jamesclavell.noblehouse-第303章

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　The　girl　laughed。　〃Hey；　big　man；　you　want　jig…jig？〃
　〃No；〃　Suslev　said。　〃Just　more　vodka。〃
　
　Crosse　got　out　of　the　police　car　and　hurried　through　the　light　rain　into　the　Struan　Building。　Behind　him　the　streets　were　crowded　with　umbrellas　and　snarled　traffic；　the　sidewalks　massed；　people　going　to　and　from　work；　Sunday　not　a　general　holiday。　On　the　twentieth　floor　he　got　out。
　〃Good　morning；　Superintendent　Crosse。　I'm　Sandra　Yi；　Mr。　Dunross's　secretary。　This　way　please。〃
　Crosse　followed　her　down　the　corridor；　his　eyes　noticing　her　chong…samed　rump。　She　opened　a　door　for　him。　He　went　in。
　〃Hello；　Edward；〃　he　said　to　Sinders。
　〃You're　early　too；　as　usual。〃　Sinders　was　sipping　a　beer。　〃Old　army　habit；　eh；　five　minutes　early's　on　time？〃　Behind　him　in　the　lavish　boardroom　was　a　well…stocked　bar。　And　coffee。
　〃Would　you　care　for　something；　sir？　Bloody　Marys　are　mixed；〃　Sandra　Yi　said。
　〃Thank　you；　just　coffee。　Black。〃
　She　served　him　and　went　out。
　〃How　did　it　go？〃　Crosse　asked。
　〃Our　visitor？　Fine；　just　fine。　I'd　say　his　sphincter's　out　of　whack。〃　Sinders　smiled。　〃I　taped　the　session。　You　can　listen　to　it　after　lunch。　Ah；　yes；　lunch。　Roger；　can　you　get　fish　and　chips　in　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃Certainly。　Fish　and　chips　it　is。〃　Crosse　stifled　a　yawn。　He　had　been　up　most　of　the　night　developing　and　printing　the　roll　of　film　he　had　taken　in　the　vault。　This　morning　he　had　read　and　reread　AMG's　real　pages　with　enormous　interest；　privately　agreeing　with　Dunross　that　the　tai…pan　had　been　perfectly　correct　to　be　so　circumspect。　AMG　gave　value　for　money　whatever　he　cost；　he　thought。　There's　no　doubt　these　files're　worth　a　fortune。
　The　gimbaled　clock　struck　the　hour　nicely。　Noon。　The　door　opened　and　Dunross　strode　in。　〃　'Morning。　Thanks　for　ing　here。〃
　Politely　the　other　two　got　up　and　shook　hands。
　〃More　coffee？〃
　〃No　thank　you；　Mr。　Dunross。〃
　As　Crosse　watched　closely　Dunross　took　a　sealed　envelope　out　of　his　pocket　and　offered　it　to　Sinders。　The　older　man　took　it；　weighing　it　in　his　hand。　Crosse　noticed　his　fingers　were　trembling　slightly。　〃Of　course　you've　read　the　contents；　Mr。　Dunross？〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　Sinders。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃And　nothing。　See　for　yourself。〃
　Sinders　opened　the　envelope。　He　stared　at　the　first　page；　then　leafed　through　all　eleven　sheets。　From　where　Crosse　stood　he　could　not　see　what　was　on　the　pieces　of　paper。　Silently　Sinders　handed　him　the　top　one。　The　letters　and　numbers　and　symbols　of　the　code　were　meaningless。　〃Looks　like　they've　been　cut　from　something。〃　Crosse　looked　at　Dunross。　〃Eh？〃
　〃What　about　Brian？〃
　〃Where　did　you　get　them；　Ian？〃　Crosse　saw　Dunross's　eyes　change　a　little。
　〃I've　kept　my　side　of　the　trade；　are　you　going　to　keep　yours？〃
　Sinders　sat　down。　〃I　did　not　agree　to　a　trade；　Mr。　Dunross。　I　only　agreed　that　it　was　possible　that　your　request　might　be　plied　with。〃
　〃Then　you　won't　release　Brian　Kwok？〃
　〃It's　possible　that　he　will　be　where　you　want　him；　when　you　want　him。〃
　〃It　has　to　be　left　like　that？〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。　The　tick　of　the　clock　filled　the　room。　Except　for　the　rain。　Another　squall　came　and　went。　Rain　had　been　falling　sporadically　since　this　morning。　Weather　reports　forecast　that　the　storm　would　be　over　soon　and　that　the　reservoirs；　for　all　the　rain；　were　hardly　touched。
　Dunross　said；　〃Will　you　give　me　the　odds？　Accurately。　Please？〃
　〃First　three　questions：　Did　you　cut　these　out　of　something　yourself？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃From　what　and　how？〃
　〃AMG　had　written　instructions。　I　was　to　use　a　cigarette　lighter　under　the　bottom　right　quadrant　of　some　pages　he'd　sent　…　it　was　an　innocuous　typed　report。　When　I　heated　the　pages　the　type　disappeared　and　what　you　see　was　left。　When　I'd　finished；　again　following　his　instructions；　I　cut　out　the　pertinent　pieces　and　destroyed　the　remainder。　And　his　letter。〃
　〃Have　you　kept　a　copy？〃
　〃Of　the　eleven　pieces？　Yes。〃
　〃I　must　ask　you　for　them。〃
　〃You　may　have　them　when　you　plete　the　bargain；〃　Dunross　said；　his　voice　pleasant。　〃Now；　what　are　the　odds？〃
