el.angeleyes-第23节
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ted； but be done away with entirely。 Valeri found this idea at best dangerous； at worst subversive。
Irina was up on all the latest rumors。 It was all well and good for Valeri to be paying lip service to Mars's growing power in the Congress； but Irina knew who ultimately held the advantage： Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。 These days； though he was continually trying his best to pound home his views to the rest of the Politburo； Mars； like all of Valeri's previous enemies； was definitely ing out second best。 Irina wondered how long it would be before Mars was removed from his seat in the Congress of People's Deputies； shipped off to God only knew where； far from Moscow； the center of power。 No doubt that would be determined； in part； by how successful she was in the aftermath of her seduction。
Mars Volkov looked like a movie star。 A Russian movie star； to be sure； but a movie star nonetheless。 He was tall and slim； with the pale eyes and high cheekbones mon to the people of the windswept northern Steppes。 His hair was blue…black； very straight； and he wore it slicked back from his wide forehead。 He had a generous； thin…lipped mouth； and a firm chin。 His only oddity was his rather small ears。 But this lack of perfection somehow enhanced his overall appearance； rather than detracted from it。 In sum； he was more than attractive； he was desirable。
This made the task Valeri had given Irina far less odious。 But in the beginning it was almost irrelevant。 What drove her… Valeri was so right； damn him！…was the sense of absolute freedom she gained by initiating the contact with Mars Volkov。 She orchestrated his subsequent seduction with the aplomb of someone born to the role。 By the time they went to bed for the first time； Irina was giddy with her newfound sense of freedom； but also a little afraid by how much pleasure she derived from this act of treachery。
She was no longer one among many coworkers at the Ministry of Education； some drudge； given work no man would do； accorded a minimum of recognition for either her initiative or her innovations。 Up until this moment of separation； she had seen herself only in terms of being her parents' daughter or； briefly…until he had died in a training maneuver accident…her husband's wife。 But something inside her had always whispered； Is this the sum of what life is？ Can this be all there is to Irina Viktorovna Ponomareva？ Now she knew the answer； just as Valeri had known。 There was another Irina； independent； in control； yearning to be free。 And at the moment of her triumph； when she knew that she had caused Mars Volkov to bee enamored of her； to desire her beyond all other women； she had at last caught the first glimpse of her own true worth。 And she knew with an immense thrill that the real Irina Viktorovna Ponomareva was just beginning to be defined。
Mars had been elected to represent Moscow in the Congress； a signal honor。 His constituency included the Soviet Baseball Federation； as well as Zvezdny Gorodok； Star Town； the city built to house and train the Soviet cosmonauts。 He had been one of the main architects of the space program for some years； which； Irina supposed； was why he had been chosen to help build the national baseball team。
Irina thought that Valeri had good reason to fear Mars。 Their views differed in quite fundamental ways； and Mars was in every sense a charismatic figure。 In America this talent would have caused Mars to go far in whatever field he chose； but this was Russia； and charisma was looked upon with a good amount of suspicion。
Where Valeri held sway through the sheer force of his personality； Mars charmed people。 While Valeri easily forced other wills to bend to his； Mars had to struggle for every inch of political ground gained。 He was； he said； always fighting against other people's innate fear of Valeri Bondasenko。 〃I feel like a salmon；〃 he told Irina that night when she asked him why he had not eaten the meal she prepared for him。 〃Always swimming upstream。 Valeri Denysovich will beat me； despite all my efforts； just as he has beaten everyone else。〃 He looked up at her with a weary smile。 〃They say that beneath the Kremlin there is a pile of bones that is all that remains of his enemies。''
〃Defeatist talk；〃 she said。
〃Tonight；〃 Mars said； 〃I feel like the defeated。〃
〃Tomorrow…〃
〃Tomorrow will be different； yes？ That was what you were going to say； Irina； wasn't it？〃 He shrugged。 〃Well； who knows； perhaps you're right。〃
She sat down beside him； took his hand。 〃Tell me what happened。〃
