教育培训机构资料14 一场外交游戏6.pdfVIP

14.ADiplomaticGame

Theambassadorwasbackatfourintheafternoon.Toavoidpressnoticehehad

beentakenintotheTreasurybuildingacrossthestreetfromtheWhiteHouseand

broughtthroughaconnectingtunnelwhichfewknewexisted.Thepresidenthoped

thathehadfoundthisunsettling.Pelthustled1intobetherewhenArbatovarrived.

“Mr.President,”Arbatovreported,standingatattention.Thepresidenthadnot

knownthathehadanymilitaryexperience.“Iaminstructedtoconveytoyouthe

regretsofmygovernmentthattherehasnotbeentimetoinformyouofthis.Oneof

ournuclearsubmarinesismissingandpresumed2lost.Weareconductingan

emergencyrescueoperation.”

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Thepresidentnoddedsoberly,motioningtheambassadortoachair.Peltsat

nexttohim.

“Thisissomewhatembarrassing,Mr.President.Yousee,inournavyasinyours,

dutyonanuclearsubmarineisapostingofthegreatestimportance,andconsequently

thoseselectedforitareamongourbesteducatedandtrustedmen.OurNavysgreat

5

efforttofindthemisunderstandable,thoughIadmitabitundisciplined.”Arbatov

feigned6embarrassmentbeautifully,speakingasthoughhewereconfiding7agreat

familysecret.

8

“Isee,”thepresidentsaidsympathetically.“Thatmakesmefeelalittlebetter,

Alex.Jeff,Ithinkitslateenoughintheday.Howaboutyoufixusalladrink.

9

Bourbon,Alex?”

“Yes,thankyou,sir.”

Peltwalkedovertoarosewood10cabinetagainstthewall.Theornate11antique12

containedasmallbar,completewithanicebucketwhichwasstockedevery

afternoon.Thepresidentoftenlikedtohaveadrinkortwobeforedinner.Dr.Pelth