jamesclavell.noblehouse-第142章

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　〃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？　Suslev's　not　my　keeper！
　Isn't　he？
　DeVille　stopped　dialing；　his　sweat　chilling；　and　hung　up。
　〃Are　you　finished；　sir？〃　the　American　woman　called　out　with　her　insistent　smile。　She　was　in　her　fifties；　her　hair　fashionably　blue。　〃There's　a　line　waiting。〃
　〃Oh　。。。　oh　yes；　sorry。〃　He　fought　the　door　open。
　〃You　forgot　your　paper；　sir；〃　she　said　politely。
　〃Oh；　oh　thank　you。〃　Jacques　deVille　reached　back　for　it　and　came　out　in　misery。　At　once　all　the　Chinese；　three　men　and　a　woman；　surged　forward；　elbowing　him　and　the　American　lady　out　of　the　way。　A　heavyset　matron　got　to　the　door　first　and　slammed　it　shut　behind　her；　the　others　crowding　to　be　next。
　〃Hey　。。。　it　was　my　turn；〃　the　American　woman　began　angrily　but　they　paid　no　attention　to　her　except　to　curse　her　and　her　antecedents　openly　and　with　great　vulgarity。
　
　Suslev　was　standing　in　the　sleazy　Kowloon　apartment　that　was　one　of　Arthur's　safe　houses；　his　heart　still　thumping　from　the　suddenness　of　the　call。　There　was　a　damp；　musky；　soiled　smell　of　ancient　cooking　in　the　room　and　he　stared　down　at　the　phone；　furious　with　Jacques　deVille。　Stupid　motherless　turd。　Jacques　is　being　a　liability。　Tonight　I'll　tell　Arthur　what　should　be　done　with　him。　The　sooner　the　better！　Yes；　and　the　sooner　you　calm　down　yourself　the　better；　he　cautioned　himself。　Angry　people　make　mistakes。　Put　away　your　anger！
　With　an　effort；　he　did　just　that　and　went　out　onto　the　dim；　paint…peeled　landing；　locking　the　door　behind　him。　Another　key　unlocked　Ginny　Fu's　door　next　to　his。
　〃You　want　vodka？〃　she　asked　with　her　saucy　smile。
　〃Yes。〃　He　grinned　back；　pleased　to　look　at　her。　She　was　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　old　sofa　and　wore　only　a　smile。　They　had　been　kissing　when　his　phone　had　rung　the　first　time。　There　were　two　phones　in　her　apartment。　Hers　and　the　other　one；　the　secret　one　in　the　cupboard　that　only　he　used　and　answered。　Arthur　had　told　him　it　was　safe；　bootlegged；　unlisted　and　impossible　to　bug。　Even　so；　Suslev　only　used　the　other　apartment　and　its　phone　for　emergencies。
　Matyeryebyets；　Jacques；　he　thought；　still　edgy　from　the　sudden　shrilling　of　his　private　phone。
　〃Drink；　tovarich；〃　Ginny　said；　offering　the　glass。　〃Then　drink　me；　heya？〃
　He　grinned　back；　took　the　vodka　and　ran　an　appreciative　hand　over　her　cute　little　rump。　〃Ginny；　golubushka；　you're　a　good　girl。〃
　〃You　bet！　I　best　girl　for　you。〃　She　reached　up　and　fondled　his　earlobe。　〃We　jig…jig　heya？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　He　drank　the　fiery　liquid　sparingly；　wanting　it　to　last。　Her　tiny　nimble　fingers　were　undoing　his　shirt。　He　stopped　her　for　a　moment　and　kissed　her；　she　weling　his　kiss　and　returning　it　equally。　〃Wait　till　clothes　off；　heya？〃　she　chuckled。
　〃Next　week　I　go；　eh？〃　he　said；　holding　her　in　his　bear　hug。　〃How　about　you　ing　too；　eh？　The　holiday　I've　always　promised　you？〃
　〃Oh？　Oh　truly？〃　Her　smile　was　immense。　〃Wen？　Wen？　You　no　tease？〃
　〃You　can　e　with　me。　We'll　stop　in　Manila；　our　first　stop's　Manila；　then　north　and　back　here　in　a　month。〃
　〃Oh　a　real　month　。。。　oh　Gregy！〃　She　hugged　him　with　all　her　might。　〃I　make　best　ship's　captain　girl　all　China！〃
　〃Yes；　yes　you　will。〃
　〃Wen　go　。。。　wen　we　go？〃
　〃Next　week。　I'll　tell　you　when。〃
　〃Good。　Tomorrow　I　go　get　passport　th…　〃
　〃No；　no　passport；　Ginny。　They'll　never　give　it　to　you。　Those　viblyadoks'll　stop　you。　They　won't　ever　let　you　e　with　me　。。。　oh　no；　golubushka；　those　dirty　police　will　never　let　you　e　with　me。〃
　〃Then　wat　I　do；　heya？〃
　〃I'll　smuggle　you　aboard　in　a　chest！〃　His　laugh　was　rich。　〃Or　perhaps　on　a　magic　carpet。　Eh？〃
