cc.goldenbuddha-第9节

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o；　had　crossed　paths　with　Spenser　before。　Three　times　in　the　last　year；　the　stodgy　Britisher　had　outbid　Talbot's　clients；　for　Spenser's　own　clients　seemed　to　have　unlimited　resources。　
　Talbot　could　only　hope　today　would　be　different。　
　Spenser　was　dressed　in　a　gray　suit　over　a　sweater　vest；　a　blue　polka…dot　bow　tie　around　his　neck。　His　black　lace…up　leather　shoes　were　highly　polished；　as　were　his　fingernails；　and　his　neatly　styled　short　hair　was　flecked　with　gray；　as　befitted　his　age；　which　Talbot　estimated　at　close　to　sixty　years。　
　Once；　when　Talbot　had　been　in　London　on　business；　he'd　tried　to　visit　Spenser's　shop。　There　was　no　telephone　number　available；　the　small　stone　building　had　had　no　name　outside；　and　aside　from　an　unobtrusive　video　camera　above　the　buzzer；　it　could　have　been　suspended　in　time　from　a　hundred　years　before。　Talbot　had　pushed　the　buzzer　twice；　but　no　one　had　answered。　
　Spenser　sensed　Talbot　staring　his　way　but　only　glanced　at　him　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　Of　the　other　seven　men　Spenser　had　determined　had　an　interest　in　the　artifact　he'd　e　to　purchase；　the　American　would　probably　bid　the　highest。　Talbot's　buyer　was　a　Silicon　Valley　software　billionaire　with　a　penchant　for　Asian　art　and　argumentation。　The　billionaire's　belligerency　could　only　help　Spenser。　The　man's　ego　might　take　him　beyond　his　set　price；　but　as　the　petition　stiffened；　he　traditionally　became　angry　and　dropped　out。　The　new　rich　are　so　predictable；　Spenser　thought。　He　rose　to　return　to　his　room。　The　auction　was　not　until　1　p。m。　
　
　〃LOT　OF　THIRTY…SEVEN；〃　the　auctioneer　said　with　reverence；　〃the　'Golden　Buddha。〃　
　A　large　mahogany　crate　was　wheeled　onto　the　podium　and　the　auctioneer　reached　for　the　clasp　holding　the　door　closed。　
　The　audience　of　bidders　was　small。　This　was　a　highly　secret　auction　and　the　invitations　had　only　gone　out　to　the　select　few　who　could　afford　to　pay　for　art　masterworks　with　somewhat　shady　histories。　
　Spenser　had　yet　to　bid　on　anything。　Lot　twenty…one；　a　Degas　bronze　that　he　knew　had　been　stolen　out　of　a　museum　twelve　years　ago；　had　appealed　to　him；　but　the　bidding　had　gone　higher　than　his　South　American　client　had　authorized　him　to　pay。　More　and　more；　Spenser　was　weaning　himself　away　from　clients　on　a　budget；　even　if　the　stop　price　ran　into　the　millions。　The　auction　today　was　the　first　step　in　his　plan　for　retirement。　The　auctioneer　opened　the　door　to　the　crate　at　the　same　time　that　Spenser　pushed　a　button　on　the　miniaturized　satellite　telephone　in　his　vest　pocket。　He　spoke　into　the　tiny　microphone　clasped　to　his　lapel。　
　〃Please　tell　your　employer　they　have　the　object　on　display；〃　he　said　to　an　aide　thousands　of　miles　away。　
　〃He　asks　if　it　is　everything　you'd　hoped；〃　the　aide　asked。　
　Spenser　stared　at　the　massive　gold　statue　as　a　hush　fell　over　the　crowd。　
　〃Everything　and　more；〃　Spenser　said　quietly。　
　A　few　seconds　passed　as　the　aide　relayed　the　information。　He　said；　〃At　all　costs。〃　
　'It　will　be　an　honor；〃　Spenser　said　as　he　thought　back　on　the　his　story。　
