rl.thebourneultimatum-第13章

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　〃Forget　it；　Cull；〃　broke　in　the　anxious　Redhead；　〃We　may　have　a　bigger　problem；　and　I　don't　know　what　it　means。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃When　we　were　back　in　Saigon；　did　you　ever　hear　of　something　or　someone　called　Snake　Lady？〃
　〃I　heard　a　hell　of　a　lot　about　snake　eyes；〃　chuckled　Parnell；　〃but　no　Snake　Lady。　Why？〃
　〃The　fellow　I　was　just　talking　to…he's　going　to　call　back　in　five　minutes…sounded　as　though　he　was　threatening　me。　I　mean　actually　threatening　me；　Cull！　He　mentioned　Saigon　and　implied　that　something　terrible　happened　back　then　and　repeated　the　name　Snake　Lady　several　times　as　if　I　should　have　run　for　cover。〃
　〃You　leave　that　son　of　a　bitch　to　me！〃　roared　Parnell；　interrupting。　〃I　know　exactly　what　that　bastard's　talking　about！　This　is　that　snotty　bitch　first　assistant　of　mine…that's　the　fuckin'　Snake　Lady！　You　give　that　slug　worm　my　number　and　tell　him　I　know　all　about　his　horseshit！〃
　〃Will　you　please　tell　me；　Cull？〃
　〃What　the　hell；　you　were　there；　Redhead。　。。。　So　we　had　a　few　games　going；　even　a　few　mini　casinos；　and　some　clowns　lost　a　couple　of　shirts；　but　there　was　nothin'　soldiers　haven't　done　since　they　threw　craps　for　Christ's　clothes！　。。。　We　just　put　it　on　a　higher　plane　and　maybe　tossed　in　a　few　broads　who'd　have　been　walkin'　the　streets　anyway。　。。。　No；　Redhead；　that　elegant…ass；　so…called　assistant　thinks　she's　got　somethin'　on　me…that's　why　she's　goin'　through　you；　'cause　everybody　knows　we're　buddies。　。。。　You　tell　that　slime　to　call　me　and　I'll　settle　his　grits　along　with　that　bitch's　twat！　Oh；　boy；　she　made　a　wrong　move！　My　Wall　Streeters　are　in　and　her　pansies　are　out！〃
　〃Okay；　Cull；　I'll　simply　refer　him　to　you；〃　said　the　Redhead；　otherwise　known　as　the　vice　president　of　the　United　States；　as　he　hung　up　the　phone。
　It　rang　four　minutes　later　and　the　words　were　spat　out　at　Parnell。　〃Snake　Lady；　Culver；　and　we're　all　in　trouble！〃
　〃No；　you　listen　to　me；　Divot　Head；　and　I'll　tell　you　who's　in　trouble！　She's　no　lady；　she's　a　bitch！　One　of　her　thirty　or　forty　eunuch　husbands　may　have　thrown　a　few　snake　eyes　in　Saigon　and　lost　some　of　her　well…advertised　e…and…take…me　cash；　but　nobody　gave　a　shit　then　and　nobody　gives　a　shit　now。　Especially　a　marine　colonel　who　liked　a　sharp　game　of　poker　every　once　in　a　while；　and　that　man　is　sitting　in　the　Oval　Office　at　this　moment。　And　furthermore；　you　ball…less　scrotum；　when　he　learns　that　she's　trying　to　further　defame　the　brave　boys　who　wanted　only　a　little　relaxation　while　fighting　a　thankless　war…〃
　In　Vienna；　Virginia；　Alexander　Conklin　replaced　the　phone。　Misfire　One　and　Misfire　Two　。。。　and　he　had　never　heard　of　Culver　Parnell。
　The　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission；　Albert　Armbruster；　swore　out　loud　as　he　turned　off　the　shower　at　the　sound　of　his　wife's　shrieking　voice　in　the　steam…filled　bathroom。　〃What　the　hell　is　it；　Mamie？　I　can't　take　a　shower　without　you　yammering？〃
　〃It　could　be　the　White　House；　Al！　You　know　how　they　talk；　so　low　and　quiet　and　always　saying　it's　urgent。〃
　〃Shit！〃　yelled　the　chairman；　opening　the　glass　door　and　walking　naked　to　the　phone　on　the　wall。　〃This　is　Armbruster。　What　is　it？〃
　〃There's　a　crisis　that　requires　your　immediate　attention。〃
　〃Is　this　1600？〃
　〃No；　and　we　hope　it　never　goes　up　there。〃
　〃Then　who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃Someone　as　concerned　as　you're　going　to　be。　After　all　these　years…oh；　Christ！〃
　〃Concerned　about　what？　What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Snake　Lady；　Mr。　Chairman。〃
　〃Oh；　my　God！〃　Armbruster's　hushed　voice　was　a　sudden　involuntary　cry　of　panic。　Instantly；　he　controlled　himself　but　it　was　too　late。　Mark　One。　〃I　have　no　idea　what　you're　talking　about。　。。。　What's　a　snake　whatever…it…is？　Never　heard　of　it。〃
　〃Well；　hear　it　now；　Mr。　Medusa。　Somebody's　got　it　all；　everything。　Dates；　diversions　of　materiel；　banks　in　Geneva　and　Zurich…even　the　names　of　a　half…dozen　couriers　routed　out　of　Saigon…and　worse。　。。。　Jesus；　the　worst！　Other　names…MIAs　established　as　never　having　been　in　bat　。。。　eight　investigating　personnel　from　the　inspector　general's　office。　Everything。〃
