tc.patriotgames-第88节

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　Texas　next　year；　and　you're　one　of　the　candidates　for　his　job。　I　don't　know　if　Sergey's　aware　of　that；　but　you　probably　looked　like　the　best　target　of　opportunity　in　the　room；　and　he　wanted　to　get　a　feel　for　you。　Happens　all　the　time。〃　
　　　　〃Cantor's　job？　But　　nobody　told　me　that！〃
　　　　〃The　world's　full　of　surprises。　They　probably　haven't　finished　the　full　background　check　on　you　yet；　and　they　won't　pop　the　offer　until　they　do。　I　presume　the　information　you're　looking　at　is　still　pretty　limited？〃　
　　　　〃I　can't　discuss　that；　Father。〃
　　　　The　priest　smiled。　〃Thought　so。　The　work　you've　done　over　there　has　impressed　the　right　people。　If　I　have　things　right；　they're　going　to　bring　you　along　like　a　good　welterweight　prospect。〃　Riley　got　another　glass　of　champagne。　〃If　I　know　James　Greer；　he'll　just　sort　of　ease　you　into　it。　What　did　it；　you　see；　was　that　Canary　Trap　thing。　It　really　impressed　some　folks。〃　
　　　　〃How　do　you　know　all　this？〃　Ryan　asked；　shocked　at　what　he'd　just　heard。
　　　　〃Jack；　how　do　you　think　you　got　over　there　in　the　first　place？　Who　do　you　think　got　you　that　Center　for　Strategic　and　International　Studies　fellowship？　The　people　there　liked　your　work；　too。　Between　what　I　said　and　what　they　said；　Marty　thought　you　were　worth　a　look　last　summer；　and　you　worked　out　better　than　anyone　expected。　There　are　some　people　around　town　who　respect　my　opinion。〃
　　　　〃Oh。〃　Ryan　had　to　smile。　He'd　allowed　himself　to　forget　the　first　thing　about　the　Society　of　Jesus：　they　know　everyone；　from　whom　they　can　learn　nearly　everything。　The　President　of　the　university　belonged　to　both　the　Cosmos　and　University　clubs；　with　which　came　access　to　the　most　important　ears　and　mouths　in　Washington。　That's　how　it　would　start。　Occasionally　a　man　would　need　advice　on　something；　and　being　unable　to　consult　the　people　he　worked　with；　he　might　try　to　discuss　it　with　a　clergyman。　No　one　was　better　qualified　for　this　than　a　Jesuit；　meticulously　educated；　well　versed　in　the　ways　of　the　world；　but　not　spoiled　by　it　　most　of　the　time。　Like　any　clergyman；　each　was　a　good　listener。　So　effective　was　the　Society　at　gathering　information　that　the　State　Department's　code…breakers　had　once　been　tasked　to　break　the　Jesuits'　own　cipher　systems；　the　assignment　had　started　a　small　revolt　in　the　〃Black　Chamber〃　。　。　。　until　they'd　realized　what　sort　of　information　was　finding　its　way　to　them。
　　　　When　Saint　Ignatius　Loyola　had　founded　the　order；　the　ex…soldier　set　it　on　a　path　to　do　only　two　things：　to　send　out　missionaries　and　to　build　schools。　Both　had　been　done　extraordinarily　well。　The　influence　passed　on　by　the　schooling　would　never　be　lost　on　the　men　who'd　graduated。　It　wasn't　Machiavellian；　not　really。　The　colleges　and　universities　plied　its　students　with　philosophy　and　ethics　and　theology　　all　required　courses　　to　mute　their　baser　tendencies　and　sharpen　their　wits。　For　centuries　the　Jesuits　had　built　〃men　for　others；〃　and　wielded　a　kind　of　invisible　temporal　power；　mainly　for　the　good。　Father　Riley's　intellectual　credentials　were　widely　known；　and　his　opinions　would　be　sought；　just　as　from　any　distinguished　academic；　added　to　which　was　his　moral　authority　as　a　graduate　theologian。
