jamesclavell.noblehouse-第235节

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　The　client's　mind　was　open　now；　ready　for　him　to　take　apart。　He　kept　his　eyes　on　the　shell　of　the　man　who　lay　on　the　bed；　encouraging　him　to　remember　so　that　the　others　who　listened　secretly　could　record　all　the　facts　and　figures　and　names　and　places；　the　undercover　truths　and　half…truths　that　were　spilling　out　and　would　continue　to　spill　out　until　Brian　Kar…shun　Kwok　was　a　husk。　And　he　knew　that　he　would　continue　to　probe；　to　cajole　or　threaten　or　bee　impatient　or　angry　or　pretend　to　want　to　leave　or　curse　the　jailer　away　who　would　interrupt；　if　necessary。　With　Crosse　and　Sinders　monitoring　the　in…depth　debriefing；　he　was　just　a　tool　like　Brian　Kwok　had　been　a　tool　for　others　who　had　used　his　mind　and　talents　for　their　own　purposes。　His　job　was　just　to　be　the　medium；　to　keep　the　client　talking；　to　bring　him　back　when　he　rambled　or　became　incoherent；　to　be　his　sole　friend　and　his　sole　prop　in　this　unreal　universe；　the　one　who　brought　the　truth　forth　…　like　John　Chancellor　of　Ottawa；　who's　he？　Where　does　he　fit？　I　don't　know　yet。
　We'll　get　everything　the　client　has　now；　he　thought。　We'll　get　all　his　contacts；　his　mentors；　enemies　and　friends。　Poor　old　Fong…fong　and　the　lads。　We'll　never　see　them　again　…　unless　they　turn　up　as　agents　of　the　other　side。　What　a　rotten　filthy　business　this　is；　selling　out　your　friends；　working　with　the　enemy　who；　everyone　knows；　wants　you　enslaved。
　〃。。。　in　Vancouver　it　was　wonderful；　wonderful；　Robert。　There　was　a　girl　there　who　。。。　Yes　and　I　almost　married　her　but　Sensible　Tok；　Sensible　was　my　489；　he　lived　。。。　he　lived　on　。。。　oh　yes　it　was　Pedder　Street　in　Chinatown　and　he　owned　the　Hoho…tok　Restaurant　。。。　yes　Sensible　Tok　said　I　should　honor　Chairman　Mao　before　any　quai　loh。　。。。　Oh　how　I　loved　her　but　he　said　it　was　the　quai　lohs　who　raped　China　for　centuries。　。。。　You　know　that's　true　that's　true。　。。。〃
　〃Yes　that's　true；〃　he　said；　humoring　him。　〃Sensible　Tok　was　your　only　friend　in　Canada？〃
　〃Oh　no　Robert　I　have　dozens。　。。。〃
　Armstrong　listened；　astounded　by　the　wealth　of　information　about　the　inner　workings　of　the　Canadian　Mounted　Police；　and　the　extent　of　Chinese　munist　infiltration　throughout　the　Americas　and　Europe　and　particularly　on　the　Western　seaboard　…　Vancouver；　Seattle；　San　Francisco；　Los　Angeles；　San　Diego　…　wherever　a　Chinese　restaurant　or　shop　or　business　existed　there　was　the　potential　of　pressure；　of　funds　and　most　of　all　of　knowledge。　〃。。。　and　the　Wo　Tuk　on　Gerrard　Street　in　London's　the　Center　where　I　。。。　when　I　was　。。。　Oh　my　head　aches　I'm　so　thirsty。　。。。〃
　Armstrong　gave　him　the　water　that　contained　stimulant。　When　he　or　Crosse　considered　the　moment　correct；　the　client　would　be　given　the　thirst…quenching；　delicately　flavored　Chinese　tea　that　was　his　favorite。　This　contained　the　soporific。
　Then　it　was　up　to　Crosse　and　Sinders　what　happened；　whether　it　was　more　of　the　same；　more　of　the　Red　Room　or　the　end　of　the　exercise　and　then；　carefully；　the　gradual　bringing　back　of　the　client　to　reality；　with　great　care；　so　that　no　permanent　damage　was　done。
