174
"Sitting it out," I said, "is your department."
"He's literate," the same voice commented.
"He'll go far," a second said.
PARTISAN REVIEW
"No farther than checkpoint," a third said wryly.
Everything normal, I thought. The usual blend of friendliness
and hate. Though to think of all the stuff I'd brought for them, the
tea, margarine, cans of fish ...
I lit a cigarette, rounded the sixth barrack, and came out by the
camp transport depot. The rosy window of the administration office
swam out of the darkness.
I knocked. An orderly let me in. In his hand was an apple.
Tokar glanced out of his office and said, "Chewing on post
again, Barkovets?"
"Nothing of the kind, Comrade Captain," the orderly protes ted,
turning away.
"Do you think I can't see? Your ears are moving. A day before
yesterday you fell asleep entirely."
"I wasn't sleeping, Comrade Captain. I was thinking. But it
won't happen again."
"Too bad," Tokar said, and then said to me, "Come in."
I entered, reported for duty according to regulation.
"Excellent," the captain said, tightening his belt. "Here are the
documents, you can depart at once. Convey here a zek by the name
of Curin. He's serving eleven years. Fifth conviction. Follows the
Thieves' Law. Be careful."
''Just who," I asked, "needs him in such a hurry? Don't we have
enough of our own recidivists here?"
"There are enough," Tokar agreed.
"So what's this all about?"
"I don't know. The orders are from top command."
I unfolded the travel sheet. Under the heading marked "pur–
pose" was this order: "To convey to the Sixth Subdivision Curin
Fyodor Emelyanovich in the capacity of performer of the role of
Lenin." I asked, "What does this mean?"
"I haven't the slightest idea. Better ask the Political Instructor.
Most likely they're staging a theatrical production for the sixtieth an–
niversary of Soviet power. So they're inviting a guest actor. Maybe
he's got talent, or the appropriate mug.... I don't know. Mean–
while, deliver him here, and then we'll find out what it's all about. In
case of anything, use your weapon. Safe journey."
