按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ing what he'd do。〃 Rosemont was no longer his usual good…humored self。 〃My brass telexed our South American contacts to put an all…points on Thomas К。 К。 Lim so we'll be interviewing him pretty damn soon … you'll get a copy don't worry。 Rog； was there anything else？〃
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃With these choice pieces； were there others we could use？〃
Crosse smiled without humor。 〃Of course。 How about a blueprint for financing a private revolution in Indonesia？〃
〃Oh Jesus 。。。〃
〃Yes。 How about photostats of arrangements for payments into a French bank account of a very important Vietnamese lady and gentleman … for specific favors granted？〃
Rosemont had gone chalky。 〃What else？〃
〃Isn't that enough？〃
〃Is there more？〃
〃For chrissake； Stanley； of course there's more； you know it； we know it。 There'll always be more。〃
〃Can we have them now？〃
Sinders said； 〃What can you do for us？〃
Rosemont stared at them。 〃Over lunch we'll ta… 〃
The CB crackled into life。 〃The target's got his bags now and he's walking out of Customs； heading for the taxi rank 。。。 Now he's 。。。 Now he's 。。。 ah； someone's meeting him； a Chinese； good…looking man； expensive clothes； don't recognize him。 。。。 They're going over to a Rolls； registration HK 。。。 ah； that's the hotel limousine。 Both men're getting in。〃
Into the sender Crosse said； 〃Stay on this frequency。〃 He switched frequencies。 Static and muffled traffic and noise。
Rosemont brightened。 〃You bugged the limo？〃 Crosse nodded。 〃Great； Rog。 I'd've missed that！〃
They listened； then clearly； 〃。。。 good of you to meet me； Vee Cee；〃 Banastasio was saying。 〃Hell you shouldn't've e all this wa… 〃
〃Oh it's my pleasure；〃 the cultured voice replied。 〃We can chat in the car； perhaps that'll save you ing to the office and then in Ma… 〃
〃Sure 。。。 sure；〃 the American voice overrode the other man。 〃Listen； I got something for you； Vee Cee 。。。〃 Muffled sounds then a sudden high…pitched whine that totally dominated the airwave； pletely obliterating the clarity and voices。 At once Crosse switched frequencies but the others were operating perfectly。
〃Shit； he's using a portable shaver to block us；〃 Rosemont said disgustedly。 〃That bastard's a pro！ Fifty to a blown cent they block all the bugs we got； hundred says when they e back on this channel it'll all be goddamn chitchat。 I told you Banastasio was cream。〃
63
10：52 A。M。：
〃Tai…pan； Dr。 Samson calling from London。 He's on line three。〃
〃Oh thank you； Claudia。〃 Dunross punched the button。 〃Hello； Doctor。 You're up late。〃
〃I've just e back from the hospital … sorry not to call before。 You were calling about your sister； Mrs。 Gavallan？〃
〃Yes。 How is she？〃
〃Well； sir； we've begun another stringent series of tests。 Mentally； I must say she's in very good shape。 I'm afraid physically not so good。 。。。〃
Dunross listened with a sinking heart as the doctor went into detail about multiple sclerosis； how no one really knew much about it； that there was no known cure and that the disease went in descending plateaus … once some deterioration of the nerve structure had taken place it was not possible with present medications to climb back to the previous level。 〃I've taken the liberty of calling in Professor Klienberg from the clinic at UCLA in Los Angeles for a consultation … he's the world expert on the disease。 Please rest assured we will do everything we can for Mrs。 Gavallan。〃
〃It doesn't sound as if you can do anything at all。〃
〃Well； it's not quite as bad as that； sir。 If Mrs。 Gavallan takes care； rests； and is sensible； she can have a normal life for many years。〃
〃How long is many years？〃 Dunross heard the long hesitation。 Oh Kathy； poor Kathy！
〃I don't know。 Many times this sort of problem's in the hands of God； Mr。 Dunross。 Patients do not follow the same time patterns。 In Mrs。 Gavallan's case I could answer you better in six months； perhaps by Christmas。 Meanwhile； I have taken her on as a National Health patient so then … 〃
〃No。 She should be a private patient； Dr。 Samson。 Please send all bills to my office。〃
〃Mr。 Dunross； there's no difference in the quality of service I give to her。 She just has to wait a little while in my waiting room and be in a ward； not a private room at the hospital。〃
〃Please make her a private patient。 I would prefer it； so would her husband。〃
Dunross heard the sigh and hated it。 〃Very well；〃 the doctor was saying。 〃I have all your numbers and I'll call you the instant Professor Klienberg has made his examination and the tests are concluded。〃
Dunross thanked him and replaced the phone。 Oh Kathy； poor dear Kathy。
