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PARTISAN REVIEW
system. But still sympathetic to the Soviet regime."
"I'll find one," declared Busch. "Such types exist. I remember once
in Khabarovsk I talked for hours with a sailor in the Royal Swiss Navy.
He was one of us, constantly quoted Lenin.... "
The editor raised one eyebrow, fell to thinking, and said reproach–
fully, "In Switzerland, comrade Busch, there is no sea, no king - and no
Royal Swiss Navy. You must be confused."
"What do you mean, no sea?" asked Busch in astonishment. "Just
what do you think they have there?"
"Dry land," replied the editor.
"Quite so," said Busch, not yielding. "Interesting. Very interesting ..
. . And don't they have any lakes there? Famous Swiss lakes?!"
"There are lakes," the editor agreed dolefully. "But no Royal Swi11
Navy.... I see you're just pulling my leg," he concluded. "But please
be more serious. As you well know, we're dealing here with your future
permanent position. This assignment will decide much. Good luck to
you."
The port area of Tallinn is about a twenty-minute ride from the
center of town. The selected ship captain met Busch at the gangplank.
He was a typical old salt - lean, red-faced, with the profile of an eagle.
His name was Paul Rudi. The captain invited Busch into his cabin. He
spoke Russian tolerably well. He preferred French cognac.
"This is Cordon Bleu," he said. "I recommend it. Two hundred
marks a bottle."
Soon realizing he was getting drunk, Busch posed a question:
"When do you cast off?"
"Tomorrow at 11 :30."
This meant there was no great need
to
follow the plan. On the eve
of departure , the captain could be made to say whatever Busch wanted
him to say. Who could verify it? The conversation continued in an at–
mosphere of simplicity and frankness.
"You like women?" asked the captain.
"Hell, yes. Only my Louisa has no idea of it. I love women, booze,
and money. You love money?"
"I forget. What does it look like?"
Busch kept drinking and the captain kept up. The cabin swam in the
smoke from American cigarettes. Hawaiian music drifted in from some
nearby radio . The conversation grew ever more frank.
"If you only knew," said the journalist, "how loathsome everything
has become to me! I want to defect from this goddamned country!"
"I understand," agreed the captain.
"No, I don't think you can. For you, Paul, freedom is like the
air
itselfl You don't even notice it. You just breathe it. Only a fish cast
