jamesclavell.noblehouse-第322部分

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　In　the　small　back　bedroom　Plumm　reached　into　the　drawer　of　a　bureau　that　was　near　the　big　iron…bound　sea　trunk。　The　door　swung　open　and　he　spun　around　and　when　he　saw　it　was　Roger　Crosse　his　face　twisted。　〃What　the　shit're　you　doing？　You　deliberately　f…　〃
　With　catlike　speed　Crosse　was　across　the　room　and　he　belted　the　man　open…handed　before　Plumm　knew　what　was　happening。　Plumm　gasped　and　blindly　readied　to　leap　at　Crosse　but　again　Crosse　belted　him　and　Plumm　stumbled　backward　against　the　bed　and　fell　onto　it。　〃What　the　f…　〃
　〃Shut　up　and　listen！〃　Crosse　hissed。　〃Suslev's　going　to　shop　you！〃
　Plumm　gaped　at　him；　the　weal　from　the　blows　scarlet。　At　once　his　anger　vanished。　〃What？〃
　〃Suslev's　going　to　shop　you　to　Sinders；　and　that　means　all　of　us。〃　Crosse's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　all　right　now？　For　chrissake　keep　your　voice　down。〃
　〃What？　Yes　。。。　yes。　I　。。。　yes。〃
　〃Sorry；　Jason；　it　was　the　only　thing　to　do。〃
　〃That's；　that's　all　right。　What　the　hell's　going　on；　Roger？〃　Plumm　scrambled　off　the　bed；　rubbing　his　face；　a　thin　trickle　of　blood　at　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　now　totally　controlled。　Outside　was　the　rise　and　fall　of　indistinct　conversation。
　〃We've　got　to　make　a　plan；〃　Crosse　said　grimly　and　recapped　his　conversation　with　Suslev。　〃I　think　I've　got　him　convinced；　but　that　bugger's　slippery　and　there's　no　telling　what　he'll　do。　Sinders'll　shop　him；　I'm　sure　of　that；　if　Suslev　doesn't　finger　Arthur　…　and　if　Sinders　shops　him；　Suslev　won't　e　back　to　Hong　Kong。　They'll　keep　him　and　break　him。　Then　wh…　〃
　〃But　what　about　Dunross？〃　Plumm　asked　helplessly。　〃Surely　Dunross　could've　got　him　out　of　the　mess。　Now　Gregor's　bound　to　talk。　Why　stop　me？〃
　〃I　had　to。　There　was　no　time　to　tell　you。　Listen；　after　I　left　Suslev　I　checked　with　HQ。　They　told　me　Tiptop'd　helped　those　bastards　squeeze　out　of　the　trap　with　China's　money。　Earlier　I'd　heard　that　Ian'd　arranged　his　loan；〃　Crosse　added；　lying。　〃So　the　runs're　over；　the　stock　market's　got　to　boom；　Dunross　or　not。　But　worse　than　that；　Jason；　I　got　a　whisper　from　an　informant　in　Special　Branch　that　Sinders　has　tripled　security　on　Kai　Tak；　the　same　on　the　Ivanov　wharf；　and　that；　right　now；　they're　opening　every　crate；　every　bag；　searching　every　piece　of　equipment；　checking　every　coolie　that　goes　aboard。　If　they'd　intercepted　Dunross；　and　they　would　…　SI's　too　smart　…　we'd　be　trapped。〃
　Plumm's　nervousness　increased。　A　tremor　went　through　him。　〃What；　what　about　。。。　Say　we　give　Sinders　Gregor？〃　he　burst　out。　〃What　if　we　gi…　〃
　〃Keep　your　voice　down！　You're　not　thinking　clearly；　for　God's　sake！　Gregor　knows　all　of　us。　Sinders'd　shove　him　on　a　sleep…wake…sleep　regimen　and　into　the　Red　Room　and　he'd　tell　everything！　That'd　wreck　us；　wreck　Sevrin　and　put　the　Soviets　back　ten　years　in　Asia。〃
　Plumm　shivered　and　wiped　his　face。　〃Then　what're　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃Let　Gregor　go　aboard　and　out　of　Hong　Kong；　and　hope　to　God　he　convinces　his　bosses。　Even　if　he　leaks　your　name　to　Sinders　I　think　we're　buried　so　deep　we　can　squeeze　out　of　that。　You're　British；　not　a　foreign　national。　Thank　God　we've　laws　to　protect　us　…　even　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act。　Don't　worry；　nothing'll　happen　without　me　knowing　and　if　anything　happens　I'll　know　at　once。　There'll　always　be　time　enough　for　Plan　Three。〃　Plan　Three　was　an　elaborate　escape　that　Plumm　had　erected　against　such　an　eventuality　…　with　false　passports；　valid　air　tickets；　ready　luggage；　clothes；　disguises　and　covers；　even　including　passkeys　to　airplane　waiting　areas　without　going　through　Immigration　…　that　had　a　ninety…five　percent　chance　of　success　given　an　hour's　notice。
　〃Christ！〃　Plumm　looked　down　at　the　waiting　trunk。　〃Christ；〃　he　said　again；　then　went　to　the　mirror　to　look　at　his　face。　The　redness　was　going。　He　doused　some　water　on　it。
　Crosse　watched　him；　wondering　if　Plumm　was　convinced。　It　was　the　best　he　could　do　under　the　circumstances。　He　hated　improvisation；　but　in　this　case　he　had　little　option。　What　a　life　we　lead！　Every　one　expendable　except　yourself：　Suslev；　Plumm；　Sinders；　Kwok；　Armstrong；　even　the　governor。
