rl.thebourneidentity-第63部分

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　'You　pointed　out；'　corrected　Conklin；　'your　own　definition　of　a　balanced　man；　which　I；　at　the　time；　pointed　out　was　a　crock。'
　'We　were　both　in　Medusa；　Conklin；'　said　Crawford；　angrily　yet　reasonably。　'You　don't　have　exclusive　insight。　Delta's　conduct　in　the　field　was　continuously　and　overtly　hostile　to　mand。　I　was　in　a　position　to　observe　that　pattern　somewhat　more　clearly　than　you。　'
　'Most　of　the　time　he　had　every　right　to　be。　If　you'd　spent　more　time　in　the　field　and　less　in　Saigon　you　would　have　understood　that。　I　understood　it。'
　'It　may　surprise　you；'　said　the　brigadier；　holding　his　hand　up　in　a　gesture　of　truce；　'but　I'm　not　defending　the　gross　stupidities　often　rampant　in　Saigon；　no　one　could。　I'm　trying　to　describe　a　pattern　of　behaviour　that　could　lead　to　the　night　before　last　on　Seventy…first　Street。'
　The　C。I。A。　man's　eyes　remained　on　Crawford；　his　hostility　vanished　as　he　nodded　his　head。　'I　know　you　are。　Sorry。　That's　the　crux　of　it；　isn't　it？　It's　not　easy　for　me；　I　worked　with　Delta　in　half　a　dozen　sectors；　was　stationed　with　him　in　Phnom…Penh　before　Medusa　was　even　a　gleam　in　the　Monk's　eye。　He　was　never　the　same　after　Phnom…Penh；　it's　why　he　went　into　Medusa；　why　he　was　willing　to　bee　Cain。'
　The　senator　leaned　forward　on　the　couch。　〃I've　heard　it；　but　tell　me　again。　The　President　has　to　know　everything。'
　'His　wife　and　two　children　were　killed　on　a　pier　in　the　Mekong　River；　bombed　and　strafed　by　a　stray　aircraft　…　nobody　knew　which　side's　…　the　identity　never　uncovered。　He　hated　that　war；　hated　everybody　in　it　He　snapped。'　Conklin　paused；　looking　up　at　the　brigadier。　'And　I　think　you're　right；　General。　He　snapped　again。　It　was　in　him。'　'What　was？〃　asked　the　senator　sharply。　The　explosion；　I　guess；'　said　Conklin。　The　dam　burst　He'd　gone　beyond　his　limits　and　the　hate　took　over。　It's　not　hard；　you　have　to　be　very　careful。　He　killed　those　men；　that　woman；　like　a　madman　on　a　deliberate　rampage。　None　of　them　expected　it；　except　perhaps　the　woman　who　was　upstairs　and　probably　heard　the　shouts；。。　He's　not　Delta　any　more。　We　created　a　myth　called　Cain；　only　it's　not　a　myth　any　longer。　It's　really　him。'
　'After　so　many　months。。。'　The　senator　leaned　back；　his　voice　trailing　off。　'Why　did　he　e　back？　From　where？'
　'From　Zurich；'　answered　Crawford。　'Webb　was　in　Zurich　and　I　think　he's　the　only　one　who　could　have　brought　him　back。　The　〃why〃　we　may　never　know　unless　he　expected　to　catch　all　of　us　there。'
　'He　doesn't　know　who　we　are；'　protested　the　senator。　'His　only　contacts　were　the　Yachtsman；　his　wife　and　David　Abbott。'
　'And　Webb；　of　course；'　added　the　general。
　'Of　course；'　agreed　the　senator。　'But　not　at　Treadstone；　not　even　him。'
　'It　wouldn't　matter；'　said　Conklin；　tapping　the　rug　once　with　his　cane。　'He　knows　〃there's　a　board；　Webb　might　have　told　him　we'd　all　be　there；　reasonably　expecting　that　we　would。　We've　got　a　lot　of　questions　…　six　months'　worth；　and　now　several　million　dollars。　Delta　would　consider　it　the　perfect　solution。　He　could　take　us　and　disappear。　No　traces。'
　'Why　are　you　so　certain？'
　'Because；　one；　he　was　there；'　replied　the　intelligence　man；　raising　his　voice。　'We　have　his　prints　on　a　glass　of　brandy　that　wasn't　even　finished。　And；　two；　it's　a　classic　trap　with　a　couple　of　hundred　variations。'
　'Would　you　explain　that？'
