rl.thebourneidentity-第47部分

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　'A　fine　selection；　Monsieur　Briggs！'
　'Box　them　with　the　others；　if　you　will。'
　'Of　course。　She　is；　indeed；　a　fortunate　lady。'
　'A　good　panion；　but　a　child'。　A　spoiled　child；　I'm　afraid。　However；　I've　been　away　a　lot　and　haven't　paid　much　attention　to　her；　so　I　feel　I　should　make　peace。　It's　one　reason　I　sent　her　to　Cap　Ferrat。'　He　smiled；　taking　out　his　Louis　Vuitton　wallet。　'Lafacture；　s'il　vous　plait？〃
　I'll　have　one　of　the　girls　expedite　everything。'　Mme　Lavier　pressed　a　button　on　the　inter　next　to　the　telephone。　Jason　watched　closely；　prepared　to　ment　on　the　call　Bergeron　had　answered　in　the　event　the　woman's　eyes　settled　on　a　slightly　out…of…place　phone。　'Envoyez　Janine　id　avec　Us　vetements　sur　ptoir　cinq。　Aussi　la　facture。'　She　stood　up。　'Another　brandy；　Monsieur　Briggs？'
　'Merci　bien。'　Bourne　extended　his　glass；　she　took　it　and　walked　to　the　bar。　Jason　knew　the　time　bad　not　yet　arrived　for　what　he　had　in　mind；　it　would　e　soon　…　as　soon　as　he　parted　with　money　…　but　not　now。　He　could；　however；　continue　building　a　foundation　with　the　managing　partner　of　Les　Classiques。　'That　fellow；　Bergeron；'　he　said；　'you　say　he's　under　exclusive　contract　to　you？'
　Madame　Lavier　turned；　the　glass　in　her　hand。　'Oh；　yes'。　We　are　a　closely　knit　family　here。'
　Bourne　accepted　the　brandy；　nodded　his　thanks；　and　sat　down　in　an　armchair　in　front　of　the　desk。　That's　a　constructive　arrangement；'　he　said　pointlessly。
　The　tall；　gaunt　clerk　he　had　first　spoken　to　came　into　the　office；　a　salesbook　in　her　hand。　Instructions　were　given　rapidly；　figures　entered；　the　garments　gathered　and　separated　as　the　salesbook　exchanged　hands。　Lavier　held　it　out　for　Jason's　perusal。　'Lafacture；'　she　said。
　Bourne　shook　his　head；　dismissing　inspection。　'bien？'　he　asked。
　'Vingt　mille　soixante　francs；　monsieur；'　answered　the　Les　Classiques　partner；　watching　his　reaction　with　the　expression　of　a　large；　wary　bird。
　There　was　none。　Jason　merely　removed　six　five…thousand　franc　notes　and　handed　them　to　her。　She　nodded　and　gave　them　in　turn　to　the　slender　salesgirl；　who　walked　cadaverously　out　of　the　office　with　the　dresses。
　'Everything　will　be　packaged　and　brought　up　here　with　your　change。'　Lavier　went　to　her　desk　and　sat　down。　'You're　on　your　way　to　Ferret；　then。　It　should　be　lovely。'
　He　had　paid；　the　time　had　e。　'A　last　night　in　Paris　before　I　go　back　to　kindergarten；'　said　Jason；　raising　his　glass　in　a　toast　of　self…mockery。
　'Yes；　you　mentioned　that　your　friend　is　quite　young。'
　'A　child　is　what　I　said；　and　that's　what　she　is。　She's　a　good　panion；　but　I　think　I　prefer　the　pany　of　more　mature　women。'
　'You　must　be　very　fond　of　her；'　contested　Lavier；　touching　her　perfectly　coiffed　hair；　the　flattery　accepted。　'You　buy　her　such　lovely　…　and；　frankly　…　expensive　things。'
　'A　minor　price　considering　what　she　might　try　to　opt　for。'
　'Really。'
　'She's　my　wife；　my　third　to　be　exact；　and　there　are　appearances　to　be　kept　in　the　Bahamas。　But　all　that's　neither　here　nor　there；　my　life's　quite　in　order。'
