tc.redrabbit-第51节

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b　it　was　to　spy　on　the　Soviet　Union；　just　as　Russians　spied　on　everyone　in　the　world。　The　big　question　was　whether　they　were　spying　on　him。　Could　he　have　been　〃doubled〃　by　the　Second　Chief　Directorate；　whose　reputation　would　frighten　the　devil　in　hell　himself？　Or　could　this　ostensible　American　have　been　a　Russian　bearing　a　〃false…flag〃？
　　　So；　first　of　all；　Oleg　had　to　make　damned　sure　he　was　dealing　with　the　real　thing。　How　to　do　that。。。？
　　　Then　it　came　to　him。　Yes；　he　thought。　That　was　something　KGB　could　never　bring　off。　That　would　ensure　that　he　was　dealing　with　someone　able　to　do　what　he　needed　done。　No　one　could　fake　that。　In　celebration；　Zaitzev　lit　up　another　cigarette　and　went　back　into　the　morning　dispatches　from　the　Washington　rezidentura。
　　　It　was　hard　to　like　Tony　Prince。　The　New　York　Times　correspondent　in　Moscow　was　well…regarded　by　the　Russians；　and；　as　far　as　Ed　Foley　was　concerned；　that　spoke　to　a　weakness　in　his　character。
　　　〃So；　how　do　you　like　the　new　job；　Ed？〃　Prince　asked。
　　　〃Still　settling　in。　Dealing　with　the　Russian　press　is　kind　of　interesting。　They're　predictable；　but　unpredictably　so。〃
　　　〃How　can　people　be　unpredictably　predictable？〃　the　Times　correspondent　inquired；　with　a　crooked　smile。
　　　〃Well；　Tony；　you　know　what　they're　going　to　say；　just　not　how　they're　going　to　ask　it。〃　And　half　of　them　are　spooks　or　at　least　stringers；　anyway；　in　case　you　haven't　noticed。
　　　Prince　affected　a　laugh。　He　felt　himself　to　be　the　intellectual　superior。
　　　Foley　had　failed　as　a　general…beat　reporter　in　New　York；　whereas　Prince　had　parlayed　his　political　savvy　to　one　of　the　top　jobs　in　American　journalism。　He　had　some　good　contacts　in　the　Soviet　government；　and　he　cultivated　them　assiduously；　frequently　sympathizing　with　them　over　the　boorish；　nekulturniy　behavior　of　the　current　regime　in　Washington；　which　he　occasionally　tried　to　explain　to　his　Russian　friends；　often　pointing　out　that　he　hadn't　voted　for　this　damned　actor；　and　neither　had　anyone　in　his　New　York　office。
　　　〃Have　you　met　the　new　guy；　Alexandrov；　yet？〃
　　　〃No；　but　one　of　my　contacts　knows　him；　says　he's　a　reasonable　sort；　talks　like　he's　in　favor　of　peaceful　coexistence。　More　liberal　than　Suslov。　I　hear　he's　pretty　sick。〃
　　　〃I've　heard　that；　too；　but　I'm　not　sure　what's　wrong　with　him。〃
　　　〃He's　diabetic；　didn't　you　hear？　That's　why　the　Baltimore　docs　came　over　to　work　on　his　eyes。　Diabetic　retinopathy；〃　Prince　explained；　speaking　the　word　slowly　so　that　Foley　could　prehend　it。
　　　〃I'll　have　to　ask　the　embassy　doc　what　that　means；〃　Foley　observed；　making　an　obvious　note　on　his　pad。　〃So；　this　Alexandrov　guy　is　more　liberal；　you　think？〃
　　　〃Liberal〃　was　a　word　that　meant　〃good　guy〃　to　Prince。
　　　〃Well；　I　haven't　met　him　myself；　but　that's　what　my　sources　think。　They　also　think　that　when　Suslov　departs　from　this　life；　Mikhail　Yevgeniyevich　will　take　his　place。〃
　　　〃Really？　I'll　have　to　drop　that　on　the　ambassador。〃
　　　〃And　the　Station　Chief？〃
　　　〃You　know　who　that　is？　I　don't；〃　Foley　said。
　　　An　eye　roll。　〃Ron　Fielding。　Hell；　everybody　knows　that。〃
