tc.thebearandthedragon-第136部分

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king　over　her　digital　radio　circuit　to　the　chief　of　the　Secret　Service　advance　team　to　make　sure　it　was　safe　for　the　President　to　appear　in　the　open。　She'd　already　heard　that　the　Poles　had　been　as　cooperative　as　any　American　police　force；　and　had　enough　security　deployed　here　to　defend　against　an　attack　by　space　aliens　or　Hitler's　Wehrmacht。　She　nodded　to　the　President　and　Mrs。　Ryan。
　〃Showtime；　babe；〃　Jack　told　Cathy；　with　a　dry　smile。
　〃Knock　'em　dead；　Movie　Star；〃　she　said　in　reply。　It　was　one　of　their　inside　jokes。
　John　Patrick　Ryan；　President　of　the　United　States　of　America；　stood　in　the　door　to　look　out　over　Poland；　or　at　least　as　much　of　it　as　he　could　see　from　this　vantage。　The　first　cheers　erupted　then；　for　although　he'd　never　even　been　close　to　Poland　before；　he　was　a　popular　figure　here；　for　what　reason　Jack　Ryan　had　no　idea。　He　walked　down；　carefully；　telling　himself　not　to　trip　and　spill　down　the　steps。　It　looked　bad　to　do　so；　as　one　of　his　antecedents　had　learned　the　hard　way。　At　the　bottom；　the　two　USAF　sergeants　snapped　off　their　salutes；　which　Ryan　unconsciously　returned；　and　then　he　was　saluted　again　by　a　Polish　officer。　They　did　it　differently；　Jack　saw；　with　ring　and　little　finger　tucked　in；　like　American　Cub　Scouts。　Jack　nodded　and　smiled　to　this　officer；　then　followed　him　to　the　receiving　line。　There　was　the　U。S。　ambassador　to　introduce　him　to　the　Polish　president。　Together　they　walked　down　a　red　carpet　to　a　small　lectern；　where　the　Polish　president　weled　Ryan；　and　Ryan　make　remarks　to　demonstrate　his　joy　at　visiting　this　ancient　and　important　new　American　ally。　Ryan　had　a　discordant　memory　of　the　〃Polack〃　jokes　so　popular　when　he'd　been　in　high　school；　but　managed　not　to　relate　any　to　the　assembled　throng。　This　was　followed　by　a　review　past　the　honor　guard　of　soldiers；　about　three　panies　of　infantrymen；　all　spiffed　up　for　this　moment；　Jack　walked　past　them；　looking　in　each　face　for　a　split　second　and　figuring　they　just　wanted　to　go　back　to　barracks　to　change　into　their　more　fortable　fatigues；　where　they'd　say　that　this　Ryan　guy　looked　okay　for　a　damned　American　chief　of　state；　and　wasn't　it　good　that　this　pain…in…the…ass　duty　was　over。　Then　Jack　and　Cathy　（carrying　flowers　given　to　her　by　two　cute　Polish　kids；　a　boy　and　a　girl；　age　six　or　so；　because　that　was　the　best　age　to　greet　an　important　foreign　woman）　got　into　the　official　car；　an　American　limo　from　the　U。S。　Embassy；　for　the　drive　into　town。　Once　there；　Jack　looked　over　to　the　ambassador。
　〃What　about　Moscow？〃
　Ambassadors　had　once　been　Very　Important　People；　which　explained　why　each　still　had　to　be　approved　by　vote　of　the　United　States　Senate。　When　the　Constitution　had　been　drafted；　world　travel　had　been　done　by　sailing　ship；　and　an　ambassador　in　a　foreign　land　was　the　United　States　of　America；　and　had　to　be　able　to　speak　for　his　country　entirely　without　guidance　from　Washington。　Modern　munications　had　transformed　ambassadors　into　glorified　mailmen；　but　they　still；　occasionally；　had　to　handle　important　matters　with　discretion；　and　this　was　such　a　case。
　〃They　want　the　Secretary　to　e　over　as　soon　as　possible。　The　backup　aircraft　is　at　a　fighter　base　about　fifteen　miles　from　here。　We　can　get　Scott　there　within　the　hour；〃　Stanislas　Lewendowski　reported。
　〃Thanks；　Stan。　Make　it　happen。〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　President；〃　the　ambassador；　a　native　of　Chicago；　agreed　with　a　curt　nod。
