rl.thebourneultimatum-第50部分

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　〃I　did　and　it　was　right。　Carlos　may　have　his　own　radio　by　now。　He's　not　alone；　you　know。　It's　why　I've　been　wandering　around　looking　for　you。　Then　it　occurred　to　me　that　you　and　your　brother…in…law　might　be　up　here　in　his　office；　a　headquarters；　as　it　were。〃
　〃It's　not　very　smart　for　you　to　be　walking　around　out　in　the　open。〃
　〃I'm　not　an　idiot；　monsieur。　I　would　have　perished　long　before　now　if　I　were。　Wherever　I　walked　I　did　so　with　great　caution。　。。。　In　truth；　it's　why　I　made　up　my　mind　to　find　you；　assuming　you　were　not　dead。〃
　〃I'm　not　and　you　found　me。　What　is　it？　You　and　the　judge　are　supposed　to　be　in　an　empty　villa　somewhere；　not　wandering　around。〃
　〃We　are；　we　were。　You　see；　I　have　a　plan；　a　stratageme；　I　believe　would　interest　you。　I　discussed　it　with　Brendan…〃
　〃Brendan？〃
　〃His　name；　monsieur。　He　thinks　my　plan　has　merit　and　he's　a　brilliant　man；　very　sagace…〃
　〃Shrewd？　Yes；　I'm　sure　he　is；　but　he's　not　in　our　business。〃
　〃He's　a　survivor。　In　that　sense　we　are　all　in　the　same　business。　He　thinks　there　is　a　degree　of　risk；　but　what　plan　under　these　circumstances　is　without　risk？〃
　〃What's　your　plan？〃
　〃It　is　a　means　to　trap　the　Jackal　with　minimum　danger　to　the　other　people　here。〃
　〃That　really　worries　you；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃I　told　you　why；　so　there's　no　reason　to　repeat　it。　There　are　men　and　women　together　out　there…〃
　〃Go　on；〃　broke　in　Bourne；　irritated。　〃What's　this　strategy　of　yours；　and　you'd　better　understand　that　I　intend　to　take　out　the　Jackal　if　I　have　to　hold　this　whole　goddamned　island　hostage。　I'm　not　in　a　giving　mood。　I've　given　too　much。〃
　〃So　you　and　Carlos　stalk　each　other　in　the　night？　Two　crazed　middle…aged　hunters　obsessed　with　killing　each　other；　not　caring　who　else　is　killed　or　wounded　or　maimed　for　life　in　the　bargain？〃
　〃You　want　passion；　go　to　a　church　and　appeal　to　that　God　of　yours　who　pisses　on　this　planet！　He's　either　got　one　hell　of　a　warped　sense　of　humor　or　he's　a　sadist。　Now　either　talk　sense　or　I'm　getting　out　of　here。〃
　〃I've　thought　this　out…〃
　〃Talk！〃
　〃I　know　the　monseigneur；　know　the　way　he　thinks。　He　planned　the　death　of　my　woman　and　me　but　not　to　coincide　with　yours；　not　in　a　way　that　would　detract　from　the　high　drama　of　his　immediate　victory　over　you。　It　would　e　later。　The　revelation　that　I；　the　so…called　hero　of　France；　was　in　reality　the　Jackal's　instrument；　his　creation；　would　be　the　final　proof　of　his　triumph。　Don't　you　see？〃
　Briefly　silent；　Jason　studied　the　old　man。　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　he　replied　quietly。　〃Not　that　I　ever　figured　on　someone　like　you；　but　that　approach　is　the　basis　of　everything　I　believe。　He's　a　megalomaniac。　In　his　head　he's　the　king　of　hell　and　wants　the　world　to　recognize　him　and　his　throne。　By　his　lights；　his　genius　has　been　overlooked；　relegated　to　the　level　of　punk　killers　and　Mafia　hit　men。　He　wants　trumpets　and　drums；　when　all　he　hears　are　tired　sirens　and　weary　questions　in　police　lineups。〃
　〃C'est　vrai。　He　once　plained　to　me　that　almost　no　one　in　America　knew　who　he　was。〃
　〃They　don't。　They　think　he's　a　character　out　of　novels　or　films；　if　they　think　about　him　at　all。　He　tried　to　make　up　for　that　thirteen　years　ago；　when　he　flew　over　from　Paris　to　New　York　to　kill　me。〃
　〃Correction；　monsieur。　You　forced　him　to　go　after　you。〃
　〃It's　history。　What's　all　this　got　to　do　with　now；　tonight　。。。　your　plan？〃
