rl.thebourneidentity-第113部分

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s　chest。　Bourne　took　it　Out　and　put　it　into　his　overcoat　pocket。　He　would　give　it　to　Villiers。
　Villiers。　The　way　was　clear。
　He　climbed　the　staircase　to　the　second　floor。　Halfway　up　the　steps　he　could　see　a　line　of　light　at　the　bottom　of　the　bedroom　door；　beyond　that　door　was　an　old　man　who　was　his　only　hope。　If　ever　in　his　life　…　remembered　and　unremembered　…　he　had　to　be　convincing；　it　was　now。　And　his　conviction　was　real　…　there　was　no　room　for　the　chameleon　now。　Everything　he　believed　was　based　on　one　fact。　Carlos　had　to　e　after　him。　It　was　the　truth。　It　was　the　trap。
　He　reached　the　landing　and　turned　to　his　left　towards　the　bedroom　door。　He　paused　for　a　moment　trying　to　dismiss　the　echo　in　his　chest；　it　was　growing　louder；　the　pounding　more　rapid。　Part　of　the　truth；　not　all　of　it。　No　invention；　simply　omission。
　An　agreement。。。　a　contract。。。　with　a　group　of　men　…　honourable　men　…　who　were　after　Carlos。　That　was　all　Villiers　had　to　know；　it　was　what　he　had　to　accept。　He　could　not　be　told　he　was　dealing　with　an　amnesiac；　for　in　that　loss　of　memory　might　be　found　a　man　of　dishonour。　The　legend　of　St　Cyr；　Algeria　and　Normandy　would　not　accept　that；　not　now；　here；　at　the　end　of　his　life。
　Oh；　God；　the　balance　was　tenuous！　The　line　between　belief　and　disbelief　so　thin。。。　as　thin　as　it　was　for　the　man…corpse　whose　name　was　not　Jason　Bourne。
　He　opened　the　door　and　stepped　inside；　into　an　old　man's　private　hell。　Outside；　beyond　curtained　windows；　the　sirens　raged　and　the　crowds　shouted。　Spectators　in　an　unseen　arena；　jeering　the　unknown；　oblivious　to　its　unfathomable　cause。
　Jason　closed　the　door　and　stood　motionless。　The　large　room　was　filled　with　shadows；　the　only　light　a　bedside　table　lamp。　His　eyes　greeted　by　a　sight　he　wished　he　did　not　have　to　see。　Villiers　had　dragged　a　high…backed　desk　chair　across　the　room　and　was　sitting　on　it　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　staring　at　the　dead　woman　sprawled　over　the　covers。　Angelique　Villiers's　bronzed　head　was　resting　on　the　pillow；　her　eyes　wide；　bulging　out　of　their　sockets。　Her　throat　was　swollen；　the　flesh　a　reddish　purple；　the　massive　bruise　having　spread　throughout　her　neck。　Her　body　was　still　twisted；　in　contrast　to　the　upright　head；　contorted　in　furious　struggle；　her　long　bare　legs　stretched　out；　her　hips　turned；　the　negligee　torn；　her　breasts　bursting　out　of　the　silk　…　even　in　death；　sensual。　There　had　been　no　attempt　to　conceal　the　whore。
　The　old　soldier　sat　like　a　bewildered　child；　punished　for　an　insignificant　act；　the　meaningful　crime　having　escaped　his　tormentor's　reasoning　and　perhaps　his　own。　He　pulled　his　eyes　away　from　the　dead　woman　and　looked　at　Bourne。
　'What　happened　outside？'　he　asked　in　a　monotone。
　'Men　were　watching　your　house。　Carlos's　men；　five　of　them。　I　started　a　fire　up　the　street；　no　one　was　hurt。　All　but　one　man　left；　I　took　him　out。'
　'You're　resourceful；　Monsieur　Bourne。'
　'I'm　resourceful；'　agreed　Jason。　'But　they'll　be　back。　The　fire'll　be　out　and　they'll　e　back；　before　then；　if　Carlos　puts　it　together；　and　I　think　he　will。　If　he　does；　he'll　send　someone　in　here。　He　won't　e　himself；　of　course；　but　one　of　his　guns　will　be　here。　When　that　man　finds　you。。。　and　her。。。　he'll　kill　you。　Carlos　loses　her；　but…he　still　wins。　He　wins　a　second　time；　he's　used　you　through　her　and　at　the　end　he　kills　you。　He　walks　away　and　you're　dead。　People　can　draw　whatever　conclusions　they　like；　but　I　don't　think　they'll　be　flattering。'
　'You're　very　precise。　Assured　of　your　judgment'
　'I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　I'd　prefer　not　to　say　what　I'm　going　to　say；　but　there's　no　time　for　your　feelings。'
　'I　have　none　left　Say　what　you　will。'
　'Your　wife　told　you　she　was　French；　didn't　she？'
　'Yes。　From　the　south。　Her　family　was　from　Loures　Barouse；　near　the　Spanish　border。　She　came　to　Paris　years　ago。　Lived　with　an　aunt；　what　of　it？'
　'Did　you　ever　meet　her　family？'
　'No。'
　They　didn't　e　up　for　your　marriage？'
　'All　things　considered；　we　thought　it　would　be　best　not　to　ask　them。　The　disparity　of　our　ages　would　have　disturbed　them。'
