tc.thebearandthedragon-第107部分

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s　to　maintain　the　antique　collection。　For　what　purpose？　No　one　knew。　It　would　take　an　archivist　to　find　the　documents；　and　while　that　might　be　of　interest　to　some　historian　of　a　humorous　bent；　Bondarenko　had　better　things　to　do。
　〃Andrey；　I　appreciate　your　willingness　to　see　the　lighter　side　of　every　situation；　but　we　do　face　a　practical　reality　here。〃
　〃rade　General；　it　will　take　months　to　get　permission　to　terminate　this　operation。〃
　〃That　is　probably　true；　Andruska；　but　I　remember　a　story　about　Napoleon。　He　wished　to　plant　trees　by　the　side　of　the　French　roads　to　shade　his　marching　troops。　A　staff　officer　said；　but；　Marshal；　it　will　take　twenty　years　for　the　trees　to　grow　enough　to　acplish　that。　And　Napoleon　said；　yes；　indeed；　so　we　must　start　at　once！　And　so；　Colonel；　we　will　start　with　that　at　once。〃
　〃As　you　say；　rade　General。〃　Colonel　Aliyev　knew　that　it　was　a　worthwhile　idea。　He　only　wondered　if　he　would　have　enough　time　to　pursue　all　of　the　ideas　that　needed　acplishing。　Besides；　the　troops　at　the　tank　sheds　seemed　happy　enough。　Some　even　took　the　tanks　out　into　the　open　to　play　with　them；　drive　them　about　the　nearby　test　range；　and　even　shoot　the　guns　occasionally。　One　young　sergeant　had　mented　to　him　that　it　was　good　to　use　them；　because　it　made　the　war　movies　he'd　seen　as　a　child　seem　even　more　real。　Now　that；　Colonel　Aliyev　thought；　was　something　to　hear　from　a　soldier。　It　made　the　movies　better。　Damn。
　
　Who　does　that　slant…eyed　motherfucker　think　he　is？〃　Gant　demanded　out　in　the　garden。
　〃Mark；　we　laid　a　rather　firm　note　on　them　this　morning；　and　they're　just　reacting　to　it。〃
　〃Cliff；　explain　to　me　why　it's　okay　for　other　people　to　talk　like　that　to　us；　but　it's　not　okay　for　us　to　talk　that　way　to　them；　will　you？〃
　〃It's　called　diplomacy；〃　Rutledge　explained。
　〃It's　called　horseshit；　Cliff；〃　Gant　hissed　back。　〃Where　I　e　from；　if　somebody　disses　you　like　that；　you　punch　him　right　in　the　face。〃
　〃But　we　don't　do　that。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　we're　above　it；　Mark；〃　Rutledge　tried　to　explain。　〃It's　the　little　dogs　that　yap　at　you。　The　big　powerful　dogs　don't　bother。　They　know　they　can　rip　your　head　off。　And　we　know　we　can　handle　these　people　if　we　have　to。〃
　〃Somebody　needs　to　tell　them　that；　Cliffy；〃　Gant　observed。　〃Because　I　don't　think　they　got　the　word　yet。　They're　talking　like　they　own　the　world；　and　they　think　they　can　play　tough…guy　with　us；　Cliff；　and　until　they　find　out　they　can't；　we're　going　to　have　a　lot　more　of　their　shit　to　deal　with。〃
　〃Mark；　this　is　how　it's　done；　that's　all。　It's　just　how　the　game　is　played　at　this　level。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah？〃　Gant　countered。　〃Cliff；　it's　not　a　game　to　them。　I　see　that；　but　you　don't。　After　this　break；　we're　going　back　in　there；　and　they're　going　to　threaten　us。　What　do　we　do　then？〃
　〃We　brush　it　off。　How　can　they　threaten　us？〃
　〃The　Boeing　order。〃
　〃Well；　Boeing　will　have　to　sell　its　airplanes　to　somebody　else　this　year；〃　Rutledge　said。
　〃Really？　What　about　the　interests　of　all　those　workers　we're　supposed　to　represent？〃
　〃Mark；　at　this　level；　we　deal　with　the　big　picture；　not　the　little　one；　okay？〃　Rutledge　was　actually　getting　angry　with　this　stock　TRADER。
　〃Cliffy；　the　big　picture　is　made　up　of　a　lot　of　little　ones。　You　ought　to　go　back　in　there　and　ask　if　they　like　selling　things　to　us。　Because　if　they　do；　then　they　have　to　play　ball。　Because　they　need　us　a　fucking　lots　more　than　we　need　them。〃
