"He's not sure whether it's this building or the one next door," said Vasili, stepping back from the window. "The cellars still connect, don't they?" "They did when I was last there." "I'll go down and come out on the street several doors away. I'll meet him and tell him the man I'm with wants another half hour. That should give us enough time. Finish dressing the Englishman, will you?" Lodzia was right, nothing had changed in the old buildings. Each cellar connected with the one next door, the filthy, damp underground alleyway extending most of the block. Taleniekov emerged on the street four buildings away from Lodzia's flat. He walked up to the unsuspecting Maletkin, startling him.
"I thought you went in therel" said the traitor from Vyborg, nodding his head at the staircase on his left.
"There?" "Yes, I was sure of it." "You're still too excited, comrade, it interferes with your observation. I don't know anyone in that building. I came down to tell you that the man I'm meeting with needs more time. I suggest you wait in the car; it's not only extremely cold, but you'll draw less attention to yourself." "You won't be much longer, will you?" asked Maletkin anxiously.
"Are you going somewhere? Without me?" "No, no, of course not. I have to go to the toilet." "Discipline your bladder," said Taleniekov, hurrying away.
Twenty minutes later he and Lodzia had worked out the details of his contact with the curator of archives at the Saltykov-Shchedrin Library on the Maiorov Prospeckt. She would tell. him that a student from many years ago, a man who had risen high in government office and who had testified for the old gentleman in 1954-wanted to meet with him privately. That student, this friend, could not be seen in public; he was in trouble and needed help.
There was to be no doubt as to the identity of that student, or of the danger in which he found himself. The old man had to be jolted, frightened, concern for a oncedear young friend forced to the surface. He had to com- municate his alarms to anyone who might be watching him. The arrangements for the meeting just complicated enough to confuse an old man's mind. For the schoIaes confusion and fear would lead to tentative movements, bewildered starts and stops, sudden turns and abrupt reversals, decisions made and instantly rejected. Under these circumstances, whoever followed the old man would be revealed; for whatever moves the scholar made, the one following would have to make.
Lodzia would instruct the old man to leave the enor. mous library complex by the southwest exit at ten minutes to six that evening; the streets would be dark and no snow was expected. He would be told to walk a given number of blocks one way, then another. If no contact was made, he was to return to the library, and wait; if it were at all possible, his friend from long ago could try to get there. However, there were no guarantees.
Placed in this situation of stress, the numbers alone would serve to confuse the scholar, for Lodzia was to abruptly tdrminate the telephone call without repeating them. Vasili would take care of the rest, a traitor named Maletkin serving as an unknowing accomplice.
"What will you do after you see the old man?" asked Lodzia.
"That depends on what he tells me, or what I can learn from the man who follows him." "Where will you stay? Will, I see you?" Vasili stood up. "It could be dangerous for you if I come back here." "I'm willing to risk that." "I'm not willing to let you. Besides, you work until morning.,, "I can go in early and get off at midnight. Things are much more relaxed than when you were last in Leningrad. We trade hours frequently, and I am completely rehabilitated." "Someone will ask you why." "I'll tell him the truth. Am old friend has arrived from Moscow." "I don't think that's such a good idea." "A party secretary from the Presidium with a wife and several children. He wishes to remain anonymous." "As I said, a splendid idea." Taleniekov smiled. "I'll be careful and go through the cellars." "What will you do with him?" Lodzia nodded at the dead Englishman.
"Leave him in the farthest cellar- I can find. Do you have a bottle of vodkaT' "Are you thirsty?" "He is. One more unknown suicide in paradise. We don't publicize them. I'll need a razor blade."