"Trevor, Elleston as Hall, Adam - Quiller 01 - The 9th Directive 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hall Adam)

'At least he could rig up a fan in here.' I said.

'We will see what can be done.'

Some of the mutual antagonism went out of us now that the thirst was slaked.

'Is this Local Control Bangkok?'

He considered. 'We don't quite know where Control is yet. It's officially at the Embassy, though of course they don't know that. They think we're Security. This is our safehouse for the moment but if things get too hot we shall have to move on.'

My ears were still buzzing a bit from the altitude and I had come straight here from Don Muang Airport with no time to get into fresh things so I said:

'Let's put it on the line, shall we?'

He was nervous again at once and I knew he'd been holding me off because he sensed I would try to refuse the mission, and that would mean pulling Styles out of Java.

He poured some more lime juice to give himself a last chance of planning his run in.

'This is a special job,' he began. 'Very.'

I fingered a chunk of ice out of my glass and sucked it while he turned away and looked at the rosewood Buddha. Then he turned back and at last managed to stand still plumb in front of me. 'You may know there is an official visit planned for the end of this month. Three days in Bangkok as part of a larger Southeast Asian itinerary.'

'No,' I said.

'You don't read the newspapers.'

'Not often.'

'Then let me put you in the picture. Politically - one can even say militarily in view of local wars - Thailand is becoming drawn into the vortex of affairs involving China, India, Malaysia, and of course also Laos and Cambodia. Global interest is now centered on this capital, which has been a focal point in Southeast Asia for half a century in any case. Thailand is a stable kingdom with close ties with the U.S. and to a lesser extent with Britain. We have NATO here in this city and we have the SEATO headquarters here as well. Bangkok is a key city in the Southeast Asian complex, and geographically it finds itself in the middle of the China-India situation.'

Loman is one of those people who make whatever they are saying sound dull. Perhaps I was showing boredom: he began talking faster so that he could reach the point.

'Relations between Britain and Thailand have always been good, partly because each is a democratic monarchy and partly because many people close to the Thai throne - princes, ministers, financiers and men of affairs - spent much of their youth in English public schools and universities. At this time, when the whole of the Southeast Asian picture is confused and threatening, Her Majesty's Government considers it highly desirable that a goodwill mission be undertaken by someone who is neither a statesman nor a diplomat, but who commands international respect and admiration, particularly in Thailand.'

He waited for me to digest this. Some of his nervousness had gone; it had been soothed away by the reassuring sound of his own voice.

'Thus in three weeks' time a representative of the Queen is to visit Bangkok on a goodwill tour.'

Most of the ice in the bowl had melted but I found a bit and slaked my thirst with it.

'Since the Person - by the way, that is how we already refer to him for security reasons, so please adopt the habit - since the Person is neither a statesman nor a diplomat, a tour of this kind entails no political functions. There will be, instead, a day's yachting in the Gulf, a polo match on the Lumpini Grounds - I am told that Prince Udom is to play - and a drive through the city in an open car. The Person will also visit those centers of traditional interest to him: youth clubs, welfare organizations, hospitals, and of course sports grounds. He will be, one might say, our representative of the humanities.'

With careful precision he said:

'During the visit we want you to arrange for his assassination.'