jamesclavell.noblehouse-第262节

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nating　position。　〃Now　all　we　have　to　do　is　lose　one　more　supporter　and　Paul　and　his　opposition　will　squeeze　us　to　death。〃　He　looked　up　at　Phillip　Chen。　〃You'd　better　nobble　Richard。〃
　〃I　。。。　I'll　try；　but　he's　nobbled　already。　What　about　P。　B。　White？　Do　you　think　he'd　help？〃
　〃Not　against　Havergill；　or　the　bank。　With　Tiptop　he　might；〃　Dunross　said　heavily。　〃He's　next　…　and　last　…　on　the　list。〃
　
　70
　
　10：55　P。M。：
　The　six　people　piled　out　of　the　two　taxis　at　the　private　entrance　of　the　Victoria　Bank　building　on　the　side　street。　Casey；　Riko　Gresserhoff；　Gavallan；　Peter　Marlowe；　Dunross　and　P。　B。　White；　a　spare；　spritely　Englishman　of　seventy…five。　The　rain　had　stopped；　though　the　poorly　lit　street　was　heavily　puddled。
　〃Sure　you　won't　join　us　for　a　nightcap；　Peter？〃　P。　B。　White　asked。
　〃No　thanks；　P。B。；　I'd　better　be　getting　home。　Night　and　thanks　for　supper；　tai…pan！〃
　He　walked　off　into　the　night；　heading　for　the　ferry　terminal　that　was　just　across　the　square。　Neither　he　nor　the　others　noticed　the　car　pull　up　and　stop　down　the　street。　In　it　was　Malcolm　Sun；　senior　agent；　SI；　and　Povitz；　the　CIA　man。　Sun　was　driving。
　〃This　the　only　way　in　and　out？〃　Povitz　asked。
　〃Yes。〃
　They　watched　P。　B。　White　press　the　door　button。　〃Lucky　bastards。　Those　two　broads　are　the　best　I've　ever　seen。〃
　〃Casey's　okay　but　the　other？　There　are　prettier　girls　in　any　dance　hall。　。。。〃　Sun　stopped。　A　taxi　went　past。
　〃Another　tail？〃
　〃No；　no　I　don't　think　so；　but　if　we're　watching　the　tai…pan　you　can　bet　others　are。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　They　saw　P。　B。　White　press　the　button　again。　The　door　opened　and　the　sleepy　Sikh　night　guard　greeted　him；　〃Evening；　sahs；　mem…sahs；〃　then　went　to　the　elevator；　pressed　the　button　and　closed　the　front　door。
　〃The　elevator's　rather　slow。　Antiquated；　like　me。　Sorry；〃　P。　B。　White　said。
　〃How　long　have　you　lived　here；　P。B。？〃　Casey　asked；　knowing　there　was　nothing　ancient　about　him；　given　the　dance　in　his　step　or　the　twinkle　in　his　eyes。
　〃About　five　years；　my　dear；〃　he　replied　taking　her　arm。　〃I'm　very　lucky。〃
　Sure；　she　thought；　and　you've　got　to　be　very　important　to　the　bank　and　powerful；　must　be　to　have　one　of　the　only　three　apartments　in　the　whole　vast　building。　He　had　told　them　one　of　the　others　belonged　to　the　chief　manager　who　was　presently　on　sick　leave。　The　last　one　was　staffed　but　kept　vacant。　〃It's　for　visiting　HRHs；　the　governor　of　the　Bank　of　England；　prime　ministers；　those　sort　of　luminaries；〃　P。　B。　White　had　said　grandly　during　the　light　spicy　Szechuan　food。　〃I'm　rather　like　a　janitor；　an　unpaid　caretaker。　They　let　me　in　to　look　after　the　place。〃
　〃I'll　bet！〃
　〃Oh　it's　true！　Fortunately　there's　no　connection　between　this　part　of　the　building　and　the　bank　proper；　otherwise　I'd　have　my　hand　in　the　till！〃
　Casey　was　feeling　very　happy；　replete　with　good　food　and　good　wine　and　fine；　witty　conversation　and　much　attention　from　the　four　men；　particularly　Dunross　…　and　very　content　that　she　had　held　her　own　with　Riko　…　everything　in　her　life　seemingly　in　place　again；　Linc　so　much　more　her　Linc　once　more；　even　though　he　was　out　with　the　enemy。　How　to　deal　with　her？　she　asked　herself　for　the　billionth　time。
