“There are a million Jews in Russia, Mr. Monk.”
“I know. Ten percent can afford to get out.”
Bernstein arose and walked to the windows that looked across the whitescape of the roofs of Moscow. The glass had a slight greenish tint; it was five inches thick and would stop an antitank shell.
“He can’t be serious.”
“We believe he is.”
“We?”
“The people who sent me, powerful, influential people. But frightened of this man.”
“Are you Jewish, Mr. Monk?”
“No, sir.”
“Lucky you. He’s going to win, isn’t he? The polls say he’s unstoppable.”
“Things may be changing. He was denounced by General Nikolayev the other day. That might have an effect. I hope the Orthodox Church may play a role. Perhaps he could be stopped.”
“Huh, the church. No friend of the Jews, Mr. Monk.”
“No, but he has plans for the church too.”
“So it’s an alliance you’re after?”
“Something like that. Church, army, banks, ethnic minorities. Every little bit helps. Have you seen the reports of the wandering priest? Calling for a return of the czar?
“Yes. Foolishness, my personal view. But better a czar than a Nazi. What do you want of me, Mr. Monk?”
“I? Nothing. The choice is yours. You are the chairman of the four-bank consortium that controls the two independent TV channels. You have your Grumman at the airport?”
“Yes.”
“It is only two hours by air to Kiev.”
“Why Kiev?”
“You could visit Babi Yar.”
Leonid Bernstein spun round from the windows.
“You may leave now, Mr. Monk.”
Monk retrieved his two files from the desk and slipped them into the slim leather case in which he had brought them.
He knew he had gone too far. Babi Yar is a ravine outside Kiev. Between 1941 and 1943 one hundred thousand civilians were machine-gunned on the edge of the ravine so that their corpses fell inside. Some were commissars and Communist officials, but ninety-five percent were the Jews of Ukraine. Monk had reached the door when Leonid Bernstein spoke again.
“Have you been there, Mr. Monk?”
‘‘No, sir.’’
“And what have you heard of it?”
“I have heard that it is a bleak place.”
“I have been to Babi Yar. It is a terrible place. Good-day to you, Mr. Monk.”