rl.thebourneultimatum-第27节

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　〃An　illustrious　judge　from　the　United　States；〃　declared　the　tall　black　assistant　manager　in　a　distinct　British　accent。　〃My　uncle；　the　deputy　director　of　immigration；　phoned　me　from　the　airport　roughly　two　hours　ago。　Unfortunately；　I　was　upstairs　when　the　confusion　arose；　but　our　people　did　the　right　thing。〃
　〃A　judge？〃　asked　the　owner　of　Tranquility　Inn　as　the　assistant　manager　touched　St。　Jacques's　elbow；　gesturing　for　him　to　move　away　from　the　desk　and　the　clerks。　Both　men　did　so。　〃What　did　your　uncle　say？〃
　〃There　must　be　total　privvissy　where　our　two　distinguished　guests　are　concerned。〃
　〃Why　wouldn't　there　be？　What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃My　uncle　was　very　discreet；　but　he　did　allow　that　he　watched　the　honored　judge　go　to　the　Inter…Island　counter　and　purchase　a　ticket。　He　further　permitted　himself　to　say　that　he　knew　he　had　been　right。　The　judge　and　the　French　war　hero　are　related　and　wish　to　meet　confidentially　on　matters　of　great　import。〃
　〃If　that　was　the　case；　why　didn't　the　honored　judge　have　a　reservation？〃
　〃There　appear　to　be　two　possible　explanations；　sir。　According　to　my　uncle；　they　were　originally　to　meet　at　the　airport　but　the　Crown　governor's　reception　line　precluded　it。〃
　〃What's　the　second　possibility？〃
　〃An　error　may　have　been　made　in　the　judge's　own　offices　in　Boston；　Massachusetts。　According　to　my　uncle；　there　was　a　brief　discussion　regarding　the　judge's　law　clerks；　how　they　are　prone　to　errors　and　if　one　had　been　made　with　his　passport；　he'd　fly　them　all　down　to　apologize。〃
　〃Then　judges　are　paid　a　lot　more　in　the　States　than　they　are　in　Canada。　He's　damned　lucky　we　had　space。〃
　〃It's　the　summer　season；　sir。　We　usually　have　available　space　during　these　months。〃
　〃Don't　remind　me。　。。。　All　right；　so　we've　got　two　illustrious　relatives　who　want　to　meet　privately　but　go　about　it　in　a　very　plicated　way。　Maybe　you　should　call　the　judge　and　tell　him　what　villa　Fontaine　is　in。　Or　Prefontaine…whichever　the　hell　it　is。
　〃I　suggested　that　courtesy　to　my　uncle；　sir；　and　he　was　most　adamant。　He　said　we　should　do　and　say　absolutely　nothing。　According　to　my　uncle；　all　great　men　have　secrets　and　he　would　not　care　to　have　his　own　brilliant　deduction　revealed　except　by　the　parties　themselves。〃
　〃Beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃If　such　a　call　were　made　to　the　judge；　he　would　know　the　information　could　only　e　from　my　uncle；　the　deputy　director　of　Montserrat's　immigration。〃
　〃Christ；　do　whatever　you　want；　I've　got　other　things　on　my　mind。　。。。　Incidentally；　I've　doubled　the　patrols　on　the　road　and　the　beach。〃
　〃We'll　be　stretched　thin；　sir。〃
　〃I've　shifted　a　number　off　the　paths。　I　know　who's　here；　but　I　don't　know　who　may　want　to　get　in　here。〃
　〃Do　we　expect　trouble；　sir？〃
　John　St。　Jacques　looked　at　the　assistant　manager。　〃Not　now；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　out　checking　every　inch　of　the　grounds　and　the　beach。　By　the　way；　I'll　be　staying　with　my　sister　and　her　children　in　Villa　Twenty。〃
