rl.thebourneultimatum-第86部分

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　assistance。〃
　〃An　hour　and　a　half？〃　asked　Lavier　pointedly。
　〃So？〃
　〃So　why　didn't　I　call　the　bakery　or　the　H？tel　Trémoille？〃
　〃plications？　。。。　No；　too　easily　verified；〃　added　Bourne；　shaking　his　head。
　〃Or？〃　Lavier　locked　her　large　green　eyes　with　his。　〃Or；　monsieur？〃
　〃The　boulevard　Lefebvre；〃　replied　Jason　slowly；　softly。　〃The　trap。　As　I　reversed　his　on　me；　he　reversed　mine　for　him　three　hours　later。　Then　I　broke　the　strategy　and　took　you。〃
　〃Exactly。〃　The　once　and　former　whore　of　Monte　Carlo　nodded。　〃And　he　cannot　know　what　transpired　between　us　。。。　therefore；　I'm　marked　for　execution。　A　pawn　is　removed；　for　she　is　merely　a　pawn。　She　can　tell　the　authorities　nothing　of　substance；　she's　never　seen　the　Jackal；　she　can　only　repeat　the　gossip　of　lowly　subordinates。〃
　〃You've　never　seen　him？〃
　〃I　may　have；　but　not　to　my　knowledge。　Again；　the　rumors　fly　around　Paris。　This　one　with　swarthy　Latin　skin；　or　that　one　with　black　eyes　and　a　dark　mustache；　'He　is　really　Carlos；　you　know'…how　often　have　I　heard　the　phrases！　But　no；　no　man　has　ever　e　up　to　me　and　said；　'I　am　he　and　I　make　your　life　pleasant；　you　aging　elegant　prostitute。'　I　simply　report　to　old　men　who　every　now　and　then　convey　information　that　I　must　have…such　as　this　evening　on　the　boulevard　Lefebvre。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Bourne　got　to　his　feet；　stretching　his　body　and　looking　down　at　his　prisoner　on　the　bench。　〃I　can　get　you　out；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Out　of　Paris；　out　of　Europe。　Beyond　Carlos's　reach。　Do　you　want　that？〃
　〃As　eagerly　as　Santos　did；〃　answered　Lavier；　her　eyes　imploring。　〃I　willingly　trade　my　allegiance　from　him　to　you。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　he　is　old　and　gray…faced　and　is　no　match　for　you。　You　offer　me　life；　he　offers　death。〃
　〃That's　a　reasonable　decision；　then；〃　said　Jason；　a　tentative　but　warm　smile　on　his　lips。　〃Do　you　have　any　money？　With　you；　I　mean？〃
　〃Nuns　are　sworn　to　poverty；　monsieur；〃　replied　Dominique　Lavier；　returning　his　smile。　〃Actually；　I　have　several　hundred　francs。　Why？〃
　〃It's　not　enough；〃　continued　Bourne；　reaching　into　his　pocket　and　taking　out　his　impressive　roll　of　franc　notes。　〃Here's　three　thousand；〃　he　said；　handing　her　the　money。　〃Buy　some　clothes　somewhere…I'm　sure　you　know　how…and　take　a　room　at　the　。。。　the　Meurice　on　the　rue　de　Rivoli。〃
　〃What　name　should　I　use？〃
　〃What　suits　you？〃
　〃How　about　Brielle？　A　lovely　seaside　town。〃
　〃Why　not？　。。。　Give　me　ten　minutes　to　get　out　of　here　and　then　leave。　I'll　see　you　at　the　Meurice　at　noon。〃
　〃With　all　my　heart；　Jason　Bourne！〃
　〃Let's　forget　that　name。〃
　The　Chameleon　walked　out　of　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　to　the　nearest　taxi　station。　Within　minutes　an　ecstatic　cabdriver　accepted　a　hundred　francs　to　remain　in　place　at　the　end　of　the　three…vehicle　line；　his　passenger　slumped　in　the　rear　seat　waiting　to　hear　the　words。
　〃The　nun　es　out；　monsieur！〃　cried　the　driver。　〃She　enters　the　first　taxi！〃
　〃Follow　it；〃　said　Jason；　sitting　up。
　On　the　avenue　Victor　Hugo；　Lavier's　taxi　slowed　down　and　pulled　up　in　front　of　one　of　Paris's　few　exceptions　to　tradition…an　open　plastic…domed　public　telephone。　〃Stop　here；〃　ordered　Bourne；　who　climbed　out　the　instant　the　driver　swung　into　the　curb。　Limping；　the　Chameleon　walked　swiftly；　silently；　to　the　telephone　directly　behind　and　unseen　by　the　frantic　nun　under　the　plastic　dome。　He　was　not　seen；　but　he　could　hear　clearly　as　he　stood　several　feet　behind　her。
