jamesclavell.noblehouse-第212部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


een's　evidence；　turning　Queen's　evidence　…　or　plea　bargaining？　But　he　kept　this　future　ploy　secret；　to　be　used　when　necessary；　and　kept　his　face　polite　and　bland。　〃All　waters　are　dangerous　if　the　gods　decide　they're　dangerous；〃　he　said　cryptically。
　Wu　took　a　long　deep　drag　of　his　cigarette；　feeling　the　smoke　deep　within　him。　He　had　noticed　the　change　in　this　young　man　before　him。　He　had　seen　many　such　changes　in　many　men。　In　many　sons　and　many　daughters。　The　experience　of　his　long　years　screamed　caution。　This　whelp's　dangerous；　very　dangerous；　he　thought。　1　think　Goodweather　Poon　was　right：　it　was　a　mistake　to　bring　Profitable　Choy　aboard　tonight。　Now　he　knows　too　much　about　us。
　Yes。　But　that's　easy　to　rectify；　when　I　need　to；　he　reminded　himself。　Any　day　or　any　night。
　
　53
　
　10：03　P。M。：
　〃Well；　what　the　devil　are　you　going　to　do；　Paul？〃　the　governor　asked　Havergill。　Johnjohn　was　with　them　and　they　were　on　the　terrace　of　Government　House　after　dinner；　leaning　against　the　low　balustrade。　〃Good　God！　If　the　Victoria　runs　out　of　money　too；　this　whole　Island's　ruined；　eh？〃
　Havergill　looked　around　to　make　sure　they　were　not　being　overheard；　and　dropped　his　voice。　〃We've　been　in　touch　with　the　Bank　of　England；　sir。　By　midnight　tomorrow　night；　London　time；　there'll　be　an　RAF　transport　at　Heathrow　stuffed　full　of　five…　and　ten…pound　notes。〃　His　usual　confidence　returned。　〃As　I　said；　the　Victoria　is　perfectly　sound；　pletely　liquid　and　our　assets　here　and　in　England　substantial　enough　to　cover　any　eventuality；　well　almost　any　eventuality。〃
　〃Meanwhile　you　may　not　have　enough　Hong　Kong　dollars　to　weather　the　run？〃
　〃Not　if　the；　er；　the　problem　continues　but　I'm　sure　all　will　be　well；　sir。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　stared　at　him。　〃How　the　devil　did　we　get　into　this　mess？〃
　〃Joss；〃　Johnjohn　said　wearily。　〃Unfortunately　the　mint　can't　print　enough　Hong　Kong　dollar　notes　for　us　in　time。　It'd　take　weeks　to　print　and　to　ship　the　amount　we'd　need；　and　it　wouldn't　be　healthy　to　have　all　those　extra　notes　in　our　economy。　The　British　currency's　stopgap；　sir。　We　can　just　announce　that　the；　er；　that　the　mint　is　working　overtime　to　supply　our　needs。〃
　〃How　much　do　we　actually　need？〃　The　governor　saw　Paul　Havergill　and　Johnjohn　look　at　each　other　and　his　disquiet　increased。
　〃We　don't　know；　sir；〃　Johnjohn　said。　〃Colony…wide；　apart　from　ourselves；　every　other　bank　will　also　need　to　pledge　its　securities　…　just　as　we've　pledged　ours　temporarily　to　the　Bank　of　England　…　to　obtain　the　cash　they　need。　If　every　depositor　on　the　Colony　wants　every　dollar　back　。。。〃　The　sweat　was　beading　the　banker's　face　now。　〃We've　no　way　of　knowing　how　extended　the　other　banks　are；　or　the　amount　of　their　deposits。　No　one　knows。〃
　〃Is　one　RAF　transport　enough？〃　Sir　Geoffrey　tried　not　to　sound　sarcastic。　〃I　mean；　well；　a　billion　pounds　in　fives　and　tens？　How　in　the　hell　are　they　going　to　collect　that　number　of　notes？〃
　Havergill　mopped　his　brow。　〃We　don't　know；　sir；　but　they've　promised　a　first　shipment　will　arrive　Monday　night　at　the　latest。〃
　〃Not　till　then？〃
　〃No　sir。　It's　impossible　before　then。〃
　〃There's　nothing　else　we　can　do？〃
　Johnjohn　swallowed。　〃We　considered　asking　you　to　declare　a　bank　holiday　to　stem　the　tide　but；　er；　we　concluded　…　and　the　Bank　of　England　agreed　…　if　you　did　that　it　might　blow　the　top　off　the　Island。〃
　〃No　need　to　worry；　sir。〃　Havergill　tried　to　sound　convincing。　〃By　the　end　of　next　week　it　will　all　be　forgotten。〃
　〃I　won't　forget　it；　Paul。　And　I　doubt　if　China　will　…　or　our　friends　the　Labour　MPs　will。　They　may　have　a　point　about　some　form　of　bank　controls。〃
　Both　bankers　bridled　and　Paul　Havergill　said　deprecatingly；　〃Those　two　berks　don't　know　their　rears　from　a　hole　in　the　wall！　Everything's　in　control。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　would　have　argued　that　point　but　he　had　just　seen　Rosemont；　the　CIA　deputy　director；　and　Ed　Langan；　the　FBI　man；　wander　out　onto　the　terrace。　〃Keep　me　advised。　I　want　a　full　report　at　noon。　Would　you　excuse　me　a　moment？　Please　help　yourself　to　another　drink。〃
　He　went　off　to　intercept　Rosemont　and　Langan。　〃How're　you　two？〃
　〃Great；　thank　you；　sir。　Great　evening。〃　Both　Americans　watched　Havergill　and　Johnjohn　going　back　inside。　〃How're　our　banker　friends？〃　Rosemont　asked。
