rl.thebourneultimatum-第30部分

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our　eyes　wide　open；　holes　still　bleeding　on　your　forehead　and　your　throat。　。。。　They　asked　me　who　you　were　and　I　said；　'He's　Delta。　Delta　One　from　the　illegals；'　and　they　said；　'No；　he's　not；　he's　Jason　Bourne；　the　killer；　the　assassin；'　so　I　said；　'Then　they're　one　and　the　same　because　that　man　is　Delta…I　knew　him。'　They　thanked　me　and　told　me　to　go　back　and　join　the　others。〃
　〃Who　were　'they'？〃
　〃Some　people　over　at　Langley。　The　one　who　did　all　the　talking　had　a　limp；　he　carried　a　cane。〃
　〃And　'the　others'…they　told　you　to　go　back　and　join？〃
　〃About　twenty…five　or　thirty　of　the　old　Saigon　crowd。〃
　〃mand　Saigon？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Men　who　worked　with　our　crowd；　the　'illegals'？〃
　〃Mostly；　yeah。〃
　〃When　was　this？〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；　I　told　you！〃　roared　the　panicked　aide。　〃Four　or　five　years　ago！　I　saw　the　photograph…you　were　dead！〃
　〃Only　a　single　photograph；〃　interrupted　Bourne　quietly；　staring　at　the　master　sergeant。　〃You　have　a　very　good　memory。〃
　〃You　held　a　gun　to　my　head。　Thirty…three　years；　two　wars　and　twelve　bat　tours；　nobody　ever　did　that　to　me…nobody　but　you。　。。。　Yeah；　I　gotta　good　memory。〃
　〃I　think　I　understand。〃
　〃I　don't！　I　don't　understand　a　goddamned　thing！　You　were　dead！〃
　〃You've　said　that。　But　I'm　not；　am　I？　Or　maybe　I　am。　Maybe　this　is　the　nightmare　that's　been　visited　upon　you　after　twenty　years　of　deceit。〃
　〃What　kind　of　crap　is　that？　What　the　hell…〃
　〃Don't　move！〃
　〃I'm　not！〃
　Suddenly；　in　the　distance；　there　was　a　loud　report。　A　gunshot！　Jason　spun　around　。。。　then　instinct　manded　him　to　keep　turning！　All　around！　The　massive　general's　aide　was　lunging　at　him；　his　huge　hands　like　battering　rams　grazing　off　Bourne's　shoulders　as　Delta　One　viciously　lashed　up　his　right　foot；　catching　the　sergeant's　kidney；　embedding　his　shoe　deep　into　the　flesh　while　crashing　the　barrel　of　his　automatic　into　the　base　of　the　man's　neck。　Flannagan　lurched　downward；　splayed　on　the　floor；　Jason　hammered　his　left　foot　into　the　sergeant's　head；　stunning　him　into　silence。
　A　silence　that　was　broken　by　the　continuous　hysterical　screams　of　a　woman　racing　outside　toward　the　open　door　of　the　cabin。　Within　seconds；　General　Norman　Swayne's　wife　burst　into　the　room；　recoiling　at　the　sight　in　front　of　her；　gripping　the　back　of　the　nearest　chair；　unable　to　contain　her　panic。
　〃He's　dead！〃　she　shrieked；　collapsing；　swerving　the　chair　to　her　side　as　she　fell　to　the　floor　reaching　for　her　lover。　〃He　shot　himself；　Eddie！　Oh；　my　God；　he　killed　himself！〃
　Jason　Bourne　rose　from　his　crouched　position　and　walked　to　the　door　of　the　strange　cabin　that　held　so　many　secrets。　Calmly；　watching　his　two　prisoners；　he　closed　it。　The　woman　wept；　gasping；　trembling；　but　they　were　tears　not　of　sorrow　but　of　fear。　The　sergeant　blinked　his　eyes　and　raised　his　huge　head。　If　any　emotion　could　be　defined　in　his　expression；　it　was　an　admixture　of　fury　and　bewilderment。
　
　11
　〃Don't　touch　anything；〃　ordered　Bourne　as　Flannagan　and　Rachel　Swayne　haltingly　preceded　him　into　the　general's　photograph…lined　study。　At　the　sight　of　the　old　soldier's　corpse　arched　back　in　the　chair　behind　the　desk；　the　ugly　gun　still　in　his　outstretched　hand；　and　the　horror　beyond　left　by　the　blowing　away　of　the　back　of　his　skull；　the　wife　convulsed；　falling　to　her　knees　as　if　she　might　vomit。　The　master　sergeant　grabbed　her　arm；　holding　her　off　the　floor；　his　eyes　dazed；　fixed　on　the　mutilated　remains　of　General　Norman　Swayne。