　〃The　Meurice！〃　she　shouted　into　the　phone。　〃The　name　is　Brielle。　He'll　be　there　at　noon。　。。。　Yes；　yes；　I'll　stop　at　my　flat；　change　clothes；　and　be　there　in　an　hour。〃　Lavier　hung　up　and　turned；　gasping　at　the　sight　of　Jason。　〃No！〃　she　screamed。
　〃Yes；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　Bourne。　〃Shall　we　take　my　taxi　or　yours？　。。。　'He's　old　and　gray…faced'…those　were　your　words；　Dominique。　Pretty　goddamned　descriptive　for　someone　who　never　met　Carlos。〃
　A　furious　Bernardine　walked　out　of　the　Pont…Royal　with　the　doorman；　who　had　summoned　him。　〃This　is　preposterous！〃　he　shouted　as　he　approached　the　taxi。　〃No；　it's　not；〃　he　amended；　looking　inside。　〃It's　merely　insane。〃
　〃Get　in；〃　said　Jason　on　the　far　side　of　the　woman　dressed　in　the　habit　of　a　nun。　Francois　did　so；　staring　at　the　black　clothes；　the　white　pointed　hat　and　the　pale　face　of　the　religious　female　between　them。　〃Meet　one　of　the　Jackal's　more　talented　performers；〃　added　Bourne。　〃She　could　make　a　fortune　in　your　cinéma…vérité；　take　my　word　for　it。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　particularly　religious　man；　but　I　trust　you　have　not　made　a　mistake。　。。。　I　did…or　should　I　say　we　did…with　that　pig　of　a　baker。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃He's　a　baker；　that's　all　he　is！　I　damn　near　put　a　grenade　in　his　ovens；　but　no　one　but　a　French　baker　could　plead　the　way　he　did！〃
　〃It　fits；〃　said　Jason。　〃The　illogical　logic　of　Carlos…I　can't　remember　who　said　that；　probably　me。〃　The　taxi　made　a　U…turn　and　entered　the　rue　du　Bac。　〃We're　going　to　the　Meurice；〃　added　Bourne。
　〃I'm　sure　there's　a　reason；〃　stated　Bernardine；　still　looking　at　the　enigmatically　passive　face　of　Dominique　Lavier。　〃I　mean；　this　sweet　old　lady　says　nothing。〃
　〃I'm　not　old！〃　cried　the　woman　vehemently。
　〃Of　course　not；　my　dear；〃　agreed　the　Deuxième　veteran。　〃Only　more　desirable　in　your　mature　years。〃
　〃Boy；　did　you　hit　it！〃
　〃Why　the　Meurice？〃　asked　Bernardine。
　〃It's　the　Jackal's　final　trap　for　me；〃　answered　Bourne。　〃Courtesy　of　our　persuasive　Magdalen　Sister　of　Charity　here。　He　expects　me　to　be　there　and　I'll　be　there。〃
　〃I'll　call　in　the　Deuxième。　Thanks　to　a　frightened　bureaucrat；　they'll　do　anything　I　ask。　Don't　endanger　yourself；　my　friend。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　to　insult　you；　Francois；　but　you　yourself　told　me　you　didn't　know　all　of　the　people　in　the　Bureau　these　days。　I　can't　take　the　chance　of　a　leak。　One　man　could　send　out　an　alarm。〃
　〃Let　me　help。〃　The　low　soft…spoken　voice　of　Dominique　Lavier　broke　the　hum　of　the　outside　traffic　like　the　initial　burr　of　a　chain　saw。　〃I　can　help。〃
　〃I　listened　to　your　help　before；　lady；　and　it　was　leading　me　to　my　own　execution。　No　thanks。〃
　〃That　was　before；　not　now。　As　must　be　obvious　to　you；　my　position　now　is　truly　hopeless。〃
　〃Didn't　I　hear　those　words　recently？〃
　〃No；　you　did　not。　I　just　added　the　word　'now。'　。。。　For　God's　sake；　put　yourself　in　my　place。　I　can't　pretend　to　understand；　but　this　ancient　boulevardier　beside　me　casually　mentions　that　he'll　call　in　the　Deuxième…the　Deuxième；　Monsieur　Bourne！　For　some　that　is　no　less　than　France's　Gestapo！　Even　if　I　survived；　I'm　marked　by　that　infamous　branch　of　the　government。　I'd　no　doubt　be　sent　to　some　horrible　penal　colony　halfway　across　the　world…oh；　I've　heard　the　stories　of　the　Deuxième！〃
　〃Really？〃　said　Bernardine。　〃I　haven't。　Sounds　positively　marvelous。　How　wonderful。〃
