rl.thebourneidentity-第76部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　instead；　routed　to　a　bank　in　Zurich。'
　'Zurich？　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about！　I've　prepared　no　cheques　for　Zurich。'
　'Not　directly；　we　know　that。　But　how　easy　it　was　for　you　to　prepare　them　for　nonexistent　firms；　the　monies　paid；　then　wired　to　Zurich。〃
　'Every　invoice　is　initialled　by　Madame　Lavier！　I　pay　nothing　on　my　own！　'
　Jason　paused；　frowning。　'Now　it's　you　who　are　joking；'　he　said。
　'On　my　word！　It's　the　house　policy。　Ask　anyone！　Les　Classiques　does　not　pay　a　sou　unless　authorized　by　Madame。'
　'What　you're　saying；　then；　is　that　you　take　your　orders　directly　from　her。'
　'But　naturally！'
　'Whom　does　she　take　orders　from？'
　Trignon　grinned。　'It　is　said　from　God；　when　not　the　other　way　round。　Of　course；　that's　a　joke；　Monsieur。'
　'I　trust　you　can　be　more　serious。　Who　are　the　specific　owners　of　Les　Classiques？〃
　'It　is　a　partnership；　Monsieur。　Madame　Lavier　has　many　wealthy　friends；　they　have　invested　in　her　abilities。　And；　of　course；　the　talents　of　Rend　Bergeron。'
　'Do　these　investors　meet　frequently？　Do　they　suggest　policy？　Perhaps　advocate　firms　with　which　to　do　business？'
　'I　wouldn't　know。　Monsieur。　Naturally；　everyone　has　friends。〃
　'We　may　have　concentrated　on　the　wrong　people；〃　interrupted　Bourne。　'It's　quite　possible　that　you　and　Madame　Lavier　…　as　the　two　directly　involved　with　day…to…day　finances　…are　being　used。〃
　'Used　for　what？〃
　'To　funnel　money　into　Zurich。　To　the　account　of　one　of　the　most　vicious　killers　in　Europe。〃
　Trignon　convulsed；　his　large　stomach　quivering　as　he　fell　back　against　the　wall。　'In　the　name　of　God；　what　are　you　saying！'
　'Prepare　yourselves。　Especially　you。　You　prepared　the　cheques；　no　one　else。〃
　'Only　upon　approval！　'
　'Did　you　ever　check　the　merchandise　against　the　invoices？〃
　'It's　not　my　job！'
　'So；　in　essence　you　issued　payments　for　supplies　you　never　saw。'
　'I　never　see　anything！　Only　invoices　that　have　been　initialled。　I　pay　only　on　those！'
　'You'd　better　find　every　one。　You　and　Madame　Lavier　had　better　start　digging　up　every　authorization　in　your　files。　Because　the　two　of　you　…　especially　you　…　will　face　the　charges。〃
　'Charges？　What　charges？〃
　For　lack　of　a　specific　writ；　let's　call　it　accessory　to　multiple　homicide。〃
　'Multiple。。。？'
　'Assassination。　The　account　in　Zurich　belongs　to　the　assassin　known　as　Carlos。　You。　Pierre　Trignon；　and　your　current　employer；　Madame　Jacqueline　Lavier；　are　directly　implicated　in　financing　the　most　sought…after　killer　in　Europe。　Ilyich　Ramirez　Sanchez。　Alias　Carlos。'
　'Aughhhh！。。。〃　Trignon　slid　down　to　the　foyer　floor；　his　eyes　in　shock；　his　puffed　features　twisted　out　of　shape。　'All　afternoon。。。〃　be　whispered。　'People　running　around；　hysterical　meetings　in　the　aisles；　looking　at　me　strangely；　passing　my　cubicle　and　turning　their　heads。　Oh；　my　God。'
　'If　I　were　you；　I　wouldn't　waste　a　moment。　Morning　will　be　here　soon；　and　with　it　possibly　the　most　difficult　day　of　your　life。〃　Jason　walked　to　the　outside　door　and　stopped；　his　hand　on　the　knob。　'It's　not　my　place　to　advise　you；　but；　if　I　were　you；　I'd　reach　Madame　Lavier　at　once。　Start　preparing　your　joint　defence；　it　may　be　all　you　have。　A　public　execution　is　not　out　of　the　question。'
　The　chameleon　opened　the　door　and　stepped　outside；　the　cold　night　air　whipping　across　his　face。
　Trap　Carlos。　Cain　is　for　Charlie　and　Delta　is　for　Cain。
