rl.thebourneultimatum-第25章

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Did　one　of　my　law　clerks　make　an　error？　If　so；　I'll　fly　the　whole　group　down　to　apologize。〃
　〃Oh；　not　at　all；　sir…Judge；〃　replied　the　uniformed　wide…girthed　black　man　with　a　distinct　British　accent　as　he　rose　from　the　chair　and　extended　his　hand　over　the　desk。　〃Actually；　it　is　I　who　may　have　made　the　error。〃
　〃e　now；　Colonel；　we　all　do　occasionally。〃　Brendan　gripped　the　official's　hand。　〃Then　perhaps　I　may　be　on　my　way？　There's　someone　here　I　must　meet。〃
　〃That's　what　he　said！〃
　Brendan　released　the　hand。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃I　may　have　to　beg　yours。　。。。　The　confidentiality；　of　course。〃
　〃The　what？　Could　we　get　to　the　point；　please？〃
　〃I　realize　that　privacy；〃　continued　the　official；　pronouncing　the　word　as　privvissy；　〃is　of　utmost　importance…that's　been　explained　to　us…but　whenever　we　can　be　of　assistance；　we　try　to　oblige　the　Crown。〃
　〃Extremely　mendable；　Brigadier；　but　I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand。〃
　The　official　needlessly　lowered　his　voice。　〃A　great　man　arrived　here　this　morning；　are　you　aware　of　that？〃
　〃I'm　sure　many　men　of　stature　e　to　your　beautiful　island。　It　was　highly　remended　to　me；　in　fact。〃
　〃Ah；　yes；　the　privvissy！〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　the　privvissy；〃　agreed　the　ex…convict　judge；　wondering　if　the　official　had　both　his　oars　in　the　water。　〃Could　you　be　clearer？〃
　〃Well；　he　said　he　was　to　meet　someone；　an　associate　he　had　to　consult　with；　but　after　the　very　private　reception　line…no　press；　of　course…he　was　taken　directly　to　the　charter　that　flew　him　to　the　out　island；　and　obviously　never　met　the　person　he　was　to　confidentially　meet。　Now；　am　I　clearer？〃
　〃Like　Boston　harbor　in　a　squall；　General。〃
　〃Very　good。　I　understand。　Privvissy。　。。。　So　all　our　personnel　are　alerted　to　the　fact　that　the　great　man's　friend　might　be　seeking　him　here　at　the　airport…confidentially；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Not　even　a　paddle；　thought　Brendan。
　〃Then　I　considered　another　possibility；〃　said　the　official　in　minor　triumph。　〃Suppose　the　great　man's　friend　was　also　flying　to　our　island　for　a　rendezvous　with　the　great　man？〃
　〃Brilliant。〃
　〃Not　without　logic。　Then　it　struck　me　to　obtain　the　passenger　manifests　of　all　the　ining　flights；　concentrating；　of　course；　on　those　in　first　class；　which　would　be　proper　for　the　great　man's　associate。〃
　〃Clairvoyance；〃　mumbled　the　once　and　former　judge。　〃And　you　selected　me？〃
　〃The　name；　my　good　man！　Pierre　Prefontaine！〃
　〃My　pious；　departed　mother　would　no　doubt　take　offense　at　your　omitting　the　'Brendan　Patrick。'　Like　the　French；　the　Irish　are　quite　sensitive　in　such　matters。〃
　〃But　it　was　the　family。　I　understood　that　immediately！〃
　〃You　did？〃
　〃Pierre　Prefontaine！　。。。　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine。　I　am　an　expert　on　immigration　procedures；　having　studied　the　methods　in　many　countries。　Your　own　name　is　a　fascinating　example；　most　honored　Judge。　Wave　after　wave　of　immigrants　flocked　to　the　United　States；　the　melting　pot　of　nations；　races　and　languages。　In　the　process　names　were　altered；　bined　or　simply　misunderstood　by　armies　of　confused；　overworked　clerks。　But　roots　frequently　survived　and　thus　it　was　for　you。　The　family　Fontaine　became　Prefontaine　in　America　and　the　great　man's　associate　was　in　reality　an　esteemed　member　of　the　American　branch！〃
　〃Positively　awesome；〃　muttered　Brendan；　eyeing　the　official　as　if　he　expected　several　male　nurses　to　barge　into　the　room　with　restraining　equipment。　〃But　isn't　it　possible　that　this　is　merely　coincidence？　Fontaine　is　a　mon　name　throughout　France；　but；　as　I　understand　it；　the　Prefontaines　were　distinctly　centered　around　Alsace…Lorraine。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　the　deputy；　again；　lowering　his　voice　rather　than　conceivably　winking。　〃Yet　without　any　prior　word　whatsoever；　the　Quai　d'Orsay　in　Paris　calls；　then　the　UK's　Foreign　Office　follows　with　instructions…a　great　man　is　soon　to　drop　out　of　the　sky。　Acknowledge　him；　honor　him；　spirit　him　off　to　a　remote　resort　known　for　its　confidentiality…for　that；　too；　is　paramount。　The　great　one　is　to　have　total　privvissy。　。。。　Yet　that　same　great　warrior　is　anxious；　he　is　to　confidentially　meet　with　an　associate　he　does　not　find。　Perhaps　the　great　man　has　secrets…all　great　men　do；　you　know。〃
