rl.thebourneultimatum-第13部分

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ible；　he　would　find　a　men's　room　where　he　would　replace　every　stitch　of　clothing　on　his　body。　After　that　he　would　walk　the　streets　of　Washington　until　he　found　a　hidden　sewer　grate。　The　Chameleon；　too；　was　back。
　It　was　7：35　in　the　evening　when　Bourne　put　down　the　single…edged　razor　blade。　He　had　removed　all　the　labels　from　the　assortment　of　new　clothes；　hanging　up　each　item　in　the　closet　when　he　had　finished　except　for　the　shirts；　these　he　steamed　in　the　bathroom　to　remove　the　odor　of　newness。　He　crossed　to　the　table；　where　room　service　had　placed　a　bottle　of　Scotch　whisky；　club　soda　and　a　bucket　of　ice。　As　he　passed　the　desk　with　the　telephone　he　stopped；　he　wanted　so　terribly　to　call　Marie　on　the　island　but　knew　he　could　not；　not　from　the　hotel　room。　That　she　and　the　children　had　arrived　safely　was　all　that　mattered　and　they　had；　he　had　reached　John　St。　Jacques　from　another　pay　phone　in　Garfinkel's。
　〃Hey；　Davey；　they're　bushed！　They　had　to　hang　around　the　big　island　for　damn　near　four　hours　until　the　weather　cleared。　I'll　wake　Sis　if　you　want　me　to；　but　after　she　fed　Alison　she　just　crashed。〃
　〃Never　mind；　I'll　call　later。　Tell　her　I'm　fine　and　take　care　of　them；　Johnny。〃
　〃Will　do；　fella。　Now　you　tell　me。　Are　you　okay？〃
　〃I　said　I'm　fine。〃
　〃Sure；　you　can　say　it　and　she　can　say　it；　but　Marie's　not　just　my　only　sister；　she's　my　favorite　sister；　and　I　know　when　that　lady's　shook　up。〃
　〃That's　why　you're　going　to　take　care　of　her。〃
　〃I'm　also　going　to　have　a　talk　with　her。〃
　〃Go　easy；　Johnny。〃
　For　a　few　moments　he　had　been　David　Webb　again；　mused　Jason；　pouring　himself　a　drink。　He　did　not　like　it；　it　felt　wrong。　An　hour　later；　however；　Jason　Bourne　was　back。　He　had　spoken　to　the　clerk　at　the　Mayflower　about　his　reservation；　the　night　manager　had　been　summoned。
　〃Ah；　yes；　Mr。　Simon；〃　the　man　had　greeted　him　enthusiastically。　〃We　understand　you're　here　to　argue　against　those　terrible　tax　restrictions　on　business　travel　and　entertainment。　Godspeed；　as　they　say。　These　politicians　will　ruin　us　all！　。。。　There　were　no　double　rooms；　so　we　took　the　liberty　of　providing　you　with　a　suite；　no　additional　charge；　of　course。〃
　All　that　had　taken　place　over　two　hours　ago；　and　since　then　he　had　removed　the　labels；　steamed　the　shirts　and　scuffed　the　rubber…soled　shoes　on　the　hotel's　window　ledge。　Drink　in　hand；　Bourne　sat　in　a　chair　staring　blankly　at　the　wall；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　wait　and　think。
　A　quiet　tapping　at　the　door　ended　the　waiting　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　Jason　walked　rapidly　across　the　room；　opened　the　door　and　admitted　the　driver　who　had　met　him　at　the　airport。　The　CIA　man　carried　an　attaché　case；　he　handed　it　to　Bourne。
　〃Everything's　there；　including　a　weapon　and　a　box　of　shells。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　check　it　out？〃
　〃I'll　be　doing　that　all　night。〃
　〃It's　almost　eight　o'clock；〃　said　the　agent。　〃Your　control　will　reach　you　around　eleven。　That'll　give　you　time　to　get　started。〃
　〃My　control　。。。　？〃
　〃That's　who　he　is；　isn't　he？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　replied　Jason　softly。　〃I'd　forgotten。　Thanks　again。〃
