jamesclavell.noblehouse-第238部分

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ody　is　ing　from　the　morgue　at　11：00　p。m。；　a　special　delivery。　Bastards！　Why　hasn't　our　friend　caught　the　bastards　who　murdered　him？〃
　〃He's　doing　what　he　can。　He　is；　Gregor。　I　promise　you。　He'll　catch　them　soon　…　but　more　important；　this　plan　will　work！〃
　Suslev　nodded　to　himself。　Yes；　it's　workable。　And　if　the　tai…pan's　intercepted　and　discovered？　I　know　nothing；　Boradinov　knows　nothing；　though　he's　responsible　and　I　shall　just　sail　away；　leaving　Boradinov　to　blame；　if　necessary。　Roger　will　cover　everything。　Oh　yes；　he　told　himself　grimly；　this　time　it's　Roger's　neck　on　the　British　block　if　I'm　not　covered。　Plumm's　right。　The　Werewolf　kidnapping　of　the　tai…pan　will　help　to　create　plete　chaos　for　a　time；　certainly　for　almost　no　risk　…　enough　time　to　cover　the　Metkin　disaster　and　the　intercept　of　the　guns。
　He　had　called　Banastasio　tonight　to　make　sure　the　Par…Con　ploy　was　in　operation　and　was　shocked　to　hear　of　Bartlett's　response。　〃But；　Mr。　Banastasio；　you　guaranteed　you'd　be　in　control。　What　do　you　intend　to　do？〃
　〃Pressure；　Mr。　Marshall；〃　Banastasio　had　told　him　placatingly；　using　the　alias　by　which　Banastasio　knew　him。　〃Pressure　all　the　way。　I'll　do　my　part；　you　do　yours。〃
　〃Good。　Then　proceed　with　your　meeting　in　Macao。　I　guarantee　a　substitute　shipment　will　be　in　Saigon　within　a　week。〃
　〃But　these　jokers　here　have　already　said　they　won't　deal　without　a　shipment　in　their　hands。〃
　〃It'll　be　delivered　direct　to　our　Viet　Cong　friends　in　Saigon。　Just　you　make　whatever　arrangements　you　want　for　payment。〃
　〃Sure　sure；　Mr。　Marshall。　Where　you　staying　in　Macao？　Where　do　I　get　in　touch？〃
　〃I'll　be　at　the　same　hotel；〃　he　had　told　him；　having　no　intention　to　make　contact。　In　Macao　another　controller　with　the　same　alias　would　monitor　that　end　of　the　operation。
　He　smiled　to　himself。　Just　before　he　had　left　Vladivostok；　Center　had　ordered　him　to　be　the　controller　of　this　independent　operation；　code　name　King　Kong；　that　had　been　mounted　by　one　of　the　Washington　KGB　cells。　All　he　knew　of　the　plan　was　that　they　were　sending　highly　classified　advance…arms　delivery　schedules　to　the　V。C。　in　Saigon　through　diplomatic　pouch。　In　exchange　and　payment　for　the　information；　opium　would　be　delivered　FOB　Hong　Kong　…　the　quantity　depending　on　the　numbers　of　arms　hijacked。　〃Whoever　thought　of　this　one　deserves　immediate　promotion；〃　he　had　told　Center　delightedly；　and　had　chosen　the　alias　Marshall　after　General　Marshall　and　his　plan　that　they　all　knew　had　ruined　the　immediate　and　total　Soviet　takeover　of　Europe　in　the　late　forties。　This　is　revenge；　our　Marshall　Plan　in　reverse；　he　thought。
　Abruptly　he　laughed　out　loud。　Koronski　waited　attentively；　far　too　practiced　to　ask　what　had　been　so　amusing。　But　without　thinking　he　had　analyzed　the　laugh。　There　was　fear　in　it。　Fear　was　infectious。　Frightened　people　make　mistakes。　Mistakes　ensnare　innocents。
　Yes；　he　thought　uneasily；　this　man　smells　of　cowardice。　I　shall　mention　this　in　my　next　report；　but　delicately；　in　case　he's　important。　'
　He　looked　up　and　saw　Suslev　watching　him　and　queasily　wondered　if　the　man　had　read　his　thoughts。　〃Yes；　rade　Captain？〃
　〃How　long　will　the　instructions　take　to　write？〃
　〃A　few　minutes。　I　can　do　it　now　if　you　wish；　but　I　will　have　to　go　back　to　the　hotel　for　the　chemicals。〃
　〃How　many　different　chemicals　are　to　be　used？〃
　〃Three：　one　for　sleep；　one　for　wake…up　and　the　last；　the　Pentothal…V6。　By　the　way；　it　should　be　kept　cool　until　used。〃
