OPINION IN PRAGUE
583
"You know, I should po lemicize with you . I 'm a member of the
party. But I'm there because otherwise I couldn 't do my job. But I'm
cr itica l as far as poss ibl e.
If
it's like you say, then it's absolutely filthy. "
I tell him what the foreign radio stations have broadcast. He
beli eves onl y part of it. He expresses doubts . "But even if it were true, as
you say, there's no thing we can do. Criticism 's out, especially of
mallers o f principle; th at's punish abl e."
I tell him tha t good people in the party ought to protest. He looks
a t me in as toni shment. " My dear young lady, that 's out of the question .
T ha t would be sui cidaL"
I as k him how long he's been in the party. Since 1967. He joined
because he thought things were improving. He wasn 't thrown out
during the purges because they needed him. He avoids politics as best
he can. I feel like arguing, but it's no good. I say goodbye and tell him
to think over wh a t he should do, so that later he shouldn't reproach
himself for all owing such things
to
happen . I don 't think I'm in any
danger from him .
It
was a very qui et conversation .
In front o f the res taurant are two laughing youths, about twenty–
years-o ld . T hey part. I fo ll ow one o f them . I catch up with him and ask
him abou t the trial. He doesn 't know an ything. He asks, "Are you from
one o f our papers?" I explain where I'm from and tell him about the
tria l. He says, " I know such things happen but I don 't know anything
concrete."
I tell him it's enough
to
turn on the radio and twiddle the knob , if
one is interes ted . He's surpri sed at my telling him this . He says
goodbye qui ckl y. Maybe I 've pl anted an idea in his head. Maybe he' ll
go and ... I don 't feel too sure in this case.
Around the corner I hail a taxi . ' To the Central Station. " We enter
Spa len a Street.
" Here we go aga in . Wha t a shindig l" the driver began. "That'll be
ano ther scandal. "
" Do you think they' ll get heavy sentences?" I ask.
"Sure, they' ll pile it on . Those people are a danger to them. They
speak the truth on behalf o f all of us. It's not everyone who can do that.
Everyone's no t made like tha t. And then people are indifferent and
intimida ted . And they think it's a ll futil e, that the only thing to do is
to
safeguard your livelihood. I'm a fan of the Chartists, but I too am
afraid, mainl y on account of my family."
We've reached our des tina tion . I get out my fare. "Keep it, young
lady. I h aven 't had such a good chat for ages," he says.
So far so good . It 's gone unexpectedly well. Where to now? People
are hurrying from the train . It's better to address one of the people who
