people like that,â said Linda.
The boss looked up.
âEasier said than done. This isnât one of your cheap romances, where if one character hurts another personâs feelings they have a row, say they wish theyâd never set eyes on one another, and flounce offâ¦â
âI donât know what you mean,â said Linda, looking him straight in the eye.
âI mean foreign relations are not like peopleâs private affairs: you love me, I donât love you any more, and so we partâ¦This sort of thing goes much deeper, There are objective considerations and all sorts of other factors to take into accountâ¦â
âDo you think Iâm such a feather-brain that I reduce everything to the level of a domestic row?â asked Linda icily.
The boss stared at her, taken aback.
âCalm down! I didnât say that!â
âBut thatâs what you were insinuating!â she replied, her eyes flashing angrily.
He waved his hand vaguely, then turned to Silva as if to seek her help. But, unsure she was willing to come to his aid, he threw up his arms as if to say, âThatâs all I needed!â
For a few moments he busied himself opening and shutting the drawers of his desk, as he usually did when he was nervous. Then he lit a cigarette. And promptly stubbed it out again.
âRight, thatâll do,â he said mournfully. âI didnât mean to be disagreeable, for heavenâs sake! I suppose, at the end of the day, Iâm allowed to make a bit of a joke! I am the boss, arenât I?â
He leapt up, stuffed his packet of cigarettes into his pocket, and left the room.
âHe really is a case,â said Linda. His annoyance had displaced her own. âIâm the one who ought to have been annoyed!â
Silva smiled indulgently.
âShall we go down to the cafeteria?â
âDo you think I went a bit too far?â Linda asked as they went down the stairs.
Silva smiled at her again. Vaguely. She was thinking of something else.
The cafeteria was in the basement, and the stairs leading down to it were crowded with people coming and going. This was the time most of the clerks took a coffee break. Silva noticed Victor Hila at the far end of the counter with a glass of brandy. He looked worn down.
She went over.
âDid you get to see the vice-minister?â she asked.
He waved his hand.
âYes, Much good it did me!â
âDo you know each other?â she asked as she introduced him to Linda.
âDelighted to meet you,â said Victor, still staring into space. âMay I offer you a drink? Sorry, Iâm like a bear with a sore head todayâ¦â
âWhatâs the matter?â asked Silva. âI noticed something was wrong when I met you first thingâ¦â
âI didnât take it seriously at first, but now I see Iâm in trouble. Iâve been running around all morning trying to find out whatâs up, but no one will tell me anything definiteâ¦Anyhow, whatâll you have?â
âPerhaps it would be better to leave that till another time,â said Silva, âYou look a bit low.â
âAll the more reason for you to help cheer me up! Come on, do have something! I insist!â
Linda glanced at Silva, as if to ask if Hila was quite right in the head.
âAll right,â said Silva. âCoffee for us, please.â
Victor Hila emptied his glass. Then:
âIâm in trouble over a Chinaman,â he said.
âWhat?â exclaimed Silva.
âWe were just talking about the Chinese,â said Linda, looking at Victor curiously.
âYes,â he went on. âA Chinaman! A particularly lousy Chink!â
Linda put her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. Victor went and fetched their coffees from the counter and set them down in front of them.
âI was told yesterday that Iâd been suspended. Do you realize what that means? Iâm