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jamesclavell.noblehouse-第253部分

小说: jamesclavell.noblehouse 字数: 每页4000字

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a moment he got out of the bed and went to the cupboard。 In it were some very expensive nightdresses and underthings and multicolored robes and rich lounging housecoats that he had bought for Orlanda。 It amused him to keep them for others to wear。
 〃Make yourself very pretty and put this on。〃 He gave her a yellow silk; floor…length chong…sam that had been one of Orlanda's favorites。 〃Wear nothing underneath。〃
 〃Yes; certainly。 Oh; how beautiful it is!〃
 He began to dress。 〃If my prank works you may keep it; as a bonus;〃 he said。
 〃Oh! Oh; then everything will be as you wish;〃 she said fervently; her open avarice making him laugh。
 〃We're going to drop my passengers Hong Kong side first。〃 He pointed out of the porthole。 〃You see that big freighter; the one tied up at the wharf with the Hammer and Sickle flag?〃
 〃Ah yes; Lord。 The ship of ill…omen? I see it now!〃
 〃When we are broadside please e on deck。〃
 〃I understand。 What should I say?〃
 〃Nothing。 Just smile sweetly at the man and the woman; then at me and e below again and wait for me here。〃
 Beauty of the Snow laughed。 〃Is that all?〃
 〃Yes; just be sweet and beautiful and smile … particularly at the woman。〃
 〃Ah! Am I to like her or hate her?〃 she asked at once。
 〃Neither;〃 he said; impressed with her shrewdness; ecstatically aware that they would both loathe each other on sight。
 
