Ход королевы

           ShesatinherhighbackedVictorianchairwithherkneespressedtogether,holdingthesaucerwiththecupandahardlittlerollonitandtriedtolistenattentivelytothedirector.HespokeafewsentencesfirstinEnglishandtheninFrench.ThenEnglishagain:thevisitorswerewelcomeintheSovietUnion;gameswouldbeginpromptlyatteno’clockeachmorning;arefereewouldbeassignedtoeachboardandshouldbeconsultedintheeventofanyirregularity.Therewouldbenosmokingoreatingduringplay.Anattendantwouldaccompanyplayerstotherestroomsshouldtheneedarise.Itwouldbepropertoraiseone’srighthandinsuchanevent.

           Thechairswereinacircle,andthedirectorwasonBeth’sright.AcrossfromhersatDimitriLuchenko,ViktorLaevandLeonidShapkin,alldressedinwell-tailoredsuitsandwearingwhiteshirtsanddarkties.Mr.BoothhadsaidRussianmendressedasthoughtheirclothescamefromanineteen-thirtiesMontgomeryWardcatalogue,butthesemenweresoberlydapperinexpensivegraygabardineandworsted.Thosethreealone—Luchenko,LaevandShapkin—wereasmallpantheonnexttowhichtheentireestablishmentofAmericanchesswouldstammerinhumiliation.AndonherleftwasVasilyBorgov.Shecouldnotbringherselftolookathim,butshecouldsmellhiscologne.BetweenhimandtheotherthreeRussianswasanonlyslightlylesserpantheon—JorgeFlentofromBrazil,BerntHellströmfromFinlandandJean-PaulDuhamelfromBelgium,alsowearingconservativesuits.Shesippedherteaandtriedtoappearcalm.