rl.thebourneidentity-第38部分

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　Marie　rushed　to　him；　putting　her　hands　first　on　his　shoulders　then　on　his　face；　wiping　away　the　perspiration。　'Now　you've　said　it　Can　you　hear　yourself；　darling？　You　can't　run　because　the　closer　you　get；　the　more　maddening　it　is　for　you。　And　if　you　did　run；　it　would　only　get　worse。　You　wouldn't　have　a　life；　you'd　live　a　nightmare。　I　know　that。'
　He　reached　for　her　face；　touching　it；　looking　at　her。　'Do　you？'
　'Of　course。　But　you　had　to　say　it；　not　me。'　She　held　him；　her　head　against　his　chest　'I　had　to　force　you　to。。。　The　funny　thing　is　that　I　could　run。　I　could　get　on　a　plane　with　you　tonight　and　go　wherever　you　wanted；　disappear　and　not　look　back；　happier　than　I've　ever　been　in　my　life。　But　you　couldn't　do　that　What　is　…　or　isn't　…　here　in　Paris　would　eat　away　at　you　until　you　couldn't　stand　it　any　more。　That's　the　crazy　irony；　my　darling。　I　could　live　with　it；　but　you　couldn't。'
　'You'd　just　disappear？'　asked　Jason。　'What　about　your　family；　your　job；　all　the　people　you　know？'
　'I'm　neither　a　child　nor　a　fool；'　she　answered　quickly。　Td　cover　myself　somehow；　but　I　don't　think　I'd　take　it　very　seriously。　I'd　request　an　extended　leave　for　medical　and　personal　reasons。　Emotional　stress；　a　breakdown；　I　could　always　go　back；　the　department　would　understand。'
　'Peter？'
　'Yes。'　She　was　silent　for　a　moment。　'We　went　from　one　relationship　to　another；　the　second　more　important　to　both　of　us；　I　think。　He　was　like　an　imperfect　brother　you　want　to　succeed　in　spite　of　the　Saws；　because　underneath　there　was　such　decency。'
　I'm　sorry。　I'm　truly　sorry。'
　She　looked　up　at　him。　'You　have　the　same　decency。　When　you　do　the　kind　of　work　I　do　decency　bees　very　important　It's　not　the　meek　who　are　inheriting　the　earth；　Jason；　it's　the　corrupters。　And　I　have　an　idea　that　the　distance　between　corruption　and　killing　is　a　very　short　step。'
　Treadstone　Seventy…one？'
　'Yes。　We　were　both　right　I　do　want　them　exposed；　I　want　them　to　pay　for　what　they've　done。。。　And　you　can't　run　away。'
　He　brushed　his　lips　against　her　cheek　and　then　her　hair　and　held　her。　'I　should　throw　you　out；'　he　said。　'I　should　tell　you　to　get　out　of　my　life。　I　can't　do　it；　but　I　know　damned　well　I　should。'
　'It　wouldn't　make　any　difference　if　you　did。　I　wouldn't　go；　my　love。'
　The　lawyer's　suite　of　offices　was　on　the　boulevard　de　la　Chapelle；　the　book…lined　conference　room　more　a　stage　setting　than　an　office；　everything　was　a　prop；　and　in　its　place。　Deals　were　made　in　that　room；　not　contracts。　As　for　the　lawyer　himself；　a　dignified　white　goatee　and　silver　pince…nez　above　an　aquiline　nose　could　not　conceal　the　essential　graft　in　the　man。　He　even　insisted　on　conversing　in　poor　English；　for　which；　at　a　later　date；　he　could　claim　to　have　been　misunderstood。
　Marie　did　most　of　the　talking；　Bourne　deferring；　client　to　advisor。　She　made　her　points　succinctly；　altering　the　cashier's　cheques　to　bearer　bonds；　payable　in　dollars；　in　denominations　ranging　from　a　maximum　of　twenty　thousand　to　a　minimum　of　five。　She　instructed　the　lawyer　to　tell　the　bank　that　all　series　were　to　be　broken　up　numerically　in　threes；　international　guarantees　with　every　fifth　lot　of　certificates。　Her　objective　was　not　lost　on　the　attorney；　she　so　plicated　the　issuing　of　the　bonds　that　tracing　them　would　be　beyond　the　facilities　of　most　banks　or　brokers。　Nor　would　such　banks　or　brokers　take　on　the　added　trouble　or　expense；　payments　were　guaranteed。
