tc.thebearandthedragon-第90部分

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　Five　minutes　later；　after　a　smoke；　they'd　both　walked　off；　back　in　the　direction　of　the　nearest　Metro　station。
　〃Patience；〃　the　head　FSS　officer　had　told　his　people　over　the　radio　circuit；　and　so　they'd　waited　over　an　hour；　until　they　were　certain　that　there　were　no　parked　cars　about　keeping　an　eye　on　the　dead…drop。　Only　then　had　an　FSS　man　walked　to　the　bench；　sat　down　with　his　afternoon　paper；　and　pulled　the　package。　The　way　he　flicked　his　cigarette　away　told　the　rest　of　the　team　that　there　had　been　a　substitution。
　In　the　laboratory；　it　was　immediately　discovered　that　the　package　had　a　key　lock；　and　that　got　everyone's　attention。　The　package　was　x…rayed　immediately　and　found　to　contain　a　battery　and　some　wires；　plus　a　semi…opaque　rectangle　that　collectively　represented　a　pyrotechnic　device。　Whatever　was　inside　the　package　was　therefore　valuable。　A　skilled　locksmith　took　twenty　minutes　picking　the　lock；　and　then　the　holder　was　opened　to　reveal　a　few　sheets　of　flash　paper。　These　were　removed　and　photographed；　to　show　a　solid　collection　of　Cyrillic　letters…and　they　were　all　random。　It　was　a　one…time…pad　key　sheet；　the　best　thing　they　could　have　hoped　to　find。　The　sheets　were　refolded　exactly　as　they　had　been　replaced　in　the　holder；　and　then　the　thin　metal　container…it　looked　like　a　cheap　cigarette　case…was　returned　to　the　bench。
　〃So？〃　Provalov　asked　the　Federal　Security　Service　officer　on　the　case。
　〃So；　the　next　time　our　subject　sends　a　message；　we'll　be　able　to　read　it。〃
　〃And　then　we'll　know；〃　Provalov　went　on。
　〃Perhaps。　We'll　know　something　more　than　we　know　now。　We'll　have　proof　that　this　Suvorov　fellow　is　a　spy。　That　I　can　promise　you；〃　the　counter…intelligence　officer　pronounced。
　Provalov　had　to　admit　to　himself　that　they　were　no　closer　to　solving　his　murder　case　than　they'd　been　two　weeks　before；　but　at　least　things　were　moving；　even　if　the　path　merely　led　them　deeper　into　the　fog。
　
　So；　Mike？〃　Dan　Murray　asked；　eight　time　zones　away。　〃No　nibbles　yet；　Director；　but　now　it　looks　like　we're　chasing　a　spook。　The　subject's　name　is　Klementi　Ivan'ch　Suvorov；　currently　living　as　Ivan　Yurievich　Koniev。〃　Reilly　read　off　the　address。　〃The　trail　leads　to　him；　or　at　least　it　seems　to；　and　we　spotted　him　making　probable　contact　with　a　Chinese　diplomat。〃
　〃And　what　the　hell　does　all　this　mean？〃　FBI　Director　Murray　wondered　aloud　into　the　secure　phone。
　〃You　got　me　there；　Director；　but　it　sure　has　turned　into　an　interesting　case。〃
　〃You　must　be　pretty　tight　with　this　Provalov　guy。〃
　〃He's　a　good　cop；　and　yes；　sir；　we　get　along　just　fine。〃
　
　That　was　more　than　Cliff　Rutledge　could　say　about　his　relationship　with　Shen　Tang。
　〃Your　news　coverage　of　this　incident　was　bad　enough；　but　your　President's　remarks　on　our　domestic　policy　is　a　violation　of　Chinese　sovereignty！〃　the　Chinese　foreign　minister　said　almost　in　a　shout；　for　the　seventh　time　since　lunch。
　〃Minister；〃　Cliff　Rutledge　replied。　〃None　of　this　would　have　happened　but　for　your　policeman　shooting　an　accredited　diplomat；　and　that　is　not；　strictly　speaking；　an　entirely　civilized　act。〃
　〃Our　internal　affairs　are　our　internal　affairs；〃　Shen　retorted　at　once。
　〃That　is　so；　Minister；　but　America　has　her　own　beliefs；　and　if　you　ask　us　to　honor　yours；　then　we　may　request　that　you　show　some　respect　for　ours。〃
