"She says theyтve decided that bringing Rege here is the only way to
provide an immediate, credible transition. They think the army will accept
him."
They shuffled forward a step.
Aske, an old man with a hard brown face and narrow eyes, stuck his
lips out, thinking it over.
"You were in the Rege government," Fabbre said.
Aske nodded. "Minister of education for a week," he said, and gave a
bark like a sea lionўowp!ўa cough or a laugh.
"Do you think he can pull it off ?"
Aske pulled his grubby muffler closer round his neck and said, "Well,
Rege is not stupid. But heтs old. What about that scientist, that physicist
fellow?"
"Rochoy. She says their idea is that Regeтs brought in first, for the
transition, for the symbolism, the link to Fifty-six. And if he survives, Rochoy
would be the one theyтd run in an election."
"The dream of the election. . . ."
They shuffled forward again. They were now in front of the bakery
window, only eight or ten people from the door.
"Why do they put up the old man?" asked the old man. "These boys
and girls , these young people. What the devil do they want us for again?"
I donтt know," Fabbre said. "I keep thinking they know what theyтre
doing. She had me down there, ),on know, made me come to one of their
meetings. She came to the labўCome on, leave that I follow me! I did. No
questions. Sheтs in charge. All of them, twenty-two, twenty-three, theyтre in
charge. In power. Seeking structure, order. but very definite: Violence is
defeat, to them, violence is the loss of options. Theyтre absolutely certain and
Completely ignorant. Like spring-like the lambs in spring. They have never
done anything and they know exactly what to do "
"Stefan," said his wife, Bruna, who had been standing at his elbow for
several sentences, "youтre lecturing. Hello, dear. Hello, Florens, I just saw
Margarita at the market, we were queuing for cabbages. Iтm on my way
downtown. Stefan. Iтll be back, I donтt know, sometime after seven, maybe."
"Again?" he said.
And Aske said, "Downtown?
"Itтs Thursday," Bruna said. and bringing up the keys from her
handbag, the two apartment keys and the desk key, she shook them in the air
before the menтs faces, making a silvery jingle and she smiled.
