jamesclavell.noblehouse-第190节

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easily　be　persuaded。　That'd　be　a　small　price　to　pay　…　to　save　our　dollar。　Once　an　official　Soviet　bank's　here　what　other　devilment　could　they　get　up　to；　eh？〃
　〃You're　worse　than　bloody　Havergill！〃
　〃No　old　chum；　better！〃　The　jesting　left　the　banker's　face。　〃Any　major　change　and　we　bee　the　Noble　House；　like　it　or　not。　Many　of　our　directors　would　prefer　you　gone；　at　any　price。　I'm　just　asking　you　to　do　Hong　Kong　and　therefore　yourself　a　favor。　Don't　forget；　Ian；　the　Victoria　won't　go　under；　we'll　be　hurt　but　not　ruined。〃　He　touched　a　bead　of　sweat　away。　〃No　threats；　Ian；　but　I'm　asking　for　a　favor。　One　day　I　may　be　chairman　and　I　won't　forget。〃
　〃Either　way。〃
　〃Of　course；　old　chum；〃　Johnjohn　said　sweetly　and　went　to　the　sideboard。　〃How　about　one　for　the　road　now？　Brandy？〃
　
　Robin　Grey　was　seated　in　the　back　of　Dunross's　Rolls　with　Hugh　Guthrie　and　Julian　Broadhurst；　Dunross　in　the　front　beside　his　uniformed　chauffeur。　The　windows　were　fogged。　Idly　Grey　streaked　the　mist　away；　enjoying　the　deep　luxury　of　the　sweet…smelling　leather。
　Soon　I'm　going　to　have　one　of　these；　he　thought。　A　Rolls　of　my　very　own。　With　a　chauffeur。　And　soon　all　these　bastards'll　be　crawling；　Ian　bloody　Dunross　included。　And　Penn！　Oh　yes；　my　dear　sweet　sneering　sister's　going　to　see　the　mighty　humbled。
　〃Is　it　going　to　rain　again？〃　Broadhurst　was　asking。
　〃Yes；〃　Dunross　replied。　〃They　think　this　storm's　developing　into　a　full…scale　typhoon　…　at　least　that's　what　the　Met　Office　said。　This　evening　I　got　a　report　from　Eastern　Cloud；　one　of　our　inbound　freighters　just　off　Singapore。　She　said　that　the　seas　were　heavy　even　that　far　south。〃
　〃Will　the　typhoon　hit　here；　tai…pan？〃　Guthrie；　the　Liberal　MP　asked。
　〃You　never　know　for　certain。　They　can　head　for　you　then　veer　off　at　the　last　minute。　Or　the　reverse。〃
　〃I　remember　reading　about　Wanda；　Typhoon　Wanda　last　year。　That　was　a　dilly；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃The　worst　I've　been　in。　Over　two　hundred　dead；　thousands　injured；　tens　of　thousands　made　homeless。〃　Dunross　had　his　arm　across　the　seat　and　he　was　half　turned　around。　〃Tai…fun；　the　Supreme　Winds；　were　gusting　to　170　mph　at　the　Royal　Observatory；　190　at　Tate's　Cairn。　The　eye　of　the　storm　came　over　us　at　high　tide　so　our　tides　in　places　were　twenty…three　feet　over　normal。〃
　〃Christ！〃
　〃Yes。　At　Sha　Tin　in　the　New　Territories　these　gusts　blew　the　tidal　surge　up　the　channel　and　breached　the　storm　shelter　and　shoved　fishing　boats　half　a　mile　inland　onto　the　main　street　and　drowned　most　of　the　village。　A　thousand　known　fishing　boats　vanished；　eight　freighters　aground；　millions　of　dollars　in　damage；　most　of　our　squatters'　areas　blown　into　the　sea。〃　Dunross　shrugged。　〃Joss！　But　considering　the　enormity　of　the　storm；　the　seaborne　damage　here　was　incredibly　small。〃　His　fingers　touched　the　leather　seat。　Grey　noticed　the　heavy　gold　and　bloodstone　signet　ring　with　the　Dunross　crest。　〃A　real　typhoon　shows　you　how　really　insignificant　you　are；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃Pity　we　don't　have　typhoons　every　day　in　that　case；〃　Grey　said　before　he　could　stop　himself。　〃We　could　use　having　the　mighty　in　Whitehall　humbled　twice　a　day。〃
