rl.thebourneultimatum-第125节

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　〃From　all　points　of　view；〃　continued　Krupkin　as　they　started　toward　the　limousine。　〃However；　we　will　dispense　with　this　conversation　while　riding　in　an　official　vehicle；　won't　we；　gentlemen？　Incidentally；　you　have　a　two…bedroom　suite　at　the　Metropole　on　the　Marx　Prospekt。　It's　convenient　and　I've　personally　shut　down　all　listening　devices。〃
　〃I　can　understand　why；　but　how　did　you　manage　it？〃
　〃Embarrassment；　as　you　well　know；　is　the　Komitet's　greatest　enemy。　I　explained　to　internal　security　that　what　might　be　recorded　could　prove　most　embarrassing　to　the　wrong　people；　who　would　undoubtedly　transfer　any　who　overheard　the　tapes　to　Kamchatka。〃　They　reached　the　car；　the　left　rear　door　opened　by　a　driver　in　a　dark　brown　business　suit　identical　with　the　one　worn　by　Sergei　in　Paris。　〃The　fabric's　the　same；〃　said　Krupkin　in　French；　noting　his　panions'　reaction　to　the　similar　apparel。　〃Unfortunately　the　tailoring　is　not。　I　insisted　Sergei　have　his　refitted　in　the　Faubourg。〃
　The　Hotel　Metropole　is　a　renovated；　prerevolutionary　structure　built　in　the　ornate　style　of　architecture　favored　by　the　czar　who　had　visited　fin…de…siècle　Vienna　and　Paris。　The　ceilings　are　high；　the　marble　profuse；　and　the　occasional　tapestries　priceless。　Intrinsic　to　the　elaborate　lobby　is　a　defiance　aimed　at　a　government　that　would　permit　so　many　shabby　citizens　to　invade　the　premises。　The　majestic　walls　and　the　glittering；　filigreed　chandeliers　seem　to　stare　at　the　unworthy　trespassers　with　disdain。　These　impressions；　however；　did　not　apply　to　Dimitri　Krupkin；　whose　baronial　figure　was　very　much　at　ease　and　at　home　in　the　surroundings。
　〃rade！〃　cried　the　manager　sotto　voce　as　the　KGB　officer　acpanied　his　guests　to　the　elevators。　〃There　is　an　urgent　message　for　you；〃　he　continued；　walking　rapidly　up　to　Dimitri　and　thrusting　a　folded　note　into　Krupkin's　hand。　〃I　was　told　to　deliver　it　to　you　personally。〃
　〃You　have　done　so　and　I　thank　you。〃　Dimitri　watched　the　man　walk　away；　then　opened　the　paper　as　Bourne　and　Conklin　stood　behind　him。　〃I　must　reach　Dzerzhinsky　immediately；〃　he　said；　turning。　〃It's　the　extension　of　my　second　missar。　e；　let　us　hurry。〃
　The　suite；　like　the　lobby；　belonged　to　another　time；　another　era；　indeed　another　country；　marred　only　by　the　faded　fabrics　and　the　less　than　perfect　restoration　of　the　original　moldings。　These　imperfections　served　to　accentuate　the　distance　between　the　past　and　the　present。　The　doors　of　the　two　bedrooms　were　opposite　each　other；　the　space　between　a　large　sitting　room　plete　with　a　copper　dry　bar　and　several　bottles　of　spirits　rarely　seen　on　Moscow　shelves。
　〃Help　yourselves；〃　said　Krupkin；　heading　for　a　telephone　on　an　ersatz　antique　desk　that　appeared　to　be　a　cross　between　Queen　Anne　and　a　later　Louis。　〃Oh；　I　forgot；　Aleksei；　I'll　order　some　tea　or　spring　water…〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　said　Conklin；　taking　his　flight　bag　from　Jason　and　heading　into　the　left　bedroom。　〃I'm　going　to　wash　up；　that　plane　was　filthy。〃
