rl.thebourneultimatum-第107节

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　〃Sorry；　darling。〃
　〃We'll　be　working　with　the　Soviets。〃　Conklin　spoke　quickly；　his　rush　of　words　countering　the　immediate　reaction　from　Bourne　and　Marie。　〃It's　all　right；　I　know　the　contact；　I've　known　him　for　years；　but　Washington　doesn't　know　I　know　him。　His　name　is　Krupkin；　Dimitri　Krupkin；　and　as　I　told　Mo；　he　can　be　bought　for　five　pieces　of　silver。〃
　〃Give　him　thirty…one；〃　interrupted　Bourne；　〃to　make　sure　he's　on　our　side。〃
　〃I　figured　you'd　say　that。　Do　you　have　a　ceiling？〃
　〃None。〃
　〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　Marie。　〃What's　a　negotiable　starting　point？〃
　〃Our　economist　speaks；〃　proclaimed　Panov；　drinking　his　wine。
　〃Considering　his　position　in　the　Paris　KGB；　I'd　say　around　fifty　thousand；　American。〃
　〃Offer　him　thirty…five　and　escalate　to　seventy…five　under　pressure。　Up　to　a　hundred；　if　necessary；　of　course。〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；〃　cried　Jason；　controlling　his　voice。　〃We're　talking　about　us；　about　the　Jackal。　Give　him　anything　he　wants！〃
　〃Too　easily　bought；　too　easily　turned　to　another　source。　To　a　counteroffer。〃
　〃Is　she　right？〃　asked　Bourne；　staring　at　Conklin。
　〃Normally；　of　course；　but　in　this　case　it　would　have　to　be　the　equivalent　of　a　workable　diamond　mine。　No　one　wants　Carlos　in　the　dead　file　more　than　the　Soviets；　and　the　man　who　brings　in　his　corpse　will　be　the　hero　of　the　Kremlin。　Remember；　he　was　trained　at　Novgorod。　Moscow　never　forgets　that。〃
　〃Then　do　as　she　says；　only　buy　him；〃　said　Jason。
　〃I　understand。〃　Conklin　leaned　forward；　turning　his　glass　of　water。　〃I'll　call　him　tonight；　pay　phone　to　pay　phone；　and　get　it　settled。　Then　I'll　arrange　a　meeting　tomorrow；　maybe　lunch　somewhere　outside　of　Paris。　Very　early；　before　the　regulars　e　in。〃
　〃Why　not　here？〃　asked　Bourne。　〃You　can't　get　much　more　remote　and　I'll　know　the　way。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　agreed　Alex。　〃I'll　talk　to　the　owner。　But　not　the　four　of　us；　just…Jason　and　me。〃
　〃I　assumed　that；〃　said　Bourne　coldly。　〃Marie's　not　to　be　involved。　She's　not　to　be　seen　or　heard；　is　that　clear？〃
　〃David；　really…〃
　〃Yes；　really。〃
　〃I'll　go　over　and　stay　with　her；〃　interrupted　Panov　quickly。　〃Meat　loaf？〃　he　added；　obviously　to　lessen　the　tension。
　〃I　don't　have　a　kitchen；　but　there's　a　lovely　restaurant　that　serves　fresh　trout。〃
　〃One　sacrifices；〃　sighed　the　psychiatrist。
　〃I　think　you　should　eat　in　the　room。〃　Bourne's　voice　was　now　adamant。
　〃I　will　not　be　a　prisoner；〃　said　Marie　quietly；　her　gaze　fixed　on　her　husband。　〃Nobody　knows　who　we　are　or　where　we　are；　and　I　submit　that　someone　who　locks　herself　in　her　room　and　is　never　seen　draws　far　more　attention　than　a　perfectly　normal　Frenchwoman　who　goes　about　her　normal　business　of　living。〃
　〃She's　got　a　point；〃　observed　Alex。　〃If　Carlos　has　his　network　calling　around；　someone　behaving　abnormally　could　be　picked　up。　Besides；　Panov's　from　left　field…pretend　you're　a　doctor　or　something；　Mo。　Nobody'll　believe　it；　but　it'll　add　a　touch　of　class。　For　reasons　that　escape　me；　doctors　are　usually　above　suspicion。〃
