rl.thebourneultimatum-第34节

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　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Cigarette　smoke；　that's　what　I'm　talking　about。　It　hangs　around　a　lot　longer　than　you　might　think。　Ask　someone　who's　given　them　up　more　times　than　he　can　remember。〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃So　let's　have　a　talk　with　the　general's　wife。　Let's　all　have　a　talk。　e　on；　Flannagan；　we'll　play　show　and　tell。〃
　〃That　weapon　in　your　pocket　makes　you　pretty　fuckin'　brave；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃Move；　Sergeant！〃
　Rachel　Swayne　swung　her　head　to　her　left；　throwing　back　her　long；　dark　streaked　hair　over　her　shoulder　as　she　stiffened　her　posture　in　the　chair。　〃That's　offensive　in　the　extreme；〃　she　pronounced　with　wide　accusatory　eyes；　staring　at　Bourne。
　〃It　certainly　is；〃　agreed　Jason；　nodding。　〃It　also　happens　to　be　true。　There　are　five　cigarette　butts　in　this　ashtray　and　each　has　lipstick　on　it。〃　Bourne　sat　down　across　from　her；　putting　the　ashtray　on　the　small　table　next　to　the　chair。　〃You　were　there　when　he　did　it；　when　he　put　his　gun　into　his　mouth　and　pulled　the　trigger。　Perhaps　you　didn't　think　he'd　go　through　with　it；　maybe　you　thought　it　was　just　another　one　of　his　hysterical　threats…whatever；　you　didn't　raise　a　word　to　stop　him。　Why　should　you　have？　For　you　and　Eddie　it　was　a　logical　and　reasonable　solution。〃
　〃Preposterous！〃
　〃You　know；　Mrs。　Swayne；　to　put　it　bluntly；　that's　not　a　word　you　should　use。　You　can't　carry　it　off；　any　more　than　you're　convincing　when　you　say　something's　'offensive　in　the　extreme。'　。。。　Neither　expression　is　you；　Rachel。　You're　imitating　other　people…probably　rich；　vacuous　customers　a　young　hairdresser　heard　repeating　such　phrases　years　ago　in　Honolulu。〃
　〃How　dare　you。。。？〃
　〃Oh；　e　on；　that's　ridiculous；　Rachel。　Don't　even　try　the　'How　dare　you'　bit；　it　doesn't　work　at　all。　Are　you；　in　your　nasal　twang；　going　to　have　my　head　chopped　off　by　royal　decree？〃
　〃Lay　off　her！〃　shouted　Flannagan；　standing　beside　Mrs。　Swayne。　〃You　got　the　iron　but　you　don't　have　to　do　this！　。。。　She's　a　good　woman；　a　damn　good　woman；　and　she　was　shit　on　by　all　the　crap　artists　in　this　town。〃
　〃How　could　she　be？　She　was　the　general's　wife；　the　mistress　of　the　manor；　wasn't　she？　Isn't　she？〃
　〃She　was　used…〃
　〃I　was　laughed　at；　always　laughed　at；　Mr。　Delta！〃　cried　Rachel　Swayne；　gripping　the　arms　of　her　chair。　〃When　they　weren't　leering　or　drooling。　How'd　you　like　to　be　the　special　piece　of　meat　passed　out　like　a　special　dessert　to　very　special　people　when　the　dinner　and　the　drinks　are　over？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I'd　like　it　at　all。　I　might　even　refuse。〃
　〃I　couldn't！　He　made　me　do　it！〃
　〃Nobody　can　make　anybody　do　anything　like　that。〃
