alistairmaclean.seawitch-第3章

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y　month　or　so…would　be　delivered　within　twenty…four…　at　the　most；　forty…eight…hours　to　a　Cuban　numbered　account　in　Miami；　the　only　place　in　the　United　States　where　Swiss…type　numbered　accounts　were　permitted。　For　tax…evasion　purposes；　the　money　of　course　would　not　e　from　any　of　their　respective　countries：　instead；　ironically　enough；　from　their　bulging　offshore　funds。
　
　Chapter　2
　Lord　Worth　was　tall；　lean　and　erect。　His　plexion　was　the　mahogany　hue　of　the　playboy　millionaire　who　spends　his　life　in　the　sun：　Lord　Worth　seldom　worked　less　than　sixteen　hours　a　day。　His　abundant　hair　and　mustache　were　snow…white。　According　to　his　mood　and　expression　and　to　the　eye　of　the　beholder；　he　could　have　been　a　biblical　patriarch；　a　better…class　Roman　senator；　or　a　gentlemanly　seventeenth…century　pirate…except　for　the　fact；　of　course；　that　none　of　those　ever；　far　less　habitually；　wore　lightweight　Alpaca　suits　of　the　same　color　as　Lord　Worth's　hair。
　He　looked　and　was　every　inch　an　aristocrat。　Unlike　the　many　Americans　who　bore　the　Christian　names　of　Duke　or　Earl；　Lord　Worth　really　was　a　lord；　the　fifteenth　in　succession　of　a　highly　distinguished　family　of　Scottish　peers　of　the　realm。　The　fact　that　their　distinction　had　lain　mainly　in　the　fields　of　assassination；　endless　clan　warfare；　the　stealing　of　women　and　cattle；　and　the　selling　of　their　fellow　peers　down　the　river　was　beside　the　point：　the　earlier　Scottish　peers　didn't　go　in　too　much　for　the　more　cultural　activities。　The　blue　blood　that　had　run　in　their　veins　ran　in　Lord　Worth's。　As　ruthless；　predatory；　acquisitive　and　courageous　as　any　of　his　ancestors；　Lord　Worth　simply　went　about　his　business　with　a　degree　of　refinement　and　sophistication　that　would　have　lain　several　light…years　beyond　their　understanding。
　He　had　reversed　the　trend　of　Canadians　ing　to　Britain；　making　their　fortunes　and　eventually　being　elevated　to　the　peerage：　he　had　already　been　a　peer；　and　an　extremely　wealthy　one；　before　emigrating　to　Canada。　His　emigration；　which　had　been　discreet　and　precipitous；　had　not　been　entirely　voluntary。　He　had　made　a　fortune　hi　real　estate　in　London　before　the　Internal　Revenue　had　bee　embarrassingly　interested　in　his　activities。　Fortunately　for　him；　whatever　charges　might　have　been　laid　at　his　door　were　not　extraditable。
　He　had　spent　several　years　in　Canada；　investing　his　millions　in　the　North　Hudson　Oil　pany　and　proving　himself　to　be　even　more　able…in　the　oil　business　than　he　had　been　in　real　estate。　His　tankers　and　refineries　spanned　the　globe　before　he　had　decided　that　the　climate　was　too　cold　for　him　and　moved　south　to　Florida。　His　splendid　mansion　was　the　envy　of　the　many　millionaires…of　a　lesser　financial　breed；　admittedly…who　almost　literally　jostled　for　elbow…room　in　the　Fort　Lauderdale　area。
　The　dining　room　in　that　mansion　was　something　to　behold。　Monks；　by　the　very　nature　of　their　calling；　are　supposed　to　be　devoid　of　all　earthly　lusts；　but　no　monk；　past　or　present；　could　ever　have　gazed　on　the　gleaming　magnificence　of　that　splendid　oaken　refectory　table　without　turning　pale　chartreuse　with　envy。　The　chairs；　inevitably；　were　Louis　XIV。　The　splendidly　embroidered　silken　carpet；　with　a　pile　deep　enough　for　a　fair…sized　mouse　to　take　cover　in；　would　have　been　judged　by　an　expert　to　e　from　Damascus　and　to　have　cost　a　fortune：　the　expert　would　have　been　right　on　both　counts。　The　heavy　drapes　and　embroidered　silken　walls　were　of　the　same　pale　gray；　the　latter　being　enhanced　by　a　series　of　original　impressionist　paintings；　no　less　than　three　by　Matisse　and　the　same　number　by　Renoir。　Lord　Worth　was　no　dilettante　and　was　clearly　trying　to　make　amends　for　his　ancestors*　shortings　in　cultural　fields。
