if.thunderball-第41节

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ables。　Finally　she　accepted　the　change　in　him。　She　said；　〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　James？　Is　anything　wrong？〃
　
　〃Yes；　darling。〃　Pulling　on　his　trousers；　Bond　heard　the　rattle　of　the　little　gold　chain　against　the　coins　in　his　pocket。　He　said；　〃e　outside。　I've　got　to　talk　to　you。〃
　
　Sentimentally；　Bond　chose　a　patch　of　sand　on　the　other　side　of　the　nut　from　where　they　had　been　before。　She　came　out　and　stood　in　front　of　him。　She　examined　his　face　carefully；　trying　to　read　it。　Bond　avoided　her　eyes。　He　sat　with　his　arms　around　his　knees　and　looked　out　to　sea。　She　sat　down　beside　him；　but　not　close。　She　said；　〃You　are　going　to　hurt　me。　Is　it　that　you　too　are　going　away？　Be　quick。　Do　it　cleanly　and　I　will　not　cry。〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃I'm　afraid　it's　worse　than　that；　Domino。　It's　not　about　me。　It's　about　your　brother。〃
　
　Bond　sensed　the　stiffening　of　her　body。　She　said　in　a　low；　tense　voice；　〃Go　on。　Tell　me。〃
　
　Bond　took　the　bracelet　out　of　his　pocket　and　silently　handed　it　to　her。
　
　She　took　it。　She　hardly　gave　it　a　glance。　She　turned　a　little　away　from　Bond。　〃So　he　is　dead。　What　happened　to　him？〃
　
　〃It　is　a　bad　story；　and　a　very　big　one。　It　involves　your　friend　Largo。　It　is　a　very　great　conspiracy。　I　am　here　to　find　out　things　for　my　government。　I　am　really　a　kind　of　policeman。　I　am　telling　you　this　and　I　will　tell　you　the　rest　because　hundreds　and　perhaps　thousands　of　people　will　die　unless　you　help　to　prevent　it。　That　is　why　I　had　to　show　you　that　bracelet　and　hurt　you　so　that　you　would　believe　me。　I　am　breaking　my　oath　in　doing　this。　Whatever　happens；　whatever　you　decide　to　do；　I　trust　you　not　to　tell　what　I　am　going　to　say。〃
　
　〃So　that　is　why　you　made　love　to　me…to　make　me　do　what　you　want。　And　now　you　blackmail　me　with　the　death　of　my　brother。〃　The　words　came　out　between　her　teeth。　Now　in　a　soft；　deadly　whisper；　she　said；　〃I　hate　you；　I　hate　you；　I　hate　you。〃
　
　Bond　said　coldly；　in　a　matter…of…fact　voice；　〃Your　brother　was　killed　by　Largo；　or　on　his　orders。　I　came　here　to　tell　you　that。　But　then〃…he　hesitated…〃you　were　there　and　I　love　you　and　want　you。　When　what　happened　began　to　happen　I　should　have　had　strength　to　stop　it。　I　hadn't。　I　knew　it　was　then　or　perhaps　never。　Knowing　what　I　knew；　it　was　a　dreadful　thing　to　have　done。　But　you　looked　so　beautiful　and　happy。　I　wanted　to　put　off　hurting　you。　That　is　my　only　excuse。〃　Bond　paused。　〃Now　listen　to　what　I　have　to　tell　you。　Try　and　forget　about　your　hate　for　me。　In　a　moment　you　will　realize　that　we　are　nothing　in　all　this。　This　is　a　thing　by　itself。〃　Bond　didn't　wait　for　her　to　ment。　He　began　from　the　beginning　and　went　slowly；　minutely；　through　the　whole　case；　omitting　only　the　advent　of　the　Manta　；　the　one　factor　that　could　now　be　of　help　to　Largo　and　perhaps　alter　his　plans。　He　ended；　〃So　you　see；　there　is　nothing　we　can　do　until　those　weapons　are　actually　on　board　the　Disco　。　Until　that　moment　es；　Largo　has　a　perfect　alibi　with　his　treasure…hunt　story。　There　is　nothing　to　link　him　with　the　crashed　plane　or　with　SPECTRE。　