rl.thebourneultimatum-第48章

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　〃It's　all　crazy　。。。　！〃
　〃It's　crazy；〃　agreed　Marie；　nodding　to　the　guard　to　help　her　brother　up。　〃e　on；　Johnny；　we　have　things　to　talk　about。〃
　The　storm　had　blown　away　like　a　violent；　unwanted　intruder　racing　off　into　the　night　leaving　behind　the　carnage　of　its　rage。　The　early　morning　light　broke　over　the　eastern　horizon；　slowly　revealing　through　the　mists　the　blue…green　out　islands　of　Montserrat。　The　first　boats　cautiously；　dolefully　lumbered　out　to　the　favored　fishing　grounds；　for　the　catch　of　the　day　meant　one　more　day's　survival。　Marie；　her　brother　and　the　two　old　men　were　around　a　table　on　the　balcony　of　an　unoccupied　villa。　Over　coffee；　they　had　been　talking　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　treating　each　point　of　horror　coldly；　dissecting　facts　without　feeling。　The　aged　false　hero　of　France　had　been　assured　that　all　proper　arrangements　would　be　made　for　his　woman　once　phone　service　had　been　restored　to　the　big　island。　If　it　was　possible；　he　wanted　her　to　be　buried　in　the　islands；　she　would　understand。　There　was　nothing　left　for　her　in　France　but　the　ignominy　of　a　tawdry　grave。　If　it　was　possible…
　〃It's　possible；〃　said　St。　Jacques。　〃Because　of　you　my　sister's　alive。〃
　〃Because　of　me；　young　man；　she　might　have　died。〃
　〃Would　you　have　killed　me？〃　asked　Marie；　studying　the　old　Frenchman。
　〃Certainly　not　after　I　saw　what　Carlos　had　planned　for　me　and　my　woman。　He　had　broken　the　contract；　not　I。〃
　〃Before　then。〃
　〃When　I　had　not　yet　seen　the　needles；　understood　what　was　all　too　obvious？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃That's　difficult　to　answer；　a　contract's　a　contract。　Still；　my　woman　was　dead；　and　a　part　of　her　dying　was　because　she　sensed　that　a　terrible　thing　had　been　demanded　of　me。　To　go　through　with　that　demand　would　deny　that　aspect　of　her　death；　don't　you　see？　Yet　again；　even　in　her　death；　the　monseigneur　could　not　be　totally　denied…he　had　made　possible　years　of　relative　happiness　that　would　have　been　impossible　without　him。　。。。　I　simply　don't　know。　I　might　have　reasoned　that　I　owed　him　your　life…your　death…but　certainly　not　the　children's　。。。　and　most　certainly　not　the　rest　of　it。〃
　〃Rest　of　what？〃　asked　St。　Jacques。
　〃It's　best　not　to　inquire。〃
　〃I　think　you　would　have　killed　me；〃　said　Marie。
　〃I　tell　you；　I　simply　don't　know。　There　was　nothing　personal。　You　were　not　a　person　to　me；　you　were　simply　an　event　that　was　part　of　a　business　arrangement。　。。。　Still；　as　I　say；　my　woman　was　gone；　and　I'm　an　old　man　with　limited　time　before　me。　Perhaps　a　look　in　your　eyes　or　a　plea　for　your　children…who　knows；　I　might　have　turned　the　pistol　on　myself。　Then　again；　I　might　not　have。〃
　〃Jesus；　you　are　a　killer；〃　said　the　brother　quietly。
　〃I　am　many　things；　monsieur。　I　don't　ask　forgiveness　in　this　world；　the　other's　another　question。　There　were　always　circumstances…〃
　〃Gallic　logic；〃　remarked　Brendan　Patrick　Pierre　Prefontaine；　former　judge　of　the　first　circuit　court　in　Boston；　as　he　absently　touched　the　raw　tender　skin　of　his　neck　below　his　singed　white　hair。　〃Thank　heavens　I　never　had　to　argue　before　les　tribunals；　neither　side　is　ever　actually　wrong。〃　The　disbarred　attorney　chuckled。　〃You　see　before　you　a　felon；　justly　tried　and　justly　convicted。　The　only　exculpatory　aspect　of　my　crimes　is　that　I　was　caught　and　so　many　others　were　not　and　are　not。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　are　related；　after　all；　Monsieur　le　Juge。〃
　〃By　parison；　sir；　my　life　is　far　closer　to　that　of　St。　Thomas　Aquinas…〃
　〃Blackmail；〃　interrupted　Marie。
　〃No；　actually　the　charge　was　malfeasance。　Accepting　remunerations　for　favorable　decisions；　that　sort　of　thing。　。。。　My　God；　we're　hound's…tooth　Boston！　In　New　York　City　it's　standard　procedure：　Leave　your　money　with　the　bailiff；　enough　for　everyone。〃
　〃I'm　not　referring　to　Boston；　I'm　talking　about　why　you're　here。　It's　blackmail。〃
