jamesclavell.noblehouse-第258节

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　〃Couldn't　we　play　a　waiting　game？　The　Struan…Gornt　contest　will　be　solved　next　week　at　the　latest。〃
　〃For　this　skirmish；　we　need　information　…　and　the　right　counter…forces。　Different　guns；　big　guns；　guns　we　don't　have。〃　He　sipped　his　beer；　even　more　thoughtful。　〃We'd　better　get　some　top…level　advice。　And　help。　Fast。　It's　Armstrong　and　the　English　cops　…　or　Rosemont　and　the　CIA。〃
　〃Or　both？〃
　〃Or　both。〃
　
　Dunross　got　out　of　the　Daimler　and　hurried　into　police　headquarters。　〃Evening；　sir；〃　the　young　Australian　duty　inspector　on　the　desk　said。　〃Sorry　you　lost　the　fifth　…　I　heard　Bluey　White　was　carpeted　for　interference。　Can't　trust　a　bloody　Aussie；　eh？〃
　Dunross　smiled。　〃He　won；　Inspector。　The　stewards　ruled　the　race　was　won　fair　and　square。　I've　an　appointment　with　Mr。　Crosse。〃
　〃Yes　sir；　square　but　not　fair　dinkum。　Top　floor；　third　on　the　left。　Good　luck　next　Saturday；　sir。〃
　Crosse　met　him　on　the　top　floor。　〃Evening。　e　on　in。　Drink？〃
　〃No　thanks。　Good　of　you　to　see　me　at　once。　Evening；　Mr。　Sinders。〃　They　shook　hands。　Dunross　had　never　been　in　Crosse's　office　before。　The　walls　seemed　as　drab　as　the　man　and　when　the　door　was　shut　on　the　three　of　them　the　atmosphere　seemed　to　close　in　even　more。
　〃Please　sit　down；〃　Crosse　said。　〃Pity　about　Noble　Star　…　we　were　both　on　her。〃
　〃She'll　be　worth　another　flutter　on　Saturday。〃
　〃You're　going　to　ride　her？〃
　〃Wouldn't　you？〃
　Both　men　smiled。
　〃What　can　we　do　for　you？〃　Crosse　asked。
　Dunross　put　his　full　attention　on　Sinders。　〃I　can't　give　you　new　files　…　the　impossible　I　can't　do。　But　I　can　give　you　something　…　I　don't　know　what；　yet；　but　I've　just　received　a　package　from　AMG。〃
　Both　men　were　startled。　Sinders　said；　〃Hand…delivered？〃
　Dunross　hesitated。　〃Hand…delivered。　Now；　please；　no　more　questions　till　I've　finished。〃
　Sinders　lit　his　pipe　and　chuckled。　〃Just　like　AMG　to　have　a　bolt…hole；　Roger。　He　always　was　clever；　damn　him。　Sorry；　please　go　on。〃
　〃The　message　from　AMG　said　the　information　was　of　very　special　importance　and　to　be　passed　on　to　the　prime　minister　personally　or　the　current　head　of　MI…6；　Edward　Sinders；　at　my　convenience　…　and　if　I　considered　it　politic。〃　In　the　dead　silence；　Dunross　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Since　you　understand　barter；　I'll　trade　you　…　you　directly；　in　secret；　in　the　presence　of　the　governor　alone　…　whatever　the　hell　'it'　is。　In　return　Brian　Kwok　is　allowed　out　and　over　the　border；　if　he　wants　to　go；　so　we　can　deal　with　Tiptop。〃
　The　silence　deepened。　Sinders　puffed　his　pipe。　He　glanced　at　Crosse。　〃Roger？〃
　Roger　Crosse　was　thinking　about　it　…　and　what　information　was　so　special　that　it　was　for　Sinders　or　the　P。M。　only。　〃I　think　you　could　consider　Ian's　proposal；〃　he　said　smoothly。　〃At　leisure。〃
　〃No　leisure；〃　Dunross　said　sharply。　〃The　money's　urgent；　and　the　release　is　clearly　considered　urgent。　We　can't　delay　past　Monday　at　10：00　a。m。　when　the　ban…　〃
