rl.thebourneultimatum-第60节

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　〃Where　are　they？〃　asked　the　capo　supremo　grimly。
　〃Oh；　you　couldn't　reach　either　one；　talk　to　either　of　them。　They're　both　under　maximum　security。〃
　〃I　didn't　ask　for　the　rules　of　engagement；　paisan；　I　asked　where　they　were。〃
　〃Well；　Conklin's　at　a　condominium　in　Vienna；　a　proprietary　of　ours　no　one　could　penetrate；　and　Panov's　apartment　and　office　are　both　under　round…the…clock　surveillance。〃
　〃You'll　give　me　the　addresses；　won't　you？〃
　〃Certainly；　but　I　guarantee　they　won't　talk　to　you。〃
　〃Oh；　that　would　be　a　pity。　We're　just　looking　for　a　guy　with　a　dozen　names；　asking　questions；　offering　assistance。〃
　〃They　won't　buy　it。〃
　〃Maybe　I　can　sell　it。〃
　〃Goddamn　it；　why？〃　spouted　Armbruster；　then　immediately　lowered　his　voice。　〃Why　was　this　Webb　or　Bourne　or　whoever　the　hell　he　is　at　Swayne's？〃
　〃It's　a　gap　I　can't　fill；〃　said　DeSole。
　〃A　what？〃
　〃That's　an　Agency　term　for　no　answer。〃
　〃No　wonder　the　country's　up　shit's　creek。〃
　〃That's　not　true…〃
　〃Now　you　shut　up！〃　ordered　the　man　from　New　York；　reaching　into　his　pocket　and　pulling　out　a　small　notepad　and　a　ballpoint　pen。　〃Write　out　the　addresses　of　this　retired　spook　and　the　yid　shrink。　Now！〃
　〃It's　difficult　to　see；〃　said　DeSole；　writing；　angling　the　small　pad　of　paper　toward　the　neon　lights　of　the　closed　gas　station。　〃There。　The　apartment　number　may　be　wrong　but　it's　close；　and　Panov's　name　will　be　on　the　mailbox。　But　I　tell　you　again；　he　won't　talk　to　you。〃
　〃Then　we'll　just　have　to　apologize　for　interrupting　him。〃
　〃Yes；　you　probably　will。　I　gather　he's　very　dedicated　where　his　patients　are　concerned。〃
　〃Oh？　Like　that　telephone　line　into　your　fax　machine。〃
　〃No；　no；　that's　a　technical　term。　Number　Three　wire；　to　be　precise。〃
　〃And　you're　always　precise；　aren't　you；　paisan？〃
　〃And　you're　very　irritating…〃
　〃We've　got　to　go；〃　broke　in　Armbruster；　watching　the　New　Yorker　take　back　the　pad　and　the　ballpoint　pen。　〃Stay　calm；　Steven；〃　he　added；　obviously　suppressing　his　anger　and　heading　back　to　the　limousine。　〃Remember；　there's　nothing　we　can't　handle。　When　you　talk　to　Jimmy　T　in　Brussels；　see　if　you　two　can　e　up　with　a　reasonable　explanation；　okay？　If　not；　don't　worry；　we'll　figure　it　out　upstairs。〃
　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Armbruster。　But　if　I　may　ask？　Is　my　account　in　Bern　ready　for　immediate　release…in　case　。。。　well；　you　understand　。。。　in　case…〃
　〃Of　course　it　is；　Steven。　All　you　have　to　do　is　fly　over　and　write　out　the　numbers　of　your　account　in　your　own　handwriting。　That's　your　signature；　the　one　on　file；　remember？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　do。〃
　〃It　must　be　over　two　million　by　now。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you　。。。　sir。〃
　〃You've　earned　it；　Steven。　Good　night。〃
　The　two　men　settled　back　in　the　rear　seat　of　the　limousine；　but　there　was　no　lack　of　tension。　Armbruster　glanced　at　the　mafioso　as　the　chauffeur；　beyond　the　glass　partition；　turned　on　the　ignition。　〃Where's　the　other　car？〃
　The　Italian　switched　on　the　reading　light　and　looked　at　his　watch。　〃By　now　he's　parked　less　than　a　mile　down　the　road　from　the　gas　station。　He'll　pick　up　DeSole　on　his　way　back　and　stay　with　him　until　the　circumstances　are　right。〃
