jamesclavell.noblehouse-第245章

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　〃I　do。〃　The　governor　handed　him　an　envelope。　〃I　believe　you　wanted　it　in　writing。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃　To　Sinders；　Dunross　said；　〃Sorry；　but　you　understand　my　reluctance。〃
　〃Of　course。　Good；　then　that's　settled。　Shall　we　go；　Mr。　Dunross？〃
　〃Who's　Mary　McFee？〃
　Sinders　was　shocked。　Crosse　and　the　governor　stared　at　him；　perplexed；　then　at　Dunross。　〃You　have　friends　in　high　places；　Mr。　Dunross。　May　I　ask　who　told　you　that？〃
　〃Sorry。〃　Dunross　kept　his　gaze　on　him。　Alastair　Struan　had　got　the　information　from　some　VIP　in　the　Bank　of　England　who　had　approached　someone　high　up　in　the　government。　〃All　we　want　to　do　is　to　be　sure　Sinders　is　who　he　pretends　to　be。〃
　〃Mary　McFee's　a　friend；〃　Sinders　said　uneasily。
　〃Sorry；　that's　not　good　enough。〃
　〃A　girl　friend。〃
　〃Sorry；　neither's　that。　What's　her　real　name？〃
　Sinders　hesitated；　then；　his　face　chalky；　he　took　Dunross　by　the　arm　and　guided　him　to　the　far　end　of　the　room。　He　put　his　lips　very　close　to　Dunross's　ear。　〃Anastasia　Kekilova；　First　Secretary　of　the　Czechoslovak　Embassy　in　London；〃　he　whispered；　his　back　to　Crosse　and　the　governor。
　Dunross　nodded；　satisfied；　but　Sinders　held　on　to　his　arm　with　surprising　strength　and　whispered　even　more　softly；　〃You'd　better　forget　that　name。　If　the　KGB　ever　suspect　you　know　they'll　get　it　out　of　you。　Then　she's　dead；　I'm　dead　and　so're　you。〃
　Dunross　nodded。　〃Fair　enough。〃
　Sinders　took　a　deep　breath；　then　turned　and　nodded　at　Crosse。　〃Now　let's　have　this　done　with；　Roger。　Your　Excellency？〃
　Tensely　they　all　followed　him。　Johnjohn　was　waiting　at　the　elevator。　Three　floors　below　were　the　vaults。　Two　plainclothes　guards　waited　in　the　small　hallway　in　front　of　the　heavy　iron　gates；　one　man　CID；　the　other　SI。　Both　saluted。　Johnjohn　unlocked　the　gates　and　let　everyone　through　except　the　guards；　then　relocked　them。　〃Just　a　bank　custom。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　had　a　break…in？〃　Sinders　asked。
　〃No；　though　the　Japanese　did　force　the　gates　when　the　keys　were；　er；　lost。〃
　〃Were　you　here　then；　sir？〃
　〃No。　I　was　lucky。〃　After　Hong　Kong　capitulated；　at　Christmas　1941；　the　two　British　banks；　Blacs　and　the　Victoria；　became　prime　Japanese　targets　and　were　ordered　to　be　liquidated。　All　the　executives　were　separated　and　kept　under　guard　and　forced　to　assist　the　process。　Over　the　months　and　years　they　were　all　subjected　to　extreme　pressures。　They　were　forced　to　issue　bank　notes　illegally。　And　then　the　Kampeitai；　the　hated　and　feared　Japanese　secret　police；　had　bee　involved。　〃The　Kampeitai　executed　several　of　our　fellows　and　made　the　lives　of　the　rest　miserable；〃　Johnjohn　said。　〃The　usual：　no　food；　beatings；　privation；　shut　up　in　cages。　Some　died　of　malnutrition　…　starvation's　the　real　word　…　and　both　Blacs　and　we　lost　our　chief　execs。〃　Johnjohn　unlocked　another　grille。　Beyond　were　rows　and　rows　of　safe　deposit　boxes　in　several　interconnecting　concrete；　reinforced　cellars。　〃Ian？〃
　Dunross　took　out　his　passkey。　〃It's　16。85。94。〃
　Johnjohn　led　the　way。　Very　unfortable；　he　inserted　his　bank　key　in　one　lock。　Dunross　did　the　same　with　his。　They　turned　both　keys。　The　lock　clicked　open。　Now　all　eyes　were　on　the　box。　Johnjohn　took　out　his　key。　〃I'll　。。。　I'll　be　waiting　at　the　gate；〃　he　said；　glad　it　was　over；　and　left。
　Dunross　hesitated。　〃There　are　other　things　in　here；　private　papers。　Do　you　mind？〃
　Crosse　did　not　move。　〃Sorry　but　either　Mr。　Sinders　or　myself　should　ensure　we　get　possession　of　all　the　files。〃
　Dunross　noticed　the　sweat　on　both　men。　His　own　back　was　wet。　〃Your　Excellency；　would　you　mind　watching？〃
　〃Not　at　all。〃
　Reluctantly　the　two　other　men　retreated。　Dunross　waited　until　they　were　well　away；　then　opened　the　box。　It　was　large。　Sir　Geoffrey's　eyes　widened。　The　box　was　empty　but　for　the　blue　covered　files。　Without　ment　he　accepted　them。　There　were　eight。　Dunross　slammed　the　box　closed　and　the　lock　clicked　home。
　Crosse　came　forward；　his　hand　out。　〃Shall　I　take　them　for　you；　sir？〃
　〃No。〃
　Crosse　stopped；　startled；　and　bit　back　a　curse。　〃But；　Exce…　〃
