生命不能承受之轻-第27部分

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But　his　colleagues　never　dreamed　of　threatening　to　resign；　and　so　before　long　（the　chief　surgeon　shook　his　hand　even　more　energetically　than　the　previous　time—it　was　black　and　blue　for　days）；　he　was　forced　to　leave　the　hospital。
5
First　he　went　to　work　in　a　country　clinic　about　fifty　miles　from　Prague。　He　commuted　daily　by　train　and　came　home　exhausted。　A　year　later；　he　managed　to　find　a　more　advantageous　but　much　inferior　position　at　a　clinic　on　the　outskirts　of　Prague。　There；　he　could　no　longer　practice　surgery；　and　became　a　general　practitioner。　The　waiting　room　was　jammed；　and　he　had　scarcely　five　minutes　for　each　patient；　he　told　them　how　much　aspirin　to　take；　signed　their　sick…leave　documents；　and　referred　them　to　specialists。　He　considered　himself　more　civil　servant　than　doctor。
One　day；　at　the　end　of　office　hours；　he　was　visited　by　a　man　of　about　fifty　whose　portliness　added　to　his　dignity。　He　introduced　himself　as　representing　the　Ministry　of　the　Interior；　and　invited　Tomas　to　join　him　for　a　drink　across　the　street。
He　ordered　a　bottle　of　wine。　I　have　to　drive　home；　said　Tomas　by　way　of　refusal。　I'll　lose　my　license　if　they　find　I've　been　drinking。　The　man　from　the　Ministry　of　the　Interior　smiled。　If　anything　happens；　just　show　them　this。　And　he　handed　Tomas　a　card　engraved　with　his　name　（though　clearly　not　his　real　name）　and　the　telephone　number　of　the　Ministry。
He　then　went　into　a　long　speech　about　how　much　he　admired　Tomas　and　how　the　whole　Ministry　was　distressed　at　the　thought　of　so　respected　a　surgeon　dispensing　aspirin　at　an　outlying　clinic。　He　gave　Tomas　to　understand　that　although　he　couldn't　come　out　and　say　it；　the　police　did　not　agree　with　drastic　tactics　like　removing　specialists　from　their　posts。
Since　no　one　had　thought　to　praise　Tomas　in　quite　some　time；　he　listened　to　the　plump　official　very　carefully；　and　he　was　surprised　by　the　precision　and　detail　of　the　man's　knowledge　of　his　professional　career。　How　defenseless　we　are　in　the　face　of　flattery！　Tomas　was　unable　to　prevent　himself　from　taking　seriously　what　the　Ministry　official　said。
But　it　was　not　out　of　mere　vanity。　More　important　was　Tomas's　lack　of　experience。　When　you　sit　face　to　face　with　someone　who　is　pleasant；　respectful；　and　polite；　you　have　a　hard　time　reminding　yourself　that　nothing　he　says　is　true；　that　nothing　is　sincere。　Maintaining　nonbelief　（constantly；　systematically；　without　the　slightest　vacillation）　requires　a　tremendous　effort　and　the　proper　training—in　other　words；　frequent　police　interrogations。　Tomas　lacked　that　training。
The　man　from　the　Ministry　went　on：　We　know　you　had　an　excellent　position　in　Zurich；　and　we　very　much　appreciate　your　having　returned。　It　was　a　noble　deed。　You　realized　your　place　was　here。　And　then　he　added；　as　if　scolding　Tomas　for　something；　But　your　place　is　at　the　operating　table；　too！　
I　couldn't　agree　more；　said　Tomas。
There　was　a　short　pause；　after　which　the　man　from　the　Ministry　said　in　mournful　tones；　Then　tell　me；　Doctor；　do　you　really　think　that　Communists　should　put　out　their　eyes？　You；　who　have　given　so　many　people　the　gift　of　health？　
But　that's　preposterous！　Tomas　cried　in　self…defense。　Why　don't　you　read　what　I　wrote？　
I　have　read　it；　said　the　man　from　the　Ministry　in　a　voice　that　was　meant　to　sound　very　sad。
Well；　did　I　write　that　Communists　ought　to　put　out　their　eyes？　
