"Raymond, Hugh - Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Raymond Hugh)

"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information. You may depend upon it,
however, that dishonesty on the part of certain individuals had a part in my
knowing what I do know."
Both Anna's and my eyes swung into line immediately. "De Saynter, of course!" A
rascally assistant who had disappeared after having been discovered going
through some extremely important notes Anna had made on the final aspects of the
invention.
"You have never," she said, "been in touch with a certain August De Saynter, I
suppose."
Bittsworth shrugged.
"Whether I have or not is of no importance whatsoever. The point is that I know
that you, Miss Campbell, hold it within your power to turn this country back to
the path of peace and plenty."
"What, precisely, do you want?" she said.
He relaxed a little before replying and crushed out his cigar, although it was
but half smoked.
"The plans and specifications of the entire Campbell process for the release and
control of atomic power."
I looked at Anna.
"But you can't have them," she answered swiftly, as I knew she would, and then
reached for her wine glass. "No one is going to get this invention but the
entire people, and if you imagine for a moment that I don't know the use to
which you would put it, you're daft."
Bittsworth smiled blandly.
"Of course. But isn't it better that we get this power than, say, Gunther
Westhoff, for instance?"
"What makes you think anyone is going to get it?" I broke in brusquely.
"Because they need it," he replied quietly. "I repeat. The balance of power
rests with only two parties, my own and Westhoff's. All other parties are either
appendages or unimportant. They cannot affect the situation. We can and will.
But we need immediate and limitless power to do so. A country such as this with
its complicated social and economic system cannot be controlled except by a
power greater than itself. That power is atomic power. A dictatorship, yes. I
grant you that is true. But only for a while until we can turn events into the
proper democratic path."
I watched Anna's mouth and knew that neither Bittsworth nor any other politician
would find out anything more from her.
"Well?" he asked, folding his hands before him.
"Sorry!" she snapped. "It's no good. I'm afraid politics loses this time."
Bittsworth got to his feet. "I won't waste any more of your time," he said
softly. "Good night. I hope you do not regret your decision.
He turned and started across the floor.
Anna looked sternly at me. "Darling, did you ever vote Conservative?" she asked
tautly. "Or for the Westhoff crowd!"
"Do I look like a banker or a Nazi?" I asked, laughing.
"Let's finish eating and go home," she said.
"How about dessert?"
"I've got some apple strudel in the pantry. That is, if your father hasn't eaten
it all." We both smiled.
Tiffins brought our coats.