　〃The　minister　set　up　a　procedure　…　approved　by　our　American　friends　…　which　I　agreed　to；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　said。　〃We　will　all　go　back　to　my　office。　We　will　all　witness　the　photocopying。　Two　copies　only。　One　for　Mr。　Sinders；　one　for　Mr。　Rosemont。　Ian；　I　have　been　directly　ordered　by　the　Minister　to　give　Mr。　Rosemont　copies。〃
　Dunross　shrugged；　desperately　hoping　that　he　still　appeared　unconcerned。　〃If　that's　what　the　minister　wants；　that's　perfectly　all　right。　When　you've　photocopied　the　originals；　sir；　please　burn　them。〃　He　saw　them　look　at　him　but　he　was　watching　Crosse　and　he　thought　he　saw　an　instant　of　pleasure。　〃If　the　files're　so　special　then　it's　better　they　shouldn't　exist　…　except　in　the　correct　hands；　MI…6　and　the　CIA。　Certainly　I　shouldn't　have　a　copy。　If　they're　not　special　…　then　never　mind。　Most　of　poor　old　AMG　was　too　far…fetched　and　now　that　he's　dead　I　must　confess　I　don't　consider　the　files　special　so　long　as　they're　in　your　hands。　Please　burn　or　shred　them；　Excellency。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　The　governor　turned　his　pale　blue　eyes　on　Roger　Crosse。　〃Yes；　Roger？〃
　〃Nothing；　sir。　Shall　we　go？〃
　Dunross　said；　〃I've　got　to　get　some　corporate　papers　to　check　while　I'm　here。　No　need　to　wait　for　me。〃
　〃Very　well。　Thank　you；　Ian；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　said　and　left　with　the　other　two　men。
　When　he　was　quite　alone　Dunross　went　to　another　bank　of　boxes　in　the　adjoining　vault。　He　took　out　his　key　ring　and　selected　two　keys；　grimly　aware　that　Johnjohn　would　have　a　coronary　if　he　knew　he　had　a　duplicate　master　key。　The　lock　sprang　back　soundlessly。　This　box　was　one　of　dozens　the　Noble　House　possessed　under　different　names。　Inside　were　bundles　of　U。S。　100　notes；　ancient　deeds　and　papers。　On　top　was　a　loaded　automatic。　As　always；　Dunross's　psyche　was　unsettled；　hating　guns；　hating　Hag　Struan；　admiring　her。　In　her　〃Instructions　to　Tai…pans；〃　written　just　before　her　death　in　1917；　that　was　part　of　her　last　will　and　testament　and　in　the　tai…pan's　safe；　she　had　laid　down　more　rules　and　one　of　them　was　that　there　should　always　be　substantial　amounts　of　secret　cash　for　the　tai…pan's　use；　on　hand；　and　another　that　there　should　be　at　least　four　loaded　handguns　perpetually　available　in　secret　places。　She　wrote：　〃I　abhor　guns　but　I　know　them　to　be　necessary。　On　Michaelmas　Eve　in　1916　when　I　was　infirm　and　sick；　my　grandson　Kelly　O'Gorman；　third　tai…pan　（in　name　only）；　believing　I　was　on　my　deathbed；　forced　me　from　my　bed　to　the　safe　in　the　Great　House　to　fetch　the　seal…chop　of　the　Noble　House　…　to　assign　to　him　absolute　power　as　tai…pan。　Instead　I　took　the　gun　that　was　secretly　in　the　safe　and　shot　him。　He　lingered　two　days　then　died。　I　am　God…fearing　and　I　abhor　guns　and　some　killing；　but　Kelly　became　a　mad　dog　and　it　is　the　duty　of　the　tai…pan　to　protect　the　succession。　I　regret　his　death　not　a　jot　or　tittle。　You　who　read　this　beware：　kith　or　kin　lust　for　power　as　others　do。　Do　not　be　afraid　to　use　any　method　to　protect　Dirk　Struan's　legacy　。。。〃
　A　bead　of　sweat　trickled　down　his　cheek。　He　remembered　the　hair　on　the　nape　of　his　neck　rising　when　he　had　first　read　her　instructions；　the　night　he　had　taken　over　as　tai…pan。　He'd　always　believed　that　Cousin　Kelly　…　eldest　son　of　the　Hag's　last　daughter　Rose　…　had　died　of　cholera　in　one　of　the　great　waves　that　perpetually　washed　Asia。
　There　were　other　monstrosities　she　had　written　about：　〃In　1894；　that　most　terrible　of　years；　the　second　of　Jin…qua's　coins　was　brought　to　me。　That　was　the　year　plague　had　e　to　Hong　Kong；　bubonic　plague。　Amongst　our　heathen　Chinese；　tens　of　thousands　were　dying。　Our　own　population　was　equally　savaged　and　the　plague　took　high　and　low；　Cousin　Hannah　and　three　children；　two　of　Chen…chen's　children；　five　grandchildren。　Legend　foretold　that　bubonic　plague　was　wind…borne。　Others　thought　it　was　the　curse　of　God　or　a　flux　like　malaria；　the　killing　'bad　air'　of　Happy　Valley。　Then　the　miracle！　The　Japanese　research　doctors　Vitasato　and　Aoyama　we　brought　to　Hong　Kong　isolated　the　plague　bacillus　and　proved　the　pest　was　flea…borne；　and　rat…borne；　and　that　correct　sanitation　and　the　elimination　of　rats　would　cast　out　the　curse　forever。　The　eyesore　hillside　of　Tai…ping　Shan　that　Gordon　owns　…　Gordon　Chen；　son　of