14 一場外交游戲6(doc)
14. A Diplomatic Game The ambassador was back at four in the afternoon. To avoid press notice he had been taken into the Treasury building across the street from the White House and brought through a connecting tunnel which few knew existed. The president hoped that he had found this unsettling. Pelt hustled1 in to be there when Arbatov arrived. “ Mr. President,” Arbatov reported, standing at attention. The president had not known that he had any military experience. “ I am instructed to convey to you the regrets of my government that there has not been time to inform you of this. One of our nuclear submarines is missing and presumed2 lost. We are conducting an emergency rescue operation.” The president nodded soberly3, motioning4 the ambassador to a chair. Pelt sat next to him. “ This is somewhat embarrassing, Mr. President. You see, in our navy as in yours, duty on a nuclear submarine is a posting of the greatest importance, and consequently those selected for it are among our best educated and trusted men. Our Navy's great effort to find them is understandable, though I admit a bit undisciplined5.” Arbatov feigned6 embarrassment beautifully, speaking as though he were confiding7 a great family secret. “ I see,” the president said sympathetically8. “ That makes me feel a little better, Alex. Jeff, I think it's late enough in the day. How about you fix us all a drink. Bourbon9, Alex?” 　　“ Yes, thank you, sir.” 　　Pelt walked over to a rosewood10 cabinet against the wall.The ornate11 antique12 contained a small bar,complete with an ice bucket which was stocked every afternoon.The president often liked to have a drink or two before dinner.Dr.Pelt had had ample13 of experience playing presidential bartender14.In a few minutes he came back with three glasses in his hands. 　　“ To tell you the truth, we rather suspected this was a rescue operation,” Pelt said. 　　“ I don't know how we get our young men to do this sort of work.” The president sipped at his drink. Arbatov worked hard on his. “ We've lost a pair of nuclear boats, I believe. How many does this make for you, three, four?” 　　“ I don't know, Mr. President. I expect your information on this is better than my own.” The president noted that he had just told the truth for the first time so far. “ Certainly I can agree with you that such duty is both dangerous and demanding.” 　　“ How many men aboard, Alex?” the president asked. 　　“ I have no idea. A hundred more or less, I suppose. I've never been aboard a naval vessel.” 　　