el.angeleyes-第33部分
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Something unknown inside her was melting。
〃You're not required to say anything；〃 Giin said gently。 〃You are only required to sit here so that I can look at you once more for as long as the night will last。〃
〃You did what！〃 Big Ezoe said。
〃I gave him the ledgers；〃 Honno said。
〃I can't believe it！〃
It was the next evening。 Honno had e to Big Ezoe's warehouse。
〃But that was the plan；〃 Honno said。 〃It was what I was supposed to do。〃
〃You were supposed to tell him about the existence of the ledgers！ See if he'd agree to crack the code for us！〃
' 'But he did agree；'' Honno said。 ''And stop shouting at me。〃
〃I'll stop shouting；〃 Big Ezoe shouted； 〃when we get those ledgers back from him！''
〃You should have seen Giin。 He was so eager to get back to what he had been doing years ago。 That's why I gave him the ledgers right away。''
〃Your eyes are shining；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃It's disgusting。〃
Honno laughed。 ''You have no right to speak to me that way。 And why should you care？ Are you envious？〃
〃Of what？ A beaten…down old gambler？〃
〃He doesn't gamble anymore；〃 Honno said； somewhat stiffly。
Big Ezoe's eyes narrowed。 〃Where did you hear that？〃
〃Giin told me himself。 He confessed…〃
Big Ezoe groaned。 〃And you； you little lovestruck girl； believed him。〃
〃Of course； I…〃
〃Fool！〃
〃Don't…〃
〃But you are a fool； Mrs。 Kansei。〃
Angry and confused now； Honno said； 〃Would you kindly tell me what's going on？〃
〃It's simple；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃He's conned you。〃
〃No； you're wrong；〃 Honno said。 〃I know Giin。〃
〃And I know gamblers。 They don't change。 Ever。 They only say they do。 I'm afraid； Mrs。 Kansei； when it es to human nature； you've got a lot to learn。〃
〃If you'd stop making generalizations；〃 Honno said； 〃you'd be far better off。〃
Big Ezoe shook his head。 〃I see you need to be convinced；〃 he said。 〃Do you know where he lives？〃 And when Honno nodded； he ordered； 〃Take me there。〃
〃Now？〃
〃Right now！〃 Big Ezoe said； taking her arm and guiding her out of his office。
〃There's no answer；〃 Honno said； ringing the bell to Giin's apartment for the third time。 ''He must be out to dinner。''
Big Ezoe grunted。 〃Sure he is。〃 He extracted a length of metal from his pocket； slid it deftly into the lock。 As he began to manipulate it； Honno said； 〃What are you doing？〃
〃What does it look like？〃 Big Ezoe said； turning the knob and opening the door inward。
As they stepped across the threshold； Honno said； 〃Isn't there a law against this sort of thing？''
〃If there is；〃 Big Ezoe said； 〃I'm not aware of it。〃
He closed the door behind them； turned on the light。 Honno gasped。 Big Ezoe said； 〃Shit！〃
Giin's apartment was in chaos。 Furniture was upended； drawers were thrown here and there； their contents strewn around the floor。 Cushions were ripped； as were sections of the carpet。 The mess extended throughout the three rooms of the small apartment。
〃In the name of heaven； what happened here？'' Honno said。
〃No Giin； no ledgers；〃 Big Ezoe said。 He looked at her。 〃They're both gone。〃
Honno was horrified。 〃Now do you see how wrong you were to suspect him？ Someone's taken him； along with the ledgers。 Dear God； what have I gotten him into？ Giin could be hurt…or worse！〃 Her heart constricted。 There were tears in her eyes as the past； for so long held in check； echoed through her like a crack of thunder。
〃Did you enjoy meeting my family？〃 Mars Volkov asked Irina。 〃I hope you weren't bored。〃
〃Not in the least；〃 she said。 〃I adored every minute of it。〃
They were standing in the smoke…filled lobby of the old Moscow Arts Theater during intermission of Chekhov's Three Sisters。 Irina had recognized Natasha Mayakova； the actress Valeri had had the assignation with； the moment she came on stage。 There was something about her makeup that made her seem somehow sinister； like the Marquise de Merteuil； the older woman in Dangerous Liaisons； the film Irina had smuggled back from America on videocassette。
Irina wanted to burn this Natasha Mayakova with her eyes； although she could not quite understand why she should be so enraged。 What could Valeri Bondasenko mean to her now？ Nothing； she told herself firmly。 Nevertheless； she had been tense all through the first act； and when intermission came； she embraced it with a profound sense of relief。
〃Well； my parents can be trying at times；〃 Mars said； 〃although I suppose I would be the only one aware of it。〃
〃You look very much like your mother；〃 Irina said。 〃There is a strength about her； a sense of her family and of herself that I admire tremendously。 I'm afraid I'll never get around to the one； and I'm not very good at the other。〃
''Perhaps you're not one to settle down；'' Mars said。 ''I sense in you a restlessness of spirit。''
They spoke for a time about mundane things： the play； the production； the acting。 Irina mentioned that Natasha Mayakova had played her namesake in the play； wanting perhaps to discover if Mars found her attractive； but all she got was a non…mittal answer。 Mars made a joke and Irina laughed； but she was suddenly very unfortable。 In a moment of sheer panic she realized that she had been contemplating blurting out her secret： her involvement with Valeri； seeing him on the street with the
