jamesclavell.noblehouse-第85节

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　〃I　agree；　now　they　can；　but　they　won't。　They've　no　balls。〃　Suslev　drank　again。　〃And　soon？　Just　a　little　more　time　and　we'll　stick　their　noses　up　their　asses！〃　He　sighed。　〃It　will　be　good　when　we　begin。〃
　〃It'll　be　terrible。〃
　〃No；　a　short；　almost　bloodless　war　against　America　and　then　the　rest'll　collapse　like　the　pus…infected　corpse　it　is。〃
　〃Bloodless？　What　about　their　atom　bombs？　Hydrogen　bombs？〃
　〃They'll　never　use　atomics　or　missiles　against　us；　they're　too　scared；　even　now；　of　ours！　Because　they're　sure　we'll　use　them。〃
　〃Will　we？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Some　manders　would。　I　don't　know。　We'll　certainly　use　them　back。　But　first？　I　don't　know。　The　threat　will　always　be　enough。　I'm　sure　we'll　never　need　a　fighting　war。〃　He　lit　a　corner　of　the　decoded　message　and　put　it　in　the　ashtray。　〃Another　twenty　years　of　détente　…　ah　what　Russian　genius　invented　that　…　we'll　have　a　navy　bigger　and　better　than　theirs；　an　air　force　bigger　and　better　than　theirs。　We've　got　more　tanks　now　and　more　soldiers；　but　without　ships　and　airplanes　we　must　wait。　Twenty　years　is　not　long　to　wait　for　Mother　Russia　to　rule　the　earth。〃
　〃And　China？　What　about　China？〃
　Suslev　gulped　the　vodka　and　refilled　both　glasses　again。　The　bottle　was　empty　now　and　he　tossed　it　onto　his　bunk。　His　eyes　saw　the　burning　paper　in　the　ashtray　twist　and　crackle；　dying。　〃Perhaps　China's　the　one　place　to　use　our　atomics；〃　he　said　matter…of…factly。　〃There's　nothing　there　we　need。　Nothing。　That'd　solve　our　China　problem　once　and　for　all。　How　many　men　of　military　age　did　they　have　at　last　estimate？〃
　〃116　million　between　the　ages　of　eighteen　and　twenty…five。〃
　〃Think　of　that！　116　million　yellow　devils　sharing　5；000　miles　of　our　frontiers　。。。　and　then　foreigners　call　us　paranoiac　about　China！〃　He　sipped　the　vodka；　this　time　making　it　last。　〃Atomics'd　solve　our　China　problem　once　and　for　all。　Quick；　simple　and　permanent。〃
　The　other　man　nodded。　〃And　this　Dunross？　The　papers　of　AMG？〃
　〃We'll　get　them　from　him。　After　all；　Dimitri；　one　of　our　people　is　family；　another　one　of　his　partners；　another's　in　Special　Intelligence；　there's　Arthur　and　Sevrin　everywhere　he　turns；　and　then　we've　a　dozen　decadents　to　call　on　in　his　parliament；　some　in　his　government。〃　They　both　began　laughing。
　〃And　if　he's　destroyed　the　papers？〃
　Suslev　shrugged。　〃They　say　he's　got　a　photographic　memory。〃
　〃You'd　do　the　interrogation　here？〃
　〃It'd　be　dangerous　to　do　an　in…depth　chemic　quickly。　I've　never　done　one。　Have　you？〃
　〃No。〃
　The　captain　frowned。　〃When　you　report　tonight；　get　Center　to　ready　an　expert　in　case　we　need　one　…　Koronski　from　Vladivostok　if　he's　available。〃
　Dimitri　nodded；　lost　in　thought。　This　morning's　Guardian；　lying　half…crumpled　on　the　captain's　bunk；　caught　his　eye。　He　went　over　and　picked　it　up；　his　eyes　alight。　〃Gregor　…　if　we　have　to　detain　Dunross；　why　not　blame　them；　then　you've　all　the　time　you'll　need？〃　The　screaming　headline　read；　SUSPECTS　IN　WEREWOLVES　KIDNAP　CASE。　〃If　Dunross　doesn't　return　。。。　perhaps　our　man'd　bee　tai…pan！　Eh？〃