〃No。 It's too boring…and too depressing。 And I've had enough of gloom for one evening。 Let's go out； have dinner； get drunk on pepper vodka。〃
They did。 Irina let him do all the talking。 He seemed in the mood to do so； and she wanted to get to know him better。 When he spoke； she was a student； soaking up information…the bits and pieces of his life…as if she were studying for a final exam。
He told her about his parents； who still lived in Moscow and whom he visited every Sunday； bringing them treats…tins of caviar； fresh Baltic herring…things they would never buy for themselves。 He told her about his brother； who had died； and his sister； who was married with three children。 〃Sometimes；〃 he said； refilling their glasses with vodka； ''I think that my sister is the lucky one。 She lives a simple； unplicated life； and her worries are small ones； mon ones； not so much to bear。 She had a little trouble with the last baby； it was born with a heart murmur； but the child is fine now。 She lives under the signs of love； of contentment； of the family。 These are everything to her； without them； she is lost。〃
Later； he said； 〃You know； it's funny about my sister。 We weren't close when the three of us were growing up。 My brother and I were inseparable； and she was； well； an outsider； I suppose。 The enemy。 We never confided in her for fear that she would pass on our secrets to our mother。 Imagine my surprise when； years later at my brother's funeral； she recounted our boyhood secrets。 She had known them all the time because she was far smarter than either of us boys had been。 And she had kept them to herself。 Our secrets had been sacred to her； even though we excluded her from everything we did； even though we teased her and made fun of her。 Now we're very close。 I have e to cherish our time together； because she is the one oasis of sanity in my insane world。 Her love of the prosaic…this country； her children who will one day join the party； make their contribution to the Soviet way of life…constantly reminds me of the importance of what I am trying to acplish。''
Irina wanted to ask Mars just what that was； but she downed more pepper vodka instead。 She already had； like a professional； an instinct for when to ask questions and when to keep her mouth shut。 The same instinct made for great military manders： the need to attack had to be tempered with the necessities of parrying and of retreat； not only to cut losses； but to avoid casualties altogether。
Attack meant； by definition； exposure； and Irina did not think that the time had e for her to take that risk。 Mars was not vulnerable enough； he was still watchful； too much in control； despite the vodka。 his cheeks might be flushed； his eyes over…bright； but she could feel beneath it that his mind continued to function unimpaired。
Such was not the case by the time they returned to Mars's apartment。 The vodka had had time to saturate his entire system； and his libido had usurped control from his mind。
As usual； he made love at the approximate speed of an express train； as if he could not wait to get to the conclusion； or in some secret way； could not abide the pleasure he derived from it。 From the beginning of their relationship； Irina had felt this odd in a man who obviously felt deeply； a patriot who； as far as she could see； was far more straightforward than Valeri。 In any case； whether it was his abrupt manner in bed or something inside herself； she could not bring herself to fulfillment with Mars。 Instead she acted； somehow feeling more ashamed of this fakery than the more purely mental exercise of making him care for her。 One was akin to being up on a stage； making an audience （of one） react； the other was much more intimate。
And； as usual； in the cool aftermath as he slipped out of her； she felt sadder； even more isolated； than she had before。 She had an image of herself： a tropical fish swimming around and around a glass bowl。 She squeezed her eyes shut； but the image remained。 Around and around； until she longed even to feel dizzy； so that the emptiness would go away。
Afterward； Mars chain…smoked black Turkish cigarettes and drank black Turkish coffee； thick as honey； into which he poured a finger of vodka。 He sat； naked； at a hideous Danish modern desk； all angles； blond wood and chrome； brought his goose…neck lamp down close and read…through files he brought home in a battered leather attache case。 If he could work twenty…four hours a day； Irina thought； he would。
His face was half hidden by acrid smoke； but Irina continued to watch him as she lay belly down on the bed。 〃The only good news I've had all week；〃 Mars said； 〃is that support for the United States' resolutions in the U。N。 is at a
