jamesclavell.noblehouse-第303节

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　She　slipped　on　her　shoes。　The　waiting　seemed　long。　Her　heart　was　grinding。　The　bell　rang。　The　door　opened。　Each　saw　the　desolation　of　the　other。
　〃e　in；　Casey。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　The　room　was　small。　Casey　noticed　two　small　cases　standing　neatly　beside　the　bed。　〃You　leaving　too？〃　Her　voice　sounded　far　away　to　her。
　〃Yes。　Yes　I'm　moving　in　with　friends　of　my　parents。　The　hotel's　a；　it's　a　bit　expensive。　My　friends　said　I　could　stay　with　them　until　I　can　find　another　apartment。　Please　sit　down。〃
　〃But　you're　covered　by　insurance？〃
　Orlanda　blinked。　〃Insurance？　No；　no　I　don't　think　so。　I　never　。。。　no；　I　don't　think　so。〃
　Casey　sighed。　〃So　you've　lost　everything？〃
　〃Joss。〃　Orlanda　half…shrugged。　〃It　doesn't　matter。　I　have　a　little　money　in　the　bank　and　。。。　I'm　fine。〃　She　saw　the　misery　in　Casey's　face；　and　her　passion　reached　out。　〃Casey；〃　she　said　quickly；　〃about　Linc。　I　wasn't　trying　to　trap　him；　not　for　anything　bad。　Oh　yes；　I　loved　him　and　yes；　I'd've　done　anything　to　marry　him；　but　that's　only　fair；　and　honestly　I　believe　I'd've　been　a　wonderful　wife　for　him；　I'd've　tried　so　very　hard　to　be　the　best；　honestly。　I　did　love　him　and　。。。〃　Again　Orlanda　shrugged　her　tiny　shrug。　〃You　know。　Sorry。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　know。　No　need　to　be　sorry。〃
　〃The　first　time　I　met　you　at　Aberdeen；　the　night　of　the　fire；〃　Orlanda　said；　rushing　on；　〃I　thought　how　foolish　Linc　was；　perhaps　you　were　for　not　。。。〃　She　sighed。　〃Perhaps　it's　as　you　said；　Casey；　there's　nothing　to　talk　about。　Now　most　of　all。〃　The　tears　began　again。　And　her　tears；　the　reality　of　them；　brought　tears　from　Casey。
　For　a　moment　they　sat　there；　the　two　women。　Then　Casey　found　a　tissue；　dried　her　eyes；　feeling　awful；　nothing　resolved；　wanting　now　to　finish　quickly　what　she　had　begun。　She　took　out　an　envelope。　〃Here's　a　check。　It's　for　10；000　U。S。　I　th…　〃
　Orlanda　gasped。　〃I　don't　want　your　money！　I　don't　want　anything　fr…　〃
　〃It's　not　from　me。　It's　Linc's。　Listen　a　moment。〃　Casey　told　her　what　Dunross　had　said　about　Bartlett。　All　of　it。　The　repeating　of　it　tearing　her　anew。　〃That's　what　Linc　said。　I　think　it　was　you　he　wanted　to　marry。　Maybe　I'm　wrong。　I　don't　know。　Even　so；　he'd　want　you　to　have　some　drop　。。。　some　protection。〃
　Orlanda　felt　her　heart　about　to　burst　at　the　irony　of　it　all。　〃Linc　said　'best　man'？　Truly？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　to　be　friends？　He　wanted　us　to　be　friends？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Casey　told　her；　not　knowing　if　she　was　doing　the　right　thing；　what　Linc　would　have　wanted。　But　sitting　here　now；　seeing　the　tender　youthful　beauty；　the　wide　eyes；　exquisite　skin　that　needed　no　makeup；　perfect　figure；　again　she　could　not　blame　her　or　blame　Linc。　It　was　my　fault；　not　his　and　not　hers。　And　I　know　Linc　wouldn't　have　left　her　destitute。　So　I　can't。　For　him。　He　wanted　us　to　be　friends。　Maybe　we　can　be。　〃Why　don't　we　try？〃　she　said。　〃Listen；　Hong　Kong's　no　place　for　you。　Why　not　try　some　other　place？〃
