jamesclavell.noblehouse-第274章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　the　moment。　I'll　call　you　tonight。　Did　Suslev　say　who　the　American　in　the　cable　was？〃
　〃No。　He　just　said　it　wasn't　anything　to　do　with　us。〃
　Crosse's　voice　hardened。　〃Everything　here's　to　do　with　us。〃
　〃I　agree。〃　Plumm　watched　him。　〃It　could　also　be　a　code　word；　a　code　for　anyone。〃
　〃Possible。〃
　〃I　have　a　wild　one　for　you。　Banastasio。〃
　〃Why　him？〃　Crosse　asked；　having　jumped　to　the　same　conclusion。
　〃I　don't　know　why；　but　I'll　bet　that　whole　scam；　if　it　is　a　scam；　has　to　be　KGB　inspired；　or　assisted。　It's　classic　Sun　Tzu：　using　the　enemy's　strength　against　himself　…　both　enemies；　the　U。S。　and　China。　A　strong　unified　Vietnam's　guaranteed　militantly　anti…Chinese。　Eh？〃
　〃Possible。　Yes；　it　all　fits；〃　Crosse　agreed。　Except　one　thing；　he　thought：　Vee　Cee　Ng。　Until　Brian　Kwok　had　blurted　out；　〃Vee　Cee's　one　of　us；〃　he　had　had　no　inkling　that　the　man　was　anything　other　than　a　swinging　photographer　and　trader…shipping　capitalist。　〃If　Banastasio's　the　American；　we'll　know。〃　He　finished　his　cigarette。　〃Was　there　anything　else？〃
　〃No。　Roger；　consider　Dunross。　Please。　The　Werewolves　make　it　possible。〃
　〃It's　considered。〃
　〃This　weekend　would　be　perfect；　Roger。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　
　Orlanda　was　watching　the　horses　through　her　high…powered　binoculars　as　they　broke　out　of　the　starting　gate　for　the　fourth　race。　She　stood　in　a　corner　of　the　members'　balcony；　Bartlett　happily　beside　her；　everyone　watching　the　horses　except　him。　He　was　watching　her；　the　curve　of　her　breasts　under　the　silk；　the　angle　of　her　cheekbones　and　the　intensity　of　her　excitement。　〃e　on；　Crossfire；〃　she　muttered；　〃e　on！　He's　lying　fifth；　Linc；　oh　e　on；　you　beauty；　e　on　。。。〃
　He　chuckled；　Orlanda　oblivious。　They　had　arranged　to　meet　here　between　the　third　and　fourth　race。　〃Are　you　a　voting　member？〃　he　had　asked　her　last　night。
　〃Oh　no；　my　darling；　I'm　just　going　with　friends。　Old　friends　of　my　family。　Another　drink？〃
　〃No；　no　thanks　…　I'd　better　go。〃
　They　had　kissed　and　again　he　had　felt　her　overpowering　wele。　It　had　kept　him　unsettled　and　on　edge　all　the　way　back　across　the　harbor　home　and　most　of　the　night。　Much　as　he　tried；　he　found　the　wanting　of　her　difficult　to　contain　and　to　keep　in　perspective。
　You're　hooked；　old　buddy；　he　told　himself；　watching　her；　the　tip　of　her　tongue　touching　her　lips；　her　eyes　concentrating；　everything　forgotten　but　her　50　on　the　nose　of　the　big　gray；　the　favorite。
　〃e　on　。。。　e　。。。　oh　he's　moving　up；　Linc　。。。　oh　he's　second。　。。。〃
　Bartlett　looked　at　the　pack　galloping　now　into　the　last　stretch：　Crossfire；　the　big　gray　well　placed　to　Western　Scot；　a　brown　gelding　who　was　slightly　in　the　lead；　the　going　very　slow　…　one　horse　had　fallen　in　the　third　race。　Now　a　contender　made　his　dash；　Winwell　Stag；　a　gelding　belonging　to　Havergill　that　Peter　Marlowe　had　tipped　to　win；　and　he　was　ing　up　strong　on　the　outside　with　Crossfire　and　Western　Scot　neck　and　neck　just　ahead；　all　whips　out　now　in　the　gathering　roar。
　〃Oh　e　on　e　on　e　on　Crossfire　。。。　oh　he's　won；　he's　won！〃
　Bartlett　laughed　in　the　pandemonium　as　Orlanda's　glee　burst　out　and　she　hugged　him。　〃Oh　Linc；　how　wonderful！〃
　In　a　moment　there　was　another　roar　as　the　winning　numbers　were　flashed　up　on　the　tote　board；　confirming　their　order。　Now　everyone　waited　for　the　final　odds。　Another　great　cheer。　Crossfire　paid　5　to　2。
　〃That's　not　much；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh　but　it　is　it　is　it　is！〃　Orlanda　had　never　looked　prettier　to　him；　her　hat　cute；　much　better　than　Casey's　…　he'd　noticed　it　at　once　and　plimented　her　on　it。　She　moved　forward　and　leaned　on　the　railing　and　looked　down　at　the　winner's　circle。　〃There's　the　owner；　Vee　Cee　Ng；　he's　one　of　our　Shanghainese　trader…shipping　millionaires。　My　father　knew　him　quite　well。〃　She　gave　him　the　glasses。
