ss.iftomorrowcomes-第25部分

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　When　they　reached　the　door　to　the　attic；　Orsatti　pushed　it　open；　and　Perry　Pope　turned　on　the　light。　They　caught　a　glimpse　of　two　white　hamsters　frantically　racing　around　the　room。
　
　〃Jesus！〃　Perry　Pope　said。　〃I've　got　rats！〃
　
　Anthony　Orsatti　was　not　listening。　He　was　staring　at　the　room。　In　the　middle　of　the　attic　was　a　camp　chair　with　a　packet　of　sandwiches　on　top　of　it　and　two　open　cans　of　beer。　On　the　floor　next　to　the　chair　was　a　pair　of　binoculars。
　
　Orsatti　walked　over　to　them；　picked　up　the　objects　one　by　one；　and　examined　them。　Then　he　got　down　on　his　knees　on　the　dusty　floor　and　moved　the　tiny　wooden　cylinder　that　concealed　a　peephole　that　had　been　drilled　into　the　ceiling。　Orsatti　put　his　eye　to　the　peephole。　Directly　beneath　him　the　card　table　was　clearly　visible。
　
　Perry　Pope　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　attic；　dumbfounded。　〃Who　the　hell　put　all　this　junk　up　here？　I'm　going　to　raise　hell　with　Andre　about　this。〃
　
　Orsatti　rose　slowly　to　his　feet　and　brushed　the　dust　from　his　trousers。
　
　Perry　Pope　glanced　down　at　the　floor。　〃Look！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃They　left　a　goddamned　hole　in　the　ceiling。　Workmen　today　aren't　worth　a　shit。〃
　
　He　crouched　down　and　took　a　look　through　the　hole；　and　his　face　suddenly　lost　its　color。　He　stood　up　and　looked　around；　wildly；　to　find　all　the　men　staring　at　him。
　
　〃Hey！〃　Perry　Pope　said。　〃You　don't　think　I…？　e　on；　fellas；　this　is　me。　I　don't　know　anything　about　this。　I　wouldn't　cheat　you。　My　God；　we're　friends！〃　His　hand　flew　to　his　mouth；　and　he　began　biting　furiously　at　his　cuticles。
　
　Orsatti　patted　him　on　the　arm。　〃Don't　worry　about　it。〃　His　voice　was　almost　inaudible。
　
　Perry　Pope　kept　gnawing　desperately　at　the　raw　flesh　of　his　right　thumb。
　
　
　
　BOOK　TWO
　Chapter　14
　
　
　
　〃That's　two　down；　Tracy；〃　Ernestine　Littlechap　chortled。　〃The　word　on　the　street　is　that　your　lawyer　friend　Perry　Pope　ain't　practicin'　law　no　more。　He　had　a　real　bad　accident。〃
　
　They　were　having　café　au　lait　and　beignets　at　a　small　sidewalk　café　off　Royal　Street。
　
　Ernestine　gave　a　high　giggle。　〃You　got　a　brain；　girl。　You　wouldn't　like　to　go　into　business　with　me；　would　you？〃
　
　〃Thanks；　Ernestine。　I　have　other　plans。〃
　
　Ernestine　asked　eagerly；　〃Who's　next？〃
　
　〃Lawrence。　Judge　Henry　Lawrence。〃
　
　**********
　
　Henry　Lawrence　had　begun　his　career　as　a　small…town　lawyer　in　Leesville；　Louisiana。　He　had　very　little　aptitude　for　the　law；　but　he　had　two　very　important　attributes：　He　was　impressive…looking；　and　he　was　morally　flexible。　His　philosophy　was　that　the　law　was　a　frail　rod；　meant　to　be　bent　to　suit　the　needs　of　his　clients。　With　that　in　mind；　it　was　not　surprising　that　shortly　after　he　moved　to　New　Orleans；　Henry　Lawrence's　law　practice　began　to　flourish　with　a　special　group　of　clients。　He　went　from　handling　misdemeanors　and　traffic　accidents　to　handling　felonies　and　capital　crimes；　and　by　the　time　he　reached　the　big　leagues；　he　was　an　expert　at　suborning　juries；　discrediting　witnesses；　and　bribing　anyone　who　could　help　his　case。　In　short；　he　was　Anthony　Orsatti's　kind　of　man；　and　it　was　inevitable　that　the　paths　of　the　two　should　cross。　It　was　a　marriage　made　in　Mafia　heaven。　Lawrence　became　the　mouthpiece　for　the　Orsatti　Family；　and　when　the　timing　was　right；　Orsatti　had　him　elevated　to　a　judgeship。
