rl.thebourneultimatum-第85节

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　When　he　had　asked　Santos's　messengers…after　giving　them　several　hundred　francs　for　their　inconvenience…the　reason　for　these　late…night　precautions；　the　less　inhibited　man　had　replied；　〃Santos　never　leaves　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。〃
　〃He　left　last　evening。〃
　〃For　minutes　only；〃　rejoined　the　more　voluble　messenger。
　〃I　understand。〃　Bourne　nodded；　but　he　had　not　understood；　he　could　only　speculate。　Was　Santos　in　some　way　the　Jackal's　prisoner；　confined　to　the　sleazy　café　night　and　day？　It　was　a　fascinating　query　in　light　of　the　manager's　size　and　sheer　raw　power；　both　bined　with　a　far…above…average　intellect。
　It　was　12：37　when　Jason；　in　blue　jeans；　cap　and　a　dark；　tattered　V…necked　sweater；　reached　the　gates　of　the　old　factory。　He　took　out　a　pack　of　Gauloise　cigarettes　and　leaned　against　the　wall；　lighting　one　with　a　match；　holding　the　flame　longer　than　necessary　before　he　blew　it　out。　His　thoughts　returned　to　the　enigmatic　Santos；　the　premier　conduit　in　Carlos's　army；　the　most　trusted　satellite　in　the　Jackal's　orbit；　a　man　whose　French　might　have　been　formed　at　the　Sorbonne；　yet　Santos　was　a　Latin　American。　A　Venezuelan；　if　Bourne's　instincts　had　merit。　Fascinating。　And　Santos　wanted　to　see　him　'with　peace　in　his　heart。'　Bravo；　amigo；　thought　Jason。　Santos　had　reached　a　terrified　ambassador　in　London　with　a　question　so　loaded　it　made　a　political　party's　private　poll　look　like　the　essence　of　nonpartisan　neutrality。　Atkinson　had　no　choice　but　to　state　emphatically；　if　not　in　panic；　that　whatever　instructions　Snake　Lady　issued　were　to　be　carried　out。　The　power　of　Snake　Lady　was　the　ambassador's　only　protection；　his　ultimate　refuge。
　So　Santos　could　bend；　that　decision　was　rooted　in　intellect；　not　loyalty；　not　obligation。　The　conduit　wanted　to　crawl　out　of　his　sewer；　and　with　three　million　francs　in　the　offing；　bined　with　a　multitude　of　faraway　places　across　the　globe　to　choose　from；　the　conduit's　mind　told　him　to　listen；　to　consider。　There　were　alternatives　in　life　if　opportunities　were　presented。　One　had　been　presented　to　Santos；　vassal　to　Carlos；　whose　fealty　to　his　lord　had　perhaps　run　its　suffocating　course。　It　was　this　instinctive　projection　that　made　Bourne　include　in　his　plea…calmly　but　firmly；　the　emphasis　in　understatement…such　phrases　as　You　could　travel；　disappear　。。。　a　wealthy　man；　free　of　care　and　unpleasant　drudgery。　The　key　words　were　〃free〃　and　〃disappear；〃　and　Santos's　eyes　had　responded。　He　was　ready　to　take　the　three…million…franc　bait；　and　Bourne　was　perfectly　happy　to　let　him　break　the　line　and　swim　with　it。
　Jason　looked　at　his　watch；　fifteen　minutes　had　passed。　No　doubt　Santos's　minions　were　checking　the　streets；　a　final　inspection　before　the　high　priest　of　conduits　appeared。　Bourne　thought　briefly　of　Marie；　of　the　sensations　he　felt　at　the　Trocadéro；　remembering　old　Fontaine's　words　when　the　two　of　them　watched　the　paths　of　Tranquility　Inn　from　the　high　storage　room；　waiting　for　Carlos。　He's　near；　I　feel　it。　Like　the　approach　of　distant　thunder。　In　a　different…far　different…way　Jason　had　like　feelings　at　the　Trocadéro。　Enough！　Santos！　The　Jackal！
