rl.thebourneultimatum-第121部分

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eapon　as　the　white…robed　Carlos　raced　through　the　shattered　doorway　into　the　corridor。　Jason　got　to　his　feet；　but　his　knee　collapsed！　It　had　buckled　under　his　own　weight。　Oh；　Christ！　He　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　dived　over　the　pulled…down　sheets　toward　the　bedside　telephone…it　had　been　demolished；　the　Jackal　had　shot　it　apart！　Carlos's　demented　mind　was　summoning　up　every　tactic；　every　counteraction　he　had　ever　used。
　Another　sound！　This　loud　and　abrupt。　The　crash　bar　on　the　hallway's　stairway　exit　had　been　slammed　into　the　opening　position；　the　heavy　metal　door　smashed　back　into　the　concrete　wall　of　the　landing。　The　Jackal　was　heading　down　the　flights　of　steps　to　the　lobby。　If　the　front　desk　had　listened　to　Conklin；　he　was　trapped！
　Bourne　looked　at　the　elderly　couple　in　the　corner；　affected　by　the　fact　that　the　old　man　was　covering　the　woman　with　his　own　body。　〃It's　all　right；〃　he。　said；　trying　to　calm　them　by　lowering　his　voice。　〃I　know　you　probably　don't　understand　me…I　don't　speak　Russian…but　you're　safe　now。〃
　〃We　don't　speak　Russian　either；〃　admitted　the　man；　an　Englishman；　in　clipped；　guarded　tones；　straining　his　neck　as　he　looked　at　Jason　while　trying　to　rise。　〃Thirty　years　ago　I　would　have　been　standing　at　that　door！　Eighth　Army　with　Monty；　y'know。　Rather　grand　at　El　Alamein…all　of　us；　of　course。　To　paraphrase；　age　doth　wither；　as　they　say。〃
　〃I'd　rather　not　hear　it；　General…〃
　〃No；　no；　merely　a　brigadier…〃
　〃Fine！〃　Bourne　crept　over　the　bed；　testing　his　knee；　whatever　it　was　had　snapped　back。　〃I　have　to　get　to　a　phone！〃
　〃Actually；　what　outraged　me　was　the　goddamned　robe！〃　went　on　the　veteran　of　El　Alamein。　〃Fucking　disgraceful；　I　say…forgive　me；　darling。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃The　white　robe；　lad！　It　had　to　be　Binky's…the　couple　across　the　hall　we're　traveling　with…he　must　have　copped　it　from　that　lovely　Beau…Rivage　in　Lausanne。　The　rotten　theft　is　bad　enough；　but　to　have　given　it　to　that　swine　is　unforgivable！〃
　In　seconds；　Jason　had　grabbed　the　Jackal's　weapon　and　crashed　his　way　into　the　room　across　the　hall；　immediately　knowing　that　〃Binky〃　deserved　more　admiration　than　the　brigadier　afforded　him。　He　lay　on　the　floor　bleeding　from　knife　wounds　across　his　stomach　and　throat。
　〃I　can't　reach　anyone！〃　screamed　the　woman　with　thinning　gray　hair；　she　was　on　her　knees　above　the　victim；　weeping　hysterically。　〃He　fought　like　a　madman…somehow　he　knew　that　priest　wouldn't　fire　his　gun！〃
　〃Hold　the　skin　together　wherever　you　can；〃　yelled　Bourne；　looking　over　at　the　telephone。　It　was　intact！　He　ran　to　it；　and　instead　of　calling　the　front　desk　or　the　operator；　he　dialed　the　numbers　for　the　suite。
　〃Krupkin？〃　cried　Alex。
　〃No；　me！　First：　Carlos　is　on　the　staircase…the　hallway　I　went　into！　Second：　a　man's　cut　up；　same　hallway；　seventh　door　on　the　right！　Hurry。〃
　〃As　fast　as　I　can。　I've　got　a　clear　line　to　the　office。〃
　〃Where　the　hell　is　the　KGB　team？〃
　〃They　just　got　here。　Krupkin　called　only　seconds　ago　from　the　lobby…it's　why　I　thought　you　were…〃
　〃I'm　going　to　the　staircase！〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　why？〃
　〃Because　he's　mine！〃