　〃That's　an　oversimplification　but　essentially　correct。　As　I　told　you；　the　man　who　paid　me　to　find　out　where　you'd　gone　also　paid　me　an　additional　large　sum　of　money　to　keep　the　information　to　myself。　Under　the　circumstances；　and　because　I　have　no　pressing　schedule　of　appointments；　I　thought　it　logical　to　pursue　the　inquiry。　After　all；　if　the　little　I　knew　brought　so　much；　how　much　more　might　e　to　me　if　I　learned　a　little　more？〃
　〃You　talk　of　Gallic　logic；　monsieur？〃　inserted　the　Frenchman。
　〃It's　simple　interrogatory　progression；〃　replied　the　former　judge；　briefly　glancing　at　Jean　Pierre　before　turning　back　to　Marie。　〃However；　my　dear；　I　may　have　glossed　over　an　item　that　was　extremely　helpful　in　negotiations　with　my　client。　To　put　it　plainly；　your　identity　was　being　withheld　and　protected　by　the　government。　It　was　a　strong　point　that　frightened　a　very　strong　and　influential　man。〃
　〃I　want　his　name；〃　said　Marie。
　〃Then　I　must　have　protection；　too；〃　rejoined　Prefontaine。
　〃You'll　have　it…〃
　〃And　perhaps　something　more；〃　continued　the　old　disbarred　attorney。　〃My　client　has　no　idea　I　came　here；　no　knowledge　of　what's　happened；　all　of　which　might　fuel　the　fires　of　his　largess　if　I　described　what　I've　experienced　and　observed。　He'd　be　frightened　out　of　his　mind　even　to　be　associated　with　such　events。　Also；　considering　the　fact　that　I　was　nearly　killed　by　that　Teutonic　Amazon；　I　really　deserve　more。〃
　〃Am　I　then　to　be　rewarded　for　saving　your　life；　monsieur？〃
　〃If　I　had　anything　of　value…other　than　my　legal　expertise；　which　is　yours…I'd　happily　share　it。　If　I'm　given　anything；　that　still　holds；　Cousin。〃
　〃Merci　bien；　Cousin。〃
　〃D'accord；　mon　ami；　but　never　let　the　Irish　nuns　hear　us。〃
　〃You　don't　look　like　a　poor　man；　Judge；〃　said　John　St。　Jacques。
　〃Then　appearances　are　as　deceiving　as　a　long…forgotten　title　you　so　generously　use。　。。。　I　should　add　that　my　wants　are　not　extravagant；　for　there's　no　one　but　myself；　and　my　creature　forts　do　not　require　luxury。〃
　〃You've　lost　your　woman；　too；　then？〃
　〃Not　that　it's　any　of　your　damn　business；　but　my　wife　left　me　twenty…nine　years　ago；　and　my　thirty…eight…year…old　son；　now　a　successful　attorney　on　Wall　Street；　uses　her　name　and　when　questioned　by　curious　people　tells　them　he　never　knew　me。　I　haven't　seen　him　since　he　was　ten；　it　was　not　in　his　interest；　you　understand。〃
　〃Quelle　tristesse。〃
　〃Quel　bullshit；　Cousin。　That　boy　got　his　brains　from　me；　not　from　the　airhead　who　bore　him。　。。。　However；　we　stray。　My　French　pureblood　here　has　his　own　reasons…obviously　based　on　betrayal…for　cooperating　with　you。　I　have　equally　strong　reasons　for　wanting　to　help　you；　too；　but　I　must　also　consider　myself。　My　aged　new　friend　can　go　back　and　live　what's　left　of　his　life　in　Paris；　whereas　I　have　no　place　to　go　but　Boston　and　the　few　opportunities　I've　developed　over　the　years　to　eke　out　a　living。　Therefore　my　deep…seated　motives　for　wanting　to　help　must　themselves　take　a　backseat。　With　what　I　know　now　I　wouldn't　last　five　minutes　in　the　streets　of　Boston。〃
　〃Breakthrough；〃　said　John　St。　Jacques；　staring　at　Prefontaine。　〃I'm　sorry；　Judge；　we　don't　need　you。〃
　〃What？〃　Marie　sat　forward　in　her　chair。　〃Please；　Bro；　we　need　all　the　help　we　can　get！〃
　〃Not　in　this　case。　We　know　who　hired　him。〃
　〃We　do？〃
　〃Conklin　knows；　he　called　it　a　'breakthrough。'　He　told　me　that　the　man　who　traced　you　and　the　children　here　used　a　judge　to　find　you。〃　The　brother　nodded　across　the　table　at　the　Bostonian。　〃Him。　It's　why　I　smashed　up　a　hundred…thousand…dollar　boat　to　get　back　over　here。　Conklin　knows　who　his　client　is。〃
　Prefontaine　again　glanced　at　the　old　Frenchman。　〃Now　is　the　time　for　'Quelle　tristesse；'　Sir　Hero。　I'm　left　with　nothing。　My　persistence　brought　me　only　a　sore　throat　and　a　burned　scalp。〃
　〃Not　necessarily；〃　interrupted　Marie。　〃You're　the　attorney；　so　I　shouldn't　have　to　tell　you。　Corroboration　is　cooperation。　We　may　want　you　to　tell　everything　you　know　to　certain　people　in　Washington。〃
　〃Corroboration　can　be　obtained　with　a　subpoena；　my　dear。　Under　oath　in　a　courtroom；　take　my　personal　as　well　as　my　professional　word　for　it。〃
　〃We　won't　be　going　to　court。　Ever。〃
　〃Oh？　。。。　I　see。〃
　〃You　couldn't　possibly；　Judge；　not　at　this　juncture。　However；　if　you　agree　to　help　us　you'll　be　well　paid。　。。。　A　moment　ago　you　said　that　you　had　strong　reasons　for　wanting　to　help；　reasons　that　had　to　be　secondary　to　your　own