rl.thebourneultimatum-第38节

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　assumptions　you　made　back　then　that　led　to　your　decision　to　e　after　me。　Can　you　understand　that？〃
　〃Yes；〃　replied　Conklin；　his　voice　so　low　it　was　barely　audible。　〃The　arrogance　of　ignorance；　it's　your　favorite　Washington　theme；　you　always　make　it　sound　so　Oriental。　But　somewhere　along　the　line　you're　going　to　have　to　be　a　little　less　arrogant　yourself。　There's　only　so　much　we　can　do　alone。〃
　〃On　the　other　hand；　there's　so　much　that　can　be　loused　up　if　we're　not　alone。　Look　at　the　progress　we've　made。　From　zero　to　double　digits　in　how　long…forty…eight；　seventy…two　hours？　Give　me　the　two　days；　Alex；　please。　We're　closing　in　on　what　this　whole　thing's　about；　what　Medusa's　all　about。　One　breakthrough；　and　we　present　them　with　the　perfect　solution　to　get　rid　of　me。　The　Jackal。〃
　〃I'll　do　the　best　I　can。　Did　Cactus　reach　you？〃
　〃Yes。　He'll　call　me　back　and　then　e　out　here。　I'll　explain　later。〃
　〃I　should　tell　you。　He　and　our　doctor　are　friends。〃
　〃I　know。　Ivan　told　me。　。。。　Alex；　I　want　to　get　some　things　over　to　you…Swayne's　telephone　book；　his　wallet；　appointments　schedule；　stuff　like　that。　I'll　wrap　it　all　up　and　have　one　of　Cactus's　boys　deliver　the　package　to　your　place；　to　the　security　gate。　Put　everything　into　your　high　tech　and　see　what　you　can　find。〃
　〃Cactus's　boys？　What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Taking　an　item　off　your　agenda。　I'm　sealing　this　place　up。　Nobody'll　be　able　to　get　in；　but　we'll　see　who　tries。〃
　〃That　could　be　interesting。　The　kennel　people　are　ing　for　the　dogs　around　seven　in　the　morning；　incidentally；　so　don't　make　the　seals　too　tight。〃
　〃Which　reminds　me；〃　interrupted　Jason。　〃Be　official　again　and　call　the　guards　on　the　other　shifts。　Their　services　are　no　longer　required；　but　each　will　receive　a　month's　pay　by　mail　in　lieu　of　notice。〃
　〃Who　the　hell's　going　to　pay　it？　There's　no　Langley；　remember？　No　Peter　Holland　and　I'm　not　independently　wealthy。〃
　〃I　am。　I'll　phone　my　bank　in　Maine　and　have　them　Fed　Ex　you　a　cashier's　check。　Ask　your　friend　Casset　to　pick　it　up　at　your　apartment　in　the　morning。〃
　〃It's　funny；　isn't　it？〃　said　Conklin　slowly；　pensively。　〃I　forgot　about　your　money。　I　never　think　about　it；　actually。　I　guess　I've　blocked　it　out　of　my　mind。〃
　〃That's　possible；〃　added　Bourne；　a　trace　of　lightness　in　his　voice。　〃The　official　part　of　you　may　have　visions　of　some　bureaucrat　ing　up　to　Marie　and　saying；　'By　the　way；　Mrs。　Webb　or　Bourne　or　whoever　you　are；　while　you　were　in　the　employ　of　the　Canadian　government　you　made　off　with　over　five　million　dollars　belonging　to　mine。〃
　〃She　was　only　brilliant；　David…Jason。　You　were　owed　every　dollar。〃
　〃Don't　press　the　point；　Alex。　She　claimed　at　least　twice　the　amount。〃
　〃She　was　right。　It's　why　everyone　shut　up。　。。。　What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃
　〃Wait　for　Cactus's　call；　then　make　one　of　my　own。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃To　my　wife。〃
