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ve an idea。 Do you suppose the judge might tape a brief acceptance speech for us… a few words of thanks； perhaps？〃
〃Well； I… I really can't say。 He has a very busy schedule…〃
〃There'll be a great deal of national television and newspaper coverage。〃
There was a silence。 Judge Lawrence's secretary knew how much His Honor enjoyed media coverage。 In fact； as far as she could see； the tour he was presently on seemed to be mainly for that purpose。
She said； 〃Perhaps he might find time to record a few words for you。 I could ask him。〃
〃Oh； that would be wonderful；〃 Tracy enthused。 〃It would really make the whole evening。〃
〃Would you like His Honor to address his remarks toward anything specific？〃
〃Oh； definitely。 We'd like him to talk about…〃 She hesitated。 〃I'm afraid it's a bit plicated。 It would be better if I could explain it to him directly。〃
There was a momentary silence。 The secretary faced a dilemma。 She had orders not to reveal her boss's itinerary。 On the other hand； it would be just like him to blame her if he missed receiving an award as important as this。
She said； 〃I'm really not supposed to give out any information； but I'm sure he would want me to make an exception for something as prestigious as this。 You can reach him in Moscow； at the Rossia Hotel。 He'll be there for the next five days； and after that…〃
〃Wonderful。 I'll get in touch with him right away。 Thank you so much。〃
〃Thank you； Miss Dastin。〃
**********
The cables were addressed to Judge Henry Lawrence； Rossia Hotel； Moscow。 The first cable read：
NEXT JUDICIARY COUNCIL MEETING CAN NOW BE ARRANGED。
CONFIRM CONVENIENT DATE AS SPACE MUST BE REQUESTED。
BORIS。
The second cable； which arrived the next day； read：
ADVISE PROBLEM TRAVEL PLANS。
YOUR SISTER'S PLANE ARRIVED LATE
BUT LANDED SAFELY。 LOST PASSPORT AND MONEY。
SHE WILL BE PLACED IN FIRST…CLASS SWISS HOTEL。
WILL SETTLE ACCOUNT LATER。
BORIS。
The last cable read：
YOUR SISTER WILL TRY AMERICAN EMBASSY
TO OBTAIN TEMPORARY PASSPORT。
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE YET ON NEW VISA
SWISS MAKE RUSSIANS SEEM SAINTS。
WILL SHIP SISTER TO YOU SOONEST。
BORIS。
The NKVD sat back and waited to see if there were any further cables。 When no more were forthing； they arrested Judge Lawrence。
The interrogation lasted for ten days and nights。
〃To whom did you send the information？〃
〃What information？ I don't know what you're talking about。〃
〃We're talking about the plans。 Who gave you the plans？〃
〃What plans？〃
〃The plans for the Soviet atomic submarine。〃
〃You must be crazy。 What do I know about Soviet submarines？〃
〃That's what we intend to find out。 Who were your secret meetings with？〃
〃What secret meetings？ I have no secrets。〃
〃Good。 Then you can tell us who Boris is。〃
〃Boris； who？〃
〃The man who deposited money in your Swiss account。〃
〃What Swiss account？〃
They were furious。 〃You're a stubborn fool；〃 they told him。 〃We're going to make an example of you and all the other American spies trying to undermine our great motherland。〃
By the time the American ambassador was permitted to visit him； Judge Henry Lawrence had lost fifteen pounds。 He could not remember the last time his captors had allowed him to sleep； and he was a trembling wreck of a man。
〃Why are they doing this to me？〃 the judge croaked。 〃I'm an American citizen。 I'm a judge。 For God's sake； get me out of here！〃
〃I'm doing everything I can；〃 the ambassador assured him。 He was shocked by Lawrence's appearance。 The ambassador had greeted Judge Lawrence and the other members of the Judiciary mittee when they had arrived two weeks earlier。 The man the ambassador met then bore no resemblance to the cringing； terrified creature who groveled before him now。
What the hell are the Russians up to this time？ the ambassador wondered。 The judge is no more a spy than I am。 Then he thought wryly； I suppose I could have chosen a better example。
The ambassador demanded to see the president of the Politburo； and when the request was refused； he settled for one of the ministers。
〃I must make a formal protest；〃 the ambassador angrily declared。 〃Your country's behavior in the treatment of Judge Henry Lawrence is inexcusable。 To call a man of his stature a spy is ridiculous。〃
〃If you're quite finished；〃 the minister said coldly； 〃you will please take a look at these。〃
He handed copies of the cables to the ambassador。
The ambassador read them and looked up； bewildered。 〃What's wrong with them？ They're perfectly innocent。〃
〃Really？ Perhaps you had better read them again。 Decoded。〃 He handed the ambassador another copy of the cables。 Every fourth word had been underlined。
NEXT JUDICIARY COUNCIL MEETING CAN NOW BE ARRANGED。
CONFIRM CONVENIENT DATE AS SPACE MUST BE REQUESTED。
BORIS
ADVISE PROBLEM TRAVEL PLANS。
YOUR SISTER'S PLANE ARRIVED LATE
BUT LANDED SAFELY。 LOST PASSPORT AND MONEY。
SHE WILL BE PLACED IN FIRST…CLASS SWISS HOTEL。
WILL SETTLE ACCOUNT LATER。
BORIS
YOUR SISTER WILL TRY AMERICAN EMBASSY
TO OBTAIN TEMPORARY PASSPORT。
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE YET ON NEW VISA。
SWISS MAKE RUSSIANS SEEM SAINTS。
WILL SHIP SISTER TO YOU SOONEST。
BORIS
I'll be a son of a bitch； the ambassador thought。
The press and public were barred from the trial。 The prisoper remained stubborn to the last； continuing to deny he was in the Soviet Union on a spying mission。 The prosecution promised him leniency if he would divulge who his bosses were； and Judge Lawrence would have given his soul to have been able to do so； but alas； he could not。
The day after the trial there was a brief mention in Pravda that the notorious American spy Judge Henry Lawrence had been convicted of espionage and sentenced to Siberia for fourteen years of hard labor。
The American intelligence munity was baffled by the Lawrence case。 Rumors buzzed among the CIA； the FBI； the Secret Service； and the Treasury Department。
〃He's not one of ours；〃 the CIA said。 〃He probably belongs to Treasury。〃
The Treasury Department disclaimed any knowledge of the case。 〃No； Sir。 Lawrence isn't our baby。 Probably the fucking FBI butting into our territory again。〃
〃Never heard of him；〃 the FBI said。 〃He was probably run by State； or the Defense Intelligence Agency。〃
The Defense Intelligence Agency； as much in the dark as the others； cannily said； 〃No ment。〃
Each agency was sure that Judge Henry Lawrence had been sent abroad by one of the others。
〃Well； you've got to admire his guts；〃 the head of the CIA said。 〃He's tough。 He hasn't confessed and he hasn't named names。 To tell you the truth； I wish we had a lot more like him。〃
**********
Things were not going well for Anthony Orsatti； and the capo was unable to figure out why。 For the first time in his life； his luck was going bad。 It had started with Joe Romano's defection； then Perry Pope； and now the judge was gone； mixed up in some crazy spy deal。 They h