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〃He's just visiting。 From the States。 He's a writer。 I believe he's writing or researching a book on Hong Kong。〃
〃Writer； eh？ Curious。 Is he a friend of yours？〃
〃I met him a few days ago。 Why？〃
〃That's his wife … the girl next to him？〃
〃Yes。 That's Fleur Marlowe； why？〃
Grey did not answer。 There was a fleck of saliva at the corner of his lips。
〃What's his connection with you； Robin？〃 Broadhurst asked； strangely perturbed。
With an effort Grey tore his eyes off Marlowe。 〃We were in Changi together； Julian； the Jap POW camp。 I was provost marshal for the last couple of years； in charge of camp discipline。〃 He wiped the sweat off his top lip。 〃Marlowe was one of the black marketeers there。〃
〃Marlowe？〃 Dunross was astounded。
〃Oh yes； Flight Lieutenant Marlowe； the great English gentleman；〃 Grey said； his voice raw with bitterness。 〃Yes。 He and his pal； an American called King； Corporal King； were the main ones。 Then there was a fellow called Timsen； an Aussie。 。。。 But the American was the biggest； he was the King all right。 A Texan。 He had colonels on his payroll； English gentlemen all … colonels； majors； captains。 Marlowe was his interpreter with the Jap and Korean guards 。。。 we mostly had Korean guards。 They were the worst。 。。。〃 Grey coughed。 〃Christ； it's such a short time ago。 Marlowe and the King lived off the fat of the land … those two buggers ate at least one egg a day； while the rest of us starved。 You can't imagine how 。。。〃 Again Grey wiped the sweat off his lip without noticing it。
〃How long were you a POW？〃 Sir Charles asked passionately。
〃Three and a half years。〃
〃Terrible；〃 Hugh Guthrie said。 〃My cousin bought it on the Burma railroad。 Terrible！〃
〃It was all terrible；〃 Grey said。 〃But it wasn't so terrible for those who sold out。 On the Road or at Changi！〃 He looked at Sir Charles and his eyes were strange and bloodshot。 〃It's the Marlowes of the world who betrayed us； the ordinary people without privileges of birth。〃 His voice became even more bitter。 〃No offense but now you're all getting your euppance and about time。 Christ； I need a drink。 Excuse me a moment。〃 He stalked on； heading for the bar that was set up to one side。
〃Extraordinary；〃 Sir Charles said。
Guthrie said with a slight； nervous laugh； 〃For a moment I thought he was going for Marlowe。〃
They all watched him； then Broadhurst noticed Dunross frowning after Grey； his face set and cold。 〃Don't pay any attention to him； Mr。 Dunross。 I'm afraid Grey's very tiresome and a rather vulgar bore。 He's 。。。 well he's not at all representative of the Labour echelon； thank God。 You'd like our new leader； Harold Wilson； you'd approve of him。 Next time you're in London I'd be glad to introduce you if you've time。〃
〃Thank you。 Actually I was thinking about Marlowe。 It's hard to believe he 'sold out' or betrayed anyone。〃
〃You never know about people； do you？〃
Grey got a whiskey and soda and turned and went across the room。 〃Well； if it isn't Flight Lieutenant Marlowe！〃
Peter Marlowe turned； startled。 His smile vanished and the two men stared at one another。 Fleur Marlowe froze。
〃Hello； Grey；〃 Marlowe said； his voice flat。 〃I heard you were in Hong Kong。 In fact； I read your interview in the afternoon paper。〃 He turned to his wife。 〃Darling； this is Robin Grey； MP。〃 He introduced him to the Chinese； one of whom was Sir Shi…teh T'Chung。
〃Ah； Mr。 Grey； it's an honor to have you here；〃 Shi…teh said with an Oxford English accent。 He was tall； dark； good…looking； slightly Chinese and mostly European。 〃We hope your stay in Hong Kong will be good。 If there's anything I can do； just say the word！〃
〃Ta；〃 Grey said carelessly。 They all noticed his rudeness。 〃So； Marlowe！ You haven't changed much。〃
〃Nor have you。 You've done well for yourself。〃 Marlowe added to the others； 〃We were in the war together。 I haven't seen Grey since '45。〃
〃We were POWs； Marlowe and I；〃 Grey said； then added； 〃We're on opposite sides of the political blanket。〃 He stopped and stepped out of the way to allow Orlanda Ramos to pass。 She greeted Shi…teh with a smile and continued on。 Grey watched her briefly； then turned back。 〃Marlowe old chap； are you still in trade？〃 It was a private English insult。 〃Trade〃 to someone like Marlowe who came from a long line of English officers meant everything mon and lower class。
〃I'm a writer；〃 Marlowe said。 His eyes went to his wife and his eyes smiled at her。
〃I thought you'd still be in the RAF； regular officer like your illustrious forebears。〃
〃I was invalided out； malaria and all that。 Rather boring；〃 Marlowe said； deliberately lengthening his patrician accent knowing that it would infuriate Grey。 〃And you're in Parliament？ How very clever of you。 You represent Streatham East？ Wasn't that where you were born？〃
Grey flushed。 〃Yes； yes it was 。。。〃
Shi…teh covered his embarrassment at the undercurrents between them。 〃I must； er； see about dinner。〃 He hurried off。 The other Chinese excused themselves and turned away。
Fleur Marlowe fanned herself。 〃Perhaps we should find our table； Peter；〃 she said。
〃A good idea； Mrs。 Marlowe；〃 Grey said。 He was in as tight control as Peter Marlowe。 〃How's the King？〃
〃I don't know。 I haven't seen him since Changi。〃 Marlowe looked down on Grey。
〃But you're in touch with him？〃
〃No。 No； actually I'm not。〃
〃You don't know where he is？〃
〃No。〃
〃That's strange； seeing how close you two were。〃 Grey ripped his eyes away and glanced at Fleur Marlowe and thought she was the prettiest woman he had ever seen。 So pretty and fine and English and fair； just like his ex…wife Trina who went off with an American barely a month after he was reported missing in action。 Barely a month。 〃Did you know we were enemies in Changi； Mrs。 Marlowe？〃 he said with a gentleness that she found frightening。
〃Peter's never discussed Changi with me； Mr。 Grey。 Or anyone that I know of。〃
〃Curious。 It was an awesome experience； Mrs。 Marlowe。 I've forgotten none of it。 I 。。。 well； sorry to interrupt 。。。〃 He glanced up at Marlowe。 He began to say something but changed his mind and turned away。
〃Oh； Peter； what an awful man！〃 Fleur said。 〃He gave me the creeps。〃
〃Nothing to bother about； my darling。〃
〃Why were you enemies？〃
〃Not now； my pet； later。〃 Marlowe smiled at her； loving her。 〃Grey's nothing to us。〃
36
9：45 P。M。：
Linc Bartlett saw Orlanda before she saw him and she took his breath away。 He couldn't help paring her with Casey who was beside him talking to Andrew Gavallan。 Orlanda was wearing white silk； floor…length； backless with a halter neck that； discreetly； somehow； seemed to offer her golden body。 Casey wore her green that he had seen many times； her tawny hair cascading。
〃Would you both like to e to Shi…teh's tonight？〃 Orlanda had asked him this morning。 〃It could be important for you and your Casey to be there。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because almost all business that counts in Hong Kong is done at this type of function； Mr。 Bartlett。 It could be very important for you to bee involved with people like Shi…teh … and in the Turf Club； Cricket Club； even the Club itself； though that'd be impossible。〃
〃Because I'm American？〃
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