That's　how　everyone　understood　it；　said　the　man　from　the　Ministry；　his　voice　growing　sadder　and　sadder。
If　you'd　read　the　complete　version；　the　way　I　wrote　it　originally；　you　wouldn't　have　read　that　into　it。　The　published　version　was　slightly　cut。　
What　was　that？　asked　the　man　from　the　Ministry；　pricking　up　his　ears。　You　mean　they　didn't　publish　it　the　way　you　wrote　it？　
They　cut　it。　
A　lot？　
By　about　a　third。　
The　man　from　the　Ministry　appeared　sincerely　shocked。　That　was　very　improper　of　them。　
Tomas　shrugged　his　shoulders。
You　should　have　protested！　Demanded　they　set　the　record　straight　immediately！　
The　Russians　came　before　I　had　time　to　think　about　it。　We　all　had　other　things　to　think　about　then。　
But　you　don't　want　people　to　think　that　you；　a　doctor；　wanted　to　deprive　human　beings　of　their　right　to　see！　
Try　to　understand；　will　you？　It　was　a　letter　to　the　editor；　buried　in　the　back　pages。　No　one　even　noticed　it。　No　one　but　the　Russian　embassy　staff；　because　it's　what　they　look　for。　
Don't　say　that！　Don't　think　that！　I　myself　have　talked　to　many　people　who　read　your　article　and　were　amazed　you　could　have　written　it。　But　now　that　you　tell　me　it　didn't　come　out　the　way　you　wrote　it；　a　lot　of　things　fall　into　place。　Did　they　put　you　up　to　it？　
To　writing　it？　No。　I　submitted　it　on　my　own。　
Do　you　know　the　people　there？　
What　people？　
The　people　who　published　your　article。　
No。　
You　mean　you　never　spoke　to　them？　
They　asked　me　to　come　in　once　in　person。　
Why？　
About　the　article。　
And　who　was　it　you　talked　to？　
One　of　the　editors。　
What　was　his　name？　
Not　until　that　point　did　Tomas　realize　that　he　was　under　interrogation。　All　at　once　he　saw　that　his　every　word　could　put　someone　in　danger。　Although　he　obviously　knew　the　name　of　the　editor　in　question；　he　denied　it：　I'm　not　sure。　
Now；　now；　said　the　man　in　a　voice　dripping　with　indignation　over　Tomas's　insincerity；　you　can't　tell　me　he　didn't　introduce　himself！　
It　is　a　tragicomic　fact　that　our　proper　upbringing　has　become　an　ally　of　the　secret　police。　We　do　not　know　how　to　lie。　The　Tell　the　truth！　imperative　drummed　into　us　by　our　mamas　and　papas　functions　so　automatically　that　we　feel　ashamed　of　lying　even　to　a　secret　policeman　during　an　interrogation。　It　is　simpler　for　us　to　argue　with　him　or　insult　him　（which　makes　no　sense　whatever）　than　to　lie　to　his　face　（which　is　the　only　thing　to　do）。
When　the　man　from　the　Ministry　accused　him　of　insincerity；　Tomas　nearly　felt　guilty；　he　had　to　surmount　a　moral　barrier　to　be　able　to　persevere　in　his　lie：　I　suppose　he　did　introduce　himself；　he　said；　but　because　his　name　didn't　ring　a　bell；　I　immediately　forgot　it。　
What　did　he　look　like？　
The　editor　who　had　dealt　with　him　was　a　short　man　with　a　light　brown　crew　cut。　Tomas　tried　to　choose　diametrically　opposed　characteristics：　He　was　tall；　he　said；　and　had　long　black　hair。　
Aha；　said　the　man　from　the　Ministry；　and　a　big　chin！　
That's　right；　said　Tomas。
A　little　stooped。　
That's　right；　said　Tomas　again；　realizing　that　now　the　man　from　the　Ministry　had　pinpointed　an　individual。　Not　only　had　Tomas　informed　on　some　poor　editor　but；　more　important；　the　information　he　had　given　was　false。
And　what　did　he　want　to　see　you　about？　What　did　you　talk　about？　
It　had　something　to　do　with　word　order。　
It　sounded　like　a　ridiculous　attempt　at　evasion。　And　again　the　man　from　the　Ministry　waxed　indignant　at　Tomas's　refusal　to　tell　the　truth：　First　you　tell　me　they　cut　your　text　by　a　third；　then　you　tell　me　they　talked　to　you　about　word　order！　Is　that　logical？　
