rl.thebourneultimatum-第51部分

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　〃It's　all　right；〃　answered　Bourne。
　〃Let's　take　a　look　at　it；〃　said　the　Canadian；　stepping　forward。
　〃Thanks　but　not　now；　Doctor。　I　suggest　you　go　downstairs　and　rejoin　your　wife。〃
　〃Yes。　I　thought　you'd　say　that；　but　may　I　say　something　；　very　quickly？〃
　〃Very　quickly。〃
　〃I'm　a　doctor　and　I've　had　to　do　a　great　many　things　I　didn't　like　doing　and　I'm　sure　this　is　in　that　category。　But　when；　I　think　of　that　young　man　and　what　was　done　to　him…〃
　〃Please；〃　broke　in　Jason。
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　understand。　Nevertheless；　I'm　here　if　you　need　me；　I　just　wanted　you　to　know　that。　。。。　I'm　not　terribly　proud　of　my　previous　statements。　I　saw　what　I　saw　and　I　do　have　a　name　and　I'm　perfectly　willing　to　testify　in　a　court　of　law。　In　other　words；　I　withdraw　my　reluctance。〃
　〃There'll　be　no　courts；　Doctor；　no　testimony。〃
　〃Really？　But　these　are　serious　crimes！〃
　〃We　know　what　they　are；〃　interrupted　Bourne。　〃Your　help　is　greatly　appreciated；　but　nothing　else　concerns　you。〃
　〃I　see；〃　said　the　doctor；　staring　curiously　at　Jason。　〃I'll　go；　then。〃　The　Canadian　went　to　the　door　and　turned。　〃You'd　better　let　me　check　that　neck　later。　If　you've　got　a　neck。〃　The　doctor　left　and　Bourne　turned　to　Fontaine。
　〃Are　we　ready？〃
　〃We're　ready；〃　replied　the　Frenchman；　smiling　pleasantly　at　the　large；　imposing；　thoroughly　mystified　young　black　woman。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　all　the　money　you're　earning　tonight；　my　dear？〃
　The　girl　giggled　shyly；　her　broad　smile　alive　with　bright　white　teeth。　〃I　have　a　good　boyfriend。　I'm　going　to　buy　him　a　fine　present。〃
　〃That's　lovely。　What's　your　boyfriend's　name？〃
　〃Ishmael；　sir。〃
　〃Let's　go；〃　said　Jason　firmly。
　The　plan　was　simple　to　mount　and；　like　most　good　strategies；　however　plex；　simple　to　execute。　Old　Fontaine's　walk　through　the　grounds　of　Tranquility　Inn　had　been　precisely　mapped　out。　The　trek　began　with　Fontaine　and　the　young　woman　returning　to　his　villa　presumably　to　look　in　on　his　ill　wife　before　his　established；　medically　required　evening　stroll。　They　stayed　on　the　lighted　main　path；　straying　now　and　then　across　the　floodlit　lawns　but　always　visible；　a　crotchety　old　man　supposedly　walking　wherever　his　whims　led　him；　to　the　annoyance　of　his　panion。　It　was　a　familiar　sight　the　world　over；　an　enfeebled；　irascible　septuagenarian　taunting　his　keeper。
　The　two　former　Royal　mandos；　one　rather　short；　the　other　fairly　tall；　had　selected　a　series　of　stations　between　the　points　where　the　Frenchman　and　his　〃nurse〃　would　turn　and　head　in　different　directions。　As　the　old　man　and　the　girl　proceeded　into　the　next　planned　leg；　the　second　mando　bypassed　his　colleague　in　darkness　to　the　next　location；　using　unseen　routes　only　they　knew　or　could　negotiate；　such　as　that　beyond　the　coastline　wall　above　the　tangled　tropical　brush　that　led　to　the　beach　below　the　villas。　The　black　guards　climbed　like　two　enormous　spiders　in　a　jungle；　crawling　swiftly；　effortlessly　from　branch　and　rock　to　limb　and　vine；　keeping　pace　with　their　two　charges。　Bourne　followed　the　second　man；　his　radio　on　Receive；　the　angry　words　of　Fontaine　pulsating　through　the　static。
　Where　is　that　other　nurse？　That　lovely　girl　who　takes　care　of　my　woman？　Where　is　she？　I　haven't　seen　her　all　day！　The　emphatic　phrases　were　repeated　over　and　over　again　with　growing　hostility。
