Excerpt: Books: Mar. 30, 1981

'In battle gear I followed Stalin to Mayakovsky Station and stood by his side to hear his greatest speech, words that turned the Fascist tide even as they shelled the city overhead ...' His hand shot out to restrain Arkady from going. 'I gave you a name like that, and you come here, a petty detective, to ask about a coward who spent his war hiding in packing cases? Some common snoop, is that all you are?' Arkady rose, more exhausted than he could have imagined, and stumbled on the way to the library door. 'You'll come again?' the general asked. 'It's good to talk.'