jamesclavell.noblehouse-第49章

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rivately。　Once　legally　owned；　it　can　be　legally　exported。〃
　〃Where's　all　this　leading　to；　Brian？〃　Dunross　sipped　his　brandy。
　Brian　Kwok　swilled　the　ancient；　aromatic　spirit　in　the　huge　glass　and　let　the　silence　gather。　At　length　he　said；　〃We'd　like　some　help。〃
　〃We？　You　mean　Special　Intelligence？〃　Dunross　was　startled。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Who　in　SI？　You？〃
　Brian　Kwok　hesitated。　〃Mr。　Crosse　himself。〃
　〃What　help？〃
　〃He'd　like　to　read　all　your　Alan　Medford　Grant　reports。〃
　〃e　again？〃　Dunross　said　to　give　himself　time　to　think；　not　expecting　this　at　all。
　Brian　Kwok　took　out　a　photocopy　of　the　first　and　last　page　of　the　intercepted　report　and　offered　it。　〃A　copy　of　this　has　just　e　into　our　possession。〃　Dunross　glanced　at　the　pages。　Clearly　they　were　genuine。　〃We'd　like　a　quick　look　at　all　the　others。〃
　〃I　don't　follow　you。〃
　〃I　didn't　bring　the　whole　report；　just　for　convenience；　but　if　you　want　it　you　can　have　it　tomorrow；〃　Brian　said　and　his　eyes　didn't　waver。　〃We'd　appreciate　it　…　Mr。　Crosse　said　he'd　appreciate　the　help。〃
　The　enormity　of　the　implications　of　the　request　paralyzed　Dunross　for　a　moment。
　〃This　report　…　and　the　others　if　they　still　exist　…　are　private；〃　he　heard　himself　say　carefully。　〃At　least　all　the　information　in　them　is　private　to　me　personally；　and　to　the　Government。　Surely　you　can　get　everything　you　want　through　your　own　intelligence　channels。〃
　〃Yes。　Meanwhile；　Superintendent　Crosse'd　really　appreciate　it；　Ian；　if　you'd　let　us　have　a　quick　look。〃
　Dunross　took　a　sip　of　his　brandy；　his　mind　in　shock。　He　knew　he　could　easily　deny　that　the　others　existed　and　burn　them　or　hide　them　or　just　leave　them　where　they　were；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　avoid　helping　Special　Intelligence。　It　was　his　duty　to　assist　them。　Special　Intelligence　was　a　vital　part　of　Special　Branch　and　the　Colony's　security　and　he　was　convinced　that；　without　them；　the　Colony　and　their　whole　position　in　Asia　would　be　untenable。　And　without　a　marvelous　counterintelligence；　if　a　twentieth　of　AMG's　reports　were　true；　all　their　days　were　numbered。
　Christ　Jesus；　in　the　wrong　hands　。　。　。
　His　chest　felt　tight　as　he　tried　to　reason　out　his　dilemma。　Part　of　that　last　report　had　leapt　into　his　mind：　about　the　traitor　in　the　police。　Then　he　remembered　that　Kiernan　had　told　him　that　his　back　copies　were　the　only　ones　in　existence。　How　much　was　private　to　him　and　how　much　was　known　to　British　Intelligence？　Why　the　secrecy？　Why　didn't　Grant　get　permission？　Christ；　say　I　was　wrong　about　some　things　being　farfetched！　In　the　wrong　hands；　in　enemy　hands；　much　of　the　information　would　be　lethal。
　With　an　effort　he　calmed　his　mind　and　concentrated。　〃I'll　consider　what　you　said　and　talk　to　you　tomorrow。　First　thing。〃
　〃Sorry；　Ian。　I　was　told　to　in…　to　impress　upon　you　the　urgency。〃
　〃Were　you　going　to　say　insist？〃
　〃Yes。　Sorry。　We　wish　to　ask　for　your　assistance。　This　is　a　formal　request　for　your　cooperation。〃
　〃And　Eastern　Cloud　and　Nelson　Trading　are　barter？〃
　〃Eastern　Cloud's　a　gift。　The　information　was　also　a　gift。　Nelson　Trading　is　no　concern　of　ours；　except　for　passing　interest。　Everything　said　was　confidential。　To　my　knowledge；　we　have　no　records。〃
　Dunross　studied　his　friend；　the　high　cheekbones　and　wide；　heavy…lidded　eyes；　straight　and　unblinking；　the　face　good…looking　and　well　proportioned　with　thick　black　eyebrows。
　〃Did　you　read　this　report；　Brian？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　you'll　understand　my　dilemma；〃　he　said；　testing　him。
　〃Ah；　you　mean　the　bit　about　a　police　traitor？〃
　〃What　was　that？〃
　〃You're　right　to　be　cautious。　Yes；　very　correct。　You're　referring　to　the　bit　about　a　hostile　being　possibly　at　superintendent　level？〃
　〃Yes。　Do　you　know　who　he　is？〃
