el.angeleyes-第21节
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ause they stemmed from the irrational： anger and fear。 And the sad truth was that revolutionaries rarely had any idea how to wield power once they got it； so they ended up making a mess of things。 Yet she wanted to say； But can't you see that this White Star is a symbol； a yearning of the non…Russian people to be free？ Don't you see it as a sign that a change must e； just as it has e on other Eastern European nations？ Are you and your ilk so far from the czars； after all？
If only she could trust someone。 It was awful having to bottle up one's true feelings every hour of the day and night。 A nightmare。 Her nightmare： imprisoned in her own country。 How she longed to confide in someone； but there was no one she could trust； not even the priest at the Church of the Archangel Gabriel。 Certainly never； ever Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。 So she held her tongue； continued to play the good little Russian girl with him。''What a perfect pragmatist you are；〃 she said evenly。
〃munism is the essence of pragmatism； so I must be an expert；〃 Valeri said。 〃Now e； breakfast is ready。〃
He brought the omelettes and his own glass of strong tea。 As was his habit； he had already consumed his portion of yogurt while he was doing the cooking。
〃This is delicious；〃 Irina said； tearing off a hunk of coarse black bread。
Valeri grunted。 〃The recipe is from the New York Times。 It didn't help that I couldn't get butter。 Pierre Franey says that butter makes all the difference。 I had to use oil。〃
〃It's just as well；〃 Irina said。 〃Oil is far healthier。 It's not full of cholesterol。'' Her fork stopped midway to her mouth。 My God； she thought； we sound just like husband and wife。 Have I actually begun to get used to this life of deceit and treachery？ God forbid。 But she thought again of what Valeri had said about her wanting to be free； and the fear gripped her again。
〃What is it？〃 Valeri said。 〃You look pale。〃
Irina took a bite of her omelette to give herself some time。 〃I。 。 。 was just thinking about tonight…and Mars。〃
Valeri delivered a colorful oath。 〃That sonuvabitch is out to bury me。 And the sooner the better； as far as he's concerned。 Now he's begun questioning my proposal for promise with the Baltic states。〃
〃Doesn't he understand that your promise was the best thing that could have happened？〃 Irina said。 〃It proved to the world that our reform is for real； and it showed your colleagues in the Politburo the need to be elastic。 Besides； everyone knows…although they're afraid to say it…that the Baltic states were never really a part of the Soviet Union。 They were awarded illegally to Stalin by Hitler in the Molotov…von Ribbentrop accord of 1939。 For years Estonia； Lithuania； and Latvia have had their own legations in the United States。 Isn't it shameful that we have held on to them？ Wasn't it time that they broke away？''
Valeri Bondasenko smiled sardonically。 〃Even though Lithuania and Latvia have succeeded in being independent； the Central mittee is not happy。 It still calls these secessions； the virus of nationalism； and seeks some way…any way…to return these Baltic states to the Soviet fold。''
〃Surely that's an exaggeration；〃 Irina said。 〃I mean； we wouldn't go to war over it。〃
He wiped his mouth。 〃Lenin said； 〃The interests of socialism are above the interests of the right of nations to self…determination。 'He was just following in Marx's footsteps： 'the proletarian has no country。'〃
Irina hated him when he spouted Ideology by rote。 How could he； a Ukrainian； be so devoutly Marxist…Leninist when history…the history of his people…had so painfully proven them wrong？
〃In any case；〃 Valeri was saying； 〃we can't give away the world the way the American president Roosevelt did in Yalta。 We have held on to Estonia。 We'll hold on to the Ukraine and Georgia； Armenia and Moldavia； in the face of all nationalist agitation。 This is the point that Mars Volkov continually avoids； as he hammers at me over and over。 He's sounding as repetitive as a rock and roll record。〃
Irina laughed despite herself。 〃My God； Valeri； sometimes I forget just how backward you can be。〃
〃Politics is my only concern；〃 he said simply。
〃One day； your obsession will be the death of you；〃 Irina pointed out。 〃You cannot outthink enemies with blinders on。〃
〃Does this expansion of my horizons include decadent Western rock and roll； then？〃
〃Perhaps。〃 Irina looked at him。 〃But it's a good example。 In the West； rock music is a great force。 It not only generates a tremendous amount of money； it moves young people。 It can galvanize them； mobilize them。〃
