jamesclavell.noblehouse-第42部分

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　recruitment　in　England　in　the　thirties　（it's　not　known　if　he　was　born　in　England；　or　if　his　parents　are　English；　but　he　would　be　in　his　late　forties　or　early　fifties）。　His　mission　is；　of　course；　a　long…term；　deep…cover　operation。
　〃Supporting　top…secret　intelligence　documents　stolen　from　the　Czechoslovak　STB　（State　Secret　Security）　dated　April　6；　1959；　translate　in　part；　'。。。　between　1946　and　1959　six　key；　deep…cover　agents　have　been　recruited　through　information　supplied　by　the　controller；　Arthur：　one　each　in　the　Hong　Kong　Colonial　Office　（code　name　Charles）；　Treasury　（code　name　Mason）；　Naval　Base　（John）；　the　Bank　of　London　and　China　（Vincent）；　the　Hong　Kong　Telephone　pany　（William）；　and　Struan　and　pany　（Frederick）。　According　to　normal　procedures　only　the　controller　knows　the　true　identity　of　the　others。　Seven　safe　houses　have　been　established。　Among　them　are　Sinclair　Towers　on　Hong　Kong　Island　and　the　Nine　Dragons　Hotel　in　Kowloon。　Sevrin's　New　York　contact；　has　the　code　name　Guillio。　He　is　very　important　to　us　because　of　his　Mafia　and　CIA　connections。'　〃
　Grant　had　continued；　Guillio　is　believed　to　be　Vincenzo　Banastasio；　a　substantial　racketeer　and　the　present　don　of　the　Sallapione　family。　This　is　being　checked　through　our　U。S。　sources。　We　don't　know　if　the　deep…cover　enemy　agent　in　the　police　（covered　in　detail　in　another　section）　is　part　of　Sevrin　or　not　but　presume　he　is。
　〃In　our　opinion；　China　will　be　forced　to　seek　ever…increasing　amounts　of　trade　with　the　West　to　counterbalance　imperialist　Soviet　hegemony　and　to　fill　the　void　and　chaos　created　by　the　sudden　withdrawal　in　1960　of　all　Soviet　funding　and　technicians。　China's　armed　forces　badly　need　modernizing。　Harvests　have　been　bad。　Therefore　all　forms　of　strategic　materials　and　military　hardware　will　find　a　ready　market　for　many　years　to　e；　and　food；　basic　foodstuffs。　The　long…range　purchase　of　American　rice　futures　is　remended。
　〃I　have　the　honor　to　be；　sir；　your　obedient　servant；　AMG；　London；　August　15；　1963。〃
　Jets　and　tanks　and　nuts　and　bolts　and　rockets　and　engines　and　trucks　and　petrol　and　tires　and　electronics　and　food；　Dunross　thought；　his　mind　soaring。　A　limitless　spectrum　of　trade　goods；　easy　to　obtain；　easy　to　ship；　and　nothing　on　earth　like　a　war　for　profit　if　you　can　trade。　But　China's　not　buying　now；　whatever　they　need；　whatever　Grant　says。
　Who　could　Arthur　be？
　Who　in　Struan's？　Jesus　Christ！　John　Chen　and　Tsu…yan　and　smuggled　guns　and　now　a　KGB　agent　within。　Who？　What　about　。。。
　There　was　a　gentle　knock　on　the　door。
　〃e　in；〃　he　said；　recognizing　his　wife's　knock。
　〃Ian；　it's　almost　eight；〃　Penelope；　his　wife；　said；　〃I　thought　I'd　better　tell　you。　You　know　how　you　are。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　did　it　go　today？　Awful　about　John　Chen；　isn't　it？　I　suppose　you　read　the　papers？　Are　you　ing　down？〃
　〃Yes。　Champagne？〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　He　poured　for　her　and　replenished　his　glass。　〃Oh　by　the　way；　Penn；　I　invited　a　fellow　I　met　this　afternoon；　an　ex…RAF　type。　He　seemed　a　decent　fellow　…　Peter　Marlowe。〃
　〃Fighters？〃
