name tag.
ELENA: Your documents, Professor. And Dr. Placek particularly asked me to draw your attention immediately to this note - I believe that it is rather urgent.
TONY: Thank you.
Elena continues her paperwork, checking lists, copying details to various forms, and so on. Meanwhile she keeps some attention on Tony. He opens and reads the letter.
PLACEK (voice over): Dear Professor Anderson - Please excuse my not being here to welcome you personally; I have been called away on urgent business. However, it may perhaps save some embarrassment. In view of the distressing nature of our last meeting - I have of course no means of knowing what eventually came of it, but whatever the outcome the memory is bound to be painful - in view of that, I should fully understand if you wished to delay any further direct encounter, or indeed avoid it altogether. You might then prefer not to attend the briefing meeting for session chairmen at 8:30 this evening; if so, my assistant Elena, who is acting as registration clerk, will provide you with all the necessary information. Needless to say I should much prefer it if you did feel able to take part and resume our friendly contacts; I leave the choice to your discretion, asking only that you let me know through Elena what you have decided.
TONY: Hmm, very tactful.
ELENA: Oh yes, he always is. Do you need time to consider the suggestion?
TONY: No, there's no need - no problem.
ELENA: Ah, he will be pleased. I know that he particularly wanted to meet you.
TONY: What about?
ELENA: About your session, I suppose. There is a copy of the agenda attached to that note - you will see, by the way, that it is on Thursday afternoon. It seems there may be some controversy about two of the papers, and he wanted to discuss how best to handle it.
TONY: The titles all look innocuous enough.
ELENA: The problem is with the authors. The last time they appeared together, Professor Boehm accused Dr. Vasiliev of abusing the privilege of presenting a paper by merely seeking contributions to his next book. Dr. Vasiliev counter-charged the Professor with professional jealousy because the reviewers had torn his last book to pieces, Boehm replied that if that were so, then any one of the fragments would be worth more than the whole of Vasiliev's work put together, Vasiliev said that that simply showed what an inflated idea of his own importance Boehm had developed - and so on. It was not an edifying spectacle, I fear.
TONY: Sounds like the beginning of a lifetime's feud.
ELENA: Not the beginning. They had been at odds for some years, it seems.
TONY: Then why put them together in the same session?
ELENA: On that occasion, they could not be separated. This time, their papers were to be in different sessions. But someone sent the wrong draft of the lists to the printers, and by the time we realised, it was too late to do anything about it.
TONY: Typical cock-up, in fact.
ELENA: Typical what, Professor?
TONY: Sorry, a rather vulgar expression for an administrative blunder.
ELENA: Oh, I see. But Dr. Placek hopes that as a disinterested third party, you will be able to prevent Boehm and Vasiliev from quarrelling, at least in public.
TONY: Rather a tall order. What are their papers like?
ELENA: I regret that I am not qualified to judge. But the abstracts are among the documents you have there.
TONY: Pity they weren't sent out earlier.
ELENA: I am sorry, Professor, but some came in very late.
TONY: As usual ...
He takes out the file, finds the page and studies it.
TONY: Hmm. Neither of them looks very brilliant. There's bound to be some sniping. But that's my problem, not yours. Perhaps I could think up some possible side-tracks - let's see ...
Tony wanders away from the desk, pondering. Meanwhile Placek enters, not noticing him, and crosses to Elena.
PLACEK: That didn't take as long as I feared. Is everyone here now?
ELENA: Not quite. But Professor Anderson's arrived. He's just over there.
PLACEK: Damn. Why didn't I keep my eyes open?
ELENA: Don't worry, he said it's all right.
PLACEK: Good. (Approaching him) Professor Anderson! How good to see you again! I trust that you had a reasonable journey? And that your hotel room is satisfactory?
TONY: Not bad, thank you, on both counts.
PLACEK: Elena has been looking after you?
TONY: She has indeed. And explained the problem of Boehm and Vasiliev.
PLACEK: Ah, yes, a delicate situation. I am indeed sorry to have inflicted it on you - it was not intentional.
TONY: I'm sure it wasn't.
PLACEK: Together we must think of some way to avoid trouble. But there is that other, more serious, situation - your Anna - I hesitate to ask ...
TONY: It seems you were right.
PLACEK: Ah. On such a matter, I could have preferred to be wrong. You have, I suppose, now separated?
TONY: Not exactly.
