The Miernik Dossier - Charles McCarry [54]
MIERNIK : Living five in a room with men and girls together, with no bath, with no proper papers? If that’s how you take care of yourself . . . We spent years building up a certain picture of you, and you tear it up on a whim.
ZOFIA : Tadeusz, I wasn’t in any danger. I was quite happy, in fact. That’s something, isn’t it? To be happy in Warsaw while one is young? It was nothing terrible. Now, thanks to you and Sasha, it’s done with. If I ever want to go back to a university I can do it.
MIERNIK : Irresponsible. When I think that I asked Sasha to help you, thinking the danger was so much less than it was . . . The danger was your fault.
ZOFIA : There was no danger to Sasha. He can do anything.
MIERNIK : Perhaps he can. But to ask him to take extra chances as you did. I don’t know how I can apologize to him.
ZOFIA : If you do, he’ll laugh at you. It was a lark for Sasha.
MIERNIK : You think everything is a lark. Life is not a lark. You have never been asked to do an ugly thing in your life. You could have ruined everything.
(Remainder of Polish conversation consists of remarks by female voice on landmarks. Both voices change to English before tape ends.)
47. REPORT OF AN AMERICAN SURVEILLANCE TEAM IN PARIS (EXCERPT).
18 June, 1737 hours. Routine surveillance of Vasily Kutosov continues. In Luxembourg Gardens he approaches a female, aged approximately twenty-five, long dark hair, blue dress, medium height, exceptionally attractive. Kutosov, removing hat, speaks to young woman, who is feeding pigeons.
Conversation between two subjects ensues. Duration 7 minutes, 45 seconds. Forrest approaches subjects at approximately 1740 hours and ascertains that they are speaking Russian.
Kutosov is overheard to say: “It is a simple assignment. You have only to watch him and remember what he does. If he goes out alone, be sure he carries the little device that you will be given. You needn’t worry that he’ll come to any harm.”
Kutosov and female subject, after more conversation that was not overheard (audio surveillance was impractical because of lack of cover for the technician), continue feeding corn to the pigeons. Subject female has never before been seen with Kutosov. Her photograph is attached.
48. NOTATION BY HEADQUARTERS.
Female subject positively identified as Ilona Bentley, British subject, DOB 11 May 35 Berlin, now resident Geneva, Switzerland.
Cross-files: Geneva (info): Christopher: N. Collins: T. Miernik.
Action (London): Request biographical data British liaison.
49. REPORT BY COLLINS.
Though it is of no probable operational importance, I report to you that Ilona Bentley has turned up in Naples. She appeared at the door of my hotel room this evening (22nd June), explaining that she had arrived in Naples two days before.
2. Miss Bentley joined our group for dinner and evidenced no particular curiosity about the presence of Zofia Miernik. Later she asked where the Miernik girl had joined us, and I told her Vienna. The subject was dropped.
3. I have to report that Miss Bentley wishes to join our group as well. As you may know, she and I have been friends for some time, and there has recently been some trouble between us of a personal nature. I have attempted to persuade Miss Bentley to return to Geneva, but I cannot be certain that she will do so. The ship on which we are travelling to Egypt is fully booked, and it is therefore unlikely that she will accompany us. However, Miss Bentley is an impulsive young woman who at the moment seems determined to renew her friendship with me, and she is certainly resourceful enough to find her way to Egypt by other means of transport. I realize that this unexpected event is awkward, and I shall do my best to sort it out.
50. FROM MIERNIK’S DIARY.
The appearance of Ilona is most disturbing. She came down to dinner with Nigel and sat among us as if we had all met by accident in the Brasserie Centrale in Geneva. This is still her world, it seems natural to her to be among friends.