el.the miko-第107部分

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re　tiny　pavilions　erected　by　Air　New　Guinea　and　other　such　airlines；　featuring　local　flora。
　Farther　along　in　this　area　was　a　swan　pond；　numerous　waterfalls　and；　beyond；　an　open…air　stadium　where　sea　creatures　performed。　Nangi　did　not　get　that　far；　however。　He　had　been　told　to　buy　a　ticket　on　the　funicular　which　ran　at　an　extreme　angle　from　Ocean　Park's　〃lowlands〃　three　thousand　feet　into　the　air　to　the　〃sky　terminus〃　high　atop　a　rocky　promontory　jutting　out　into　the　South　China　Sea。　There　a　manmade　atoll　reef；　the　world's　first　〃wave…cove；〃　and　another；　larger　stadium　waited　to　entertain　visitors。
　There　were　four　sets　of　funiculars…tiny　glass…enclosed　bubbles　within　which　as　many　as　six　people　could　sit　facing　inward；　hanging　by　what　looked　to　Nangi　to　be　a　slender　piece　of　steel　from　the　cable　line。　Nangi　had　been　told　to　take　the　funicular　on　the　far　left。　He　joined　the　line；　moving　forward　periodically　as　the　cable　cars　came　back　down　the　mountainside；　swung　around　to　make　the　return　journey。
　He　did　not　look　around；　that　would　have　cost　him　face。　But　he　was　nevertheless　acutely　aware　of　who　stood　near　him…in　front　and　in　back；　on　either　side。　He　saw　tourists　from　the　West　and　from　Japan。　He　saw　Chinese　teenagers　chattering；　no　doubt；　about　the　excitement　of　being　at　the　park　so　late。　Or　else；　he　thought　cynically；　they　were　betting　on　which　car　would　detach　itself　from　the　cable　and　plummet　to　the　craggy　slopes　far　below。　He　was　aware　of　no　one　who　took　the　slightest　interest　in　him。
　He　wondered　when　contact　was　going　to　be　made。　He　was　at　the　front　of　his　line　now。　Perhaps　it　would　not　e　until　he　had　landed　on　the　promontory。　Would　he　share　the　funicular　with　the　Chinese　family　just　behind　him？
　The　car　came　in　empty；　swung　around。　The　doors　swung　open　and　the　uniformed　attendant　waved　him　forward。　He　became　aware　that　the　attendant　had　barred　the　family　behind　him　from　entering　his　car。
　It　was　so　small　in　there　that　he　experienced　some　difficulty　in　sitting。　A　man　swung　aboard。　Where　he　had　e　from　Nangi　could　not　say。　The　doors　closed　and　they　were　caught　in　the　moving　gears。
　The　funicular　shuddered　slowly　forward。　Ahead　Nangi　could　see　what　was　waiting　for　him。　A　string　of　tiny　lighted　cars；　like　glass　beads　strung　on　a　wire；　arced　ahead　and　above。
　They　halted　momentarily　at　the　edge　of　the　concrete　terminus。　It　all　seemed　very　solid；　safe　as　a　stroll　in　a　garden。　Then；　with　a　breathtaking　abruptness；　they　were　launched　out　into　space；　swinging　back　and　forth　giddily；　following　the　path　set　by　the　glass　beads　before　them。
　Nangi　turned　his　attention　to　his　panion。　He　was　a　heavyset　Chinese　of　indeterminate　age。　He　could　have　been　fifty　or　seventy　or　anywhere　in　between。　He　had　a　flat　nose；　brush…cut　hair　that　was　so　short　his　sunburned　scalp　could　be　seen　through　it。　Against　this　close　scrutiny　the　Chinese　bared　his　teeth…all　gold…in　a　smile　or　a　grimace；　Nangi　could　not　tell　which。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Nangi；〃　the　Chinese　said；　nodding。　〃I　am　Lo　Whan。〃
　Nangi　returned　the　pleasantry。
　〃Tell　me；　have　you　been　to　Ocean　Park　before？〃
　〃Never。　But　I　have　been　to　Hong　Kong　many　times。〃
　〃Indeed。〃　Lo　Whan's　tone　of　voice　indicated　that　it　was　of　no　import　to　him。　He　turned　in　his　molded　plastic　seat；　the　kind　one　encountered　in　hospital　waiting　rooms。　〃I　myself　have　been　here　many　times。　I　never　tire　of　this　view。　And　one　rarely　gets　a　chance　to　see　it　at　this　time　of　the　morning。〃
