent the inevitable。〃
〃Balls！〃 Dunross said and Havergill flushed。 〃You can call a meeting。 You can c… 〃
〃No meeting！〃
〃Ian。〃 Johnjohn tried to soften the open hostility between the two men。 〃Listen； Paul； how about a promise： If； through Ian； we get China's cash； you will call a meeting of the board at once； an extraordinary meeting； today。 You could do that … there are enough directors in town； and it's fair。 Eh？〃
Havergill hesitated。 〃I'll consider it。〃
〃That's not good enough；〃 Dunross said hotly。
〃I'll consider it。 Kindly call Tipt… 〃
〃When's the meeting？ If？〃
〃Next week。〃
〃No。 Today as Johnjohn suggests。〃
〃I said I'll consider it；〃 Havergill said； flaring。 〃Now please call Tiptop。〃
〃If you'll guarantee to call the board no later than tomorrow at ten！〃
Havergill's voice harshened。 〃I will not be blackmailed as I was the last time。 If you don't want to call Tiptop； I will。 I can now。 If they want to lend us their money； they'll lend it to us whoever the hell calls。 You've agreed to the thorium deal； you've agreed to meet Yu next month； we agree to support that deal whoever controls the Noble House。 I am not empowered to grant you any further loans。 So take it or leave it。 I will consider calling a board meeting before Monday's market opens。 That's all I promise。〃
The silence was heavy and electric。
Dunross shrugged。 He picked up the phone and dialed。
〃Weyyyyy？〃 The woman's voice was arrogant。
〃The Honorable Tip Tok…toh please；〃 he said in Cantonese。 〃This is the tai…pan。〃
〃Ah； the tai…pan。 Ah； please wait a moment。〃 Dunross waited。 A bead of sweat gathered on the bottom of Johnjohn's chin。 〃Weyyyy？ Tai…pan； the doctor's with him； he's very sick。 Please call back later！〃 The phone clicked off before Dunross could say anything。 He redialed。
〃This's the tai…pan； I wan… 〃
〃This phone is terrible。〃 The amah doubled her volume。 〃He's sick；〃 she shouted。 〃Call back later。〃
Dunross called in ten minutes。 Now the line was busy。 He kept on trying with no luck。
There was a knock and the harassed chief cashier hurried in。 〃Sorry； sir； but there's no let up in the queues； we've a quarter of an hour to go。 I suggest we limit withdrawals now； say a thou… 〃
〃No；〃 Havergill said at once。
〃But sir； we're almost empty。 Don't y… 〃
〃No。 The Victoria must keep going。 We must。 No。 Keep honoring every penny。〃
The man hesitated； then went out。 Havergill mopped his brow。 Johnjohn too。 Dunross dialed again。 Still busy。 Just before three he tried a last time； then dialed the phone pany asking them to check the line。 〃It's temporarily out of order； sir；〃 the operator said。
Dunross put the phone down。 〃Twenty to a brass farthing it's deliberately off the hook。〃 His watch read 3：01。 〃Let's find out about the market。〃
Havergill wiped the palms of his hands。 Before he could dial； the phone rang。 〃Chief cashier； sir。 We've 。。。 we're all right now。 Last customer has been paid。 The doors've closed。 Blacs just made it too； sir。〃
〃Good。 Check the remaining currency in the vault and call me back。〃
〃Thank God it's Friday；〃 Johnjohn said。
Havergill dialed。 〃Charles？ What's the latest？〃
〃The market finished off 37 points。 Our stock's off 8 points。〃
〃Christ；〃 Johnjohn said。 The bank had never fallen so much before； even during the '56 riots。
〃Struan's？〃
〃9。50。〃
Both bankers looked at Dunross。 His face was impassive。 He redialed Tiptop as the stockbroker continued to reel off the closing prices。 Again a busy signal。 〃I'll call again from the office；〃 he said。 〃The moment I get him I'll call you。 If no China money； what are you going to do？〃
〃There are only two solutions。 We wait for the pounds； the governor declaring Monday a bank holiday or as long as we need。 Or we accept the Moscow trade…bank offer。〃
〃Tiptop was bloody clear that'll backfire。 That'll throw a monkey wrench in Hong Kong forever。〃
〃Those are the only solutions。〃
Dunross got up。 〃There's only one。 By the way； did the governor phone you？〃
〃Yes；〃 Havergill said。 〃He wants us to open the vaults at 6：00 p。m。 for him； you； Roger Crosse and some fellow called Binders。 What's all that about？〃
〃Didn't he tell you？〃
〃No。 Just that it was something covered by the Official Secrets Act。〃
〃See you at six。〃 Dunross walked out。
Havergill wiped more sweat off with a handkerchief。 〃The only good thing about all this is that that arrogant sod's in worse trouble；〃 he muttered angrily。 He dialed Tiptop's number。 And again。 The interoffice phone rang。 Johnjohn picked it up for Havergill。 〃Yes？〃
〃This is the chief cashier； sir。 There's only 716；027 HK in the vault。〃 The man's voice trembled。 〃We're 。。。 that's all we've left； sir。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Johnjohn put the phone down and told Havergill。 The deputy chairman did not answer； just redialed Tiptop's number。 It was still busy。 〃You'd better open a dialogue with the Soviet contact。〃
Johnjohn went red。 〃But that's impossible … 〃
〃Do it！ Do it now！〃 Havergill； equally choleric； redialed Tiptop。 Still busy。
Dunross went into his office。
〃Mr。 Toda's here with the usual entourage； tai…pan。〃 Claudia did not hide her distaste or nervousness。
〃Show them in please。〃
〃Mr。 Alastair called twice … asked that you call him back the moment you e in。 And your father。〃
〃I'll call them later。〃
〃Yes sir。 Here's the telex for Nelson Trading from Switzerland confirming that they've purchased triple the regular order of gold for the Great Good Luck pany of Macao。〃
〃Good。 Send a copy to Lando at once and request the funds。〃
〃This telex is from Orlin Merchant Bank confirming they regret they cannot renew the loan and require payment。〃
〃Telex them； 'Thank you。' 〃
〃I checked with Mrs。 Dunross and they arrived safely。〃
〃Good。 Get Kathy's specialist's home number so I can call him over the weekend。〃
Claudia made another note。 〃Master Duncan called from Sydney to say he had a great evening and he's on the Monday Qantas flight。 Here's a list of your other c