　〃What？〃　Plumm　asked；　looking　at　him　in　the　mirror。
　〃I　was　just　thinking　we're　in　a　rough　business。〃
　〃The　Cause　makes　it　worthwhile。　That's　the　only　part　that　counts。〃
　Crosse　hid　his　contempt。　I　really　think　you've　outlived　your　usefulness；　Jason　old　fellow；　he　thought；　then　went　over　to　the　phone。　There　were　no　extensions　on　this　line　and　he　knew　it　was　not　bugged。　He　dialed。
　〃Yes？〃　He　recognized　Suslev　and　coughed　Arthur's　dry　cough。　〃Mr。　Lop…sing　please；〃　continuing　the　code　in　a　perfect　imitation　of　Plumm's　voice；　then　said　urgently；　〃There's　been　a　foul…up。　The　target　did　not　appear。　Be　careful　at　the　dock。　Surveillance　is　tripled。　We　cannot　deliver　the　trunk。　Good　luck。〃　He　hung　up。　The　silence　gathered。
　〃That's　his　death　knell；　isn't　it？〃　Plumm　said　sadly。
　Crosse　hesitated。　He　smiled　thinly。　〃Better　his　death　than　yours。　Eh？〃
　
　81
　
　8：25　P。M。：
　In　the　noise…filled　living　room　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall；　Casey　finished　her　drink　and　set　it　down。　She　was　feeling　unsettled　and　very　strange。　Part　of　her　was　joyous　at　Dunross's　reprieve　and　the　other　part　sad　that　Gornt　was　now　entrapped。　It　was　quite　clear　to　her　with　the　wheeling　and　dealing　now　going　on　around　her　that　Struan's　opening　price　would　be　very　high。　Poor　Quillan；　she　thought。　If　he　doesn't　cover　his　position　he'll　be　in　shitsville　…　and　let's　face　it；　I　put　him　there。　Didn't　I？
　Sure；　but　I　had　to　bail　out　Dunross　because；　without　him；　Gornt　would　have　squeezed　us　dry　…　and　maybe　everyone　else。　And　don't　forget；　I　didn't　start　the　raid　on　Struan's。　That　was　Linc's　raid；　not　mine。　Hasn't　Linc　always　said　business　and　pleasure　should　never　mix？　Haven't　we　both　always　gone　along　with　that？
　Linc。　Always　back　to　Linc。
　Casey　had　not　seen　him　all　day；　nor　even　heard　from　him。　They　were　supposed　to　have　met　for　breakfast　but　there　was　a　〃do　not　disturb〃　on　his　door　and　a　〃do　not　disturb〃　on　his　phone　so　she　left　him　and　pushed　away　the　thought　of　Orlanda　…　was　Orlanda　there　too？　And　tonight；　when　she　had　returned　from　the　day's　sailing；　there　was　a　message：　〃Hi；　have　fun。〃　So　she　had　showered　and　changed　and　bottled　her　impatience　and　had　e　here　tonight。　It　had　been　no　fun　in　the　beginning；　everyone　gloom　and　doom…filled；　then　after　the　news　and　Gornt　slamming　out；　no　fun　again。　Shortly　afterward　Dunross　had　forced　his　way　over　and　thanked　her　again　but　almost　at　once　he　had　been　surrounded　by　excited　men　discussing　deals　and　chances。　She　watched　them；　feeling　very　lonely。　Perhaps　Linc's　back　at　the　hotel　now；　she　thought。　I　wish　。。。　never　mind；　but　it　is　time　to　go　home。　No　one　noticed　her　slip　out。
　Roger　Crosse　was　standing　at　the　elevator。　He　held　the　door　for　her　then　pressed　the　down　button。
　〃Thanks。　Nice　party；　wasn't　it？〃　she　said。
　〃Yes；　yes　it　was；〃　he　replied　absently。
　On　the　ground　floor　Crosse　let　her　get　out　first　then　strode　off　out　the　front　door　and　down　the　hill。　What's　his　hurry？　she　asked　herself；　heading　for　the　group　that　waited　for　taxis；　glad　that　it　was　not　raining　again。　She　jerked　to　a　stop。　Orlanda　Ramos；　with　packages　in　her　arms；　was　ing　into　the　foyer。　Each　woman　saw　the　other　at　the　same　instant。　Orlanda　was　the　first　to　recover。　〃Evening；　Casey；〃　she　said　with　her　best　smile。　〃How　pretty　you　look。〃
　〃So　do　you；〃　Casey　replied。　Her　enemy　did。　The　pale　blue　skirt　and　blouse　were　perfectly　matched。
　Orlanda　poured　a　stream　of　impatient　Cantonese　over　the　crumpled　concierge　who　was　lounging　nearby。　At　once　he　took　her　packages；　mumbling。
　〃Sorry；　Casey；〃　she　said　nicely；　a　thread　of　nervousness　to　her　voice；　〃but　there's　been　a　small　landslide　just　down　the　hill　and　I　had　to　leave　my　car　there。　You're；　you're　visiting　here？〃
　〃No；　just　leaving。　You　live　here？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　I　do。〃
　Another　silence　between　them；　both　readying。　Then　Casey　nodded　a　polite　good　night　and　began　to　leave。
　〃Perhaps　we　should　talk；〃　Orlanda　said　and　Casey　stopped。
　〃Certainly；　Orlanda；　whenever　you　wish。〃
　〃Do　you　have　time　now？〃
　〃I　think　so。〃
　〃Would　you　like　to　walk　with　me　back　to　my　car？　I've　got　to　get　the　rest　of　my　packages。　You　won't　be　able　to　get　a　taxi　here　anywa