bl.necroscope2-第85章

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　〃Of　course；　my　dear；〃　Gerenko　smiled　and　nodded　his　wrinkled　walnut　head。　He　turned　away；　taking　Dolgikh's　elbow。　〃e；　Theo。〃
　Dolgikh　shook　himself　loose；　scowled　at　the　girl。　〃You　are　very　free　with　your　insults。〃
　〃That　is　the　correct　way。〃　She　spoke　curtly。　〃Face　to　face　and　out　with　it。　But　your　insults　crawl　like　worms；　and　you　keep　them　in　the　slime　in　your　head！〃　And　to　Gerenko　she　added：　〃I　can't　work　with　him　here。〃
　Gerenko　looked　at　Dolgikh。　〃Well？〃
　Dolgikh's　expression　was　ugly；　but　slowly　he　relaxed；　shrugged。　〃Very　well；　my　apologies；　Fr？ulein　F？ener。〃　He　deliberately　avoided　use　of　his　customary　〃rade'；　and　when　he　looked　her　up　and　down　one　last　time；　that　too　was　quite　deliberate。　〃It's　simply　that　I've　always　considered　my　thoughts　private。　And　anyway；　I'm　only　human。〃
　〃Barely！〃　she　snapped；　and　at　once　returned　to　her　work。
　As　Dolgikh　followed　Gerenko　to　his　office；　the　Second　in　mand　of　E…Branch　said；　〃That　one's　mind　is　very　finely　tuned；　finely　balanced。　We　must　be　careful　not　to…disturb　it。　However　distasteful　this　may　seem；　Theo；　you　should　never　forget　that　any　one　of　the　espers　here　is　worth　ten　of　you。〃
　Dolgikh　had　pride。　〃Oh？〃　he　growled。　〃Then　why　didn't　Andropov　ask　you　to　send　one　of　them　to　Italy；　eh？　Maybe　you　yourself；　eh；　rade？〃
　
　Gerenko　smiled　thinly。　〃Muscle　occasionally　has　its　advantages。　That's　why　you　went　to　Genoa；　and　it's　why　you're　here　now。　I　expect　to　have　more　work　for　you　very　soon。　Work　to　your　liking。　But；　Theo；　be　warned：　so　far　you've　done　very　well；　so　don't　spoil　it　now。　Our　mutual；　er；　shall　we　say　〃superior〃；　will　be　well　pleased　with　you。　But　he　would　not　be　pleased　if　he　thought　you'd　tried　to　impose　your　matter　over　our　mind。　Here　at　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy；　its　always　the　other　way　around…mind　over　matter！〃
　They　climbed　spiralling　stone　stairs　in　one　of　the　Chateau's　towers；　and　arrived　at　Gerenko's　office。　Before　Gerenko　it　had　housed　Gregor　Borowitz；　and　it　was　now　Felix　Krakovitch's　seat　of　control；　but　Krakovitch　was　temporarily　absent；　and　both　Ivan　Gerenko　and　Yuri　Andropov　intended　that　his　absence　should　bee　permanent。　This；　too；　puzzled　Dolgikh。
　〃In　my　time；〃　he　said；　taking　a　seat　opposite　Gerenko's　desk；　〃I've　been　quite　close　to　rade　Andropov…or　as　close　as　a　man　can　get。　I've　watched　him　rise；　followed　his　rising　star；　you　might　say。　In　my　experience；　since　the　early　days　of　E…Branch；　there　has　been　friction　between　the　KGB　and　you　espers。　Yet　now；　with　you；　things　are　changing。　What　has　Andropov　got　on　you；　Ivan？〃
　Gerenko's　grin　was　that　of　a　weasel。　〃He　has　nothing　on　me；〃　he　answered。　〃But　he　does　have　something　for　me。　You　see；　I　have　been　cheated；　Theo。　Nature　has　robbed　me。　I　would　like　to　be　a　man　of　heroic　proportions…perhaps　a　man　like　you。　But　I'm　stuck　in　this　feeble　shell。　Women　are　not　interested　in　me；　men；　while　they　cannot　hurt　me；　consider　me　a　freak。　Only　my　mind　has　value；　and　my　talent。　The　first　has　been　useful　to　Felix　Krakovitch：　I've　taken　a　great　deal　of　the　branch's　burden　off　his　shoulders。　And　the　second　is　a　subject　for　intense　study　by　the　parapsychologists　here…they　would　all　like　to　have　my；　shall　we　say；　guardian　angel？　Why；　an　army　of　men　with　my　talent　would　be　quite　invulnerable！
　〃So　you　see　how　important　I　am。　And　yet　what　am　I　but　a　shrunken　little　man；　whose　lifespan　is　destined　to　be　short？　And　so　while　I　live　I　want　power。　I　want　to　be　great；　for　however　short　a　span。　And　because　it　will　be　short；　I　want　it　now。〃
　〃And　with　Krakovitch　gone；　you'll　be　the　boss　here。〃　Dolgikh　nodded。
　Gerenko　smiled　his　withered　smile。　〃That　for　a　start。　But　then　es　the　integration　of　E…Branch　and　the　KGB。　Brezhnev　would　be　against　it；　of　course；　but　alas　the　Party　Leader　is　rapidly　being　a　mumbling；　crumbling　cretin。　He　can't　last　long。　And　Andropov；　because　he　is　strong；　has　many　enemies。　How　long　will　he　last；　do　you　think？　Which　means　that　eventually；　possibly；　even　probably　…〃
　〃You'll　have　it　all！〃　Dolgikh　could　see　the　logic…of　it。　〃But　by　then；　surely；　you　too　will　have　made　enemies。　Leaders　always　climb　to　the　top　over　the　bodies　of　dead　leaders。〃
