rl.thebourneultimatum-第130部分

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d　at　the　empty　rows　of　pews　and　the　soft　lights　playing　upon　the　altar；　the　gold　crucifix　gleaming。
　〃You've　been　in　my　debt　for　over　thirty　years；　Ramirez；　and　a　lot　of　good　it　does　me；〃　laughed　the　soldier　quietly　as　they　proceeded　across　to　the　right　aisle　and　down　toward　the　sacristy。
　〃Then　perhaps　you're　out　of　touch　with　what　remains　of　your　family　in　Baracoa。　Fidel's　own　brothers　and　sisters　don't　live　half　so　well。〃
　〃Neither　does　crazy　Fidel；　but　he　doesn't　care。　They　say　he　bathes　more　frequently　now　and　I　suppose　that's　progress。　However；　you're　talking　about　my　family　in　Baracoa；　what　about　me；　my　fine　international　assassin？　No　yachts；　no　racing　colors；　shame　on　you！　Were　it　not　for　my　warning　you；　you　would　have　been　executed　in　this　very　pound　thirty…three　years　ago。　e　to　think　of　it；　it　was　right　outside　this　idiotic　dollhouse　church　on　the　Prado　that　you　made　your　escape…dressed　as　a　priest；　a　figure　that　perpetually　bewilders　the　Russian；　like　most　everyone　else。〃
　〃Once　I　was　established；　did　you　ever　lack　for　anything？〃　They　entered　a　small　paneled　room　where　supposed　prelates　prepared　the　sacraments。　〃Did　I　ever　refuse　you？〃　Carlos　added；　placing　the　heavy　duffel　bag　on　the　floor。
　〃I'm　joking　with　you；　of　course；〃　objected　Enrique；　smiling　good…naturedly　and　looking　at　the　Jackal。　〃Where　is　that　lusty　humor　of　yours；　my　infamous　old　friend？〃
　〃I　have　other　things　on　my　mind。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　do；　and；　in　truth；　you　were　never　less　than　generous　where　my　family　in　Cuba　was　concerned；　and　I　thank　you。　My　father　and　mother　lived　out　their　lives　in　peace　and　fort；　bewildered　naturally；　but　so　much　better　off　than　anyone　they　knew。　。。。　It　was　all　so　insane。　Revolutionaries　thrown　out　by　their　own　revolution's　leaders。〃
　〃You　were　threats　to　Castro；　as　was　Che。　It's　past。〃
　〃A　great　deal　has　passed；〃　agreed　Enrique；　studying　Carlos。　〃You've　aged　poorly；　Ramirez。　Where's　that　once　full　head　of　dark　hair　and　the　handsome　strong　face　with　the　clear　eyes？〃
　〃We　won't　talk　about　it。〃
　〃Very　well。　I　grow　fat；　you　grow　thin；　that　tells　me　something。　How　badly　are　you　wounded？〃
　〃I　can　function　well　enough　for　what　I　intend　to　do…what　I　must　do。〃
　〃Ramirez；　what　else　is　there？〃　asked　the　costumed　soldier　suddenly。　〃He's　dead！　Moscow　takes　credit　over　the　radio　for　his　death；　but　when　you　reached　me　I　knew　the　credit　was　yours；　the　kill　yours。　Jason　Bourne　is　dead！　Your　enemy　is　gone　from　this　world。　You're　not　well；　go　back　to　Paris　and　heal　yourself。　I'll　get　you　out　the　same　way　I　got　you　in。　We'll　head　into　'France'　and　I'll　clear　the　way。　You　will　be　a　courier　from　the　mandant　of　'Spain'　and　'Portugal'　who's　sending　a　confidential　message　to　Dzerzhinsky　Square。　It's　done　all　the　time；　no　one　trusts　anyone　here；　especially　his　own　gates。　You　won't　even　have　to　take　the　risk　of　killing　a　single　guard。〃
　〃No！　A　lesson　must　be　taught。〃
　〃Then　let　me　phrase　it　another　way。　When　you　called　with　your　emergency　codes；　I　did　what　you　demanded；　for　by　and　large　you　have　fulfilled　your　obligations　to　me；　obligations　that　go　back　thirty…three　years。　But　now　there　is　another　risk　involved…risks；　to　be　precise…and　I'm　not　sure　I　care　to　take　them。〃
　〃You　speak　this　way　to　me？〃　cried　the　Jackal；　removing　the　dead　guard's　jacket；　his　clean　white　bandages　taut；　holding　his　right　shoulder　firm　with　no　evidence　of　blood。
