The Prague Orgy by Philip Roth Read Free Book Online Page B

doing here. ”
    “ For espionage? ”
    “ Plotting against the Czech people. Plotting with troublemakers against the socialist system. You are an ideological saboteur—you must leave today. ”
    “ I ’ m an American citizen. ” I touch the billfold that holds not only my passport but my membership card in the American PEN Club, signed by the president, Jerzy Kosinski.
    “ Recently an American got off the train in Bratislava and was immediately put into jai l for two months because he was mistaken for somebody else. He wasn ’ t even the right person and that didn ’ t get him out. An Austrian was taken from his hotel to prison a week ago and is to stand trial for anti-Czech activities. A West German journalist they drowned in the river. They said he was fishing and fell in. There are hard-line people who want to make an impression on the country. With you they can make an impression. This is what the police have told me. Many, many arrests are going to be made. ”
    I hear very clearly the sound of the river splashing against the steep stone embankment outside of Klenek ’ s pa l azzo.
    “ Because of me. ”
    “ Including you. ”
    “ Maybe they are just frightening you, ” I say, my heart galloping. galloping to burst.
    “ Mr. Zuckerman, I should not be in here. I must not be in here—but i am afraid to miss you. There is more. If you will walk to the railway station I will meet you there in five minutes. It is at the top of the main street—just to the left. You will see it. I will pretend to run into you outside the big station cafe. Please, they told my girl friend the same thing. They questioned her at her job—about you. ”
    “ About me. You sure of all this? ”
    The student takes my hand and begins to pump it with exaggerated vigor. “ It is an honor to meet you! ” He speaks up so that all in the dining room who wish to can hear. “ I am sorry I interrupted but I had to meet you. I can ’ t help it if I am a silly fan! Goodbye, sir! ”
    Olga returns looking even worse than when she left. She also smells. “ What a country. ” She falls heavily into her chair. “ You cannot even throw up in the loo that someone does not write a report about it. There is a man waiting outside the cubicle when I am finished. He is listening to me from there all the time. ‘ Did you leave it clean? ’ he asks me. ‘ Yes. ’ I said, ‘ yes, I left it clean. ’ ‘ You shout, you scream, you have no respect for anything, ’ he tells me. ‘ Someone will come in after you and see your mess and blame it on me. ’ ‘ Go in then, go check, ’ I told him. And he did it. A man in a suit who can reason and think! He went in and inspected. ”
    “ Has anyone else bothered you? ”
    “ They won ’ t. They won ’ t dare. Not if I am having breakfast with you. You are an international writer. They do not want to make trouble in the presence of an international writer. ”
    “ Then why did he bother about your identity card? ”
    “ Because he is afraid not to. Everybody is afraid. I want to have my breakfast now with my international writer. I am hungry. ”
    “ Why don ’ t we go somewhere else? I want to talk to you about something serious. ”
    “ You want to marry me. When? ”
    “ Not quite yet. Come, let ’ s go. ”
    “ No, we must not move. You must show them always that you are not afraid. ” When she picks up the menu I see she is trembling. “ You must not leave, ” she says. “ You must sit here and enjoy your breakfast and drink many cups of coffee, and then you must smoke a cigar. If they see you smoking a cigar, they will leave you alone. ”
    “ You put great stock in a single cigar. ”
    “ I know these Czech police—blow a little smoke in then-faces and you ’ ll see how brave they are. Last night I was in the pub. because you would not fuck me, and I am talking to the bartender about the hockey game and two men come in and sit down and begin to buy me drinks. Outside is