rl.thebourneultimatum-第37部分

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her　white　rigid　hand　said　it　all：　Maintenant　nous　deux　sommes　libres；　mon　amour。
　They　were　both　free。　She　from　the　terrible　pain；　he　from　the　price　demanded　by　the　monseigneur；　a　price　he　had　not　described　to　her；　but　one　she　knew　was　too　horrible　to　pay。　He　had　known　for　months　that　his　woman　had　ready　access　to　pills　that　would　end　her　life　quickly　if　her　living　became　unendurable；　he　had　frequently；　at　times　frantically；　searched　for　them　but　he　had　never　found　them。　Now　he　knew　why　as　he　stared　at　the　small　tin　of　her　favorite　pastilles；　the　harmless　droplets　of　licorice　she　had　popped　laughingly　into　her　mouth　for　years。
　〃Be　thankful；　mon　cher；　they　might　be　caviar　or　those　expensive　drugs　the　rich　indulge　in！〃　They　were　not　caviar　but　they　were　drugs；　lethal　drugs。
　Footsteps。　The　nurse！　She　had　e　out　of　her　room；　but　she　could　not　see　his　woman！　Fontaine　pushed　himself　up　from　the　bed；　wiped　his　eyes　as　best　he　could；　and　hurried　to　the　door。　He　opened　it；　stunned　by　the　sight　of　the　woman；　she　stood　directly　in　front　of　him；　her　arm　raised；　the　knuckles　of　her　hand　arcing　forward　to　knock。
　〃Monsieur！　。。。　You　startled　me。〃
　〃I　believe　we　startled　each　other。〃　Jean　Pierre　slipped　out；　rapidly　closing　the　door　behind　him。　〃Regine　is　finally　asleep；〃　he　whispered；　bringing　his　forefinger　to　his　lips。　〃This　terrible　storm　has　kept　her　up　most　of　the　night。〃
　〃But　it　is　sent　from　heaven　for　us…for　you…isn't　it？　There　are　times　when　I　think　the　monseigneur　can　order　such　things。〃
　〃Then　I　doubt　they　e　from　heaven。　It's　not　the　source　of　his　influence。〃
　〃To　business；〃　interrupted　the　nurse；　not　amused　and　walking　away　from　the　door。　〃Are　you　prepared？〃
　〃I　will　be　in　a　matter　of　minutes；〃　replied　Fontaine；　heading　for　the　table　where　his　killing　equipment　lay　in　the　locked　drawer。　He　reached　into　his　pocket　and　took　out　the　key。　〃Do　you　want　to　go　over　the　procedure？〃　he　asked；　turning。　〃For　my　benefit；　of　course。　At　this　age；　details　are　often　blurred。〃
　〃Yes；　I　do；　because　there　is　a　slight　change。〃
　〃Oh？〃　The　old　Frenchman　arched　his　brows。　〃Also　at　my　age　sudden　changes　are　not　wele。〃
　〃It's　only　a　question　of　timing；　no　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　perhaps　much　less。〃
　〃An　eternity　in　this　business；〃　said　Fontaine　as　yet　another　streak　of　lightning；　separated　only　milliseconds　from　its　crash　of　thunder；　interrupted　the　pounding　rain　on　the　windows　and　the　roof。　〃It's　dangerous　enough　to　be　outside；　that　bolt　was　too　near　for　safety。〃
　〃If　you　believe　that；　think　how　the　guards　feel。〃
　〃The　'slight　change；'　please？　Also　an　explanation。〃
　〃I'll　give　you　no　explanation　except　to　say　that　it　is　an　order　from　Argenteuil　and　you　were　responsible。〃
　〃The　judge？〃
　〃Draw　your　own　conclusions。〃
　〃Then　he　was　not　sent　to…〃
　〃I'll　say　no　more。　The　change　is　as　follows。　Rather　than　running　up　the　path　from　here　to　the　guards　at　Villa　Twenty　and　demanding　emergency　assistance　for　your　ill　wife；　I　will　say　I　was　returning　from　the　front　desk　where　I　was　plaining　about　the　telephone　and　saw　a　fire　in　Villa　Fourteen；　three　away　from　ours。　There'll　no　doubt　be　a　great　deal　of　confusion；　what　with　the　storm　and　everyone　yelling　and　calling　for　help。　That　will　be　your　signal。　Use　the　confusion；　get　through　and　take　out　whoever　remains　at　the　woman's　villa…make　sure　your　silencer　is　secure。　Then　go　inside　and　do　the　work　you　have　sworn　to　do。〃
