rl.thebourneidentity-第69部分

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　'That　sounds　like　a　law　firm；〃　said　Stevens　amiably　walking　across　the　room；　hand　extended。　'Nice　to　know　you；　Webb；　Have　a　good　trip？'
　'I　would　have　preferred　military　transport。　I　hate　those　damned　mercial　airlines。　I　thought　a　customs　agent　at　Kennedy　was　going　to　slice　the　lining　of　my　suitcase。'
　'You　look　too　respectable　in　that　uniform；'　laughed　the　Monk。　'You're　obviously　a　smuggler。'
　'I'm　still　not　sure　I　understand　the　uniform；'　said　the　major；　carrying　his　briefcase　to　a　long　hatch　table　against　the　wall　and　unclipping　the　nylon　cord　from　his　belt。
　'I　shouldn't　have　to　tell　you；'　answered　Abbott；　'that　the　tightest　security　is　often　found　in　being　quite　obvious　on　the　surface。　An　army　intelligence　officer；　prowling　around　undercover　in　Zurich　at　this　particular　time　could　raise　alarms。'
　'Then　I　don't　understand；　either；'　said　the　White　House　aide；　ing　up　beside　Webb　at　the　table；　watching　the　major's　manipulations　with　the　nylon　cord　and　the　lock。　'Wouldn't　an　obvious　presence　raise　even　more　shrill　alarms？　I　thought　the　assumption　of　undercover　was　that　discovery　was　less　probable。'
　'Webb's　trip　to　Zurich　was　a　routine　consulate　check；　predated　on　the　G…Two　schedules。　No　one　fools　anybody　about　those　trips；　they're　what　they　are　and　nothing　else。　Ascertaining　new　sources；　paying　off　informants。　The　Soviets　do　it　all　the　time；　they　don't　even　bother　to　hide　it。　Neither　do　we。　frankly。'
　'But　that　wasn't　the　purpose　of　his　trip；　said　Stevens；　beginning　to　understand。　'So　the　obvious　conceals　the　unobvious。'
　〃That's　it。'
　'Can　I　help？'　The　presidential　aide　seemed　fascinated　by　the　briefcase。
　'Thanks；'　said　Webb。　'Just　pull　the　cord　through。'
　Stevens　did　so。　'I　always　thought　it　was　chains　around　the　wrist；'　he　said。
　Too　many　hands　cut　off；'　explained　the　major；　smiling　at　the　White　House　man's　reaction。　'There's　a　steel　wire　running　through　the　nylon。'　He　freed　the　briefcase　and　opened　it　on　the　table；　looking　around　at　the　elegance　of　the　furnished　library…den。　At　the　rear　of　the　room　was　a　pair　of　French　windows　that　apparently　led　to　an　outside　garden；　the　outline　of　a　high　stone　wall　seen　dimly　through　the　panes　of　thick　glass。　'So　this　is　Treadstone　Seventy…one。　It　isn't　the　way　I　pictured　it。'
　'Pull　the　curtains　again；　will　you　please；　Elliot？'　Abbott　said。　The　presidential　aide　walked　to　the　French　windows　and　did　so。　Abbott　crossed　to　a　bookcase；　opened　the　cabinet　beneath　it；　and　reached　inside。　There　was　a　quiet　whirr；　the　entire　bookcase　came　out　of　the　wall　and　slowly　revolved　to　the　left。　On　the　other　side　was　an　electronic　radio　console；　one　of　the　most　sophisticated　Gordon　Webb　had　seen。　'Is　this　more　what　you　had　in　mind？'　asked　the　Monk。
　'Jesus。。。'　The　major　whistled　as　he　studied　the　dials；　calibrations；　cable　patches　and　scanning　devices　built　into　the　panel。　The　Pentagon　war　rooms　had　far　more　elaborate　equipment；　but　this　was　the　miniaturized　equal　of　most　well…structured　intelligence　stations。
　I'd　whistle；　too；'　said　Stevens；　standing　in　front　of　the　dense　curtain。　'But　Mr　Abbott　already　gave　me　my　personal　sideshow。　That's　only　the　beginning。　Five　more　buttons　and　this　place　looks　like　a　Strategic　Air　mand　base　in　Omaha。'
　'Those　same　buttons　also　transform　this　room　back　into　a　graceful　East　Side　library。'　The　old　man　reached　inside　the　cabinet；　in　seconds　the　enormous　console　was　replaced　by　bookshelves。　He　then　walked　to　the　adjacent　bookcase；　opened　the　cabinet　beneath　and　once　again　put　his　hand　inside。　The　whirring　began；　the　bookcase　slid　out；　and　shortly　in　its　place　were　three　tall　filing　cabinets。　The。　Monk　took　out　a　key　and　pulled　out　a　file　drawer。　'I'm　not　showing　off；　Gordon。　When　we're　finished；　I　want　you　to　look　through　these。　I'll　show　you　the　switch　that'll　send　them　back。　If　you　have　any　problems；　our　host　will　take　care　of　everything。'　'What　am　I　to　look　for？'
　'We'll　get　to　it；　right　now　I　want　to　hear　about　Zurich。　What　have　you　learned？'
