if.thunderball-第24节

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　know　most　of　the　faces。〃
　
　〃I　got　in　this　morning。　From　New　York。　I've　e　to　look　for　a　property。　It　struck　me　that　now　would　be　better　than　in　the　season。　When　all　the　millionaires　are　here　the　prices　are　hopeless。　They　may　e　down　a　bit　now　they're　gone。　How　long　have　you　been　here？
　
　〃About　six　months。　I　came　out　in　a　yacht；　the　Disco　Volante　。　You　may　have　seen　her。　She's　anchored　up　the　coast。　You　probably　flew　right　over　her　ing　in　to　land　at　Windsor　Field。〃
　
　〃A　long　low　streamlined　affair？　Is　she　yours？　She's　got　beautiful　lines。〃
　
　〃She　belongs　to　a　relative　of　mine。〃　The　eyes　watched　Bond's　face。
　
　〃Do　you　stay　on　board？〃
　
　〃Oh；　no。　We've　got　a　beach　property。　Or　rather　we've　taken　it。　It's　a　place　called　Palmyra。　Just　opposite　where　the　yacht　is。　It　belongs　to　an　Englishman。　I　believe　he　wants　to　sell　it。　It's　very　beautiful。　And　it's　a　long　way　away　from　the　tourists。　It's　at　a　place　called　Lyford　Key。〃
　
　〃That　sounds　the　sort　of　place　I'm　looking　for。〃
　
　〃Well；　we'll　be　gone　in　about　a　week。〃
　
　〃Oh。〃　Bond　looked　into　her　eyes。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　
　〃If　you've　got　to　flirt；　don't　be　obvious。〃　Suddenly　the　girl　laughed。　She　looked　contrite。　The　dimples　remained。　〃I　mean；　I　didn't　really　mean　that…not　the　way　it　sounded。　But　I've　spent　six　months　listening　to　that　kind　of　thing　from　these　silly　old　rich　goats　and　the　only　way　to　shut　them　up　is　to　be　rude。　I'm　not　being　conceited。　There's　no　one　under　sixty　in　this　place。　Young　people　can't　afford　it。　So　any　woman　who　hasn't　got　a　harelip　or　a　mustache…well　not　even　a　mustache　would　put　them　off。　They'd　probably　like　it。　Well；　I　mean　absolutely　any　girl　makes　these　old　goats　get　their　bifocals　all　steamed　up。〃　She　laughed　again。　She　was　getting　friendly。　〃I　expect　you'll　have　just　the　same　effect　on　the　old　women　with　pince…nez　and　blue　rinses。〃
　
　〃Do　they　eat　boiled　vegetables　for　lunch？〃
　
　〃Yes；　and　they　drink　carrot　juice　and　prune　juice。〃
　
　〃We　won't　get　on；　then。　I　won't　sink　lower　than　conch　chowder。〃
　
　She　looked　at　him　curiously。　〃You　seem　to　know　a　lot　about　Nassau。〃
　
　〃You　mean　about　conch　being　an　aphrodisiac？　That's　not　only　a　Nassau　idea。　It's　all　over　the　world　where　there　are　conchs。〃
　
　〃Is　it　true？〃
　
　〃Island　people　have　it　on　their　wedding　night。　I　haven't　found　it　to　have　any　effect　on　me。〃
　
　〃Why？〃　She　looked　mischievous。　〃Are　you　married？〃
　
　〃No。〃　Bond　smiled　across　into　her　eyes。　〃Are　you？〃
　
　〃No。〃
　
　Then　we　might　both　try　some　conch　soup　some　time　and　see　what　happens。〃
　
　〃That's　only　a　little　better　than　the　millionaires。　You'll　have　to　try　harder。〃
　
　The　drinks　came。　The　girl　stirred　hers　with　a　finger；　to　mix　in　the　brown　sediment　of　Worcester　sauce；　and　drank　half　of　it。　She　reached　for　the　carton　of　Dukes；　broke　it　open；　and　slit　a　packet　with　her　thumbnail。　She　took　out　a　cigarette；　sniffed　it　cautiously；　and　lit　it　with　Bond's　lighter。　She　inhaled　deeply　and　blew　out　a　long　plume　of　smoke。　She　said　doubtfully；　〃Not　bad。　At　least　the　smoke　looks　like　smoke。　Why　did　you　say　you　were　such　an　expert　on　giving　up　smoking？〃