　Jason　slipped。　He　was　caught！　He　was　behind　the　coastal　wall；　his　left　foot　entangled　in　thick　vines。　He　could　not　pull　his　leg　loose…the　strength　was　not　there！　He　moved　his　head…his　shoulders…and　the　hot　flashes　of　pain　broke　out　on　his　neck。　It　is　nothing。　Pull；　yank；　rip！　。。。　His　lungs　bursting；　the　blood　now　drenching　his　shirt；　he　worked　his　way　free　and　crawled　on。
　Suddenly　there　were　lights；　colored　lights　spilling　over　the　wall。　They　had　reached　the　path　to　the　chapel；　the　red　and　blue　floodlights　that　lit　up　the　entrance　to　Tranquility　Inn's　sealed　off　sanctuary。　It　was　the　last　destination　before　the　return　route　back　to　Fontaine's　villa；　and　one　they　all　agreed　was　designed　more　to　permit　the　old　Frenchman　time　to　catch　his　breath　than　for　any　other　purpose。　St。　Jacques　had　stationed　a　guard　there　to　prevent　entrance　into　the　demolished　chapel。　There　would　be　no　contact　here。　Then　Bourne　heard　the　words　over　the　radio…the　words　that　would　send　the　false　nurse　racing　away　from　her　false　charge。
　〃Get　away　from　me！〃　yelled　Fontaine。　〃I　don't　like　you。　Where　is　our　regular　nurse？　What　have　you　done　with　her？〃
　Up　ahead；　the　two　mandos　were　side　by　side；　crouching　below　the　wall。　They　turned　and　looked　at　Jason；　their　expressions　in　the　eerie　wash　of　colored　lights　telling　him　what　he　knew　only　too　well。　From　that　moment　on；　all　decisions　were　his；　they　had　led　him；　escorted　him；　to　his　enemy。　The　rest　was　up　to　him。
　The　unexpected　rarely　disturbed　Bourne；　it　did　now。　Had　Fontaine　made　a　mistake？　Had　the　old　man　forgotten　about　the　inn's　guard　and　erroneously　presumed　he　was　the　Jackal's　contact？　In　his　aged　eyes　had　an　understandably　surprised　reaction　on　the　guard's　part　been　misinterpreted　as　an　approach？　Anything　was　possible；　but　considering　the　Frenchman's　background…the　life　of　a　survivor…and　the　state　of　his　alert　mind；　such　a　mistake　was　not　realistic。
　Then　the　possibility　of　another　reality　came　into　focus　and　it　was　sickening。　Had　the　guard　been　killed　or　bribed；　replaced　by　another？　Carlos　was　a　master　of　the　turn…around。　It　was　said　he　had　fulfilled　a　contract　on　the　assassination　of　Anwar　Sadat　without　firing　a　weapon；　by　merely　replacing　the　Egyptian　president's　security　detail　with　inexperienced　recruits…money　dispersed　in　Cairo　returned　a　hundredfold　by　the　anti…Israel　brotherhoods　in　the　Middle　East。　If　it　were　true；　the　exercise　on　Tranquility　Isle　was　child's　play。
　Jason　rose　to　his　feet；　gripped　the　top　of　the　coastal　wall；　and　slowly；　painfully；　his　neck　causing　agony；　pulled　himself　up　over　the　ledge；　again　slowly；　inch　by　inch；　sending　one　arm　after　the　other　across　the　surface　to　grab　the　opposing　edge　for　support。　What　he　saw　stunned　him！
　Fontaine　was　immobile；　his　mouth　gaped　in　shock；　his　wide　eyes　disbelieving；　as　another　old　man　in　a　tan　gabardine　suit　approached　him　and　threw　his　arms　around　the　aged　hero　of　France。　Fontaine　pushed　the　man　away　in　panic　and　bewilderment。　The　words　erupted　out　of　the　radio　in　Bourne's　pocket。　〃Claude！　Quelle　secousse！　Vous　etes　ici！〃
　The　ancient　friend　replied　in　a　tremulous　voice；　speaking　French。　〃It　is　a　privilege　our　monseigneur　permitted　me。　To　see　for　a　final　time　my　sister；　and　to　give　fort　to　my　friend；　her　husband。　I　am　here　and　I　am　with　you！〃
　〃With　me？　He　brought　you　here？　But；　of　course；　he　did！〃
　〃I　am　to　take　you　to　him。　The　great　man　wishes　to　speak　with　you。〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　you're　doing…what　you've　done？〃
　〃I　am　with　you；　with　her。　What　else　matters？〃