　〃Anything　we　need　to　know？〃
　〃Aside　from　that；　sir；　no；　everything's　pretty　much　under　control。〃
　〃I　hate　it　when　they　say　that；〃　Cathy　observed　quietly。　〃That's　when　I　look　up　for　the　falling　sandbag。〃
　〃Not　here；　ma'am；〃　Lewendowski　promised。　〃Here　things　are　under　control。〃
　That's　nice　to　hear；　President　Ryan　thought；　but　what　about　the　rest　of　the　fucking　world？
　
　〃Eduard　Petrovich；　this　is　not　a　happy　development；〃　Golovko　told　his　president。
　〃I　can　see　that；〃　Grushavoy　agreed　tersely。　〃Why　did　we　have　to　learn　this　from　the　Americans？〃
　〃We　had　a　very　good　source　in　Beijing；　but　he　retired　not　long　ago。　He's　sixty…nine　years　old　and　in　ill　health；　and　it　was　time　to　leave　his　post　in　their　Party　Secretariat。　Sadly；　we　had　no　replacement　for　him；〃　Golovko　admitted。　〃The　American　source　appears　to　be　a　man　of　similar　placement。　We　are　fortunate　to　have　this　information；　regardless　of　its　source。〃
　〃Better　to　have　it　than　not　to　have　it；〃　Eduard　Petrovich　admitted。　〃So；　now　what？〃
　〃Secretary　of　State　Adler　will　be　joining　us　in　about　three　hours；　at　the　Americans'　request。　He　wishes　to　consult　with　us　directly　on　a　'matter　of　mutual　interest。'　That　means　the　Americans　are　as　concerned　with　this　development　as　we　are。〃
　〃What　will　they　say？〃
　〃They　will　doubtless　offer　us　assistance　of　some　sort。　Exactly　what　kind；　I　cannot　say。〃
　〃Is　there　anything　I　don't　already　know　about　Adler　and　Ryan？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Scott　Adler　is　a　career　diplomat；　well　regarded　everywhere　as　an　experienced　and　expert　diplomatic　technician。　He　and　Ryan　are　friends；　dating　back　to　when　Ivan　Emmetovich　was　Deputy　Director　of　CIA。　They　get　along　well　and　do　not　have　any　known　disagreements　in　terms　of　policy。　Ryan　I　have　known　for　over　ten　years。　He　is　bright；　decisive；　and　a　man　of　unusually　fine　personal　honor。　A　man　of　his　word。　He　was　the　enemy　of　the　Soviet　Union；　and　a　skilled　enemy；　but　since　our　change　of　systems　he　has　been　a　friend。　He　evidently　wishes　us　to　succeed　and　prosper　economically；　though　his　efforts　to　assist　us　have　been　somewhat　disjointed　and　confused。　As　you　know；　we　have　assisted　the　Americans　in　two　black　operations；　one　against　China　and　one　against　Iran。　This　is　important；　because　Ryan　will　see　that　he　owes　us　a　debt。　He　is；　as　I　said；　an　honorable　man；　and　he　will　wish　to　repay　that　debt；　as　long　as　it　does　not　conflict　with　his　own　security　interests。〃
　〃Will　an　attack　on　China　be　seen　that　way？〃　President　Grushavoy　asked。
　Golovko　nodded　decisively。　〃Yes；　I　believe　so。　We　know　that　Ryan　has　said　privately　that　he　both　likes　and　admires　Russian　culture；　and　that　he　would　prefer　that　America　and　Russia　should　bee　strategic　partners。　So；　I　think　Secretary　Adler　will　offer　us　substantive　assistance　against　China。〃
　〃What　form　will　it　take？〃
　〃Eduard　Petrovich；　I　am　an　intelligence　officer；　not　a　gypsy　fortuneteller　。。。〃　Golovko　paused。　〃We　will　know　more　soon；　but　if　you　wish　me　to　make　a　guess　。。。〃
　〃Do　so；〃　the　Russian　president　manded。　The　SVR　Chairman　took　a　deep　breath　and　made　his　prediction：
　〃He　will　offer　us　a　seat　on　the　North　Atlantic　Council。〃　That　startled　Grushavoy：
　〃Join　NATO？〃　he　asked；　with　an　open　mouth。
　〃It　would　be　the　most　elegant　solution　to　the　problem。　It　allies　us　with　the　rest　of　Europe；　and　would　face　China　with　a　panoply　of　enemies　if　they　attack　us。〃
　〃And　if　they　make　this　offer　to　us　。。。？〃
