jamesclavell.noblehouse-第35节

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　〃I　don't　think　I　want　to　pay　that　bet。　The　killing'll　be　hideous。〃
　〃Yes。　But　it'll　still　happen。　Again　Mao's　right　in　that。　It'll　be　hideous　all　right　…　but　not　catastrophic。〃　Irritably　Brian　Kwok　punched　the　elevator　button　again。　He　looked　up　suddenly。　〃You　don't　think　the　invasion　from　Taiwan's　launched　at　long　last？〃
　〃That　old　chestnut？　That　old　pipe　dream？　e　off　it；　Brian！　Chiang　Kai…shek'll　never　get　off　Taiwan。〃
　〃If　he　doesn't　the　whole　world's　in　the　manure　pile。　If　Mao　gets　thirty　years　to　consolidate　。。。　Christ；　you've　no　idea。　A　billion　automatons？　Chiang　was　so　right　to　go　after　the　mie　bastards　…　they're　the　real　enemy　of　China。　They're　the　plague　of　China。　Christ；　if　they　get　time　to　Pavlov　all　the　kids。〃
　Armstrong　said　mildly；　〃Anyone'd　think　you're　a　running　dog　Nationalist。　Simmer　down；　lad；　everything's　lousy　in　the　world　which　is　now　and　ever　shall　be　normal　…　but　you；　capitalist　dog；　you　can　go　racing　Saturday；　hill　climbing　Sunday　and　there're　lots　of　birds　ready　to　be　plucked。　Eh？〃
　〃Sorry。〃　They　got　into　the　elevator。　〃That　little　bastard　Meng　caught　me　off　balance；〃　Brian　said；　stabbing　the　top…floor　button。
　Armstrong　switched　to　Cantonese。　〃Thy　mother　on　your　sorry；　Brother。　〃
　〃And　thine　was　stuffed　by　a　vagrant　monkey　with　one　testicle　in　a　pail　of　pig's　nightsoil。〃
　Armstrong　beamed。　〃That's　not　bad；　Brian；〃　he　said　in　English。　〃Not　bad　at　all。〃
　The　elevator　stopped。　They　walked　along　the　drab　corridor。　At　the　door　they　prepared　themselves。　Brian　knocked　gently。
　〃e　in。〃
　Roger　Crosse　was　in　his　fifties；　a　thin　tall　man　with　pale　blue　eyes　and　fair　thinning　hair　and　small；　long…fingered　hands。　His　desk　was　meticulous；　like　his　civilian　clothes　…　his　office　Spartan。　He　motioned　to　chairs。　They　sat。　He　continued　to　read　a　file。　At　length　he　closed　it　carefully　and　set　it　in　front　of　him。　The　cover　was　drab；　interoffice　and　ordinary。　〃An　American　millionaire　arrives　with　smuggled　guns；　an　ex…drug　peddling；　very　suspect　Shanghainese　millionaire　flees　to　Taiwan；　and　now　a　VIP　kidnapping　with；　God　help　us；　Werewolves　and　a　mutilated　ear。　All　in　nineteen…odd　hours。　Where's　the　connection？〃
　Armstrong　broke　the　silence。　〃Should　there　be　one；　sir？〃
　〃Shouldn't　there？〃
　〃Sorry　sir；　I　don't　know。　Yet。〃
　〃That's　very　boring；　Robert；　very　boring　indeed。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Tedious　in　fact；　particularly　as　the　powers　that　be　have　already　begun　to　breathe　heavily　down　my　neck。　And　when　that　happens　。。。〃　He　smiled　at　them　and　both　suppressed　a　shudder。　〃Of　course　Robert；　I　did　warn　you　yesterday　that　important　names　might　be　involved。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Now　Brian；　we're　grooming　you　for　high　office。　Don't　you　think　you　could　take　your　mind　off　horse　racing；　car　racing　and　almost　anything　in　skirts　and　apply　some　of　your　undoubted　talents　to　solving　this　modest　conundrum。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Please　do。　Very　quickly。　You're　assigned　to　the　case　with　Robert　because　it　might　require　your　expertise　…　for　the　next　few　days。　I　want　this　out　of　the　way　very　very　quickly　indeed　because　we've　a　slight　problem。　