jamesclavell.noblehouse-第34章

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ge　plan　…　ergo；　in　due　course　the　canal　could　be　out　of　U。S。　hands　into　the　enemy's。〃
　〃They'd　never　stand　for　it。〃
　〃You're　right；　Mr。　Dunross；　but　they　will　sit　for　it。　What　could　be　a　better　garrotte　in　time　of　hostilities；　or　even　crisis；　against　your　main；　openly　stated　capitalistic　enemy　than　to　be　able　to　inhibit　the　Panama　Canal　or　rock　it　a　little？　One　ship　sunk　in　any　one　of　a　hundred　spots；　or　a　lock　wrecked；　could　dam　up　the　canal　for　years。〃
　Dunross　remembered　how　he　had　poured　two　more　drinks　before　answering；　and　then　he　had　said；　〃You're　seriously　suggesting　we　should　make　contingency　plans　against　that。〃
　〃Yes；〃　the　little　man　said　with　his　extraordinary　innocence。　〃I'm　very　serious　about　my　job；　Mr。　Dunross。　My　job；　the　one　I've　chosen　for　me；　is　to　seek　out；　to　uncover　and　evaluate　enemy　moves。　I'm　not　anti…Russian　or　anti…Chinese　or　anti…East　German　or　anti　any　of　that　bloc　…　on　the　absolute　contrary　I　want　desperately　to　help　them。　I'm　convinced　that　we're　in　a　state　of　war；　that　the　enemy　of　all　the　people　is　the　munist　Party　member；　whether　British；　Soviet；　Chinese；　Hungarian；　American；　Irish　。。。　even　Martian　。。。　and　all　are　linked　in　one　way　or　another；　that　the　KGB；　like　it　or　not；　is　in　the　center　of　their　web。〃　He　sipped　the　drink　Dunross　had　just　refilled　for　him。　〃This　is　marvelous　whiskey；　Mr。　Dunross。〃
　〃It's　Loch　Vey　…　it　es　from　a　small　distillery　near　our　homelands　in　Ayr。　It's　a　Struan　pany。〃
　〃Marvelous！〃　Another　appreciative　sip　of　the　whiskey　and　Dunross　reminded　himself　to　send　Alan　Medford　Grant　a　case　for　Christmas　…　if　the　initial　reports　proved　interesting。
　〃I'm　not　a　fanatic；　Mr。　Dunross；　nor　a　rabble…rouser。　Just　a　sort　of　reporter　and　forecaster。　Some　people　collect　stamps；　I　collect　secrets。　。。。〃
　The　lights　of　a　car　rounding　the　half…hidden　curve　of　the　road　below　distracted　Dunross　momentarily。　He　wandered　over　to　the　window　and　watched　the　car　until　it　had　gone；　enjoying　the　sound　of　the　highly　tuned　engine。　Then　he　sat　in　a　high…winged　chair　and　let　his　mind　drift　again。　Yes；　Mr。　Grant；　you　certainly　collect　secrets；　he　thought；　staggered　as　usual　by　the　scope　of　the　little　man's　knowledge。
　Sevrin　…　Christ　almighty！　If　that's　true　。。。
　How　accurate　are　you　this　time？　How　far　do　I　trust　you　this　time　…　how　far　do　I　gamble？
　In　previous　reports　Grant　had　given　two　projections　that；　so　far；　could　be　proved。　A　year　in　advance；　Grant　had　predicted　that　de　Gaulle　would　veto　Britain's　effort　to　join　the　EEC；　that　the　French　general's　posture　would　be　increasingly　anti…British；　anti…American　and　pro…Soviet；　and　that　de　Gaulle　would；　prompted　by　outside　influences　and　encouraged　by　one　of　his　closest　advisors　…　an　immensely　secret；　covert　KGB　mole　…　mount　a　long…term　attack　on　the　U。S。　economy　by　speculation　in　gold。　Dunross　had　dismissed　this　as　farfetched　and　so　had　lost　a　potential　fortune。
　Recently；　six　months　in　advance；　Grant　had　forecast　the　missile　crisis　in　Cuba；　that　Kennedy　would　slam　down　the　gauntlet；　blockade　Cuba　and　exert　the　necessary　pressure　and　not　buckle　under　the　strain　of　brinkmanship；　that　Khrushchev　would　back　off　under　pressure。　Gambling　that　Grant　was　correct　this　time　…　though　a　Cuban　missile　crisis　had　seemed　highly　unlikely　at　the　time　forecast　…　Dunross　had　made　Struan's　half　a　million　pounds　by　buying　Hawaiian　sugar　futures；　another　600；000　on　the　stock　market；　plus　600；000　for　the　tai…pan's　secret　fund　…　and　cemented　a　long…range　plan　to　invest　in　Hawaiian　sugar　plantations　as　soon　as　he　could　find　the　financial　tool。　And　you've　got　it　now；　he　told　himself　gleefully。　Par…Con。
