jamesclavell.noblehouse-第117章

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th　by　munist　guerrillas。　The　guerrillas　had　given　him　false　proof　that　he　had　been　betrayed　by　one　of　his　own　men　for　money。　DeVille　was　thirty…two　then　and；　like　many；　infatuated　with　socialism　and　with　some　of　the　teachings　of　Marx　and　Lenin。　He　had　never　joined　the　French　munist　Party　but　now；　because　of　Sevrin；　he　was　an　honorary　captain　in　the　KGB　Soviet　Security　Force。
　〃You　seem　tired；　Frederick；〃　Suslev　said；　using　deVille's　cover　name。　〃Tell　me　what's　wrong。〃
　〃Just　a　family　problem。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　Suslev　listened　intently　to　deVille's　sad　story　about　his　son…in…law　and　daughter。　Since　their　meeting　in　1941　Suslev　had　been　deVille's　controller。　In　1947　he　had　ordered　him　out　to　Hong　Kong　to　join　Struan's。　Before　the　war　deVille　and　his　father　had　owned　a　highly　successful　import…export　business　with　close　ties　to　Struan's　…　as　well　as　family　ties　…　so　the　change　had　been　easy　and　wele。　DeVille's　secret　assignment　was　to　bee　a　member　of　the　Inner　Court　and；　at　length；　tai…pan。
　〃Where's　your　daughter　now？〃　he　asked　passionately。
　DeVille　told　him。
　〃And　the　driver　of　the　other　car？〃　Suslev　mitted　the　name　and　address　to　memory。　〃I'll　see　that　he's　dealt　with。〃
　〃No；〃　deVille　said　at　once。　〃It　。。。　it　was　an　accident。　We　cannot　punish　a　man　for　an　accident。〃
　〃He　was　drunk。　There　is　no　excuse　for　drunk　driving。　In　any　event　you　are　important　to　us。　We　take　care　of　our　own。　I　will　deal　with　him。〃
　DeVille　knew　there　was　no　point　in　arguing。　A　gust　of　rain　battered　the　windows。　〃Merde；　but　the　rain's　good。　The　temperature　must　be　down　five　degrees。　Will　it　last？〃
　〃The　storm　front's　reported　to　be　big。〃
　DeVille　watched　globules　running　down　the　pane；　wondering　why　he　had　been　summoned。　〃How　are　things　with　you？〃
　〃Very　good。　Drink？〃　Suslev　went　to　the　mirrored　bar。　〃There's　good　vodka。〃
　〃Vodka's　fine；　please。　But　a　short　one。〃
　〃If　Dunross　retired　are　you　the　next　tai…pan？〃
　〃I　would　think　it's　between　four　of　us：　Gavallan；　David　Mac…Struan；　myself　and　Linbar　Struan。〃
　〃In　that　order？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Except　Linbar's　probably　last。　Thanks。〃　DeVille　accepted　his　drink。　They　toasted　each　other。　〃I'd　bet　on　Gavallan。〃
　〃Who's　this　MacStruan？〃
　〃A　distant　cousin。　He's　done　his　five　years　as　a　China　Trader。　At　the　moment　he's　heading　up　our　expansion　into　Canada　…　we're　trying　to　diversify　and　get　into　wood　fibers；　copper；　all　the　Canadian　minerals；　mostly　out　of　British　Columbia。〃
　〃How　good　is　he？〃
　〃Very　good。　Very　tough。　A　very　dirty　fighter。　Thirty…eight；　ex…lieutenant；　Paratroopers。　His　left　hand　was　almost　ripped　off　over　Burma　by　a　tangle　in　the　shrouds　of　his　parachute。　He　just　tied　a　tourniquet　around　it　and　carried　on　fighting。　That　earned　him　a　Military　Cross。　If　I　was　tai…pan　I'd　choose　him。〃　DeVille　shrugged。　〃By　our　pany　law　only　the　tai…pan　can　appoint　his　successor。　He　can　do　it　anytime；　even　in　his　will　if　he　wants。　Whatever　way　it's　done　it's　binding　on　the　Noble　House。〃
　Suslev　watched　him。　〃Has　Dunross　made　a　will？〃
　〃Ian's　very　efficient。〃
　A　silence　gathered。
　〃Another　vodka？〃
　〃Non；　merci。　I'll　stay　with　this　one。　Is　Arthur　joining　us？〃
　〃Yes。　How　could　we　tip　the　scales　for　you？〃
　DeVille　hesitated；　then　shrugged。
　Suslev　poured　himself　another　drink。　〃It　would　be　easy　to　discredit　this　MacStruan　and　the　others。　Yes。　Easy　to　eliminate　them。〃　Suslev　turned　and　looked　at　him。　〃Even　Dunross。〃
　〃No。　That's　not　the　solution。〃
　〃Is　there　another　one？〃
　〃Being　patient。〃　DeVille　smiled　but　his　eyes　were　very　tired　and　shadows　lurked　there。　〃I　would　not　like　to　be　the　cause　of　。。。　of　his　removal　or　that　of　the　others。〃
