el.the miko-第74部分

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　He　turned　his　head　to　face　Allan　Su　fully。　〃And　who　else　do　you　work　for；　Mr。　Su？〃
　〃I。。。　Pardon　me；　Mr。　Nangi；　but　I　do　not　understand　what　you　are　talking　about。〃
　〃Oh；　e；　e；〃　Nangi　said；　thinking　that　all　Chinese　were　alike；　〃there's　no　room　here　for　coyness。　Everyone　in　Hong　Kong　holds　down　more　than　one　job；　it's　far　more　profitable。〃
　He　paused　to　pour　tea　into　a　second　cup。　〃Now　take　Anthony　Chin；　for　instance。　He　was　not　only　the　president　of　the　All…Asia
　Bank　of　Hong　Kong　but　he　was　also　a　lieutenant　in　the　Red　Chinese　Army。〃　He　pushed　the　cup　across　the　desk。
　〃Impossible！〃　Allan　Su　had　ceased　his　pacing。　〃I've　known　him　for　years。　Our　wives　shopped　together　once　a　week。〃
　〃Then　you　must　have　known　of　all　this　fiscal　impropriety；〃　Nangi　said　blandly；　indicating　the　pile　of　folders　filled　with　their　damning　evidence。　The　investigation　team　he　had　hired　had　done　their　work　well。
　〃I　knew　nothing　of　the　sort！〃　Su　proclaimed　hotly。
　Nangi　nodded　his　head。　〃Just　as　you　knew　nothing　of　his　true　affiliation。〃
　Allan　Su　stared　at　Nangi　for　a　moment；　trying　to　force　down　his　instinctive　hatred　of　the　Japanese　and　see　this　man　for　what　he　really　was。　He　knew　that　that　clarity　was　all　that　could　save　him　now。　〃Then　it　follows　that　you　also　suspect　me　of　being　a　munist。〃
　〃Oh；　you　may　rest　easy　on　that　score；〃　Nangi　said。　He　smiled。　〃e；　Mr。　Su；　will　you　drink　with　me？〃
　His　heart　hammering　in　his　throat；　Allan　Su　did　as　he　was　bade。　〃I　should　no　longer　be　surprised　at　the　oute　of　events　here。〃　He　gulped　at　his　tea；　which　had　already　grown　cold；　then　used　the　cup　to　gesture　out　the　expanse　of　sparkling　glass　toward　the　slender　fingers　of　the　Mid…Levels。　〃Take　those　high　rises；　for　instance。　It　would　take　far　less　than　a　major　earthquake　to　send　them　tumbling。　More　than　likely　they've　been　built　with　a　gross　insufficiency　of　supporting　iron　rods　in　the　concrete。　The　favorite　trick　is　to　set　a　half　dozen　in　the　poured　cement…which；　by　the　way　will　have　twice　as　much　sand　in　it　as　it　should…while　the　building　inspector　watches。　Then；　as　he　moves　on；　those　same　six　rods　will　be　removed　from　the　setting　cement　and　used　in　the　next　section　the　inspector　is　looking　at。　After　he's　gone；　they'll　be　removed　once　more　and　used　at　the　next　building　site。
　〃It's　a　game；　really；　because　the　inspector　has　already　been　paid　off　by　the　builders　not　to　search　through　the　site　too　thoroughly。〃
　Nangi　frowned。　〃That's　nothing　to　play　a　game　over：　lives。　And　millions　of　dollars。〃
　Su　shrugged。　〃If　I　can　buy　a　twelve…year…old　virgin　down　in　Wan　Chai；　why　then　should　I　not　be　able　to　buy　a　building　inspector　as　well？〃
　〃The　difference　there；〃　Nangi　said　dryly；　〃is　that　the　twelve…year…old　virgin　you've　paid　your　hard…earned　dollars　for　could　probably　screw　rings　around　your　wife。〃
　〃Then　my　lust…and　that's　a　form　of　greed…has　blinded　rny　good　judgment。〃
　Nangi　stood　up　abruptly。　〃How　much　is　the　Royal　Albert　Bank　paying　you　a　month；　Mr。　Su？〃
　Allan　Su　almost　dropped　his　porcelain　cup。　But　not　quite。　He　heard　the　yammering　of　his　pulse　in　his　ears　like　the　screaming　of　all　his　ancestors　and　he　thought；　Great　Buddha；　what　will　happen　to　my　family　now？　No　work　and　ruined　in　the　midst　of　the　Colony's　worst　recession　in　three　decades。
　Nangi　was　seeming　to　slip　in　and　out　of　focus；　and　with　the　exaggerated　slowness　and　care　of　a　habitual　drunk　he　placed　the　empty　cup　on　the　desk　top　next　to　the　pile　of　buff　folders。