　〃Besides；〃　continued　Lavier；　looking　hard　at　Jason　as　she　yanked　the　pointed　white　hat　off　her　head；　a　gesture　that　caused　the　driver；　seeing　it　in　the　rearview　mirror；　to　raise　his　eyebrows。　〃Without　me；　without　my　presence　in　decidedly　different　clothing　at　the　Meurice；　Carlos　won't　e　near　the　rue　de　Rivoli。〃　Bernardine　tapped　the　woman's　shoulder；　bringing　his　index　finger　to　his　lips　and　nodding　toward　the　front　seat。　Dominique　quickly　added；　〃The　man　you　wish　to　confer　with　will　not　be　there。〃
　〃She's　got　a　point；〃　said　Bourne；　leaning　forward　and　looking　past　Lavier　at　the　Deuxième　veteran。　〃She's　also　got　an　apartment　on　the　Montaigne；　where　she's　supposed　to　change　clothes；　and　neither　of　us　can　go　in　with　her。〃
　〃That　poses　a　dilemma；　doesn't　it？〃　responded　Bernardine。　〃There's　no　way　we　can　monitor　the　telephone　from　outside　in　the　street；　is　there？〃
　〃You　fools！　。。。　I　have　no　choice　but　to　cooperate　with　you；　and　if　you　can't　see　that　you　should　be　led　around　by　trained　dogs！　This　old；　old　man　here　will　have　my　name　in　the　Deuxième　files　the　first　chance　he　gets；　and　as　the　notorious　Jason　Bourne　knows　if　he　has　even　a　nodding　acquaintance　with　the　Deuxième；　several　profound　questions　are　raised…once　raised　by　my　sister；　Jacqueline；　incidentally。　Who　is　this　Bourne？　Is　he　real　or　unreal？　Is　he　the　assassin　of　Asia　or　is　he　a　fraud；　a　plant？　She　phoned　me　herself　one　night　in　Nice　after　too　many　brandies…a　night　perhaps　you　recall；　Monsieur　le　Caméléon…a　terribly　expensive　restaurant　outside　Paris。　You　threatened　her　。。。　in　the　name　of　powerful；　unnamed　people　you　threatened　her！　You　demanded　that　she　reveal　what　she　knew　about　a　certain　acquaintance　of　hers…who　it　was　at　the　time　I　had　no　idea…but　you　frightened　her。　She　said　you　appeared　deranged；　that　your　eyes　became　glazed　and　you　uttered　words　in　a　language　she　could　not　understand。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　interrupted　Bourne　icily。　〃We　had　dinner　and　I　threatened　her　and　she　was　frightened。　She　went　to　the　ladies'　room；　paid　someone　to　make　a　phone　call；　and　I　had　to　get　out　of　there。〃
　〃And　now　the　Deuxième　is　allied　with　those　powerful　unnamed　people？〃　Dominique　Lavier　shook　her　head　repeatedly　and　lowered　her　voice。　〃No；　messieurs；　I　am　a　survivor　and　I　do　not　fight　against　such　odds。　One　knows　when　to　pass　the　shoe　in　baccarat。〃
　After　a　short　period　of　silence；　Bernardine　spoke。　〃What's　your　address　on　the　avenue　Montaigne？　I'll　give　it　to　the　driver；　but　before　I　do；　understand　me；　madame。　If　your　words　prove　false；　all　the　true　horrors　of　the　Deuxième　will　be　visited　upon　you。〃
　Marie　sat　at　the　room…service　table　in　her　small　suite　at　the　Meurice　reading　the　newspapers。　Her　attention　constantly　strayed；　concentration　was　out　of　the　question。　Her　anxiety　had　kept　her　awake　after　she　returned　to　the　hotel　shortly　past　midnight；　having　made　the　rounds　of　five　cafés　she　and　David　had　frequented　so　many　years　ago　in　Paris。　Finally　by　four…something　in　the　morning；　exhaustion　had　short…circuited　her　tossing　and　turning；　she　fell　asleep　with　the　bedside　lamp　switched　on；　and　was　awakened　by　the　same　light　nearly　six　hours　later。　It　was　the　longest　she　had　slept　since　that　first　night　on　Tranquility　Isle；　itself　a　distant　memory　now　except　for　the　very　real　pain　of　not　seeing　and　hearing　the　children。　Don't　think　about　them；　it　hurts　too　much。　Think　about　David。　。。。　No；　think　about　Jason　Bourne！　Where？　Concentrate！
　She　put　down　the　Paris　Tribune　and　poured　herself　a　third　cup　of　black　coffee；　glancing　over　at　the　French　doo