　〃Stop　your　theatrics；〃　said　Enrique　softly。　〃We　go　back　long　before　that。　I'm　speaking　to　a　young　revolutionary　I　followed　out　of　Cuba　with　a　great　athlete　named　Santos。　。。。　How　is　he；　by　the　way？　He　was　the　real　threat　to　Fidel。〃
　〃He's　well；〃　answered　Carlos；　his　voice　flat。　〃We're　moving　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。〃
　〃Does　he　still　tend　to　his　gardens…his　English　gardens？〃
　〃Yes；　he　does。〃
　〃He　should　have　been　a　landscaper；　or　a　florist；　I　think。　And　I　should　have　been　a　fine　agricultural　engineer；　an　agronomist；　as　they　say…that's　how　Santos　and　I　met；　you　know。　。。。　Melodramatic　politics　changed　our　lives；　didn't　they？〃
　〃Political　mitments　changed　them。　Everywhere　the　fascists　changed　them。〃
　〃And　now　we　want　to　be　like　the　fascists；　and　they　want　to　take　what's　not　so　terrible　about　us　munists　and　spread　a　little　money　around…which　doesn't　really　work；　but　it's　a　nice　thought。〃
　〃What　has　this　to　do　with　me…your　monseigneur？〃
　〃Horse　droppings；　Ramirez。　As　you　may　or　may　not　know；　my　Russian　wife　died　a　number　of　years　ago　and　I　have　three　children　in　the　Moscow　University。　Without　my　position　they　would　not　be　there　and　I　want　them　there。　They　will　be　scientists；　doctors。　。。。　You　see；　those　are　the　risks　you　ask　of　me。　I've　covered　myself　up　until　this　moment…and　you　deserve　this　moment…but　perhaps　no　more。　In　a　few　months　I　will　retire；　and　in　recognition　of　my　years　of　service　in　southern　Europe　and　the　Mediterranean；　I　will　share　a　fine　dacha　on　the　Black　Sea　where　my　children　will　e　and　visit　me。　I　will　not　unduly　risk　what　life　I　have　before　me。　So　be　specific；　Ramirez；　and　I'll　tell　you　whether　you're　on　your　own　or　not。　。。。　I　repeat；　your　getting　in　here　cannot　be　traced　to　me；　and；　as　I　say；　you　deserved　that　much；　but　this　is　where　I　may　be　forced　to　stop。〃
　〃I　see；〃　said　Carlos；　approaching　the　suitcase　Enrique　had　placed　on　the　sacristy　table。
　〃I　hope　you　do　and；　further；　I　hope　you　understand。　Over　the　years　you've　been　good　to　my　family　in　ways　that　I　could　never　be；　but　then　I've　served　you　well　in　ways　that　I　could。　I　led　you　to　Rodchenko；　fed　you　names　in　ministries　where　rumors　abounded；　rumors　Rodchenko　himself　investigated　for　you。　So；　my　old　revolutionary　rade；　I've　not　been　idle　on　your　behalf　either。　However；　things　are　different　now；　we're　not　young　firebrands　in　search　of　a　cause　any　longer；　for　we've　lost　our　appetites　for　causes…you　long　before　me；　of　course。〃
　〃My　cause　remains　constant；〃　interrupted　the　Jackal　sharply。　〃It　is　myself　and　all　those　who　serve　me。〃
　〃I've　served　you…〃
　〃You've　made　that　clear；　as　well　as　my　generosity　to　you　and　yours。　And　now　that　I'm　here；　you　wonder　if　I　deserve　further　assistance；　that's　it；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　must　protect　myself。　Why　are　you　here？〃
　〃I　told　you。　To　teach　a　lesson；　to　leave　a　message。〃
　〃They　are　one　and　the　same？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Carlos　opened　the　suitcase；　it　held　a　coarse　shirt；　a　Portuguese　fisherman's　cap　with　the　appropriate　rope…belted　trousers；　and　a　seaman's　shoulder…strapped　canvas　satchel。　〃Why　these？〃　asked　the　Jackal。
　〃They're　loose…fitting　and　I　haven't　seen　you　in　years…not　since　Mбlaga　in　the　early　seventies；　I　think。　I　couldn't　very　well　have　clothes　tailored　for　you；　and　I'm　glad　I　didn't　try…you　are　not　as　I　remembered　you；　Ramirez。〃
　〃You're　not　much　larger　than　I　remember　you；〃　countered　the　assassin。　〃A　little　thicker　around　the　stomach；　perhaps；　but　we're　still　the　same　height；　the　same　basic　frame。〃
