The Ghost(英文版)-第47部分

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　　“Nineteen　seventy…five。”

　　“Seventy…five！　You　see；　that　would　make　perfect　sense。　Do　you　remember　what　Britain　was　like　in　seventy…five？　The　security　services　were　out　of　control；　spying　on　the　prime　minister。　Retired　generals　were　forming　private　armies。　The　economy　was　collapsing。　There　were　strikes；　riots。　It　wouldn’t　exactly　be　a　surprise　if　the　CIA　had　decided　to　recruit　a　few　bright　young　things　and　had　encouraged　them　to　make　their　careers　in　useful　places—the　civil　service；　the　media；　politics。　It’s　what　they　do　everywhere　else；　after　all。”

　　“But　not　in　Britain；　surely；”　I　said。　“We’re　an　ally。”

　　Rycart　looked　at　me　with　contempt。　“The　CIA　was　spying　onAmerican　students　back　then。　Do　you　really　think　they’d　have　been　squeamish　about　spying　on　ours？　Of　course　they　were　active　in　Britain！　They　still　are。　They　have　a　head　of　station　in　London　and　a　huge　staff。　I　could　name　you　half　a　dozen　MPs　right　now　who　are　in　regular　contact　with　the　CIA。　In　fact—”　He　stopped　pacing　and　clicked　his　fingers。　“That’s　a　thought！”　He　whirled　round　to　look　at　me。　“Does　the　name　Reg　Giffen　mean　anything　to　you？”

　　“Vaguely。”

　　“Reg　Giffen—Sir　Reginald　Giffen；　later　Lord　Giffen；　now　dead　Giffen；　thank　God—spent　so　long　making　speeches　in　the　House　of　Commons　on　behalf　of　the　Americans；　we　used　to　call　him　the　member　for　Michigan。　He　announced　his　resignation　as　an　MP　in　the　first　week　of　the　nineteen　eighty…three　election　general　campaign；　and　it　caught　everyone　by　surprise；　apart　from　one　very　enterprising　and　photogenic　young　party　member；　who　just　happened　to　have　moved　into　his　constituency　six　months　earlier。”

　　“And　who　then　got　the　nomination　to　become　the　party’s　candidate；　with　Giffen’s　support；”　I　said；　“and　who　then　won　one　of　the　safest　seats　in　the　country　when　he　was　still　only　thirty。”　The　story　was　legendary。　It　was　the　start　of　Lang’s　rise　to　national　prominence。　“But　you　can’t　really　think　that　the　CIA　asked　Giffen　to　help　fix　it　so　that　Lang　could　get　into　parliament？　That　sounds　very　far…fetched。”

　　“Oh；　come　on！　Use　your　imagination！　Imagine　you’re　Professor　Emmett；　now　back　in　Harvard；　writing　unreadable　bilge　about　the　alliance　of　the　English…speaking　peoples　and　the　need　to　combat　the　Communist　menace。　Haven’t　you　got　potentially　the　most　amazing　agent　in　history　on　your　hands？　A　man　who’s　already　starting　to　be　talked　about　as　a　future　party　leader？　A　possible　prime　minister？　Aren’t　you　going　to　persuade　the　powers　that　be　at　the　Agency　to　do　everything　they　can　to　further　this　man’s　career？　I　was　already　in　parliament　myself　when　Lang　arrived。　I　watched　him　come　from　nowhere　and　streak　past　all　of　us。”　He　scowled　at　the　memory。　“Of　course　he　hadhelp　。　He　had　no　real　connection　with　the　party　at　all。　We　couldn’t　begin　to　understand　what　made　him　tick。”

　　“Surely　that’s　the　point　of　him；”　I　said。　“He　didn’t　have　an　ideology。”