　Indeed　the　sight　of　the　great　flat　expanse　of　the　South　China　Sea；　the　black　humped　and　hilly　shapes　of　the　small　islands　dotting　the　space　like　rocks　in　a　Zen　pebble　garden；　was　spectacular。　Long　ships　strung　with　glowing　lights　like　eyes　plowed　the　depths　here　and　there；　dusky　jewels　set　in　a　dark；　rich　fabric。　Moonlight　lent　it　a　metallic　aspect；　scimitars　of　cool　illumination　glancing　off　the　ocean's　face　as　if　it　were　chain　mail。
　〃Consider　yourself　fortunate；〃　Lo　Whan　said；　and　Nangi　did　not　know　whether　he　meant　the　sight　or　something　more　hidden。
　The　Chinese　closed　his　hand　in　his　lap　as　they　ascended　the　steep；　wooded　slope。　If　they　were　to　drop　off　the　line　now；　Nangi　observed；　there　would　be　no　chance　for　either　of　them；　the　scree　below　would　batter　anything　that　fell　to　oblivion。
　〃It　has　e　to　my　attention；〃　Lo　Whan　said；　〃through　sources　both　far　removed　from　me　and　devious；　that　some　information　is　about　to　be　moved。〃　His　eyes　were　bright。　'〃Vitally　important'　information　was；　I　think；　the　particular　phrase　used。　Further；　it　was　passed　on　to　me　that　this　information　concerns　certain；　ah；　links　to　Canton　and　northward　that　could；　perhaps；　be　promised　under　particular　circumstances。〃
　Nangi　nodded。　〃That；　in　essence；　is　correct。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　Nangi　produced　a　copy　of　the　contract　that　he　and　Liu　had　signed。　He　unfolded　it；　put　it　carefully　on　the　empty　seat　to　his　right。
　Lo　Whan；　observing　what　that　seat　now　contained；　did　nothing　but　look　back　at　Nangi；　though　the　information　that　had　made　its　circuitous　way　to　him　had　included　the　stipulation　that　he　bring　Liu's　copy　of　the　document。　His　eyes　were　stony。
　Nangi　handed　over　the　manila　envelope。　Carefully；　as　if　its　contents　might　be　lethal；　Lo　Whan　used　one　long　nail　to　slit　the　seal。　He　slid　the　contents　out　one　by　one　and　looked　at　them。　They　consisted　of　sixteen　8　x　10　black　and　white　prints　of　very　high　quality　and　resolution；　a　mini　tape　player　in　which　resided　an　unedited　copy　of　the　tape　Fortuitous　Chiu　had　made　of　the　proceedings　at　Succulent　Pien's　apartment；　a　twelve…page　transcript　of　the　tape　recording。
　Lo　Whan　slipped　on　a　pair　of　gold…rimmed　spectacles　and　for　the　next　ten　minutes　or　so　ignored　Nangi　and　his　surroundings；　engrossed　by　what　he　had　been　given。
　By　the　time　he　had　reviewed　all　of　the　material　thoroughly；　they　had　alighted　at　the　〃sky　terminus。〃　They　went　out；　away　from　the　crowds；　along　the　rock　promontory。
　〃Interesting；〃　Lo　Whan　said；　carrying　the　incriminating　evidence　under　his　arm　like　a　business　portfolio。　〃But　hardly　worth　the　price　you　are　asking。〃　The　Chinese　shoulders　shrugged。　〃We　can　return　Liu　to　the　sanctity　of　his　homeland　at　any　time。〃
　〃I　don't　think　it　will　be　quite　that　easy；〃　Nangi　said；　working　hard　to　avoid　the　rocks。　The　path　Lo　Whan　had　deliberately　chosen　was　strewn　with　them。　〃Liu　is　a　fixture　here。　He's　known　by　everyone。　If　you　pull　him　now；　in　the　face　of　the　scandal　that　I　assure　you　will　follow；　your　country　will　suffer　a　great　propaganda　loss；　you　will　lose　all　the　advantage　over　England　you　have　gained　in　the　past　two　and　a　half　years；　worst　of　all；　you　will　lose　great　face。〃
　The　wind　blew　lightly　in　their　faces；　smelling　faintly　of　salt　and　phosphorus。　Lights　from　the　ships　far　out　semaphored　unknown　messages　to　unknown　recipients。　They　are　like　Lo　Whan　and　me；　Nangi　thought；　staring　at　the　low…lying　vessels。　They　may　know　where　they　are　going　but　they　can't　actually　see　it。
