if.thunderball-第26节

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nd　when　the　President　sounded　the　fire　alarm。　So　I　and　twenty　or　so　other　guys　were　just　pulled　in…drop　everything；　twenty…four　hours　to　report。　Hell！　I　thought　the　Russians　had　landed！　And　then　they　tell　me　the　score　and　to　pack　my　bathing　trunks　and　my　spade　and　bucket　and　e　on　down　to　Nassau。　So　of　course　I　griped　like　hell。　Asked　them　if　I　shouldn't　brush　up　on　my　Canasta　game　and　take　some　quick　lessons　in　the　cha…cha。　So　then　they　unbuttoned　and　told　me　I　was　to　team　up　with　you　down　here　and　I　thought　maybe　if　that　old　bastard　of　yours；　N　or　M　or　whatever　you　call　him；　had　sent　you　down　here　with　your　old　equalizer；　there　might　be　something　cooking　in　the　pot　after　all。　So　I　picked　up　the　gear　you'd　asked　for　from　Admin。；　packed　the　bow　and　arrows　instead　of　the　spade　and　bucket；　and　here　I　am。　And　that's　that。　Now　you　tell；　you　old　sonofabitch。　Hell；　it's　good　to　see　you。〃
　
　Bond　took　Leiter　through　the　whole　story；　point　by　point　from　the　moment　he　had　been　summoned　to　M's　office　the　morning　before。　When　he　came　to　the　shooting　outside　his　headquarters；　Leiter　stopped　him。
　
　〃Now　what　do　you　make　of　that；　James？　In　my　book　that's　a　pretty　funny　coincidence。　Have　you　been　fooling　around　with　anybody's　wife　lately？　Sounds　more　like　around　the　Loop　in　Chicago　than　a　mile　or　so　from　Piccadilly。〃
　
　Bond　said　seriously；　〃It　makes　no　sense　to　me；　and　none　to　anyone　else。　The　only　man　who　might　have　had　it　in　for　me；　recently　that　is；　is　a　crazy　bastard　I　met　down　at　a　sort　of　clinic　place　I　had　to　go　to　on　some　blasted　medical　grounds。〃　Bond；　to　Leiter's　keen　pleasure；　rather　sheepishly　gave　details　of　his　〃cure〃　at　Shrublands。　〃I　bowled　this　man　out　as　a　member　of　a　Chinese　Tong；　one　of　their　secret　societies；　the　Red　Lightning　Tong。　He　must　have　heard　me　getting　the　gen　on　his　outfit　from　Records…on　an　open　line　from　a　call　box　in　the　place。　Next　thing；　he　damned　near　managed　to　murder　me。　Just　for　a　lark；　and　to　get　even；　I　did　my　best　to　roast　him　alive。〃　Bond　gave　the　details。　〃Nice　quiet　place；　Shrublands。　You'd　be　surprised　how　carrot　juice　seems　to　affect　people。〃　〃Where　was　this　lunatic　asylum？〃
　
　〃Place　called　Washington。　Modest　little　place　pared　with　yours。　Not　far　from　Brighton。〃
　
　〃And　the　letter　was　posted　from　Brighton。〃　〃That's　the　hell　of　a　long　shot。〃
　
　〃I'll　try　another。　One　of　the　points　our　chaps　brought　up　was　that　if　a　plane　was　to　be　stolen　at　night　and　landed　at　night；　a　full　moon　would　be　the　hell　of　an　aid　to　the　job。　But　the　plane　was　taken　five　days　after　the　full。　Just　supposing　your　roast　chicken　was　the　letter…sender。　And　supposing　the　roasting　forced　him　to　delay　sending　the　letter　while　he　recovered。　His　employers　would　be　pretty　angry。　Yes？〃
　
　〃I　suppose　so。〃
　
　〃And　supposing　they　gave　orders　for　him　to　be　rubbed　for　inefficiency。　And　supposing　the　killer　got　to　him　just　as　he　got　to　you　to　settle　his　private　account。　From　what　you　tell　me　he　wouldn't　have　lain　down　under　what　you　did　to　him。　Well；　now。　Just　supposing　all　that。　It　adds　up；　doesn't　it？〃