　〃No。　Not　yet。〃
　〃Do　you　suspect　anyone？〃
　〃Yes。　He's　under　surveillance　now。　There's　no　need　to　worry　about　that；　Ian；　the　back　copies'll　just　be　seen　by　me　and　Mr。　Crosse。　They'll　have　top　classification　never　mind。〃
　〃Just　a　moment；　Brian　…　I　haven't　said　they　exist；〃　Dunross　told　him；　pretending　irritation；　and　at　once　he　noticed　a　flash　in　the　eyes　that　could　have　been　anger　or　could　have　been　disappointment。　The　face　had　remained　impassive。　〃Put　yourself　in　my　position；　a　layman；〃　he　said；　his　senses　fine…honed；　continuing　the　same　line；　〃I'd　be　pretty　bloody　foolish　to　keep　such　info　around；　wouldn't　I？　Much　wiser　to　destroy　it　…　once　the　pertinent　bits　have　been　acted　on。　Wouldn't　I？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Let's　leave　it　at　that　for　tonight。　Until　say　ten　in　the　morning。〃
　Brian　Kwok　hesitated。　Then　his　face　hardened。　〃We're　not　playing　parlor　games；　Ian。　It's　not　for　a　few　tons　of　gold；　or　some　stock　market　shenanigans　or　a　few　gray　area　deals　with　the　PRC　however　many　millions're　involved。　This　game's　deadly　and　the　millions　involved　are　people　and　unborn　generations　and　the　munist　plague。　Sevrin's　bad　news。　The　KGB's　very　bad　news　…　and　even　our　friends　in　the　CIA　and　KMT　can　be　equally　vicious　if　need　be。　You'd　better　put　a　heavy　guard　on　your　files　here　tonight。〃
　Dunross　stared　at　his　friend　impassively。　〃Then　your　official　position　is　that　this　report's　accurate？〃
　〃Crosse　thinks　it　could　be。　Might　be　wise　for　us　to　have　a　man　here　just　in　case；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Please　yourself；　Brian。〃
　〃Should　we　put　a　man　out　at　Shek…O？〃
　〃Please　yourself；　Brian。〃
　〃You're　not　being　very　cooperative；　are　you？〃
　〃You're　wrong；　old　chum。　I'm　taking　your　points　very　seriously；〃　Dunross　said　sharply。　〃When　did　you　get　the　copy　and　how？〃
　Brian　Kwok　hesitated。　〃I　don't　know；　and　if　I　knew　I　don't　know　if　I　should　tell　you。〃
　Dunross　got　up。　〃e　on　then；　let's　go　and　find　Crosse。〃
　
　〃But　why　do　the　Gornts　and　the　Rothwells　hate　the　Struans　and　Dunrosses　so　much；　Peter？〃　Casey　asked。　She　and　Bartlett　were　strolling　the　beautiful　gardens　in　the　cool　of　the　evening　with　Peter　Marlowe　and　his　wife；　Fleur。
　〃I　don't　know　all　the　reasons　yet；〃　the　Englishman　said。　He　was　a　tall　man　of　thirty…nine　with　fair　hair；　a　patrician　accent　and　a　strange　intensity　behind　his　blue…gray　eyes。　〃The　rumor　is　that　it　goes　back　to　the　Brocks　…　that　there's　some　connection；　some　family　connection　between　the　Gornt　family　and　the　Brock　family。　Perhaps　to　old　Tyler　Brock　himself。　You've　heard　of　him？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃How　did　it　start；　the　feud？〃
　〃When　Dirk　Struan　was　a　boy　he'd　been　an　apprentice　seaman　on　one　of　Tyler　Brock's　armed　merchantmen。　Life　at　sea　was　pretty　brutal　then；　life　anywhere　really；　but　my　God　in　those　days　at　sea　。。。　Anyway；　Tyler　Brock　flogged　young　Struan　unmercifully　for　an　imagined　slight；　then　left　him　for　dead　somewhere　on　the　China　coast。　Dirk　Struan　was　fourteen　then；　and　he　swore　before　God　and　the　devil　that　when　he　was　a　man　he'd　smash　the　House　of　Brock　and　Sons　and　e　after　Tyler　with　a　cat…o'…nine…tails。　As　far　as　I　know　he　never　did　though　there's　a　story　he　beat　Tyler's　eldest　son　to　death　with　a　Chinese　fighting　iron。〃
　〃What's　that？〃　Casey　asked　uneasily。
　〃It's　like　a　mace；　Casey；　three　or　four　short　links　of　iron　with　a　spiked　ball　on　one　end　and　a　handle　on　the　other。〃
　〃He　killed　him　for　revenge　on　his　father？〃　she　said；　shocked。
