rl.thebourneultimatum-第78部分

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could　have　seen　her。　There　had　been　another　unknown　reason　for　the　sudden；　hurried　exit　from　the　Trocadéro；　but　there　was　only　one　reason　for　his　being　at　the　Trocadéro。　He；　too；　was　searching　what　memories　he　had　of　Paris　thirteen　years　ago。　He；　too；　understood　that　somewhere；　someplace　in　those　memories　he　would　find　her。
　She　had　rested；　ordered　room　service　and　two　hours　later　gone　out　again　into　the　streets。
　Now；　at　the　moment；　as　she　drank　her　tea；　she　could　not　wait　for　the　light　to　e。　The　day　ahead　was　meant　for　searching。
　〃Bernardine！〃
　〃Mon　Dieu；　it　is　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　so　I　can　assume　you　have　something　vital　to　tell　this　seventy…year…old　man。〃
　〃I've　got　a　problem。〃
　〃I　think　you　have　many　problems；　but　I　suppose　it's　a　minor　distinction。　What　is　it？〃
　〃I'm　as　close　as　I　can　be　but　I　need　an　end　man。〃
　〃Please　speak　clearer　English；　or　if　you　will；　far　clearer　French。　It　must　be　an　American　term；　this　'end　man。'　But　then　you　have　so　many　esoteric　phrases。　I'm　sure　someone　sits　in　Langley　and　thinks　them　up。〃
　〃e　on；　I　haven't　time　for　your　bon　mots。〃
　〃You　e　on；　my　friend。　I'm　not　trying　to　be　clever；　I'm　trying　to　wake　up。　。。。　There；　my　feet　are　on　the　floor　and　a　cigarette's　in　my　mouth。　Now；　what　is　it？〃
　〃My　access　to　the　Jackal　expects　an　Englishman　to　fly　over　from　London　this　morning　with　two　million　eight　hundred　thousand　francs…〃
　〃Far　less　than　you　have　at　your　disposal；　I　assume；〃　interrupted　Bernardine。　〃The　Banque　Normandie　was　acmodating；　was　it　not？〃
　〃Very。　The　money's　there；　and　that　Tabouri　of　yours　is　a　beaut。　He　tried　to　sell　me　real　estate　in　Beirut。〃
　〃That　Tabouri　is　a　thief…but　Beirut　is　interesting。〃
　〃Please。〃
　〃Sorry。　Go　ahead。〃
　〃I'm　being　watched；　so　I　can't　go　to　the　bank；　and　I　don't　have　any　Englishman　to　bring　what　I　can't　get　to　the　Pont…Royal。〃
　〃That's　your　problem？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Are　you　willing　to　part　with；　say；　fifty　thousand　francs？〃
　〃What　for？〃
　〃Tabouri。〃
　〃I　suppose　so。〃
　〃You　signed　papers；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Sign　another　paper；　handwritten　by　you　and　also　signed；　releasing　the　money　to…　Wait　a　moment；　I　must　go　to　my　desk。〃　There　was　silence　on　the　line　as　Bernardine　obviously　went　to　another　room　in　his　flat；　his　voice　returned。　〃Allo？〃
　〃I'm　here。〃
　〃Oh；　this　is　lovely；〃　intoned　the　former　Deuxième　specialist。　〃I　sank　him　in　his　sailboat　off　the　shoals　of　the　Costa　Brava。　The　sharks　had　a　feeding　frenzy；　he　was　so　fat　and　delectable。　The　name　is　Antonio　Scarzi；　a　Sardinian　who　traded　drugs　for　information；　but　you　know　nothing　about　that；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Bourne　repeated　the　last　name；　spelling　it　out。
　〃Correct。　Seal　the　envelope；　rub　a　pencil　or　a　pen　over　your　thumb　and　press　your　prints　along　the　seal。　Then　give　it　to　the　concierge　for　Mr。　Scarzi。〃
　〃Understood。　What　about　the　Englishman？　This　morning？　It's　only　a　few　hours　away。〃
　〃The　Englishman　is　not　a　problem。　The　morning　is…the　few　hours　are。　It's　a　simple　matter　to　transfer　funds　from　one　bank　to　another…buttons　are　pressed；　puters　instantly　cross…check　the　data；　and；　poof；　figures　are　entered　on　paper。　It's　quite　another　thing　to　collect　nearly　three　million　francs　in　cash；　and　your　access　certainly　won't　accept　pounds　or　dollars　for　fear　of　being　caught　exchanging　them　or　depositing　them。　Add　to　this　the　problem　of　collecting　notes　large　enough　to　be　part　of　a　bundle　small　enough　to　be　concealed　from　customs　inspectors。　。。。　Your　access；　mon　ami；　has　to　be　aware　of　these　difficulties。〃
