jherbert.sepulchre-第6部分

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　　The　deputy　chairman　came　forward。　'I'm　told　you'll　be　particularly　suited　for　protection　cover　of　this　kind。　You　prefer　working　on　a　one…to…one…basis。'
　　'We'll　see；'　Halloran　replied；　disliking　the　clamminess　of　Quinn…Reece's　hand。
　　'I　beg　your　pardon？'
　　'We'll　see　if　I'm　suited　after　I've　spoken　to　the　target。　We　don't　appear　to　know　much　about　him。'
　　'My　apologies　for　that；'　cut　in　Sir　Victor。　'But　there　are　reasons。'　He　indicated　chairs。　'Please；　won't　you　sit　down；　then　perhaps　we　can　put　you　fully　in　the　picture。'　The　chairman　took　his　place　behind　the　desk　and　the　others　found　themselves　seats　around　the　room。　Cora；　Halloran　noticed；　sat　in　a　chair　by　the　wall　as　though　she　were　an　observer　of　the　meeting　rather　than　a　partaker。
　　'By　the　time　most　new　visitors　to　Magma　reach　my　office；'　Sir　Victor　began；　'they've　bee　aware　of　the　Corporation's　numerous　activities　throughout　the　world；　so　it　should　be　unnecessary　for　me　to　give　you　a　detailed　lecture　on　our　size　and　strength。　Suffice　it　to　say　that　we're　recognised　as　a　major　force　as　far　as　mining；　industrial　and　energy　interests　are　concerned。　No　doubt　you've　taken　note　of　the　various　panies　that　form　our　Group；　and　the　reason　they　have　their　own　identity　is　because　for　the　past　twenty　years　we've　practised　a　decentralised　system　of　management　which　encourages　the　profitable　development　of　individual　panies　inside　their　own　industries　and　locations。　Between　them；　they　either　produce；　process　and　fabricate　most　prime　metals…anything　from　aluminium　to　zinc…as　well　as　manufacture　industrial；　construction　and　engineering　products　and　chemicals；　or　they　may　supply　raw　materials　for　energy；　principally　coal；　oil；　gas　and　uranium。'　He　paused。　'I　said　I　wasn't　going　to　lecture；　didn't　I？　No　matter…I　am　leading　up　to　an　important　point。　So；　you　have　an　idea　of　what　Magma　and　its　panies　are　all　about。　We　employ　over　eighty　thousand　people　throughout　the　world；　twenty　thousand　of　those　in　the　UK。'　There　was　a　light　tap　on　the　door　and　a　woman　in　a　pale　blue　uniform　shirt　and　dark　blue　skirt　brought　in　a　tray　of　tea　and　coffee。　Sir　Victor　waited　for　the　beverages　to　be　distributed　and　the　door　to　close　again　before　continuing。
　　'As　a　corporation　involved　in　enormous　investments　both　here　and　abroad；　we　have　two　considerable　problems。　One　is　that　large　fluctuations　in　currency　exchange　rates　give　us　immense　difficulty　in　predicting　the　economic　environment　in　which　long…term　investment　decisions　will　e　to　maturity。'　Halloran　caught　Mather's　eyes　glazing　over　and　hid　his　grin　behind　the　coffee　cup。　Sir　Victor's　diction　was　crisp　and　clear；　yet　nothing　could　prevent　the　words　themselves　entering　the　brain　as　a　drone。
　　'Unfortunately；　the　lengthy　lead　times　from　feasibility　study　to　mercial　operation　mean　that　decisions　have　to　be　made　today　concerning　the　next　generation　of　mining　projects。　In　other　words；　we　have　to　decide　now　what　will　be　best　for　Magma　in；　say；　seven　to　ten　years'　time。　You'll　appreciate　just　how　difficult　that　might　be。'
　　'Yes；　yes；'　Mather　appreciated。　'I　should　think　you'd　need　to　be　a　fortune…teller　to　do　that。'　Mather　smiled　broadly；　but　Sir　Victor　and　his　second…inmand　regarded　him　soberly。
　　'You're　nearer　the　truth　than　you　might　imagine；'　said　the　chairman。
　　Mather's　eyebrows　arched　and　he　shot　a　look　at　Halloran。
　　Sir　Victor　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　swivelled　it　sideways；　his　head　turning　away　from　them　to　examine　the　view　outside。　It　was　an　odd　gesture；　almost　as　though　he　was　suddenly　reluctant　to　face　them　directly。　Yet　his　manner　was　unpromising　when　he　spoke。
　　'What　I'm　about　to　tell　you；　gentlemen；　must　not　go　beyond　these　walls。'　He　turned　back　to　them；　his　eyes　boring　into　theirs。　'I　must　have　your　solemn　promise　on　that。'　Mather　was　quick　to　respond。　'My　pany　has　already　given　assurances　regarding　confidentiality。'
　　'I'm　not　referring　to　Achilles'　Shield。　I　mean　Mr　Halloran　and　yourself。　This　matter　cannot　even　be　discussed　within　your　own　organisation。　May　I　have　your　word？'