　　　〃No；　he　isn't；〃　Ed　protested　as　sharply　as　his　acting　talent　allowed。　〃He's　the　senior　consular　officer；　not　a　spook。〃
　　　Prince　smiled；　thinking；　You　never　could　figure　things　out；　could　you？　His　Russian　contacts　had　fingered　Fielding　to　him；　and　he　knew　they　wouldn't　lie　to　him。　〃Well；　that's　just　a　guess；　of　course；〃　the　reporter　went　on。
　　　And　if　you　thought　it　was　me；　you'd　blurt　it　right　out；　wouldn't　you？　Foley　thought　right　back　at　him。　You　officious　ass。　〃Well；　I'm　cleared　for　some　things；　as　you　know；　but　not　that　one。〃
　　　〃I　know　who　does　know；〃　Prince　offered。
　　　〃Yeah；　but　I'm　not　going　to　ask　the　Ambassador；　Tony。　He'd　rip　my　face　off。〃
　　　〃He's　just　a　political　appointment；　Ed…nothing　special。　This　ought　to　be　a　posting　for　somebody　who　knows　diplomacy；　but　the　President　didn't　ask　me　for　advice。〃
　　　Thank　God；　the　Station　Chief　mented　inwardly。
　　　〃Fielding　sees　him　a　lot；　doesn't　he？〃　Prince　went　on。
　　　〃A　consular　officer　works　directly　with　the　Ambassador；　Tony。　You　know　that。〃
　　　〃Yeah。　Convenient；　isn't　it？　How　much　do　you　see　him？〃
　　　〃The　boss；　you　mean？　Once　a　day；　usually；〃　Foley　answered。
　　　〃And　Fielding？〃
　　　〃More。　Maybe　two　or　three　times。〃
　　　〃There　you　have　it；〃　Prince　concluded　grandly。　〃You　can　always　tell。〃
　　　〃You　read　too　many　James　Bond　books；〃　Foley　said　dismissively。　〃Or　maybe　Matt　Helm。〃
　　　〃Get　real；　Ed；〃　Prince　bristled　with　elegant　gentleness。
　　　〃If　Fielding　is　the　head　spook；　who　are　his　underlings？　Damned　if　I　know。〃
　　　〃Well；　those　are　always　pretty　covert；〃　Prince　admitted。　〃No；　on　that　I　don't　have　a　clue。〃
　　　〃Pity。　That's　one　of　the　games　you　play　in　the　embassy…who　are　the　spooks。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　can't　help　you。〃
　　　〃It's　not　something　I　need　to　know　anyway；　I　guess；〃　Foley　admitted。
　　　You　never　were　curious　enough　to　be　a　good　reporter；　Prince　thought；　with　a　casual；　pleasant　smile。　〃So；　does　this　keep　you　busy？〃
　　　〃It's　not　a　ball…breaker。　Anyway；　can　we　make　a　deal？〃
　　　〃Sure；〃　Prince　replied。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　〃If　you　hear　anything　interesting；　let　us　know　here？〃
　　　〃You　can　read　about　it　in　the　Times；　usually　on　the　front　page　above　the　fold；〃　he　added；　to　make　sure　Foley　knew　how　important　he　was；　along　with　his　penetrating　analysis。
　　　〃Well；　some　things；　you　know；　the　Ambassador　likes　to　get　a　heads…up。　He　told　me　to　ask；　off…the…record…like。〃
　　　〃That's　an　ethical　issue；　Ed。〃
　　　〃If　I　tell　Ernie　that；　he　won't　be　real　happy。〃
　　　〃Well；　you　work　for　him。　I　don't。〃
　　　〃You　are　an　American　citizen；　right？〃
　　　〃Don't　wave　the　flag　at　me；　okay？〃　Prince　responded　wearily。　〃Okay；　if　I　find　out　they're　about　to　launch　nuclear　weapons；　I'll　let　you　know。　But　it　looks　to　me　like　we're　more　likely　to　do　something　that　stupid　than　they　are。〃
　　　〃Tony；　give　me　a　break。〃
　　　〃This　'focus　of　evil　in　the　world'　crap　wasn't　exactly　Abe　Lincoln　talking；　was　it？〃
　　　〃You　saying　the　President　was　wrong？〃　the　Chief　of　Station　asked；　wondering　just　how　far　his　opinion　of　this　ass　might　sink。