　〃Psychopathic　ingrate；〃　mumbled　Panov。
　〃May　we　get　back　to　business？〃　said　Bourne　curtly。
　〃You're　very　rude；　David。〃
　〃I'm　very　impatient；　do　you　mind？〃
　〃Okay；　cool　it；〃　said　Conklin。　〃We're　all　uptight；　but　things　have　got　to　be　clear。　Once　Krupkin's　on　board；　his　first　job　will　be　to　trace　the　number　Gates　gave　Prefontaine　in　Boston。〃
　〃Who　gave　what　where？〃　asked　the　bewildered　psychiatrist。
　〃You　were　out　of　it；　Mo。　Prefontaine's　an　impeached　judge　who　fell　into　a　Jackal　contact。　To　cut　it　short；　the　contact　gave　our　judge　a　number　here　in　Paris　to　reach　the　Jackal；　but　it　didn't　coincide　with　the　one　Jason　already　had。　But　there's　no　question　that　the　contact；　a　lawyer　named　Gates；　reached　Carlos。〃
　〃Randolph　Gates？　Boston's　gift　to　the　boardrooms　of　Genghis　Khan？〃
　〃That's　the　one。〃
　〃Holy　Christ…I'm　sorry；　I　shouldn't　say　that；　I'm　not　a　gentile。　What　the　hell；　I'm　nothing；　but　you'll　admit　it's　a　shock。〃
　〃A　large　one；　and　we　have　to　know　who　owns　that　number　here　in　Paris。　Krupkin　can　find　out　for　us。　It's　corkscrew；　I　grant　you；　but　there　it　is。〃
　〃Corkscrew？〃　asked　Panov。　〃Are　you　now　going　to　produce　a　Rubik's　cube　in　Arabic？　Or；　perhaps；　a　Double…Crostic　from　the　London　Times？　What　in　heaven's　name　is　a　Prefontaine；　judge；　jury　or　otherwise？　It　sounds　like　a　bad　early　wine。〃
　〃It's　a　late；　very　good　vintage；〃　broke　in　Marie。　〃You'd　like　him；　Doctor。　You　could　spend　months　studying　him　because　he's　got　more　brights　than　most　of　us；　and　that　grand　intellect　of　his　is　still　intact　despite　such　inconveniences　as　alcohol；　corruption；　loss　of　family　and　prison。　He's　an　original；　Mo；　and　where　the　majority　of　felons　in　his　league　blame　everyone　but　themselves；　he　doesn't。　He　retains　a　gloriously　ironic　sense　of　humor。　If　the　American　judiciary　had　any　brains…which　on　the　surface　the　Justice　Department　would　seem　to　refute…they'd　put　him　back　on　the　bench。　。。。　He　went　after　the　Jackal's　people　on　principle　first；　because　they　wanted　to　kill　me　and　my　children。　If；　on　the　second　round；　he　makes　a　dollar；　he　deserves　every　penny　and　I'll　see　that　he　gets　it。〃
　〃You're　succinct。　You　like　him。〃
　〃I　adore　him；　as　I　adore　you　and　Alex。　You've　all　taken　such　risks　for　us…〃
　〃May　we　get　back　to　what　we're　here　for？〃　said　the　Chameleon　angrily。　〃The　past　doesn't　interest　me；　tomorrow　does。〃
　〃You're　not　only　rude；　my　dear；　you're　terribly　ungrateful。〃
　〃So　be　it。　Where　were　we？〃
　〃At　the　moment　with　Prefontaine；〃　replied　Alex　sharply；　looking　at　Bourne。　〃But　he　may　not　matter　because　he　probably　won't　survive　Boston。　。。。　I'll　call　you　at　the　inn　at　Barbizon　tomorrow　and　set　up　a　time　for　lunch。　Out　here。　Clock　yourself　on　the　drive　back　so　we're　not　hanging　around　like　mateless　snow　geese。　Also；　if　that　fat　guy's　right　about　his　'cuisine；'　Kruppie　will　love　it　and　tell　everybody　he　discovered　it。〃
　〃Kruppie？〃
　〃Relax。　I　told　you；　we　go　back　a　long　time。〃
　〃And　don't　go　into　it；〃　added　Panov。　〃You　really　don't　want　to　hear　about　Istanbul　and　Amsterdam。　They're　both　a　couple　of　thieves。〃
　〃We　pass；〃　said　Marie。　〃Go　on；　Alex；　what　about　tomorrow？〃