　
　Bond　laughed；　partly　in　admiration。　〃You've　been　taking　mescalin　or　something。　It's　a　damned　good　sequence　for　a　ic　strip；　but　these　things　don't　happen　in　real　life。〃
　
　〃Planes　with　atom　bombs　don't　get　stolen　in　real　life。　Except　that　they　do。　You're　slowing　down；　James。　How　many　people　would　believe　the　files　on　some　of　the　cases　you　and　I　have　got　mixed　up　in？　Don't　give　me　that　crap　about　real　life。　There　ain't　no　such　animal。〃
　
　Bond　said　seriously；　〃Well；　look　here；　Felix。　Tell　you　what　I'll　do。　There's　just　enough　sense　in　your　story；　so　I'll　put　it　on　the　machine　to　M　tonight　and　see　if　the　Yard　can　get　anywhere　with　it。　They　could　check　with　the　clinic　and　the　hospital　in　Brighton；　if　that's　where　he　was　taken；　and　they　may　be　able　to　get　on　from　there。　Trouble　is；　wherever　they　get；　there's　nothing　left　of　the　man　but　his　shoes；　and　I　doubt　if　they'll　catch　up　with　the　man　on　the　motorbike。　It　looked　a　real　pro　job　to　me。〃
　
　〃Why　not？　These　highjackers　sound　like　pros。　It's　a　pro　plan。　It　all　fits　all　right。　You　go　ahead　and　put　it　on　the　wire　and　don't　be　ashamed　of　saying　it　was　my　idea。　My　medal　collection　has　got　to　looking　a　bit　thin　since　I　left　the　outfit。〃
　
　They　pulled　up　under　the　portico　of　the　Royal　Bahamian　and　Bond　gave　the　keys　to　the　parking　attendant。　Leiter　checked　in　and　they　went　up　to　his　room　and　sent　for　two　double　dry　martinis　on　the　rocks　and　the　menu。
　
　From　the　pretentious　dishes；　〃For　Your　Particular　Consideration；〃　printed　in　Ornamental　Gothic；　Bond　chose　Native　Seafood　Cocktail　Supreme　followed　by　Disjointed　Home　Farm　Chicken；　Sauté　au　Cresson；　which　was　described　in　italics　as　〃Tender　Farm　Chicken；　Broiled　to　a　Rich　Brown；　Basted　with　Creamery　Butter　and　Disjointed　for　Your　Convenience。　Price　38/6　or　dollars　5。35。〃　Felix　Leiter　went　for　the　Baltic　Herring　in　Sour　Cream　followed　by　〃Chopped　Tenderloin　of　Beef；　French　Onion　Rings　（Our　Renowned　Beef　is　Chef…Selected　from　the　Finest　Corn…fed；　Mid…Western　Cattle；　and　Aged　to　Perfection　to　Assure　You　of　the　Very　Best）。　Price　40/3　or　dollars　5。65。〃
　
　When　they　had　both　mented　sourly　and　at　length　about　the　inflated　bogosity　of　tourist…hotel　food　and　particularly　the　mendacious　misuse　of　the　English　language　to　describe　materials　which　had　certainly　been　in　various　deepfreezes　for　at　least　six　months；　they　settled　down　on　the　balcony　to　discuss　Bond's　findings　of　the　morning。　Half　an　hour　and　one　more　double　dry　martini　later；　their　luncheon　came。　The　whole　thing　amounted　to　about　five　shillings'　worth　of　badly　cooked　rubbish。　They　ate　in　a　mood　of　absent…minded　irritation；　saying　nothing。　Finally　Leiter　threw　down　his　knife　and　fork。　〃This　is　hamburger　and　bad　hamburger。　The　French　onion　rings　were　never　in　France；　and　what's　more〃…he　poked　at　the　remains　with　a　fork…〃they're　not　even　rings。　They're　oval。〃　He　looked　belligerently　across　at　Bond。　〃All　right；　Hawkshaw。　Where　do　we　go　from　here？〃
　