　Marie　sat　on　the　balcony　of　her　villa　at　Tranquility　Inn　staring　out　at　the　moonlit　Caribbean；　trying　with　every　controlling　instinct　in　her　not　to　go　mad　with　fear。　Strangely；　perhaps　stupidly　or　even　dangerously；　it　was　not　the　fear　of　physical　harm　that　consumed　her。　She　had　lived　in　both　Europe　and　the　Far　East　with　the　killing　machine　that　was　Jason　Bourne；　she　knew　what　that　stranger　was　capable　of　and　it　was　brutally　efficient。　No；　it　wasn't　Bourne；　it　was　David…what　Jason　Bourne　was　doing　to　David　Webb。　She　had　to　stop　it！　。。。　They　could　go　away；　far　away；　to　some　remote　safe　haven　and　start　a　new　life　with　new　names；　create　a　world　for　themselves　that　Carlos　could　never　penetrate。　They　had　all　the　money　they　would　ever　need；　they　could　do　it！　It　was　done　all　the　time…hundreds；　thousands　of　men　and　women　and　children　whose　lives　were　threatened　were　shielded　by　their　governments；　and　if　ever　a　government　anywhere　had　reason　to　protect　a　man；　that　man　was　David　Webb！　。。。　Thoughts　conceived　in　frenzy；　reflected　Marie；　getting　up　from　her　chair　and　walking　to　the　balcony's　railing。　It　would　never　happen　because　David　could　never　accept　the　solution。　Where　the　Jackal　was　concerned；　David　Webb　was　ruled　by　Jason　Bourne　and　Bourne　was　capable　of　destroying　his　host　body。　Oh；　God；　what's　happening　to　us？
　The　telephone　rang。　Marie　stiffened；　then　rushed　into　the　bedroom　and　picked　it　up。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Hello；　Sis；　it's　Johnny。〃
　〃Oh。。。〃
　〃Which　means　you　haven't　heard　from　David。〃
　〃No；　and　I'm　going　a　little　crazy；　Bro。〃
　〃He'll　call　when　he　can；　you　know　that。〃
　〃But　you're　not　calling　to　tell　me　that。〃
　〃No；　I'm　just　checking　in。　I'm　stuck　over　here　on　the　big　island　and　it　looks　like　I'll　be　here　for　a　while。　I'm　at　Government　House　with　Henry；　waiting　for　the　CG　to　personally　thank　me　for　acmodating　the　Foreign　Office。〃
　〃I　don't　understand　a　word　you're　saying…〃
　〃Oh；　sorry。　Henry　Sykes　is　the　Crown　governor's　aide　who　asked　me　to　take　care　of　that　old　French　war　hero　down　the　path　from　you。　When　the　CG　wants　to　thank　you；　you　wait　until　you're　thanked…when　the　phones　go　out；　cowboys　like　me　need　Government　House。〃
　〃You've　totally　lost　me；　Johnny。〃
　〃A　storm　out　of　Basse…Terre　will　hit　in　a　few　hours。〃
　〃Out　of　whom？〃
　〃It's　a　what；　but　I　should　be　back　before　then。　Have　the　maid　make　up　the　couch　for　me。〃
　〃John；　it's　not　necessary　for　you　to　stay　here。　Good　heavens；　there　are　men　with　guns　outside　the　hedge　and　down　on　the　beach　and　God　knows　where　else。〃
　〃That's　where　they're　going　to　stay。　See　you　later；　and　hug　the　kids　for　me。〃
　〃They're　asleep；〃　said　Marie　as　her　younger　brother　hung　up。　She　looked　at　the　phone　as　she　replaced　it；　unconsciously　saying　out　loud；　〃How　little　I　know　about　you；　little　Bro　。。。　our　favorite；　incorrigible　Bro。　And　how　much　more　does　my　husband　know。　Damn　the　both　of　you！〃
　The　telephone　instantly　rang　again；　stunning　her。　She　grabbed　it。　〃Hello？〃
　〃It's　me。〃
　〃Thank　God！〃
　〃He's　out　of　town；　but　everything's　fine。　I'm　fine；　and　we're　making　headway。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　do　this！　We　don't　have　to！〃
　〃Yes；　we　do；〃　said　Jason　Bourne…no　evidence　of　David　Webb。　〃Just　know　I　love　you；　he　loves　you…〃
　〃Stop　it！　It's　happening…〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　apologize…forgive　me。〃
