jamesclavell.noblehouse-第218节
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d the governor。
Dunross nodded； satisfied； but Sinders held on to his arm with surprising strength and whispered even more softly； 〃You'd better forget that name。 If the KGB ever suspect you know they'll get it out of you。 Then she's dead； I'm dead and so're you。〃
Dunross nodded。 〃Fair enough。〃
Sinders took a deep breath； then turned and nodded at Crosse。 〃Now let's have this done with； Roger。 Your Excellency？〃
Tensely they all followed him。 Johnjohn was waiting at the elevator。 Three floors below were the vaults。 Two plainclothes guards waited in the small hallway in front of the heavy iron gates； one man CID； the other SI。 Both saluted。 Johnjohn unlocked the gates and let everyone through except the guards； then relocked them。 〃Just a bank custom。〃
〃Have you ever had a break…in？〃 Sinders asked。
〃No； though the Japanese did force the gates when the keys were； er； lost。〃
〃Were you here then； sir？〃
〃No。 I was lucky。〃 After Hong Kong capitulated； at Christmas 1941； the two British banks； Blacs and the Victoria； became prime Japanese targets and were ordered to be liquidated。 All the executives were separated and kept under guard and forced to assist the process。 Over the months and years they were all subjected to extreme pressures。 They were forced to issue bank notes illegally。 And then the Kampeitai； the hated and feared Japanese secret police； had bee involved。 〃The Kampeitai executed several of our fellows and made the lives of the rest miserable；〃 Johnjohn said。 〃The usual： no food； beatings； privation； shut up in cages。 Some died of malnutrition … starvation's the real word … and both Blacs and we lost our chief execs。〃 Johnjohn unlocked another grille。 Beyond were rows and rows of safe deposit boxes in several interconnecting concrete； reinforced cellars。 〃Ian？〃
Dunross took out his passkey。 〃It's 16。85。94。〃
Johnjohn led the way。 Very unfortable； he inserted his bank key in one lock。 Dunross did the same with his。 They turned both keys。 The lock clicked open。 Now all eyes were on the box。 Johnjohn took out his key。 〃I'll 。。。 I'll be waiting at the gate；〃 he said； glad it was over； and left。
Dunross hesitated。 〃There are other things in here； private papers。 Do you mind？〃
Crosse did not move。 〃Sorry but either Mr。 Sinders or myself should ensure we get possession of all the files。〃
Dunross noticed the sweat on both men。 His own back was wet。 〃Your Excellency； would you mind watching？〃
〃Not at all。〃
Reluctantly the two other men retreated。 Dunross waited until they were well away； then opened the box。 It was large。 Sir Geoffrey's eyes widened。 The box was empty but for the blue covered files。 Without ment he accepted them。 There were eight。 Dunross slammed the box closed and the lock clicked home。
Crosse came forward； his hand out。 〃Shall I take them for you； sir？〃
〃No。〃
Crosse stopped； startled； and bit back a curse。 〃But； Exce… 〃
〃The minister set up a procedure … approved by our American friends … which I agreed to；〃 Sir Geoffrey said。 〃We will all go back to my office。 We will all witness the photocopying。 Two copies only。 One for Mr。 Sinders； one for Mr。 Rosemont。 Ian； I have been directly ordered by the Minister to give Mr。 Rosemont copies。〃
Dunross shrugged； desperately hoping that he still appeared unconcerned。 〃If that's what the minister wants； that's perfectly all right。 When you've photocopied the originals； sir； please burn them。〃 He saw them look at him but he was watching Crosse and he thought he saw an instant of pleasure。 〃If the files're so special then it's better they shouldn't exist … except in the correct hands； MI…6 and the CIA。 Certainly I shouldn't have a copy。 If they're not special … then never mind。 Most of poor old AMG was too far…fetched and now that he's dead I must confess I don't consider the files special so long as they're in your hands。 Please burn or shred them； Excellency。〃
〃Very well。〃 The governor turned his pale blue eyes on Roger Crosse。 〃Yes； Roger？〃
〃Nothing； sir。 Shall we go？〃
Dunross said； 〃I've got to get some corporate papers to check while I'm here。 No need to wait for me。〃
〃Very well。 Thank you； Ian；〃 Sir Geoffrey said and left with the other two men。