　　　〃I　know　about　the　Gulag；　okay？　But　that's　a　thing　of　the　past。　The　Russians　have　mellowed　since　Stalin　died；　but　the　new　administration　hasn't　figured　that　one　out　yet；　have　they？〃
　　　〃Look；　Tony；　I'm　just　a　worker　bee　here。　The　Ambassador　asked　me　to　forward　a　simple　request。　I　take　it　your　response　is　'no'？〃
　　　〃You　take　it　correctly。〃
　　　〃Well；　don't　expect　any　Christmas　cards　from　Ernie　Fuller。〃
　　　〃Ed；　my　duty　is　to　The　New　York　Times　and　my　readers；　period。〃
　　　〃Okay；　fine。　I　had　to　ask；〃　Foley　said　defensively。　He　hadn't　expected　anything　better　from　the　guy；　but　he'd　suggested　this　to　Ambassador　Fuller　himself　to　feel　Prince　out；　and　the　Ambassador　had　approved　it。
　　　〃I　understand。〃　Prince　checked　his　watch。　〃Hey；　I　have　a　meeting　scheduled　at　the　CPSU　Central　mittee　building。〃
　　　〃Anything　I　ought　to　know　about？〃
　　　〃Like　I　said；　you　can　read　it　in　the　Times。　They　fax　you　the　Early　Bird　out　of　Washington；　don't　they？〃
　　　〃Yeah；　it　eventually　trickles　down　here。〃
　　　〃Then；　day　after　tomorrow；　you　can　read　it；〃　Prince　advised；　standing　to　take　his　leave。　〃Tell　Ernie。〃
　　　〃I'll　do　that；〃　Foley　said；　extending　his　hand。　Then　he　decided　he'd　walk　Prince　to　the　elevator。　On　the　way　back；　he'd　hit　the　men's　room　to　wash　his　hands。　His　next　stop　after　that　was　the　Ambassador's　office。
　　　〃Hi；　Ed。　Meet　with　that　Prince　guy？〃
　　　Foley　nodded　his　head。　〃Just　cut　him　loose。〃
　　　〃Did　he　nibble　at　your　hook？〃
　　　〃Nope。　Just　spat　it　right　back　at　me。〃
　　　Fuller　smiled　crookedly。　〃What　did　I　tell　you？　There　used　to　be　some　patriotic　reporters　back　when　I　was　your　age；　but　they've　mostly　grown　out　of　it　over　the　last　few　years。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　surprised。　When　Tony　was　a　new　kid　in　New　York；　he　never　liked　the　cops　very　much；　but　he　was　good　at　getting　them　to　talk　to　him。　Persuasive　bastard；　when　he　wants　to　be。〃
　　　〃Did　he　work　on　you？〃
　　　〃No；　sir。　I'm　not　important　enough　for　that。〃
　　　〃What　did　you　think　of　the　Washington　request　about　the　Pope？〃　Fuller　asked；　changing　the　subject。
　　　〃I'm　going　to　have　some　people　look　into　it；　but…〃
　　　〃I　know；　Ed。　I　don't　want　to　know　exactly　what　you're　doing　about　it。　If　you　find　anything；　will　you　be　able　to　tell　me　about　it？〃
　　　〃Depends；　sir；〃　Foley　answered；　meaning　probably　not。
　　　Fuller　accepted　that。　〃Okay。　Anything　else　shaking？〃
　　　〃Prince　is　on　to　something；　ought　to　be　in　the　papers　day　after　tomorrow。　He's　on　his　way　to　the　Central　mittee；　or　so　he　told　me。　He　confirmed　that　Alexandrov　will　replace　Mikhail　Suslov　when　Red　Mike　checks　out。　If　they're　telling　him；　it　must　be　official。　I　think　we　can　believe　that　one。　Tony　has　good　contacts　with　their　political　types；　and　it　tracks　with　what　our　other　friends　tell　us　about　Suslov。〃
　　　〃I've　never　met　the　guy。　What　gives　with　him？〃
　　　〃He's　one　of　the　last　true　believers。　Alexandrov　is　another　one。　He　thinks　Marx　is　the　One　True　God；　and　Lenin　is　his　prophet；　and　their　political　and　economic　system　really　does　work。〃
　　　〃Really？　Some　people　never　learn。〃
　　　〃Yep。　You　can　take　that　to　the　bank；　sir。　There　are　a　few　left；　but　Leonid　Ilyich　isn't　one　of　them；　and　neither　is　his　heir　apparent；　Yuriy　Vladimirovich