　〃Yes。　But　Hurricanes　…　and　Spits。　Is　that　a　new　dress？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　look　pretty；〃　he　said。
　〃Thank　you　but　I'm　not。　I　feel　so　old；　but　thank　you。〃　She　sat　in　the　other　winged　chair；　her　perfume　as　delicate　as　her　features。　〃Peter　Marlowe；　you　said？〃
　〃Yes。　Poor　bugger　got　caught　in　Java　in　'42。　He　was　a　POW　for　three　and　a　half　years。〃
　〃Oh；　poor　man。　He　was　shot　down？〃
　〃No；　the　Japanese　plastered　the　'drome　before　he　could　scramble。　Perhaps　he　was　lucky。　The　Zeros　got　two　on　the　ground　and　the　last　two　just　after　they　were　airborne　…　the　pilots　flamed　in。　Seems　those　four　Hurricanes　were　the　last　of　the　Few　…　the　last　of　the　whole　air　defense　of　the　Far　East。　What　a　balls…up　that　was！〃
　〃Terrible。〃
　〃Yes。　Thank　God　our　war　was　in　Europe。〃　Dunross　watched　her。　〃He　said　he　was　a　year　in　Java；　then　the　Japanese　sent　him　to　Singapore　on　a　work　party。〃
　〃To　Changi？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　different。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Oh！〃
　〃He　was　there　for　two　and　a　half　years。〃　Changi　in　Malay　meant　〃clinging　vine；〃　and　Changi　was　the　name　of　the　jail　in　Singapore　that　was　used　by　the　Japanese　in　World　War　II　for　one　of　their　infamous　prisoner…of…war　camps。
　She　thought　a　moment；　then　smiled　a　little　nervously。　〃Did　he　know　Robin　there？〃　Robin　Grey　was　her　brother；　her　only　living　relative：　her　parents　had　been　killed　in　an　air　raid　in　London　in　1943；　just　before　she　and　Dunross　were　married。
　〃Marlowe　said　yes；　he　seemed　to　remember　him；　but　clearly　he　didn't　want　to　talk　about　those　days　so　I　let　it　drop。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。　Did　you　tell　him　Robin　was　my　brother？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃When's　Robin　due　back　here？〃
　〃I　don't　know　exactly。　In　a　few　days。　This　afternoon　the　governor　told　me　the　delegation's　in　Peking　now。〃　A　British　Parliamentary　Trade　Delegation　drawn　from　MPs　of　the　three　parties　…　Conservative；　Liberal　and　Labour　…　had　been　invited　out　from　London　by　Peking　to　discuss　all　manner　of　trade。　The　delegation　had　arrived　in　Hong　Kong　two　weeks　ago　and　had　gone　directly　on　to　Canton　where　all　trade　negotiations　were　conducted。　It　was　very　rare　for　anyone　to　get　an　invitation；　let　alone　a　parliamentary　delegation　…　and　even　rarer　to　be　invited　on　to　Peking。　Robin　Grey　was　one　of　the　members　…　representative　of　the　Labour　Party。　〃Penn　darling；　don't　you　think　we　should　acknowledge　Robin；　give　a　reception　for　him？　After　all；　we　haven't　seen　him　for　years；　this's　the　first　time　he's　been　to　Asia　…　isn't　it　time　you　buried　the　hatchet　and　made　peace？〃
　〃He's　not　invited　to　my　house。　Any　of　my　houses。〃
　〃Isn't　it　time　you　relaxed　a　little；　let　bygones　be　bygones？〃
　〃No；　I　know　him；　you　don't。　Robin　has　his　life　and　we　have　ours；　that's　what　he　and　I　agreed　years　ago。　No；　I've　no　wish　to　see　him　ever　again。　He's　awful；　dangerous；　foul…mouthed　and　a　bloody　bore。〃
　Dunross　laughed。　〃I　agree　he's　obnoxious　and　I　detest　his　politics　…　but　he's　only　one　of　a　half　dozen　MPs。　This　delegation's　important。　I　should　do　something　to　entertain　them；　Penn。〃
