rl.thebourneidentity-第74部分

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　Oreale　screamed　again；　his　knuckle　red。　'Will　you　stop　this！　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about！　You're　a　maniac　and　I　won't　hear　another　word　…　I　haven't　heard　anything。　Carlos；　crossfire。。。　massacres！　God；　I'm　suffocating。。。　I　need　air！'
　'You'll　get　money。　A　lot　of　it；　I　imagine。　Lavier　will　thank　you。　Also　d'Anjou。'
　'D'Anjou。　He　loathes　me！　He　calls　me　a　peacock；　insults　me　every　chance　he　gets。'
　'It's　his　cover；　of　course。　Actually；　he's　very　fond　of　you　…perhaps　more　than　you　know。　He's　number　six。'　'What　are　these　numbers！　Stop　talking　numbers！'　'How　else　can　we　distinguish　between　you；　allocate　assignments？　We　can't　use　names。'　'Who　can't？'
　'All　of　us　who　work　for　Carlos。'
　The　scream　was　ear　shattering　as　the　blood　trickled　from　Oreale's　finger。　'I　won't　listen！　I'm　a　couturier；　an　artist！'
　'You're　number　five。　You'll　do　exactly　as　we　say　or　you'll　never　see　this　passion　pit　of　yours　again。'　'Aunghunn！'
　'Stop　screaming！　We　appreciate　you；　we　know　you're　all　under　a　strain。　Incidentally；　we　don't　trust　the　bookkeeper。'　Trignon？'
　'First　names　only。　Obscurity's　important'　'Pierre；　then。　He's　hateful。　He　deducts　for　telephone　calls。'　'We　think　he's　working　for　Interpol。〃　'Interpol？'
　'If　he　is；　you　could　all　spend　ten　years　in　prison。　You'd　be　eaten　alive；　Claude。'　'Aunghunn！'
　'Shut　up！　Just　let　Bergeron　know　what　we　think。　Keep　your　eyes　on　Trignon；　especially　during　the　next　two　days。　If　he　leaves　the　store　for　any　reason　watch　out。　It　could　mean　the　trap's　closing。'　Bourne　walked　to　the　door；　his　band　in　his　pocket。　'I've　got　to　get　back；　and　so　do　you。　Tell　numbers　one　to　six　everything　I　told　you。　It's　vital　the　word　is　spread。'
　Oreale　screamed　again；　hysterically　again。　'Numbers！　Always　numbers　What　number！　I'm　an　artist；　not　a　number　I'
　'You　won't　have　a　face　unless　you　get　back　there　as　fast　as　you　got　here。　Reach　Lavier；　d'Anjou；　Bergeron。　As　quickly　as　you　can。　Then　the　others。'
　'What　others？'
　'Ask　number　two。'
　'Two？'
　'Dolbert。　Janine　Dolbert。'
　Canine。　Her　too？'
　'That's　right。　She's　two。'
　The　salesman　flung　his　arms　wildly　above　him　in　helpless　protest。　This　is　madness。　Nothing　makes　sense！'
　'Your　life　does；　Claude；'　said　Jason　simply。　'Value　it。。。　I'll　be　waiting　across　the　street。　Leave　here　in　exactly　three　minutes。　And　don't　use　the　phone；　just　leave　and　get　back　to　Les　Classiques。　If　you're　not　out　of　here　in　three　minutes　I'll　have　to　return。'　He　took　his　hand　out　of　his　pocket。　In　it　was　his　gun。
　Oreale　expunged　a　lungful　of　air；　his　face　ashen　as　he　stared　at　the　weapon。
　Bourne　let　himself　out　and　closed　the　door。
　The　telephone　rang　on　the　bedside　table。　Marie　looked　at　her　watch；　it　was　8：15　and　for　a　moment　she　felt　a　sharp　jolt　of　fear。　Jason　had　said　he　would　call　at　9：00。　He　had　left　La　Terrasse　after　dark；　around　7：00；　to　intercept　a　salesgirl　named　Monique　Brielle。　The　schedule　was　precise；　to　be　interrupted　only　in　emergency。　Had　something　happened？
　'Is　this　room　Four…twenty？'　asked　the　deep　male　voice　on　the　line。
　Relief　swept　over　Marie；　the　man　was　Andrel　Villiers。　The　general　had　called　late　in　the　afternoon　to　tell　Jason　that　panic　had　spread　throughout　Les　Classiques；　his　wife　had　been　summoned　to　the　phone　no　less　than　six　times　over　the　span　of　an　hour　and　a　half。　Not　once；　however；　had　he　been　able　to　listen　to　anything　of　substance；　whenever　he　had　picked　up　the　phone；　serious　conversation　had　been　replaced　by　innocuous　banter。
