His superior's face resumed its dark expression. He growled, "You know
Velimir Crvenkovski, of course."
Kardelj raised scanty eyebrows. "Of course, Vice chairman of the
Secretariat of Agriculture."
Zoran Jankez had lowered his clumsy bulk into a chair. Now he said
heavily, his voice dangerous. "Velimir and I were partisans together.
It was I who converted him to the Party, introduced him to the works
of Lenin while we squatted in foxholes in Macenegro."
"Of course," the other repeated. "I know the story very well. A good
Party man, Comrade Crvenkovski, never failing to vote with you in
meetings of the Executive Committee."
"Yes," Jankez growled ominously. "And your precious Josip Pekic, your
expediter, has removed him from his position as supreme presider of
agriculture in Bosnatia."
Aleksander Kardelj cleared his throat. "I have just been reading the
account. It would seem that production has fallen off considerably in
the past five years in Bosnatia. Ah, Comrade Crvenkovski evidently had
brought to his attention that wild life in the countryside,
particularly birds, accounted for the loss of hundreds of thousands of
tons of cereals and other produce annually."
"A well-known fact," Jankez rasped. He finished what remained of his
drink, and reached forward to punch out the order for a fresh one.
"What has that got to do with this pipsqueak using the confounded
powers you invested him with to dismiss one of the best Party men in
Transbalkania?"
His right-hand man had not failed to note that he was now being given
full credit for the expediter idea. He said, still cheerfully,
however, "It would seem that Comrade Crvenkovski issued top priority
orders to kill off, by whatever means possible, all birds. Shotguns,
poison, nets were issued by the tens of thousands to the peasants."
"_Well?_" his superior said ominously. "Obviously, Velimir was clear
minded enough to see the saving in gross production."
"Um-m-m," Kardelj said placatingly. "However, he failed to respond to
the warnings of our agriculturists who have studied widely in the
West. It seems as though the balance of nature calls for the presence
of wildlife, and particularly birds. The increase in destructive
insects has more than counterbalanced the amount of cereals the birds
once consumed. Ah, Zoran," he said with a wry smile, "I would suggest
we find another position for Comrade Crvenkovski."
* * * * *
The secretary-receptionist looked up at long last at the very average
looking young man before him. "Yes," he said impatiently.