　The　elevator　door　opened。　They　went　into　it；　crowding　into　the　small　area。　P。　B。　White　pressed　the　lowest　of　three　buttons。　〃God　lives　on　the　top　floor；〃　he　chuckled。　〃When　he's　in　town。〃
　Dunross　said；　〃When's　he　due　back？〃
　〃In　three　weeks；　Ian；　but　it's　just　as　well　he's　out　of　touch　with　Hong　Kong　…　he'd　be　back　on　the　next　plane。　Casey；　our　chief　manager's　a　marvelous　fellow。　Unfortunately　he's　been　quite　sick　for　almost　a　year　and　now　he's　retiring　in　three　months。　I　persuaded　him　to　take　some　leave　and　go　to　Kashmir；　to　a　little　place　I　know　on　the　banks　of　the　Jehlum　River；　north　of　Srinagar。　The　floor　of　the　valley's　about　six　thousand　feet　and；　up　there　amongst　the　greatest　mountains　on　earth；　it's　paradise。　They　have　houseboats　on　the　rivers　and　lakes　and　you　drift；　no　phones；　no　mail；　just　you　and　the　Infinite；　wonderful　people；　wonderful　air；　wonderful　food；　stupendous　mountains。〃　His　eyes　twinkled。　〃You　have　to　go　there　very　sick；　or　with　someone　you　love　very　much。〃
　They　laughed。　〃Is　that　what　you　did；　P。B。？〃　Gavallan　asked。
　〃Of　course；　my　dear　fellow。　It　was　in　1915；　that　was　the　first　time　I　was　there。　I　was　twenty…seven；　on　leave　from　the　Third　Bengal　Lancers。〃　He　sighed；　parodying　a　lovesick　youth。　〃She　was　Georgian；　a　princess。〃
　They　chuckled　with　him。　〃What　were　you　really　in　Kashmir　for？〃　Dunross　asked。
　〃I'd　been　seconded　for　two　years　from　the　Indian　General　Staff。　That　whole　area；　the　Hindu　Kush；　Afghanistan　and　what's　now　called　Pakistan；　on　the　borders　of　Russia　and　China's　always　been　dicey；　always　will　be。　Then　I　was　sent　up　to　Moscow　…　that　was　late　in　'17。〃　His　face　tightened　a　little。　〃I　was　there　during　the　putsch　when　the　real　government　of　Kerenski　was　tossed　out　by　Lenin；　Trotsky　and　their　Bolsheviks。　。。。〃　The　elevator　stopped。　They　got　out。　The　front　door　of　his　apartment　was　open；　his　Number　One　Boy　Shu　waiting。
　〃e　on　in　and　make　yourself　at　home；〃　P。B。　said　jovially。　〃The　ladies'　bathroom's　on　the　left；　gentlemen　on　the　right；　champagne　in　the　anteroom　。。。　I'll　show　you　all　around　in　a　moment。　Oh；　Ian；　you　wanted　to　phone？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃e　along；　you　can　use　my　study。〃　He　led　the　way　down　a　corridor　lined　with　fine　oils　and　a　rare　collection　of　icons。　The　apartment　was　spacious；　four　bedrooms；　three　anterooms；　a　dining　room　to　seat　twenty。　His　study　was　at　the　far　end。　Books　lined　three　walls。　Old　leather；　smell　of　good　cigars；　a　fireplace。　Brandy；　whiskey　and　vodka　in　cut…glass　decanters。　And　port。　Once　the　door　closed　his　concern　deepened。
　〃How　long　will　you　be？〃　he　asked。
　〃As　quick　as　I　can。〃
　〃Don't　worry；　I'll　entertain　them　…　if　you're　not　back　in　time　I'll　make　your　excuses。　Is　there　anything　else　I　can　do？〃
　〃Lean　on　Tiptop。〃　Dunross　had　told　him　earlier　about　the　possible　deal　to　exchange　Brian　Kwok；　though　nothing　about　the　AMG　papers　and　his　problems　with　Sinders。
　〃Tomorrow　I'll　call　some　friends　in　Peking　and　some　more　in　Shanghai。　Perhaps　they　would　see　the　value　in　helping　us。〃
