jamesclavell.noblehouse-第258章

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　〃I　must　point　out　Old　Friends　could　hardly　be　expected　to　consider　assisting　Old　Friends　when　their　police　are　so　errored。　Heya？〃
　〃I　agree；〃　he　heard　himself　saying　with　the　right　amount　of　concern；　his　mind　shouting；　Christ　almighty；　they　want　to　trade　Brian　for　the　money！　〃I'll　。。。　I'll　talk　to　the　authorities　first　thing　tom…　〃
　〃Perhaps　you　could　do　something　tonight。〃
　〃It's　too　late　to　call　the　governor　now　but　。。。〃　Then　Dunross　remembered　Sinders　and　Armstrong　and　his　heart　leaped。　〃I'll　try。　At　once。　I'm　sure　there's　some　mistake；　Mr。　Tip。　Yes。　It　must　be　a　mistake。　In　any　event　I'm　sure　the　governor　will　be　helpful。　And　the　police。　Surely　such　a　。。。　a　mistake　could　be　handled　satisfactorily　…　like　the　Victoria's　request　for　the　temporary　use　of　the　illustrious　bank's　cash？〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。　〃It's　possible　that　could　be　done。　It's　possible。　Old　Friends　should　assist　Old　Friends；　and　help　correct　mistakes。　Yes；　it　could　be　possible。〃
　Dunross　heard　the　unsaid　when　left　hanging　and　automatically　continued　the　negotiation；　most　of　his　mind　still　beset　by　what　he　had　been　told。　〃Did　you　happen　to　get　my　note；　Mr。　Tip？　I've　taken　care　of　everything　else。　By　the　way；　the　Victoria　will　certainly　assist　the　financing　of　the　thorium。〃　He　added　delicately；　〃Also　most　other　further　requests　…　at　advantageous　terms。〃
　〃Ah　yes；　thank　you。　Yes；　I　received　your　note　and　your　very　kind　invitation。　So　sorry　that　I　was　unwell。　Thank　you；　tai…pan。　How　long　would　your　government　require　the　cash　loan；　if　it　was　possible？〃
　〃I　imagine　thirty　days　would　be　more　than　enough；　perhaps　even　two　weeks。　But　it's　the　Victoria；　Blacs　and　the　other　banks　and　not　the　Hong　Kong　Government。　I　could　tell　you　that　tomorrow。　Do　we　have　the　privilege　of　seeing　you　at　the　races　for　lunch？〃
　〃I　regret　not　for　lunch　but　perhaps　after　lunch；　if　that's　possible。〃
　Dunross　smiled　grimly。　The　perfect　promise。　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Thank　you　for　calling。　By　the　way；　Mr。　Yu　was　most　impressed　with　you；　tai…pan。〃
　〃Please　give　him　my　regards。　I　look　forward　to　seeing　him　soon。　In　Canton。〃
　〃I　was　astonished　to　read　your　brother…in…law's　ments　about　the　Middle　Kingdom。〃
　〃Yes。　So　was　I。　My　wife　and　her　brother　have　been　estranged　for　years。　His　views　are　alien；　enemy　and　totally　misguided。〃　Dunross　hesitated。　〃I　hope　to　neutralize　him。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　I　agree。　Thank　you。　Good　night。〃　The　phone　went　dead。
　Dunross　hung　up。　Christ！　Brian　Kwok！　And　I'd　almost　given　him　the　AMG　papers。　Christ！
　Collecting　his　wits　with　a　great　effort；　he　went　back　into　the　foyer。　Armstrong　and　Sinders　were　still　there。　〃Evening；　may　I　join　you　a　moment？〃
　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Dunross。　This　is　a　pleasant　surprise。　May　I　offer　you　a　drink？〃
　〃Tea；　Chinese　tea。　Thanks。〃
　Their　table　was　away　from　others　and　when　it　was　safe　Dunross　leaned　forward。　〃Robert；　I　hear　you've　arrested　Brian　Kwok；〃　he　said　still　hoping　it　wasn't　true。　The　two　men　stared　at　him。
　〃Who　told　you　that？〃　Armstrong　asked。
　Dunross　recounted　his　conversation。　Both　men　listened　nonmittally　though　from　time　to　time　he　saw　them　glance　at　one　another。　〃Obviously　it's　a　trade；〃　he　told　them。　〃Him　for　the　cash。〃
　Sinders　sipped　his　hot　chocolate。　〃How　important's　the　money？〃
　〃pletely　important；　urgent　and　the　sooner　the　better。〃　Dunross　mopped　his　brow。　〃The　cash　will　pletely　stop　the　bank　runs；　Mr。　Sinders。　We've　got　t…　〃　He　stopped；　aghast。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Sinders　asked。
　〃I　…　I　suddenly　remembered　what　AMG　wrote　in　the　intercepted　report。　That　the　'。。。　police　mole　may　or　may　not　be　part　of　Sevrin。'　Is　he？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃For　chrissake；　don't　play　with　me；〃　Dunross　said　angrily；　〃this's　serious。　You　think　I'm　a　bloody　fool？　There's　a　Sevrin　plant　in　Struan's。　If　Brian's　part　of　Sevrin　I've　a　right　to　know。〃
　〃I　quite　agree；〃　Sinders　said　calmly　though　his　eyes　had　bee　very　flinty。　〃The　moment　the　traitor's　uncovered　you　may　rest　assured　you'll　be　informed。　Have　you　any　idea　who　it　could　be　yet？〃
　Dunross　shook　his　head；　controlling　his　anger。
