tc.thebearandthedragon-第39部分

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pain　when　you　break　the　rules；　and　we　have　to　make　the　pain　stick。　Until　they　understand　that；　there's　just　going　to　be　more　trouble。　Sooner　or　later；　they　have　to　learn。　I　think　it's　been　long　enough　to　wait。〃
　〃Okay；　but　remember　their　point　of　view：　Who　are　we　to　tell　them　the　rules？〃
　〃Horseshit；　Jack！〃　Winston　was　one　of　the　very　few　people　who　had　the　ability　…　if　not　exactly　the　right　…　to　talk　that　way　in　the　Oval　Office。　Part　of　it　came　from　his　own　success；　part　of　it　from　the　fact　that　Ryan　respected　straight　talk；　even　if　the　language　was　occasionally　off…color。　〃Remember；　they're　the　ones　sticking　it　to　us。　We　are　playing　fair。　The　world　does　have　rules；　and　those　rules　are　honored　by　the　munity　of　nations；　and　if　Beijing　wants　to　be　part　of　that　munity；　well；　then　they　have　to　abide　by　the　same　rules　that　everyone　else　does。　If　you　want　to　join　the　club；　you　have　to　pay　the　cost　of　admittance；　and　even　then　you　still　can't　drive　your　golf　cart　on　the　greens。　You　can't　have　it　both　ways。〃
　The　problem；　Ryan　reflected；　was　that　the　people　who　ran　entire　nations　especially　large；　powerful；　important　nations　…　were　not　the　sort　to　be　told　how　or　why　to　do　anything　at　all。　This　was　all　the　more　true　of　despotic　countries。　In　a　liberal　democracy　the　idea　of　the　rule　of　law　applied　to　just　about　everyone。　Ryan　was　President；　but　he　couldn't　rob　a　bank　just　because　he　needed　pocket　change。
　〃George；　okay。　Sit　down　with　Scott　and　work　something　out　that　I　can　agree　to；　and　we'll　have　State　explain　the　rules　to　our　friends　in　Beijing。〃　And　who　knows；　maybe　it　might　even　work　this　time。　Not　that　Ryan　would　bet　money　on　it。
　
　
　This　would　be　the　important　evening；　Nomuri　thought。　Yeah；　sure；　he'd　banged　Ming　the　night　before；　and　she　seemed　to　have　liked　it；　but　now　that　she'd　had　time　to　think　it　over；　would　her　reaction　be　the　same？　Or　would　she　reflect　that　he'd　plied　her　with　liquor　and　taken　advantage　of　her？　Nomuri　had　dated　and　bedded　his　share　of　women；　but　he　didn't　confuse　amorous　successes　with　any　sort　of　understanding　of　the　female　psyche。
　He　sat　at　the　bar　of　the　medium…sized　restaurant　…　different　from　the　last　one　…　smoking　a　cigarette；　which　was　new　for　the　CIA　officer。　He　wasn't　coughing；　though　his　first　two　had　made　the　room　seem　to　spin　around　some。　Carbon　monoxide　poisoning；　he　thought。　Smoking　reduced　the　oxygen　supply　to　your　brain；　and　was　bad　for　you　in　so　many　ways。　But　it　also　made　waiting　a　lot　easier。　He'd　bought　a　Bic　lighter；　blue；　with　a　facsimile　of　the　PRC　flag　on　it；　so　that　it　appeared　like　their　banner　was　waving　in　a　clear　sky。　Yeah；　he　thought；　sure；　and　here　I　am　wondering　if　my　girl　will　show　up；　and　she's　already　…　he　checked　his　watch　…　nine　minutes　late。　Nomuri　waved　to　the　bartender　and　ordered　another　Scotch。　It　was　a　Japanese　brand；　drinkable；　not　overly　expensive；　and　when　you　got　down　to　it；　booze　was　booze；　wasn't　it？