　Dunross　had　been　acquainted　with　P。　B。　White　for　many　years　though；　along　with　everyone　else；　he　knew　very　little　about　his　real　past；　his　family；　whether　he　had　been　married　and　had　children；　where　his　money　came　from　or　his　real　involvement　with　the　Victoria。　〃I'm　just　a　sort　of　legal　advisor　though　I　retired　years　ago；〃　he　would　say　vaguely　and　leave　it　at　that。　But　Dunross　knew　him　as　a　man　of　great　charm　with　many　equally　discreet　lady　friends。　〃Casey's　quite　a　woman；　P。B。；〃　he　said　with　a　grin。　〃I　think　you're　smitten。〃
　〃I　think　so　too。　Yes。　Ah；　if　I　was　only　thirty　years　younger！　And　as　for　Riko！〃　P。B。's　eyebrows　soared。　〃Delectable。　Are　you　certain　she's　a　widow？〃
　〃Pretty　sure。〃
　〃I　would　like　three　of　those　please；　tai…pan。〃　He　chuckled　and　went　over　to　the　bookcase　and　pressed　a　switch。　Part　of　the　bookcase　swung　open。　A　staircase　led　upward。　Dunross　had　used　it　before　to　have　private　talks　with　the　chief　manager。　As　far　as　he　knew　he　was　the　only　outsider　privy　to　the　secret　access　…　another　of　the　many　secrets　that　he　could　pass　on　only　to　his　succeeding　tai…pan。　〃The　Hag　arranged　it；〃　Alastair　Struan　had　told　him　the　night　he　took　over。　〃Along　with　this。〃　He　had　handed　him　the　master　passkey　to　the　safety　deposit　boxes　in　the　vaults。　〃It's　bank　policy　that　Ch'ung　Lien　Loh　Locksmiths　Ltd。　change　locks。　Only　our　tai…pans　know　we　own　that　pany。〃
　Dunross　smiled　back　at　P。B。；　praying　that　he　could　be　so　young　when　he　was　so　old。　〃Thanks。〃
　〃Take　your　time；　Ian。〃　P。　B。　White　handed　him　a　key。　Dunross　ran　up　the　stairs　softly　to　the　chief　manager's　landing。　He　unlocked　a　door　which　led　to　an　elevator。　The　same　key　unlocked　the　elevator。　There　was　only　one　button。　He　relocked　the　outside　door　and　pressed　the　button。　The　machinery　was　well　oiled　and　silent。　At　length　it　stopped　and　the　inner　door　slid　open。　He　pushed　the　outer　door。　He　was　in　the　chief　manager's　office。　Johnjohn　got　up　wearily。　〃Now　what　the　hell　is　all　this　about；　Ian？〃
　Dunross　shut　the　false　door　that　fitted　perfectly　into　the　bookcase。　〃Didn't　P。B。　tell　you？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　mild；　none　of　his　tension　showing。
　〃He　said　you　had　to　get　to　the　vaults　tonight　to　fetch　some　papers；　that　I　should　please　let　you　in　and　there　was　no　need　to　bother　Havergill。　But　why　the　cloak…and…dagger　bit？　Why　not　use　the　front　door？〃
　〃Now　give　over；　Bruce。　We　both　know　you've　got　the　necessary　authority　to　open　the　vault　for　me。〃
　Johnjohn　began　to　say　something　but　changed　his　mind。　The　chief　manager　had　said　before　he　left；　〃Be　kind　enough　to　react　favorably　to　whatever　P。B。　suggests；　eh？〃　P。B。　was　on　first…name　terms　with　the　governor；　most　of　the　visiting　VVIPs　and　shared　the　chief　manager's　direct　line　to　their　skeleton　staff　in　the　bank　offices　still　operating　in　Shanghai　and　Peking。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。
　Their　footsteps　echoed　on　the　vast；　dimly　lit　main　floor　of　the　bank。　Johnjohn　nodded　to　one　of　the　night　watchmen　making　his　rounds；　then　pressed　the　button　for　the　elevator　to　the　vaults；　stifling　a　nervous　yawn。　〃Christ；　I'm　bushed。〃