if.thunderball-第3节

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ook　her　out　in　their　Bentleys　and　gave　her　a　roll　in　a　deserted　quarry　up　on　the　Downs。　That's　been　her　pitch　for　years。　Trouble　was　they　paid　her　five；　ten　quid　and　she　soon　got　too　good　for　the　likes　of　us。　Priced　her　out　of　our　market；　so　to　speak。　Inflation；　sort　of。　And　a　month　ago　she　chucked　up　her　job　at　The　Honey　Bee；　and　you　know　what？〃　The　young　man's　voice　was　loud　with　indignation。　〃She　bought　herself　a　beat…up　Austin　Metropolitan　for　a　couple　of　hundred　quid　and　went　mobile。　Just　like　the　London　tarts　in　Curzon　Street　they　talk　about　in　the　papers。　Now　she's　off　to　Brighton；　Lewes…anywhere　she　can　find　the　sports；　and　in　between　whiles　she　goes　to　work　in　the　quarry　with　these　old　goats　from　the　Scrubs！　Would　you　believe　it！〃　The　young　man　gave　an　angry　blast　on　his　klaxon　at　an　inoffensive　couple　on　a　tandem　bicycle。
　
　Bond　said　seriously；　〃That's　too　bad。　I　wouldn't　have　thought　these　people　would　be　interested　in　that　sort　of　thing　on　nut　cutlets　and　dandelion　wine　or　whatever　they　get　to　eat　at　this　place。〃
　
　The　young　man　snorted。　〃That's　all　you　know。　I　mean〃…he　felt　he　had　been　too　emphatic…〃that's　what　we　all　thought。　One　of　my　pals；　he's　the　son　of　the　local　doctor；　talked　the　thing　over　with　his　dad…　in　a　roundabout　way；　sort　of。　And　his　dad　said　no。　He　said　that　this　sort　of　diet　and　no　drink　and　plenty　of　rest；　what　with　the　massage　and　the　hot　and　cold　sitz　baths　and　what　have　you；　he　said　that　all　clears　the　blood　stream　and　tones　up　the　system；　if　you　get　my　meaning。　Wakes　the　old　goats　up…makes　'em　want　to　start　cutting　the　mustard　again；　if　you　know　the　song　by　that　Rosemary　Clooney。〃
　
　Bond　laughed。　He　said；　〃Well；　well。　Perhaps　there's　something　to　the　place　after　all。〃
　
　A　sign　on　the　right　of　the　road　said：　〃　Shrublands。　Gateway　to　Health。　First　right。　Silence　please。　〃　The　road　ran　through　a　wide　belt　of　firs　and　evergreens　in　a　fold　of　the　Downs。　A　high　wall　appeared　and　then　an　imposing；　mock…battlemented　entrance　with　a　Victorian　lodge　from　which　a　thin　wisp　of　smoke　rose　straight　up　among　the　quiet　trees。　The　young　man　turned　in　and　followed　a　gravel　sweep　between　thick　laurel　bushes。　An　elderly　couple　cringed　off　the　drive　at　a　blare　from　his　klaxon　and　then　on　the　right　there　were　broad　stretches　of　lawn　and　neatly　flowered　borders　and　a　sprinkling　of　slowly　moving　figures；　alone　and　in　pairs；　and　behind　them　a　redbrick　Victorian　monstrosity　from　which　a　long　glass　sun　parlor　extended　to　the　edge　of　the　grass。
　
　The　young　man　pulled　up　beneath　a　heavy　portico　with　a　crenelated　roof。　Beside　a　varnished；　iron…studded　arched　door　stood　a　tall　glazed　urn　above　which　a　notice　said：　〃　No　smoking　inside。　Cigarettes　here　please。　〃　Bond　got　down　from　the　taxi　and　pulled　his　suitcase　out　of　the　back。　He　gave　the　young　man　a　ten…shilling　tip。　The　young　man　accepted　it　as　no　less　than　his　due。　He　said；　〃Thanks。　You　ever　want　to　break　out；　you　can　call　me　up。　Polly's　not　the　only　one。　And　there's　a　tea　shop　on　the　Brighton　road　has　buttered　muffins。　So　long。〃　He　banged　the　gears　into　bottom　and　ground　off　back　the　way　he　had　e。　Bond　picked　up　his　suitcase　and　walked　resignedly　up　the　steps　and　through　the　heavy　door。
