el.angeleyes-第124部分

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　He　took　them　past　the　Lenin　Hills　and　the　State　University；　where　yesterday　he　and　Mars　Volkov　had　had　their　discussion。　Along　the　Moskva；　past　Gorky　Park；　so　green　and　lush　in　the　full　onset　of　summer。
　Captain　Nikolev　stuck　his　head　out　the　window。　He　could　almost　taste　the　ice　cream　as　he　watched　children　with　their　mothers　queuing　up　to　the　mobile　stand；　clamoring　for　their　treat。
　〃Such　a　beautiful　time　of　year；〃　Nikolev　said　to　Tori。　〃You　are　so　lucky　to　be　here　now。〃
　〃Luck　has　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　Tori　said。　〃Our　orders　from　the　State　Department　brought　us　here。''
　〃Of　course。〃　Nikolev　brought　his　head　back　inside　the　Zil。　It　was　odd；　he　thought；　fencing　with　a　woman。　He　would　have　much　preferred　to　deal　with　the　man；　Russell　Slade；　but　since　Slade　obviously　did　not　speak　Russian；　Nikolev　knew　for　the　time　being　he'd　just　have　to　make　the　best　of　it。
　〃You　know；〃　he　said　now；　〃all　this　sightseeing　has　made　me　hungry…and　you；　well；　you've　just　e　off　a　twelve…hour　plane　ride。　Please　allow　me　to　take　you　to　lunch。〃
　〃Much　as　we　appreciate　the　offer；〃　Tori　said；　〃I　think　we'd　better　be　getting　to　our　first　appointment。〃
　〃I　believe　the　time　change　has　made　you　confused；　Miss　Nunn。〃　Nikolev　shot　her　his　best　smile。　〃You　missed　your　first　appointment　while　you　were　unfortunately　held　up　at　Sheremetyevo。　In　fact；　were　it　not　for　me；　I'm　afraid　that　you　and　Mr。　Slade　would　have　been　stuck　there　the　whole　day。　Besides；　it's　lunchtime　now。　And　I　know　the　best　restaurant　in　Moscow。〃
　In　fact；　Tori　and　Russell　were　famished。　But　the　moment　they　turned　onto　Krasnokursantsky　Street；　Tori　was　all　too　aware　of　the　joke　being　played　on　them。　She　had　heard　of　Lefortovo；　the　state　security　police　interrogation　center　and　prison；　had　even　seen　photos　of　its　forbidding　exterior。　So　had　Russell。
　〃What　the　hell　is　this？〃　he　said；　sitting　bolt　upright。
　Captain　Nikolev　laughed。　〃You　do　not　think　I　am　taking　you　there；　do　you？''　He　shook　his　head。　''　That　Lefortovo　is　only　for　spies　and　criminals。〃　The　black　Zil　pulled　up　across　the　street。　〃You　are　to　be　my　guests　at　the　Lefortovo　restaurant。〃
　〃Charming；〃　Tori　said　as　they　stepped　out　onto　the　rain…washed　sidewalk。
　〃Not　really；〃　Nikolev　said；　apparently　ignorant　of　her　sarcasm。　He　led　them　up　the　steps。　〃The　place　has　little　charm；　I　admit。　But　the　food　is　good；　the　service　even　better…most　important　in　Moscow；　I'm　afraid。　And　it's　cheap。　We　who　are　dependent　on　military　salaries　must　constantly　count　our　rubles。〃　They　went　through　the　doors。　〃I　suppose　it's　the　same　with　you　and　Mr。　Slade。〃
　〃Why　would　you　say　that？〃　Tori　asked。
　Captain　Nikolev　took　off　his　shiny…billed　hat　and；　sticking　it　under　his　left　arm；　spoke　for　a　moment　with　the　maitre　d'。　They　were　immediately　led　to　a　superior　corner　table。
　When　they　were　settled；　Nikolev　studied　Tori　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　said；　〃It　is　my　understanding　that　government　personnel　of　all　types　are　underpaid。　Is　this　not　so？〃
　Tori　chose　not　to　answer　him。　Instead　she　said；　〃Captain；　I　would　very　much　like　to　know　why　you　chose　this　restaurant　to　take　us　to。　Surely　you　knew　its　location…not　to　mention　its　name…would　be　repellent　to　us。〃
　〃Well；　yes；　that　did　occur　to　me；〃　Nikolev　said。　He　paused　to　order　them　all　vodka。　When　the　waiter　had　gone；　he　continued；　''But　we　have　business　to　discuss；　and　in　Moscow　one　must　choose　one's　negotiation　site　with　the　utmost　care。〃
　〃Negotiation？〃
　〃What's　he　saying？〃　Russell　asked；　concerned　by　the　expression　on　her　face。　When　she　had　translated；　he　said；　〃Just　what　the　hell　does　this　bozo　want？〃
　〃This　bozo；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said　in　almost　accentless　English；　〃wants　a　chance　to　make　a　proposal。〃
　The　silence　at　the　table　was　deafening。　Tori　shot　Russell　a　glare　that　would　have　taken　off　his　head　if　her　eyes　had　been　lasers。
　Nikolev　cleared　his　throat。　It　seemed　as　if　he　was　as　unfortable　as　they　were。　The　vodka　came　to　save　them　all…at　least　temporarily。　He　raised　his　glass。　〃What　shall　we　drink　to？〃
　〃The　dismantling　of　Lefortovo　prison；〃　Tori　said。