　〃e；　e；〃　Nangi　said。　〃It's　a　simple　enough　question。〃
　〃But　the　answer's　a　difficult　one。　I　beg　to…〃
　〃I　do　not；〃　Nangi　interrupted　him；　leaning　forward　with　his　rigid　arms　on　the　teak；　〃wish　to　hear　explanations；　Mr。　Su。　1　require　someone　here　whom　I　can　trust　pletely。　Either　you　can　do　it　or　you　can't。〃
　Nangi　held　his　eyes。　〃You　know　what　will　happen　to　you；　Mr。　Su；　if　you　can't　do　it。〃
　Allan　Su　shuddered；　saying　nothing。
　He　stood　very　straight　though　his　knees　felt　weak。　Of　course　he　could　walk　out　of　here　now；　tendering　his　resignation。　But　where　would　that　get　him？　Had　he　any　assurance　that　the　Royal　Albert　would　hire　him？　The　job　market　had　narrowed　considerably　in　many　fields…banking　high　among　them…since　the　damnable　munists　made　their　accursed　announcement。　He　thought　about　his　wife；　his　six　children；　aunt；　and　two　uncles；　one　widowed…　and　how　many　cousins　on　his　wife's　side…whose　welfare　he　was　responsible　for。
　Of　course　he　could　always　try　to　brazen　it　out。　But　he　suspected　that　would　be　an　unwise　course　for　him　to　take；　the　result　being　the　same　as　if　he　walked　out。　Nangi　was　hard。　And　he　was　Japanese。　But　if　he　were　fair　he　could　make　a　satisfactory　employer。
　Su　decided　to　tell　the　truth。　〃The　Royal　Albert　has　been　paying　me　ten　thousand　Hong　Kong　dollars　a　month　to　keep　them　informed　of　all　All…Asia　transactions。〃　He　held　his　breath。　He　could　hear　his　accelerated　heartbeat　like　surf　in　his　inner　ear。
　〃I　see。〃　Nangi　tapped　the　eraser　end　of　a　new　pencil　on　Su's　desk　top。　Then　he　looked　up。　〃As　of　now；　Mr。　Su；　your　salary　is　doubled。〃　Great　gods　of　the　west　wind；　Su　thought。　A　thin　line　of　sweat　broke　out　at　his　hairline。　〃In　six　months　we'll　review　the　matter　and；　based　on　the　bank's　overall　position；　it　will　be　reeval…uated　upward。。。　or　downward。　The　same　will　hold　true　a　year　from　now。〃　His　eyes　were　searching　Su's　face。　〃If；　at　that　time；　the　bank　has　performed　up　to　a　schedule　of　profit　I　shall　work　up　for　you　before　I　depart；　you　will　receive　a　ten　percent　stock　equity　in　All…Asia　pursuant　to　your　signing　a　lifetime　contract。〃
　Nangi　saw　with　satisfaction　that　all　color　had　drained　from　Su's　broad　face。
　〃I　will　immediately　sever　all　ties　with　the　Royal　Albert。〃　Su's　voice　was　thin　and　reedy。　His　eyes　seemed　glassy。
　〃You'll　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　Nangi　said。　〃You'll　take　your　ten　thousand　a　month　and　within　sixty　days　ask　for　a　raise。　God　knows；　you've　earned　it。〃
　Su's　face　clouded。　〃Sir。　I　don't　think　I　understand。〃　Relief　was　flooding　through　him　like　a　spring　torrent；　muddying　his　thoughts。
　〃From　today　on；　Mr。　Su；　you　will　provide　the　Royal　Albert　with　precisely　the　information　I　feed　you。　At　the　same　time　you　will　relay　to　me　just　what　is　going　on　at　our　petition。　I　will　want　to　know　every　major　and　minor　deal　on　their　boards。　I　will　want　to　know　their　capital　outlay；　their　spread；　and　their　investment　goals　for　one　year；　five　years；　and　ten　years。〃　He　cocked　his　head。　〃Are　you　getting　all　this；　Mr。　Su？〃
　Su　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　smile。　Oh；　gods　of　all　four　quarters；　he　prayed　silently；　tonight　I　will　offer　a　feast　to　each　and　every　one　of　you。　〃I'm　with　you；　Nangi…san；〃　he　said　in　his　best　idiomatic　English。　〃This　is　sounding　more　and　more　like　a　task　I　will　enjoy　immensely。〃
