tc.redrabbit-第78章

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Taunton　in　the　rolling　hills　of　Somerset。
　　　〃Not　going　to　work　today？〃　Irina　asked　her　husband。　He　ought　to　have　left　for　the　office　by　now；　surely。
　　　〃No；　and　I　have　a　surprise　for　you；〃　Oleg　announced。
　　　〃What　is　that？〃
　　　〃We're　going　to　Budapest　tomorrow。〃
　　　That　snapped　her　head　around。　〃What？〃
　　　〃I　decided　to　take　my　vacation　days；　and　there's　a　new　conductor　in　Budapest　now；　Jozsef　Rozsa。　I　knew　you　liked　classical　music；　and　I　decided　to　take　you　and　zaichik　there；　dear。〃
　　　〃Oh；〃　was　all　she　had　to　say。　〃But　what　about　my　job　at　GUM？〃
　　　〃Can't　you　get　free　of　that？〃
　　　〃Well；　yes；　I　suppose；〃　Irina　admitted。　〃But　why　Budapest？〃
　　　〃Well；　the　music；　and　we　can　buy　some　things　there。　I　have　a　list　of　items　to　get　for　people　at　The　Centre；〃　he　told　her。
　　　〃Ah；　yes。。。　we　can　get　some　nice　things　for　Svetlana；〃　she　thought　out　loud　on　reflection。　Working　at　GUM；　she　knew　what　was　available　in　Hungary　that　she'd　never　get　in　Moscow；　even　in　the　〃closed〃　stores。　〃Who　is　this　Rozsa；　anyway？〃
　　　〃He's　a　young　Hungarian　conductor　touring　Eastern　Europe。　He　has　a　fine　reputation；　darling。　The　program　is　supposed　to　be　Brahms　and　Bach；　I　think…one　of　the　Hungarian　state　orchestras　and；〃　he　added；　〃a　lot　of　good　shopping。〃　There　wasn't　a　woman　in　all　the　world　who　wouldn't　respond　favorably　to　that　opportunity；　Oleg　judged。　He　waited　patiently　for　the　next　objection：
　　　〃I　don't　have　anything　to　wear。〃
　　　〃My　dear；　that　is　why　we're　going　to　Budapest。　You　will　be　able　to　buy　anything　you　need　there。〃
　　　〃Well。。。〃
　　　〃And　remember　to　pack　everything　you　need　in　one　bag。　We'll　take　empty　bags　for　all　the　things　we're　buying　for　ourselves　and　our　friends。〃
　　　〃But…〃
　　　〃Irina；　think　of　Budapest　as　one　big　consumer…goods　store。　Hungarian　VCRs；　Western　jeans　and　pantyhose；　real　perfume。　You　will　be　the　envy　of　your　office　at　GUM；〃　he　promised　her。
　　　〃Well。。。〃
　　　〃I　thought　so。　My　darling；　we　are　going　on　vacation！〃　he　told　her；　a　little　manly　force　in　his　voice。
　　　〃If　you　say　so；〃　she　responded；　with　the　hint　of　an　avaricious　smile。　〃I　will　call　in　to　the　office　later　and　let　them　know。　I　suppose　they　won't　miss　me　too；　badly。〃
　　　〃The　only　people　they　miss　in　Moscow　are　the　Politburo　members；　and　they　only　miss　them　for　the　day　and　a　half　it　takes　to　replace　them；〃　he　announced。
　　　And　so　that　was　settled。　They　were　taking　the　train　to　Hungary。　Irina　started　thinking　about　what　to　pack。　Oleg　would　leave　that　to　her。　Inside　a　week　or　ten　days；　we　will　all　have　much　better　clothes；　the　KGB　munications　officer　told　himself。　And　maybe　in　a　month　or　two；　they　would　go　to　that　Disney　Planet　place　in　the　American　province　of　Florida。。。
　　　He　wondered　if　CIA　knew　how　much　trust　he　was　putting　in　them；　and　he　prayed…an　unusual　activity　for　a　KGB　officer…that　they　would　perform　as　well　as　he　hoped。
