rl.thebourneidentity-第24部分

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　function　less　well　than　he　had　sixty　seconds　ago。
　Lights。　Dim　lights。。。　squared；　frames！　What　was　it？　What　were　they？　He　looked　to　the　left　and　saw　what　he　could　not　possibly　have　seen　before。　A　small　brick　structure；　some　kind　of　dwelling　by　the　sea　wall。　Light　had　been　turned　on　inside。　A　watchman's　station；　someone　inside　had　heard　the　gunshots。
　〃Was　ist？　ist　da　jemand！　The　shouts　came　from　the　figure　of　a　man　…　a　bent…over　old　man　…　standing　in　a　lighted　doorway。　Then　the　beam　of　a　torch　pierced　the　blacker　darkness。　Bourne　followed　it　with　his　eyes；　hoping　it　would　shine　on　the　executioner。
　It　did。　He　was　crouched　by　the　wall。　Jason　stood　up　and　fired；　at　the　sound　of　his　gun；　the　beam　swung　over　to　him。　He　was　the　target；　two　shots　came　from　the　darkness；　a　bullet　ricocheting　off　a　metal　strip　in　the　window。　Steel　punctured　his　neck；　blood　erupted。
　Racing　footsteps。　The　executioner　was　running　towards　the　source　of　the　light。
　'Nein！'
　He　had　reached　it；　the　figure　in　the　doorway　was　lashed　by　an　arm　that　was　both　his　leash　and　his　cage。　The　beam　went　out；　in　the　light　of　the　windows　Jason　could　see　the　killer　pulling　the　watchman　away；　using　the　old　man　as　a　shield；　dragging　him　back　into　darkness。
　Bourne　watched　until　he　could　see　no　more；　his　gun　raised　helplessly　over　the　bonnet。　He　was　helpless；　his　body　draining。
　There　was　a　final　shot；　followed　by　a　guttural　cry　and；　once　again；　racing　footsteps。　The　executioner　had　carried　out　a　sentence　of　death；　not　on　the　condemned　woman；　but　on　an　old　man。　He　was　running；　he　had　made　his　escape。
　Bourne　could　run　no　longer；　the　pain　had　finally　immobilized　him；　his　vision　too　blurred；　his　sense　of　survival　exhausted。　He　lowered　himself　to　the　pavement。　There　was　nothing；　he　simply　did　not　care。
　Whatever　he　was；　let　it　be。　Let　it　be。
　The　St　Jacques　woman　crawled　out　of　the　car；　holding　her　clothes；　every　move　made　in　shock。　She　stared　at　Jason；　disbelief；　horror　and　confusion　ing　together　in　her　eyes。
　'Go　on；'　he　whispered；　hoping　she　could　hear　him。　'There's　a　car　back　there；　the　keys　are　in　it。　Get　out　of　here。　He　may　bring　others；　I　don't　know。'
　'You　came　for　me；'　she　said；　her　voice　echoing　through　a　tunnel　of　bewilderment
　'Get　out　I　Get　in　that　car　and　go　like　hell；　Doctor。　If　anyone　tries　to　stop　you；　run　him　down。　Reach　the　police。。。　Real　ones；　with　uniforms；　you　damn　fool。'　His　throat　was　so　hot；　his　stomach　so　cold。　Fire　and　ice；　he'd　felt　them　before。　Together。　Where　was　it？
　'You　saved　my　life。。。'　She　continued　in　that　hollow　tone；　the　words　floating　in　the　air。　'You　came　for　me。　You　came　back　for　me；　and　saved。。。　my。。。　life。'
　'Don't　make　it　what　it　wasn't！　You　are　incidental；　Doctor。　You　are　a　reflex；　an　instinct　born　of　forgotten　memories；　conduits　electrically　produced　by　stress。　You　see；　I　know　the　words。。。　I　don't　care　any　more。　I　hurt　…　oh　my　God；　I　hurt。
　'You　were　free。　You　could　have　kept　going；　but　you　didn't　You　came　back　for　me。'
　He　heard　her　through　mists　of　pain。　He　saw　her；　and　what　he　saw　was　unreasonable　…　as　unreasonable　as　the　pain。　She　was　kneeling　beside　him；　touching　his　face；　touching　his　head。　Stop　it！　Do　not　touch　my　head！　Leave　me。
　'Why　did　you　do　that？'　It　was　her　voice；　not　his。
　She　was　asking　him　a　question。　Didn't　she　understand？　He　could　not　answer　her。