〃Then the army es in； and disperses them；〃 Valeri pointed out。
〃Only until the young people bee their own army。〃
Bondasenko thought about this for some time。 He knew that Irina's position in the Ministry of Education allowed her to observe firsthand many of the Western trends of which he was as yet ignorant。 He would do well； he knew； to listen to her advice。 〃Your criticism I can take。 It's constructive。 It's Mars Volkov's criticism that must be silenced。〃 He rose； but did not take his eyes off her。 ''Please keep that in mind tonight when your head is snuggled fortably into his chest。''
Two days after Kakuei Sakata's public suicide； a certain envelope arrived by mail。 It was odd： square…shaped； of heavy handmade paper。 Honno Kansei took it out of the mailbox on her way to work。 The letter was from Kakuei Sakata。
It was dated the day he had killed himself。 There was a folded piece of note paper inside。 Honno opened it on the subway to Kasumigaseki； discovered a small key and nothing else。 No note； no explanation。
Now she began to feel a wind rising； the first chill brush of the maelstrom that Sakata had spoken of。 For thirty…six hours the television； radio； and newspapers had been filled with reports and spectacular photos of the death of Kakuei Sakata。 And swirls of speculation rippled outward from that one violent and chilling act of social conscience。 She had seen her boss； Kunio Michita； interviewed on the news； in much the same way that the former prime minister had been publicly grilled several years before； except that Michita was so telegenic； he emerged with increased face。 One channel preempted its favorite nighttime soap opera to present a half…hour special live from Sengakuji； the site of Sakata's suicide。
That morning； Honno went to work and； with the key in the moist palm of her hand； brought Kunio Michita his mail and his cup of freshly brewed coffee。 She watched Kunio Michita； a small； dapper man with silver hair and a neat mustache； pick through his mail。 She dutifully took down the dictation he gave her； reminded him of his full day of appointments； meetings； conference calls； and interviews。 In private he gave off conflicting signals。 While he seemed genuinely upset at his go…between's unexpected death； he also appeared almost buoyant at the prospect of the media coverage。 He was exceptionally skilled in front of the cameras； and he knew it。 In fact； from his first interview on television； widespread support for him； both financial and otherwise； had begun to pour in。 It was beginning to look to Honno as if Michita had found his metier at last。
''Our bid for the Osaka Ceramics has been approved；'' Kunio Michita said； 〃so； would you inform our contracts department。 ''He rubbed his hands together。 〃That makes sixteen bids this year we've successfully negotiated。〃 He handed her a thick file。 〃And I've decided to close our petrochemical division。 We've got to gear up Michita Sat to beat the satellite delivery deadlines。 I have a hunch the government will give us a fat incentive for those moves。〃 He handed her another file。 〃Also； the Kaga people will be here at noon； so I want you to make certain that everything is in readiness for the signing。 Our joint venture with Kaga will give me great face。〃 He still had not looked at her。 〃Oh； by the way；〃 he touched his forehead； as if his memory had just been jogged； ''I want you to squeeze in another appointment。 I've got to see Aoki at Tandem Polycarbon at noon。 Our new dye process is perfect for their entire new line of products。〃
Honno was overwhelmed。 〃Thank you； sir。〃
〃Eh？〃 Michita at last glanced up at her。 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃Well； last week in the staff meeting I mentioned that I'd heard about Tandem's new product line and thought our dipole dye process would be a perfect match for it。〃
〃Really？〃 Michita's attention was already on other matters。 〃I can't say I remember that。 Perhaps you are mistaken。 I've got a memo here from Fujinami。 Just got it。 Shows research。 He really did his homework。 If the deal goes through； he's in for a promotion。 Remind me； would you？〃
〃But sir…〃
〃Eight…thirty；〃 Michita said； consulting the clock that dominated his desk。 〃It's time for my first conference call。 You have set it up； I trust。〃
Honno retreated from his office。 Mr。 Fujinami had been in that meeting last week。 He had heard her idea； used it。 She should have thought to put her ideas in memo form。 Perhaps then Michita would have listened to her。
Honno sat at her desk and slowly unwrapped her fingers from around the key Sakata had sent her。 Her sweat glistened on its surface。
Honno counte
