Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

"The father of Mr. Edward's friend Senor Miranda."

"And the uncle of Edward's clerk Simon Oliver."

Mulberry shook his head disapprovingly. "I was a clerk here when the Venezuelan government defaulted on its bonds fifteen years ago. My father, God rest his soul, could remember the Argentine default of 1828. And look at Mexican bonds--they pay dividends now and again. Whoever heard of bonds that paid out now and again?"

Hugh nodded. "Anyway, investors who like railroads can get five and six percent on their money in the United States--why go to Cordova?"

"Exactly."

Hugh scratched his head. "Well, I'll try to find out what they're thinking about."

Mulberry flourished a bundle of papers. "Mr. Samuel asked for a summary of liabilities on Far East acceptances. You could take the figures to him."

Hugh grinned. "You think of everything." He took the papers and went down to the Partners' Room.

Only Samuel and Joseph were there. Joseph was dictating letters to a shorthand writer and Samuel was poring over a map of China. Hugh put the report on Samuel's table and said: "Mulberry asked me to give you this."

"Thank you." Samuel looked up and smiled. "Something else on your mind?"

"Yes. I'm wondering why we're backing the Santamaria railroad."

Hugh heard Joseph pause in his dictation, then resume.

Samuel said: "It's not the most attractive investment we've ever launched, I grant you, but with the backing of the Pilaster name it should go off all right."

"You could say that of just about any issue that is proposed to us," Hugh objected. "The reason we have such a high reputation is that we never do offer the investors a bond that is only 'all right.'"

"Your uncle Joseph feels that South America may be ready for a revival."

Hearing his name, Joseph joined in. "This is a toe dipped into the water to feel the temperature."

"It's risky, then."

"If my great-grandfather had never taken a risk he would not have put all his money into one slave ship and there would be no such thing as Pilasters Bank today."

Hugh said: "But since then, Pilasters has always left it to smaller, more speculative houses to dip their toes into unknown waters."

Uncle Joseph did not like to be argued with and he replied in an irritated tone: "One exception will not harm us."

"But the willingness to make exceptions may harm us deeply."

"That's not for you to judge."