按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Kwang's chairman of the Ho…Pak； one of our finest Chinese banks。〃
〃In banking we're all friendly petitors； Miss； er； Miss； except of course for Blacs；〃 Havergill said。
〃Sir？〃 Casey said。
〃Blacs？ Oh that's a nickname for the Bank of London； Canton and Shanghai。 They may be bigger than we are； a month or so older； but we're the best bank here； Miss； er 。。。〃
〃Blacs're my bankers；〃 Gornt said to Casey。 〃They do me very well。 They're first…class bankers。〃
〃Second…class； Quillan。〃
Gornt turned back to Casey。 〃We've a saying here that Blacs consists of gentlemen trying to be bankers； and those at the Victoria are bankers trying to be gentlemen。〃
Casey laughed。 The others smiled politely。
〃You're all just friendly petition； Mr。 Kwang？〃 she asked。
〃Oh yes。 We wouldn't dare oppose Blacs or the Victoria；〃 Richard Kwang said amiably。 He was short and stocky and middle…aged with gray…flecked black hair and an easy smile； his English perfect。 〃I hear Par…Con's going to invest in Hong Kong； Miss Tchelek。〃
〃We're here to look around； Mr。 Kwang。 Nothing's firm yet。〃 She passed over his mispronunciation。
Gornt lowered his voice。 〃Just between ourselves； I've formally told both Bartlett and Miss Tcholok that I will better any offer Struan's might make。 Blacs are supporting me one hundred percent。 And I've friendly bankers elsewhere。 I'm hoping Par…Con will consider all possibilities before making any mitment。〃
〃I imagine that would be very wise；〃 Havergill said。 〃Of course Struan's does have the inside track。〃
〃Blacs and most of Hong Kong would hardly agree with you；〃 Gornt said。
〃I hope it won't e to a clash； Quillan；〃 Havergill said。 〃Struan's is our major customer。〃
Richard Kwang said； 〃Either way； Miss Tchelek； it would be good to have such a great American pany as Par…Con here。 Good for you； good for us。 Let's hope that a deal can be found that suits Par…Con。 If Mr。 Bartlett would like any assistance 。。。〃 The banker produced his business card。 She took it； opened her silk handbag and offered hers with equal dexterity； having e prepared for the immediate card exchanging that is good manners and obligatory in Asia。 The Chinese banker glanced at it then his eyes narrowed。
〃Sorry I haven't had it translated into characters yet；〃 she said。 〃Our bankers in the States are First Central New York and the California Merchant Bank and Trust pany。〃 Casey mentioned them proudly； sure the bined assets of these banking giants were in excess of 6 billions。 〃I'd be gl… 〃 She stopped； startled at the sudden chill surrounding her。 〃Is something wrong？〃
〃Yes and no；〃 Gornt said after a moment。 〃It's just that the First Central New York Bank's not at all popular here。〃
〃Why？〃
Havergill said disdainfully； 〃They turned out to be a shower … that's； er； English for a bad lot； Miss； er； Miss。 The First Central New York did some business here before the war； then expanded in the mid…forties while we at the Victoria and other British institutions were picking ourselves off the floor。 In '49 when Chairman Mao threw Chiang Kai…shek off the Mainland to Taiwan； Mao's troops were massed on our border just a few miles north in the New Territories。 It was touch and go whether or not the hordes would spill over and overrun the Colony。 A lot of people cut and ran； none of us of course； but all the Chinese who could got out。 Without any warning； the First Central New York called in all their loans； paid off their depositors； closed their doors and fled … all in the space of one week。〃
〃I didn't know；〃 Casey said； aghast。
〃They were a bunch of yellow bastards； my dear； if you'll excuse the expression；〃 Lady Joanna said with open contempt。 〃Of course； they were the only bank that scarpered … ran away。 But then they were 。。。 well； what can you expect； my dear？〃
〃Probably better； Lady Joanna；〃 Casey said； furious with the VP in charge of their account for not warning them。 〃Perhaps there were mitigating circumstances。 Mr。 Havergill； were the loans substantial？〃