　She　peered　up　at　him；　her　dark　eyes　wide　and　brimming　and　anxious。　〃True　you　take　me？　True？　One　month　on　your　ship；　heya？〃
　〃At　least　a　month。　But　don't　tell　anyone。　The　police　watch　me　all　the　time　and　if　they　know；　you　won't　be　able　to　e　with　me。　Understand？〃
　〃All　gods　bear　witness　not　tell　a　weevil；　not　even　my　mother；〃　Ginny　swore　vehemently；　then　hugged　him　again　with　the　vastness　of　her　happiness。　〃Eeeee；　I　get　huge　face　as　captain's　lady！〃　Another　hug　and　then　she　let　her　fingers　stray　and　he　jerked　involuntarily。　She　laughed　and　began　to　undress　him　again。　〃I　give　you　best　time；　best。〃
　She　used　her　fingers　and　her　lips　expertly；　probing　and　touching　and　withdrawing　and　moving　against　him；　concentrating　on　her　task　until　he　cried　out　and　became　one　with　the　gods　in　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain。　Her　hands　and　lips　stayed　on　him；　not　leaving　while　the　last　tiny　fraction　of　pleasure　remained。　Then　she　ceased　and　curled　against　him　and　listened　to　the　deepness　of　his　breathing；　very　contented　that　she　had　done　her　job　well。　She；　herself；　she　had　not　experienced　the　Clouds　and　the　Rain　though　she　had　pretended　to　several　times；　to　increase　his　pleasure。　Only　twice　in　all　the　times　that　they　had　pillowed　had　she　reached　the　zenith　and　both　times　she　had　been　very　drunk　and　not　really　sure　if　she　had　or　if　she　had　not。　It　was　only　with　Third　Nighttime　Sandwich　Cook　Tok　at　the　Victoria　and　Albert　that　she　would　zenith　every　time。　All　gods　bless　my　joss；　she　thought　happily。　With　one　month　holiday　and　the　extra　money　Gregor　will　give　me；　and；　with　joss；　one　more　year　with　him；　we'll　have　enough　money　to　open　our　own　restaurant　and　I　can　have　sons　and　grandsons　and　bee　one　with　the　gods。　Oh　how　lucky　I　am！
　She　was　tired　now　for　she　had　had　to　work　hard；　so　she　curled　more　fortably　against　him；　closed　her　eyes；　liking　him；　thankful　to　the　gods　that　they　had　helped　her　to　overe　her　distaste　for　his　size　and　his　white；　toadlike　skin　and　his　rancid　body　smell。　Thank　all　gods；　she　thought　happily　as　she　wafted　into　sleep。
　Suslev　was　not　sleeping。　He　was　just　drifting；　his　mind　and　his　body　at　peace。　The　day　had　been　good　and　a　little　very　bad。　After　meeting　with　Crosse　at　the　racetrack　he　had　returned　to　his　ship；　appalled　that　there　could　be　a　security　leak　from　the　Ivanov。　He　had　encoded　Crosse's　information　about　Operation　Dry　Run　and　all　the　other　things　and　sent　it　off　in　the　privacy　of　his　cabin。　Ining　messages　told　him　that　Voranski　would　not　be　replaced　until　the　next　visit　of　the　Sovetsky　Ivanov；　that　the　special　psychochemical　expert；　Koronski；　was　available　to　arrive　from　Bangkok　at　twelve　hours'　notice；　and　that　he；　Suslev；　was　to　assume　direction　of　Sevrin　and　liaise　with　Arthur　directly。　〃Do　not　fail　to　obtain　copies　of　the　AMG　files。〃
　He　remembered　how　a　chill　had　gone　through　him　at　that　〃do　not　fail。〃　So　few　failures；　so　many　successes；　but　only　the　failures　remembered。　Where　was　the　security　leak　aboard？　Who　read　the　AMG　file　apart　from　me？　Only　Dimitri　Metkin；　my　second…in…mand。　It　could　not　be　him。　The　leak　must　be　from　elsewhere。
　How　far　to　trust　Crosse？
　Not　far；　but　that　man's　clearly　the　most　priceless　asset　we　have　in　the　capitalistic　camp　of　Asia　and　must　be　protected　at　all　costs。
　The　feel　of　Ginny　against　him　was　pleasing。　She　was　breathing　softly；　a　tiny　jerk　from　time　to　time；　her　breast　rising　and　falling。　His　eyes　went　through　the　doorway　to　the　old…fashioned　clock　that　stood　in　a　niche　of　one　of　the　untidy　kitchen　shelves　among　all　the　half…used　bottles　and　tins　and　containers。　The　kitchen　was　in　an　alcove　off　the　living　room。　Here　in　the　only　bedroom；　the　bed　was　huge　and　almost　filled　the　room。　He　had　bought　it　for　her　when　he　had　begun　with　her　two；　almost　three　years　ago。　It　was　a　good　bed；　clean；　soft　but　not　too　soft；　a　wele　change　from　his　bunk　aboard。
