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'What are the arrangements？'
'I could lose my position； Monsieur！'
'You could lose your life；' said Jason； disturbed that the words came so easily to him。
I'm not as privileged as you think。'
'Nor as ignorant as you'd like me to believe；' said Bourne； his eyes wandering over the banker across the table。 'Your type is everywhere； d'Amacourt。 It's in your clothes； the way you wear your hair； even your walk； you strut too much。 A man like you doesn't get to be the vice…president of the Valois bank without asking questions； you cover yourself。 You don't make a smelly move unless you can save your own ass。 Now； tell me what those arrangements were。 You're not important to me； am I being clear？〃
D'Amacourt struck a match and held it beneath his cigarette while staring at Jason。 'You don't have to threaten me； Monsieur。 You're a very rich man。 Why not pay me？' The banker smiled nervously。 'You're quite right incidentally。 I did ask a question or two。 Paris is not Zurich。 A man of my station must have words if not answers。〃
Bourne leaned back； revolving his glass； the clicking of the ice cubes obviously annoying d'Amacourt。 'Name a reasonable price；' he said finally； 'and we'll discuss it。'
〃I'm a reasonable man。 Let the decision be based on value； and let it be yours。 Bankers the world over are pensated by grateful clients they have advised。 I would like to think of you as a client。〃
I'm sure you would。' Bourne smiled； shaking his head at the man's sheer nerve。 'So we slide from bribe to gratuity。 pensation for personal advice and service。〃
D'Amacourt shrugged。 'I accept the definition and； if ever asked； would repeat your words。〃
'The arrangements？〃
'Acpanying the transfer of our funds from Zurich was une fiche plus confidentielle。'
'Une fiche？' broke in Jason； recalling the moment in Apfel's office at the Gemeinschaft when Koenig came in saying the words。 'I heard it once before。 What is it？'
'A dated term； actually。 It es from the middle nineteenth century when it was a mon practice for the great banking houses … primarily the Rothschilds … to keep track of the international flow of money。'
Thank you。 Now what is it specifically？〃
'Separate sealed instructions to be opened and followed when the account in question is called up。'
'〃Called up〃？'
'Funds removed or deposited。〃
'Suppose I'd just gone to a teller； presented a bank book； and asked for money？〃
'A double asterisk would have appeared on the transaction puter。 You would have been sent to me。'
'I was sent to you anyway。 The operator gave me your office。〃
'Irrelevant chance。 There are two other officers in the Foreign Services Department。 Had you been connected to either one； the fiche would have dictated that you still be sent to me。 I am the senior executive。
'I see。' But Bourne was not sure that he did see。 There was a gap in the sequence； a space needed filling。 'Wait a minute。 You didn't know anything about a fiche when you had the account brought to your office。〃
'Why did I ask for it？' interrupted d'Amacourt； anticipating the question。 'Be reasonable； monsieur。 Put yourself in my place。 A man calls and identifies himself； then says he is 〃talking about millions of francs〃。 Millions。 Would you not be anxious to be of service？ Bend a rule here and there？'
Looking at the seedily elegant banker； Jason realized it was the most unstartling thing he had said。 'The instructions。 What were they？'
'To begin with a telephone number； unlisted； of course。 It was to be called； all information relayed。'
'Do you remember the number？〃
'I make it a point to mit such things to memory。〃
I'll bet you do。 What is it？'
'I must protect myself。 Monsieur。 How else could you have got it？ I pose the question。。。 how do you say it？。。。 rhetorically。'
'Which means you have the answer。 How did I get it？ If it ever es up。'
〃In Zurich。 You paid a very high price for someone to
break not only the strictest regulation on the Bahnhofstrasse； but also the laws of Switzerland。'
'I've got just the man；' said Bourne； the face of Koenig ing into focus。 'He's already mitted the crime。'
'At the Gemeinschaft？ Are you joking？
'Not one bit His name is Koenig； his desk is on the first floor。'
I'll remember that'
I'm sure you will。 The number？' D'Amacourt gave it to him。 Jason wrote it on a paper napkin。 'How do I know this is accurate？'
'You have a reasonable guarantee。 I have not been paid。'
'Good enough。'
'And as long as value is intrinsic to our discussion； I should tell you that it is the second telephone number； the first was cancelled。'
'Explain that'
D'Amacourt leaned forward。 'A Photostat of the original fiche arrived with the accounts…courier。 It was sealed in a black case； accepted and signed for by the senior keeper…of…records。 The card inside was validated by a partner of the Gemeinschaft； countersigned by the usual Swiss notary； the instructions were simple； quite clear。 In all matters pertaining to the account of Jason C。 Bourne； a transatlantic call to the United States was to be placed immediately； the details relayed。。。 Here the card was altered； the number in New York deleted； one in Paris inserted and initialled。'
'New York？' interrupted Bourne。 'How do you know it was New York？'
'The telephone area code was parenthetically included； spaced in front of the number itself； it remained intact It was two…one…two。 As first vice…president； Foreign Services； I place such calls daily。'
The alteration was pretty sloppy。'
'Possibly。 It could have been made in haste； or not thoroughly understood。 On the other hand； there was no way to delete the body of the instructions without renotarization。 A minor risk considering the number of telephones in New York。 At any rate； the substitution gave me the latitude to ask a question or two。 Change is a banker's anathema。！ D'Amacourt fingered his glass。
'Care for another？〃 asked Jason。
'No； thank you。 It would prolong our discussion。'
'You're the one who stopped。〃
I'm thinking； Monsieur。 Perhaps you should have in mind a vague figure before I proceed。〃