　　“He　may　not　have　had　an　ideology；　but　he　sure　as　hell　had　an　agenda。”　Rycart　sat　down　again。　He　leaned　toward　me。　“Okay。　Here’s　a　quiz　for　you。　Name　me　one　decision　that　Adam　Lang　took　as　prime　minister　that　wasn’t　in　the　interests　of　the　United　States　of　America。”

　　I　was　silent。

　　“Come　on；”　he　said。　“It’s　not　a　trick　question。　Just　name　me　one　thing　he　did　that　Washington　wouldn’t　have　approved　of。　Let’s　think。”　He　held　up　his　thumb。　“One：　deployment　of　British　troops　to　the　Middle　East；　against　the　advice　of　just　about　every　senior　commander　in　our　armed　forces　and　all　of　our　ambassadors　who　know　the　region。　Two”—up　went　his　right　index　finger—“complete　failure　to　demand　any　kind　of　quid　pro　quo　from　the　White　House　in　terms　of　reconstruction　contracts　for　British　firms；　or　anything　else。　Three：　unwavering　support　for　U。S。　foreign　policy　in　the　Middle　East；　even　when　it’s　patently　crazy　for　us　to　set　ourselves　against　the　entire　Arab　world。　Four：　the　stationing　of　an　American　missile　defense　system　on　British　soil　that　does　absolutely　nothing　for　our　security—in　fact；　the　complete　opposite：　it　makes　us　a　more　obvious　target　for　a　first　strike　and　can　provide　protection　only　for　the　U。S。　Five：　the　purchase；　for　fifty　billion　dollars；　of　an　American　nuclear　missile　system　that　we　call　‘independent’　but　that　we　wouldn’t　be　able　to　fire　without　U。S。　approval；　thus　binding　his　successors　to　another　twenty　years　of　subservience　to　Washington　over　defense　policy。　Six：　a　treaty　that　allows　the

　　U。S。　to　extradite　our　citizens　to　stand　trial　in　America　but　doesn’t　allow　us　to　do　the　same　to　theirs。　Seven：　collusion　in　the　illegal　kidnapping；　torture；　imprisonment；　and　even　murder　of　our　own　citizens。　Eight：　a　consistent　record　of　sacking　of　any　minister—I　speak　with　experience　here—who　is　less　than　one　hundred　percent　supportive　of　the　alliance　with　the　United　States。　Nine—”

　　“All　right；”　I　said；　holding　up　my　hand。　“I　get　the　message。”

　　“I　have　friends　in　Washington　who　just　can’t　believe　the　way　that　Lang　ran　British　foreign　policy。　I　mean；　they　wereembarrassed　by　how　much　support　he　gave　and　how　little　he　got　in　return。　And　where　has　it　got　us？　Stuck　fighting　a　so…called　war　we　can’t　possibly　win；　colluding　in　methods　we　didn’t　use　even　when　we　were　up　against　the　Nazis！”　Rycart　laughed　ruefully　and　shook　his　head。　“You　know；　in　a　way；　I’m　almost　relieved　to　discover　there　might　be　a　rational　explanation　for　what　we　got　up　to　in　government　while　he　was　prime　minister。　If　you　think　about　it；　the　alternative’s　actually　worse。　At　least　if　he　was　working　for　the　CIA　it　makes　sense。　So　now；”　he　said；　patting　my　knee；　“the　question　is：　what　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？”

　　I　didn’t　like　the　sound　of　that　first　person　plural。

　　“Well；”　I　said；　wincing　slightly；　“I’m　in　a　tricky　position。　I’m　supposed　to　be　helping　him　with　his　memoirs。　I　have　a　legal　obligation　not　to　divulge　anything　I　hear　in　the　course　of　my　work　to　a　third　party。”

　　“It’s　too　late　to　stop　now。”

　　I　didn’t　like　the　sound　of　that；　either。

　　“We　don’t　actually　have　anyproof　；”　I　pointed　out。　“We　don’t　even　know　for　sure　thatEmmett　was　in　the　CIA；　let　alone　that　he　recruited　Lang。　I　mean；　how　is　this　relationship　supposed　to　have　worked　after　Lang　got　into　Number　Ten？　Did　he　have　a　secret　radio　transmitter　hidden　in　the　attic；　or　what？”