　〃Crazy　son　of　a　bitch；〃　whispered　Flannagan；　his　voice　strained　and　barely　audible。　Then　standing　motionless；　the　muscles　of　his　jaw　pulsating；　he　roared。　〃You　insane　fuckin'　son　of　a　bitch！　What　did　you　do　it　for…why？　What　do　we　do　now？〃
　〃You　call　the　police；　Sergeant；〃　answered　Jason。
　〃What？〃　yelled　the　aide；　spinning　around。
　〃No！〃　screamed　Mrs。　Swayne；　lurching　to　her　feet。　〃We　can't　do　that！〃
　〃I　don't　think　you've　got　a　choice。　You　didn't　kill　him。　You　may　have　driven　him　to　kill　himself　but　you　didn't　kill　him。〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Flannagan　gruffly。
　〃Better　a　simple　if　messy　domestic　tragedy　than　a　far　wider　investigation；　wouldn't　you　say？　I　gather　it's　no　secret　that　you　two　have　an　arrangement　that's…well；　no　secret。〃
　〃He　didn't　give　a　shit　about　our；　'arrangement；'　and　that　was　no　secret；　either。〃
　〃He　encouraged　us　at　every　opportunity；〃　added　Rachel　Swayne；　hesitantly　smoothing　her　skirt；　oddly；　swiftly　regaining　her　posure。　She　spoke　to　Bourne　but　her　eyes　strayed　to　her　lover。　〃He　consistently　threw　us　together；　often　for　days　at　a　time。　。。。　Do　we　have　to　stay　in　here？　My　God；　I　was　married　to　that　man　for　twenty…six　years！　I'm　sure　you　can　understand　。。。　this　is　horrible　for　me！〃
　〃We　have　things　to　discuss；〃　said　Bourne。
　〃Not　in　here；　if　you　please。　The　living　room；　it's　across　the　hall。　We'll　talk　there。〃　Mrs。　Swayne；　suddenly　under　control；　walked　out　of　the　study；　the　general's　aide　glanced　over　at　the　blood…drenched　corpse；　grimaced；　and　followed　her。
　Jason　watched　them。　〃Stay　in　the　hallway　where　I　can　see　you　and　don't　move！〃　he　shouted；　crossing　to　the　desk；　his　eyes　darting　from　one　object　to　another；　taking　in　the　last　items　Norman　Swayne　saw　before　placing　the　automatic　in　his　mouth。　Something　was　wrong。　On　the　right　side　of　the　wide　green　blotter　was　a　Pentagon　memorandum　pad；　Swayne's　rank　and　name　printed　below　the　insignia　of　the　United　States　Army。　Next　to　the　pad；　to　the　left　of　the　blotter's　leather　border；　was　a　gold　ballpoint　pen；　its　sharp　silver　point　protruding；　as　if　recently　used；　the　writer　forgetting　to　twist　it　back　into　its　recess。　Bourne　leaned　over　the　desk　within　inches　of　the　dead　body；　the　acrid　smell　of　the　exploded　shell　and　burnt　flesh　still　pungent；　and　studied　the　memo　pad。　It　was　blank；　but　Jason　carefully　tore　off　the　top　pages；　folded　them；　and　put　them　into　his　trousers　pocket。　He　stepped　back　still　bothered。　。。。　What　was　it？　He　looked　around　the　room；　and　as　his　eyes　roamed　over　the　furniture　Master　Sergeant　Flannagan　appeared　in　the　doorway。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Flannagan　asked　suspiciously。　〃We're　waiting　for　you。〃
　〃Your　friend　may　find　it　too　difficult　to　stay　in　here；　but　I　don't。　I　can't　afford　to；　there's　too　much　to　learn。〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　we　shouldn't　touch　anything。〃
　〃Looking　isn't　touching；　Sergeant。　Unless　you　remove　something；　then　no　one　knows　it's　been　touched　because　it　isn't　here。〃　Bourne　suddenly　walked　over　to　an　ornate　brass…topped　coffee　table；　the　sort　so　mon　in　the　bazaars　of　India　and　the　Middle　East。　It　was　between　two　armchairs　in　front　of　the　study's　small　fireplace；　off　center　was　a　fluted　glass　ashtray　partially　filled　with　the　remains　of　half…smoked　cigarettes。　Jason　reached　down　and　picked　it　up；　he　held　it　in　his　hand　and　turned　to　Flannagan。　〃For　instance；　Sergeant；　this　ashtray。　I've　touched　it；　my　fingerprints　are　on　it；　but　no　one　will　know　that　because　I'm　taking　it　away。〃
