Uneasy Relations Read Online Free PDF Page A

most sensational find of the decade. (Outside the narrow, arcane circle of academe, of course, in the less-demanding world of popular culture, it was Ivan Gunderson who enjoyed that position.) Since the find, Vanderwater had been the sole or senior author of a dozen monographs and two well-received scholarly books, all dealing with the social and cultural implications of the First Family and Gibraltar Boy, and their many ramifications. Even now, he was rumored to be working on a third.
    “The name
Gibraltar
, as you may know, is a corruption of the Arabic
Jebel Tarik
, or ‘Jebel’s Mountain.’ And Jebel’s Mountain it remained until 1462, when the Arabs were driven out by Spain, which held the land for more than two centuries, until Britain took it in 1704.”
    “Yes,” Gideon said. “They—”
    “This they accomplished, during the War of Spanish Succession, by means of an Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral George Rooke, and the British have held it ever since, the much-fortified Rock proving an impregnable military outpost of Empire — ‘safe as the Rock of Gibraltar’ has been a catch phrase since the nineteenth century, you know — through the long years of the Great Siege, the Napoleonic Wars, and the terrible world conflicts of the twentieth century.”
    Julie, who had been listening courteously until now, her head cocked, glanced at Gideon with her eyebrows raised, her forehead creased. “Is he reading, or what?” she whispered.
    Gideon suppressed his laugh. “I’ve never been able to figure out how he does that.”
    Still, it was, as always, an impressive performance. Not an
uh
, not an
um
, not a pause. Not for the first time he wondered if Vanderwater didn’t prepare these sermons ahead of time, knowing he’d have the chance to use them at some point.
    The older man had leaned back in his seat now, and was orating, rather than merely lecturing, supremely confident that his seatmate, and anyone else within earshot, would be appreciative of the edification provided.
    “But as the technology of warfare changed, you see, and this great rock that had stood guard over the entrance to the Mediterranean for so many centuries lost its value and sank into obscurity, a staunchly British outpost improbably tacked onto the southern extremity of Spain and notable, if it was notable at all, for the never-ending squabbles between Spain and Great Britain over access, duties, governance—”
    “Folks,” said the pilot’s voice, “you’re not going to believe this, but a furniture lorry has broken down on the runway, so we’re going to be circling for a while to permit them to clean up and get it out of there. Shouldn’t be long.”
    Frowning, Julie turned to Gideon. “What is a furniture van doing in the middle of the runway?”
    “That’s a curious aspect of the Gibraltar airport,” Vanderwater answered for him. “You see—”
    But the pilot, with a superior audio system, overrode him. “Now, folks, I know what you’re thinking: ‘What is a furniture lorry doing in the middle of an airport runway in the first place?’ Well, among the many unique aspects of Gib is the fact that it has the only international airport you’re likely to see whose runway is crossed by the main road into town. The only road into town, actually. As you’ll see as we circle past it, the runway extends crosswise across the entire isthmus and then some way out into the bay, so there’s no way for vehicles to get around it. They all have to drive over it. Sorry about the delay, but just settle back for a little longer and enjoy your VIP aerial tour of Gibraltar, courtesy of British Airways.”
    “It’s hardly the only thing about the Gibraltar airport that’s unique,” came from 18B. “It’s closer to the city it serves than any other international airport in the world. A lot of people just walk into town from it . . .”
    “Really,” said Julie, who was perhaps becoming just a little lectured-out.