el.angeleyes-第43部分

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t　has　yet　to　realize　it…is　in　our　people。　The　Soviet　peoples。　The　longer　we　suppress　their　individual　freedoms；　the　more　we　keep　them　at　arm's　length。　We　imprison　them；　rather　than　embracing　them。　White　Star　could　change　all　that；　given　half　a　chance。　I　think　it's　worth　the　risk　to　give　them　that　chance。〃
　Irina　looked　into　Mars's　dark　eyes。　〃It　happens　that　I　agree　with　you。〃
　Mars　smiled。　''I　knew　you　would。''　He　wiped　water　droplets　from　her　cheek。　〃Now　I'm　certain　you'll　agree　to　help　me　find　White　Star　and　talk　to　their　leaders。''
　〃Me？　How　on　earth　could　I　possibly　help？〃
　〃Well；　it　occurred　to　me　that　while　you　were　on　one　of　your　trips　to　America；　you　might　have　stumbled　across　a　White　Star　supporter　or　two。　It　seems　apparent　to　me　that　elements　inside　America　would　be　only　too　eager　to　give　what　they　could：　money；　arms；　what…have…you；　to　White　Star's　cause。〃
〃That　may　be　true；〃　Irina　said；　〃but　I　never　met　any。〃　
　〃Hmm。　Well；　it　was　just　a　thought；〃　Mars　said。　He　smiled；　and　wriggled　closer　to　her。　〃I'll　just　have　to　muddle　along　on　my　own；　then。〃
　〃Why？〃　Irina　reached　under　the　water　for　him。　〃When　we　can　muddle　along　together；〃　she　said。
　Irina　awoke　with　a　start。　It　was　very　dark　in　the　room。　She　could　hear　Mars's　even　breathing　as　he　slept　beside　her。　She　lay　for　a　time　watching　a　pattern　of　pale　light　spiderweb　the　ceiling。　Then　she　rose　without　a　sound　and　padded　over　to　the　window。
　She　thought　deeply　for　some　time；　her　mind　turning　over　the　possibilities　her　power　opened　to　her。　She　took　her　time；　forcing　back　the　desire　to　race　ahead。　At　last　she　came　to　the　conclusion　that　she　would；　indeed；　help　Mars　in　his　quest　to　find　White　Star。　The　dissident　nationalist　organization　seemed　to　loom　with　greater　importance。　Both　Mars　and　Valeri　were　interested　in　finding　White　Star；　each　for　his　own　reasons。　But　Mars　wanted　to　help　White　Star；　while　Valeri　was　most　concerned　with　the　smuggled　hafnium。
　And　now　she　could　feel　White　Star　exerting　its　own　magnetic　pull　on　her。　It　was　fate　that　Mars　had　opened　himself　up　to　her　tonight；　a　sign。　I　need　to　help　him；　Irina　decided。　The　way　each　man　has　reacted　to　White　Star　has　given　me　a　regained　sense　of　right　and　wrong。　And　perhaps　in　helping　the　peoples　of　White　Star　gain　their　freedom；　I　will　find　the　purpose　in　life　that　has　been　missing　ever　since　I　returned　from　Cambridge。
　She　nodded　to　herself；　beginning　at　last　to　see　a　way　out　of　her　terrible　dilemma。　She　would　continue　to　spy　on　Mars　for　Valeri；　but　now　it　would　be　a　facade。　Her　facade。　She　would　pass　on　to　Valeri　only　what　she　wanted　to；　only　enough　to　keep　him　from　getting　suspicious。　In　the　meantime；　she　would　work　on　Valeri　like　an　archaeologist　at　a　dig。　She　would　find　out　all　he　knew　about　White　Star。　But　first　she　needed　some　kind　of　insurance。
　She　did　not　delude　herself。　Turning　on　Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko　would　be　dangerous；　if　she　were　not　very　careful；　it　could　have　dire　consequences　for　her。　She　thought　of　her　dream　of　the　Siberian　winter　and　shuddered；　because　she　knew　that　Valeri　could　send　her　there　with　no　more　than　a　wave　of　his　hand。　No　one　would　dare　raise　his　voice　in　protest。　There　could　be　no　help　for　her；　no　reprieve；　even　from　Mars。
　She　was　smart　enough　to　know　that　there　was　a　personal　element　in　this　decision。　To　deceive　Valeri　as　he　was　deceiving　her　would；　in　some　measure；　make　up　for　the　hurt　he　had　caused　her　by　seeing　another　woman。　Again；　part　of　her　wondered　why　she　should　feel　so　hurt　by　Valeri；　and　why　she　felt　it　necessary　to　exact　a　measure　of　revenge。　After　all；　it　wasn't　as　if　she　did　care　for　him；　was　it？
　Insurance。　Irina　knew　she　would　need　it。　Some　kind　of　leverage；　should　Valeri　ever　find　out　what　she　was　doing。　Power　was　the　only　currency　Valeri　traded　in；　and　Irina　knew　she　needed　to　make　a　deposit　before　she　set　out　against　him。
　She　would　have　to　follow　him。　Valeri　had　claimed　that　he　had　no　secrets；　Irina　was　convinced　this　must　be　a　lie。　Everyone　had　a　secret　or　two　that　he　or　she　did　not　want　made　public。　Why　should　Valeri　be　an　exception？