　〃An　inquiry　into　its　questionable　practices；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said。
　They　drank　to　that；　but　it　was　a　promise　that　made　Tori　uneasy。　This　man　was；　after　all；　a　captain　in　the　Border　Guards　division　of　the　KGB。　He　was　on　to　them；　no　doubt　about　it；　but　what　was　his　game？　Tori　expanded　her　wa　in　an　effort　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　his　strategy。　She　did　not　like　being　wholly　in　the　dark。
　She　and　Russell　had　no　sooner　stepped　into　the　Red　Sector…　the　enemy's　territory…when　they　had　been　picked　up　by　that　very　same　enemy。　Or　was　Captain　Nikolev　the　enemy？
　That　was　the　danger；　she　recognized：　to　be　able　to　differentiate　the　enemy　from　a　friend　was　a　cardinal　principle　of　espionage。　The　idea　of　successfully　couching　the　one　inside　the　other　was　what　made　this　clandestine　world　continue　to　tick　in　this　electronicized；　puterized　age。　When　you　got　into　trouble…whether　it　was　an　individual；　a　department；　a　country…it　was　because　you　had　trusted　the　person　who　was　selling　you　out　to　your　enemy。
　She　felt　nothing　from　this　man；　neither　hostility　nor　camaraderie；　merely　a　kind　of　coiled　tension。　It　was　different　from　Russell's　tension　when　she　and　he　were　fighting。　The　Russian's　was　more　intense；　darker；　more　opaque。　And　it　had　many　layers。　It　seemed　interesting　to　her　that　this　man　should　be　under　so　much　stress。　What　was　he　frightened　of？　she　wondered。
　〃I　want　to　at　least　attempt　to　explain；〃　Captain　Nikolev　was　saying　now；　breaking　in　on　her　thoughts。　〃Look　around　you。　By　and　large；　you　will　see　only　military　men。　Most　of　them　work　across　the　street。　I　know　many　of　them；　though　not　well。　We　have　never　shared　an　evening　meal；　our　children　are　not　friends。　But　they　know　me；　and　therefore　this　is　a　safe　haven　for　me。　I　can　take　anyone　here　and　no　one　will　talk　about　it　because　it　will　be　assumed　that　these　people　are　my　friends；　my　guests；　or　are　business　associates。〃　He　cocked　his　head。　〃Do　you　understand？〃
　〃I　think　I'm　beginning　to；〃　Tori　said。　〃But　you'd　better　spell　it　out　for　Mr。　Slade。　He　isn't　as　quick　as　I　am。〃
　〃Is　this　true？〃　Nikolev　asked　Russell　anxiously。　〃Perhaps　my　English　will　be　inadequate。〃
　〃Your　accent　isn't　terrible；〃　Tori　said。　〃But　Mr。　Slade　will；　I　think；　tax　your　vocabulary。''
　Nikolev　laughed　softly。　〃I　like　humor；〃　he　said。　〃Especially　in　a　woman。　It's　very　fortable；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃I　think　you　mean　forting；〃　Tori　said。　〃And　that　depends　on　the　type　of　humor。''
　〃Perhaps　if　I　get　to　know　you　better；　I　will　receive　an　entire　catalogue　of　humor；〃　Nikolev　said；　clearly　delighted。　〃I　would　wele　that。　It's　said　the　Romans　of　Augustus　Caesar's　day　had　much　humor。〃
　Nikolev　patiently　watched　the　silent　interplay　between　Tori　and　Russell　before　saying；　〃I　know。　You're　thinking　again；　'What　does　this　bozo　want？'　By　the　way；　what　is　a　bozo？〃
　〃Know　what　a　clown　is？〃　Russell　said。　〃Same　thing。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Nikolev　seemed　to　frown　a　little。　Then　the　first　course　came；　and　he　brightened。　〃It's　a　set　menu　here。　I　hope　you　don't　mind　not　being　able　to　choose。〃
　''We're　getting　used　to　it；〃　Tori　said。
　They　ate　more　or　less　in　silence。　When　the　plates　were　cleared　of　the　last　course；　Nikolev　said；　〃Was　it　so　bad？〃
　〃Lutece　it　isn't；〃　Russell　said；　plopping　sugar　into　his　strong　Russian　tea。
　〃Ah；　a　restaurant　in　Paris。〃
　〃Close；〃　Russell　said。
　Captain　Nikolev　nodded；　apparently　satisfied。　〃In　any　case；　I　think　we　all　feel　better　now；　yes？〃
　〃Maybe　some　of　us　do；〃　Russell　said　pointedly。
　〃What　Mr。　Slade　means；〃　Tori　said　hurriedly；　〃is　that　we're　still　a　bit　bewildered。　Obviously　you　want　something　from　us；　but　we　still　have　no　idea　what　it　is。〃
　〃That's　all　right　for　now；〃　Nikolev　said。　〃Can　we　say　that　this　time　together　has　proven　that　we　can　。　。　。　talk　to　one　another？〃
　Russell　said；　〃Depends　about　what。〃
　Captain　Nikolev　looked　at　him　for　some　time；　as　if　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　about　something　important。　''It's　a　matter　of　trust；　isn't　it？〃　he　said。　He　took　out　a　handkerchief；　wiped　his　brow。　〃I　have　no　idea　whether　I　can　trust　you。〃
　Russell；　who　had　just　taken　some　tea；　was　so　surprised　he　almost　choked　on　it。　He　began　to　cough；　and　his　eyes　teared