tc.patriotgames-第16部分

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ublin。
　　　　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃　Ashley　said　after　the　waiter　left；　staring　into　the　cold　blue　eyes　across　the　table。
　　　　〃The　Royal　Family　are　strictly　off　limits。　As　marvelous　a　political　target　as　they　all　are〃　　Murphy　smiled　　〃we've　known　for　some　time　that　an　attack　on　them　would　be　counterproductive。〃　
　　　　〃Really？〃　Ashley　pronounced　the　word　as　only　an　Englishman　can　do　it。　Murphy　flushed　angrily　at　this　most　elegant　of　insults。
　　　　〃Mr。　Ashley；　we　are　enemies。　I　would　as　soon　kill　you　as　have　dinner　with　you。　But　even　enemies　can　negotiate；　can't　they；　now？〃　
　　　　〃Go　on。〃　
　　　　〃We　had　no　part　of　it。　You　have　my　word。〃
　　　　〃Your　word　as　a　Marxist…Leninist？〃　Ashley　inquired　with　a　smile。
　　　　〃You　are　very　good　at　provoking　people；　Mr。　Ashley。〃　Murphy　ventured　his　own　smile。　〃But　not　today。　I　am　here　on　a　mission　of　peace　and　understanding。〃
　　　　Ashley　nearly　laughed　out　loud；　but　caught　himself　and　grinned　into　his　drink。
　　　　〃Mr。　Murphy；　I　would　not　shed　a　single　tear　if　our　lads　were　to　catch　up　with　you；　but　you　are　a　worthy　adversary；　I'll　say　that。　And　a　charming　bastard。〃
　　　　Ah；　the　English　sense　of　fair　play。　Murphy　reflected。　That's　why　we'll　win　eventually；　Mr。　Ashley。

