tc.patriotgames-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　〃I　read　that　this　morning。　It　was　as　much　a　surprise　to　me　as　it　was　to　anyone　else。〃　Ryan　smiled。　〃Somebody　made　a　mistake。　I'm　not　good…looking　enough　to　be　a　spy。〃　
　　　　〃So　you　deny　that　report？〃　asked　the　Daily　Mirror。
　　　　〃Correct。　It's　just　not　true。　I　teach　history　at　the　Naval　Academy；　in　Annapolis。　That　ought　to　be　easy　enough　to　check　out。　I　just　gave　an　exam　last　week。　You　can　ask　my　students。〃　Jack　waved　his　left　hand　at　the　camera　again。
　　　　〃The　report　es　from　some　highly　placed　sources；〃　observed　the　Post。
　　　　〃If　you　read　a　little　history；　you'll　see　that　highly　placed　folks　have　been　known　to　make　mistakes。　I　think　that's　what　happened　here。　I　teach。　I　write　books。　I　lecture　　okay；　I　did　give　a　lecture　at　CIA　once；　but　that　was　just　a　repeat　of　one　I　delivered　at　the　Naval　War　College　and　one　other　symposium。　It　wasn't　even　classified。　Maybe　that's　where　the　report　es　from。　Like　I　said；　check　it　out。　My　office　is　in　Leahy　Hall；　at　the　Naval　Academy。　I　think　somebody　just　goofed。〃　Somebody　goofed；　all　right。　〃I　can　get　you　guys　a　copy　of　the　lecture。　It's　no　big　deal。〃　
　　　　〃How　do　you　like　being　a　public　figure；　now？〃　one　of　the　Brit　TV　people　asked。
　　　　Thanks　for　changing　the　subject。　〃I　think　I　can　live　without　it。　I'm　not　a　movie　star；　either　　again；　not　good…looking　enough。〃　
　　　　〃You're　far　too　modest。　Doctor　Ryan；〃　a　female　reporter　observed。
　　　　〃Please　be　careful　how　you　say　that。　My　wife　will　probably　see　this。〃　There　was　general　laughter。　〃I　suppose　I'm　good…looking　enough　for　her。　That's　enough。　With　all　due　respect；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　I'll　be　perfectly　glad　to　descend　back　into　obscurity。〃　
　　　　〃Do　you　think　that　likely？〃
　　　　〃That　depends　on　how　lucky　I　am；　ma'am。　And　on　whether　you　folks　will　let　me。〃
　　　　〃What　do　you　think　we　should　do　with　the　terrorist；　Sean　Miller？〃　the　Times　asked。
　　　　〃That's　for　a　judge　and　jury　to　decide。　You　don't　need　me　for　that。〃　
　　　　〃Do　you　think　we　should　have　capital　punishment？〃　
　　　　〃We　have　it　where　I　live。　For　your　country；　that　is　a　question　for　your　elected　representatives。　We　both　live　in　democracies；　don't　we？　The　people　you　elect　are　supposed　to　do　what　the　voters　ask　them　to　do。〃　Not　that　it　always　works　that　way；　but　that's　the　theory　。　。　。　
　　　　〃So　you　support　the　idea？〃　the　Times　persisted。
　　　　〃In　appropriate　cases；　subject　to　strict　judicial　review；　yes。　Now　you're　going　to　ask　me　about　this　case；　right？　It's　a　moot　point。　Anyway；　I'm　no　expert　on　criminal　justice。　My　dad　was　a　cop　but　I'm　just　a　historian。〃
　　　　〃And　what　of　your　perspective；　as　an　Irish…American；　on　the　Troubles？〃　the　Telegraph　wanted　to　know。
　　　　〃We　have　enough　problems　of　our　own　in　America　without　having　to　borrow　yours。〃　
　　　　〃So　you　say　we　should　solve　it；　then？〃　
　　　　〃What　do　you　think？　Isn't　that　what　problems　are　for？〃　
　　　　〃Surely　you　have　a　suggestion。　Most　Americans　do。〃　
　　　　〃I　think　I　teach　history。　I'll　let　other　people　make　it。　It's　like　being　a　reporter。〃　Ryan　smiled。　〃I　get　to　criticize　people　long　after　they　make　their　decisions。　That　doesn't　mean　I　know　what　to　do　today。〃
