Chapter 1040

"Who?" I didn't wait for livinov to finish, I asked alertly“ Who wants to see me? "

Seeing my vigilant expression, livinov laughed and said a name that made me excited: "Eleanor Roosevelt, President Roosevelt's wife, first lady of the United States."

Although I always wanted to meet the first lady in my heart, when levinov said that the other party wanted to see me, he was a little flustered. I quickly weighed the pros and cons in my mind, and finally asked cautiously, "Comrade ambassador, I don't know about this matter. Have you reported it to the people's Foreign Affairs Committee?"

When I mentioned Molotov, the expression on livinov's face stagnated. After a while, he said to me with a bitter smile, "Comrade oshanina, the first lady's appointment with you this time is private. I will arrange your meeting as soon as you like. As for Molotov, you just need to say hello to him. I don't think he will interfere with such a good thing that can enhance the friendship between the Soviet Union and the United States. "

After listening to levinov's words, I still asked with great misgivings, "is it really appropriate to meet the first lady in private like this?"

Levinov laughed. "Comrade oshanina, when you went to Norfolk Naval Base today, did you meet the commander of Atlantic naval command or the commander of the base? If not, your trip to Norfolk is also personal. "

I savored levinov's words carefully, and thought it was quite reasonable. Although Marshall offered to let me go to Norfolk, Captain Henry, who accompanied me, did not take me to see any senior commander of the base or fleet at all, and even to visit the Eldridge, he was hindered by many obstacles. Perhaps it was only in order to thank me for my help in the formulation of their "overlord plan" that Marshall asked Col. Henry to accompany me to Norfolk Naval Base in his personal capacity. The right was to return my favor.

Mrs. Roosevelt sent a message to me through levinov, hoping to have a personal meeting with me. If Molotov didn't know about this, she would be hated by him in the future. After all, he is one of the most trustworthy people around the supreme commander, and he has the ability to solve me easily. In contrast, levinov, who is sitting in front of me, is a marginalized figure. Although Stalin still likes him, from all kinds of signs, he may not have any chance to be reused again. Too close relationship with him will bring me disastrous consequences.

Thinking of this, I took a deep breath, and then said firmly to livinov: "ambassador livinov, I am very grateful that you can give me an opportunity to meet Mrs. Roosevelt. However, whether it is a formal meeting or a private meeting, we must ask Comrade Molotov for instructions in advance. Only with his consent can I give you a definite answer. "

My words made the expression on livinov's face more complicated. After thinking about it again and again, he finally nodded reluctantly and said difficultly, "Comrade oshanina, since you must insist so much, do as you say."

As for this kind of thing, I always advocate striking while the iron is hot. Seeing that livinov has agreed, I politely urged him: "in this case, comrade ambassador, let's go to see the comrades of the people's Committee immediately. I believe he is still talking with Minister khrushov at this time and will not rest for the time being."

Livinov could not refute my proposal, so he had to follow me to Molotov's room.

When I came to the door, two security personnel with surprised eyes staring at me, seems to be strange about my return. I didn't have time to guess what they were thinking, so I said to the man who had just opened the door for me, "I have something urgent to see the people's commissar immediately. Please inform me."

The man took a look at me and levinov, turned around and tapped twice at the door as he had just done, then pushed the door open a crack and put his head in. Almost at the same time, I heard Molotov's stern voice: "what's the matter?"

"It's general oshanina," the security officer replied. "She said there was something important to report to you immediately."

After listening to the security report, Molotov was silent for a moment, and then said, "please let her in."

The security personnel drew back their heads, pushed open the door and politely said to us, "please come in!"

Molotov was the only one left in the room. He didn't see khrushiev. Maybe he went back to his room. When Molotov saw the livinov beside me, he couldn't help looking surprised. He stood up from the sofa and asked sternly, "o'shanina, what's important for you to come here at this time?"

"Comrade foreign people's commissar," I called him politely first, then turned to look at livinov and said, "Comrade Ambassador just told me that Mrs. Roosevelt wanted to meet me in private. As this matter is of the greatest concern, I think it is necessary to report it to you and decide whether to meet the president's wife or not with your permission. "

"Is that so? Comrade livinov. " After listening to me, Molotov turned to levinov.

"Yes, comrade member of the people's Foreign Affairs Committee." "Today, I got a call from the White House Office saying that the president's wife would like to meet with general oshanina in private," levinov replied

After being confirmed by livinov, Molotov looked at me again and asked noncommittally, "Comrade oshanina, how do you think about this matter?"

"Comrade member of the people's Committee of foreign affairs, I'm completely waiting for your instructions!" I said respectfully to Molotov, "if you think I should meet, meet; If I don't have to, I'll be gone. "

My respectful attitude softened the expression on Molotov's face. He took off his glasses, took a breath on the lenses, took out a white handkerchief from his pocket, and slowly wiped the lenses. From his reaction, I can judge that he is very satisfied with my attitude. If there is no accident, he will certainly agree that I will meet Mrs. Roosevelt. After all, it is also a way to enhance the friendship between the two countries.

When Molotov put on his glasses again, the expression of his previous lack of beating was gone, and a rare smile appeared on his face. He said to me with a smile, "o'shanina, since it's the first lady of the United States who has asked you to meet, it's very kind of you to meet her as soon as possible."