　〃I　can't。　I'm　locked　in　here；　Casey。　I've　no　training。　I'm　nothing。　My　B。S。　means　nothing。〃　The　tears　began　again。　〃I'm　just　。。。　I'd　go　mad　punching　a　clock。〃
　On　a　sudden　impulse　Casey　said；　〃Why　not　try　the　States？　Maybe　I　could　help　you　find　a　job。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Yes。　Perhaps　in　fashion　…　I　don't　know　what　exactly　but　I'll　try。〃
　Orlanda　was　staring　at　her　incredulously。　〃You'd　help　me；　really　help　me？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Casey　put　the　envelope　and　her　card　on　the　table　and　got　up；　her　whole　body　aching。　〃I'll　try。〃
　Orlanda　went　to　her　and　put　her　arms　around　her。　〃Oh　thank　you；　Casey；　thank　you。〃
　Casey　hugged　her　back；　their　tears　mixing。
　
　The　night　was　dark　now　with　little　light　from　the　small　moon　that　came　through　the　high　clouds　from　time　to　time。　Roger　Crosse　walked　silently　up　to　the　half…hidden　gate　in　the　tall　walls　that　surrounded　Government　House　and　used　his　key。　He　locked　the　gate　behind　him；　walked　quickly　along　the　path；　keeping　to　the　shadows。　Near　the　house　he　detoured　and　went　to　the　east　side；　down　some　steps　to　a　basement　door　and　took　out　another　key。
　This　door　swung　open；　equally　quietly。　The　armed　sentry；　a　Gurkha；　held　his　rifle　ready。　〃Password；　sir！〃
　Crosse　gave　it。　The　sentry　saluted　and　stepped　aside。　At　the　far　end　of　the　corridor　Crosse　knocked。　The　door　was　opened　by　the　governor's　aide。　〃Evening；　Superintendent。〃
　〃I　hope　I　haven't　kept　you　waiting？〃
　〃No；　not　at　all。〃　This　man　led　the　way　through　municating　cellars　to　a　thick　iron　door　set　into　a　concrete　box　that　was　crudely　constructed　in　the　middle　of　the　big　main　cellar；　wine　racks　nearby。　He　took　out　the　single　key　and　unlocked　it。　The　door　was　very　heavy。　Crosse　went　inside　alone　and　closed　the　door　after　him。　Once　inside；　the　door　barred；　he　relaxed。　Now　he　was　totally　safe　from　prying　eyes　and　prying　ears。　This　was　the　Holy　of　Holies；　a　conference　room　for　very　private　conversations；　the　concrete　room　and　munications　center　laboriously　built　by　trusted　SI　officers；　British　only；　to　ensure　against　enemy　listening　devices　being　inserted　into　the　walls　…　the　whole　structure　tested　weekly　by　Special　Branch　experts　…　in　case　some　were　somehow　infiltrated。
　In　one　corner　was　the　plicated；　highly　sophisticated　transmitter　that　fed　signals　into　the　unbreachable　code　scrambler；　thence　to　the　plex　of　antenna　atop　Government　House；　thence　to　the　stratosphere；　and　thence　to　Whitehall。
　Crosse　switched　it　on。　There　was　a　forting　hum。　〃The　minister；　please。　This　is　Asian　One。〃　It　gave　him　great　pleasure　to　use　his　inner　code　name。
　〃Yes；　Asian　One？〃
　〃Tsu…yan　was　one　of　the　persons　meeting　the　spy；　Brian　Kwok。〃
　〃Ah！　So　we　can　strike　him　off　the　list。〃
　〃Both　of　them；　sir。　They're　isolated　now。　On　Saturday；　the　defector　Joseph　Yu　was　seen　crossing　the　border。〃
　〃Damn！　You'd　better　have　a　team　assigned　to　monitor　him。　Do　we　have　fellows　at　their　atomic　center　at　Siankiang？〃
　〃No　sir。　However　there's　a　rumor　Dunross　is　going　to　meet　Mr。　Yu　in　Canton　in　a　month。〃
　〃Ah；　what　about　Dunross？〃
　〃He's　loyal　…　but　he'll　never　work　for　us。〃
　〃What　about　Sinders？〃
　〃He　performed　well。　I　do　not　consider　him　a　security　risk。〃
　〃Good。　What　about　the　Ivanov？〃
