tc.patriotgames-第24章

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th　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　surprises　hidden　away；　too。　After　the　scares　in　the　past；　and　this　latest　incident；　he　imagined　that　this　place　was　as　secure　as　the　White　House　　or　even　better；　given　greater　space　in　and　around　the　buildings。
　　　　It　was　too　dark　to　make　out　many　details；　but　the　Rolls　pulled　through　an　archway　into　the　building's　courtyard；　then　under　a　canopy；　where　a　sentry　snapped　to　present…arms　in　the　crisp　three…count　movement　the　Brits　used。　As　the　car　stopped；　a　footman　in　livery　pulled　the　door　open。
　　　　Getting　out　was　the　reverse　of　getting　in。　Ryan　turned　counterclockwise；　stepped　out　backwards；　and　pulled　his　arm　out　behind。　The　footman　grabbed　his　arm　to　help。　Jack　didn't　want　the　help；　but　this　wasn't　a　good　time　to　object。
　　　　〃You'll　need　a　little　practice　on　that；〃　the　Duke　observed。
　　　　〃I　think　you're　right；　sir。〃　Jack　followed　him　to　the　door；　where　another　servant　did　his　duty。
　　　　〃Tell　me。　Jack　　the　first　time　we　visited　you；　you　seemed　far　more　intimidated　by　the　presence　of　the　Queen　than　of　me。　Why　is　that？〃　
　　　　〃Well；　sir；　you　used　to　be　a　naval　officer；　right？〃　
　　　　〃Of　course。〃　The　Duke　turned　and　looked　rather　curious。
　　　　Ryan　grinned。　〃Sir；　I　work　at　Annapolis。　The　Academy　crawls　with　naval　officers；　and　remember　I　used　to　be　a　Marine。　If　I　let　myself　get　intimidated　by　every　swabbie　who　crossed　my　path；　the　Corps　would　e　and　take　my　sword　back。〃　
　　　　〃You　cheeky　bugger！〃　They　both　had　a　laugh。
　　　　Ryan　had　expected　to　be　impressed　by　the　Palace。　Even　so；　it　was　all　he　could　manage　to　keep　from　being　overwhelmed。　Half　the　world　had　once　been　run　from　this　house；　and　in　addition　to　what　the　Royal　Family　had　acquired　over　the　centuries　had　e　gifts　from　all　over　the　world。　Everywhere　he　looked　the　wide　corridors　were　decorated　with　too　many　masterpieces　of　painting　and　sculpture　to　count。　The　walls　were　mainly　covered　with　ivory…colored　silk　brocaded　with　gold　thread。　The　carpets；　of　course；　were　imperial　scarlet　over　marble　or　parquet　hardwood。　The　money　manager　that　Jack　had　once　been　tried　to　calculate　the　value　of　it　all。　He　overloaded　after　about　ten　seconds。　The　paintings　alone　were　so　valuable　that　any　attempt　to　sell　them　off　would　distort　the　world　market　in　fine　art。　The　gilt　frames　alone　。　。　。　Ryan　shook　his　head；　wishing　he　had　the　time　to　examine　every　painting。　You　could　live　here　five　years　and　not　have　time　to　appreciate　it　all。　He　almost　fell　behind；　but　managed　to　control　his　gawking　and　kept　pace　with　the　older　man。　Ryan's　disfiture　was　growing。　To　the　Duke　this　was　home　　perhaps　one　so　large　as　to　be　something　of　a　nuisance；　but　nonetheless　home；　routine。　The　Rubens　masterpieces　on　the　wall　were　part　of　the　scenery；　as　familiar　to　him　as　the　photographs　of　wife　and　kids　on　any　man's　office　desk。　To　Ryan　the　impact　of　where　he　was；　an　impact　made　all　the　more　crushing　by　the　trappings　of　wealth　and　power；　made　him　want　to　shrink　away　to　nothingness。　It　was　one　thing　to　take　his　chance　on　the　street　　the　Marines；　after　all；　had　prepared　and　trained　him　for　that　　but　。　。　。　this。