　　　　〃But　you　knew　what　to　do　on　Tuesday；〃　the　Times　pointed　out。　Ryan　shrugged。

　　　　〃Yeah；　I　guess　I　did；〃　Ryan　said　on　the　television　screen。
　　　　〃You　clever　bastard；〃　Kevin　Joseph　O'Donnell　muttered　into　a　glass　of　dark　Guinness　beer。　His　base　of　operations　was　much　farther　from　the　border　than　any　might　have　suspected。　Ireland　is　a　small　country；　and　distances　are　but　relative　things　　particularly　to　those　with　all　the　resources　they　need。　His　former　colleagues　in　the　PIRA　had　extensive　safehouses　along　the　border；　convenient　to　a　quick　trip　across　from　either　direction。　Not　for　O'Donnell。　There　were　numerous　practical　reasons。　The　Brits　had　their　informers　and　intelligence　people　there；　always　creeping　about　　and　the　SAS　raiders；　who　were　not　averse　to　a　quick　snatch　　or　a　quiet　kill　　of　persons　who　had　made　the　mistake　of　being　too　well　known。　The　border　could　be　a　convenience　to　either　side。　A　more　serious　threat　was　the　PIRA　itself；　which　also　watched　the　border　closely。　His　face；　altered　as　it　was　with　some　minor　surgery　and　a　change　in　hair　color；　might　still　be　recognizable　to　a　former　colleague。　But　not　here。　And　the　border　wasn't　all　that　far　a　drive　in　a　country　barely　three　hundred　miles　long。
　　　　He　turned　away　from　the　Sony　television　and　gazed　out　the　leaded…glass　windows　to　the　darkness　of　the　sea。　He　saw　the　running　lights　of　a　car　ferry　inbound　from　Le　Havre。　The　view　was　always　a　fine　one。　Even　in　the　limited　visibility　of　an　ocean　storm；　one　could　savor　the　fundamental　force　of　nature　as　the　gray　waves　battered　the　rocky　cliff。　Now；　the　clear；　cold　air　gave　him　a　view　to　the　star…defined　horizon；　and　he　spied　another　merchant　ship　heading　eastward　for　an　unknown　port。　It　pleased　O'Donnell　that　this　stately　house　on　the　headlands　had　once　belonged　to　a　British　lord。　It　pleased　him　more　that　he'd　been　able　to　purchase　it　through　a　dummy　corporation；　that　there　were　few　questions　when　cash　and　a　reputable　solicitor　were　involved。　So　vulnerable　this　society　　all　societies　were　when　you　had　the　proper　resources　。　。　。　and　a　petent　tailor。　So　shallow　they　were。　So　lacking　in　political　awareness。　One　must　know　who　one's　enemies　are；　O'Donnell　told　himself　at　least　ten　times　every　day。　Not　a　liberal　〃democratic〃　society；　though。　Enemies　were　people　to　be　dealt　with；　promised　with；　to　be　civilized；　brought　into　the　fold；　co…opted。
　　　　Fools；　self…destructive；　ignorant　fools　who　earned　their　own　destruction。
　　　　Someday　they　would　all　disappear；　just　as　one　of　those　ships　slid　beneath　the　horizon。　History　was　a　science；　an　inevitable　process。　O'Donnell　was　sure　of　that。