　〃You've　almost　got　it；〃　he　muttered；　correcting　himself。　How　far　do　I　trust　this　report？　Thus　far　AMG's　mittee's　been　a　gigantic　investment　for　all　his　meanderings；　he　thought。　Yes。　But　it's　almost　like　having　your　own　astrologer。　A　few　accurate　forecasts　don't　mean　they'll　all　be。　Hitler　had　his　own　forecaster。　So　did　Julius　Caesar。　Be　wise；　be　cautious；　he　reminded　himself。　What　to　do？　It's　now　or　never。
　Sevrin。　Alan　Medford　Grant　had　written：　〃Documents　brought　to　us　and　substantiated　by　the　French　spy　Marie　d'Orleans　caught　by　the　S？reté　June　16　indicate　that　the　KGB　Department　V　（Disinformation　…　FAR　EAST）　have　in　situ　a　hitherto　unknown；　deep…cover　espionage　network　throughout　the　Far　East；　code　name　Sevrin。　The　purpose　of　Sevrin　is　clearly　stated　in　the　stolen　Head　Document：
　〃Aim：　To　cripple　revisionist　China　…　formally　acknowledged　by　the　Central　mittee　of　the　USSR　as　the　main　enemy；　second　only　to　capitalist　U。S。A。
　〃Procedure：　The　permanent　obliteration　of　Hong　Kong　as　the　bastion　of　capitalism　in　the　Far　East　and　China's　preeminent　source　of　all　foreign　currency；　foreign　assistance　and　all　technical　and　manufactured　assistance　of　every　kind。
　〃Method：　Long…term　infiltration　of　the　press　and　media；　the　government；　police；　business　and　education　with　friendly　aliens　controlled　by　Center　…　but　only　in　accordance　with　most　special　procedures　throughout　Asia。
　〃Initiation　date：　Immediate。
　〃Duration　of　operation：　Provisionally　thirty　years。
　〃Target　date：　1980…83。
　〃Classification：　Red　One。
　〃Funding：　Maximum。
　〃Approval：　L。B。　March　14；　1950。
　〃It's　interesting　to　note；〃　Grant　had　continued；　〃that　the　document　is　signed　in　1950　by　L。B。　…　presumed　to　be　Lavrenti　Beria　…　when　Soviet　Russia　was　openly　allied　with　munist　China；　and　that；　even　in　those　days；　China　was　secretly　considered　their　Number　Two　enemy。　（Our　previous　report　3/1962；　Russia　versus　China　refers。）
　〃China；　historically；　is　the　great　prize　that　always　was　…　and　ever　will　be　…　sought　by　imperialistic　and　hegemonic　Russia。　Possession　of　China；　or　its　mutilation　into　balkanized　subject　states；　is　the　perpetual　keystone　of　Russian　foreign　policy。　First　is；　of　course；　the　obliteration　of　Western　Europe；　for　then；　Russia　believes；　China　can　be　swallowed　at　will。
　〃The　documents　reveal　that　the　Hong　Kong　cell　of　Sevrin　consists　of　a　resident　controller；　code　name　Arthur；　and　six　agents。　We　know　nothing　about　Arthur；　other　than　that　he　has　been　a　KGB　agent　since　recruitment　in　England　in　the　thirties　（it's　not　known　if　he　was　born　in　England；　or　if　his　parents　are　English；　but　he　would　be　in　his　late　forties　or　early　fifties）。　His　mission　is；　of　course；　a　long…term；　deep…cover　operation。
　〃Supporting　top…secret　intelligence　documents　stolen　from　the　Czechoslovak　STB　（State　Secret　Security）　dated　April　6；　1959；　translate　in　part；　'。。。　between　1946　and　1959　six　key；　deep…cover　agents　have　been　recruited　through　information　supplied　by　the　controller；　Arthur：　one　each　in　the　Hong　Kong　Colonial　Office　（code　name　Charles）；　Treasury　（code　name　Mason）；　Naval　Base　（John）；　the　Bank　of　London　and　China　（Vincent）；　the　Hong　Kong　Telephone　pany　（William）；　and　Struan　and　pany　（Frederick）。　According　to　normal　procedures　only　the　controller　knows　the　true　identity　of　the　others。　Seven　safe　houses　have　been　established。　Among　them　are　Sinclair　Towers　on　Hong　Kong　Island　and　the　Nine　Dragons　Hotel　in　Kowloon。　Sevrin's　New　York　contact；　has　the　code　name　Guillio。　He　is　very　important　to　us　because　of　his　Mafia　and　CIA　connections。'　〃
　Grant　had　continued；　Guillio　is　believed　to　be　Vincenzo　Banastasio；　a　substantial　racketeer　and　the　present　don　of　the　Sallapione　family。　This　is　being　checked　through　our　U。S。　sources。　We　don't　know　if　the　deep…cover　enemy　agent　in　the　police　（covered　in　detail　in　another　section）　is　part　of　Sevrin　or　not　but　presume　he　is。
