tc.patriotgames-第23节

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　　　　〃Oh；　it　worked。〃　Sir　Basil　paused　for　a　moment。　〃That　idea　is　bloody　simple　　and　bloody　brilliant！　Then　there　was　the　substantive　aspect　of　the　paper。　Did　they　tell　you　that　your　report　agreed　in　nearly　every　detail　with　an　investigation　we　ran　last　year？〃　
　　　　〃No；　sir；　they　didn't。　So　far　as　I　know；　all　the　documents　I　worked　with　came　from　our　own　people。〃
　　　　〃Then　you　came　up　with　it　entirely　on　your　own？　Marvelous。〃
　　　　〃Did　I　goof　up　on　anything？〃　Ryan　asked　the　Admiral。
　　　　〃You　should　have　paid　a　bit　more　attention　to　that　South　African　chap。　That　is　more　our　patch；　of　course；　and　perhaps　you　didn't　have　enough　information　to　fiddle　with。　We're　giving　him　a　very　close　look　at　the　moment。〃
　　　　Ryan　finished　off　his　glass　and　thought　about　that。　There　had　been　a　good　deal　of　information　on　Mr。　Martens　。　。　。　What　did　I　miss？　He　couldn't　ask　that；　not　now。　Bad　form。　But　he　could　ask　　
　　　　〃Aren't　the　South　African　people　〃
　　　　〃I'm　afraid　the　cooperation　they　give　us　isn't　quite　as　good　now　as　it　once　was；　and　Erik　Martens　is　quite　a　valuable　chap　for　them。　One　can　hardly　blame　them；　you　know。　He　does　have　a　way　of　procuring　what　their　military　need；　and　that　rather　limits　the　pressure　his　government　are　willing　to　put　on　him；〃　Holmes　pointed　out。　〃There　is　also　the　Israeli　connection　to　be　considered。　They　occasionally　stray　from　the　path；　but　we　　SIS　and　CIA　　have　too　many　mon　interests　to　rock　the　boat　severely。〃　Ryan　nodded。　The　Israeli　defense　establishment　had　orders　to　generate　as　much　ine　as　possible；　and　this　occasionally　ran　contrary　to　the　wishes　of　Israel's　allies。　I　remember　Martens'　connections；　but　I　must　have　missed　something　important　。　。　。　what？
　　　　〃Please　don't　take　this　as　criticism；〃　Charleston　said。　〃For　a　first　attempt　your　report　was　excellent。　The　CIA　must　have　you　back。　It's　one　of　the　few　Agency　reports　that　didn't　threaten　to　put　me　to　sleep。　If　nothing　else；　perhaps　you　might　teach　their　analysts　how　to　write。　Surely　they　asked　if　you　wanted　to　stay　on？〃　
　　　　〃They　asked；　sir。　I　didn't　think　it　was　a　very　good　idea　for　me。〃
　　　　〃Think　again；〃　Sir　Basil　suggested　gently。　〃This　Junior　Varsity　idea　was　a　good　one；　like　the　Team…B　program　back　in　the　seventies。　We　do　it　also　　get　some　outside　academics　into　the　shop　　to　take　a　new　look　at　all　the　data　that　cascades　in　the　front　door。　Judge　Moore；　your　new　DCI；　is　a　genuine　breath　of　fresh　air。　Splendid　chap。　Knows　the　trade　quite　well；　but　he's　been　away　from　it　long　enough　to　have　some　new　ideas。　You　are　one　of　them；　Doctor　Ryan。　You　belong　in　the　business；　lad。〃　
　　　　〃I'm　not　so　sure　about　that；　sir。　My　degree's　history　and　〃　
　　　　〃So　is　mine；〃　Bill　Holmes　said。　〃One's　degree　doesn't　matter。　In　the　intelligence　trade　we　look　for　the　right　sort　of　mind。　You　appear　to　have　it。　Ah；　well；　we　can't　recruit　you；　can　we？　I　would　be　rather　disappointed　if　Arthur　and　James　don't　try　again。　Do　think　about　it。〃
　　　　I　have；　Ryan　didn't　say。　He　nodded　thoughtfully；　mulling　over　his　own　thoughts。　But　I　like　teaching　history。　