　〃Only　the　last　intravenously？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good；　then　write　it　all　down。　Now。　You　have　paper？〃
　Koronski　nodded　and　pulled　out　a　small　notebook　from　his　hip　pocket。　〃Would　you　prefer　Russian；　English　or　shorthand？〃
　〃Russian。　There's　no　need　to　describe　the　wake…sleep…wake　pattern。　I've　used　that　many　times。　Just　the　last　phase　and　don't　name　Pentothal…V6；　just　call　it　medicine。　Understand？〃
　〃Perfectly。〃
　〃Good。　When　it's　written；　put　it　there。〃　He　pointed　to　a　small　pile　of　used　newspapers　on　the　moth…eaten　sofa。　〃Put　it　in　the　second　one　from　the　top。　I'll　collect　it　later。　As　to　the　chemicals　there's　a　men's　room　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Nine　Dragons　Hotel。　Tape　them　to　the　underside　of　the　lid；　the　last　booth　on　the　right　…　and　please　be　in　your　room　at　nine　o'clock　tonight　in　case　I　need　some　clarification。　Everything　clear？〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　Suslev　got　up。　At　once　Koronski　did　the　same；　offered　his　hand。　〃Good　luck；　rade　Captain。〃
　Suslev　nodded　politely　as　to　an　inferior　and　walked　out。　He　went　to　the　end　of　the　corridor　and　through　a　bent　door　up　a　staircase　to　the　roof。　He　felt　better　in　the　air　on　the　roof。　The　room　smell　and　Koronski's　smell　had　displeased　him。　The　sea　beckoned　him；　the　wide　clean　ocean　and　salt…kelp　smell。　It　will　be　good　to　be　at　sea　again；　away　from　the　land。　The　sea　and　the　ocean　and　the　ship　keep　you　sane。
　Like　most　roofs　in　Hong　Kong　this　one　was　packed　with　a　polyglot　of　makeshift　dwellings；　the　space　rented　…　the　only　alternative　to　the　crude；　packed　mud　slopes　of　the　squatter　settlements　that　were　far　in　the　New　Territories　or　in　the　hills　of　Kowloon　or　Hong　Kong。　Every　inch　of　space　in　the　city　had　long　since　been　taken　by　the　vast　influx　of　immigrants。　Most　squatters'　areas　were　illegal；　like　all　roof　dwellings；　and　as　much　as　the　authorities　forbade　it　and　deplored　it；　wisely　they　ignored　these　transgressions　for　where　else　were　these　unfortunates　to　go？　There　was　no　sanitation；　no　water；　not　even　simple　hygiene；　but　it　was　still　better　than　on　the　streets。　From　the　rooftops；　the　method　of　disposal　was　just　to　hurl　it　below。　Hong　Kong　yan　always　walked　in　the　center　of　the　street　and　never　on　the　sidewalk；　even　if　there　was　one。
　Suslev　ducked　under　clotheslines；　stepped　over　the　flotsam　and　jetsam　of　lifetimes；　oblivious　of　the　automatic　obscenities　that　followed　him；　amused　by　the　urchins　who　ran　before　him　shrieking；　〃Quai　loh　。。。　quai　loh！〃；　laughing　together；　holding　out　their　hands。　He　was　too　Hong　Kong　yan　to　give　them　any　money　though　he　was　touched　by　them；　their　poverty　and　good　humor；　so　he　just　cursed　them　genially　and　tousled　a　few　crew…cut　heads。
　On　the　far　side　of　the　roof　the　entrance　to　Ginny　Fu's　tenement　jutted　like　an　ancient　funnel。　The　door　was　ajar。　He　went　down。
　〃Halloa；　Gregy；〃　Ginny　Fu　said；　breathlessly　opening　her　front　door　for　him。　She　was　dressed　as　he　had　ordered　in　a　drab　coolie　outfit　with　a　big　straw　conical　hat　hanging　down　her　back；　her　face　and　hands　dirtied。　〃How　I　look？　Like　film　star；　heya？〃
　〃Greta　Garbo　herself；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh　as　she　ran　into　his　arms　and　gave　him　a　great　hug。
　〃You　want　jig…jig　more　'fore　go；　heya？〃
　〃Nyet。　Plenty　of　time　in　the　next　weeks。　Plenty；　heya？〃　He　set　her　down。　He　had　pillowed　with　her　at　dawn；　more　to　prove　his　manhood　than　out　of　desire。　That's　the　problem；　he　thought。　No　desire。　She's　boring。　〃Now；　you　understand　plan；　heya？〃
