rl.thebourneultimatum-第111部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rican　Mr。　David　Webb。　Further；　your　nephew　Buckingham　Pritchard　here；　freely；　even　enthusiastically；　admits　calling　you　with　certain　information　contained　in　that　conversation　and　that　you　in　turn　emphatically　stated　that　you　had　to　reach　Paris　immediately。　Is　this　true？〃
　〃It　is　all　pletely　true；　Sir　Henry。〃
　〃Whom　did　you　reach　in　Paris？　What's　the　telephone　number？〃
　〃With　respect；　sir；　I　am　sworn　to　secrecy。〃
　At　that　succinct　and　totally　unexpected　reply；　Jonathan　Lemuel　had　lifted　his　astonished　eyes　to　the　ceiling。
　Sykes；　regaining　his　posure；　put　an　end　to　the　brief　pause　of　amazement。　〃What　was　that；　Mr。　Pritchard？〃
　〃My　nephew　and　I　are　part　of　an　international　organization　involving　the　great　leaders　of　the　world；　and　we　have　been　sworn　to　secrecy。〃
　〃Good　God；　he　believes　it；〃　muttered　Sir　Henry。
　〃Oh；　for　heaven's　sake；〃　said　Lemuel；　lowering　his　head。　〃Our　telephone　service　here　is　not　the　most　sophisticated；　especially　where　pay　phones　are　concerned；　which　I　presume　you　were　instructed　to　use；　but　within　a　day　or　so　that　number　can　be　traced。　Why　not　simply　give　it　to　Sir　Henry　now。　He　obviously　needs　to　know　quickly；　so　where　is　the　harm？〃
　〃The　harm；　sir；　is　to　our　superiors　in　the　organization…that　was　made　explicitly　clear　to　me　personally。〃
　〃What's　the　name　of　this　international　organization？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Sir　Henry。　That　is　part　of　the　confidensheeality；　do　you　not　see？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　you're　the　one　who　doesn't　see；　Mr。　Pritchard；〃　said　Sykes；　his　voice　clipped；　his　anger　surfacing。
　〃Oh；　but　I　do；　Sir　Henry；　and　I　shall　prove　it　to　you！〃　interrupted　the　deputy；　looking　at　each　man　as　if　to　draw　the　skeptical　Sykes　and　the　astonished　attorney；　as　well　as　his　adoring　nephew；　into　his　confidence。　〃A　large　sum　of　money　was　wired　from　a　private　banking　institution　in　Switzerland　directly　to　my　own　account　here　in　Montserrat。　The　instructions　were　clear；　if　flexible。　The　funds　were　to　be　used　liberally　in　pursuit　of　the　assignments　delegated　to　me。　。。。　Transportation；　entertainment；　lodgings…I　was　told　I　had　plete　discretion；　but；　of　course；　I　keep　a　record　of　all　expenditures；　as　I　do　as　the　second　highest　officer　of　immigration。　。。。　Who　but　vastly　superior　people　would　put　such　trust　in　a　man　they　knew　only　by　an　enviable　reputation　and　position？〃
　Henry　Sykes　and　Jonathan　Lemuel　again　looked　at　each　other；　astonishment　and　disbelief　now　joined　by　total　fascination。　Sir　Henry　leaned　forward　over　the　desk。　〃Beyond　this…shall　we　say…in…depth　observation　of　John　St。　Jacques　requiring　the　obvious　services　of　your　nephew；　have　you　been　given　other　assignments？〃
　〃Actually　not；　sir；　but　I'm　sure　that　as　soon　as　the　leaders　see　how　expeditiously　I　have　performed；　others　will　follow。〃
　Lemuel　raised　his　hand　calmly　a　few　inches　off　the　arm　of　his　chair　to　inhibit　a　red…faced　Sykes。　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said　quickly；　gently。　〃This　large　sum　of　money　sent　from　Switzerland；　just　how　large　was　it？　The　amount　doesn't　matter　legally；　and　Sir　Henry　can　always　call　your　bank　under　the　laws　of　the　Crown；　so　please　tell　us。〃
　〃Three　hundred　pounds！〃　replied　the　elder　Pritchard；　the　pride　of　his　value　in　his　voice。
　〃Three　hundred？〃　The　solicitor's　words　trailed　off。
　〃Not　exactly　staggering；　eh？〃　mumbled　Sir　Henry；　leaning　back；　speechless。
