tc.patriotgames-第11节

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　　　　〃Your　Majesty；　a　visit　from　a　head　of　state　hardly　qualifies　as　an　imposition。　I　would　be　most　grateful　for　your　pany。〃　Wilson　hustled　to　get　two　chairs　and　excused　himself　out　the　door　as　they　sat。
　　　　The　Queen　was　dressed　in　a　peach…colored　suit　whose　elegant　simplicity　must　have　made　a　noteworthy　dent　even　in　her　clothing　budget。　The　Duke　was　in　a　dark　blue　suit　which　finally　made　Ryan　understand　why　his　wife　wanted　him　to　buy　some　clothes　over　here。
　　　　〃Doctor　Ryan；〃　she　said　formally；　〃on　our　behalf；　and　that　of　our　people；　we　wish　to　express　to　you　our　most　profound　gratitude　for　your　action　of　yesterday。　We　are　very　much　in　your　debt。〃　
　　　　Ryan　nodded　soberly。　He　wondered　just　how　awful　he　looked。　〃For　my　own　part；　ma'am；　I　am　glad　that　I　was　able　to　be　of　service　　but　the　truth　of　the　matter　is　that　I　didn't　really　do　all　that　much。　Anyone　could　have　done　the　same　thing。　I　just　happened　to　be　the　closest。〃
　　　　〃The　police　say　otherwise；〃　the　Duke　observed。　〃And　after　viewing　the　scene　myself；　I　am　inclined　to　agree　with　them。　I'm　afraid　you're　a　hero　whether　you　like　it　or　not。〃　Jack　remembered　that　this　man　had　once　been　a　professional　naval　officer　　probably　a　good　one。　He　had　the　look。
　　　　〃Why　did　you　do　it。　Doctor　Ryan？〃　the　Queen　asked。　She　examined　his　face　closely。
　　　　Jack　made　a　quick　guess。　〃Excuse　me；　ma'am；　but　are　you　asking　why　I　took　the　chance；　or　why　an　Irish…American　would　take　the　chance？〃　Jack　was　still　ordering　his　own　thoughts；　examining　his　own　memories。　Why　did　you　do　it？　Will　you　ever　know？　He　saw　that　he'd　guessed　right　and　went　on　quickly。
　　　　〃Your　Majesty；　I　cannot　speak　to　your　Irish　problem。　I'm　an　American　citizen；　and　my　country　has　enough　problems　of　its　own　without　having　to　delve　into　someone　else's。　Where　I　e　from　we　　that　is；　Irish…Americans　　have　made　out　pretty　well。　We're　in　all　the　professions；　business；　and　politics；　but　your　prototypical　Irish…American　is　still　a　basic　police　officer　or　firefighter。　The　cavalry　that　won　the　West　was　a　third　Irish；　and　there　are　still　plenty　of　us　in　uniform　　especially　the　Marine　Corps；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　Half　of　the　local　FBI　office　lived　in　my　old　neighborhood。　They　had　names　like　Tully；　Sullivan；　O'Connor；　and　Murphy。　My　dad　was　a　police　officer　for　half　his　life；　and　the　priests　and　nuns　who　educated　me　were　mostly　Irish；　probably。
　　　　〃Do　you　see　what　I　mean；　Your　Majesty？　In　America　we　are　the　forces　of　order；　the　glue　that　holds　society　together　　so　what　happens？
　　　　〃Today；　the　most　famous　Irishmen　in　the　world　are　the　maniacs　who　leave　bombs　in　parked　cars；　or　assassins　who　kill　people　to　make　some　sort　of　political　point。　I　don't　like　that；　and　I　know　my　dad　wouldn't　tike　it。　He　spent　his　whole　working　life　taking　animals　like　that　off　the　street　and　putting　them　in　cages　where　they　belong。　We've　worked　pretty　hard　to　get　where　we　are　　too　hard　to　be　happy　about　being　thought　of　as　the　relatives　of　terrorists。〃　Jack　smiled。　〃I　guess　I　understand　how　Italians　feel　about　the　Mafia。　Anyway；　I　can't　say　that　all　this　stuff　paraded　through　my　head　yesterday；　but　I　did　kind　of　figure　what　was　going　on。　I　couldn't　just　sit　there　like　a　dummy　and　let　murder　be　mitted　before　my　eyes　and　not　do　something。　So　I　saw　my　chance　and　I　took　it。〃