〃At that time； very； I'm afraid。 Yes。 That bank ruined quite a lot of important businesses and people； caused an enormous amount of grief and loss of face。 Still；〃 he said with a smile； 〃we all benefited by their leaving。 A couple of years ago they had the effrontery to apply to the financial secretary for a new charter！〃
Richard Kwang added jovially； 〃That's one charter that'll never be renewed！ You see； Miss Tchelek； all foreign banks operate on a renewable yearly charter。 Certainly we can do very well without that one； or for that matter any other American bank。 They're such 。。。 well； you'll find the Victoria； Blacs or the Ho…Pak； perhaps all three Miss K。C。； can fulfill all Par…Con's needs perfectly。 If you and Mr。 Bartlett would like to chat 。。。〃
〃I'd be glad to visit with you； Mr。 Kwang。 Say tomorrow？ Initially I handle most of our banking needs。 Maybe sometime in the morning？〃
〃Yes； yes of course。 You'll find us petitive；〃 Richard Kwang said without a flicker。 〃At ten？〃
〃Great。 We're at the V and A； Kowloon。 If ten's not good for you just let me know；〃 she said。 〃I'm pleased to meet you personally too； Mr。 Havergill。 I presume our appointment for tomorrow is still in order？〃
〃Of course。 At four； isn't it？ I look forward to chatting at length with Mr。 Bartlett 。。。 and you； of course； my dear。〃 He was a tall； lean man and she noticed his eyes rise from her cleavage。 She dismissed her immediate dislike。 I may need him； she thought； and his bank。
〃Thank you；〃 she said with the right amount of deference and turned her charm on Lady Joanna。 〃What a pretty dress； Lady Joanna；〃 she said； loathing it and the row of small pearls that circled the woman's scrawny neck。
〃Oh； thank you； my dear。 Is yours from Paris too？〃
〃Indirectly。 It's a Balmain but I got it in New York。〃 She smiled down at Richard Kwang's wife； a solid； well…preserved Cantonese lady with an elaborate coiffure； very pale skin and narrow eyes。 She was wearing an immense imperial jade pendant and a seven…carat diamond ring。 〃Pleased to meet you； Mrs。 Kwang；〃 she said； awed by the wealth that the jewelry represented。 〃We were looking for Linc Bartlett。 Have you seen him？〃
〃Not for a while；〃 Havergill volunteered。 〃I think he went into the east wing。 Believe there's a bar there。 He was with Adryon … Dunross's daughter。〃
〃Adryon's turned out to be such a pretty girl；〃 Lady Joanna said。 〃They make such a nice couple together。 Charming man； Mr。 Bartlett。 He's not married； is he； dear？〃
〃No；〃 Casey said； equally pleasantly； adding Lady Joanna Temple…Smith to her private list of loathsome people。 〃Linc's not married。〃
〃He'll be gobbled up soon； mark my words。 I really believe Adryon's quite smitten。 Perhaps you'd like to e to tea on Thursday； my dear？ I'd love you to meet some of the girls。 That's the day of our Over Thirty Club。〃
〃Thank you；〃 Casey said。 〃I don't qualify … but I'd love to e anyway。〃
〃Oh I'm sorry； dear！ I'd presumed 。。。 I'll send a car for you。 Quillan； are you staying for dinner？〃
〃No； can't。 Got pressing business。〃
〃Pity。〃 Lady Joanna smiled and showed her bad teeth。
〃If you'll excuse us … just want to find Bartlett and then I have to leave。 See you Saturday。〃 Gornt took Casey's arm and guided her away。
They watched them leave。 〃She's quite attractive in a mon sort of way； isn't she？〃 Lady Joanna said。 〃Chuluk。 That's Middle European； isn't it？〃
〃Possibly。 It could be Mideastern； Joanna； you know； Turkish； something like that； possibly the Balkans。 。。。〃 Havergill stopped。 〃Oh； I see what you mean。 No； I don't think so。 She certainly doesn't look Jewish。〃
〃One really can't tell these days； can one？ She might have had her nose fixed … they do marvelous things these days； don't they？〃
〃Never occurred to me to look。 Hum！ Do you think so？〃
Richard Kwang passed Casey's card over to his wife who read it instantly and got the same message instantly。 〃Paul； her card says treasurer and executive VP of the holding pany 。。。 that's quite impressive； isn't it？ Par…Con's a big pany。〃