　'What　about　the　aunt　here　in　Paris？'
　'She　died　before　I　met　Angelique。　What's　the　point　of　all　this？'
　'Your　wife　wasn't　French。　I　doubt　there　was　even　an　aunt　in　Paris；　and　her　family　didn't　e　from　Loures　Barouse；　although　the　Spanish　border　has　a　certain　relevance。　It　could　cover　a　lot；　explain　a　lot。
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　'She　was　Venezuelan。　Carlos's　first　cousin；　his　lover　since　she　was　fourteen。　They　were　a　team；　had　been　for　years。　I　was　told　she　was　the　only　person　on　earth　he　cared　about'
　'A　whore。'
　'An　assassin's　instrument　I　wonder　how　many　targets　she　set　up。　How　many　valuable　men　are　dead　because　of　her。'
　'I　cannot　kill　her　twice。'
　'You　can　use　her。　Use　her　death。'
　〃The　insanity　you　spoke　of？'
　'The　only　insanity　is　if　you　throw　your　life　away。　Carlos　wins　it　all；　he　goes　on　using　his　gun。。。　and　sticks　of　dynamite。。。　and　you're　one　more　statistic。　Another　kill　added　to　a　long　list　of　distinguished　corpses。　That's　insane。'
　'And　you're　the　reasonable　man？　You　assume　the　guilt　for　a　crime　you　did　not　mit？　For　the　death　of　a　whore？　Hunted　for　a　killing　that　was　not　yours？'
　That's　part　of　it；　the　essential　part；　actually。'
　'Don't　talk　to　me　of　insanity；　young　man。　I　beg　you；　leave。　What　you've　told　me　gives　me　the　courage　to　face　Almighty　God。　If　ever　a　death　was　justified；　it　was　hers　by　my　hand。　I　will　look　into　the　eyes　of　Christ　and　swear　it'
　'You've　written　yourself　out；　then；'　said　Jason；　noticing　for　the　first　time　the　bulge　of　a　weapon　in　the　old　man's　jacket　pocket
　'I　will　not　stand　trial；　if　that's　what　you　mean。'
　'Oh；　that's　perfect；　General！　Carlos　himself　couldn't　have　e　up　with　anything　better！　Not　a　wasted　motion　on　his　part；　he　doesn't　even　have　to　use　his　own　gun。　But　those　who　count　will　know　he　did　it；　he　caused　it'
　Those　who　count　will　know　nothing。　Raisons　du　coeur。
　Maladie。　I　am　not　concerned　with　the　tongues　of　killers　and　thieves。'
　'And　if　I　told　the　truth？　Told　why　you　killed　her！'
　'Who　would　listen？　Even　should　you　live　to　speak。　I'm　not　a　fool；　Monsieur　Bourne。　You　are　running　from　more　than　Carlos。　You　are　hunted　by　many；　not　just　one。　You　as　much　as　told　me　so。　You　would　not　tell　me　your　name。。。　for　my　own　safety；　you　claimed。　When　and　if　this　was　over；　you　said；　it　was　7　who　might　not　care　to　be　seen　with　you。　Those　are　not　the　words　of　a　man　in　whom　much　trust　is　placed。'
　'You　trusted　me。'
　'I　told　you　why；'　said　Villiers；　glancing　away；　staring　at　his　dead　wife。　'It　was　in　your　eyes。'
　The　truth？'
　The　truth。'
　〃Then　look　at　me　now！　The　truth　is　still　there。　On　that　road　to　Nanterre；　you　told　me　you'd　listen　to　what　I　had　to　say　because　I　gave　you　your　life。　I'm　trying　to　give　it　to　you　again！　You　can　walk　away　free；　untouched；　go　on　standing　for　the　things　you　say　are　important　to　you；　were　important　to　your　son。　You　can　win　I。。。　Don't　mistake　me；　I'm　not　being　noble。　Your　staying　alive　and　doing　what　I　ask　is　the　only　way　I　can　stay　alive；　the　only　way　I'll　ever　be　free。'
　The　old　soldier　looked　up。　'Why？'
　'I　told　you　I　wanted　Carlos　because　something　was　taken　from　me　…　something　very　necessary　to　my　life；　my　sanity　…and　he　was　the　cause　of　it。　That's　the　truth　…I　believe　it's　the　truth　…　but　it's　not　the　whole　truth。　There　are　other　people　involved；　some　decent；　some　not；　and　my　agreement　with　them　was　to　get　Carlos；　trap　Carlos。　They　want　what　you　want。　But　something　happened　that　I　can't　explain　…　I　won't　try　to　explain　…　and　those　people　think　I　betrayed　them。　They　think　I　made　a　pact　with　Carlos；　that　I　stole　millions　from　them；　and　killed　others　who　were　my　links　to　them。　They　have　men　everywhere；　and　the　orders　are　to　execute　me　on　sight。　You　were　right。　I'm　running　from　more　than　Carlos。　I'm　hunted　by　men　I　don't　know　and　can't　see。　For　all　the　wrong　reasons。。。　I　didn't　do　the　things　they　say　I　did；　but　no　one　wants　to　listen。　I　have　no　pact　with　Carlos；　you　know　I　don't！'
　'I　believe　you。　There's　nothing　to　prevent　me　from　making　a　call　on　your　behalf。　I　owe　you　that。'
　'How？　What　are　you　going　to　say？　〃The　man　known　to　me　as　Jason　Bourne　has　no　pact　with　Carlos。　I　know　this　because　he　expos