One　of　our　American　friends　in　the　consulate　called　me　last　night。　Privately。〃　He　motioned　at　the　file。　〃This　is　the　result。　With　his　tip　we　intercepted　the　original　in　the　bleak　hours　…　of　course　this's　a　copy；　the　original　was　naturally　returned　and　the　。。。〃　He　hesitated；　choosing　the　correct　word；　〃。。。　the　courier；　an　amateur　by　the　way；　left　undisturbed。　It's　a　report；　a　sort　of　newsletter　with　different　headings。　They're　all　rather　interesting。　Yes。　One's　headed；　'The　KGB　in　Asia。'　It　claims　that　they've　a　deep…cover　spy　ring　I've　never　even　heard　of　before；　code　name　'Sevrin；'　with　high…level　hostiles　in　key　positions　in　government；　police；　business　…　at　the　tai…pan　level　…　throughout　Southeast　Asia；　particularly　here　in　Hong　Kong。〃
　The　air　hissed　out　of　Brian　Kwok's　mouth。
　〃Quite；〃　Crosse　said　agreeably。　〃If　it's　true。〃
　〃You　think　it　is；　sir？〃　Armstrong　said。
　〃Really；　Robert；　perhaps　you're　in　need　of　early　retirement　on　medical　grounds：　softening　of　the　brain。　If　I　wasn't　perturbed　do　you　think　I'd　endure　the　unhappy　pleasure　of　having　to　petition　the　assistance　of　the　CID　Kowloon？〃
　〃No　sir；　sorry　sir。〃
　Crosse　turned　the　file　to　face　them　and　opened　it　to　the　title　page。　Both　men　gasped。　It　read；　〃Confidential　to　Ian　Dunross　only。　By　hand；　report　3/1963。　One　copy　only。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　continued。　〃Yes。　This's　the　first　time　we've　actual　proof　Struan's　have　their　own　intelligence　system。〃　He　smiled　at　them　and　their　flesh　crawled。　〃I'd　certainly　like　to　know　how　tradesmen　manage　to　be　privy　to　all　sorts　of　very　intimate　information　we're　supposed　to　know　ages　before　them。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃The　report's　obviously　one　of　a　series。　Oh　yes；　and　this　one's　signed　on　behalf　of　Struan's　Research　mittee　16；　by　a　certain　A。　M。　Grant　…　dated　in　London　three　days　ago。〃
　Brian　Kwok　gasped　again。　〃Grant？　Would　that　be　the　Alan　Medford　Grant；　the　associate　of　the　Institute　for　Strategic　Planning　in　London？〃
　〃Full　marks；　Brian；　ten　out　of　ten。　Yes。　Mr。　AMG　himself。　Mr。　VIP；　Mr。　Advisor　to　Her　Majesty's　Government　for　undercover　affairs　who　really　knows　onions　from　leeks。　You　know　him；　Brian？〃
　Brian　Kwok　said；　〃I　met　him　a　couple　of　times　in　England　last　year；　sir；　when　I　was　on　the　Senior　Officers　Course　at　the　General　Staff　College。　He　gave　a　paper　on　advanced　strategic　considerations　for　the　Far　East。　Brilliant。　Quite　brilliant。〃
　〃Fortunately　he's　English　and　on　our　side。　Even　so　。。。〃　Crosse　sighed　again。　〃I　certainly　hope　he's　mistaken　this　time　or　we're　in　the　mire　deeper　than　even　I　imagined。　It　seems　few　of　our　secrets　are　secrets　anymore。　Tiring。　Very。　And　as　to　this；〃　he　touched　the　file　again；　〃I'm　really　quite　shocked。〃
　〃Has　the　original　been　delivered；　sir？〃　Armstrong　asked。
　〃Yes。　To　Dunross　personally　at　4：18　this　afternoon。〃　His　voice　became　even　more　silky。　〃Fortunately；　thank　God；　my　relations　with　our　cousins　across　the　water　are　first　class。　Like　yours；　Robert　…　unlike　yours；　Brian。　You　never　did　like　America；　did　you；　Brian？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Why；　may　I　ask？〃
　〃They　talk　too　much；　sir；　you　can't　trust　them　with　any　secrets　…　they're　loud；　and　I　find　them　stupid。〃
