rl.thebourneultimatum-第71节

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ow？〃
　The　capo　subordinato；　his　eyes　squinting；　his　forehead　creased　in　ignorance　and　suspicion；　reached　into　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　large　black　kerchief。　〃Sorry；　Doc；　but　I　gotta　blindfold　you。〃
　〃Is　that　so　you　can　put　a　bullet　in　my　head　when；　mercifully；　I　don't　know　it's　going　to　happen？〃
　〃No；　Doctor。　No　bam…bam　for　you。　You're　too　valuable。〃
　〃Valuable？〃　asked　the　capo　supremo　rhetorically　in　his　opulent　living　room　in　Brooklyn　Heights。　〃Like　a　gold　mine　just　popped　out　of　the　ground　and　landed　in　your　minestrone。　This　Jew　has　worked　on　the　heads　of　some　of　the　biggest　lasagnas　in　Washington。　His　files　have　got　to　be　worth　the　price　of　Detroit。〃
　〃You'll　never　get　them；　Louis；〃　said　the　attractive　middle…aged　man　dressed　in　an　expensive　tropical　worsted　suit　sitting　across　from　his　host。　〃They'll　be　sealed　and　carted　off　out　of　your　reach。〃
　〃Well；　we're　working　on　that；　Mr。　Park　Avenue；　Manhattan。　Say…just　for　laughs…say　we　got　'em。　What　are　they　worth　to　you？〃
　The　guest　permitted　himself　a　thin　aristocratic　smile。　〃Detroit？〃　he　replied。
　〃Va　bene！　I　like　you；　you　got　a　sense　of　humor。〃　As　abruptly　as　he　had　grinned；　the　mafioso　became　serious；　even　ugly。　〃The　five　mill　still　holds　for　this　Bourne…Webb　character；　right？〃
　〃With　a　proviso。〃
　〃I　don't　like　provisos；　Mr。　Lawyer；　I　don't　like　them　at　all。〃
　〃We　can　go　elsewhere。　You're　not　the　only　game　in　town。〃
　〃Let　me　explain　something　to　you；　Signor　Avvocato。　In　a　lot　of　ways；　we…all　of　we…are　the　only　game　in　town。　We　don't　mess　with　other　families'　hits；　you　know　what　I　mean？　Our　councils　have　decided　hits　are　too　personal；　it　makes　for　bad　blood。〃
　〃Will　you　listen　to　the　proviso？　I　don't　think　you'll　be　offended。〃
　〃Shoot。〃
　〃I　wish　you'd　use　another　word…〃
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃There'll　be　a　two…million…dollar　bonus　because　we　insist　you　include　Webb's　wife　and　his　government　friend　Conklin。〃
　〃Done；　Mr。　Park　Avenue；　Manhattan。〃
　〃Good。　Now　to　the　rest　of　our　business。〃
　〃I　want　to　talk　about　the　Jew。〃
　〃We'll　get　to　him…〃
　〃Now。〃
　〃Please　don't　give　orders　to　me；〃　said　the　attorney　from　one　of　Wall　Street's　most　prestigious　firms。　〃You're　really　not　in　a　position　to　do　that；　wop。〃
　〃Hey；　farabutto！　You　don't　talk　to　me　like　that！〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　you　any　way　I　like。　。。。　On　the　outside；　and　to　your　credit　in　negotiations；　you're　a　very　masculine；　very　macho　fellow。〃　The　lawyer　calmly　uncrossed　and　crossed　his　legs。　〃But　the　inside's　quite　different；　isn't　it？　You've　got　a　soft　heart；　or　should　I　say　hard　loins；　for　pretty　young　men。〃
　〃Silenzio！〃　The　Italian　shot　forward　on　the　couch。
　〃I　have　no　wish　to　exploit　the　information。　On　the　other　hand；　I　don't　believe　Gay　Rights　are　very　high　on　the　Cosa　Nostra's　agenda；　do　you？〃
　〃You　son　of　a　bitch！〃
