el.angeleyes-第74部分

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tion　had　turned　it　inward。
　It　had　been　his　son；　Valeri；　who　had　saved　him　from　taking　a　pistol　and　putting　it　to　his　head。　Valeri　had　said　the　only　thing　that　would　make　his　father　want　to　keep　living：　''I　want　to　learn；　Father。　I　want　to　know　what　it　means　to　be　a　Ukrainian；　and　I　can　only　do　that　from　you。''
　Now　I　am　the　father；　Valeri　Bondasenko　thought；　sitting　beside　his　mute；　unthinking　daughter　on　the　wide　lawn　of　the　asylum　near　Arkhangelskoe。　I　want　to　teach　her　what　you　taught　me；　Father；　but　even　if　she　hears　me；　she　isn't　listening。
　Does　this　mean　they've　won；　Father？　The　Russians　who　systematically　beat　us；　stripped　us　of　our　culture；　our　past；　who　have　entangled　us　in　hopelessness；　who　have　tried　their　best　to　exterminate　us？　No；　no；　no！　I　haven't　forgotten　what　you　taught　me；　how　to　bury　my　hate　so　deeply　no　one　would　ever　find　out　what　was　in　my　heart。
　No。　They　haven't　won；　the　Russians；　but　they　haven't　lost。　Not　yet。　Not　yet。
　Another　day；　another　visit　to　the　man　who　would　be　God；　Mars　Volkov　thought　as　he　drove　up　to　the　Hero's　fortresslike　plex　within　Star　Town。
　He　did　not　immediately　get　out　of　the　Chaika　limousine；　however；　but　instead　listened　again　to　the　tape　recording　he　had　made　of　his　last　conversation　with　the　Hero。
　〃I　　don't　know　what's　e　over　me。　Before　I　lifted　off；　I　never　had　much　of　a　sense　of　humor。　Who　knows；　perhaps　being　suspended　between　heaven　and　a　living　hell　will　do　that　for　you。　〃
　It　had　been　a　rather　nice　touch。　Mars　thought；　to　make　such　a　theatrical　display　of　disabling　the　monitoring　equipment　in　the　Hero's　living　quarters。　Of　course；　it　was　quite　real。　Mars　had　actually　shut　down　the　system。　And　he　had　been　correct　not　to　inform　the　dolts　downstairs。　Their　display　of　genuine　pique　had　put　the　icing　on　the　cake。　No　amount　of　acting；　no　matter　how　expert；　would　fool　the　Hero　or　his　idiot　manque；　Arbat。　（Mars　had　to　admit　that　the　bloody　dolphin　had　been　his　one　major　mistake；　but　now　that　it　was　done；　he　could　hardly　take　it　away。）
　〃There　are　some　who　think　you　're　lying；　or　have　misremembered；　or　are　delusional。　〃
　''Are　you　one　of　those　？''
　All　in　all；　Mars　thought；　the　last　interrogation　had　gone　well。　Mars　was　far　too　clever　to　try　to　fool　the　Hero　at　this　late　stage。　It　would；　he　knew；　be　another　mistake　to　underestimate　the　Hero　now；　even　though　he；　Mars；　had　finally　gamed　the　high　ground　in　their　battle　of　wits。　Mars's　own　sentiments　about　being　fed　up　with　playing　their　no…win　game　had　been　real；　as　well。　But　he　was　not　as　much　the　maverick　as　he　had　led　the　Hero　to　believe…it　was　far　more　convincing　to　tell　a　semblance　of　the　truth　than　to　try　to　put　over　a　lie。　Consequently；　Mars　had　e　prepared　to　his　last　meeting。　He　had　been　wearing　a　body　mike　attached　to　a　portable　microcassette　recorder。　The　same　was　true　today。
　〃The　corpse　opened　its　mouth　and…〃　
　〃No；　no。　This　isn't　something　out　of　a　science…fiction　or　a　horror　film。〃　He　didn't　e　back　from　the　dead；　nor　was　he　animated　like　a　zombie　or　a　golem。　This　was　something　else　。　。　。〃
　Mars　reached　over；　shut　off　the　tape。　What　had　happened　up　there　between　the　stars？　He　was　being　consumed　with　this　puzzle。
　He　sat　for　a　moment　longer；　lost　in　thought。　Then　he　got　out　of　the　Chaika；　went　through　the　laborious　but　necessary　security　procedures　to　allow　him　entrance　to　the　Hero's　plex。
　Inside；　the　Hero　was　with　Tatiana。　She　was　a　short　blond　woman；　with　a　ruddy　plexion　and　wide…set；　direct　gray　eyes。　She　had　the　wide　shoulders；　narrow　waist　and　hips　of　the　athlete。　She　was　as　attractive　as　Lara；　though　in　an　entirely　different　way。
　''Good　morning；　rade；''　Tatiana　said　when　she　saw　Mars　enter　the　pool　area。　Her　swimsuit　was　quite　shockingly　brief；　cut　very　high　around　the　tops　of　the　legs　in　the　Western　manner；　and　Mars　made　a　mental　note　to　order　different；　more　modest　suits　for　his　guard　girls。　
　He　nodded　to　her；　said；　〃Where　is　Odysseus？〃　
　Arbat　surfaced；　sped　across　the　diameter　of　the　pool；　spewed　water　all　over　Mars。　Tatiana　put　her　hand　over　her　mouth；　tamed　her　face　away；　but　not　before　Mars　caught　a　glimpse　of　her　laughing。
