jamesclavell.noblehouse-第169节

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　〃Did　you　ever　manage　to　get　outside　Canton　…　or　Peking？〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Did　you？〃
　Dunross　hesitated。　The　Noble　House　had　many　associations　of　long　standing　in　China；　and　many　old　and　trusted　friends。　Some　were　now　mitted　munists。　Some　were　outwardly　munists　but　inwardly　totally　Chinese　and　therefore　far…seeing；　secretive；　cautious　and　nonpolitical。　These　men　ranged　in　importance　up　to　one　in　the　Presidium。　And　all　of　these　men；　being　Chinese；　knew　that　history　repeated　itself；　that　eras　could　change　so　quickly　and　the　Emperor　of　this　morning　could　bee　the　running　dog　of　this　afternoon；　that　dynasty　followed　dynasty　at　the　whim　of　the　gods；　that　the　first　of　any　dynasty　inevitably　mounted　the　Dragon　throne　with　bloodstained　hands；　that　an　escape　route　was　always　to　be　sought　after　…　and　that　certain　barbarians　were　Old　Friends　and　to　be　trusted。
　But　he　knew　most　all　of　that　Chinese　were　a　practical　people。　China　needed　goods　and　help。　Without　goods　and　help　they　were　defenseless　against　their　historic　and　only　real　enemy；　Russia。
　So　many　times；　because　of　the　special　trust　in　which　the　Noble　House　was　held；　Dunross　had　been　approached　officially　and　unofficially；　but　always　secretly。　He　had　many　private　potential　deals　simmering　for　all　kinds　of　machinery　and　goods　in　short　supply；　including　the　fleet　of　jet　airliners。　Oftentimes　he　had　gone　where　others　could　not　go。　Once　he　had　gone　to　a　meeting　in　Hangchow；　the　most　beautiful　part　of　China。　This　was　to　greet　other　members　of　the　49　Club　privately；　to　be　wined　and　dined　as　honored　guests　of　China。　The　49　Club　consisted　of　those　panies　that　had　continued　to　trade　with　the　PRC　after　1949；　mostly　British　firms。　Britain　had　recognized　Mao　Tse…tung's　government　as　the　government　of　China　shortly　after　Chiang　Kai…shek　abandoned　the　Mainland　and　fled　to　Taiwan。　Even　so；　relations　between　the　two　governments　had　always　been　strained。　But；　by　definition；　relations　between　Old　Friends　were　not；　unless　an　Old　Friend　betrayed　a　confidence；　or　cheated。
　〃Oh　I　went　on　a　few　side　trips；〃　Dunross　said　airily；　not　wanting　to　lie　to　the　chief　of　SI。　〃Nothing　to　write　home　about。　Why？〃
　〃Could　you　tell　me　where；　please。〃
　〃If　you're　more　specific；　Roger；　certainly；〃　he　replied；　his　voice　hardening。　〃We're　traders　and　not　politicians　and　not　spies　and　the　Noble　House　has　a　special　position　in　Asia。　We've　been　here　quite　a　few　years　and　it's　because　of　traders　the　Union　Jack　flies　over　。。。　used　to　fly　over　half　the　earth。　What　had　you　in　mind；　old　chap？〃
　There　was　a　long　pause。　〃Nothing；　nothing　in　particular。　Very　well；　Ian；　I'll　wait　till　we've　had　the　pleasure　of　reading　the　papers；　then　I'll　be　specific。　Thanks；　so　sorry　to　trouble　you。　'Bye。〃
　Dunross　stared　at　the　phone；　troubled。　What　does　Crosse　want　to　know？　he　asked　himself。　Many　of　the　deals　he　had　made　and　would　be　making　certainly　would　not　conform　to　official　government　policy　in　London；　or；　even　more；　in　Washington。　His　short…term　and　long…term　attitude　toward　China　clearly　was　opposed　to　theirs。　What　they　would　consider　contraband　he　did　not。