　What　was　she　doing？　She　had　torn　a　piece　of　cloth　and　was　wrapping　it　around　his　neck。。。　and　now　another；　this　larger；　part　of　her　dress。　She　had　loosened　his　belt　and　was　pushing　the　soft　smooth　cloth　down　into　the　boiling　hot　skin　on　his　right　hip。
　'It　wasn't　you。'　He　found　words　and　used　them　quickly。　He　wanted　the　peace　of　darkness　…　as　he　had　wanted　it　before　but　could　not　remember　when。　He　could　find　it　if　she　left　him。　〃That　man。。。　he'd　seen　me。　He　could　identify　me。　It　was　him。　I　wanted　him。　Now　get　out！'
　'So　could　half　a　dozen　others；'　she　replied；　another　note　in　her　voice；　'I　don't　believe　you。〃
　'Believe　me！'
　She　was　standing　above　him　now。　Then　she　was　not　there。　She　was　gone！　She　had　left　him！　The　peace　would　e　quickly　now；　he　would　be　swallowed　up　in　the　dark　crashing　waters　and　the　pain　would　be　washed　away。　He　leaned　back　against　the　car　and　let　himself　drift　with　the　currents　of　his　mind。
　A　noise　intruded；　A　motor；　rolling　and　disruptive。　He　did　not　care　for　it；　it　interfered　with　the　freedom　of　his　own　particular　sea。　Then　a　hand　was　on　his　arm。　Then　another；　gently　pulling　him　up。
　'e　on；'　said　the　voice。　'Help　me…'
　'Let　go　of　me！'　The　mand　was　shouted；　he　had　shouted　it。　But　the　mand　was　not　obeyed。　He　was　appalled；　mands　should　be　obeyed！。　Yet　not　always；　something　told　him　that。　The　wind　was　there　again；　but　not　a　wind　in　Zurich。　In　some　other　place；　high　in　the　night　sky。　And　a　signal　came；　a　light　flashed　on；　and　he　leaped　up　whipped　by　furious　new　currents。
　'All　right。　You're　all　right；'　said　the　maddening　voice　that　would　not　pay　attention　to　his　mands。　'Lift　your　foot　up。　Lift　it！。。。　That's　right。　You　did　it。　Now；　inside　the　car。　Ease　yourself　back。。。　slowly。　That's　right。'
　He　was　falling。。。　falling　in　the　pitch　black　sky。　And　then　the　falling　stopped！　everything　stopped；　and　there　was　stillness；　he　could　hear　his　own　breathing。　And　footsteps；　he　could　hear　footsteps。。。　and　the　sound　of　a　door　closing；　followed　by　the　rolling；　disruptive　noise　beneath　him；　in　front　of　him。。。　somewhere。
　Motion；　swaying　in　circles。　Balance　was　gone　and　he　was　falling　again；　only　to　be　stopped　again；　another　body　against　his　body；　a　hand　holding　him；　lowering　him。　His　face　felt　cool；　and　then　he　felt　nothing。　He　was　drifting　again；　currents　gentler　now；　darkness　plete。
　There　were　voices　above　him；　in　the　distance；　but　not　so　far　away。　Shapes　came　slowly　into　focus；　lit　by　the　spill　of　table　lamps。　He　was　in　a　fairly　large　room；　and　on　a　bed；　a　narrow　bed；　blankets　covering　him。　Across　the　room　were　two　people；　a　man　in　an　overcoat　and　a　woman。。。　dressed　in　a　dark　red　skirt　beneath　a　white　blouse。　Dark　red；　as　the　hair　was。。。　The　St　Jacques　woman？　It　was　she；　standing　by　a　door　talking　to　a　man　holding　a　leather　bag　in　his　left　hand。　They　were　speaking　French。
　'Rest；　mainly；'　the　man　was　saying。　'If　you're　not　accessible　to　me；　anyone　can　remove　the　sutures。　They　can　be　taken　out　in　a　week；　I'd　say。'
　'Thank　you；　Doctor。！
　Thank　you。　You've　been　most　generous。　I'll　go　now。　Perhaps　I'll　hear　from　you；　perhaps　not。'
　The　doctor　opened　the　door　and　let　himself　out。　When　he　was　gone　the　woman　reached　down　and　slid　the　bolt　in　place。　She　turned　and　saw　Bourne　looking；　at　her。　She　walked　slowly；　cautiously；　towards　the　bed。
　'Can　you　hear　me？'　she　asked。
　He　nodded。