　〃You　know；　when　I　was　a　young　army　lawyer　in　Saigon；　I　defended　a　career　lieutenant　who　was　caught　in　flagrante　delicto　with　a　Vietnamese　boy；　a　male　prostitute　obviously。　Through　legal　maneuvers；　using　ambiguous　phrases　in　the　military　code　regarding　civilians；　I　saved　him　from　a　dishonorable　discharge；　but　it　was　obvious　that　he　had　to　resign　from　the　service。　Unfortunately；　he　never　went　on　to　a　productive　life；　he　shot　himself　two　hours　after　the　verdict。　You　see；　he'd　bee　a　pariah；　a　disgrace　before　his　peers　and　he　couldn't　handle　the　burden。〃
　〃Get　on　with　your　business；〃　said　the　capo　supremo　named　Louis；　his　voice　low　and　flat　and　filled　with　hatred。
　〃Thank　you。　。。。　First；　I　left　an　envelope　on　your。　foyer　table。　It　contains　payment　for　Armbruster's　tragic　confrontation　in　Georgetown　and　Teagarten's　equally　tragic　assassination　in　Brussels。〃
　〃According　to　the　yid　head　doctor；〃　interrupted　the　mafioso；　〃you　got　two　more　they　know　about。　An　ambassador　in　London　and　that　admiral　on　the　Joint　Chiefs。　You　wanna　add　another　bonus？〃
　〃Possibly　later；　not　now。　They　both　know　very　little　and　nothing　about　the　financial　operations。　Burton　thinks　that　we're　essentially　an　ultraconservative　veterans'　lobbying　effort　that　grew　out　of　the　Vietnam　disgrace…legally　borderline　for　him；　but　then　he　has　strong　patriotic　feelings。　Atkinson's　a　rich　dilettante；　he　does　what　he's　told；　but　he　doesn't　know　why　or　by　whom。　He'd　do　anything　to　hold　on　to　the　Court　of　Saint　James's　and　has；　his　only　connection　was　with　Teagarten。　。。。　Conklin　hit　pay　dirt　with　Swayne　and　Armbruster；　Teagarten　and；　of　course；　DeSole；　but　the　other　two　are　window　dressing；　quite　respectable　window　dressing。　I　wonder　how　it　happened。〃
　〃When　I　find　out；　and　I　will　find　out；　I'll　let　you　know；　gratis。〃
　〃Oh？〃　The　attorney　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃How？〃
　〃We'll　get　to　it。　What's　your　other　business？〃
　〃Two　items；　both　vital；　and　the　first　I'll　give　you…gratis。　Get　rid　of　your　current　boyfriend。　He　goes　to　places　he　shouldn't　and　throws　money　around　like　a　cheap　hoodlum。　We're　told　he　boasts　about　his　connections　in　high　places。　We　don't　know　what　else　he　talks　about　or　what　he　knows　or　what　he's　pieced　together；　but　he　concerns　us。　I'd　think　he'd　concern　you；　too。〃
　〃Il　prostitute！〃　roared　Louis；　slamming　his　clenched　fist　down　on　the　arm　of　the　couch。　〃Il　pinguino！　He's　dead。〃
　〃I　accept　your　thanks。　The　other　item　is　far　more　important；　certainly　to　us。　Swayne's　house　in　Manassas。　A　book　was　removed；　an　office　diary；　which　Swayne's　lawyer　in　Manassas…our　lawyer　in　Manassas…could　not　find。　It　was　on　a　bookshelf；　its　binding　identical　with　all　the　other　books　in　that　row；　the　entire　row　on　the　shelf。　A　person　would　have　to　know　exactly　which　one　to　take。〃
　〃So　what　do　you　want　from　me？〃
　〃The　gardener　was　your　man。　He　was　put　in　place　to　do　his　job；　and　he　was　given　the　only　number　we　knew　was　totally　secure；　namely；　DeSole's。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃To　do　his　job；　to　mount　the　suicide　authentically；　he　had　to　study　Swayne's　every　move。　You　yourself　explained　that　to　me　ad　nauseam　when　you　demanded　your　outrageous　fee。　It's　not　hard　to　picture　your　man　peering　through　the　window　at　Swayne　in　his　study；　the　place　where　Swayne　supposedly　would　take　his　life。　Gradually　your　man　realizes　that　the　general　keeps　taking　a　specific　book　from　off　his　shelf；　writes　in　it；　and　returns　it　to　the　same　spot。　That　has　to　intrigue　him；　that　particular　book　has　to　be　valuable。　Why　wouldn't　he　take　it？　I　would；　you　would。　So　where　is　it？〃