　〃You're　not　making　sense！　You're　talking　gibberish！〃
　〃And　you're　on　the　list；　Mr。　Chairman。　That　man　must　have　spent　fifteen　years　putting　it　together；　and　now　he　wants　payment　for　all　those　years　of　work　or　he　blows　it　open…everything；　everyone。〃
　〃Who？　Who　is　he；　for　Christ's　sake？〃
　〃We're　centering　in。　All　we　know　is　that　he's　been　in　the　protection　program　for　over　a　decade；　and　no　one　gets　rich　in　those　circumstances。　He　must　have　been　cut　out　of　the　action　in　Saigon　and　now　he's　making　up　for　lost　time。　Stay　tight。　We'll　be　back　in　touch。〃　There　was　a　click　and　the　line　went　dead。
　Despite　the　steam　and　the　heat　of　the　bathroom；　the　naked　Albert　Armbruster；　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission；　shivered　as　the　sweat　rolled　down　his　face。　He　hung　up　the　phone；　his　eyes　straying　to　the　small；　ugly　tattoo　on　the　underside　of　his　forearm。
　Over　in　Vienna；　Virginia；　Alex　Conklin　looked　at　the　telephone。
　Mark　One。
　General　Norman　Swayne；　chief　of　Pentagon　procurements；　stepped　back　from　the　tee　satisfied　with　his　long　straight　drive　down　the　fairway。　The　ball　would　roll　to　an　optimum　position　for　a　decent　five…iron　approach　shot　to　the　seventeenth　green。　〃That　ought　to　do　it；〃　he　said；　turning　to　address　his　golfing　partner。
　〃Certainly　ought　to；　Norm；〃　replied　the　youngish　senior　vice　president　of　Calco　Technologies。　〃You're　taking　my　butt　for　a　ride　this　afternoon。　I'm　going　to　end　up　owing　you　close　to　three　hundred　clams。　At　twenty　a　hole；　I've　only　gotten　four　so　far。〃
　〃It's　your　hook；　young　fella。　You　ought　to　work　on　it。〃
　〃That's　certainly　the　truth；　Norm；〃　agreed　the　Calco　executive　in　charge　of　marketing　as　he　approached　the　tee。　Suddenly；　there　was　the　high　grating　sound　of　a　golf　cart's　horn　as　a　three…wheeled　vehicle　appeared　over　the　incline　from　the　sixteenth　fairway　going　as　fast　as　it　could　go。　〃That's　your　driver；　General；〃　said　the　armaments　marketer；　immediately　wishing　he　had　not　used　his　partner's　formal　title。
　〃So　it　is。　That's　odd；　he　never　interrupts　my　golf　game。〃　Swayne　walked　toward　the　rapidly　approaching　cart；　meeting　it　thirty　feet　away　from　the　tee。　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked　a　large；　middle…aged　beribboned　master　sergeant　who　had　been　his　driver　for　over　fifteen　years。
　〃My　guess　is　that　it's　rotten；〃　answered　the　nonmissioned　officer　gruffly　while　he　gripped　the　wheel。
　〃That's　pretty　blunt…〃
　〃So　was　the　son　of　a　bitch　who　called。　I　had　to　take　it　inside；　on　a　pay　phone。　I　told　him　I　wouldn't　break　into　your　game；　and　he　said　I　goddamned　well　better　if　I　knew　what　was　good　for　me。　Naturally；　I　asked　him　who　he　was　and　what　rank　and　all　the　rest　of　the　bullshit　but　he　cut　me　off；　more　scared　than　anything　else。　'Just　tell　the　general　I'm　calling　about　Saigon　and　some　reptiles　crawling　around　the　city　damn　near　twenty　years　ago。'　Those　were　his　exact　words…〃
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　cried　Swayne；　interrupting。　〃Snake。。。？〃
　〃He　said　he'd　call　back　in　a　half　hour…that's　eighteen　minutes　now。　Get　in；　Norman。　I'm　part　of　this；　remember？〃
　Bewildered　and　frightened；　the　general　mumbled。　〃I　。。。　I　have　to　make　excuses。　I　can't　just　walk　away；　drive　away。〃
　〃Make　it　quick。　And；　Norman；　you've　got　on　a　short…sleeved　shirt；　you　goddamned　idiot！　Bend　your　arm。〃
　Swayne；　his　eyes　wide；　stared　at　the　small　tattoo　on　his　flesh；　instantly　crooking　his　arm　to　his　chest　in　British　brigadier　fashion　as　he　walked　unsteadily　back　to　the　tee；　summoning　a　casualness　he　could　not　feel。　〃Damn；　young　fella；　the　army　calls。〃
　〃Well；　damn　also；　Norm；　but　I've　got　to　pay　you。　I　insist！〃
　The　general；　half　in　a　daze；　accepted　the　debt　from　his　partner；　not　counting　the　bills；　not　realizing　that　it　was　several　hundred　dollars　more　than　he　was　owed。　Proffering　confused　thanks；　Swayne　walked　swiftly　back　to　the　golf　cart　and　climbed　in　beside　his　master　sergeant。
　〃So　much　for　my　hook；　soldier　boy；〃　said　the　armaments　executive　to　himself；　addressing　the　tee　and　swinging　his　club；　sending　the　little　pocked　white　ball　straight　down　the　fairway　far　beyond　the　general's　and　with　a　much　better　lie。　〃Four　hundred　million's　worth；　you　brass…plated　bastard。〃
　Mark　Two。
　〃What　in　heav