　It　was　in　those　suitably　princely　surroundings　that　Lord　Worth　was　at　the　moment　taking　…his　ease；　reveling　in　his　second　brandy　and　the　two　beings　whom…after　money…he　loved　most　in　the　world：　his　two　daughters；　Marina　and　Me…linda；　who　had　been　so　named　by　their　now　divorced　Spanish　mother。　Both　were　young；　both　were　beautiful；　and　could　have　been　mistaken　for　twins；　which　they　weren't：　they　were　easily　distinguishable　by　the　fact　that　while　Marina's　hair　was　black　as　a　raven's；　Melinda's　was　pure　titian。
　There　were　two　other　guests　at　the　table。　Many　a　local　millionaire　would　have　given　a　fair　slice　of　his　ill…gotten　gains　for　the　privilege　and　honor　of　sitting　at　Lord　Worth's　table。　Few　were　invited；　and　then　but　seldom。　Those　two　young　men；　paratively　as　poor　as　church　mice；　had　the　unique　privilege；　without　invitation；　of　ing　and　going　as　they　pleased；　which　was　pretty　often。
　They　were　Mitchell　and　Roomer；　two　pleasant　men　in　their　early　thirties　for　whom　Lord　Worth　had　a　strong；　if　concealed；　admiration　and　whom　he　held　in　something　close　to　awe…inasmuch　as　they　were　the　only　two　pletely　honest　men　he　had　ever　met。　Not　that　Lord　Worth　had　ever　stepped　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　law；　although　he　frequently　had　a　clear　view　of　what　happened　on　the　other　side：　it　was　simply　that　he　was　not　hi　the　habit　of　dealing　with　honest　men。　They　had　both　been　two　highly　efficient　police　sergeants；　only　they　had　been　too　efficient；　much　given　to　arresting　the　wrong　people；　such　as　crooked　politicians　and　equally　crooked　wealthy　businessmen　who　had　previously　labored　under　the　misapprehension　that　they　were　above　the　law。　They　were　fired；　not　to　put　too　fine　a　point　on　it；　for　their　total　incorruptibility。
　Of　the　two；　Michael　Mitchell　was　the　taller；　the　broader　and　the　less　good…looking。　With　slightly　craggy　face；　ruffled　dark　hair　and　blue　chin；　he　could　never　have　made　it　as　a　matinee　idol。　John　Roomer；　with　his　brown　hair　and　trimmed　brown　mustache；　was　altogether　better…looking。　Both　were　shrewd；　intelligent　and　highly　experienced。　Roomer　was　the　intuitive　one；　Mitchell　the　one　long　on　action。　Apart　from　being　charming；　both　men　were　astute　and　highly　resourceful。　And　they　were　possessed　of　one　other　not　inconsiderable　quality：　both　were　deadly　marksmen。
　Two　years　previously　they　had　set　up　their　own　private　investigative　practice；　and　in　that　brief　space　of　time　had　established　such　a　reputation　that　people　in　real　trouble　now　made　a　practice　of　going　to　them　instead　of　to　the　police；　a　fact　that　hardly　endeared　them　to　the　local　law。　They　lived　near　Lord　Worth's　estate；　where　they　were　frequent　and　wele　visitors。　That　they　did　not　e　for　the　exclusive　pleasure　of　his　pany　Lord　Worth　was　well　aware。　Nor；　he　knew；　were　they　even　in　the　slightest　way　interested　in　his　money；　a　fact　that　Lord　Worth
　found　astonishing；　as　he　had　never　previously　encountered　anyone　who　wasn't　thus　interested。　What　they　were　interested　in；　and　deeply　so；　were　Marina　and　Melinda。
　The　door　opened　and　Lord　Worth's　butler；　Jenkins…English；　of　course；　as　were　the　two　footmen…made　his　usual　soundless　entrance；　approached　the　head　of　the　table　and　murmured　discreetly　hi　Lord　Worth's　ear。　Lord　Worth　nodded　and　rose。
　〃Excuse　me；　girls；　gentlemen。　Visitors。　Fra　sure　you　can　get　along　together　quite　well　without　me。〃　He　made　his　way　to　his　study；　entered　and　closed　the　door　behind　him…a　very　special　padded　door　that；　when　shut；　rendered　the　room　pletely　soundproof。
　The　study；　in　its　own　way…Lord　Worth　was　no　sybarite　but　he　liked　his　creature　forts　as　well　as　the　next　man…was　as　sumptuous　as　the　dining　room：　oak；　leather；　a　wholly　unnecessary　log　fire　burning　in　one　corner；　all　straight　from　the　best　English　baronial　mansions。　The　walls　were　lined　with　thousands　of　books；　many　of　which　Lord　Worth　had　actually　read；　a　fact　that　must　have　caused　great　distress　to　his　illiterate　ancestors；　who　had　despised　degeneracy　above　all　else。
