jamesclavell.noblehouse-第246章

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ordon　Chen；　son　of　my　beloved　tai…pan　…　where　most　of　our　heathen　always　lived　was　a　stinking；　festering；　overcrowded；　rat…breeding　cauldron　for　all　pestilences；　and　as　much　as　the　authorities　cajoled；　ordered　and　insisted；　the　superstitious　inhabitants　there　disbelieved　everything　and　would　do　nothing　to　improve　their　lot；　though　the　deaths　continued　and　continued。　Even　Gordon；　now　a　toothless　old　man；　could　do　nothing　…　tearing　his　hair　at　his　loss　of　rents；　saving　his　energy　for　the　four　young　women　in　his　household。
　〃In　the　stench　of　late　summer　when　it　seemed　the　Colony　was　once　more　doomed；　with　deaths　mounting　daily；　I　had　Tai…ping　Shan　put　to　the　torch　by　night；　the　whole　monstrous　stenching　mountainside。　That　some　inhabitants　were　consumed　is　on　my　conscience；　but　without　the　cleansing　fire　the　Colony　was　doomed　and　hundreds　of　thousands　more　doomed。　I　caused　Tai…ping　Shan　to　be　fired　but　thereby　I　kept　troth　with　Hong　Kong。　I　kept　troth　with　the　Legacy。　And　I　kept　troth　with　the　second　of　the　half　coins。
　〃On　the　twentieth　of　April　a　man　called　Chiang　Wu…tah　presented　the　half　coin　to　my　darling　young　cousin；　Dirk　Dunross；　fourth　tai…pan；　who　brought　it　to　me；　he　not　knowing　the　secret　of　the　coins。　I　sent　for　the　man　Chiang　who　spoke　English。　The　favor　he　asked　was　that　the　Noble　House　should　grant　immediate　sanctuary　and　succor　to　a　young；　Western…educated　Chinese　revolutionary　named　Sun　Yat…sen；　that　we　should　help　this　Sun　Yat…sen　with　funds；　and　that　we　should　help　him　as　long　as　he　lived；　to　the　limits　of　our　power　in　his　fight　to　overthrow　the　alien　Manchu　Dynasty　of　China。　Supporting　any　revolutionary　against　China's　ruling　dynasty　with　whom　we　had　cordial　relations　and　on　whom　depended　much　of　our　trade　and　revenues　was　against　my　principles；　and　seemingly　against　the　interests　of　the　House。　I　said　no；　I　would　not　assist　the　overthrow　of　their　emperor。　But　Chiang　Wu…tah　said；　'This　is　the　favor　required　from　the　Noble　House。'
　〃And　so　it　was　done。
　〃At　great　risk　I　provided　funds　and　protection。　My　darling　Dirk　Dunross　spirited　Dr。　Sun　out　of　Canton　to　the　Colony　and　from　there　abroad　to　America。　I　wanted　Dr。　Sun　to　acpany　young　Dirk　to　England　…　he　was　leaving　on　the　tide。　Master　of　our　steamer　Sunset　Cloud。　That　was　the　week　I　wanted　to　hand　over　to　him　as　real　tai…pan　but　he　said；　'No；　not　until　I　return。'　But　he　was　never　to　return。　He　and　all　hands　were　lost　at　sea　somewhere　in　the　Indian　Ocean。　Oh　how　terrible　my　loss；　our　loss！
　〃But　death　is　a　part　of　life　and　we　the　living　have　our　duty　to　be　done。　I　do　not　yet　know　to　whom　I　should　hand　over。　It　should　have　been　Dirk　Dunross；　who　was　named　for　his　grandfather。　His　sons　are　too　young；　none　of　the　Coopers　are　adequate；　or　deVilles；　Daglish　is　possible；　none　of　the　MacStruans　are　yet　ready。　Alastair　Struan　perhaps　but　there's　a　weakness　there　that　es　down　from　Robb　Struan。
　〃I　don't　mind　admitting　to　you；　future　tai…pan；　that　I　am　weary　unto　death。　But　I　am　not　yet　ready　to　die。　Pray　God　I　am　given　the　strength　for　a　few　more　years。　There　is　not　one　of　my　line　or　my　beloved　Dirk　Struan's　line　worthy　of　his　mantle。　And　now　there　is　this　Great　War　to　see　through；　the　House　to　rebuild；　our　merchant　fleet　to　refurbish　…　so　far　German　U…boats　have　sunk　thirty　of　our　ships；　almost　our　whole　fleet。　Yes；　and　there　is　the　favor　of　the　second　coin　still　to　fulfill。　This　Dr。　Sun　Yat…sen　must　and　will　be　supported　until　he　dies　and　so　retain　our　face　in　Asia。　。。。〃
　And　we　did；　Dunross　thought。　The　Noble　House　supported　him　in　all　his　troubles；　even　when　he　tried　to　join　with　Soviet　Russia；　until　he　died　in　1925　and　Chiang　Kai…shek；　his　Soviet…trained　lieutenant；　assumed　his　mantle　and　launched　China　into　the　future　…　until　his　old　ally　but　ancient　enemy；　Mao　Tse…tung；　took　the　future　away　from　him　to　mount　the　Dragon　Throne　in　Peking　with　bloody　hands；　first　of　a　new　dynasty。
　Dunross　took　out　a　handkerchief　and　mopped　his　brow。