　Suslev　began　to　chuckle。　〃Dimitri；　you're　a　genius。〃
　
　Rosemont　glanced　at　his　watch。　He　had　waited　long　enough。　〃Rog；　can　I　use　your　phone？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Crosse　said。
　The　CIA　man　stubbed　out　his　cigarette　and　dialed　the　central　CIA　exchange　in　the　consulate。
　〃This　is　Rosemont　…　give　me　2022。〃　That　was　the　CIA　munications　center。
　〃2022。　Chapman　…　who's　this？〃
　〃Rosemont。　Hi；　Phil；　anything　new？〃
　〃No；　excepting　Marty　Povitz　reports　a　lot　of　activity　on　the　bridge　of　the　Ivanov；　high…powered　binoculars。　Three　guys；　Stan。　One's　a　civilian；　others're　the　captain　and　the　first　officer。　One　of　their　short…range　radar　sweep's　working　overtime。　You　want　us　to　notify　the　Corregidor's　captain？〃
　〃Hell　no；　no　need　to　make　his　tail　wriggle　more　than　needs　be。　Say；　Phil；　we　get　a　confirm　on　our　40…41？〃
　〃Sure　Stan。　It　came　in　at　。。。　stand　by　one　。。。　it　came　in　at　1603　local。〃
　〃Thanks；　Phil；　see　you。〃
　Rosemont　lit　another　cigarette。　Sourly　Langan；　a　nonsmoker；　watched　him　but　said　nothing　as　Crosse　was　smoking　too。
　〃Rog；　what　are　you　pulling？〃　Rosemont　asked　harshly；　to　Langan's　shock。　〃You　got　your　Priority　1…4a　at　1603；　same　time　as　we　did。　Why　the　stall？〃
　〃I　find　it　presently　convenient；〃　Crosse　replied；　his　voice　pleasant。
　Rosemont　flushed；　so　did　Langan。　〃Well　I　don't　and　we've　instructions；　official　instructions；　to　pick　up　our　copies　right　now。〃
　〃So　sorry；　Stanley。〃
　Rosemont's　neck　was　now　very　red　but　he　kept　his　temper。　〃You're　not　going　to　obey　the　1…4a？〃
　〃Not　at　the　moment。〃
　Rosemont　got　up　and　headed　for　the　door。　〃Okay；　Rog；　but　they'll　throw　the　book　at　you。〃　He　ripped　the　bolt　back；　jerked　the　door　open　and　left。　Langan　was　on　his　feet；　his　face　also　set。
　〃What's　the　reason；　Roger？〃　he　asked。
　Crosse　stared　back　at　him　calmly。　〃Reason　for　what？〃
　Ed　Langan　began　to　get　angry　but　stopped；　suddenly　appalled。　〃Jesus；　Roger；　you　haven't　got　them　yet？　Is　that　it？〃
　〃e　now；　Ed；〃　Crosse　said　easily；　〃you　of　all　people　should　know　we're　efficient。〃
　〃That's　no　answer；　Roger。　Have　you　or　haven't　you？〃　The　FBI　man's　level　eyes　stayed　on　Crosse；　and　did　not　faze　Crosse　at　all。　Then　he　walked　out；　closing　the　door　after　him。　At　once　Crosse　touched　the　hidden　switch。　The　bolt　slid　home。　Another　hidden　switch　turned　off　his　tape　recorder。　He　picked　up　his　phone　and　dialed。　〃Brian？　Have　you　heard　from　Dunross？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Meet　me　downstairs　at　once。　With　Armstrong。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Crosse　hung　up。　He　took　out　the　formal　arrest　document　that　was　headed　DETAINMENT　ORDER　UNDER　THE　OFFICIAL　SECRETS　ACT。　Quickly　he　filled　in　〃Ian　Struan　Dunross〃　and　signed　both　copies。　The　top　copy　he　kept；　the　other　he　locked　in　his　drawer。　His　eyes　roamed　his　office；　checking　it。　Satisfied；　he　delicately　positioned　a　sliver　of　paper　in　the　crack　of　his　drawer　so　that　he　alone　would　know　if　anyone　had　opened　it　or　tampered　with　it。　He　walked　out。　Heavy　security　locks　slid　home　after　him。
　
　23
　
　5：45　P。M。：