　　　　No；　you　won't。　Ashley　had　seen　that　look　before。　
　　　　〃How　can　I　make　you　believe　me？〃　Murphy　asked　reasonably。　
　　　　〃Names　and　addresses；〃　Ashley　answered　quietly。　
　　　　〃No。　We　cannot　do　that　and　you　know　it。〃
　　　　〃If　you　wish　to　establish　some　sort　of　quid　pro　quo；　that's　how　you　must　go　about　it。〃
　　　　Murphy　sighed。　〃Surely　you　know　how　we　are　organized。　Do　you　think　we　can　punch　up　a　bloody　puter　mand　and　print　out　our　roster？　We're　not　even　sure　ourselves　who　they　are。　Some　men；　they　just　drop　out。　Many　e　south　and　simply　vanish；　more　afraid　of　us　than　of　you；　they　are　　and　with　reason；〃　Murphy　added。　〃The　one　you　have　alive；　Sean　Miller　　we've　never　even　heard　the　name。〃　
　　　　〃And　Kevin　O'Donnell？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　he's　probably　the　leader。　He　dropped　off　the　earth　four　years　ago；　as　you　well　know；　after　　ah；　you　know　the　story　as　well　as　I。〃
　　　　Kevin　Joseph　O'Donnell；　Ashley　reminded　himself。　Thirty…four　now。　Six　feet；　one　hundred　sixty　pounds；　unmarried　　this　data　was　old　and　therefore　suspect。　The　all…time　Provo　champion　at　〃own…goals。〃　Kevin　had　been　the　most　ruthless　chief　of　security　the　Proves　had　ever　had；　thrown　out　after　it　had　been　proven　that　he'd　used　his　power　as　counterintelligence　boss　to　purge　the　Organization　of　political　elements　he　disapproved　of。　What　was　the　figure　　ten；　fifteen　solid　members　that　he'd　had　killed　or　maimed　before　the　Brigade　mander'd　found　him　out？　The　amazing　thing；　Ashley　thought；　was　that　he'd　escaped　alive　at　all。　But　Murphy　was　wrong　on　one　thing；　Ashley　didn't　know　what　had　finally　tipped　the　Brigade　that　O'Donnell　was　outlaw。　
　　　　〃I　fail　to　see　why　you　feel　the　urge　to　protect　him　and　his　group。〃　He　knew　the　reason；　but　why　not　prod　the　man　when　he　had　the　chance？
　　　　〃And　if　we　turn　'grass；'　what　bees　of　the　Organization？〃　Murphy　asked。
　　　　〃Not　my　problem；　Mr。　Murphy；　but　I　do　see　your　point。　Still　and　all；　if　you　want　us　to　believe　you　〃
　　　　〃Mr。　Ashley；　you　demonstrate　the　basis　of　the　entire　problem　we　have；　don't　you？　Had　your　country　ever　dealt　with　Ireland　in　mutual　good　faith；　surely　we　would　not　be　here　now；　would　we？〃　
　　　　The　intelligence　officer　reflected　on　that。　It　took　no　more　than　a　couple　of　seconds；　so　many　times　had　he　examined　the　historical　basis　of　the　Troubles。　Some　deliberate　policy　acts；　mixed　with　historical　accidents　　who　could　have　known　that　the　onset　of　the　crisis　that　erupted　into　World　War　I　would　prevent　a　solution　to　the　issue　of　〃Home　＇or　〃Rome〃＇　Rule；〃　that　the　Conservative　Party　of　the　time　would　use　this　issue　as　a　hammer　that　would　eventually　crush　the　Liberal　Party　　and　who　was　there　to　blame　now？　They　were　all　dead　and　forgotten；　except　by　hard…core　academics　who　knew　that　their　studies　mattered　for　nothing。　It　was　far　too　late　for　that。　Is　there　a　way　out　of　this　bloody　quagmire？　he　wondered。　Ashley　shook　his　head。　That　was　not　his　brief。　That　was　something　for　politicians。　The　same　sort；　he　reminded　himself；　who'd　built　the　Troubles；　one　small　brick　at　a　time。
　　　　〃I'll　tell　you　this　much；　Mr。　Ashley　〃　The　waiter　showed　up　with　dinner。　It　was　amazing　how　quick　the　service　was　here。　The　waiter　uncorked　the　wine　with　a　flourish；　allowing　Ashley　to　smell　the　cork　and　sample　a　splash　in　his　glass。　The　Englishman　was　surprised　at　the　quality　of　the　restaurant's　cellar。
　　　　〃This　much　you　will　tell　me　。　。　。　〃　Ashley　said　after　the　waiter　left。
　　　　〃They　get　very　good　information。　So　good；　you　would　not　believe　it。　And　their　information　es　from　your　side　of　the　Irish　Sea；　Mr。　Ashley。　We　don't　know　who；　and　we　don't　know　how。　The　lad　who　found　out　died；　four　years　ago；　you　see。〃　Murphy　sampled　the　broccoli。　〃There；　I　told　you　the　vegetables　were　fresh。〃　
　　　　〃Four　years？〃
　　　　Murphy　looked　up。　〃You　don't　know　the　story；　then？　That　is　a　surprise；　Mr。　Ashley。　Yes。　His　name　was　Mickey　Baird。　He　worked　closely　with　Kevin。　He's　the　lad　who　　well；　you　can　guess。　He　was　talking　with　me　over　a　jar　in　Derry　and　said　that　Kevin　had　a　bloody　good　new　intelligence　source。　Next　day　he　was　dead。　The　day　after；　Kevin　managed　to　escape　us　by　an　hour。　We　haven't　seen　him　since。　If　we　find　Kevin　again；　Mr。　Ashley；　we'll　do　your　work　for　you；　and　leave　the　body　for　your　SAS　assassins　to　collect。　Would　that　be　fair　enough；　now？　We　cannot　exactly　tout　to　the　enemy；　but　he's　on　our　list；　too；　and　if　you　manage　to　find　the　lad；　and　you　don't　wish　to　bring　him　in　yourselves；　we'll　handle　the　job　for　you　　assuming；　of　course；　that　you　don't　interfere　with　the　lads　who　do　the　work。　Can　we　agree　on　that？〃

　　　　〃I'll　pass　that　along；〃　Ashley　said。　〃If　I　could　approve　it　myself；　I　would。　Mr。　Murphy；　I　think　we　can　believe　you　on　this。〃
　　　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Ashley。　That　wasn't　so　painful；　was　it？〃　Dinner　was　excellent。

