jamesclavell.noblehouse-第280节

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　〃Oh　it's　no　trouble；〃　she　said　happily；　〃no　trouble　at　all。　West　Point's　on　my　way。〃
　Dunross　said　good　night　and　left　them。　They　hardly　noticed　his　going。　He　went　to　his　study　and　closed　the　door　and　with　the　closing　of　the　door；　shut　out　everything　else　but　Tiptop。　From　the　fireplace　Dirk　Struan　watched　him。　Dunross　stared　back　a　moment。
　〃I've　plan　A；　B　or　C；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃They　all　add　up　to　disaster　if　Sinders　doesn't　perform。〃
　The　eyes　just　smiled　in　their　curious　way。
　〃It　was　easy　for　you；〃　Dunross　muttered。　〃When　someone　got　in　your　way　you　could　kill　them；　even　the　Hag。〃
　Earlier　he　had　discussed　the　plans　with　Phillip　Chen。　〃They're　all　fraught　with　danger；〃　his　pradore　had　said；　very　concerned。
　〃Which　do　you　advise？〃
　〃The　choice　must　be　yours；　tai…pan。　You　will　have　to　make　personal　guarantees。　It's　face　too；　though　I'd　support　you　in　everything；　and　you　did　ask　for　a　favor　as　an　Old　Friend。〃
　〃What　about　Sir　Luis？〃
　〃I've　arranged　to　see　him　tonight；　tai…pan。　I　hope　for　cooperation。〃　Phillip　Chen　had　seemed　grayer　and　older　than　ever。　〃It's　a　pity　there's　nothing　we　can　give　Tiptop　in　case　Sinders　reneges。〃
　〃What　about　bartering　the　tanker　fleet？　Can　we　lean　on　Vee　Cee？　What　about　thoriums　…　or　Joseph　Yu？〃
　〃Tiptop　needs　something　to　barter　with；　not　a　threat；　tai…pan。　Did　P。B。　say　he'd　help？〃
　〃He　promised　to　phone　Tiptop　this　afternoon　…　he　said　he'd　also　try　one　of　his　friends　in　Peking。〃
　At　exactly　seven　o'clock　Dunross　dialed。　〃Mr。　Tip；　please。　Ian　Dunross。〃
　〃Good　evening；　tai…pan。　How　are　you？　I　hear　you　may　be　riding　Noble　Star　next　Saturday？〃
　〃That's　possible。〃　They　talked　about　inconsequential　matters；　then　Tiptop　said；　〃And　that　unfortunate　person？　At　the　latest；　when　is　he　going　to　be　released？〃
　Dunross　held　on　to　himself；　then　mitted　his　future。　〃Sunset　tomorrow；　at　Lo　Wu。〃
　〃Do　you　personally　guarantee　he　will　be　there？〃
　〃I　personally　guarantee　I've　done　everything　in　my　power　to　persuade　the　authorities　to　release　him。〃
　〃That's　not　the　same　as　saying　the　man　will　be　there。　Is　it？〃
　〃No。　But　he'll　be　there。　I'm　。。。〃　Dunross　stopped。　He　was　going　to　say；　〃almost　certain〃　and　then　he　knew　he　would　surely　fail　…　not　daring　to　guarantee　it　because　a　failure　to　perform　would　take　away　his　face；　his　credulity；　forever　…　but　he　remembered　something　Phillip　Chen　had　said　about　Tiptop　having　something　to　barter　with　and　all　at　once　he　had　an　opening。　〃Listen；　Mr。　Tip；〃　he　began；　his　sudden　excitement　almost　nauseating。　〃These　are　foul　times。　Old　Friends　need　Old　Friends　like　never　before。　Privately；　very　privately；　I　hear　that　our　Special　Branch　in　the　last　two　days　discovered　there's　a　major　Soviet　spy　ring　here；　a　deep…cover　ring；　the　code　name　of　the　operation　Sevrin。　The　purpose　of　Sevrin's　the　destruction　of　the　Middle　Kingdom's　link　with　the　rest　of　the　world。〃
　〃That's　nothing　new；　tai…pan。　Hegemonists　will　always　be　hegemonists；　Tsarist　Russia　or　Soviet　Russia；　there's　no　difference。　For　four　hundred　years　it's　been　that　way。　Four　hundred　years　since　their　first　incursions　and　theft　of　our　lands。　But　please　go　on。〃