　〃So？　What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃In　a　moment。　。。。　Have　things　changed　a　great　deal　since　we　were　together　here？〃
　〃Constantly。　Photographs　arrive　and　construction　crews　follow　a　day　later。　The　Prado　here　in　'Madrid'　has　new　shops；　new　signs；　even　a　few　new　sewers　as　they　are　changed　in　that　city。　Also　'Lisbon'　and　the　piers　along　the　'Bay'　and　'Tagus　River'　have　been　altered　to　conform　to　the　changes　that　have　taken　place。　We　are　nothing　if　not　authentic。　The　candidates　who　plete　the　training　are　literally　at　home　wherever　they're　initially　sent。　Sometimes　I　really　believe　it's　all　excessive；　then　I　recall　my　first　assignment　at　the　naval　base　in　Barcelona　and　realize　how　fortable　I　was。　I　went　right　to　work　because　the　psychological　orientation　had　already　taken　place；　there　were　no　major　surprises。〃
　〃You're　describing　appearances；〃　broke　in　Carlos。
　〃Of　course；　what　else　is　there？〃
　〃More　permanent　structures　that　are　not　so　apparent；　not　so　much　in　evidence。〃
　〃Such　as？〃
　〃Warehouses；　fuel　depots；　fire　stations；　that　are　not　part　of　the　duplicated　scenery。　Are　they　still　where　they　were？〃
　〃By　and　large；　yes。　Certainly　the　major　warehouses　and　the　fuel　depots　with　their　underground　tanks。　Most　are　still　west　of　the　'San　Roque'　district；　the　'Gibraltar'　access。〃
　〃What　about　going　from　one　pound　to　another？〃
　〃Now　that　has　changed。〃　Enrique　withdrew　a　small　flat　object　from　the　pocket　of　his　tunic。　〃Each　border　crossing　has　a　puterized　registration　release　that　permits　entry　when　this　is　inserted。〃
　〃No　questions　are　asked？〃
　〃Only　at　Novgorod's　Capital　Headquarters；　if　there　are　any　questions。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃If　one　of　these　is　lost　or　stolen；　it's　reported　instantly　and　the　internal　codes　are　nullified。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃I　don't！　Why　these　questions？　Again；　why　are　you　here？　What　is　this　lesson；　this　message？〃
　〃The　'San　Roque'　district　。。。　？〃　said　Carlos；　as　if　remembering。　〃That's　about　three　or　four　kilometers　south　of　the　tunnel；　isn't　it？　A　small　waterfront　village；　no？〃
　〃The　'Gibraltar'　access；　yes。〃
　〃And　the　next　pound　is　'France；'　of　course；　and　then　'England'　and　finally　the　largest；　the　'United　States。'　Yes；　it's　all　clear　to　me；　everything's　e　back。〃　The　Jackal　turned　away；　his　right　hand　awkwardly　disappearing　beneath　his　trousers。
　〃Yet　nothing　is　clear　to　me；〃　said　Enrique；　his　low　voice　threatening。　〃And　it　must　be。　Answer　me；　Ramirez。　Why　are　you　here？〃
　〃How　dare　you　question　me　like　this？〃　continued　Carlos；　his　back　to　his　old　associate。　〃How　dare　any　of　you　question　the　monseigneur　from　Paris。〃
　〃You　listen　to　me；　Priest　Piss　Ant。　You　answer　me　or　I　walk　out　of　here　and　you're　a　dead　monseigneur　in　a　matter　of　minutes！〃
　〃Very　well；　Enrique；〃　answered　Ilich　Ramirez　Sanchez；　addressing　the　paneled　wall　of　the　sacristy。　〃My　message　will　be　triumphantly　clear　and　will　shake　the　very　foundations　of　the　Kremlin。　Not　only　did　Carlos　the　Jackal　kill　the　weak　pretender　Jason　Bourne　on　Soviet　soil；　he　left　a　reminder　to　all　Russia　that　the　Komitet　made　a　colossal　error　in　not　utilizing　my　extraordinary　talents。〃
　〃Really　now；〃　said　Enrique；　laughing　softly；　as　if　humoring　a　far　less　than　extraordinary　man。　〃More　melodramatics；　Ramirez？　And　how　will　you　convey　this　reminder；　this　message；　this　supreme　statement　of　yours？〃
　〃Quite　simply；〃　replied　the　Jackal；　turning；　a　gun　in　his　hand；　the　silencer　intact。