　〃That's　another　bit　I　don't　know　yet；　but　I'll　bet　he　had　a　good　reason。〃　Peter　Marlowe　smiled　strangely。　〃Dirk　Struan；　old　Tyler　and　all　the　other　men　who　made　the　British　Empire；　conquered　India；　opened　up　China。　Christ；　they　were　giants！　Did　I　mention　Tyler　was　one…eyed？　One　of　his　eyes　was　torn　out　by　a　whipping　halyard　in　a　storm　in　the　1830's　when　he　was　racing　his　three…masted　clipper；　the　White　Witch；　after　Struan　with　a　full　cargo　of　opium　aboard。　Struan　was　a　day　ahead　in　his　clipper；　China　Cloud；　in　the　race　from　the　British　opium　fields　of　India　to　the　markets　of　China。　They　say　Tyler　just　poured　brandy　into　the　socket　and　cursed　his　sailors　aloft　to　put　on　more　canvas。〃　Peter　Marlowe　hesitated；　then　he　continued；　〃Dirk　was　killed　in　a　typhoon　in　Happy　Valley　in　1841　and　Tyler　died　penniless；　bankrupt；　in　'63。〃
　〃Why　penniless；　Peter？〃　Casey　asked。
　〃The　legend　is　that　Tess；　his　eldest　daughter　…　Hag　Struan　to　be　…　had　plotted　her　father's　downfall　for　years　…　you　know　she　married　Culum；　Dirk's　only　son？　Well；　Hag　Struan　secretly　plotted　with　the　Victoria　Bank；　which　Tyler　had　started　in　the　1840's　and　with　Cooper…Tillman；　Tyler's　partners　in　the　States。　They　trapped　him　and　brought　down　the　great　house　of　Brock　and　Sons　in　one　gigantic　crash。　He　lost　everything　…　his　shipping　line；　opium　hulks；　property；　warehouses；　stocks；　everything。　He　was　wiped　out。〃
　〃What　happened　to　him？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　no　one　does　for　certain；　but　the　story　is　that　that　same　night；　October　thirty…first；　1863；　old　Tyler　went　to　Aberdeen　…　that's　a　harbor　on　the　other　side　of　Hong　Kong　…　with　his　grandson；　Tom；　who　was　then　twenty…five；　and　six　sailors；　and　they　pirated　an　oceangoing　lorcha　…　that's　a　ship　with　a　Chinese　hull　but　European　rigged　…　and　put　out　to　sea。　He　was　mad　with　rage；　so　they　say；　and　he　hauled　up　the　Brock　pennant　to　the　masthead　and　he　had　pistols　in　his　belt　and　a　bloody　cutlass　in　his　hand　…　they'd　killed　four　men　to　pirate　the　ship。　At　the　neck　of　the　harbor　a　cutter　came　after　him　and　he　blew　it　out　of　the　water　…　in　those　days　almost　all　boats　were　armed　with　cannon　because　of　pirates　…　these　seas　have　always　been　infested　with　pirates　since　time　immemorial。　So　old　Tyler　put　to　sea；　a　good　wind　blowing　from　the　east　and　a　storm　ing。　At　the　mouth　of　Aberdeen　he　started　bellowing　out　curses。　He　cursed　Hag　Struan　and　cursed　the　island；　and　cursed　the　Victoria　Bank　that　had　betrayed　him；　and　the　Coopers　of　Cooper…Tillman；　but　most　of　all　he　cursed　the　tai…pan　who'd　been　dead　more　than　twenty　years。　And　old　Tyler　Brock　swore　revenge。　They　say　he　screamed　out　that　he　was　going　north　to　plunder　and　he　was　going　to　start　again。　He　was　going　to　build　his　House　again　and　then；　'。。。　and　then　I　be　back　by　God　。。。　I　be　back　and　I　be　venged　and　then　I　be　Noble　House　by　God。　。。。　I　be　back。　。。。'　〃
　Bartlett　and　Casey　felt　a　chill　go　down　their　backs　as　Peter　Marlowe　coarsened　his　voice。　Then　he　continued；　〃Tyler　went　north　and　was　never　heard　of　again；　no　trace　of　him　or　the　lorcha　or　his　crew；　ever。　Even　so；　his　presence　is　still　here　…　like　Dirk　Struan's。　You'd　better　remember；　in　any　dealing　with　the　Noble　House　you've　got　to　deal　with　those　two　as　well；　or　their　ghosts。　The　night　Ian　Dunross　took　over　as　tai…pan；　Struan's　lost　their　freighter　flagship；　Lasting　Cloud；　in　a　typhoon。　It　was　a　gigantic　financial　disaster。　She　foundered　off　Formosa　…　Taiwan　…　and　was　lost　with　all　hands　except　one　seaman；　a　young　English　deckhand。　He'd　been　on　the　bridge　and　he　swore　that　they'd　been　lured　onto　the　rocks　by　false　lights　and　that　he　heard　a　maniac　laughing　as　they　went　down。〃
　Casey　shivered　involuntarily。
　Bartlett　noticed　it　and　slipped　his　arm　casually　through　hers　and　she　smiled　at　him。
　He　said；　〃Peter；　people　here　talk　about　people　who've　been　dead　a　hundred　years　as　though　they're　in　the　next　room。〃
　〃Old　Chinese　habit；〃　Peter　Marlowe　replied　at　once。　〃Chinese　believe　the　past　controls　the　future　and　explains　the　present。　Of　course　Hong　Kong's　only　a　hundred　and　twenty　years　old　so　a　man　of　eighty　today'd　。。。　Take　Phillip　Chen；　the　present　pradore；　for　example。　He's　sixt