Earlier when he had got up at dawn he had talked to her and to Penelope。 Kathy had said how much better she felt and how Samson was most encouraging。 Penn had told him later that Kathy was looking very tired。 〃It doesn't seem very good； Ian。 Is there any chance you could e here for a week or two before October 10？〃
〃Not at the moment； Penn； but you never know。〃
〃I'm going to take Kathy to Avisyard as soon as she gets out of the hospital。 Next week at the latest。 She'll be better there。 The land will make her better； don't worry； Ian。〃
〃Penn； when you get to Avisyard； would you go out to the Shrieking Tree for me？〃
〃What's the matter？〃
He heard the concern in her voice。 〃Nothing； darling；〃 he told her； thinking about Jacques and Phillip Chen … how can I explain about them？ 〃Nothing particular； just more of the same。 I just wanted you to say hello to our real Shrieking Tree。〃
〃Our Jacaranda there's no good？〃
〃Oh yes； she's fine； but not the same。 Perhaps you should bring a cutting back to Hong Kong。〃
〃No。 Better we leave it where it is。 Then you have to e home； don't you； Ian？〃
〃Can I make a bet for you this afternoon？〃
Again a pause。 〃Ten dollars on the horse you choose。 I'll back your choice。 I'll always back your choice。 Call me tomorrow。 Love you 。。。 'bye。〃
He remembered the first time she had said； I love you； and then； later； when he had asked her to marry him； all the refusals and then eventually； through shattering tears； the real reason： 〃Oh Christ； Ian； I'm not good enough for you。 You're upper class； I'm not。 The way I talk now； I acquired。 It was because I was evacuated at the beginning of the war to the country … my God I'd only been outside London twice in my whole life till then； just to the seaside。 I was evacuated to a wonderful old manor house in Hampshire where all the other girls were from one of your fine upperclass schools； Byculla was its name。 There was a mix…up； Ian； my whole school went somewhere else； just me to Byculla； and it was only then that I found I talked different； differently … there； you see I still forget sometimes！ Oh God； you've no idea how awful it was to find out so young that 。。。 that I was mon and talked mon and that there are such limitless differences in England； the way we talk … the way we talk so important！
〃Oh how I worked to imitate the others。 They helped me and there was one teacher who was so wonderful to me。 I hurled myself into the new life； theirs； and I swore to better myself and never go back； never； never； never； and I won't。 But I can't marry you； my darling … let's just stay lovers … I'll never be good enough。〃
But in time； her time； they had married。 Granny Dunross had persuaded her。 Penelope had agreed but only after going out to the Shrieking Tree； alone。 She had never told him what she had said。
I'm lucky； Dunross thought。 She's the best wife a man could have。
Since ing back from the track at dawn he had worked steadily。 Half a hundred cables。 Dozens of international phone calls。 Countless locals。 At 9：30 he had called the governor about Tiptop's proposal。 〃I'll have to consult the minister；〃 Sir Geoffrey had said。 〃The earliest I could call him would be four this afternoon。 This must be kept entirely secret； Ian。 Dear oh dear； Brian Kwok must be very important to them！〃
〃Or perhaps just another convenient concession for the money。〃
〃Ian； I don't think the minister will agree to a trade。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Her Majesty's Government might consider it a precedent； a bad one。 I would。〃
〃The money's vital。〃
〃The money's a temporary problem。 Precedents unfortunately last forever。 You were at the track？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃How's the form？〃
〃They all looked in fine fettle。 Alexi Travkin says Pilot Fish's our main opposition and the going will be soft。 Noble Star's grand though she's never raced in the wet。〃
〃Will it rain？〃
〃Yes。 But perhaps we'll be lucky； sir。〃
〃Let's hope so。 Terrible times； Ian。 Still； these things are sent to try us； eh？ Are you going to John's funeral？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃So am I。 Poor fellow 。。。〃
At the funeral this morning Dunross had said kind words about John Chen for the face of the House of Chen and for all the Chen forebears who had served the Noble House so long and hard。
〃Thank you； tai…pan；〃 Phillip Chen had said simply。 〃Again； I'm sorry。〃
Later he had said to Phillip Chen privately； 〃Sorry is sorry but that still doesn't help us extricate ourselves from the trap your son； and you； put us into。 Or solve bloody Four Fingers and the third coin。〃
〃I know； I know！〃 Phillip Chen had said；