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r 。。。 for informants and information； all secret monies 。。。 well； I hope you will be satisfied with your investment。〃
〃If you're the best I'll recoup a thousandfold。 I expect to recoup a thousandfold；〃 he had said； meaning it。
〃I'll do everything in my power of course。 Now； specifically what sort of information do you want？〃
〃Anything and everything； mercial； political； that'd help Struan's plan ahead； with accent on the Pacific Rim； on Russian； American and Japanese thinking。 We'd probably know more about Chinese attitudes ourselves。 Please give me more rather than less。 Actually anything could be valuable because I want to take Struan's out of the China trade … more specifically I want the pany international and want to diversify out of our present dependence on China trade。〃
〃Very well。 First： I would not like to trust our reports to the mails。〃
〃I'll arrange a personal courier。〃
〃Thank you。 Second： I must have free range to select； appoint and remove the other members of the mittee … and spend the money as I see fit？〃
〃Agreed。〃
〃Five members will be sufficient。〃
〃How much do you want to pay them？〃
〃5；000 pounds a year for a nonexclusive retainer each would be excellent。 I can get top men for that。 Yes。 I'll appoint associate members for special studies as I need them。 As； er； as most of our contacts will be abroad； many in Switzerland； could funds be available there？〃
〃Say I deposit the full amount we've agreed quarterly in a numbered Swiss account。 You can draw funds as you need them … your signature or mine only。 You account to me solely； quarterly in arrears。 If you want to erect a code that's fine with me。〃
〃Excellent。 I won't be able to name anyone … I can't account to whom I give money。〃
After a pause Dunross had said； 〃All right。〃
〃Thank you。 We understand one another； I think。 Can you give me an example of what you want？〃
〃For example； I don't want to get caught like my predecessor was over Suez。〃
〃Oh！ You mean the 1956 fiasco when Eisenhower betrayed us again and caused the failure of the British…French…Israeli attack on Egypt … because Nasser had nationalized the canal？〃
〃Yes。 That cost us a fortune … it wrecked our Middle East interests； almost ruined us。 If the previous tai…pan'd known about a possible closure of Suez we could have made a fortune booking cargo space … increasing our fleet 。。。 or if we'd had an advanced insight into American thinking； particularly that Eisenhower would side again with Soviet Russia against us； we could certainly have cut our losses。〃
The little man had said sadly； 〃You know he threatened to freeze all British； French and Israeli assets in the States instantly if we did not at once withdraw from Egypt when we were a few hours from victory？ I think all our present problems in the Middle East stem from that U。S。 decision。 Yes。 Inadvertently the U。S。 approved international piracy for the first time and set a pattern for future piracies。 Nationalization。 What a joke！ Theft is a better word … or piracy。 Yes。 Eisenhower was ill…advised。 And very ill…advised to go along with the fatuous political Yalta agreement of an ailing Roosevelt； the inpetent Attlee to allow Stalin to gorge most of Europe； when it was militarily clear to even the most stupid politician or hidebound general that it was contrary to our absolute national interest； ours and the United States to hold back。 I think Roosevelt hated us really； and our British Empire。〃
The little man steepled his fingers and beamed。 〃I'm afraid there's one big disadvantage in employing me； Mr。 Dunross。 I'm entirely pro…British； anti…munist； and particularly anti…KGB； which is the main instrument of Soviet foreign policy； which is openly and forever mitted to our destruction； so some of my more peppery forecasts you can discount； if you wish。 I'm entirely against a left…wing dominated Labour Party and I will constantly remind anyone who will listen that the anthem of the Labour Party's 'The Red Flag。' 〃 Alan Medford Grant smiled in his pixy way。 〃It's best you know where you stand in the beginning。 I'm royalist； loyalist and believe in the British parliamentary way。 I'll never knowingly give you false information though my evaluations will be slanted。 May I ask what your politics are？〃
〃We have none in Hong Kong； Mr。 Grant。 We don't vote； there are no elections … we're a colony； particularly a free…port colony； not a democracy。 The Crown rules … actually the governor rules despotically for the Crown。 He has a legislative council but it's a rubber…stamp council and the historic policy is laissez…faire。 Wisely he leaves things alone。 He listens to the business munity； makes social changes very cautiously and leaves everyone to make money or not make money； to build； expand； go broke； to go or to e； to dream or to stay awake； to live or to die as best you can。 And the maximum tax is 15 percent but only on money earned in Hong Kong。 We don't have politics here； don't want politics here … neither does China want us to have any here。 They're for the status quo too。 My personal politics？ I'm royalist； I'm for freedom； for free…booting and free trade。 I'm a Scotsman； I'm for Struan's； I'm for laissez…faire in Hong Kong and freedom throughout the world。〃
〃I think we understand one another。 Good。 I've never worked for an individual before … only the government。 This will be a new experience for me。 I hope I will satisfy you。〃 Grant paused and thought a moment。 〃Like Suez in '56？〃 The lines beside the little man's eyes crinkled。 〃Very well； plan that the Panama Canal will be lost to America。〃
〃That's ridiculous！〃
〃Oh don't look so shocked； Mr。 Dunross！ It's too easy。 Give it ten or fifteen years of enemy spadework and lots of liberal talk in America； ably assisted by do…gooders who believe in the benevolence of human nature； add to all this a modest amount of calculated Panamanian agitation； students and so on … preferably； ah； always students … artfully and secretly assisted by a few highly trained； patient； professional agitators and oh so secret KGB expertise； finance and a long…range plan … ergo； in due course the canal could be out of U。S。 hands into the enemy's。〃
〃They'd never stand for it。〃
〃You're right； Mr。 Dunross； but they will sit for it。 What could be a better garrotte in time of hostilities； or even crisis； against your main； openly stated capitalistic enemy than to be able to inhibit the Panama Canal or rock it a little？ One ship sunk in any one of a hundred spots； or a lock wrecked； could dam up the canal for years。〃
Dunross remembered how he had poured two more drinks before answering； and then he had said； 〃You're seriously suggesting we should make contingency plans against that。〃
〃Yes；〃 the little man said with his extraordinary innocence。 〃I'm very serious about my job； Mr。 Dunross。 My job； the one I've chosen for me； is to seek out； to uncover and evaluate enemy moves。 I'm not anti…Russian or anti…Chinese or anti…East German or anti any of that bloc … on the absolute contrary I want desperately to help them。 I'm convinced that we're in a state of war； that the enemy of all the people is the munist Party member； whether British； Soviet； Chinese； Hungarian