jamesclavell.noblehouse-第127部分

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irting　Government　House　where　the　governor　lived；　and　the　Botanical　Gardens。　Passing　the　palace；　Suslev　had　wondered　absently　when　the　Hammer　and　Sickle　would　fly　atop　the　empty　flagpole。　Soon；　he　had　thought　contentedly。　With　Arthur's　help　and　Sevrin's　…　very　soon。　Just　a　few　more　years。
　He　peered　at　his　watch。　He　would　be　a　little　late　but　that　did　not　worry　him。　Arthur　was　always　late；　never　less　than　ten　minutes；　never　more　than　twenty。　Dangerous　to　be　a　man　of　habit　in　our　profession；　he　thought。　But　dangerous　or　not；　Arthur's　an　enormous　asset　and　Sevrin；　his　creation；　a　brilliant；　vital　tool　in　our　KGB　armament；　buried　so　deep；　waiting　so　patiently；　like　all　the　other　Sevrins　throughout　the　world。　Only　ninety…odd　thousands　of　us　KGB　officers　and　yet　we　almost　rule　the　world。　We've　already　changed　it；　changed　it　permanently；　already　we　own　half　。。。　and　in　such　a　short　time；　only　since　1917。
　So　few　of　us；　so　many　of　them。　But　now　our　tentacles　reach　out　into　every　corner。　Our　armies　of　assistants　…　informers；　fools；　parasites；　traitors；　the　twisted　self…deluders　and　misshapen；　misbegotten　believers　we　so　deliberately　recruit　are　in　every　land；　feeding　off　one　another　like　the　vermin　they　all　are；　fueled　by　their　own　selfish　wants　and　fears；　all　expendable　sooner　or　later。　And　everywhere　one　of　us；　one　of　the　elite；　the　KGB　officers；　in　the　center　of　each　web；　controlling　guiding　eliminating。　Webs　within　webs　up　to　the　Presidium　of　all　the　Soviets　and　now　so　tightly　woven　into　the　fabric　of　Mother　Russia　as　to　be　indestructible。　We　are　modern　Russia；　he　thought　proudly。　We're　Lenin's　spearhead。　Without　us　and　our　techniques　and　our　orchestrated　use　of　terror　there　would　be　no　Soviet　Russia；　no　Soviet　Empire；　no　driving　force　to　keep　the　rulers　of　the　Party　all　powerful　…　and　nowhere　on　earth　would　there　be　a　munist　state。　Yes；　we're　the　elite。
　His　smile　deepened。
　It　was　hot　and　sultry　inside　the　taxi　even　though　the　windows　were　open　as　it　curled　upward　through　this　residential　area　with　its　ribbons　of　great　gardenless　apartment　blocks　that　sat　on　small　pads　chewed　out　of　the　mountainside。　A　bead　of　sweat　trickled　down　his　cheek　and　he　wiped　it　off；　his　whole　body　feeling　clammy。
　I'd　love　a　shower；　he　thought；　letting　his　mind　wander。　A　shower　with　cool　sweet　Georgian　water；　not　this　saline　filth　they　put　through　Hong　Kong's　pipes。　I'd　love　to　be　in　the　dacha　near　Tiflis；　oh　that　would　be　grand！　Yes；　back　in　the　dacha　with　Father　and　Mother　and　I'd　swim　in　the　stream　running　through　our　land　and　dry　off　in　the　sun；　a　great　Georgian　wine　cooling　in　the　stream　and　the　mountains　nearby。　That's　Eden　if　there　ever　was　an　Eden。　Mountains　and　pastures；　grapes　and　harvest　and　the　air　so　clean。
　He　chuckled　as　he　remembered　the　fabrication　about　his　past　he　had　told　Travkin。　That　parasite！　Just　another　fool；　another　tool　to　be　used　and；　when　blunt；　discarded。
　His　father　had　been　a　munist　since　the　very　early　days　…　first　in　the　Cheka；　secretly；　and　then；　since　its　inception　in　1917；　in　the　KGB。　Now　in　his　late　seventies；　still　tall　and　upright　and　in　honored　retirement；　he　lived　like　an　old…fashioned　prince　with　servants　and　horses　and　bodyguards。　Suslev　was　sure　that　he　would　inherit　the　same　dacha；　the　same　land；　the　same　honor　in　due　course。　So　would　his　son；　a　fledgling　in　the　KGB；　if　his　service　continued　to　be　excellent。　His　own　work　merited　it；　his　record　was　impressive　and　he　was　only　fifty…two。
