rl.thebourneultimatum-第39部分

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ents；　I　thought　it　logical　to　pursue　the　inquiry。　After　all；　if　the　little　I　knew　brought　so　much；　how　much　more　might　e　to　me　if　I　learned　a　little　more？〃
　〃You　talk　of　Gallic　logic；　monsieur？〃　inserted　the　Frenchman。
　〃It's　simple　interrogatory　progression；〃　replied　the　former　judge；　briefly　glancing　at　Jean　Pierre　before　turning　back　to　Marie。　〃However；　my　dear；　I　may　have　glossed　over　an　item　that　was　extremely　helpful　in　negotiations　with　my　client。　To　put　it　plainly；　your　identity　was　being　withheld　and　protected　by　the　government。　It　was　a　strong　point　that　frightened　a　very　strong　and　influential　man。〃
　〃I　want　his　name；〃　said　Marie。
　〃Then　I　must　have　protection；　too；〃　rejoined　Prefontaine。
　〃You'll　have　it…〃
　〃And　perhaps　something　more；〃　continued　the　old　disbarred　attorney。　〃My　client　has　no　idea　I　came　here；　no　knowledge　of　what's　happened；　all　of　which　might　fuel　the　fires　of　his　largess　if　I　described　what　I've　experienced　and　observed。　He'd　be　frightened　out　of　his　mind　even　to　be　associated　with　such　events。　Also；　considering　the　fact　that　I　was　nearly　killed　by　that　Teutonic　Amazon；　I　really　deserve　more。〃
　〃Am　I　then　to　be　rewarded　for　saving　your　life；　monsieur？〃
　〃If　I　had　anything　of　value…other　than　my　legal　expertise；　which　is　yours…I'd　happily　share　it。　If　I'm　given　anything；　that　still　holds；　Cousin。〃
　〃Merci　bien；　Cousin。〃
　〃D'accord；　mon　ami；　but　never　let　the　Irish　nuns　hear　us。〃
　〃You　don't　look　like　a　poor　man；　Judge；〃　said　John　St。　Jacques。
　〃Then　appearances　are　as　deceiving　as　a　long…forgotten　title　you　so　generously　use。　。。。　I　should　add　that　my　wants　are　not　extravagant；　for　there's　no　one　but　myself；　and　my　creature　forts　do　not　require　luxury。〃
　〃You've　lost　your　woman；　too；　then？〃
　〃Not　that　it's　any　of　your　damn　business；　but　my　wife　left　me　twenty…nine　years　ago；　and　my　thirty…eight…year…old　son；　now　a　successful　attorney　on　Wall　Street；　uses　her　name　and　when　questioned　by　curious　people　tells　them　he　never　knew　me。　I　haven't　seen　him　since　he　was　ten；　it　was　not　in　his　interest；　you　understand。〃
　〃Quelle　tristesse。〃
　〃Quel　bullshit；　Cousin。　That　boy　got　his　brains　from　me；　not　from　the　airhead　who　bore　him。　。。。　However；　we　stray。　My　French　pureblood　here　has　his　own　reasons…obviously　based　on　betrayal…for　cooperating　with　you。　I　have　equally　strong　reasons　for　wanting　to　help　you；　too；　but　I　must　also　consider　myself。　My　aged　new　friend　can　go　back　and　live　what's　left　of　his　life　in　Paris；　whereas　I　have　no　place　to　go　but　Boston　and　the　few　opportunities　I've　developed　over　the　years　to　eke　out　a　living。　Therefore　my　deep…seated　motives　for　wanting　to　help　must　themselves　take　a　backseat。　With　what　I　know　now　I　wouldn't　last　five　minutes　in　the　streets　of　Boston。〃
　〃Breakthrough；〃　said　John　St。　Jacques；　staring　at　Prefontaine。　〃I'm　sorry；　Judge；　we　don't　need　you。〃
　〃What？〃　Marie　sat　forward　in　her　chair。　〃Please；　Bro；　we　need　all　the　help　we　can　get！〃
　〃Not　in　this　case。　We　know　who　hired　him。〃
　〃We　do？〃
　〃Conklin　knows；　he　called　it　a　'breakthrough。'　He　told　me　that　the　man　who　traced　you　and　the　children　here　used　a　judge　to　find　you。〃　The　brother　nodded　across　the　table　at　the　Bostonian。　〃Him。　It's　why　I　smashed　up　a　hundred…thousand…dollar　boat　to　get　back　over　here。　Conklin　knows　who　his　client　is。〃