　〃We　grow　weary　of　America's　interference　with　Chinese　internal　affairs。　First　you　recognize　our　rebellious　province　on　Taiwan。　Then　you　encourage　foreigners　to　interfere　with　our　internal　policies。　Then　you　send　a　spy　under　the　cover　of　religious　beliefs　to　violate　our　laws　with　a　diplomat　from　yet　another　country；　then　you　photograph　a　Chinese　policeman　doing　his　duty；　and　then　your　President　condemns　us　for　your　interference　with　our　internal　affairs。　The　People's　Republic　will　not　tolerate　this　uncivilized　activity！〃
　And　now　you're　going　to　demand　most…favored…nation　trade　status；　eh？　Mark　Gant　thought　in　his　chair。　Damn；　this　was　like　a　meeting　with　investment　bankers…the　pirate　kind…on　Wall　Street。
　〃Minister；　you　call　us　uncivilized；〃　Rutledge　replied。　〃But　there　is　no　blood　on　our　hands。　Now；　we　are　here；　as　I　recall；　to　discuss　trade　issues。　Can　we　return　to　that　agenda？〃
　〃Mr。　Rutledge；　America　does　not　have　the　right　to　dictate　to　the　People's　Republic　on　one　hand　and　to　deny　us　our　rights　on　the　other；〃　Shen　retorted。
　〃Minister；　America　has　made　no　such　intrusion　on　China's　internal　affairs。　If　you　kill　a　diplomat；　you　must　expect　a　reaction。　On　the　question　of　the　Republic　of　China…〃
　〃There　is　no　Republic　of　China！〃　the　PRC's　Foreign　Minister　nearly　screamed。　〃They　are　a　renegade　province；　and　you　have　violated　our　sovereignty　by　recognizing　them！〃
　〃Minister；　the　Republic　of　China　is　an　independent　nation　with　a　freely　elected　government；　and　we　are　not　the　only　country　to　recognize　this　fact。　It　is　the　policy　of　the　United　States　of　America　to　encourage　the　self…determination　of　peoples。　At　such　time　as　the　people　in　the　ROC　elect　to　bee　part　of　the　mainland；　that　is　their　choice。　But　since　they　have　freely　chosen　to　be　what　they　are；　America　chooses　to　recognize　them。　As　we　expect　others　to　recognize　America　as　a　legitimate　government　because　it　represents　the　will　of　her　people；　so　it　is　incumbent　upon　America　to　recognize　the　will　of　other　peoples。〃　Rutledge　sat　back　in　his　chair；　evidently　bored　with　the　course　the　afternoon　had　taken。　The　morning　he'd　expected。　The　PRC　had　to　blow　off　some　steam；　but　one　morning　was　enough　for　that。　This　was　getting　tiresome。
　〃And　if　another　of　our　provinces　rebels；　will　you　recognize　that？〃
　〃Is　the　Minister　telling　me　of　further　political　unrest　in　the　People's　Republic？〃　Rutledge　inquired　at　once；　a　little　too　fast　and　too　glibly；　he　told　himself　a　moment　later。　〃In　any　case；　I　have　no　instructions　for　that　eventuality。〃　It　was　supposed　to　have　been　a　（semi）　humorous　response　to　rather　a　dumb　question；　but　Minister　Shen　evidently　didn't　have　his　sense　of　humor　turned　on　today。　His　hand　came　up；　finger　extended；　and　now　he　shook　it　at　Cliff　Rutledge　and　the　United　States。
　〃You　cheat　us。　You　interfere　with　us。　You　insult　us。　You　blame　us　for　the　inefficiency　of　your　economy。　You　deny　us　fair　access　to　your　markets。　And　you　sit　there　as　though　you　are　the　seat　of　the　world's　virtue。　We　will　have　none　of　this！〃
　〃Minister；　we　have　opened　our　doors　to　trade　with　your　country；　and　you　have　closed　your　door　in　our　face。　It　is　your　door　to　open　or　close；〃　he　conceded；　〃but　we　have　our　doors　to　close　as　well　if　you　so　force　us。　We　have　no　wish　to　do　this。　We　wish　for　fair　and　free　trade　between　the　great　Chinese　people　and　the　American　people；　but　the　impediments　to　that　trade　are　not　to　be　found　in　America。〃
　〃You　insult　us；　and　then　you　expect　us　to　invite　you　into　our　home？〃