　〃Your　man　knows　exactly　what　to　do？〃
　〃e　on；　a　virgin　he's　not。　He's　got　a　searchlight　mounted　on　that　car　so　powerful　it　can　be　seen　in　Miami。　He　es　alongside；　switches　it　on　high；　and　wiggles　the　handle。　Your　two　million…dollar　flunky　is　blinded　and　out　of　business；　and　we're　only　charging　a　quarter　of　that　amount　for　the　job。　It's　your　day；　Alby。〃
　The　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission　sat　back　in　the　shadows　of　the　left　rear　seat　and　stared　out　the　window　at　the　dark；　rushing　images　beyond　the　smoked　glass。　〃You　know；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃if　anyone　had　ever　told　me　twenty　years　ago　that　I'd　be　sitting　in　this　car　with　someone　like　you；　saying　what　I'm　saying；　I　would've　told　him　it　was　impossible。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　what　we　like　about　you　class…act　characters。　You　look　down　your　noses　and　drip　your　snot　on　us　until　you　need　us。　Then　all　of　a　sudden　we're　'associates。'　Live　and　be　well；　Alby；　we're　eliminating　another　problem　for　you。　Go　back　to　your　big　federal　mission　and　decide　which　panies　are　clean　and　which　aren't…decisions　not　necessarily　based　on　soap；　right？〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　roared　Armbruster；　pounding　his　hand　on　the　armrest。　〃This　Simon…this　Webb！　Where's　he　ing　from？　What's　he　on　our　case　for？　What's　he　want？〃
　〃Something　to　do　with　that　Jackal　character　maybe。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　sense。　We　don't　have　anything　to　do　with　the　Jackal。〃
　〃Why　should　you？〃　asked　the　mafioso；　grinning。　〃You　got　us；　right？〃
　〃It's　a　very　loose　association　and　don't　you　forget　it。　。。。　Webb…Simon；　goddamn　it；　whoever　he　is；　we've　got　to　find　him！　With　what　he　already　knew；　plus　what　I　told　him；　he's　a　fucking　menace！〃
　〃He's　a　real　major　item；　isn't　he？〃
　〃A　major　item；〃　agreed　the　chairman；　again　staring　out　the　window；　his　right　fist　clenched；　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand　drumming　furiously　on　the　armrest。
　〃You　want　to　negotiate？〃
　〃What？〃　snapped　Armbruster；　turning　and　looking　at　the　calm　Sicilian　face　of　his　panion。
　〃You　heard　me；　only　I　used　the　wrong　word　and　I　apologize　for　that。　I'll　give　you　a　nonnegotiable　figure　and　you　can　either　accept　it　or　reject　it。〃
　〃A　。。。　contract？　On　Simon…Webb？〃
　〃No；〃　replied　the　mafioso；　slowly　shaking　his　head。　〃On　a　character　named　Jason　Bourne。　It's　cleaner　to　kill　someone　who's　already　dead；　isn't　it？　。。。　Since　we　just　saved　you　one　and　a　half　mill；　the　price　of　the　contract　is　five。〃
　〃Five　million？〃
　〃The　cost　of　eliminating　problems　in　the　category　of　major　items　is　high。　Menaces　are　even　higher。　Five　million；　Alby；　half　on　acceptance　within　the　usual　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃That's　outrageous！〃
　〃Then　turn　me　down。　You　e　back；　it's　seven…fifty；　and　if　you　e　back　again；　it's　double　that。　Fifteen　million。〃
　〃What　guarantee　do　we　have　that　you　can　even　find　him？　You　heard　DeSole。　He's　Four　Zero；　which　means　he's　out　of　reach；　buried。〃
　〃Oh；　we'll　dig　him　up　just　so　we　can　replant　him。〃
　〃How？　Two　and　a　half　million　is　a　lot　to　pay　on　your　word。　How？〃
