rl.thebourneidentity-第79节

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ature　forts；　entry　into　the　great　houses；　easy　friendship　with　the　celebrated；　it's　all　very　understandable。　In　exchange　for　these　things；　one　brings　a　beautiful　panion　into　his　home；　shows　her　off　among　his　peers　…　a　form　of　continuing　virility；　as　it　were。　But　there　are　always　doubts。'　The　old　soldier　stopped　for　several　moments；　what　he　had　to　say　was　not　easy　for　him。　'Will　she　take　a　lover？'　he　continued　softly。　'Does　she　long　for　a　younger；　firmer　body；　one　more　in　tune　with　her　own？　If　she　does；　one　can　accept　it　…　even　be　relieved；　I　imagine　…　hoping　to　God　she　has　the　sense　to　be　discreet。　A　cuckolded　statesman　loses　his　constituency　faster　than　a　sporadic　drunk；　it　means　he's　fully　lost　his　grip。。。　There　are　other　worries。　Will　she　abuse　his　name？　Publicly　condemn　an　adversary　whom　one　is　trying　to　win　over？　These　are　the　inclinations　of　the　young；　they　are　manageable；　part　of　the　risks　in　the　exchange。。。　But　there　is　one　underlying　doubt　that　if　proved　justified　cannot　be　tolerated。　And　that　is　if　she　is　part　of　a　design。　From　the　beginning。'
　'You've　felt　it　then？'　asked　Jason　quietly。
　'Feelings　are　not　reality！'　shot　back　the　old　soldier　vehemently。　They　have　no　place　in　observing　the　field。'
　'Then　why　are　you　telling　me　this？'
　Villiers's　head　arched　back；　then　fell　forward；　his　eyes　on　the　water。　'There　could　be　a　simple　explanation　for　what　we　both　saw　tonight。　I　pray　there　is；　and　I　shall　give　her　every　opportunity　to　provide　it。'　The　old　man　paused　again。　'But　in　my　heart　I　know　there　isn't。　I　knew　it　the　moment　you　told　me　about　Les　Classiques。　I　looked　across　the　street　at　the　door　of　my　house；　and　suddenly　a　number　of　things　fell　painfully　into　place。　For　the　past　two　hours　I　have　played　the　devil's　advocate；　there　is　no　point　in　continuing。　There　was　my　son　before　there　was　this　woman。'
　'But　you　said　you　trusted　her　judgment　that　she　was　a　great　help　to　you。'
　'True。　You　see；　I　wanted　to　trust　her；　desperately　wanted　to　trust　her。　The　easiest　thing　in　the　world　is　to　convince　yourself　that　you're　right。　As　one　grows　old　it　is　easier　still
　'What　fell　into　place　for　you？'
　'The　very　help　she　gave　me；　the　very　trust　I　placed　in　her。〃　Villiers　turned　and　looked　at　Jason。　'You　have　extraordinary　knowledge　about　Carlos。　I've　studied　those　files　as　closely　as　any　man　alive；　for　I　would　give　more　than　any　man　alive　to　see　him　caught　and　executed；　I　alone　the　firing　squad。　And　swollen　as　they　are；　those　files　do　not　approach　what　you　know。　Yet　your　concentration　is　solely　on　his　kills；　his　methods　of　assassination。　You've　overlooked　the　other　side　of　Carlos。　He　not　only　sells　his　gun；　he　sells　a　country's　secrets。'
　'I　know　that；'　Bourne　said。　'It's　not　the　side。。。'
　'For　example；'　continued　the　general；　as　if　he　had　not　heard　Jason。　'I　have　access　to　classified　documents　dealing　with　France's　military　and　nuclear　security。　Perhaps　five　other　men　…　all　above　suspicion　…　share　that　access。　Yet　with　damning　regularity　we　find　that　Moscow　has　learned　this；　Washington　that；　Peking　something　else。'