　'Excuse　me；　Mr。　Abbott；〃　interrupted　Stevens。　'If　I'm　slow；　it's　because　all　this　is　new　to　me。　But　I　was　thinking　about　something　you　said　a　minute　ago　about　Major　Webb's　trip。'　'What　is　it？'　'You　said　the　trip　was　predated　on　the　G…Two　schedules。'
　That's　right'
　'Why？　The　major's　obvious　presence　was　to　confuse　Zurich；　not　Washington。　Or　was　it？'
　The　Monk　smiled。　'I　can　see　why　the　President　keeps　you　around。　We've　never　doubted　that　Carlos　has　bought　his　way　into　a　circle　or　two　…　or　ten　…　in　Washington。　He　finds　the　discontented　men　and　offers　them　what　they　do　not　have。　A　Carlos　could　not　exist　without　such　people。　You　must　remember；　he　doesn't　merely　sell　death；　he　sells　a　nation's　secrets。　All　too　frequently　to　the　Soviets；　if　only　to　prove　to　them　how　rash　they　were　to　expel　him。'
　'The　President　would　want　to　know　that；'　said　the　aide。　'It　would　explain　several　things。'
　'It's　why　you're　here；　isn't　it？'　said　Abbott。
　'I　guess　it　is。'
　'And　it's　a　good　place　to　begin　for　Zurich；'　said　Webb；　taking　his　briefcase　to　an　armchair　in　front　of　the　filing　cabinets。　He　sat　down；　spreading　the　folders　inside　the　case　at　his　feet；　and　took　out　several　sheets　of　paper。　'You　may　not　doubt　Carlos　is　in　Washington；　but　I　can　confirm　it。'
　'Where？　Treadstone？'
　There's　no　clear　proof　of　that；　but　it　can't　be　ruled　out。　He　found　the　fiche。　He　altered　it'
　'Good　God；　how？'
　The　how　I　can　only　guess；　the　who　I　know。'
　'Who？'
　'A　man　named　Koenig。　Until　three　days　ago　he　was　in　charge　of　primary　verifications　at　the　Gemeinschaft　Bank。'
　〃Three　days　ago？　Where　is　he　now？'
　。'Dead。　A　freak　accident　on　a　road　he　travelled　every　day　of　his　life。　Here's　the　police　report；　I　had　it　translated。'　Abbott　took　the　papers；　and　sat　down　in　a　nearby　chair。　Elliot　Stevens　remained　standing；　Webb　continued。　There's　something　very　interesting　there。　It　doesn't　tell　us　anything　we　don't　know；　but　there's　a　lead　I'd　like　to　follow　up。'
　'What　is　it？'　asked　the　Monk；　reading。　This　describes　the　accident。　The　curve　speed　of　vehicle；　apparent　swerving　to　avoid　a　collision。'
　'It's　at　the　end。　It　mentions　the　killing　at　the　Gemeinschaft；　the　bolt　that　got　us　off　our　asses　two　weeks　ago。'
　'It　does？'　Abbott　turned　the　page。
　'Look　at　it　Last　couple　of　sentences。　See　what　I　mean？'
　'Not　exactly；'　replied　Abbott；　frowning。　This　merely　states　that　Koenig　was　employed　by　the　Gemeinschaft　where　a　recent　homicide　took　place。。。　and　he　had　been　a　witness　to　the　initial　gunfire。　That's　all。'
　'I　don't　think　it　is　〃all〃；'　said　Webb。　'I　think　there　was　more。　Someone　started　to　raise　a　question；　but　it　was　left　hanging。　I'd　like　to　find　out　who　has　his　red　pencil　on　the　Zurich　police　reports。　He　could　be　Carlos's　man；　we　know　he's　got　one　there。'
　The　Monk　leaned　back　in　the　chair；　his　frown　unrelieved。　'Assuming　you're　right；　why　wasn't　the　entire　reference　deleted？'
　Too　obvious。　The　killing　did　take　place；　Koenig　was　a　witness；　the　investigating　officer　who　wrote　up　the　report　might　legitimately　ask　why。'
　'But　if　he　had　speculated　on　a　connection　wouldn't　he　be　just　as　disturbed　that　the　speculation　was　deleted？'
　'Not　necessarily。　We're　talking　about　a　bank　in　Switzerland。　Certain　areas　are　officially　inviolable；　unless　there's　proof。'
　'Not　always。　I　understand　you　were　very　successful　with　the　newspapers。'
　'Unofficially。　I　appealed　to　prurient　journalistic　sensationalism；　and　…　although　it　damn　near　killed　him　…　got　Walther　Apfel　to　corroborate　halfway。'
　'Interruption；'　said　Elliot　Stevens。　'I　think　this　is　where　the　Oval　office　has　to　e　in。　I　assume　by　the　newspapers　you're　referring　to　the　Canadian　woman。'
　'Not　really。　That　story　was　already　out；　we　couldn't　stop　it。　Carlos　is　wired　into　the　Zurich　police；　they　issued　that　report。　We　simply　enlarged　on　it　and　tied　her　to　an　equally　false　story　about　millions　having　been　stolen　from　the　Gemeinschaft。'　Webb　paused　and　looked　at　Abbott。　'That's　something　we　have　to　talk　about；　it　may　not　be　false　after　all。'　'I　can't　believe　that；'　said　the　Monk。　'I　don't　want　to　believe　it；'　replied　the　major。　'Ever。'　'Would　you　mind　backing　up？'　asked　the　White　House　aide；　sitting　down　opposite　the　army　officer。　'I　have　to　get　this　ver