　'I'm　sure　it　is；　Monsieur。'
　'Speaking　of　the　Bahamas；　a　thought　occurred　to　me　a　few　minutes　ago。　It's　why　I　asked　you　about　Bergeron。'
　'What　is　that？'
　'You　may　think　I'm　impetuous；　I　assure　you　I'm　not。　But　when　something　strikes　me；　I　like　to　explore　it。。。　Since　Bergeron's　yours　exclusively；　have　you　ever　given　any　thought　to　opening　a　branch　in　the　islands？'
　The　Bahamas？'
　'And　points　south。　Into　the　Caribbean；　perhaps。'
　'Monsieur；　Saint…Honore'　by　itself　is　often　more　than　we　can　handle！　Untended　farmland　generally　goes　fallow；　as　they　say。'
　'It　wouldn't　have　to　be　tended；　not　in　the　way　that　you　think。　A　concession　here；　one　there；　the　designs　exclusive；　local　ownership　on　a　percentage…franchise　basis。　Just　a　boutique　or　two；　spreading；　of　course；　cautiously。'
　That　takes　considerable　capital；　Monsieur　Briggs。'
　'Key　prices；　initially。　What　you　might　call　entrance　fees。　They're　high；　but　not　prohibitive。　In　the　finer　hotels　and　clubs　it　usually　depends　on　how　well　you　know　the　managements。'
　'And　you　know　them？'
　'Extremely　well。　As　I　say；　I'm　just　exploring；　but　I　think　the　idea　has　merit。　Your　labels　would　have　a　certain　distinction。　Les　Classiques；　Paris；　Grand　Bahama。。。　Cancel　Bay；　perhaps。'　Bourne　swallowed　the　rest　of　his　brandy。　'But　you　probably　think　I'm　crazy。　Consider　it　just　talk。。。　Although　I've　made　a　dollar　or　two　on　risks　that　simply　struck　me　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。'
　'Risks？'　Jacqueline　Lavier　touched　her　hair　again。
　'I　don't　give　ideas　away；　Madame。　I　generally　back　them。'
　'Yes；　I　understand。　As　you　say；　the　idea　does　have　merit'
　'I　think　so。　Of　course；　I'd　like　to　see　what　kind　of　agreement　you　have　with　Bergeron。'
　'It　could　be　produced；　Monsieur。'
　Tell　you　what；'　said　Jason。　'If　you're　free；　let's　talk　about　it　over　drinks　and　dinner。　It's　my　only　night　in　Paris。'
　'And　you　prefer　the　pany　of　more　mature　women；'　concluded　Jacqueline　Lavier；　the　mask　cracked　into　a　smile　again；　the　white　ice　breaking　beneath　eyes　now　more　in　concert。
　'D'accord；　madame。'
　'It　can　be　arranged；'　she　said；　reaching　for　the　phone。
　The　phone。　Carlos。
　He　would　break　her；　thought　Bourne。　Kill　her　if　he　had　to。　He　would　learn　the　truth。
　Marie　walked　through　the　crowd　towards　the　box　in　the　telephone　plex　on　rue　Vaugirard。　She　had　taken　a　room　at　the　Meurice；　left　the　attaché　case　at　the　front　desk　and　sat　alone　in　the　room　for　exactly　twenty…two　minutes。　Until　she　could　not　stand　it　any　longer。　She　had　sat　in　a　chair　facing　a　blank　wall　thinking　about　Jason；　about　the　madness　of　the　last　eight　days　that　had　propelled　her　into　an　insanity　beyond　her　understanding。　Jason。　Considerate；　frightening；　bewildered　Jason　Bourne。　A　man　with　so　much　violence　in　him；　and　yet；　oddly；　so　much　passion。　And　too　terribly　capable　in　dealing　with　a　world　ordinary　men　knew　nothing　about。　Where　had　he　sprung　from；　this　love　of　hers？　Who　had　taught　him　to　find　his　way　through　the　dark　back　streets　of　Paris；　Marseilles　and　Zurich。。。　as　far　away　as　the　Orient；　perhaps？　What　was　the　Far　East　to　him？　How　did　he　know　the　languages？　What　were　the　languages？　Or　language？