　Well；　as　long　as　I'm　tai…pan；　he　told　himself　firmly；　e　hell　or　typhoon；　our　links　with　China　will　remain　our　links　with　China　and　that's　the　end　of　that。　Most　politicians　in　London　and　Washington　just　won't　realize　Chinese　are　Chinese　first　and　munist　second。　And　Hong　Kong's　vital　to　the　peace　of　Asia。
　〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jamie　Kirk；　sir。〃
　Jamie　Kirk　was　a　pedantic　little　man　with　a　pink　face　and　pink　hands　and　a　pleasing　Scots　accent。　His　wife　was　tall；　big　and　American。
　〃Oh　so　pleased　to　m…　〃　Kirk　began。
　〃Yes　we　are；　Mr。　Dunross；〃　his　wife　boomed　good…naturedly　over　him。　〃Get　to　the　point；　Jamie；　honey；　Mr。　Dunross's　a　very　busy　man　and　we've　shopping　to　do。　My　husband's　got　a　package　for　you；　sir。〃
　〃Yes；　it's　from　Alan　Medford　G…　〃
　〃He　knows　it's　from　Alan　Medford　Grant；　honey；〃　she　said　happily；　talking　over　him　again。　〃Give　him　the　package。〃
　〃Oh。　Oh　yes　and　there's　a　…　〃
　〃A　letter　from　him　too；〃　she　said。　〃Mr。　Dunross's　very　busy　so　give　them　to　him　and　we　can　go　shopping。〃
　〃Oh。　Yes；　well　。。。〃　Kirk　handed　Dunross　the　package。　It　was　about　fourteen　inches　by　nine　and　an　inch　thick。　Brown；　nondescript　and　heavily　taped。　The　envelope　was　sealed　with　red　sealing　wax。　Dunross　recognized　the　seal。　〃Alan　said　to　…　〃
　〃To　give　it　to　you　personally　and　give　you　his　best　wishes；〃　she　said　with　another　laugh。　She　got　up。　〃You're　so　slow；　sweetness。　Well；　thank　you；　Mr。　Dunross；　e　along；　hon…　〃
　She　stopped；　startled　as　Dunross　held　up　an　imperious　hand　and　said　with　polite　though　absolute　authority；　〃What　shopping　do　you　want　to　do；　Mrs。　Kirk？〃
　〃Eh？　Oh。　Oh　some　clothes；　er；　I　want　some　clothes　made　and　honey　needs　some　shirts　an…　〃
　Dunross　held　up　his　hand　again　and　punched　a　button　and　Claudia　was　there。　〃Take　Mrs。　Kirk　to　Sandra　Lee　at　once。　She's　to　take　her　at　once　to　Lee　Foo　Tap　downstairs　and　by　the　Lord　God　tell　him　to　give　Mrs。　Kirk　the　best　possible　price　or　I'll　have　him　deported！　Mr。　Kirk　will　join　her　there　in　a　moment！〃　He　took　Mrs。　Kirk　by　the　arm　and　before　she　knew　it　she　was　contentedly　out　of　the　room；　Claudia　solicitously　listening　to　what　she　wanted　to　buy。
　Kirk　sighed　in　the　silence。　It　was　a　deep；　long…suffering　sigh。　〃I　wish　I　could　do　that；〃　he　said　gloomily；　then　beamed。　〃Och　aye；　tai…pan；　you're　everything　Alan　said　you　were。〃
　〃Oh？　I　didn't　do　anything。　Your　wife　wanted　to　go　shopping　didn't　she？〃
　〃Yes　but　。。。〃　After　a　pause　Kirk　added；　〃Alan　said　that　you　should；　er；　you　should　read　the　letter　while　I'm　here。　I　。。。　I　didn't　tell　her　that。　Do　you　think　I　should　have？〃
　〃No；〃　Dunross　said　kindly。　〃Look；　Mr。　Kirk；　I'm　sorry　to　tell　you　bad　news　but　I'm　afraid　AMG　was　killed　in　a　motorcycle　accident　last　Monday。〃
　Kirk's　mouth　dropped。　〃What？〃
　〃Sorry　to　have　to　tell　you　but　I　thought　you'd　better　know。〃
　Kirk　stared　at　the　rain　streaks；　lost　in　thought。　〃How　terrible；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃Bloody　motorbikes；　they're　death　traps。　He　was　run　down？〃
　〃No。　He　was　just　found　in　the　road；　beside　the　bike。　Sorry。〃
