if.thunderball-第28节

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　〃I　suppose　acmodation's　the　problem？〃
　
　It　is　a　weakness　of　all　men；　though　not　necessarily　of　all　women；　to　love　their　material　possessions。　Largo　said；　with　a　trace　of　pricked　vanity；　〃No；　no。　I　think　you　will　find　that　it　is　not　so。　You　can　spare　five　minutes？　We　are　rather　crowded　at　the　moment。　You　have　heard　no　doubt　of　our　treasure　hunt？〃　He　looked　sharply　at　them　as　a　man　would　who　expects　ridicule。　〃But　we　will　not　discuss　that　now。　No　doubt　you　do　not　believe　in　these　things。　But　my　associates　in　the　affair　are　all　on　board。　With　the　crew；　there　are　forty　of　us。　You　will　see　that　we　are　not　cramped。　You　would　like？〃　Largo　gestured　to　the　door　in　the　rear　of　the　stateroom。
　
　Felix　Leiter　showed　reluctance。　〃You　know；　Mr。　Bond；　that　we　have　that　meeting　with　Mr。　Harold　Christie　at　five　o'clock？〃
　
　Bond　waved　the　objection　aside。　〃Mr。　Christie　is　a　charming　man。
　
　I　know　he　won't　mind　if　we　are　a　few　minutes　late。　I'd　love　to　see　over　the　ship　if　you're　sure　you　can　spare　the　time；　Mr。　Largo。〃　Largo　said；　〃e。　It　will　not　take　more　than　a　few　minutes。　The　excellent　Mr。　Christie　is　a　friend　of　mine。　He　will　understand。〃　He　went　to　the　door　and　held　it　open。
　
　Bond　had　been　expecting　the　politeness。　It　would　interfere　with
　
　Leiter　and　his　apparatus。　He　said　firmly；　〃Please　go　first；　Mr。　Largo。
　
　You　will　be　able　to　tell　us　when　to　duck　our　heads。〃　With　more　affabilities；　Largo　led　the　way。　Ships；　however　modern；　are　more　or　less　the　same…the　corridors　to　port　and　starboard　of　the　engine　room；　rows　of　cabin　doors；　which
　
　Largo　explained　were　occupied；　the　large　munal　bathrooms；　the　galley；　where　two　cheerful…looking　Italians　in　white　smocks　laughed　at　Largo's　jokes。about　the　food　and　seemed　pleased　with　the　visitors'　interest；　the　huge　engine　room　where　the　chief　engineer　and　his　mate；　Germans　it　seemed；　gave　enthusiastic　information　about　the　powerful　twin　Diesels　and　explained　the　hydraulics　of　the　hydrofoil　depressor　…it　was　all　exactly　like　visiting　any　other　ship　and　saying　the　right　things　to　the　crew；　using　the　right　superlatives　to　the　owner。
　
　The　short　space　of　afterdeck　was　occupied　by　the　little　two…seater　amphibian；　painted　dark　blue　and　white　to　match　the　yacht；　its　wings　now　folded　and　its　engine　cowled　against　the　sun；　a　big　jolly…boat　to　hold　about　twenty　men；　and　an　electric　derrick　to　hoist　them　in…　and　outboard。　Bond；　estimating　the　ship's　displacement　and　her　freeboard；　said　casually；　〃And　the　hold？　More　cabin　space？〃
　
　〃Just　storage。　And　the　fuel　tanks；　of　course。　She　is　an　expensive　ship　to　run。　We　have　to　carry　several　tons。　The　ballast　problem　is　important　with　these　ships。　When　her　bows　e　up；　the　fuel　shifts　aft。　We　have　to　have　big　lateral　tanks　to　correct　these　things。〃　Talking　fluently　and　expertly；　Largo　led　them　back　up　the　starboard　passageway。　They　were　about　to　pass　the　radio　room　when　Bond　said；　〃You　said　you　had　ship…to…shore。　What　else　do　you　carry？　The　usual　Marconi　short　and　long　wave；　I　suppose。　Could　I　have　a　look？　Radio　has　always　fascinated　me。〃
