jamesclavell.noblehouse-第26节

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　〃No；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　find　out。　I'm　sure　it's　nothing　to　do　with　us；　Ian。　Are　you　still　ing　Sunday？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good。　I'll　see　what　I　can　find　out。　Drinks　at　6：00　p。m。？〃
　〃How　about　eight　o'clock？　Have　you　seen　Tsu…yan　yet？〃
　〃I　thought　he　wasn't　due　until　the　weekend。　Isn't　he　making　up　our　foursome　on　Monday　with　the　American？〃
　〃Yes。　I　heard　he　caught　an　early　flight　today。〃　Dunross　kept　his　voice　matter…of…fact。
　〃He's　sure　to　call　…　do　you　want　him　to　phone？〃
　〃Yes。　Anytime。　It's　nothing　important。　See　you　Sunday　at　eight。〃
　〃Yes；　and　thanks　for　the　information。　If　I　get　anything　I'll　phone　at　once。　'Bye。〃
　Dunross　put　the　phone　down。　He　had　been　listening　very　carefully　to　the　tone　of　Jen's　voice　but　he　had　heard　nothing　untoward。　Where　the　hell's　Tsu…yan？
　A　knock。
　〃e　in。〃　He　got　up　and　went　to　meet　Bartlett。　〃Hello。〃　He　smiled　and　held　out　his　hand。　〃I'm　Ian　Dunross。〃
　〃Linc　Bartlett。〃　They　shook　hands　firmly。　〃Am　I　too　early？〃
　〃You're　dead　on　time。　You　must　know　I　like　punctuality。〃　Dunross　laughed。　〃I　heard　the　meeting　went　well。〃
　〃Good；〃　Bartlett　replied；　wondering　if　Dunross　meant　the　Gornt　meeting。　〃Casey　knows　her　facts　and　figures。〃
　〃My　fellows　were　most　impressed　…　she　said　she　could　finalize　things　herself。　Can　she；　Mr。　Bartlett？〃
　〃She　can　negotiate　and　settle　up　to　20　million。　Why？〃
　〃Nothing。　Just　wanted　to　find　out　your　form。　Please　sit　down　…　we've　a　few　minutes　yet。　Lunch　won't　begin　till　12：40。　It　sounds　as　though　we　may　have　a　profitable　enterprise　in　front　of　us。〃
　〃I　hope　so。　As　soon　as　I've　checked　with　Casey；　perhaps　you　and　I　can　get　together？〃
　Dunross　looked　at　his　calendar。　〃Tomorrow　at　ten。　Here？〃
　〃You're　on。〃
　〃Smoke？〃
　〃No　thanks。　I　quit　a　few　years　back。〃
　〃So　did　I　…　still　want　a　cigarette　though。〃　Dunross　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃Before　we　go　to　lunch；　Mr。　Bartlett；　there're　a　couple　of　minor　points。　I'm　going　to　Taipei　on　Sunday　afternoon；　will　be　back　Tuesday　in　time　for　dinner；　and　I'd　like　you　to　e　along。　There're　a　couple　of　people　I'd　like　you　to　meet；　a　golf　match　you　might　enjoy。　We　could　chat　leisurely；　you　could　see　the　potential　plant　sites。　It　could　be　important。　I've　made　all　the　arrangements；　but　it's　not　possible　to　take　Miss　Tcholok。〃
　Bartlett　frowned；　wondering　if　Tuesday　was　just　a　coincidence。　〃According　to　Superintendent　Armstrong　I　can't　leave　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃I'm　sure　that　could　be　changed。〃
　〃Then　you　know　about　the　guns　too？〃　Bartlett　said　and　cursed　himself　for　the　slip。　He　managed　to　keep　his　eyes　steady。
　〃Oh　yes。　Someone　else's　been　bothering　you　about　them？〃　Dunross　asked；　watching　him。
　〃The　police　even　chased　Casey！　Jesus！　My　airplane's　seized；　we're　all　suspect；　and　I　don't　know　a　goddamn　thing　about　any　guns。〃
　〃Well；　there's　no　need　to　worry；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Our　police　are　very　good。〃
　〃I'm　not　worried；　just　teed　off。〃
　〃That's　understandable；〃　Dunross　said；　glad　the　Armstrong　meeting　was　confidential。　Very　glad。
　Christ；　he　thought　queasily；　if　John　Chen　and　Tsu…yan　are　involved　somehow；　Bartlett's　going　to　be　very　teed　off　indeed；　and　we'll　lose　the　deal　and　he'll　throw　in　with　Gornt　and　then　。。。