　'Yes；'　said　Marie。　This　is　Four…twenty。'
　'Forgive　me；　we　did　not　speak　before。〃
　'I　know　who　you　are。〃
　'I'm　also　aware　of　you。　May　I　take　the　liberty　of　saying　thank　you。〃
　'I　understand。　You're　wele。'
　To　substance。　I'm　telephoning　from　my　office；　and；　of　course；　there's　no　extension　for　this　line。　Tell　our　mutual　friend　that　the　crisis　has　accelerated。　My　wife　has　taken　to　her　room；　claiming　nausea；　but　apparently　she's　not　too　ill　to　be　on　the　phone。　On　several　occasions；　as　before；　I　picked　up　only　to　realize　that　they　were　alert　for　any　interference。　Each　time　I　apologized　rather　gruffly；　saying　I　expected　calls。　Frankly；　I'm　not　at　all　sure　my　wife　was　convinced；　but　of　course　she's　in　no　position　to　question　me。　I'll　be　blunt；　Mademoiselle。　There　is　unspoken　friction　building　up　between　us；　and　beneath　the　surface　it　is　violent。　May　God　give　me　strength。'
　'I　can　only　ask　you　to　remember　the　objective；'　broke　in　Marie。　'Remember　your　son。〃
　'Yes；'　said　the　old　man　quietly。　'My　son。　And　the　whore　who　claims　to　revere　his　memory。。。　I'm　sorry。'
　'It's　all　right　I'll　convey　what　you've　told　me　to　our　friend。　He'll　be　calling　within　the　hour。'
　'Please；'　interrupted　Villiers。　There's　more。　It's　the　reason　I　had　to　reach　you。　Twice　while　my　wife　was　on　the　telephone　the　voices　held　meaning　for　me。　The　second　I　recognized；　a　face　came　to　mind　instantly。　He's　on　a　switchboard　in　Saint…Honoree。'
　'We　know　his　name。　What　about　the　first？'
　'It　was　strange。　I　did　not　know　the　voice；　there　was　no　face　to　go　with　it；　but　I　understood　why　it　was　there。　It　was　an　odd　voice；　half　whisper；　half　mand；　an　echo　of　itself。　It　was　the　mand　that　struck　me。　You　see；　that　voice　was　not　having　a　conversation　with　my　wife；　it　had　issued　an　order。　It　was　altered　the　instant　I　got　on　the　line；　of　course；　a　pre…arranged　signal　for　a　swift　good…bye；　but　the　residue　remained。　That　residue；　even　the　tone；　is　well　known　to　any　soldier；　it　is　his　means　of　emphasis。　Am　I　being　clear？'
　'I　think　so；'　said　Marie　gently；　aware　that　if　the　old　man　was　implying　what　she　thought　he　was；　the　strain　on　him　had　to　be　unbearable。
　'Be　assured　of　it；　Mademoiselle；'　said　the　general；　'it　was　the　killer　pig。'　Villiers　stopped；　his　breathing　audible；　the　next　words　drawn　out；　a　strong　man　close　to　weeping。　'He　was。。。　instructing。。。　my。。。　wife。'　The　old　soldier's　voice　cracked。　'Forgive　me　the　unforgivable。　I　have　no　right　to　burden　you。'
　'You　have　every　right；〃　said　Marie；　suddenly　alarmed。　'What's　happening　has　to　be　terribly　painful　for　you；　made　worse　because　you　have　no　one　to　talk　to。'
　'I　am　talking　to　you；　Mademoiselle。　I　shouldn't；　but　I　am。'
　'I　wish　we　could　keep　talking。　I　wish　one　of　us　could　be　with　you。　But　that's　not　possible　and　I　know　you　understand　that。　Please　try　to　hold　on。　It's　terribly　important　that　no　connection　be　made　between　you　and　our　friend。　It　could　cost　you　your　life。'
　'I　think　perhaps　I　have　lost　it。'
　'C'est　ridicule！'　said　Marie　sharply；　an　intended　slap　in　the　old　soldier's　face。　'Vous　etes　soldat！　Arretez！〃
　'Ahh；　une　institutrice　parle　a　l'eleve　en　retard。　Vous　avez　raison。'
　'On　dit　que　vous　etes　un　giant。　Je　le　crois。'　There　was　silence　on　the　line；　Marie　held　her　breath。　When　Villiers　spoke　she　breathed　again。
　'Our　mutual　friend　is　very　fortunate。　You　are　a　remarkable　woman。'