“ Mostly kids, probably, just like our crews. It is indeed a sad commentary on both our countries that our mutual suspicions must condemn15 so many of our best young men to such hazards16, when we know that some won't be coming back. But--how can it be otherwise?” The president paused, turning to look out the windows. The snow was melting on the South Lawn. It was time for his next line. 　　“ Perhaps we can help,” the president offered speculatively17. “ Yes, perhaps we can use this tragedy as an opportunity to reduce those suspicions by some small amount. Perhaps we can make something good come from this to demonstrate that our relations really have improved.” 　　Pelt turned away, fumbling18 for his pipe. In their many years of friendship he could never understand how the president got away with so much. Pelt had met him at Washington University, when he was majoring in political science, the president in prelaw. Back then the chief executive had been president of the dramatics society. Certainly amateur theatrics had helped his legal career. 　　“ Mr. Ambassador, I offer you the assistance and the resources of the United States in the search for your missing countrymen.” 　　“ That is most kind of you, Mr. President, but...” 　　The president held his hand up. “ No buts, Alex. If we cannot cooperate in something like this, how can we hope to cooperate in more serious matters? If memory serves, last year when one of our navy patrol aircraft crashed off the Aleutians, one of your fishing vessels”--it had been an intelligence trawler--“ picked up the crew, saved their lives. Alex, we owe you a debt for that, a debt of honor, and the United States will not be said to be ungrateful.” he paused for effect. “ They're probably all dead, you know, I don't suppose there's more chance of surviving a sub accident than of surviving a plane crash. But at least the crew's families will know. Jeff, don't we have some specialized submarine rescue equipment?” 　　“ With all the money we give the navy? We damned well ought to. I'll call Foster about it.” 　　“ Good,” the president said. “ Alex, it is too much to expect that our mutual suspicions will be allayed by something so small as this. Your history and ours conspire19 against us. But let's make a small beginning with this. If we can shake hands in space or over a conference table in Vienna, maybe we can do it here also. I will give the necessary instructions to my commanders as soon as we're finished here.” 　　“ Thank you, Mr. President.” Arbatov concealed his uneasiness. 　　“ And please convey my sympathy for the families of your missing men. I appreciate your effort in getting this information to us.” 　　“ Yes. Mr. President.” Arbatov rose. He left after shaking hands. What were the Americans really up to? He'd warned his superiors: call it a rescue mission and they'd demand to help. It was their stupid Christmas season, and Americans were addicted to happy endings.It was madness not to call it something else--to hell with the protocol. 