The Adventures of Augie March - Saul Bellow [256]
with him at a club on the Calle de Uruguay. And to drink with him, when he felt like drinking. I did not want to do it in the afternoon because it reminded me too much of the tequila drinking I did in Acatla. But we'd sit and kill a few bottles of wine. Thousand soft moose-lashes of the copper forest sun passed through the trees; the garden was green while the woman's form of the volcano slept in the snow. I was a guest and guests have to go along with hosts. I paid my way by teaching him about the major leagues, etcetera. Meanwhile I was building up my health somewhat, and then Frazer came around and sprung what he had been saving me for. "You know that the GPU wants the Old Man's life," said Frazer. I knew it. I had read in the papers about the machine-gun attack on his villa and Paslavitch had told me many other details. "Well," said Frazer, "a man named Mink who is the chief of the Russian police has arrived in Mexico to take over the campaign against the Old Man." "What a terrible thing! What can you do to protect him?" "Well, the villa is being fortified, and we have a bodyguard. But the fortification isn't ready yet. The cops aren't enough to do the job. Stalin is out to get him because he's the conscience of the revolutionary world.". "Why are you telling me this, Frazer?" "Here's the thing. There's a scheme being discussed. Maybe the Old Man will shake the GPU by traveling incognito around the country." "What do you mean, incognito?" "This is confidential, March. I mean that he should take off his beard and mustache, cut his hair, and pass as a tourist." Well, I thought this mighty queer. As if Gandhi should go dressed in a Prince Albert. That this formerly so mighty and commanding man should have to alter and humble himself. Somehow, though I had seen and known lots of trouble, this struck me very hard. I said, "Whose idea is this?" "Why it's been discussed," said Frazer in his professional revolutionary way, meaning it wasn't any of my business. "I trust you, March, or I wouldn't have suggested you for a part in this." "Why, where do I come in?" I said. He said, "If the Old Man is going to travel incognito as a visitor to Mexico he's going to need a nephew from the States." "Me, you mean?" "You and a girl comrade as husband and wife. Would you do it?" I saw myself driving around Mexico with this great person, tracked by secret agents. I felt too worn out to take it on. "There wouldn't be any hanky-panky with the girl," said Frazer. "I don't even understand what you mean. I'm trying to recover from the injury of a love affair." Please God! I thought, keep me from being sucked into another one of those great currents where I can't be myself. Naturally I wanted to be of help, and rescue and peril attracted me. But I wasn't up to it at all, going up and down the mountains of Mexico through the bazaar of red nature and dizzy with deaths and noises. "I'm telling you this because the Old Man is very moral." Frazer spoke as though he too were very moral. Tell it to the marines! I thought. "He won't do it anyhow," I said. "It's a loony idea." "That's for the people who've protecting him to decide." But to me it seemed his appearance was his trademark. His head was. Sooner than touch it he'd maybe let it be taken off him and kept just as it was for martyrdom. Kind of like St. John and Herod. And I had to stop and ask myself about martyrdom. Out in Russia was his enemy who didn't mind obliging him. He'd kill him. Death discredits. Survival is the whole success. The voice of the dead goes away. There isn't any memory. The power that's established fills the earth and destiny is whatever survives, so whatever is is right. That's what passed through my mind. "You'd have to pack a gun. Does that scare you?" "Me? Of course not," I said. "Not that part of it." I reflected in my private mind that I must have holes in my head like a colander not to refuse. Was I so flattered by the chance to be with this giant historical personality, speeding around the mountains? The car would rush like mad. The wild beasts would flee. The terrible