jamesclavell.noblehouse-第339章

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　〃Yes；　Missee。〃
　Casey　leaned　back　and　closed　her　eyes　against　the　tears　that　poured　out　silently。
　
　90
　
　6：45　P。M。：
　It　was　almost　sunset。
　Up　at　Lo　Wu；　the　central　border　village　between　the　Colony　and　China；　the　usual　crowds　of　Chinese　were　crossing　the　bridge　in　both　directions。　The　bridge　was　barely　fifty　yards　long　and　spanned　a　trickling　muddy　stream　and　yet　those　fifty　yards；　for　some；　were　a　million　miles。　At　both　ends　were　guard　posts　and　immigration　checkpoints　and　customs；　and　in　the　middle；　a　small　removable　barrier。　Two　Hong　Kong　police　stood　there　and　two　PRC　soldiers。　Two　train　tracks　went　across　the　bridge。
　In　the　old　days　trains　came　from　Canton　to　Hong　Kong　and　back　again；　nonstop；　but　now　passenger　trains　stopped　on　either　side　and　passengers　crossed　on　foot。　And　the　trains　themselves　went　back　the　way　they　came。　Freight　trains　from　China　went　through　without　problem。　Most　days。
　Each　day　hundreds　of　locals　crossed　the　border　as　they　would　cross　any　road。　Their　fields　or　work　was　on　both　sides　of　the　border　and　had　been　so　for　generations。　These　border　people　were　a　hardy；　suspicious　lot；　hating　change；　hating　interference；　hating　uniforms；　hating　police　particularly　and　foreigners　of　every　kind。　A　foreigner　to　them；　as　to　most　Chinese；　was　anyone　not　of　their　village。　To　them　there　was　no　border；　could　never　be　a　border。
　The　Lo　Wu　bridge　was　one　of　the　most　sensitive　single　spots　in　all　China　…　it　and　the　other　two　crossing　points。　Of　these；　one　was　at　Mau　Kam　Toh　where　cattle　and　vegetables　came　daily　over　a　rickety　bridge　across　this　same　stream　that　marked　most　of　the　border。　The　last；　at　the　very　eastern　tip　of　the　border；　was　at　the　fishing　village　of　Tau　Kok。　Here　the　border　was　not　marked　but；　by　mon　consent；　was　said　to　run　down　the　middle　of　the　single　village　street。
　These　were　China's　only　contact　points　with　the　West。　Everything　was　meticulously　controlled　and　monitored　…　by　both　sides。　The　tension　and　manner　of　the　guards　was　a　barometer。
　Today　the　guards　on　the　PRC　side　of　Lo　Wu　had　been　jittery。　Because　of　that；　the　Hong　Kong　side　was　nervous　too；　not　knowing　what　to　expect　…　perhaps　a　sudden　closure；　perhaps　a　sudden　invasion　like　last　year；　the　Colony　existing　at　the　whim　of　China。　〃And　that's　a　fact　of　life；〃　Chief　Inspector　Smyth　muttered。　Today　he　had　been　assigned　here　for　special　duty　and　he　was　standing　uneasily　near　the　police　station　that　was　discreetly　set　back　a　hundred　yards　from　the　real　border　so　as　not　to　offend　or　create　waves。　Christ；　he　thought；　waves？　One　fart　in　London　could　start　millions　of　refugees　marching　here　…　if　the　powers　across　the　border　decided　that　that　tiny　piece　of　wind　was　an　affront　to　the　dignity　of　China。
　〃e　on；　for　chrissake；〃　he　said　impatiently；　his　khaki　shirt　sticking　to　his　back；　his　eyes　on　the　road　back　to　Hong　Kong。　The　road　was　puddled。　It　curled　away。　Then；　in　the　distance；　he　saw　the　police　car　approaching。　Greatly　relieved；　he　went　to　meet　it。　Armstrong　got　out。　Then　Brian　Kwok。　Smyth　saluted　Robert　Armstrong　with　his　swagger　stick　to　cover　his　shock。　Brian　Kwok　was　in　civilian　clothes。　There　was　a　curious；　vacant；　petrified　look　in　his　eyes。　〃Hello；　Robert；〃　Smyth　said。
　〃Hello。　Sorry　to　be　late；〃　Armstrong　said。
　〃It's　only　a　couple　of　minutes。　Actually　I　was　told　sunset。〃　Smyth　squinted　westward。　The　sun　was　not　yet　down。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Brian　Kwok。　It　was　hard　to　keep　the　contempt　out　of　his　face。
　The　tall；　handsome　Chinese　took　out　a　pack　of　cigarettes。　His　fingers　trembled　as　he　offered　it　to　Smyth。
　〃No　thanks；〃　Smyth　said　coldly。　Armstrong　took　one。　〃I　thought　you'd　given　up　smoking？〃
　〃I　did。　I　started　again。〃
　Brian　Kwok　laughed　nervously。　〃Afraid　it's　me。　Robert's　been　trying　to　keep　。。。　to　keep　Crosse　and　his　angels　off　my　back。〃
　Neither　man　laughed。
　〃Is　anyone　ing？　Anyone　else？〃　Smyth　asked。
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Not　officially。〃　Armstrong　looked　around。　There　were　the　usual　gaping　bystanders　but　they　appeared　haphazard。　〃They're　here　though。　Somewhere。〃　Both　men　felt　the　hackles　on　their　necks　rising。　〃You　can　get　on　with　it。〃