　〃Please　do；　Ian。　But　preferably　not　here　…　or　else　tell　me　in　good　time　so　I　can　have　the　vapors　and　see　that　the　children　do　the　same。　It's　a　matter　of　face　and　that's　the　end　of　it。〃　Penelope　tossed　her　head　and　shook　off　her　mood。　〃God！　Let's　not　let　him　spoil　this　evening！　What's　this　Marlowe　doing　in　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃He's　a　writer。　Wants　to　do　a　book　on　Hong　Kong；　he　said。　He　lives　in　America　now。　His　wife's　ing　too。　Oh；　by　the　way；　I　also　invited　the　Americans；　Linc　Bartlett　and　Casey　Tcholok。〃
　〃Oh！〃　Penelope　Dunross　laughed。　〃Oh　well；　four　or　forty　extra　won't　make　any　difference　at　all　…　I　won't　know　most　of　them　anyway；　and　Claudia's　organized　everything　with　her　usual　efficiency。〃　She　arched　an　eyebrow。　〃So！　A　gun…runner　amongst　the　pirates！　That　won't　even　cause　a　ripple。〃
　〃Is　he？〃
　〃Everyone　says　so。　Did　you　see　the　piece　in　this　afternoon's　Mirror；　Ian？　Ah　Tat's　convinced　the　American　is　bad　joss　…　she　informed　the　whole　staff；　the　children　and　me　…　so　that　makes　it　official。　Ah　Tat　told　Adryon　that　her　astrologer　insisted　she　tell　you　to　watch　out　for　bad　influence　from　the　East。　Ah　Tat's　sure　that　means　the　Yanks。　Hasn't　she　bent　your　ear　yet？〃
　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃God；　I　wish　I　could　chatter　Cantonese　like　you　and　the　children。　I'd　tell　that　old　harpy　to　keep　her　superstitions　and　opinions　to　herself　…　she's　a　bad　influence。〃
　〃She'd　give　her　life　for　the　children。〃
　〃I　know　she's　your　gan　sun　and　almost　brought　you　up　and　thinks　she's　God's　gift　to　the　Dunross　clan。　But　as　far　as　I'm　concerned　she's　a　cantankerous；　loathsome　old　bitch　and　I　hate　her。〃　Penelope　smiled　sweetly。　〃I　hear　the　American　girl's　pretty。〃
　〃Attractive　…　not　pretty。　She's　giving　Andrew　a　bad　time。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。　A　lady　talking　business！　What　are　we　ing　to　in　this　great　world　of　ours？　Is　she　any　good？〃
　〃Too　soon　to　tell。　But　she's　very　smart。　She's　…　she'll　make　things　awkward　certainly。〃
　〃Have　you　seen　Adryon　tonight？〃
　〃No　…　what's　up？〃　he　asked；　instantly　recognizing　the　tone　of　voice。
　〃She's　been　into　my　wardrobe　again　…　half　my　best　nylons　are　gone；　the　rest　are　scattered；　my　scarves　are　all　jumbled　up；　my　new　blouse's　missing　and　my　new　belt's　disappeared。　She's　even　whipped　my　best　Hermès　。。。　that　child's　the　end！〃
　〃Nineteen's　hardly　a　child；〃　he　said　wearily。
　〃She's　the　end！　The　number　of　times　I've　told　her！〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　her　again。〃
　〃That　won't　do　a　bit　of　good。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　She　laughed　with　him。　〃She's　such　a　pill。〃
　〃Here。〃　He　handed　her　a　slim　box。　〃Happy　twentieth！〃
　〃Oh　thank　you；　Ian。　Yours　is　downstairs。　You'll　。。。〃　She　stopped　and　opened　the　box。　It　contained　a　carved　jade　bracelet；　the　jade　inset　into　silver　filigree；　very　fine；　very　old　…　a　collector's　piece。　〃Oh　how　lovely；　thank　you；　Ian。〃　She　put　it　on　her　wrist　over　the　thin　gold　chain　she　was　wearing　and　he　heard　neither　real　pleasure　nor　real　disappointment　under　her　voice；　his　ears　tuned　to　her。　〃It's　beautiful；〃　she　said　and　leaned　forward　and　brushed　her　lips　against　his　cheek。　〃Thank　you；　darling。　Where　did　you　get　it？　Taiwan？〃
　〃No；　here　on　Cat　Street。　At　Wong　Chun　Kit's；　he　ga…　〃
　The　door　flew　open　and　a　girl　barreled　in。　She　was　tall　and　slim　and　oh　so　fair　and　she　sai