　〃Oh　yes；〃　she　said　grandly。　〃I　find　go…down　7　and　join　coolies；　carry　bales　to　ship。　Once　on　ship　I　go　door　opposite　stairway；　go　in　and　give　paper。〃　She　pulled　it　out　of　her　pocket　to　show　that　she　had　it　safely。　On　the　paper　was　written　in　Russian；　〃Cabin　3。〃　Boradinov　would　be　expecting　her。　〃In　3　cabin；　can　use　bath；　change　to　clothes　you　buy　and　wait。〃　Another　big　smile。　〃Heya？〃
　〃Excellent。〃　The　clothes　had　cost　little　and　the　buying　saved　any　baggage。　Much　more　simple　without　baggage。　Baggage　would　be　noticed。　Nothing　about　her　should　be　noticed。
　〃Sure　no　need　bring　anything；　Gregy？〃　she　asked　anxiously。
　〃No；　only　makeup　things；　woman　things。　Everything　in　pocket；　understand？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　haughtily。　〃Am　I　fool？〃
　〃Good。　Then　off　you　go。〃
　Once　more　she　embraced　him。　〃Oh　thanks　holiday；　Gregy　…　I　be　bestest　ever。〃　She　left。
　The　meeting　with　Koronski　had　made　him　hungry。　He　went　to　the　battered　refrigerator　and　found　the　chocolates　he　sought。　He　munched　on　one；　then　lit　the　gas　stove　and　began　to　fry　some　eggs。　His　anxiety　began　to　return。　Don't　worry；　he　ordered　himself。　The　plan　will　work；　you　will　get　possession　of　the　tai…pan　and　it　will　be　routine　at　police　headquarters。
　Put　those　things　aside。　Think　of　Ginny。　Perhaps　at　sea　she　won't　be　boring。　She'll　divert　the　nights；　some　of　the　nights；　the　tai…pan　the　days　until　we　dock。　By　then　he'll　be　empty　and　she'll　vanish　into　a　new　life　and　that　danger　will　be　gone　forever　and　I'll　go　to　my　dacha　where　the　Zergeyev　hellcat'll　be　waiting　and　we'll　fight；　she　calling　me　every　obscenity　until　I　lose　my　temper　and　tear　her　clothes　off；　maybe　use　the　whip　again　and　she'll　fight　back　and　fight　back　until　I　fight　into　her　and　explode；　explode　taking　her　with　me　sometimes；　Kristos　how　I　wish　it　was　every　time。　Then　sleeping；　never　knowing　when　she'll　kill　me　in　my　sleep。　But　she's　been　warned。　If　anything　happens　to　me　my　men　will　give　her　to　lepers　on　the　east　side　of　Vladivostok　with　the　rest　of　her　family。
　The　radio　announced　the　seven　o'clock　news　in　English。　〃Good　morning。　This　is　Radio　Hong　Kong。　More　heavy　rain　is　expected。　The　Victoria　Bank　has　confirmed　officially　that　it　will　assume　all　depositor　debts　of　the　Ho…Pak　and　asks　depositors　to　line　up　peacefully　if　they　require　their　money　on　Monday。
　〃During　the　night　there　were　numerous　land　and　mud　slides　throughout　the　Colony。　Worst　hit　were　the　squatters'　settlement　area　above　Aberdeen；　Sau　Ming　Ping；　and　Sui　Fai　Terrace　in　Wan…chai　where　six　major　landslips　affected　buildings　in　the　area。　In　all；　thirty…three　persons　are　known　to　have　lost　their　lives　and　many　are　feared　still　buried　in　the　slides。
　〃There　are　no　new　developments　in　the　foul　murder　and　kidnapping　of　Mr。　John　Chen　by　the　Werewolf　gang。　Rewards　of　100；000　for　information　leading　to　their　capture　have　been　posted。
　〃Reports　from　London　confirm　that　this　year's　harvest　in　the　USSR　has　again　failed。　。。。〃
　Suslev　didn't　hear　the　rest　of　the　broadcast。　He　knew　the　report　from　London　was　true。　Top…secret　KGB　forecasts　had　predicted　the　harvest　would　once　more　be　below　even　that　necessary　for　subsistence。
　Kristos；　why　the　hell　can't　we　feed　ourselves？　he　wanted　to　shout；　knowing　famine；　knowing　the　bloatedness　and　pains　in　his　own　lifetime　let　alone　the　ghastly　tales　his　father　and　mother　would　tell。
　So　there's　to　be　famine　onc