　His　watch　read　one　o'clock；　and　the　two　messengers　from　the　Pont…Royal　walked　out　of　the　alley　and　across　the　street　to　the　gates　of　the　old　refinery。
　〃Santos　will　see　you　now；〃　said　the　voluble　one。
　〃I　don't　see　him。〃
　〃You　are　to　e　with　us。　He　does　not　leave　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。〃
　〃Why　do　I　find　that　not　to　my　liking？〃
　〃There's　no　reason　for　such　feelings。　He　has　peace　in　his　heart。〃
　〃What　about　his　knife？〃
　〃He　has　no　knife；　no　weapon。　He　never　carries　either。〃
　〃That's　nice　to　hear。　Let's　go。〃
　〃He　has　no　need　for　such　weapons；〃　added　the　messenger；　disquietingly。
　He　was　escorted　down　the　alley；　past　the　neon…lit　entrance；　to　a　barely　negotiable　break　in　the　buildings。　One　by　one；　Jason　between　the　two；　men；　they　made　their　way　to　the　rear　of　the　café；　where　there　was　just　about　the　last　thing　Bourne　expected　to　see　in　this　run…down　section　of　the　city。　It　was　。。。　well；　an　English　garden。　A　plot　of　ground　perhaps　thirty　feet　in　length；　twenty　in　depth；　and　trellises　supporting　a　variety　of　flowering　vines；　a　barrage　of　color　in　the　French　moonlight。
　〃That's　quite　a　sight；〃　mented　Jason。　〃It　didn't　e　about　through　neglect。〃
　〃Ah；　it　is　a　passion　with　Santos！　No　one　understands　it；　but　no　one　touches　a　single　flower；　either。〃
　Fascinating。
　Bourne　was　led　to　a　small　outside　elevator　whose　steel　frame　was　attached　to　the　stone　wall　of　the　building。　There　was　no　other　access　in　sight。　The　conveyance　barely　held　the　three　of　them；　and　once　the　iron　gate　was　closed；　the　silent　messenger　pressed　a　button　in　the　darkness　and　spoke。　〃We　are　here；　Santos。　Camellia。　Bring　us　up。〃
　〃Camellia？〃　asked　Jason。
　〃He　knows　everything　is　all　right。　If　not；　my　friend　might　have　said　'lily'　or　'rose。'　〃
　〃What　would　happen　then？〃
　〃You　don't　want　to　think　about　it。　I　don't　care　to　think　about　it。〃
　〃Naturally。　Of　course。〃
　The　outside　elevator　stopped　with　a　disturbing　double　jerk；　and　the　quiet　messenger　opened　a　thick　steel　door　that　required　his　full　weight　to　open。　Bourne　was　led　into　the　familiar　room　with　the　tasteful；　expensive　furniture；　the　bookcases　and　the　single　floor　lamp　that　illuminated　Santos　in　his　outsized　armchair。　〃You　may　leave；　my　friends；〃　said　the　large　man；　addressing　the　messengers。　〃Pick　up　your　money　from　the　faggot；　and　for　God's　sake；　tell　him　to　give　René　and　the　American　who　calls　himself　Ralph　fifty　francs　apiece　and　get　them　out　of　here。　They're　pissing　in　the　corners。　。。。　Say　the　money's　from　their　friend　from　last　night　who　forgot　about　them。〃
　〃Oh；　shit！〃　exploded　Jason。
　〃You　did　forget；　didn't　you？〃　Santos　grinned。
　〃I've　had　other　things　on　my　mind。〃
　〃Yes；　sir！　Yes；　Santos！〃　The　two　messengers；　instead　of　heading　for　the　back　of　the　room　and　the　elevator；　opened　a　door　in　the　left　wall　and　disappeared。　Bourne　looked　after　them；　bewildered。
　〃There　is　a　staircase　leading　to　our　kitchen；　such　as　it　is；〃　said　Santos；　answering　Jason's　unspoken　question。　〃The　door　can　be　opened　from　this　side；　not　from　the　steps　below　except　by　me。　。。。　Sit　down；　Monsieur　Simon。　You　are　my　guest。　How　is　your　head？〃