 In the privacy of his cabin aboard the Sovetsky Ivanov; Captain Gregor Suslev finished encoding the urgent message; then sipped some vodka; rechecking the cable。 〃Ivanov to Center。 Arthur reports the files may be counterfeit。 His friend will supply me with copies tonight。 Delighted to report Arthur's friend also intercepted the carrier information。 Remend he be given an immediate bonus。 I have had extra copies sent by mail to Bangkok for the pouch; also London and Berlin for safety。〃
 Satisfied; he put the code books back into the safe and locked it; then picked up the phone。 〃Send me the duty signalman。 And the first officer。〃 He unbolted the cabin door then went back and stared out the porthole at the carrier across the harbor; then saw the passing pleasure cruiser。 He recognized the Sea Witch。 Idly he picked up his binoculars and focused。 He saw Gornt on the aft deck; a girl and another man with his back toward him sitting around a table。 His high…powered lenses raked the ship and his envy soared。 That bastard knows how to live; he thought。 What a beauty! If only I could have one such as her on the Caspian; berthed at Baku!
 Not so much to pray for; he told himself; watching the Sea Witch pass; not after so much service; so profitable to the cause。 Many missars do … senior ones。
 Again his glasses centered the group。 Another girl came up from below; an Asian beauty; and then there was a polite knock on his door。
 〃Evening; rade Captain;〃 the signalman said。 He accepted the message and signed for it。
 〃Send it at once。〃
 〃Yes sir。〃
 The first officer arrived。 Vassili Boradinov was a tough; good…looking man in his thirties; captain; KGB; graduate of the espionage department of Vladivostok University with a master mariner's ticket。 〃Yes; rade Captain?〃
 Suslev handed him a decoded cable from the pile on his desk。 It read: 〃First Officer Vassili Boradinov will assume Dimitri Metkin's duties as missar of the Ivanov but Captain Suslev will be in plete mand on all levels until alternate arrangements are made。〃
 〃Congratulations;〃 he said。
 Boradinov beamed。 〃Yes sir。 Thank you。 What do you want me to do?〃
 Suslev held up the key to the safe。 〃If I fail to contact you or return by midnight tomorrow; open the safe。 Instructions are in the package marked 'Emergency One。' They will tell you how to proceed。 Next 。。。〃 He handed him a sealed envelope。 〃This gives two phone numbers where I can be reached。 Open it only in an emergency。〃
 〃Very well。〃 Sweat beaded the younger man's face。
 〃No need to worry。 You're perfectly capable of taking mand。〃
 〃I hope that will not be necessary。〃
 Gregor Suslev laughed。。 〃So do I; my young friend。 Please sit down。〃 He poured two vodkas。 〃You deserve the promotion。〃
 〃Thank you。〃 Boradinov hesitated。 〃What happened to Metkin?〃
 〃The first thing is he made a stupid and unnecessary mistake。 Next; he was betrayed。 Or he betrayed himself。 Or the god…cursed SI tailed him and caught him。 Or the CIA pegged him。 Whatever happened; the poor fool should never have exceeded his authority and put himself into such danger。 Stupid to risk himself; to say nothing of our whole security。 Stupid!〃
 The first officer shifted nervously in his chair。 〃What's our plan?〃
 〃To deny everything。 And to do nothing for the moment。 We're due to sail on Tuesday at midnight; we keep to that plan。〃
 Boradinov looked out of the porthole at the carrier; his face tight。 〃Pity。 That material could have jumped us forward a quantum。〃
 〃What material?〃 Suslev asked; his eyes narrowing。
 〃Didn't you know; sir? Before Dimitri left; the poor fellow whispered he'd heard that this time we were to get some incredible information … a copy of the guidance system and a copy of their armament manifest; including atomics … that's why he was going himself。 It was too important to trust to an ordinary courier。 I must tell you I volunteered to go in his place。〃
 Suslev covered his shock that Metkin had confided in anyone。 〃Where did he hear that?〃
 The other man shrugged。 〃He didn't say。 I presume the American sailor told him when Dimitri took the call at the phone box to arrange the drop。〃 He wiped a bead of sweat away。 〃They'll break him; won't they?〃
 〃Oh yes;〃 Suslev said thinly; wanting his subordinate suitably indoctrinated。 〃They can break anyone。 That's why we have to be prepared。〃 He fingered the slight bulge of the poison capsule in the point of his lapel and Boradinov shuddered。 〃Better to have it quickly。〃
 〃Bastards! They must have been tipped to capture him before he did it。 Terrible。 They're all animals。〃
 〃Did 。。。 did Dimitri say anything else? Before he left?〃
 〃No; just that he hoped we'd all get a few weeks' leave … he wanted to visit his family in his beloved Crimea。〃
 Satisfied that he was covered; Suslev shrugged。 〃A great pity。 I liked him very much。〃
 〃Yes。 Such a shame when he was due to retire so soon。 He was a good man even though he made such a mistake。 What will they do to him?〃
 Suslev considered showing Boradinov one of the other decoded cables on his desk that said in part: 〃。。。 Advise Arthur that; following his request for a Priority One on the traitor Metkin; an immediate intercept was ordered for Bombay。〃 No need to give away that information; he thought。 The less Boradinov knows the better。 〃He'll just vanish … until we catch a bigger fish of theirs to use as an exchange。 The KGB looks after their own;〃 he added piously; not believing it; knowing that the younger man did not believe it either; but the saying of it was obligatory and policy。
 They'd have to exchange me; he thought; very satisfied。 Yes; and very quickly。 I know too many secrets。 They're my only protection。 If it wasn't for what I know they'd order a Priority One on me as fast as they did on Metkin。 So would I if I was them。 Would I have bit my lapel as that stupid turd should have done?
 A shudder went through him。 I don't know。
 He sipped his vodka。 It tasted very good to him。 I don't want to die。 This life is too good。
 〃You're going ashore again; rade Captain?〃
 〃Yes。〃 Suslev concentrated。 He handed the younger man a note he had typed and signed。 〃You're in mand now。 Here's your authority … post it on the bridge。〃
 〃Thank you。 Tomorr… 〃 Boradinov stopped as the ship's inter came on and the urgent voice said rapidly: 〃This's the bridge! There're two police cars converging on the main gangway filled with police 。。。〃 Both Suslev and Boradinov blanched。 〃。。。 about a dozen of them。 What should we do? Stop them; repel them; what do we do?〃
 Suslev jerked the sending switch on。 〃Do nothing!〃 He hesitated then switched on the ship's inter。 〃All hands: Emergency; Red One 。。。〃 This order meant: 〃Hostile visitors are ing aboard。 Radio and radar rooms: arm destructs on all secret equipment。〃 He switched the sender off and hissed at Bo

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