jamesclavell.noblehouse-第59节

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　though　we　can't　prove　it；　yet。　So　you　can　bet　your　bottom　dollar　that　Shanghainese　also　smuggled　the　gold　out　of　Macao　to　Hong　Kong　and　onto　Eastern　Cloud；　that　Shanghainese　money　bought　the　gold　originally　in　Macao；　and　that　therefore　certainly　part　of　that　money　was　Green　Pang　funds。〃
　〃That　doesn't　follow。〃
　〃Have　you　heard　from　Tsu…yan　yet？〃
　Dunross　watched　him。　〃No。　Have　you？〃
　〃Not　yet　but　we're　making　inquiries。〃　Brian　watched　him　back。　〃My　first　point　is　that　the　Green　Pang　has　been　mauled　and　criminals　loathe　losing　their　hard…earned　money；　so　Struan's　can　expect　lots　of　trouble　unless　you　nip　the　trouble　in　the　bud　as　I've　suggested。〃
　〃Not　all　Green　Pang　are　criminals。〃
　〃That's　a　matter　of　opinion；　Ian。　Second　point；　for　your　ears　only：　We're　sure　Tsu…yan's　in　the　gold…smuggling　racket。　My　third　and　last　point　is　that　if　a　certain　pany　doesn't　want　its　ships　impounded　for　smuggling　gold；　it　could　easily　lessen　the　risk　by　reducing　its　gold　imports　into　Macao。〃
　〃e　again？〃　Dunross　said；　pleasantly　surprised　to　hear　that　he　had　managed　to　keep　his　voice　sounding　calm；　wondering　how　much　Special　Intelligence　knew　and　how　much　they　were　guessing。
　Brian　Kwok　sighed　and　continued　to　lay　out　the　information　that　Roger　Crosse　had　given　him。　〃Nelson　Trading。〃
　With　a　great　effort；　Dunross　kept　his　face　impassive。　〃Nelson　Trading？〃
　〃Yes。　Nelson　Trading　pany　Limited　of　London。　As　you　know；　Nelson　Trading　has　the　Hong　Kong　Government's　exclusive　license　for　the　purchase　of　gold　bullion　on　the　international　market　for　Hong　Kong's　jewelers；　and；　vastly　more　important；　the　equally　exclusive　monopoly　for　transshipment　of　gold　bullion　in　bond；　through　Hong　Kong　to　Macao　…　along　with　a　minor　second　pany；　Saul　Feinheimer　Bullion　pany；　also　of　London。　Nelson　Trading　and　Feinheimer's　have　several　things　in　mon。　Several　directors　for　example；　the　same　solicitors　for　example。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。　I　believe　you're　also　on　the　board。〃
　〃I'm　on　the　board　of　almost　seventy　panies；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃True　and　not　all　of　those　are　wholly　or　even　partially　owned　by　Struan's。　Of　course；　some　could　be　wholly　owned　through　nominees；　secretly；　couldn't　they？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　〃It's　fortunate　in　Hong　Kong　we　don't　have　to　list　directors　…　or　holdings；　isn't　it？〃
　〃What's　your　point；　Brian？〃
　〃Another　coincidence：　Nelson　Trading's　registered　head　offices　in　the　city　of　London　are　in　the　same　building　as　your　British　subsidiary；　Struan　London　Limited。〃
　〃That's　a　big　building；　Brian；　one　of　the　best　locations　in　the　city。　There　must　be　a　hundred　panies　there。〃
　〃Many　thousands　if　you　include　all　the　panies　registered　with　solicitors　there　…　all　the　holding　panies　that　hold　other　panies　with　nominee　directors　that　hide　all　sorts　of　skeletons。〃
　〃So？〃　Dunross　was　thinking　quite　clearly　now；　pondering　where　Brian　had　got　all　this　information；　wondering　too　where　in　the　hell　all　this　was　leading。　Nelson　Trading　had　been　a　secret；　wholly　owned　subsidiary　through　nominees　ever　since　it　was　formed　in　1953　specifically　for　the　Macao　gold　trade　…　Macao　being　the　only　country　in　Asia　where　gold　importation　was　legal。