　〃The　swelling's　gone　down；　thank　you。〃　Bourne　sat　on　the　large　couch；　sinking　into　the　pillows；　it　was　not　an　authoritative　position；　nor　was　it　not　meant　to　be。　〃I　understand　you　have　peace　in　your　heart。〃
　〃And　a　desire　for　three　million　francs　in　the　avaricious　section　of　that　heart。〃
　〃Then　you　were　satisfied　with　your　call　to　London？〃
　〃No　one　could　have　programmed　that　man　into　reacting　the　way　he　did。　There　is　a　Snake　Lady　and　she　instills　extraordinary　devotion　and　fear　in　high　places…which　means　that　female　serpent　is　not　without　power。〃
　〃That's　what　I　tried　to　tell　you。〃
　〃Your　word　is　accepted。　Now；　let　me　recapitulate　your　request；　your　demand；　as　it　were…〃
　〃My　restrictions；〃　interrupted　Jason。
　〃Very　well；　your　restrictions；〃　agreed　Santos。　〃You　and　you　alone　must　reach　the　blackbird；　correct？〃
　〃It's　an　absolute。〃
　〃Again；　I　must　ask　why？〃
　〃Speaking　frankly；　you　already　know　too　much；　more　than　my　clients　realize；　but　then　none　of　them　was　about　to　lose　his　own　life　on　the　second　floor　of　a　café　in　Argenteuil。　They　want　nothing　to　do　with　you；　they　want　no　traces；　and　in　that　area　you're　vulnerable。〃
　〃How？〃　Santos　crashed　his　fist　against　the　arm　of　the　chair。
　〃An　old　man　in　Paris　with　a　police　record　who　tried　to　warn　a　member　of　the　Assembly　that　he　was　to　be　assassinated。　He　was　the　one　who　mentioned　the　blackbird；　he　was　the　one　who　spoke　of　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。　Fortunately；　our　man　heard　him　and　silently　passed　the　word　to　my　clients；　but　that's　not　good　enough。　How　many　other　old　men　in　Paris　in　their　senile　delusions　may　mention　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat…and　you？　。。。　No；　you　can　have　nothing　to　do　with　my　clients。〃
　〃Even　through　you？〃
　〃I　disappear；　you　don't。　Although；　in　all　honesty；　I　believe　you　should　think　about　doing　so。　。。。　Here；　I　brought　you　something。〃　Bourne　sat　forward　on　the　couch　and　reached　into　his　back　pocket。　He　pulled　out　a　roll　of　tightly　wound　franc　notes　held　together　by　a　thick　elastic　band。　He　threw　it　over　to　Santos；　who　caught　it　effortlessly　in　midair。　〃Two　hundred　thousand　francs　on　account…I　was　authorized　to　give　this　to　you。　On　a　best…efforts　basis。　You　give　me　the　information　I　need；　I　deliver　it　to　London；　and　whether　or　not　the　blackbird　accepts　my　clients'　offer；　you　still　receive　the　balance　of　the　three　million。〃
　〃But　you　could　disappear　before　then；　couldn't　you？〃
　〃Have　me　watched　as　you've　been　doing；　have　me　followed　to　London　and　back。　I'll　even　call　you　with　the　names　of　the　airlines　and　the　flight　numbers。　What　could　be　fairer？〃
　〃One　thing　more　could　be　fairer；　Monsieur　Simon；〃　replied　Santos；　pushing　his　immense　frame　out　of　the　chair　and　baronially　striding　to　a　card　table　against　the　lacquered　brick　wall　of　his　flat。　〃If　you　will；　please　e　over　here。〃
　Jason　rose　from　the　couch　and　walked　over　to　the　card　table；　instantly　astonished。　〃You're　thorough；　aren't　you？〃
　〃I　try　to　be。　。。。　Oh；　don't　blame　the　concierges；　they　belong　to　you。　I'm　much　further　below　scale。　Chambermaids　and　stewa