rl.thebourneultimatum-第107章

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e。　If　the　money　from　Geneva　does　not　arrive　at　my　bank　on　the　tenth　of　every　month；　I'd　be　thrown　out　in　thirty　days。　But　then　if　Carlos　decided　to　get　rid　of　me；　there　would　be　no　need　for　Geneva。　I'd　be　finished…as　I　am　no　doubt　finished　now。　If　I　returned　to　my　flat　in　the　Montaigne　this　morning；　I'd　never　e　out　。。。　as　my　sister　never　came　out　of　that　church　in　Neuilly…sur…Seine。　At　least　not　alive。〃
　〃You're　convinced　of　that？〃
　〃Of　course。　The　stop　where　I　chained　the　bicycle　was　made　to　receive　instructions　from　one　of　the　old　men。　The　orders　were　precise　and　to　be　precisely　followed。　A　woman　I　know　would　meet　me　in　twenty　minutes　at　a　bakery　in　Saint…Germain　where　we　were　to　exchange　clothes。　She　was　to　proceed　to　the　Magdalen　mission　and　I　was　to　meet　a　courier　from　Athens　in　a　room　at　the　H？tel　Trémoille。〃
　〃The　Magdalen　mission　。。。　？　You　mean　those　women　on　the　bicycles　were　actually　nuns？〃
　〃plete　with　vows　of　chastity　and　poverty；　monsieur。　I　am　a　frequent　visiting　superior　from　the　convent　at　Saint…Malo。〃
　〃And　the　woman　at　the　bakery。　Is　she…？〃
　〃She　falls　from　grace　now　and　then；　but　she's　a　perfectly　splendid　administrator。〃
　〃Jesus；〃　mumbled　Bourne。
　〃He's　frequently　on　their　lips。　。。。　Do　you　see　now　the　hopelessness　of　my　position？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　do。〃
　〃Then　I　am　forced　to　wonder　if　you　really　are　the　Chameleon。　I　was　not　at　the　bakery。　The　meeting　with　the　Greek　courier　never　took　place。　Where　was　I？〃
　〃You　were　delayed。　The　bicycle　chain　broke；　you　got　grazed　by　one　of　those　trucks　on　the　rue　Lecourbe。　Hell；　you　got　mugged。　What's　the　difference？　You　were　delayed。〃
　〃How　long　has　it　been　since　you　rendered　me　unconscious？〃
　Jason　looked　at　his　watch；　now　easily　seen　in　the　bright　morning　sunlight。　〃Something　over　an　hour…plus；　I　think；　perhaps　an　hour　and　a　half。　Considering　how　you　were　dressed；　the　taxi　driver　cruised　around　trying　to　find　a　place　to　park　where　we　could　help　you　to　a　bench　on　the　path　with　as　little　scrutiny　as　possible。　He　was　well　paid　for　his　assistance。〃
　〃An　hour　and　a　half？〃　asked　Lavier　pointedly。
　〃So？〃
　〃So　why　didn't　I　call　the　bakery　or　the　H？tel　Trémoille？〃
　〃plications？　。。。　No；　too　easily　verified；〃　added　Bourne；　shaking　his　head。
　〃Or？〃　Lavier　locked　her　large　green　eyes　with　his。　〃Or；　monsieur？〃
　〃The　boulevard　Lefebvre；〃　replied　Jason　slowly；　softly。　〃The　trap。　As　I　reversed　his　on　me；　he　reversed　mine　for　him　three　hours　later。　Then　I　broke　the　strategy　and　took　you。〃
　〃Exactly。〃　The　once　and　former　whore　of　Monte　Carlo　nodded。　〃And　he　cannot　know　what　transpired　between　us　。。。　therefore；　I'm　marked　for　execution。　A　pawn　is　removed；　for　she　is　merely　a　pawn。　She　can　tell　the　authorities　nothing　of　substance；　she's　never　seen　the　Jackal；　she　can　only　repeat　the　gossip　of　lowly　subordinates。〃
　〃You've　never　seen　him？〃
　〃I　may　have；　but　not　to　my　knowledge。　Again；　the　rumors　fly　around　Paris。　This　one　with　swarthy　Latin　skin；　or　that　one　with　black　eyes　and　a　dark　mustache；　'He　is　really　Carlos；　you　know'…how　often　have　I　heard　the　phrases！　But　no；　no　man　has　ever　e　up　to　me　and　said；　'I　am　he　and　I　make　your　life　pleasant；　you　aging　elegant　prostitute。'　I　simply　report　to　old　men　who　every　now　and　then　convey　information　that　I　must　have…such　as　this　evening　on　the　boulevard　Lefebvre。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Bourne　got　to　his　feet；　stretching　his　body　and　looking　down　at　his　prisoner　on　the　bench。　〃I　can　get　you　out；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Out　of　Paris；　out　of　Europe。　Beyond　Carlos's　reach。　Do　you　want　that？〃
　〃As　eagerly　as　Santos　did；〃　answered　Lavier；　her　eyes　imploring。　〃I　willingly　trade　my　allegiance　from　him　to　you。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　he　is　old　and　gray…faced　and　is　no　match　for　you。　You　offer　me　life；　he　offers　death。〃
　〃That's　a　reasonable　decision；　then；〃　said　Jason；　a　tentative　but　warm　smile　on　his　lips。　〃Do　you　have　any　money？　With　you；　I　mean？〃
　〃Nuns　are　sworn　to　poverty；　monsieur；〃　replied　Dominique　Lavier；　returning　his　smile。　〃Actually；　I　have　several　hundred　francs。　Why？〃