　　　　〃We're　good　security　risks。　Jack；〃　Riley　said　benignly。　〃Can　you　imagine　one　of　us　being　a　munist　agent？　So；　are　you　interested　in　the　job？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Ryan　looked　at　his　reflection　in　a　window。　〃It　would　mean　more　time　away　from　the　family。　We're　expecting　another　one　this　summer；　you　know。〃
　　　　〃Congratulations；　that's　good　news。　I　know　you're　a　family　man；　Jack。　The　job　would　mean　some　sacrifices；　but　you're　a　good　man　for　it。〃　
　　　　〃Think　so？〃　I　haven't　exactly　set　the　world　on　fire　yet。
　　　　〃I'd　rather　see　people　like　you　over　there　than　some　others　I　know。　Jack；　you're　plenty　smart　enough。　You　know　how　to　make　decisions；　but　more　importantly；　you're　a　pretty　good　fellow。　I　know　you're　ambitious；　but　you've　got　ethics；　values。　I'm　one　of　those　people　who　thinks　that　still　matters　for　something　in　the　world；　regardless　of　how　nasty　things　get。〃
　　　　〃They　get　pretty　nasty。　Father；〃　Ryan　said　after　a　moment。　
　　　　〃How　close　are　you　to　finding　them？〃
　　　　〃Not　very　close　at　〃　Jack　stopped　himself　too　late。　〃You　did　that　one　pretty　well。〃
　　　　〃I　didn't　mean　it　that　way；〃　Father　Tim　said　very　sincerely。　〃It　would　be　a　better　world　if　they　were　off　the　street。　There　must　be　something　wrong　with　the　way　they　think。　It's　hard　to　understand　how　anyone　could　deliberately　hurt　a　child。〃　
　　　　〃Father；　you　really　don't　have　to　understand　them。　You　just　have　to　know　where　to　find　them。〃
　　　　〃That's　work　for　the　police；　and　the　courts；　and　a　jury。　That's　why　we　have　laws。　Jack；〃　Riley　said　gently。
　　　　Ryan　turned　to　the　window　again。　He　examined　his　own　image　and　wondered　what　it　was　that　he　saw。　〃Father；　you're　a　good　man；　but　you've　never　had　kids　of　your　own。　I　can　forgive　somebody　who　es　after　me；　maybe；　but　not　anyone　who　tries　to　hurt　my　little　girl。　If　I　find　him　　hell；　I　won't。　But　I　sure　would　like　to；〃　Jack　told　the　image　of　himself。　Yes；　it　agreed。
　　　　〃It's　not　a　good　thing；　hate。　It　might　do　things　to　you　that　you'll　regret；　things　that　can　change　you　from　the　person　you　are。〃
　　　　Ryan　turned　back；　thinking　about　the　person　he'd　just　looked　at。　〃Maybe　it　already　has。〃

Chapter　20　Data

　　　　It　was　a　singularly　boring　tape。　Owens　was　used　to　reading　police　reports；　transcripts　of　interrogations；　and；　worst　of　all；　intelligence　documents；　but　the　tape　was　even　more　boring　than　that。　The　microphone　which　the　Security　Service　had　hidden　in　Cooley's　shop　was　sound…activated　and　sensitive　enough　to　pick　up　any　noise。　The　fact　that　Cooley　hummed　a　lot　made　Owens　regret　this　feature。　The　detective　whose　job　it　was　to　listen　to　the　unedited　tape　had　included　several　minutes　of　the　awful；　atonal　noise　to　let　his　mander　know　what　he　had　to　suffer　through。　The　bell　finally　rang。
　　　　Owens　heard　the　clatter；　made　metallic　by　the　recording　system；　of　the　door　opening　and　closing；　then　the　sound　of　Cooley's　swivel　chair　scraping　across　the　floor。　It　must　have　had　a　bad　wheel；　Owens　noted。
　　　　〃Good　morning；　sir！〃　It　was　Cooley's　voice。