　Suslev　laughed。　〃It's　not　necessary　to　kill　to　eliminate！　Are　we　barbarians？　Of　course　not。〃　He　was　watching　his　protégé　closely。　DeVille　needs　toughening；　he　was　thinking。　〃Tell　me　about　the　American；　Bartlett；　and　the　Struan…Par…Con　deal。〃
　DeVille　told　him　all　he　knew。　〃Bartlett's　money　will　give　us　everything　we　need。〃
　〃Can　this　Gornt　effect　a　takeover？〃
　〃Yes　and　no。　And　possibly。　He's　tough　and　he　truly　hates　us。　It's　a　long…term　rival…　〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　Suslev　was　surprised　deVille　kept　repeating　information　he　already　had　been　given。　It's　a　bad　sign；　he　thought；　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Our　friend's　twenty…five　minutes　late。　That's　unusual。〃　Both　men　were　too　seasoned　to　worry。　Meetings　such　as　this　could　never　be　pletely　firm　because　no　one　could　ever　control　the　unexpected　happening。
　〃Did　you　hear　about　the　fire　in　Aberdeen？〃　deVille　asked　at　the　sudden　thought。
　〃What　fire？〃
　〃There　was　a　bulletin　over　the　wireless　just　before　I　came　up。〃　DeVille　and　his　wife　had　apartment　20　on　the　sixth　floor。　〃The　Floating　Dragon　restaurant　at　Aberdeen　burned　down。　Perhaps　Arthur　was　there。〃
　〃Did　you　see　him？〃　Suslev　was　suddenly　concerned。
　〃No。　But　I　could　easily　have　missed　him。　I　left　well　before　dinner。〃
　Suslev　sipped　his　vodka　thoughtfully。　〃Has　he　told　you　yet　who　the　others　are　in　Sevrin？〃
　〃No。　I　asked　him；　judiciously；　as　you　ordered；　but　he　nev…　〃
　〃Order？　I　don't　order　you；　tovarich；　I　just　suggest。〃
　〃Of　course。　All　he　said　was；　'We'll　all　meet　in　due　course。'　〃
　〃We'll　both　know　soon。　He's　perfectly　correct　to　be　cautious。〃　Suslev　had　wanted　to　test　deVille　and　test　Arthur。　It　was　one　of　the　most　basic　rules　in　the　KGB　that　you　can　never　be　too　cautious　about　your　spies　however　important　they　are。　He　remembered　his　instructor　hammering　into　them　another　direct　quote　from　Sun　Tzu's　The　Art　of　War；　which　was　obligatory　reading　for　all　Soviet　military：　〃There　are　five　classes　of　spies　…　local　spies；　inward　spies；　converted　spies；　doomed　spies　and　surviving　spies。　When　all　five　categories　are　working　in　concert；　the　state　will　be　secure　and　the　army　inviolate。　Local　spies　are　those　who　are　local　inhabitants。　Inward　spies　are　officials　of　the　enemy。　Converted　spies　are　the　enemies'　spies　you　have　converted。　Doomed　spies　are　those　fed　false　information　and　reported　to　the　enemy　who　will　torture　this　false　information　from　them　and　so　be　deceived。　Surviving　spies　are　those　who　bring　back　news　from　the　enemy　camp。　Remember；　in　the　whole　army；　none　should　more　liberally　be　rewarded。　But　if　a　secret　piece　of　news　is　divulged　by　a　spy　before　the　time　is　ripe；　he　or　she　must　be　put　to　death；　together　with　the　person　to　whom　the　secret　is　told。〃
　If　the　other　AMG　reports　are　like　the　one　already　discovered；　Suslev　thought　dispassionately；　then　Dunross　is　doomed。
　He　was　watching　deVille；　measuring　him；　liking　him；　glad　that　again　he　had　passed　that　test　…　and　Arthur。　The　last　paragraph　of　The　Art　of　War　…　so　important　a　book　to　the　Soviet　elite　that　many　knew　the　slim　volume　by　heart　…　sprang　into　his　mind：　〃It　is　only　the　enlightened　ruler　and　wise　general　who　will　use　the　highest　intelligence　of　the　army　for　the　purposes　of　spying。　Spies　are　the　most　important　element　in　war　because　upon　them　depends　an　army's　ability　to　move。〃
　That's　what　the　KGB　does；　he　thought　contentedly。　We　try　for　the　best　talent　in　all　the　Soviets。　We　are　the　elite。　We　need　spies　of　all　five　categories。　We　need　these　men；　Jacques　and　Arthur　and　all　the　others。
　Yes；　we　need　them　very　much。
　〃Arthur's　never　given　any　clue　who　the　others　are。　Nothing；〃　deVille　was　saying；　〃only　that　there　are　seven　of　us。〃