　〃Roughly；〃　continued　Lemuel；　〃what's　been　your　expenses？〃
　〃Not　roughly；　but　precisely；〃　affirmed　the　deputy　director　of　immigration；　removing　a　small　notebook　from　the　breast　pocket　of　his　uniform。
　〃My　brilliant　uncle　is　always　precise；〃　offered　Buckingham　Pritchard。
　〃Thank　you；　Nephew。〃
　〃How　much？〃　insisted　the　attorney。
　〃Precisely　twenty…six　pounds；　five　shillings；　English；　or　the　equivalent　of　one　hundred　thirty…two　East　Caribbean　dollars；　the　EC's　rounded　off　to　the　nearest　double　zero　at　the　latest　rate　of　exchange…in　this　case　I　absorbed　forty…seven　cents；　so　entered。〃
　〃Amazing；〃　intoned　Sykes；　numbed。
　〃I've　scrupulously　kept　every　receipt；〃　went　on　the　deputy；　gathering　steam　as　he　continued　reading。　〃They're　locked　in　a　strongbox　at　my　flat　on　Old　Road　Bay；　and　include　the　following：　a　total　of　seven　dollars　and　eighteen　cents　for　local　calls　to　Tranquility…I　would　not　use　my　official　phone；　twenty…three　dollars　and　sixty…five　cents　for　the　long…distance　call　to　Paris；　sixty…eight　dollars　and　eighty　cents　。。。　dinner　for　myself　and　my　nephew　at　Vue　Point；　a　business　conference；　naturally…〃
　〃That　will　do；〃　interrupted　Jonathan　Lemuel；　wiping　his　perspiring　black　brow　with　a　handkerchief；　although　the　tropical　fan　was　perfectly　adequate　for　the　room。
　〃I　am　prepared　to　submit　everything　at　the　proper　time…〃
　〃I　said　that　will　do；　Cyril。〃
　〃You　should　know　that　I　refused　a　taxi　driver　when　he　offered　to　inflate　the　price　of　a　receipt　and　soundly　criticized　him　in　my　official　position。〃
　〃Enough！〃　thundered　Sykes；　the　veins　in　his　neck　pronounced。　〃You　both　have　been　damn　fools　of　the　first　magnitude！　To　have　even　considered　John　St。　Jacques　a　criminal　of　any　sort　is　preposterous！〃
　〃Sir　Henry；〃　broke　in　the　younger　Pritchard。　〃I　myself　saw　what　happened　at　Tranquility　Inn！　It　was　so　horrible。　Coffins　on　the　dock；　the　chapel　blown　up；　government　boats　around　our　peaceful　isle…gunshots；　sir！　It　will　be　months　before　we're　back　in　full　operation。〃
　〃Exactly！〃　roared　Sykes。　〃And　do　you　believe　Johnny　St。　Jay　would　willingly　destroy　his　own　property；　his　own　business？〃
　〃Stranger　things　have　happened　in　the　outside　criminal　world；　Sir　Henry；〃　said　Cyril　Sylvester　Pritchard　knowingly。　〃In　my　official　capacity　I've　heard　many；　many　stories。　The　incidents　my　nephew　described　are　called　diversionary　tactics　employed　to　create　the　illusion　that　the　scoundrels　are　victims。　It　was　all　thoroughly　explained　to　me。〃
　〃Oh；　it　was；　was　it？〃　cried　the　former　brigadier　of　the　British　army。　〃Well；　let　me　explain　something　else；　shall　I？　You've　been　duped　by　an　international　terrorist　wanted　the　world　over！　Do　you　know　the　universal　penalty　for　aiding　and　abetting　such　a　killer？　I'll　make　it　plain；　in　case　it's　escaped　your　attention…in　your　official　capacity；　of　course。　。。。　It　is　death　by　firing　squad　or；　less　charitably；　a　public　hanging！　Now；　what's　that　goddamned　number　in　Paris？〃
　〃Under　the　circumstances；〃　said　the　deputy；　summoning　what　dignity　he　could　despite　the　fact　that　his　trembling　nephew　clutched　his　left　arm　and　his　hand　shook　as　he　reached　for　his　notebook。　〃I'll　write　it　out　for　you。　。。。　One　asks　for　a　blackbird。　In　French；　Sir　Henry。　I　speak　a　few　words；　Sir　Henry。　In　French…Sir　Henry。〃
　Summoned　by　an　armed　guard　dressed　casually　as　a　weekend　guest　in　white　slacks　and　a　loose；　bulky　white　linen　jacket；　John　St。　Jacques　walked　into　the　library　of　their　new　safe　house；　an　estate　on　Chesapeake　Bay。　The　guard；　a　muscular；　medium…sized　man　with　clean…cut　Hispanic　features；　stood　inside　the　doorway；　he　pointed　to　the　telephone　on　the　large　cherry…wood　desk。　〃It's　for　you；　Mr。　Jones。　It's　the　director。〃