　〃Fine；　perfectly　fine。〃
　〃That　MP；　the　Socialist　guy；　Grey；　was　sure　as　hell　getting　under　Havergill's　skin！〃
　〃And　the　tai…pan's；〃　Ed　Langan　added　with　a　laugh。
　〃Oh　I　don't　know；〃　the　governor　said　lightly。　〃A　little　opposition's　a　good　thing；　what？　Isn't　that　democracy　at　its　best？〃
　〃How's　the　Vic；　sir？　How's　the　run？〃
　〃No　problems　that　can't　be　solved；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　replied　with　his　easy　charm。　〃No　need　to　worry。　Would　you　give　me　a　moment；　Mr。　Langan？〃
　〃Certainly；　sir。〃　The　American　smiled。　〃I　was　just　leaving。〃
　〃Not　my　party；　I　trust！　Just　to　replenish　your　drink？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　led　the　way　into　the　garden；　Rosemont　beside　him。　The　trees　were　still　dripping　and　the　night　dark。　He　kept　to　a　path　that　was　puddled　and　muddy。　〃We've　a　slight　problem；　Stanley。　SI's　just　caught　one　of　your　sailors　from　the　carrier　passing　secrets　to　a　KGB　fellow。　Bo…　〃
　Rosemont　stopped；　aghast。　〃Off　the　Ivanov？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Was　it　Suslev？　Captain　Suslev？〃
　〃No。　No；　it　wasn't　that　name。　May　I　suggest　you　get　on　to　Roger　at　once。　Both　men　are　in　custody；　both　have　been　charged　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act　but　I've　cleared　it　with　the　minister　in　London　and　he　agrees　you　should　take　charge　of　your　fellow　at　once　。。。　a　little　less　embarrassing；　what？　He's；　er；　he's　a　puter　chap　I　believe。〃
　〃Son　of　a　bitch！〃　Rosemont　muttered；　then　wiped　the　sudden　sweat　off　his　face　with　his　hand。　〃What　did　he　pass　over？〃
　〃I　don't　know　exactly。　Roger　will　be　able　to　fill　you　in　on　the　details。〃
　〃Do　we　get　to　interrogate　。。。　to　interview　the　KGB　guy　too？〃
　〃Why　not　discuss　that　with　Roger？　The　minister's　in　direct　touch　with　him；　too。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　hesitated。　〃I；　er；　I'm　sure　you'll　appreciate　。。。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　sorry；　sir。　I'd　。。。　I'd　better　get　going　at　once。〃　Rosemont's　face　was　chalky　and　he　went　off　quickly；　collecting　Ed　Langan　with　him。
　Sir　Geoffrey　sighed。　Bloody　spies；　bloody　banks；　bloody　moles　and　bloody　Socialist　idiots　who　know　nothing　about　Hong　Kong。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Time　to　close　the　party　down。
　
　Johnjohn　was　walking　into　the　anteroom。　Dunross　was　near　the　bar。　〃Ian？〃
　〃Oh　hello？　One　for　the　road？〃　Dunross　said。
　〃No；　thanks。　Can　I　have　a　word　in　private？〃
　〃Of　course。　It'll　have　to　be　quick；　I　was　just　leaving。　I　said　I'd　drop　our　friendly　MPs　at　the　ferry。〃
　〃You're　on　a　pink　ticket　too？〃
　Dunross　smiled　faintly。　〃Actually；　old　boy；　I　have　one　whenever　I　want　it；　whether　Penn's　here　or　not。〃
　〃Yes。　You're　lucky；　you　always　did　have　your　life　well　organized；〃　Johnjohn　said　gloomily。
　〃Joss。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Johnjohn　led　the　way　out　of　the　room　onto　the　balcony。　〃Rotten　about　John　Chen；　what？〃
　〃Yes。　Phillip's　taking　it　very　badly。　Where's　Havergill？〃
　〃He　left　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Ah；　that's　why　you　mentioned　'pink　ticket'！　He's　on　the　town？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃How　about　Lily　Su　of　Kowloon？〃
　Johnjohn　stared　at　him。
　〃I　hear　Paul's　quite　enamored。〃
　〃How　do　you　do　it；　know　so　much？〃
　Dunross　shrugged。　He　was　feeling　tired　and　uneasy　and　had　been　hard　put　not　to　lose　his　temper　several　times　tonight　when　Grey　was　in　the　center　of　another　heated　argument　with　some　of　the　tai…pans。
　〃By　the　way；　Ian；　I　tried　to　get　Paul　to　call　a　board　meeting　but　it's　not　in　my　bailiwick。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　They　were　in　a　smaller　anteroom。　Good　Chinese　silk　paintings　and　more　fine　Persian　carpets　and　silver。　Dunross　noticed　the　paint　was　peeling　in　the　corners　of　the　room　and　off　the　fine　moldings　of　the　ceiling；　and　this　offended　him。　This　is　the　British　raj　and　the　paint　shouldn't　be　peeling。
　The　silence　hung。　Dunross　pretended　to　examine　some　of　the　exquisite　snuff　bottles　that　were　on　a　shelf。
　〃Ian　。。。〃　Johnjohn　stopped　and　changed　his　mind。　He　began　again。　〃This　is　off　the　record。　You　know　Tiptop　Toe　quite　well；　don't　you？〃
　Dunross　stared　at　him。　Tiptop　Toe　was　their　nickname　for　Tip　Tok…toh；　a　middle…aged　man　from　Hunan；　Mao　Tse…tung's　home