　　　　〃The　hero　of　the　hour！〃　Another　man　joined　the　group。
　　　　〃Good　evening；　Geoffrey；〃　Charleston　said。　〃Doctor　Ryan；　this　is　Geoffrey　Watkins　of　the　Foreign　Office。〃
　　　　〃Like　David　Ashley　of　the　'Home　Office'？〃　Ryan　shook　the　man's　hand。
　　　　〃Actually　I　spend　much　of　my　time　right　here；〃　Watkins　said。
　　　　〃Geoff's　the　liaison　officer　between　the　Foreign　Office　and　the　Royal　Family。　He　handles　briefings；　dabbles　in　protocol；　and　generally　makes　a　nuisance　of　himself；〃　Holmes　explained　with　a　smile。　〃How　long　now；　Geoff？〃
　　　　Watkins　frowned　as　he　thought　that　over。　〃Just　over　four　years；　I　think。　Seems　like　only　last　week。　Nothing　like　the　glamour　one　might　expect。　Mainly　I　carry　the　dispatch　box　and　try　to　hide　in　corners。〃　Ryan　smiled。　He　could　identify　with　that。
　　　　〃Nonsense；〃　Charleston　objected。　〃One　of　the　best　minds　in　the　Office；　else　they　wouldn't　have　kept　you　here。〃　
　　　　Watkins　made　an　embarrassed　gesture。　〃It　does　keep　me　rather　busy。〃
　　　　〃It　must；〃　Holmes　observed。　〃I　haven't　seen　you　at　the　tennis　club　in　months。〃
　　　　〃Doctor　Ryan；　the　Palace　staff　have　asked　me　to　express　their　appreciation　for　what　you　have　done。〃　He　droned　on　for　a　few　more　seconds。　Watkins　was　an　inch　under　Ryan's　height　and　pushing　forty。　His　neatly　trimmed　black　hair　was　going　gray　at　the　sides；　and　his　skin　was　pale　in　the　way　of　people　who　rarely　saw　the　sun。　He　looked　like　a　diplomat。　His　smile　was　so　perfect　that　he　must　have　practiced　it　in　front　of　a　mirror。　It　was　the　sort　of　smile　that　could　have　meant　anything。　Or　more　likely；　nothing。　There　was　interest　behind　those　blue　eyes；　though。　As　had　happened　many　times　in　the　past　few　weeks；　this　man　was　trying　to　decide　what　Dr。　John　Patrick　Ryan　was　made　of。　The　subject　of　the　investigation　was　getting　very　tired　of　this；　but　there　wasn't　much　Jack　could　do　about　it。
　　　　〃Geoff　is　something　of　an　expert　on　the　Northern　Ireland　situation；〃　Holmes　said。
　　　　〃No　one's　an　'expert；'　〃　Watkins　said　with　a　shake　of　his　head。　〃I　was　there　at　the　beginning；　back　in　1969。　I　was　in　uniform　then；　a　subaltern　with　　well；　that　hardly　matters　now；　does　it？　How　do　you　think　we　should　handle　the　problem；　Doctor　Ryan？〃　
　　　　〃People　have　been　asking　me　that　question　for　three　weeks；　Mr。　Watkins。　How　the　hell　should　I　know？〃
　　　　〃Still　looking　for　ideas；　Geoff？〃　Holmes　asked。
　　　　〃The　right　idea　is　out　there　somewhere；〃　Watkins　said；　keeping　his　eyes　on　Ryan。
　　　　〃I　don't　have　it；〃　Jack　said。　〃And　even　if　someone　did；　how　would　you　know？　I　teach　history；　remember；　I　don't　make　it。〃　
　　　　〃Just　a　history　teacher；　and　these　two　chaps　descend　on　you？〃　
　　　　〃We　wanted　to　see　if　he　really　works　for　CIA；　as　the　papers　say；〃　Charleston　responded。
　　　　Jack　took　the　signal　from　that。　Watkins　wasn't　cleared　for　everything；　and　was　not　to　know　about　his　past　association　with　the　Agency　　not　that　he　couldn't　draw　his　own　conclusions；　Ryan　reminded　himself。　Regardless；　rules　were　rules。　That's　why　I　turned　Greer's　offer　down；　Jack　remembered。　All　those　idiot　rules。　You　can't　talk　to　anybody　about　this　or　that；　not　even　to　your　wife。　Security。　Security。　Security　。　。　。　Crap！　Sure；　some　things　have　to　stay　secret；　but　if　nobody　gets　to　see　them；　how　is　anyone　supposed　to　make　use　of　them　　and　what　good　is　a　secret　you　can't　use？
