rl.thebourneultimatum-第38部分

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　Someday　I　may　teach　you　how　to　kill　cleanly；　in　the　dark。　Jason　Bourne。
　Lights！　He　saw　the　beach　lights　of　Tranquility。　He　was　less　than　a　mile　from　the　shore！
　The　rain　pounded　down　against　the　old　Frenchman；　the　blasts　of　wind　throwing　him　off　balance　as　he　made　his　way　up　the　path　toward　Villa　Fourteen。　He　angled　his　head　against　the　elements；　squinting；　wiping　his　face　with　his　left　hand；　his　right　gripping　the　weapon；　a　gun　lengthened　by　the　extension　of　the　pocked　cylinder　that　was　its　silencer。　He　held　the　pistol　behind　him　as　he　had　done　years　ago　racing　along　railroad　tracks；　sticks　of　dynamite　in　one　hand；　a　German　Luger　in　the　other；　prepared　to　drop　both　at　the　appearance　of　Nazi　patrols。
　Whoever　they　were　on　the　path　above；　they　were　no　less　than　the　Boche　in　his　mind。　All　were　Boche！　He　had　been　subservient　to　others　long　enough！　His　woman　was　gone；　he　would　be　his　own　man　now；　for　there　was　nothing　left　but　his　own　decisions；　his　own　feelings；　his　own　very　private　sense　of　what　was　right　and　what　was　wrong。　。。。　And　the　Jackal　was　wrong！　The　apostle　of　Carlos　could　accept　the　killing　of　the　woman；　it　was　a　debt　he　could　rationalize；　but　not　the　children；　and　certainly　not　the　mutilations。　Those　acts　were　against　God；　and　he　and　his　woman　were　about　to　face　Him；　there　had　to　be　certain　ameliorating　circumstances。
　Stop　the　angel　of　death！　What　could　she　be　doing？　What　did　the　fire　she　talked　about　mean？　。。。　Then　he　saw　it…a　huge　burst　of　flame　through　the　hedges　of　Villa　Fourteen。　In　a　window！　The　same　window　that　had　to　be　the　bedroom　of　the　luxurious　pink　cottage。
　Fontaine　reached　the　flagstone　walk　that　led　to　the　front　door　as　a　bolt　of　lightning　shook　the　ground　under　him。　He　fell　to　the　earth；　then　struggled　to　his　knees；　crawling　to　the　pink　porch；　its　fluttering　overhead　light　outlining　the　door。　No　amount　of　twisting　or　pulling　or　shoving　could　release　the　latch；　so　he　angled　his　pistol　up；　squeezed　the　trigger　twice　and　blew　the　lock　apart。　He　pushed　himself　to　his　feet　and　went　inside。
　Inside。　The　screams　came　from　beyond　the　door　of　the　master　bedroom。　The　old　Frenchman　lurched　toward　it；　his　legs　unsteady；　his　weapon　wavering　in　his　right　hand。　With　what　strength　he　had　left；　he　kicked　the　door　open　and　observed　a　scene　that　he　knew　had　to　e　from　hell。
　The　nurse；　with　the　old　man's　head　in　a　metal　leash；　was　forcing　her　victim　down　into　a　raging　kerosene　fire　on　the　floor。
　〃Arêtes！〃　screamed　the　man　called　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine。　〃Assez！　Maintenant！〃
　Through　the　rising；　spreading　flames；　shots　rang　out　and　bodies　fell。
　
　The　lights　of　Tranquility's　beach　drew　nearer　as　John　St。　Jacques　kept　yelling　into　the　microphone：　〃It's　me！　It's　Saint　Jay　ing　in！　Don't　shoot！〃
　But　the　sleek　silver　drug　boat　was　greeted　by　the　staccato　gunfire　of　automatic　weapons。　St。　Jacques　dived　to　the　deck　and　kept　shouting。　〃I'm　ing　in…I'm　beaching！　Hold　your　goddamned　fire！〃
　〃Is　that　you；　mon？〃　came　a　panicked　voice　over　the　radio。
　〃You　want　to　get　paid　next　week？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　Mr。　Saint　Jay！〃　The　loudspeakers　on　the　beach　erratically　interrupted　the　winds　and　the　thunder　out　of　Basse…Terre。　〃Everyone　down　on　the　beach；　stop　shooting　your　guns！　The　bo…att　is　okay；　mon！　It　is　our　boss　mon；　Mr。　Saint　Jay！〃