　〃It's　my　belief　Hong　Kong　and　the　Middle　Kingdom　are　equal　targets。　We're　your　only　window　on　the　world。　Old　Green…Eyed　Devil　was　the　first　to　see　that　and　it's　true。　Any　interruption　here　and　only　the　hegemonists　will　gain。　Some　documentation；　part　of　the　Special　Branch　documentation　has　e　into　my　hands。〃　With　plete　accuracy　Dunross　began　to　quote　verbatim　from　the　stolen　head　documents　in　AMG's　report；　his　mind　seeming　to　read　from　the　pages　that　effortlessly　appeared　from　his　memory。　He　gave　Tiptop　all　the　pertinent　details　of　Sevrin；　the　spies；　and　about　the　police　mole。
　There　was　a　shocked　silence。　〃What's　the　date　on　the　Sevrin　head　document；　tai…pan？〃
　〃It　was　approved　by　an　'L。B。'　on　March　14；　1950。〃
　A　long　sigh。　Very　long。　〃Lavrenti　Beria？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　The　more　Dunross　thought　about　this　new　ploy　the　more　excited　he　became；　certain　now　that　this　information　and　proof　positive　in　the　right　Peking　hands　would　cause　a　tidal　wave　in　Soviet…Chinese　relations。
　〃Is　it　possible　to　see　this　document？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　it　would　be　possible；〃　Dunross　said；　sweat　on　his　back；　thanking　his　foresight　in　photocopying　the　Sevrin　sections　of　AMG's　report。
　〃And　the　Czechoslovak　STB　document　you　referred　to？〃
　〃Yes。　The　part　I　have。〃
　〃When　was　that　dated？〃
　〃April　6；　1959。〃
　〃So　our　so…called　allies　were　always　wolfs　heart　and　dog's　lungs？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　so。〃
　〃Why　is　it　Europe　and　those　capitalists　in　America　don't　understand　who　the　real　enemy　in　the　world　is？　Heya？〃
　〃It's　difficult　to　understand；〃　Dunross　said；　playing　a　waiting　game　now。
　After　a　pause；　controlled　once　more；　Tiptop　said；　〃I'm　sure　my　friends　would　like　a　copy　of　this；　this　Sevrin　paper；　and　any　supporting　documents。〃
　Dunross　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　forehead　but　kept　his　voice　calm。　〃As　an　Old　Friend；　it's　my　privilege　to　assist　in　any　way　I　can。〃
　Another　silence。　〃A　mutual　friend　called　to　offer　his　support　to　your　request　for　the　Bank　of　China's　cash　and　a　few　minutes　ago　I　was　told　that　a　very　important　person　called　from　Peking　to　suggest　any　help　that　could　be　given　in　your　need　would　be　merited。〃　Another　silence　and　Dunross　could　almost　feel　Tiptop　and　the　others　who　were　probably　listening　on　the　phone　weighing；　nodding　or　shaking　their　heads。　〃Could　you　excuse　me　a　moment；　tai…pan；　there's　someone　at　the　door。〃
　〃Would　you　like　me　to　call　you　back？〃　he　said　at　once　to　give　them　time　to　consider。
　〃No；　that　won't　be　necessary　…　if　you　don't　mind　waiting　a　moment。〃
　Dunross　heard　the　phone　put　down。　A　radio　was　playing　in　the　background。　Indeterminate　sounds　that　might　be　muffled　voices。　His　heart　was　racing。　The　waiting　seemed　to　go　on　forever。　Then　the　phone　was　picked　up　again。
　〃Sorry；　tai…pan。　Please　send　those　copies　early　…　would　after　your　morning　meeting　be　convenient？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　certainly。〃
　〃Please　give　Mr。　David　MacStruan　my　best　wishes　when　he　arrives。〃