Bourne studied the man。 'It could be five；' he said。
'Five what？〃
'Five figures。'
'I shall proceed。 I spoke to a woman。。。〃
'A woman？ How did you begin？〃
Truthfully。 I was the vice…president of the Valois； and was following instructions from the Gemeinschaft in Zurich。 What else was there to say？〃
'Go on。〃
'I said I had been in munication with a man claiming to be Jason Bourne。 She asked me how recently； to which I replied a few minutes。 She was then most anxious to know the substance of our conversation。 It was at this point that I voiced my own concerns。 The fiche specifically stated that a call should be made to New York； not Paris。 Naturally； she said it was not my concern； and that the change was authorized by signature； and did I care for Zurich to be informed that an officer of the Valois refused to follow the Gemeinschaft instructions？〃
'Hold it；' interrupted Jason。 'Who was she？〃
'I have no idea。〃
'You mean you were talking all this time and she didn't tell you？ You didn't ask？'
That is the nature of the fiche。 If a name is proffered； well and good。 If it is not； one does not inquire。'
'You didn't hesitate to ask about the telephone number。'
'Merely a device； I wanted information。 You transferred four million francs； a sizeable amount； and were； therefore； a powerful client with； perhaps； more powerful strings attached to him。。。 One balks； then agrees； then balks again only to agree again； that is the way one learns things。 Especially if the party one is talking to displays anxiety。 I can assure you； she did。〃
'What did you learn？'
That you should be considered a dangerous man。'
'In what way？'
The definition was left open。 But the fact that the term was used was enough for me to ask why the Surete was not involved。 Her reply was extremely interesting。 〃He is beyond the Surete； beyond Interpol；〃 she said。'
'What did that tell you？'
That it was a highly plicated matter with any number of possibilities； all best' left private。 Since our talk began； however； it now tells me something else。'
'What's that？'
That you really should pay me well for I must be extremely cautious。 Those who look for you are also； perhaps； beyond the Surete； beyond Interpol。'
'We'll get to that。 You told this woman I was on my way to your office？'
'Within the quarter…hour。 She asked me to remain on the telephone for a few moments； that she would be right back。 Obviously she made another call。 She returned with her final instructions。 You were to be detained in my office until a man came to my secretary inquiring about a matter from Zurich。 And when you left you were to be identified by a nod or a gesture； there could be no error。 The man came； of course； and； of course； you never arrived； so he waited by the tellers' cages with an associate。 When you phoned and said you were on your way to London； I left my office to find the man。 My secretary pointed him out and I told him。 The rest you know。'
'Didn't it strike you as odd that I had to be identified？'
'Not so odd as intemperate。 A fiche is one thing … telephone calls； faceless munications … but to be involved directly； in the open； as it were； is something else again。 I said as much to the woman。'
'What did she say to you？'
D'Amacourt cleared his throat。 'She made it clear that the party she represented … whose stature was； indeed； confirmed by the fiche itself … would remember my co…operation。 You see； I withhold nothing。。。 Apparently they don't know what you look like。'
'A man was at the bank who saw me in Zurich。'
Then his associates do not trust his eyesight。 Or； perhaps； what he thinks he saw。'
'Why do you say that？'
'Merely an observation。 Monsieur； the woman was insistent。 You must understand； I strenuously objected to any overt participation； that is not the nature of the fiche。 She said there was no photograph of you。 An obvious lie； of course。'
'Is it？'
'Naturally。 All passports have photographs。 Where is the immigration officer who cannot be bought； or duped。 Ten seconds in a control room； a photograph of a photograph； arrangements can be made。 No； they mitted a serious oversight。〃
'I see they did。'
'And you；' continued d'Amacourt； 'just told me something else。 Yes； you really must pay me very well。'
'What did I just tell you？'
〃That your passport does not identify you as Jason Bourne。 Who are you； Monsieur？'
Jason did not at first answer； he revolved his glass again。 'Someone who may pay you a lot of money；' he said。
'Entirely sufficient。 You are simply a client named Bourne。 And I must be cautious。'
'I want that telephone number in New York。 Can you get it for me？ There'd be a sizeable bonus。'
'I wish I could。 I see no way。'
'It might be raised from the fiche card。 Under a low…power scope。〃
'When I said it was deleted。 Monsieur； I did not mean it was crossed out。 It was deleted； it was cut out。〃
Then someone has it in Zurich。'
'Or it has been destroyed。'
'Last question；' said Jason； anxious now to leave。 'It concerns you； incidentally。 It's the only way you'll get paid。'
The question will be tolerated； of course。 What is it？〃
'If I showed up at the Valois without calling you； without telling you I was ing； would you be expected to make another telephone call？'
'Yes。 One does not disregard the fiche； it emanates from powerful board rooms。 Dismissal would follow。'
'Then how do we get our money？'
D'Amacourt pursed his lips。 〃There is a way。 Withdrawal in absentia。 Forms filled out； instructions by letter； identification confirmed and authenticated by an established firm of attorneys。 I would be powerless to interfere。'
'You'd still be expected to make the call though。'
'It's a matter of timing。 Should a lawyer with whom the Valois has had numerous dealings call me requesting that I prepare； say； a number of cashier's cheques drawn upon a foreign transfer be has ascertained to have been cleared； I would do so。 He would state that he was sending over the pleted forms； the cheques； of course； made out to 〃Bearer〃； not an unmon practice in these days of excessive taxes。 A messenger would arrive with the