　
　**********
　
　〃I　don't　know　how　you　kin　nail　the　judge；〃　Ernestine　said。　〃He's　rich　an'　powerful　an'　untouchable。〃
　
　〃He's　rich　and　powerful；〃　Tracy　corrected　her；　〃but　he's　not　untouchable。〃
　
　Tracy　had　worked　out　her　plan；　but　when　she　telephoned　Judge　Lawrence's　chambers；　she　knew；　immediately；　that　she　would　have　to　change　it。
　
　〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　Judge　Lawrence；　please。〃
　
　A　secretary　said；　〃I'm　sorry；　Judge　Lawrence　is　not　in。〃
　
　〃When　do　you　expect　him？〃　Tracy　asked。
　
　〃I　really　couldn't　say。〃
　
　〃It's　very　important。　Will　he　be　in　tomorrow　morning？〃
　
　〃No。　Judge　Lawrence　is　out　of　town。〃
　
　〃Oh。　Perhaps　I　can　reach　him　somewhere？〃
　
　〃I'm　afraid　that　would　be　impossible。　His　Honor　is　out　of　the　country。〃
　
　Tracy　carefully　kept　the　disappointment　from　her　voice。　〃I　see。　May　I　ask　where？〃　。
　
　〃His　Honor　is　in　Europe；　attending　an　international　judiciary　symposium。〃
　
　〃What　a　shame；〃　Tracy　said。
　
　〃Who's　calling；　please？〃
　
　Tracy's　mind　was　racing。　〃This　is　Elizabeth　Rowane　Dastin；　chairwoman　of　the　southern　division　of　the　American　Trial　Lawyers'　Association。　We're　having　our　annual　awards　dinner　in　New　Orleans　on　the　twentieth　of　this　month；　and　we've　chosen　Judge　Henry　Lawrence　to　be　our　man　of　the　year。〃
　
　〃That's　lovely；〃　the　judge's　secretary　said；　〃but　I'm　afraid　His　Honor　won't　be　back　by　then。〃
　
　〃What　a　pity。　We　were　all　so　looking　forward　to　hearing　one　of　his　famous　speeches。　Judge　Lawrence　was　the　unanimous　choice　of　our　selection　mittee。〃
　
　〃He'll　be　disappointed　to　miss　it。〃
　
　〃Yes。　I'm　sure　you　know　what　a　great　honor　this　is。　Some　of　our　country's　most　prominent　judges　have　been　chosen　in　the　past。　Wait　a　minute！　I　have　an　idea。　Do　you　suppose　the　judge　might　tape　a　brief　acceptance　speech　for　us…　a　few　words　of　thanks；　perhaps？〃
　
　〃Well；　I…　I　really　can't　say。　He　has　a　very　busy　schedule…〃
　
　〃There'll　be　a　great　deal　of　national　television　and　newspaper　coverage。〃
　
　There　was　a　silence。　Judge　Lawrence's　secretary　knew　how　much　His　Honor　enjoyed　media　coverage。　In　fact；　as　far　as　she　could　see；　the　tour　he　was　presently　on　seemed　to　be　mainly　for　that　purpose。
　
　She　said；　〃Perhaps　he　might　find　time　to　record　a　few　words　for　you。　I　could　ask　him。〃
　
　〃Oh；　that　would　be　wonderful；〃　Tracy　enthused。　〃It　would　really　make　the　whole　evening。〃
　
　〃Would　you　like　His　Honor　to　address　his　remarks　toward　anything　specific？〃
　
　〃Oh；　definitely。　We'd　like　him　to　talk　about…〃　She　hesitated。　〃I'm　afraid　it's　a　bit　plicated。　It　would　be　better　if　I　could　explain　it　to　him　directly。〃
　
　There　was　a　momentary　silence。　The　secretary　faced　a　dilemma。　She　had　orders　not　to　reveal　her　boss's　itinerary。　On　the　other　hand；　it　would　be　just　like　him　to　blame　her　if　he　missed　receiving　an　award　as　important　as　this。
　
　She　said；　〃I'm　really　not　supposed　to　give　out　any　information；　but　I'm　sure　he　would　want　me　to　make　an　exception　for　something　as　prestigious　as　this。　You　can　reach　him　in　Moscow；　at　the　Rossia　Hotel。　He'll　be　there　for　the　next　five　days；　and　after　that…〃
　
　〃Wonderful。　I'll　get　in　touch　with　him　right　away。　Thank　you　so　much。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Dastin。〃
　
　**********
　
　The　cables　were　addressed　to　Judge　Henry　Lawrence；　Rossia　Hotel；　Moscow。　The　first　cable　read：
　
