Night Manager by John Le Carre

Author:John Le Carre
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Intelligence service, General, Illegal arms transfers, Fiction
ISBN: 9780345385765
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 1993-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

"But Derek and I have already met, I think, Dicky!" the Dutch banker carolled to Roper, who was standing before the place where the marble fireplace would have been, if Curaçaoan banks had had fireplaces. "Not only last night, I think! We are old friends from Crystal, I would say! Nettie, bring Mr. Thomas some tea, please!"

For a moment the close observer's mind refused to engage.

Then he remembered a night at Crystal, and Jed seated at her end of the table in low blue satin and pearls against her skin, and this same oafish Dutch banker who now stood before him boring everybody with his connections with great statesmen of the day.

"But of course! Good to see you again, Piet," the smooth hotelier exclaimed, a little late, offering his signer's hand. And then, as if he had never set eyes on them before, Jonathan found himself shaking hands with Mulder and Moranti for the second lime in twenty minutes. But Jonathan made nothing of this, and neither did they, because he was beginning to understand that in the theatre he had entered, one actor could play many parts in a single working day.

They sat down, using all four sides of the table, Moranti watching and listening like an umpire, and the banker at the head doing the talking, because he apparently saw it as his first duty to acquaint Jonathan with a mountain of useless information.

The share capital of a Curaçaoan offshore company could be denominated in any currency, said the Dutch banker. There was no limitation on foreign ownership of shares.

"Great," said Jonathan.

Langbourne's lazy eyes lifted to him. Moranti's didn't flinch. Roper, who had his head back and was studying the old Dutch mouldings on the ceiling, pulled a private grin.

The company was exempt from all capital gains, all withholding, gift or estate taxes, said the banker. Transfer of shares was unrestricted. There was no transfer tax and no ad valorem stamp duty.

"Well, that's a relief," said Jonathan, in the same enthusiastic tone as before.

Mr. Derek Thomas was under no legal requirement to appoint external auditors, the banker said gravely, as if this elevated him to a higher monastic order. Mr. Thomas was at liberty at any time to move his company's seat to another jurisdiction, provided receptive legislation applied in the jurisdiction of his choice.

"I'll bear that in mind," said Jonathan, and this time, to his surprise, the impassive Moranti broke into a sunny smile and said "New Zealand," as if he had decided that the place had a good ring to it after all.

A minimum of six thousand U. S. dollars was required as paid-up share capital, but the requirement in this case was met, the banker continued. All that remained was for "our good friend Derek here" to put his name to certain pro forma documents.

The banker's smile stretched like an elastic band as he indicated a black desk pen that stood nose down on a teak stand.

"I'm sorry, Piet," said Jonathan, puzzled but still smiling. "I didn't quite catch what you said back there.

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