　Are　you　ing；　Ming？　the　case　officer's　mind　asked　the　air　around　him。　Like　most　bars　around　the　world；　this　one　had　a　mirror　behind　the　glasses　and　bottles；　and　the　California　native　examined　his　face　quizzically；　pretending　it　was　someone　else's；　wondering　what　someone　else　might　see　in　it。　Nervousness？　Suspicion？　Fear？　Loneliness？　Lust？　There　could　be　someone　making　that　evaluation　right　now；　some　MSS　counterintelligence　officer　doing　his　stakeout；　careful　not　to　look　toward　Nomuri　too　much　of　the　time。　Maybe　using　the　mirror　as　an　indirect　surveillance　tool。　More　likely　sitting　at　an　angle　so　that　his　posture　naturally　pointed　his　eyes　to　the　American；　whereas　Nomuri　would　have　to　turn　his　head　to　see　him；　giving　the　surveillance　agent　a　chance　to　avert　his　glance；　probably　toward　his　partner　…　you　tended　to　do　this　with　teams　rather　than　an　individual　…　whose　head　would　be　on　the　same　line　of　sight；　so　that　he　could　survey　his　target　without　seeming　to　do　so　directly。　Every　nation　in　the　world　had　police　or　security　forces　trained　in　this；　and　the　methods　were　the　same　everywhere　because　human　nature　was　the　same　everywhere；　whether　your　target　was　a　drug　dealer　or　a　spook。　That's　just　the　way　it　was；　Nomuri　said　to　himself；　checking　his　watch　again。　Eleven　minutes　late。　It's　cool；　buddy；　women　are　always　late。　They　do　it　because　they　can't　tell　time；　or　it　takes　them　fucking　forever　to　get　dressed　and　do　their　makeup；　or　because　they　don't　remember　to　wear　a　watch。。。　or　most　likely　of　all；　because　it　gives　them　an　advantage。　Such　behavior；　perhaps；　made　women　appear　more　valuable　to　men　…　after　all；　men　waited　for　them；　right？　Not　the　other　way　around。　It　put　a　premium　on　their　affection；　which　if　not　waited　for；　might　not　appear　one　day；　and　that　gave　men　something　to　fear。
　Chester　Nomuri；　behavioral　anthropologist；　he　snorted　to　himself；　looking　back　up　in　the　mirror。
　For　Christ's　sake；　dude；　maybe　she's　working　late；　or　the　traffic　is　heavy；　or　some　friend　at　the　office　needed　her　to　e　over　and　help　her　move　the　goddamned　furniture。　Seventeen　minutes。　He　fished　out　another　Kool　and　lit　it　from　his　Chim　lighter。　The　East　is　Red；　he　thought。　And　maybe　this　was　the　last　country　in　the　world　that　really　was　red。。。　wouldn't　Mao　be　proud。。。？
　Where　are　you？
　Well；　whoever　from　the　MSS　might　be　watching；　if　he　had　any　doubts　about　what　Nomuri　was　doing；　they'd　damned　sure　know　he　was　waiting　for　a　woman；　and　if　anything　his　stress　would　look　like　that　of　a　guy　bewitched　by　the　woman　in　question。　And　spooks　weren't　supposed　to　be　bewitched；　were　they？
　What　are　you　worrying　about　that　for；　asshole；　just　because　you　might　notget　laid　tonight？
　Twenty…three　minutes　late。　He　stubbed　out　one　cigarette　and　lit　another。　If　this　was　a　mechanism　women　used　to　control　men；　then　it　was　an　effective　one。
　James　Bond　never　had　these　problems；　the　intelligence　officer　thought。　Mr。　Kiss…Kiss　Bang…Bang　was　always　master　of　his　women　…　and　if　anyone　needed　proof　that　Bond　was　a　character　of　fiction；　that　was　sure　as　hell　it！
　As　it　turned　out；　Nomuri　was　so　entranced　with　his　thoughts　that　he　didn't　see　Ming　e　in。　He　felt　a　gentle　tap　on　his　back；　and　turned　rapidly　to　see　…
　　…　she　wore　the　radiant　smile；　pleased　with　herself　at　having　surprised　him；　the　beaming　dark　eyes　that　crinkled　at　the　corners　with　the　pleasure　of　the　moment。
　〃I　am　so　sorry　to　be　late；〃　she　said　rapidly。　〃Fang　needed　me　to　transcribe　some　things；　and　he　kept　me　in　the　office　late。〃
　〃I　must　talk　to　this　old　man；〃　Nomuri　said　archly；　hauling　himself　erect　on　the　barstool。
　〃He　is；　as　you　say；　an　old　man；　and　he　does　not　listen　very　well。　Perhaps　age　has　impeded　his　hearing。〃
　No；　the　old　fucker　probably　doesn't　want　to　listen；　Nomuri　didn't　say。　Fang　was　probably　like　bosses　everywhere；　well　past　the　age　when　he　looked　for　the　ideas　of　others。