　Prefontaine　again　glanced　at　the　old　Frenchman。　〃Now　is　the　time　for　'Quelle　tristesse；'　Sir　Hero。　I'm　left　with　nothing。　My　persistence　brought　me　only　a　sore　throat　and　a　burned　scalp。〃
　〃Not　necessarily；〃　interrupted　Marie。　〃You're　the　attorney；　so　I　shouldn't　have　to　tell　you。　Corroboration　is　cooperation。　We　may　want　you　to　tell　everything　you　know　to　certain　people　in　Washington。〃
　〃Corroboration　can　be　obtained　with　a　subpoena；　my　dear。　Under　oath　in　a　courtroom；　take　my　personal　as　well　as　my　professional　word　for　it。〃
　〃We　won't　be　going　to　court。　Ever。〃
　〃Oh？　。。。　I　see。〃
　〃You　couldn't　possibly；　Judge；　not　at　this　juncture。　However；　if　you　agree　to　help　us　you'll　be　well　paid。　。。。　A　moment　ago　you　said　that　you　had　strong　reasons　for　wanting　to　help；　reasons　that　had　to　be　secondary　to　your　own　well…being…〃
　〃Are　you　by　any　chance　a　lawyer；　my　dear？〃
　〃No；　an　economist。〃
　〃Holy　Mary；　that's　worse。　。。。　About　my　reasons？〃
　〃Do　they　concern　your　client；　the　man　who　hired　you　to　trace　us？〃
　〃They　do。　His　august　persona…as　in　Caesar　Augustus…should　be　trashed。　Slippery；　intellectuality　aside；　he's　a　whore。　He　had　promise　once；　more　than　I　let　him　know；　but　he　let　it　all　go　by　the　boards　in　a　flamboyant　quest　for　his　own　personal　grail。〃
　〃What　the　hell's　he　talking　about；　Mare？〃
　〃A　man　with　a　great　deal　of　influence　or　power；　neither　of　which　he　should　have；　I　think。　Our　convicted　felon　here　has　e　to　grips　with　personal　morality。〃
　〃Is　that　an　economist　speaking？〃　asked　Prefontaine；　once　more　absently　touching　the　blistered　flesh　of　his　neck。　〃An　economist　reflecting　on　her　last　inaccurate　projection　that　caused　in　appropriate　buying　or　selling　on　the　stock　exchanges；　resulting　in　losses　many　could　afford　and　many　more　could　not？〃
　〃My　voice　was　never　that　important；　but　I'll　grant　you　it's　the　reflection　of　a　great　many　others　whose　projections　were；　because　they　never　risked；　they　only　theorized。　It's　a　safe　position。　。。。　Yours　isn't；　Judge。　You　may　need　the　protection　we　can　provide。　What's　your　answer？〃
　〃Jesus；　Mary　and　Joseph；　you're　a　cold　one…〃
　〃I　have　to　be；〃　said　Marie；　her　eyes　leveled　on　the　man　from　Boston。　〃I　want　you　with　us；　but　I　won't　beg；　I'll　simply　leave　you　with　nothing　and　you　can　go　back　to　the　streets　in　Boston。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　you're　not　a　lawyer…or　perhaps　a　lord　high　executioner？〃
　〃Take　your　choice。　Just　give　me　your　answer。〃
　〃Will　somebody　tell　me　what　the　hell　is　going　on　here！〃　yelled　John　St。　Jacques。
　〃Your　sister；〃　answered　Prefontaine；　his　gentle　gaze　on　Marie；　〃has　enlisted　a　recruit。　She's　made　the　options　clear；　which　every　attorney　understands；　and　the　inevitability　of　her　logic；　in　addition　to　her　lovely　face；　crowned　by　that　dark　red　hair；　makes　my　decision　also　inevitable。〃
　〃What　。。。？〃
　〃He's　opted　for　our　side；　Johnny。　Forget　it。〃
　〃What　do　we　need　him　for？〃
　〃Without　a　courtroom　a　dozen　different　reasons；　young　man；〃　answered　the　judge。　〃In　certain　situations；　volunteerism　is　not　the　best　road　to　take　unless　one　is　thoroughly　protected　beyond　the　courts。〃
　〃Is　that　right；　Sis？〃
　〃It's　not　wrong；　Bro；　but　it's　up　to　Jason…damn　it…David！〃
　〃No；　Mare；〃　said　John　St。　Jacques；　his　eyes　boring　into　his　sister's。　〃It's　up　to　Jason。〃
　〃Are　these　names　I　should　be　aware　of？〃　asked　Prefontaine。　〃The　name　'Jason　Bourne'　was　sprayed　on　the　wall　of　your　villa。〃
　〃My　instructions；　Cousin；〃　said　the　false　yet　not　so　false　hero　of　France。　〃It　was　necessary。〃