　He　had　to　have　a　weakness；　some　crack；　no　matter　how　tiny；　in　the　armor　of　his　power。　But　what　could　it　be？　Irina　stared　out　the　window　into　the　blackness　of　the　Moscow　night。　The　air　was　thick　and　heavy；　almost　as　cloying　as　the　atmosphere　in　the　lobby　of　the　old　Moscow　Arts　Theater。
　And　Irina；　in　sudden　inspiration；　knew　just　where　to　start。　Her　name　was　Natasha　Mayakova。
　Honno　said；　〃What　if　Giin　is　already　dead？〃
　〃Then　we'll　hold　a　funeral；〃　Big　Ezoe　said。
　Looking　into　her　face；　he　laughed。　''You　know；　being　in　love　does　something　to　you。〃
　''I　'm　not　in　love　with　Giin；　if　that's　your　implication；''　Honno　said。　〃Have　you　forgotten　Eikichi？　〃
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃You're　the　one　married　to　Eikichi　Kansei；　yet　you　aren't　in　love　with　him。''
　〃Don't　be　an　idiot；〃　she　snapped。　〃Anyway；　why　are　we　talking　about　me　when　Giin　and　Sakata…san's　ledgers　are　missing？〃
　〃Because　my　men　are　doing　everything　possible　to　find　both。　We　have　some　time　now。　Just　the　two　of　us。〃
　〃Your　tone　is　most　offensive；〃　Honno　said。　〃Do　all　Yakuza　deal　in　innuendo？〃　　　　　
　〃Our　stock　in　trade；　Mrs。　Kansei。〃　He　grinned。　〃Sit　down。　If　you　keep　pacing　like　that；　you're　apt　to　get　a　heart　attack。''
　Honno　stopped　in　her　tracks。　She　was　about　to　say　something　acid；　realized　how　useless　her　sarcasm　would　be　on　him；　sat　down　instead。
　They　were　in　Big　Ezoe's　office。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　activity　outside　in　the　warehouselike　space。　Honno　hoped　at　least　some　of　it　was　related　to　the　search　for　Giin　and　the　ledgers。　She　knew　there　were　bodyguards　around；　but　suspected　that　she　would　never　quite　manage　to　spot　them　all。
　Honno　had　already　spent　two　evenings　out　of　the　house；　and；　before　Eikichi　got　suspicious；　she　knew　she　had　to　take　some　steps　to　ensure　that　she　had　uninterrupted　time　with　Big　Ezoe。　Accordingly；　she　took　a　few　days　off　her　job　at　Michita　Industries。　She　had　to　arrange　for　two　women　at　Michita　to　cover　her　work　while　she　was　gone。
　Eikichi　often　worked　so　late　that　rather　regularly　he　went　out　afterward　with　some　of　his　fellow　prosecutors　to　eat；　drink；　and　unwind。　But　on　the　nights　he　was　home　at　a　more　or　less　normal　time；　he　expected　his　dinner　to　be　prepared　and　waiting　for　him　when　he　walked　in。　If　it　was　not　there　and；　worse；　neither　was　she；　no　explanation　would　be　adequate。
　Consequently；　Honno　told　Eikichi　that　she　was　going　to　Osaka　for　several　days　to　visit　her　aunt　who　was　taken　ill。　Eikichi　knew　that　this　aunt　was　Honno's　favorite　relative；　the　only　member　of　her　family　with　whom　she　had　a　normal　relationship；　and　he　had　not　questioned　her　decision。
　Big　Ezoe　shook　his　head。　〃You　look　even　more　nervous　sitting　down　than　you　did　pacing　about。〃　He　came　around　from　behind　his　desk。　〃This　isn't　the　place　for　us。〃　He　touched　his　hip　beneath　his　suit　jacket。　〃I　have　a　beeper。　As　soon　as　anything　breaks；　I'll　be　notified。　In　the　meantime；　let's　go　somewhere　where　you　can　get　rid　of　some　of　that　excess　energy。''
　He　took　her　in　his　gray　steel…plated　Mercedes　to　the　Ginza；　not　to　the　great　wide　avenues　clogged　with　tourists　and　traffic；　enormous　department　stores；　and　neon　signs；　but　to　a　quiet　side　street　lined　with　ginkgo　trees　and　wooden　walls。　Behind　one　wall　Honno　found　a　minuscule　garden；　immaculate；　with　a　stand　of　mini…bamboo；　moss…laden　rocks　and　a　wellspring　of　tinkling　water。
　This　was　the　home　of　Tokyo's　most　exclusive　club；　on　a　street　of　exclusive　clubs。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　bowing　and　deferential　treatment　from　the　staff　and　from　the　managing　director　himself；　who　was　immediately　summoned　from　his　inner　sanctum　on　the　second　floor；　which　overlooked　a　stunning　diamond…shaped　atrium　posed　entirely　of　white　marble　slabs。
　A　man　in　a　tuxedo　was　playing　Erik　Satie　on　a　white　concert　grand　piano。　An　enormous　spray　of　red　peonies　was　artfully　arranged　in　a　white　porcelain　vase　on　the　piano's　top。　Behind　him　a　very　modern　bination　of　glass　and　rice　paper　and　ash　shoji　screens　gave　way　to　an　inner　courtyard　of　water；　moss；　ferns；　and　dwarf　azalea；　all　amid　rocks　that　suggested　mountains；　time；　and　great　distance。
　They　were　taken　downstairs　in　a　stainless…steel　el