　A　tall　bronzed　man　with　aquiline　features　and　gray　hair　rose　to　his　feet。　Both　men　smiled　and　shook　hands　warmly。
　Lord　Worth　said；　〃Corral；　my　dear　chap！　How　very　nice　to　see　you　again。　It's　been　quite　some　time。〃
　〃My　pleasure；　Lord　Worth。'　Nothing　recently　that　would　have　interested　you。〃
　〃But　now？〃
　〃Now　is　something　else　again。〃
　The　Corral　who　stood　before　Lord　Worth　was　indeed　the　Corral　who；　in　his　capacity　as　representative　of　the　Florida　offshore　leases；　had　been　present　at　the　meeting　of　ten　at　Lake　Tahoe。　Some　years　had　passed　since　he　and　Lord　Worth　had　arrived　at　an　amicable　and　mutually　satisfactory　agreement。　Corral；　widely　regarded　as　Lord　Worth's　most　avowedly　determined　enemy　and　certainly　the　most　vociferous　of　his　critics；　reported　regularly　to　Lord　Worth　on　the　current　activities　and；　more　importantly；　the　projected　plans　of　the　major　panies；　which　didn't　hurt　Lord　Worth　at　all。　Corral；　in　return；　received　an　annual　tax…free　retainer　of　200；000；　which　didn't　hurt　him　very　much　either。
　Lord　Worth　pressed　a　bell　and　within　seconds　Jenkins　entered　bearing　a　silver　tray　with　two　large　brandies。　There　was　no　telepathy　involved；　just　years　of　experience　and　a　long…established　foreknowledge　of　Lord　Worth's　desires。　When　he　left；　both　men　sat。
　Lord　Worth　said：　〃Well；　what　news　from　the　West？〃
　〃The　Cherokee；　I　regret　to　say；　are　after　you。〃
　
　Lord　Worth　sighed　and　said：　〃It　had　to　e　sometime。　Tell　me　all。〃
　Corral　told　him　all。　He　had　a　near…photographic　memory　and　a　gift　for　concise　and　accurate　reportage。　Within　five　minutes　Lord　Worth　knew　all　that　was　worth　knowing　about　the　Lake　Tahoe　meeting。
　Lord　Worth　who；　because　of　the　unfortunate　misunderstanding　that　had　arisen　between　himself　and　Cronkite；　knew　the　latter　as　well　as　any　and　better　than　most；　said　at　the　end　of　Corral's　report：　〃Did　Cronkite　subscribe　to　the　ten's　agreement　to　abjure　any　form　of　violence？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Not　that　it　would　have　mattered　if　he　had。　Man's　a　total　stranger　to　the　truth。　And　ten　million　dollars'　expenses；　you　tell　me？〃
　〃It　did　seem　a　bit　excessive。〃
　〃Can　you　see　a　massive　outlay　like　that　being　conitant　with　anything　except　violence？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Do　you　think　the　others　believed　that　there　was　no　connection　between　them？〃
　〃Let　me　put　it　this　way；　sir。　Any　group　of　people　who　can　convince　themselves；　or　appear　to　convince　themselves；　that　any　proposed　action　against　you　is　for　the　betterment　of　mankind　is　also　prepared　to　convince　themselves；　or　appear　to　convince　themselves；　that　the　word　'Cronkite'　is　synonymous　with　peace　on　earth。〃
　
　〃So　their　consciences　are　clear。　If　Cronkite　goes　to　any　excessive　lengths　in　death　and　destruction　to　achieve　their　ends；　they　can　always　throw　up　their　hands　in　horror　and　say；　'Good　God；　we　never　thought　the　man　would　go　that　far。'　Not　that　any　connection　between　them　and　Cronkite　would　ever　have　to　be　established。　What　a　bunch　of　devious；　mealymouthed　hypocrites！〃
　He　paused　for　a　moment。
　〃I　suppose　Cronkite　refused　to　divulge　his　plans？〃
　〃Absolutely。　But　there　is　one　odd　circumstance：　just　as　we　were　leaving；　Cronkite　drew　two　of　the　ten　to　one　side　and　spoke　to　them　privately。　It　would　be　interesting　to　know　why。〃
　〃Any　chance　of　finding　out？〃
　〃A　fair　chance。　Nothing　guaranteed。　But　I'm　sure　Benson　could　find　out…after　all；　it　was　Benson　who　invited　us　all　to　Lake　Tahoe。〃
　〃And　you　think　you　could　persuade　Benson　to　tell　you？〃
　〃A　fair　chance。　Nothing　more。〃
　Lord　Worth　put　on　his　resigned　expression。　〃All　right；　how　much？〃
　〃Nothing。　Money　won't　buy　Benson。〃　Corral　shook　hi