　　'That　would　be　highly　irregular。　If　our　assignment　is　to　be　water…tight；　we　must　have　every　cooperation　from　…'
　　'You　will　have　that。　In　full。　But　there　are　certain　details　which　are　not　essential　to　your　planning　that　must　not　bee　mon　knowledge　。　。　。'　He　held　up　a　hand　against　Mather's　protest　'。　。　。　even　among　a　select　few。　In　fact；　there　aren't　many　inside　the　Magma　Corporation　itself　who　are　privy　to　this　information。　I　can　promise　you；　though；　your　security　arrangements　will　not　be　affected　to　any　significant　degree。'
　　'I　shall　have　to　confer　with　my　senior　colleagues；'　Mather　said　dubiously。
　　'Let's　agree。'　All　eyes　went　to　Halloran　who　had　spoken。
　　'It　can't　do　any　harm。'　He　placed　his　empty　coffee　cup　on　a　small　table　by　his　chair。　'But　there　are　conditions。　If　anything　illegal　is　involved　here；　then　we're　out。　And　you　must　tell　us　everything…no　little　details　held　back。　If　we　don't　like　what　we　hear　Shield　withdraws。　Simple　as　that。'　Quinn…Reece　looked　set　to　bluster；　but　his　chairman　smiled。
　　'That　sounds　reasonable；'　Sir　Victor　remarked。　'Thank　you　for　being　so　direct；　Mr　Halloran；　it　saves　time。　Are　you　in　accordance　with　this？'　He　aimed　the　question　at　Mather。
　　Who　smiled　too。　He　was　used　to　Halloran's　bluntness。　'I　suppose　I　have　no　objections；'　he　answered　as　if　wondering　to　himself。
　　'Very　well。'　The　chairman　appeared　to　relax　a　little。　'A　moment　or　two　ago　you　suggested　we　might　need　a　fortune…teller　to　predict　safe　investments　for　the　ongoing　profitability　of　the　Corporation　。　。　。'
　　'A　mild　joke；'　put　in　Mather。　'I　noticed　you　didn't　laugh。'
　　'Nor　would　we。　Would　you　be　surprised　if　I　revealed　that　despite　all　the　highly　sophisticated　research　methods；　our　extensive　statistics　for　forward　planning；　explorations　of　new　territories；　satellite　surveys　using　micro…wave；　ultra…violet　and　infra…red　radiation；　structural　analyses；　advanced　puter　calculations　all　that；　and　more…much　of　our　new　growth　depends　almost　entirely　on　the　special　ability　of　one　person？'
　　'I'd　be　very　surprised；'　Mather　replied　without　hesitation。
　　'As　our　petitors　would　be　if　they　knew。　As　would　the　Press；　and　of　course；　our　shareholders。　Yes；　I　suppose　such　a　revelation　would　create　amusement　in　some　quarters。　And　great　personal　risk　to　our　man　from　others。'
　　'Your　rivals？　Surely　not？'
　　'When　the　stakes　are　so　high；　with　discovery　of　fresh　raw　materials　diminishing　so　rapidly；　access　to　new　fields　proving　more　and　more　difficult　and　expensive；　there　develops　over　the　years　a　petitively　cut…throat　situation…and　I　use　that　term　literally。'
　　'Is　this　why　you　want　your　man　so　heavily　insured？'　asked　Halloran。
　　Sir　Victor　nodded。
　　'He's　already　received　threats？'
　　'Not　exactly。'　Mather　interrupted。　'Look　here；　can　we　slow　this　down　for　a　minute？　I'm　not　clear　at　all　on　just　what　this　employee　of　yours　does　for　Magma。　Are　you　saying　he's　some　kind　of　exploration　wizard？　And　isn't　it　time　we　were　told　his　name？　All　this　nonidentity　business　is　only　serving　to　pound　my　confusion。'　Halloran　knew　the　older　man's　mind　was　far　too　sharp　to　be　fogged　by　anything　said　so　far；　this　was　merely　the　Planner's　way　of　drawing　out　basic　information　that　so　often　prospective　clients　were　reluctant　to　convey。
　　'　〃Exploration　wizard〃　is　not　entirely　correct；　although　〃wizard〃　might　be　appropriate　in　some　respects。'　Sir　Victor　allowed　a　small　laugh　between　himself　and　his　deputy　chairman。　Again　Halloran　found　the　girl；　Cora；　watching　him　closely。
　　'Gentlemen；'　said　Sir　Victor；　his　tone　serious　once　more。　'It's　time　you　met　your…how　is　it　you　refer　to　them？　Target？…yes；　it's　time　you　met　your　target。　I　think　then　all　will　be　made　clear。　At　least；　I　hope　that　will　be　the　case。'　With　that；　he　stood　arid　indicated　a　door　leading　off　from　his　office。　Mather　and　Halloran　rose　too；　both　more　than　a　little　curious。
　　　
　　　
　　　5　THE　WHITE　ROOM
　　
　　He　was　tired。　He'd　had　to　leave　Ireland　discreetly；　travelling　south　by　road　to　Wexford；　hiring　a　boat　to　take　him　from　there　across　to　a　point　just　outside　Newport；　Wales；　the　journey　made　in　the　dead　of　night。　The　sea　had　been　rough；　but