jamesclavell.noblehouse-第141章

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ut　the　other　two？　Impossible！
　I'm　sorry　AMG's　dead。　I'd　call　him　right　now　about　Jacques　and　。。。
　First　finish　the　letter；　then　consider　the　parts；　he　ordered　himself。　Be　correct；　be　efficient。　Good　God！　Duncan　and　an　eighteen…year…old　sheila！　Thank　God　it　wasn't　Tom　Scragger's　youngest。　How　old　is　Priscilla　now？　Fourteen；　pretty；　built　much　older。　Girls　seem　to　mature　early　Down　Under。
　He　exhaled。　I　wonder　if　I　should　do　for　Duncan　what　Chen…chen　did　for　me。
　The　letter　continued；　〃。。。　As　I've　said；　I'm　not　pletely　sure　but　my　source　is　usually　impeccable。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　say　the　espionage　war　has　hotted　up　since　we　uncovered　and　caught　the　spies　Blake；　Vassal　…　the　Admiralty　cipher　clerk　…　and　Philby；　Burgess　and　Maclean　all　defected。　They've　all　been　seen　in　Moscow　by　the　way。　Expect　spying　to　increase　radically　in　Asia。　（We　were　able　to　peg　First　Secretary　Skripov　of　the　Soviet　Embassy　in　Canberra；　Australia；　and　order　him　out　of　the　country　in　February。　This　broke　his　Australian　ring　which　was；　I　believe；　tied　to　your　Sevrin　and　further　involved　in　Borneo　and　Indonesia。）
　〃The　free　world　is　abundantly　infiltrated　now。　MI…5　and　MI…6　are　tainted。　Even　the　CIA。　While　we've　been　naive　and　trusting；　our　opponents　realized　early　that　the　future　balance　would　depend　on　economic　power　as　well　as　military　power；　and　so　they　set　out　to　acquire　…　steal　…　our　industrial　secrets。
　〃Curiously　our　free…world　media　fail　dismally　to　point　out　that　all　Soviet　advances　are　based　originally　on　one　of　our　stolen　inventions　or　techniques；　that　without　our　grain　they　starve；　and　without　our　vast　and　ever…growing　financial　assistance　and　credits　to　buy　our　grains　and　technology　they　cannot　fuel　and　refuel　their　whole　military…industrial　infrastructure　which　keeps　their　empire　and　people　enthralled。
　〃I　remend　you　use　your　contacts　in　China　to　cement　them　to　you　further。　The　Soviets　increasingly　view　China　as　their　number　one　enemy。　Equally　strangely；　they　no　longer　seem　to　have　that　paranoiac　fear　of　the　U。S。　which　is；　without　doubt；　now　the　strongest　military　and　economic　power　in　the　world。　China；　which　is　economically　and　militarily　weak；　except　in　numbers　of　available　soldiers；　really　presents　no　military　threat　to　them。　Even　so　China　petrifies　them。
　〃One　reason　is　the　five　thousand　miles　of　border　they　share。　Another　is　national　guilt　over　the　vast　areas　of　historic　Chinese　territory　Soviet　Russia　has　swallowed　over　the　centuries；　another　is　the　knowledge　that　the　Chinese　are　a　patient　people　with　long　memories。　One　day　the　Chinese　will　take　back　their　lands。　They　have　always　taken　back　their　lands　when　it　was　militarily　feasible　to　do　so。　I've　pointed　out　many　times　that　the　cornerstone　of　Soviet　（Imperialist）　politics　is　to　isolate　and　fragment　China　to　keep　her　weak。　Their　great　bugaboo　is　a　tripartite　alliance　between　China；　Japan　and　the　U。S。　Your　Noble　House　should　work　to　promote　that。　（Also　a　mon　Market　among　the　U。S。；　Mexico　and　Canada；　totally　essential；　in　my　opinion；　to　a　stable　American　continent。）　Where　else　but　through　Hong　Kong　…　and　therefore　your　hands　…　will　all　the　inward　wealth　to　China　go？
　〃Last；　back　to　Sevrin：　I　have　taken　a　major　risk　and　approached　our　most　priceless　asset　in　the　inner　core　of　the　KGB's　ultra…secret　Department　5。　I　have　just　heard　back　today　that　the　identity　of　Arthur；　Sevrin's　leader；　is　Classification　One；　beyond　even　his　grasp。　The　only　clue　he　could　give　was　that　the　man　was　English　and　one　of　his　initials　is　R。　Not　much　to　go　on　I'm　afraid。
　〃I　look　forward　to　seeing　you。　Remember；　my　papers　must　never　pass　into　the　hands　of　anyone　else。　Regards；　AMG。〃
　Dunross　mitted　the　Geneva　phone　number　to　memory；　encoded　it　in　his　address　book　and　lit　a　match。　He　watched　the　airmail　paper　curl　and　begin　to　burn。