　When　the　irritated；　goateed　lawyer　had　nearly　concluded　his　telephone　conversation　with　an　equally　disturbed　Antoine　d'Amacourt；　Marie　held　up　her　hand。
　'Pardon　me；　but　Monsieur　Bourne　insists　that　Monsieur　d'Amacourt　also　include　two　hundred　thousand　francs　in　cash；　one　hundred　thousand　to　be　included　with　the　bonds　and　one　hundred　to　be　held　by　Monsieur　d'Amacourt。　He　suggests　that　the　second　hundred　thousand　be　divided　as　follows。　Seventy…five　thousand　for　Monsieur　d'Amacourt　and　twenty…five　thousand　for　yourself。　He　realizes　that　he　is　greatly　in　debt　to　both　of　you　for　your　advice；　and　the　additional　trouble　he　has　caused　you。　Needless　to　say；　no　specific　record　of　breakdown　is　required。'
　Irritation　and　disturbance　vanished　with　her　words；　replaced　by　an　obsequiousness　not　seen　since　the　court　of　Versailles。　The　arrangements　were　made　in　accordance　with　the　unusual　…　but　pletely　understandable　…　demands　of　Monsieur　Bourne　and　his　esteemed　advisor。
　A　leather　attaché　case　was　provided　by　Monsieur　Bourne　for　the　bonds　and　the　money；　it　would　be　carried　by　an　armed　courier　who　would　leave　the　bank　at　2：30　in　the　afternoon　and　meet　Monsieur　Bourne　at　3：00　on　the　Pont　Neuf。　The　distinguished　client　would　identify　himself　with　a　small　piece　of　leather　cut　from　the　shell　of　the　case　which；　when　fitted　in　place；　would　prove　to　be　the　missing　fragment。　Added　to　this　would　be　the　words：　'Herr　Koenig　sends　greetings　from　Zurich。！
　So　much　for　the　details。　Except　for　one；　which　was　made　clear　by　Monsieur　Bourne's　advisor。
　'We　recognize　that　the　demands　of　the　fiche　must　be　carried　out　to　the　letter；　and　fully　expect　Monsieur　d'Amacourt　to　do　so；8　said　Marie　St　Jacques。　'However；　we　also　recognize　that　the　timing　can　be　advantageous　to　Monsieur　Bourne；　and　would　expect　no　less　than　that　advantage。　Were　he　not　to　have　it；　I'm　afraid　that　I；　as　a　certified　…　if　for　the　present；　anonymous　…　member　of　the　International　Banking　mission；　would　feel　pelled　to　report　certain　aberrations　of　banking　and　legal　procedures　as　I　have　witnessed　them。　I'm　sure　that　won't　be　necessary；　we're　all　very　well　paid；　n'est…ce　pas；　monsieur？'
　'C'est　vrai；　madame！　In　banking　and　law。。。　indeed；　as　in　life　itself。。。　timing　is　everything。　You　have　nothing　to　fear。'
　'I　know；'　said　Marie。
　Bourne　examined　the　grooves　of　the　silencer；　satisfied　that　he　had　removed　the　particles　of　dust　and　fluff　that　had　gathered　with　non…use。　He　gave　it　a　final；　wrenching　turn；　depressed　the　magazine　release　and　checked　the　clip。　Six　shells　remained；　he　was　ready。　He　shoved　the　weapon　into　his　belt　and　buttoned　his　jacket。
　Marie　had　not　seen　him　with　the　gun。　She　was　sitting　on　the　bed；　her　back　to　him；　talking　on　the　telephone　to　the　Canadian　Embassy　attaché；　Dennis　Corbelier。　Cigarette　smoke　curled　up　from　an　ashtray　next　to　her　notebook；　she　was　writing　down　Corbelier's　information。　When　he　had　finished；　she　thanked　him　and　hung　up　the　phone。　She　remained　motionless　for　two　or　three　seconds；　the　pencil　still　in　her　hand。
　'He　doesn't　know　about　Peter；'　she　said；　turning　to　Jason。　'That's　odd。'
　'Very；'　agreed　Bourne。　'I　thought　he'd　be　one　of　the　first　to
　know。　You　said　they　looked　over　Peter's　telephone　logs；　he'd　placed　a　call　to　Paris；　to　Corbelier。　You'd　think　someone　would　have　followed　up　on　it。'