　Jason　raced　to　the　door；　offering　no　words　of　fort　for　the　hysterical　wife；　he　could　not　summon　them。　He　crashed　his　way　through　the　exit　door；　the　Jackal's　weapon　in　his　hand。　He　started　down　the　staircase；　suddenly　hearing　the　sound　of　his　own　shoes；　he　stopped　on　the　seventh　step　and　removed　both；　and　then　his　ankle…length　socks。　The　cool　surface　of　the　stone　on　his　feet　somehow　reminded　him　of　the　jungles；　flesh　against　the　cold　morning　underbrush；　for　some　abstract；　foolish　memory　he　felt　more　in　mand　of　his　fears…the　jungles　were　always　the　friend　of　Delta　One。
　Floor　by　floor　he　descended；　following　the　inevitable　rivulets　of　blood；　larger　now；　no　longer　to　be　stemmed；　for　the　last　wound　was　too　severe　to　stop　by　exerting　pressure。　Twice　the　Jackal　had　applied　such　pressure；　once　at　the　fifth…floor　and　again　at　the　third…floor　hallway　doors；　only　to　be　followed　by　streaks　of　dark　red；　as　he　could　not　manipulate　the　exterior　locks　without　the　security　keys。
　The　second　floor；　then　the　first；　there　were　no　more！　Carlos　was　trapped！　Somewhere　in　the　shadows　below　was　the　death　of　the　killer　who　would　set　him　free！　Silently；　Bourne　removed　a　book　of　Metropole　matches　from　his　pocket；　he　huddled　against　the　concrete　wall；　tore　out　a　single　match　and；　cupping　his　hands；　fired　the　packet。　He　threw　it　over　the　railing；　the　weapon　in　his　hand　ready　to　explode　with　continuous　rounds　of　bullets　at　anything　that　moved　below！
　There　was　nothing…nothing！　The　cement　floor　was　empty…there　was　no　one　there！　Impossible！　Jason　raced　down　the　last　flight　of　steps　and　pounded　on　the　door　to　the　lobby。
　〃Shto？〃　yelled　a　Russian　inside。　〃Kto　tam？〃
　〃I'm　an　American！　I'm　working　with　the　KGB！　Let　me　in！〃
　〃Shto　。。。　？〃
　〃I　understand；〃　shouted　another　voice。　〃And；　please；　you　understand　that　many　guns　are　directed　at　you　when　I　open　the　door。　It　is　understand？〃
　〃Understand！〃　shouted　Bourne；　at　the　last　second　remembering　to　drop　Carlos's　weapon　on　the　concrete　floor。　The　door　opened。
　〃Da！〃　said　the　Soviet　police　officer；　instantly　correcting　himself　as　he　spotted　the　machine　pistol　at　Jason's　feet。　〃Nyet！〃　he　yelled。
　〃Nye　za　shto？〃　said　a　breathless　Krupkin；　urging　his　heavyset　body　forward。
　〃Pochemu？〃
　〃Komitet！〃
　〃Prekrasno。〃　The　policeman　nodded　obsequiously；　but　stayed　in　place。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　demanded　Krupkin。　〃The　lobby　is　cleared　and　our　assault　squad　is　in　place！〃
　〃He　was　here！〃　whispered　Bourne；　as　if　his　intense　quiet　voice　further　obscured　his　inprehensible　words。
　〃The　Jackal？〃　asked　Krupkin；　astonished。
　〃He　came　down　this　staircase！　He　couldn't　have　gone　out　on　any　other　floor。　Every　fire　door　is　dead…bolted　from　the　inside…only　the　crash　bars　release　them。〃
　〃Skazhi；〃　said　the　KGB　official　to　the　hotel　guard；　speaking　in　Russian。　〃Has　anyone　e　through　this　door　within　the　past　ten　minutes　since　the　orders　were　given　to　seal　them　off？〃
　〃No；　sir！〃　replied　the　mititsiya。　〃Only　a　hysterical　woman　in　a　soiled　bathrobe。　In　her　panic；　she　fell　in　the　bathroom　and　cut　herself。　We　thought　she　might　have　a　heart　attack；　she　was　screaming　so。　We　escorted　her　immediately　to　the　nurse's　office。〃
　Krupkin　turned　to　Jason；　switching　back　to　English。　〃Only　a　woman　came　through；　a　woman　in　panic　who　had　inured　herself。〃
　〃A　woman？　Is　he　certain？　。。。　What　color　was　her　hair？〃　Dimitri　asked　the　guard；　with　the　man's　reply　he　again　looked　at　Bourne。　〃He　says　it　was　reddish　and　quite　curly。〃
　〃Reddish？〃　An　image　came　to　Jason；　a　very　unpleasant　one。　〃A　house　phone…no；　the　front　desk！　e　on；　I　may　need　your　help。〃　With　Krupkin　following；　the　barefooted　Bourne　ran　across　the　lobby　to　a　clerk　at　the　reception　counter。　〃Can　you　speak　English？〃
