el.angeleyes-第19部分

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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　counted　her　blessings。　She　was　in　the　heart　of　Tokyo；　her　favorite　place　on　earth。　She　was　secretary　to　the　country's　most　successful　businessman；　and　her　face　among　friends；　associates；　and　colleagues　was　great。　Actually；　she　was　lucky　to　be　at　Michita　Industries　during　this　past　year　of　enormous　expansion。
　It　seemed　to　her　as　if　every　time　she　looked　up；　Kunio　Michita　had　negotiated　another　winning　bid　on　a　lucrative　new　government…sponsored　project。　The　new　focus　on　Michita　Apparel　was　another　example　of　how　Michita　always　managed　to　have　one　division　or　another　eligible　for　government　incentives　in　high…speed　growth　industries。　Six　months　ago　Honno　had　been　certain　that　Kunio　Michita's　massive　string　of　good　luck　would　rub　off　on　her。　It　hadn't。
　What　had　happened　just　now？　She　had　gone　into　Kunio　Michita's　office　fully　intending　to　tell　him　of　the　key's　existence；　to　give　him　a　chance　to　explain　to　her　the　reason　behind　Kakuei　Sakata's　suicide。　But　now　she　knew　that　she　would　not　do　it。
　Honno　suspected