jamesclavell.noblehouse-第201章

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he　best　person。〃
　〃Ah　yes；　Rosemont。　He's　here　now。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey's　eyes　hardened。　〃You　have　copies　of　all　my　guest　lists；　Roger？〃
　〃No　sir。　Half　an　hour　ago　I　called　the　consulate　to　find　out　where　he　was。　They　told　me。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　looked　back　at　him　under　his　shaggy　eyebrows；　disbelieving　him；　sure　that　the　chief　of　SI　did　know　whom　he　invited　and　when。　Never　mind；　he　thought　testily；　that's　his　job。　And　I'll　bet　a　golden　guinea　to　a　doughnut　that　these　prints　aren't　the　only　copies　Roger　made；　for　he　knows　our　Admiralty　would　love　to　see　them　too　and　it's　his　duty　to　provide　them。　〃Could　this　have　any　connection　with　the　AMG　business？〃
　〃No。　No　not　at　all；〃　Crosse　said　and　the　governor　thought　he　heard　the　momentary　flutter　in　Crosse's　voice。　〃I　don't　think　there's　any　connection。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　got　out　of　the　tall　chair　and　paced　for　a　moment；　his　mind　sifting　possibilities。　Roger's　right。　Chinese　Intelligence　on　both　sides　of　the　bamboo　fence　are　bound　to　find　out　quickly；　as　every　one　of　our　Chinese　police　has　PRC　or　Nationalist　sympathies。　So　it's　far　better　to　have　the　spy　out　of　reach。　Then　no　one　will　be　tempted　…　at　least；　not　here。　〃I　think　I　should　chat　with　the　minister　at　once。〃
　〃Perhaps；　under　the　circumstances；　sir；　you　could　inform　the　minister　what　I've　done　about　the　major　…　sending　him　to　London　under　es…　〃
　〃He's　already　gone？〃
　〃No　sir。　But　it's　well　within　my　authority　to　expedite　that　…　if　you　agree。〃
　Thoughtfully　Sir　Geoffrey　glanced　again　at　the　clock。　At　length。　he　said　with　a　small　smile；　〃Very　well。　It's　lunchtime　now　in　London；　I'll　inform　him　in　an　hour　or　so。　Is　that　sufficient　time？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　thank　you；　sir。　Everything's　arranged。〃
　〃I　presumed　it　was。〃
　〃I'll　breathe　a　lot　easier　when　the　fellow's　en　route　home；　sir。　Thank　you。〃
　〃Yes。　And　the　sailor？〃
　〃Perhaps　you　could　ask　the　minister　to　approve　our　handing　him　over　to　Rosemont；　sir。〃
　There　were　a　dozen　questions　Sir　Geoffrey　would　like　to　have　asked　but　he　asked　none　of　them。　From　long　experience　he　knew　he　was　not　a　good　liar；　so　the　less　he　knew　the　better。　〃Very　well。　Now；　what's　the　second　piece　of　'good'　news。　I　trust　this　will　be　better。〃
　〃We've　caught　the　mole；　sir。〃
　〃Ah！　Good。　Excellent！　Very　good。　Who？〃
　〃Senior　Superintendent　Kwok。〃
　〃Impossible！〃
　Crosse　kept　the　pleasure　off　his　face。　〃I　agree；　sir。　Even　so；　Superintendent　Kwok's　a　munist　mole　and　spy　for　the　PRC。〃　Crosse　related　how　Brian　Kwok's　cover　had　been　penetrated。　〃I　suggest　Superintendent　Armstrong　should　get　a　mendation　…　also　Spectacles　Wu。　I'm　taking　him　into　SI；　sir。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　was　staring　out　of　the　window；　stunned。　〃Bless　my　soul！　Young　Brian！　Why？　He　would　have　been　an　assistant　missioner　in　a　year　or　two。　。。。　I　suppose　there's　no　mistake？〃
　〃No　sir。　As　I　said；　the　proof　is　irrefutable。　Of　course；　we　don't　know　the　how　or　the　why　yet　but　we　soon　will。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　heard　the　finality　and　he　saw　the　thin；　hard　face　and　cold　eyes　and　he　felt　very　sorry　for　Brian　Kwok；　whom　he　had　liked　for　many　years。　〃Keep　me　advised　about　him。　Perhaps　we　can　discover　what　makes　a　man　like　that　do　such　a　thing。　Good　God；　such　a　charming　chap　and　a　first…class　cricketer　too。　Yes；　keep　me　advised。〃
　〃Certainly；　sir。〃　Crosse　got　up。　〃Interesting。　I　could　never　understand　why　he　was　always　so　anti…American　…　it　was　his　only　flaw。　Now　it's　obvious。　I　should　have　spotted　that。　Sorry　sir；　and　sorry　to　interrupt　your　evening。〃
　〃You're　to　be　congratulated；　Roger。　If　the　Soviet　agent's　being　sent　to　London　perhaps　Brian　Kwok　should　go　too？　The　same　reasons　would　apply　to　him？〃
