rl.thebourneultimatum-第55节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　No！　Get　away　from　me！　You　are　nothing　and　I　am　everything！　。。。　Go　away；　David；　for　Christ's　sake；　go　away。
　Bourne　spun　off　the　path　and　ran　across　the　harsh；　sharp　tropical　grass　toward　the　side　entrance　of　the　inn。　Instantly；　breathlessly；　he　cut　his　pace　to　a　walk　at　the　sight　of　a　figure　ing　through　the　door；　then　upon　recognizing　the　man；　he　resumed　running。　It　was　one　of　the　few　members　of　Tranquility's　staff　he　remembered　and　one　of　the　few　he　wished　he　could　forget。　The　insufferable　snob　of　an　assistant　manager　named　Pritchard；　a　loquacious　bore；　albeit　hardworking；　who　never　let　anyone　forget　his　family's　importance　in　Montserrat…especially　an　uncle　who　was　deputy　director　of　immigration；　a　not　so　incidental　plus　for　Tranquility　Inn；　David　Webb　suspected。
　〃Pritchard！〃　shouted　Bourne；　approaching　the　man。　〃Have　you　got　the　bandages？〃
　〃Why；　sir！〃　cried　the　assistant　manager；　genuinely　flustered。　〃You're　here。　We　were　told　you　left　this　afternoon…〃
　〃Oh；　shit！〃
　〃Sir？　。。。　Such　condolences　of　sorrow　so　pain　my　lips…〃
　〃Just　keep　them　shut；　Pritchard。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　〃Of　course；　I　was　not　here　this　morning　to　greet　you　or　this　afternoon　to　bid　you　farewell　and　express　my　deepest　feelings；　for　Mr。　Saint　Jay　asked　me　to　work　this　evening；　through　the　night；　actually…〃
　〃Pritchard；　I'm　in　a　hurry。　Give　me　the　bandages　and　don't　tell　anyone…anyone…that　you　saw　me。　I　want　that　very　clear。〃
　〃Oh；　it　is　clear；　sir；〃　said　Pritchard；　handing　over　the　three　different　rolls　of　elasticized　tape。　〃Such　privileged　information　is　safe　with　me；　as　safe　as　the　knowledge　that　your　wife　and　children　were　staying　here…oh；　God　forgive　me！　Forgive　me；　sir！〃
　〃I　will　and　He　will　if　you　keep　your　mouth　shut。〃
　〃Sealed。　It　is　sealed。　I　am　so　privileged！〃
　〃You'll　be　shot　if　you　abuse　the　privilege。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Don't　faint；　Pritchard。　Go　down　to　the　villa　and　tell　Mr。　Saint　Jay　that　I'll　be　in　touch　with　him　and　he's　to　stay　there。　Have　you　got　that？　He's　to　stay　there。　。。。　You；　too；　for　that　matter。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　could…〃
　〃Forget　it。　Get　out　of　here！〃
　The　talkative　assistant　manager　ran　across　the　lawn　toward　the　path　to　the　east　villas　as　Bourne　raced　to　the　door　and　went　inside。　Jason　climbed　the　steps　two　at　a　time…only　years　before；　it　would　have　been　three　at　a　time…and　again；　out　of　breath；　reached　St。　Jacques's　office。　He　entered；　closed　the　door；　and　quickly　went　to　the　closet　where　he　knew　his　brother…in…law　kept　several　changes　of　clothing。　Both　men　were　approximately　the　same　size…outsized；　as　Marie　claimed…and　Johnny　had　frequently　borrowed　jackets　and　shirts　from　David　Webb　when　visiting。　Jason　selected　the　most　subdued　bination　in　the　closet。　Lightweight　gray　slacks　and　an　all…cotton　dark　blue　blazer；　the　only　shirt　in　evidence；　again　tropical　cotton；　was　thankfully　short…sleeved　and　brown。　Nothing　would　pick　up　or　reflect　light。