　〃How　did　you　hear　about　the　guns？〃
　〃We　were　informed　by　our　office　at　Kai　Tak　this　morning。〃
　〃Nothing　like　this　ever　happened　before？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Dunross　added　lightly；　〃But　there's　no　harm　in　smuggling　or　even　a　little　gun…running　…　actually　they're　both　very　honorable　professions　…　of　course　we　do　them　elsewhere。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Wherever　Her　Majesty's　Government　desires。〃　Dunross　laughed。　〃We're　all　pirates　here；　Mr。　Bartlett；　at　least　we　are　to　outsiders。〃　He　paused。　〃Presuming　I　can　make　arrangements　with　the　police；　you're　on　for　Taipei？〃
　Bartlett　said；　〃Casey's　very　close…mouthed。〃
　〃I'm　not　suggesting　she's　not　to　be　trusted。〃
　〃She's　just　not　invited？〃
　〃Certain　of　our　customs　here　are　a　little　different　from　yours；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Most　times　she'll　be　wele　…　but　sometimes；　well；　it　would　save　a　lot　of　embarrassment　if　she　were　excluded。〃
　〃Casey　doesn't　embarrass　easily。〃
　〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　her　embarrassment。　Sorry　to　be　blunt　but　perhaps　it's　wiser　in　the　long　run。〃
　〃And　if　I　can't　'conform'？〃
　〃It　will　probably　mean　you　cannot　take　advantage　of　a　unique　opportunity；　which　would　be　a　very　great　pity　…　particularly　if　you　intend　a　long…term　association　with　Asia。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　that。〃
　〃Sorry；　but　I　have　to　have　a　yes　or　no　now。〃
　〃You　do？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　go　screw！〃
　Dunross　grinned。　〃I　won't。　Meanwhile；　finally：　yes　or　no。〃
　Bartlett　broke　out　laughing。　〃Since　you　put　it　that　way；　I'm　on　for　Taipei。〃
　〃Good。　Of　course　I'll　have　my　wife　look　after　Miss　Tcholok　while　we're　away。　There'll　be　no　loss　of　face　for　her。〃
　〃Thank　you。　But　you　needn't　worry　about　Casey。　How　are　you　going　to　fix　Armstrong？〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　fix　him；　just　ask　the　assistant　missioner　to　let　me　be　responsible　for　you；　there　and　back。〃
　〃Parole　me　in　your　custody？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　I　won't　just　leave　town？　Maybe　I　was　gun…running。〃
　Dunross　watched　him。　〃Maybe　you　are。　Maybe　you'll　try　…　but　I　can　deliver　you　back　dead　or　alive；　as　they　say　in　the　movies。　Hong　Kong　and　Taipei　are　within　my　fief。〃
　〃Dead　or　alive；　eh？〃
　〃Hypothetically；　of　course。〃
　〃How　many　men　have　you　killed　in　your　lifetime？〃
　The　mood　in　the　room　changed　and　both　men　felt　the　change　deeply。
　It's　not　dangerous　yet　between　him　and　me；　Dunross　thought；　not　yet。
　〃Twelve；〃　he　replied；　his　senses　poised；　though　the　question　had　surprised　him。　〃Twelve　that　I'm　sure　of。　I　was　a　fighter　pilot　during　the　war。　Spitfires。　I　got　two　single…seat　fighters；　a　Stuka；　and　two　bombers　…　they　were　Dornier　17's　and　they'd　have　a　crew　of　four　each。　All　the　planes　burned　as　they　went　down。　Twelve　that　I'm　sure　of；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Of　course　we　shot　up　a　lot　of　trains；　convoys；　troop　concentrations。　Why？〃
　〃I'd　heard　you　were　a　flier。　I　don't　think　I've　killed　anyone。　I　was　building　camps；　bases　in　the　Pacific；　that　sort　of　thing。　Never　shot　a　gun　in　anger。〃
　〃But　you　like　hunting？〃