　The　hero　of　World　War　II's　Resistance　known　as　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine　walked　slowly　up　the　concrete　path　toward　the　last　villa　overlooking　the　sea。　It　was　similar　to　the　others；　with　walls　of　pink　stucco　and　a　red　tiled　roof；　but　the　surrounding　lawn　was　larger；　the　bordering　shrubbery　taller　and　denser。　It　was　a　place　for　prime　ministers　and　presidents；　foreign　secretaries　and　secretaries　of　state；　men　and　women　of　international　stature　seeking　the　peace　of　pampered　isolation。
　Fontaine　reached　the　end　of　the　path　where　there　was　a　four…foot…high　white　stuccoed　wall　and　beyond　it　the　impenetrable　overgrown　slope　of　the　hill　leading　down　to　the　shoreline。　The　wall　itself　extended　in　both　directions；　curving　around　the　hill　below　the　villas'　balconies；　at　once　demarcation　and　protection。　The　entrance　to　Villa　Twenty　was　a　pink　wrought…iron　gate　bolted　into　the　wall。　Beyond　the　gate　the　old　man　could　see　a　small　child　running　about　the　lawn　in　a　bathing　suit。　In　moments　a　woman　appeared　in　the　frame　of　the　open　front　door。
　〃e　on；　Jamie！〃　she　called　out。　〃Time　for　dinner。〃
　〃Has　Alison　eaten；　Mommy？〃
　〃Fed　and　asleep；　darling。　She　won't　yell　at　her　brother。〃
　〃I　like　our　house　better。　Why　can't　we　go　back　to　our　house；　Mommy？〃
　〃Because　Uncle　John　wants　us　to　stay　here。　。。。　The　boats　are　here；　Jamie。　He　can　take　you　fishing　and　sailing　just　like　he　did　last　April　during　the　spring　vacation。〃
　〃We　stayed　at　our　house　then。〃
　〃Yes；　well；　Daddy　was　with　us…〃
　〃And　we　had　lots　of　fun　driving　over　in　the　truck！〃
　〃Dinner；　Jamie。　e　along　now。〃
　Mother　and　child　went　into　the　house　and　Fontaine　winced　thinking　about　his　orders　from　the　Jackal；　the　bloody　executions　he　was　sworn　to　carry　out。　And　then　the　child's　words　came　back　to　him。　Why　can't　we　go　back　to　our　house；　Mommy？　。。。　We　stayed　at　our　house　then。　And　the　mother's　answers：　Because　Uncle　John　wants　us　to　stay　here。　。。。　Yes；　well；　Daddy　was　with　us　then。
　There　might　be　any　number　of　explanations　for　the　brief　exchange　he　had　overheard；　but　Fontaine　could　sense　warnings　quicker　than　most　men；　for　his　life　had　been　filled　with　them。　He　sensed　one　now；　and　for　that　reason　an　old　man　would　take　a　number　of　walks　late　at　night　for　〃circulatory　purposes。〃
　He　turned　from　the　wall　and　started　down　the　concrete　path　so　absorbed　in　thought　that　he　nearly　collided　with　a　guest　at　least　his　own　age　wearing　a　foolish…looking　little　white　cap　and　white　shoes。
　〃Excuse　me；〃　said　the　stranger；　sidestepping　out　of　Fontaine's　way。
　〃Pardon；　monsieur！〃　exclaimed　the　embarrassed　hero　of　France；　unconsciously　slipping　into　his　native　tongue。　〃Je　regrette…that　is　to　say；　it　is　I　who　must　be　excused。〃
　〃Oh？〃　At　his　words　the　stranger's　eyes　briefly　widened；　almost　as　if　there　had　been　recognition　that　was　quickly　hidden。　〃Not　at　all。〃
　〃Pardon；　we　have　met；　monsieur？〃
　〃I　don't　believe　so；〃　replied　the　old　man　in　the　silly　white　cap。　〃But　we've　all　heard　the　rumors。　A　great　French　hero　is　among　the　guests。〃
　〃Foolishness。　The　accidents　of　war　when　we　were　all　much　younger。　My　name　is　Fontaine。　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine。〃
　〃Mine's　。。。　Patrick。　Brendan　Patrick…〃