　The　drug　boat　shot　out　of　the　water　and　onto　the　dark　sand；　its　engines　screaming；　the　blades　instantly　embedded；　the　pointed　hull　cracking　under　the　impact。　St。　Jacques　leaped　up　from　his　defensive　fetal　position　and　vaulted　over　the　gunwale。　〃Villa　Twenty！〃　he　roared；　racing　through　the　downpour　across　the　beach　to　the　stone　steps　that　led　to　the　path。　〃All　you　men；　get　there！〃
　As　he　ran　up　the　hard；　rain…splattered　staircase　he　suddenly　gasped；　his　personal　galaxy　exploding　into　a　thousand　blinding　stars　of　fire。　Gunshots！　One　after　another。　On　the　east　wing　of　the　path！　His　legs　cycled　faster　and　faster；　leaping　over　two　and　three　steps　at　a　time；　he　reached　the　path　and　like　a　man　possessed　raced　up　the　path　toward　Villa　Twenty；　snapping　his　head　to　the　right　in　furious　confusion　that　only　added　to　his　panic。　People…men　and　woman　from　his　staff…were　clustered　around　the　doorway　of　Villa　Fourteen！　。。。　Who　was　there？　。。。　My　God；　the　judge！
　His　lungs　bursting；　every　muscle　and　tendon　in　his　legs　stretched　to　the　breaking　point；　St。　Jacques　reached　his　sister's　house。　He　crashed　through　the　gate；　and　ran　to　the　door；　hurling　his　body　against　it　and　bursting　through　to　the　room　inside。　Eyes　bulging　first　in　horror；　then　in　unmeasurable　pain；　he　fell　to　his　knees；　screaming。　On　the　white　wall　with　terrible　clarity　were　the　words　scrawled　in　dark　red：
　Jason　Bourne；　brother　of　the　Jackal。
　
　14
　〃Johnny！　Johnny；　stop　it！〃　His　sister's　voice　crashed　into　his　ear　as　she　cradled　his　head　in　one　arm；　the　other　extended　above　him；　her　free　hand　gripping　his　hair；　nearly　pulling　it　out　of　his　skull。　〃Can　you　hear　me？　We're　all　right；　Bro！　The　children　are　in　another　villa…we're　fine！〃
　The　faces　above　him　and　around　him　came　slowly　into　focus。　Among　them　were　the　two　old　men；　one　from　Boston；　the　other　from　Paris。　〃There　they　are！〃　screamed　St。　Jacques；　lurching　up　but　stopped　by　Marie；　who　fell　across　him。　〃I'll　kill　the　bastards！〃
　〃No！〃　roared　his　sister；　holding　him；　helped　by　a　guard　whose　strong　black　hands　gripped　her　brother's　shoulders。　〃At　this　moment　they're　two　of　the　best　friends　we　have。〃
　〃You　don't　know　who　they　are！〃　cried　St。　Jacques；　trying　to　free　himself。
　〃Yes；　we　do；〃　broke　in　Marie；　lowering　her　voice；　her　lips　next　to　his　ear。　〃Enough　to　know　they　can　lead　us　to　the　Jackal…〃
　〃They　work　for　the　Jackal！〃
　〃One　did；〃　said　the　sister。　〃The　other　never　heard　of　Carlos。〃
　〃You　don't　understand！〃　whispered　St。　Jacques。　〃They're　old　men…'the　old　men　of　Paris；'　the　Jackal's　army！　Conklin　reached　me　in　Plymouth　and　explained　。。。　they're　killers！〃
　〃Again；　one　was　but　he's　not　anymore；　he　has　nothing　to　kill　for　now。　The　other　。。。　well；　the　other's　a　mistake；　a　stupid；　outrageous　mistake；　but　that's　all　he　is；　and　thank　God　for　it…for　him。〃
　〃It's　all　crazy　。。。　！〃
　〃It's　crazy；〃　agreed　Marie；　nodding　to　the　guard　to　help　her　brother　up。　〃e　on；　Johnny；　we　have　things　to　talk　about。〃
　The　storm　had　blown　away　like　a　violent；　unwanted　intruder　racing　off　into　the　night　leaving　behind　the　carnage　of　its　rage。　The　early　morning　light　broke　over　the　eastern　horizon；　slowly　revealing　through　the　mists　the　blue…green　out　islands　of　Montserrat。　The　first　boats　cautiously；　dolefully　lumbered　out　to　the　favored　fishing　grounds；　for　the　catch　of　the　day　meant　one　more　day's　survival。　Marie；　her　brother　and　the　two　old　men　were　around　a　table　on　the　balcony　of　an　unoccupied　villa。　Over　coffee；　they　had　been　talking　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　treating　each　point　of　horror　coldly；　dissecting　facts　without　feeling。　The　aged　false　hero　of　France　had　been　assured　that　all　proper　arrangements　would　be　made　for　his　woman　once　phone　service　had　been　restored　to　the　big　island。　If　it　was　possible；　he　wanted　her　to　be　buried　in　the　islands；　she　would　understand。　There　was　nothing　left　for　her　in　France　but　the　ignominy　of　a　tawdry　grave。　If　it　was　possible…