　〃You're　David！〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　David。　I　was　just　joking…〃
　〃No；　you　weren't！〃
　〃I　was　talking　to　Alex；　that's　all。　We　argued；　that's　all！〃
　〃No；　it　isn't！　I　want　you　back；　I　want　you　here！〃
　〃Then　I　can't　talk　any　longer。　I　love　you。〃　The　line　went　dead　and　Marie　St。　Jacques　Webb　fell　on　the　bed；　her　cries　of　futility　muffled　by　the　blankets。
　Alexander　Conklin；　his　eyes　red　with　strain；　kept　touching　the　letters　and　the　numbers　of　his　puter；　his　head　turned　to　the　open　pages　of　the　ledgers　sent　over　by　Bourne　from　General　Norman　Swayne's　estate。　Two　shrill　beeps　suddenly　intruded　on　the　silence　of　the　room。　It　was　the　inanimate　machine's　robotic　signal　that　another　dual　reference　had　been　calculated。　He　checked　the　entry。　R。G。　What　did　it　mean？　He　back…taped　and　found　nothing。　He　pressed　forward；　typing　like　a　mindless　automaton。　Three　beeps。　He　kept　punching　the　irritatingly　beige　buttons；　faster　and　faster。　Four　beeps　。。。　five　。。。　six。　Back　space…stop…forward。　R。G。　R。G。　R。G。　R。G。　What　the　hell　was　R。G。？
　He　cross…checked　the　data　with　the　entries　from　the　three　different　leather…bound　notebooks。　A　mon　numeral　sprang　out　in　green　letters　on　the　screen。　617…202…0011。　A　telephone　number。　Conklin　picked　up　the　Langley　phone；　dialed　the　night　watch；　and　told　the　CIA　operator　to　trace　it。
　〃It's　unlisted；　sir。　It's　one　of　three　numbers　for　the　same　residence　in　Boston；　Massachusetts。〃
　〃The　name；　please。〃
　〃Gates；　Randolph。　The　residence　is…〃
　〃Never　mind；　Operator；〃　interrupted　Alex；　knowing　that　he　had　been　given　the　essential　information。　Randolph　Gates；　scholar；　attorney　for　the　privileged；　advocate　of　the　bigger　the　better；　the　biggest　the　best。　How　right　that　Gates　should　be　involved　with　amassing　hundreds　of　millions　in　Europe　controlled　by　American　interests。　。。。　No；　wait　a　moment。　It　wasn't　right　at　all；　it　was　wrong！　It　was　pletely　illogical　for　the　scholarly　attorney　to　have　any　connection　whatsoever　to　a　highly　questionable；　indeed　illegal；　operation　like　Medusa。　It　did　not　make　sense！　One　did　not　have　to　admire　the　celebrated　legal　giant　to　grant　him　just　about　the　cleanest　record　for　propriety　in　the　Bar　Association。　He　was　a　notorious　stickler　for　the　most　minute　points　of　law；　often　using　those　minutiae　of　his　craft　to　obtain　favorable　decisions；　but　no　one　ever　dared　question　his　integrity。　So　unpopular　were　his　legal　and　philosophical　opinions　to　the　brightest　lawyers　in　the　liberal　establishment　that　he　would　have　been　gleefully　discredited　years　ago　at　the　slightest　hint　of　impropriety。
　Yet　here　was　his　name　appearing　six　times　in　the　appointments　calendar　of　a　Medusan　responsible　for　untold　millions　in　the　nation's　defense　expenditures。　An　unstable　Medusan　whose　apparent　suicide　was　in　fact　murder。
　Conklin　looked　at　the　screen；　at　the　date　of　Swayne's　last　entry　referring　to　R。G。　It　was　on　August　second；　barely　a　week　ago。　He　picked　up　the　leather…bound　diary　and　turned　to　the　day。　He　had　been　concentrating　on　names；　not　ments；　unless　the　information　struck　him　as　relevant…to　what　he　was　not　sure；　but　he　was　trusting　to　instinct。　I