　　　　〃You　know；　it'll　be　nice　to　get　back　to　Annapolis。　At　least　the　mids　believe　I'm　a　teacher！〃
　　　　〃Quite；〃　Watkins　noted。　And　the　head　of　SIS　is　asking　you　for　an　opinion　on　Trafalgar。　What　exactly　are　you；　Ryan？　After　leaving　military　service　in　1972　and　joining　the　Foreign　Office；　Watkins　had　often　played　the　foreign　service　officer's　embassy　game：　Who's　the　spook？　He　was　getting　mixed　signals　from　Ryan；　and　this　made　the　game　all　the　more　interesting。　Watkins　loved　games。　All　sorts。
　　　　〃How　do　you　keep　yourself　busy　now；　Geoff？〃　Holmes　asked。
　　　　〃You　mean；　aside　from　the　twelve…hour　days？　I　do　manage　to　read　the　occasional　book。　I　just　started　going　through　'Moll　Flanders'　again。〃
　　　　〃Really？〃　Holmes　asked。　〃I　just　started　'Robinson　Crusoe'　a　few　days　ago。　One　sure　way　of　getting　one's　mind　off　the　world　is　to　return　to　the　classics。〃　
　　　　〃Do　you　read　the　classics。　Doctor　Ryan？〃　Watkins　asked。
　　　　〃Used　to。　Jesuit　education；　remember？　They　don't　let　you　avoid　the　old　stuff。〃　Is　'Moll　Flanders'　a　classic？　Jack　wondered。　It's　not　in　Latin　or　Greek；　and　it's　not　Shakespeare　。　。　。　
　　　　〃　'Old　stuff。'　What　a　terrible　attitude！〃　Watkins　laughed。　
　　　　〃Did　you　ever　try　to　read　Virgil　in　the　original？〃　Ryan　asked。　
　　　　〃Arma　virumque　cano；　trojae　qui　primus　ab　oris　。　。　。？〃　
　　　　〃Geoff　and　I　attended　Winchester　together；〃　Holmes　explained。　〃Contiquere　omnes；　intenteque　ora　tenebant　。　。　。　〃　Both　public　school　graduates　had　a　good　chuckle。
　　　　〃Hey；　I　got　good　marks　in　Latin；　I　just　don't　remember　any　of　it；〃　Ryan　said　defensively。
　　　　〃Another　colonial　philistine；〃　Watkins　observed。
　　　　Ryan　decided　that　he　didn't　like　Mr。　Watkins。　The　foreign…service　officer　was　deliberately　hitting　him　to　get　reactions；　and　Ryan　had　long　since　tired　of　this　game。　Ryan　was　happy　with　what　he　was；　and　didn't　need　a　bunch　of　amateur　pshrinks；　as　he　called　them；　to　define　his　personality　for　him。
　　　　〃Sorry。　Where　I　live　we　have　slightly　different　priorities。〃　
　　　　〃Of　course；〃　Watkins　replied。　The　smile　hadn't　changed　a　whit。　This　surprised　Jack；　though　he　wasn't　sure　why。
　　　　〃You　live　not　far　from　the　Naval　Academy；　don't　you？　Wasn't　there　some　sort　of　incident　there　recently？〃　Sir　Basil　asked。　〃I　read　about　it　in　some　report　somewhere。　I　never　did　get　straight　on　the　details。〃
　　　　〃It　wasn't　really　terrorism　　just　your　basic　crime；　A　couple　of　midshipmen　saw　what　looked　like　a　drug　deal　being　made　in　Annapolis；　and　called　the　police。　The　people　who　got　arrested　were　members　of　a　local　motorcycle　gang。　A　week　later；　some　of　the　gang　members　decided　to　take　the　mids　out。　They　got　past　the　Jimmy　Legs　　the　civilian　security　guards　　about　three　in　the　morning　and　sneaked　into　Bancroft　Hall。　They　must　have　assumed　that　it　was　just　another　college　dorm　　not　hardly。　The　kids　standing　midwatch　spotted　them；　got　the　alarm　out；　and　then　everything　came　apart。　The　intruders　got　themselve