　False！
　Find　a　number　in　New　York。　Find　Treadstone。　Find　the　meaning　of　a　message。　Find　the　sender。
　Find　Jason　Bourne。
　Sunlight　burst　through　the　stained…glass　windows　as　the　cleanshaven　old　man　in　the　dated　suit　rushed　down　the　aisle　of　the　church　in　Neuilly…sur…Seine。　The　tall　priest　standing　by　the　rack　of　novena　candles　watched　him；　struck　by　a　feeling　of　familiarity。　For　a　moment　the　cleric　thought　he　had　seen　the　man　before；　but　could　not　place　him。　There　had　been　a　dishevelled　beggar　yesterday；　about　the　same　size；　the　same。。。　No；　this　old　man's　shoes　were　shiny；　his　white　hair　bed　neatly；　and　the　clothes；　although　from　another　decade；　were　of　good　quality。
　'Angelus　Domini；〃　said　the　old　man　as　he　parted　the　curtains　of　the　confessional　booth。
　'Enough！'　whispered　the　silhouetted　figure　behind　the　scrim。　'What　have　you　learned　in　Saint…Honoree？〃
　'Little　of　substance；　but　respect　for　his　methods。'
　'Is　there　a　pattern？〃
　'Random；　it　would　appear。　He　selects　people　who　know　absolutely　nothing　and　instigates　chaos　through　them。　I　would　suggest　no　further　activity　at　Les　Classiques。'
　'Naturally；'　agreed　the　silhouette。　'But　what's　his　purpose？'
　'Beyond　the　chaos？'　asked　the　old　man。　'I'd　say　it　was　to　spread　distrust　among　those　who　do　know　something。　The　Brielle　woman　used　the　words。　She　said　the　American　told　her　to　tell　Lavier　there　was　〃a　traitor〃　inside；　a　patently　false　statement。　Which　of　them　would　dare？　Last　night　was　insane；　as　you　know。　The　bookkeeper；　Trignon；　went　crazy。　Waiting　until　two　in　the　morning　outside　Lavier's　house；　literally　assaulting　her　when　she　returned　from　Brielle's　hotel；　screaming　and　crying　in　the　street。'
　'Lavier　herself　did　not　behave　much　better。　She　was　barely　in　control　when　she　called　Pare　Monceau；　she　was　told　not　to　call　again。　No　one　is　to　call　there。。。　ever　again。　Ever。'
　'We　received　the　word。　The　few　of　us　who　know　the　number　have　forgotten　it。〃
　'Be　sure　you　have。'　The　silhouette　moved　suddenly；　there　was　a　ripple　in　the　curtain。　'Of　course　to　spread　distrust！　It　follows　chaos。　There's　no　question　about　it　now。　He'll　pick　up　the　contacts；　try　to　force　information　from　them　and；　when　one　fails；　throw　him　to　the　Americans　and　go　on　to　the　next。　But　he'll　make　the　approaches　alone；　it's　part　of　his　ego。　He　is　a　madman。　And　obsessed。'
　'He　may　be　both；'　countered　the　old　man；　'but　he's　also　a　professional。　He'll　make　sure　the　names　are　delivered　to　his　superiors　in　the　event　he　does　fail。　So　regardless　of　whether　you　take　him　or　not；　they　will　be　taken。'
　They　will　be　dead；'　said　the　assassin。　'But　not　Bergeron。　He's　far　too　valuable。　Tell　him　to　head　for　Athens；　he'll　know　where。〃
　'Am　I　to　assume　I'm　taking　the　place　of　Pare　Monceau？'
　'That　would　be　impossible。　But　for　the　time　being　you　will　relay　my　decisions　to　whomever　they　concern。'
　'And　the　first　person　I　reach　is　Bergeron。　To　Athens。'
　'Yes。'
　'So　Lavier　and　the　colonial；　d'Anjou；　are　marked；　then？'
　'They　are　marked。　Bait　rarely　survives；　and　they　will　not。　You　may　also　relay　another　message；　to　the　two　teams　covering　Lavier　and　d'Anjou。　Tell　them　I'll　be　watching　them　…　all　the　time。　There　can　be　no　mistakes。'
　It　was　the　old　man's　turn　to　pause；　to　bid　silently　for　attention。　'I've　saved　the　best　for　last；　Carlos。　The　Renault　was　found　an　hour　and　a　half　ago　in　a　garage　in　Montmartre。　It　was　brought　in　last　night。'