　〃You　really　are　a　bore；　Robin；〃　Guthrie　said。　〃Do　you　have　to　make　a　sour　remark　every　time？〃
　Grey　went　back　to　his　brooding　and　shut　his　ears　to　their　conversation。　To　hell　with　all　of　them；　he　thought。
　Soon　the　car　pulled　up　outside　the　Mandarin。　Dunross　got　out。　〃The　car'll　take　you　home　to　the　V　and　A。　See　you　all　Saturday　if　not　before。　Night。〃
　The　car　drove　off。　It　circled　the　huge　hotel　then　headed　for　the　car　ferry　which　was　slightly　east　of　the　Golden　Ferry　Terminal　along　Connaught　Road。　At　the　terminal　a　haphazard　line　of　cars　and　trucks　waited。　Grey　got　out。　〃I　think　I'll　stretch　my　legs；　walk　back　to　the　Golden　Ferry　and　go　across　in　one　of　them；〃　he　said　with　forced　bonhomie。　〃I　need　the　exercise。　Night。〃
　He　walked　along　the　Connaught　Road　waterfront；　quickly；　relieved　that　it　had　been　so　easy　to　get　away　from　them。　Bloody　fools；　he　thought；　his　excitement　rising。　Well；　it　won't　be　long　before　they　all　get　their　euppance；　Broadhurst　particularly。
　When　he　was　sure　he　was　clear　he　stopped　under　a　streetlamp；　creating　an　eddy　in　the　massed　stream　of　pedestrians　hurrying　both　ways；　and　flagged　a　taxi。　〃Here；〃　he　said　and　gave　the　driver　a　typed　address　on　a　piece　of　paper。
　The　driver　took　it；　stared　at　it　and　scratched　his　head　sullenly。
　〃It's　in　Chinese。　It's　in　Chinese　on　the　back；〃　Grey　said　helpfully。
　The　driver　paid　him　no　attention；　just　stared　blankly　at　the　English　address。　Grey　reached　over　and　turned　the　characters　toward　him。　〃Here！〃
　At　once　the　driver　insolently　turned　the　paper　back　and　glared　at　the　English　again。　Then　he　belched；　let　in　his　clutch　with　a　jerk　and　eased　into　the　honking　traffic。
　Rude　sod；　Grey　thought；　suddenly　enraged。
　The　cab　ground　its　gears　continually　as　it　went　into　the　city；　doubling　back　down　one…way　streets　and　narrow　alleys　to　get　back　into　Connaught　Road。
　At　length　they　stopped　outside　a　dingy　old　apartment　building　on　a　dingy　street。　The　pavement　was　broken　and　narrow　and　puddled；　the　traffic　honking　irritably　at　the　parked　cab。　There　was　no　number　that　Grey　could　see。　He　got　out　and　told　the　driver　to　wait　and　walked　back　a　little　to　what　seemed　to　be　a　side　door。　An　old　man　was　sitting　on　a　battered　chair；　smoking　and　reading　a　racing　paper　under　a　bare　bulb。
　〃Is　this　68　Kwan　Yik　Street　in　Kennedy　Town？〃　Grey　asked　politely。
　The　old　man　stared　at　him　as　though　he　was　a　monster　from　outer　space；　then　let　out　a　stream　of　querulous　Cantonese。
　〃68　Kwan　Yik　Street；〃　Grey　repeated；　slower　and　louder；　〃Ken…ned…dy　Town？〃
　Another　flood　of　guttural　Cantonese　and　an　insolent　wave　toward　a　small　door。　The　old　man　hawked　and　spat　and　went　back　to　his　paper　with　a　yawn。
　〃Sodding　bastard；〃　Grey　muttered；　his　temperature　soaring。　He　opened　the　door。　Inside　was　a　tiny；　grimy　foyer　with　peeling　paint；　a　sorry　row　of　mailboxes　with　names　on　the　boxes。　With　great　relief　he　saw　the　name　he　sought。
　At　the　cab　he　took　out　his　wallet　and　carefully　looked　at　the　amount　on　the　meter　twice　before　he　paid　the　man。