　　　　The　Queen　nodded　thoughtfully。　She　regarded　Ryan　with　a　warm；　friendly　smile　for　a　few　moments　and　turned　to　look　at　her　husband。　The　two　municated　without　words。　They'd　been　married　long　enough　for　that；　Ryan　thought。　When　she　turned　back；　he　could　see　that　a　decision　had　been　reached。　
　　　　〃So；　then。　How　shall　we　reward　you？〃
　　　　〃Reward；　ma'am？〃　Ryan　shook　his　head。　〃Thank　you　very　much；　but　it's　not　necessary。　I'm　glad　I　was　able　to　help。　That's　enough。〃
　　　　〃No；　Doctor　Ryan；　it　is　not　enough。　One　of　the　nicer　things　about　being　Queen　is　that　one　is　permitted　to　recognize　meritorious　conduct；　then　to　reward　it　properly。　The　Crown　cannot　appear　to　be　ungrateful。〃　Her　eyes　sparkled　with　some　private　joke。　Ryan　found　himself　captivated　by　the　woman's　humanity。　He'd　read　that　some　people　found　her　to　be　less　than　intelligent。　He　already　knew　they　were　far　off　the　mark。　There　was　an　active　brain　behind　those　eyes；　and　an　active　wit　as　well。　〃Accordingly；　it　has　been　decided　that　you　shall　be　invested　as　a　Knight　mander　of　the　Victorian　Order。〃
　　　　〃What　　er；　I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am？〃　Ryan　blinked　a　few　times　as　his　brain　tried　to　catch　up　with　his　ears。
　　　　〃The　Victorian　Order　is　a　recent　development　intended　to　reward　those　persons　who　have　rendered　personal　service　to　the　Crown。　Certainly　you　qualify。　This　is　the　first　case　in　many　years　that　an　heir　to　the　throne　has　been　saved　from　almost　certain　death。　As　an　historian　yourself；　you　might　be　interested　to　learn　that　our　own　scholars　are　in　disagreement　as　to　when　was　our　most　recent　precedent　　in　any　event；　you　will　henceforth　be　known　as　Sir　John　Ryan。〃
　　　　Again　Jack　thought　that　he　must　look　rather　funny　with　his　mouth　open。
　　　　〃Your　Majesty；　American　law　〃
　　　　〃We　know；〃　she　interrupted　smoothly。　〃The　Prime　Minister　will　be　discussing　this　with　your　President　later　today。　We　believe　that　in　view　of　the　special　nature　of　this　case；　and　in　the　interest　of　Anglo…American　relations；　the　matter　will　be　settled　amicably。〃　
　　　　〃There　is　ample　precedent　for　this；〃　the　Duke　went　on。　〃After　the　Second　World　War　a　number　of　American　officers　were　accorded　similar　recognition。　Your　Fleet　Admiral　Nimitz；　for　example；　became　a　Knight　mander　of　the　Bath；　along　with　Generals　Eisenhower；　Bradley；　Patton；　and　a　number　of　others。
　　　　〃For　the　purposes　of　American　law；　it　will　probably　be　considered　honorary　　but　for　our　purposes　it　will　be　quite　real。〃　
　　　　〃Well。〃　Ryan　fumbled　for　something　to　say。　〃Your　Majesty；　insofar　as　this　does　not　conflict　with　the　laws　of　my　country；　I　will　be　deeply　honored　to　accept。〃　The　Queen　beamed。
　　　　〃That's　settled；　then。　Now；　how　are　you　feeling　　really　feeling？〃
　　　　〃I've　felt　worse；　ma'am。　I　have　no　plaints　　I　just　wish　I'd　moved　a　little　faster。〃
　　　　The　Duke　smiled。　〃Being　wounded　makes　you　appear　that　much　more　heroic　　nothing　like　a　little　drama。〃　