　〃Mo　and　I　will　take　a　taxi　out　to　your　place；　and　your　husband　and　I　will　drive　back　here。　We'll　call　you　after　lunch。〃
　〃What　about　that　driver　of　yours；　the　one　Casset　got　you？〃　asked　the　Chameleon；　his　eyes　cold；　inquiring。
　〃What　about　him？　He'll　be　paid　double　what　he　can　make　in　a　month　with　his　taxi　for　tonight；　and　after　he　drops　us　off　at　a　hotel；　he'll　disappear。　We　won't　see　him　again。〃
　〃Will　he　see　anyone　else？〃
　〃Not　if　he　wants　to　live　and　send　money　to　his　relatives　in　Algeria。　I　told　you；　Casset　cleared　him。　He's　granite。〃
　〃Tomorrow；　then；〃　said　Bourne　grimly；　looking　across　the　table　at　Marie　and　Morris　Panov。　〃After　we　leave　for　Paris；　you're　to　stay　out　at　Barbizon；　and　you're　not　to　leave　the　inn。　Do　you　both　understand　that？〃
　〃You　know；　David；〃　answered　Marie；　bristling　and　rigid　on　the　pine　banquette。　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you　something。　Mo　and　Alex　are　as　much　a　part　of　our　family　as　the　children；　so　I'll　say　it　in　front　of　them。　We　all；　all　of　us；　humor　you　and　in　some　ways　pamper　you　because　of　the　horrible　things　you　went　through。　But　you　cannot　and　you　will　not　order　us　around　as　if　we　were　inferior　beings　in　your　august　presence。　Do　you　understand　that？〃
　〃Loud　and　clear；　lady。　Then　maybe　you　should　go　back　to　the　States　so　you　won't　have　to　put　up　with　my　august　presence。〃　Jason　Bourne　rose　from　the　table；　pushing　the　chair　behind　him。　〃Tomorrow's　going　to　be　a　busy　day；　so　I　have　to　get　some　sleep…I　haven't　had　much　lately…and　a　better　man　than　any　of　us　here　once　told　me　that　rest　was　a　weapon。　I　believe　that。　。。。　I'll　be　in　the　car　for　two　minutes。　Take　your　choice。　I'm　sure　Alex　can　get　you　out　of　France。〃
　〃You　bastard；〃　whispered　Marie。
　〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　Chameleon；　walking　away。
　〃Go　to　him；〃　interjected　Panov　quickly。　〃You　know　what's　happening。〃
　〃I　can't　handle　it；　Mo！〃
　〃Don't　handle　it；　just　be　with　him。　You're　the　only　rope　he's　got。　You　don't　even　have　to　talk；　just　be　there。　With　him。〃
　〃He's　bee　the　killer　again。〃
　〃He'd　never　harm　you…〃
　〃Of　course　not；　I　know　that。〃
　〃Then　provide　him　with　that　link　to　David　Webb。　It　has　to　be　there；　Marie。〃
　〃Oh；　God；　I　love　him　so！〃　cried　the　wife；　rushing　to　her　feet　and　racing　after　her　husband…yet　not　her　husband。
　〃Was　that　the　right　advice；　Mo？〃　asked　Conklin。
　〃I　don't　know；　Alex。　I　just　don't　think　he　should　be　alone　with　his　nightmares；　none　of　us　should。　That's　not　psychiatry；　it's　just　mon　sense。〃
　〃Sometimes　you　sound　like　a　real　doctor；　you　know　that？〃
　The　Algerian　section　of　Paris　lies　between　the　tenth　and　eleventh　arrondissements；　barely　three　blocks；　where　the　low　buildings　are　Parisian　but　the　sounds　and　the　smells　are　Arabic。　The　insignia　of　the　high　church　small　but　emblazoned　in　gold　on　its　doors；　a　long　black　limousine　entered　this　ethnic　enclave。　It　stopped　in　front　of　a　wood…framed；　three…story　house；　where　an　old　priest　got　out　and　walked　to　the　door。　He　selected　a　name　on　the　mail　plate　and　pressed　the　button　that　rang　a　bell　on　the　second　floor。
　〃Oui？〃　said　the　metallic　voice　on　the　primitive　inter。
　〃I　am　a　messenger　from　the　American　embas