　NEXT　JUDICIARY　COUNCIL　MEETING　CAN　NOW　BE　ARRANGED。
　CONFIRM　CONVENIENT　DATE　AS　SPACE　MUST　BE　REQUESTED。
　BORIS。
　
　The　second　cable；　which　arrived　the　next　day；　read：
　
　ADVISE　PROBLEM　TRAVEL　PLANS。
　YOUR　SISTER'S　PLANE　ARRIVED　LATE
　BUT　LANDED　SAFELY。　LOST　PASSPORT　AND　MONEY。
　SHE　WILL　BE　PLACED　IN　FIRST…CLASS　SWISS　HOTEL。
　WILL　SETTLE　ACCOUNT　LATER。
　BORIS。
　
　The　last　cable　read：
　
　YOUR　SISTER　WILL　TRY　AMERICAN　EMBASSY
　TO　OBTAIN　TEMPORARY　PASSPORT。
　NO　INFORMATION　AVAILABLE　YET　ON　NEW　VISA
　SWISS　MAKE　RUSSIANS　SEEM　SAINTS。
　WILL　SHIP　SISTER　TO　YOU　SOONEST。
　BORIS。
　
　The　NKVD　sat　back　and　waited　to　see　if　there　were　any　further　cables。　When　no　more　were　forthing；　they　arrested　Judge　Lawrence。
　
　The　interrogation　lasted　for　ten　days　and　nights。
　
　〃To　whom　did　you　send　the　information？〃
　
　〃What　information？　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　
　〃We're　talking　about　the　plans。　Who　gave　you　the　plans？〃
　
　〃What　plans？〃
　
　〃The　plans　for　the　Soviet　atomic　submarine。〃
　
　〃You　must　be　crazy。　What　do　I　know　about　Soviet　submarines？〃
　
　〃That's　what　we　intend　to　find　out。　Who　were　your　secret　meetings　with？〃
　
　〃What　secret　meetings？　I　have　no　secrets。〃
　
　〃Good。　Then　you　can　tell　us　who　Boris　is。〃
　
　〃Boris；　who？〃
　
　〃The　man　who　deposited　money　in　your　Swiss　account。〃
　
　〃What　Swiss　account？〃
　
　They　were　furious。　〃You're　a　stubborn　fool；〃　they　told　him。　〃We're　going　to　make　an　example　of　you　and　all　the　other　American　spies　trying　to　undermine　our　great　motherland。〃
　
　By　the　time　the　American　ambassador　was　permitted　to　visit　him；　Judge　Henry　Lawrence　had　lost　fifteen　pounds。　He　could　not　remember　the　last　time　his　captors　had　allowed　him　to　sleep；　and　he　was　a　trembling　wreck　of　a　man。
　
　〃Why　are　they　doing　this　to　me？〃　the　judge　croaked。　〃I'm　an　American　citizen。　I'm　a　judge。　For　God's　sake；　get　me　out　of　here！〃
　
　〃I'm　doing　everything　I　can；〃　the　ambassador　assured　him。　He　was　shocked　by　Lawrence's　appearance。　The　ambassador　had　greeted　Judge　Lawrence　and　the　other　members　of　the　Judiciary　mittee　when　they　had　arrived　two　weeks　earlier。　The　man　the　ambassador　met　then　bore　no　resemblance　to　the　cringing；　terrified　creature　who　groveled　before　him　now。
　
　What　the　hell　are　the　Russians　up　to　this　time？　the　ambassador　wondered。　The　judge　is　no　more　a　spy　than　I　am。　Then　he　thought　wryly；　I　suppose　I　could　have　chosen　a　better　example。
　
　The　ambassador　demanded　to　see　the　president　of　the　Politburo；　and　when　the　request　was　refused；　he　settled　for　one　of　the　ministers。
　
　〃I　must　make　a　formal　protest；〃　the　ambassador　angrily　declared。　〃Your　country's　behavior　in　the　treatment　of　Judge　Henry　Lawrence　is　inexcusable。　To　call　a　man　of　his　stature　a　spy　is　ridiculous。〃
　
　〃If　you're　quite　finished；〃　the　minister　said　coldly；　〃you　will　please　take　a　look　at　these。〃
　
　He　handed　copies　of　the　cables　to　the　ambassador。
　
　The　ambassador　read　them　and　looked　up；　bewildered。　〃What's　wrong　with　them？　They're　perfectly　innocent。〃
　
　〃Really？　Perhaps　you　had　better　read　them　again。　Decoded。〃　He　handed　the　ambassador　another　copy　of　the　cables。　Every　fourth　word　had　been　underlined。
　
　NEXT　JUDICIARY　COUNCIL　MEETING　CAN　NOW　BE　ARRANGED。
　CONFIRM　CONVENIENT　DATE　AS　SPACE　MUST　BE　REQUESTED。
　BORIS
　
　ADVISE　PROBLEM　TRAVEL　PLANS。
　YOUR　SISTER'S　PLANE　ARRIVED　LATE
　BUT　LANDED　SAFELY。　LOST　PASSPORT　AND　MONEY。
　SHE　WILL　B