　〃Certainly　most　good；　even　many　veniculars；　mister　sir。〃
　〃A　room　plan　for　the　tenth　floor。　Quickly。〃
　〃Mister　sir？〃
　Krupkin　translated；　a　large　loose…leaf　notebook　was　placed　on　the　counter；　the　plastic…enclosed　page　turned　to…〃This　room！〃　said　Jason；　pointing　at　a　square　and　doing　his　best　not　to　alarm　the　frightened　clerk。　〃Get　it　on　the　telephone！　If　the　line's　busy；　knock　off　anybody　on　it。〃
　Again　Krupkin　translated　as　a　phone　was　placed　in　front　of　Bourne。　He　picked　it　up　and　spoke。　〃This　is　the　man　who　came　into　your　room　a　few　minutes　ago…〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　of　course；　dear　fellow。　Thank　you　so　much！　The　doctor's　here　and　Binky's…〃
　〃I　have　to　know　something；　and　I　have　to　know　it　right　now。　。。。　Do　you　carry　hairpieces；　or　wigs；　with　you　when　you　travel？〃
　〃I'd　say　that's　rather　impertinent…〃
　〃Lady；　I　don't　have　time　for　amenities；　I　have　to　know！　Do　you？〃
　〃Well；　yes　I　do。　It's　no　secret；　actually；　all　my　friends　know　it　and　they　forgive　the　artifice。　You　see；　dear　boy；　I　have　diabetes　。。。　my　gray　hair　is　painfully　thin。〃
　〃Is　one　of　those　wigs　red？〃
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　yes。　I　rather　fancy　changing…〃
　Bourne　slammed　down　the　phone　and　looked　over　at　Krupkin。　〃The　son　of　a　bitch　lucked　out。　It　was　Carlos！〃
　〃e　with　me！〃　said　Krupkin　as　they　both　raced　across　the　empty　lobby　to　the　plex　of　back…room　offices　of　the　Metropole。　They　reached　the　nurse's　infirmary　door　and　went　inside。　They　both　stopped；　both　gasped　and　then　winced　at　what　they　saw。
　There　were　rolls　of　torn；　unwound　gauze　and　reels　of　tape　in　various　widths；　and　broken　syringes　and　tubes　of　antibiotics　scattered　about　the　examining　table　and　the　floor；　as　if　all　were　somehow　administered　in　panic。　These；　however；　the　two　men　barely　noticed；　for　their　eyes　were　riveted　on　the　woman　who　had　tended　to　her　crazed　patient。　The　Metropole's　nurse　was　arched　back　in　her　chair；　her　throat　surgically　punctured；　and　over　her　immaculate　white　uniform　ran　a　thin　stream　of　blood。　Madness！
　Standing　beside　the　living　room　table；　Dimitri　Krupkin　spoke　on　the　phone　as　Alex　Conklin　sat　on　the　brocaded　couch　massaging　his　bootless　leg　and　Bourne　stood　by　the　window　staring　out　on　the　Marx　Prospekt。　Alex　looked　over　at　the　KGB　officer；　a　thin　smile　on　his　gaunt　face　as　Krupkin　nodded；　his　eyes　on　Conklin。　An　acknowledgment　was　being　transmitted　between　the　two　of　them。　They　were　worthy　adversaries　in　a　never…ending；　essentially　futile　war　in　which　only　battles　were　won；　the　philosophical　conflicts　never　resolved。
　〃I　have　your　assurance　then；　rade；〃　said　Krupkin　in　Russian；　〃and；　frankly；　I　will　hold　you　to　it。　。。。　Of　course　I'm　taping　this　conversation！　Would　you　do　otherwise？　。。。　Good！　We　understand　each　other　as　well　as　our　respective　responsibilities；　so　let　me　recapitulate。　The　man　is　seriously　wounded；　therefore　the　city　taxi　service　as　well　as　all　doctors　and　all　hospitals　in　the　Moscow　area　have　been　alerted。　The　description　of　the　stolen　automobile　has　been　circulated　and　any　sightings　of　man　or　vehicle　are　to　be　reported　only　to　you。　The　penalty　for　disregarding　these　instructions　is　the　Lubyanka；　that　must　be　clear。　。。。　Good！　We　have　a　mutual　understanding　and　I　expect　to　hear　from　you　the　minute　you　have　any　information；　yes？　。。。　Don't　have　a　cardiac　arrest；　rade。　I　am　well　aware　that　you　are　my　superior；　but　then　this　is　a　proletarian　society；　yes？　Simply　follow　the　advice　of　an　extremely　experi