　Jason　looked　aimlessly　at　the　wall；　his　thoughts　on　Bernardine's　words。　〃You　think　he's　testing　me？〃
　〃He　has　to。〃
　〃The　money　could　be　gotten　together　from　the　foreign　departments　of　different　banks。　A　small　private　plane　could　hop　across　the　channel　and　land　in　a　pasture　where　a　car's　waiting　to　bring　the　man　to　Paris。〃
　〃Bien。　Of　course。　However；　these　logistics　take　time　even　for　the　most　influential　people。　Don't　make　it　all　appear　too　simple；　that　would　be　suspect。　Keep　your　access　informed　as　to　the　progress　being　made；　emphasizing　the　secrecy；　how　there　can　be　no　risk　of　exposure；　explain　the　delays。　If　there　were　none；　he　might　think　it's　a　trap。〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　It　es　down　to　what　you　just　said…don't　make　it　seem　so　easy　because　that's　not　credible。〃
　〃There's　something　else；　mon　ami。　A　chameleon　may　be　many　things　in　daylight；　still；　he　is　safer　in　darkness。〃
　〃You　forgot　something；〃　said　Bourne。　〃What　about　the　Englishman？〃
　〃Tallyho；　old　chap；〃　said　Bernardine。
　The　operation　went　as　smoothly　as　any　Jason　had　ever　engineered　or　been　witness　to；　perhaps　thanks　to　the　flair　of　a　resentful　talented　man　who　had　been　sent　to　the　pastures　too　soon。　While　throughout　the　day　Bourne　made　progress　calls　to　Santos；　Bernardine　had　someone　other　than　himself　pick　up　the　sealed　instructions　from　the　concierge　and　bring　them　to　him；　at　which　point　he　made　his　appointment　with　Monsieur　Tabouri。　Shortly　after　four…thirty　in　the　afternoon；　the　Deuxième　veteran　walked　into　the　Pont…Royal　dressed　in　a　dark　pin…striped　suit　so　obviously　British　that　it　screamed　Savile　Row。　He　went　to　the　elevator　and　eventually；　after　two　wrong　turns；　reached　Bourne's　room。
　〃Here's　the　money；〃　he　said；　dropping　the　attaché　case　on　the　floor　and　going　straight　to　Jason's　hotel　wet　bar；　he　removed　two　miniature　bottles　of　Tanqueray　gin；　snapped　them　open　and　poured　the　liquor　into　a　questionably　clean　glass。　〃A　votre　santé；〃　he　added；　swallowing　half　his　drink　before　breathing　heavily　through　his　mouth　and　then　rapidly　swallowing　the　rest。　〃I　haven't　done　anything　like　that　in　years。〃
　〃You　haven't？〃
　〃Frankly；　no。　I　had　others　do　such　things。　It's　far　too　dangerous。　。。。　Nevertheless；　Tabouri　is　forever　in　your　debt；　and；　frankly；　he's　convinced　me　I　should　look　into　Beirut。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Of　course；　I　haven't　your　resources；　but　a　percentage　of　forty　years　of　les　fonds　de　contingence　have　found　their　way　to　Geneva　on　my　behalf。　I'm　not　a　poor　man。〃
　〃You　may　be　a　dead　man　if　they　pick　you　up　leaving　here。〃
　〃Oh；　but　I　shan't　go；〃　said　Bernardine；　once　again　searching　the　small　refrigerator。　〃I　shall　stay　in　this　room　until　you　have　concluded　your　business。〃　Fran？ois　ripped　open　two　additional　bottles　and　poured　them　into　his　glass。　〃Now；　perhaps；　my　old　heart　will　beat　slower；〃　he　added　as　he　walked　to　the　inadequate　desk；　placed　his　drink　on　the　blotter；　and　proceeded　to　take　out　two　automatics　and　three　grenades　from　his　pockets；　placing　them　all　in　a　row　in　front　of　his　glass。　〃Yes；　I　will　relax　now。〃
　〃What　the　hell　is　that…are　they？〃　cried　Jason。