　'You　discussed　those　things　with　your　wife？'　asked　Bourne；　surprised。
　'Of　course　not。　Whenever　I　bring　such　papers　home；　they　are　placed　in　a　vault　in　my　office。　No　one　may　enter　that　room　except　in　my　presence。　There　is　only　one　other　person　who　has　a　key；　one　other　person　who　knows　the　whereabouts　of　the　alarm　switch。　My　wife。〃
　'I'd　think　that　would　be　as　dangerous　as　discussing　the　material。　Both　could　be　forced　from　her。'
　'There　was　a　reason。　I'm　at　the　age　when　the　unexpected　is　a　daily　occurrence；　I　mend　you　to　the　obituary　pages。　If　anything　happened　to　me　she　is　instructed　to　telephone　the　Brevet　Militaire；　go　down　to　my　office　and　stay　by　that　vault　until　the　security　personnel　arrive。'
　'Couldn't　she　simply　stay　by　the　door？'
　'Men　of　my　years　have　been　known　to　pass　away　at　their　desks。'　Villiers　closed　his　eyes。　'All　along　it　was　she。　The　one　house；　the　one　place　no　one　believed　possible。'
　'Are　you　sure？〃
　'More　than　I　dare　admit　to　myself。　She　was　the　one　who　insisted　on　the　marriage。　I　repeatedly　brought　up　the　disparity　of　our　ages　but　she　would　have　none　of　it。　It　was　the　years　together；　she　claimed；　not　those　that　separated　our　birth　dates。　She　offered　to　sign　an　agreement　renouncing　any　claim　to　the　Villiers　estate　and；　of　course；　I　would　have　none　of　that；　for　it　was　proof　of　her　mitment　to　me。　The　adage　is　quite　right：　the　old　fool　is　the　plete　fool。。。。　Yet　there　were　always　the　doubts；　they　came　with　the　trips；　with　the　unexpected　separations。'
　'Unexpected？'
　'She　has　many　interests；　forever　demanding　her　attention。　A　Franco…Swiss　museum　in　Grenoble；　a　fine　arts　gallery　in　Amsterdam；　a　monument　to　the　Resistance　in　Boulogne…sur…Mer；　an　idiotic　oceanography　conference　in　Marseilles。　We　had　a　heated　argument　over　that　one。　I　needed　her　in　Paris；　there　were　diplomatic　functions。　I　had　to　attend　and　I　wanted　her　with　me。　She　would　not　stay。　It　was　as　though　she　were　being　ordered　to　be　here　and　there　and　somewhere　else　at　a　given　moment。'
　Grenoble　…　near　the　Swiss　border；　an　hour　from　Zurich。　Amsterdam。　Boulogne…sur…Mer　…　on　the　Channel；　an　hour　from　London。　Marseilles。。。　Carlos。
　'When　was　the　conference　in　Marseilles？〃　asked　Jason。
　'Last　August；　I　believe。　Towards　the　latter　part　of　the　month。'
　'On　24　August　at　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Ambassador　Howard　Leland　was　assassinated　on　the　Marseilles　waterfront。'
　'Yes；　I　know；'　said　Villiers。　'You　spoke　of　it　before。　I　mourn　the　passing　of　the　man；　not　his　judgments。'　The　old　soldier　stopped；　he　looked　at　Bourne。　'My　God'　he　whispered。　'She　had　to　be　with　him。　Carlos　summoned　her　and　she　came　to　him。　She　obeyed。'
　'I　never　went　this　far；'　said　Jason。　'I　swear　to　you　I　thought　of　her　as　a　relay　…　a　blind　relay。　I　never　went　this　far。〃
　Suddenly；　from　the　old　man's　throat　came　a　scream　…　deep　and　filled　with　agony　and　hatred。　He　brought　his　hands　to　his　face；　his　head　arched　back　once　again　in　the　moonlight；　and　he　wept。
　Bourne　did　not　move；　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。　'I'm　sorry；'　he　said。
