Ход королевы
Chapter 14
Thathadbeenthewholepointofthesequencebeginningwiththebishop—cuttingdownthescopeoftherookbyforcingittoalessthreateningrank—butnowitwasthereshewasunsurewhattodonext.Shehadtobecareful.Theywereheadedtowardarookandpawnending;therewasnoroomforimprecision.Foramomentshefeltstuck,withoutimaginationorpurposeandafraidoferror.Sheclosedhereyesagain.Therewasanhourandahalfonherclock;shehadthetimetodoitanddoitright.
ShedidnotopenhereyeseventoseethetimeremainingonherclockortolookacrossthetableatBorgovortoseetheenormouscrowdwhohadcometothisauditoriumtowatchherplay.Sheletallofthatgofromhermindandallowedherselfonlythechessboardofherimaginationwithitsintricatedeadlock.ItdidnotreallymatterwhowasplayingtheblackpiecesorwhetherthematerialboardsatinMoscoworNewYorkorinthebasementofanorphanage;thiseideticimagewasherproperdomain.
Shedidnotevenhearthetickingoftheclock.Sheheldhermindinsilenceandletitmoveoverthesurfaceoftheimaginedboard,combiningandrecombiningthearrangementsofpiecessotheblackonescouldnotstoptheadvanceofthepawnshewouldchoose.Shesawnowthatitwouldbeherkingknightpawn,onthefourthrank.Shemoveditmentallytothefifthandsurveyedthewaytheblackkingwouldadvancetoblockit.Thewhiteknightwouldhaltthekingbythreateningakeyblackpawn.Ifthewhitepawnsteppedforwardtothesixthrankitsmovemustbepreparedfor.