When he was quite alone Dunross went to another bank of boxes in the adjoining vault。 He took out his key ring and selected two keys； grimly aware that Johnjohn would have a coronary if he knew he had a duplicate master key。 The lock sprang back soundlessly。 This box was one of dozens the Noble House possessed under different names。 Inside were bundles of U。S。 100 notes； ancient deeds and papers。 On top was a loaded automatic。 As always； Dunross's psyche was unsettled； hating guns； hating Hag Struan； admiring her。 In her 〃Instructions to Tai…pans；〃 written just before her death in 1917； that was part of her last will and testament and in the tai…pan's safe； she had laid down more rules and one of them was that there should always be substantial amounts of secret cash for the tai…pan's use； on hand； and another that there should be at least four loaded handguns perpetually available in secret places。 She wrote： 〃I abhor guns but I know them to be necessary。 On Michaelmas Eve in 1916 when I was infirm and sick； my grandson Kelly O'Gorman； third tai…pan （in name only）； believing I was on my deathbed； forced me from my bed to the safe in the Great House to fetch the seal…chop of the Noble House … to assign to him absolute power as tai…pan。 Instead I took the gun that was secretly in the safe and shot him。 He lingered two days then died。 I am God…fearing and I abhor guns and some killing； but Kelly became a mad dog and it is the duty of the tai…pan to protect the succession。 I regret his death not a jot or tittle。 You who read this beware： kith or kin lust for power as others do。 Do not be afraid to use any method to protect Dirk Struan's legacy 。。。〃
A bead of sweat trickled down his cheek。 He remembered the hair on the nape of his neck rising when he had first read her instructions； the night he had taken over as tai…pan。 He'd always believed that Cousin Kelly … eldest son of the Hag's last daughter Rose … had died of cholera in one of the great waves that perpetually washed Asia。
There were other monstrosities she had written about： 〃In 1894； that most terrible of years； the second of Jin…qua's coins was brought to me。 That was the year plague had e to Hong Kong； bubonic plague。 Amongst our heathen Chinese； tens of thousands were dying。 Our own population was equally savaged and the plague took high and low； Cousin Hannah and three children； two of Chen…chen's children； five grandchildren。 Legend foretold that bubonic plague was wind…borne。 Others thought it was the curse of God or a flux like malaria； the killing 'bad air' of Happy Valley。 Then the miracle！ The Japanese research doctors Vitasato and Aoyama we brought to Hong Kong isolated the plague bacillus and proved the pest was flea…borne； and rat…borne； and that correct sanitation and the elimination of rats would cast out the curse forever。 The eyesore hillside of Tai…ping Shan that Gordon owns … Gordon Chen； son of my beloved tai…pan … where most of our heathen always lived was a stinking； festering； overcrowded； rat…breeding cauldron for all pestilences； and as much as the authorities cajoled； ordered and insisted； the superstitious inhabitants there disbelieved everything and would do nothing to improve their lot； though the deaths continued and continued。 Even Gordon； now a toothless old man； could do nothing … tearing his hair at his loss of rents； saving his energy for the four young women in his household。
〃In the stench of late summer when it seemed the Colony was once more doomed； with deaths mounting daily； I had Tai…ping Shan put to the torch by night； the whole monstrous stenching mountainside。 That some inhabitants were consumed is on my conscience； but without the cleansing fire the Colony was doomed and hundreds of thousands more doomed。 I caused Tai…ping Shan to be fired but thereby I kept troth with Hong Kong。 I kept troth with the Legacy。 And I kept troth with the second of the half coins。
〃On the twentieth of April a man called Chiang Wu…tah presented the half coin to my darling young cousin； Dirk Dunross； fourth tai…pan； who brought it to me； he not knowing the secret of the coins。 I sent for the man Chiang who spoke English。 The favor he asked was that the Noble House should grant immediate sanctuary and succor to a young； Western…educated Chinese revolutionary named Sun Yat…sen； that we should help this Sun Yat…sen with funds； and that we should help him as long as he lived； to the limits of our power in his fight to overthrow the alien Manchu Dynasty of China。 Supporting any revolutionary against China's ruling dynasty with whom we had cordial relations and on whom depended much of our trade and revenues was against my principles； and seemingly against the interests of the House。 I said no； I would not assist the overthrow of their emperor。 But Chiang Wu…tah said； 'This is the favor required from the Noble House。'
〃And so it was done。
〃At great risk I provided funds and protection。 My darling Dirk Dunross spirited Dr。 Sun out of Canton to the Colony and from there abroa