　
　Largo　said　politely；　〃Some　other　time；　if　you　don't　mind。　I'm　keeping　the　operator　full　time　on　met。　reports。　They're　rather　important　to　us　at　the　moment。〃
　
　〃Of　course。〃
　
　They　climbed　up　into　the　enclosed　dome　of　the　bridge；　where　Largo　briefly　explained　the　controls　and　led　them　out　on　the　narrow　deck　space。　〃So　there　you　are；〃　said　Largo。　〃The　good　ship　Disco　Volante　…the　Flying　Saucer。　And　she　really　does　fly；　I　can　assure　you。　I　hope　you　and　Mr。　Larkin　will　e　for　a　short　cruise　one　of　these　days。　For　the　present〃…he　smiled　with　a　hint　of　a　secret　shared…　〃as　you　may　have　heard；　we　are　rather　busy。〃
　
　〃Very　exciting；　this　treasure　business。　Do　you　think　you've　got　a　good　chance？〃
　
　〃We　like　to　think　so。〃　Largo　was　deprecating。　〃I　only　wish　I　could　tell　you　more。〃　He　waved　an　apologetic　hand。　〃Unfortunately；　as　they　say；　my　lips　are　sealed。　I　hope　you　will　understand。〃
　
　〃Yes；　of　course。　You　have　your　shareholders　to　consider。　I　only　wish　I　was　one　so　that　I　could　e　along。　I　suppose　there's　not　room　for　another　investor？〃
　
　〃Alas；　no。　The　issue；　as　they　say；　is　fully　subscribed。　It　would　have　been　very　pleasant　to　have　had　you　with　us。〃　Largo　held　out　a　hand。　〃Well；　I　see　that　Mr。　Larkin　has　been　looking　anxiously　at　his　watch　during　our　brief　tour。　We　must　not　keep　Mr。　Christie　waiting　any　longer。　It　has　been　a　great　pleasure　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Bond。　And　you；　Mr。　Larkin。〃
　
　With　a　further　exchange　of　courtesies　they　went　down　the　ladder　to　the　waiting　launch　and　got　under　way。　There　was　a　last　wave　from　Mr。　Largo　before　he　vanished　through　the　hatch　to　the　bridge。
　
　They　sat　in　the　stern　well　away　from　the　boatman。　Leiter　shook　his　head。　〃Absolutely　negative。　Reaction　around　the　engine　room　and　the　radio　room；　but　that's　normal。　It　was　all　normal；　damnably　normal。　What　did　you　make　of　him　and　the　whole　setup？〃
　
　〃Same　as　you…damned　normal。　He　looks　what　he　says　he　is；　and　behaves　that　way。　Not　much　crew　about；　but　the　ones　we　saw　were　either　ordinary　crew　or　wonderful　actors。　Only　two　small　things　stuck　me。　There　was　no　way　down　to　the　hold　that　I　could　see；　but　of　course　it　could　have　been　a　manhole　under　the　passage　carpet。　But　then　how　do　you　get　the　stores　he　talked　of　down　there？　And　there's　the　hell　of　a　lot　of　space　in　that　hold　even　if　I　don't　know　much　about　naval　architecture。　I'll　do　a　check　with　the　oiling　wharf　through　the　customs　people　and　see　just　how　much　fuel　he　does　carry。　Then　it's　odd　that　we　didn't　see　any　of　these　shareholders。　It　was　around　three　o'clock　when　we　went　on　board　and　most　of　them　may　have　been　having　siestas。　But　surely　not　all　nineteen　of　them。　What　do　they　do　in　their　cabins　all　the　time？　Another　small　thing。　Did　you　notice　that　Largo　didn't　smoke　and　that　there　was　no　trace　of　tobacco　smell　anywhere　in　the　ship？　That's　odd。　Around　forty　men　and　not　one　of　them　is　a　smoker。　If　one　had　anything　else　to　go　on　one　would　say　that　wasn't　coincidence　but　discipline。　The　real　pros　don't　drink　or　smoke。　But　I　admit　it's　a　damned　long　shot。　