　Sinders　watched　him。　〃You　were　saying？　'We've　got　to　。。。'　Got　to　what；　Mr。　Dunross？〃
　〃We've　got　to　get　that　cash　at　once。　What's　Brian　done？〃　After　a　moment　Sinders　said；　〃Banks　don't　open　till　Monday。　So　Monday's　D　Day？〃
　〃I　imagine　the　banks　will　have　to　get　the　money　before　then　…　to　open　and　have　the　money　in　the　tills。　What　the　devil's　Brian　done？〃
　Sinders　lit　a　cigarette　for　himself　and　for　Armstrong。　〃If　this　person　Brian　actually　has　been　arrested　I　don't　think　that's　really　a　very　discreet　question；　Mr。　Dunross。〃
　〃I'd've　bet　anything；〃　the　tai…pan　said　helplessly；　〃anything；　but　Tiptop'd　never　suggest　a　trade　unless　it　was　true。　Never。　Brian　must　be　bloody　important　but　Christ；　what's　the　world　ing　to？　Will　you　handle　the　trade　or　will　Mr。　Crosse　…　I　suppose　the　governor's　approval　will　be　needed。〃
　Thoughtfully　the　chief　of　MI…6　blew　the　tip　of　his　cigarette。　〃I　doubt　if　there　will　be　a　trade；　Mr。　Dunross。〃
　〃Why　not？　The　money's　more　impor…　〃
　〃That's　a　matter　of　opinion；　Mr。　Dunross；　if　this　Brian　Kwok　actually　is　under　arrest。　In　any　event；　Her　Majesty's　Government　could　hardly　be　subject　to　blackmail。　Very　poor　taste。〃
　〃Quite。　But　Sir　Geoffrey　will　agree　at　once。〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　He　impressed　me　as　being　much　too　clever　to　do　that。　As　to　trading；　Mr。　Dunross；　I　thought　you　were　going　to　give　us　the　AMG　files。〃
　Dunross　felt　an　ice　pick　in　his　stomach。　〃I　did；　this　evening。〃
　〃For　chrissake；　don't　play　with　me；　this's　serious！　You　think　I'm　a　bloody　fool？〃　Sinders　said　in　exactly　the　same　tone　that　Dunross　had　used。　Abruptly　he　laughed　dryly　and　continued　with　the　same　chilling　calm；　〃You　certainly　gave　us　a　version　of　them　but　unfortunately　they　just　don't　pare　in　quality　with　the　one　intercepted。〃　The　rumpled　man's　eyes　became　even　more　flinty　and　curiously　menacing　though　his　face　did　not　change。　〃Mr。　Dunross；　your　subterfuge　was　deft；　mendable　but　unnecessary。　We　really　do　want　those　files；　the　originals。〃
　〃If　those　don't　satisfy　you；　why　not　go　through　AMG's　papers？〃
　〃I　did。〃　Sinders　smiled　without　humor。　〃Well；　it's　like　the　old　highwayman　saying；　'The　money　or　your　life。'　Possession　of　those　files　may　be　lethal　to　you。　You　agree；　Robert？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Sinders　puffed　his　cigarette。　〃So；　Mr。　Dunross；　your　Mr。　Tiptop　wants　to　trade；　eh？　Everyone　in　Hong　Kong　wants　to　trade。　It's　in　the　air。　Eh？　But　to　trade　you　have　to　give　value　for　value。　I　imagine　if　you　want　concessions　to　get　concessions　from　the　enemy　。。。　well；　all's　fair　in　love　and　war；　they　say。　Isn't　it？〃
　Dunross　kept　his　face　guileless。　〃So　they　say。　I'll　talk　to　the　governor　first　thing。　Let's　keep　this　strictly　confidential　for　the　moment　until　I've　talked　to　him。　Night。〃
　They　watched　him　walk　through　the　swing　doors　and　disappear。
　〃What　do　you　think；　Robert？　Did　Dunross　switch　the　files　on　us？〃
　Armstrong　sighed。　〃I　don't　know。　His　face　said　nothing。　I　was　watching　closely。　Nothing。　But　he's　as　sharp　as　a　tack。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Sinders　pondered　a　moment。　〃So　the　enemy　want　a　trade；　eh？　I'd　say　we　have　possession　of　this　particular　client　for　twenty…four　hours　at　the　most。　When　do　you　do　his　next　interrogation？〃
　〃6：30　a。m。〃
　〃Oh！　Well　if　you've　an　early　start　we'd　better　be　going。〃　Sinders　called　for　the　check。　〃I'll　consult　with　Mr。　Crosse　but　I　know　what　he'll　say　…　what　in　fact　London　has　ordered。〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃They're　very　concerned　because　the　client's　been　party　to　too　many　secrets；　the　General　Staff　Course；　the　Royal　Canadian　Mounted　Police。〃　Sinders　hesitated　again。　〃On　second　thought；　Robert；　now　irrespective　of　what　Mr。　Dunross　does　our　only　course　is　to　step　up　the　debriefing。　Yes。　We'll　cancel　the　6：30　interrogation；　continue　with　the　hourly　schedule；　providing　he's　medically　fit；　and　into　the　Red　Room。〃
　Armstrong　blanched。　〃But　si。。。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Sinders　said；　his　voice　gentle。　〃I　know　he's　a　friend；　was　a　friend；　but　now　your　Mr。　Tiptop　and　your　Mr。　Dunross　have　taken　away　our　time。〃
　
　
　SATURDAY
　
　62
　
　9：32　A。M。：
　The　JAL　jet　from　Tokyo　came　in　low　over　the　sea　and　touched　down　perfectly　at　Kai　Tak　with　a　puff　of　smoke　from　its　wheels。　At　once　its　engines　went　into　reverse　thru