This　time　Tomas　had　no　trouble　responding；　because　he　had　told　the　absolute　truth。　It's　not　logical；　but　that's　how　it　was。　He　laughed。　They　asked　me　to　let　them　change　the　word　order　in　one　sentence　and　then　cut　a　third　of　what　I　had　written。　
The　man　from　the　Ministry　shook　his　head；　as　if　unable　to　grasp　so　immoral　an　act。　That　was　highly　irregular　on　their　part。　
He　finished　his　wine　and　concluded：　You　have　been　manipulated；　Doctor；　used。　It　would　be　a　pity　for　you　and　your　patients　to　suffer　as　a　result。　We　are　very　much　aware　of　your　positive　qualities。　We'll　see　what　can　be　done。　
He　gave　Tomas　his　hand　and　pumped　it　cordially。　Then　each　went　off　to　his　own　car。
6
After　the　talk　with　the　man　from　the　Ministry；　Tomas　fell　into　a　deep　depression。　How　could　he　have　gone　along　with　the　jovial　tone　of　the　conversation？　If　he　hadn't　refused　to　have　anything　at　all　to　do　with　the　man　（he　was　not　prepared　for　what　happened　and　did　not　know　what　was　condoned　by　law　and　what　was　not）；　he　could　at　least　have　refused　to　drink　wine　with　him　as　if　they　were　friends！　Supposing　someone　had　seen　him；　someone　who　knew　the　man。　He　could　only　have　inferred　that　Tomas　was　working　with　the　police！　And　why　did　he　even　tell　him　that　the　article　had　been　cut？　Why　did　he　throw　in　that　piece　of　information？　He　was　extremely　displeased　with　himself。
Two　weeks　later；　the　man　from　the　Ministry　paid　him　another　visit。　Once　more　he　invited　him　out　for　a　drink；　but　this　time　Tomas　requested　that　they　stay　in　his　office。
I　understand　perfectly；　Doctor；　said　the　man；　with　a　smile。
Tomas　was　intrigued　by　his　words。　He　said　them　like　a　chess　player　who　is　letting　his　opponent　know　he　made　an　error　in　the　previous　move。
They　sat　opposite　each　other；　Tomas　at　his　desk。　After　about　ten　minutes；　during　which　they　talked　about　the　flu　epidemic　raging　at　the　time；　the　man　said；　We've　given　your　case　a　lot　of　thought。　If　we　were　the　only　ones　involved；　there　would　be　nothing　to　it。　But　we　have　public　opinion　to　take　into　account。　Whether　you　meant　to　or　not；　you　fanned　the　flames　of　anti…Communist　hysteria　with　your　article。　I　must　tell　you　there　was　even　a　proposal　to　take　you　to　court　for　that　article。　There's　a　law　against　public　incitement　to　violence。　
The　man　from　the　Ministry　of　the　Interior　paused　to　look　Tomas　in　the　eye。　Tomas　shrugged　his　shoulders。　The　man　assumed　his　comforting　tone　again。　We　voted　down　the　proposal。　No　matter　what　your　responsibility　in　the　affair；　society　has　an　interest　in　seeing　you　use　your　abilities　to　the　utmost。　The　chief　surgeon　of　your　hospital　speaks　very　highly　of　you。　We　have　reports　from　your　patients　as　well。　You　are　a　fine　specialist。　Nobody　requires　a　doctor　to　understand　politics。　You　let　yourself　be　carried　away。　It's　high　time　we　settled　this　thing　once　and　for　all。　That's　why　we've　put　together　a　sample　statement　for　you。　All　you　have　to　do　is　make　it　available　to　the　press；　and　we'll　make　sure　it　comes　out　at　the　proper　time。　He　handed　Tomas　a　piece　of　paper。
Tomas　read　what　was　in　it　and　panicked。　It　was　much　worse　than　what　the　chief　surgeon　had　asked　him　to　sign　two　years　before。　It　did　not　stop　at　a　retraction　of　the　Oedipus　article。　It　contained　words　of　love　for　the　Soviet　Union；　vows　of　fidelity　to　the　Communist　Party；　it　condemned　the　intelligentsia；　which　wanted　to　push　the　co