jamesclavell.noblehouse-第91节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


h　garden；　shrubs；　flower　beds　surrounded　by　the　high　white　wall；　the　sunset　good。　His　wife　was　cutting　flowers；　wandering　among　the　beds　at　the　far　end　of　the　gardens；　followed　by　a　sour…faced；　disapproving　Chinese　gardener。　Sir　Geoffrey　watched　her　a　moment。　They　had　been　married　thirty　years　and　had　three　children；　all　married　now；　and　they　were　content　and　at　peace　with　each　other。　〃Always　traitors；〃　he　said　sadly。　〃The　Soviets　are　past　masters　in　their　use。　So　easy　for　the　Sevrin　traitors　to　agitate；　to　spread　a　little　poison　here　and　there；　so　easy　to　get　China　upset；　poor　China　who's　xenophobic　anyway！　Oh　how　easy　it　is　to　rock　our　boat　here！　Worst　of　all；　who's　your　spy？　The　police　spy？　He　must　be　at　least　a　chief　inspector　to　have　access　to　that　information。〃
　〃I've　no　idea。　If　I　had；　he'd've　been　neutralized　long　since。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　General　Jen　and　his　Nationalist　undercover　agents？〃
　〃I'm　going　to　leave　them　alone　…　they've　been　pegged　for　months。　Much　better　to　leave　known　enemy　agents　in　situ　than　to　have　to　ferret　out　their　replacements。〃
　〃I　agree　…　they'd　certainly　all　be　replaced。　Theirs；　and　ours。　Sad；　so　sad！　We　do　it　and　they　do　it。　So　sad　and　so　stupid　…　this　world's　such　a　paradise；　could　be　such　a　paradise。〃
　A　bee　hummed　in　the　bay　windows　then　flew　back　to　the　garden　again　as　Sir　Geoffrey　eased　the　curtain　aside。　〃The　minister　asked　me　to　make　sure　our　visiting　MPs　…　our　trade　delegation　to　China　that　returns　tomorrow　…　to　make　sure　their　security　was　optimum；　judicious；　though　totally　discreet。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　I　understand。〃
　〃It　appears　that　one　or　two　of　them　might　be　future　cabinet　ministers　if　the　Labour　Party　get　in。　It'd　be　good　for　the　Colony　to　create　a　fine　impression　on　them。〃
　〃Do　you　think　they've　a　chance　next　time？　The　Labour　Party？〃
　〃I　don't　ment　on　those　sort　of　questions；　Roger。〃　The　governor's　voice　was　flat；　and　reproving。　〃I'm　not　concerned　with　party　politics　…　I　represent　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　…　but　personally　I　really　do　wish　some　of　their　extremists　would　go　away　and　leave　us　to　our　own　devices　for　clearly　much　of　their　left　wing　socialist　philosophy　is　alien　to　our　English　way　of　life。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　hardened。　〃It's　quite　obvious　some　of　them　do　assist　the　enemy；　willingly　…　or　as　dupes。　Since　we're　on　the　subject；　are　any　of　our　guests　security　risks？〃
　〃It　depends　what　you　mean；　sir。　Two　are　left…wing　trades　unionists　back…benchers；　fire…eaters　…　Robin　Grey　and　Lochin　Donald　McLean。　McLean　openly　flaunts　his　B。C。P。　…　British　munist　Party　…　affiliations。　He's　fairly　high　on　our　S…list。　All　the　other　Socialists　are　moderates。　The　Conservative　members　are　moderate；　middle…class；　all　ex…service。　One's　rather　imperialist；　the　Liberal　Party　representative；　Hugh　Guthrie。〃
　〃And　the　fire…eaters？　They're　ex…service？〃
　〃McLean　was　a　miner；　at　least　his　father　was。　Most　of　his　munist　life's　been　as　a　shop　steward　and　unionist　in　the　Scottish　coalfields。　Robin　Grey　was　army；　a　captain；　infantry。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　looked　up。　〃You　don't　usually　associate　ex…captains　with　being　fire…eating　trades　unionists；　do　you？〃
