jamesclavell.noblehouse-第173章
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f the Vic goes； what are we going to do； tai…pan？〃
〃The Vic won't go。 The governor will certainly declare Monday a bank holiday if Tiptop fails us。〃 Dunross had already apprised his pradore of his conversations with Tiptop； Yu； Johnjohn and Havergill。 〃e on； Phillip； think！〃 he added with pretended anger； deliberately sharpening his voice to help the old man。 〃I can't just send a god…cursed messenger there to say 'you've deliberately left your bloody phone off the hook'！〃
Phillip Chen sat down； the rare anger pulling him a little together。 〃Sorry； yes； sorry but everything 。。。 and John； poor John 。。。〃
〃When's the funeral？〃
〃Tomorrow； tomorrow at ten； the Christian one； Monday's the Chinese one。 I was 。。。 I was wondering if you'd say a few words； tomorrow。〃
〃Of course； of course I will。 Now； what about Tiptop？〃
Phillip Chen concentrated； the effort hard for him。 At length he said； 〃Invite him to the races。 To your box。 He's never been and that would be great face。 That's the way。 You could say 。。。 No； sorry； I'm not thinking clearly。 Better； much better； tai…pan； I will write。 I'll write the note asking him for you。 I'll say you wanted to ask personally but unfortunately his phone is out of order … then if he wants to e； or is forbidden by his superiors； his face is saved and so is yours。 I could add that 'by the way； the Noble House has already telexed firm orders to Sydney for the thoriums 。。。' 〃 Phillip Chen brightened a little。 〃That will be a very good trade for us； tai…pan； the price offered。 。。。 I've checked prices and we can supply all their needs easily and get very petitive bids from Tasmania； South Africa and Rhodesia。 Ah！ Why not send young George Trussler from Singapore to Johannesburg and Salisbury on an exploratory mission for thoriums 。。。〃 Phillip Chen hesitated。 〃。。。 and er； certain other vital aerospace metals and materials。 I did some quick checking； tai…pan。 I was astounded to discover that； outside Russia； almost 90 percent of all the Free World's supply of vanadium； chrome； platinums； manganese； titanium … all vital and essential in aerospace and rocketry … e from the southern part of Rhodesia and South Africa。 Think of that！ 90 percent outside Russia。 I never realized how vastly important that area is to the Free World； with all the gold； diamonds； uranium； thorium and God knows what other essential raw materials。 Perhaps Trussler could also investigate the possibility of opening an office there。 He's a sharp young man and due for promotion。〃 Now that his mind was fully occupied； the old man was breathing easier。 〃Yes。 This trade and； er； Mr。 Yu's； could be immense for us； tai…pan。 I'm sure it can be handled delicately。〃 He looked up at Dunross。 〃I'd also mention to Tiptop about Trussler； that we were sending an executive； one of the family； in preparation。〃
〃Excellent。 Do it immediately。〃 Dunross clicked on the inter。 〃Claudia； get George Trussler please。〃 He glanced back at Phillip。 〃Why would Tiptop cut himself off？〃
〃To bargain； to increase the pressure on us； to get more concessions。〃
〃Should we keep on calling him？〃
〃No。 After the hand…delivered note； he will call us。 He knows we're not fools。〃
〃When will he call？〃
〃When he has permission； tai…pan。 Not before。 Sometime before Monday at 10：00 a。m。 when the banks are due to open。 I suggest you tell that lump of dogmeat Havergill and Johnjohn not to call … they'll muddy already dark waters。 You don't use a tadpole to catch a shark。〃
〃Good。 Don't worry； Phillip；〃 he said passionately； 〃we're going to get out of this mess。〃
〃I don't know； tai…pan。 I hope so。〃 Phillip Chen rubbed his red…rimmed eyes tiredly。 〃Dianne 。。。 those damned shares！ I see no way out of the morass。 Th… 〃
Claudia interrupted on the inter。 〃Master Trussler on line two。〃
〃Thank you； Claudia。〃 He stabbed line two。 〃Hello； George； how's Singapore？〃
〃Afternoon； sir。 Fine； sir； hot and rainy；〃 the breezy； enthusiastic voice said。 〃This's a pleasant surprise； what can I do for you？〃
〃I want you to get on the next plane to Johannesburg。 Leave at once。 Telex me your flight and hotel and call me as soon as you arrive at the hotel in Johannesburg。 Got it？〃
There was a slight hesitation and slightly less breeziness。 〃Johannesburg； South Africa； tai…pan？〃
〃Yes。 The next plane out。〃
〃I'm on my way。 Anything else？〃
〃No。〃
〃Right you are； tai…pan。 I'm on my way。 'Bye！〃
Dunross put the phone down。 Power's a marvelous device； he thought with great satisfaction； but being tai…pan's better。
Phillip got up。 〃I'll deal with that letter at once。〃
〃Just a minute； Phillip。 I've another problem that I need your advice on。〃 He opened the desk and brought out the matrix。 Apart from himself and previous tai…pans who were still alive； only Phillip Chen in all the world knew the secret of the four coins。 〃Here。 This was giv… 〃
Dunross stopped； paralyzed； totally unprepared for the effect the matrix had on his pradore。 Phillip Chen was staring at it； his eyes almost popped from their sockets； his lips stretched back from his teeth。 As though in a dream； everything in slow motion； Phillip Chen reached out and took the matrix； his fingers trembling； and peered at it closely； mouthing soundlessly。
Then Dunross's brain detonated and he realized the half…coin must have belonged to Phillip Chen； that it had been stolen from him。 Of course； Dunross wanted to shout。 Sir Gordon Chen must have been given one of the four coins by Jin…qua！ But why？ What was the connection between the Chen family and a Co…hong Mandarin that would make Jin…qua give the Eurasian son of Dirk Struan so valuable a gift？