　〃She's　dead！　She　took　her　own　life　last　night！　He　intended　to　kill　us　both。〃
　Shut　off　your　radio！　screamed　Bourne　in　the　silence　of　his　thoughts。　Kill　the　radio！　It　was　too　late。　The　left　door　of　the　chapel　opened　and　the　silhouetted　figure　of　a　man　walked　out　into　the　floodlit　corridor　of　colored　lights。　He　was　young；　muscular　and　blond；　with　blunt　features　and　rigid　posture。　Was　the　Jackal　training　someone　else　to　take　his　place？
　〃e　with　me；　please；〃　said　the　blond　man；　his　French　gentle　but　icily　manding。　〃You；〃　he　added；　addressing　the　old　man　in　the　tan　gabardine　suit。　〃Stay　where　you　are。　At　the　slightest　sound；　fire　your　gun。　。。。　Take　it　out。　Hold　it　in　your　hand。〃
　〃Oui；　monsieur。〃
　Jason　watched　helplessly　as　Fontaine　was　escorted　through　the　door　of　the　chapel。　From　the　pocket　of　his　jacket　there　was　an　eruption　of　static　followed　by　a　snap；　the　Frenchman's　radio　had　been　found　and　destroyed。　Yet　something　was　wrong；　off　center；　out　of　balance…or　perhaps　too　symmetrical。　It　made　no　sense　for　Carlos　to　use　the　location　of　a　failed　trap　a　second　time；　no　sense　at　all！　The　appearance　of　the　brother　of　Fontaine's　wife　was　an　exceptional　move；　worthy　of　the　Jackal；　a　truly　unexpected　move　within　the　swirling　winds　of　confusion；　but　not　this；　not　again　Tranquility　Inn's　superfluous　chapel。　It　was　too　orderly；　too　repetitive；　too　obvious。　Wrong。
　And　therefore　right？　considered　Bourne。　Was　it　the　illogical　logic　of　the　assassin　who　had　eluded　a　hundred　special　branches　of　the　international　intelligence　munity　for　nearly　thirty　years？　〃He　wouldn't　do　that…it's　crazy！〃　〃。。。　Oh；　yes；　he　might　because　he　knows　we　think　it's　crazy。〃　Was　the　Jackal　in　the　chapel　or　wasn't　he？　If　not；　where　was　he？　Where　had　he　set　his　trap？
　The　lethal　chess　game　was　not　only　supremely　intricate；　it　was　sublimely　intimate。　Others　might　die；　but　only　one　of　them　would　live。　It　was　the　only　way　it　could　end。　Death　to　the　seller　of　death　or　death　to　the　challenger；　one　seeking　the　preservation　of　a　legend；　the　other　seeking　the　preservation　of　his　family　and　himself。　Carlos　had　the　advantage；　ultimately　he　would　risk　everything；　for；　as　Fontaine　revealed；　he　was　a　dying　man　and　he　did　not　care。　Bourne　had　everything　to　live　for；　a　middle…aged　hunter　whose　life　was　indelibly　marked；　split　in　two　by　the　death　of　a　vaguely　remembered　wife　and　children　long　ago　in　far…off　Cambodia。　It　could　not；　would　not；　happen　again！
　Jason　slid　down　off　the　coastal　wall　to　the　slanting　precipice　at　its　base。　He　crawled　forward　to　the　two　former　mandos　and　whispered；　〃They've　taken　Fontaine　inside。〃
　〃Where　is　the　guard？〃　asked　the　man　nearest　Bourne；　confusion　and　anger　in　his　whisper。　〃I　myself　placed　him　here　with　specific　instructions。　No　one　was　permitted　inside。　He　was　to　be　on　the　radio　the　instant　he　saw　anyone！〃
　〃Then　I'm　afraid　he　didn't　see　him。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃A　blond　man　who　speaks　French。〃
　Both　mandos　whipped　their　heads　toward　each　other；　exchanging　glances　as　the　second　guard　instantly　looked　at　Jason　and　spoke　quietly。　〃Describe　him；　please；〃　he　said。
　〃Medium　height；　large　chest　and　shoulders…〃
　〃Enough；〃　interrupted　the　first　guard。　〃Our　man　saw　him；　sir。　He　is　third　provost　of　the　government　police；　an　officer　who　speaks　several　languages　and　is　chief　of　drug　investigations。〃
　〃But　why　is　he　here；　mon？〃　the　second　mando　asked　his　colleague。　〃Mr。　Saint　Jay　said　the　Crown　police　are　not　told　eve