　〃You　should　accept　it　at　once；　rade　President；〃　the　chief　of　the　RSV　replied。　〃We　would　be　fools　not　to。〃
　〃What　will　they　demand　in　return？〃
　〃Whatever　it　is；　it　will　be　far　less　costly　than　a　war　against　China。〃
　Grushavoy　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃I　will　consider　this。　Is　it　really　possible　that　America　can　recognize　Russia　as　an　ally？〃
　〃Ryan　will　have　thought　this　idea　through。　It　conforms　to　his　strategic　outlook；　and；　as　I　said；　I　believe　he　honestly　admires　and　respects　Russia。〃
　〃After　all　his　time　in　CIA？〃
　〃Of　course。　That　is　why　he　does。　He　knows　us。　He　ought　to　respect　us。〃
　Grushavoy　thought　about　that　one。　Like　Golovko；　he　was　a　Russian　patriot　who　loved　the　very　smell　of　Russian　soil；　the　birch　forests；　the　vodka　and　the　borscht；　the　music　and　literature　of　his　land。　But　he　was　not　blind　to　the　errors　and　ill　fortune　his　country　had　endured　over　the　centuries。　Like　Golovko；　Grushavoy　had　e　to　manhood　in　a　nation　called　the　Union　of　Soviet　Socialist　Republics；　and　had　been　educated　to　be　a　believer　in　Marxism…Leninism；　but　he'd　gradually　e　to　see　that；　although　the　path　to　political　power　had　required　worshiping　at　that　godless　altar；　the　god　there　had　been　a　false　one。　Like　many；　he'd　seen　that　the　previous　system　simply　didn't　work。　But　unlike　all　but　a　small　and　courageous　few；　he'd　spoken　out　about　the　system's　shortings。　A　lawyer；　even　under　the　Soviet　system　when　law　had　been　subordinated　to　political　whim；　he'd　crusaded　for　a　rational　system　of　laws　which　would　allow　people　to　predict　the　reaction　of　the　state　to　their　actions　with　something　akin　to　confidence。　He'd　been　there　when　the　old　system　had　fallen；　and　had　embraced　the　new　system　as　a　teenager　embraced　his　first　love。　Now　he　was　struggling　to　bring　order…　lawful　order；　which　was　harder　still…to　a　nation　which　had　known　only　dictatorial　rule　for　centuries。　If　he　succeeded；　he　knew　he'd　be　remembered　as　one　of　the　giants　of　human　political　history。　If　he　failed；　he'd　just　be　remembered　as　one　more　starry…eyed　visionary　unable　to　turn　his　dream　into　reality。　The　latter；　he　thought　in　quiet　moments；　was　the　more　likely　oute。
　But　despite　that　concern；　he　was　playing　to　win。　Now　he　had　the　gold　and　oil　discoveries　in　Siberia；　which　had　appeared　as　if　gifts　from　the　merciful　God　his　education　had　taught　him　to　deny。　Russian　history　predicted…nay；　demanded…that　such　gifts　be　taken　from　his　country；　for　such　had　always　been　their　hateful　ill　luck。　Did　God　hate　Russia？　Anyone　familiar　with　the　past　in　his　ancient　country　would　think　so。　But　today　hope　appeared　as　a　golden　dream；　and　Grushavoy　was　determined　not　to　let　this　dream　evaporate　as　all　the　others　had。　The　land　of　Tolstoy　and　Rimsky…Korsakov　had　given　much　to　the　world；　and　now　it　deserved　something　back。　Perhaps　this　Ryan　fellow　would　indeed　be　a　friend　of　his　country　and　his　people。　His　country　needed　friends。　His　country　had　the　resources　to　exist　alone；　but　to　make　use　of　those　resources；　he　needed　assistance；　enough　to　allow　Russia　to　enter　the　world　as　a　plete　and　self…sufficient　nation；　ready　to　be　a　friend　to　all；　ready　to　give　and　to　take　in　honor　and　amity。　The　wherewithal　was　within　his　reach；　if　not　quite　within　his　hand。　To　take　it　would　make　him　an　Immortal；　would　make　Eduard　Petrovich　Grushavoy　the　man　who　raised　up　his　entire　country。　To　do　that　he'd　need　help；　however；　and　while　that　abraded　his　sense　of　amour　propre；　his　patriotism；　his　duty　to