　　　〃Good　morning；　Jack。〃
　　　〃Hey；　Simon。　What's　new　in　the　world？〃　Jack　set　his　coffee　down　before　taking　his　coat　off。
　　　〃Suslov　died　last　night；〃　Harding　announced。　〃It　will　be　in　their　afternoon　papers。〃
　　　〃What　a　pity。　Another　bat　found　his　way　back　into　hell；　eh？〃　At　least　he　died　with　good　eyesight；　thanks　to　Bernie　Katz　and　the　guys　from　Johns　Hopkins；　Ryan　thought。　〃plications　of　diabetes？〃
　　　Harding　shrugged。　〃Plus　being　old；　I　should　imagine。　Heart　attack；　our　sources　tell　us。　Amazing　that　the　nasty　old　bugger　actually　had　a　heart。　In　any　case；　his　replacement　will　be　Mikhail　Yevgeniyevich　Alexandrov。〃
　　　〃And　he's　not　exactly　a　day　at　the　beach。　When　will　they　plant　Suslov？〃
　　　〃He's　a　senior　Politburo　member。　I　would　expect　a　full　state　funeral；　marching　band；　the　lot；　then　cremation　and　a　slot　in　the　Kremlin　wall。〃
　　　〃You　know；　I've　always　wondered；　what　does　a　real　munist　think　about　when　he　knows　he's　dying？　You　suppose　they　wonder　if　it　was　all　a　great　big　fucking　mistake？〃
　　　〃I　have　no　idea。　But　Suslov　was　evidently　a　true　believer。　He　probably　thought　of　all　the　good　he'd　done　in　his　life；　leading　humanity　to　the　'Radiant　Future'　they　like　to　talk　about。〃
　　　Nobody's　that　dumb；　Ryan　wanted　to　retort；　but　Simon　was　probably　right。　Nothing　lingered　longer　in　a　man's　mind　than　a　bad　idea；　and　certainly　Red　Mike　had　held　his　bad　ideas　close　to　whatever　heart　had　finally　cashed　in。　But　a　munist's　best…case　scenario　for　after　death　corresponded　with　Ryan's　worst；　and　if　the　munist　was　wrong；　then；　quite　literally；　there　was　hell　to　pay。　Tough　luck；　Mishka；　hope　you　took　some　sunblock　with　you。
　　　〃Okay；　what's　up　for　today？〃
　　　〃The　PM　wants　to　know　if　this　will　have　any　effect　on　Politburo　policy。〃
　　　〃Tell　her　no；　it　won't。　In　political　terms；　Alexandrov　might　as　well　be　Suslov's　twin　brother。　He　thinks　Marx　is　God；　and　Lenin　is　his　prophet；　and　Stalin　was　mostly　right；　just　a　little　too　nekulturniy　in　his　application　of　political　theory。　The　rest　of　the　Politburo　doesn't　really　believe　that　stuff　anymore；　but　they　have　to　pretend　that　they　do。　So　call　Alexandrov　the　new　conductor　of　the　ideological　symphony　orchestra。　They　don't　much　like　the　music　anymore；　but　they　dance　to　it　anyway；　'cause　it's　the　only　dance　they　know。　I　don't　think　he　will　affect　their　policy　decisions　a　dot。　I　bet　they　listen　when　he　talks；　but　they　let　it　go　in　one　ear　and　out　the　other；　they　pretend　to　respect　him；　but　they　really　don't。〃
　　　〃It's　a　little　more　plex　than　that；　but　you've　caught　the　essentials；〃　Harding　agreed。　〃The　thing　is；　I　have　to　find　a　way　to　produce　ten　double…spaced　pages　that　say　it。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　in　bureaucratese。〃　Ryan　had　never　quite　mastered　that　language；　which　was　one　of　the　reasons　Admiral　Greer　liked　him　so　much。