　　　　He　turned　again　to　stare　into　the　fire　burning　under　the　wide；　stone　mantel。　There　had　once　been　stag　heads　hanging　over　it；　perhaps　the　lord's　favorite　fowling　piece　　from　Purdey's；　to　be　sure。　And　a　painting　or　two。　Of　horses；　O'Donnell　was　sure　　they　had　to　be　paintings　of　horses。　The　country　gentleman　who　had　built　this　house；　he　mused；　would　have　been　someone　who'd　been　given　everything　he　had。　No　ideology　would　have　intruded　in　his　empty；　useless　head。　He　would　have　sat　in　a　chair　very　like　this　one　and　sipped　his　malt　whiskey　and　stared　into　the　fire　　his　favorite　dog　at　this　feet　　while　he　chatted　about　the　day's　hunting　with　a　neighbor　and　planned　the　hunting　for　the　morrow。　Will　it　be　birds　again；　or　fox；　Bertie？　Haven't　had　a　good　fox　hunt　in　weeks；　time　we　did　it　again；　don't　you　think？　Or　something　like　that；　he　was　sure。　O'Donnell　wondered　if　there　was　a　seasonal　aspect　to　it；　or　had　the　lord　just　done　whatever　suited　his　mood。　The　current　owner　of　the　country　house　never　hunted　animals。　What　was　the　point　of　killing　something　that　could　not　harm　you　or　your　cause；　something　that　had　no　ideology？　Besides；　that　was　something　the　Brits　did；　something　the　local　gentry　still　did。　He　didn't　hunt　the　local　Irish　gentry；　they　weren't　worth　his　contempt；　much　less　his　action。　At　least；　not　yet。　You　don't　hate　trees；　he　told　himself。　You　ignore　the　things　until　you　have　to　cut　them　down。　He　turned　back　to　the　television。
　　　　That　Ryan　fellow　was　still　there；　he　saw；　talking　amiably　with　the　press　idiots。　Bloody　hero。　Why　did　you　slick　your　nose　in　where　it　doesn't　belong？　Reflex；　sounds　like；　O'Donnell　judged。　Bloody　meddling　fool。　Don't　even　know　what's　going　on；　do　you？　None　of　you　do。
　　　　Americans。　The　Provo　fools　still　like　to　talk　it　up　with　your　kind；　telling　their　lies　and　pretending　that　they　represent　Ireland。　What　do　you　Yanks　know　about　anything？　Oh；　but　we　can't　afford　to　offend　the　Americans；　the　Proves　still　said。　Bloody　Americans；　with　all　their　money　and　all　their　arrogance；　all　their　ideas　on　right　and　wrong；　their　childish　vision　of　Irish　destiny。　Like　children　dressed　up　for　First　munion。　So　pure。　So　naive。　So　useless　with　their　trickle　of　money　　for　all　that　the　Brits　plained　about　NORAID；　O'Donnell　knew　that　the　PIRA　had　not　netted　a　million　dollars　from　America　in　the　past　three　years。　All　the　Americans　knew　of　Ireland　came　from　a　few　movies；　some　half…remembered　songs　for　St。　Paddy's　Day；　and　the　occasional　bottle　of　whiskey。　What　did　they　know　of　life　in　Ulster；　of　the　imperialist　oppression；　the　way　all　Ireland　was　still　enslaved　to　the　decaying　British　Empire；　which　was；　in　turn；　enslaved　to　the　American　one？　What　did　they　know　about　anything？　But　we　can't　offend　the　Americans。　The　leader　of　the　ULA　finished　off　his　beer　and　set　it　on　the　end　table。
　　　　The　Cause　didn't　require　much；　not　really。　A　clear　ideological　objective。　A　few　good　men。　Friends；　the　right　friends；　with　access　to　the　right　resources。　That　was　all。　Why　clutter　things　up　with　bloody　Americans？　And　a　public　political　wing　　Sinn　Fein　electing　people　to　Parliament；　what　rubbish！　They　were　waiting；　hoping　to　be　co…opted　by　the　Brit　imperialists。　Valuable　political　targets　declared　off…limits。　And　people　wondered　why　the　Proves　were　getting　nowhere。　Their　ideology　was　bankrupt；　and　there　were　too　many　people　in　the　Brigade。　When　the　Brits　caught　some；　a　few　were　bound　to　turn　tout　and　inform　on　their　rades。　The　kind　of　mitment　needed　for　this　sort　of　job　demanded　an　elite　few。　O'Donnell　ha