rl.thebourneultimatum-第152节

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　〃You'll　have　to　be　clearer。〃
　〃Krupkin's　a　dead　man。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃I　mourn　him　as　a　friend　and　one　hell　of　an　enemy。　He　made　everything　possible　for　us；　and　when　it　was　all　over；　he　did　what　was　right；　not　what　was　ordered。　He　let　David　live　and　now　he's　paying　for　it。〃
　〃What　happened　to　him？〃
　〃According　to　Holland；　he　disappeared　from　the　hospital　in　Moscow　five　days　ago…he　simply　took　his　clothes　and　walked　out。　No　one　knows　how　he　did　it　or　where　he　went；　but　an　hour　after　he　left；　the　KGB　came　to　arrest　him　and　move　him　to　the　Lubyanka。〃
　〃Then　they　haven't　caught　him…〃
　〃They　will。　When　the　Kremlin　issues　a　Black　Alert；　every　road；　train　station；　airport　and　border　crossing　is　put　under　a　microscope。　The　incentives　are　irresistible：　whoever　lets　him　out　will　spend　ten　years　in　a　gulag。　It's　just　a　question　of　time。　Goddamn　it。〃
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　front　door　and　Panov　called　out。　〃It's　open　because　it's　easier！　e　in。〃
　The　be…blazered；　immaculately　dressed　assistant　manager；　Mr。　Pritchard；　entered；　preceded　by　a　room…service　table　that　he　was　capable　of　pushing　while　standing　pletely　erect。　He　smiled　broadly　and　announced　his　presence　as　well　as　his　mission。　〃Buckingham　Pritchard　at　your　service；　gentlemen。　I've　brought　a　few　delicacies　from　the　sea　for　your　collegial　gathering　before　the　evening　meal　which　I　have　personally　attended　to　at　the　side　of　the　chef　who　has　been　known　to　be　prone　to　errors　without　expert　guidance　which　I　was　all　too　happy　to　provide。〃
　〃Collegial？〃　said　Alex。　〃I　got　out　of　college　damn　near　thirty…five　years　ago。〃
　〃It　obviously　didn't　take　where　the　nuances　of　English　are　concerned；〃　mumbled　Morris　Panov。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Pritchard；　aren't　you　terribly　hot　in　those　clothes？　I'd　be　sweating　like　a　pig。
　〃No　nuances　there；　only　an　unproven　cliché；〃　muttered　Conklin。
　〃I　do　not　perspire；　sir；〃　replied　the　assistant　manager。
　〃I'll　bet　my　pension　you　'perspired'　when　Mr。　St。　Jacques　came　back　from　Washington；〃　offered　Alex。　〃Christ　almighty；　Johnny　a　'terrorist'！〃
　〃The　incident　has　been　forgotten；　sir；〃　said　Pritchard　stoically。　〃Mr。　Saint　Jay　and　Sir　Henry　understand　that　my　brilliant　uncle　and　I　had　only　the　children's　interests　at　heart。〃
　〃Savvy；　very　savvy；〃　observed　Conklin。
　〃I'll　set　up　the　canapés；　gentlemen；　and　check　the　ice。　The　others　should　be　here　in　a　matter　of　minutes。〃
　〃That's　very　kind　of　you；〃　said　Panov。
　David　Webb　leaned　against　the　balcony　archway　watching　his　wife　as　she　read　the　last　pages　of　a　children's　story　to　their　son。　The　outstanding　Mrs。　Cooper　was　dozing　in　a　chair；　her　magnificent　black　head；　crowned　by　a　fleece　of　silver　and　gray；　kept　nodding　above　her　full　chest　as　if　she　expected　at　any　moment　to　hear　sounds　from　the　infant　Alison　beyond　the　half…closed　door　that　was　only　feet　from　where　she　was　sitting。　The　inflections　of　Marie's　quiet　voice　matched　the　words　of　the　story；　confirmed　by　Jamie's　wide　eyes　and　parted　lips。　But　for　an　analytical　mind　that　found　music　in　figures；　his　wife　might　have　been　an　actress；　mused　David。　She　had　the　surface　attributes　of　that　precarious　profession…striking　features；　a　manding　presence；　the　sine　qua　non　that　forced　both　men　and　women　to　fall　silent　and　pensively　appraise　her　when　she　walked　down　a　street　or　entered　a　room。