　〃What　for？〃
　〃Because　I　smelled　something…I　mean　I　really　smelled　it；　with　my　nose；　nothing　to　do　with　instincts。〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Cigarette　smoke；　that's　what　I'm　talking　about。　It　hangs　around　a　lot　longer　than　you　might　think。　Ask　someone　who's　given　them　up　more　times　than　he　can　remember。〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃So　let's　have　a　talk　with　the　general's　wife。　Let's　all　have　a　talk。　e　on；　Flannagan；　we'll　play　show　and　tell。〃
　〃That　weapon　in　your　pocket　makes　you　pretty　fuckin'　brave；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃Move；　Sergeant！〃
　Rachel　Swayne　swung　her　head　to　her　left；　throwing　back　her　long；　dark　streaked　hair　over　her　shoulder　as　she　stiffened　her　posture　in　the　chair。　〃That's　offensive　in　the　extreme；〃　she　pronounced　with　wide　accusatory　eyes；　staring　at　Bourne。
　〃It　certainly　is；〃　agreed　Jason；　nodding。　〃It　also　happens　to　be　true。　There　are　five　cigarette　butts　in　this　ashtray　and　each　has　lipstick　on　it。〃　Bourne　sat　down　across　from　her；　putting　the　ashtray　on　the　small　table　next　to　the　chair。　〃You　were　there　when　he　did　it；　when　he　put　his　gun　into　his　mouth　and　pulled　the　trigger。　Perhaps　you　didn't　think　he'd　go　through　with　it；　maybe　you　thought　it　was　just　another　one　of　his　hysterical　threats…whatever；　you　didn't　raise　a　word　to　stop　him。　Why　should　you　have？　For　you　and　Eddie　it　was　a　logical　and　reasonable　solution。〃
　〃Preposterous！〃
　〃You　know；　Mrs。　Swayne；　to　put　it　bluntly；　that's　not　a　word　you　should　use。　You　can't　carry　it　off；　any　more　than　you're　convincing　when　you　say　something's　'offensive　in　the　extreme。'　。。。　Neither　expression　is　you；　Rachel。　You're　imitating　other　people…probably　rich；　vacuous　customers　a　young　hairdresser　heard　repeating　such　phrases　years　ago　in　Honolulu。〃
　〃How　dare　you。。。？〃
　〃Oh；　e　on；　that's　ridiculous；　Rachel。　Don't　even　try　the　'How　dare　you'　bit；　it　doesn't　work　at　all。　Are　you；　in　your　nasal　twang；　going　to　have　my　head　chopped　off　by　royal　decree？〃
　〃Lay　off　her！〃　shouted　Flannagan；　standing　beside　Mrs。　Swayne。　〃You　got　the　iron　but　you　don't　have　to　do　this！　。。。　She's　a　good　woman；　a　damn　good　woman；　and　she　was　shit　on　by　all　the　crap　artists　in　this　town。〃
　〃How　could　she　be？　She　was　the　general's　wife；　the　mistress　of　the　manor；　wasn't　she？　Isn't　she？〃
　〃She　was　used…〃
　〃I　was　laughed　at；　always　laughed　at；　Mr。　Delta！〃　cried　Rachel　Swayne；　gripping　the　arms　of　her　chair。　〃When　they　weren't　leering　or　drooling。　How'd　you　like　to　be　the　special　piece　of　meat　passed　out　like　a　special　dessert　to　very　special　people　when　the　dinner　and　the　drinks　are　over？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I'd　like　it　at　all。　I　might　even　refuse。〃
　〃I　couldn't！　He　made　me　do　it！〃
　〃Nobody　can　make　anybody　do　anything　like　that。〃
　〃Sure；　they　can；　Mr。　Delta；〃　said　the　general's　wife；　leaning　forward；　her　large　breasts　pressing　the　sheer　fabric　of　her　blouse；　her　long　hair　partially　obscuring　her　aging　but　still　sensual　soft…featured　face。　〃Try　an　uneducated　grammar　school　dropout　from　the　coal　basins　in　West　Virginia　when　the　panies　shut　down　the　mines　and　nobody　had　no　food…excuse　me；　any　food。　You　take　what　you　got　and　you　run　with　it　and　that's　what　I　did。　I　got　laid　from　Aliquippa　to　Hawaii；　but　I　got　there　and　I　learned　a　trade。　That's　where　I　met　the　Big　Boy　and　I　married　him；　but　I　didn't　have　no　illusions　from　day　one。　'