　〃No　sir。〃　Crosse　sipped　his　sherry；　appreciating　it；　savoring　his　knowledge　more。　〃Nor　with　being　related　to　a　tai…pan。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　〃Robin　Grey's　sister　is　Penelope　Dunross。〃
　〃Good　God！〃　Sir　Geoffrey　stared　at　him；　astounded。　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃But　why　hasn't；　why　hasn't　Ian　mentioned　it　before？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　sir。　Perhaps　he's　ashamed　of　him。　Mr。　Grey　is　certainly　the　plete　opposite　of　Mrs。　Dunross。〃
　〃But　。。。　Bless　my　soul；　you're　sure？〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Actually；　it　was　Brian　Kwok　who　spotted　the　connection。　Just　by　chance。　The　MPs　had　to　furnish　the　usual　personal　information　to　the　PRC　to　get　their　visas；　date　of　birth；　profession；　next　of　kin；　etcetera。　Brian　was　doing　a　routine　check　to　make　sure　all　the　visas　were　in　order　to　avoid　any　problem　at　the　border。　Brian　happened　to　notice　Mr。　Grey　had　put　'sister；　Penelope　Grey'　as　his　next　of　kin；　with　an　address；　Castle　Avisyard　in　Ayr。　Brian　remembered　that　that　was　the　Dunross　family　home　address。〃　Crosse　pulled　out　his　silver　cigarette　case。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　smoke；　sir？〃
　〃No；　please　go　ahead。〃
　〃Thank　you。　That　was　a　month　or　so　ago。　I　thought　it　important　enough　for　him　to　follow　up　the　information。　It　took　us　relatively　little　time　to　establish　that　Mrs。　Dunross　really　was　his　sister　and　next　of　kin。　As　far　as　we　know　now；　Mrs。　Dunross　quarreled　with　her　brother　just　after　the　war。　Captain　Grey　was　a　POW　in　Changi；　caught　in　Singapore　in　1942。　He　got　home　in　the　later　part　of　1945　…　by　the　way　their　parents　were　killed　in　the　London　blitz　in　'43。　At　that　time　she　was　already　married　to　Dunross　…　they'd　married　in　1943；　sir；　just　after　he　was　shot　down　…　she　was　a　WAAF。　We　know　brother　and　sister　met　when　Grey　was　released。　As　far　as　we　can　tell　now；　they've　never　met　again。　Of　course　it's　none　of　our　affair　anyway；　but　the　quarrel　must　have　been　…　〃
　Crosse　stopped　as　there　was　a　discreet　knock　and　Sir　Geoffrey　called　out　testily；　〃Yes？〃
　The　door　opened。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　his　aide　said　politely；　〃Lady　Allison　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　the　water's　just　gone　on。〃
　〃Oh；　marvelous！　Thank　you。〃　The　door　closed。　At　once　Crosse　got　up　but　the　governor　waved　him　back　to　his　seat。　〃No；　please　finish；　Roger。　A　few　minutes　won't　matter；　though　I　must　confess　I　can　hardly　wait。　Would　you　like　to　shower　before　you　go？〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir；　but　we've　our　own　water　tanks　at　police　HQ。〃
　〃Oh　yes。　I　forgot。　Go　on。　You　were　saying　…　the　quarrel？〃
　〃The　quarrel　must　have　been　pretty　serious　because　it　seems　to　have　been　final。　A　close　friend　of　Grey　told　one　of　our　people　a　few　days　ago　that　as　far　as　he　knew；　Robin　Grey　had　no　living　relatives。　They　really　must　hate　each　other。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　stared　at　his　cup；　not　seeing　it。　Suddenly　he　was　remembering　his　own　rotten　childhood　and　how　he　had　hated　his　father；　hated　him　so　much　that　for　thirty　years　he　had　never　called　him；　or　written　to　him；　and；　when　he　was　dying　last　year；　had　not　bothered　to　go　to　him；　to　make　peace　with　the　man　who　had　given　him　life。　〃People　are　terrible　to　each　other；〃　he　muttered　sadly。　〃I　know。　Yes。　Family　quarrels　are　too　easy。　And　then；　when　it's　too　late；　you　regret　it；　yes；　you　really　regret　it。　People　are　terrible　to　each　other　。。。〃