　
　〃Because　I've　given　it　up　so　often。〃　Bond　thought　it　time　to　get　away　from　the　small　talk。　He　said；　〃Why　do　you　talk　such　good　English？　Your　accent　sounds　Italian。〃
　
　〃Yes；　my　name's　Dominetta　Vitali。　But　I　was　sent　to　school　in　England。　To　the　Cheltenham　Ladies　College。　Then　I　went　to　RADA　to　learn　acting。　The　English　kind　of　acting。　My　parents　thought　that　was　a　ladylike　way　to　be　brought　up。　Then　they　were　both　killed　in　a　train　crash。　I　went　back　to　Italy　to　earn　my　living。　I　remembered　my　English　but〃…she　laughed　without　bitterness…〃I　soon　forgot　most　of　the　rest。　You　don't　get　far　in　the　Italian　theater　by　being　able　to　walk　about　with　a　book　balanced　on　your　head。〃
　
　〃But　this　relative　with　the　yacht。〃　Bond　looked　out　to　sea。　〃Wasn't　he　there　to　look　after　you？〃
　
　〃No。〃　The　answer　was　curt。　When　Bond　made　no　ment　she　added；　〃He's　not　exactly　a　relative；　not　a　close　one。　He's　a　sort　of　close　friend。　A　guardian。〃　〃Oh；　yes。〃
　
　〃You　must　e　and　visit　us　on　the　yacht。〃　She　felt　that　a　bit　of　gush　was　needed。　〃He's　called　Largo；　Emilio　Largo。　You've　probably　heard。　He's　here　on　some　kind　of　a　treasure　hunt。〃
　
　〃Really？〃　Now　it　was　Bond's　turn　to　gush。　〃That　sounds　rather　fun；　Of　course　I'd　like　to　meet　him。　What's　it　all　about？　Is　there　anything　in　it？〃
　
　〃Heaven　knows。　He's　very　secretive　about　it。　Apparently　there's　some　kind　of　a　map。　But　I'm　not　allowed　to　see　it　and　I　have　to　stay　ashore　when　he　goes　off　prospecting　or　whatever　he　does。　A　lot　of　people　have　put　up　money　for　it；　sort　of　shareholders。　They've　all　just　arrived。　As　we're　going　in　a　week　or　so；　I　suppose　everything's　ready　and　the　real　hunt's　going　to　start　any　moment　now。〃
　
　〃What　are　the　shareholders　like？　Do　they　seem　sensible　sort　of　people？　The　trouble　with　most　treasure　hunts　is　that　either　someone's　been　there　before　and　sneaked　off　with　the　treasure　or　the　ship's　so　deep　in　the　coral　you　can't　get　at　it。〃
　
　〃They　seem　all　right。　Very　dull　and　rich。　Terribly　serious　for　something　as　romantic　as　treasure　hunting。　They　seem　to　spend　all　their　time　with　Largo。　Plotting　and　planning；　I　suppose。　And　they　never　seem　to　go　out　in　the　sun　or　go　bathing　or　anything。　It's　as　if　they　didn't　want　to　get　sunburned。　As　far　as　I　can　gather；　none　of　them　have　ever　been　in　the　tropics　before。　Just　a　typical　bunch　of　stuffy　businessmen。　They're　probably　better　than　that。　I　haven't　seen　much　of　them。　Largo's　giving　a　party　for　them　at　the　Casino　tonight。〃
　
　〃What　do　you　do　all　day？〃
　
　〃Oh；　I　fool　around。　Do　a　bit　of　shopping　for　the　yacht。　Drive　around　in　the　car。　Bathe　on　other　people's　beaches　when　their　houses　are　empty。　I　like　underwater　swimming。　I've　got　an　aqualung　and　I　take　one　of　the　crew　out　or　a　fisherman。　The　crew　are　better。　They　all　do　it。〃
　
　〃I　used　to　do　it　a　bit。　I've　brought　my　gear。　Will　you　show　me　some　good　bits　of　reef　sometime？〃
　
　The　girl　looked　pointedly　at　her　watch。　〃I　might　do。　It's　time　I　went。〃　She　got　up。　〃Thanks　for　the　drink。　I'm　afraid　I　can't　take　you　back。　I'm　going　the　other　way。　They'll　get　you　a　taxi　here。〃　She　shuffled　her　feet　into　her　sandals。