　He　started　to　undress　when　he　felt　a　sharp；　hot　jolt　on　the　left　side　of　his　neck。　He　looked　in　the　closet　mirror；　alarmed；　then　furious　at　what　he　saw。　The　constricting　bandage　around　his　throat　was　deep　red　with　spreading　blood。　He　tore　open　the　box　of　the　widest　tape；　it　was　too　late　to　change　the　dressing；　he　could　only　reinforce　it　and　hope　to　stem　the　bleeding。　He　unraveled　the　elasticized　tape　around　his　neck；　tearing　it　after　several　revolutions；　and　applied　the　tiny　clamps　to　hold　it　in　place。　It　was　more　inhibiting　than　ever；　it　was　also　an　impediment　he　would　put　out　of　his　mind。
　He　changed　clothes；　pulling　the　collar　of　the　brown　shirt　high　over　his　throat　and　putting　the　automatic　in　his　belt；　the　reel　of　fishing　line　in　the　blazer's　pocket。　。。。　Footsteps！　The　door　opened　as　he　pressed　his　back　against　the　wall；　his　hand　on　the　weapon。　Old　Fontaine　walked　in；　he　stood　for　a　moment；　looking　at　Bourne；　then　closed　the　door。
　〃I've　been　trying　to　find　you；　frankly　not　knowing　if　you　were　still　alive；〃　said　the　Frenchman。
　〃We're　not　using　the　radios　unless　we　have　to。〃　Jason　walked　away　from　the　wall。　〃I　thought　you　got　the　message。〃
　〃I　did　and　it　was　right。　Carlos　may　have　his　own　radio　by　now。　He's　not　alone；　you　know。　It's　why　I've　been　wandering　around　looking　for　you。　Then　it　occurred　to　me　that　you　and　your　brother…in…law　might　be　up　here　in　his　office；　a　headquarters；　as　it　were。〃
　〃It's　not　very　smart　for　you　to　be　walking　around　out　in　the　open。〃
　〃I'm　not　an　idiot；　monsieur。　I　would　have　perished　long　before　now　if　I　were。　Wherever　I　walked　I　did　so　with　great　caution。　。。。　In　truth；　it's　why　I　made　up　my　mind　to　find　you；　assuming　you　were　not　dead。〃
　〃I'm　not　and　you　found　me。　What　is　it？　You　and　the　judge　are　supposed　to　be　in　an　empty　villa　somewhere；　not　wandering　around。〃
　〃We　are；　we　were。　You　see；　I　have　a　plan；　a　stratageme；　I　believe　would　interest　you。　I　discussed　it　with　Brendan…〃
　〃Brendan？〃
　〃His　name；　monsieur。　He　thinks　my　plan　has　merit　and　he's　a　brilliant　man；　very　sagace…〃
　〃Shrewd？　Yes；　I'm　sure　he　is；　but　he's　not　in　our　business。〃
　〃He's　a　survivor。　In　that　sense　we　are　all　in　the　same　business。　He　thinks　there　is　a　degree　of　risk；　but　what　plan　under　these　circumstances　is　without　risk？〃
　〃What's　your　plan？〃
　〃It　is　a　means　to　trap　the　Jackal　with　minimum　danger　to　the　other　people　here。〃
　〃That　really　worries　you；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃I　told　you　why；　so　there's　no　reason　to　repeat　it。　There　are　men　and　women　together　out　there…〃
　〃Go　on；〃　broke　in　Bourne；　irritated。　〃What's　this　strategy　of　yours；　and　you'd　better　understand　that　I　intend　to　take　out　the　Jackal　if　I　have　to　hold　this　whole　goddamned　island　hostage。　I'm　not　in　a　giving　mood。　I've　given　too　much。〃
　〃So　you　and　Carlos　stalk　each　other　in　the　night？　Two　crazed　middle…aged　hunters　obsessed　with　killing　each　other；　not　caring　who　else　is　killed　or　wounded　or　maimed　for　life　in　the　bargain？〃
　〃You　want　passion；　go　to　a　church　and　appeal　to　that　God　of　yours　who　pisses　on　this　planet！　He's　either　got　one　hell　of　a　warped　sense　of　humor　or　he's　a　sadist。　Now　either　talk　sense　or　I'm　getting　out　of　here。〃
　〃I've　thought　this　out…〃
　〃Talk！〃