　〃Yes。　I　went　on　a　safari　in　'59　in　Kenya。　Got　an　elephant　and　a　great　kudu　bull　and　lots　of　game　for　the　pot。〃
　Dunross　said　after　a　pause；　〃I　think　I　prefer　to　kill　planes　and　trains　and　boats。　Men；　in　war；　are　incidental。　Aren't　they？〃
　〃Once　the　general's　been　put　into　the　field　by　the　ruler；　sure。　That's　a　fact　of　war。〃
　〃Have　you　read　Sun　Tzu's　The　Art　of　War？〃
　〃The　best　book　on　war　I've　ever　read；〃　Bartlett　said　enthusiastically。　〃Better'n　Clausewitz　or　Liddell　Hart；　even　though　it　was　written　in　500　B。C。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Dunross　leaned　back；　glad　to　get　away　from　the　killings。　I　haven't　remembered　the　killing　for　years；　he　thought。　That's　not　fair　to　those　men；　is　it？
　〃Did　you　know　Sun　Tzu's　book　was　published　in　French　in　1782？　I've　a　theory　Napoleon　had　a　copy。〃
　〃It's　certainly　in　Russian　…　and　Mao　always　carried　a　copy　that　was　dog…eared　with　use；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃You've　read　it？〃
　〃My　father　beat　it　into　me。　I　had　to　read　the　original　in　characters　…　in　Chinese。　And　then　he'd　question　me　on　it；　very　seriously。〃
　A　fly　began　to　batter　itself　irritatingly　against　the　windowpane。　〃Your　dad　wanted　you　to　be　a　soldier？〃
　〃No。　Sun　Tzu；　like　Machiavelli；　wrote　about　life　more　than　death　…　and　about　survival　more　than　war。　。。。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　the　window　then　got　up　and　went　over　to　it　and　obliterated　the　fly　with　a　controlled　savagery　that　sent　warning　signals　through　Bartlett。
　Dunross　returned　to　his　desk。　〃My　father　thought　I　should　know　about　survival　and　how　to　handle　large　bodies　of　men。　He　wanted　me　to　be　worthy　to　bee　tai…pan　one　day；　though　he　never　thought　I'd　amount　to　much。〃　He　smiled。
　〃He　was　tai…pan　too？〃
　〃Yes。　He　was　very　good。　At　first。〃
　〃What　happened？〃
　Dunross　laughed　sardonically。　〃Ah；　skeletons　so　early；　Mr。　Bartlett？　Well；　briefly；　we　had　a　rather　tedious；　long…drawn…out　difference　of　opinion。　Eventually　he　handed　over　to　Alastair　Struan；　my　predecessor。〃
　〃He's　still　alive？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Does　your　British　understatement　mean　you　went　to　war　with　him？〃
　〃Sun　Tzu's　very　specific　about　going　to　war；　Mr。　Bartlett。　Very　bad　to　go　to　war　he　says；　unless　you　need　to。　Quote：　'Supreme　excellence　of　generalship　consists　in　breaking　the　enemy's　resistance　without　fighting。'　〃
　〃You　broke　him？〃
　〃He　removed　himself　from　the　field；　Mr。　Bartlett；　like　the　wise　man　he　was。〃
　Dunross's　face　had　hardened。　Bartlett　studied　him。　Both　men　knew　they　were　drawing　battle　lines　in　spite　of　themselves。
　〃I'm　glad　I　came　to　Hong　Kong；〃　the　American　said。　〃I'm　glad　to　meet　you。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Perhaps　one　day　you　won't　be。〃
　Bartlett　shrugged。　〃Maybe。　Meanwhile　we've　got　a　deal　cooking　…　good　for　you；　good　for　us。〃　He　grinned　abruptly；　thinking　about　Gornt　and　the　cooking　knife。　〃Yes。　I'm　glad　I　came　to　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃Would　you　and　Casey　care　to　be　my　guests　this　evening？　I'm　having　a　modest　bash；　a　party；　at　8：30　odd。〃
　〃Formal？〃
　〃Just　dinner　jacket　…　is　that　all　right？〃
　〃Fine。　Casey　said　you　like　the　tux　and　black　tie　bit。〃　Then　Bartlett　noticed　the　painting　on　the　wall：　an　old　oil　of　a　pretty　Chinese　boat　girl　carrying　a　little　Eng