〃Oh my dear fellow； but they're American。 They do extraordinary things in America。 Surely it's just a title … that's all。〃
〃Giving his mistress face？〃 Joanna asked。
12
9：00 P。M。 ：
The billiard cue struck the white ball and it shot across the green table and slashed the red into a far pocket and stopped perfectly behind another red。
Adryon clapped gleefully。 〃Oh Linc； that was super！ I was sure you were just boasting。 Oh do it again！〃
Linc Bartlett grinned。 〃For one dollar that red around the table and into that pocket and the white here。〃 He marked the spot with a flick of chalk。
〃Done！〃
He leaned over the table and sighted and the white stopped within a millimeter of his mark； the red sunk with marvelous inevitability。
〃Ayeeyah！ I haven't got a dollar with me。 Damn！ Can I owe it to you？〃
〃A lady … however beautiful … has to pay her gambling debts at once。〃
〃I know。 Father says the same。 Can I pay you tomorrow？〃
He watched her； enjoying her； pleased that his skill pleased her。 She was wearing a knee…length black skirt and the lovely silk blouse。 Her legs were long； very long； and perfect。 〃Nope！〃 He pretended ill humor and then they laughed together in the huge room； the vast lights low over the full…size billiard table； the rest of the room dark and intimate but for the shaft of light from the open door。
〃You play incredibly well；〃 she said。
〃Don't tell anyone but I made my living in the Army playing pool。〃
〃In Europe？〃
〃No。 Pacific。〃
〃My father was a fighter pilot。 He got six planes before he was shot down and grounded。〃
〃I guess that made him an ace； didn't it？〃
〃Were you part of those awful landings against the Japs？〃
〃No。 I was in construction。 We came in when everything was secured。〃
〃Oh。〃
〃We built bases； airfields in Guadalcanal； and islands all over the Pacific。 My war was easy … nothing like your dad's。〃 As he went over to the cue rack； he was sorry for the first time that he had not been in the Marines。 Her expression when he had said construction made him feel unmanned。 〃We should go look for your boyfriend。 Maybe he's here by now。〃
〃Oh he's not important！ He's not a real boyfriend； I just met him a week or so ago at a friend's party。 Martin's a journalist on the China Guardian。 He's not a lover。〃
〃Are all young English ladies so open about their lovers？〃
〃It's the pill。 It's released us from masculine servitude forever。 Now we're equal。〃
〃Are you？〃
〃I am。〃
〃Then you're lucky。〃
〃Yes I know I'm very lucky。〃 She watched him。 〃How old are you； Linc？〃
〃Old。〃 He snapped the cue into its rack。 It was the first time in his life that he had not wanted to tell his age。 Goddamn； he thought； curiously unsettled。 What's your problem？
None。 There's no problem。 Is there？
〃I'm nineteen；〃 she was saying。
〃When's your birthday？〃
〃October 27 … I'm a Scorpio。 When's yours？〃
〃October 1。〃
〃Oh it's not！ Tell me honestly！〃
〃Cross my heart and hope to die。〃
She clapped her hands with delight。 〃Oh that's marvelous！ Father's the tenth。 That's marvelous … a good omen。〃
〃Why？〃
〃You'll see。〃 Happily she opened her handbag and found a crumpled cigarette package and a battered gold lighter。 He took the lighter and flicked it for her but it did not light。 A second and a third time but nothing。
〃Bloody thing；〃 she said。 〃Bloody thing's never worked properly but Father gave it to me。 I love it。 Of course I dropped it a couple of times。〃
He peered at it； blew the wick and fiddled a moment。 〃You shouldn't smoke anyway。〃
〃That's what Father always says。〃
〃He's right。〃
〃Yes。 But I like smoking for the time being。 How old are you； Linc？〃
〃Forty。〃
〃Oh！〃 He saw the surprise。 〃Then you're the same age as Father！ Well； almost。 He's forty…one。〃
〃Both were great years；〃 Linc said dryly； and he thought； Whichever way you figure it； Adryon； I really am old enough to be your father。
Another frown creased her brow。 〃It's funny； you don't seem the same age at all。〃 Then she added in a rush； 〃In two years I'll be twenty…one and that's practically over the hill； I just can't imagine being twenty…five let alone thirty and as to forty 。。。 God； I think I'd rather b