　　　〃We　have　our　procedures；　Jack；　and　the　PM…indeed；　all　of　the　Prime　Ministers…like　to　have　it　in　words　they　understand。〃
　　　〃The　Iron　Lady　understands　the　same　language　as　a　stevedore；　I　bet。〃
　　　〃Only　when　she　speaks　those　words；　Sir　John；　not　when　others　try　to　speak　them　to　her。〃
　　　〃I　suppose。　Okay；〃　Ryan　had　to　concede　the　point。　〃What　documents　do　we　need？〃
　　　〃We　have　an　extensive　dossier　file　on　Alexandrov。　I've　already　called　down　for　it。〃
　　　So　this　day　would　be　occupied　with　creative　writing；　Ryan　decided。　It　would　have　been　more　interesting　to　look　into　their　economy；　but　instead　he'd　have　to　help　do　a　prospective；　analytical　obituary　for　a　man　whom　nobody　had　liked；　and　who'd　probably　died　intestate　anyway。
　　　The　preparation　was　even　easier　than　he'd　hoped。　Haydock　had　expected　the　Russians　to　be　pleased；　and；　sure　enough；　one　call　to　his　contact　in　the　Ministry　of　Transportation　had　done　the　trick。　At　ten　the　next　morning；　he；　Paul　Matthews；　and　a　Times　photographer　would　be　at　the　Kiev　station　to　do　a　story　about　Soviet　state　rail　and　how　it　pared　to　British　Rail；　which　needed　some　help；　most　Englishmen　thought；　especially　in　upper　management。
　　　Matthews　probably　suspected　that　Haydock　was　a　〃six〃　person；　but　had　never　let　on；　since　the　spook　had　been　so　helpful　feeding　stories　to　him。　It　was　the　usual　way　of　creating　a　friendly　journalist…even　taught　at　the　SIS　Academy…but　it　was　officially　denied　to　the　American　CIA。　The　United　States　Congress　passes　the　most　remarkable　and　absurd　laws　to　hamstring　its　intelligence　services；　the　Brit　thought；　though　he　was　sure　the　official　rules　were　broken　on　a　daily　basis　by　the　people　in　the　field。　He'd　violated　a　few　of　the　much　looser　rules　of　his　own　mother　service。　And　had　never　been　caught；　of　course。　Just　as　he　had　never　been　caught　working　agents　on　the　streets　of　Moscow。。。
　　　Hi；　Tony。　Ed　Foley　extended　a　friendly　hand　to　the　Moscow　correspondent　of　The　New　York　Times。　He　wondered　if　Prince　knew　how　much　Ed　despised　him。　But　it　probably　went　both　ways。　〃What's　happening　today？〃
　　　〃Looking　for　a　statement　by　the　Ambassador　on　the　death　of　Mikhail　Suslov。〃
　　　Foley　laughed。　〃How　about　he's　glad　the　nasty　old　cocksucker　is　dead？〃
　　　〃Can　I　quote　you　on　that？〃　Prince　held　up　his　scribble　pad。
　　　Time　to　back　up。　〃Not　exactly。　I　have　no　instructions　in　that　matter；　Tony；　and　the　boss　is　tied　up　on　other　things　at　the　moment。　No　time　loose　to　see　you　until　later　afternoon；　I'm　afraid。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　need　something；　Ed。〃
　　　〃'Mikhail　Suslov　was　an　important　member　of　the　Politburo；　and　an　important　ideological　force　in　this　country；　and　we　regret　his　untimely　passing。'　That　good　enough？〃
　　　〃Your　first　quote　was　better　and　a　lot　more　truthful；〃　the　Times　correspondent　observed。
　　　〃You　ever　meet　him？〃