　〃In　our　opinion；　China　will　be　forced　to　seek　ever…increasing　amounts　of　trade　with　the　West　to　counterbalance　imperialist　Soviet　hegemony　and　to　fill　the　void　and　chaos　created　by　the　sudden　withdrawal　in　1960　of　all　Soviet　funding　and　technicians。　China's　armed　forces　badly　need　modernizing。　Harvests　have　been　bad。　Therefore　all　forms　of　strategic　materials　and　military　hardware　will　find　a　ready　market　for　many　years　to　e；　and　food；　basic　foodstuffs。　The　long…range　purchase　of　American　rice　futures　is　remended。
　〃I　have　the　honor　to　be；　sir；　your　obedient　servant；　AMG；　London；　August　15；　1963。〃
　Jets　and　tanks　and　nuts　and　bolts　and　rockets　and　engines　and　trucks　and　petrol　and　tires　and　electronics　and　food；　Dunross　thought；　his　mind　soaring。　A　limitless　spectrum　of　trade　goods；　easy　to　obtain；　easy　to　ship；　and　nothing　on　earth　like　a　war　for　profit　if　you　can　trade。　But　China's　not　buying　now；　whatever　they　need；　whatever　Grant　says。
　Who　could　Arthur　be？
　Who　in　Struan's？　Jesus　Christ！　John　Chen　and　Tsu…yan　and　smuggled　guns　and　now　a　KGB　agent　within。　Who？　What　about　。。。
　There　was　a　gentle　knock　on　the　door。
　〃e　in；〃　he　said；　recognizing　his　wife's　knock。
　〃Ian；　it's　almost　eight；〃　Penelope；　his　wife；　said；　〃I　thought　I'd　better　tell　you。　You　know　how　you　are。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　did　it　go　today？　Awful　about　John　Chen；　isn't　it？　I　suppose　you　read　the　papers？　Are　you　ing　down？〃
　〃Yes。　Champagne？〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　He　poured　for　her　and　replenished　his　glass。　〃Oh　by　the　way；　Penn；　I　invited　a　fellow　I　met　this　afternoon；　an　ex…RAF　type。　He　seemed　a　decent　fellow　…　Peter　Marlowe。〃
　〃Fighters？〃
　〃Yes。　But　Hurricanes　…　and　Spits。　Is　that　a　new　dress？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　look　pretty；〃　he　said。
　〃Thank　you　but　I'm　not。　I　feel　so　old；　but　thank　you。〃　She　sat　in　the　other　winged　chair；　her　perfume　as　delicate　as　her　features。　〃Peter　Marlowe；　you　said？〃
　〃Yes。　Poor　bugger　got　caught　in　Java　in　'42。　He　was　a　POW　for　three　and　a　half　years。〃
　〃Oh；　poor　man。　He　was　shot　down？〃
　〃No；　the　Japanese　plastered　the　'drome　before　he　could　scramble。　Perhaps　he　was　lucky。　The　Zeros　got　two　on　the　ground　and　the　last　two　just　after　they　were　airborne　…　the　pilots　flamed　in。　Seems　those　four　Hurricanes　were　the　last　of　the　Few　…　the　last　of　the　whole　air　defense　of　the　Far　East。　What　a　balls…up　that　was！〃
　〃Terrible。〃
　〃Yes。　Thank　God　our　war　was　in　Europe。〃　Dunross　watched　her。　〃He　said　he　was　a　year　in　Java；　then　the　Japanese　sent　him　to　Singapore　on　a　work　party。〃
　〃To　Changi？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　different。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Oh！〃
　〃He　was　there　for　two　and　a　half　years。〃　Changi　in　Malay　meant　〃clinging　vine；〃　and　Changi　was　the　name　of　the　jail　in　Singapore　that　was　used　by　the　Japanese　in　World　War　II　for　one　of　their　infamous　prisoner…of…war　camps。
　She　thought　a　moment；　then　smiled　a　little　nervously。　〃Did　he　know　Robin　there？〃　Robin　Grey　was　her　brother；　her　only　living　relative：　her　parents　had　been　killed　in　an　air　raid　in　London　in　1943；　just　before　she　and　Dunross　were　married。
　〃Marlowe　said　yes；　he　seemed　to　remember　him；　but　clearly　he　didn't　want　to　talk　about　those　days　so　I　let　it　drop。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。　Did　you　tell　him　Robin　was　my　brother？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃When's　Robin　due　back　here？〃
　〃I　don't　know　exactly。　In　a　few　days。　This　afternoon　the　governor　told　me　the　delegation's　in　Peking　now。〃　A　British　Parliamentary　Trade　Delegation　drawn　from　MPs　of　the　three　parties　…　Conservative；　Liberal　and　Labour　…　had　been　invited　out　from　London　by　Peking　to　discuss　all　manner　of　trade。　The　delegation　had　arrived　in　Hong　Kong　two　weeks　ago　and　had　gone　directly　on　to　Canton　where　all　trade　negotiations　were　conducted。　It　was　very　rare　for　anyone　to　get　an　invitation；　let　alone　a　parliamentary　delegation　…　and　e