　Again　smiling；　the　Mafia　supremo　reached　into　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　the　small　notebook　Steven　DeSole　had　returned　to　him。　〃Close　friends　are　the　best　sources；　Alby。　Ask　the　sleazes　who　write　all　those　gossip　books。　I　got　two　addresses。〃
　〃You　won't　get　near　them。〃
　〃Hey；　e　on。　You　think　you're　dealing　with　old　Chicago　and　the　animals？　With　Mad　Dog　Capone　and　Nitti；　the　nervous　finger。　We　got　sophisticated　people　on　the　payroll　these　days。　Geniuses。　Scientists；　electronics　whiz　kids…doctors。　By　the　time　we　get　finished　with　the　spook　and　the　yid；　they　won't　know　what　happened。　But　we'll　have　Jason　Bourne；　the　character　who　doesn't　exist　because　he's　already　dead。〃
　Albert　Armbruster　nodded　once　and　turned　to　the　window　in　silence。
　〃I'll　close　up　for　six　months；　change　the　name；　then　start　a　promotional　campaign　in　the　magazines　before　reopening；〃　said　John　St。　Jacques；　standing　by　the　window　as　the　doctor　worked　on　his　brother…in…law。
　〃There's　no　one　left？〃　asked　Bourne；　wincing　as　he　sat　in　a　chair　dressed　in　a　bathrobe；　the　last　suture　on　his　neck　being　pincered。
　〃Sure；　there　is。　Seven　crazy　Canadian　couples；　including　my　old　buddy；　who's　needlepointing　your　throat　at　the　moment。　Would　you　believe　they　wanted　to　start　up　a　brigade；　Renfrews　of　the　Mounties；　after　the　evil　people。〃
　〃That　was　Scotty's　idea；〃　interrupted　the　doctor　softly；　concentrating　on　the　wound。　〃Count　me　out。　I'm　too　old。〃
　〃So's　he　but　he　doesn't　know　it。　Then　he　wanted　to　advertise　a　reward　to　the　tune　of　a　hundred　thousand　for　information　leading　to　the　et　cetera！　I　finally　convinced　him　that　the　less　said　the　better。〃
　〃Nothing　said　is　the　best；〃　added　Jason。　〃That's　the　way　it's　got　to　be。〃
　〃That's　a　little　tough；　David；〃　said　St。　Jacques；　misunderstanding　the　sharp　glance　Bourne　leveled　at　him。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　it　is。　We're　deflecting　most　of　the　local　inquiries　with　an　ersatz　story　about　a　massive　propane…gas　leak；　but　not　too　many　people　are　buying　it。　Of　course；　to　the　world　outside；　an　earthquake　down　here　wouldn't　rate　six　lines　buried　in　the　last　pages　of　the　want　ads；　but　rumors　are　flying　around　the　Leewards。〃
　〃You　said　local　inquiries　。。。　what　about　that　world　outside？　Has　there　been　anything　from　it？〃
　〃There　will　be　but　not　about　here；　not　about　Tranquility。　Montserrat；　yes；　and　the　news　will　get　a　column　in　the　London　Times　and　maybe　an　inch　in　the　New　York　and　Washington　papers；　but　I　don't　think　it'll　touch　us。〃
　〃Stop　being　so　cryptic。〃
　〃We'll　talk　later。〃
　〃Say　whatever　you　like；　John；〃　broke　in　the　doctor。　〃I'm　just　about　finished；　so　I'm　not　paying　much　attention；　and　even　if　I　heard　you；　I'm　entitled　to。〃
　〃I'll　make　it　brief；〃　said　St。　Jacques；　walking　to　the　right　of　the　chair。　〃The　Crown　governor；〃　he　continued。　〃You　were　right；　at　least　I　have　to　assume　you　were　right。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃The　news　came　in　while　you　were　getting　cleaned　up。　The　CG's　boat　was　found　smashed　on　one　of　the　nastier　reefs　off　Antigua；　halfway　to　Barbuda。　There　was　no　sign　of　survivors。　Plymouth　assumes　it　was　one　of　those　whipsaw　squalls　that　can　e　out　of　south　Nevis；　but　it's　hard　to　swallow。　Not　a　squal