After they had dined, Gregory and James signed the Articles of Association over the Fiji stamps already on the document, then had it witnessed by the manager of the hotel and his book keeper.
The following morning, although it was a Sunday, Gregory rang up the Governor's secretary and requested an audience with His Excellency on a matter of urgency. By way of introduction he used the name of the French Ambassador in London, who happened to be an acquaintance of his. He was then told that the Governor had been flown to Paris ten days earlier to undergo a serious operation; but his Deputy, General Ribaud, would grant the requested interview at five o'clock that afternoon.
The Residency proved to be a large, modern building, in a small park on high ground at the extreme north eastern corner of the town. On paying off his taxi, Gregory got a shock, as the meter read 1,300 francs. He already knew that New Caledonia had its own currency the Pacific Franc but, even so, to run in from the hotel had cost him just over one pound sterling.
After waiting for some ten minutes, when he was shown up to the Governor's office he received a very pleasant surprise. The bulky, blue eyed, now grey haired man seated behind a handsome desk had a familiar look. A minute later Gregory recognised him as one time Lieutenant Ribaud of the Deuxième Bureau, with whom he had had friendly dealings during the early days of the war.
Recognition was mutual. Exclaiming `It is yes, I have the name, Monsieur Sallust!', the plump General stood up, beaming, came out from behind his desk, embraced Gregory and went on, 'What pleasure to see an old friend in this Godforsaken place. How do you come to be in Noumea?'
`First,' Gregory smiled, 'let me congratulate you, mon General, upon having achieved this high rank.'
The General shrugged and threw out his hands. `Our President is good to those who worked for him in the days of his adversity. It is as simple as that. As you know, after the fall of Paris I joined the Resistance. While a soldier I was not unsuccessful, so when the war ended I transferred from the Police to the Army. Things have gone well for me. But oh! what would I not give to be out of this hothouse and back in Paris! Sit down, mon ami. A cigarette; cognac if you wish. Tell me now, what can I do for you?'
Accepting a Gauloise, Gregory lit it and gave particulars of his interest in the sunken Reina Maria Amalia.
The General screwed up his face in a grimace, `It is true that the French Government is entitled to ten per cent of the value of any goods brought up. But alas, mon vieux, you come too late. Only a week ago I granted a licence to another man to salvage her contents.'
9 ?Outbreak of Passion
On hearing that a licence had been granted to someone else, Gregory was annoyed, but not surprised by the thought that Lacost had got in ahead of him. With a frown, he said, `That is most unfortunate. In the hope of securing this treasure I have formed a company with Ratu James Omboloku, the hereditary ruler of the Nakapoa Group…;
`I know him, of course,' General Ribaud put in. `A handsome and very pleasant young man. But unfortunately, he is always asking us for funds to help him improve the lot of his people, and we have to refuse him because the money is not available.'
'It was for that very purpose that the Ratu intended to use his share of the treasure, if we could have got it up. That we should have been forestalled by a group of unscrupulous exColons from Algeria, who will probably dissipate the money on drink and women, makes me see red.'
’Ex Colons?' the General raised his eyebrows. `I do not understand. Why should you suppose that such people are involved in this matter?'
`Was it not a man named Lacost who applied for the licence? But perhaps he made use of a nominee.'
Ribaud shook his round, closely cropped grey head. `I cannot think that the man to whom I issued the licence would act as a nominee for anyone. He is a Brazilian millionaire named Valentim Maua de Carvalho.'
Gregory sat forward with a jerk. `Well, I'll be damned! I met him in Brazil. Ratu James had gone there hoping to secure his financial backing. But de Carvaffio was threatened by these Colons that they would make it hot for him if he put up the money. He told us that his reason for backing out was lack of evidence that there had ever been any quantity of gold in the ship. The records in Antigua show that there was, and later we learned that, and that de Carvalho had already seen them; so he lied to us. I naturally assumed that he had backed out from fear of the Colons. It's clear now that he's prepared to risk that, and double crossed James to do him out of his share. Do you know where de Carvalho is now?'
`No. He has a fine, seagoing yacht and left in her the day after he obtained his licence; but not, I think, for Tujoa. He said something about making a trip to Tonga.'
`Do you think it likely that he will return?'
Hunching his broad shoulders, Ribaud spread out his hands. `Who can say? The island is as flat as a pancake. It is covered almost entirely with plantations of coconut and banana palms; so there is nothing to see there except one mysterious old arch formed from three huge blocks of stone, and the blow holes on the coast, out of which the water spouts fifty feet into the air. But the new Date Line Hotel is one of the best in the South Pacific. It has an excellent restaurant, a beautiful garden and swimming pool, and it would be difficult to find more willing, happy servants anywhere. Tout comfort, in fact. De Carvalho likes that sort of thing and can well afford to pay for it. While they were here, instead of remaining on their yacht, he and his wife stayed out at the Chateau Royal. If you enquire of the manager there, he could tell you if, before leaving, they made another reservation.'
When Gregory had thanked him the General said, `I trust, mon ami, that you are not engaged this evening. It would give me great pleasure if you would dine with me.'
Gregory accepted gladly, then returned to his hotel and broke the news about de Carvalho to James. The young Ratu was righteously indignant. After they had discussed the matter for some time he said, `Of one thing I am certain. His wife could not have been aware of his treacherous intentions. She is as honest as she is beautiful and had she suspected this she would have found some way to warn me.'
`If you are sure of that, she might prove a big help to us, remarked Gregory thoughtfully. `That is, if they do return here or we can somehow get hold of them. No man likes to be shamed in front of his wife; and if he has told her some story about buying you out, there is a chance that we might persuade him to cut you in on the deal, as was originally intended. Anyhow, as I am dining with General Ribaud, you might go to the Chateau Royal this evening and see what you can find out.'
At seven thirty one of the Governor's cars called for Gregory and took him to the Residence. Ribaud was a widower; so they dined alone, and over the meal swapped stories of the desperate times when Paris had been occupied by the Nazis. Later in the evening the conversation inevitably turned to de Gaulle.
`One cannot help admiring him,' Gregory remarked, `although he is no friend to Britain.'
The General shrugged. `What can you expect after the way your people treated him while he was in London? Churchill even refused to let him know the date fixed for the return to France. How would you have felt if, after all those years in exile as the leader of the Free British in Paris, the Prime Minister had invited you to breakfast and told you that at that very moment French troops were already on the Sussex beaches without a single British soldier to represent your Empire?'