　
　Inside　it　was　very　warm　and　quiet。　At　the　reception　desk　in　the　big　oak…paneled　hall　a　severely　pretty　girl　in　starched　white　weled　him　briskly。　When　he　had　signed　the　register　she　led　him　through　a　series　of　somberly　furnished　public　rooms　and　down　a　neutral…smelling　white　corridor　to　the　back　of　the　building。　Here　there　was　a　municating　door　with　the　annex；　a　long；　low；　cheaply　built　structure　with　rooms　on　both　sides　of　a　central　passage。　The　doors　bore　the　names　of　flowers　and　shrubs。　She　showed　him　into　Myrtle；　told　him　that　〃the　Chief〃　would　see　him　in　an　hour's　time；　at　six　o'clock；　and　left　him。　It　was　a　room…shaped　room　with　furniture…shaped　furniture　and　dainty　curtains。　The　bed　was　provided　with　an　electric　blanket。　There　was　a　vase　containing　three　marigolds　beside　the　bed　and　a　book　called　Nature　Cure　Explained　by　Alan　Moyle；　M。N。B。A。　Bond　opened　it　and　ascertained　that　the　initials　stood　for　〃Member：　British　Naturopathic　Association。〃　He　turned　off　the　central　heating　and　opened　the　windows　wide。　The　herb　garden；　row　upon　row　of　small　nameless　plants　round　a　central　sundial；　smiled　up　at　him。　Bond　unpacked　his　things　and　sat　down　in　the　single　armchair　and　read　about　eliminating　the　waste　products　from　his　body。　He　learned　a　great　deal　about　foods　he　had　never　heard　of；　such　as　Potassium　Broth；　Nut　Mince；　and　the　mysteriously　named　Unmalted　Slippery　Elm。　He　had　got　as　far　as　the　chapter　on　massage　and　was　reflecting　on　the　injunction　that　this　art　should　be　divided　into　Effleurage；　Stroking；　Friction；　Kneading；　Petrissage；　Tapotement；　and　Vibration；　when　the　telephone　rang。　A　girl's　voice　said　that　Mr。　Wain　would　be　glad　to　see　him　in　Consulting　Room　A　in　five　minutes。
　
　Mr。　Joshua　Wain　had　a　firm；　dry　handshake　and　a　resonant；　encouraging　voice。　He　had　a　lot　of　bushy　gray　hair　above　an　unlined　brow；　soft；　clear　brown　eyes；　and　a　sincere　and　Christian　smile。　He　appeared　to　be　genuinely　pleased　to　see　Bond　and　to　be　interested　in　him。　He　wore　a　very　clean　smocklike　coat　with　short　sleeves　from　which　strong　hairy　arms　hung　relaxed。　Below　were　rather　incongruous　pin…stripe　trousers。　He　wore　sandals　over　socks　of　conservative　gray　and　when　he　moved　across　the　consulting　room　his　stride　was　a　springy　lope。
　
　Mr。　Wain　asked　Bond　to　remove　all　his　clothes　except　his　shorts。　When　he　saw　the　many　scars　he　said　politely；　〃Dear　me；　you　do　seem　to　have　been　in　the　wars；　Mr。　Bond。〃
　
　Bond　said　indifferently；　〃Near　miss。　During　the　war。〃
　
　〃Really！　War　between　peoples　is　a　terrible　thing。　Now；　just　breathe　in　deeply；　please。〃　Mr。　Wain　listened　at　Bond's　back　and　chest；　took　his　blood　pressure；　weighed　him　and　recorded　his　height；　and　then；　after　asking　him　to　lie　face　down　on　a　surgical　couch；　handled　his　joints　and　vertebrae　with　soft；　probing　fingers。
　