　〃I　trust　you　found　the　fare　agreeable；〃　responded　Krupkin；　raising　his　voice　and　dialing。　〃Incidentally；　you　ingrate；　you'll　find　your　weapons　in　your　bedside　table　drawers。　Each　is　a　。38　caliber　Graz　Burya　automatic。　。。。　e；　Mr。　Bourne；〃　he　added。　〃You're　not　abstemious　and　it　was　a　long　trip…this　may　be　a　long　conversation。　My　missar　number　two　is　a　windy　fellow。〃
　〃I　think　I　will；〃　said　Jason；　dropping　his　bag　by　the　door　to　the　other　bedroom。　He　crossed　to　the　bar　and　chose　a　familiar　bottle；　pouring　himself　a　drink　as　Krupkin　began　talking　in　Russian。　It　was　not　a　language　he　understood；　so　Bourne　walked　to　a　pair　of　tall　cathedral　windows　overlooking　the　wide　avenue　known　as　the　Marx　Prospekt。
　〃Dobryi　dyen。　Da；　da　pochemu？　。。。　Sadovaya　togda。　Dvadtsat　minus。〃　Krupkin　shook　his　head　in　weary　irritation　as　he　hung　up　the　telephone。　The　movement　caused　Jason　to　turn　toward　the　Soviet。　〃My　second　missar　was　not　talkative　on　this　occasion；　Mr。　Bourne。　Haste　and　orders　took　precedent。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃We　must　leave　immediately。〃　Krupkin　glanced　at　the　bedroom　to　the　left　and　raised　his　voice。　〃Aleksei；　e　out　here！　Quickly！　。。。　I　tried　to　tell　him　that　you'd　just　this　second　arrived；〃　continued　the　KGB　man；　turning　back　to　Jason；　〃but　he　was　having　none　of　it。　Leven　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　one　of　you　was　already　taking　a　shower；　and　his　only　ment　was　'Tell　him　to　get　out　and　get　dressed。'　〃　Conklin　limped　through　the　bedroom　door；　his　shirt　unbuttoned　and　blotting　his　wet　face　with　a　towel。　〃Sorry；　Aleksei；　we　must　go。〃
　〃Go　where？　We　just　got　here。〃
　〃We've　appropriated　a　flat　on　the　Sadovaya…that's　Moscow's　'Grand　Boulevard；'　Mr。　Bourne。　It's　not　the　Champs…Elysées；　but　neither　is　it　inconsequential。　The　czars　knew　how　to　build。〃
　〃What's　over　there？〃　pressed　Conklin。
　〃missar　number　one；〃　replied　Krupkin。　〃We'll　be　using　it　as　our；　shall　we　say；　our　headquarters。　A　smaller　and　rather　delightful　annex　of　Dzerzhinsky　Square…only　nobody　knows　about　it　but　the　five　of　us。　Something's　e　up　and　we're　to　go　there　immediately。〃
　〃That's　good　enough　for　me；〃　said　Jason；　putting　his　drink　down　on　the　copper　dry　bar。
　〃Finish　it；〃　said　Alex；　rushing　awkwardly　back　into　the　bedroom。　〃I've　got　to　get　the　soap　out　of　my　eyes　and　rest　rap　my　lousy　boot。〃
　Bourne　picked　up　the　glass；　his　eyes　straying　to　the　Soviet　field　officer　who　looked　after　Conklin；　his　brow　lined；　his　expression　curiously　sad。　〃You　knew　him　before　he　lost　his　foot；　didn't　you？〃　asked　Jason　quietly。
　〃Oh；　yes；　Mr。　Bourne。　We　go　back　twenty…five；　twenty…six　years。　Istanbul；　Athens；　Rome　。。。　Amsterdam。　He　was　a　remarkable　adversary。　Of　course；　we　were　young　then；　both　slender　and　quick　and　so　taken　with　ourselves；　wanting　so　desperately　to　live　up　to　the　images　we　envisioned　for　ourselves。　It　was　all　so　long　ago。　We　were　both　terribly　good；　you　know。　He　was　actually　better　than　me；　but　don't　you　ever　tell　him　I　said　so。　He　always　saw　the　broader　picture；　the　longer　road　than　I　saw。　It　was　the　Russian　in　him；　of　course。〃
　〃Why　do　you　use　the　word　'adversary'？〃　asked　Jason。　〃It's　so　athletic；　as　if　you'd　been　playing　a　game。　Wasn't　he　your　enemy？〃