　〃By　the　way；　Ian；　have　you　met　that　Portuguese　genius　from　Macao；　Signore　Lando　Mata？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　I　have。　Charming　man。〃
　〃Yes　he　is　…　and　so　well　connected。　The　rumor　is　that　some　fifteen　years　ago　he　persuaded　the　Macao　authorities　to　create　a　monopoly　for　the　importation　of　gold；　then　to　sell　the　monopoly　to　him；　and　a　couple　of　friends；　for　a　modest　yearly　tax：　about　one　U。S。　dollar　an　ounce。　He's　the　same　fellow；　Ian；　who　first　got　the　Macao　authorities　to　legalize　gambling　。。。　and　curiously；　to　grant　him　and　a　couple　of　friends　the　same　monopoly。　All　very　cosy；　what？〃
　Dunross　did　not　answer；　just　stared　back　at　the　smile　and　at　the　eyes　that　did　not　smile。
　〃So　everything　went　smoothly　for　a　few　years；〃　Brian　continued；　〃then　in　'54　he　was　approached　by　some　Hong　Kong　gold　enthusiasts　…　our　Hong　Kong　gold　law　was　changed　in　'54　…　who　offered　a　now　legal　improvement　on　the　scheme：　their　pany　buys　the　gold　bullion　legally　in　the　world　bullion　markets　on　behalf　of　this　Macao　syndicate　at　the　legal　35　an　ounce　and　brings　it　to　Hong　Kong　openly　by　plane　or　by　ship。　On　arrival；　our　own　Hong　Kong　customs　fellows　legally　guard　and　supervise　the　transshipment　from　Kai　Tak　or　the　dock　to　the　Macao　ferry　or　the　Catalina　flying　boat。　When　the　ferry　or　flying　boat　arrives　in　Macao　it's　met　by　Portuguese　Customs　officials　and　the　bullion；　all　in　regulation　four…hundred…ounce　bars；　is　transshipped　under　guard　to　cars；　taxis　actually；　and　taken　to　the　bank。　It's　a　grotty；　ugly　little　building　that　does　no　ordinary　banking；　has　no　known　customers　…　except　the　syndicate　…　never　opens　its　door　…　except　for　the　gold　…　and　doesn't　like　visitors　at　all。　Guess　who　owns　it？　Mr。　Mata　and　his　syndicate。　Once　inside　their　bank　the　gold　vanishes！〃　Brian　Kwok　beamed　like　a　magician　doing　his　greatest　trick。　〃Fifty…three　tons　this　year　so　far。　Forty…eight　tons　last　year！　Same　the　year　before　and　the　year　before　that　and　so　on。〃
　〃That's　a　lot　of　gold；〃　Dunross　said　helpfully。
　〃Yes　it　is。　Very　strangely　the　Macao　authorities　or　the　Hong　Kong　ones　don't　seem　to　care　that　what　goes　in　never　seems　to　e　out。　You　with　me　still？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Of　course；　what　really　happens　is　that　once　inside　the　bank　the　gold's　melted　down　from　the　regulation　four…hundred…ounce　bars　into　little　pieces；　into　two；　or　the　more　usual　five…tael　bars　which　are　much　more　easily　carried；　and　smuggled。　Now　we　e　to　the　only　illegal　part　of　the　whole　marvelous　chain：　getting　the　gold　out　of　Macao　and　smuggling　it　into　Hong　Kong。　Of　course；　it's　not　illegal　to　remove　it　from　Macao；　only　to　smuggle　it　into　Hong　Kong。　But　you　know　and　I　know　that　it's　relatively　easy　to　smuggle　anything　into　Hong　Kong。　And　the　incredible　beauty　of　it　all　is　that　once　in　Hong　Kong；　however　the　gold　gets　there　…　it's　perfectly　legal　for　anyone　to　own　it　and　no　questions　asked。　Unlike　say　in　the　States　or　Britain　where　no　citizen　is　ever　allowed　to　own　any　gold　bullion　privately。　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　confidenti