　〃I　know　the　monseigneur；　know　the　way　he　thinks。　He　planned　the　death　of　my　woman　and　me　but　not　to　coincide　with　yours；　not　in　a　way　that　would　detract　from　the　high　drama　of　his　immediate　victory　over　you。　It　would　e　later。　The　revelation　that　I；　the　so…called　hero　of　France；　was　in　reality　the　Jackal's　instrument；　his　creation；　would　be　the　final　proof　of　his　triumph。　Don't　you　see？〃
　Briefly　silent；　Jason　studied　the　old　man。　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　he　replied　quietly。　〃Not　that　I　ever　figured　on　someone　like　you；　but　that　approach　is　the　basis　of　everything　I　believe。　He's　a　megalomaniac。　In　his　head　he's　the　king　of　hell　and　wants　the　world　to　recognize　him　and　his　throne。　By　his　lights；　his　genius　has　been　overlooked；　relegated　to　the　level　of　punk　killers　and　Mafia　hit　men。　He　wants　trumpets　and　drums；　when　all　he　hears　are　tired　sirens　and　weary　questions　in　police　lineups。〃
　〃C'est　vrai。　He　once　plained　to　me　that　almost　no　one　in　America　knew　who　he　was。〃
　〃They　don't。　They　think　he's　a　character　out　of　novels　or　films；　if　they　think　about　him　at　all。　He　tried　to　make　up　for　that　thirteen　years　ago；　when　he　flew　over　from　Paris　to　New　York　to　kill　me。〃
　〃Correction；　monsieur。　You　forced　him　to　go　after　you。〃
　〃It's　history。　What's　all　this　got　to　do　with　now；　tonight　。。。　your　plan？〃
　〃It　provides　us　with　a　way　to　force　the　Jackal　to　e　out　after　me；　to　meet　with　me。　Now。　Tonight。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃By　my　wandering　around　the　grounds　very　much　in　the　open　where　he　or　one　of　his　scouts　will　see　me　and　hear　me。〃
　〃Why　would　that　force　him　to　e　out　after　you？〃
　〃Because　I　will　not　be　with　the　nurse　he　had　assigned　to　me。　I　will　be　with　someone　else；　unknown　to　him；　someone　who　would　have　no　reason　at　all　to　kill　me。〃
　Again　Bourne　looked　at　the　old　Frenchman　in　silence。　〃Bait；〃　he　said　finally。
　〃A　lure　so　provocative　it　will　drive　him　into　a　frenzy　until　he　has　it　in　his　possession…has　me　in　his　grip　so　he　can　question　me。　。。。　You　see；　I'm　vital　to　him…more　specifically；　my　death　is　vital…and　everything　is　timing　to　him。　Precision　is　his　。。。　his　diction；　how　is　it　said？〃
　〃His　byword；　his　method　of　operation；　I　suppose。〃
　〃It　is　how　he　has　survived；　how　he　has　made　the　most　of　each　kill；　each　over　the　years　adding　to　his　reputation　as　the　assassin　supreme。　Until　a　man　named　Jason　Bourne　came　out　of　the　Far　East　。。。　he　has　never　been　the　same　since。　But　you　know　all　that…〃
　〃I　don't　care　about　all　that；〃　interrupted　Jason。　〃The　'timing。'　Go　on。〃
　〃After　I'm　gone　he　can　reveal　who　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine；　the　hero　of　France；　really　was。　An　impostor；　his　impostor；　his　creation；　the　instrument　of　death　who　was　the　snare　for　Jason　Bourne。　What　a　triumph　for　him！　。。。　But　he　cannot　do　that　until　I'm　dead。　Quite　simply；　it　would　be　too　inconvenient。　I　know　too　much；　too　many　of　my　colleagues　in　the　gutters　of　Paris。　No；　I　must　be　dead　before　he　has　his　triumph。〃
　〃Then　he'll　kill　you　when　he　sees　you。〃
　〃Not　until　he　has　his　answers；　monsieur。　Where　is　his　killer　nurse？　What　has　happened　to　her？　Did　Le　Chameleon　find　her；　turn　her；　do　away　with　her？　Have　the　British　aut