　'You're　hurt；'　she　said；　'quite　badly；　but　if　you　stay　quiet；　it　won't　be　necessary　for　you　to　get　to　a　hospital。　That　was　a　doctor。。。　obviously。　I　paid　him　out　of　the　money　I　found　on　you；　quite　a　bit　more　than　might　seem　usual；　but　I　was　told　he　could　be　trusted。　It　was　your　idea；　incidentally。　While　we　were　driving；　you　kept　saying　you　had　to　find　a　doctor；　one　you　could　pay　to　keep　quiet　You　were　right。　It　wasn't　difficult。'
　'Where　are　we？'　He　could　hear　his　voice；　it　was　weak；　but　he　could　hear　it
　'A　village　called　Lenzburg；　about　twenty　miles　outside　Zurich。　The　doctor's　from　Wohlen；　it's　a　nearby　town。　He'll　see　you　in　a　week；　if　you're　here。'
　'How？。。。'　He　tried　to　raise　himself；　but　the　strength　wasn't　there。　She　touched　his　shoulder；　it　was　an　order　to　he　back　down。
　I'll　tell　you　what　happened；　and　perhaps　that　will　answer　your　questions。　At　least；　I　hope　so；　because　if　it　doesn't；　I'm　not　sure　I　can。'　She　stood　motionless；　looking　down　at　him；　her　tone　controlled。　'An　animal　was　raping　me　…　after　which　he　had　orders　to　kill　me。　There　was　no　way　I　was　going　to　live。　In　the　Steppdeckstrasse；　you　tried　to　stop　them；　and　when　you　couldn't；　you　told　me　to　scream；　to　keep　screaming。　It　was　all　you　could　do；　and　by　shouting　to　me；　you　risked　being　killed　at　that　moment　yourself。　Later；　you　somehow　got　free　…I　don't　know　how；　but　I　know　you　were　hurt　very　badly　doing　so　…　and　you　came　back　to　find　me。'
　'Him；'　interrupted　Jason；　'I　wanted　him。
　'You　told　me　that；　and　I'll　say　what　I　said　before。　I　don't　believe　you。　Not　because　you're　a　poor　liar；　but　because　it　doesn't　conform　with　the　facts。　I　work　with　statistics；　Mr。　Washburn；　or　Mr。　Bourne；　or　whatever　your　name　is。　I　respect　observable　data　and　I　can　spot　inaccuracies；　I'm　trained　to　do　that。　Two　men　went　in　that　building　to　find　you；　and　I　heard　you　say　they　were　both　alive。　They　could　identify　you。　And　there's　the　owner　of　the　Drei　Alpenhauser；　he　could　too。　Those　are　the　facts；　and　you　know　them　as　well　as　I　do。。。　No；　you　came　back　to　find　me。　You　came　back　and　saved　my　life。'
　'Go　on；'　he　said；　his　voice　gaining　strength。　'What　happened？'
　'I　made　a　decision。　It　was　the　most　difficult　decision　I've　ever　made　in　my　life。　I　think　a　person　can　only　make　a　decision　like　that　if　he's　nearly　lost　his　life　by　an　act　of　violence；　his　life　saved　by　someone　else。　I　decided　to　help　you。　Only　for　a　while　…　for　just　a　few　hours；　perhaps　…　but　I　would　help　you　get　away。'
　'Why　didn't　you　go　to　the　police？〃
　'I　almost　did；　and　I'm　not　sure　I　can　tell　you　why　I　didn't。　Maybe　it　was　the　rape；　I　don't　know。　I'm　being　honest　with　you。　I've　always　been　told　it's　the　most　horrible　experience　a　woman　can　go　through。　I　believe　it　now。。。　And　I　heard　the　anger　…　the　disgust　…　in　your　own　voice　when　you　shouted　at　him。　I'll　never　forget　that　moment　as　long　as　I　live；　as　much　as　I　may　want　to。'
　'The　police？〃　he　repeated。
　'That　man　at　the　Drei　Alpenhauser　said　the　police　were　looking　for　you。　That　a　telephone　number　had　been　set　up　in　Zurich。'　She　paused。　'I　couldn't　give　you　to　the　police。　Not　then。　Not　after　what　you　did。'
　'Knowing　what　I　am？'　he　asked。
　'I　know　only　what　I've　heard；　and　what　I've　heard　doesn't　correspond　with　the　injured　man　who　came　back　for　me　and　offered　his　life　for　mine。'
　'That's　not　very　bright。'
　'That's　the　one　thing　I　am；　Mr。　Bourne　…　I　assume　it's　Bourne；　it's　what　he　called　you。　Very　bright〃
　'I　hit　you。　I　threatened　to　kill　you。'
　'If　I'd　been　you；　and　men　were　trying　to　kill　me；　I　probably　would　have　done　the　same　…　if　I　were