　Then　concern　flooded　his　face　again。　〃But　I　cannot　be　expected　to　achieve　these　great　gains　with　the　depletion　of　capital　that　currently　plagues　us。　The　bank　is　on　the　verge　of　insolvency　if　we　were　to　have　to　redeem　on　any　kind　of　an　extended　run。　And　even　if　the　run　does　not　materialize…may　all　the　gods　hear　and　make　it　so！…it　would　take　more　than　twelve　months　for　us　to　recover　sufficiently　from　these　setbacks　so　that　I　can　make　even　a　semblance　of　headway。〃
　〃Two　items　will　help　us　here；〃　Nangi　said；　unruffled。　〃First；　we　will　have　additional　capital　available　to　us　within　seventy…two　hours。〃
　〃May　I　ask　the　source　of　this　capital？〃　Su　interjected。
　〃Just　be　prepared　to　invest　part　of　it　wisely　for　a　maximum　return　with　a　minimum　of　time　factor。〃
　Su　was　already　shaking　his　head。　〃Big　risk　in　that。　Too　much　for　us　in　our　current　position。〃
　〃Not　with　the　information　you're　going　to　be　getting　from　the　Royal　Albert。〃　Nangi　was　smiling　now　as　he　rose。　〃Ride　their　back；　Mr。　Su；　as　the　temple　dog　rides　the　great　dragon。　Let　them　take　all　the　risks；　do　all　the　work　while　you　make　our　money　grow　for　us　risk　free。〃　He　nodded　his　head。
　〃Congratulations！　This　is　a　big　day　for　you。　Shall　we　go　and　celebrate？〃
　Tanya　was　manning　the　ARRTS　terminal　when　the　cipher　came　in。　That　was　luck；　pure　and　simple。　But　if　someone　else　had　been　on；　which　had　been　far　more　likely；　he　or　she　would　have　merely　starred　the　unreadable　entry　and　she　would　have　been　flagged　down　immediately　on　her　return。
　The　〃Spearfish〃　situation；　as　she　had　somewhat　ironically　designated　it；　was　her　baby。　She　was　its　monitor　principally　because　it　was　a　personal　matter　of　Minck's　and　not　business。
　Well；　that　was　not　strictly　true。　〃Spearfish〃　had　been　business　up　until　perhaps　a　year　ago。　It　should　have　been　terminated　then；　as　Tanya　had　argued。　In　fact；　as　far　as　anyone　else　in　Red　Section　or　anywhere　else　in　the　Family　was　concerned；　it　was　terminated。　Only　Minck　and　Tanya　knew　otherwise。
　The　moment　Tanya　became　aware　that　〃Spearfish〃　had　crossed　the　line　it　never　should　have；　into　the　personal　sector；　she　had　e　alert。　One　of　her　jobs；　unspoken　and　all　the　more　crucial　for　that；　was　to　protect　Minck。　In　her　judgment　he　had　picked　a　particularly　dangerous　time　to　pull　something　like　this；　though　she　knew　when　personal　feelings　were　allowed　to　interfere　with　business　there　was　no　good　time　for　it。
　Thus　she　became　〃Spearfish〃's　guardian　while　acknowledging　the　foolhardiness　of　the　enterprise。　Some　things　could　be　kept　in　cold　storage　better　than　others。　But　nothing　could　be　well　kept　for　long　out　in　the　open。
　When　she　knew　that　Minck　would　not　go　for　the　termination　she　had　switched　tactics；　arguing　for　a　closed　shop。　That　was　out　of　the　question　as　well；　he　said。　〃Spearfish〃　could　not　be　penned　up。
　Then　she　had　gone　for　the　box；　eight　men　in　two　shifts。　But　Minck　had　said　〃Spearfish〃　would　find　that　distasteful　as　well。　It　limited　freedom；　he　said。　Tanya　had　kept　her　mouth　shut；　knowing　that　that　was　precisely　the　purpose　of　the　box。　It　was　normally　used　on　more　serious　tags　but　it　could　work　just　as　well　on　friend…lies　such　as　〃Spearfish。〃
　Finally；　she　did　what　he　had　asked　her　to　do　in　the　first　place：　put　two　men　on　it。　But　she　would　not　let　it　go　at　that。　She　kept　in　constant　touch。　〃Spearfish〃　was　highly　volatile　and　she　wanted　no　mistakes　made。　The　only　time　she　laid　off　was　when　Minck　himself　went　down。　He　thought　that　even　she　did　not　know。　But　she　did。
　Now　she　watched　t