　〃Perhaps　Tiptop　and　money　don't　e　into　the　equation　at　all；〃　Sinders　interrupted；　his　voice　deliberately　brittle。　〃It　doesn't　matter　a　jot　or　a　tittle　to　SI　or　MI…6　if　all　Hong　Kong　rots。　Have　you　any　idea　the　sort　of　value　a　senior　superintendent　in　SI　…　especially　a　man　with　Brian　Kwok's　qualifications　and　experience　…　could　have　to　the　enemy；　if　in　fact　Brian　Kwok　is　under　arrest　as　you　think　and　this　Tiptop　claims？　Have　you　also　considered　that　such　an　enemy　traitor's　information　to　us　about　his　contacts　and　them　could　be　of　great　importance　to　the　whole　realm？　Eh？〃
　〃Is　that　your　answer？〃
　〃Did　Mrs。　Gresserhoff　hand…deliver　the　package？〃
　〃Are　you　prepared　to　barter？〃
　Crosse　said　irritably；　〃Who's　Gresserhoff？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Sinders　told　him。　〃Other　than　that　she's　the　vanished　recipient　of　the　second　phone　call　from　AMG's　assistant；　Kiernan。　We're　tracing　her　with　the　help　of　the　Swiss　police。〃　His　mouth　smiled　at　Dunross。　〃Mrs。　Gresserhoff　delivered　the　package　to　you？〃
　〃No；〃　Dunross　said。　That's　not　a　real　lie；　he　assured　himself。　It　was　Riko　Anjin。
　〃Who　did？〃
　〃I'm　prepared　to　tell　you　that　after　we　have　concluded　our　deal。〃
　〃No　deal；〃　Crosse　said。
　Dunross　began　to　get　up。
　〃Just　a　moment；　Roger；〃　Sinders　said　and　Dunross　sat　back。　The　MI…6　man　tapped　the　pipe　stem　against　his　tobacco…discolored　teeth。　Dunross　kept　his　face　guileless；　knowing　he　was　in　the　hands　of　experts。
　At　length　Sinders　said；　〃Mr。　Dunross；　are　you　prepared　to　swear　formally　under　the　perjury　conditions　of　the　Official　Secrets　Act　that　you　do　not　have　possession　of　the　original　AMG　files？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Dunross　said　at　once；　quite　prepared　to　twist　the　truth　now　…　AMG　had　always　had　the　originals；　he　had　always　been　sent　the　top　copy。　If　and　when　it　came　to　a　formal　moment　under　oath；　that　would　be　another　matter　entirely。　〃Next？〃
　〃Monday　would　be　impossible。〃
　Dunross　kept　his　eyes　on　Sinders。　〃Impossible　because　Brian's　being　interrogated？〃
　〃Any　captured　enemy　asset　would　immediately　be　questioned；　of　course。〃
　〃And　Brian　will　be　a　very　hard　nut　to　take　apart。〃
　〃If　he's　the　asset；　you'd　know　that　better　than　us。　You've　been　friends　a　long　time。〃
　〃Yes；　and　I　swear　to　God　I　still　think　it's　impossible。　Never　once　has　Brian　been　anything　other　than　an　upright；　staunch　British　policeman。　How　is　it　possible？〃
　〃How　were　Philby；　Klaus　Fuchs；　Sorge；　Rudolf　Abel；　Blake　and　all　the　others　possible？〃
　〃How　long　would　you　need？〃
　Sinders　shrugged；　watching　him。
　Dunross　watched　him　back。　The　silence　became　aching。
　〃You　destroyed　the　originals？〃
　〃No；　and　I　must　tell　you　I　also　noticed　the　difference　between　all　the　copies　I　gave　you　and　the　one　you　intercepted。　I'd　planned　to　call　AMG　to　ask　him　why　the　difference。〃
　〃How　often　were　you　in　contact　with　him？〃
　〃Once　or　twice　a　year。〃
　〃What　did　you　know　about　him？　Who　suggested　him　to　you？〃
　〃Mr。　Sinders；　I'm　quite　prepared　to　answer　your　questions；　I　realize　it's　my　duty　to　answer　them；　but　the　time's　not　appropriate　tonight　be…　〃
　〃Perhaps　it　is；　Mr。　Dunross。　We're　in　no　rush。〃
　〃Ah；　I　agree。　But　unfortunately　I've　got　guests　waiting　and　my　association　with　AMG　has　nothing　to　do　with　my　proposal。　My　proposal　requires　a　simple　yes　or　no。〃