　Bartlett　focused。　The　man　leading　the　garlanded　horse　into　the　winner's　circle　was　expensively　dressed；　a　beaming；　well…set　Chinese　in　his　fifties。　Then　Bartlett　recognized　Havergill　leading　in　his　Winwell　Stag；　second；　defeated　by　a　nose。　In　the　paddock　he　saw　Gornt；　Plumm；　Pugmire　and　many　of　the　stewards。　Dunross　was　near　the　rails　talking　to　a　smaller　man。　The　governor　was　walking　from　group　to　group　with　his　wife　and　aide。　Bartlett　watched　them；　envying　them　a　little；　the　owners　standing　there　with　their　caps　and　raincoats　and　shooting　sticks　and　expensive　women　and　girl　friends；　greeting　one　another；　all　members　of　the　inner　club；　the　powerhouse　of　Hong　Kong；　there　and　in　the　boxes　above。　All　very　British；　he　thought；　all　very　clever。　Will　I　fit　in　better　than　Biltzmann？　Sure。　Unless　they　want　me　out　as　much　as　they　wanted　him　out。　I'll　be　a　voting　member　easy。　Ian　said　as　much。　Would　Orlanda　fit　there？　Of　course。　As　wife　or　girl　friend；　it's　all　the　same。
　〃Who's　that？〃　he　asked。　〃The　man　talking　to　Ian？〃
　〃Oh　that's　Alexi　Travkin；　he's　the　tai…pan's　trainer。　。。。〃　She　stopped　as　Robert　Armstrong　came　up　to　them。
　〃Afternoon；　Mr。　Bartlett；〃　he　said　politely。　〃Did　you　back　the　winner　too？〃
　〃No；　no　I　lost　this　one。　May　I　introduce　Miss　Ramos；　Orlanda　Ramos；　Superintendent　Robert　Armstrong；　CID。〃
　〃Hello。〃　She　smiled　back　at　Armstrong；　and　he　saw　her　immediate　caution。　Why　are　they　all　frightened　of　us；　the　innocent　as　well　as　the　guilty？　he　asked　himself；　when　all　we　do　is　try　to　enforce　their　laws；　try　to　protect　them　from　villains　and　the　ungodly。　It's　because　everyone　breaks　some　law；　even　a　little　one；　every　day；　most　days；　because　a　lot　of　laws　are　stupid　…　like　our　betting　laws　here。　So　everyone's　guilty；　even　you；　pretty　lady　with　the　oh　so　sensual　walk　and　oh　so　promising　smile。　For　Bartlett。　What　crime　have　you　mitted　today；　to　snare　this　poor　innocent？　Sardonically　he　smiled　to　himself。　Not　so　innocent　in　most　things。　But　against　someone　trained　by　Quillan　Gornt？　A　beautiful；　hungry　Eurasian　girl　with　no　place　to　go　but　down？　Ayeeyah！　But　oh　how　I'd　like　to　swap　places！　Yes；　you　with　your　guns；　money；　birds　like　Casey　and　this　one　and　meetings　with　the　offal　of　the　world　like　Banastasio；　oh　yes　…　I'd　give　ten　years　of　my　life；　more；　because　today　I　swear　to　God　I　loathe　what　I　have　to　do；　what　only　I　can　do　for　good　old　England。
　〃Did　you　back　the　favorite　too？〃　she　was　asking。
　〃No；　no　unfortunately。〃
　〃This's　her　second　winner；〃　Bartlett　said　proudly。　〃Ah；　if　you're　on　a　winning　streak；　who　do　you　fancy　in　the　fifth？〃
　〃I've　been　trying　to　decide；　Superintendent。　I've　no　tips　…　it's　wide　open。　What's　yours？〃
　〃Winning　Billy's　tipped；　I　hear。　I　can't　make　up　my　mind　either。　Well；　good　luck。〃　Armstrong　left　them；　heading　for　the　betting　windows。　He　had　put　500　on　the　third…placed　horse；　covering　his　other　bets。　He　always　chose　a　main　bet　and　then　hedged　it　with　others；　hoping　to　e　out　ahead。　Most　times　he　did。　This　afternoon　he　was　a　little　behind；　but　he　still　hadn't　touched　the　40；000。
　In　the　corridor　he　hesitated。　The　Snake；　Chief　Inspector　Donald　C。　C。　Smyth；　was　turning　away　from　one　of　the　crowded　winning　windows；　a　roll　of　money　in　his　hand。　〃Hello；　Robert。　How're　you　doing？〃
　〃So…so。　You're　in　the　big　time　again？〃
　〃I　try。〃　The　Snake　bent　closer。　〃How　is　everything？〃
　〃Proceeding。〃　Once　more　Armstrong　felt　nauseated　at　the　thought　of　more　of　the　Red　Room；　then　sitting　there；　letting　Brian　Kwok's　mind　spill　out　his　most　secret　secrets；　working　against　the　clock　that　was　ticking　away　…　all　of　them　aware　that　the　governor　was　asking　London　for　permission　to　trade。
　〃You're　not　looking　so　good；　Robert。〃
　〃I　don't　feel　so　good。　Who's　going　to　win　the　fifth？〃
　〃I　leaned　on　your　friend　Clubfoot　at　the　Para。　The　word　is　Pilot　Fish。　He　did　tip　Buccaneer　in　the　first；　though　with　this　going　anything　could　happen。〃
　〃Yes。　Anything　on　the　Werewolves？〃
　〃Nothing。　It's　a　dead　end。　I'm　having　the　whole　area　bed　but　with　this　rain　it's　almost　hopeless。　I　did　interview　Dianne　Chen　this　morning　…　and　John　Chen's　wife　Barbara。　They　gave　me　sweet　talk。　I'd　lay　a　fiver　to　a　bent　hatpin　they　know　more　than　they're　telling。　I　had　a　brief　talk　with　Phillip　Chen　but　he　was　equally　uncooperative。　Poor　bugger's　pretty　shook。〃　The　Snake　looked　up　at　him。　〃By　chance　did　Mary　have　any　clue　about　John？〃
　Armstrong　looked　back　at　him。　〃I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　ask　her。　Tonight　…　if　they　give