el.angeleyes-第123节

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　〃What　is　it；　Russ？〃
　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　holding　on　to　her；　〃you're　not　going　to　pull　one　of　your　patented　stunts　and　disappear　over　the　horizon？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃I　don't　have　reason　to　do　that　anymore。〃
　Still；　he　would　not　let　her　go。　〃We　have　so　much　to　say　to　each　other。''
　She　touched　him　on　the　cheek。　〃Are　you　afraid　we　won't　have　the　time？〃
　Russell　poured　himself　more　coffee。　〃When　I　was　in　college；　I　had　a　recurring　dream　about　ing　to　the　end　of　a　vast；　flat；　featureless　plain　across　which　I　had　been　walking　for　years。　In　front　of　me　was　a　sheer　drop　into　blackness；　and　I　would　wake　up；　terrified　because　I　did　not　want　to　take　another　step　forward。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃Now　I　think　I'd　prefer　stepping　over　the　edge　than　staying　on　that　flat；　featureless　plain。〃
　〃Then　we'll　step　over　it　together；〃　Tori　said。　She　threw　her　arms　around　him；　kissed　him　good…bye。　〃We'll　have　as　much　time　as　we　need；　I　promise　you。''　
　She　went　off　the　plane。　There　was　a　sickly；　burnt　smell　in　the　brown　air；　as　if　all　of　Los　Angeles　was　on　fire。　With　her　diplomatic　credentials；　she　passed　quickly　through　Customs　and　Immigration。　She　stopped　to　get　some　work　done　at　the　Mall　facility　at　the　airport。　Russell　was　so　mobile　he　had　insisted　that　the　Mall　have　stations　at　the　airports　in　Washington；　New　York；　Los　Angeles；　and　San　Francisco。
　It　was　there　that　Tori　ran　into　Bernard　Godwin。　They　stood　in　silence；　looking　at　one　another　for　some　time。
　〃Ah；　the　prodigal　returns；〃　Bernard　said。　Oddly；　he　seemed　smaller　than　she　remembered。　But　that　patrician　countenance　had　not　changed。　〃Can　I　buy　you　a　cup　of　coffee？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃I'd　like　a　chance　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃Russell's　waiting。〃　Tori　got　her　work　back。　She　signed　the　receipt　with　Russell's　name；　thanked　the　agent。
　Bernard　started　all　over　again。　〃You　and　Russell　did　one　helluva　job。〃
　〃For　you；〃　Tori　said　at　length。　〃Only　for　you；　Bernard。〃
　〃That's　nonsense　and　you　know　it。〃
　Tori　said　nothing。
　〃What's　the　matter？　I　gave　you　everything　you　wanted：　reinstatement；　a　field　mand；　Russell。　I　even　gave　you　your　brother　back。〃
　Bastard；　Tori　thought。　He　deserves　to　be　cut　off　at　the　knees。　And　then　she　told　him　how　Hitasura　had　used　him　to　further　the　manufacture　and　distribution　of　the　supercocaine。　She　saw　the　blood　drain　from　Bernard's　face　by　degrees。　He　put　one　hand　out　to　steady　himself。　She　did　not　make　a　move　to　help　him。
　When　she　was　finished；　she　said；　〃It's　important　to　remember　that　there's　a　price　tag　for　everything；　Bernard。　Even　freedom。〃
　She　left　him　there；　shaken　and　mute。　She　had　thought　that　telling　him　would　make　her　feel　better。　She　was　wrong。
　When　Tori　arrived　at　Diana's　Garden；　Laura　Nunn　was　over　at　Universal；　shooting　something　called　The　Black　Fox　Dossier。　It　was　a　spy　film。　She　played　the　mother　of　the　hero。　Very　fitting。