PLACEK: Oh?
TONY: Anna found some of my first wife's medicines - I ought to have thrown them out - and took an overdose.
PLACEK (genuinely distressed): But that is terrible! I had no idea that it would come to such a pass. To be free from the threat of a traitor is one thing - but in such a manner - it must have hurt you very deeply. I am indeed sorry.
TONY: Thank you.
PLACEK: Did she leave any explanation?
TONY: Yes. And, as you've probably guessed, she blamed you.
PLACEK: That is understandable, I suppose. Was she specific?
TONY: Very. She said she was acting on your instructions.
PLACEK: I see. Then however false that may be, you must inevitably regard me with some suspicion.
TONY: Well, I suppose I can't completely rule out the possibility of her telling the truth for once.
PLACEK: Just so. Nothing that I might say could alter that, so nothing is what I shall say.
Beat
PLACEK: Beyond, of course, welcome to Kiev. An ancient city; you may wish to see the sights.
TONY: Yes, I've always wanted to have a look at the great gate - you know, as in Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition."
PLACEK: Ah, that. It was never built - mercifully, according to some of those who have seen Hartmann's design. But there are other things. You will of course need an escort. Intourist would arrange one, but their guides, though efficient, have their limitations - a little dull, shall we say? I wonder, Elena, if you would mind ...
ELENA: I should be honoured, if the Professor would accept my services.
TONY: That's remarkably kind - thank you.
PLACEK: I should explain that because of the unexpected travel problems, some of the final arrangements are still incomplete, so the organising committee has decided to delay the opening session until tomorrow afternoon. And there has not yet been time to reorganise the social programme, so the morning will be free instead of Wednesday afternoon when we should have had the official tour. Would that suit you?
TONY: Why, certainly. But do you really not mind giving up your one free half-day, Miss ...?
ELENA: Please call me Elena, Professor. And touring the sights will be very much more agreeable than the other jobs I should probably get.
TONY: Thanks anyway. Will you be at the briefing session?
ELENA: Dr. Placek?
PLACEK: No, have a rest. You've earned it.
ELENA: Thank you.
TONY: Then until tomorrow morning, Elena. Oh, what time?
ELENA: Would nine o'clock be convenient?
TONY: Fine, thanks.
ELENA: You are most welcome.
TONY: Now I must sort out a few things. Will you excuse me?
PLACEK: Of course, Professor. We shall meet later.
Tony departs. When he is out of earshot -
PLACEK: Well, Elena, that seems neatly set up.
ELENA: Any particular instructions?
PLACEK: Just use your common
sense. Show him the obvious places - any approach is most likely to be in one of those. Of course, if he shows any signs of special interest, or above all of special nervousness, take due note.
ELENA: And if there's anywhere else he wants to see?
PLACEK: Encourage him. Assuming of course that it isn't actually out of bounds.
ELENA: Right.
PLACEK: I've had words with our colleagues here - there'll be one of their better men discreetly tailing you, among other things to head off any interference. He'll keep a note of your movements and any contacts, but naturally we'll have to rely on you for the conversation.
ELENA: I hope my memory's up to it. Should I use a recorder?
PLACEK: No, something's wrong with mine, and he'd be almost sure to spot an ordinary model. And we'd never get through the red tape in time to borrow one locally. You'll manage. Now, you'd better run along and get a bite while there's anything left.
ELENA: But there are still three delegates to come.
PLACEK: Any of the session chairmen?
ELENA: No, they're all here.
PLACEK: That's all right, then. But I'll hang on for a while in case of any more arrivals.
ELENA: Look, you've eaten nothing since mid-day ...
PLACEK: Don't fuss, Elena. I'm a big boy now. In any case, I'm not hungry.
ELENA: Good heavens, are you ill?
PLACEK: Actually, I am rather disturbed.
ELENA: Is it the water?
PLACEK: No, not in that way. Something that Professor Anderson told me.
ELENA: What was that?
PLACEK: About Anna Jirak - did you hear it?
ELENA: Not enough to make sense.
PLACEK: Well, a while ago I sent her to find a way of discrediting the Professor's activities, but eventually I had to blow her cover when she disobeyed orders.
ELENA: I remember.
PLACEK: It seems that after that - because of that - she committed suicide.
ELENA: And you're taking that to heart? Haven't you told me
Exit, pursued by a bear Page 7