　〃Sure；　they　can；　Mr。　Delta；〃　said　the　general's　wife；　leaning　forward；　her　large　breasts　pressing　the　sheer　fabric　of　her　blouse；　her　long　hair　partially　obscuring　her　aging　but　still　sensual　soft…featured　face。　〃Try　an　uneducated　grammar　school　dropout　from　the　coal　basins　in　West　Virginia　when　the　panies　shut　down　the　mines　and　nobody　had　no　food…excuse　me；　any　food。　You　take　what　you　got　and　you　run　with　it　and　that's　what　I　did。　I　got　laid　from　Aliquippa　to　Hawaii；　but　I　got　there　and　I　learned　a　trade。　That's　where　I　met　the　Big　Boy　and　I　married　him；　but　I　didn't　have　no　illusions　from　day　one。　'Specially　when　he　got　back　from　'Nam；　y'know　what　I　mean？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　do；　Rachel。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　explain　nothin'　kiddo！〃　roared　Flannagan。
　〃No；　I　wanna；　Eddie！　I'm　sick　of　the　whole　shit；　okay？〃
　〃You　watch　your　tongue！〃
　〃The　point　is；　I　don't　know　nothin'；　Mr。　Delta。　But　I　can　figure　things；　y'know　what　I　mean？〃
　〃Stop　it；　Rachel！〃　cried　the　dead　general's　aide。
　〃Fuck　off；　Eddie！　You're　not　too　bright　either。　This　Mr。　Delta　could　be　our　way　out。　。。。　Back　to　the　islands；　right？〃
　〃Absolutely　right；　Mrs。　Swayne。〃
　〃You　know　what　this　place　is…？〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　yelled　Flannagan；　awkwardly　plodding　forward；　stopped　by　the　sudden　ear…shattering　explosion　of　Bourne's　gun；　the　bullet　searing　into　the　floor　between　the　sergeant's　legs。
　The　woman　screamed。　When　she　stopped；　Jason　continued：　〃What　is　this　place；　Mrs。　Swayne？〃
　〃Hold　it；〃　the　master　sergeant　again　interrupted；　but　his　objection　was　not　shouted　now；　instead；　it　was　a　plea；　a　strong　man's　plea。　He　looked　at　the　general's　wife　and　then　back　at　Jason。　〃Listen；　Bourne　or　Delta　or　whoever　you　are；　Rachel's　right。　You　could　be　our　way　out…there's　nothing　left　for　us　over　here…so　what　have　you　got　to　offer？〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃Say　we　tell　you　what　we　know　about　this　place　。。。　and　I　tell　you　where　you　can　start　looking　for　a　lot　more。　How　can　you　help　us？　How　can　we　get　out　of　here　and　back　to　the　Pac　Islands　without　being　hassled；　our　names　and　faces　all　over　the　papers？〃
　〃That's　a　tall　order；　Sergeant。〃
　〃Goddamn　it；　she　didn't　kill　him…we　didn't　kill　him；　you　said　so　yourself！〃
　〃Agreed；　and　I　couldn't　care　less　whether　you　did　or　not；　whether　you　were　responsible　or　not。　I've　got　other　priorities。〃
　〃Like　getting　'caught　up　with　some　old　rades'　or　whatever　the　hell　it　was？〃
　〃That's　right；　I'm　owed。〃
　〃I　still　can't　figure　you…〃
　〃You　don't　have　to。〃
　〃You　were　dead！〃　broke　in　the　perplexed　Flannagan；　the　words　rushing　out。　〃Delta　One　from　the　illegals　was　Bourne；　and　Bourne　was　dead　and　Langley　proved　it　to　us！　But　you're　not　dead…〃
　〃I　was　taken；　Sergeant！　That's　all　you　have　to　know…that　and　the　fact　that　I'm　working　alone。　I've　got　a　few　debts　I　can　call　in；　but　I'm　strictly　solo。　I　need　information　and　I　need　it　quickly！〃
　Flannagan　shook　his　head　in　bewilderment。　〃Well　。。。　maybe　I　can　help　you　there；〃　he　said　quietly；　tentatively；　〃better　than　anyone　else　would。　I　was　given　a　special　assignment；　so　I　had　to　learn　things；　things　someone　like　me　wouldn't　normally　be　told。〃
　〃That　sounds　like　the　opening　notes　of　a　con　song；　Sergeant。　What　was　your　special　assignment？〃
　〃Nursemaid。　Two　years　ago　Norman　began　to　fall　apart。　I　controlled　him；　and　if　I　couldn't　I　was　given　a　number　to　call　in　New　York。〃
　〃Said　number　being　part　of　the　help　you　can　give　me。〃
　〃That　and　a　few　license…plate　ID's　I　wrote　down　just　in　case…〃
