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〃In a hell of a roundabout way；〃 admitted Conklin。 〃We were reaching； that's all。 Possibilities； probabilities； abstractions…it's all we had to work with。〃
〃Abstractions？〃 asked Panov gently。 〃That's such an erroneously passive term。 Have you any idea what thunder in the mind abstractions provoke？〃
〃I don't even know what you're talking about。〃
〃Those gray cells； Alex。 They go crazy； spinning around like infinitesimal Ping…Pong balls trying to find tiny tunnels to explode through； drawn by their own inherent pulsions。〃
〃You've lost me。〃
〃You said it yourself； the coincidence of evil。 But I'd suggest another conductor…the magnet of evil。 That's what you and David created； and within that magnetic field was Medusa。〃
Conklin spun around in the chair and wheeled himself toward the balcony and the descending orange glow on the horizon beyond the deep…green out islands of Montserrat。 〃I wish everything was as simple as you put it； Mo；〃 he said rapidly。 〃I'm afraid it's not。〃
〃You'll have to be clearer。〃
〃Krupkin's a dead man。〃
〃What？〃
〃I mourn him as a friend and one hell of an enemy。 He made everything possible for us； and when it was all over； he did what was right； not what was ordered。 He let David live and now he's paying for it。〃
〃What happened to him？〃
〃According to Holland； he disappeared from the hospital in Moscow five days ago…he simply took his clothes and walked out。 No one knows how he did it or where he went； but an hour after he left； the KGB came to arrest him and move him to the Lubyanka。〃
〃Then they haven't caught him…〃
〃They will。 When the Kremlin issues a Black Alert； every road； train station； airport and border crossing is put under a microscope。 The incentives are irresistible： whoever lets him out will spend ten years in a gulag。 It's just a question of time。 Goddamn it。〃
There was a knock on the front door and Panov called out。 〃It's open because it's easier！ e in。〃
The be…blazered； immaculately dressed assistant manager； Mr。 Pritchard； entered； preceded by a room…service table that he was capable of pushing while standing pletely erect。 He smiled broadly and announced his presence as well as his mission。 〃Buckingham Pritchard at your service； gentlemen。 I've brought a few delicacies from the sea for your collegial gathering before the evening meal which I have personally attended to at the side of the chef who has been known to be prone to errors without expert guidance which I was all too happy to provide。〃
〃Collegial？〃 said Alex。 〃I got out of college damn near thirty…five years ago。〃
〃It obviously didn't take where the nuances of English are concerned；〃 mumbled Morris Panov。 〃Tell me； Mr。 Pritchard； aren't you terribly hot in those clothes？ I'd be sweating like a pig。
〃No nuances there； only an unproven cliché；〃 muttered Conklin。
〃I do not perspire； sir；〃 replied the assistant manager。
〃I'll bet my pension you 'perspired' when Mr。 St。 Jacques came back from Washington；〃 offered Alex。 〃Christ almighty； Johnny a 'terrorist'！〃
〃The incident has been forgotten； sir；〃 said Pritchard stoically。 〃Mr。 Saint Jay and Sir Henry understand that my brilliant uncle and I had only the children's interests at heart。〃
〃Savvy； very savvy；〃 observed Conklin。
〃I'll set up the canapés； gentlemen； and check the ice。 The others should be here in a matter of minutes。〃
〃That's very kind of you；〃 said Panov。
David Webb leaned against the balcony archway watching his wife as she read the last pages of a children's story to their son。 The outstanding Mrs。 Cooper was dozing in a chair； her magnificent black head； crowned by a fleece of silver and gray； kept nodding above her full chest as if she expected at any moment to hear sounds from the infant Alison beyond the half…closed door that was only feet from where she was sitting。 The inflections of Marie's quiet voice matched the words of the story； confirmed by Jamie's wide eyes and parted lips。 But for an analytical mind that found music in figures； his wife might have been an actress； mused David。 She had the surface attributes of that precarious profession…striking features； a manding presence； the sine qua non that forced both men and women to fall silent and pensively appraise her when she walked down a street or entered a room。
〃You can read to me tomorrow； Daddy！〃
The story was over； attested to by his son jumping off the couch and Mrs。 Cooper flashing her eyes open。 〃I wanted to read that one tonight；〃 said Webb defensively； moving away from the arch。
〃Well； you still kind of smell；〃 said the boy； frowning。
〃Your father doesn't smell； Jamie；〃 explained Marie； smiling。 〃I told you； it's the medicine the doctor said he had to use on his injuries from the accident。〃
〃He still smells。〃
〃You can't argue with an analytical mind when it's right； can you？〃 asked David。
〃It's too early to go to bed； Mommy！ I might wake up Alison and she'll start crying again。〃
〃I know； dear； but Daddy and I have to go over and see all your uncles…〃
〃And my new grandfather！〃 cried the child exuberantly。 〃Grandpa Brendan said he was going to teach me how to be a judge someday。〃
〃God help the boy；〃 interjected Mrs。 Cooper。 〃That man dresses like a peacock flowering to mate。〃
〃You may go into our room and watch television；〃 overrode Marie quickly。 〃But only for a half hour…〃
〃Aww！〃
〃All right； perhaps an hour； but Mrs。 Cooper will select the channels。〃
〃Thanks； Mommy！〃 cried the child； racing into his parents' bedroom as Mrs。 Cooper got out of the chair and followed him。
〃Oh； I can start him off；〃 said Marie； getting up from the couch。
〃No； Miss Marie；〃 protested Mrs。 Cooper。 〃You stay with your husband。 That man hurts but he won't say anything。〃 She disappeared into the bedroom。
〃Is that true； my darling？〃 asked Marie； walking to David。 〃Do you hurt？〃
〃I hate to dispel the myth of a great lady's incontestable perceptions； but she's wrong。〃
〃Why do you have to use a dozen words when one will suffice？〃
〃Because I'm supposed to be a scholar。 We academicians never take a direct route because it doesn't leave us any offshoots to claim if we're wrong。 What are you； anti…intellectual？〃
〃No；〃 answered Marie。 〃You see； that's a simple； one…word declarative。〃
〃What's a declarative？〃 asked Webb； taking his wife in his arms and kissing her； their lips enveloping； so meaningful to each； arousing to each。
〃It's a shortcut to the truth；〃 said Marie； arching her head back and looking at him。 〃No offshoots； no circumlocutions； just fact。 As in five and five equals ten； not nine or eleven； but ten。〃
〃You're a ten。〃
〃That's banal； but I'll take it。 。。。 You are more relaxed； I can feel you again。 Jason Bourne's leaving you； isn't he？〃
〃Just about。 While you were with Alison； Ed McAllister called me from the National Security Agency。 Benjamin's mother is on her way back to Moscow。〃
〃Hey； that's wonderful； David！〃
〃Both Mac and I laughed； and as we laughed I thought to myself I'd never heard McAllister laugh before。 It was nice。〃
〃He wore his guilt on his sleeve…no； all over him。 He sent us both to Hong Kong and he never forgave himself。 Now you're back and aliv