The Ghost(英文版)-第22章

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　　“Unbelievable；”　said　Ruth　eventually；　“to　equate　what　Adam　did　or　didn’t　do　with　the　Nazis。”

　　“That’s　precisely　why　the　United　States　doesn’t　recognize　the　court；”　said　Kroll。　He　wagged　his　finger。　“We　warned　you　what　would　happen。　An　international　war　crimes　tribunal　sounds　very　noble　in　principle。　But　you　go　after　all　these　genocidal　maniacs　in　the　third　world；　and　sooner　or　later　the　third　world　is　going　to　come　right　back　after　you；　otherwise　it　looks　like　discrimination。　They　kill　three　thousand　of　us；　we　kill　one　of　them；　and　suddenly　we’re　all　war　criminals　together。　It’s　the　worst　kind　of　moral　equivalence。　Well；　they　can’t　drag　America　into　their　phony　court；　so　who　can　they　drag？　It’s　obvious：　our　closest　ally—you。　Like　I　say；　it’s　not　legal；　it’s　political。”

　　“You　should　make　exactly　that　point；　Adam；”　said　Amelia；　and　she　wrote　something　in　her　black…and…red　notebook。

　　“Don’t　worry；”　he　said　grimly；　“I　will。”

　　“Go　ahead；　Connie；”　said　Kroll。　“Let’s　hear　the　rest　of　it。”

　　“The　reason　we　can’t　be　sure　which　route　they’ll　choose　at　this　stage　is　that　torture　is　outlawed　both　by　Article　Seven　of　the　1998　Rome　Statute；　under　the　heading　of　‘Crimes　against　humanity；’　and　also　under　Article　Eight；　which　is　‘War　crimes。’　Article　Eight　also　categorizes　as　a　war　crime”—she　consulted　her　laptop—“‘wilfully　depriving　a　prisoner　of　war　or　other　protected　person　of　the　rights　of　fair　and　regular　trial’　and　‘unlawful　deportation　or　transfer　or　unlawful　confinement。’　Prima　facie；　sir；　you　could　be　accused　under　either　Seven　or　Eight。”

　　“But　I　haven’t　ordered　that　anyone　should　be　tortured！”　said　Lang。　His　voice　was　incredulous；　outraged。　“And　I　haven’t　deprived　anyone　of　a　fair　trial；　or　illegally　imprisoned　them。　Perhaps—perhaps　—you　could　make　that　charge　against　the　United　States；　but　not　Great　Britain。”

　　“That’s　true；　sir；”　agreed　Encarnacion。　“However；　Article　Twenty…five；　which　deals　with　individual　criminal　responsibility；　states　that”—and　once　again　her　cool　dark　eyes　flickered　to　the　computer　screen—“‘a　person　shall　be　criminally　responsible　and　liable　for　punishment　if　that　person　facilitates　the　commission　of　such　a　crime；　aids；　abets；　or　otherwise　assists　in　its　commission　or　its　attempted　commission；　including　the　means　for　its　commission。’”

　　Again　there　was　a　silence；　filled　by　the　distant　drone　of　the　helicopter。

　　“That’s　rather　sweeping；”　said　Lang　quietly。

　　“It’s　absurd；　is　what　it　is；”　cut　in　Kroll。　“It　means　that　if　the　CIA　flies　a　suspect　for　interrogation　somewhere　in　a　private　plane；　the　owners　of　that　private　plane　are　technically　guilty　of　facilitating　a　crime　against　humanity。”

　　“But　legally—”　began　Lang。

　　“It’s　not　legal；　Adam；”　said　Kroll；　with　just　a　hint　of　exasperation；　“it’s　political。”

　　“No；　Sid；”　said　Ruth。　She　was　concentrating　hard；　frowning　at　the　carpet　and　shaking　her　head　emphatically。　“It’s　legal　as　well。　The　two　are　inseparable。　That　passage　your　young　lady　just　read　out　makes　it　perfectly　obvious　why　the　judges　will　have　to　allow　an　investigation；　because　Richard　Rycart　has　produced　documentary　evidence　that　suggests　that　Adam　did　in　fact　do　all　those　things：　aided；　abetted；　and　facilitated。”　She　looked　up。　“That　is　legal　jeopardy—isn’t　that　what　you　call　it？　And　that　leads　inescapably　to　political　jeopardy。　Because　in　the　end　it　will　all　come　down　to　public　opinion；　and　we’re　unpopular　enough　back　home　as　it　is　without　this。”