　　　　Especially　if　it's　someone　else's　shoulder；　my　Lord　Duke；　Ryan　thought。　A　small　bell　went　off　in　his　head。　〃Excuse　me；　this　knighthood；　does　it　mean　that　my　wife　will　be　called　〃　
　　　　〃Lady　Ryan？　Of　course。〃　The　Queen　flashed　her　Christmas…tree　smile　again。
　　　　Jack　grinned　broadly。　〃You　know；　when　I　left　Merrill　Lynch；　Cathy's　father　was　madder　than　　he　was　very　angry　with　me；　said　I'd　never　amount　to　anything　writing　history　books。　Maybe　this　will　change　his　mind。〃　He　was　sure　that　Cathy　would　not　mind　the　title　　Lady　Ryan。　No；　she　wouldn't　mind　that　one　little　bit。
　　　　〃Not　so　bad　a　thing　after　all？〃
　　　　〃No；　sir；　and　please　forgive　me　if　I　gave　that　impression。　I'm　afraid　you　caught　me　a　little　off　balance。〃　Ryan　shook　his　head。　This　whole　damned　affair　has　me　a　lot　off　balance。　〃Might　I　ask　a　question；　sir？〃　
　　　　〃Certainly。〃
　　　　〃The　police　wouldn't　tell　me　where　they're　keeping　my　family。〃　This　drew　a　hearty　laugh。　The　Queen　answered。
　　　　〃It　is　the　opinion　of　the　police　that　there　might　exist　the　possibility　of　a　reprisal　against　you　or　your　family。　Therefore　it　was　decided　that　they　should　be　moved　to　a　more　secure　location。　Under　the　circumstances；　we　decided　that　they　might　most　easily　be　moved　to　the　Palace　　it　was　the　least　thing　we　could　do。　When　we　left；　your　wife　and　daughter　were　fast　asleep；　and　we　left　strict　instructions　that　they　should　not　be　disturbed。〃　
　　　　〃The　Palace？〃
　　　　〃We　have　ample　room　for　guests；　I　assure　you；〃　the　Queen　replied。
　　　　〃Oh；　Lord！〃　Ryan　muttered。
　　　　〃You　have　an　objection？〃　the　Duke　asked。　
　　　　〃My　little　girl；　she　〃
　　　　〃Olivia？〃　the　Queen　said；　rather　surprised。　〃She's　a　lovely　child。　When　we　saw　her　last　night　she　was　sleeping　like　an　angel。〃
　　　　〃Sally〃　　Olivia　had　been　a　peace　offering　to　Cathy's　family　that　hadn't　worked；　it　was　the　name　of　her　grandmother　　〃is　a　little　angel；　asleep；　but　when　she　wakes　up　she's　more　like　a　little　tornado；　and　she's　very　good　at　breaking　things。　Especially　valuable　things。〃
　　　　〃What　a　dreadful　thing　to　say！〃　Her　Majesty　feigned　shock。　〃That　lovely　little　girl。　The　police　told　us　that　she　broke　hearts　throughout　Scotland　Yard　last　evening。　I　fear　you　exaggerate；　Sir　John。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　There　was　no　arguing　with　a　queen。

Chapter　3　Flowers　and　Families

　　　　Wilson　had　been　mistaken　in　his　assessment。　The　escape　had　taken　longer　than　anyone　at　the　Yard　had　thought。　Six　hundred　miles　away；　a　Sabena　flight　was　landing　outside　of　Cork。　The　passenger　in　seat　23…D　of　the　Boeing　737　was　entirely　unremarkable；　his　sandy　hair　was　cut　medium…close；　and　he　was　dressed　like　a　middle…level　executive　in　a　neat　but　rumpled　suit　that　gave　the　entirely　accurate　impression　of　a　man　who'd　spent　a　long　day　on　the　job　and　gotten　too　little　sleep　before　catching　a　flight　home。　An　experienced　traveler　to　be　sure；　with　one　carry…on　flight　bag。　If　asked；　he　could　have　given　a　convincing　discourse　on　the　wholesale　fish　business　in　the　accent　of　Southwestern　Ireland。　He　could　change　accents　as　easily　as　most　men　changed　shirts；　a　useful　skill；　since　TV　news　crews　h