　Too。
　Che…sah。
　Tarn　Quan。
　Another　world；　and　she　knew　nothing　of　it。　But　she　knew　Jason　Bourne；　or　the　man　called　Jason　Bourne；　and　she　held　on　to　the　decency　she　knew　was　there。　Oh；　God；　how　she　loved　him　so！
　Ilyich　Ramirez　Sanchez。　Carlos。　What　was　he　to　Jason　Bourne？
　Stop　it；　she　had　screamed　at　herself　while　in　that　room　alone。
　And　then　she　had　done　what　she　had　seen　Jason　do　so　many　times：　she　had　lunged　up　from　the　chair；　as　if　the　physical　movement　would　clear　the　mists　away　…　or　allow　her　to　break　through　them。
　Canada。　She　had　to　reach　Ottawa　and　find　out　why　Peter's　death　…　his　murder　…　was　being　handled　so　secretly；　so　obscenely　I　It　did　not　make　sense；　she　objected　with　all　her　heart　For　Peter；　too；　was　a　decent　man；　and　he　had　been　killed　by　indecent　men。　She　would　be　told　why　or　she　would　expose　that　death　…　that　murder　…　herself。　She　would　scream　out　loud　to　the　world　she　knew　and　say　Do　Something！
　And　so　she　had　left　the　Meurice；　taken　a　cab　to　the　rue　de　Vaugirard；　and　placed　the　call　to　Ottawa。　She　waited　now　outside　the　booth；　her　anger　mounting；　an　unlit　cigarette　creased　between　her　fingers。　When　the　bell　rang；　she　could　not　take　the　time　to　crush　it　out
　It　rang。　She　opened　the　glass　door　and　went　inside。
　'Is　this　you；　Alan？'
　'Yes；'　was　the　curt　reply。
　'Alan；　what　the　hell　is　going　on？　Peter　was　murdered；　and　there　hasn't　been　a　single　word　in　any　newspaper；　or　on　any　broadcast！　I　don't　think　the　embassy　even　knows！　It's　as　though　no　one　cared）　What　are　you　people　doing？'
　'What　we're　told　to　do。　And　so　will　you。'
　'What？　That　was　Peter　I　He　was　your　friend！　Listen　to　me；　Alan。。。'
　'No！'　The　interruption　was　harsh。　'You　listen。　Get　out　of　Paris。　Now！　Take　the　next　direct　flight　back　here。　If　you　have　any　problems　the　embassy　will　clear　them；　but　you're　to　talk　only　to　the　ambassador；　is　that　understood？'
　'No！'　screamed　Marie　St　Jacques。　'I　don't　understand！　Peter　was　killed　and　nobody　cares！　All　you're　saying　is　bureaucratic　bullshit！　Don't　get　involved；　for　God's　sake；　don't　ever　get　involved！'
　'Stay　out　of　it；　Marie！'
　'Stay　out　of　what！　That's　what　you're　not　telling　me；　isn't　it？　Well；　you'd　better。。。'
　'I　can't！'　Alan　lowered　his　voice。　'I　don't　know。　I'm　only　telling　you　what　I　was　told　to　tell　you。'
　'By　whom？'
　'You　can't　ask　me　that'
　'I　am　asking！'
　'Listen　to　me；　Marie。　I　haven't　been　home　for　the　past　twenty…four　hours。　I've　been　waiting　here　for　the　last　twelve　for　you　to　call。　Try　to　understand　me；　I'm　not　suggesting　you　e　back。　Those　are　orders　from　your　government。'
　'Orders？　Without　explanations？'
　'That's　the　way　it　is。。。　I'll　say　this　much。　They　want　you　out　of　there；　they　want　him　isolated。。。　That's　the　way　it　is。'
　'Sorry；　Alan！　That's　not　the　way　it　is！　Good…bye！'　She　slammed　the　receiver　down；　then　instantly　gripping　her　hands　to　stop　the　trembling。　Oh；　my　God；　she　loved　him　so。。。　and　they　were　trying　to　kill　him。　Jason；　my　Jason；　they　all　want　you　killed。　Why？
　The　conservatively　dressed　man　at　the　switchboard　snapped　the　red　toggle