jamesclavell.noblehouse-第2章

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　〃Then　the　legend's　true！〃　Dunross　said。
　〃Some　of　it。　Yes；　some　of　it。〃　Phillip　Chen　added；　〃Talk　to　my　auntie　Sarah。　Now　that　you're　to　be　tai…pan　she'll　tell　you　lots　of　secrets。　She's　eighty…four　this　year。　She　remembers　my　grandfather；　Sir　Gordon　Chen；　very　well；　and　Duncan　and　Kate　T'Chung；　May…may's　children　by　Dirk　Struan。　Yes。　She　remembers　many　things。　。　。　。〃
　Alastair　Struan　went　over　to　the　lacquered　bureau　and　very　carefully　picked　out　the　heavy　threadbare　Bible。　He　put　on　his　spectacles　and　Dunross　felt　the　hackles　on　his　neck　rise。　〃Repeat　after　me：　I；　Ian　Struan　Dunross；　kinsman　to　the　Struans；　Christian；　sweareth　before　God　in　the　presence　of　Alastair　McKenzie　Duncan　Struan；　ninth　tai…pan；　and　Phillip　T'Chung　Sheng　Chen；　fourth　pradore；　that　I　shall　obey　all　the　Legacy　read　out　by　me　in　their　presence　here　in　Hong　Kong；　that　I　shall　further　bind　the　pany　to　Hong　Kong　and　to　the　China　trade；　that　I　shall　maintain　my　main　place　of　business　here　in　Hong　Kong　while　tai…pan；　that；　before　God；　I　assume　the　promises；　responsibility　and　the　gentleman's　word　of　honor　of　Dirk　Struan　to　his　eternal　friend　Chen…tse　Jin　Arn；　also　known　as　Jin…qua；　or　to　his　successors；　further；　that　I　w…　〃
　〃What　promises？〃
　〃You　swear　before　God；　blind；　like　all　the　tai…pans　did　before　you！　You'll　learn　soon　enough　what　you　inherit。〃
　〃And　if　I　won't？〃
　〃You　know　the　answer　to　that！〃
　The　rain　was　battering　the　windows　and　its　violence　seemed　to　Dunross　to　equal　the　thumping　in　his　chest　as　he　weighed　the　insanity　of　such　an　open…ended　mitment。　But　he　knew　he　could　not　be　tai…pan　unless　he　did；　and　so　he　said　the　words　and　made　the　mitment　before　God；　and　continued　to　say　the　words　read　out　to　him。
　〃。。。　further　that　I　will　use　all　powers；　and　any　means；　to　keep　the　pany　steadfast　as　the　First　House；　the　Noble　House　of　Asia；　that　I　swear　before　God　to　mit　any　deed　necessary　to　vanquish；　destroy　and　cast　out　from　Asia　the　pany　called　Brock　and　Sons　and　particularly　my　enemy；　the　founder；　Tyler　Brock；　his　son　Morgan；　their　heirs　or　any　of　their　line　excepting　only　Tess　Brock　and　her　issue；　the　wife　of　my　son　Culum；　from　the　face　of　Asia。　。。。〃　Dunross　stopped　again。
　〃When　you've　finished　you　can　ask　any　questions　you　want；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。　〃Finish　it！〃
　〃Very　well。　Lastly：　I　swear　before　God　that　my　successor　as　tai…pan　will　also　be　sworn；　before　God；　to　all　of　this　Legacy；　so　help　me　God！〃
　Now　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　rain　slashing　the　windows。　Dunross　could　feel　the　sweat　on　his　back。
　Alastair　Struan　put　down　the　Bible　and　took　off　his　spectacles。　〃There；　it's　done。〃　Tautly　he　put　out　his　hand。　〃I'd　like　to　be　the　first　to　wish　you　well；　tai…pan。　Anything　I　can　do　to　help；　you　have。〃
　〃And　I'm　honored　to　be　second；　tai…pan；〃　Phillip　Chen　said　with　a　slight　bow；　equally　formally。
　〃Thank　you。〃　Dunross's　tension　was　great。
　〃I　think　we　all　need　a　drink；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。　〃With　your　permission；　I'll　pour；〃　he　added　to　Dunross　with　untoward　formality。　〃Phillip？〃
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。　I…　〃
　〃No。　Ian's　tai…pan　now。〃　Alastair　Struan　poured　the　champagne　and　gave　the　first　glass　to　Dunross。
　〃Thank　you；〃　Dunross　said；　savoring　the　pliment；　knowing　nothing　had　changed。　〃Here's　to　the　Noble　House；〃　he　said；　raising　his　glass。
　The　three　men　drank；　then　Alastair　Struan　took　out　an　envelope。　〃This　is　my　resignation　from　the　sixty…odd　chairmanships；　managing　directorships　and　directorships　that　automatically　go　with　the　tai…pan　position。　Your　appointment　in　my　stead　is　equally　automatic。　By　custom　I　bee　chairman　of　our　London　subsidiary　…　but　you　can　terminate　that　anytime　you　wish。〃
　〃It's　terminated；〃　Dunross　said　at　once。