　〃It　provides　us　with　a　way　to　force　the　Jackal　to　e　out　after　me；　to　meet　with　me。　Now。　Tonight。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃By　my　wandering　around　the　grounds　very　much　in　the　open　where　he　or　one　of　his　scouts　will　see　me　and　hear　me。〃
　〃Why　would　that　force　him　to　e　out　after　you？〃
　〃Because　I　will　not　be　with　the　nurse　he　had　assigned　to　me。　I　will　be　with　someone　else；　unknown　to　him；　someone　who　would　have　no　reason　at　all　to　kill　me。〃
　Again　Bourne　looked　at　the　old　Frenchman　in　silence。　〃Bait；〃　he　said　finally。
　〃A　lure　so　provocative　it　will　drive　him　into　a　frenzy　until　he　has　it　in　his　possession…has　me　in　his　grip　so　he　can　question　me。　。。。　You　see；　I'm　vital　to　him…more　specifically；　my　death　is　vital…and　everything　is　timing　to　him。　Precision　is　his　。。。　his　diction；　how　is　it　said？〃
　〃His　byword；　his　method　of　operation；　I　suppose。〃
　〃It　is　how　he　has　survived；　how　he　has　made　the　most　of　each　kill；　each　over　the　years　adding　to　his　reputation　as　the　assassin　supreme。　Until　a　man　named　Jason　Bourne　came　out　of　the　Far　East　。。。　he　has　never　been　the　same　since。　But　you　know　all　that…〃
　〃I　don't　care　about　all　that；〃　interrupted　Jason。　〃The　'timing。'　Go　on。〃
　〃After　I'm　gone　he　can　reveal　who　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine；　the　hero　of　France；　really　was。　An　impostor；　his　impostor；　his　creation；　the　instrument　of　death　who　was　the　snare　for　Jason　Bourne。　What　a　triumph　for　him！　。。。　But　he　cannot　do　that　until　I'm　dead。　Quite　simply；　it　would　be　too　inconvenient。　I　know　too　much；　too　many　of　my　colleagues　in　the　gutters　of　Paris。　No；　I　must　be　dead　before　he　has　his　triumph。〃
　〃Then　he'll　kill　you　when　he　sees　you。〃
　〃Not　until　he　has　his　answers；　monsieur。　Where　is　his　killer　nurse？　What　has　happened　to　her？　Did　Le　Chameleon　find　her；　turn　her；　do　away　with　her？　Have　the　British　authorities　got　her？　Is　she　on　her　way　to　London　and　MI…Six　with　all　their　chemicals；　to　be　turned　over　at　last　to　Interpol？　So　many　questions。　。。。　No；　he　will　not　kill　me　until　he　learns　what　he　must　learn。　It　may　take　only　minutes　to　satisfy　him；　but　long　before　then　I　trust　that　you　will　be　at　my　side　insuring　my　survival；　if　not　his。〃
　〃The　nurse？　Whoever　it　is；　she'll　be　shot。〃
　〃No；　not　at　all。　I'll　order　her　away　in　anger；　out　of　my　sight　at　the　first　sign　of　contact。　As　I　walk　with　her　I　shall　lament　the　absence　of　my　new　dear　friend；　the　angel　of　mercy　who　takes　such　good　care　of　my　wife；　wondering　out　loud；　What　has　happened　to　her？　Where　has　she　gone？　Why　haven't　I　seen　her　all　day？　Naturally；　I　will　conceal　on　my　person　the　radio；　activated；　of　course。　Wherever　I　am　taken…for　surely　one　of　Carlos's　men　will　make　contact　first…I　will　ask　an　enfeebled　old　man's　questions。　Why　am　I　going　here？　Why　are　we　there？　。。。　You　will　follow…in　full　force；　I　sincerely　hope。　If　you　do　so；　you'll　have　the　Jackal。〃
　Holding　his　head　straight；　his　neck　rigid；　Bourne　walked　to　St。　Jacques's　desk　and　sat　on　the　edge。　〃Your　friend；　Judge　Brendan　what's…his…name；　is　right…〃
　〃Prefontaine。　Although　Fontaine　is　not　my　true　name；　we've　decided　it's　all　the　same　family。　When　the　earliest　members　left　Alsace…Lorraine　for　America　in　the　eighteenth　century　with　Lafayette；　they　added　the　Pre　to　distinguish　them　from　the　Fontaines　who　spread　out　all　over　France。〃
　〃He　told　you　that？〃
　〃He's　a　brilliant　man；　once　an　honored　judge。〃
　〃Lafayette　came　from　Alsace…Lorraine？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　monsieur。　I've　never　been　there。〃
