tc.patriotgames-第21部分

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or　a　chance　to　research　this　ULA　outfit。　If　he　does；　I'll　pop　the　offer　　if　you　agree；　Arthur。　I　also　want　to　talk　to　Emil　Jacobs　at　FBI　and　pare　files　on　these　ULA　characters。〃　
　　　　〃Okay。〃　
　　　　They　turned　to　other　matters。

Chapter　5　Perqs　and　Plots

　　　　The　day　Ryan　was　released　from　the　hospital　was　the　happiest　in　his　life；　at　least　since　Sally　had　been　born　at　Johns　Hopkins；　four　years　before。　It　was　after　six　in　the　evening　when　he　finally　finished　dressing　himself　　the　cast　made　that　a　very　tricky　exercise　　and　plopped　down　in　the　wheelchair。　Jack　had　groused　about　that；　but　it　was　evidently　a　rule　as　inviolable　in　British　hospitals　as　in　American　ones：　patients　are　not　allowed　to　walk　out　　somebody　might　think　they　were　cured。　A　uniformed　policeman　pushed　him　out　of　the　room　into　the　hall。　Ryan　didn't　look　back。
　　　　Virtually　the　whole　floor　staff　was　lined　up　in　the　hall；　along　with　a　number　of　the　patients　Ryan　had　met　the　past　week　and　a　half　as　he'd　relearned　how　to　walk　up　and　down　the　drab　corridors　　with　a　ten…degree　list　from　the　heavy　cast。　Jack　flushed　red　at　the　applause；　the　more　so　when　people　reached　out　to　shake　his　hand。　I'm　not　an　Apollo　astronaut；　he　thought。　The　Brits　are　supposed　to　be　more　dignified　than　this。
　　　　Nurse　Kittiwake　gave　a　little　speech　about　what　a　model　patient　he　was。　What　a　pleasure　and　an　honor　。　。　。　Ryan　blushed　again　when　she　finished；　and　gave　him　some　flowers；　to　take　to　his　lovely　wife；　she　said。　Then　she　kissed　him；　on　behalf　of　everyone　else。　Jack　kissed　back。　It　was　the　least　he　could　do；　he　told　himself；　and　she　really　was　a　pretty　girl。　Kittiwake　hugged　him；　cast　and　all；　and　tears　started　running　out　of　her　eyes。　Tony　Wilson　was　at　her　side　and　gave　Jack　a　surreptitious　wink。　That　was　no　surprise。　Jack　shook　hands　with　another　ten　or　so　people　before　the　cop　got　him　into　the　elevator。
　　　　〃Next　time　you　guys　find　me　wounded　in　the　street；〃　Ryan　said；　〃let　me　die　there。〃　
　　　　The　policeman　laughed。　〃Bloody　ungrateful　fellow　you　are。〃　
　　　　〃True。〃
　　　　The　elevator　opened　at　the　lobby　and　he　was　grateful　to　see　that　it　had　been　cleared　except　for　the　Duke　of　Edinburgh　and　a　gaggle　of　security　people。
　　　　〃Good　evening；　My　Lord。〃　Ryan　tried　to　stand；　but　was　waved　back　down。
　　　　〃Hello；　Jack！　How　are　you　feeling？〃　They　shook　hands；　and　for　a　moment　he　was　afraid　that　the　Duke　himself　would　wheel　him　out　the　door。　That　would　have　been　intolerable；　but　the　police　officer　resumed　his　pushing　as　the　Duke　walked　alongside。　Jack　pointed　forward。
　　　　〃Sir；　I　will　improve　at　least　fifty　percent　when　we　make　it　through　that　door。〃　
　　　　〃Hungry？〃　
　　　　〃After　hospital　food？　I　just　might　eat　one　of　your　polo　horses。〃　
　　　　The　Duke　grinned。　〃We'll　try　to　do　a　little　better　than　that。〃　
　　　　Jack　noticed　seven　security　people　in　the　lobby。　Outside　was　a　Rolls…Royce　。　。　。　and　at　least　four　other　cars；　along　with　a　number　of　people　who　did　not　look　like　ordinary　passersby。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　anyone　prowling　the　roofs；　but　they'd　be　there；　too。　Well；　Ryan　thought；　they've　learned　their　lessons　on　security。　Still　a　damned　shame；　though；　and　it　means　the　terrorists　have　won　a　victory。　If　they　make　society　change；　even　a　little；　they've　won　something。　Bastards。　The　cop　brought　him　right　to　the　Rolls。
