Every Good Boy Deserves Favor and Professional Foul (15 page)

ANDERSON:
Yes.

MCKENDRICK:
He took a big risk.

ANDERSON:
Yes.

MCKENDRICK:
I wouldn't do it. Would you?

ANDERSON:
No. He should have known he'd be searched.

MCKENDRICK:
Why did they search you?

ANDERSON:
They thought I might have something.

MCKENDRICK:
Did you have anything?

ANDERSON:
I did in a way.

MCKENDRICK:
What was it?

ANDERSON:
A thesis. Apparently rather slanderous from the State's point of view.

MCKENDRICK:
Where did you hide it?

ANDERSON:
In your briefcase.
(
Pause
.)

MCKENDRICK:
You what?

ANDERSON:
Last night. I'm afraid I reversed a principle.
(
MCKENDRICK
opens his briefcase and finds
HOLLAR
'
s envelope
.
ANDERSON
takes it from him
.
MCKENDRICK
is furious
.)

MCKENDRICK:
You utter bastard.

ANDERSON:
I thought you would approve.

MCKENDRICK:
Don't get clever with me. (
He relapses, shaking
.)
Jesus. It's not quite playing the game is it?

ANDERSON:
No, I suppose not. But they were very unlikely to search
you
.

MCKENDRICK:
That's not the bloody point.

ANDERSON:
I thought it was. But you could be right. Ethics is a very complicated business. That's why they have these congresses.
(
The plane picks up speed on the runway towards take-off
.)

*
Vol. 4, no. 2,
Index on Censorship
, published by a non-profit-making company, Writers and Scholars International, 21 Russell Street, London WC2.