　　“Well；　if　it’s　any　comfort；　Adam’s　certainly　not　in　jeopardy　as　long　as　he　stays　here；　among　his　friends。”

　　The　armored　glass　vibrated　slightly。　The　helicopter　was　coming　in　again　for　a　closer　look。　Its　searchlight　filled　the　room。　But　on　the　television　screen　all　that　could　be　seen　in　the　big　picture　window　was　a　reflection　of　the　sea。

　　“Wait　a　minute；”　said　Lang；　raising　his　hand　to　his　head　and　clutching　his　hair；　as　if　he　were　glimpsing　the　situation　for　the　first　time。　“Are　you　saying　that　I　can’t　leave　the　United　States？”

　　“Josh；”　said　Kroll；　nodding　to　his　other　assistant。

　　“Sir；”　said　Josh　gravely；　“if　I　may；　I　would　like　just　to　read　you　the　opening　of　Article　Fifty…eight；　which　covers　arrest　warrants。　‘At　any　time　after　the　initiation　of　an　investigation；　the　Pre…Trial　Chamber　shall；　on　the　application　of　the　Prosecutor；　issue　a　warrant　of　arrest　of　a　person　if；　having　examined　the　application　and　the　evidence　or　other　information　submitted　by　the　Prosecutor；　it　is　satisfied　that　there　are　reasonable　grounds　to　believe　that　the　person　has　committed　a　crime　within　the　jurisdiction　of　the　Court；　and　the　arrest　of　the　person　appears　necessary　to　ensure　the　person’s　appearance　at　trial。’”　He　fixed　his　solemn　gaze　on　Adam　Lang。

　　“Jesus；”　said　Lang。　“What　are　‘reasonable　grounds’？”

　　“It　won’t　happen；”　said　Kroll。

　　“You　keep　saying　that；”　said　Ruth　irritably；　“but　it　could。”

　　“It　won’t　but　it　could；”　said　Kroll；　spreading　his　hands。　“Those　two　statements　aren’t　incompatible。”　He　permitted　himself　one　of　his　private　smiles　and　turned　to　Adam。　“Nevertheless；　as　your　attorney；　until　this　whole　thing　is　resolved；　I　do　strongly　advise　you　not　to　travel　to　any　country　that　recognizes　the　jurisdiction　of　the　International　Criminal　Court。　All　it　would　take　is　for　two　of　these　three　judges　to　decide　to　grandstand　to　the　human　rights　crowd；　go　ahead　and　issue　a　warrant；　and　you　could　be　picked　up。”

　　“But　just　about　every　country　in　the　world　recognizes　the　ICC；”　said　Lang。

　　“America　doesn’t。”

　　“And　who　else？”

　　“Iraq；”　said　Josh；　“China；　North　Korea；　Indonesia。”

　　We　waited　for　him　to　go　on；　he　didn’t。

　　“And　that’sit　？”　said　Lang。　“Everywhere　elsedoes　？”

　　“No；　sir。　Israel　doesn’t。　And　some　of　the　nastier　regimes　in　Africa。”

　　Amelia　said；　“I　think　something’s　happening。”　She　aimed　the　remote　at　the　television。

　　AND　SO　WE　WATCHEDas　the　Spanish　chief　prosecutor—all　massive　black　hair　and　bright　red　lipstick；　as　glamorous　as　a　film　star　in　the　silvery　strobe　of　camera　flashes—announced　that　she　had　that　morning　been　granted　the　power　to　investigate　the　former　British　prime　minister；　Adam　Peter　Benet　Lang；　under　Articles　Seven　and　Eight　of　the　1998　Rome　Statute　of　the　International　Criminal　Court。

　　Or　rather；　the　others　all　watched　her；　while　I　watched　Lang。“AL—intense　concentration；”　I　jotted　in　my　notebook；　pretending　to　take　down　the　words　of　the　chief　prosecutor　but　really　studying　my　client　for　any　insights　I　could　use　later。“Reaches　hand　out　for　R：　she　doesn’t　respond。　Glances　at　her。　Lonely；　puzzled。　Withdraws　hand。　Looks　back　at　screen。　Shakes　head。　CP　says　‘was　this　just　single　incident　or　part　of　systematic　pattern　of　criminal　behavior？’　AL　flinches。　Angry。　CP：　‘justice　must　be　equal　for　rich　&　poor；　powerful　&　weak　alike。’　AL　shouts　at　screen：　‘What　about　the　terrorists？’”