　Crosse　smiled　with　his　mouth。　〃That's　no　reason　not　to　have　good　relations　with　them；　Brian。　Perhaps　you're　the　stupid　one。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃They're　not　all　stupid；　oh　dear　no。〃　The　director　closed　the　file　but　left　it　facing　them。　Both　men　stared　at　it；　mesmerized。
　〃Did　the　Americans　say　how　they　found　out　about　the　file；　sir？〃　Armstrong　asked　without　thinking。
　〃Robert；　I　really　do　believe　your　sinecure　in　Kowloon　has　addled　your　brain。　Shall　I　remend　you　for　a　medical　retirement？〃
　The　big　man　winced。　〃No　sir；　thank　you　sir。〃
　〃Would　we　reveal　our　sources　to　them？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Would　they　have　told　me　if　I'd　been　so　crass　as　to　ask　them？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃This　whole　business　is　very　tedious　and　filled　with　loss　of　face。　Mine。　Don't　you　agree；　Robert？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Good；　that's　something。〃　Crosse　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　rocking　it。　His　eyes　ground　into　them。　Both　men　were　wondering　who　the　tipster　was；　and　why。
　Can't　be　the　CIA；　Brian　Kwok　was　thinking。　They'd　have　done　the　intercept　themselves；　they　don't　need　SI　to　do　their　dirty　work　for　them。　Those　crazy　bastards'll　do　anything；　tread　on　any　toes；　he　thought　disgustedly。　If　not　them；　who？
　Who？
　Must　be　someone　who's　in　Intelligence　but　who　can't；　or　couldn't　do　the　intercept；　who's　on　good　terms；　safe　terms　with　Crosse。　A　consular　official？　Possible。　Johnny　Mishauer；　Naval　Intelligence？　Out　of　his　channel。　Who？　There's　not　many　。。。　Ah；　the　FBI　man；　Crosse's　protégé！　Ed　Langan。　Now；　how　would　Langan　know　about　this　file？　Information　from　London？　Possible；　but　the　FBI　doesn't　have　an　office　there。　If　the　tip　came　from　London；　probably　MI…5　or　…6　would　know　it　first　and　they'd've　arranged　to　get　the　material　at　the　source　and　would　have　telexed　it　to　us；　and　given　us　hell　for　being　inept　in　our　own　backyard。　Did　the　courier's　aircraft　land　at　Lebanon？　There's　an　FBI　man　there　I　seem　to　recall。　If　not　from　London　or　Lebanon；　the　information　must　have　e　from　the　aircraft　itself。　Ah；　an　acpanying　friendly　informer　who　saw　the　file；　or　the　cover？　Crew？　Ayeeyah！　Was　the　aircraft　TWA　or　Pan　Am？　The　FBI　has　all　sorts　of　links；　close　links　…　with　all　sorts　of　ordinary　businesses；　rightly　so。　Oh　yes。　Is　there　a　Sunday　flight？　Yes。　Pan　Am；　ETA　2030。　Too　late　for　a　night　delivery　by　the　time　you've　got　to　the　hotel。　Perfect。
　〃Strange　that　the　courier　came　Pan　Am　and　not　BOAC　…　it's　a　much　better　flight；〃　he　said；　pleased　with　the　oblique　way　his　mind　worked。
　〃Yes。　I　thought　the　same；〃　Crosse　said　as　evenly。　〃Terribly　un…British　of　him。　Of　course；　Pan　Am　does　land　on　time　whereas　you　never　know　with　poor　old　BOAC　these　days　…　〃　He　nodded　at　Brian　agreeably。　〃Full　marks　again。　Go　to　the　head　of　the　class。〃
　〃Thank　you　sir。〃
　〃What　else　do　you　deduce？〃
　After　a　pause　Brian　Kwok　said；　〃In　return　for　the　tip；　you　agreed　to　provide　Langan　with　an　exact　copy　of　the　file。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃And　you　regret　having　honored　that。〃
　Crosse　sighed。　〃Why？〃
　〃I'll　know　only　after　I've　read　the　file。〃
　〃Brian；　you　real