　The　general　regained　control　'And　so　am　I；'　he　replied　finally。　'I　apologize。'
　'No　need　to。'
　'I　think　there　is。　We　will　discuss　it　no　further。　I　shall　do　what　has　to　be　done。'
　'Which　is？'
　The　soldier　sat　erect　on　the　bench；　his　jaw　firm。　'You　can　ask　that？'
　'I　have　to　ask　it。'
　'Having　done　what　she's　done　is　no　different　from　having　killed　the　child　of　mine　she　did　not　bear。　She　pretended　to　hold　his　memory　dear。　Yet　she　was　and　is　an　acplice　to　his　murder。　And　all　the　while　she　mitted　a　second　treason　against　the　nation　I　have　served　throughout　my　life。'
　'You're　going　to　kill　her？'
　'I'm　going　to　kill　her。　She　will　tell　me　the　truth　and　she　will　die。'
　'She'll　deny　everything　you　say。'
　'I　doubt　it。'
　That's　crazy！
　'Young　man；　I've　spent　over　half　a　century　trapping　and　fighting　the　enemies　of　France；　even　when　they　were　Frenchmen。　The　truth　will　be　heard。'
　'What　do　you　think　she's　going　to　do？　Sit　there　and　listen　to　you　and　calmly　agree　that　she's　guilty？'
　'She'll　do　nothing　calmly。　But　she'll　agree；　she'll　proclaim　it。'
　'Why　would　she？'
　'Because　when　I　accuse　her　she'll　have　the　opportunity　to　kill　me。　When　she　makes　the　attempt；　I　will　have　my　explanation；　won't　I？'
　'You'd　take　that　risk？'
　'I　must　take　it。'
　'Suppose　she　doesn't　make　the　attempt；　doesn't　try　to　kill　you？'
　That　would　be　another　explanation；〃　Villiers　said。　'In　that　unlikely　event；　I　should　look　to　my　flanks　if　I　were　you；　Monsieur。'　He　shook　his　head。　'It　will　not　happen。　We　both　know　it；　I　far　more　clearly　than　you。'
　'Listen　to　me；'　insisted　Jason。　'You　say　there　was　your　son　first　Think　of　him　Go　after　the　killer；　not　the　acplice。
　She's　an　enormous　wound　for　you；　but　he's　a　greater　wound。　Get　the　man　who　killed　your　son！　In　the　end；　you'll　get　both。　Don't　confront　her；　not　yet！　Use　what　you　know　against　Carlos。　Hunt　him　with　me。　No　one's　ever　been　this　close。'
　'You　ask　more　than　I　can　give；'　said　the　old　man。
　'Not　if　you　think　about　your　son。　If　you　think　of　yourself；　it　is！　But　not　if　you　think　of　the　rue　du　Bac！'
　'You　are　excessively　cruel；　Monsieur。'
　'I'm　right　and　you　know　it。'
　A　high　cloud　floated　by　in　the　night　sky；　briefly　blocking　the　light　of　the　moon。　Darkness　was　plete；　Jason　shivered。　The　old　soldier　spoke；　resignation　in　his　voice。
　'Yes；　you　are　right；'　he　said。　'Excessively　cruel　and　excessively　right。　It's　the　killer；　not　the　whore；　who　must　be　stopped。　How　do　we　work　together？　Hunt　together？'
　Bourne　closed　his　eyes　briefly　in　relief。　'Don't　do　anything。　Carlos　must　be　looking　for　me　all　over　Paris。　I've　killed　his　men；　uncovered　a　drop；　found　a　contact。　I'm　too　close　to　him。　Unless　we're　both　mistaken　your　telephone　will　bee　busier　and　busier。　I'll　make　sure　of　it。'
　'How？'
　'I'll　intercept　a　half　a　dozen　employees　of　Les　Classiques。'　Several　clerks；　the　Lavier　woman；　Bergeron　maybe；　and　certainly　the　man　at　the　switchboard。　They'll　talk。　And　so　will　I。　That　phone　of　yours　will　be　busy　as　hell。'
　'But　what　of　me？　What　do　I　do？'
　'Stay　at　home。　Say　you're　not　feeling　well。　And　whenever　that　phone　rings；　stay　near　whoever　else　answ