jamesclavell.noblehouse-第193节
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ected men and women; eh? For cabinet rank you need connections; you said so yourself。 You'll be the Hong Kong expert; with special connections。 You can help us tremendously to contain China; put her back on the right track; and put Hong Kong and all Hong Kong people where they belong … in the sewer。 Eh?〃
Grey thought about that; his heart thumping。 〃We could obliterate Hong Kong?〃
〃Oh yes。〃 Suslev smiled。 The smile broadened。 〃There is no need to worry; you wouldn't have to volunteer anything about the tai…pan or break your word to your sister。 I can arrange for you to be asked a question。 Eh?〃
54
11:05 P。M。:
Dunross was waiting for Brian Kwok in the Quance Bar of the Mandarin; sipping a long brandy and Perrier。 The bar was men only and almost empty。 Brian Kwok had never been late before but he was late now。
Too easy to have an emergency in his job; Dunross thought; unperturbed。 I'll give him a couple more minutes。
Tonight Dunross did not mind waiting。 He had plenty of time to get to Aberdeen and Four Finger Wu and as Penn was safely en route to England; there was no pressure to get back。
The trip will be good for her; he told himself。 London; the theater; and then Castle Avisyard。 It will be grand there。 Soon autumn and crisp mornings; your breath visible; the grouse season; and then Christmas。 It will be grand to be home for Christmas in the snow。 I wonder what this Christmas will bring and what I'll think when looking back to this time; this bad time。 Too many problems now。 The plan working but creaking already; everything bad and not in control; my control。 Bartlett; Casey; Gornt; Four Fingers; Mata; Tightfist; Havergill; Johnjohn; Kirk; Crosse; Sinders; AMG; his Riko; all moths around the flame … and now a new one; Tiptop; and Hiro Toda arriving tomorrow instead of Saturday。
This afternoon he had talked at length to his Japanese friend and shipbuilding partner。 Toda had asked about the stock market and about Struan's; not directly English style but obliquely; politely Japanese style。 Even so; he had asked。 Dunross had heard the gravity under the smooth; American…tinged voice … the product of two years postgraduate school at Harvard。
〃Everything's going to be fine; Hiro;〃 Dunross had told him。 〃It's a temporary attack。 We take delivery of the ships as planned。〃
Will we?
Yes。 Some way or another。 Linbar goes to Sydney tomorrow to try to resurrect the Woolara deal and renegotiate the charter。 A long shot。
Inexorably his mind turned back to Jacques。 Is Jacques truly a munist traitor? And Jason Plumm and Tuke? And R。 Is he Roger Crosse or Robert Armstrong? Surely neither of them and surely not Jacques! For God's sake I've known Jacques most of my life … I've known the deVilles for most of my life。 It's true Jacques could have given Bartlett some of the information about our inner workings; but not all of it。 Not the pany part; that's tai…pan knowledge only。 That means Alastair; Father; me or old Sir Ross。 All unthinkable。
Yes。
But someone's a traitor and it isn't me。 And then there's Sevrin。
Dunross looked around。 The bar was still almost empty。 It was a small; pleasing; fortable room with dark…green leather chairs and old polished oak tables; the walls lined with Quance paintings。 They were all prints。 Many of the originals were in the long gallery in the Great House; most of the remainder in the corridors of the Victoria and Blacs banks。 A few were privately owned elsewhere。 He leaned back in the alcove; at ease; glad to be surrounded by so much of his own past; feeling protected by it。 Just above his head was a portrait of a Haklo boat…girl with a fair…haired boy in her arms; his hair in a queue。 Quance was supposed to have painted this as a birthday present for Dirk Struan from the girl in the picture; May…may T'Chung; the child in her arms supposed to be their son; Duncan。
His eyes went across the room to the portraits of Dirk and his half…brother Robb beside another painting of the American trader Jeff Cooper; and landscapes of the Peak and the praya in 1841。 I wonder what Dirk would say if he could see his creation now。 Thriving; building; reclaiming; still the center of the world; the Asian world which is the only world。
〃Another; tai…pan?〃
〃No thanks; Feng;〃 he said to the Chinese barman。 〃Just a Perrier; please。〃
A phone was nearby。 He dialed。
〃Police headquarters;〃 the woman's voice said。
〃Superintendent Kwok please。〃
〃Just a moment; sir。〃
As Dunross waited he tried to decide about Jacques。 Impossible; he thought achingly; not without help。 Sending him to France to pick up Susanne and Avril isolates him for a week or so。 Perhaps I'll talk to Sinders; perhaps they already know。 Christ almighty; if AMG hadn't put the R down I'd've gone directly to Crosse。 Is it possible that he could be Arthur?
