wall and ceiling.
It was no improvement, Nick decided.
I was in St Nazaire last week. Nicholas turned in the centre of the
wide snowy floor and faced Duncan Alexander as he closed the door.
Yes, I know. I went over Golden Dawn. Duncan Alexander snapped open a
gold cigarette case and offered it to Nick, then when he shook his head
in refusal, selected one himself. They were special blend, custom-made
for him by Benson and Hedges.
Charles Gras exceeded his authority, Duncan nodded.
Visitors are not allowed on Golden Dawn. I am not surprised you are
ashamed of that death-trap you are building. But you do surprise me,
Nicholas. Duncan showed his teeth again. It was your design. 'You know
it was not. You took the idea, and bastardized it. Duncan, you cannot
sent! Nick sought for the word, that monster on to the open sea. Not
with one propulsion unit, and a single screw. The risk is too
appalling. I tell you this for no good reason, except perhaps that this
was once your office/ Duncan made a gesture that embraced the room, and
because it amuses me to point out to you the faults in your original
planning. The concept was sound, but your soured the cream by adding
those preposterous, shall we call them Bergean, touches. Five separate
propulsion units, and a forest of boilers. It wasn't viable, Nicholas.
It was good, the figures were right., The whole tanker market has
changed since you left Christy Marine. I had to re-work it. You should
have dropped the whole concept if the cost structure changed. 'Oh no,
Nicholas, I restructured. My way, even in these hard times, I will
recover capital in a year, and with a five.
year life on the hull there is two hundred million dollars profit in it.
I was going to build a ship that would last for thirty years/ Nick told
him. Something of which we could be proud - I Pride is an expensive
commodity. We aren't building dynasties any more, we are in the game of
selling tanker space. Duncan's tone was patronizing, that impeccable
accent drawn out, emphasizing the difference in their backgrounds. I'm
aiming at a five-year life, two hundred million profit, and then we sell
the hull to the Greeks or Japs. It's a one-time thing. You always were
a smash-and-grab artist, Nick agreed.
But it isn't like dealing in commodities. Ships aren't wheat and bacon,
and the oceans aren't the orderly market floors. I disagree, I'm
afraid. The principles are the same - one buys, one sells. Ships are
living things, the ocean is a battleground of all the elements. 'Come,
Nicholas, you don't really believe that romantic nonsense. Duncan drew a
gold Hunter from his waist pocket, and snapped open the lid to read the
dial another of his affectations which irritated Nicholas. Those are
very expensive gentlemen waiting next door. You will be risking human
life, the men who sail her. Seamen are well paid - You will be taking a
monstrous risk with the life of the oceans. Wherever she goes Golden
Dawn will be a potential - For God's sake, Nicholas, two hundred million
dollars is worth some kind of risk. All right/ Nick nodded. Let's
forget the environment, and the human life, and consider the important
aspects the money. Duncan sighed, and wagged that fine head, smiling as
at a recalcitrant child.