　R。　Robert　Ralph　Richard　Robin　Rod　Roy　Rex　Rupert　Red　Rodney　and　always　back　to　Roger。　And　Robert。　Robert　Armstrong　or　Roger　Crosse　or　…　or　who？
　Holy　Christ；　Dunross　thought；　feeling　weak。
　〃Geneva　871…65…65；　station　to　station；〃　he　said　into　his　private　phone。　Tiredness　engulfed　him。　His　sleep　last　night　had　been　disturbed；　his　dreams　dragging　him　back　to　war；　back　to　his　flaming　cockpit；　the　smell　of　burning　in　his　nostrils；　then　waking；　chilled；　listening　to　the　rain；　soon　to　get　up　silently；　Penn　sleeping　soundly；　the　Great　House　quiet　except　for　old　Ah　Tat　who；　as　always；　had　his　tea　made。　Then　to　the　track　and　chased　all　day；　his　enemies　closing　in　and　nothing　but　bad　news。　Poor　old　John　Chen；　he　thought；　then　made　the　effort　to　push　his　weariness　away。　Perhaps　I　can　kip　for　an　hour　between　five　and　six。　I'll　need　all　my　wits　tonight。
　The　operator　made　the　connections　and　he　heard　the　number　ringing。
　〃Ja？〃　the　gentle　voice　said。
　〃Hier　ist　Herr　Dunross　im　Hong　Kong。　Frau　Gresserhoff　bitte；〃　he　said　in　good　German。
　〃Oh！〃　There　was　a　long　pause。　〃Ich　bin　Frau　Gresserhoff。　Tai…pan？〃
　〃Ah　so　desu！　Ohayo　gozaimasu。　Anata　wa　Anjin　Riko…san？〃　he　asked；　his　Japanese　accent　excellent。　Good　morning。　Your　name　is　also　Riko　Anjin？
　〃Hai。　Hai；　dozo。　Ah；　nihongo　wa　jotzu　desu。〃　Yes。　Oh　you　speak　Japanese　very　well。
　〃Iye；　sukoshi；　gomen　nasai。〃　No；　sorry；　only　a　little。　As　part　of　his　training；　he　had　spent　two　years　in　their　Tokyo　office。　〃Ah；　so　sorry；〃　he　continued　in　Japanese；　〃but　I'm　calling　about　Mr。　Gresserhoff。　Have　you　heard？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　could　hear　the　sadness。　〃Yes。　I　heard　on　Monday。〃
　〃I've　just　received　a　letter　from　him。　He　said　you　have　some；　some　things　for　me？〃　he　asked　cautiously。
　〃Yes；　tai…pan。　Yes　I　have。〃
　〃Would　it　be　possible　for　you　to　bring　them　here？　So　sorry；　but　I　cannot　e　to　you。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　of　course；〃　she　said　hesitantly；　her　Japanese　soft　and　pleasing。　〃When　should　I　e？〃
　〃As　soon　as　possible。　If　you　go　to　our　office　on　Avenue　Bern　in　a　couple　of　hours；　say　at　noon；　there　will　be　tickets　and　money　for　you。　I　believe　there's　a　Swissair　connection　that　leaves　this　afternoon　…　if　that　were　possible。〃
　Again　the　hesitation。　He　waited　patiently。　AMG's　letter　writhed　in　the　ashtray　as　it　burned。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃That　would　be　possible。〃
　〃I'll　make　all　the　arrangements　for　you。　Would　you　like　someone　to　travel　with　you？〃
　〃No；　no　thank　you；〃　she　said；　her　voice　so　quiet　that　he　had　to　cup　one　hand　over　his　ear　to　hear　better。　〃Please　excuse　me　for　causing　all　this　trouble。　I　can　make　the　arrangements。〃
　〃Truly；　it's　no　trouble；〃　he　said；　pleased　that　his　Japanese　was　flowing　and　colloquial。　〃Please　go　to　my　office　at　noon。　。。。　By　the　way；　the　weather　here　is　warm　and　wet。　Ah；　so　sorry；　please　excuse　me　for　asking　but　is　your　passport　Swiss　or　Japanese；　and　under　what　name　would　you　travel？〃
　An　even　longer　pause。　〃I　would　。。。　I　think　I　should　。。。　It　would　be　Swiss；　my　travel　name　should　be　Riko　Gresserhoff。〃
　〃Thank　you　Mrs。　Gresserhoff。　I　look　forward　to　seeing　you。　Kiyoskette；　〃　he　ended。　Have　a　safe　journey。
　Thoughtfully　he　put　the　phone　back　onto　its　cradle。　The　last　of　AMG's　letter　twisted　and　died　with　a　thread　of　smoke。　Carefully　he　crumbled　the　ashes　into　powder。
　Now　what　about　Jacques？
　
　46
　
　5：45　P。M。：
　Jacques　deVille　plodded　up　the　marble　stairs　of　the　Mandarin　Hotel　to　the　mezzanine　floor；　packed　with　people　having　late　tea。
　He　took　off　his　raincoat　and　went　through　the　crowds；　feeling　very　old。　He　had　just　talked　to　his　wife；　Susanne；　in　Nice。　The　specialist　from　Paris　had　made　another　examination　of　Avril　and　thought　that　her　internal　injuries　might　not　be　as　bad　as　first　thought。