一場我交游戲 下午4點，某國大使又來到白宮。為了避開新聞界的注意，他被帶進白宮對面的財政 部大樓，然后經(jīng)由一條鮮為人知的地道進入白宮?？偨y(tǒng)希望這樣做能讓他感到忐忑不安 。阿爾巴托夫來到，佩爾特也匆匆趕到了。 　　“總統(tǒng)先生，”阿爾巴托夫立正報告說?？偨y(tǒng)這才知道他曾從過軍?！拔曳蠲皝硐蚰?轉(zhuǎn)達我國政府的歉意，由于時間急迫，未能及時通知你，我們的一艘核潛艇失蹤了，可 能是迷航了。我們正采取緊急救援行動?！?　　總統(tǒng)沉著地點了點頭，作了個手勢請大使坐下。佩爾特坐在他旁邊。 　　“這件事真叫人有點為難啊，總統(tǒng)先生。你知道，在我國的海軍中同貴國海軍一樣， 核潛艇上的職務是極為重要的，因此，那些被選任上艇的人員都是屬于受過最好的教育 和最受信任的官兵。我國海軍作出巨大努力來尋找他們，這是可以理解的，但是我也得 承認，這總歸是有些無紀律吧?！卑柊屯蟹蝻@出一副尷尬相，裝得很到家，像是在吐露 家里的一樁大秘事。 “我明白了，”總統(tǒng)同情地說。“這就讓我感到放心一點兒，阿列克謝。杰夫，我想今 天夠晚的了。給我們大家弄點兒喝的怎么樣？來點波旁威士忌好嗎，阿列克謝？” 　　“好，謝謝，先生?！?　　佩爾特向墻邊的紅木酒柜走去。這個酒柜是件考究的古董，里面是個小酒吧，還有 一個冰桶，這是每天下午都要準備在那里的?？偨y(tǒng)常常喜歡在晚飯前喝上一兩杯。佩爾 特博士充任總統(tǒng)的酒吧侍者已是老手了。沒過幾分鐘，他端著3杯酒過來了。 　　“跟你說實話，我們也非常懷疑這是一次救援行動，”佩爾特說。 　　“我不知道我們該怎么讓我們的年輕人來干這種工作?！笨偨y(tǒng)呷了一口酒。阿爾巴托 夫則大口地喝著。“我想，我們已經(jīng)丟失了兩艘核潛艇了。你們丟失了幾艘，3艘，4艘？ ” 　　“我不知道，總統(tǒng)先生。我想，這方面的情報你比我靈。”總統(tǒng)注意到，這是他今天 頭一次講實話?！拔耶斎荒芡饽愕目捶?，這種任務既危險，要求又嚴格。” 　　“艇上有多少人，阿列克謝?”總統(tǒng)問。 “不清楚。估計100來個吧。我從來沒有在軍艦上呆過?！?　　“可能大多數(shù)都是年輕人，就像我們的水兵一樣。由于我們之間的相互猜疑就得讓我 們這么多的優(yōu)秀青年去冒如此大險，而且我們知道，他們之中有些人是回不來的，這對 我們兩國來說確實是非常遺憾的。可是——不這樣有什么辦法呢？”總統(tǒng)停頓了一下，轉(zhuǎn)身 向窗外望去。南草坪上的白雪正在融化。該走下一步棋了。 　　“也許我們能提供些幫助，”總統(tǒng)試探著提議道。“是啊，也許我們能利用這一不幸事 件多少減少一些相互之間的猜疑。也許我們能把它變成好事，顯示一下我們的關系確實 得到了改善?！?　　佩爾特轉(zhuǎn)過身去摸找他的煙斗。在他們多年的交情中，他總也無法理解總統(tǒng)怎么能 老是僥幸成功。佩爾特是在華盛頓大學與總統(tǒng)結(jié)識的，當時他在那里主修政治學，而總 統(tǒng)則是法科預科學生。當時這位行政首腦曾是戲劇協(xié)會的主席。業(yè)余的戲劇表演藝術確 實有助于他的法律職業(yè)。 　　“大使先生，我愿意向你們提供美國的援助和各種資源來搜尋你們失蹤的同胞。” 　　“那太感謝你了，總統(tǒng)先生，但是——” 　　總統(tǒng)舉起一只手?！澳挠羞@么多但是，阿列克謝。要是這樣的事情我們都不能合作， 我們還能希望在更重要的事情上進行合作嗎？要是我沒有記錯的話，去年，我們的一架 海軍巡邏飛機在阿留申群島外出了事，你們的一艘漁輪”——那是一艘搜集情報的拖網(wǎng)漁船 ——“打撈起了機上的人員，救了他們的命。阿列克謝，我們欠了你們一筆債，一筆人情債 ，而美國不愿意讓人說成是忘恩負義的。”他停頓了一下，以增強說話的效果?！澳阒?，他們可能全都死了。我想，一次潛艇事故中的幸存機會，恐怕同一次飛機失事差不多 ?？芍辽偎鴤兊募覍賹?。杰夫，我們有沒有什么專門的潛艇救援設備？” 　　“憑著我們給海軍的全部經(jīng)費，完全應當有。我給福斯特打個電話問問?！?　　“好?！笨偨y(tǒng)說?！鞍⒘锌酥x，要是期望通過像這樣的小事就能減輕我們之間的相互猜 疑，那是過奢了。我們兩國在歷史上一直是作對的。還是讓我們以此來作為一個小小的 開端吧。如果我們能在太空中和維也納的會議桌上握手，那或許我們也可以在這里握手 。我們在這兒一談妥，我就馬上向我的指揮官下達必要的指示?！?　　“謝謝，總統(tǒng)先生?！卑柊屯蟹蜓陲椫男纳癫话??！?　　“請向貴國失蹤人員的家屬致以慰問。我感謝你把這一消息通知我們?！?　　“好，總統(tǒng)先生，”阿爾巴托夫站了起來，握手告別后離去了。美國人到底居心何在 ？他已經(jīng)警告過他的上司，將此稱為救援行動，他們就會要求提供幫助?，F(xiàn)在正是他們 愚蠢的圣誕節(jié)期間，而美國人都一心向往有個愉快的年終。給這一行動起個什么別的名 稱不行，偏要叫這個，也真是——讓那套外交禮儀見鬼去吧！(完) 1.hustle [5ηΘσλ]vi.急速行進，奔忙，趕緊 2.presumed[πρι5ζφυ:μ]adj.推測的，做定的 3.soberly[5σΕυβΕ]adv.嚴肅地，持重地 4.motion[5μΕυΦΕν]vt.向…做手勢，向…點頭示意 5.undisciplined[Θν5δισιπλινδ]adj.不遵守紀律的 6.feign[φειν]vt.假裝，佯作，捏造 7.confide[κΕν5φαιδ]vt.吐露(秘密等) 8.sympathetically[7σιμπΕ5Ωετικ]adv.同情地 9.Bourbon[5βυΕβΕν]n.(美)波旁威士忌酒(一種主要用玉米釀制的美國威士忌酒) 10.rosewood[5ρΕθζωθδ]n.紅木(指黑檀、紫檀等) 11.ornate[Χ:5νειτ]adj.裝飾華麗的 12.antique[“...
14 一場外交游戲6(doc)