　〃Thanks；　Hector；〃　said　Johnny；　pausing　briefly。　〃Is　that　Mr。　Jones　stuff　really　necessary？〃
　〃As　necessary　as　'Hector。'　My　real　name's　Roger　。。。　or　Daniel。　Whatever。〃
　〃Gotcha。〃　St。　Jacques　crossed　to　the　desk　and　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Holland？〃
　〃That　number　your　friend　Sykes　got　is　a　blind；　but　useful。〃
　〃As　my　brother…in…law　would　say；　please　speak　English。〃
　〃It's　the　number　of　a　café　on　the　Marais　waterfront　on　the　Seine。　The　routine　is　to　ask　for　a　blackbird…un　oiseau　noir…and　somebody　shouts　out。　If　the　blackbird's　there；　contact　is　made。　If　he　isn't；　you　try　again。〃
　〃Why　is　it　useful？〃
　〃We'll　try　again…and　again　and　again…with　a　man　inside。〃
　〃What's　happening　otherwise？〃
　〃I　can　only　give　you　a　limited　answer。〃
　〃Goddamn　you！〃
　〃Marie　can　fill　you　in…〃
　〃Marie？〃
　〃She's　on　her　way　home。　She's　mad　as　hell；　but　she's　also　one　relieved　wife　and　mother。〃
　〃Why　is　she　mad？〃
　〃I've　booked　her　low…key　on　several　long　flights　back…〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；　why？〃　broke　in　the　brother　angrily。　〃You　send　a　goddamned　plane　for　her！　She's　been　more　valuable　to　you　than　anyone　in　your　dumb　Congress　or　your　corkscrew　administration；　and　you　send　planes　for　them　all　over　the　place。　I'm　not　joking；　Holland！〃
　〃I　don't　send　those　planes；〃　replied　the　director　firmly。　〃Others　do。　The　ones　I　send　involve　too　many　questions　and　too　much　curiosity　on　foreign　soil　and　that's　all　I'll　say　about　it。　Her　safety　is　more　important　than　her　fort。〃
　〃We　agree　on　that；　honcho。〃
　The　director　paused；　his　irritation　apparent。　〃You　know　something？　You're　not　really　a　very　pleasant　fellow；　are　you？〃
　〃My　sister　puts　up　with　me；　which　more　than　offsets　your　opinion。　Why　is　she　relieved…as　a　wife　and　mother；　I　think　you　said？〃
　Again　Holland　paused；　not　in　irritation　now；　but　searching　for　the　words。　〃A　disagreeable　incident　took　place；　one　none　of　us　could　predict　or　even　contemplate。〃
　〃Oh；　I　hear　those　famous　fucking　words　from　the　American　establishment！〃　roared　St。　Jacques。　〃What　did　you　miss　this　time？　A　truckload　of　U。S。　missiles　to　the　Ayatollah's　agents　in　Paris？　What　happened？〃
　For　a　third　time；　Peter　Holland　employed　a　moment　of　silence；　although　his　heavy　breathing　was　audible。　〃You　know；　young　man；　I　could　easily　hang　up　the　phone　and　dismiss　your　existence；　which　would　be　quite　beneficial　for　my　blood　pressure。〃
　〃Look；　honcho；　that's　my　sister　out　there；　and　a　guy　she's　married　to　who　I　think　is　pretty　terrific。　Five　years　ago；　you　bastards…I　repeat；　you　bastards…damn　near　killed　them　both　over　in　Hong　Kong　and　points　east。　I　don't　know　all　the　facts　because　they're　too　decent　or　too　dumb　to　talk　about　them；　but　I　know　enough　to　know　I　wouldn't　trust　you　with　a　waiter's　payroll　in　the　islands！〃
　〃Fair　enough；〃　said　Holland；　subdued。　〃Not　that　it　matters；　but　I　wasn't　here　then。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter。　It's　your　subterranean　system。　You　would　have　done　the　same　thing。〃
　〃Knowing　the　circumstances；　I　might　have。　So　might　you；　if　you　knew　them。　But　that　doesn't　matter；　either。　It's　history。〃
　〃And　now　is　now；〃　broke　in　St。　Jacques。　〃What　happened　in　Paris；　this　'disagreeable　incident'？〃
　〃According　to　Conklin；　there　was　an　ambush　at　a　private　airfield　in　Pontcarré。　It　was　aborted。　Your