jamesclavell.noblehouse-第302部分

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　74
　
　11：15　A。M。：
　〃I　repeat；　Mr。　Sinders；　I　know　nothing　of　any　cable；　any　Arthur；　any　files；　any　American　and　I　know　no　Major　Yuri　Bakyan　…　the　man　was　Igor　Voranski；　seaman　first　class。〃　Suslev　kept　a　firm　hold　on　his　temper。　Sinders　sat　opposite　him；　behind　the　desk　in　the　drab　interview　room　at　police　headquarters。　Suslev　had　expected　Roger　Crosse　to　be　there；　to　help。　But　he　had　not　seen　him　since　he　arrived。
　Be　careful；　he　cautioned　himself；　you're　on　your　own。　You'll　get　no　help　from　Roger。　Rightly。　That　spy　has　to　be　protected。　And　as　to　Boradinov；　he's　no　help　either。　He　glanced　at　his　first　officer　who　sat　beside　him；　stiff；　upright　in　his　chair　and　greatly　ill…at…ease。
　〃And　you　still　insist　this　spy　Dimitri　Metkin's　name　was　not　Leonov　…　Nicoli　Leonov　…　also　a　major　in　the　KGB？〃
　〃It's　nonsense；　all　nonsense。　I　shall　report　this　whole　incident　to　my　government；　I　sh…　〃
　〃Are　your　repairs　pleted？〃
　〃Yes；　at　least　they　will　be　by　midnight。　We　bring　good　money　into　Hong　Kong　and　pay　our　bi…　〃
　〃Yes　and　create　nothing　but　curious　troubles。　Like　Major　Leonov；　like　Bakyan？〃
　〃You　mean　Metkin？〃　Suslev　glared　at　Boradinov　to　take　off　some　of　the　heat。　〃Did　you　know　any　Leonov？〃
　〃No；　rade　Captain；〃　Boradinov　stuttered。　〃We　didn't　know　anything。〃
　〃What　a　lot　of　cobblers！〃　Sinders　sighed。　〃Fortunately　Leonov　told　us　quite　a　lot　about　you　and　the　Ivanov　before　you　murdered　him。　Yes；　your　Major　Leonov　was　very　cooperative。〃　Suddenly　his　voice　became　a　whiplash。　〃First　Officer　Boradinov；　please　wait　outside！〃
　The　younger　man　was　on　his　feet　before　he　knew　it；　white…faced。　He　opened　the　door。　Outside　a　hostile　Chinese　SI　agent　motioned　him　to　a　chair；　closing　the　door　once　more。
　Sinders　put　his　pipe　aside；　took　out　a　package　of　cigarettes　and　leisurely　lit　one。　Rain　battered　the　windows。　Suslev　waited；　his　heart　grinding。　He　watched　his　enemy　from　under　his　bushy　eyebrows；　wondering　what　Roger　Crosse　had　for　him　that　was　so　urgent。　This　morning　when　the　secret　phone　had　rung　it　was　Arthur　asking　if　Suslev　would　meet　Roger　Crosse　around　eight　o'clock　tonight　at　Sinclair　Towers。　〃What's　so　urgent？　I　should　be　on　my　ship　and　mak…　〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Roger　said　it　was　urgent。　There　was　no　time　to　discuss　anything。　Did　you　see　Koronski？〃
　〃Yes。　Everything's　arranged。　Can　you　deliver？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Long　before　midnight。〃
　〃Don't　fail。　Center's　counting　on　you　now；〃　he　had　added；　lying。　〃Tell　our　friend　it's　ordered。〃
　〃Excellent。　We　won't　fail。〃
　Suslev　had　heard　the　excitement。　Some　of　his　dread　had　left　him。　Now　it　was　returning。　He　did　not　like　being　here；　so　near　to　staying　permanently。　Sinders's　reputation　was　well　known　in　the　KGB：　dedicated；　smart　and　given　to　great　leaps　of　insight。　〃I'm　very　tired　of　these　questions；　Mr。　Sinders；〃　he　said；　astonished　that　the　head　of　MI…6　had　personally　e　to　Hong　Kong　and　could　appear　to　be　so　unimportant。　He　stood　up；　testing　him。　〃I'm　leaving。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　Sevrin。〃
　〃Severin？　What　is　Severin？　I　do　not　have　to　stay　to　answer　your　questions；　I　do　n…　〃
　〃I　agree；　rade　Captain；　normally；　but　one　of　your　men　has　been　caught　spying　and　our　American　friends　really　want　possession　of　you。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　〃Oh　yes　and　I'm　afraid　they're　not　as　patient　as　we　are。〃
　Suslev's　dread　swooped　back。　〃More　threats！　Why　threaten　me？〃　he　flustered。　〃We　are　law…abiding。　I'm　not　responsible　for　troubles！　I　demand　to　be　allowed　to　go　back　to　my　ship！　Now！〃
　Sinders　just　looked　at　him。　〃All　right。　Please　leave；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃I　can　go？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　of　course。　Good　morning。〃
　Astonished；　Suslev　stared　at　him　a　moment；　then　turned　and　went　for　the　door。
　〃Of　course　we　will　certainly　leak　it　to　your　superiors　that　you　gave　us　Leonov。〃
　Suslev　stopped；　ashen。　〃What；　what　did　you　say？〃
　〃Leonov　told　us；　among　other　things；　that　you　encouraged　him　to　make　the　intercept。　Then　you　leaked　the　exchange。〃
　〃Lies　。。。　lies；〃　he　said；　suddenly　aghast　that　perhaps　Roger　Crosse　had　been　caught　as　Metkin　was　caught。