　〃We　must　be　patient；〃　Suslev　said；　relieved　that　Arthur　was　correctly　cautious　too；　for　part　of　the　plan　was　that　the　seven　should　never　know　each　other；　should　never　know　that　Suslev　was　Sevrin's　controller　and　Arthur's　superior。　Suslev　knew　the　identities　of　all　the　Sevrin　moles。　With　Arthur　he　had　approved　all　of　them　over　the　years；　continually　testing　them　all；　honing　their　loyalties；　eliminating　some；　substituting　others。　You　always　test；　and　the　moment　a　spy　wavers　that's　the　time　to　neutralize　or　eliminate　him　…　before　he　neutralizes　or　eliminates　you。　Even　Ginny　Fu；　he　thought；　though　she's　not　a　spy　and　knows　nothing。　You　can　never　be　sure　of　anyone　except　yourself　…　that's　what　our　Soviet　system　teaches。　Yes。　It's　time　I　took　her　on　the　trip　I've　always　promised。　A　short　voyage　next　week。　To　Vladivostok。　Once　she's　there　she　can　be　cleansed　and　rehabilitated　and　made　useful；　never　to　return　here。
　He　sipped　his　vodka；　rolling　the　fiery　liquid　around　his　tongue。　〃We'll　give　Arthur　half　an　hour。　Please；〃　he　said；　motioning　to　a　chair。
　DeVille　moved　the　newspaper　out　of　the　way　and　sat　in　the　armchair。　〃Did　you　read　about　the　bank　runs？〃
　Suslev　beamed。　〃Yes；　tovarich。　Marvelous。〃
　〃Is　it　a　KGB　operation？〃
　〃Not　to　my　knowledge；〃　Suslev　said　jovially。　〃If　it　is　there's　promotion　for　someone。〃　It　was　a　key　Leninistic　policy　to　pay　particular　attention　to　Western　banks　that　were　at　the　core　of　Western　strength；　to　infiltrate　them　to　the　highest　level；　to　encourage　and　assist　others　to　foment　disaster　against　Western　currencies　but　at　the　same　time　to　borrow　capital　from　them　to　the　utter　maximum；　whatever　the　interest；　the　longer　the　loan　the　better；　making　sure　that　no　Soviet　ever　defaulted　on　any　repayment；　whatsoever　the　cost。　〃The　crash　of　the　Ho…Pak　will　certainly　bring　down　others。　The　papers　say　there　might　even　be　a　run　on　the　Victoria；　eh？〃
　DeVille　shivered　in　spite　of　himself　and　Suslev　noticed　it。　His　concern　deepened。　〃Merde；　but　that　would　wreck　Hong　Kong；〃　deVille　said。　〃Oh；　I　know　the　sooner　the　better　but　。。。　but　being　buried　so　deep；　sometimes　you　forget　who　you　really　are。〃
　〃That's　nothing　to　worry　about。　It　happens　to　all　of　us。　You're　in　turmoil　because　of　your　daughter。　What　father　wouldn't　be？　It　will　pass。〃
　〃When　can　we　do　something？　I'm　tired；　so　tired　of　waiting。〃
　〃Soon。　Listen；〃　Suslev　said　to　encourage　him。　〃In　January　I　was　at　a　top　echelon　meeting　in　Moscow。　Banking　was　high　on　our　list。　At　our　last　count　we're　indebted　to　the　capitalists　nearly　30　billions　in　loans　…　most　of　that　to　America。〃
　DeVille　gasped。　〃Madonna；　I　had　no　idea　you'd　been　so　successful。〃
　Suslev's　smile　broadened。　〃That's　just　Soviet　Russia！　Our　satellites　are　in　for　another　6。3　billions。　East　Germany's　just　got　another　1。3　billion　to　purchase　capitalist　rolling　mills；　puter　technology　and　a　lot　of　things　we　need。〃　He　laughed；　drained　his　glass　and　poured　another；　the　liquor　oiling　his　tongue。　〃I　really　don't　understand　them；　the　capitalists。　They　delude　themselves。　We're　openly　mitted　to　consume　them　but　they　give　us　the　means　to　do　it。　They're　astonishing。　If　we　have　time；　twenty　years　…　at　the　most　twenty　…　by　that　time　our　debt　will　be　60；　70　billions　and　as　far　as　they're　concerned　we'll　still　be　a　triple…A　risk；　never　having　defaulted　on　a　payment　ever　。。。　in　war；　peace　or　depression。〃　He　let　out　a　sudden　burst　of　laughter。　〃What　was　it　the　Swiss　banker　said？　'Lend　a　little　and　you　have　a　debtor　…　lend　a　lot　and　you　have　a　partner！'　70　billions；　Jacques　old　friend；　and　we　own　them。　70　and　we　can　twist　their　policies　to　suit　ourselves　and　then　at　any　moment　of　our　own　choosing　the　final　ploy：　'So　sorry；　Mr。　Capitalist　Zionist　Banker；　we　regret　we're　broke！　Oh　very　sorry　but　we　can　no　longer　repay　the　loans；　not　even　the　interest　on　the　loans。　Very　sorry　but　from　this　moment　all　our　present　currency's　valueless。　Our　new　currency's　a　red　ruble；　one　red　ruble's　worth　a　hundred　of　your　capi