　〃So　I　wait　for　the　fire；　for　the　guards　and　for　you　to　return　to　Number　Eleven。〃
　〃Exactly。　Stay　on　the　porch　with　the　door　closed；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃It　may　take　me　five　minutes　or　perhaps　even　twenty；　but　stay　there。〃
　〃Naturally。　。。。　May　I　ask；　madame…or　perhaps　mademoiselle；　although　I　see　no　evidence…〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃It　will　take　you　five　or　twenty　minutes　to　do　what？〃
　〃You're　a　fool；　old　man。　What　must　be　done。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　The　nurse　pulled　her　raincoat　around　her；　looped　the　belt　and　walked　to　the　front　door　of　the　villa。　〃Get　your　equipment　together　and　be　out　here　in　three　minutes；〃　she　manded。
　〃Of　course。〃　The　door　swung　back　with　the　wind　as　the　woman　opened　it；　she　went　outside　into　the　torrential　rain；　pulling　it　shut　behind　her。　Astonished　and　confused；　the　old　Frenchman　stood　motionless；　trying　to　make　sense　out　of　the　inexplicable。　Things　were　happening　too　fast　for　him；　blurred　in　the　agony　of　his　woman's　death。　There　was　no　time　to　mourn；　no　time　to　feel。　。。。　Only　think　and　think　quickly。　Revelation　came　hard　upon　revelation；　leaving　unanswered　questions　that　had　to　be　answered　so　the　whole　could　be　understood…so　that　Montserrat　itself　made　sense！
　The　nurse　was　more　than　a　conduit　for　instructions　from　Argenteuil；　the　angel　of　mercy　was　herself　an　angel　of　death；　a　killer　in　her　own　right。　So　why　was　he　sent　thousands　of　miles　to　do　the　work　another　could　do　just　as　well　and　without　the　elaborate　charade　of　his　auspicious　arrival？　An　old　hero　of　France；　indeed　。。。　it　was　all　so　unnecessary。　And　speaking　of　age；　there　was　another…another　old　man　who　was　no　killer　at　all。　Perhaps；　thought　the　false　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine；　he　had　made　a　terrible　mistake。　Perhaps；　instead　of　ing　to　kill　him；　the　other　〃old　man〃　had　e　to　warn　him！
　〃Mon　Dieu；〃　whispered　the　Frenchman。　〃The　old　men　of　Paris；　the　Jackal's　army！　Too　many　questions！〃　Fontaine　walked　rapidly　to　the　nurse's　bedroom　door　and　opened　it。　With　the　swiftness　developed　over　a　lifetime　of　practice；　impaired　only　slightly　by　his　years；　he　began　methodically　to　tear　apart　the　woman's　room…suitcase；　closet；　clothes；　pillows；　mattress；　bureau；　dressing　table；　writing　desk　。。。　the　desk。　A　locked　drawer　in　the　desk…a　locked　drawer　in　the　outer　room。　The　〃equipment。〃　Nothing　mattered　now！　His　woman　was　gone　and　there　were　too　many　questions！
　A　heavy　lamp　on　the　desk　with　a　thick　brass　base…he　picked　it　up；　pulling　out　the　cord；　and　smashed　it　into　the　drawer。　Again　and　again　and　again　until　the　wood　splintered；　shattering　the　recess　that　held　the　tiny　vertical　latch。　He　yanked　the　drawer　open　and　stared　in　equal　parts　of　horror　and　prehension　at　what　he　saw。
　Next　to　each　other　in　a　cushioned　plastic　case　were　two　hypodermic　needles；　their　vials　filled　with　an　identical　yellowish　serum。　He　did　not　have　to　know　the　chemical　pounds；　there　were　too　many　beyond　his　knowledge　that　would　be　effective。　Liquid　death　in　the　veins。
　Nor　did　he　have　to　be　told　for　whom　they　were　intended。　C？te　а　c？te　dans　le　lit。　Two　bodies　beside　each　other　in　bed。　He　and　his　woman　in　a　pact　of　final　deliverance。　How　thoroughly　had　the　monseigneur　thought　everything　out！　Himself　dead！　One　dead　old　man　from　the　Jackal's　army　of　old　men　had　outwitted　all　the　security　procedures；　killing　and　mutilating　those　dearest　to　Carlos's　ultimate　enemy；　Jason　Bourne。　And；　naturally；　behind　that　brilliant　manipulation　was　the　Jackal　himself。