　〃You　can　read　to　me　tomorrow；　Daddy！〃
　The　story　was　over；　attested　to　by　his　son　jumping　off　the　couch　and　Mrs。　Cooper　flashing　her　eyes　open。　〃I　wanted　to　read　that　one　tonight；〃　said　Webb　defensively；　moving　away　from　the　arch。
　〃Well；　you　still　kind　of　smell；〃　said　the　boy；　frowning。
　〃Your　father　doesn't　smell；　Jamie；〃　explained　Marie；　smiling。　〃I　told　you；　it's　the　medicine　the　doctor　said　he　had　to　use　on　his　injuries　from　the　accident。〃
　〃He　still　smells。〃
　〃You　can't　argue　with　an　analytical　mind　when　it's　right；　can　you？〃　asked　David。
　〃It's　too　early　to　go　to　bed；　Mommy！　I　might　wake　up　Alison　and　she'll　start　crying　again。〃
　〃I　know；　dear；　but　Daddy　and　I　have　to　go　over　and　see　all　your　uncles…〃
　〃And　my　new　grandfather！〃　cried　the　child　exuberantly。　〃Grandpa　Brendan　said　he　was　going　to　teach　me　how　to　be　a　judge　someday。〃
　〃God　help　the　boy；〃　interjected　Mrs。　Cooper。　〃That　man　dresses　like　a　peacock　flowering　to　mate。〃
　〃You　may　go　into　our　room　and　watch　television；〃　overrode　Marie　quickly。　〃But　only　for　a　half　hour…〃
　〃Aww！〃
　〃All　right；　perhaps　an　hour；　but　Mrs。　Cooper　will　select　the　channels。〃
　〃Thanks；　Mommy！〃　cried　the　child；　racing　into　his　parents'　bedroom　as　Mrs。　Cooper　got　out　of　the　chair　and　followed　him。
　〃Oh；　I　can　start　him　off；〃　said　Marie；　getting　up　from　the　couch。
　〃No；　Miss　Marie；〃　protested　Mrs。　Cooper。　〃You　stay　with　your　husband。　That　man　hurts　but　he　won't　say　anything。〃　She　disappeared　into　the　bedroom。
　〃Is　that　true；　my　darling？〃　asked　Marie；　walking　to　David。　〃Do　you　hurt？〃
　〃I　hate　to　dispel　the　myth　of　a　great　lady's　incontestable　perceptions；　but　she's　wrong。〃
　〃Why　do　you　have　to　use　a　dozen　words　when　one　will　suffice？〃
　〃Because　I'm　supposed　to　be　a　scholar。　We　academicians　never　take　a　direct　route　because　it　doesn't　leave　us　any　offshoots　to　claim　if　we're　wrong。　What　are　you；　anti…intellectual？〃
　〃No；〃　answered　Marie。　〃You　see；　that's　a　simple；　one…word　declarative。〃
　〃What's　a　declarative？〃　asked　Webb；　taking　his　wife　in　his　arms　and　kissing　her；　their　lips　enveloping；　so　meaningful　to　each；　arousing　to　each。
　〃It's　a　shortcut　to　the　truth；〃　said　Marie；　arching　her　head　back　and　looking　at　him。　〃No　offshoots；　no　circumlocutions；　just　fact。　As　in　five　and　five　equals　ten；　not　nine　or　eleven；　but　ten。〃
　〃You're　a　ten。〃
　〃That's　banal；　but　I'll　take　it。　。。。　You　are　more　relaxed；　I　can　feel　you　again。　Jason　Bourne's　leaving　you；　isn't　he？〃
　〃Just　about。　While　you　were　with　Alison；　Ed　McAllister　called　me　from　the　National　Security　Agency。　Benjamin's　mother　is　on　her　way　back　to　Moscow。〃
　〃Hey；　that's　wonderful；　David！〃
　〃Both　Mac　and　I　laughed；　and　as　we　laughed　I　thought　to　myself　I'd　never　heard　McAllister　laugh　before。　It　was　nice。〃