　The　elevator　was　tiny；　claustrophobic；　filthy　and　it　squeaked　as　it　rose。　At　the　fourth　floor　he　got　off　and　pressed　the　button　of　number　44。　The　door　opened。
　〃Mr。　Grey；　sir；　this's　an　honor！　Molly；　his　nibs's　arrived！〃　Sam　Finn　beamed　at　him。　He　was　a　big　beefy　Yorkshireman；　florid；　with　pale　blue　eyes；　an　ex…coal　miner　and　shop　steward　with　important　friends　in　the　Labour　Party　and　Trades　Union　Council。　His　face　was　deeply　lined　and　pitted；　the　pores　ingrained　with　specks　of　coal　dust。　〃By　gum；　'tis　a　pleasure！〃
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Finn。　I'm　glad　to　meet　you　too。　I've　heard　a　lot　about　you。〃　Grey　took　off　his　raincoat　and　gratefully　accepted　a　beer。
　〃Sit　thee　down。〃
　The　apartment　was　small；　spotlessly　clean；　the　furniture　inexpensive。　It　smelt　of　fried　sausages　and　fried　potatoes　and　fried　bread。　Molly　Finn　came　out　of　the　kitchen；　her　hands　and　arms　red　from　years　of　scrubbing　and　washing　up。　She　was　short　and　rotund；　from　the　same　mining　town　as　her　husband；　the　same　age；　sixty…five；　and　just　as　strong。　〃By　Harry；〃　she　said　warmly；　〃thee　could've　knocked　us'n　down　with　feather　when　we　heard　thee'd　be　a…visiting　us'n。〃
　〃Our　mutual　friends　wanted　to　hear　firsthand　how　you　were　doing。〃
　〃Grand。　We're　doing　grand；〃　Finn　said。　〃　'Course　it's　not　like　home　in　Yorkshire　and　we　miss　our　friends　and　the　Union　Hall　but　we've　a　bed　and　a　bit　of　board。〃　There　was　the　sound　of　a　toilet　flushing。　〃We've　a　friend　we　thought　thee'd　like　to　meet；〃　Finn　said　and　smiled　again。
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Aye。〃　Finn　said。
　The　toilet　door　opened。　The　big　bearded　man　stuck　out　his　hand　warmly。　〃Sam's　told　me　a　lot　about　you；　Mr。　Grey。　I'm　Captain　Gregor　Suslev　of　the　Soviet　Marine。　My　ship's　the　Ivanov　…　we're　having　a　small　refit　in　this　capitalist　haven。〃
　Grey　shook　his　hand　formally。　〃Pleased　to　meet　you。〃
　〃We　have　some　mutual　friends；　Mr。　Grey。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes；　Zdenek　Hanzolova　of　Prague。〃
　〃Oh！　Oh　yes！〃　Grey　smiled。　〃I　met　him　on　a　Parliamentary　Trade　Delegation　to　Czechoslovakia　last　year。〃
　〃How　did　you　like　Prague？〃
　〃Very　interesting。　Very。　I　didn't　like　the　repression　though　。。。　or　the　Soviet　presence。〃
　Suslev　laughed。　〃We're　invited　there；　by　them。　We　like　to　look　after　our　friends。　But　much　goes　on　I　don't　approve　of　either。　There；　in　Europe。　Even　in　Mother　Russia。〃
　Sam　Finn　said；　〃Sit　thee　down；　please　sit　thee　down。〃
　They　sat　around　the　dining　room　table　in　the　living　room　that　now　had　a　neat　white　tablecloth　with　a　potted　aspidistra　on　it。
　〃Of　course；　you　know　I'm　not　a　munist；　and　never　have　been　one；〃　Grey　said。　〃I　don't　approve　of　a　police　state。　I'm　totally　convinced　our　British　democratic　socialism's　the　way　of　the　future　…　Parliament；　elected　officials　and　all　that　it　stands　for　…　though　a　lot　of　Marxist…Leninist　ideas　are　very　worthwhile。〃
　〃Politics！〃　Gregor　Suslev　said　deprecatingly。　〃We　should　leave　politics　to　politics。〃
　〃Mr。　Grey's　one　of　our　best　spokesmen　in　Parliament；　Gregor。〃
　Molly　Finn　turned　to　Grey。　〃Gregor's　a　good　lad　too；　Mr。　Grey。　He's　not　one　of　them　nasties。〃　She　sipped　her　tea。　〃Gregor's　a　good　lad。