　Suddenly；　the　thousands　of　dollars　in　Prefontaine's　pockets　felt　very　heavy。　Washington's　Four　Zero　clearance　in　Boston；　the　Quai　d'Orsay　in　Paris；　the　Foreign　Office　in　London…Randolph　Gates　needlessly　parting　with　an　extraordinary　amount　of　money　out　of　sheer　panic。　There　was　a　pattern　of　strange　convergence；　the　strangest　being　the　inclusion　of　a　frightened；　unscrupulous　attorney　named　Gates。　Was　he　an　inclusion　or　an　aberration？　What　did　it　all　mean？　〃You　are　an　extraordinary　man；〃　said　Brendan　quickly；　covering　his　thoughts　with　rapid　words。　〃Your　perceptions　are　nothing　short　of　brilliant；　but　you　do　understand　that　confidentiality　is　paramount。〃
　〃I　will　hear　no　more；　honored　Judge！〃　exclaimed　the　deputy。　〃Except　to　add　that　your　appraisal　of　my　abilities　might　not　be　lost　on　my　superiors。〃
　〃They　will　be　made　clear；　I　assure　you。　。。。　Precisely　where　did　my　not　too　distant　and　distinguished　cousin　go？〃
　〃A　small　out　island　where　the　seaplanes　must　land　on　the　water。　Its　name　is　Tranquility　Isle　and　the　resort　is　called　Tranquility　Inn。〃
　〃You　will　be　personally　thanked　by　those　above　you；　be　assured　of　that。〃
　〃And　I　shall　personally　clear　you　through　customs。〃
　Brendan　Patrick　Pierre　Prefontaine；　carrying　his　suitcase　of　burnished　leather；　walked　out　into　the　terminal　of　Blackburne　Airport　a　bewildered　man。　Bewildered；　hell；　he　was　stunned！　He　could　not　decide　whether　to　take　the　next　flight　back　to　Boston　or　to　。。。　his　feet　were　apparently　deciding　for　him。　He　found　himself　walking　toward　a　counter　beneath　a　large　sea…blue　sign　with　white　lettering：　INTER…ISLAND　AIRWAYS。　It　couldn't　do　any　harm　to　inquire；　he　mused；　then　he　would　buy　a　ticket　on　the　next　plane　to　Boston。
　On　the　wall　beyond　the　counter　a　list　of　nearby　〃Out　Isles〃　was　next　to　a　larger　column　of　the　well…known　Leeward　and　Windward　Islands　from　St。　Kitts　and　Nevis　south　to　the　Grenadines。　Tranquility　was　sandwiched　between　Canada　Cay　and　Turtle　Rock。　Two　clerks；　both　young；　one　black　and　one　white；　the　former　a　young　woman；　the　latter　a　blond…haired　man　in　his　early　twenties；　were　talking　quietly。　The　girl　approached。　〃May　I　help　you；　sir？〃
　〃I'm　not　really　sure；〃　replied　Brendan　hesitantly。　〃My　schedule's　so　unsettled；　but　it　seems　I　have　a　friend　on　Tranquility　Isle。〃
　〃At　the　inn；　sir？〃
　〃Yes；　apparently　so。　Does　it　take　long　to　fly　over　there？〃
　〃If　the　weather's　clear；　no　more　than　fifteen　minutes；　but　that　would　be　an　amphibious　charter。　I'm　not　sure　one's　available　until　tomorrow　morning。〃
　〃Sure；　there　is；　babe；〃　interrupted　the　young　man　with　small　gold　wings　pinned　crookedly　on　his　white　shirt。　〃I'm　running　over　some　supplies　to　Johnny　St。　Jay　pretty　soon；〃　he　added；　stepping　forward。
　〃He's　not　scheduled　for　today。〃
　〃As　of　an　hour　ago　he　is。　Pronto。〃
　At　that　instant　and　with　those　words；　Prefontaine's　eyes　fell　in　astonishment　on　two　stacks　of　cartons　moving　slowly　down　Inter…Island's　luggage　carousel　toward　the　exterior　loading　area。　Even　if　he　had　the　time　to　debate　with　himself；　he　knew　his　decision　was　made。
　〃I'd　like　to　purchase　a　ticket　on　that　flight；　if　I　may；〃　he　said；　watching　the　boxes　of　Gerber's　Assorted　Baby　Foods　and　Pampers　Medium　Diapers　disappear　into　the　hold。
　He　had　found　the　unknown　woman　with　the　small　male　child　and　the　infant。
　
　8
　Routine　secondhand　inquiries　at　the　Federal　Trade　mission　confirmed　the　fact　that　its　chairman；　Albert　Armbruster；　did；　indeed；　have　ulcers　as　well　as　high　blood　pressure　and　under　doctor's　orders　left　the　office　and　returned　home　whenever　disfort　struck　him。　Which　was　why　Alex　Conklin　telephoned　him　after　a　generally　overindulgent　lunch…also　established…with　an　〃update〃　of　the　Snake　Lady　crisis。　As　with　Alex's　initial　call；　catching　Armbruster　in　the　shower；　he　anonymously　told　the　shaken　chairman　that　someone　would　be　in　touch　with　him　later　in　the　day…either　at　the　office　or　at　home。　The　contact　would　identify　himself　simply　as　Cobra。　（〃Use　all　the　banal　trigger　words　you　can　e　up　with〃　was　the　gospel　according