　〃Terrible！　Poor　old　Alan。　Dear　oh　dear！　I'm　glad　you　didn't　mention　it　in　front　of　Frances；　she's；　she　was　fond　of　him　too。　I；　er；　I　。。。　perhaps　you'd　better　read　this　letter　then　。。。　Frances　wasn't　a　great　friend　so　I　don't　。。。　poor　old　Alan！〃　He　stared　down　at　his　hands。　The　nails　were　bitten　and　disfigured。　〃Poor　old　Alan！〃
　To　give　Kirk　time；　Dunross　opened　the　letter。　It　read：　〃My　dear　Mr。　Dunross：　This　will　introduce　an　old　schoolfriend；　Jamie　Kirk；　and　his　wife　Frances。　The　package　he　brings；　please　open　in　private。　I　wanted　it　safely　in　your　hands　and　Jamie　agreed　to　stop　over　in　Hong　Kong。　He's　to　be　trusted；　as　much　as　one　can　trust　anyone　these　days。　And；　please；　don't　mind　about　Frances；　she's　a　good　sort　really；　good　to　my　old　friend　and　quite　well　off　from　previous　husbands　which　gives　Jamie　the　freedom　he　requires　to　sit　and　to　think　…　a　rare；　very　rare　privilege　these　days。　By　the　way；　they're　not　in　my　line　of　work　though　they　know　I'm　an　amateur　historian　with　private　means。〃　Dunross　would　have　smiled　but　for　the　fact　that　he　was　reading　a　letter　from　a　dead　man。　The　letter　concluded；　〃Jamie's　a　geologist；　a　marine　geologist；　one　of　the　best　in　the　world。　Ask　him　about　his　work；　the　last　years；　preferably　not　with　Frances　there　…　not　that　she's　not　party　to　everything　he　knows　but　she　does　carry　on　a　bit。　He　has　some　interesting　theories　that　could　perhaps　benefit　the　Noble　House　and　your　contingency　planning。　Kindest　regards；　AMG。〃
　Dunross　looked　up。　〃AMG　says　you're　old　school　friends？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Yes；　we　were　at　school　together。　Charterhouse　actually。　Then　I　went　on　to　Cambridge；　he　to　Oxford。　Yes。　We've；　er；　kept　in　contact　over　the　years；　haphazardly；　of　course。　Yes。　Have　you；　er；　known　him　long？〃
　〃About　three　years。　I　liked　him　too。　Perhaps　you　don't　want　to　talk　now？〃
　〃Oh。　Oh　no；　that's　all　right。　I'm　。。。　it's　a　shock　of　course　but　well；　life　must　go　on。　Old　Alan　。。。　he's　a　funny　sort　of　laddie　isn't　he；　with　all　his　papers　and　books　and　pipe　and　ash　and　carpet　slippers。〃　Kirk　sadly　steepled　his　fingers。　〃I　suppose　I　should　say　he　was。　It　doesn't　seem　right　yet　to　talk　about　him　in　the　past　tense　。。。　but　I　suppose　we　should。　Yes。　He　always　wore　carpet　slippers。　I　dinna　think　I've　ever　been　to　his　chambers　when　he　wasn't　wearing　carpet　slippers。〃
　〃You　mean　his　flat？　I've　never　been　there。　We　always　met　in　my　London　office　though　he　did　e　to　Ayr　once。〃　Dunross　searched　his　memory。　〃I　don't　remember　him　wearing　carpet　slippers　there。〃
　〃Ah；　yes；　he　told　me　about　Ayr；　Mr。　Dunross。　Yes；　he　told　me。　It　was；　er；　a　high　point　in　his　life。　You're　。。。　you're　very　lucky　to　have　such　an　estate。〃
　〃Castle　Avisyard's　not　mine；　Mr。　Kirk；　though　it's　been　in　the　family　for　more　than　a　hundred　years。　Dirk　Struan　bought　it　for　his　wife　and　family　…　a　country　seat　so　to　speak。〃　As　always；　Dunross　felt　a　sudden　glow　at　the　thought　of　all　that　loveliness；　gentle　rolling　hills；　lakes；　moors；　forests；　glades；　six　thousand　acres　or　more；　good　shooting；　good　hunting　and　Scotland　at　its　best。　〃It's　tradition　that　the　current　tai…pan's　always　laird　of　Avisyard　…　while　he's　tai…pan。　But；　of　c