　〃The　major　decision　is　to　eat　out　in　future。　The　next　is　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　Disco　…now。〃　Bond　got　up　from　the　table。　〃When　we've　done　that；　we'll　have　to　decide　whether　or　not　these　people　are　hunting　pieces　of　eight　or　￡100；000；000。　Then　we'll　have　to　report　progress。〃　Bond　waved　at　the　packing　cases　in　a　corner　of　the　room。　〃I've　got　the　loan　of　a　couple　of　rooms　on　the　top　floor　of　police　headquarters　here。　The　missioner's　cooperative　and　a　solid　character。　These　Colonial　Police　are　good；　and　this　one's　a　cut　above　the　rest。　We　can　set　up　the　radio　there　and　make　contact　this　evening。　Tonight　there's　this　party　at　the　Casino。　We'll　go　to　that　and　see　if　any　of　these　faces　mean　anything　to　either　of　us。　The　first　thing's　to　see　if　the　yacht's　clean　or　not。　Can　you　break　that　Geiger　counter　out？〃
　
　〃Sure。　And　it's　a　honey。〃　Leiter　went　to　the　cases；　selected　one；　and　opened　it。　He　came　back　carrying　what　looked　like　a　Rolleiflex　camera　in　a　portable　leather　case。　〃Here；　give　me　a　hand。〃　Leiter　took　off　his　wrist　watch　and　strapped　on　what　appeared　to　be　another　watch。　He　slung　the　〃camera〃　by　its　strap　over　his　left　shoulder。　〃Now　run　those　wires　from　the　watch　up　my　sleeve　and　down　inside　my　coat。　Right。　Now　these　two　small　plugs　go　through　these　holes　in　my　coat　pocket　and　into　the　two　holes　in　the　box。　Got　it？　Now　we're　all　fixed。〃　Leiter　stood　back　and　posed。　〃Man　with　a　camera　and　a　wrist　watch。〃　He　unbuttoned　the　flap　of　the　camera。　〃See？　Perfectly　good　lenses　and　all　that。　Even　a　button　to　press　in　case　you　have　to　seem　to　take　a　picture。　But　in　back　of　the　make…believe　there's　a　metal　valve；　a　circuit；　and　batteries。　Now　take　a　look　at　this　watch。　And　it　is　a　watch。〃　He　held　it　under　Bond's　eyes。　〃Only　difference　is　that　it's　a　very　small　watch　mechanism　and　that　sweep　secondhand　is　a　meter　that　takes　the　radioactive　count。　Those　wires　up　the　sleeve　hitch　it　on　to　the　machine。　Now　then。　You're　still　wearing　that　old　wrist　watch　of　yours　with　the　big　phosphorus　numerals。　So　I　walk　round　the　room　for　a　moment　to　get　the　background　count。　That's　basic。　All　sorts　of　things　give　off　radiation　of　some　sort。　And　I　take　an　occasional　glance　at　my　watch…nervous　type；　and　I've　got　an　appointment　ing　up。　Now　here；　by　the　bathroom；　all　that　metal　is　giving　off　something　and　my　watch　is　registering　positive；　but　very　little。　Nothing　else　in　the　room　and　I've　established　the　amount　of　background　interference　I'll　have　to　discount　when　I　start　to　get　hot。　Right？　Now　I　e　close　up　to　you　and　my　camera's　only　a　few　inches　away　from　your　hand。　Here；　took　a　look。　Put　your　watch　right　up　against　the　counter。　See！　The　sweephand　is　getting　all　excited。　Move　your　watch　away　and　it　loses　interest。　It's　those　phosphorus　numerals　of　yours。　Remember　the　other　day　one　of　the　watch　panies　withdrew　an　air　pilots'　watch　from　the　market　because　the　Atomic　Energy　People　got　fussy？　Same　thing。　They　thought　this　particular　pilots'　watch；　with　the　big　phosphorescent　numerals；　was　giving　off　too　much　radiation　to　be　good　for　the　wearer。　Of　course〃…Leiter　patted　the　camera　case…〃this　is　a　special　job。　Most　types　give　off　a　clicking　sound；　and　if　you're　prospecting　for　uranium；　which　is　the　big　market　for　these　machin