　Lo　Whan　was　lost　in　thought。　It　seemed　to　him　only　just　if；　in　the　next　several　moments；　Liu　were　to　slip　in　the　bathtub　and　break　his　neck。　It　would　save　us　all　face　and　I　could　dismiss　this　clever　ape　of　a　Japanese；　sending　him　back　across　the　sea　to　his　puny　island　home　where　he　belongs。　But　he　knew　none　of　that　would　happen　or　was　even　possible。
　Everything　Nangi　said　was　true。　It　was　galling。　He　could　not　do　away　with　Liu；　not　with　the　information　the　Japanese　had。　One　word　to　the　Governor　and　he　would　be　on　the　phone　to　Her　Majesty's　Government；　to　one　ministry　or　another。　That　would　be　intolerable　to　Lo　Whan　and　his　superiors。
　Then　an　idea　hit　him。　He　stared　out　to　sea　as　if　nothing　at　all　had　happened。　He　turned　it　over；　looking　at　it　from　every　side　as　if　it　were　a　gemstone　he　was　considering　purchasing；　which；　in　a　way；　it　was。　He　did　not　rush；　yet　he　was　acutely　aware　of　the　passage　of　time。　He　could　not　make　as　much　use　of　it　as　he　would　wish。　To　take　too　long　would　lose　him　face　in　this　battle　of　wits。
　But　the　longer　he　examined　his　idea；　the　more　he　liked　it；　and　the　more　he　felt　that　by　employing　it　he　would　gain　the　upper　hand　over　this　Oriental　barbarian。
　〃It　is　our　considered　opinion；〃　he　began　cautiously；　〃that　we　want　nothing　untoward　to　happen　to　Mr。　Liu。　In　fact；　we　want　him　precisely　where　he　is；　undisturbed。〃　Now　he　reached　into　an　interior　jacket　pocket　and　drew　out　the　mate　to　Nangi's　contract。
　〃This　bees　null　and　void；〃　he　said；　〃the　moment　we　agree　on　one　point。　All　evidence　amassed　against　Mr。　Liu　and；　indeed；　this　Succulent　Pien　will　be　destroyed…copies；　originals；　negatives；　everything；　will　be　delivered　to　an　address　that　I　will　provide。　In　addition；　you　will　sign　an　agreement　that　from　this　day　forward　you　will　make　no　move　against　either　of　them　nor　employ；　either　directly　or　indirectly；　anyone　else　to　do　so。〃
　〃But　I　do　not　want　that　contract　voided；〃　Nangi　said。　This　was　a　terrible　risk；　but　he　judged　the　potential　rewards　more　than　worth　it。
　Lo　Whan　stood　stock　still。　It　was　as　if　Nangi　had　slapped　him　across　the　face　with　the　document。　His　surprise　cost　him　face　and　he　did　not　like　that。　〃What　is　it　you　want；　then？〃　he　said　testily。
　〃I　want　us　to　go　back　to　the　original　agreement　I　proposed　to　Liu。　That　is；　in　exchange　for　a　thirty　percent　interest　in　the　kei…retsu…a　strictly　nonvoting　interest…you　agree　to　provide　capital　over　the　next　three　years　in　semi…annual　payments　on　January　first　and　July　first　of　each　year。〃
　〃We　already　have　a　great　deal　of　capital　invested　in　you；　Mr。　Nangi；〃　Lo　Whan　pointed　out。　〃Thirty…five　million　dollars　worth。〃
　But　Nangi　was　already　shaking　his　head。　〃That　was　for　the　inconvenience　your　Lieutenant　Chin　caused　the　All…Asia　Bank。　As　of　now；　you　have　no　investment　at　all。〃
　Lo　Whan's　eyes　locked　with　Nangi's。　He　was　burning　inside　with　anger　and　loss　of　face。　He　had　no　intention　of　being　defeated　here　on　his　own　soil。　He　had　only　one　last；　desperate　recourse。　〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　〃whether　you　have　lost　your　interest　in　why　we　have　taken　such　exquisite　pains　to　acquire　a　sizable　portion　of　your　keiretsu。〃　
　A　vague　premonition　sprang　up　inside　Nangi　but　he　forced　it　down。　He　is　bluffing；　he　thought。　Carefully；　he　said；　〃Mr。　Liu　has　already　delineated　the　munist　point　of　view。　The　Oriental　Alliance。〃
　〃Ye