　While　Bond　replaced　his　clothes；　Mr。　Wain　wrote　busily　at　his　desk。　Then　he　sat　back。　〃Well；　Mr。　Bond；　nothing　much　to　worry　about　here；　I　think。　Blood　pressure　a　little　high；　slight　osteopathic　lesions　in　the　upper　vertebrae…they'll　probably　be　causing　your　tension　headaches；　by　the　way…and　some　right　sacroiliac　strain　with　the　right　ilium　slightly　displaced　backwards。　Due　to　a　bad　fall　some　time；　no　doubt。〃　Mr。　Wain　raised　his　eyebrows　for　confirmation。
　
　Bond　said；　〃Perhaps。〃　Inwardly　he　reflected　that　the　〃bad　fall〃　had　probably　been　when　he　had　had　to　jump　from　the　Arlberg　Express　after　Heinkel　and　his　friends　had　caught　up　with　him　around　the　time　of　the　Hungarian　uprising　in　1956。
　
　〃Well；　now。〃　Mr。　Wain　drew　a　printed　form　toward　him　and　thoughtfully　ticked　off　items　on　a　list。　〃Strict　dieting　for　one　week　to　eliminate　the　toxins　in　the　blood　stream。　Massage　to　tone　you　up；　irrigation；　hot　and　cold　sitz　baths；　osteopathic　treatment；　and　a　short　course　of　traction　to　get　rid　of　the　lesions。　That　should　put　you　right。　And　plete　rest；　of　course。　Just　take　it　easy；　Mr。　Bond。　You're　a　civil　servant；　I　understand。　Do　you　good　to　get　away　from　all　that　worrying　paper　work　for　a　while。〃　Mr。　Wain　got　up　and　handed　the　printed　form　to　Bond。　〃Treatment　rooms　in　half　an　hour；　Mr。　Bond。　No　harm　in　starting　right　away。〃
　
　〃Thank　you。〃　Bond　took　the　form　and　glanced　at　it。　〃What's　traction；　by　the　way？〃
　
　〃A　mechanical　device　for　stretching　the　spine。　Very　beneficial。〃　Mr。　Wain　smiled　indulgently。　〃Don't　be　worried　by　what　some　of　the　other　patients　tell　you　about　it。　They　call　it　‘The　Rack。'　You　know　what　wags　some　people　are。〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　Bond　walked　out　and　along　the　white…painted　corridor。　People　were　sitting　about；　reading　or　talking　in　soft　tones　in　the　public　rooms。　They　were　all　elderly；　middle…class　people；　mostly　women；　many　of　whom　wore　unattractive　quilted　dressing　gowns。　The　warm；　close　air　and　the　frumpish　women　gave　Bond　claustrophobia。　He　walked　through　the　hall　to　the　main　door　and　let　himself　out　into　the　wonderful　fresh　air。
　
　Bond　walked　thoughtfully　down　the　trim　narrow　drive　and　smelled　the　musty　smell　of　the　laurels　and　the　laburnums。　Could　he　stand　it？　Was　there　any　way　out　of　this　hell…hole　short　of　resigning　from　the　Service？　Deep　in　thought；　he　almost　collided　with　a　girl　in　white　who　came　hurrying　round　a　sharp　bend　in　the　thickly　hedged　drive。　At　the　same　instant　as　she　swerved　out　of　his　path　and　flashed　him　an　amused　smile；　a　mauve　Bentley；　taking　the　corner　too　fast；　was　on　top　of　her。　At　one　moment　she　was　almost　under　its　wheels；　at　the　next；　Bond；　with　one　swift　step；　had　gathered　her　up　by　the　waist　and；　executing　a　passable　Veronica；　with　a　sharp　swivel　of　his　hips　had　picked　her　body　literally　off　the　hood　of　the　car。　He　put　the　girl　down　as　the　Bentley　dry…skidded　to　a　stop　in　the　gravel。　His　right　hand　held　the　memory　of　one　beautiful　breast。　The　girl　said；　〃Oh！〃　and　looked　up　into　his　eyes　with　an　expression　of　flurried　astonishment。　Then　she　took　in　what　had　happened　and　said　breathlessly；　〃Oh；　thank　you。〃　She　turned　toward　the　car。
　
　A　man　had　climbed　unhurriedly　down　from　the　driving　seat。　He　said　calmly；　〃I　am　so　s