　'You　remain　silent；'　broke　in　the　general；　watching　Conklin；　'until　your　enemy　can't　stand　it　any　longer　and　exposes　himself。'
　'And　we've　bee　the　enemy？　His　enemy？'
　There's　no　question　about　it　now；'　said　the　naval　officer。　'For　whatever　reasons；　Delta's　turned。　It's　happened　before　thank　heaven；　not　very　often。　We　know　what　to　do。'
　The　senator　once　more　leaned　forward　on　the　couch。　'What　will　you　do？'
　'His　photograph　has　never　been　circulated；'　explained　Craw…ford。　'We'll　circulate　it　now。　To　every　station　and　listening　post；　every　source　and　informant　we　have。　He　has　to　go　somewhere；　and　he'll　start　with　a　place　he　knows；　if　only　to　buy　another　identity。　He'll　spend　money；　he'll　be　found。　When　he　is；　the　orders　will　be　clear。'
　'You'll　bring　him　in　at　once？'
　'We'll　kill　him；'　said　Conklin　simply。　'You　don't　bring　in　a　man　like　Delta；　and　you　don't　take　the　risk　that　another　government　will。　Not　with　what　he　knows。'
　'I　can't　tell　the　President　that！　There　are　laws。'
　'Not　for　Delta；'　said　the　agent　'He's　beyond　the　law。　He's　beyond　salvage。'
　'Beyond。。。'
　That's　right；　Senator；'　interrupted　the　general。　'Beyond　salvage。　I　think　you　know　the　meaning　of　the　phrase。　You'll　have　to　make　the　decision　whether　or　not　to　define　it　for　the　President。　It　might　be　better　to。。。'
　'You've　got　to　explore　everything'　said　the　senator；　cutting　off　the　officer。　'I　spoke　to　Abbott　last　week。　He　told　me　a　strategy　was　in　progress　to　reach　Delta。　Zurich；　the　bank；　the　naming　of　Treadstone；　it's　all　part　of　it；　isn't　it？'
　'It　is；　and　it's　over；'　said　Crawford。　'If　the　evidence　on　Seventy…first　Street　isn't　enough　for　you；　that　should　be。　Delta　was　given　a　clear　signal　to　e　in。　He　didn't　What　more　do　you　want？'
　'I　want　to　be　absolutely　certain！
　'I　want　him　dead。'　Conklin's　words；　though　spoken　softly；　had　the　effect　of　a　sudden；　cold　wind。　'He　not　only　broke　all　the　rules　we　each　set　down　for　ourselves　…　no　matter　what　but　he　sunk　into　the　pits。　He　reeks；　he　is　Cain。　We've　used　the　name　Delta　so　much　…　not　even　Bourne；　but　Delta　…　that　I　think　we've　forgotten。　Gordon　Webb　was　his　brother。　Find　him。　Kill　him。'
　Book　3
　It　was　ten　minutes　to　three　in　the　morning　when　Bourne　approached　the　Auberge　du　Coin's　front　desk；　Marie　continuing　directly　to　the　entrance。　To　Jason's　relief；　there　were　no　newspapers　on　the　counter；　but　the　night　clerk　behind　it　was　from　the　same　mould　as　his　predecessor　in　the　centre　of　Paris。　He　was　a　balding；　heavy…set　man　with　half…closed　eyes；　leaning　back　in　a　chair；　his　arms　folded　in　front　of　him；　the　weary　depression　of　his　interminable　night　hanging　over　him。　But　this　night；　thought　Bourne；　would　be　one　he'd　remember　for　a　long　time　to　e　…　quite　apart　from　the　damage　to　an　upstairs　room；　which　would　not　be　discovered　until　morning。　A　night　clerk　in　Montrouge　must　have　his　own　transportation。
　'I've　just　called　Rouen；'　said　Jason；　his　hands　on　the　counter；　an　angry　man；　furious　with　uncontrollable　events　in　his　personal　world。　'I　have　to　leave　at　once　and　need　to　rent　a　car。'
　'Why　not？'　snorted　the　man；　getting　out　of　the　chair。　'What　would　you　prefer；　Monsieur？　A　golden　chariot　or　a　magic　carpet？'
　'I　beg　your　pardon？'
　'We　rent　rooms；　not　cars。〃
　'I　must　be　in　Rouen　before　morning。'
　'Impossible。　Unless　you　find　a　taxi　crazy　enough　to　take　you　at　this　hour。'
　I　don't　think　you　understand。　I　could　sustain　considerable　losses　and　embarrassment　if　I'm　not　at　my　office　by　eight　o'clock。　I'm　willing　to　pay　generously。。。'