Notice　the　Decca　Navigator　and　the　echo…sounder？　Pretty　expensive　bits　of　equipment；　both　of　them。　Fairly　normal　on　a　big　yacht；　of　course；　but　I'd　have　expected　Largo　to　point　them　out　when　he　was　showing　us　the　bridge。　Rich　men　are　proud　of　their　toys。　But　that's　only　clutching　at　straws。　I'd　have　said　the　whole　outfit's　as　clean　as　a　whistle　if　it　wasn't　for　all　that　missing　space　we　weren't　shown。　That　talk　about　fuel　and　ballast　sounded　a　bit　glib　to　me。　What　do　you　think？〃
　
　〃Same　as　you。　There's　at　least　half　of　that　ship　we　didn't　see。　But　then　again　there's　a　perfectly　good　answer　to　that。　He　may　have　got　a　stack　of　secret　treasure…hunting　gear　down　there　he　doesn't　want　anyone　to　see。　Remember　that　merchant　ship　off　Gibraltar　during　the　war？　The　Italian　frogmen　used　it　as　a　base。　Big　sort　of　trapdoor　affair　cut　in　the　hull　below　the　water　line。　I　suppose　he　hasn't　got　something　like　that？〃
　
　Bond　looked　sharply　at　Leiter。　〃The　Olterra　。　One　of　the　blackest　marks　against　Intelligence　during　the　whole　war。〃　He　paused。　〃The　Disco　was　anchored　in　about　forty　feet　of　water。　Supposing　they'd　got　the　bombs　buried　in　the　sand　below　her。　Would　your　Geiger　counter　have　registered？〃
　
　〃Doubt　it。　I've　got　an　underwater　model　and　we　could　go　and　have　a　sniff　round　when　it　gets　dark。　But　really；　James〃…Leiter　frowned　impatiently…〃aren't　we　getting　a　bit　off　beam…seeing　burglars　under　the　bed？　We've　got　damn…all　to　go　on。　Largo's　a　powerful…looking　piratical　sort　of　chap；　probably　a　bit　of　a　crook　where　women　are　concerned。　But　what　the　hell　have　we　got　against　him？　Have　you　put　a　Trace　through　on　him　and　on　these　shareholders　and　the　crew　members？〃
　
　〃Yes。　Put　them　all　on　the　wire　from　Government　House；　Urgent　Rates。　We　should　get　an　answer　by　this　evening。　But　look　here；　Felix。〃　Bond's　voice　was　stubborn。　〃There's　a　damned　fast　ship　with　a　plane　and　forty　men　no　one　knows　anything　about。　There's　not　another　group　or　even　an　individual　in　the　area　who　looks　in　the　least　promising。　All　right；　so　the　outfit　looks　all　right　and　its　story　seems　to　stand　up。　But　just　supposing　the　whole　thing　was　a　phony…a　damned　good　one　of　course；　but　then　so　it　ought　to　be　with　all　that's　at　stake。　Take　another　look　at　the　picture。　These　so…called　shareholders　all　arrive　just　in　time　for　June　third。　On　that　night　the　Disco　goes　to　sea　and　stays　out　till　morning。　Just　supposing　she　rendezvous'd　that　plane　in　shallow　water　somewhere。　Just　suppose　she　picked　up　the　bombs　and　put　them　away…in　the　sand　under　the　ship；　if　you　like。　Anyway；　somewhere　safe　and　convenient。　Just　suppose　all　that　and　what　sort　of　a　picture　do　you　get？〃
　
　〃A　B　picture　so　far　as　I'm　concerned；　James。〃　Leiter　shrugged　resignedly。　〃But　I　guess　there's　just　enough　to　make　it　a　lead。〃　He　laughed　sardonically。　〃But　I'd　rather　shoot　myself　than　put　it　in　tonight's　report。　If　we're　going　to　make　fools　of　ourselves；　we'd　better　do　it　well　out　of　sight　and　sound　of　our　chiefs。　So　what's　on　your　mind？　What　es　next？〃
　
　〃While　you　get　our　munications　going；　I'm　going　to　check　with　the　oiling　wharf。　Then　we'll