　THE　GOLDEN　BUDDHA　dated　from　1288；　when　the　rulers　of　what　would　later　bee　Vietnam　missioned　the　work　to　celebrate　their　victory　over　the　forces　of　Kublai　Khan。　Five　hundred　and　ninety…six　pounds　of　solid　gold　mined　in　Laos　had　been　formed　into　a　six…foot　likeness　of　the　Enlightened　One。　Chunks　of　jade　from　Siam　had　formed　the　eyes；　while　a　ring　of　Burmese　rubies　wound　around　the　neck。　Buddha's　potbelly　had　been　outlined　in　sapphires　from　Thailand　and　his　belly　button　was　a　large　rounded　opal　that　glowed　iridescently。　The　icon　had　been　given　as　a　gift　to　the　first　Dalai　Lama　in　the　year　1372。　
　For　587　years；　the　Golden　Buddha　had　remained　in　a　monastery　in　Tibet　and　then　acpanied　the　Dalai　Lama　into　exile。　While　being　transported　with　the　Dalai　Lama　on　a　trip　to　the　United　States　for　display；　however；　it　had　disappeared　from　the　airport　in　Manila。　
　President　Ferdinand　Marcos　had　always　been　the　prime　suspect。　Since　then；　the　ownership　had　always　remained　cloudy；　until　suddenly　it　had　mysteriously　reappeared　for　the　auction。　The　seller's　identity　would　remain　an　enigma。　
　While　it　was　almost　impossible　to　place　a　value　on　such　a　rare　artifact；　that　was　exactly　what　was　about　to　happen。　The　preauction　estimates　had　conservatively　placed　the　value　at　between　100　million　and　120　million。　
　WE　WILL　START　the　bidding　at　fifty　million　U。S。　dollars；〃　the　auctioneer　said。　
　A　low　starting　point；　Spenser　thought。　The　gold　alone　was　worth　twice　that。　It　was　the　history；　not　the　beauty；　that　made　it　a　priceless　piece　of　art。　Must　be　the　weak　world　economic　climate；　Spenser　concluded。　
　〃We　have　fifty　million；〃　the　auctioneer　said；　〃now　sixty。〃　
　Talbot　raised　his　paddle　as　the　bid　hit　eighty。　
　〃Eighty；　now　ninety；〃　the　auctioneer　said　in　a　monotone。　
　Spenser　glanced　across　the　room　at　Talbot。　Typical　American；　ear　on　a　satellite　telephone；　paddle　in　his　hand；　as　if　he　were　worried　the　auctioneer　would　miss　his　signal。　
　〃Ninety；　now　a　hundred；〃　the　auctioneer　droned。　
　The　hundred　bid　was　from　a　South　African　dealer　Spenser　knew。　The　dealer's　patron　had　made　his　fortune　in　diamonds。　Spenser　admired　the　womanthey'd　shared　a　glass　of　sherry　more　than　oncebut　he　also　knew　her　patron's　habits。　When　the　value　exceeded　what　he　felt　he　could　sell　it　for　later；　he'd　drop　out。　The　man　loved　art；　but　he　only　bought　at　his　price　and　if　he　could　someday　make　a　profit。　
　One　hundred　ten　million　came　from　the　rear　of　the　room。　Spenser　turned　to　stare　at　the　bidder。　The　man's　age　was　hard　to　determine；　but　if　Spenser　had　to　hazard　a　guess；　he'd　pick　the　low　side　of　sixty；　based　primarily　on　the　bidder's　flowing　gray　hair　and　beard。　Two　things　were　odd；　though。　Spenser　knew　practically　everyone　in　the　room　at　least　by　sight　or　reputation；　but　this　man　was　an　unknown。　And　he　seemed　totally　unconcerned；　as　if　he　were　bidding　on　a　weekend　trip　to　a　spa　at　a　local　charity　auction　instead　of　tendering　a　bid　in　the　amount　of　a　small　country's　yearly　budget。　The　man　was　obviously　qualifiedthe　auction　pany　would　have　made　sure　of　thatbut　who　was　he？　
