jamesclavell.noblehouse-第222章

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　〃Kristos！　Why　the　hell　did　Roger　have　to　be　so　efficient？〃
　〃It　was　Armstrong。　SI　has　checks　and　balances。　But　so　long　as　Metkin　knows　nothing　there's　no　harm！〃
　Suslev　felt　the　Englishman's　scrutiny。　He　kept　his　face　guileless。　Plumm　was　no　fool。　The　man　was　strong；　cunning；　ruthless；　a　secret　protégé　and　selectee　of　Philby's。　〃I'm　certain　Metkin　knows　nothing　that　could　damage　us。　Even　so；　Center　should　be　informed　at　once。　They　can　deal　with　it。〃
　〃I've　already　done　that。　I　asked　for　Priority　One　help。〃
　〃Good；〃　Suslev　said。　〃You've　done　very　well；　rade。　You　and　Crosse。　Acquiring　Crosse　for　the　cause　was　a　brilliant　coup。　I　must　congratulate　you　again。〃　Suslev　meant　the　pliment。　Roger　Crosse　was　a　professional　and　not　an　amateur　like　this　man　and　all　the　others　of　Sevrin。
　〃Perhaps　I　acquired　him；　perhaps　he　acquired　me。　I'm　not　sure　sometimes；〃　Plumm　said　thoughtfully。　〃Or　about　you；　rade。　Voranski　I　knew。　We'd　done　business　over　the　years　but　you；　you're　a　new；　untried　quantity。〃
　〃Yes。　It　must　be　difficult　for　you。〃
　〃You　don't　seem　too　upset　about　the　loss　of　your　superior。〃
　〃I'm　not。　I　must　confess　I'm　not。　Metkin　was　mad　to　put　himself　in　such　danger。　That　was　totally　against　orders。　To　be　frank　。。。　I　think　there　have　been　security　leaks　from　the　Ivanov。　Metkin　was　the　only　long…term　member　of　the　crew；　apart　from　Voranski；　who　had　access　ashore。　He　was　considered　to　be　beyond　reproach　but　you　never　know。　Perhaps　he　made　other　mistakes；　a　loose　tongue　in　a　bar；　eh？〃
　〃Christ　protect　us　from　fools　and　traitors。　Where　did　AMG　get　his　information？〃
　〃We　don't　know。　As　soon　as　we　do；　that　leak　will　be　plugged。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　be　Voranski's　permanent　replacement？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　have　not　been　told。〃
　〃I　don't　like　change。　Change　is　dangerous。　Who　killed　him？〃
　〃Ask　Crosse。　I　want　to　know　too。〃　Suslev　watched　Plumm　back。　He　saw　him　nod；　apparently　satisfied。　〃What　about　Sinders　and　the　AMG　papers？〃　he　asked。
　〃Roger's　covered　everything。　No　need　to　worry。　He's　sure　we'll　get　to　look　at　them。　You'll　have　your　copy　tomorrow。〃　Again　Plumm　watched　him。　〃What　if　we're　named　in　the　reports？〃
　〃Impossible！　Dunross　would　have　told　Roger　at　once　…　or　one　of　his　friends　in　the　police；　probably　Chop　Suey　Kwok；〃　Suslev　said　with　a　sneer。　〃If　not　him；　the　governor。　Automatically　it　would　get　back　to　Roger。　You're　all　safe。〃
　〃Perhaps；　perhaps　not。〃　Plumm　went　to　the　window　and　looked　at　the　brooding　sky。　〃Nothing's　ever　safe。　Take　Jacques。　He's　a　risk　now。　He'll　never　make　tai…pan。〃
　Suslev　let　himself　frown　and　then；　as　though　it　was　a　sudden　idea；　he　said；　〃Why　not　guide　him　out　of　Hong　Kong？　Suggest　to　Jacques　he　ask　to　be　posted　to　。。。　say　Struan's　in　Canada。　He　could　use　his　recent　tragedy　as　an　excuse。　In　Canada　he'll　be　in　a　backwater　and　he'll　die　on　the　vine　there。　Eh？〃
　〃Very　good　idea。　Yes；　that　should　be　easy。　He　has　a　number　of　good　contacts　there　which　might　be　useful。〃　Plumm　nodded。　〃I'll　be　a　lot　happier　when　we've　read　those　files；　and　even　happier　when　you　find　out　how　the　hell　AMG　discovered　us。〃
　〃He　discovered　Sevrin；　not　you。　Listen；　rade；　I　assure　you　you're　safe　to　continue　your　vital　work。　Please　continue　to　do　everything　you　can　to　agitate　the　banking　crisis　and　the　stock　market　crash。〃
　〃No　need　to　worry。　We　all　want　that　to　happen。〃
　The　phone　came　to　life。　Both　men　stared　at　it。　It　only　sounded　once。　One　ring。　The　code；　danger；　leaped　into　their　heads。　Aghast　Suslev　grabbed　the　hidden　gun；　remembering　his　fingerprints　were　on　it　as　he　hurtled　through　the　kitchen　for　the　back　door；　Plumm　close　behind　him。　He　ripped　open　the　door；　letting　Plumm　through　first　onto　the　exit　landing。　At　that　moment　there　was　the　pounding　of　approaching　feet　and　a　crash　against　the　front　door　behind　them　which　held　but　buckled　slightly。　Suslev　closed　the　back　door　silently；　easing　a　bar　into　place。　Another　crash。　He　peered　through　a　crack。　Another　crash。　The　front　locks　shattered。　For　an　instant　he　saw　the　silhouettes　of　four　men　against　the　hall　light；　then　he　fled。　