rl.thebourneidentity-第73部分

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s；　what　a　challenge　to　Carles。　What　an　irresistible　trap　it　was！　Only　we　were　your　pawns　too；　and　as　a　responsible　member　of　the　Security　Council　I　resent　it　deeply！　You're　all　alike。　Who　elected　you　God　so　you　could　break　the　rules　…no；　not　just　the　rules；　the　laws　…　and　make　us　look　like　fools？'
　〃There　was　no　other　way；'　said　the　old　man　wearily；　his　face　a　drawn　mass　of　crevices　in　the　dim　light。　'How　many　know？　Tell　me　the　truth。'
　'I've　contained　it。　I　gave　you　that。'
　'It　may　not　be　enough。　Oh；　Christ！'
　'It　may　not　last；　period；'　said　the　bureaucrat　emphatically。　〃I　want　to　know　what　happened。'
　'What　happened？'
　To　this　grand　strategy　of　yours。　It　seems　to　be。。。　falling　apart　at　the　seams。'
　'Why　do　you　say　that？'
　'It's　perfectly　obvious。　You've　lost　Bourne；　you　can't　find　him。　Your　Cain　has　disappeared　with　a　fortune　banked　for　him　in　Zurich。'
　Abbott　was　silent　for　a　moment。　'Wait　a　minute。　What　put　you　onto　it？'
　'You；'　said　Gillette　quickly；　the　prudent　man　rising　to　the　baited　question。　'I　must　say　I　admired　your　control　when　that　ass　from　the　Pentagon　spoke　so　knowingly　of　Operation　Medusa。。。　sitting　directly　across　from　the　man　who　created　it。'
　'History。'　The　old　man's　voice　was　strong　now。　〃That　wouldn't　have　told　you　anything。'
　'Let's　say　it　was　rather　unusual　for　you　not　to　say　anything。　I　mean；　who　at　that　table　knew　more　About　Medusa　than　you？　But　you　didn't　say　a　word　and　that　started　me　thinking。　So　I　objected　strenuously　to　the　attention　being　paid　to　this　assassin；　Cain。　You　couldn't　resist；　David。　You　had　to　offer　a　very　plausible　reason　to　continue　the　search　for　Cain。　You　threw　Carlos　into　the　hunt。'
　'It　was　the　truth；'　interrupted　Abbott。
　'Certainly　it　was；　you　knew　when　to　use　it；　and　I　knew　when　to　spot　it。　Ingenious。　A　snake　pulled　out　of　Medusa's　head；　groomed　for　a　mythical　title。　The　contender　jumps　into　the　champion's　ring　to　draw　the　champion　out　of　his　corner。'
　'It　was　sound；　sound　from　the　beginning。'
　'Why　not？　As　I　say；　it　was　ingenious；　even　down　to　every　move　made　by　his　own　people　against　Cam。　Who　better　to　relay　those　moves　to　Cain　than　the　one　man　on　the　Forty　mittee　who　is　given　reports　on　every　covert　operations　conference。　You　used　us　all！'
　The　Monk　nodded。　〃Very　well。　To　a　point　you're　right；　there've　been　degrees　of　abuse　…　in　my　opinion；　totally　justified　…　but　it's　not　what　you　think。　There　are　checks　and　balances；　there　always　are；　I　wouldn't　have　it　any　other　way。　Treadstone　is　prised　of　a　small　group　of　men　among　the　most　trustworthy　in　the　government。　They　range　from　Army　G…Two　to　the　Senate；　from　the　C。I。A。　to　Naval　Intelligence；　and　now；　frankly；　the　White　House。　Should　there　be　any　true　abuse；　there's　not　one　of　them　that　would　hesitate　to　put　a　stop　to　the　operation。　None　has　ever　seen　fit　to　do　so；　and　I　beg　you　not　to　do　so；　either。'
　'Would　I　be　made　part　of　Treadstone？'
　'You　are　part　of　it　now。'
　'I　see。　What　happened？　Where　is　Bourne？'
　'I　wish　to　God　we　knew。　We're　not　even　sure　it　is　Bourne。'
　'You're　not　even　sure　of　what？'
　I　see。　What　happened？　Where　is　Bourne？'
　I　wish　to　God　we　knew。　We're　not　even　sure　it　is　Bourne。'
　'You're　not　even　sure　of　what？'
　The　European　reached　for　the　switch　on　the　dashboard　and　snapped　it　off。　'That's　it；'　he　said。　That's　what　we　had　to　know。'　He　turned　to　the　chauffeur　beside　him。　'Quickly；　now。　Get　back　behind　the　staircase。　Remember；　if　one　of　them　es　out；　you　have　precisely　three　seconds　before　the　door　is　closed。　Work　fast。'
　The　uniformed　man　got　out　first；　he　walked　up　the　pavement　towards　Treadstone　Seventy…one。　From　one　of　the　adjacent　brownstones；　a　middle…aged　couple　were　saying　loud　good…byes　to　their　hosts；　the　chauffeur　slowed　down；　reached　into　his　pocket　for　a　cigarette　and　stopped　to　light　it　He　was　now　a　bored　driver；　whiling　away　the　hours　of　a　tedious　vigil。　The　European　watched；　then　unbuttoned　his　raincoat　and　withdrew　a　long；　thin　revolver；　its　barrel　enlarged　by　a　silencer。　He　released　the　safety　catch；　shoved　the　weapon　back　into　his　holster；　got　out　of　the　car　and　walked　across　the　street　towards　the　limousine。　The　mirrors　had　been　angled　so　that；　by　staying　in　the　blind　spot；　there　was　no　way　either　man　inside　could　see　him　approach。　The　European　paused　briefly　beside　the　boot；　then　swiftly；　hand　extended；　lunged　for　the　right　front　door；　opened　it　and　spun　inside；　levelling　his　weapon　over　the　seat。