　Crosse　watched　and　waited；　letting　him　ramble；　letting　him　reveal　himself；　cautious　not　to　make　the　slightest　movement　to　distract　him；　wanting　to　know　the　man's　secrets；　and　skeletons。　Like　Alan　Medford　Grant；　Crosse　collected　secrets。　Goddamn　that　bastard　and　his　god…cursed　files！　God　curse　Dunross　and　his　devilry！　How　in　the　name　of　Christ　can　I　get　those　files　before　Sinders？
　Sir　Geoffrey　was　staring　into　space。　Then　the　water　gurgled　delightedly　in　the　pipes　somewhere　in　the　walls　and　he　came　back　into　himself。　He　saw　Crosse　watching　him。　〃Hmmm；　thinking　aloud！　Bad　habit　for　a　governor；　eh？〃
　Crosse　smiled　and　did　not　fall　into　the　trap。　〃Sir？〃
　〃Well。　As　you　said；　it's　really　none　of　our　business。〃　The　governor　finished　his　drink　with　finality　and　Crosse　knew　that　he　was　dismissed。　He　got　up。　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　When　he　was　alone　the　governor　sighed。　He　thought　a　moment　then　picked　up　the　special　phone　and　gave　the　operator　the　minister's　private　number　in　London。
　〃This　is　Geoffrey　Allison。　Is　he　in　please？〃
　〃Hello；　Geoffrey！〃
　〃Hello；　sir。　I've　just　seen　Roger。　He　assures　me　that　the　hiding　place　and　Dunross　will　be　pletely　guarded。　Is　Mr。　Sinders　en　route？〃
　〃He'll　be　there　on　Friday。　I　presume　there　have　been　no　repercussions　from　that　seaman's　unfortunate　accident？〃
　〃No　sir。　Everything　seems　to　be　under　control。〃
　〃The　P。M。　was　most　concerned。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　The　governor　added；　〃About　the　1…4a　。。。　perhaps　we　shouldn't　mention　anything　to　our　friends；　yet。〃
　〃I've　already　heard　from　them。　They　were　distressingly　irritated。　So　were　our　fellows。　All　right；　Geoffrey。　Fortunately　it's　a　long　weekend　this　week　so　I'll　inform　them　Monday　and　draft　his　reprimand　then。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　〃Geoffrey；　that　American　senator　you　have　with　you　at　the　moment。　I　think　he　should　be　guided。〃
　The　governor　frowned。　Guided　was　a　code　word　between　them；　meaning　〃watched　very　carefully。〃　Senator　Wilf　Tillman；　a　presidential　hopeful；　was　visiting　Hong　Kong　en　route　to　Saigon　for　a　well…publicized　fact…finding　mission。
　〃I'll　take　care　of　it　as　soon　as　I'm　off　the　phone。　Was　there　anything　else；　sir？〃　he　asked；　impatient　now　to　bathe。
　〃No；　just　give　me　a　private　minute　on　what　the　senator's　program　has　been。〃　Program　was　another　code　which　meant　to　furnish　the　Colonial　Office　with　detailed　information。　〃When　you've　time。〃
　〃I'll　have　it　on　your　desk　Friday。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Geoffrey。　We'll　chat　at　the　usual　time　tomorrow。〃　The　line　went　dead。
　The　governor　replaced　the　phone　thoughtfully。　Their　conversation　would　have　been　electronically　scrambled　and；　at　either　end；　unscrambled。　Even　so；　they　were　guarded。　They　knew　the　enemy　had　the　most　advanced　and　sophisticated　eavesdropping　equipment　in　the　world。　For　any　really　classified　conversation　or　meeting　he　would　go　to　the　permanently　guarded；　concrete；　cell…like　room　in　the　basement