　〃Ah！〃　Gerenko's　smile　was　sly；　cold；　and　not　entirely　sane。　〃But　this　time　it　will　be　different。　What　do　I　care　for　enemies？　Sticks　and　stones　will　not　break　my　bones！　And　I　shall　weed　them　out；　one　by　one；　until　there　are　no　more。　And　I　shall　die　small　and　wrinkled；　but　also　great　and　very　powerful。　So　whatever　you　do；　Theo　Dolgikh；　make　sure　you're　my　friend；　not　my　enemy。　。
　Dolgikh　said　nothing　for　a　moment　but　let　all　that　Gerenko　had　said　sink　in。　The　man　was　obviously　a　megalomaniac！　Tactfully；　Dolgikh　changed　the　subject。　〃You　said　there'd　likely　be　more　work　for　me。　What　sort　of　work？〃
　〃As　soon　as　we　are　sure　that　we　can　learn　everything　we　desire　to　know　from　Alec　Kyle；　then　Krakovitch；　his　man　Gulharov；　and　the　other　British　agent；　Quint；　will　bee　quite　expendable。　At　the　moment；　when　Krakovitch　wants　something　done；　he　speaks　to　me　and　I　in　turn　pass　on　his　request　to　Brezhnev。　Not　directly　to　Brezhnev　but　through　one　of　his　men…a　mere　lackey；　but　a　powerful　lackey。　The　Party　Leader　is　keen　on　E…Branch　and　so　Krakovitch　usually　gets　what　he　wants。　Witness　this　unheard　of　liaison　between　British　and　Soviet　espers！
　〃But　of　course　I'm　also　working　for　Andropov。　He；　too；　knows　everything　that　is　happening。　And　he　has　already　instructed　me　that　when　the　time　es　you　are　the　tool　I　shall　throw…into　Krakovitch's　machinery。　E…Branch　has　been　soundly　beaten；　almost　destroyed；　by　INTESP　once　before。　Brezhnev　wants　to　know　how　and　why；　and　so　does　Andropov。　We　had　a　mighty　weapon　in　Boris　Dragosani；　but　their　weapon；　a　youth　called　Harry　Keogh；　was　mightier。　What　gave　him　his　power？　What　were　his　powers？　And　right　now：　we　know　that　with　the　aid　of　INTESP　Krakovitch　has　destroyed　something　in　Romania。　I　have　been　through　Krakovitch's　files　and　I　think　I　know　what　he　destroyed：　the　same　thing　which　gave　Dragosani　his　powers！　Krakovitch　sees　it　as　a　great　evil；　but　I　see　it　only　as　another　tool。　A　powerful　weapon。　That　is　why　the　British　are　so　eager　to　help　Krakovitch：
　the　fool　is　systematically　destroying　a　possible　route　for　future　Soviet　supremacy！〃
　〃Then　he's　a　traitor？〃　Dolgikh's　eyes　narrowed。　The　Soviet　Union　was　all。　Power　struggles　within　the　structure　were　only　to　be　expected；　but　treachery　of　this　sort　was　something　else。　〃No。〃　Gerenko　shook　his　head。　〃He's　a　dupe。　Now　listen：　At　this　very　moment　Krakovitch；　Gulharov　and　Quint　are　stalled　at　a　crossing…point　on　the　Moldavian　horder。　I　organised　that　through　Andropov。　I　know　where　they　want　to　go；　and　very　shortly　I'll　be　sending　you　to　deal　with　them　there。　When　exactly　rather　depends　on　how　much　we　get　from　Kyle。　But　in　any　case　we　must　stop　them　from　doing　any　more　damage。　Which　means　that　time　is　of　the　essence；　they　can't　be　stalled　forever；　and　soon　must　be　allowed　to　proceed。　Also；　they　know　the　location　of　whatever　it　is　they're　seeking；　and　we　do　not。　Not　yet。　Tomorrow　morning　you　will　be　there　to　follow　them　to　their　destination；　their　ultimate　destination。　At　least　I　hope　so。　。
　Dolgikh　frowned。　〃They've　destroyed　something；　you　say？　And　they'll　do　it　again？　What　sort　of　something？〃
　〃If　you　had　been　in　time　to　follow　them　into　the　Romanian　hills；　you'd　probably　have　seen　for　yourself。　But　don't　worry　about　it。　Let　it　suffice　that　this　time　they　mustn't　succeed。〃
　As　Gerenko　finished　speaking　his　telephone　rang。　He　lifted　it　to　his　ear…and　his　expression　at　once　became　wary；　alert。　〃rade　Krakovitch！〃　he　said。　〃I　was　begin…fling　to　worry　about　you。　I　had　expected　to　hear　from　you　before　now。　Are　you　in　Chernovtsy？〃　He　looked　pointedly　across　his　desk　at　Dolgikh。
　Even　from　where　he　sat；　Dolgikh　could　hear　the　angry；　tinny　clatter　of　Krakovitch's　distant　voice。　Gerenko　began　to　blink　rapidly　and　a　nervous　tic　jerked　the　corner　of　his　mouth。
　Finally；　when　Krakovitch　was　finished；　he　said；　〃Listen；　rade。　Ignore　that　stupid　frontier　guard。　He　isn't　worth　losing　your　temper　over。　Just　stay　exactly　where　you　are　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　shall　have　full　authorisation　phoned　through。　But　first　let　me　speak　to　that　idiot。〃
　He　waited　a　moment；　until　he　heard　th