　In　the　stillness　the　old　man　could　hear　the　slow；　deliberate　breathing　of　the　figure　beyond　the　cloth。　'I　assume　you've　taken　measures　to　have　it　watched　…　even　now　at　this　moment　…　and　followed　…　even　now　at　this　moment'
　The　one…time　beggar　laughed　softly。　'In　accordance　with　your　last　instructions；　I　took　the　liberty　of　hiring　a　friend；　a　friend　with　a　sound　car。　He　in　turn　has　employed　three　acquaintances；　and　together　they　are　on　four　six…hour　shifts　on　the　street　outside　the　garage。　They　know　nothing；　of　course；　except　that　they　are　to　follow　the　Renault　at　any　hour　of　day　or　night。'
　'You　do　not　disappoint　me。'
　'I　can't　afford　to。。。　And　since　Pare　Monceau　was　eliminated；　I　had　no　telephone　number　to　give　them　but　my　own；　which　as　you　know；　is　a　run…down　cafe　in　the　Quarter。　The　owner　and　I　were　friends　in　the　old　days；　the　better　days。　I　could　contact　him　every　five　minutes　for　messages　and　he　would　never　object。　I　know　where　he　got　the　money　to　pay　for　his　business；　and　who　he　had　to　kill　to　get　it。'
　'You've　behaved　well；　you　have　value。'
　'I　also　have　a　problem；　Carlos。　As　none　of　us　are　to　call　Pare　Monceau；　how　can　I　reach　you？　In　the　event　I　must　say；　for　instance；　the　Renault'
　'Yes；　I'm　aware　of　the　problem。　Are　you　aware　of　the　burden　you　ask　for？'
　'I　would　much　prefer　not　to　have　it　My　only　hope　is　that　when　this　is　over　and　Cain　is　dead　you　will　remember　my　contributions　and；　rather　than　killing　me；　change　the　number。'
　'You　do　anticipate。'
　〃In　the　old　days；　it　was　my　means　of　survival。'
　The　assassin　whispered　seven　figures。　'You　are　the　only　man　alive　who　has　this　number。　Naturally；　it　is　untraceable。'
　'Naturally。　Who　would　expect　an　old　beggar　to　have　it？'
　'Every　hour　brings　you　closer　to　a　better　standard　of　living。　The　net　is　closing；　every　hour　brings　him　nearer　to　one　of　several　traps。　Cain　will　be　caught；　and　an　impostor's　body　will　be　thrown　back　to　the　bewildered　strategists　who　created　him。　They　counted　on　a　monstrous　ego　and　he　gave　it　to　them。　At　the　end；　he　was　only　a　puppet；　an　expendable　puppet。　Everyone　knew　it　but　him。'
　Bourne　picked　up　the　telephone。　'Yes？'
　'Room　Four…twenty？'
　'Go　ahead。　General。'
　'The　telephone　calls　have　stopped。　She's　no　longer　being　contacted；　not　at　least　by　telephone。'
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　'Our　couple　was　out　and　the　phone　rang　twice。　Both　times　she　asked　me　to　answer　it。　She　really　wasn't　up　to　talking。'
　'Who　called？'
　'The　chemist　about　a　prescription　and　a　journalist　requesting　an　interview。　She　couldn't　have　known　either。'
　'Did　you　get　the　impression　she　was　trying　to　put　you　off　by　asking　you　to　take　the　calls？'
　Villiers　paused；　his　reply　laced　with　anger。　'It　was　there；　the　effect　less　than　subtle　in　so　far　as　she　mentioned　she　might　be　having　lunch　out　She　said　she　had　a　reservation　at　the　Georges　Cinq；　and　I　could　reach　her　there　if　she　decides　to　go。'
　'If　she　does；　I　want　to　get　there　first。'
　'I'll　let　you　know。'
　'You　said　she's　not　being　contacted　by　phone。　〃Not　at　least　by　telephone；〃　I　think　you　said。　Did　you　mean　something　by　that？'
　'Yes。　Thirty　minutes　ago　a　woman　came　to　the　house。　My　wife　was　reluctant　to　see　her　but；　nevertheless；　did　so。　I　only　saw　her　face　for　a　moment　in　the　parlour；　but　it　was　enough。　The　woman　was　in　panic。'
　'Describe　her。'
　Villiers　did。
　'Jacqueline　Lavier；'　said　Jason。
　'I　thought　it　might　be。　From　the　look　of　her；　the　wolfpack　was　eminently　successful；