　〃I　think　you　Americans　call　it　deterrence；〃　replied　Bernardine。　〃Although　I　frankly　believe　both　you　and　the　Soviets　are　playing　with　yourselves　as　you　both　put　so　much　money　into　weaponry　that　doesn't　work。　Now；　I　e　from　a　different　era。　When　you　go　out　to　do　your　business；　you　will　leave　the　door　open。　If　someone　es　down　that　narrow　corridor；　he　will　see　a　grenade　in　my　hand。　That　is　not　nuclear　abstraction；　that　is　deterrence。〃
　〃I'll　buy　it；〃　said　Bourne；　going　to　the　door。　〃I　want　to　get　this　over　with。〃
　Out　on　Montalembert；　Jason　walked　to　the　corner；　and　as　he　had　done　at　the　old　factory　in　Argenteuil；　leaned　against　the　wall　and　lit　a　cigarette。　He　waited；　his　posture　casual；　his　mind　in　high　gear。
　A　man　walked　across　from　the　bisecting　rue　du　Bac　toward　him。　It　was　the　talkative　messenger　from　last　night；　he　approached；　his　hand　in　his　jacket　pocket。
　〃Where's　the　money？〃　said　the　man　in　French。
　〃Where's　the　information？〃　answered　Bourne。
　〃The　money　first。〃
　〃That's　not　the　arrangement。〃　Without　warning；　Jason　grabbed　the　minion　from　Argenteuil　by　his　lapel；　yanking　him　forward　off　his　feet。　Bourne　whipped　up　his　free　hand　and　gripped　the　messenger's　throat；　his　fingers　digging　into　the　man's　flesh。　〃You　go　back　and　tell　Santos　he's　got　a　one…way　ticket　to　hell。　I　don't　deal　this　way。〃
　〃Enough！〃　said　the　low　voice；　its　owner　rounding　the　corner　on　Jason's　right。　The　huge　figure　of　Santos　approached。　〃Let　him　go；　Simon。　He　is　nothing。　It　is　now　only　you　and　me。〃
　〃I　thought　you　never　left　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat？〃
　〃You've　changed　that；　haven't　you？〃
　〃Apparently。〃　Bourne　released　the　messenger；　who　looked　at　Santos。　With　a　gesture　of　his　large　head；　the　man　raced　away。
　〃Your　Englishman　arrived；〃　said　Santos　when　they　were　alone。　〃He　carried　a　valise；　I　saw　for　myself。〃
　〃He　arrived　carrying　a　valise；〃　agreed　Jason。
　〃So　London　capitulates；　no？　London　is　very　anxious。〃
　〃The　stakes　are　very　high　and　that's　all　I'll　say　about　it。　The　information；　please。〃
　〃Let　us　first　again　define　the　procedure；　shall　we？〃
　〃We've　defined　it　several　times。　。。。　You　give　me　the　information；　my　client　tells　me　to　act　upon　it；　and　if　satisfactory　contact　is　made；　I　bring　you　the　remainder　of　the　three　million　francs。〃
　〃You　say　'satisfactory　contact。'　What　will　satisfy　you？　How　will　you　know　the　contact　is　firm？　How　do　I　know　that　you　will　not　claim　it　is　unsatisfactory　and　steal　my　money　when；　indeed；　you　have　made　the　connection　your　clients　have　paid　for？〃
　〃You're　a　suspicious　fellow；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Oh；　very　suspicious。　Our　world；　Mr。　Simon；　is　not　peopled　with　saints；　is　it？〃
　〃Perhaps　more　than　you　realize。〃
　〃That　would　astonish　me。　Please　answer　my　questions。〃
　〃All　right；　I'll　try。　。。。　How　will　I　know　the　contact's　firm？　That's　easy。　I'll　simply　know　because　it's　my　business　to　know。　It's　what　I'm　paid　for；　and　a　man　in　my　position　does　not　make　mistakes　at　this　level　and　live　to　apologize。　I've　refined　the　process；　done　my　research；　and　I'll　ask　two　or　three　questions　myself。　Then　I'll　know…one　way　or　another。〃
　〃That's　an　elusive　reply。〃
　〃In　our　world；　Mr。　Santos；　being　elusive　is　hardly　a　negative；　is　it？　。。。　As　to　your　concern　that　I　would　lie　to　you　and　take　your　money；　let　me　assure　you　I　don't　cultivate　enemies　like　you　and　the　network　your　blackbird　obviously　controls　any　more　than　I　would　make　enemies　of　my　clients。　That　way　is　madness　and　a　much　shorter　life。〃
　〃I　admire　your　perspicacity　as　well　as　your　caution；〃　said　the　Jackal's　intermediary。
　〃The　bookcases　didn't　lie。　You're　a　learned　man。〃
　〃That's　neither　here