　The　man　left　and　Bourne　hurried　to　the　desk　with　the　attaché　case。　He　opened　it；　removing　first　the　automatic　and　the　box　of　ammunition；　then　picking　up　what　had　to　be　several　hundred　puter　printouts　secured　in　file　folders。　Somewhere　in　those　myriad　pages　was　a　name　that　linked　a　man　or　a　woman　to　Carlos　the　Jackal。　For　these　were　the　informational　printouts　of　every　guest　currently　at　the　hotel；　including　those　who　had　checked　out　within　the　past　twenty…four　hours。　Each　printout　was　supplemented　by　whatever　additional　information　was　found　in　the　data　banks　of　the　CIA；　Army　G…2　and　naval　intelligence。　There　could　be　a　score　of　reasons　why　it　might　all　be　useless；　but　it　was　a　place　to　start。　The　hunt　had　begun。
　Five　hundred　miles　north；　in　another　hotel　suite；　this　on　the　third　floor　of　Boston's　Ritz…Carlton；　there　was　another　tapping　on　another　hotel　door。　Inside；　an　immensely　tall　man；　whose　well…tailored　pin…striped　suit　made　him　appear　even　larger　than　his　nearly　six　feet　five　inches　of　height；　came　rushing　out　of　the　bedroom。　His　bald　head；　fringed　by　perfectly　groomed　gray　hair　above　his　temples；　was　like　the　skull　of　an　anointed　éminence　grise　of　some　royal　court　where　kings；　princes　and　pretenders　deferred　to　his　wisdom；　delivered　no　doubt　with　the　eyes　of　an　eagle　and　the　soaring　voice　of　a　prophet。　Although　his　rushing　figure　revealed　a　vulnerable　anxiety；　even　that　did　not　diminish　his　image　of　dominance。　He　was　important　and　powerful　and　he　knew　it。　All　this　was　in　contrast　to　the　older　man　he　admitted　through　the　door。　There　was　little　that　was　distinguished　about　this　short；　gaunt；　elderly　visitor；　instead；　he　conveyed　the　look　of　defeat。
　〃e　in。　Quickly！　Did　you　bring　the　information？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　indeed；〃　answered　the　gray…faced　man　whose　rumpled　suit　and　ill…fitting　collar　had　both　seen　better　days　perhaps　a　decade　ago。　〃How　grand　you　look；　Randolph；〃　he　continued　in　a　thin　voice　while　studying　his　host　and　glancing　around　at　the　opulent　suite。　〃And　how　grand　a　place　this　is；　so　proper　for　such　a　distinguished　professor。〃
　〃The　information；　please；〃　insisted　Dr。　Randolph　Gates　of　Harvard；　expert　in　antitrust　law　and　highly　paid　consultant　to　numerous　industries。
　〃Oh；　give　me　a　moment；　my　old　friend。　It's　been　a　long　time　since　I've　been　near　a　hotel　suite；　much　less　stayed　in　one。　。。。　Oh；　how　things　have　changed　for　us　over　the　years。　I　read　about　you　frequently　and　I've　watched　you　on　television。　You're　so…erudite；　Randolph；　that's　the　word；　but　it's　not　enough。　It's　what　I　said　before…'grand；'　that's　what　you　are；　grand　and　erudite。　So　tall　and　imperious。〃
　〃You　might　have　been　in　the　same　position；　you　know；〃　broke　in　the　impatient　Gates。　〃Unfortunately；　you　looked　for　shortcuts　where　there　weren't　any。〃
　〃Oh；　there　were　lots　of　them。　I　just　chose　the　wrong　ones。〃
　〃I　gather　things　haven't　gone　well　for　you…〃
　〃You　don't　'gather；'　Randy；　you　know。　If　your　spies　didn't　inform　you；　certainly　you　can　tell。〃
　〃I　was　simply　trying　to　find　you。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　what　you　said　on　the　phone；　what　a　number　of　people　said　to　me　in　the　street…people　who　had　been　asked　a　number　of　questions　having　nothing　to　do　with　my　residence；　such　as　it　is。〃
　〃I　had　to　know　if　you　were　capable。　You　can't　fault　me　for　that。〃
　〃Good　heavens；　no。　Not　considering　what　you　had　me　do；　what　I　think　you　had　me　do。〃
　〃Merely　act　as　a　confidential　messenger；　that's　all。　You　certainly　can't　object　to　the　money。〃
