Part 4 (1/2)
He pushed the bundle to me across the desk
”Just a second,” he said in a low voice, gentle but insistent, just as I began to read ”Perhaps we should first take care of certain -- forly, bureaucratic term, I know, butyou'll cooperate, won't you?”
”For
”Isn't there a call you ought to ested discreetly
”Of course, I coical Department May I use your phone?”
”Don't bother, I already took care of that for you”
”You did? But how --”
”Forget it, it's nothing But wasn't there soUnless you want me to make a report”
”If you like, but I don't insist”
”Major Er -- a test?”
”A test?”
”Oh, some sort of entrance exaht be questioned, so they ht want to, you know, set up certain situations”
”Really!” Apparently I had hurt his feelings; he sounded injured, grieved ”Tests? Entrance exa? No, what I had infor me? Tsk-tsk, how absentminded!” My confusion amused him ”Come now, it was in the chapelyou have it with you, it's right in your pocket, isn't it?”
”Oh, that!”
I pulled out the painted er and handed it over
”Fine,” he said ”This will be added to the evidence against nun”
”What's in it?” I asked
He raised the pink sausage to the light It was eing entry in his dossier”
”The old man?”
”Of course”
”But he's dead”
”So? It was clearly a hostile act You were a witness! Right there, on the flag --”
”But he's dead!”
He chuckled
”My dear boy, wouldn't we be in fine shape if death excused everything! But enough of that I want to thank you for your cooperation Now let's get back to business Before you start out we have to go through so unpleasant, I assure you Routine induction Propaedeutics Are you familiar, for exauess not”
”You see? Now, there are calling codes, stalling codes, departrinned, ”they're changed every day A necessary precaution, but what a bother! Each section, of course, has its own systes on different levels”
”Even names?”
”Sure If you could only see the look on your face!” He laughed ”Take the official name of our Commander in Chief, for example Haven't you noticed that all the na to therew serious
”Grade, rank, even greetings, everything is coded”
”Greetings?”
”Certainly Suppose you're talking with someone over the phone, so' Froht, that there are shi+fts in other words, which is important information -- for someone,” he stressed the last word ”Every conversation”
”Wait! You mean, even now”
He cleared his throat, embarrassed
”Unavoidable”
”Then how aht athis voice ”Of course you understand, you , Some sort of entrance exam -- how could you not understand? But I can see that you do! Nohy that look of despair? Each one codes according to his ability and h”
”If you say so”
”Have a little confidence in yourself! Business is business, I know, the impersonal routine, the complications, frustrationsyet your mission is so fantastically difficult that it's silly to let a few little e you, even if they are irreparable I'll direct you to the Depart you need to know -- nothing rigorous, you understand, just enough to handle a social conversation And the instructions will be waiting for you here”
”I didn't even get a chance to look at the you”
I opened the bundle and glanced at the top of the first page: ”You won't be able to find the right roonated on your pass First you ind up at the Department of Verification, then Department of Misinformation, then some clerk froht, but on level eight they will ignore you”