　It's　up　to　them；　he　thought。　Sinders　was　right　to　put　on　the　pressure　while　we've　time。　The　client　knows　too　much。　He's　too　well　trained；　and　if　we'd　had　to　give　him　back　without　knowing　what　he　knows；　well　that　would　have　been　irresponsible。　We've　got　to　keep　ahead。
　Armstrong　lit　two　cigarettes　and　inhaled　his　own　deeply。　I'll　give　up　smoking　for　Christmas。　I　can't　now；　not　with　all　this　horror。　It　was　Brian　Kwok's　wailing　screams　so　soon；　barely　twenty　minutes　after　being　put　into　the　room　for　the　second　time　that　had　shattered　him。　He　had　been　watching　through　spyholes　with　Crosse　and　Sinders；　watching　the　insanity　of　trying　to　reach　the　ceiling　that　was　the　floor　that　was　the　ceiling；　astonished　that　someone　so　strong；　so　well　trained　as　Brian　Kwok　would　break　so　quickly。　〃It's　impossible；〃　he　had　muttered。
　〃He　may　be　faking；〃　Sinders　said。
　〃No；〃　Crosse　had　said。　〃No。　It's　real；　for　him。　I　know。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　he'd　break　so　easily。〃
　〃You　will；　Robert。〃　And　then　when　Brian　Kwok　had　been　carried　out　to　be　brought　to　this　room；　clean　and　nice　and　the　Red　Room　had　been　mopped　clean；　Roger　Crosse　had　said；　〃All　right；　Robert；　try　it；　then　you'll　see。〃
　〃No；　no　thanks。　It's　like　something　out　of　The　Cabinet　of　Dr。　Caligari；〃　he　had　muttered；　〃No　thanks！〃
　〃Please　try　it；　just　for　a　minute。　It's　an　important　experience　for　you。　You　may　be　caught　by　them；　the　other　side；　some　day。　You　should　be　prepared。　One　minute　might　save　your　sanity。　Test　it；　for　your　own　safety。〃
　So　he　had　agreed。　They　had　closed　the　door。　The　room　was　totally　scarlet；　small　but　everything　tilted；　the　lines　all　wrong；　angles　all　wrong；　the　floor　meeting　the　ceiling　in　one　corner；　perspectives　all　wrong；　no　angles　ordinary。　The　tilted　ceiling　far　above　was　a　sheer　sheet　of　scarlet　glass。　Above　the　glass；　water　washed　down　to　be　recycled　and　e　down　again。　Attached　to　this　tilted　glass　ceiling　surface　were　scarlet　chairs　and　a　table　and　pens　and　paper　casually　on　the　table；　scarlet　cushions　on　the　chairs；　making　it　seem　the　floor；　a　false　door　nearby；　almost　ajar　。。。
　Sudden　blackness。　Then　the　blinding　strobe　and　the　stunning　impact　of　the　scarlet。　Blackness；　scarlet；　blackness；　scarlet。　Involuntarily　he　groped　for　the　reality　of　the　table　and　chairs　and　the　floor　and　door　and　stumbled　and　fell；　unable　to　get　his　bearings；　water　above；　the　glass　vanished；　just　insane　scarlet　water　on　the　floor　above。　Blackness　and　now　voices　pounding　and　again　blood…colored　hell。　His　stomach　told　him　that　he　was　upside　down　though　his　mind　said　it　was　just　a　trick　and　to　close　your　eyes　it's　a　trick　it's　a　trick　it's　a　trick　。。。
　After　an　eternity；　when　at　length　normal　lights　came　on　and　the　real　door　opened；　he　was　lying　on　the　real　floor；　retching。　〃You　bastard；〃　he　had　snarled　at　Crosse；　barely　able　to　talk。　〃You　said　a　minute；　you　lying　bastard！〃　His　chest　heaved　and　he　fought　to　his　feet；　reeling；　barely　able　to　stand　or　to　stop　vomiting。
　〃Sorry；　but　it　was　only　a　minute；　Robert；〃　Crosse　said。
　〃I　don't　believe　it。　。。。〃