　'Not　at　all。'　I　just　want　my　friend　to　e　back　to　me。　There's　nothing　remarkable　about　that。'
　'Perhaps　not。'　But　I　should　also　like　to　be　your　friend。　You　reminded　a　very　old　man　of　who　and　what　he　is。　Or　who　and　what　he　once　was；　and　must　try　to　be　again。　I　thank　you　for　a　second　time。'
　'You're　wele。。。　my　friend。'　Marie　hung　up；　profoundly　moved　and　equally　disturbed。　She　was　not　convinced　Villiers　could　face　the　next　twenty…four　hours　and；　if　he　could　not；　the　assassin　would　know　how　deeply　his　apparatus　had　been　penetrated。　He　would　order　every　contact　at　Les　Classiques　to　run　from　Paris　and　disappear。　Or　there　would　be　a　bloodbath　in　Saint…Honore　achieving　the　same　result。
　If　either　happened；　there　would　be　no　answers；　no　address　in　New　York；　no　message　deciphered　nor　the　sender　found。　The　man　she　loved　would　be　returned　to　his　labyrinth。　And　he　would　leave　her。
　Bourne　saw　her　at　the　corner；　walking　under　the　spill　of　the　streetlight　towards　the　small　hotel　that　was　her　home。　Monique　Brielle；　Jacqueline　Lavier's　number　one　girl；　was　a　harder；　more　sinewy　version　of　Janine　Dolbert；　he　remembered　seeing　her　at　the　shop。　There　was　an　assurance　about　her；　her　stride　the　stride　of　a　confident　woman；　secure　in　the　knowledge　of　her　expertise。　Very　unflappable。　Jason　could　understand　why　she　was　Lavier's　number　one。　Their　confrontation　would　be　brief；　the　impact　of　the　message　startling；　the　threat　inherent。　It　was　time　for　the　start　of　the　second　shock　wave。　He　remained　motionless　and　let　her　pass　on　the　pavement；　her　heels　clicking　martially　on　the　pavement　The　street　was　not　crowded；　but　neither　was　it　deserted；　there　were　perhaps　a　half　dozen　people　on　the　block。　It　would　be　necessary　to　isolate　her；　then　steer　her　out　of　earshot　of　any　who　might　overhear　the　words；　for　they　were　words　that　no　messenger　would　risk　being　heard。　He　caught　up　with　her　no　more　than　thirty　feet　from　the　entrance　to　the　small　hotel；　he　slowed　his　pace　to　hers；　staying　at　her　side。
　'Get　in　touch　with　Lavier　right　away；'　he　said　in　French；　staring　straight　ahead。
　'Pardon？　What　did　you　say？　Who　are　you；　Monsieur？'
　'Don't　stop！　Keep　walking。　Past　the　entrance。'
　'You　know　where　I　live？'
　There's　very　little　we　don't　know。'
　'And　if　I　go　straight　inside？　There's　a　doorman。。。'
　'There's　also　Lavier；'　interrupted　Bourne。　'You'll　lose　your　job　and　you　won't　be　able　to　find　another　in　Saint…Honoree　And　I'm　afraid　that　will　be　the　least　of　your　problems。'　'Who　are　you？'
　'Not　your　enemy。〃　Jason　looked　at　her。　'Don't　make　me　one。'　'You。　The　American！　Janine。。。　Claude　Oreale！'　'Carlos；'　pleted　Bourne。
　'Carlos？　What　is　this　madness！　All　afternoon；　nothing　but　Carlos！　And　numbers！　Everyone　has　a　number　no　one's　ever　heard　of！　And　talk　of　traps　and　men　with　guns！　It's　crazy！'　'It's　happening。　Keep　walking。　Please！　For　your　own　sake。〃　She　did；　her　stride　less　sure；　her　body　stiffened；　a　rigid　marionette　uncertain　of　its　strings。　'Jacqueline　spoke　to　us；'　she　said；　her　voice　intense。　'She　told　us　it　was　all　insane；　that　it　…　you　…　were　out　to　ruin　Les　Classiques。　That　one　of　the　other　houses　must　have　paid　you　to　ruin　us　I'　'What　did　you　expect　her　to　say？'　'You　are　a　hired　provocateur＇　She　told　us　the　truth！'　'Did　she　also　tell　you　to　keep　your　mouth　shut？　Not　to　say　a　word　about　any　of　this　to　anyone？'　'Of　course　I'
　'Above　all；'　ran　on　Jason　as　if　he　had　not　heard　her；　'not　to　con