　〃You　don't　talk　that　way　to　a　great　power。〃
　〃Are　we　a　great　power？〃
　〃The　biggest；〃　Rutledge　confirmed。
　〃Then　how　e　they　talk　that　way　to　us？〃
　〃Mark；　this　is　my　job。　You're　here　to　advise　me；　but　this　is　your　first　time　to　this　sort　of　ball　game；　okay？　I　know　how　to　play　the　game。　It's　my　job。〃
　〃Fine。〃　Gant　let　out　a　long　breath。　〃But　when　we　play　by　the　rules　and　they　don't；　the　game　gets　a　little　tedious。〃　Gant　wandered　off　on　his　own　for　a　moment。　The　garden　was　pretty　enough。　He　hadn't　done　this　sort　of　thing　enough　to　know　that　there　was　usually　a　garden　of　some　sort　for　diplomats　to　wander　in　after　two　or　three　hours　of　talking　at　each　other　in　a　conference　room；　but　he　had　learned　that　the　garden　was　where　a　lot　of　the　real　work　got　done。
　〃Mr。　Gant？〃　He　turned　to　see　Xue　Ma；　the　diplomat/spook　he'd　chatted　with　before。
　〃Mr。　Xue；〃　TELESCOPE　said　in　his　own　greeting。
　〃What　do　you　think　of　the　progress　of　the　talks？〃　the　Chinese　diplomat　asked。
　Mark　was　still　trying　to　understand　this　guy's　use　of　language。　〃If　this　is　progress；　I'd　hate　to　see　what　you　call　an　adverse　development。〃
　Xue　smiled。　〃A　lively　exchange　is　often　more　interesting　than　a　dull　one。〃
　〃Really？　I'm　surprised　by　all　this。　I　always　thought　that　diplomatic　exchange　was　more　polite。〃
　〃You　think　this　impolite？〃
　Gant　again　wondered　if　he　was　being　baited　or　not；　but　decided　the　hell　with　it。　He　didn't　really　need　his　government　job　anyway；　did　he？　And　taking　it　had　involved　a　considerable　personal　sacrifice；　hadn't　it？　Like　a　few　million　bucks。　Didn't　that　entitle　him　to　say　what　the　hell　he　thought？
　〃Xue；　you　accuse　us　of　threatening　your　national　identity　because　we　object　to　the　murders　your　government…or　its　agents；　I　suppose…　mitted　in　front　of　cameras。　Americans　don't　like　it　when　people　mit　murder。〃
　〃Those　people　were　breaking　our　laws；〃　Xue　reminded　him。
　〃Maybe　so；〃　Gant　conceded。　〃But　in　America　when　people　break　the　law；　we　arrest　them　and　give　them　a　trial　in　front　of　a　judge　and　jury；　with　a　defense　lawyer　to　make　sure　the　trial　is　fair；　and　we　damned　sure　don't　shoot　people　in　the　head　when　they're　holding　a　goddamned　newborn　infant！〃
　〃That　was　unfortunate；〃　Xue　almost　admitted；　〃but　as　I　said；　those　men　were　breaking　the　law。〃
　〃And　so　your　cops　did　the　judge/jury/executioner　number　on　them。　Xue；　to　Americans　that　was　the　act　of　a　barbarian。〃
　The　〃B〃　word　finally　got　through。　〃America　cannot　talk　to　China　in　that　way；　Mr。　Gant。〃
　〃Look；　Mr。　Xue；　it's　your　country；　and　you　can　run　your　country　as　you　wish。　We're　not　going　to　declare　war　on　you　for　what　you　do　inside　your　own　borders。　But　there's　no　law　that　says　we　have　to　do　business　with　you　either；　and　so　we　can　stop　buying　your　goods…and　I　have　news　for　you：　The　American　people　will　stop　buying　your　stuff　if　you　continue　to　do　stuff　like　that。〃
　〃Your　people？　Or　your　government？〃　Xue　asked；　with　a　knowing　smile。
　〃Are　you　really　that　stupid；　Mr。　Xue？〃　Gant　fired　back。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　The　last　insult　had　actually　cracked　through　the　shell；　Gant　saw。