　One　hundred　twenty　from　a　German　pharmaceutical　magnate。　
　〃One　twenty；　now　one　thirty。〃　
　Talbot　again；　waving　his　paddle　like　a　landing　semaphore。　
　The　bidding　began　to　stall　at　140　million；　bid　again　by　the　gray…haired　man。　Spenser　turned　again　and　felt　a　touch　of　apprehension。　The　man　was　staring　directly　into　his　eyes。　Then　the　man　winked。　A　chill　ran　down　Spenser's　spine。　
　He　turned　to　the　side；　where　he　could　see　Talbot　talking　animatedly　into　his　telephone。　He　could　sense　then　that　the　Silicon　Valley　billionaire　was　flagging。　
　〃Tell　him；〃　Spenser　whispered　in　his　phone；　〃it's　slowed　at　one　fifty；　with　maybe　one　more　bid　still　forthing。〃　
　〃He　wants　to　know　if　you've　bid　yet。〃　
　〃No；〃　Spenser　said；　〃but　they　know　I'm　here。〃　
　Spenser　had　bought　from　the　auctioneer　many　times；　the　man　had　been　watching　him　like　a　hawk。　Any　smile；　flinch　or　gesture　of　his　would　be　taken　as　a　bid。　
　〃He　asks　that　you　bid　two　hundred；〃　the　aide　relayed；　〃and　blow　them　out。〃　
　〃Acknowledged；〃　Spenser　said。　
　Then　in　almost　slow　motion；　he　placed　two　spread…apart　fingers　to　his　lips。　
　〃The　bid　is　two　hundred　million；〃　the　auctioneer　said　emotionlessly。　
　A　raise　of　fifty　million　when　the　auctioneer　was　begging　for　ten。　
　〃I　have　two　hundred　million　in　the　room；〃　the　auctioneer　said　quietly；　〃anyone　in　for　two　hundred　ten？〃　
　The　room　was　as　silent　as　a　tomb。　Spenser　turned　to　the　rear　of　the　room。　The　gray…haired　man　had　vanished。　
　〃Two　hundred　going　once；〃　the　auctioneer　said。　〃Going　twice；　fair　warning。〃　He　paused　again。　〃Sold！　Two　hundred　million；　plus　buyer's　premium；　a　stunning　buy　it　is。〃　
　The　room；　which　had　been　silent；　now　rippled　with　contained　applause。　
　Spenser　stayed　another　half　hour　to　arrange　the　crating　and　security　to　the　airport；　and　by　five　that　night　he　was　flying　east　for　delivery。　For　security　purposes；　Spenser　had　chartered　a　plane　that　could　not　be　traced　to　the　Macau　billionaire　who　was　his　client。　The　pany　was　full　serviceit　would　both　transport　him　to　Asia　as　well　as　facilitate　the　delivery　of　the　artifact　to　its　new　home　by　armored　car。　He　was　almost　home　free。　
　〃So　does　this；〃　Lincoln　said；　〃and　it　barely　uses　any　puter　power。〃　
　A　buzzer　sounded；　then　the　ship　slowed　and　went　dead　in　the　water。　
　From　the　north；　a　black　amphibious　plane　approached；　made　a　pass　over　the　Oregon　to　check　the　direction　of　the　wind　by　the　flag　on　the　flagstaff；　then　gracefully　dropped　into　the　water　and　taxied　alongside。　
　〃The　chairman　has　arrived；〃　Kasim　noted。　
　
　SIX　DAYS　AFTER　depositing　the　Cubans　in　San　Juan；　the　Oregon　had　rounded　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。　Inside　the　control　room；　the　seas　beyond　the　bow　were　projected　on　a　high…definition　four…byeight…foot　screen。　There　was　little　to　see。　The　sun　was　dipping　in　the　west；　and　the　Oregon　was　in　an　empty　part　of　the　Indian　Ocean　where　few　cargo　ships　steamed。　Twenty　minutes　ago；　Hali　Kasim　had　caught　the　glimpse　of　a　blue　whale。　Triggering　the　underwater　sensors；　Kasim　made　a　record　of　the　mass　of　the　beast；　then　began　to　scan　his　data　banks　for　a　match。　
　〃She's　a　new　one；〃　Kasim