　'I　hadn't　even　considered　that。　I　was　thinking　about　the　newspapers；　the　wire　services。　Peter　was。。。　was　found　eighteen　hours　ago；　and　regardless　of　how　casual　I　may　have　sounded；　he　was　an　important　man　in　the　Canadian　government。　His　death　would　be　news　in　itself；　his　murder　infinitely　more　so。。。　It　wasn't　reported。'
　'Call　Ottawa　tonight。　Find　out　why。'
　'I　will。'
　'What　did　Corbelier　tell　you？'
　'Oh；　yes。'　Marie　shifted　her　eyes　to　the　notebook。　'The　licence　plate　in　rue　Madeleine　was　meaningless；　a　car　rented　at　De　Gaulle　airport　to　a　Jean…Pierre　Larousse。。。'
　'John　Smith；'　interrupted　Jason。
　'Exactly。　He　had　better　luck　with　the　telephone　number　d'Amacourt　gave　you　but　he　can't　see　what　it　could　possibly　have　to　do　with　anything。　Neither　can　I；　as　a　matter　of　fact〃
　'It's　that　strange？'
　'I　think　so。　It's　a　private　line　belonging　to　a　fashion　house　on　Saint…Honore。　Les　Classiques。'
　'A　fashion　house？　You　mean　a　studio？'
　'I'm　sure　it's　got　one；　but　it's　essentially　an　elegant　dress　shop。　Like　the　House　of　Dior；　or　Givenchy。　Haute　couture。　In　the　trade；　Corbelier　said；　it's　known　as　the　〃House　of　Ren！〃。　That's　Bergeron。'
　'Who？'
　'Rene　Bergeron；　a　designer。　He's　been　around　for　years；　always　on　the　fringes　of　a　major　success。　I　know　about　him　because　my　little　lady　back　home　copies　his　designs。'
　'Did　you　get　the　address？〃
　Marie　nodded。　'Why　didn't　Corbelier　know　about　Peter？　Why　doesn't　everybody？'
　'Maybe　you'll　learn　when　you　call。　It's　probably　as　simple　as　time　zones；　too　late　for　the　morning　editions　here　in　Paris。　I'll　pick　up　an　afternoon　paper。'　Bourne　went　to　the　wardrobe　for　his　overcoat；　conscious　of　the　hidden　weight　in　his　belt。　'I'm　going　back　to　the　bank。　I'll　follow　the　courier　to　the　Pont　Neuf。'　He　put　on　the　coat；　aware　that　Marie　was　not　listening。　'I　meant　to　ask　you；　do　these　fellows　wear　uniforms？'
　'Who？'
　'Bank　couriers。'
　That　would　account　for　the　newspapers；　not　the　wire　services。'
　'I　beg　your　pardon？'
　'The　difference　in　time。　The　papers　might　not　have　picked　it　up；　but　the　wire　services　would　have。　And　embassies　have　teletypes；　they　would　have　known　about　it。　It　wasn't　reported；　Jason。'
　'You'll　call　tonight；'　he　said。　Tin　going。'
　'You　asked　about　the　couriers。　Do　they　wear　uniforms？'　！　I　was　curious。'
　'Most　of　the　time；　yes。　They　also　drive　armoured　vans；　but　I　was　specific　about　that。　If　a　van　was　used　it　was　to　be　parked　a　block　from　the　bridge；　the　courier　to　proceed　on　foot。'
　'I　heard　you；　but　I　wasn't　sure　what　you　meant。　Why？'
　'A　bonded　courier's　bad　enough；　but　he's　necessary；　bank　insurance　requires　him。　A　van　is　simply　too　obvious；　it　could　be　followed　too　easily。　You　won't　change　your　mind　and　let　me　go　with　you？'
　'No。'
　'Believe　me；　nothing　will　go　wrong；　those　two　thieves　wouldn't　permit　it！
　Then　there's　no　reason　for　you　to　be　there。'
　'You're　maddening。'
　I'm　in　a　hurry。'
　'I　know。　And　you　move　faster　without　me。！　Marie　got　up　and　came　to　him。　'I　do　understand。'　She　leaned　into　him；　kissing　him　on　the　lips；　suddenly　aware　of　the　weapon　in　his　belt　She　looked　into　his　eyes。　'You　are　worried；　aren't　you？'
　'Just　cautious。！　He　smiled；　touching　her　chin。　'It's　an　awful　lot　of　money。　It　may　have　to　keep　us　for　a　long　time。'
　'I　like　the　sound　of　that'
　The　money？'
　'No。　Us。'　Marie　frowned。　'A　safety　deposit　box。'
　'You　keep　talking　in　non…sequiturs。'
　'You　can't　leave　negotiable　certificates　worth　over　a　million　dollars　in　a　Paris　hotel　room。　You've　got