　Krupkin's　large　head　snapped　toward　Bourne；　his　eyes　glass；　not　warm　at　all。　〃Of　course　he　was　my　enemy；　Mr。　Bourne；　and　to　clarify　the　picture　for　you；　he　still　is　my　enemy。　Don't；　I　beg　you；　mistake　my　indulgences　for　what　they　are　not。　A　man's　weaknesses　may　intrude　on　his　faith　but　they　do　not　diminish　it。　I　may　not　have　the　convenience　of　the　Roman　confession　to　expiate　my　sins　so　as　to　go　forth　and　sin　again　despite　my　belief；　but　I　do　believe。　。。。　My　grandfathers　and　grandmothers　were　hanged…hanged；　sir…for　stealing　chickens　from　a　Romanov　prince's　estate。　Few；　if　any；　of　my　ancestors　were　ever　given　the　privilege　of　the　most　rudimentary　schooling；　forget　education。　The　Supreme　Soviet　revolution　of　Karl　Marx　and　Vladimir　Lenin　made　possible　the　beginning　of　all　things。　Thousands　upon　thousands　of　mistakes　have　been　made…many　inexcusable；　many　more　brutal…but　a　beginning　was　made。　I；　myself；　am　both　the　proof　and　the　error　of　it。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　understand　that。〃
　〃Because　you　and　your　feeble　intellectuals　have　never　understood　what　we　have　understood　from　the　start。　Das　Kapital；　Mr。　Bourne；　envisages　stages　toward　a　just　society；　economic　and　political；　but　it　does　not　and　never　did　state　what　specific　form　the　nuts…and…bolts　government　will　ultimately　be。　Only　that　it　could　not　be　as　it　was。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　scholar　in　that　department。〃
　〃One　does　not　have　to　be。　In　a　hundred　years　you　may　be　the　socialists；　and　with　luck；　we'll　be　the　capitalists；　da？〃
　〃Tell　me　something；〃　said　Jason；　hearing；　as　Krupkin　also　did；　the　water　faucets　in　Conklin's　room　being　turned　off。　〃Could　you　kill　Alex…Aleksei？〃
　〃As　surely　as　he　could　kill　me…with　deep　regrets…if　the　value　of　the　information　called　for　it。　We　are　professionals。　We　understand　that；　often　reluctantly。〃
　〃I　can't　understand　either　one　of　you。〃
　〃Don't　even　try；　Mr。　Bourne；　you're　not　there　yet…you're　getting　closer；　but　you're　not　there。〃
　〃Would　you　explain　that；　please？〃
　〃You're　at　the　cusp；　Jason…may　I　call　you　Jason？〃
　〃Please　do。〃
　〃You're　fifty　years　of　age　or　thereabouts；　give　or　take　a　year　or　two；　correct？〃
　〃Correct。　I'll　be　fifty…one　in　a　few　months。　So　what？〃
　〃Aleksei　and　I　are　in　our　sixties…have　you　any　idea　what　a　leap　that　is？〃
　〃How　could　I？〃
　〃Let　me　tell　you。　You　still　visualize　yourself　as　the　younger　man；　the　postadolescent　man　who　sees　himself　doing　the　things　you　did　only　moments　ago　in　your　mind；　and　in　many　ways　you　are　right。　The　motor　controls　are　there；　the　will　is　there；　you　are　still　the　master　of　your　body。　Then　suddenly；　as　strong　as　the　will　is　and　as　strong　as　the　body　remains；　the　mind　slowly；　insidiously　begins　to　reject　the　necessity　to　make　an　immediate　decision…both　intellectually　and　physically。　Simply　put；　we　care　less。　Are　we　to　be　condemned　or　congratulated　on　having　survived？〃
　〃I　think　you　just　said　you　couldn't　kill　Alex。〃
　〃Don't　count　on　it；　Jason　Bourne…or　David　whoever　you　are。〃
　Conklin　came　through　the　door；　his　limp　pronounced；　wincing　in　pain。　〃Let's　go；〃　he　said。
　〃Did　you　strap　it　wrong　again？〃　asked　Jason。　〃Do　you　w