rl.thebourneultimatum-第86章

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　〃What　are　you　doing　here；　René？〃
　〃My　young　American　friend　was　sick　to　his　stomach　but　it　has　gone…he　vomited。〃
　〃American　。。。　？〃
　〃Let　me　introduce　you；　Santos。　He's　about　to　bee　a　great　soldier。〃
　〃There　is　a　Children's　Crusade　somewhere？〃　Bourne　peered　around　the　corner　as　the　bald　bartender　looked　at　Ralph。　〃Good　luck；　baby　face。　Go　find　your　war　in　a　playground。〃
　〃You　talk　French　awful　fast；　mistuh；　but　I　caught　some　of　that。　You're　a　big　mother；　but　I　can　be　a　mean　son　of　a　bitch！〃
　The　bartender　laughed　and　switched　effortlessly　to　English。　〃Then　you'd　better　be　mean　someplace　else；　baby　face。　We　only　permit　peaceable　gentlemen　in　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。　。。。　Now　I　must　go。〃
　〃Santos！〃　cried　Maurice…René。　〃Lend　me　ten　francs。　I　left　my　billfold　back　at　my　flat。〃
　〃If　you　ever　had　a　billfold；　you　left　it　back　in　North　Africa。　You　know　my　policy。　Not　a　sou　for　any　of　you。〃
　〃What　money　I　had　went　for　your　lousy　fish！　It　made　my　friend　vomit！〃
　〃For　your　next　meal；　go　down　to　Paris　and　dine　at　the　Ritz。　。。。　Ah；　yes！　You　did　have　a　meal…but　you　did　not　pay　for　it。〃　Jason　pulled　quickly　back　as　the　bartender　snapped　his　head　around　and　looked　up　the　alley。　〃Good　night；　René。　You　too；　baby　warrior。　I　have　business。〃
　Bourne　ran　down　the　pavement　toward　the　gates　of　the　old　factory。　Santos　was　ing　to　meet　him。　Alone。　Crossing　the　street　into　the　shadows　of　the　shut…down　refinery；　he　stood　still；　moving　only　his　hand　so　as　to　feel　the　hard　steel　and　the　security　of　his　automatic。　With　every　step　Santos　took　the　Jackal　was　closer！　Moments　later；　the　immense　figure　emerged　from　the　alley；　crossed　the　dimly　lit　street　and　approached　the　rusted　gates。
　〃I　am　here；　monsieur；〃　said　Santos。
　〃And　I　am　grateful。〃
　〃I'd　rather　you'd　keep　your　word　first。　I　believe　you　mentioned　five　thousand　francs　in　your　note。〃
　〃It's　here。〃　Jason　reached　into　his　pocket；　removed　the　money；　and　held　it　out　for　the　manager　of　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Santos；　walking　forward　and　accepting　the　bills。　〃Take　him！〃　he　added。
　Suddenly；　from　behind　Bourne；　the　old　gates　of　the　factory　burst　open。　Two　men　rushed　out；　and　before　Jason　could　reach　his　weapon；　a　heavy　blunt　instrument　crashed　down　on　his　skull。
　
　23
　〃We're　alone；〃　said　the　voice　across　the　dark　room　as　Bourne　opened　his　eyes。　Santos's　huge　frame　minimized　the　size　of　his　large　armchair；　and　the　low　wattage　of　the　single　floor　lamp　heightened　the　whiteness　of　his　immense　bald　head。　Jason　arched　his　neck　and　felt　the　angry　swelling　on　top　of　his　skull；　he　was　angled　into　the　corner　of　a　sofa。　〃There's　no　break；　no　blood；　only　what　I　imagine　is　a　very　painful　lump；〃　mented　the　Jackal's　man。
　〃Your　diagnosis　is　accurate；　especially　the　last　part。〃
　〃The　instrument　was　hard　rubber　and　cushioned。　The　results　are　predictable　except　where　concussions　are　concerned。　At　your　side；　on　a　tray；　is　an　ice　bag。　It　might　be　well　to　use　it。〃
　Bourne　reached　down　in　the　dim　light；　grabbed　the　bulky　cold　bag　and　brought　it　to　his　head。　〃You're　very　considerate；〃　he　said　flatly。
　〃Why　not？　We　have　several　things　to　discuss　。。。　perhaps　a　million；　if　broken　down　into　francs。〃
　〃It's　yours　under　the　conditions　stated。〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　Santos　sharply。
　〃That's　not　one　of　the　conditions。〃
　〃You're　not　a　young　man。〃
　〃Not　that　it　matters；　but　neither　are　you。〃
　〃You　carried　a　gun　and　a　knife。　The　latter　is　for　younger　men。〃
　〃Who　said　so？〃
　〃Our　reflexes。　。。。　What　do　you　know　about　a　blackbird？〃
　〃You　might　as　well　ask　me　how　I　knew　about　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。〃
　〃How　did　you？〃
　〃Someone　told　me。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Sorry；　not　one　of　the　conditions。　I'm　a　broker　and　that's　the　way　I　work。　My　clients　expect　it。〃
　〃Do　they　also　expect　you　to　bind　your　knee　so　as　to　feign　an　injury？　As　your　eyes　opened　I　pressed　the　area；　there　was　no　sign　of　pain；　no　sprain；　no　break。　Also；　you　carry　no　identification　but　considerable　amounts　of　money？〃