When I heard that from Molotov, I couldn't help thinking that I should wait for the first lady to arrange a meeting. But on the surface, he had to pretend to be happy and promised, "yes, comrade members of the people's Committee."

Molotov coughed, cleared his throat, and then said to livinov, "Comrade livinov, I will give you full responsibility for this matter. When you reply to Mrs. Roosevelt, you should fix the meeting time as soon as possible. Do you understand? "

"I see, comrades of the people's Committee." Levinov reluctantly agreed, then threw me a reproachful glance.

I know that it's really inappropriate for me to force livinov to come to Molotov, but it can't be stopped on paper. If this matter is not reported to Molotov in time, even if it is delayed until the next day, as long as the intelligence personnel in the embassy report to him in private, livinov and I will be in trouble.

After we left Molotov's room and walked along the corridor for a while, I saw that it was far away from the security personnel at the door. When they couldn't hear what we said, they whispered to livinov, "Comrade ambassador, come to me?" Although levinov has been marginalized, his status is still far higher than mine. I don't want to set up such an enemy. Therefore, I need to make things clear to him before inviting him to my room.

For my invitation, livinov hesitated for a long time, then nodded slowly, put on a look as if nothing had happened and said: "OK, then go and sit down. It happens that I have some diplomatic etiquette matters that I need to explain to you. "

After entering the room, I asked him to sit down, poured him a cup of hot tea from the teapot, put it in front of him with both hands, and asked with a smile, "Comrade ambassador, do you still blame me in your heart, and think you should not report the matter to Comrade Molotov so soon?"

"Hum!" After a heavy snort from his nose, livinov said angrily, "I didn't expect that you are now groveling in front of Molotov. I really misunderstood you."

Because of his loud voice, I was startled. I was afraid that someone would hear me outside. I quickly went to the door, quietly opened the door and looked out. When I saw that there was no one in the corridor, I was relieved. When I closed the door and walked back to levinov, I kindly reminded him, "Comrade ambassador, don't be too loud, or you will be heard."

"Tell me, why are you in such a hurry to report this to Molotov?" Livinov took a sip of tea and said with great dissatisfaction, "can't you make a meeting with Mrs. Roosevelt and report back? It's just one day earlier and one day later. "

When I heard levinov's words, I couldn't help sighing. No wonder he would be pushed down from the position of the people's Foreign Affairs Committee and demoted as ambassador to the United States. He really lacked political wisdom. No wonder he couldn't play Molotov. If he hadn't made use of Stalin, he would have been lying in the cold soil.

"Ambassador livinov," I said after he finished, I did not answer his question directly, but turned off the topic and asked leisurely, "do you think there are spies from the Ministry of interior or the staff of Cheka in this Embassy?"

"Cheka!" Livinov was so frightened by the word I said that he hesitated for a long time and said: "theoretically speaking, it must be indispensable in these overseas agencies. Because they are responsible for collecting intelligence and monitoring the words, deeds and actions of personnel stationed abroad. "

"It seems that you are well aware that there are such frightening figures in the embassy." Seeing that he now seemed to understand something, I went on to say, "perhaps these staff members have already learned from their channels about Mrs. Roosevelt's plans to meet me in private. If we don't report the matter to Molotov in advance, but wait for these people to report after they finish their little report, then the nature of the whole matter will be completely changed. At that time, you and I will be in big trouble. "

After listening to me, livinov raised his hand to wipe the sweat on his forehead. Then he stood up, leaned forward slightly and stretched out his hands to me. When we held each other's hands tightly, he said gratefully, "Comrade oshanina, I have wronged you. Or you are considerate. If we don't report the matter to Molotov in time, we may have a big problem. I may be transferred back to China immediately and left idle; And your career will stop. "

Seeing that livinov understood my difficulties, I released his hand and said casually, "well, comrade ambassador, next you should explain to me the necessary diplomatic etiquette, so as not to make a fool of me when I see Mrs. Roosevelt." After listening to me, livinov raised his hand, patted his forehead heavily, and said repeatedly, "yes, next, I should explain to you some precautions when I see Mrs. Roosevelt." Seeing livinov standing in the same place, I planned to tell me about diplomatic etiquette. I quickly pointed to the chair next to him and politely said to him, "I guess you can't finish what you want to talk about for a while. It's better to sit down." After he took a sip of tea from the table, the first thing he told me was not about the necessary precautions, but about the sniper Lyudmila and Mrs. Roosevelt“ Comrade o'shanina, you may know that last year, a great female sniper, Ludmila, accompanied our youth friendship delegation to visit the United States. She became the first Soviet citizen to be interviewed by President Roosevelt and met Mrs. Roosevelt. Because the first lady liked the young soldier very much, she took care of her as her own daughter. For Lyudmila to win the friendship of the first lady, this is what we would like to see. But unfortunately, her rank is too low. Apart from being treated differently by Mrs. Roosevelt, she is not helpful in calling on the allies to open up a second battlefield. "“ Comrade ambassador, "when I heard this, I couldn't help interrupting and asking," can I make up for Comrade Lyudmila's deficiency by meeting with Mrs. Roosevelt, and successfully urge the allies to quickly open up a second battlefield? "“ Yes, you can do that. " Livinov said with a smile: "because you came to the United States as the representative of the base camp, following the people's Foreign Affairs Committee. You are far more important than Lyudmila. As long as you can get Mrs. Roosevelt's friendship, it will be of great help to the diplomatic relations between the two countries. "