　〃Object？〃　said　the　visitor；　with　a　high…pitched　and　tremulous　laugh。　〃Let　me　tell　you　something；　Randy。　You　can　be　disbarred　at　thirty　or　thirty…five　and　still　get　by；　but　when　you're　disbarred　at　fifty　and　your　trial　is　given　national　press　along　with　a　jail　sentence；　you'd　be　shocked　at　how　your　options　disappear…even　for　a　learned　man。　You　bee　an　untouchable；　and　I　was　never　much　good　at　selling　anything　but　my　wits。　I　proved　that；　too；　over　the　last　twenty…odd　years；　incidentally。　Alger　Hiss　did　better　with　greeting　cards。〃
　〃I　haven't　time　to　reminisce。　The　information；　please。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　of　course。　。。。　Well；　first　the　money　was　delivered　to　me　on　the　corner　of　monwealth　and　Dartmouth；　and　naturally　I　wrote　down　the　names　and　the　specifics　you　gave　me　over　the　phone…〃
　〃Wrote　down？〃　asked　Gates　sharply。
　〃Burned　as　soon　as　I'd　mitted　them　to　memory…I　did　learn　a　few　things　from　my　difficulties。　I　reached　the　engineer　at　the　telephone　pany；　who　was　overjoyed　with　your…excuse　me…my　largess；　and　took　his　information　to　that　repulsive　private　detective；　a　sleaze　if　I　ever　saw　one；　Randy；　and　considering　his　methods；　someone　who　could　really　use　my　talents。〃
　〃Please；〃　interrupted　the　renowned　legal　scholar。　〃The　facts；　not　your　appraisals。〃
　〃Appraisals　often　contain　germane　facts；　Professor。　Surely　you　understand　that。〃
　〃If　I　want　to　build　a　case；　I'll　ask　for　opinions。　Not　now。　What　did　the　man　find　out？〃
　〃Based　on　what　you　told　me；　a　lone　woman　with　children…how　many　being　undetermined…and　on　the　data　provided　by　an　underpaid　telephone　pany　mechanic；　namely；　a　narrowed…down　location　based　on　the　area　code　and　the　first　three　digits　of　a　number；　the　unethical　sleaze　went　to　work　at　an　outrageous　hourly　rate。　To　my　astonishment；　he　was　productive。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　with　what's　left　of　my　legal　mind；　we　may　form　a　quiet；　unwritten　partnership。〃
　〃Damn　you；　what　did　he　learn？〃
　〃Well；　as　I　say；　his　hourly　rate　was　beyond　belief；　I　mean　it　really　invaded　the　corpus　of　my　own　well…deserved　retainer；　so　I　think　we　should　discuss　an　adjustment；　don't　you？〃
　〃Who　the　hell　do　you　think　you　are？　I　sent　you　three　thousand　dollars！　Five　hundred　for　the　telephone　man　and　fifteen　hundred　for　that　miserable　keyhole　slime　who　calls　himself　a　private　detective…〃
　〃Only　because　he's　no　longer　on　the　public　payroll　of　the　police　department；　Randolph。　Like　me；　he　fell　from　grace；　but　he　obviously　does　very　good　work。　Do　we　negotiate　or　do　I　leave？〃
　In　fury；　the　balding　imperious　professor　of　law　stared　at　the　gray…faced　old　disbarred　and　dishonored　attorney　in　front　of　him。　〃How　dare　you？〃
　〃Dear　me；　Randy；　you　really　do　believe　your　press；　don't　you？　Very　well；　I'll　tell　why　I　dare；　my　arrogant　old　friend。　I've　read　you；　seen　you；　expounding　on　your　esoteric　interpretations　of　plex　legal　matters；　assaulting　every　decent　thing　the　courts　of　this　country　have　decreed　in　the　last　thirty　years；　when　you　haven't　the　vaguest　idea　what　it　is　to　be　poor；　or　hungry；　or　have　an　unwanted　mass　in　your　belly　you　neither　anticipated　nor　can　provide　a　life　for。　You're　the　darling　of　the　royalists；　my　unprofound　fellow；　and　you'd　force　the　average　citizen　to　live　in　a　nation　where　privacy　is　obsolete；　free　thought　suspended　by　censorship；　the　rich　get　richer；　and　for　the　poorest　among　us　the　beginnings　of　potential　life　itself　may　well　have　to　be　abandoned　in　order　to　survive。　And　you　expound　on　these　unoriginal；　medieval　concepts　only　to　promote　yourself　as　a　brilliant　maverick…of　disaster。　Do　you　want　me　to　go　on；　Doctor　Gates？　Frankly；　I　think　you　chose　the　wrong　loser　to　contact　for　your　dirty　work。〃
　〃How　。。。　dare　you？〃　repeated　the　perplexed　professor