　〃He　wore　his　guilt　on　his　sleeve…no；　all　over　him。　He　sent　us　both　to　Hong　Kong　and　he　never　forgave　himself。　Now　you're　back　and　alive　and　free。　I'm　not　sure　I'll　ever　forgive　him；　but　at　least　I　won't　hang　up　on　him　when　he　calls。〃
　〃He'd　like　that。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　told　him　to　call。　I　said　you　might　even　ask　him　to　dinner　someday。〃
　〃I　didn't　go　that　far。〃
　〃Benjamin's　mother？　That　kid　saved　my　life。〃
　〃Maybe　a　quick　brunch。〃
　〃Take　your　hands　off　me；　woman。　In　another　fifteen　seconds　I'm　going　to　throw　Jamie　and　Mrs。　Cooper　out　of　our　bedroom　and　demand　my　connubials。〃
　〃I'm　tempted；　Attila；　but　I　think　Bro's　counting　on　us。　Two　feisty　individuals　and　an　over…imaginative　disbarred　judge　are　more　than　an　Ontario　ranch　boy　can　handle。〃
　〃I　love　them　all。〃
　〃So　do　I。　Let's　go。〃
　The　Caribbean　sun　had　disappeared；　only　faint　sprays　of　orange　barely　illuminated　the　western　horizon。　The　flames　of　the　glass…encased　candles　were　steady；　pointed；　sending　streams　of　gray　smoke　through　their　funnels；　their　glow　producing　warm　light　and　fortable　shadows　around　the　terraced　balcony　of　Villa　Eighteen。　The　conversation；　too；　had　been　warm　and　fortable…survivors　relishing　their　deliverance　from　a　nightmare。
　〃I　emphatically　explained　to　Handy　Randy　that　the　doctrine　of　stare　decisis　has　to　be　challenged　if　the　times　have　altered　the　perceptions　that　existed　when　the　original　decisions　were　rendered；〃　expounded　Prefontaine。　〃Change；　change…the　inevitable　result　of　the　calendar。〃
　〃That's　so　obvious；　I　can't　imagine　anyone　debating　it；〃　said　Alex。
　〃Oh；　Flood…the…Gates　used　it　incessantly；　confusing　juries　with　his　erudition　and　confounding　his　peers　with　multiple　decises。〃
　〃Mirrors　and　smoke；〃　added　Marie；　laughing。　〃We　do　the　same　in　economics。　Remember；　Bro；　I　told　you　that？〃
　〃I　didn't　understand　a　word。　Still　don't。〃
　〃No　mirrors　and　no　smoke　where　medicine's　involved；〃　said　Panov。　〃At　least　not　where　the　labs　are　monitored　and　the　pharmaceutical　money　boys　are　prohibited。　Legitimate　advances　are　validated　every　day。〃
　〃In　many　ways　it's　the　purposely　undefined　core　of　our　Constitution；〃　continued　the　former　judge。　〃It's　as　though　the　Founders　had　read　Nostradamus　but　didn't　care　to　admit　their　frivolity；　or　perhaps　studied　the　drawings　of　Da　Vinci；　who　foresaw　aircraft。　They　understood　that　they　could　not　legislate　the　future；　for　they　had　no　idea　what　it　would　hold；　or　what　society　would　demand　for　its　future　liberties。　They　created　brilliant　omissions。〃
　〃Unaccepted　as　such　by　the　brilliant　Randolph　Gates；　if　memory　serves；〃　said　Conklin。
　〃Oh；　he'll　change　quickly　now；〃　interrupted　Prefontaine；　chuckling。　〃He　was　always　a　sworn　panion　of　the　wind；　and　he's　smart　enough　to　adjust　his　sails　when　he　has　to　buck　it。〃
　〃I　keep　wondering　whatever　happened　to　the　truck　driver's　wife；　the　one　in　the　diner　who　was　married　to　the　man　they　called　'Bronk；'　〃　said　the　psychiatrist。
　〃Try　to　imagine　a　small　house　and　a　white　picket　fence；　et　cetera；〃　offered　Alex。　〃It's　easier　that　way。〃
　〃What　truck　driver's　wife？〃　asked　St。　Jacques。
　〃Leave　it　alone；　Bro；　I'd　rather　not　find　out。〃
　〃Or　that　son