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r would fade into a darkly kept secret； a cache of brief riches to be uncovered and touched at odd quiet moments。 And then no more； for life was lived for active memories； the dormant ones lost meaning。 No one knew that better than he did。
He passed through the lobby； nodding at the concierge who sat on his stool behind the marble counter； reading a newspaper。 The man barely looked up； noting only that the intruder belonged。
The lift rumbled and groaned its way up to the fourth floor。 Jason breathed deeply and reached for the gate； above all he would avoid dramatics； no alarms raised by words or by looks。 The chameleon had to merge with his quiet part of the forest； one in which no spoors could be found。 He knew what to say； he had thought about it carefully； as he had the note he would write。
'Most of the night walking around；' he said； holding her； stroking her dark red hair； cradling her head against his shoulder。。。 and aching； 'chasing cadaverous salesgirls； listening to animated nonsense and drinking coffee disguised as sour mud。 Les Classiques was a waste of time； it's a zoo。 The monkeys and the peacocks put on a hell of。 a show； but I don't think anyone really knows anything。 There's one outside possibility； but he could simply be a sharp Frenchman in search of an American mark。'
'He？' asked Marie； her trembling diminished。
'A man who operated the switchboard；' said Bourne； repelling images of blinding explosions and darkness and high winds as he pictured the face he did not know but he knew so well。 That man now was only a device； he pushed the images away。 'I agreed to meet him around midnight at the bastringue on rue de Hautefeuille。'
'What did he say？'
'Very little； but enough to interest me。 I saw him watching me while I was asking questions。 The place was fairly crowded so I could move around pretty freely； talk to the employees。'
'Questions？ What questions did you ask？'
'Anything I could think of。 Mainly about the manager； or whatever she's called。 Considering what happened this afternoon； if she were a direct relay to Carlos she should have been close to hysterics。 I saw her。 She wasn't； she behaved as if nothing had happened except a good day in the shop。'
'But she was a relay； as you call it。 D'Amacourt explained that。 The fiche。'
'Indirect。 She gets a phone call and is told what to say before making another call herself。' Actually； Jason thought； the invented assessment was based on reality。 Jacqueline Lavier was； indeed； an indirect relay。
'You couldn't just walk around asking questions without seeming suspicious；' protested Marie。
'You can；〃 answered Bourne； 'if you're an American writer doing an article on the boutiques in Saint…Honoree for a national magazine。'
'That's very good； Jason。'
'It worked。 No one wants to be left out。'
'What did you learn？'
'Like most of those kinds of places； Les Classiques has its own clientele； all wealthy； most known to each other and with the usual marital intrigues and adulteries that go with the scene。 Carlos knew what he was doing； it's a regular answering service over there； but not the kind listed in a phone book。'
'People told you that？' asked Marie； holding his arms； watching his eyes。
'Not in so many words；〃 he said； aware of the shadows of her disbelief。 'The accent was always on this Bergeron's talent； but one thing leads to another。 You can get the picture。 Everyone seems to gravitate to that manager。 From what I've gathered； she's a font of social information； although she probably couldn't tell me anything except that she did someone a favour … an acmodation … and that someone will turn out to be someone else who did another favour for another someone。 The source could be untraceable； but it's all I've got。'
'Why the meeting tonight at the bastringue？'
'He came over to me when I was leaving and said a very strange thing。' Jason did not have to invent this part of the lie。 He had read the words on a note in an elegant restaurant in Argenteuil less than an hour ago。 'He said； 〃You may be who you say you are； and then again； you may not。〃 That's when he suggested a drink later on； away from Saint…Honoree。' Bourne saw her doubts receding。 He had done it； she accepted the tapestry of lies。 And why not？ He was a man of immense skill and extremely inventive。 The appraisal was not loathsome to him； he was Cain。
'He may be the one； Jason。 You said you only needed one； he could be it！'
'We'll see。' Bourne looked at his watch。 The countdown to his departure had begun； he could not look back。 'We've got almost two hours。 Where did you leave the attaché case？'
'At the Meurice； I'm registered there。'
'Let's pick it up and get some dinner。 You haven't eaten； have you？'
'No。。。' Marie's expression was quizzical。 'Why not leave the case where it is？ It's perfectly safe； we wouldn't have to worry about it。'
'We would if we had to get out of here in a hurry；' he said almost brusquely； going to the bureau。 Everything was a question of degree now； traces of friction gradually slipping into speech； into looks； into touch。 Nothing alarming； nothing based in false heroics； she would see through such tactics。 Only enough so that later she would understand the truth when she read his words。 'It's over。 I've found my arrows；。。'
'What's the matter； darling？'
'Nothing。' The chameleon smiled。 'I'm just tired and probably a little discouraged。'
'Good heavens； why？ A man wants to meet you confidentially late at night； a man who operates a switchboard。 He could lead you somewhere！ And you're convinced you've narrowed Carlos's contact down to this woman； she's bound to be able to tell you something … whether she wants to or not。 In a macabre way； I'd think you'd be elated。'
'I'm not sure I can explain it；' said Jason； now looking at her reflection in the mirror。 'You'd have to understand what I found there。〃
'What you found？' A question。
'What I found。' A statement。 'It's a different world；〃 continued Bourne； reaching for the bottle of Scotch and a glass； 'different people。 It's soft and beautiful and frivolous； with lots of tiny spotlights and dark velvet。 Nothing's taken seriously except gossip and indulgence。 Any one of those giddy people … including that woman … could be a relay for Carlos and never know it； never even suspect it。 A man like Carlos would use such people； anyone like him would； including me。。。 That's what I found。 It's discouraging。'
'And unreasonable。 Whatever you believe； those people make very conscious decisions。 That indulgence you talk of demands it； they think。 And you know what I think？ I think you are tired； and hungry； and need a drink or two。 I wish you could put off tonight； you've been through enough for one day。'
'I can't do that；' he said sharply。
'All right； you can't；' she answered defensively。
'Sorry； I'm edgy。'
'Yes。 I know。' She started for the bathroom。 I'll freshen up and we can go。。。 Pour yourself a stiff one； darling。 Your teeth are showing。〃
'Marie？〃
'Yes？'
Try to understand。 What I found there upset me。 I thought it would be different。 Easier。〃
'While you were looking； I was waiting； Jason。 Not knowing。 That wasn't easy either。'