　〃Or　a　maybe。〃
　Dunross　studied　him。　〃Or　a　maybe。〃
　〃I'll　consider　what　you've　said。〃
　Dunross　smiled　to　himself；　liking　the　cat…and…mouse　of　the　negotiation；　aware　he　was　dealing　with　masters。　Again　he　let　the　silence　hang　until　exactly　the　right　moment。　〃Very　well。　AMG　said　at　my　discretion。　At　the　moment　I　don't　know　what　'it'　is。　I　realize　I'm　quite　out　of　my　depth　and　should　not　be　involved　in　SI　or　MI…6　matters。　It's　not　of　my　choosing。　You　intercepted　my　private　mail。　My　understanding　with　AMG　was　quite　clear：　I　had　his　assurance　in　writing　that　he　was　allowed　to　be　in　my　employ　and　that　he　would　clear　everything　with　the　government　in　advance。　I'll　give　you　copies　of　our　correspondence　if　you　wish；　through　the　correct　channels；　with　the　correct　secrecy　provisions。　My　enthusiasm　for　my　offer　diminishes；　minute　by　minute。〃　He　hardened　his　voice。　〃Perhaps　it　doesn't　matter　to　SI　or　MI…6　if　all　Hong　Kong　rots　but　it　does　to　me；　so　I'm　making　the　offer　a　last　time。〃　He　got　up。　〃The　offer's　good　to　8：30　p。m。〃
　Neither　of　the　other　men　moved。　〃Why　8：30；　Mr。　Dunross？　Why　not　midnight　or　midday　tomorrow？〃　Sinders　asked；　unperturbed。　He　continued　to　puff　his　pipe　but　Dunross　noticed　that　the　tempo　had　been　interrupted　the　moment　he　laid　down　the　challenge。　That's　a　good　sign；　he　thought。
　〃I　have　to　call　Tiptop　then。　Thanks　for　seeing　me。〃　Dunross　turned　for　the　door。
　Crosse；　sitting　behind　the　desk；　glanced　at　Sinders。　The　older　man　nodded。　Obediently　Crosse　touched　the　switch。　The　bolts　sneaked　back　silently。　Dunross　jerked　to　a　stop；　startled；　but　recovered　quickly；　opened　the　door　and　went　out　without　a　ment；　closing　it　after　him。
　〃Cool　bugger；〃　Crosse　said；　admiring　him。　〃Too　cool。〃
　〃Not　too　cool。　He's　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House。〃
　〃And　a　liar；　but　a　clever　one　and　quite　prepared　to　finesse　us。　Would　he　obliterate　'it'？〃
　〃Yes。　But　I　don't　know　if　H　hour's　8：30　p。m。〃　Crosse　lit　a　cigarette。　〃I'm　inclined　to　think　it　is。　They'd　put　immense　pressure　on　him　…　they　have　to　presume　we'd　thrust　the　client　into　interrogation。　They've　had　plenty　of　time　to　study　Soviet　techniques　and　they've　got　a　few　twists　of　their　own。　They　must　presume　we're　fairly　efficient　too。〃
　〃I'm　inclined　to　think　he　hasn't　got　any　more　files　and　'it'　is　genuine。　If　'it'　es　from　AMG　it　must　have　special　value。　What's　your　counsel？〃
　〃I　repeat　what　I　said　to　the　governor：　If　we　have　possession　of　the　client　until　Monday　at　noon　we'll　have　everything　of　importance　out　of　him。〃
　〃But　what　about　them？　What　can　he　tell　them　about　us　when　he　recovers？〃
　〃We　know　most　of　that　now。　Concerning　Hong　Kong；　we　can　certainly　cover　every　security　problem　from　today。　It's　standard　SI　policy　never　to　let　any　one　person　know　master　plans　an…　〃
　〃Except　you。〃
　Crosse　smiled。　〃Except　me。　And　you　in　the　UK　of　course。　The　client　knows　a　lot；　but　not　everything。　We　can　cover　everything　here；　change　codes　and　so　on。　Don't　forget；　most　of　what　he　passed　on's　routine。　His　real　danger's　over。　He's　uncovered；　fortunately　in　time。　Sure　as　God　made　little　apples；