　〃It's　not　enough；〃　continued　Bourne；　reaching　into　his　pocket　and　taking　out　his　impressive　roll　of　franc　notes。　〃Here's　three　thousand；〃　he　said；　handing　her　the　money。　〃Buy　some　clothes　somewhere…I'm　sure　you　know　how…and　take　a　room　at　the　。。。　the　Meurice　on　the　rue　de　Rivoli。〃
　〃What　name　should　I　use？〃
　〃What　suits　you？〃
　〃How　about　Brielle？　A　lovely　seaside　town。〃
　〃Why　not？　。。。　Give　me　ten　minutes　to　get　out　of　here　and　then　leave。　I'll　see　you　at　the　Meurice　at　noon。〃
　〃With　all　my　heart；　Jason　Bourne！〃
　〃Let's　forget　that　name。〃
　The　Chameleon　walked　out　of　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　to　the　nearest　taxi　station。　Within　minutes　an　ecstatic　cabdriver　accepted　a　hundred　francs　to　remain　in　place　at　the　end　of　the　three…vehicle　line；　his　passenger　slumped　in　the　rear　seat　waiting　to　hear　the　words。
　〃The　nun　es　out；　monsieur！〃　cried　the　driver。　〃She　enters　the　first　taxi！〃
　〃Follow　it；〃　said　Jason；　sitting　up。
　On　the　avenue　Victor　Hugo；　Lavier's　taxi　slowed　down　and　pulled　up　in　front　of　one　of　Paris's　few　exceptions　to　tradition…an　open　plastic…domed　public　telephone。　〃Stop　here；〃　ordered　Bourne；　who　climbed　out　the　instant　the　driver　swung　into　the　curb。　Limping；　the　Chameleon　walked　swiftly；　silently；　to　the　telephone　directly　behind　and　unseen　by　the　frantic　nun　under　the　plastic　dome。　He　was　not　seen；　but　he　could　hear　clearly　as　he　stood　several　feet　behind　her。
　〃The　Meurice！〃　she　shouted　into　the　phone。　〃The　name　is　Brielle。　He'll　be　there　at　noon。　。。。　Yes；　yes；　I'll　stop　at　my　flat；　change　clothes；　and　be　there　in　an　hour。〃　Lavier　hung　up　and　turned；　gasping　at　the　sight　of　Jason。　〃No！〃　she　screamed。
　〃Yes；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　Bourne。　〃Shall　we　take　my　taxi　or　yours？　。。。　'He's　old　and　gray…faced'…those　were　your　words；　Dominique。　Pretty　goddamned　descriptive　for　someone　who　never　met　Carlos。〃
　A　furious　Bernardine　walked　out　of　the　Pont…Royal　with　the　doorman；　who　had　summoned　him。　〃This　is　preposterous！〃　he　shouted　as　he　approached　the　taxi。　〃No；　it's　not；〃　he　amended；　looking　inside。　〃It's　merely　insane。〃
　〃Get　in；〃　said　Jason　on　the　far　side　of　the　woman　dressed　in　the　habit　of　a　nun。　Francois　did　so；　staring　at　the　black　clothes；　the　white　pointed　hat　and　the　pale　face　of　the　religious　female　between　them。　〃Meet　one　of　the　Jackal's　more　talented　performers；〃　added　Bourne。　〃She　could　make　a　fortune　in　your　cinéma…vérité；　take　my　word　for　it。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　particularly　religious　man；　but　I　trust　you　have　not　made　a　mistake。　。。。　I　did…or　should　I　say　we　did…with　that　pig　of　a　baker。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃He's　a　baker；　that's　all　he　is！　I　damn　near　put　a　grenade　in　his　ovens；　but　no　one　but　a　French　baker　could　plead　the　way　he　did！〃
　〃It　fits；〃　said　Jason。　〃The　illogical　logic　of　Carlos…I　can't　remember　who　said　that；　probably　me。〃　The　taxi　made　a　U…turn　and　entered　the　rue　du　Bac。　〃We're　going　to　the　Meurice；〃　added　Bourne。
　〃I'm　sure　there's　a　reason；〃　stated　Bernardine；　still　looking　at　the　enigmatically　passive　face　of　Dominique　Lavier。　〃I　mean；　this　sweet　old　lady　says　nothing。〃
　〃I'm　not　old！〃　cried　the　woman　vehemently。
　〃Of　course　not；　my　dear；〃　agreed　the　Deuxième　veteran。　〃Only　more　desirable　in　your　mature　years。〃
　〃Boy；　did　you　hit　it！〃
　〃Why　the　Meurice？〃　asked　Bernardine。
　〃It's　the　Jackal's　final　trap　for　me；〃　answered　Bourne。　〃Courtesy　of　our　persuasive　Magdalen　Sister　of　Charity　here。　He　expects　me　to　be　there　and　I'll　be　there。〃
　〃I'll　call　in　the　Deuxième。　Thanks　to　a　frightened　bureaucrat；　they'll　do　anything　I　ask。　Don't　endanger　yourself；　my　friend。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　to　insult　you；　Francois；　but　you　yourself　told　me　you　didn't　know　all　of　the　people　in　the　Bureau　these　days。　I　can't　take　the　chance　of　a　leak。　One　man　could　send　out　an　alarm。〃
　〃Let　me　help。〃　The　low　soft…spoken　voice　of　Dominique　Lavier　broke　the　hum　of　the　outside　traffic　like　the　initial　burr　of　a　chain　saw。　〃I　can　help。〃
　〃I　listened　to　your　help　before；　lady；　and　it　was　leading　me　to　my　own　execution。　No　thanks。〃
　〃That　was　before；　not　now。　As　must　be　obvious　to　you；　my　position　now　is　truly　hopeless。〃
　〃Didn't　I　hear　those　words　recently？〃
　〃No；　you　did　not。　I　just　added　the　word　'now。'　。。。　For　G