　〃No　sir。　No　I　don't　think　so。　We　can　deal　with　Kwok　here　much　quicker　and　better。　We're　the　ones　who　need　to　know　what　he　knows　…　London　wouldn't　understand。　Kwok's　a　threat　to　Hong　Kong；　not　to　Britain。　He's　a　PRC　asset　…　the　other　man's　Soviet。　The　two　don't　parallel。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　sighed　heavily；　knowing　Crosse　was　right。　〃I　agree。　This　has　really　been　a　quite　dreadful　day；　Roger。　First　the　bank　runs；　then　the　stock　market　。。。　the　deaths　last　night；　poor　Sir　Charles　Pennyworth　and　Toxe's　wife　。。。　and　this　morning　the　Aberdeen　mud…slide　deaths　。。。　the　Noble　House's　tottering　。。。　it　looks　as　though　this　storm　front's　developing　into　a　blasted　typhoon　which　will　probably　wreck　Saturday's　racing　。。。　and　now　all　your　news；　an　American　sailor　betrays　his　country　and　ship　and　honor　for　a　paltry　2；000？〃
　Crosse　smiled　his　thin　smile　again。　〃Perhaps　2；000　wasn't　paltry　to　him。〃
　We　live　in　terrible　times；　Sir　Geoffrey　was　going　to　say；　but　he　knew　it　was　not　the　times。　It　was　merely　that　people　were　people；　that　greed　pride　lust　avarice　jealousy　gluttony　anger　and　the　bigger　lust　for　power　or　money　ruled　people　and　would　rule　them　forever。　Most　of　them。
　〃Thank　you　for　ing；　Roger。　Again；　you're　to　be　congratulated。　I　will　so　inform　the　minister。　Good　night。〃
　He　watched　Crosse　walk　off；　tall；　confident　and　deadly。　When　the　iron　door　in　the　high　wall　had　been　bolted　behind　him　by　his　aide；　Sir　Geoffrey　Allison　allowed　the　real　unasked　question　to　surface　once　more。
　Who's　the　mole　in　my　police？
　AMG's　paper　was　quite　clear。　The　traitor's　a　Soviet　asset；　not　from　the　PRC。　Brian　Kwok　has　been　flushed　out　by　chance。　Why　didn't　Roger　point　out　the　obvious？
　Sir　Geoffrey　shuddered。　If　Brian　could　be　a　mole　anyone　could。　Anyone。
　
　50
　
　8：17　P。M。：
　Almost　before　he　took　his　finger　off　the　bell　the　door　swung　open。
　〃Oh；　Linc；〃　Orlanda　said　breathlessly；　her　happiness　spilling　over；　〃I'd　given　you　up。　Please　e　in！〃
　〃Sorry　to　be　late；〃　Bartlett　said；　taken　aback　by　her　beauty　and　marvelous　warmth。　〃The　traffic's　snarled　to　hell　and　the　ferries　jammed　and　I　couldn't　get　to　a　phone。〃
　〃You're　here　so　you're　not　late；　not　at　all。　I　was　just　afraid　that　。。。〃　Then　she　added　in　a　rush；　〃I　was　afraid　you　wouldn't　e　back　tonight　and　then　I'd've　been　shattered。　There；　I've　said　it　and　all　my　defenses　are　down　but　I'm　so　happy　to　see　you　I　don't　care。〃　She　stood　on　tiptoe　and　kissed　him　a　swift　happy　kiss；　took　his　arm　and　shut　the　door　behind　them。
　Her　perfume　was　delicate　and　barely　there　but　he　felt　it　as　a　physical　presence。　The　dress　she　wore　was　knee…length　white　chiffon　that　sighed　as　she　moved；　close　at　the　wrists　and　neck。　It　showed　but　somehow　didn't　quite　show　her　golden　skin。　〃I'm　so　happy　you're　here；〃　she　said　again　and　took　his　umbrella　and　put　it　into　a　rack。
　〃So　am　I。〃
　The　room　was　prettier　by　night；　mostly　candlelit；　the　tall　glass　doors　of　the　terrace　open　to　the　air。　They　were　just　below　the　overcast　and　the　city　sprawled　down　the　mountain　to　the　sea；　the　lights　misting　from　time　to　time　as　whiskers　of　the　low　clouds　passed　by。　Sea　level　was　seven　hundred　feet　below。　Kowloon　was　dim　and　the　harbor　dim　but　he　knew　the　ships　were　there　and　he　could　see　the　huge　carrier　at　the　wharf；　her　great　angled　deck　floodlit；　the　needle…nosed　jets　floodlit；　her　battle…gray　bridge　reaching　for　the　sky　…　the　Stars　and　Stripes　hanging　damp　and　listless。
　〃Hey；〃　he　said；　leaning　on　the　terrace　railing；　〃what　a　great　night；　Orlanda。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　yes　it　is。　e　and　sit　down。〃
　〃I'd　rather　look　at　the　view；　if　it's　okay。〃
　〃Of　course；　anything　you　want's　fine；　anything。　That　suit's　great　on　you；　Linc；　and　I　love　your　tie。〃　She　said　it　happily；　wanting　to　pliment　him　even　though　she　did　not　think　the　tie　matched　too　well。　Never　mind；　she　thought；　he's　just　not　color　conscious　like　Quillan；　and　needs　helping。　I'll　do　what　Quillan　taught　me　to　do；　not　criticize　but　go　out　and　buy　one　I　like　and　give　it　to　him。　If　he　likes　it；　marvelous；　if　not　never　mind；　for　what　does　it　matter　…　he's　the　one　who's　wearing　it。　Blue；　blue　would　match　Linc's　eyes　and　go　better　with　that　shirt。　〃You　dress　very　well。〃
　〃Thanks；　so　do　you。〃　He　was　remembering　what　Casey　had　said　about　his　tie　and　how　furious　he　had　been　with　her　tonight　all　the　way　across　the　ferry；　all　the　time　waiting　for　a　cab；　and　the　old　woman　who　had　trod　on　his　foot　shoving　past　to　usurp　his　cab　but　he　had　foiled　her　and　cursed　her　back。
　It　was　only　now　that　his　rage…temperature　had　vanished。　It　was　Orlanda's　pleasure　at　seeing　me　that　did　it；　he　told　himself。