　〃Whatever　you　say；〃　the　old　man　muttered；　but　his　neck　was　purple。
　〃I　think　you'd　be　more　useful　to　Struan's　as　deputy　chairman　of　the　First　Central　Bank　of　Edinburgh。〃
　Struan　looked　up　sharply。　〃What？〃
　〃That's　one　of　our　appointments；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Alastair　Struan　said。　〃Why　that？〃
　〃I'm　going　to　need　help。　Struan's　goes　public　next　year。〃
　Both　men　stared　at　him；　astounded。　〃What！〃
　〃We're　going　publ…　〃
　〃We've　been　a　private　pany　for　132　years！〃　the　old　man　roared。　〃Jesus　bloody　Christ　I've　told　you　a　hundred　times　that's　our　strength；　with　no　god…cursed　stockholders　or　outsiders　prying　into　our　private　affairs！〃　His　face　was　flushed　and　he　fought　to　control　his　anger。　〃Don't　you　ever　listen？〃
　〃All　the　time。　Very　carefully；〃　Dunross　said　in　an　unemotional　voice。　〃The　only　way　we　can　survive　is　to　go　public　。。。　that's　the　only　way　we　can　get　the　capital　we　need。〃
　〃Talk　to　him；　Phillip　…　get　some　sense　into　him。〃
　Nervously　the　pradore　said；　〃How　will　this　affect　the　House　of　Chen？〃
　〃Our　formal　pradore　system　is　ended　from　tonight。〃　He　saw　Phillip　Chen's　face　go　white　but　he　continued；　〃I　have　a　plan　for　you　…　in　writing。　It　changes　nothing；　and　everything。　Officially　you'll　still　be　pradore；　unofficially　we'll　operate　differently。　The　major　change　is　that　instead　of　making　about　a　million　a　year；　in　ten　years　your　share　will　bring　you　20；　in　fifteen　years　about　30。〃
　〃Impossible！〃　Alastair　Struan　burst　out。
　〃Our　net　worth　today's　about　20　million　U。S。　In　ten　years　it'll　be　200　million　and　in　fifteen；　with　joss；　it'll　be　400　million　…　and　our　yearly　turnover　approaching　a　billion。〃
　〃You've　gone　mad；〃　Struan　said。
　〃No。　The　Noble　House　is　going　international　…　the　days　of　being　solely　a　Hong　Kong　trading　pany　are　gone　forever。〃
　〃Remember　your　oath；　by　God！　We're　Hong　Kong　based！〃
　〃I　won't　forget。　Next：　What　responsibility　do　I　inherit　from　Dirk　Struan？〃
　〃It's　all　in　the　safe。　Written　down　in　a　sealed　envelope　marked　'The　Legacy。'　Also　the　Hag's　'Instructions　to　future　tai…pans。'　〃
　〃Where's　the　safe？〃
　〃Behind　the　painting　in　the　Great　House。　In　the　study。〃　Sourly　Alastair　Struan　pointed　to　an　envelope　beside　the　clock　on　the　mantelpiece。　〃That　contains　the　special　key　…　and　the　present　bination。　You　will　of　course　change　it。　Put　the　figures　into　one　of　the　tai…pan's　private　safety　deposit　boxes　at　the　bank；　in　case　of　accidents。　Give　Phillip　one　of　the　two　keys。〃
　Phillip　Chen　said；　〃By　our　rules；　while　you're　alive；　the　bank　is　obliged　to　refuse　me　permission　to　open　it。〃
　〃Next：　Tyler　Brock　and　his　sons　…　those　bastards　were　obliterated　almost　a　hundred　years　ago。〃
　〃Aye；　the　legitimate　male　line　was。　But　Dirk　Struan　was　vindictive　and　his　vengeance　reaches　out　from　his　grave。　There's　an　up…to…date　list　of　Tyler　Brock's　descendents；　also　in　the　safe。　It　makes　interesting　reading；　eh　Phillip？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　it　does。〃
　〃The　Rothwells　and　the　Tomms；　Yadegar　and　his　brood；　you　know　about。　But　Tusker's　on　the　list　though　he　doesn't　know　it；　Jason　Plumm；　Lord　Depford…Smyth　and；　most　of　all；　Quillan　Gornt。〃
　〃Impossible！〃
　〃Not　only　is　Gornt　tai…pan　of　Rothwell…Gornt；　our　main　enemy；　but　he's　also　a　secret；　direct　male　descendent　of　Morgan　Brock　…　direct　though　illegitimate。〃
　〃But　he's　always　claimed　his　great…grandfather　was　Edward　Gornt；　the　American　China　Trader。〃
　〃He　es　from　Edward　Gornt　all　right。　But　Sir　Morgan　Brock　was　really　Edward's　father　and　Kristian　Gornt　his　mother。　She　was　an　American　from　Virginia。　Of　course　it　was　kept　secret　…　society　wasn't　any　more　forgiving　then　than　now。　When　Sir　Morgan　became　tai…pan　of　Brock's　in　1859；　he　fetched　this　illegitimate　son　of　his　out　of　Virginia；　bought　him　a　partnership　in　the　old　American　trading　firm　of　Rothwell　and　pany　in　Shanghai；　and　then　he　and　Edward　bided　their　time　to　destroy　us。　They　almost　did　…　certainly　they　caused　the　death　of　Culum　Struan。　But　then　Lochlin　and　Hag　Struan　broke　Sir　Morgan　and　smashed　Brock　and　Sons。　Edward　Gornt　never　forgave　us；　his　descendents　never　will　either　…　I'd　wager　they　too　have　a　pact　with　their　founder。〃