　〃He　says　we　have　to　be　patient；〃　Susanne　had　told　him　in　her　gushing　Parisienne　French。　〃But　Mother　of　God；　how　can　we　be？　The　poor　child's　distraught　and　losing　her　mind。　She　keeps　saying；　'But　I　was　the　driver；　it　was　me；　Mumma；　me；　but　for　me　my　Borge　would　be　alive；　but　for　me。　。。。'　I　fear　for　her；　chéri！〃
　〃Does　she　know　yet　that　her　。。。　about　her　inside？〃
　〃No；　not　yet。　The　doctor　says　not　to　tell　her　until　he's　sure。〃　Susanne　had　begun　to　cry。
　In　agony　he　had　calmed　her　as　best　he　could　and　said　he　would　call　her　back　in　an　hour。　For　a　while　he　had　considered　what　he　should　do；　then　he　had　made　arrangements　and　had　left　his　office　and　e　here。
　The　public　phone　booth　near　the　newsstand　was　occupied　so　he　bought　an　afternoon　paper　and　glanced　at　the　headlines。　Twenty　killed　in　resettlement　mud　slides　above　Aberdeen　。。。　Rain　to　continue　。。。　Will　Saturday's　Great　Race　Day　be　canceled？　。。。　JFK　warns　Soviets　not　to　interfere　in　Vietnam　。。。　Atom　Test　Ban　Treaty　signed　in　Moscow　by　Dean　Rusk；　Andrei　Gromyko　and　Sir　Alec　Douglas…Home；　rejected　by　France　and　China　。。。　Malayan　munists　step　up　offensive　。。。　Kennedy's　second　son；　born　prematurely；　dies　。。。　Manhunt　for　the　British　Great　Train　Robbers　continues　。。。　Profumo　scandal　damages　Conservative　Party　。。。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　are　you　waiting　for　the　phone？〃　an　American　woman　asked　from　behind　him。
　〃Oh；　oh　yes；　thank　you；　sorry！　I　didn't　see　that　it　was　empty。〃　He　went　into　the　booth；　closed　the　door；　put　in　the　coin　and　dialed。　The　ringing　tone　began。　He　felt　his　anxiety　rising。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Mr。　Lop…sing　please；〃　he　said；　not　sure　of　the　voice　yet。
　〃There's　no　Mr。　Lop…ting　here。　Sorry；　you　have　a　wrong　number。〃
　〃I　want　to　leave　a　message；〃　he　said；　relieved　to　recognize　Suslev's　voice。
　〃You　have　a　wrong　number。　Look　in　your　phone　book。〃
　When　the　code　was　pleted　correctly；　he　began；　〃Sorry　to　c…　〃
　〃What　is　your　number？〃　interrupted　him　harshly。
　Jacques　gave　it　at　once。
　〃Is　it　a　phone　booth？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Immediately　the　phone　clicked　off。　As　he　hung　up　he　felt　a　sudden　sweat　on　his　hands。　Suslev's　number　was　only　to　be　used　in　an　emergency　but　this　was　an　emergency。　He　stared　at　the　phone。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　the　American　woman　called　out　through　the　glass　doors。　〃Can　I　use　the　phone？　I　won't　be　a　moment。〃
　〃Oh！　Oh　I'm　…　I　won't　be　a　second；〃　Jacques　said；　momentarily　flustered。　He　saw　that　three　Chinese　were　waiting　impatiently　behind　her　now。　They　stared　at　him　balefully。　〃I'm　。。。　I'll　just　be　a　second。〃　He　reclosed　the　door；　sweat　on　his　back。　He　waited　and　waited　and　waited　and　then　the　phone　rang。　〃Hello？〃
　〃What's　the　emergency？〃
　〃I　。。。　I　just　heard　from　Nice。〃　Carefully　Jacques　told　Suslev　about　his　conversation　with　his　wife　without　mentioning　any　names。　〃I'm　going　there　at　once　on　the　evening　flight　…　and　I　thought　I'd　better　tell　you　personally　so　the…　〃
　〃No；　this　evening's　too　soon。　Book　tomorrow；　on　the　evening　flight。〃
　Jacques　felt　his　world　collapse。　〃But　I　talked　to　the　tai…pan　a　few　minutes　ago　and　he　said　it　was　all　right　for　me　to　go　tonight。　I'm　booked。　I　can　be　back　in　three　days；　she　really　sounded　awful　on　the　phone。　Don't　you　th…　〃
　〃No！〃　Suslev　told　him　more　sharply。　〃I　will　call　you　tonight　as　arranged。　This　could　all　have　waited　till　then。　Don't　use　this　number　again　unless　there's　a　real　emergency！〃
　Jacques　opened　his　mouth　to　answer　hotly　but　the　phone　was　already　dead。　He　had　heard　the　anger。　But　this　is　an　emergency；　he　told　himself；　enraged；　beginning　to　redial。　Susanne　needs　me　there　and　so　does　Avril。　And　the　tai…pan　was　all　for　it。
　〃Good　idea；　Jacques；〃　Dunross　had　said　at　once。　〃Take　all　the　time　you　need。　Andrew　can　cover　for　you。〃
　And　now　。。。　Merde；　what　do　I　do？　Susl