　〃He's　a　brilliant　man。　。。。　More　to　the　point；　he's　right。　Your　plan　has　a　lot　of　merit；　but　there's　also　considerable　risk。　And　I'll　be　honest　with　you；　Fontaine；　I　don't　give　a　damn　about　the　risk　you're　taking　or　about　the　nurse；　whoever　it　is。　I　want　the　Jackal；　and　if　it　costs　your　life　or　the　life　of　a　woman　I　don't　know；　it　doesn't　matter　to　me。　I　want　you　to　understand　that。〃
　The　old　Frenchman　stared　at　Jason　with　amused　rheumy　eyes　and　laughed　softly。　〃You　are　such　a　transparent　contradiction。　Jason　Bourne　would　never　have　said　what　you　just　did。　He　would　have　remained　silent；　accepting　my　proposition　without　ment　but　knowing　the　advantage。　Mrs。　Webb's　husband；　however；　must　have　a　voice。　He　objects　and　must　be　heard。〃　Fontaine　suddenly　spoke　sharply。　〃Get　rid　of　him；　Monsieur　Bourne。　He　is　not　my　protection；　not　the　death　of　the　Jackal。　Send　him　away。〃
　〃He's　gone。　I　promise　you；　he's　gone。〃　The　Chameleon　sprang　up　from　the　desk；　his　neck　frozen　in　pain。　〃Let's　get　started。〃
　The　steel　band　continued　its　deafening　assault；　but　now　restricted　to　the　confines　of　the　glass…enclosed　lobby　and　adjacent　dining　room。　The　speakers　on　the　grounds　were　switched　off　on　St。　Jacques's　orders；　the　owner　of　Tranquility　Inn　having　been　escorted　up　from　the　unoccupied　villa　by　the　two　Uzi…bearing　former　mandos　along　with　the　Canadian　doctor　and　the　incessantly　chattering　Mr。　Pritchard。　The　assistant　manager　was　instructed　to　return　to　the　front　desk　and　say　nothing　to　anyone　about　the　things　he　had　witnessed　during　the　past　hour。
　〃Absolutely　nothing；　sir。　If　I　am　asked；　I　was　on　the　telephone　with　the　authorities　over　in　'Serrat。〃
　〃About　what？〃　objected　St。　Jacques。　〃Well；　I　thought…〃
　〃Don't　think。　You　were　checking　the　maid　service　on　the　west　path；　that's　all。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　deflated　Pritchard　headed　for　the　office　door；　which　had　been　opened　moments　before　by　the　nameless　Canadian　doctor。
　〃I　doubt　it　would　make　much　difference　what　he　said；〃　offered　the　physician　as　the　assistant　manager　left。　〃That's　a　small　zoo　down　there。　The　bination　of　last　night's　events；　too　much　sun　today　and　excessive　amounts　of　alcohol　this　evening；　will　augur　a　great　deal　of　guilt　in　the　morning。　My　wife　doesn't　think　your　meteorologist　will　have　much　to　say；　John。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃He's　having　a　few　himself；　and　even　if　he's　halfway　lucid；　there　aren't　five　sober　enough　to　listen　to　him。〃
　〃I'd　better　get　down　there。　We　may　as　well　turn　it　into　a　minor　carnivale。　It'll　save　Scotty　ten　thousand　dollars；　and　the　more　distraction　we　have；　the　better。　I'll　speak　to　the　band　and　the　bar　and　be　right　back。〃
　〃We　may　not　be　here；〃　said　Bourne　as　his　brother…in…law　left　and　a　strapping　young　black　woman　in　a　plete　nurse's　uniform　walked　out　of　St。　Jacques's　private　bathroom　into　the　office。　At　the　sight　of　her；　old　Fontaine　approached。
　〃Very　good；　my　child；　you　look　splendid；〃　said　the　Frenchman。　〃Remember　now；　I'll　be　holding　your　arm　as　we　walk　and　talk；　but　when　I　squeeze　you　and　raise　my　voice；　telling　you　to　leave　me　alone；　you'll　do　as　I　say；　correct？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I　am　to　hurry　away　quite　angry　with　you　for　being　so　unnice。〃
　〃That's　it。　There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；　it's　just　a　game。　We　want　to　talk　with　someone　who's　very　shy。〃
　〃How's　the　neck？〃　asked　the　doctor；　looking　at　Jason；　unable　to　see　the　bandage　beneath　the　brown　shirt。
　〃It's　all　right；〃　answered　Bourne。
　〃Let's　take　a　look　at　it；〃　said　the　Canadian