　　“This　isn’t　a　joke；　my　friend；”　said　Rycart。　“I　know　something　of　how　these　things　are　done　from　when　I　was　at　the　Foreign　Office。　Contact　can　be　managed　easily　enough。　For　a　start；　Emmett　was　always　coming　to　London；　because　of　Arcadia。　It　was　the　perfect　front。　In　fact；　I　wouldn’t　be　surprised　if　the　whole　institution　wasn’t　set　up　as　part　of　the　covert　operation　to　run　Lang。　The　timing　would　fit。　They　could　have　used　intermediaries。”

　　“But　there’s　still　noproof　；”　I　repeated；　“and　short　of　Lang　confessing；　or　Emmett　confessing；　or　the　CIA　opening　their　files；　there　never　will　be。”

　　“Then　you’ll　just　have　to　get　some　proof；”　said　Rycart　flatly。

　　“What？”　My　mouth　sagged；　my　everything　sagged。

　　“You’re　in　the　perfect　position；”　Rycart　went　on。　“He　trusts　you。　He　lets　you　ask　him　whatever　you　like。　He　even　allows　you　to　tape　his　answers。　You　can　put　words　in　his　mouth。　We’ll　have　to　devise　a　series　of　questions　that　gradually　entrap　him；　and　then　finally　you　can　confront　him　with　the　allegation；　and　let’s　see　how　he　reacts。　He’ll　deny　it；　but　that　won’t　matter。　The　mere　fact　you’re　laying　the　evidence　in　front　of　him　will　put　the　story　on　the　record。”

　　“No　it　won’t。　The　tapes　are　his　property。”

　　“Yes　it　will。　The　tapes　can　be　subpoenaed　by　the　war　crimes　court；　as　evidence　of　his　direct　complicity　with　the　CIA　rendition　program。”

　　“What　if　I　don’t　make　any　tapes？”

　　“In　that　case；　I’ll　suggest　to　the　prosecutor　that　she　subpoenasyou　。”

　　“Ah；”　I　said　craftily；　“but　what　if　I　deny　the　whole　story？”

　　“Then　I’ll　give　her　this；”　said　Rycart；　and　opened　his　jacket　to　show　a　small　microphone　clipped　to　the　front　of　his　shirt；　with　a　wire　trailing　into　his　inside　pocket。　“Frank　is　recording　every　word　down　in　the　lobby；　aren’t　you；　Frank？　Oh；　come　on！　Don’t　look　so　shocked。　What　did　you　expect？　That　I’d　come　to　a　meeting　with　a　complete　stranger；　who’s　working　for　Lang；　without　taking　any　precautions？　Except　that　you’re　not　working　for　Lang　anymore。”　He　smiled；　showing　again　that　row　of　teeth；　more　brilliantly　white　than　anything　in　nature。　“You’re　working　for　me。”

　　FIFTEEN

　　Authors　need　ghosts　who　will　not　challenge　them；　but　will　simply　listen　to　what　they　have　to　say　and　understand　why　they　did　what　they　did。

　　Ghostwritin　g

　　AFTER　A　FEW　SECONDSI　started　to　swear；　fluently　and　indiscriminately。　I　was　swearing　at　Rycart　and　at　my　own　stupidity；　at　Frank　and　at　whoever　would　one　day　transcribe　the　tape。　I　was　swearing　at　the　war　crimes　prosecutor；　at　the　court；　the　judges；　the　media。　And　I　would　have　gone　on　for　a　lot　longer　if　my　telephone　hadn’t　started　to　ring—not　the　one　I’d　been　given　to　contact　Rycart　but　the　one　I’d　brought　from　London。　Needless　to　say；　I’d