　Yes；　he　told　himself　confidently；　in　thirteen　years　I'm　due　for　retirement。　Thirteen　great　more　years；　helping　the　attack　move　forward；　never　easing　up　whatever　the　enemy　does。
　And　who　is　the　enemy；　the　real　enemy？
　All　those　who　disobey　us；　all　those　who　refuse　our　eminence　…　Russians　most　of　all。
　He　laughed　out　loud。
　The　weary　sour…faced　young　driver　glanced　up　briefly　at　the　rear　mirror　then　went　back　to　his　driving；　hoping　his　passenger　was　drunk　enough　to　misread　the　meter　and　give　him　a　great　tip。　He　pulled　up　at　the　address　he　had　been　given。
　Rose　Court　on　Kotewall　Road　was　a　modern　fourteen…story　apartment　block。　Below　were　three　floors　of　garage　space　and　around　it　a　small　ribbon　of　concrete　and　below　that；　down　a　slight　concrete　embankment；　was　Sinclair　Road　and　Sinclair　Towers　and　more　apartment　blocks　that　nestled　into　the　mountainside。　This　was　a　choice　area　to　live。　The　view　was　grand；　the　apartments　were　below　the　clouds　that　frequently　shrouded　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Peak　where　walls　would　sweat；　linens　would　mildew　and　everything　would　seem　to　be　perpetually　damp。
　The　meter　read　8。70　HK。　Suslev　peered　at　a　bunch　of　notes；　gave　the　driver　100　instead　of　a　10　and　got　out　heavily。　A　Chinese　woman　was　fanning　herself　impatiently。　He　lurched　toward　the　apartment　inter。　She　told　the　driver　to　wait　for　her　husband　and　looked　after　Suslev　disgustedly。
　His　feet　were　unsteady。　He　found　the　button　he　sought　and　pressed　it：　Ernest　Clinker；　Esq。；　Manager。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Ernie；　it's　me；　Gregor；〃　he　said　thickly　with　a　belch。　〃Are　you　in？〃
　The　cockney　voice　laughed。　〃Not　on　your　nelly！　'Course　I'm　in；　mate！　You're　late！　You　sound　as　though　you've　been　on　a　pub　crawl！　Beer's　up；　vodka's　up；　and　me'n　Mabel's　here　to　greet　you！〃
　Suslev　headed　for　the　elevator。　He　pressed　the　down　button。　On　the　lowest　level　he　got　out　into　the　open　garage　and　went　to　the　far　side。　The　apartment　door　was　already　open　and　a　ruddy…faced；　ugly　little　man　in　his　sixties　held　out　his　hand。　〃Stone　the　bloody　crows；〃　Clinker　said；　a　grin　showing　cheap　false　teeth；　〃you're　a　bit　under　the　weather；　ain'cher？〃　Suslev　gave　him　a　bear　hug　which　was　returned　and　they　went　inside。
　The　apartment　was　two　tiny　bedrooms；　living　room；　kitchen；　bathroom。　The　rooms　were　poorly　furnished　but　pleasant；　and　the　only　real　luxury　a　small　tape　deck　that　was　playing　opera　loudly。
　〃Beer　or　vodka？〃
　Suslev　beamed　and　belched。　〃First　a　piss；　then　vodka；　then　。。。　then　another　and　then　。。。　then　bed。〃　He　belched　hugely；　lurching　for　the　toilet。
　〃Right　you　are；　Cap'n　me　old　sport！　Hey；　Mabel；　say　hello　to　the　Cap'n！〃　The　sleepy　old　bulldog　on　her　well…chewed　mat　opened　one　eye　briefly；　barked　once　and　was　almost　instantly　wheezily　asleep　again。　Clinker　beamed　and　went　to　the　table　and　poured　a　stiff　vodka　and　a　glass　of　water。　No　ice。　He　drank　some　Guinness　then　called　out；　〃How　long　you　staying；　Gregor？〃
　〃Just　tonight；　tovarich。　Perhaps　tomorrow　night。　Tomorrow　。。。　tomorrow　I've　got　to　be　back　aboard。　But　tomorrow　night　。。。　perhaps；　eh？〃
　〃What　about　Ginny？　She　throw　you　out　again　。。。　？〃
　In　the　nondescript　van　that　was　parked　down　the　road；　Roger　Crosse；　Brian　Kwok　and　the　police　radio　technician　were　listening　to　this　conversation　through　a　loudspeaker；　the　quality　of　the　bug　good　with　little　static；　the　van　packed　with　radio　surveillance　equipment。　They　heard　Clinker　chuckle　and　say　again；　〃She　threw　you　out；　eh？〃
