rl.thebourneultimatum-第23部分

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d　'We'll　have　to　confer。'　Confer　with　whom？　It　was　a　one…on…one　conversation　with　my　usual　warning　that　he　wasn't　to　talk　to　anyone。　His　response　was　a　lame　editorial　'we；'　meaning　that　the　illustrious　general　was　conferring　with　himself。　I　don't　buy　it。〃
　〃Neither　do　I；〃　agreed　Jason。　〃I'm　going　to　change　clothes。　They're　in　the　car。〃
　〃What？〃
　Bourne　turned　partially　in　the　plastic　shell　of　the　pay　phone　and　glanced　around　the　gas　station。　He　saw　what　he　hoped　for；　a　men's　room　in　the　side　of　the　building。　〃You　said　that　Swayne　lives　on　a　large　farm　west　of　Manassas…〃
　〃Correction；〃　interrupted　Alex。　〃He　calls　it　a　farm；　his　neighbors　and　the　tax　rolls　call　it　a　twenty…eight…acre　estate。　Not　bad　for　a　career　soldier　from　a　lower…middle…class　family　in　Nebraska　who　married　a　hairdresser　in　Hawaii　thirty　years　ago；　and　supposedly　bought　his　manse　ten　years　ago　on　the　strength　of　a　very　sizable　inheritance　from　an　untraceable　benefactor；　an　obscure　wealthy　uncle　I　couldn't　find。　That's　what　made　me　curious。　Swayne　headed　up　the　Quartermaster　Corps　in　Saigon　and　supplied　Medusa。　。。。　What's　his　place　got　to　do　with　your　changing　clothes？〃
　〃I　want　to　look　around。　I'll　get　there　while　it's　light　to　see　what　it's　like　from　the　road；　then　when　it's　dark　I'll　pay　him　a　surprise　visit。〃
　〃That'll　be　effective；　but　why　the　looking　around？〃
　〃I　like　farms。　They're　so　spread　out　and　extended　and　I　can't　imagine　why　a　professional　soldier　who　knows　that　he　can　be　transferred　anywhere　in　the　world　at　a　moment's　notice　would　saddle　himself　with　such　a　large　investment。〃
　〃The　same　as　my　reasoning　except　I　was　concerned　about　the　how；　not　the　why。　Your　approach　may　be　more　interesting。〃
　〃We'll　see。〃
　〃Be　careful。　He　may　have　alarms　and　dogs；　things　like　that。〃
　〃I'm　prepared；〃　said　Jason　Bourne。　〃I　did　some　shopping　after　I　left　Georgetown。〃
　The　summer　sun　was　low　in　the　western　sky　as　he　slowed　down　the　rental　car　and　lowered　the　visor　to　keep　from　being　blinded　by　the　yellow　globe　of　fire。　Soon　it　would　drop　behind　the　Shenandoah　mountains；　twilight　descending；　prelude　to　darkness。　And　it　was　the　darkness　that　Jason　Bourne　craved；　it　was　his　friend　and　ally；　the　blackness　in　which　he　moved　swiftly；　with　sure　feet　and　alert　hands　and　arms　that　served　as　sensors　against　all　the　impediments　of　nature。　The　jungles　had　weled　him　in　the　past；　knowing　that　although　he　was　an　intruder　he　respected　them　and　used　them　as　a　part　of　him。　He　did　not　fear　the　jungles；　he　embraced　them；　for　they　protected　him　and　allowed　him　passage　to　acplish　whatever　his　objective　was；　he　was　at　one　with　the　jungles…as　he　would　have　to　be　with　the　dense　woods　that　flanked　the　estate　of　General　Norman　Swayne。
　The　main　house　was　set　back　no　less　than　the　distance　of　two　football　fields　from　the　country　road。　A　stockade　fence　separated　the　entrance　on　the　right　from　the　exit　on　the　left；　both　with　iron　gates；　fronting　a　deep　drive　that　was　basically　an　elongated　U…turn。　Immediately　bordering　each　opening　was　a　profusion　of　tall　trees　and　shrubbery　that　was　in　itself　a　natural　extension　of　the　stockade　fence　both　left　and　right。　All　that　was　missing　were　guardhouses　at　each　point　of　entry　and　exit。