　〃In　case；〃　pleted　Bourne；　〃someone　decided　your　nursemaid's　services　were　no　longer　required。〃
　〃Something　like　that。　Those　pricks　never　liked　us…Norman　didn't　see　it　but　I　did。〃
　〃Us？　You　and　Rachel　and　Swayne？〃
　〃The　uniform。　They　look　down　their　rich　civilian　noses　at　us　like　we're　necessary　garbage；　and　they're　right　about　the　necessary。　They　needed　Norman。　With　their　eyes　they　spat　on　him；　but　they　needed　him。〃
　The　soldier　boys　couldn't　run　with　it。　Albert　Armbruster；　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission。　Medusa…the　civilian　inheritors。
　〃When　you　say　you　wrote　down　the　license…plate　numbers；　I　assume　that　means　you　weren't　part　of　the　meetings　that　took　place…take　place…here　on　a　fairly　regular　basis。　That　is；　you　didn't　mingle　with　the　guests；　you　weren't　one　of　them。〃
　〃Are　you　crazy？〃　screeched　Rachel　Swayne；　in　her　own　succinct　way　answering　Jason's　question。　〃Whenever　there　was　a　real　meeting　and　not　a　lousy　drunken　dinner　party；　Norm　told　me　to　stay　upstairs；　or　if　I　wanted　to；　go　over　to　Eddie's　and　watch　television。　Eddie　couldn't　leave　the　cabin。　We　weren't　good　enough　for　his　big　fancy　asshole　friends！　It's　been　that　way　for　years。　。。。　Like　I　said；　he　threw　us　together。〃
　〃I'm　beginning　to　understand…at　least；　I　think　I　am。　But　you　got　the　license　numbers；　Sergeant。　How　did　you　do　that？　I　gather　you　were　confined　to　quarters。〃
　〃I　didn't　get　'em；　my　guards　did。　I　called　it　a　confidential　security　procedure。　No　one　argued。〃
　〃I　see。　You　said　Swayne　began　to　fall　apart　a　couple　of　years　ago。　How？　In　what　way？〃
　〃Like　tonight。　Whenever　something　out　of　the　ordinary　happened；　he'd　freeze；　he　didn't　want　to　make　decisions。　If　it　even　smacked　of　Snake　Lady；　he　wanted　to　bury　his　head　in　the　sand　until　it　went　away。〃
　〃What　about　tonight？　I　saw　you　two　arguing　。。。　it　seemed　to　me　the　sergeant　was　giving　the　general　his　marching　orders。〃
　〃You're　damn　right　I　was。　Norman　was　in　a　panic…over　you；　over　the　man　they　called　Cobra　who　was　bringing　out　this　heavy　business　about　Saigon　twenty　years　ago。　He　wanted　me　to　be　with　him　when　you　got　here；　and　I　told　him　no　way。　I　said　I　wasn't　nuts　and　I'd　have　to　be　nuts　to　do　that。〃
　〃Why？　Why　would　it　be　nuts　for　an　aide　to　be　with　his　superior　officer？〃
　〃For　the　same　reason　nons　aren't　called　into　situation　rooms　where　the　stars　and　the　stripers　are　figuring　out　strategy。　We're　on　different　levels；　it　isn't　done。〃
　〃Which　is　another　way　of　saying　there　are　limits　to　what　you　should　know。〃
　〃You　got　it。〃
　〃But　you　were　part　of　that　Saigon　twenty　years　ago；　part　of　Snake　Lady…hell；　Sergeant；　you　were　Medusa；　you　are　Medusa。〃
　〃Nickels　and　dimes'　worth；　Delta。　I　sweep　up　and　they　take　care　of　me；　but　I'm　only　a　sweeper　in　a　uniform。　When　my　time　es　to　turn　in　that　uniform；　I　go　quietly　into　a　nice　distant　retirement　with　my　mouth　shut；　or　I　go　out　in　a　body　bag。　It's　all　very　clear。　I'm　expendable。〃
　Bourne　watched　the　master　sergeant　closely　as　he　spoke；　noting　Flannagan's　brief　glances　at　the　general's　wife；　as　if　he　expected　to　be　applauded　or；　conversely；　to　be　told　with　a　look　to　shut　up。　Either　the　huge　military　aide　was　telling　the