rl.thebourneultimatum-第46章
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her white rigid hand said it all： Maintenant nous deux sommes libres； mon amour。
They were both free。 She from the terrible pain； he from the price demanded by the monseigneur； a price he had not described to her； but one she knew was too horrible to pay。 He had known for months that his woman had ready access to pills that would end her life quickly if her living became unendurable； he had frequently； at times frantically； searched for them but he had never found them。 Now he knew why as he stared at the small tin of her favorite pastilles； the harmless droplets of licorice she had popped laughingly into her mouth for years。
〃Be thankful； mon cher； they might be caviar or those expensive drugs the rich indulge in！〃 They were not caviar but they were drugs； lethal drugs。
Footsteps。 The nurse！ She had e out of her room； but she could not see his woman！ Fontaine pushed himself up from the bed； wiped his eyes as best he could； and hurried to the door。 He opened it； stunned by the sight of the woman； she stood directly in front of him； her arm raised； the knuckles of her hand arcing forward to knock。
〃Monsieur！ 。。。 You startled me。〃
〃I believe we startled each other。〃 Jean Pierre slipped out； rapidly closing the door behind him。 〃Regine is finally asleep；〃 he whispered； bringing his forefinger to his lips。 〃This terrible storm has kept her up most of the night。〃
〃But it is sent from heaven for us…for you…isn't it？ There are times when I think the monseigneur can order such things。〃
〃Then I doubt they e from heaven。 It's not the source of his influence。〃
〃To business；〃 interrupted the nurse； not amused and walking away from the door。 〃Are you prepared？〃
〃I will be in a matter of minutes；〃 replied Fontaine； heading for the table where his killing equipment lay in the locked drawer。 He reached into his pocket and took out the key。 〃Do you want to go over the procedure？〃 he asked； turning。 〃For my benefit； of course。 At this age； details are often blurred。〃
〃Yes； I do； because there is a slight change。〃
〃Oh？〃 The old Frenchman arched his brows。 〃Also at my age sudden changes are not wele。〃
〃It's only a question of timing； no more than a quarter of an hour； perhaps much less。〃
〃An eternity in this business；〃 said Fontaine as yet another streak of lightning； separated only milliseconds from its crash of thunder； interrupted the pounding rain on the windows and the roof。 〃It's dangerous enough to be outside； that bolt was too near for safety。〃
〃If you believe that； think how the guards feel。〃
〃The 'slight change；' please？ Also an explanation。〃
〃I'll give you no explanation except to say that it is an order from Argenteuil and you were responsible。〃
〃The judge？〃
〃Draw your own conclusions。〃
〃Then he was not sent to…〃
〃I'll say no more。 The change is as follows。 Rather than running up the path from here to the guards at Villa Twenty and demanding emergency assistance for your ill wife； I will say I was returning from the front desk where I was plaining about the telephone and saw a fire in Villa Fourteen； three away from ours。 There'll no doubt be a great deal of confusion； what with the storm and everyone yelling and calling for help。 That will be your signal。 Use the confusion； get through and take out whoever remains at the woman's villa…make sure your silencer is secure。 Then go inside and do the work you have sworn to do。〃
〃So I wait for the fire； for the guards and for you to return to Number Eleven。〃
〃Exactly。 Stay on the porch with the door closed； of course。〃
〃Of course。〃
〃It may take me five minutes or perhaps even twenty； but stay there。〃
〃Naturally。 。。。 May I ask； madame…or perhaps mademoiselle； although I see no evidence…〃
〃What is it？〃
〃It will take you five or twenty minutes to do what？〃
〃You're a fool； old man。 What must be done。〃
〃Of course。〃
The nurse pulled her raincoat around her； looped the belt and walked to the front door of the villa。 〃Get your equipment together and be out here in three minutes；〃 she manded。
〃Of course。〃 The door swung back with the wind as the woman opened it； she went outside into the torrential rain； pulling it shut behind her。 Astonished and confused； the old Frenchman stood motionless； trying to make sense out of the inexplicable。 Things were happening too fast for him； blurred in the agony of his woman's death。 There was no time to mourn； no time to feel。 。。。 Only think and think quickly。 Revelation came hard upon revelation； leaving unanswered questions that had to be answered so the whole could be understood…so that Montserrat itself made sense！
The nurse was more than a conduit for instructions from Argenteuil； the angel of mercy was herself an angel of death； a killer in her own right。 So why was he sent thousands of miles to do the work another could do just as well and without the elaborate charade of his auspicious arrival？ An old hero of France； indeed 。。。 it was all so unnecessary。 And speaking of age； there was another…another old man who was no killer at all。 Perhaps； thought the false Jean Pierre Fontaine； he had made a terrible mistake。 Perhaps； instead of ing to kill him； the other 〃old man〃 had e to warn him！
〃Mon Dieu；〃 whispered the Frenchman。 〃The old men of Paris； the Jackal's army！ Too many questions！〃 Fontaine walked rapidly to the nurse's bedroom door and opened it。 With the swiftness developed over a lifetime of practice； impaired only slightly by his years； he began methodically to tear apart the woman's room…suitcase； closet； clothes； pillows； mattress； bureau； dressing table； writing desk 。。。 the desk。 A locked drawer in the desk…a locked drawer in the outer room。 The 〃equipment。〃 Nothing mattered now！ His woman was gone and there were too many questions！
A heavy lamp on the desk with a thick brass base…he picked it up； pulling out the cord； and smashed it into the drawer。 Again and again and again until the wood splintered； shattering the recess that held the tiny vertical latch。 He yanked the drawer open and stared in equal parts of horror and prehension at what he saw。
Next to each other in a cushioned plastic case were two hypodermic needles； their vials filled with an identical yellowish serum。 He did not have to know the chemical pounds； there were too many beyond his knowledge that would be effective。 Liquid death in the veins。
Nor did he have to be told for whom they were intended。 C？te а c？te dans le lit。 Two bodies beside each other in bed。 He and his woman in a pact of final deliverance。 How thoroughly had the monseigneur thought everything out！ Himself dead！ One dead old man from the Jackal's army of old men had outwitted all the security procedures； killing and mutilating those dearest to Carlos's ultimate enemy； Jason Bourne。 And； naturally； behind that brilliant manipulation was the Jackal himself。
Ce n'est pas le contrat！ Myself； yes； but not my woman！ You promised me！
The nurse。 The angel not of mercy but of death！ The man known on Tranquility Isle as Jean Pierre Fontaine walked as fast as he could into the other room。 To his equipment。
The huge silver racing craft with its two enormous engines crashed through the swells as often above the waves as in them。 On the short low bridge； John St。 Jacques maneuvered the drug boat through the dangerous reefs he knew by summoned memory； aided by the powerful searchlight that lit up the turbulent waters； now twenty； now two hundred feet in front of the bow。 He kept screaming into his radio； the microphone weaving in front of his drenched face； hoping against all logic to raise someone on Tranquility。
He was within three miles of the island； a shrubbed volcanic intrusion on the water his landmark。 Tranquility Isle was in kilometers much nearer Plymouth than to Blackburne Airport； and if one knew the shoals； not much longer to reach in a drug boat than in a seaplane； which had to bank east out of Blackburne to catch the prevailing west winds in order to land on the sea。 Johnny was not sure why these calculations kept interfering with his concentration except that somehow they made him feel better； that he was doing the best he could… Damn it！ Why was it always the best he could do rather than simply t