Still in slow motion； he saw the old man raise his head to squint up at him。 Again the mouth moved。 No sound。 Then in a strangled gasp； 〃Bar 。。。 Bartlett gave this 。。。 this to you already？〃
〃Bartlett？〃 Dunross echoed incredulously。 〃What in the name of Christ's Bartlett got to d… 〃 He stopped as another explosion seemed to shatter his head and more pieces of the jigsaw slammed into place。 Bartlett's secret knowledge！ Knowledge that could only e from one of seven men； all of them unthinkable； Phillip Chen the most unthinkable of all！
Phillip Chen's the traitor！ Phillip Chen's working in conjunction with Bartlett and Casey 。。。 it's Phillip Chen who's sold us out and passed over our secrets and passed over the coin。
A blinding rage overcame him。 It took all of his training to hold the fury bottled。 He saw himself get up and stride to the window and stare out of it。 He did not know how long he stood there。 But when he turned； his mind was purged clean and the vast error in his logic now clear to him。
〃Well？〃 His voice was chilling。
〃Tai…pan 。。。 tai…pan 。。。〃 the old man began brokenly； wringing his hands。
〃Tell the truth； pradore。 Now！〃 The word frightened Phillip。
〃It 。。。 it was John；〃 he gasped； tears spilling。 〃It wasn't me I sw… 〃
〃I know that！ Hurry up for chrissake！〃
Phillip Chen spewed out everything； how he had taken his son's key and opened his son's safety deposit box and discovered the letters to and from Bartlett and the second key and how； at dinner the night of the tai…pan's party； he had suddenly had a premonition about his oh so secret safe buried in the garden and how； after digging it up； he had discovered the worst。 He even told the tai…pan about his quarrel with Dianne and how they thought the coin might be on John Chen somehow； and how； when the Werewolf phoned； she suggested calling his cousin； Four Finger Wu； to get his street fighters to follow him； then to follow them。 。。。
Dunross gasped but Phillip Chen did not notice it； rambling on in tears； telling how he had lied to the police and had paid over the ransom to the Werewolf youths he would never recognize again and how the street fighters of Four Fingers who were supposed to be guarding him had not intercepted the Werewolves or recaptured John or recaptured his money。 〃That's the truth； tai…pan； all of it；〃 he whimpered； 〃there's no more 。。。 nothing。 Nothing until this morning and my poor son's body at Sha Tin with that filthy sign on his chest。 。。。〃
Helplessly Dunross was trying to collect his wits。 He had not known that Four Fingers was Phillip's cousin； nor could he fathom how the old seaman could have got the coin … unless he was the chief Werewolf or in league with them； or in league with John Chen who had masterminded a supposed kidnapping to squeeze money out of the father he hated and then Four Fingers and John Chen had quarreled or 。。。 or what？ 〃How did John know our secrets； get all those secrets to pass them over to Bartlett … how the House's structured？ Eh？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the old man lied。
〃You must have told John … there's only you； Alastair； my father； Sir Ross； Gavallan； deVille or me who know； and of those； only the first four know the structure！〃
〃I didn't tell him … I swear I didn't。〃
Dunross's blinding rage began to swell again but once more he held it into place。
Be logical； he told himself。 Phillip's more Chinese than European。 Deal with him as a Chinese！ Where's the link？ The missing part of the jigsaw？
While he was trying to work out the problem； his eyes bored into the old man。 He waited； knowing that silence too was a vast weapon； in defense or attack。 What's the answer？ Phillip would never tell John anything that secret； therefore 。。。
〃Jesus Christ！〃 he burst out at the sudden thought。 〃You've been keeping records！ Private records！ That's how John found out！ From your safe！ Eh？〃
Petrified by the tai…pan's devil rage； Phillip blurted out before he could stop himself； 〃Yes 。。。 yes 。。。 I had to agree 。。。〃 He stopped； fighting for control。
〃Had to？ Why？ e on goddamnit！〃
〃Because 。。。 because my father； before he 。。。 he passed the House over to me and the coin to me 。。。 made me swear to keep 。。。 to record the private dealings of 。。。 of the Noble House to protect the House of Chen。 It was just that； tai…pan； never to use against you or the House； just a protection。 。。。〃
Dunross stared at him； hating him； hating John Chen for selling Struan's out； hating his mentor Chen…chen for the first time in his life； sick with rage at so many betrayals。 Then he remembered one of Chen…chen's admonitions years ago when Dunross was almost weeping with anger at the unfair way his father and Alastair were treating him： 〃Don't get angry； young Ian； get even。 I told Culum the same thing； and the Hag when they were equally young … Culum never listened but the Hag did。 That's the civilized way： Don't get angry； get even！ 〃So Bartlett has our structure； our balance sheets。 What else's he got？〃
Phillip Chen just shivered and stared back blankly。
〃e on for chrissake； Phillip； think！ We've all got skeletons； a lot of skeletons！ So've you； the Hag； Chen…chen； Shitee T'Chung； Dianne 。。。 for chrissake； how much more's documented that John could have passed over？〃 A wave of nausea went through him as he remembered his theory about the connection between Banastasio； Bartlett； Par…Con； the Mafia and the guns。 Christ； if our secrets get into the wrong hands！ 〃Eh？〃
〃I don't know； I don't know 。。。 What； what did Bartlett ask？ For the coin？〃 Then Phillip cried out； 〃It's mine； it belongs to me！〃
He saw the uncontrollable trembling of