　〃I　don't　understand　。。。　any　more　than　I　understood　the　other　name；　the　'Jackal；'　or　'Carlos；'　which　you　both　rather　brutally　questioned　me　about　when　I　wasn't　sure　whether　I　was　dead　or　alive。　I　thought　the　'Jackal'　was　fiction。〃
　The　old　man　called　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine　looked　at　Marie；　she　nodded。　〃Carlos　the　Jackal　is　a　legend；　but　he　is　not　fiction。　He's　a　professional　killer　now　in　his　sixties；　rumored　to　be　ill；　but　still　possessed　with　a　terrible　hatred。　He's　a　man　of　many　faces；　many　sides；　some　loved　by　those　who　have　reasons　to　love　him；　others　detested　by　those　who　consider　him　the　essence　of　evil…and　depending　on　the　view；　all　have　their　reasons　for　being　correct。　I　am　an　example　of　one　who　has　experienced　both　viewpoints；　but　then　my　world　is　hardly　yours；　as　you　rightly　suggested；　St。　Thomas　of　Aquinas。〃
　〃Merci　bien。〃
　〃But　the　hatred　that　obsesses　Carlos　grows　like　a　cancer　in　his　aging　brain。　One　man　drew　him　out；　one　man　tricked　him；　usurped　his　kills；　taking　credit　for　the　Jackal's　work；　kill　after　kill；　driving　Carlos　mad　when　he　was　trying　to　correct　the　record；　trying　to　maintain　his　supremacy　as　the　ultimate　assassin。　That　same　man　was　responsible　for　the　death　of　his　lover…but　one　far　more　than　a　lover；　the　woman　who　was　his　keel；　his　beloved　since　childhood　in　Venezuela；　his　colleague　in　all　things。　That　single　man；　one　of　hundreds；　perhaps　thousands　sent　out　by　governments　everywhere；　was　the　only　one　who　ever　saw　his　face…as　the　Jackal。　The　man　who　did　all　this　was　a　product　of　American　intelligence；　a　strange　man　who　lived　a　deadly　lie　every　day　of　his　life　for　three　years。　And　Carlos　will　not　rest　until　that　man　is　punished　。。。　and　killed。　The　man　is　Jason　Bourne。〃
　Squinting；　stunned　by　the　Frenchman's　story；　Prefontaine　leaned　forward　over　the　table。　〃Who　is　Jason　Bourne？〃　he　asked。
　〃My　husband；　David　Webb；〃　replied　Marie。
　〃Oh；　my　God；〃　whispered　the　judge。　〃May　I　have　a　drink；　please？〃
　John　St。　Jacques　called　out。　〃Ronald！〃
　〃Yes；　boss…mon！〃　cried　from　within　the　guard　whose　strong　hands　had　held　his　employer's　shoulders　an　hour　ago　in　Villa　Twenty。
　〃Bring　us　some　whisky　and　brandy；　please。　The　bar　should　be　stocked。〃
　〃in'；　sir。〃
　The　orange　sun　in　the　east　suddenly　took　fire；　its　rays　penetrating　what　was　left　of　the　sea　mists　of　dawn。　The　silence　around　the　table　was　broken　by　the　soft；　heavily　accented　words　of　the　old　Frenchman。　〃I　am　not　used　to　such　service；〃　he　said；　looking　aimlessly　beyond　the　railing　of　the　balcony　at　the　progressively　bright　waters　of　the　Caribbean。　〃When　something　is　asked　for；　I　always　think　the　task　should　be　mine。〃
　〃Not　anymore；〃　said　Marie　quietly；　then　after　a　beat；　adding；　〃。。。　Jean　Pierre。〃
　〃I　suppose　one　could　live　with　that　name。　。。。〃
　〃Why　not　here？〃
　〃Qu'est…ce　que　vous　dites；　madame？〃
　〃Think　about　it。　Paris　might　not　be　any　less　dangerous　for　you　than　the　streets　of　Boston　for　our　judge。〃
　The　judge　in　question　was　lost　in　his　own　aimless　reverie　as　several　bottles；　glasses　and　a　bucket　of　ice　were　brought　to　the　table。　With　no　hesitation；　Prefontaine　reached　out　and　poured　himself　an　extravagant　drink　from　the　bottle　nearest　him。　〃I　must　ask　a　question　or　two；〃　he　said　emphatically。　〃Is　that　proper？〃
　〃Go　ahead；〃　replied　Marie。　〃I'm　not　sure　I　can　or　will　answer　you；　but　try　me。〃
　〃The　gunshots；　the　spray　paint　on　the　wall…my　'cousin'　here　says　the　red　paint　and　the　words　were　by　his　i