　'You　have　a　problem；　Monsieur。'
　'Surely　there's　someone　here　who　would　be　willing　to　lend　me　his　car　for；　say。。。　a　thousand；　fifteen　hundred　francs。'
　'A　thousand。。。　fifteen　hundred；　Monsieur？'　The　clerk's　half…closed　eyes　widened　until　his　skin　was　taut。　'In　cash；　Monsieur？'
　'Naturally。　My　panion　would　return　it　tomorrow　evening。'
　'There's　no　rush；　Monsieur。'
　'I　beg　your　pardon？　Of　course；　there's　really　no　reason　why　I　couldn't　hire　a　taxi。　Confidentiality　can　be　paid　for。'
　'I　wouldn't　know　where　to　reach　one；'　interrupted　the　clerk　in　persuasive　frenzy。　'On　the　other　hand；　my　Renault　is　not　so　new；　perhaps；　and　perhaps；　not　the　fastest　machine　on　the　road；　but　it　is　a　serviceable　car；　even　a　worthy　car。。。'
　The　chameleon　had　changed　his　colours　again；　had　been　accepted　again　for　someone　he　was　not。　But　he　knew　now　who　he　was　and　he　understood。
　Daybreak。　But　there　was　no　warm　room　at　a　village　inn；　no　wallpaper　mottled　by　the　early　light　streaking　through　a　win…down；　filtered　by　the　weaving　leaves　outside。　Rather；　the　first　rays　of　the　sun　spread　up　from　the　east；　crowning　the　French　countryside；　defining　the　fields　and　hills　of　St　German…en…Laye。　They　sat　in　the　small　car　parked　off　the　shoulder　of　a　deserted　back　road；　cigarette　smoke　curling　out　through　the　partially　open　windows。
　He　had　begun　that　first　narrative　three　weeks　before　in　Switzerland　with　the　words：　My　life　began　six　months　ago　on　a　small　island　in　the　Mediterranean　called　lie　de　Port　Noir。
　He　had　begun　this　with　a　quiet　declaration：　I'm　known　as　Cain。
　He　had　told　it　all；　leaving　out　nothing　he　could　remember；　including　the　terrible　images　that　had　exploded　in　his　mind　when　he　had　heard　the　words　spoken　by　Jacqueline　Lavier　in　the　candelabra'd　restaurant　in　Argenteuil。　Names；　incidents；　cities。。。　assassinations。
　Medusa。
　'Everything　fitted。　There　wasn't　anything　I　didn't　know；　nothing　that　wasn't　somewhere　in　the　back　of　my　head；　trying　to　get　out。　It　was　the　truth。'
　'It　was　the　truth；'　repeated　Marie。
　He　looked　closely　at　her。　'We　were　wrong；　don't　you　see？'
　'Perhaps。　But　also　right　you　were　right；　and　I　was　right'
　'About　what？'
　'You。　I　have　to　say　it　again；　calmly　and　logically。　You　offered　your　life　for　mine　before　you　knew　me；　that's　not　the　decision　of　the　man　you've　described。　If　that　man　existed；　he　doesn't　any　longer。'　Marie's　eyes　pleaded；　while　her　voice　remained　controlled。　'You　said　it；　Jason。　〃What　a　man　can't　remember　doesn't　exist　For　him。〃　Maybe　that's　what　you're　faced　with。　Can　you　walk　away　from　it？'
　Bourne　nodded；　the　dreadful　moment　had　e。　'Yes；'　he　said。　'But　alone。　Not　with　you。'
　Marie　inhaled　on　her　cigarette；　watching　him；　her　hand　trembling。　'I　see。　That's　your　decision；　then？'
　'It　has　to　be。'
　'You　will　heroically　disappear　so　I　won't　be　tainted。'
　'I　have　to。'
　Thank　you　very　much；　and　who　the　hell　do　you　think　you　are？'
　'What？'
　'Who　the　hell　do　you　think　you　are？'
　'I'm　a　man　they　call　Cain。　I'm　wanted　by　governments　…　by　the　police　…　from　Asia　to　Europe。　Men　hi　Washington　want　to　kill　me　because　of　what　they　think　I　know；　an　assassin　named　Carlos　wants　me　shot　in　the　throat　because　of　what　I've　done　to　him。　Think　about　it　for　a　moment。　How　long　do　you　think　I　can　keep　running　before　someone　in　one　of　those　armies　out　there　finds　me；　traps　me；　kills　me？　Is　that　the　way　you　want　your　life　to　end？'
　'Good　God；　n