　　　　〃Can　I　get　up　now？〃　The　cast　was　so　heavy　that　it　ruined　his　balance。　Ryan　stood　a　little　too　fast　and　nearly　smashed　into　the　car；　but　caught　himself　with　an　angry　shake　of　the　head　before　anyone　had　to　grab　for　him。　He　stood　still　for　a　moment；　his　left　arm　sticking　out　like　the　big　claw　on　a　fiddler　crab；　and　tried　to　figure　how　to　get　into　the　car。　It　turned　out　that　the　best　way　was　to　stick　the　cast　in　first；　then　rotate　clockwise　as　he　followed　it。　The　Duke　had　to　enter　from　the　other　side；　and　it　turned　out　to　be　rather　a　snug　fit。　Ryan　had　never　been　in　a　Rolls　before；　and　found　that　it　wasn't　all　that　spacious。　
　　　　〃fortable？〃
　　　　〃Well　　I'll　have　to　be　careful　not　to　punch　a　window　out　with　this　damned　thing。〃　Ryan　leaned　back　and　shook　his　head　with　an　eyes…closed　smile。
　　　　〃You　really　are　glad　to　be　out　of　hospital。〃
　　　　〃My　Lord；　on　that　you　can　wager　one　of　your　castles。　This　makes　three　times　I've　been　in　the　body　and　fender　shop；　and　that's　enough。〃　The　Duke　motioned　for　the　driver　to　pull　out。　The　convoy　moved　slowly　into　the　street；　two　lead　cars　and　two　chase　cars　surrounding　the　Rolls…Royce。　〃Sir；　may　I　ask　what's　happening　this　evening？〃
　　　　〃Very　little；　really。　A　small　party　in　your　honor；　with　just　a　few　close　friends。〃
　　　　Jack　wondered　what　〃a　few　close　friends〃　meant。　Twenty？　Fifty？　A　hundred？　He　was　going　to　dinner　at　。　。　。　Scotty；　beam　me　up！　〃Sir；　you　know　that　you've　really　been　too　kind　to　us。〃　
　　　　〃Bloody　rubbish。　Aside　from　the　debt　we　owe　you　　not　exactly　what　one　would　call　a　small　debt；　Jack。　Aside　from　that；　it's　been　entirely　worthwhile　to　meet　some　new　people。　I　even　finished　your　book　Sunday　night。　I　thought　it　was　excellent；　you　must　send　me　a　copy　of　your　next　one。　And　the　Queen　and　your　wife　have　got　on　marvelously。　You　are　a　very　lucky　chap　to　have　a　wife　like　that　　and　that　little　imp　of　a　daughter。　She's　a　gem；　Jack；　a　thoroughly　wonderful　little　girl。〃
　　　　Ryan　nodded。　He　often　wondered　what　he　had　done　to　be　so　lucky。　〃Cathy　says　that　she's　seen　about　every　castle　in　the　realm；　and　thanks　a　lot　for　the　people　you　put　with　her。　It　made　me　feel　much　better　about　having　them　run　all　over　the　place。〃　
　　　　The　Duke　waved　his　hand　dismissively。　It　wasn't　worth　talking　about。　〃How　did　the　research　go　on　your　new　book？〃　
　　　　〃Quite　well；　sir。〃　The　one　favorable　result　of　his　being　in　the　hospital　was　that　he'd　had　the　time　to　sift　through　all　of　it　in　detail。　His　puter　had　two　hundred　new　pages　of　notes　stored　in　its　bubble　chips；　and　Ryan　had　a　new　perspective　on　judging　the　actions　of　others。　〃I　guess　I've　learned　one　thing　from　my　little　escapade。　Sitting　in　front　of　a　keyboard　isn't　quite　the　same　as　looking　into　the　front　end　of　a　gun。　Decisions　are　a　little　different　from　that　perspective。〃　Ryan's　tone　made　a　further　statement。