　The　air　in　the　vault　was　dusty　and　dry　and　a　little　caught　in　his　throat　and　he　coughed。　His　hands　were　sweaty　too　and　he　could　still　feel　the　chill　on　his　back。　He　rummaged　carefully　to　the　bottom　of　the　deep　metal　box　and　found　his　corporate　chop　that　he　would　need　over　the　weekend　in　case　the　Royal　Belgium…First　Central　deal　came　to　pass。　I　certainly　owe　Casey　more　than　one　favor　if　the　deal　is　made；　he　told　himself。
　His　heart　was　thumping　again　and　he　could　not　resist　making　sure。　With　great　care　he　lifted　the　secret　false　bottom　of　the　safety　deposit　box　a　fraction。　In　the　two…inch　space　beneath　were　eight　blue…covered　files。　AMG's　real　files。　Those　that　moments　ago　he　had　passed　over　to　Sinders　had　been　in　the　sealed　package　that　Kirk　and　his　wife　had　brought　yesterday　…　those　eight　counterfeit　files　and　a　letter：　〃Tai…pan：　I　am　terribly　worried　that　both　you　and　I　are　betrayed　and　that　information　contained　in　previous　files　may　fall　into　the　wrong　hands。　The　enclosed　substitute　files　are　safe　and　very　similar。　They　drop　vital　names　and　vital　information。　You　may　pass　these　over　if　you　are　forced　to　do　it；　but　only　then。　As　to　the　originals；　you　should　destroy　them　after　you　have　seen　Riko。　Certain　pages　contain　invisible　writing。　Riko　will　give　you　the　key。　Please　excuse　all　these　diversionary　tactics　but　espionage　is　not　for　children；　it　deals　in　death；　actual　and　in　the　future。　Our　lovely　Britain　is　beset　with　traitors　and　evil　walks　the　earth。　Bluntly；　freedom　is　under　siege　as　never　in　history。　I　beg　you　to　emulate　your　illustrious　ancestor。　He　fought　for　freedom　to　trade；　to　live　and　to　worship。　Sorry；　but　I　don't　think　he　died　in　a　storm。　We'll　never　know　the　truth　but　I　believe　he　was　murdered；　as　I　will　be。　Not　to　worry；　my　young　friend。　I've　done　very　well　in　my　life。　I've　put　a　lot　of　nails　in　the　enemy　coffin；　more　than　my　fair　share　…　I　ask　you　to　do　the　same。〃
　The　letter　was　signed；　〃With　great　respect。〃
　Poor　bugger；　Dunross　thought　sadly。
　Yesterday　he　had　smuggled　the　counterfeit　files　into　the　vault；　replacing　the　originals　in　the　other　box。　He　would　have　liked　to　have　destroyed　the　originals　then　but　there　was　no　way　to　do　that　safely　and　anyway　he　had　to　wait　for　his　meeting　with　the　Japanese　woman。　Better　and　safer　to　leave　them　where　they　are　for　the　moment；　he　said　to　himself。　Plenty　of　ti…　
　Suddenly　he　felt　eyes。　His　hand　sneaked　for　the　automatic。　When　his　fingers　had　grasped　it；　he　looked　around。　His　stomach　seemed　to　turn　over。　Crosse　was　watching　him。　And　Johnjohn。　They　were　at　the　entrance　to　the　vault。
　After　a　moment　Crosse　said；　〃I　just　wanted　to　thank　you　for　your　cooperation；　Ian。　Mr。　Sinders　and　I　appreciate　it。〃
　Relief　poured　through　Dunross。　〃That's　all　right。　Glad　to　help。〃　Trying　to　be　casual　he　relaxed　his　hold　on　the　automatic　and　let　it　slide　away。　The　false　bottom　fell　silently　into　place。　He　saw　Crosse's　scrutiny　but　shrugged　it　off。　From　where　the　superintendent　stood　he　did　not　think　it　possible　for　him　to　have　seen　the　real　files。　Dunross　blessed　his　joss　that　had　prevented　him　from　taking　one　of　the　files　out　to　leaf　through　it。　Carelessly　he　slammed　the　box　shut　and　his　breathing　began　again。　〃It　really　is　quite　stuffy　in　here；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　Again；　Ian；　thank　you。〃　Crosse　left。
　〃How　did　you　open　that　box？〃　Johnjohn　asked　coldly。
　〃With　a　key。〃
　〃Two　keys；　Ian。　That's　against　regulations。〃　Johnjohn　held　out　his　hand。　〃May　I　have　our　property　please。〃
　〃Sorry；　old　chum；〃　Dunross　said　calmly；　〃it's　not　your　property。〃
　Johnjohn　hesitated。　〃We　always　suspected　you　had　a　duplicate　master　key。　Paul　is　right　about　one　thing：　you've　too　much　power；　you　consider　this　bank　yours；　our　funds　yours　and　the　Colony　yours。〃
　〃We've　had　a　long　and　happy　association　with　both；　and　it's　only　in　the　last　few　years　when　Paul　Havergill's　had　some　measure　of　power　that　I've　had　a　hard　time；　me　personally；　and　my　House　personally。　But　worse　than　that；　he's　old…fashioned　and　I　voted　him　out　for　that　reason　only。　You're　not；　you're　modern。　You'll　be　fairer；　far…seeing；　less　emotional　and　straighter。〃
　Johnjohn　shook　his　head。　〃I　doubt　it。　If　I　ever　bee　tai…pan　of　the　bank　I'm　going　to　see　it's　wholly　owned　by　its　stockholders　and　controlled　by　directors　appoi