Remember Philby of the Foreign Office; he told himself; revolted that an Englishman of that background and in such a high position of trust could be a traitor。 And the other two equally; Burgess and Maclean。 And Blake。 How far to believe AMG? Poor bugger。 How far to trust Jamie Kirk?
〃Who's calling Superintendent Kwok please?〃 a man's voice asked on the phone。
〃Mr。 Dunross of Struan's。〃
〃Just a moment please。〃 A short wait then a man's voice that he recognized at once。 〃Evening; tai…pan。 Robert Armstrong 。。。 sorry but Brian's not available。 Was it anything important?〃
〃No。 We just had a date for a drink now and he's late。〃
〃Oh; he never mentioned it … he's usually spot on about something like that。 When did you make the date?〃
〃This morning。 He called to tell me about John Chen。 Anything new on those bastards?〃
〃No。 Sorry。 Brian had to go out of town … a quick trip; you know how it is。〃
〃Oh of course。 If you talk to him tell him I'll see him Sunday at the hill climb; if not before。〃
〃Do you still intend to go to Taiwan?〃
〃Yes。 With Bartlett。 Sunday; back Tuesday。 I hear we can use his plane。〃
〃Yes。 Please make sure he es back on Tuesday。〃
〃If not before。〃
〃Nothing I can do for you?〃
〃No thank you; Robert。〃
〃Tai…pan; we've; we've had another rather disturbing encounter; here in Hong Kong。 Not to worry you but take it easy until tomorrow with Sinders; eh?〃
〃Of course。 Brian said the same。 And Roger。 Thanks; Robert。 Night。〃 Dunross hung up。 He had forgotten that he had an SI bodyguard following him。 The fellow must be better than the others。 I didn't notice him at all。 Now what to do about him? He's certainly unwele with Four Fingers。
〃I'll be back in a moment;〃 he said。
〃Yes; tai…pan;〃 the barman said。
Dunross went out and strolled to the men's room; watching without watching。 No one followed him。 When he had finished he went into the noisy crowded mezzanine; across and down the main staircase to the newsstand in the foyer to buy an evening paper。 There were crowds everywhere。 ing back; he zeroed in on a slight; bespectacled Chinese who was watching him over a magazine from a chair in the foyer。 Dunross hesitated; went back to the foyer and saw the eyes following him。 Satisfied; he went back up the crowded stairs。 〃Oh hello; Marlowe;〃 he said; almost bumping into him。
〃Oh hello; tai…pan。〃
At once Dunross saw the great weariness in the other man's face。 〃What's up?〃 he asked; instantly sensing trouble; stepping out of the way of the crowds。
〃Oh nothing 。。。 nothing at all。〃
〃Something's up。〃 Dunross smiled gently。
Peter Marlowe hesitated。 〃It's; it's Fleur。〃 He told him about her。
Dunross was greatly concerned。 〃Old Tooley's a good doctor so that's one thing。〃 He related to Marlowe how Tooley had filled him; Bartlett and Casey full of antibiotics。 〃Are you all right?〃
〃Yes。 Just a touch of the runs。 Nothing to worry about for a month or so。〃 Peter Marlowe told him what Tooley had said about hepatitis。 〃That doesn't worry me; it's Fleur and the baby; that's the worry。〃
〃Do you have an amah?〃
〃Oh yes。 And the hotel's marvelous; the room boys are all pitching in。〃
〃Have you time for a drink?〃
〃No; no thanks; I'd better be getting back。 The amah's not 。。。 there's no room for her so she's just baby…sitting。 I've got to drop by the nursing home on the way back; just to check。〃
〃Oh; then another time。 Please give your wife my regards。 How's the research going?〃
〃Fine; thank you。〃
〃How many more of our skeletons have you wheedled out of our Hong Kong yan?〃
〃Lots。 But they're all good。〃 Peter Marlowe smiled faintly。 〃Dirk Struan was one helluva man。 Everyone says you are too and they all hope you'll best Gornt; that you'll win again。〃
Dunross looked at him; liking him。 〃Do you mind questions about Changi?〃 He saw the shadow pass across the rugged used face that was young…old。
〃That depends。〃
〃Robin Grey said you were a black marketeer in the camp。 With an American。 A corporal。〃
There was a long pause and Peter Marlowe's face did not change。 〃I was a trader; Mr。 Dunross; or actually; an interpreter for my friend who was a trader。 He was an American corporal。 He saved my life and the life of my friends。 There were four of us; a major; a group captain; a rubber planter and me。 He saved dozens of others too。 His name was King and he was a king; King of Changi in