If　we　interfere　with　him　now；　this　moment；　arrest　the　ship　on　some　excuse；　put　a　watch　on　her；　prevent　her　sailing；　there　will　only　be　a　delay　in　the　SPECTRE　plan。　Only　Largo　and　his　men　know　where　the　bombs　are　hidden。　If　the　plane　has　gone　for　them；　it　will　be　keeping　contact　with　the　Disco　by　radio。　If　there's　any　hitch；　the　plane　can　leave　the　bombs　at　the　hiding　place　or　at　another；　dump　them　in　shallow　water　anywhere；　and　return　for　them　when　the　trouble　has　blown　over。　Even　the　Disco　could　be　taken　off　the　job　and　some　other　ship　or　plane　used　any　time　in　the　future。　SPECTRE　headquarters；　wherever　they　are；　will　inform　the　Prime　Minister　that　there　has　been　a　change　of　plan；　or　they　can　say　nothing　at　all。　Then；　perhaps　weeks　from　now；　they　will　send　another　munication。　And　this　time　there　will　perhaps　be　only　twenty…four　hours'　notice　for　the　money　to　be　dropped。　The　terms　will　be　tougher。　And　we　shall　have　to　accept　them。　So　long　as　those　bombs　are　still　lost　to　us；　the　threat　is　there。　You　see　that？〃　〃Yes。　So　what　is　to　be　done？〃　The　voice　was　harsh。　The　girl's　eyes　glittered　fiercely　as　they　looked　at　and　through　Bond　toward　some　distant　target…not；　he　thought；　at　Largo　the　great　conspirator；　but　at　Largo　who　had　had　her　brother　killed。
　
　〃We　have　got　to　know　when　those　bombs　are　on　board　the　Disco　。　That　is　all　that　matters。　Then　we　can　act　with　all　our　weight。　And　we　have　one　great　factor　on　our　side。　We　are　pretty　sure　that　Largo　feels　secure。　He　still　believes　that　the　wonderful　plan；　and　it　is　wonderful；　is　going　exactly　as　it　was　meant　to　do。　That　is　our　strength　and　our　only　strength。　You　see　that？〃
　
　〃And　how　are　you　to　know　when　the　bombs　e　on　board　the　yacht？〃
　
　〃You　must　tell　us。〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　The　monosyllable　was　dull；　indifferent。　〃But　how　am　I　to　know？　And　how　am　I　to　tell　you？　This　man　is　no　fool。　He　is　only　foolish　in　wanting　his　mistress〃…she　spat　the　word　out…〃when　so　much　else　is　at　stake。〃　She　paused。　〃These　people　have　chosen　badly。　Largo　cannot　live　without　a　woman　within　reach。　They　should　have　known　that。〃
　
　〃When　did　Largo　tell　you　to　e　back　on　board？〃
　
　〃Five。　The　boat　is　ing　to　fetch　me　at　Palmyra。〃
　
　Bond　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It　is　now　four。　I　have　this　Geiger　counter。　It　is　simple　to　use。　It　will　tell　at　once　if　the　bombs　are　on　board。　I　want　you　to　take　it　with　you。　If　it　says　there　is　a　bomb　on　board；　I　want　you　to　show　a　light　at　your　porthole…switch　the　lights　on　in　your　cabin　several　times；　anything　like　that。　We　have　men　watching　the　ship。　They　will　be　told　to　report。　Then　get　rid　of　the　Geiger　counter。　Drop　it　overboard。〃
　
　She　said　scornfully；　〃That　is　a　silly　plan。　It　is　the　sort　of　melodramatic　nonsense　people　write　about　in　thrillers。　In　real　life　people　don't　go　into　their　cabins　and　switch　on　their　lights　in　daylight。　No。　If　the　bombs　are　there；　I　will　e　up　on　deck…show　myself　to　your　men。　That　is　natural　behavior。　If　they　are　not　there；　I　will　stay　in　my　cabin。〃
　