　　　　The　Duke　clapped　him　on　the　knee。　〃I　shouldn't　think　that　anyone　will　fault　yours。〃
　　　　〃Maybe。　The　thing　is；　my　decision　was　made　on　pure　instinct。　If　I'd　known　what　I　was　doing　　what　if　I　had　done　the　wrong　thing　on　instinct？〃　He　looked　out　the　window。　〃Here　I　am；　supposed　to　be　an　expert　on　naval　history；　with　special　emphasis　on　how　decisions　are　made　under　stress；　and　I'm　still　not　satisfied　with　my　own。　Damn。〃　Jack　concluded　quietly：　〃Sir；　you　don't　forget　killing　somebody。　You　just　don't。〃
　　　　〃You　oughtn't　to　dwell　on　it。　Jack。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Ryan　turned　back　from　the　window。　The　Duke　was　looking　at　him　much　the　same　way　his　father　had；　years　before。　〃A　conscience　is　the　price　of　morality；　and　morality　is　the　price　of　civilization。　Dad　used　to　say　that　many　criminals　don't　have　a　conscience；　not　much　in　the　way　of　feelings　at　all。　I　guess　that's　what　makes　us　different　from　them。〃
　　　　〃Exactly。　Your　introspection　is　a　fundamentally　healthy　thing；　but　you　should　not　overdo　it。　Put　it　behind　you。　Jack。　It　was　my　impression　of　Americans　that　you　prefer　to　look　to　the　future　rather　than　the　past。　If　you　cannot　do　that　professionally；　at　least　try　to　do　it　personally。〃
　　　　〃Understood；　sir。　Thank　you。〃　Now　if　I　could　just　make　the　dreams　stop。　Nearly　every　night　Jack　relived　the　shoot…out　on　The　Mall。　Almost　three　weeks　now。　Something　else　they　didn't　tell　you　about　on　TV。　The　human　mind　has　a　way　of　punishing　itself　for　killing　a　fellow　man。　It　remembers　and　relives　the　incident　again　and　again。　Ryan　hoped　it　would　stop　someday。
　　　　The　car　turned　left　onto　Westminster　Bridge。　Jack　hadn't　known　exactly　where　the　hospital　was；　just　that　it　was　close　to　a　railway　station　and　close　enough　to　Westminster　to　hear　Big　Ben　toll　the　hours。　He　looked　up　at　the　gothic　stonework。　〃You　know；　besides　the　research　I　wanted　to　do；　I　actually　wanted　to　see　part　of　your　country；　sir。　Not　much　time　left　for　that。〃　
　　　　〃Jack；　do　you　really　think　that　we　will　let　you　return　to　America　without　experiencing　British　hospitality？〃　The　Duke　was　greatly　amused。　〃We　are　quite　proud　of　our　hospitals；　of　course；　but　tourists　don't　e　here　to　see　those。　Some　small　arrangements　have　been　made。〃　
　　　　〃Oh。〃
　　　　Ryan　had　to　think　a　moment　to　figure　where　they　were；　but　the　maps　he'd　studied　before　ing　over　came　back　to　him。　It　was　called　Birdcage　Walk　　he　was　only　three　hundred　yards　from　where　he'd　been　shot　。　。　。　there　was　the　lake　that　Sally　liked。　He　could　see　Buckingham　Palace　past　the　head　of　the　security　officer　in　the　left　front　seat。　Knowing　that　he　was　going　there　was　one　thing；　but　now　the　building　loomed　in　front　of　him　and　the　emotional　impact　started　to　take　hold。
　　　　They　entered　the　Palace　grounds　at　the　northeast　gate。　Jack　hadn't　seen　the　Palace　before　except　from　a　distance。　The　perimeter　security　didn't　seem　all　that　impressive；　but　the　Palace's　hollow…square　design　hid　nearly　everything　from　outside　view。　There　could　easily　be　a　pany　of　armed　troops　inside　　and　who　could　tell？　More　likely　civilian　police；　Ryan　knew；　backed　up　by　a　lot　of　electronic　hardware。　But　there　would　be　some　surpri