　Alfred　Gillette　gasped；　his　left　hand　surging　for　the　door　handle；　the　European　snapped　the　four…way　lock。　David　Abbott　remained　immobile；　staring　at　the　invader。
　'Good　evening；　Monk；'　said　the　European。　'Another；　whom　I'm　told　often　assumes　a　religious　habit；　sends　you　his　congratulations。　Not　only　for　Cain；　but　for　your　household　personnel　at　Treadstone。　The　Yachtsman；　for　instance。　Once　a　superior　agent。'
　Gillette　found　his　voice；　it　was　a　mixture　of　a　scream　and　a　whisper。　'What　is　this？　Who　are　you？'　he　cried；　feigning　ignorance。
　'Oh　e　now；　old　friend。　That's　not　necessary；'　said　the　man　with　the　gun。　'I　can　see　by　the　expression　on　Mr。　Abbott's　face　that　he　realizes　his　initial　doubts　about　you　were　accurate。　One　should　always　trust　one's　first　instincts；　shouldn't　one；　Monk。。。？　You　were　right；　of　course。　We　found　another　discontented　man；　your　system　reproduces　them　with　alarming　rapidity。　He；　indeed；　gave　us　the　Medusa　files；　and　they　did；　indeed；　lead　us　to　Bourne。'
　'What　are　you　doing？！'　screamed　Gillette。　'What　are　you　saying？'
　'You're　a　bore；　Alfred。　But　you　were　always　part　of　a　damn　fine　staff。　It's　too　bad　you　didn't　know　which　staff　to　stay　with；　your　kind　never　do。〃
　'You！。。。'　Gillette　rose　bodily　off　the　seat；　his　face　contorted。
　The　European　fired　his　weapon；　the　spit　echoing　briefly　in　the　soft　interior　of　the　limousine。　The　bureaucrat　slumped　over；　his　body　crumbling　to　the　floor　against　the　door；　owl…eyes　wide　in　death。
　'I　don't　think　you　mourn　him；'　said　the　European。
　'I　don't；'　said　the　Monk。
　'It　is　Bourne　out　there；　you　know。　Cain　turned；　he　broke。　The　long　period　of　silence　is　over。　The　snake　from　Medusa's　head　decided　to　strike　out　on　his　own。　Or　perhaps　he　was　bought　That's　possible　too；　isn't　it？　Carlos　buys　many　men；　the　one　at　your　feet　now；　for　example。'
　'You'll　learn　nothing　from　me。　Don't　try。'　There's　nothing　to　learn。　We　know　it　all。　Delta；　Carlos。。。　Cain。　But　the　names　aren't　important　any　longer；　they　never　were；　really。　All　that　remains　is　the　final　isolation　…　removing　the　man…monk　who　makes　the　decisions。　You。　Bourne　is　trapped。　He's　finished。'
　There　are　others　who　make　decisions。　He'll　reach　them。'　'If　he　does；　they'll　kill　him　on　sight　There's　nothing　more　despicable　than　a　man　who's　turned；　but　in　order　for　a　man　to　turn　there　has　to　be　irrefutable　proof　that　he　was　yours　to　begin　with。　Carlos　has　the　proof；　he　…was　yours；　his　origins　as　sensitive　as　anything　in　the　Medusa　files。'
　The　old　man　frowned；　he　was　frightened；　not　for　his　life；　but　for　something　infinitely　more　indispensable。　'You're　out　of　your　mind；'　he　said。　There　is　no　proof。'
　That　was　the　flaw；　your　flaw。　Carlos　is　thorough；　his　tentacles　reach　into　all　manner　of　hidden　recesses。　You　needed　a　man　from　Medusa；　someone　who　had　lived　and　disappeared。　You　chose　a　man　named　Bourne　because　the　circumstances　of　his　disappearance　had　been　obliterated；　eliminated　from　every　existing　record　…　or　so　you　believed。　But　you　didn't　consider　Hanoi's　own　field；　personnel　who　had　infiltrated　Medusa；　those　records　exist。　On　25　March　1968；　Jason　Bourne　was　executed　by　an　American　Intelligence　officer　in　the　jungles　of　Tarn　Quan。'
　The　Monk　lunged　forward；　there　was　nothing　left　but　a　final　gesture；　a　final　defiance。　The　European　fired。
　The　door　of　the　brownstone　opened。　From　the　shadows　beneath　the　staircase；　the　chauffeur　smiled。　The　White　House　aide　was　being　escorted　out　by　the　Yachtsman；　and　the　killer　knew　that　meant　the　primary　alarms　were　off。　The　three…second　span　was　eliminated。　'So　good　of　you　to　drop　by；'　said　the　Yachtsman　shaking　hands。
　Thank　you　very　much；　sir。〃
　These　were　the　last　words　either　man　spoke。　The　chauffeur　aimed　above　the　brick…walled　railing；　pulling　the　trigger　twice；　the　muffled