rl.thebourneidentity-第40部分
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his age; but striving to look younger。 His thinning dark hair was singed and brushed to obscure the bald spots; his eyes were encased in small rolls of flesh; attesting to long hours with good wine。 Those same eyes were cold; darting eyes; evidence of a demanding man wary of his surroundings。 He barked a question to his secretary; she twisted in her chair; doing her best to maintain her posure。
D'Amacourt went back inside his office without closing the door; the cage of an angry cat left open。 Another minute passed; the secretary kept glancing to her right; looking at something … for something。 When she saw it; she exhaled; closing her eyes briefly in relief。
From the far left wall; a green light suddenly appeared above two panels of dark wood; a lift was in use。 Seconds later the door opened and an elderly elegant man walked out carrying a small black case not much larger than his hand。 Marie stared at it; experiencing both satisfaction and fear; she had guessed right。 The black case had been removed from a confidential file inside a guarded room; and signed out by a man beyond reproach or temptation … the elderly figure making his way past the ranks of desks towards d'Amacourt's office。
The secretary rose from her chair; greeted the senior executive; and escorted him into d'Amacourt's office。 She came out immediately; closing the door behind her。
Marie looked at her watch; her eyes on the sweep…second hand。 She wanted one more fragment of evidence; and it would be hers shortly if she could get beyond the gate; with a clear view of the secretary's desk。 If it was going to happen; it would happen in moments; the duration brief。
She walked to the gate; opening her bag; and smiling vacuously at the receptionist who was speaking into her phone。 She mouthed the name d'Amacourt with her lips to the bewildered receptionist; reached down and opened the gate。 She moved quickly inside; a determined if not very bright client of the Valois Bank。
'Pardon; Madame。' The receptionist held her hand over the telephone; rushing her words in French; 'Can I help you?〃
Again Marie pronounced the name with her lips … now a courteous client late for an appointment and not wishing to be a further burden to a busy employee。 'Monsieur d'Amacourt。 I'm afraid I'm late。 I'll just go and see his secretary。' She continued up the aisle towards the secretary's desk。
'Please; Madame;' called out the receptionist。 'I must announce。。。!
The hum of electric typewriters and subdued conversations drowned her words。 Marie approached the stern…faced secretary; who looked up; as bewildered as the receptionist。
'Yes? May I help you?'
'Monsieur d'Amacourt; please。〃
'I'm afraid he's in conference; Madame。 Do you have an appointment?'
'Oh; yes; of course;' said Marie; opening her bag again。
The secretary looked at the typed schedule on her desk。 'I'm afraid I don't have anyone listed for this time。'
'Oh; my word!' exclaimed the confused client of the Valois Bank。 'I just noticed。 It's for tomorrow; not today! I'm so sorry。'
She turned and walked rapidly back to the gate。 She had seen what she wanted to see; the last fragment of evidence。 A single button was lighted on d'Amacourt's telephone; he had bypassed his secretary and was making an outside call。 The account belonging to Jason Bourne had specific; confidential instructions attached to it which were not to be revealed to the account holder。
Bourne looked at his watch in the shade of the canopy; it was eleven minutes to three。 Marie would be back by the telephone at the front of the bank; a pair of eyes inside。 The next few minutes would give them the answer; perhaps she already knew it。
He edged his way to the left side of the shop window; keeping the bank's entrance in view。 A clerk inside smiled at him; reminding him that all attention should be avoided。 He pulled out a packet of cigarettes; lit one and looked at his watch again。 Eight minutes to three。
And then he saw them。 Him。 Three well…dressed men walking rapidly up rue Madeleine; talking to one another; their eyes; however; directed straight ahead。 They passed the slower pedestrians in front of them; excusing themselves with a courtesy that was not entirely Parisian。 Jason concentrated on the man in the middle。 It was him。 A man named Johann!
Signal Johann to go inside。 We'll e back for them。 A tall gaunt man wearing gold…rimmed spectacles had said the words in the Steppdeckstrasse。 Johann。 They had sent him here from Zurich; he had seen Jason Bourne。 And that told him something: There were no photographs。
The three men reached the entrance。 Johann and the man on his right went inside; the third man stayed by the door。 Bourne started back to the telephone box; he would wait four minutes and place his last call to Antoine d'Amacourt。
He dropped his cigarette outside the box; crushed it under his foot; and opened the door。
'Regarded' A voice came from behind。
Jason spun around; holding his breath。 A nondescript man with a stubble of a beard pointed at the box。 'Pardon?'
'Le telephone。 II n'opere pas。 La corde est en noeud。'
'Oh? Merci。 Maintenant; fessayerais。 Merci bien。'
The man shrugged and left Bourne stepped inside; the four minutes were up。 He took the coins from his pocket … enough for two calls … and dialled the first。
'La Banque de Valois。 Bonjaur。'
Ten seconds later d'Amacourt was on the phone; his voice strained。 'It is you; Monsieur Bourne? I thought you to say you were on your way to my office。'
'A change of plans; I'm afraid。 I'll have to call you tomorrow。' Suddenly; through the glass panel of the booth; Jason saw a car swing into a space across the street in front of the bank。 The third man who was standing by the entrance nodded to the driver。
'。。。 I can do?' d'Amacourt had asked a question。
'I beg your pardon?'
'I asked if there was anything I can do。 I have your account; everything is in readiness for you here。〃
I'm sure it is; Bourne thought; the ploy was worth a try。 'Look; I have to get over to London this afternoon。 I'm taking one of the shuttle flights; but I'll be back tomorrow。 Keep everything with you; all right?〃
To London; Monsieur?'
'I'll call you tomorrow。 I have to find a cab to Orly。' He hung up and watched the entrance of the bank。 In less than half a minute; Johann and his panion came running out; they spoke to the third man; then all three climbed into the waiting car。
The killers' escape car was still in the hunt; on its way now to Orly Airport。 Jason memorized the number on the licence plate; then dialled his second call。 If the pay phone in the bank was not in use; Marie would pick it up before the ring had barely started。 She did。
'Yes?'
'See anything?'
'A great deal。 D'Amacourt's your man。'
They moved about the shop; going from counter to counter。 Marie; however; remained near the wide front window keeping a perpetual eye on the entrance of the bank across rue Madeleine。
'I picked out two scarves for you;' said Bourne。
'You shouldn't have;' answered Marie。 〃The prices are far too high。'
'It's almost four o'clock。 If he hasn't e out by now; he won't until the end of office hours。'
'Probably not。 If he were going to meet someone; he would have done so by now。 But we had to know。'
Take my word for it; his friends are at Orly; running from shuttle to shuttle。 There's no way they can tell whether I'm on one or not; because they don't know what name I'm using。'
They'll depend on the man from Zurich to recognize you。'
'He's looking for a dark…haired man with a limp; not me。 e on; let's go into the bank。 You can point out d'Amacourt。'
'We can't do that;〃 said Marie; shaking her head。 'The cameras on the ceilings have wide…angle lenses。 If they ran the tapes they could spot you。'
'A blond…haired man with glasses?'
'Or me。 I was there; the receptionist or his secretary could identify me。〃
'You're saying it's a regular cabal in there。 I doubt it'
They could think up any number of reasons to run the tapes。' Marie stopped; she clutched Jason's arm; her eyes on the bank beyond the window。 'There he is! The one in the overcoat with the black velvet collar; d'Amacourt。'
'Pulling at his