　Ce　n'est　pas　le　contrat！　Myself；　yes；　but　not　my　woman！　You　promised　me！
　The　nurse。　The　angel　not　of　mercy　but　of　death！　The　man　known　on　Tranquility　Isle　as　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine　walked　as　fast　as　he　could　into　the　other　room。　To　his　equipment。
　The　huge　silver　racing　craft　with　its　two　enormous　engines　crashed　through　the　swells　as　often　above　the　waves　as　in　them。　On　the　short　low　bridge；　John　St。　Jacques　maneuvered　the　drug　boat　through　the　dangerous　reefs　he　knew　by　summoned　memory；　aided　by　the　powerful　searchlight　that　lit　up　the　turbulent　waters；　now　twenty；　now　two　hundred　feet　in　front　of　the　bow。　He　kept　screaming　into　his　radio；　the　microphone　weaving　in　front　of　his　drenched　face；　hoping　against　all　logic　to　raise　someone　on　Tranquility。
　He　was　within　three　miles　of　the　island；　a　shrubbed　volcanic　intrusion　on　the　water　his　landmark。　Tranquility　Isle　was　in　kilometers　much　nearer　Plymouth　than　to　Blackburne　Airport；　and　if　one　knew　the　shoals；　not　much　longer　to　reach　in　a　drug　boat　than　in　a　seaplane；　which　had　to　bank　east　out　of　Blackburne　to　catch　the　prevailing　west　winds　in　order　to　land　on　the　sea。　Johnny　was　not　sure　why　these　calculations　kept　interfering　with　his　concentration　except　that　somehow　they　made　him　feel　better；　that　he　was　doing　the　best　he　could…　Damn　it！　Why　was　it　always　the　best　he　could　do　rather　than　simply　the　best？　He　couldn't　louse　up　anymore；　not　now；　not　tonight！　Christ；　he　owed　everything　to　Mare　and　David！　Maybe　even　more　to　the　crazy　bastard　who　was　his　brother…in…law　than　to　his　own　sister。　David；　wild…nuts　David；　a　man　he　sometimes　wondered　if　Marie　ever　knew　existed！
　〃You　back　off　little　Bro；　I'll　take　care　of　this。〃
　〃You　can't；　David；　I　did　it。　I　killed　them！〃
　〃I　said　'Back　off。'　〃
　'I　asked　for　your　help；　not　for　you　to　be　me！〃
　〃But　you　see　I　am　you。　I　would　have　done　the　same　thing　and　that　makes　me　you　in　my　eyes。〃
　〃That's　crazy！〃
　〃It's　part　of　it。　Someday　I　may　teach　you　how　to　kill　cleanly；　in　the　dark　In　the　meantime；　listen　to　the　lawyers。〃
　〃Suppose　they　lose？〃
　〃I'll　get　you　out。　I'll　get　you　away。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃I'll　kill　again。〃
　〃I　can't　believe　you！　A　teacher；　a　scholar…I　don't　believe　you；　I　don't　want　to　believe　you…you're　my　sister's　husband。〃
　〃Then　don't　believe　me；　Johnny。　And　forget　everything　I've　said；　and　never　tell　your　sister　I　said　it。〃
　〃It's　that　other　person　inside　of　you；　isn't　it？〃
　〃You're　very　dear　to　Marie。〃
　〃That's　no　answer！　Here；　now；　you're　Bourne；　aren't　you？　Jason　Bourne！〃
　〃We'll　never；　ever；　discuss　this　conversation；　Johnny。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　No；　he　had　never　understood；　thought　St。　Jacques；　as　the　swirling　winds　and　the　cracks　of　lightning　seemed　to　envelop　the　boat。　Even　when　Marie　and　David　appealed　to　his　rapidly　disintegrating　ego　by　suggesting　he　could　build　a　new　life　for　himself　in　the　islands。　Seed　money；　they　had　said；　build　us　a　house　and　then　see　where　you　want　to　go　from　there。　Within　limits；　we'll　back　you。　Why　would　they　do　that？　Why　did　they？
　It　was　not　〃they；〃　it　was　he。　Jason　Bourne。
　Johnny　St。　Jacques　understood　the　other　morning　when　he　picked　up　the　phone　by　the　pool　and　was　told　by　an　island　pilot　that　someone　had　been　asking　questions　at　the　airport　about　a　woman　and　two　children。
　Someday　I　may　teach　you　how　to　kill　cleanly；　in　the　dark。　Jason　Bourne。
　Lights！　He　saw　the　beach　lights　o