　His　mind　floated　back　to　China；　to　Beijing　and　the　wild　bird　sanctuary　where　he　had　trapped　a　killer　posing　as　Jason　Bourne。　There　had　been　a　guardhouse　then　and　a　series　of　armed　patrols　in　the　dense　forest　。。。　and　a　madman；　a　butcher　who　controlled　an　army　of　killers；　foremost　among　them　the　false　Jason　Bourne。　He　had　penetrated　that　deadly　sanctuary；　crippled　a　small　fleet　of　trucks　and　automobiles　by　plunging　the　blade　of　his　knife　into　every　tire；　then　proceeded　to　take　out　each　patrol　in　the　Jing　Shan　forest　until　he　found　the　torch…lit　clearing　that　held　a　swaggering　maniac　and　his　brigade　of　fanatics。　Could　he　do　it　all　today？　wondered　Bourne　as　he　drove　slowly　past　Swayne's　property　for　the　third　time；　his　eyes　absorbing　everything　he　could　see。　Five　years　later；　thirteen　years　after　Paris？　He　tried　to　evaluate　the　reality。　He　was　not　the　younger　man　that　he　had　been　in　Paris；　nor　the　more　mature　man　in　Hong　Kong；　Macao　and　Beijing；　he　was　now　fifty　and　he　felt　it；　every　year　of　it。　He　would　not　dwell　on　it。　There　was　too　much　else　to　think　about；　and　the　twenty…eight　acres　of　General　Norman　Swayne's　property　were　not　the　forest　primeval　of　the　Jing　Shan　sanctuary。
　However；　as　he　had　done　on　the　primitive　outskirts　of　Beijing；　he　drove　the　car　off　the　country　road　deep　into　a　mass　of　tall　grass　and　foliage。　He　climbed　out　and　proceeded　to　cover　the　vehicle　with　bent　and　broken　branches。　The　rapidly　descending　darkness　would　plete　the　camouflage；　and　with　the　darkness　he　would　go　to　work。　He　had　changed　his　clothes　in　the　men's　room　at　the　gas　station：　black　trousers　below　a　black　long…sleeved；　skintight　pullover；　and　black　thick…soled　sneakers　with　heavy　tread。　These　were　his　working　apparel。　The　items　he　spread　on　the　ground　were　his　equipment；　the　shopping　he　had　done　after　leaving　Georgetown。　They　included　a　long…bladed　hunting　knife　whose　scabbard　he　threaded　into　his　belt；　a　dual…chambered　CO2　pistol；　encased　in　a　nylon　shoulder　holster；　that　silently　shot　immobilizing　darts　into　attacking　animals；　such　as　pit　bulls；　two　flares　designed　to　assist　stranded　drivers　in　broken…down　cars　to　attract　or　deter　other　motorists；　a　pair　of　small　Zeiss　Ikon　8x10　binoculars　attached　to　his　trousers　by　a　Velcro　strip；　a　penlight；　raw…hide　laces；　and　finally；　pocket…sized　wire　cutters　in　case　there　was　a　metal　fence。　Along　with　the　automatic　supplied　by　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency；　the　gear　was　either　lashed　to　his　belt　or　concealed　in　his　clothing。　The　darkness　came　and　Jason　Bourne　walked　into　the　woods。
　The　white　sheet　of　ocean　spray　burst　up　from　the　coral　reef　and　appeared　suspended；　the　dark　blue　waters　of　the　Caribbean　serving　as　a　backdrop。　It　was　that　hour　of　early　evening；　a　long　sundown　imminent；　when　Tranquility　Isle　was　bathed　in　alternating　hot　tropical　colors；　pockets　of　shadows　constantly　changing　with　each　imperceptible　descent　of　the　orange　sun。　The　resort　plex　of　Tranquility　Inn　had　seemingly　been　cut　out　of　three　adjacent　rock…strewn　hills　above　an　elongated　beach　sandwiched　between　huge　natural　jetties　of　coral。　Two　rows　of　balconied　pink　villas　with　bright　red　roofs　of　terra…cotta　extended　from　each　side　of　the　resort's　central　hub；　a　large　circular　building　of　heavy　stone　and　thick　glass；　all　the　structures　overlooking　the　water；　the　villas　connected　by　a　white　concrete　path　bordered　by　low…cut　shrubbery　and　lined　with　ground　lamps。　Waiters　in　yellow　guayabera　jackets　wheeled　room…service　tables　along　the　path；　delivering　bottles　and　ice　and　canapés　to　Tranquility's　guests；　the　majority　of　whom　sat　on　their　individual　balconies　savoring　the　end　of　the　Caribbean　day。　