　The　mafioso　got　slowly；　menacingly　to　his　feet。　〃Listen　to　me；　avvocato；　you　gotta　lot　of　fancy　words　that　make　for　conclusions；　but　we　ain't　got　no　book　like　that　and　I'll　tell　you　how　I　can　prove　it！　If　there　was　anything　anywhere　written　down　that　could　burn　your　ass；　I'd　be　shoving　it　in　your　face　right　now；　capisce？〃
　〃That's　not　illogical；〃　said　the　well…dressed　attorney；　once　again　uncrossing　and　crossing　his　legs　as　the　resentful　capo　sullenly　returned　to　the　couch。　〃Flannagan；〃　added　the　Wall　Street　lawyer。　〃Naturally　。。。　of　course；　Flannagan。　He　and　his　hairdresser　bitch　had　to　have　their　insurance　policy；　no　doubt　with　minor　extortion　in　the　bargain。　Actually；　I'm　relieved。　They　could　never　use　it　without　exposing　themselves。　Accept　my　apologies；　Louis。〃
　〃Your　business　finished？〃
　〃I　believe　so。〃
　〃Now；　the　Jew　shrink。〃
　〃What　about　him？〃
　〃Like　I　said；　he's　a　gold　mine。〃
　〃Without　his　patients'　files；　less　than　twenty…four　carat；　I　think。〃
　〃Then　you　think　wrong；〃　countered　Louis。　〃Like　I　told　Armbruster　before　he　became　another　big　impediment　for　you；　we　got　doctors；　too。　Specialists　in　all　kinds　of　medical　things；　including　what　they　call　motor　responses　and；　get　this；　'triggered　mental　recall　under　states　of　external　control'…I　remembered　that　one　especially。　It's　a　whole　different　kind　of　gun　at　your　head；　only　no　blood。〃
　〃I　assume　there's　a　point　to　this。〃
　〃You　can　bet　your　country　club　on　it。　We're　moving　the　Jew　to　a　place　in　Pennsylvania；　a　kind　of　nursing　home　where　only　the　richest　people　go　to　get　dried　out　or　straightened　out；　if　ya　know　what　I　mean。〃
　〃I　believe　I　do。　Advanced　medical　equipment；　superior　staff…well…patrolled　grounds。〃
　〃Yeah；　sure　you　do。　A　lot　of　your　crowd　passes　through…〃
　〃Go　on；〃　interrupted　the　attorney；　looking　at　his　gold　Rolex　watch。　〃I　haven't　much　time。〃
　〃Make　time　for　this。　According　to　my　specialists…and　I　purposely　used　the　word　'my；'　if　you　follow　me…on　a　prearranged　schedule；　say　every　fourth　or　fifth　day；　the　new　patient　is　'shot　up　to　the　moon'…that's　the　phrase　they　use；　it's　not　mine；　Christ　knows。　Between　times　he's　been　treated　real　good。　He's　been　fed　the　right　neutermints　or　whatever　they　are；　given　the　proper　exercise；　a　lot　of　sleep　and　all　the　rest　of　that　shit。　。。。　We　should　all　be　so　careful　of　our　bodies；　right；　avvocato？〃
　〃Some　of　us　play　squash　every　other　day。〃
　〃Well；　you'll　forgive　me；　Mr。　Park　Avenue；　Manhattan；　but　squash　to　me　is　zucchini　and　I　eat　it。〃
　〃Linguistic　and　cultural　differences　do　crop　up；　don't　they？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　can't　fault　you　there；　Consigliere。〃
　〃Hardly。　And　my　title　is　attorney。〃
　〃Give　me　time。　It　could　be　Consigliere。〃
　〃There's　not　enough　years　in　our　lifetimes；　Louis。　Do　you　go　on　or　do　I　leave？〃
　〃I　go　on；　Mr。　Attorney。　。。。　So　each　time　the　Jew　shrink　is　shot　up　to　that　moon　my　specialist　talks　about；　he's　in　pretty　good　shape；　right