　〃All　right。　Have　it　your　own　way。　But　will　you　do　this？〃　〃Of　course。　If　I　can　prevent　myself　killing　Largo　when　I　see　him。　But　on　condition　that　when　you　get　him　you　will　see　that　he　is　killed。〃　She　was　entirely　serious。　She　looked　at　him　with　matter…of…fact　eyes　as　if　he　were　a　travel　agent　and　she　were　reserving　a　seat　on　a　train。
　
　〃I　doubt　if　that　will　happen。　I　should　say　that　every　man　on　board　will　get　a　life　sentence　in　prison。〃
　
　She　considered　this。　〃Yes。　That　will　do。　That　is　worse　than　being　killed。　Now　show　me　how　this　machine　works。〃　She　got　to　her　feet　and　took　a　couple　of　steps　up　the　beach。　She　seemed　to　remember　something。　She　looked　down　at　the　bracelet　in　her　hand。　She　turned　and　walked　down　to　the　edge　of　the　sea　and　stood　for　a　moment　looking　out　across　the　quiet　water。　She　said　some　words　that　Bond　couldn't　hear。　Then　she　leaned　back　and　with　all　her　strength　threw　the　gold　chain　far　out　over　the　shoal　into　the　dark　blue。　The　chain　twinkled　briefly　in　the　strong　sun　and　there　was　a　small　splash。　She　watched　the　ripples　widen　and；　when　the　smashed　mirror　was　whole　again；　turned　and　walked　back　up　the　sand；　her　small　limp　leaving　footmarks　of　uneven　depth。
　
　Bond　showed　her　the　working　of　the　machine。　He　eliminated　the　wrist…watch　indicator　and　told　her　to　depend　entirely　on　the　telltale　clicking。　〃Anywhere　in　the　ship　should　be　all　right；〃　he　explained。　〃But　better　near　the　hold　if　you　can　get　there。　Say　you　want　to　take　a　photograph　from　the　well　deck　aft　or　something。　This　thing's　made　up　to　look　like　a　Rolleiflex。　It's　got　all　the　Rolleiflex　lenses　and　gadgets　on　the　front；　lever　to　press　and　all。　It　just　hasn't　got　a　film。　You　could　say　that　you'd　decided　to　take　some　farewell　pictures　of　Nassau　and　the　yacht；　couldn't　you？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　The　girl；　who　had　been　listening　attentively；　now　seemed　distracted。　Tentatively　she　put　out　a　hand　and　touched　Bond's　arm。　She　let　the　hand　fall。　She　looked　up　at　him　and　then　swiftly　away。　She　said　shyly；　〃What　I　said；　what　I　said　about　hating　you。　That　is　not　true。　I　didn't　understand。　How　could　I…all　this　terrible　story？　I　still　can't　quite　believe　it；　believe　that　Largo　has　anything　to　do　with　it。　We　had　a　sort　of　an　affair　in　Capri。　He　is　an　attractive　man。　Everyone　else　wanted　him。　It　was　a　challenge　to　take　him　from　all　these　other　smart　women。　Then　he　explained　about　the　yacht　and　this　wonderful　trip　looking　for　treasure。　It　was　like　a　fairy　tale。　Of　course　I　agreed　to　e。　Who　wouldn't　have？　In　exchange；　I　was　quite　ready　to　do　what　I　had　to　do。〃　She　looked　briefly　at　him　and　away。　〃I　am　sorry。　But　that　is　how　it　is。　When　we　got　to　Nassau　and　he　kept　me　ashore；　away　from　the　yacht；　I　was　surprised　but　I　was　not　offended。　The　islands　are　beautiful。　There　was　enough　for　me　to　do。　But　what　you　have　told　me　explains　many　small　things。　I　was　never　allowed　in　the　radio　room。　The　crew　were　silent　and　unfriendly…they　treated　me　like　someone　who　was　not　wanted　on　board；　and　they　were　on　curious　terms　with　Largo；　more　like　equals　than　paid　men。　And　they　were　tough　men　and　better　educated　than　sailors　usually　are。　So　it　all　fits。　I　can　even　remember　that；　for　a　whole　week　before　last　Thursday；　Lar