jamesclavell.noblehouse-第174节
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old 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 speak Cantonese。
〃Scottish； Scottish；〃 the child called out imperiously。
〃Why not get tea and I'll give you the money anyway；〃 he said sourly。
〃Fornicate all gods and the mothers of gods I not a cheater！〃 Haughtily the child offered the grimy glass the waiter had slapped down。 It did contain cheap but real whiskey。 She drained it without a grimace。 〃Waiter！ Another Scottish and another beer！ You drink； I drink； then we jig…jig。〃
Armstrong looked at her。 〃What's your name？〃
〃Lily。 Lily Chop。 Twenty…five dollars short time。〃
〃How old are you？〃
〃Old。 How old you？〃
〃Nineteen。〃
〃Huh； coppers always lie！〃
〃How'd you know I'm a copper？〃
〃Boss tell me。 Only twenty dollar； heya？〃
〃Who's the boss？ Which one's he？〃
〃She。 Behind the bar。 She mama…san。〃
Armstrong peered through the smoke。 The woman was lean and scrawny and in her fifties； sweating and working hard； keeping up a running vulgar banter with the sailors as she filled the orders。 〃How'd she know I was a copper？〃
Again Lily shrugged。 〃Listen； she tell me keep you happy or I out in street。 We go upstairs now； heya？ On house； no twenty dollar。〃 The child got up。 He could see her fear now。
〃Sit down；〃 he ordered。
She sat； even more afraid。 〃If I not pleeze she throw m… 〃
〃You please me。〃 Armstrong sighed。 It was an old ploy。 If you went； you paid； if you didn't go； you paid and the boss always sent a young one。 He passed over fifty dollars。 〃Here。 Go and give it to the mama…san with my thanks。 Tell her I can't jig…jig now because I've got my monthly！ Honorable Red's with me。〃
Lily gawked at him then cackled like an old woman。 〃Eeeee； fornicate all gods that's a good one！〃 She went off； hard put to walk on her high heels； her brassy chong…sam slit very high； showing her thin； very thin legs and buttocks。
Armstrong finished his beer； paid his bill and got to his feet。 At once his table was claimed and he pushed through the sweating； shouting sailors for the door。
〃You wele anytime；〃 the mama…san called out as he passed her。
〃Sure；〃 he called back without malice。
The rain was just a thin drizzle now and the day growing dark。 On the street were many more raucous sailors； all of them American … British sailors had been ordered out of this area for the first few days by their captains。 His skin felt wet and hot under his raincoat。 In a moment he left Gloucester Road and the waterfront and strolled through the crowds up O'Brien Road； splashing through the puddles； the city smelling good and clean and washed。 At the corner he turned into Lochart Road and at length found the alley he sought。 It was busy； as usual； with street stalls and shops and scrawny dogs； chickens packed into cages； dried fried ducks and meats hanging from hooks； vegetables and fruits。 Just inside the mouth of the alley was a small stall with stools under a canvas overhang to keep off the drizzle。 He nodded at the owner； chose a shadowed corner； ordered a bowl of Singapore noodles … fine； lightly fried vermicelli…like noodles； dry； with chili and spices and chopped shrimps and fresh vegetables … and began to wait。
Brian Kwok。
Always back to Brian Kwok。
And always back to the 40；000 in used notes that he had found in his desk drawer； the one he always kept locked。
Concentrate； he told himself； or you'll slip。 You'll make a mistake。 You can't afford a mistake！
He was weary and felt an overpowering dirtiness that soap and hot water would not cleanse away。 With an effort he forced his eyes to seek his prey； his ears to hear the street sounds； and his nose to enjoy the food。
He had just finished the bowl when he saw the American sailor。 The man was thin and wore glasses and he towered over the Chinese pedestrians even though he walked with a slight stoop。 His arm was around a street girl。 She held an umbrella over them and was tugging at him。
〃No； not this way； baby；〃 she pleaded。 〃My room other way 。。。 unnerstan'？〃
〃Sure； honey； but first we go this way then we'll go your way。 Huh？ e on； darlin'。〃
Armstrong hunched deeper into the shadows。 He watched them approach； wonder