　〃I　don't　explain　my　methods；　I　only　clarify　my　restrictions　as　I　understand　them　to　be。　I　got　my　message　through　to　you；　didn't　I？　Since　I　had　no　telephone　number；　I　doubt　I　could　have　done　so　very　successfully　had　I　arrived　at　your　establishment　in　a　business　suit　carrying　an　attaché　case。〃
　Santos　laughed。　〃You　never　would　have　gotten　inside。　You　would　have　been　rudely　stopped　in　the　alley　and　stripped。〃
　〃The　thought　occurred　to　me。　。。。　Do　we　do　business；　say　a　million　francs'　worth？〃
　The　Jackal's　man　shrugged。　〃It　would　seem　to　me　that　if　a　buyer　mentions　such　an　amount　in　his　first　offer；　he　will　go　higher。　Say　a　million　and　a　half。　Perhaps　even　two。〃
　〃But　I'm　not　the　buyer；　I'm　the　broker。　I　was　authorized　to　pay　one　million；　which　is　far　too　much　in　my　opinion；　but　time　is　of　the　essence。　Take　it　or　leave　it；　I　have　other　options。〃
　〃Do　you　really？〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃Not　if　you're　a　corpse　found　floating　in　the　Seine　without　any　identification。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Jason　looked　around　the　darkened　flat；　it　bore　little　relationship　to　the　shabby　café　below。　The　furniture　was　large；　as　required　by　the　oversized　owner；　but　tastefully　selected；　not　elegant　but　certainly　not　cheap。　What　was　mildly　astonishing　were　the　bookshelves　covering　the　wall　between　the　two　front　windows。　The　academic　in　Bourne　wished　he　could　read　the　titles；　they　might　give　him　a　clearer　picture　of　this　strange；　huge　man　whose　speech　might　have　been　formed　at　the　Sorbonne…a　mitted　brute　on　the　outside；　perhaps　someone　else　inside。　His　eyes　returned　to　Santos。　〃Then　my　leaving　here　freely　under　my　own　power　is　not　a　given；　is　it？〃
　〃No；〃　answered　the　Jackal's　conduit。　〃It　might　have　been　had　you　answered　my　simple　questions；　but　you　tell　me　that　your　conditions；　or　should　I　say　your　restrictions；　forbid　you　to　do　so。　。。。　Well；　I；　too；　have　conditions　and　you　will　live　or　die　by　them。〃
　〃That's　succinct。〃
　〃There's　no　reason　not　to　be。〃
　〃Of　course；　you're　forfeiting　any　chance　of　collecting　a　million　francs…or；　as　you　suggested；　perhaps　a　great　deal　more。〃
　〃Then　may　I　also　suggest；〃　said　Santos；　crossing　his　thick　arms　in　front　of　him　and　absently　glancing　at　the　large　tattoos　on　his　skin；　〃that　a　man　with　such　funds　available　will　not　only　part　with　them　in　exchange　for　his　life；　but　will　happily　deliver　the　information　requested　so　as　to　avoid　unnecessary　and　excruciating　pain。〃　The　Jackal's　man　suddenly　slammed　his　clenched　right　fist　down　on　the　armrest　and　shouted；　〃What　do　you　know　about　a　blackbird？　Who　told　you　about　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat？　Where　do　you　e　from　and　who　are　you　and　who　is　your　client？〃
　Bourne　froze；　his　body　rigid　but　his　mind　spinning；　whirling；　racing。　He　had　to　get　out！　He　had　to　reach　Bernardine…how　many　hours　was　his　call　overdue？　Where　was　Marie？　Yet　what　he　wanted　to　do；　had　to　do；　could　not　be　done　by　opposing　the　giant　across　the　room。　Santos　was　neither　a　liar　nor　a　fool。　He　would　and　could　kill　his　prisoner　handily　and　without　hesitation　。。。　and　he　would　not　be　duped　by　outright　false　or　convoluted　information。　The　Jackal's　man　was　protecting　two　turfs…his　own　and　his　mentor's。　The　Chameleon　had　only　one　option　open：　to　expose　a　part　of　the　truth　so　dangerous　as　to　be　credible；　the　ring　of　authenticity　so　plausible　that　the　risk　of　rejecting　it　was　unacceptable。　Jason　put　the　ice　bag　on　the　tray　and　spoke　slowly　from　the　shadows　of　the　large　couch。
　〃Obviously　I　don't　care　to　die　for　a　client　or　be　tortured　to　protect　his　information；　so　I'll　tell　you　what　I　know；　which　isn't　as　much　as　I'd　like　under　the　present　circumstances。　I'll　take　your　points　in　order　if　I'm　not　too　damned　frightened　to　forget　the　sequence。　To　begin　with；　the　funds　are　not　available　to　me　personally。　I　meet　with　a　man　in　London　to　whom　I　deliver　the　information；　and　he　releases　an　account　in　Bern；　Switzerland；　to　a　name　and　a　number…any　name；　any　number…that　I　give　him。　。。。　We'll　skip　over　my　life　and　the　'excruciating　pain'…I've　answered　both。　Let's　see；　what　do　I　know　about　a　blackbird？　The　Coeur　du　Soldat　is　part　of　that　question；　incidentally。　。。。　I　was　told　that　an　old　man…name　and　nationality　unknown；　at　least　to　me；　but　I　suspect　French…approached　a　well…known　public　figure　and　told　him　he　was　the　ta