Chapter　4　Players

　　　　Ryan　tried　to　blink　away　the　blue　dots　that　swirled　around　his　eyes　as　the　television　crews　set　up　their　own　lights。　Why　the　newspaper　photographers　couldn't　wait　for　the　powerful　TV　lights；　he　didn't　know；　and　didn't　bother　asking。　Everyone　was　kind　enough　to　ask　how　he　felt　　but　nothing　short　of　respiratory　arrest　would　have　gotten　them　out　of　the　room。
　　　　It　could　have　been　worse；　of　course。　Dr。　Scott　had　told　the　newspeople　rather　forcefully　that　his　patient　needed　rest　to　recover　speedily；　and　Nurse　Kittiwake　was　there　to　glower　at　the　intruders。　So　press　access　to　Ryan　was　being　limited　to　no　more　than　the　number　of　people　who　would　fit　into　his　room。　This　included　the　TV　crew。　It　was　the　best　sort　of　bargain　Jack　could　get。　The　cameramen　and　sound　technicians　took　up　space　that　would　otherwise　be　occupied　by　more　inquisitorial　reporters。
　　　　The　morning　papers　　Ryan　had　been　through　the　Times　and　the　Daily　Telegraph　　had　carried　reports　that　Ryan　was　a　former　（or　current）　employee　of　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency；　something　that　was　technically　not　true；　and　that　Jack　had　not　expected　to　bee　public　in　any　case。　He　found　himself　remembering　what　the　people　at　Langley　said　about　leaks；　and　how　pleased　they'd　been　with　his　offhand　invention　of　the　Canary　Trap。　A　pity　they　couldn't　use　it　in　my　case；　Ryan　told　himself　wryly。　I　really　need　this　plication　to　my　life；　don't　I？　For　crying　out　loud；　I　turned　their　offer　down。　Sort　of。
　　　　〃All　ready　here；〃　the　lighting　technician　said。　A　moment　later　he　proved　this　was　true　by　turning　on　the　three　klieg　lights　that　brought　tears　to　Jack's　squinted　eyes。
　　　　〃They　are　awfully　bright；　aren't　they？〃　a　reporter　sympathized；　while　the　still　photographers　continued　to　snap…and…whir　away　with　their　strobe…equipped　Nikons。
　　　　〃You　might　say　that；〃　Jack　replied。　A　two…headed　mike　was　clipped　to　his　robe。
　　　　〃Say　something；　will　you？〃　the　sound　man　asked。
　　　　〃And　how　are　you　enjoying　your　first　trip　to　London；　Doctor　Ryan？〃
　　　　〃Well；　I　better　not　hear　any　plaints　about　how　American　tourists　are　staying　away　due　to　panic　over　the　terrorism　problem！〃　Ryan　grinned。　You　jerk。
　　　　〃Indeed；〃　the　reporter　laughed。　〃Okay？〃　
　　　　The　cameraman　and　sound　man　pronounced　themselves　ready。　　　　　Ryan　sipped　at　his　tea　and　made　certain　that　the　ashtray　was　out　of　sight。　One　print　journalist　shared　a　joke　with　a　colleague。　A　TV　correspondent　from　NBC　was　there；　along　with　the　London　correspondent　of　the　Washington　Post；　but　all　the　others　were　British。　Everything　would　be　pooled　with　the　rest　of　the　media；　it　had　been　agreed。　There　just　wasn't　room　here　for　a　proper　press　conference。　The　camera　started　rolling　tape。
　　　　They　ran　through　the　usual　questions。　The　camera　turned　to　linger　on　his　arm；　hanging　from　its　overhead　rack。　They'd　run　that　shot　with　the　voice…over　of　Jack's　story　on　when　he　was　shot；　he　was　sure。　Nothing　like　a　little　drama；　as　he'd　already　been　told。　He　wiggled　his　fingers　for　the　camera。
　　　　〃Doctor　Ryan；　there　are　reports　in　the　American　and　British　press　that　you　are　an　employee　of　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency。〃
　　　　〃I　read　that　this　morning。　It　was　as　much　a　surprise　to　me　as　it　was　to　anyone　else。〃　Ryan　smiled。　〃Somebody　made　a　mistake。　I'm　not　good…looking　eno