　And　Ginny；　she　was　wele　too。　Pliant；　easygoing；　no　trouble。　Her　blue…black　hair　was　cut　short　and　straight　across　her　high　forehead；　the　way　he　liked　it　…　such　a　contrast　to　Vertinskaya；　his　mistress　in　Vladivostok；　her　with　her　sloe；　hazel　eyes；　long　wavy　dark　brown　hair　and　the　temper　of　a　wildcat；　her　mother　a　true　Princess　Zergeyev　and　her　father　an　insignificant　half…caste　Chinese　shopkeeper　who　had　bought　the　mother　at　an　auction　when　she　was　thirteen。　She　had　been　on　one　of　the　cattle　trucks　of　children　fleeing　Russia　after　the　holocaust　of　'17。
　Liberation；　not　holocaust；　he　told　himself　happily。　Ah；　but　it's　good　to　bed　the　daughter　of　a　Princess　Zergeyev　when　you're　the　grandson　of　a　peasant　off　Zergeyev　lands。
　Thinking　of　the　Zergeyevs　reminded　him　of　Alexi　Travkin。　He　smiled　to　himself。　Poor　Travkin；　such　a　fool！　Would　they　really　release　the　Princess　Nestorova；　his　wife；　to　Hong　Kong　at　Christmas？　I　doubt　it。　Perhaps　they　will　and　then　poor　Travkin　will　die　of　shock　to　see　that　little　old　hag　of　the　snows；　toothless；　wrinkled　and　arthritic。　Better　to　spare　him　that　agony；　he　thought　passionately。　Travkin's　Russian　and　not　a　bad　man。
　Again　he　looked　at　the　clock。　Now　it　read　6：20。　He　smiled　to　himself。　Nothing　to　do　for　a　few　hours　but　sleep　and　eat　and　think　and　plan。　Then　the　oh　so　careful　meeting　with　the　English　MP　and；　late　tonight；　seeing　Arthur　again。　He　chuckled。　It　amused　him　very　much　to　know　secrets　Arthur　did　not　know。　But　then　Arthur　holds　back　secrets　too；　he　thought　without　anger。　Perhaps　he　already　knows　about　the　MPs。　He's　smart；　very　smart；　and　doesn't　trust　me　either。
　That's　the　great　law：　Never　trust　another　…　man；　woman　or　child　…　if　you　want　to　stay　alive　and　safe　and　out　of　enemy　clutches。
　I'm　safe　because　I　know　people；　know　how　to　keep　a　closed　mouth　and　know　how　to　further　State　policy　purely　as　part　of　my　own　life　plan。
　So　many　wonderful　plans　to　effect。　So　many　exciting　coups　to　precipitate　and　be　part　of。　And　then　there's　Sevrin　。。。
　Again　he　chuckled　and　Ginny　stirred。　〃Go　to　sleep；　little　princess；〃　he　whispered　soothingly　as　to　a　child。　〃Go　to　sleep。〃
　Obediently　she　did　not　truly　awaken；　just　brushed　her　hair　out　of　her　eyes　and　snuggled　more　fortably。
　Suslev　let　his　eyes　close；　her　body　sweet　against　him。　He　let　his　arm　rest　across　her　loins。　The　rain　had　lessened　during　the　afternoon。　Now　he　noticed　it　had　stopped。　He　yawned　as　he　went　into　sleep；　knowing　the　storm　had　not　yet　ended　its　work。
　
　47
　
　6：25　P。M。：
　Robert　Armstrong　drained　his　beer。　〃Another；〃　he　called　out　blearily；　feigning　drunkenness。　He　was　in　the　Good　Luck　Girlfriend；　a　crowded；　noisy　Wanchai　bar　on　the　waterfront；　filled　with　American　sailors　from　the　nuclear　carrier。　Chinese　hostesses　plied　the　customers　with　drink　and　accepted　banter　and　touch　and　watered　drinks　in　return　at　high　cost。　Occasionally　one　of　them　would　order　a　real　whiskey　and　show　it　to　her　partner　to　prove　that　this　was　a　good　bar　and　they　were　not　being　cheated。
　Above　the　bar　were　rooms　but　it　was　not　wise　for　sailors　to　go　to　them。　Not　all　of　the　girls　were　clean　or　careful；　not　from　choice　just　from　ignorance。　And；　late　at　night；　you　could　be　rolled　though　only　the　very　drunk　were　robbed。　After　all；　there　was　no　need：　sailors　were　ready　to　spend　everything　they　had。
　〃You　want　jig…jig？〃　the　overpainted　child　asked　him。
　Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　all　your　ancestors；　he　wanted　to　tell　her。　You　should　be　home　in　bed　with　some　schoolbooks。　But　he　did　not　say　it。　That　would　do　no　good。　In　all　probability　her　parents　had　gratefully　arranged　this　job　for　her　so　that　all　the　family　could　survive　just　a　little　better。　〃You　want　drink？〃　he　said　instead；　hiding　that　he　could　spea