　〃Minister；　America　insults　no　one。　A　tragedy　happened　in　the　People's　Republic　yesterday。　It　was　probably　something　you　would　have　preferred　to　avoid；　but　even　so；　it　happened。　The　President　of　the　United　States　has　asked　for　you　to　investigate　the　incident。　That　is　not　an　unreasonable　request。　What　do　you　condemn　us　for？　A　journalist　reported　the　facts。　Does　China　deny　the　facts　we　saw　on　television？　Do　you　claim　that　a　private　American　pany　fabricated　this　event？　I　think　not。　Do　you　say　that　those　two　men　are　not　dead？　Regrettably；　this　is　not　the　case。　Do　you　say　that　your　policeman　was　justified　in　killing　an　accredited　diplomat　and　a　clergyman　holding　a　newborn　child？〃　Rutledge　asked　in　his　most　reasonable　voice。　〃Minister；　all　you　have　said　for　the　past　three　and　a　half　hours　is　that　America　is　wrong　for　objecting　to　what　appears　to　be　cold…blooded　murder。　And　our　objection　was　merely　a　request　for　your　government　to　investigate　the　incident。　Minister；　America　has　neither　done　nor　said　anything　unreasonable；　and　we　grow　weary　of　the　accusation。　My　delegation　and　I　came　here　to　discuss　trade。　We　would　like　the　People's　Republic　to　open　up　its　markets　more　so　that　trade　can　bee　trade；　the　free　exchange　of　goods　across　international　borders。　You　request　a　most…favored…nation　trading　relationship　with　the　United　States。　That　will　not　happen　until　such　time　as　your　markets　are　as　open　to　America　as　America's　are　open　to　China；　but　it　can　happen　at　such　time　as　you　make　the　changes　we　require。〃
　〃The　People's　Republic　is　finished　with　acceding　to　America's　insulting　demands。　We　are　finished　with　tolerating　your　insults　to　our　sovereignty。　We　are　finished　with　your　interference　in　our　internal　affairs。　It　is　time　for　America　to　consider　our　reasonable　requests。　China　desires　to　have　a　fair　trading　relationship　with　the　United　States。　We　ask　no　more　than　what　you　give　other　nations：　most　favored　nation。〃
　〃Minister；　that　will　not　happen　until　such　time　as　you　open　your　markets　to　our　goods。　Trade　is　not　free　if　it　is　not　fair。　We　object　also　to　the　PRC's　violation　of　copyright　and　trademark　treaties　and　agreements。　We　object　to　having　industries　fully　owned　by　agencies　of　the　government　of　the　People's　Republic　to　violate　patent　treaties；　even　to　the　point　of　manufacturing　proprietary　American　products　without　permission　or　pensation　and…〃
　〃So　now　you　call　us　thieves？〃　Shen　demanded。
　〃Minister；　I　point　out　that　such　words　have　not　escaped　my　lips。　It　is　a　fact；　however；　that　we　have　examples　of　products　made　in　China　by　factories　owned　by　agencies　of　your　government；　which　products　appear　to　contain　American　inventions　for　which　the　inventors　have　not　been　pensated；　and　from　whom　permission　to　manufacture　the　copies　has　not　been　obtained。　I　can　show　you　examples　of　those　products　if　you　wish。〃　Shen's　reaction　was　an　angry　wave　of　the　hand；　which　Rutledge　took　to　mean　No；　thank　you。　Or　something　like　that。
　〃I　have　no　interest　in　seeing　physical　evidence　of　American　lies　and　distortions。〃
　Gant　just　sat　back　in　his　chair　while　Rutledge　made　his　injured　reply；　like　a　spectator　at　a　prizefight；　wondering　if　anyone　would　land　the　knockdown　punch。　Probably　not；　he　thought。　Neither　had　a　glass　chin；　and　both　were　too　light　on　their　feet。　What　resulted　was　a　lot　of　flailing　about；　but　no　serious　result。　It　was　just　a　new　kind　of　boring　for　him；　exciting　in　its　form；　but　dull　in　its　result。　He　made