actress； Natasha Mayakova； her feelings of betrayal。 What would Mars think if he knew she was betraying him in much the same way？
But； of course； that was different。 She had not made any promises to Mars nor had she claimed purity。 She had never lied to him； although she had no illusions that； sooner or later； she would be pelled to do so。
What she was doing was for herself； for Irina Viktorovna Ponomareva。 Or was it？ Had she been doing nothing but rationalizing to herself about her betrayal of Mars to Valeri？ Because betrayal it was。 It hadn't bothered her three days ago； but that had been before Mars had taken her home to his family； before she had seen how little Valeri thought of his relationship with her。 Before it became clear how thoroughly Valeri was using her。
Now； she thought； everything's changed。
She looked at Mars Volkov as if for the first time； drawing aside the scrims of her own anger； selfishness； and power lust。 What she saw was a very down…to…earth man； handsome； desirable； who； despite his immense charm； had to struggle in the Politburo and the People's Congress against the immense power of Valeri Bondasenko。 A man who； unlike Valeri； was not obsessed with power； with imprinting his conception of the world on everyone around him； with power as the only consideration or form of currency。
One day； she thought； Mars would even be the head of his own family； and that would be enough to make him content。 That idea made her feel warm and fortable。
And； with that truth； came another one： it wasn't her own freedom that Valeri had offered her when he had enrolled her in his scheme to get inside Mars's mind； but a chance to take on a measure of his； Valeri's； own sins。
〃Chekhov always sets me to thinking；〃 Irina said； not only because it was the truth； but because she was determined to cover her unease。 〃I suppose that's because his plays are like modern paintings； they seem somehow unfinished or； at any rate； about such familiar themes they require your own participation to flesh them out。''
〃But it wasn't really Chekhov that seemed to interest you；〃 Mars said。 〃It was the actress； Natasha something； isn't it？〃
〃I don't know her name；〃 Irina lied。 〃I was just curious。 She's a type； men often find actresses appealing； and I wanted a man's point of view。〃
〃Too much makeup；〃 Mars said as they were called in for the start of the second act。 〃I wouldn't know what she really looked like beneath all that paint。〃
The blue light from Vosstaniya Square filtered through the windows of Mars's bedroom。 It was deep enough into the night so that the building's gastronome was closed and the cinema marquee below was dark。 The sky was low with thick； metallic…looking clouds； and although it was late spring； there was a feeling in the air of snow that was somehow melancholy。 Or perhaps； Irina thought as she undressed； it was the play that has depressed me。 Of course； it can't possibly have been the sight of Natasha Mayakova。
She had been half hoping to run into Valeri at the performance； and now she wondered whether that had been her motivation for buying the tickets。 Perhaps Stanislavsky would know； she thought wryly； but he was dead。 She only knew that visions of her smiling at Valeri while she was on Mars's arm had filled her head all afternoon。 Now that it hadn't happened； she felt deflated； empty。 There was a bitter taste in her mouth； as if she had somehow taken a bite out of the clouds wreathing Moscow。 And she could not figure out why。 Here she was； with Mars； who could give her everything she ever wanted…well； almost everything…and yet her mind was filled with Valeri。 Right now the man she wanted was Valeri…she wanted nothing more than to cleave herself to Valeri's musky body； twine her thighs around his； open herself to him。
She shuddered； frightened at the intensity of her emotions。 It was as if she could no longer control her feelings。 Did she love Mars？ Then how could she still be lusting after Valeri？ How could she still be jealous of his relationship with Natasha？ What was happening inside her？
When she got into this situation she had been certain of who was right and who was wrong。 She had allowed Valeri to co…opt her； partly because… Oh； he was so right about her！…he had made her see that she was more than a drone； one worker among many； undistinguished； unappreciated。 It was so exciting to feel wanted by such a powerful man as Valeri Bondasenko。 And then when he had so cleverly shown her that she could have more； that she could share in his power； she had been all too eager to do what he asked： spy on Mars。
But that was before she had соmе to know Mars； before he had begun to share his private life with her。 Now he seemed to be a wholly different person from the one she had set out to seduce。 Now she felt ashamed of how she was betraying Mars to Valeri； and this shame caused her to be in constant turmoil； as if she could not relax even for a moment。 She thought； My God； I'm hea