　　　Price　nodded。　〃Couple　of　times；　before　and　after　the　Hopkins　docs　worked　on　his　eyes…〃
　　　〃Is　that　for　real？　I　mean；　I　heard　a　few　stories　about　it；　but　nothing　substantive。〃　Foley　acted　the　words　out。
　　　Prince　nodded　again。　〃It　was　true　enough。　Glasses　like　Coke…bottle　bottoms。　Courtly　gent；　I　thought。　Well…mannered　and　all　that；　but　there　was　a　little　'tough　guy'　underneath。　I　guess　he　was　the　high　priest　of　munism；　like。〃
　　　〃Oh；　took　vows　of　poverty；　chastity；　and　obedience；　did　he？〃
　　　〃You　know；　there　was　something　of　the　aesthete　about　him；　like　he　really　was　a　priest　of　a　sort；〃　Prince　said；　after　a　moment's　reflection。
　　　〃Think　so？〃
　　　〃Yeah；　something　otherworldly　about　the　guy；　like　he　could　see　things　the　rest　of　us　couldn't；　like　a　priest　or　something。　He　sure　enough　believed　in　munism。　Didn't　apologize　for　it；　either。〃
　　　〃Stalinist？〃　Foley　asked。
　　　〃No；　but　thirty　years　ago　he　would　have　been。　I　can　see　him　signing　the　order　to　kill　somebody。　Wouldn't　lose　any　sleep　over　it…not　our　Mishka。〃
　　　〃Who's　going　to　replace　him？〃
　　　〃Not　sure；〃　Prince　admitted。　〃My　contacts　say　they　don't　know。〃
　　　〃I　thought　he　was　tight　with　another　Mike；　that　Alexandrov　guy；〃　Foley　offered；　wondering　if　Prince's　contacts　were　as　good　as　he　thought　they　were。　Fucking　with　Western　reporters　was　a　game　for　the　Soviet　leadership。　It　was　different　in　Washington；　where　a　reporter　had　power　to　use　over　politicians。　That　didn't　apply　here。　The　Politburo　members　didn't　fear　reporters　at　all…much　the　reverse；　actually。
　　　Prince's　contacts　weren't　all　that　great：　〃Maybe；　but　I'm　not　sure。　What's　the　talk　here？〃
　　　〃Haven't　been　to　the　lunch　room　yet；　Tony。　Haven't　heard　the　gossip　yet；〃　Foley　parried。　You　don't　really　expect　a　tip　from　me；　do　you？
　　　〃Well；　we'll　know　by　tomorrow　or　day　after。〃
　　　But　it　would　look　good　for　you　if　you　were　the　first　reporter　to　make　the　prediction；　and　you　want　me　to　help　you；　right？　Not　is　this　lifetime；　Foley　thought；　but　then　he　had　to　reconsider。　Prince　would　not　be　a　particularly　valuable　friend；　but　perhaps　a　usable　one；　and　it　never　made　sense　to　make　enemies　for　the　fun　of　it。　On　the　other　hand；　to　be　too　helpful　to　the　guy　might　suggest　either　that　Foley　was　a　spook　or　knew　who　the　spooks　were；　and　Tony　Prince　was　one　of　those　guys　who　liked　to　talk　and　tell　people　how　smart　he　is。。。　No；　it's　better　for　Prince　to　think　I'm　dumb；　because　he'll　tell　everyone　he　knows　how　smart　he　is　and　how　dumb　I　am。
　　　The　best　cover　of　them　all；　he'd　learned　at　The　Farm；　was　to　be　thought　a　dullard；　and　while　it　was　a　little　hurtful　to　his　ego　to　play　that　game；　it　was　helpful　to　the　mission；　and　Ed　Foley　was　a　mission…oriented　guy。　So　。　。　。fuck　Prince　and　what　he　thinks。　I'm　the　guy　in　this　city　who　makes　a　difference。
　　　〃Tell　you　what；　I'll　ask　around…see　what　people　think。〃
　　　〃