　Dunross　was　in　the　Struan　boardroom　with　the　other　directors　of　Nelson　Trading；　looking　at　Richard　Kwang。　〃No；　Richard。　Sorry；　I　can't　wait　till　after　closing　tomorrow。〃
　〃It'll　make　no　difference　to　you；　tai…pan。　It　will　to　me。〃　Richard　Kwang　was　sweating。　The　others　watched　him　…　Phillip　Chen；　Lando　Mata　and　Zeppelin　Tung。
　〃I　disagree；　Richard；〃　Lando　Mata　said　sharply。　〃Madonna；　you　don't　seem　to　realize　the　seriousness　of　the　run！〃
　〃Yes；〃　Zeppelin　Tung　said；　his　face　shaking　with　suppressed　rage。
　Dunross　sighed。　If　it　wasn't　for　his　presence　he　knew　they　would　all　be　raving　and　screaming　at　each　other；　the　obscenities　flying　back　and　forth　as　they　do　at　any　formal　negotiation　between　Chinese；　let　alone　one　as　serious　as　this。　But　it　was　a　Noble　House　law　that　all　board　meetings　were　to　be　conducted　in　English；　and　English　inhibited　Chinese　swearing　and　also　unsettled　Chinese　which　was　of　course　the　whole　idea。　〃The　matter　has　to　be　dealt　with　now；　Richard。〃
　〃I　agree。〃　Lando　Mata　was　a　handsome；　sharp…featured　Portuguese　in　his　fifties；　his　mother's　Chinese　blood　clear　in　his　dark　eyes　and　dark　hair　and　golden　plexion。　His　long　fine　fingers　drummed　continuously　on　the　conference　table　and　he　knew　Richard　Kwang　would　never　dare　disclose　that　he；　Tightfist　Tung　and　Smuggler　Mo　controlled　the　bank。　Our　bank's　one　enterprise；　he　thought　angrily；　but　our　bullion's　something　else。　〃We　can't　have　our　bullion；　or　our　cash；　in　jeopardy！〃
　〃Never；〃　Zeppelin　Tung　said　nervously。　〃My　father　wanted　me　to　make　that　clear　too。　He　wants　his　gold！〃
　〃Madre　de　Dios；　we've　almost　fifty　tons　of　gold　in　your　vaults。〃
　〃Actually　it's　over　fifty　tons；〃　Zeppelin　Tung　said；　the　sweat　beading　his　forehead。　〃My　old　man　gave　me　the　figures　…　it's　1；792；668　ounces　in　298；778　five…tael　bars。〃　The　air　in　the　large　room　was　warm　and　humid；　the　windows　open。　Zeppelin　Tung　was　a　well…dressed；　heavyset　man　of　forty　with　small　narrow　eyes；　the　eldest　son　of　Tightfist　Tung；　and　his　accent　was　upper…class　British。　His　nickname　came　from　a　movie　that　Tightfist　had　seen　the　day　of　his　birth。　〃Richard；　isn't　that　right？〃
　Richard　Kwang　shifted　the　agenda　paper　in　front　of　him　which　listed　the　quantity　of　gold　and　Nelson　Trading's　current　balance。　If　he　had　to　give　up　the　bullion　and　cash　tonight　it　would　severely　hurt　the　bank's　liquidity　and；　when　the　news　leaked；　as　of　course　it　would；　that　would　rock　their　whole　edifice。
　〃What're　you　going　to　do；　you　dumbhead　dog　bone！〃　his　wife　had　screamed　at　him　just　before　he　had　left　his　office。
　〃Delay；　delay　and　hope　th…　〃
　〃No！　Pretend　to　be　sick！　If　you're　sick　you　can't　give　them　our　money。　You　can't　go　to　the　meeting！　Rush　home　and　we'll　pretend…　〃
　〃I　can't；　the　tai…pan　called　personally。　And　so　did　that　dog　bone　Mata！　I　daren't　not　go！　Oh　oh　oh！〃
　〃Then　find　out　who's　hounding　us　and　pay　him　off！　Where's　your　head？　Who　have　you　offended？　You　must　have　offended　one　of　those　dirty　quai　lohs。　Find　the　man　and　pay　him　off　or　we'll　lose　the　bank；　lose　our　membership　in　the　Turf　Club；　lose　the　horses；　lose　the　Rolls　and　lose　face　forever！　Ayeeyah！　If　the　bank　goes　you'll　never　be　Sir　Richard　Kwang；　not　that　being　Lady　Kwang　matters　to　me