Proof      Proof by Viviana  
 

On the plane, half asleep, heading home: 

'How did you know?' 

'What?' 

'How did you know I didn't do it?' 

'Is this a trick question? What do you meanhow did I know?' 

Pause. 

'I drew you and the others into an ambush' 

'Unknowingly.' 

'The evidence was stacked against me' 

'Circumstancial.' 

Pause. 

'You even watched me confess that I did it -' 

'Under duress. To mislead the enemy.' 

'Yes, but... what made you so sure?' 

'Are you insane?' 

'Humor me, tovarish' 

Pause. 

(Sigh). 'Character, of course. You could no more be a traitor than
a...than a beatnik, Napoleon.' 

'Oh, is that right?' Pause. 'Ah... that's a pretty good bruise there,
where I socked you.' 

'I was striving for authenticity. Perhaps a little too hard.' 

Pause. 

'Couldn't be a beatnik, huh?' 

'Mmm. Much too square. And you could never carry off the hairstyle.' 

'It's just as well I have you then, isn't it? For beatnik duty, and... so
on.' 

(Sigh). 'Yes, Napoleon.' 

 
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