　On　the　other　hand；　to　Tori's　utter　astonishment；　Ellis　Nunn　had　taken　the　day　off。　He　had　spent　the　hour　from　six　to　seven　in　the　morning　making　his　essential　overseas　calls　from　his　den　in　the　huge　house。　Laura　Nunn's　limo　had　picked　her　up　at　five　to　take　her　to　the　studio　for　makeup。
　Tori　had　arrived　after　her　mother　had　left；　but　before　anyone　else　was　stirring。　She　had　let　herself　into　the　house；　had　left　whatever　baggage　she　had　in　the　enormous　entrance　hall；　and　had　stolen　up　to　bed。　She　had　given　her　parents　no　notice　of　her　ing　but；　as　usual；　her　room　was　immaculate；　ready　for　her。　She　collapsed　gratefully　onto　her　bed。
　When　she　woke　up；　she　looked　out　her　window；　saw　her　father　strolling　beside　the　pool。　The　sunlight；　already　red　and　dripping　with　heat；　fell　across　his　broad　shoulders。　In　a　moment　he　stopped；　looked　up　toward　Tori's　bedroom　window；　and　she　saw　him　full　on。
　She　was　immediately　struck　by　this　fact：　no　matter　how　much　time　and　energy　he　had　spent　trying　to　be　American；　he　still　had　that　classic　Russian　face。　It　was　a　beautifully　sculptured　face；　rugged　but　somehow　not　harsh。　His　eyes；　so　similar　to　his　children's；　gave　his　countenance　its　splash　of　warmth　and　gentleness。　Tori　could　imagine　him　striding　purposefully　down　Gorky　Street。
　A　half　hour　later；　she　joined　Ellis　Nunn　in　the　dining　room　where　a　prodigious　buffet　breakfast　had　been　laid　out。　He　kissed　her　on　both　cheeks；　in　the　traditional　manner。
　〃Dobro　pojalovatz；〃　he　said　in　Russian。　Wele　home。　〃I'm　damn　glad　you're　in　one　piece。〃　He　gestured。　〃You　must　be　starved。　At　least　your　mother　thought　so。　She　dragged　Maria　out　of　bed　at　an　ungodly　hour　to　prepare　all　this。''
　〃Mom　was　gone　when　I　arrived。　She's　on　the　set。　I　got　all　the　hot　news　from　Maria　on　my　way　downstairs。〃
　〃Mmm。　Well；　Maria　must　have　seen　your　bags　in　the　entrance　and　done　this　on　her　own。　She　always　did　have　a　soft　spot　for　you。〃
　That　was　when　Tori　trotted　out　the　photograph　the　Mall　people　had　made　at　their　LAX　airport　facility。
　Ellis　Nunn　took　the　revelation　with　admirable　sangfroid。　〃Imagine；〃　he　said。　〃Bernard　and　me　caught　in　the　act。〃　He　bent　over；　peering　more　closely　at　the　sixteen…by…twenty…inch　blowup　of　Ariel　Solares's　photo。　〃There　I　am　with　your　mother；　ing　to　meet　Bernard。　By　God；　that's　eerie　to　see　on　film。〃
　〃It's　a　good　thing　the　picture　was　taken　by　one　of　Bernard's　own　agents。〃
　Ellis　Nunn　nodded。　〃Yes。　I　suppose　it　is。〃
　When　it　appeared　that　neither　of　them　was　hungry；　they　drifted　outside。　They　began　to　walk　the　grounds；　as　Ellis　Nunn　loved　to　do；　first　by　the　pool；　and　then　into　the　sun…dappled　gardens。　The　scent　of　lime　was　everywhere。
　Tori　ducked　her　head。　''Why　didn't　you　ever　tell　me　about　La　Lumiere　d'Or？〃　She　was　speaking　of　the　American…owned　French　firm　Koi　had　told　her　about…which　she　now　knew　was　owned　by　her　father…that　was　the　conduit　for　the　MANDs'　hafnium。
　〃What　was　there　to　tell？　I　have　subsidiaries　in　Italy；　Spain；　Hong　Kong；　as　well　as　France。　I　never　told　you　about　those；　either。　It　never　occurred　to　me　that　you'd　be　in　the　least　interested。〃
　Tori　snorted。　〃I　think　I'd　have　been　interested　in　La　Lumiere　d'Or's　extracurricular　activities。''