　
　Bond　followed　the　girl　through　the　restaurant　to　her　car。　She　got　in　and　pressed　the　starter。　Bond　decided　to　risk　another　snub。　He　said；　〃Perhaps　I'll　see　you　at　the　Casino　tonight；　Dominetta。〃
　
　〃Praps。〃　She　put　the　car　pointedly　into　gear。　She　took　another　look　at　him。　She　decided　that　she　did　want　to　see　him　again。　She　said；　〃But　for　God's　sake　don't　call　me　Dominetta。　I'm　never　called　that。　People　call　me　Domino。〃　She　gave　him　a　brief　smile；　but　it　was　a　smile　into　the　eyes。　She　raised　a　hand。　The　rear　wheels　spat　sand　and　gravel　and　the　little　blue　car　whirled　out　along　the　driveway　to　the　main　road。　It　paused　at　the　intersection　and　then；　as　Bond　watched；　turned　righthanded　toward　Nassau。
　
　Bond　smiled。　He　said；　〃Bitch；〃　and　walked　back　into　the　restaurant　to　pay　his　bill　and　have　a　taxi　called。
　
　12。　The　Man　from　the　C。I。A。
　
　The　taxi　took　Bond　out　to　the　airport　at　the　other　end　of　the　island　by　the　Interfield　Road。　The　man　from　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　Was　due　in　by　Pan　American　at　one…fifteen。　His　name　was　Larkin；　F。　Larkin。　Bond　hoped　he　wouldn't　be　a　muscle…bound　ex…college　man　With　a　crew…cut　and　a　desire　to　show　up　the　inpetence　of　the　British；　the　backwardness　of　their　little　Colony；　and　the　clumsy　ineptitude　of　Bond；　in　order　to　gain　credit　with　his　chief　in　Washington。　Bond　hoped　that　at　any　rate　he　would　bring　the　equipment　he　had　asked　for　before　he　left　London　through　Section　A；　who　looked　after　the　liaison　with　C。I。A。　This　was　the　latest　transmitter　and　receiver　for　agents　in　the　field；　so　that　the　two　of　them　could　be　independent　of　cable　offices；　and　have　instant　munication　with　London　and　Washington；　and　the　most　modern　portable　Geiger　counters　for　operating　both　on　land　and　under　water。　One　of　the　chief　virtues　of　C。I。A。；　in　Bond's　estimation；　was　the　excellence　of　their　equipment；　and　he　had　no　false　pride　about　borrowing　from　them。
　
　New　Providence；　the　island　containing　Nassau；　the　capital　of　the　Bahamas；　is　a　drab　sandy　slab　of　land　fringed　with　some　of　the　most　beautiful　beaches　in　the　world。　But　the　interior　is　nothing　but　a　waste　of　low…lying　scrub；　casuarinas；　mastic；　and　poison…wood　with　a　large　brackish　lake　at　the　western　end。　There　are　birds　and　tropical　flowers　and　palm　trees；　imported　fully　grown　from　Florida；　in　the　beautiful　gardens　of　the　millionaires　round　the　coast；　but　in　the　middle　of　the　island　there　is　nothing　to　attract　the　eye　but　the　skeleton　fingers　of　spidery　windmill　pumps　sticking　up　above　the　pine　barrens；　and　Bond　spent　the　ride　to　the　airport　reviewing　the　morning。
　
　He　had　arrived　at　seven　a。m。　to　be　met　by　the　Governor's　A。D。C。　…a　mild　error　of　security…and　taken　to　the　Royal　Bahamian；　a　large　old…fashioned　hotel　to　which　had　recently　been　applied　a　thin　veneer　of　American　efficiency　and　tourist　gimmicks…ice　water　in　his　room；　a　Cellophane…wrapped　basket　of　dingy　fruit　〃with　the　pliments　of　the　Manager；〃　and　a　strip　of　〃saniti