if.thunderball-第44节
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the corporal； who wheeled smartly and clanked out in his heavy boots。
When the door was shut； the captain pressed down the switch on the inter。 He gave orders to sail； surfaced； course due north； at ten knots。 Then he switched off。 In the short silence； there was a flurry of background noise； piping of bosuns' whistles； a thin mechanical whine； and the sound of running feet。 The submarine trembled slightly。 The captain said quietly； 〃Well； gentlemen； that's that。 I'd like to have the goose a bit less wild and a bit more solid。 But I'll be glad to chase her for you。 Now then； that signal。〃
With only half his mind on the wording of the signal； Bond sat and worried about the significance of the missioner's message and about Domino。 It looked bad。 It looked as if either the plane had not brought back the two bombs； or one of them； in which case the mobilization of the Manta and of the fighter bombers was a pretty meaningless precaution； hardly justified by the evidence。 It could easily be that the crashed Vindicator and the missing bombs were the work of some entirely different group and that； while they chased the Disco ； the field was being left clear for SPECTRE。 But Bond's instincts refused to allow him to accept this possibility。 As cover； the whole Disco …Largo set…up was one hundred per cent watertight。 It could not be faulted in any respect。 That in itself was enough to arouse Bond's suspicions。 A plot of this magnitude and audacity would only have been conceived under faultless cover and down to the smallest detail。 Largo could have just set off on his treasure hunt； and everything； down to the last…minute plane recce of the treasure location； to see if there were any fishing boats about for instance； fitted in with that possibility。 Or he could be sailing to lay the bomb； adjust the time fuse for perhaps a few hours after the deadline to allow time for its recovery or destruction if England and America at the last moment agreed to pay the ransom； and get far enough away from the danger area to avoid the explosion and establish an alibi。 But where was the bomb？ Had it arrived on board in the plane and had Domino for some reason been unable to go up on deck to make her signal？ Or was it going to be picked up en route to the target area？ The westerly course from Nassau； heading perhaps for the Northwest Light； through the Berry Island Channel； fitted both possibilities。 The sunken plane lay westward； south of the Biminis； and so did Miami and other possible targets on the American coast。 Or； after passing through the channel； about fifty miles west of Nassau； the Disco could veer sharply northward and； after another fifty miles of sailing through shoal water that would discourage pursuit； get back into the Northwest Providence Channel and make straight for the Grand Bahamas and the missile station。
Bond； fretted with indecision and the fear that he and Leiter were making majestic fools of themselves； forced himself to face one certainty…he and Leiter and the Manta were engaged on a crazy gamble。 If the bomb was on board； if the Disco veered north for the Grand Bahamas and the missile station； then； by racing up the Northwest Channel； the Manta might intercept her in time。
But if this gamble came off； with all its possibilities of error； why hadn't Domino made her signal？ What had happened to her？
21。 Very Softly； Very Slowly
The Disco ； a dark torpedo leaving a deep； briefly creaming wake； hurtled across the indigo mirror of the sea。 In the big stateroom there was silence save for the dull boom of the engines and the soft tinkle of a glass on the sideboard。 Although； as a precaution； the storm shutters were battened down over the portholes； the only light inside came from a single port navigation lantern hung from the roof。 The dim red light only just illuminated the faces of the twenty men sitting round the long table； and the red…and…black…shadowed features； contorting with the slight sway of the top light； gave the scene the appearance of a conspiracy in hell。