　〃So；　what　do　you　want　for　dinner？〃　Nomuri　asked；　and　got　the　best　possible　answer。
　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃　With　sparkles　in　the　dark　eyes　to　affirm　what　she　did　want。　Nomuri　tossed　off　the　last　of　his　drink；　stubbed　out　his　cigarette；　and　walked　out　with　her。
　
　
　So？〃　Ryan　asked。
　〃So；　this　is　not　good　news；〃　Arnie　van　Damm　replied。
　〃I　suppose　that　depends　on　your　point　of　view。　When　will　they　hear　arguments？〃
　〃Less　than　two　months；　and　that's　a　message；　too；　Jack。　Those　good　'strict…constructionist'　justices　you　appointed　are　going　to　hear　this　case；　and　if　I　had　to　bet；　I'd　wager　they're　hot　to　overturn　Roe。　〃
　Jack　settled　back　in　his　chair　and　smiled　up　at　his　Chief　of　Staff。　〃Why　is　that　bad；　Arnie？〃
　〃Jack；　it's　bad　because　a　lot　of　the　citizens　out　there　like　to　have　the　option　to　choose　between　abortion　or　not。　That's　why。　'Pro　choice'　is　what　they　call　it；　and　so　far　it's　the　law。〃
　〃Maybe　that'll　change；〃　the　President　said　hopefully；　looking　back　down　at　his　schedule。　The　Secretary　of　the　Interior　was　ing　in　to　talk　about　the　national　parks。
　〃That　is　not　something　to　look　forward　to；　damn　it！　And　it'll　be　blamed　on　you！〃
　〃Okay；　if　and　when　that　happens；　I　will　point　out　that　I　am　not　a　justice　of　the　United　States　Supreme　Court；　and　stay　away　from　it　entirely。　If　they　decide　the　way　I　…　and　I　guess　you　…　think　they　will；　abortion　bees　a　legislative　matter；　and　the　legislature　of　the　'several　states；'　as　the　Constitution　terms　them；　will　meet　and　decide　for　themselves　if　the　voters　want　to　be　able　to　kill　their　unborn　babies　or　not　…　but；　Arnie；　I've　got　four　kids；　remember。　I　was　there　to　see　them　all　born；　and　be　damned　if　you　are　going　to　tell　me　that　abortion　is　okay！〃　The　fourth　little　Ryan；　Kyle　Daniel；　had　been　born　during　Ryan's　Presidency；　and　the　cameras　had　been　there　to　record　his　face　ing　out　of　the　delivery　room；　allowing　the　entire　nation　…　and　the　world；　for　that　matter　…　to　share　the　experience。　It　had　bumped　Ryan's　approval　rating　a　full　fifteen　points；　pleasing　Arnie　very　greatly　at　the　time。
　〃God　damn　it；　Jack；　I　never　said　that；　did　I？〃　van　Damm　demanded。　〃But　you　and　I　do　objectionable　things　every　so　often；　don't　we？　And　we　don't　deny　other　people　the　right　to　do　such　things；　too；　do　we？　Smoke；　for　example？〃　he　added；　just　to　twist　Ryan's　tail　a　little。
　〃Arnie；　you　use　words　as　cleverly　as　any　man　I　know；　and　that　was　a　good　play。　I'll　give　you　that。　But　there's　a　qualitative　difference　between　lighting　up　a　goddamned　cigarette　and　killing　a　living　human　being。〃
　〃True；　if　a　fetus　is　a　living　human　being；　which　is　something　for　theologians；　not　politicians。〃
　〃Arnie；　it's　like　this。　The　pro…abortion　crowd　says　that　whether　or　not　a　fetus　is　human　is　beside　the　point　because　it's　inside　a　woman's　body；　and　therefore　her　property　to　do　with　as　she　pleases。　Fine。　It　was　the　law　in　the　Roman　Republic　and　Empire　that　a　wife　and　children　were　property　of　the　paterfamilias；　the　head　of　the　family；　and　he　could　kill　them　anytime　he　pleased。　You　think　we　should　go　back　to　that？〃
　〃Obviously　not；　since　it　empowers　men　and　dis…empowers　women；　and　we　don't　do　things　like　that　anymore。〃
　〃So；　you've　taken　a　moral　issue　and　degraded　it　to　what's　good　politically　and　what's　bad　politically。　Well；　Arnie；　I　am　not　here　to　do　that。　Even　the　President　is　allowed　to　have　some　moral　principles；　or　am　I　supposed　to　check　my　ideas　of　right　and　wrong　outside　the　door　when　I　show　up