　〃He's　in　the　shower；〃　she　said　when　she　had　recovered。　She　brought　him　a　towel。　Mars　glowered；　making　quite　sure　her　face　was　solemn。
　〃What　the　hell　does　he　need　to　shower　for？〃　Mars　said　tightly。　〃He's　in　the　goddamned　pool　all　the　time；　anyway。〃
　〃He　never　goes　in　the　pool　without　showering　first；〃　Tatiana　said。
　A　buzzer　sounded；　and　she　went　across　the　room。　She　opened　a　translucent　glass　door；　and　Mars　could　hear　the　shower　cut　off。　Then　she　reappeared；　carrying　the　Hero　in　her　arms。
　Odysseus　said　nothing　until　Tatiana　had　deposited　him　into　the　pool。　He　slid　from　her　arms　as　if　he　were　a　slippery　eel。　His　sleek；　hairless　body；　so　pale　and　unearthly　in　color；　was　sheened　as　if　with　oil　as　well　as　water。　Arbat　immediately　began　a　series　of　clicks；　to　which　the　Него　responded　briefly。
　He　turned　to　Mars。　〃You're　early。〃
　〃Good　morning　to　you；　too；〃　Mars　said　sourly。
　The　Hero　bobbed　in　the　water；　eyed　him。　〃Did　you　fall　into　a　puddle？　I　don't　believe　it's　raining。''
　〃The　dolphin…〃　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Mars　saw　Tatiana　stifle　a　laugh。　〃It　was　your　bloody　dolphin's　idea　of　a　joke。〃
　〃Oh；　not　a　joke；〃　Odysseus　said　when　Arbat's　clicks　had　ceased。　〃It　was　her　way　of　saying　　'Hello；　rade！'　〃
　〃Don't　be　idiotic。　You're　trying　my　patience。〃
　〃And　you；〃　Odysseus　said；　〃have　been　trying　mine。〃　He　smiled。　〃That　makes　us　even；　though　not　in　any　way　you'd　understand。　But　maybe　you　still　feel　at　a　disadvantage。　You're　wondering；　I'm　willing　to　bet；　what　it　is　that　Odysseus　sees　in　being　in　the　pool　all　day。　Am　I　right？〃　Before　Mars　had　a　chance　to　answer；　the　Hero　had　pressed　on。　〃So　here's　your　big　opportunity；　rade　Volkov。　Take　off　your　clothes　and　join　us。　See　firsthand　what　it's　all　about。〃
　When　Mars　hesitated；　the　Hero　said；　〃Still　undecided？　Let's　give　you　a　hand　in　making　up　your　mind。　Arbat？〃　The　dolphin　leaped　up　and　at　the　top　of　her　arc；　spat　a　long　stream　of　water　into　Mars's　face。　When　she　landed；　she　did　so　broadside；　sending　a　wave　over　the　side　of　the　pool；　inundating　Mars。
　〃Guess　you　don't　have　much　of　a　choice　now；　rade；〃　Odysseus　said；　clearly　delighted。
　。Mars；　in　an　inner　rage；　resolved　to　do　nothing　outwardly　to　show　the　Hero　he　had　won　this　round。　But　simple　human　dignity　dictated　that　he　say；　''I　have　no　bathing　attire。''
　〃That's　a　quaint　thought；〃　the　Hero　said。　〃I　don't　need　'bathing　attire；'　why　should　you？〃
　Mars　could　think　of　no　appropriate　answer；　so　instead　he　stalked　across　the　room　to　the　shower　area　and　disrobed。　He　wrapped　a　towel　around　his　middle；　reemerged。
　〃Wele；　Volkov；〃　Odysseus　said；　〃to　the　isle　of　Polyphemus；　the　Cyclops。〃
　Grim…faced；　Mars　approached　the　pool　and；　deliberately　ignoring　Tatiana；　who　was　already　bobbing　alongside　the　Hero；　dropped　the　towel　and　slid　into　the　water。
　Arbat　made　quite　a　fuss；　clicking　and　diving。　For　a　moment　Mars　was　uneasy。　It　suddenly　dawned　on　him　that　he　was　in　the　creature's　domain。　What　would　the　dolphin　choose　to　do　to　him？　Nothing；　it　seemed；　but　click　and　dive。　Arbat　never　approached　him。
　〃It's　easier　here　in　the　water；〃　the　Hero　said　in　the　silence　after　the　dolphin's　last　outburst。　
　''What　is？〃　Mars　found　himself　asking。
　''Life；''　Odysseus　said；　staring　up　at　the　arched　ceiling；　alight　with　reflections　from　the　water。　''I　thought　that　would　be　self…evident　once　you　were　in　here。〃　His　gaze　lowered。　His　eyes；　Mars　saw；　were　the　color　of　gun　metal　today；　and　seemingly　just　as　hard。　〃But　perhaps　I　have　overestimated　you。〃
　〃I　hope　not；　〃　Mars　said。
　〃We'll　see。〃
　Mars　said；　〃I'd　like　to　return　to　something　you　spoke　about　last　time。　The　unspeakable　color　you　saw　in　。。。　Menelaus's　eyes　after　he　died。〃　Mars　had　almost　forgotten　the　name　the　Hero　wanted　him　to　use。　Menelaus；　another　of　the　Greek　chieftains　who　took　part　in　the　sack　of　Troy；　and；　so　Homer　would　have　us　believe；　Odysseus's　alter　ego。　〃The　color　of　God；　so　you　said。　I'm　interested　to　learn　why　you　used　just　that　term。　Surely　there　are　others　that　would　do　as　well。''
　〃Are　there？〃　Odysseus　said。　〃If　so；　it's　clear　you　wouldn't　know　them。　You'r