　　　　〃And　to　you；〃　said　the　second。　〃Well；　have　you　finished　the　Marlowe？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　I　have。〃　
　　　　〃So　what's　the　price？〃
　　　　Cooley　didn't　say　it　aloud；　but　Ashley　had　told　Owens　that　the　shop　owner　never　spoke　a　price。　He　handed　it　to　his　customers　on　a　file　card。　That；　Owens　thought；　was　one　way　to　keep　from　haggling。
　　　　〃That　is　quite　steep；　you　know；〃　Watkins'　voice　observed。
　　　　〃I　could　get　more；　but　you　are　one　of　our　better　clients；〃　Cooley　replied。
　　　　The　sigh　was　audible　on　the　tape。　〃Very　well；　it　is　worth　it。〃　
　　　　The　transaction　was　made　at　once。　They　could　hear　the　rasping　sound　of　new　banknotes　being　counted。
　　　　〃I　may　soon　have　something　new　from　a　collection　in　Kerry；〃　Cooley　said　next。
　　　　〃Oh？〃　There　was　interest　in　the　reply。
　　　　〃Yes；　a　signed　first　edition　of　Great　Expectations。　I　saw　it　on　my　last　trip　over。　Might　you　be　interested　in　that？〃　
　　　　〃Signed；　eh？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　sir；　'Boz'　himself。　I　realize　that　the　Victorian　period　is　rather　more　recent　than　most　of　your　acquisitions；　but　the　author's　signature　。　。　。　〃　
　　　　〃Indeed。　I　would　like　to　see　it；　of　course。〃　
　　　　〃That　can　be　arranged。〃
　　　　〃At　this　point；〃　Owens　told　Ashley；　〃Watkins　leaned　over；　and　our　man　in　the　jewelry　shop　lost　sight　of　him。〃　
　　　　〃So　he　could　have　passed　a　message。〃
　　　　〃Possibly。〃　Owens　switched　off　the　tape　machine。　The　rest　of　the　conversation　had　no　significance。
　　　　〃The　last　time　he　was　in　Ireland；　Cooley　didn't　go　to　County　Kerry。　He　was　in　Cork　the　whole　time。　He　visited　three　dealers　in　rare　books；　spent　the　night　in　a　hotel；　and　had　a　few　pints　at　a　local　pub；〃　Ashley　reported。　
　　　　〃A　pub？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　he　drinks　in　Ireland；　but　not　in　London。〃　
　　　　〃Did　he　meet　anyone　there？〃
　　　　〃Impossible　to　tell。　Our　man　wasn't　close　enough。　His　orders　were　to　be　discreet；　and　he　did　well　not　to　be　spotted。〃　Ashley　was　quiet　for　a　moment　as　he　tried　to　pin　down　something　on　the　tape。　〃It　sounded　to　me　as　though　he　paid　cash　for　the　book。〃　
　　　　〃He　did；　and　it　is　out　of　pattern。　Like　most　of　us　he　uses　checks　and　credit　cards　for　the　majority　of　his　transactions；　but　not　for　this。　His　bank　records　show　no　checks　to　this　shop；　though　he　does　occasionally　make　large　cash　withdrawals。　They　may　or　may　not　match　with　his　purchases　there。〃
　　　　〃How　very　odd；〃　Ashley　thought　aloud。　〃Everyone　　well；　someone　must　know　that　he　goes　there。〃　
　　　　〃Checks　have　dates　on　them；〃　Owens　suggested。
　　　　〃Perhaps。〃　Ashley　wasn't　convinced；　but　he'd　done　enough　investigations　of　this　kind　to　know　that　you　never　got　all　the　answers。　Some　details　were　always　left　hanging。　〃I　took　another　look　at　Geoff's　service　record　last　night。　Do　you　know　that　when　he　was　in　Ireland；　he　had　four　men　killed　in　his　platoon？〃　
　　　　〃What？　That　makes　him　a　fine　candidate　for　our　investigation！〃　Owens　didn't　think　this　was　good　news。
　　　　〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　Ashley　agreed。　〃I　had　one　of　our　chaps　in　Germany　　his　former　regiment's　assigned　to　the　BAOR　at　the　moment　　interview　one　of　Watkins's　mates。　Had　a　platoon　in　the　same　pany；　the　chap's　a　half…c