　Dunross　almost　dropped　the　phone　but　recovered　in　time。　〃I'm　sure　he　would　wish　me　to　return　them。　How　is　Mr。　Yu？〃　he　asked；　stabbing　in　the　dark；　wanting　to　scream　down　the　phone　〃What　about　the　money？〃　But　he　was　heavily　engaged　in　a　Chinese　negotiation。　His　caution　increased。
　Another　silence。　〃Fine；〃　Tiptop　said　but　Dunross　had　heard　a　different　tone。　〃Oh；　that　reminds　me；〃　Tiptop　was　saying；　〃Mr。　Yu　phoned　from　Canton　this　afternoon。　He　would　like　to　bring　the　date　of　your　meeting　forward；　if　that's　possible。　To　two　weeks　tomorrow；　Monday。〃
　Dunross　thought　a　moment。　That　was　the　week　he　would　be　in　Japan　with　Toda　Shipping　negotiating　his　whole　buy…lease…back　scheme　that；　now　that　First　Central　was　backing　him；　would　have　an　enormous　chance　of　success。　〃That　Monday's　difficult。　The　following　one　would　be　better　for　me。　Could　I　confirm　to　you　by　Friday？〃
　〃Yes；　certainly。　Well；　I　won't　keep　you　anymore；　tai…pan。〃
　Dunross's　tension　became　almost　unbearable　now　that　the　final　stage　had　been　reached。　He　listened　intently　to　the　pleasant；　friendly　voice。
　〃Thank　you　for　your　information。　I　presume　that　that　poor　fellow　will　be　at　Lo　Wu　border　by　sunset。　Oh；　by　the　way；　if　the　necessary　bank　papers　are　brought　in　person　by　Mr。　Havergill；　yourself　and　the　governor　at　9：00　a。m。　tomorrow；　a　half　a　billion　dollars　of　cash　can　be　transferred　to　the　Victoria　immediately。〃
　Instantly　Dunross　saw　through　the　ploy。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　easily；　avoiding　the　trap。　〃Mr。　Havergill　and　I　will　be　there。　Unfortunately　I　understand　the　governor　has　been　ordered　by　the　prime　minister's　office　to　remain　at　Government　House　until　noon；　for　consultations。　But　I　will　bring　his　authority　and　chop；　guaranteeing　the　loan；〃　he　added；　for　of　course；　it　would　be　impossible　for　the　governor　to　go　personally；　cap　in　hand；　like　a　mon　debtor　and　so　create　an　unacceptable　precedent。　〃I　presume　that　will　be　satisfactory。〃
　Tiptop's　voice　was　almost　a　purr。　〃I'm　sure　the　bank　would　be　prepared　to　delay　until　noon　to　acmodate　the　governor's　duty。〃
　〃Before　and　after　noon　he　will　be　on　the　streets　with　the　riot　police；　Mr。　Tip；　and　the　army；　directing　possible　procedures　against　misguided　riots　stirred　up　by　hegemonists。　He　is　of　course　mander…in…chief；　Hong　Kong。〃
　Tiptop's　voice　sharpened。　〃Surely　even　a　mander…in…chief　can　take　a　few　precious　moments　for　what　is　obviously　such　an　important　matter？〃
　〃It　would　be　his　pleasure；　I'm　sure；〃　Dunross　said；　unafraid；　knowing　the　art　of　Asian　negotiation；　prepared　for　rage；　honey　and　everything　in　between。　〃But　the　protection　of　the　Middle　Kingdom's　interest　as　well　as　that　of　the　Colony　would　be　uppermost　in　his　mind。　I'm　sure；　regretfully；　he　would　have　to　refuse　until　the　emergency　was　over。〃
　There　was　a　hostile　silence。　〃Then　what　would　you　suggest？〃
　Again　Dunross　sidestepped　the　trap；　leaping　to　the　next　level。　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　his　aide…de…camp　asked　me　to　mention　that　his　Excellency　is　having　a　party　for　a　few　of　our　most　important　Chinese　citizens　at　the　races　next　Saturday　and　he　wondered　if　you　would　happen　to　be　in　the　Colony　so　he　could　send　you　an　invitation？〃　He　held　on　to　his　hope。　Putting　it　that　way　gave　Tiptop