　〃I　mean　America　is　a　democracy。　Americans　make　a　lot　of　decisions　entirely　on　their　own；　and　one　of　them　is　what　they　spend　their　money　on；　and　the　average　American　will　not　buy　something　from　a　fucking　barbarian。〃　Gant　paused。　〃Look；　I'm　a　Jew；　okay？　Sixty…some　years　ago；　America　fucked　up。　We　saw　what　Hitler　and　the　Nazis　were　doing　in　Germany；　and　we　didn't　act　in　time　to　stop　it。　We　really　blew　the　call　and　a　lot　of　people　got　killed　unnecessarily；　and　we've　been　seeing　things　on　TV　about　that　since　I　was　in　short　pants；　and　it　ain't　never　going　to　happen　again　on　our　watch；　and　when　people　like　you　do　stuff　like　what　we　just　saw；　it　just　sets　off　the　Holocaust　light　in　American　heads。　Do　you　get　it　now？〃
　〃You　cannot　talk　to　us　in　that　way。〃
　Again　with　the　broken　record！　The　doors　were　opening。　It　was　time　to　head　back　inside　for　the　next　round　of　confrontational　diplo…speak。
　〃And　if　you　persist　in　attacking　our　national　sovereignty；　we　will　buy　elsewhere；〃　Xue　told　him　with　some　satisfaction。
　〃Fine；　and　we　can　do　the　same。　And　you　need　our　cash　a　lot　more　than　we　need　your　trade　goods；　Mr。　Xue。〃　He　must　have　finally　understood；　Gant　thought。　His　face　actually　showed　some　emotion　now。　So　did　his　words：
　〃We　will　never　kowtow　to　American　attacks　on　our　country。〃
　〃We're　not　attacking　your　country；　Xue。〃
　〃But　you　threaten　our　economy；〃　Xue　said；　as　they　got　to　the　door。

　〃We　threaten　nothing。　I　am　telling　you　that　my　fellow　citizens　will　not　buy　goods　from　a　country　that　mits　barbarities。　That　is　not　a　threat。　It　is　a　statement　of　fact。〃　Which　was　an　even　greater　insult；　Gant　did　not　fully　appreciate。
　〃If　America　punishes　us；　we　will　punish　America。〃
　Enough　was　goddamned　enough。　Gant　pulled　the　door　open　halfway　and　stopped　to　face　the　diplomat/spook：
　〃Xue；　your　dicks　aren't　big　enough　to　get　in　a　pissing　contest　with　us。〃　And　with　that；　he　walked　on　inside。　A　half…hour　later；　he　was　on　his　way　out　again。　The　words　had　been　sharp　and　heated；　and　neither　side　had　seen　any　purpose　in　continuing　that　day…though　Gant　strongly　suspected　that　once　Washington　heard　about　that　morning's　exchanges；　there　wouldn't　be　any　other　day。
　In　two　days；　he'd　be　totally　jet…lagged　but　back　at　his　office　on　15th　Street。　He　was　surprised　that　he　was　looking　forward　to　that。
　Anything　from　WestPac？〃　Mancuso　asked。　〃They　just　put　three　submarines　to　sea；　a　Song　and　two　of　the　Kilos　the　Russians　sold　them；〃　BG　Lahr　answered。　〃We're　keeping　an　eye　on　them。　La　Jolla　and　Helena　are　close　by。　Tennessee　is　heading　back　to　Pearl　as　of　midday。〃　The　former　boomer　had　been　on　patrol　for　fifty　days；　and　that　was　about　enough。　〃Our　surface　assets　are　all　back　to　sea。　Nobody's　scheduled　to　get　back　into　Taipei　for　twelve　days。〃
　〃So；　the　Taipei　hookers　get　two　weeks　off？〃　CINCPAC　asked　with　a　chuckle。
　〃And　the　bartenders。　If　your　sailors　are　like　my　soldiers；　they　may　need　the　relaxation；〃　the　J…2　replied；　with　a　smile　of　his　own。
　〃Oh；　to　be　young　and　single　again；〃　Bart　observed。　〃Anything　else　out　there？〃
　〃Routine　training　on　their　side；　some　bined　air　and　ground　stuff；　but　that's　up　north　by　the　Russian　border。〃
　〃How　good　do　they　look？〃
　Lahr　shrugged。　〃Good　enough　to　give　the　Russians　something　to　think　about；　sir。　On　the　whole；　the　PLA　is　trained　up　as　good　as　I've　ever　known　them　to　be；　but　they've　been　working　hard　for　the　past　three　or　four　years。〃
　〃How　many　of　them？〃　Bart　asked；　looking　at　his　wall　map；　which　was　a　lot　more　useful　for　a　sailor　than　a　soldier。　China　was　just　a　beige　shape　on　the　left　border。
　〃Depends　on　where。　Like；　if　they　go　north　into　Russia；　it'd　be　like　cockroaches　in　some　ghetto　apartment　in　New　York。　You'd　need　a　lot　o'　Raid　to　deal　with　it。〃