　〃Does　he　know　we　know？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　he's　enemy。　His　genealogy's　in　the　safe；　with　all　the　others。　My　grandfather　was　the　one　who　discovered　it；　quite　by　chance；　during　the　Boxer　Rebellion　in　'99。　The　list　is　interesting；　Ian；　very。　One　particular　person　for　you。　The　head　of…　〃
　A　sudden　violent　gust　shook　the　building。　One　of　the　ivory　bric…a…brac　on　the　marble　table　toppled　over。　Nervously　Phillip　Chen　stood　it　up。　They　all　stared　at　the　windows；　watching　their　reflections　twist　nauseatingly　as　the　gusts　stretched　the　huge　panes　of　glass。
　〃Tai…fun！〃　Phillip　muttered；　sweat　beading　him。
　〃Yes。〃　They　waited　breathlessly　for　the　〃Devil　Wind〃　to　cease。　These　sudden　squalls　came　haphazardly　from　all　points　of　the　pass；　sometimes　gusting　to　a　hundred　and　fifty　knots。　In　their　wake　was　always　devastation。
　The　violence　passed。　Dunross　went　over　to　the　barometer；　checked　it　and　tapped　it。　980。3。
　〃Still　falling；〃　he　said。
　〃Christ！〃
　Dunross　squinted　at　the　windows。　Now　the　rain　streaks　were　almost　horizontal。　〃Lasting　Cloud　is　due　to　dock　tomorrow　night。〃
　〃Yes；　but　now　she'll　be　hove　to　somewhere　off　the　Philippines。　Captain　Moffatt's　too　canny　to　get　caught；〃　Struan　said。
　〃I　don't　agree。　Moffatt　likes　hitting　schedules。　This　typhoon's　unscheduled。　You　。。。　he　should　have　been　ordered。〃　Dunross　sipped　his　wine　thoughtfully。　〃Lasting　Cloud　better　not　get　caught。〃
　Phillip　Chen　heard　the　undercurrent　of　fury。　〃Why？〃
　〃We've　our　new　puter　aboard　and　two　million　pounds　worth　of　jet　engines。　Uninsured　…　at　least　the　engines　are。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　Alastair　Struan。
　Defensively　the　old　man　said；　〃It　was　that　or　lose　the　contract。　The　engines　are　consigned　to　Canton。　You　know　we　can't　insure　them；　Phillip；　since　they're　going　to　Red　China。〃　Then　he　added　irritably；　〃They're；　er；　they're　South　American　owned　and　there're　no　export　restrictions　from　South　America　to　China。　Even　so；　no　one's　willing　to　insure　them。〃
　After　a　pause　Phillip　Chen　said；　〃I　thought　the　new　puter　was　ing　in　March。〃
　〃It　was　but　I　managed　to　jump　it　forward；〃　Alastair　said。
　〃Who's　carrying　the　paper　on　the　engines？〃　Phillip　Chen　asked。
　〃We　are。〃
　〃That's　a　lot　of　risk。〃　Phillip　Chen　was　very　uneasy。　〃Don't　you　agree；　Ian？〃
　Dunross　said　nothing。
　〃It　was　that　or　lose　the　contract；〃　Alastair　Struan　said；　even　more　irritably。　〃We　stand　to　double　our　money；　Phillip。　We　need　the　money。　But　more　than　that　the　Chinese　need　the　engines；　they　made　that　more　than　clear　when　I　was　in　Canton　last　month。　And　we　need　China　…　they　made　that　clear　too。〃
　〃Yes；　but　12　million；　that's　。。。　a　lot　of　risk　in　one　ship；〃　Phillip　Chen　insisted。
　Dunross　said；　〃Anything　we　can　do　to　take　business　away　from　the　Soviets　is　to　our　advantage。　Besides；　it's　done。　You　were　saying；　Alastair；　there's　someone　on　the　list　I　should　know　about？　The　head　of？〃
　〃Marlborough　Motors。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Dunross　said　with　sudden　grim　delight。　〃I've　detested　those　sods　for　years。　Father　and　son。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃So　the　Nikklins're　descendents　of　Tyler　Brock？　Well　it　won't　be　long　before　we　can　wipe　them　off　the　list。　Good；　very　good。　Do　they　know　they're　on　Dirk　Struan's　oblit　list？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃That's　even　better。〃
　〃I　don't　agree！　You　hate　young　Nikklin　because　he　beat　you。〃　Angrily　Alastair　Struan　stabbed　a　finger　at　Dunross。　〃It's　time　you　gave　up　car　racing。　Leave　all　the　hill　climbs　and　Macao　Grand　Prix　to　the　semiprofessionals。　T