　〃Didn't　you　also　leak　to　North　Korean　agents　about　Bakyan？〃
　〃No；　no　I　did　not；〃　Suslev　stuttered；　enormously　relieved　to　discover　Sinders　was　kiting　him；　probably　without　any　real　information。　Some　of　his　confidence　returned。　〃That's　more　nonsense。　I　know　no　North　Koreans。〃
　〃I　believe　you；　but　I'm　sure　the　First　Directorate　won't。　Good　morning。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Tell　me　about　the　cable。〃
　〃I　know　nothing　about　it。　Your　superintendent　was　mistaken；　I　did　not　drop　it。〃
　〃Oh　but　you　did。　What　American？〃
　〃I　know　nothing　about　an　American。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　Sevrin。〃
　〃I　know　nothing　of　this　Severin。　What　is　it；　who　is　it？〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　know　your　superiors　in　the　KGB　are　impatient　with　leaks　and　very　untrusting。　If　you　manage　to　sail；　I　suggest　you；　your　first　officer；　your　ship　and　your　entire　crew　do　not　e　back　into　these　waters　again　…　〃
　〃You　threaten　me　again？　This　will　bee　an　international　incident。　I　will　inform　my　government　and　yours　an…　〃
　〃Yes；　and　so　will　we；　officially　and　privately。　Very　privately。〃　Sinders's　eyes　were　freezing　though　his　lips　wore　a　smile。
　〃I　。。。　I　can　go　now？〃
　〃Yes。　For　information。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Who　is　the　American；　and　who　is　'Arthur'？〃
　〃I　don't　know　any　Arthur。　Arthur　who？〃
　〃I　will　wait　till　midnight。　If　you　sail　without　telling　me；　when　I　return　to　London　I　will　make　sure　information　gets　to　the　ears　of　your　naval　attaché　in　London　that　you　leaked　Leonov　whom　you　call　Metkin；　and　you　leaked　Bakyan　whom　you　call　Voranski　in　return　for　SI　favors。〃
　〃That's　lies；　all　lies；　you　know　it's　lies。〃
　〃Five　hundred　people　saw　you　at　the　racetrack　with　Superintendent　Crosse。　That's　when　you　gave　him　Metkin。〃
　〃All　lies。〃　Suslev　tried　to　hide　his　terror。
　Sinders　chuckled。　〃We'll　see；　won't　we？　Your　new　naval　attaché　in　London　will　clutch　at　any　straws　to　ingratiate　himself　with　his　superiors。　Eh？〃
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　Suslev　said；　understanding　very　well。　He　was　trapped。
　Sinders　leaned　forward　to　tap　out　his　pipe。　〃Listen　to　me　clearly；〃　he　said　with　absolute　finality。　〃I'll　swap　you　your　life　for　the　American　and　Arthur。〃
　〃I　don't　know　any　Arthur。〃
　〃This　will　be　a　secret　between　you　and　me　only。　I'll　tell　no　one。　I　give　you　my　word。〃
　〃I　know　no　Arthur。〃
　〃You　pinpoint　him　and　you're　safe。　You　and　I　are　professionals；　we　understand　barter　…　and　safety　…　and　an　occasional　private；　very　secret　deal。　You're　caught；　this　time；　so　you　have　to　deliver。　If　you　sail　without　telling　me　who　Arthur　is；　as　sure　as　God　made　little　apples　and　the　KGB　exists；　I　will　shop　you。〃　The　eyes　bored　into　him。　〃Good　morning；　rade　Captain。〃
　Suslev　got　up　and　left。　When　he　and　Boradinov　were　in　the　air　once　more；　in　the　reality　of　Hong　Kong；　both　began　to　breathe。　Silently　Suslev　led　the　way　across　the　street　to　the　nearest　bar。　He　ordered　two　double　vodkas。
　Suslev's　mind　was　ripped。　Kristos；　he　wanted　to　shout；　I'm　dead　if　I　do　and　dead　if　I　don't。　That　goddamned　cable！　If　I　finger　Banastasio　and　Arthur；　I　admit　I　know　Sevrin　and　I'm　in　their　power　forever。　And　if　I　don't；　my　life　will　surely　be　finished。　One　way　or　another　it　will　be　dangerous　to　return　home　now；　and　equally　dangerous　to　e　back。　One　way　or　another　now　I　need　those　AMG　files　or　Dunross；　or　both；　for　protection。　One　way　or　an…　〃rade　Cap…　〃
　He　whirled　on　Boradinov　and　cursed　him　in　Russian。　The　younger　man　whitened　and　stopped；　petrified。
　〃Vodka！　Two　more；〃　he　called。　〃Please。〃
　The　bar　girl　brought　them。　〃My　name　Sally；　what　your；　heya？〃
　〃Piss　off；〃　Boradinov　snarled。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　your　piss　off；　heya？　You　Mr。　Pissoff？　I　no　like　your　face　Mr。　Pissoff　so　piss　off　without　swearings。〃　She　picked　up　the　vodka　bottle　and　prepared　to　carry　the　battle　forward。
　〃Apologize　to　her；〃　Suslev　snapped；　wanting　no　trouble；　not　sure　that　she　wasn't　a　plant；　the　bar　being　so　close　to　police　headquarters。
　Boradinov　was　shocked。　〃What？〃
　〃Apologize　to　her；　you　motherless　turd！〃
　〃Sorry；〃　Boradinov　muttered；　his　face　flushed。
　The　girl　laughed。　〃Hey；　big　man；　you　want　jig…jig？〃
　〃No；〃　Suslev　said。　〃Just　more　vodka。〃
　
　Crosse　got　out　of　the　police　car　and　hurried　through　the　light　rain　into