　〃Honestly；　it　was；〃　Sinders　said。　〃I　timed　it　myself。　Really！　Extraordinary。　Most　effective。〃
　Again　Armstrong　felt　his　chest　heave　at　the　thought　of　the　water　above　and　the　table　and　chairs。　He　put　those　thoughts　away　and　concentrated　on　Brian　Kwok；　feeling　that　he　had　let　the　client　ramble　enough　and　it　was　now　time　to　bring　him　back。　〃You　were　saying？　You　passed　over　our　dossiers　to　your　friend　Bucktooth　Lo？〃
　〃Well　no；　it　wasn't　。。。　I'm　tired；　Robert；　tired　。。。　what　ar…　〃
　〃If　you're　tired　I'll　leave！〃　He　got　up　and　saw　the　client　blanch。　〃Next　month　I'll　se…　〃
　〃No　。。。　no　。。。　please　don't　go　。。。　they　。。。　no；　don't　go。　Pleassssssse！〃
　So　he　sat　back；　continuing　the　game；　knowing　it　to　be　unfair；　and　that　with　the　client　so　totally　disoriented　he　could　be　made　to　sign　anything；　say　anything　at　whim。　〃I'll　stay　while　you　talk；　old　friend。　You　were　saying　about　Bucktooth　Lo　…　the　man　in　Princes　Building？　He　was　the　go…between？〃
　〃No　。。。　not　。。。　yes　in　a　way　。。。　Dr。　Meng　。。。　Dr。　Meng　would　pick　up　any　package　that　I　left　。。。　Meng　never　knew　that　I　。。。　that　it　was　me　。。。　the　arrangements　were　by　phone　or　by　letter　。。。　he　would　take　them　to　Lo　who　was　paid　。。。　Bucktooth　Lo　was　paid　to　give　them　to　another　man；　I　don't　know　who　。。。　I　don't　know　。。。〃
　〃Oh　I　think　you　do；　Brian；　I　don't　believe　you　want　me　to　stay。〃
　〃Oh　Christ　I　do　。。。　I　swear　it　。。。　Bucktooth　。。。　Bucktooth　would　know　。。。　or　perhaps　Ng；　Vee　Cee　Ng；　Photographer　Ng；　he's　on　our　side；　he's　on　our　side　Robert　。。。　Ask　him；　he'll　know　。。。　he　was　with　Tsu…yan　importing　thoriums　。。。〃
　〃What're　thoriums？〃
　〃Rare　earths　for　。。。　for　atomics；　for　our　atomics　。。。　oh　yes　we'll　have　our　own　A…bombs　and　H…bombs　in　a　few　months。　。。。〃　Brian　Kwok　went　into　a　paroxysm　of　laughter。　〃The　first　in　a　few　weeks　。。。　our　first　explosion　in　just　a　few　weeks　now　oh　of　course　not　perfect　but　the　first　and　soon　an　H…bomb；　dozens；　Robert；　soon　we'll　have　ours　to　defend　against　those　hegemonists　who　threaten　to　wipe　us　out；　in　a　few　weeks！　Christ；　Robert；　think　of　that！　Chairman　Mao's　done　it；　he　has；　he's　done　it　。。。　yes　and　then　next　year　H…bombs　and　then　Joe；　yes　we'll　get　back　our　lands；　oh　yes；　with　atomics　we　cancel　out　theirs　。。。　we　will；　Joe's　going　to　help；　Joe　Yu's　going　to　。。。　Oh　we'll　stop　them　now；　stop　them　we'll　stop　them　and　take　our　lands　back。〃　His　hand　reached　out　and　he　held　Robert　Armstrong's　arm　but　his　grip　was　weak。　〃Listen；　we're　at　war　already；　us　and　the　Soviets；　Chung　Li　told　me；　he's　my　emergency　。。。　em；　em　contact　。。。　there's　a　war；　a　shooting　war　going　on　right　now。　In　the　north；　divisions；　not　patrols　near　the　Amur　they're　they're　killing　more　Chinese　and　stealing　more　land　but　。。。　but　not　for　long。〃　He　lay　back　weakly　and　began　to　mumble；　his　mind　wandering。
　〃Atomics？　Next　year？　I　don't　believe　it；〃　Armstrong　said；　pretending　to　scoff；　his　mind　blown　as　he　listened　to　the　continued　outpouring　that　was　giving　chapter　and　verse　and　names。　Christ；　A…bombs　in　a　few　months？　A　few　months？　The　world's　been　told　that's　ten　years　away。　China　with　A…　and　H…bombs？
　Carefully　he　let　Brian　Kwok　peter　out　and　then　he　said　casually；　〃Who's　Joe？