　　I　had　never　witnessed　any　of　my　authors　at　a　real　crisis　in　their　lives　before；　and　scrutinizing　Lang；　I　gradually　began　to　realize　that　my　favorite　catchall　question—“How　did　it　feel？”—was　in　truth　a　crude　tool；　vague　to　the　point　of　uselessness。　In　the　course　of　those　few　minutes；　as　the　legal　procedure　was　explained；　a　rapid　succession　of　emotions　swept　across　Lang’s　craggy　face；　as　fleeting　as　cloud　shadows　passing　over　a　hillside　in　spring—shock；　fury；　hurt；　defiance；　dismay；　shame…How　were　these　to　be　disentangled？　And　if　he　didn’t　know　precisely　what　he　felt　now；　even　as　he　was　feeling　it；　how　could　he　be　expected　to　know　it　in　ten　years’　time？　Even　his　reaction　at　this　moment　I　would　have　to　manufacture　for　him。　I　would　have　to　simplify　it　to　make　it　plausible。　I　would　have　to　draw　on　my　own　imagination。　In　a　sense；　I　would　have　to　lie。

　　The　chief　prosecutor　finished　her　statement；　briefly　answered　a　couple　of　shouted　questions；　then　left　the　podium。　Halfway　out　of　the　room；　she　stopped　to　pose　for　the　cameras　again；　and　there　was　another　blizzard　of　phosphorus　as　she　turned　to　give　the　world　the　benefit　of　her　magnificent　aquiline　profile；　and　then　she　was　gone。　The　screen　reverted　to　the　aerial　shot　of　Rhinehart’s　house；　in　its　setting　of　woods；　pond；　and　ocean；　as　the　world　waited　for　Lang　to　appear。

　　Amelia　muted　the　sound。　Downstairs；　the　phones　started　ringing。

　　“Well；”　said　Kroll；　breaking　the　silence；　“there　was　nothing　inthat　we　weren’t　expecting。”

　　“Yes；”　said　Ruth。“Well　done。”

　　Kroll　pretended　not　to　notice。　“We　should　get　you　to　Washington；　Adam；　right　away。　My　plane’s　waiting　at　the　airport。”

　　Lang　was　still　staring　at　the　screen。　“When　Marty　said　I　could　use　his　vacation　house；　I　never　realized　how　cut　off　this　place　was。　We　should　never　have　come。　Now　we　look　as　though　we’re　hiding。”

　　“Exactly　my　feeling。　You　can’t　just　hole　up　here；　at　least　not　today。　I’ve　made　some　calls。　I　can　get　you　in　to　see　the　House　majority　leader　at　lunchtime　and　we　can　have　a　photo　op　with　the　secretary　of　state　this　afternoon。”

　　Lang　finally　dragged　his　eyes　away　from　the　television。　“I　don’t　know　about　doing　all　that。　It　could　look　as　though　I’m　panicking。”

　　“No；　it　won’t。　I’ve　already　spoken　to　them。　They　send　their　best　wishes；　they　want　to　do　everything　they　can　to　help。　They’ll　both　say　the　meetings　were　fixed　weeks　ago；　to　discuss　the　Adam　Lang　Foundation。”

　　“But　that　sounds　false；　don’t　you　think？”　Lang　frowned。　“What　are　we　supposed　to　be　discussing？”

　　“Who　cares？　AIDS。　Poverty。　Climate　change。　Mideast　peace。　Africa。　Whatever　you　like。　The　point　is　to　say：　it’s　business　as　usual；　I　have　my　agenda；　it’s　the　big　stuff；　and　I’m　not　going　to　be　diverted

　　from　it　by　these　clowns　pretending　to　be　judges　in　The　Hague。”

　　Amelia　said；　“What　about　security？”

　　“The　Secret　Service　will　take　care　of　it。　We’ll　fill　in　the　blanks　in　the　schedule　as　we　go　along。　The

　　whole　town　will　turn　out　for　you。　I’m　waiting　to　hear　back　from　the　vice　president；　but　that　would　be　a　private　meeting。”

　　“And　the　media？”　sai