　Smyth　took　out　a　formal　document。　〃Wu　Chu…toy；　alias　Brian　Kar…shun　Kwok；　you　are　formally　charged　with　espionage　against　Her　Majesty's　Government　on　behalf　of　a　foreign　power。　Under　the　authority　of　the　Deportation　Order　of　Hong　Kong　you　are　formally　ordered　out　of　the　Crown　Colony。　If　you　return　you　are　formally　warned　you　do　so　at　your　peril　and　are　liable　for　arraignment　and　imprisonment　at　Her　Majesty's　pleasure。〃　Grimly　Smyth　handed　him　the　paper。
　Brian　Kwok　took　it。　It　seemed　to　take　him　time　to　see　and　to　hear；　his　senses　dulled。　〃Now　。。。　now　what　happens？〃
　Smyth　said；　〃You　walk　over　that　bloody　bridge　and　go　back　to　your　pals。〃
　〃Eh？　You　think　I'm　a　fool？　You　think　I　believe　you're；　you're　letting　me　go？〃　Brian　Kwok　spun　on　Armstrong。　〃Robert；　I　keep　telling　you　they're　playing　with　me；　with　you；　they'll　never　let　me　go　free！　You　know　that！〃
　〃You're　free；　Brian。〃
　〃No　。。。　no；　I　know　what's　happening。　The　moment　I；　the　moment　I'm　almost　there　they'll　pull　me　back；　the　torture　of　hope；　that's　it；　isn't　it？〃　There　was　a　shrillness　creeping　into　his　voice；　a　fleck　of　foam　at　the　corner　of　his　lips。　〃Of　course！　The　torture　of　hope。〃
　〃For　chrissake；　I've　told　you　you're　free！　You're　free　to　go；〃　Armstrong　said；　his　voice　hard；　wanting　to　end　it。　〃Go　for　chrissake！　Don't　ask　me　why　they're　letting　you　go　but　they　are。　Go！〃
　Filled　with　disbelief；　Brian　Kwok　wiped　his　mouth；　started　to　speak；　stopped。　〃You're　。。。　it's　a　。。。　it's　a　lie；　has　to　be！〃
　〃Go！〃
　〃All　right；　I'll　。。。〃　Brian　Kwok　went　off　a　pace　then　stopped。　They　had　not　moved。　〃You're；　you　really　mean　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Shakily　Brian　Kwok　put　out　his　hand　to　Smyth。　Smyth　looked　at　it；　then　into　his　face。　〃If　it　was　up　to　me　I'd　have　you　shot。〃
　A　flash　of　hatred　went　over　Kwok's　face。　〃What　about　you　and　graft？　What　about　you　selling　police　pro…　〃
　〃Don't　let's　get　into　that！　H'eung　yau's　part　of　China！〃　Smyth　snarled　and　Armstrong　nodded　uneasily；　remembering　the　first　40；000　gambled　on　Saturday。
　〃A　little　feathering's　an　old　Chinese　custom；〃　Smyth　continued；　shaking　with　rage。　〃Treason　isn't。　Fong…fong　was　one　of　my　lads　before　he　went　to　SI。　Go　get　stuffed　and　get　the　hell　across　the　bridge　or　I'll　whip　you　across　it！〃
　Brian　Kwok　began　to　speak；　stopped。　Bleakly　he　offered　his　hand　to　Armstrong。　Armstrong　shook　it　without　friendship。　〃That's　just　for　old　times'　sake；　for　the　Brian　I　used　to　know。　I　don't　approve　of　traitors　either。〃
　〃I；　I　know　I　was　drugged　but　thanks。〃　Brian　Kwok　backed　away；　still　suspecting　a　trick；　then　turned。　Every　few　seconds　he　looked　back；　petrified　that　they　were　ing　after　him。　When　his　halting　feet　reached　the　bridge　he　broke　into　a　frantic　run。　Tension　skyrocketed。　Police　at　the　barrier　did　not　stop　him。　Neither　did　the　soldiers。　Both　sides；　forewarned；　pretended　not　to　notice　him。　The　crowds　streaming　across　either　side　of　the　tracks；　bicycles；　pedestrians；　carts；　mostly　laden；　paid　him　no　attention　at　all。　At　the　other　side　of　the　barrier；　Brian　Kwok　skidded　to　a　stop　and　turned　back。
　〃We'll　win；　we'll；　we'll　win　you　know；〃　he　called　back　to　them；　his　chest　heaving。　〃We　will！〃　Then　still　suspecting　a　trick；　he　hunched　down　and　fled　into　China。　Near　the　train　they　saw　a　nondescript　group　of　people　intercept　him　but　now　it　was　too　far　away　to　see　clearly。　Tension　on　the　bridge　subsided。　The　sun　began　to　set。
　In　the　small　observation　tower　atop　the　police　station；　Roger　Crosse　watched　with　high…powered　binoculars。　He　was　well　concealed。　Beside　him　was　an　SI　operator　with　a　telescopic　camera；　equally　concealed。　His　face　closed。　One　of　the　men　meeting　Brian　Kwok　was　Tsu…yan；　the　missing　millionaire。
　
　The　sun　was　almost　under　the　western　seas。　Casey　was　at　the　Peak　lookout；　all　Hong　Kong　spread　below；　lights　on　in　the　gloaming；　part　of　the　city　and　Kowloon　blood…colored；　part　already　dark　with　deep　shadows　and　blazing　highlights。　The　sun　vanished　and　night；　true　night；　began。
　But　she　saw　none　of　the　beauty　of　it。　Her　face　was　wet　with　the　tears　that　still　coursed。　She　was　leaning　on　the　railing　at　a　far