　〃A　pleasure　to　make　your　acquaintance；　monsieur。〃　Both　men　shook　hands。　〃This　is　a　lovely　place；　is　it　not？〃
　〃Simply　beautiful。〃　Again　the　stranger　seemed　to　be　studying　him；　thought　Fontaine；　yet；　oddly　enough；　avoiding　any　prolonged　eye　contact。　〃Well；　I　must　be　on　my　way；〃　added　the　elderly　guest　in　the　brand…new　white　shoes。　〃Doctor's　orders。〃
　〃Moi　aussi；〃　said　Jean　Pierre；　purposely　speaking　French；　which　evidently　had　an　effect　on　the　stranger。　〃Toujours　le　médecin　а　notre　вge；　n'est…ce　pas？〃
　〃All　too　true；〃　replied　the　old　man　with　the　bony　legs；　nodding　and　making　the　gesture　of　a　wave　as　he　turned　and　walked　rapidly　up　the　path。
　Fontaine　stood　motionless　watching　the　receding　figure；　waiting；　knowing　it　would　happen。　And　then　it　did。　The　old　man　stopped　and　slowly　turned　around。　From　a　distance　their　eyes　locked；　it　was　enough。　Jean　Pierre　smiled；　then　proceeded　down　the　concrete　path　toward　his　villa。
　It　was　another　warning；　he　mused；　and　a　far　more　deadly　one。　For　three　things　were　apparent：　first；　the　elderly　guest　in　the　foolish　white　cap　spoke　French；　second；　he　knew　that　〃Jean　Pierre　Fontaine〃　was　in　reality　someone　else…sent　to　Montserrat　by　someone　else；　third　。。。　he　had　the　mark　of　the　Jackal　in　his　eyes。　Mon　Dieu；　how　like　the　monseigneur！　Engineer　the　kill；　make　sure　it　is　done；　then　remove　all　physical　traces　that　could　lead　back　to　his　methods　of　operation；　in　particular　his　private　army　of　old　men。　No　wonder　the　nurse　had　said　that　after　his　orders　were　carried　out　they　could　remain　here　in　this　paradise　until　his　woman　died；　a　date　that　was　imprecise　at　best。　The　Jackal's　generosity　was　not　so　grand　as　it　appeared；　his　woman's　death；　as　well　as　his　own；　had　been　scheduled。
　John　St。　Jacques　picked　up　the　phone　in　his　office。　〃Yes？〃
　〃They　have　met；　sir！〃　said　the　excited　assistant　manager　at　the　front　desk。
　〃Who　have　met？〃
　〃The　great　man　and　his　illustrious　relative　from　Boston；　Massachusetts。　I　would　have　called　you　at　once；　but　there　was　a　mix…up　concerning　a　box　of　Belgian　chocolates…〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Several　minutes　ago；　sir；　I　saw　them　through　the　windows。　They　were　conferring　on　the　path。　My　esteemed　uncle；　the　deputy　director；　was　right　in　all　things！〃
　〃That's　nice。〃
　〃The　Crown　governor's　office　will　be　most　pleased；　and　I'm　certain　we　shall　be　mended；　as　will；　of　course；　my　brilliant　uncle。〃
　〃Good　for　all　of　us；〃　said　St。　Jacques　wearily。　〃Now　we　don't　have　to　concern　ourselves　about　them　any　longer；　do　we？〃
　〃Offhand　I　would　say　not；　sir。　。。。　Except　that　as　we　speak　the　honored　judge　is　walking　down　the　path　in　haste。　I　believe　he's　ing　inside。〃
　〃I　don't　think　he'll　bite　you；　he　probably　wants　to　thank　you。　Do　whatever　he　says。　There's　a　storm　ing　up　from　Basse…Terre　and　we'll　need　the　CG's　input　if　the　phones　go　out。〃
　〃I　myself　shall　perform　whatever　service　he　requires；　sir！〃
　〃Well；　there　are　limits。　Don't　brush　his　teeth。〃
　Brendan　Prefontaine　hurried　through　the　door　of　the　circular　glass…walled　lobby。　He　had　waited　until　the　old　Frenchman　had　turned　into　the　first　villa　before　reversing　direction　and　he