　〃She　sailed　at　noon。　We　haven't　found　Suslev's　body　…　it'll　take　weeks　to　sift　and　dig　out　that　wreckage。　I'm　afraid　we　may　never　find　him　in　one　piece。　With　Plumm　gone　too　we'll　have　to　rethink　Sevrin。〃
　〃It's　too　good　a　ploy　not　to　have　in　existence；　Roger。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　other　side　will　think　so　too。　When　Suslev's　replacement　arrives　I'll　see　what　they　have　in　mind；　then　we　can　formulate　a　plan。〃
　〃Good。　What　about　deVille？〃
　〃He　is　to　be　transferred　to　Toronto。　Please　inform　the　RCMP。　Next；　about　the　nuclear　carrier：　Her　plement　is　5；500　officers　and　men；　83；350　tons；　eight　reactors；　top　speed　sixty…two　knots；　forty…two　F…4　Phantom　II's　each　with　nuclear　capability；　two　Hawks　Mark　V。　Curiously　her　only　defense　against　an　attack　is　one　bank　of　SAMs　on　her　starboard　side　。。。〃
　Crosse　continued　to　give　his　report；　very　pleased　with　himself；　loving　his　work；　loving　being　on　both　sides；　on　three；　he　reminded　himself。　Yes；　triple　agent；　with　money　to　spare；　both　sides　not　trusting　him　pletely　yet　needing　him；　praying　he　was　on　their　side　…　not　theirs。
　Sometimes　I　almost　wonder　myself；　he　thought　with　a　smile。
　
　In　the　terminal　building　at　Kai　Tak；　Armstrong　was　leaning　heavily　against　the　information　counter；　watching　the　door；　feeling　rotten。　Crowds　were　milling　as　usual。　To　his　surprise；　he　saw　Peter　Marlowe　e　in　with　Fleur　Marlowe　and　their　two　children；　dolls　and　small　suitcases　in　their　hands。　Fleur　was　pale　and　drawn。　Marlowe　too。　He　was　laden　with　suitcases。
　〃Hello；　Peter；〃　Armstrong　said。
　〃Hello；　Robert。　You're　working　late。〃
　〃No；　I've；　er；　I've　just　seen　Mary　off。　She's　off　on　a　vacation　to　England　for　a　month。　Evening；　Mrs。　Marlowe。　I　was　sorry　to　hear。〃
　〃Oh；　thank　you；　Superintendent。　I'm　qu…　〃
　〃We're　going　to　Binkok；〃　the　four…year…old　interrupted　gravely。　〃That's　in　Minland。〃
　〃Oh　e　along；　silly；〃　her　sister　said。　〃It's　Bunkok　in　Mainland。　That's　China；〃　she　added　importantly　to　Armstrong。　〃We're　on　vacation　too。　Mummy's　been　sick。〃
　Peter　Marlowe　smiled　tiredly；　his　face　creased。　〃Bangkok　for　a　week；　Robert。　A　holiday　for　Fleur。　Old　Doc　Tooley　said　it　was　important　for　her　to　get　a　rest。〃　He　stopped　as　the　two　children　began　to　squabble。　〃Quiet；　you　two！　Darling；〃　he　said　to　his　wife；　〃you　check　us　in。　I'll　catch　you　up。〃
　〃Of　course。　e　along。　Oh　do　behave；　both　of　you！〃　She　walked　off；　the　two　children　skittering　ahead。
　〃Won't　be　much　of　a　holiday　for　her；　I'm　afraid；〃　Peter　Marlowe　said。　Then　he　dropped　his　voice。　〃One　of　my　friends　told　me　to　pass　on　that　the　meeting　in　Macao　of　the　narcotics　villains　is　this　Thursday。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where？〃
　〃No。　But　White　Powder　Lee's　supposed　to　be　one　of　them。　And　an　American。　Banastasio。　That's　the　rumor。〃
　〃Thanks。　And？〃
　〃That's　all。〃
　〃Thanks；　Peter。　Have　a　good　trip。　Listen；　there's　a　fellow　in　the　Bangkok　police　you　should　look　up。　Inspector　Samanthajal　…　tell　him　I　said　so。〃
　〃Thanks。　Rotten　about　Linc　Bartlett　and　the　others；　wasn't　it？　Christ；　I　was　invited　to　that　party　too。〃
　〃Joss。〃
　〃Yes。　But　that　doesn't　help　him　or　them；　does　it？　Poor　buggers！　See　you　next　week。〃
　Armstrong　watched　t