　〃All　evening　we　jig…jig　and　she　。。。　she　says　go　stay　with　Ernie　and　leave　me　。。。　leave　me　sleep！〃
　〃You're　a　lucky　bugger。　She's　a　princess　that　one。　Bring　her　over　tomorrer。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　yes　I　。。。　will。　Yes　she's　the　best。〃
　They　heard　Suslev　pour　a　bucket　of　water　into　the　toilet　and　e　back。
　〃Here；　old　chum！〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　The　sound　of　thirsty　drinking。　〃I　。。。　I　think　。。。　I　think　I　want　to　lie　down　for　。。。　lie　down。　A　few　minutes　。。。〃
　〃A　few　hours　more　like！　Don't　you　fret；　I'll　cook　breakfast。　Here；　wanta　'nother　drink。　。。。〃
　The　policemen　in　the　van　were　listening　carefully。　Crosse　had　ordered　the　bug　put　into　Clinker's　apartment　two　years　ago。　Periodically　it　was　monitored；　always　when　Suslev　was　there。　Suslev；　always　under　loose　surveillance；　had　met　Clinker　in　a　bar。　Both　men　were　submariners　and　they　had　struck　up　a　friendship。　Clinker　had　invited　him　to　stay　and　from　time　to　time　Suslev　did。　At　once　Crosse　had　instituted　a　security　check　on　Clinker　but　nothing　untoward　had　been　discovered。　For　twenty　years　Clinker　had　been　a　sailor　with　the　Royal　Navy。　After　the　war　he　had　drifted　from　job　to　job　in　the　Merchant　Marine；　throughout　Asia　to　Hong　Kong；　where　he　had　settled　when　he　retired。　He　was　a　quiet；　easygoing　man　who　lived　alone　and　had　been　Rose　Court's　caretaker…janitor　for　five　years　now。　Suslev　and　Clinker　were　a　matched　pair　who　drank　a　lot；　caroused　a　lot　and　swapped　stories。　None　of　their　hours　of　talk　had　produced　anything　considered　valuable。
　〃He's　had　his　usual　tankful；　Brian；〃　Crosse　said。
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Brian　Kwok　was　bored　and　tried　not　to　show　it。
　In　the　small　living　room　Clinker　gave　Suslev　his　shoulder。　〃e　on；　it's　you　for　a　kip。〃　He　stepped　over　the　glass　and　helped　Suslev　into　the　small　bedroom。　Suslev　lay　down　heavily　and　sighed。
　Clinker　closed　the　drapes　then　went　over　to　another　small　tape　deck　and　turned　it　on。　In　a　moment　heavy　breathing　and　the　beginnings　of　a　snore　came　from　the　tape。　Suslev　got　up　soundlessly；　his　pretended　drunkenness　gone。　Clinker　was　already　on　his　hands　and　knees。　He　pulled　away　a　mat　and　opened　the　trapdoor。　Noiselessly；　Suslev　went　down　into　it。　Clinker　grinned；　slapped　him　on　the　back　and　closed　the　well…greased　door　after　him。　The　trapdoor　steps　led　to　a　rough　tunnel　that　quickly　joined　the　large；　dry；　subterranean　culvert　storm　drain。　Suslev　picked　his　way　carefully；　using　the　flashlight　that　was　in　a　bracket　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps。　In　a　moment　he　heard　a　car　grinding　over　Sinclair　Road　just　above　his　head。　A　few　more　steps　and　he　was　below　Sinclair　Towers。　Another　trapdoor　led　to　a　janitor's　closet。　This　let　out　onto　some　disused　back　stairs。　He　began　to　climb。
　Roger　Crosse　was　still　listening　to　the　heavy　breathing；　mixed　with　opera。　The　van　was　cramped　and　close；　their　shirts　sweaty。　Crosse　was　smoking。　〃Sounds　like　he's　bedded　down　for　the　night；〃　he　said。　They　could　hear　Clinker　humming　and　his　movements　as　he　cleared　up　the　broken　glass。　A　red　warning　light　on　the　radio　panel　started　winking。　The　operator　clicked　on　the　sender。　〃Patrol　car　1423；　yes？〃
　〃Headquarters　for　Superintendent　Crosse。　Urgent。〃
　〃This's　Crosse。〃
　〃Duty　Office；　sir。　A　report's　just　e　in　that　the　Floating　Dragon　restaurant's　on　fire　。。。〃　Brian　Kwok　gasped。　〃。。。　Fire　engines're　already　there；　and　the　constable　said　that　as　many　as　twenty　may　be