Plumm　was　already　down　the　stairs；　covering　him　from　the　next　landing；　automatic　out；　and　Suslev　went　down　the　steps　three　at　a　time　past　him　to　the　next　landing；　then　turned　to　cover　in　his　turn。　Above　him　the　back　door　buckled　nauseatingly。　Silently　Plumm　ran　past　him　and　again　covered　him　as　they　fled　downward　to　the　next　landing。　Then　Plumm　pulled　away　some　camouflaging　crates　from　the　false　door　exit　that　branched　off　the　main　one。　Footsteps　noisily　raced　up　toward　them　from　downstairs。　Another　crash　against　the　back　door　above。　Suslev　guarded　as　Plumm　squeezed　through　the　opening　into　the　dark　and　he　followed；　pulling　the　partial　door　closed　after　him。　Already　Plumm　had　found　the　flashlight　that　was　waiting　in　a　clip。　Footsteps　raced　closer。　Cautiously　Plumm　led　the　way　downward；　both　men　moving　well　and　silently。　The　footsteps　passed　with　the　sound　of　muffled　voices。　Both　men　stopped　momentarily；　trying　to　hear　what　was　being　said。　But　the　sound　was　too　indistinct　and　muted　and　they　could　not　even　tell　if　it　was　English　or　Chinese。
　Plumm　turned　again　and　led　the　way　downward。　They　hurried　but　with　great　caution；　not　wanting　to　make　any　unnecessary　noise。　Soon　they　were　near　the　secret　exit。　Without　hesitation　the　two　men　lifted　the　false　floor　and　went　below　into　the　cool　wet　of　the　culvert。　Once　they　were　there　and　safe；　they　stopped　for　breath；　their　hearts　pounding　with　the　suddenness　of　it　all。
　When　he　could　talk；　Suslev　whispered；　〃Kuomintang？〃
　Plumm　just　shrugged。　He　wiped　the　sweat　off。　A　car　rumbled　overhead。　He　directed　his　light　to　the　dripping　ceiling。　There　were　many　cracks　and　another　avalanche　of　stones　and　mud　cascaded。　The　floor　was　awash　with　half　a　foot　of　water　that　covered　their　shoes。
　〃Best　we　part；　old　chap；〃　Plumm　said　softly　and　Suslev　noticed　that　though　the　man　was　sweating；　his　voice　was　icy　calm　and　the　light　never　wavered。　〃I'll　get　Roger　to　deal　with　whatever　shower　that　was　at　once。　Very　bloody　boring。〃
　Suslev's　heart　was　slowing。　He　still　found　it　difficult　to　speak。　〃Where　do　we　meet　tomorrow？〃
　〃I'll　let　you　know。〃　The　Englishman's　face　was　stark。　〃First　Voranski；　then　Metkin　and　now　this。　Too　many　leaks。〃　He　jerked　a　thumb　upward。　〃That　was　too　close。　Maybe　your　Metkin　knew　more　than　you　think　he　did。〃
　〃No。　I　tell　you　he　knew　nothing　about　Sevrin；　nothing；　or　about　that　apartment　or　Clinker　or　any　of　it。　Only　Voranski　and　me；　we're　the　only　ones　who　knew。　There's　no　leak　from　our　side。〃
　〃I　hope　you're　right。〃　Plumm　added　grimly；　〃We'll　find　out；　Roger'll　find　out　one　way　or　another；　one　day；　and　then　God　help　the　traitor！〃
　〃Good。　I　want　him　too。〃
　After　a　pause　Plumm　said；　〃Call　me　every　half　an　hour　from　various　phone　booths；　from　7：30　p。m。　tomorrow。〃
　〃All　right。　If　for　any　reason　there's　a　problem　I'll　be　at　Ginny's　from　eleven　onwards。　One　last　thing。　If　we　don't　get　to　look　at　the　AMG　papers；　what's　your　opinion　about　Dunross？〃
　〃His　memory's　incredible。〃
　〃Then　we　isolate　him　for　a　chemical　interrogation？〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Good；　tovarich。　I'll　make　all　the　preparations。〃
　〃No。　We'll　snatch　him　and　we'll　deliver　him。　To　the　Ivanov？〃
　Suslev　nodded　and　told　him　Metkin's　suggestion　of　blaming　the　Werewolves；　not　saying　it　was　Metkin's　idea。　〃Eh？〃
　Plumm　smiled。　〃Clever！　See　you　tomorrow。〃　He　handed　Suslev　the　flashlight；　took　out　a　pencil　light　and　turned；　going　down　the　culvert；　his　feet　still　under　water。　Suslev　watched　until　the　tall　man　had　turned　the　corner　and　vanished。　He　had　never　followed　the　culvert　below。　Plumm　had　told　him　not　to；　that　it　was　dangerous　and　subject　to　rockfalls。
　He　took　a　deep　breath；　now　over　his　fright。　Another　car　rumbled　heavily　overhead。　That's　probably　a　truck；　he　thought　absently。　More　mud　and　a　piece　of　the　concrete　fell　with　a　splash；　startling　him。　Suslev　waited；　then　began　to　pick　his　way　carefully　up　the　slope。　Another　tiny　avalanche。　Suddenly　Suslev　hated　the　subterranean　tube。　It　made　him　feel　insecure　and　doom　ridden。
　
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　Dunross　was　looking　at　the　sad　hulk　of　the　burned…out　Floating　Dragon　restaurant　that　lay　on　her　side　in　twenty　feet　of　Aberdeen　water。　The　othe