　〃It's　possible；〃　said　St。　Jacques。　〃Because　of　you　my　sister's　alive。〃
　〃Because　of　me；　young　man；　she　might　have　died。〃
　〃Would　you　have　killed　me？〃　asked　Marie；　studying　the　old　Frenchman。
　〃Certainly　not　after　I　saw　what　Carlos　had　planned　for　me　and　my　woman。　He　had　broken　the　contract；　not　I。〃
　〃Before　then。〃
　〃When　I　had　not　yet　seen　the　needles；　understood　what　was　all　too　obvious？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃That's　difficult　to　answer；　a　contract's　a　contract。　Still；　my　woman　was　dead；　and　a　part　of　her　dying　was　because　she　sensed　that　a　terrible　thing　had　been　demanded　of　me。　To　go　through　with　that　demand　would　deny　that　aspect　of　her　death；　don't　you　see？　Yet　again；　even　in　her　death；　the　monseigneur　could　not　be　totally　denied…he　had　made　possible　years　of　relative　happiness　that　would　have　been　impossible　without　him。　。。。　I　simply　don't　know。　I　might　have　reasoned　that　I　owed　him　your　life…your　death…but　certainly　not　the　children's　。。。　and　most　certainly　not　the　rest　of　it。〃
　〃Rest　of　what？〃　asked　St。　Jacques。
　〃It's　best　not　to　inquire。〃
　〃I　think　you　would　have　killed　me；〃　said　Marie。
　〃I　tell　you；　I　simply　don't　know。　There　was　nothing　personal。　You　were　not　a　person　to　me；　you　were　simply　an　event　that　was　part　of　a　business　arrangement。　。。。　Still；　as　I　say；　my　woman　was　gone；　and　I'm　an　old　man　with　limited　time　before　me。　Perhaps　a　look　in　your　eyes　or　a　plea　for　your　children…who　knows；　I　might　have　turned　the　pistol　on　myself。　Then　again；　I　might　not　have。〃
　〃Jesus；　you　are　a　killer；〃　said　the　brother　quietly。
　〃I　am　many　things；　monsieur。　I　don't　ask　forgiveness　in　this　world；　the　other's　another　question。　There　were　always　circumstances…〃
　〃Gallic　logic；〃　remarked　Brendan　Patrick　Pierre　Prefontaine；　former　judge　of　the　first　circuit　court　in　Boston；　as　he　absently　touched　the　raw　tender　skin　of　his　neck　below　his　singed　white　hair。　〃Thank　heavens　I　never　had　to　argue　before　les　tribunals；　neither　side　is　ever　actually　wrong。〃　The　disbarred　attorney　chuckled。　〃You　see　before　you　a　felon；　justly　tried　and　justly　convicted。　The　only　exculpatory　aspect　of　my　crimes　is　that　I　was　caught　and　so　many　others　were　not　and　are　not。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　are　related；　after　all；　Monsieur　le　Juge。〃
　〃By　parison；　sir；　my　life　is　far　closer　to　that　of　St。　Thomas　Aquinas…〃
　〃Blackmail；〃　interrupted　Marie。
　〃No；　actually　the　charge　was　malfeasance。　Accepting　remunerations　for　favorable　decisions；　that　sort　of　thing。　。。。　My　God；　we're　hound's…tooth　Boston！　In　New　York　City　it's　standard　procedure：　Leave　your　money　with　the　bailiff；　enough　for　everyone。〃
　〃I'm　not　referring　to　Boston；　I'm　talking　about　why　you're　here。　It's　blackmail。〃
　〃That's　an　oversimplification　but　essentially　correct。　As　I　told　you；　the　man　who　paid　me　to　find　out　where　you'd　gone　also　paid　me　an　additional　large　sum　of　money　to　keep　the　information　to　myself。　Under　the　circumstances；　and　because　I　have　no　pressing　schedule　of　appointments；　I　thought　it　logical　to　pursue　the　inquiry。　After　all；　if　the　little　I　knew　brought