　〃They　were　none　of　your　business。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃Oh；　don't　look　like　that。　I　'd　say　the　same　thing　to　your　mother　if　she　ever　asked。　Which　she　never　has。〃
　〃But　she　was　involved　with　the　scheme　that　you　and　Bernard…〃
　''Bernard　talked　to　her　independently。　As　a　woman　of　means；　your　mother　has　always　made　her　own　business　decisions。　She's　good　at　it　and；　anyway；　it　saves　wear　and　tear　on　the　both　of　us。〃
　〃How　exactly　did　Bernard　rope　you　into　paying　for　these　MANDs？　He　told　you　about　Greg；　right？〃
　〃Well；　first　of　all；　Bernard　didn't　rope　your　mother　and　me　into　anything。　We　both　went　into　this　with　our　eyes　wide　open。　He　outlined　the　risks。〃
　Tori　again　heard　Bernard　Godwin's　voice　saying。　No　matter　what　we　bee　involved　in；　we　would　never　be　brought　before　a　court　of　law。
　〃Some　risks；〃　she　said。
　Ellis　Nunn　stopped；　turned　toward　her。　〃I　meant　the　risks　to　Greg　and　you；　not　to　your　mother　or　myself。''
　〃Oh。〃　Tori　did　not　know　what　to　say。
　They　continued　their　walk。　They　strolled　beneath　the　pergola；　losing　themselves　in　the　blooms　and　vines　of　high　summer。　Tori　thought　of　her　father's　tales　of　the　Georgian　peasants　toiling　heroically　in　their　fields。
　''What　was　it　like　there？''
　Tori　knew　he　meant　Russia。　''It's　not　like　home；　Aunty　Em。''
　He　grunted；　and　she　remembered　belatedly　how　he　used　to　admonish　her　for　using　her　wit　at　inappropriate　times。
　〃I　found　Moscow　。　。　。　strange；〃　she　said　immediately。　〃It　was　not　what　I　had　expected。〃　
　〃Did　you　like　it？〃
　Tori　suspected　that　her　answer　was　important　to　him；　so　she　thought　about　it　for　some　time　before　she　spoke。　〃I　didn't　hate　it；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃I　felt　unfortable　there；　but　that　may　just　have　been　the　circumstances。　But　it　also　had　an…I　don't　know…a　haunting　quality；　I　guess　you　could　say。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Ellis　Nunn　said；　and　Tori　could　see　that　he　was　remembering　his　childhood；　and　that　that　past　was　as　clear　to　him　as　was　this　dawning　day。
　〃You　didn't　fully　answer　my　question　about　how　Bernard　got　you　and　Mom　involved。〃　
　〃I　know。〃
　There　was　silence　for　a　time。　Ellis　Nunn　stopped　them　in　the　center　of　the　pergola。　The　wisteria　twined　over　their　heads；　creating　a　cool；　green　bower。　〃How　did　Greg　seem　to　you？〃
　〃Changed；〃　Tori　said；　and　she　saw　her　father　wince。　〃It's　only　to　be　expected；　after　what　he's　been　through。〃
　〃Which　is　what？　Even　Bernard　had　no　idea　what　the　Russians　were　doing　with　him　or　why　they　were　keeping　him　captive。〃
　〃It　seems　that　he　and　his　Russian　cosmonaut　counterpart　were　part　of　a　highly　secret　experiment　involving　controlled　exposure　to　cosmic　rays。''
　''Good　God。''　Tori　could　see　her　father　shaking。　In　a　moment　he　said；　〃We　must　make　a　pact。　We　will　never　under　any　circumstances　tell　your　mother　this。〃
　〃But　Greg　told　me　you　knew　what　he　looked　like。〃　
　〃Either　he　was　mistaken　or　he　was　misinformed。〃　
　〃Then　she　won't　be　able　to　see　him。　His　skin　is　silvery　and　slick　like　a　dolphin's；　he's　hairless。　And　there　may　be　other　changes　by　the　time　you　get　to　see　him。〃
　Ellis　Nunn　sat　abruptly　on　the　Roman…style　stone　bench　in　the　center　of　the　pergola。　He　stared　at　nothing。　〃Ah；〃　he　said　softly。　〃What　a　wor