Argentia-Bay

ArgentiaBayHermanWouk1.ArgemtiaBayGraypeacepervadedthewilderness-ringedArgentiaBayinNewfoundland,wheretheAmericanshipsanchoredtoawaitthearrivalofWinstonChurchill.Hazeandmistblendedallintogray:graywater,graysky,grayair,grayhillswithatintofgreen.Sailorsandofficerswentabouttheirchoresasusualontheseships,amidpipingsandloud-speakersquawks.ButaprimevalhushlayheavyinArgentiaBay,justoutsidetherangeofthenormalships’noises.Atnineo'clock,threegraydestroyerssteamedintoview,aheadofabattleshipcamouflagedinswirlsofcolorlikesnakeskin.ThiswasH.M.S.PrinceofWales,biggerthananyothershipinsight,bearingthegunsthathadhittheBismarck.AsitsteamedpasttheAugusta,abrassbandonitsdecksshatteredthehushwithTheStar-SpangledBanner”Quietfell.Thebandonthequarter-deckoftheAugustastruckupGodSavetheKing.PugHenrystoodnearthePresident,undertheawningriggedatnumber-oneturret,withadmirals,generals,andaugustcivilianslikeAverellHarrimanandSumnerWellesChurchillwasplaintoseenotfivehundredyardsaway,?anoddbluecostume,gesturingwithabigcigar.Thepresidenttoweredovereverybody,stiffonbracedlegs,inabigbrownsuit,onehandholdinghishatonhisheart,theotherclutchingthearmofhisson,anAirCorpsOfficerwhostronglyresembledhim.Roosevelt'slargepinkfacewasself-consciouslygrave.GodSavetheKingended.ThePresident'sfacerelaxed.Well!I'veneverheard'MyCountry'TisofThee'playedbetter.Themenaroundhimlaughedpolitelyatthepresidentialjoke,andRooseveltlaughedtoo.Thesquealofboatswains'pipesbrokeupthedressparadeonthecruiser'sdeck.2.HarryHopkinsAdmiralKingbeckonedtoPug.TakemybargeovertothePrinceofWales,andputyourselfatMr.HarryHopkins'sservice.ThePresidentdesirestotalkwithhimbeforeChurchillcomestocall,soexpedite.Ayeaye,sir.PassingfromtheAugustatothePrinceofWalesinKing'sbarge,overafewhundredyardsofstillwater,VictorHenrywentfromAmericatoEnglandandfrompeacetowarwasashockingjump.King'sspick-and-spanflagshipbelongedtoadifferentworldthanthestorm-whippedBritishvessel,wheretheaccomodationladderwassalt-crusted，thecamouflagepaintwaspeeling,andeventhemainbatterygunslookedpittedandrusty.Pugwasaghasttoseecigarettebuttsandwastepaperinthescuppers,thoughdrovesofbluejacketsweredoingananimatedscrub-down.onthesuperstructurerawsteelpatcheswereweldedherethere--stickingplasterforwoundsfromtheBismarck'ssalvos.Ah,yes,CaptainHenry,saidtheofficerofthedeck,smartlyreturningthesaluteinthedifferentBritishpalm-outstyle.Mr.Hopkinshasreceivedthesignalandiswaitingforyouinhiscabin.Thequartermasterwillescortyou.VictorHenryfollowedthequartermasterthroughpassage-waysquitelikethoseinAmericanbattleships,yetdifferentincountlessdetails:thesigns,thefittings,thefireextinguishers,theshapeofthewatertightdoors.Hellothere,Pug,HopkinsspokeasthoughhehadnotseentheNavycaptainforadayortwo,thoughtheirlastcounterhadbeenearlyinMarch,andmeantimeHopkinshadtravelledtoLondonandMoscowinablazeofworldwidenewspaperattention.AmIridingoverwithyou?Yes,sir.How'sthePresidentfeeling?Hopkinshadtwobagsopenonhisbunkinasmallcabinoftthewardroom.Inonehecarefullyplacedpapers,folders,andbooks;intheotherhethrewclothes,medicinebottles,andshoesastheycarnetoHopkinslookedthinnerthanbefore,abentfigurewithagraydouble-breastedsuitflappinglooselyonhim.He'shavingthetimeofhislife,sir.Icanimagine.So'sChurchill.Churchill’slikeaboygoingonhisfirstdate.Well,it'squiteahistoricmoment,atthat.Hopkinspulleddirtyshirtsfromadrawercrammedtheminthesuitcase.Almostforgotthese.IleftafewintheKremlinandhadtoscroungemoreinLondon.Mr.Hopkins,whatabouttheRussians?Willtheyhold?Hopkinspaused,astackofpapersinhishand,andpursedhismouthbeforespeakingdecisively.TheRussianwillhold.Butit'llbeanearthing.They'llneedhelp.Heresumedhishurriedpacking.WhenyouflyfromArchangeltoMoscow,Pug,ittakeshoursandhours,oversolidgreenforestsandbrownswamps.Oftenyoudon'tseeavillagefromhorizontohorizon.Hitler'sbittenoftabigbitethistime.Hewasstrugglingwiththeclaspsonhissuitcase,andPuggavehimahand.Ah,thanks.Whatdoyousup-poseStalinwantsfromusmostofall,Pug?Airplanes,VictorHenrysaidpromptly.'Cloudsofairplanes.'SameastheFrenchwereyellingforlastyear.Aluminum,saidHarryHopkins.Aluminumtobuildair-planeswith.Well,letmecorrectthat--hisnumberoneitemwasanti-aircraftguns.Nextcomesaluminum.WantsalotofArmytrucks,too.Stalinisn'tplanningtogetbeateninthreeweeks,orsixweeks,orthreeyears.Hopkinstidiestthepapersinthesmallercase,andclosedit.Let'sgoAsHopkinsshakilysteppedaboardKing'sbargefromtheaccomodationladder,thesternrosehighonaswellthendroppedawayfromunderhim.Helosthisbalanceandtoppledintothearmsofthecoxswain,whosaid,Oops-a-daisy,sir.Pug,I'llneverbeasailor,Hopkinsstaggeredinside,settingwithasighonthecushions.IfloppedonmyfaceboardingtheseaplanethatflewmetotheSovietUnion.Thatnearlyendedmymissionrightthere.Heglancedaroundattheflawlesslyappointedbarge.Well,well.America!Peacetime!So--you'restillinWarPlans.You'llattendthestaffmeetings,then..Someofthem,yes,sir.Youmightbearinmindwhatourfriendswillbeafter.lt'sfairlycleartome,afterfivedaysatseawiththePrimeMinister.Hopkinsheldoutonewastedhandandtickedoffpointsonskeletalfingers.Firstthey'llpressforanimmediatedeclarationo