And　as　the　shadows　became　more　prominent；　other　people　unobtrusively　appeared　along　the　beach　and　on　the　long　dock　that　extended　out　over　the　water。　These　were　neither　guests　nor　service　employees；　they　were　armed　guards；　each　dressed　in　a　dark　brown　tropical　uniform　and…again　unobtrusively…with　a　MAC…10　machine　pistol　strapped　to　his　belted　waist。　On　the　opposite　side　of　each　jacket　and　hooked　to　the　cloth　was　a　pair　of　Zeiss　Ikon　8x10　binoculars　continuously　used　to　scan　the　darkness。　The　owner　of　Tranquility　Inn　was　determined　that　it　live　up　to　its　name。
　On　the　large　circular　balcony　of　the　villa　nearest　the　main　building　and　the　attached　glass…enclosed　dining　room；　an　elderly　infirm　woman　sat　in　a　wheelchair　sipping　a　glass　of　Chateau　Carbonnieux　'78　while　drinking　in　the　splendors　of　sundown。　She　absently　touched　the　bangs　of　her　imperfectly　dyed　red　hair　as　she　listened。　She　heard　the　voice　of　her　man　talking　with　the　nurse　inside；　then　the　sound　of　his　less　than　emphatic　footsteps　as　he　walked　out　to　join　her。
　〃My　God；〃　she　said　in　French。　〃I'm　going　to　get　pissed！〃
　〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　Jackal's　courier。　〃This　is　the　place　for　it。　I　see　everything　through　a　haze　of　disbelief　myself。〃
　〃You　still　will　not　tell　me　why　the　monseigneur　sent　you　here…us　here？〃
　〃I　told　you；　I'm　merely　a　messenger。〃
　〃And　I　don't　believe　you。〃
　〃Believe。　It's　important　for　him　but　of　no　consequence　for　us。　Enjoy；　my　lovely。〃
　〃You　always　call　me　that　when　you　won't　explain。〃
　〃Then　you　should　learn　from　experience　not　to　inquire；　is　it　not　so？〃
　〃It　is　not　so；　my　dear。　I'm　dying…〃
　〃We'll　hear　no　more　of　that！〃
　〃It's　true　nevertheless；　you　cannot　keep　it　from　me。　I　don't　worry　for　myself；　the　pain　will　end；　you　see；　but　I　worry　about　you。　You；　forever　better　than　your　circumstances；　Michel…　No；　no；　you　are　Jean　Pierre；　I　must　not　forget　that。　。。。　Still；　I　must　concern　myself。　This　place；　these　extraordinary　lodgings；　this　attention。　I　think　you　will　pay　a　terrible　price；　my　dear。〃
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃It's　all　so　grand。　Too　grand。　Something's　wrong。〃
　〃You　concern　yourself　too　deeply。〃
　〃No；　you　deceive　yourself　too　easily。　My　brother；　Claude；　has　always　said　you　take　too　much　from　the　monseigneur。　One　day　the　bill　will　be　presented　to　you。〃
　〃Your　brother；　Claude；　is　a　sweet　old　man　with　feathers　in　his　head。　It's　why　the　monseigneur　gives　him　only　the　most　insignificant　assignments。　You　send　him　out　for　a　paper　in　Montparnasse　he　ends　up　in　Marseilles　not　knowing　how　he　got　there。〃　The　telephone　inside　the　villa　rang；　interrupting　the　Jackal's　man。　He　turned。　〃Our　new　friend　will　get　it；〃　he　said。
　〃She's　a　strange　one；〃　added　the　old　woman。　〃I　don't　trust　her。〃
　〃She　works　for　the　monseigneur。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃I　haven't　had　time　to　tell　you。　She　will　relay　his　instructions。〃
　The　uniformed　nurse；　her　light　brown　hair　pulled　severely　back　into　a　bun；　appeared　in　the　doorway。　〃Monsieur；　it　is　Paris；〃　she　said；　her　wide　gray　eyes　conveying　an　urgency　missing　in　her　low；　understated　voice。
　〃Thank　you。〃　The　Jackal's　courier　walked　inside；　following　the　nurse　to　the　telephone。　She　picked　it　up　and　handed　it　to　him。　〃This　is　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine。〃
　〃Blessings　upon　you；　child　of　God；〃　said　the　voice　several　thousand　miles　away。　〃Is　everything　suitable？〃
　〃Beyond　description；〃　answered　the　old　man。　〃It　is　。。。　so　grand；　so　much　more　t