At the top of the table Largo； his face； though the cabin was air…conditioned； shining with sweat； began to speak。 His voice was tense and hoarse with strain。 〃I have to report that we are in a state of emergency。 Half an hour ago； No。 17 found Miss Vitali in the well deck。 She was standing fiddling with a camera； When No。 17 came upon her she lifted the camera and pretended to take a photograph of Palmyra； although the safety cap was over the lens。 No。 17 was suspicious。 He reported to me。 I went below and took her to her cabin。 She struggled with me。 Her whole attitude aroused my suspicions。 I was forced to subdue her by drastic measures。 I took the camera and examined it。〃 Largo paused。 He said quietly； 〃The camera was a fake。 It concealed a Geiger counter。 The counter was； very naturally； registering over 500 milliroentgens。 I brought her back to consciousness and questioned her。 She refused to talk。 In due course I shall force her to do so and then she will be eliminated。 It was time to sail。 I again rendered her unconscious and roped her securely to her bunk。 I have now summoned this meeting to acquaint you of this occurrence； which I have already reported to No。 2。〃
Largo was silent。 A threatening； exasperated growl came from round the table。 No。 14； one of the Germans； said through his teeth； 〃And what； Mister No。 1； did No。 2 have to say about this？〃
〃He said we were to carry on。 He said the whole world is full of Geiger counters looking for us。 The secret services of the whole world have been mobilized against us。 Some busybody in Nassau； the police probably； was perhaps ordered to have a radiation search made of all ships in harbor。 Perhaps Miss Vitali was bribed to bring the counter on board。 But No。 2 said that once we have placed the weapon in the target area there will be nothing to fear。 I have had the radio operator listening for unusual traffic between Nassau and the Coast。 The density is quite normal。 If we were suspected； Nassau would be deluged with wireless traffic from London and Washington。 But all is quiet。 So the operation will proceed as planned。 When we are well away from the area； we will dispose of the lead casing of the weapon。 The lead casing will contain Miss Vitali。〃
No。 14 persisted： 〃But you will first obtain the truth from this woman？ It is not pleasant for our future plans to think that we may be under suspicion。〃
〃Interrogation will begin as soon as the meeting is over。 If you want my opinion； those two men who came on board yesterday…this： Bond and the man Larkin…may be involved。 They may be secret agents。 The so…called Larkin had a camera。 I did not look at it closely； but it was similar to that in the possession of Miss Vitali。 I blame myself for not having been more careful with these two men。 But their story was convincing。 On our return to Nassau tomorrow morning； we shall have to be circumspect。 Miss Vitali will have fallen overboard。 I will work out the details of the story。 There will be an inquest。 This will be irritating but nothing more。 Our witnesses will be unshakable。 It will be wise to use the coins as additional alibi for our whereabouts tonight。 No。 5； is the state of erosion of the coins satisfactory？〃
No。 5； Kotze the physicist； said judiciously； 〃It is no more than adequate。 But they will pass examination； a cursory examination。 They are authentic doubloons and Reals of the early seventeenth century。 Sea water has no great effect on gold and silver。 I have used a little acid to pit them。 They will of course have to be handed to the coroner and declared as treasure trove。 It would need a far greater expert than he or the court to pass judgment on them。 There will be no pulsion to reveal the location of the treasure。 We could perhaps give the depth of water…ten fathoms let us say； and an unspecified reef。 I see no means by which our story could be upset。 There is often very deep water outside reefs。 Miss Vitali could have had trouble with her aqualung and could have been seen disappearing over the deep shelf where our echo…sounder gave the depth as a hundred fathoms。 We did our best to dissuade her from taking part in the search。 But she was an expert swimmer。 The romance of the occasion was too much for her。〃 No。 5 opened his hands。 〃There are often accidents of this nature。 Many lives are lost in this way every year。 A thorough search was instituted； but there were shark。 The treasure hunt was broken off and we immediately returned to Nassau to report the tragedy。〃 No。 5 shook his head decisively。 〃I see no reason to be dismayed by this occurrence。 But I am in favor of a most rigorous interrogation。〃 No。 5 turned his head politely in Largo's direction。 〃There are certain uses of electricity of which I have knowledge。 The human body cannot resist them。 If I can be of any service 。 。 。？〃 Largo's voice was equally polite。 They might have been discussing remedies for a seasick passenger。 〃Thank you。 I have means of persuasion that I have found satisfactory in the past。 But I shall certainly call upon you if the case is an obstinate one。〃 Largo looked down the table into the shadowed； ruby faces。 〃And now we will quickly run throug