　〃Please　give　me　the　copies。〃
　〃I　will；　when　you　plete。　Monday　at　sunset。〃
　Sinders's　eyes　were　even　colder。　〃The　copies；　now；　if　you　please。〃
　〃When　you　plete。　That's　a　decision。　Now；　odds　please。〃
　〃50…50；〃　Sinders　said；　testing　him。
　〃Good。　Thank　you。　I've　arranged　that　on　Tuesday　morning　all　eleven　pages　will　be　published　in　the　China　Guardian　and　two　Chinese　papers；　one　Nationalist　and　one　munist。〃
　〃Then　you　do　so　at　your　peril。　Her　Majesty's　Government　does　not　enjoy　coercion。〃
　〃Have　I　threatened　you？　No；　not　at　all。　Those　letters　and　figures　are　a　meaningless　mumble…jumble；　except　perhaps　…　perhaps　to　some　code　cipher　expert。　Perhaps。　Perhaps　this's　all　a　joke　from　a　dead　man。〃
　〃I　can　stop　it　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act。〃
　〃You　can　certainly　try。〃　Dunross　nodded。　〃But　e　hell　or　the　Official　Secrets　Act；　if　I　choose；　those　pages　will　be　published　somewhere　on　earth　this　week。　That's　a　decision　too。　The　matter　was　left　to　my　discretion　by　AMG。　Was　there　anything　else；　Mr。　Sinders？〃
　Sinders　hesitated。　〃No。　No；　thank　you；　Mr。　Dunross。〃
　Equally　politely　Dunross　turned　and　opened　the　door。　〃Sorry；　I've　got　to　get　back　to　work。　Thank　you　for　ing。〃
　Crosse　let　Sinders　go　first　and　followed　him　to　the　elevator。　Sandra　Yi；　at　the　reception　desk；　had　already　pressed　the　button　for　them。
　〃Oh　excuse　me；　sir；〃　she　said　to　Crosse；　〃do　you　know　when　Superintendent　Kwok　will　be　back　in　the　Colony？〃
　Crosse　stared　at　her。　〃I'm　not　sure。　I　could　inquire　if　you　like。　Why？〃
　〃We　were　going　to　have　dinner　Friday　evening　and　neither　his　housekeeper　nor　his　office　seems　to　know。〃
　〃I'd　be　glad　to　inquire。〃
　The　phone　buzzer　on　the　switchboard　went。　〃Oh；　thank　you；　sir。　Hello；　Struan's；〃　she　said　into　the　phone。　〃Just　a　moment。〃　She　began　to　make　the　connection。　Crosse　offered　a　cigarette　to　Sinders　as　they　waited；　watching　the　elevator　numbers　approaching。　〃Your　call　to　Mr。　Alastair；　tai…pan；〃　Sandra　Yi　said　into　the　phone。　Again　the　phone　buzzer　on　the　switchboard　went。
　〃Hello；〃　Sandra　Yi　said。　〃Just　a　moment；　madam；　I'll　check。〃　She　referred　to　a　typed　appointment　list　as　the　elevator　doors　opened。　Sinders　went　in　and　Crosse　began　to　follow。
　〃It's　for　1：00　p。m。；　Mrs。　Gresserhoff。〃
　At　once　Crosse　stopped　and　bent　down　as　though　to　tie　his　shoelace　and　Sinders；　as　efficiently　and　as　casually；　held　the　door。
　〃Oh　that's　all　right；　madam；　it's　easy　to　mistake　a　time。　The　table's　booked　in　the　tai…pan's　name。　The　Skyline　at　the　Mandarin　at　1：00　p。m。〃
　Crosse　got　up。
　〃All　right？〃　Sinders　asked。
　〃Oh　yes。〃　The　doors　closed　on　them。　Both　smiled。
　〃Everything　es　to　him　who　waits；〃　Crosse　said。
　〃Yes。　We'll　have　fish　and　chips　for　dinner　instead。〃
　〃No。　You　can　have　them　for　lunch。　We　shouldn't　eat　at　the　Mandarin。　I　suggest　we　just　peg　her　secretly　ourselves。　Meanwhile；　I'll　assign　surveillance　to　find　out　where　she's　staying；　eh？〃
　〃Excellent。〃　Sinders's　face　hardened。　〃Gresserhoff；　eh？　Hans　Gresserhoff　was　the　cover　name　of　an　East　German　spy　we've　been　trying　to　catch　for　years。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Crosse　kept　his　interest　off　his　face。
　〃Yes。　He　was　partners　with　another　right　rotten　bastard；　a　trained　assassin。　One　of　his　names　was　Viktor　Grunwald；　another　Simeon　Tzerak。　Gresserhoff；　eh？〃　Sinders　was　silent　a　moment。　〃Roger；　that　publishing　business；　Dunross's　threat。　That　could　be　very　dicey。〃
　〃Can　you　read　the　code？〃
　〃Good　God；　no。〃
　〃What　could　it　be？〃
　〃Anything。　The　pages　are　for　me　or　the　P。M。　so　they're　probably　names　and　addresses　of　contacts。〃　Sinders　added　gravely；　〃I　daren't　trust　them　to　cables；　however　coded。　I　think　I'd　better　return　to　London　at　once。〃
　〃Today？〃
　〃Tomorrow。　I　should　finish　this　business　first　and　I'd　very　much　like　to　identify　this　Mrs。　Gresserhoff。　Will　Dunross　do　what　he　said？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　Sinders　pulled　at　his　eyebrows；　his　washed…out　blue　eyes　even　more　colorless　than　usual。　〃What　about　the　client？〃
　〃I'd　say　。。。〃　The　elevator　door　opened。　They　got　out　and　walked　across　the　foyer。　The　uniformed　doorman　opened　the　door　of　Crosse's　car　for　him。
　Crosse　cut　into　the　snarled　traffic；　the　harbor　misted　and　the　rain　stopped　for　a　moment。　〃I'd　say　on