if.thunderball-第5节

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　Bond　gave　her　a　bitter　smile。　He　took　the　horrible　mug　over　to　one　of　the　little　café　tables　near　the　windows　overlooking　the　dark　lawn　and　sat　down　and　sipped　the　thin　soup　while　he　watched　some　of　his　fellow　inmates　meandering　aimlessly；　weakly；　through　the　room。　Now　he　felt　a　grain　of　sympathy　for　the　wretches。　Now　he　was　a　member　of　their　club。　Now　he　had　been　initiated。　He　drank　the　soup　down　to　the　last　neat　cube　of　carrot　and　walked　abstractedly　off　to　his　room；　thinking　of　Count　Lippe；　thinking　of　sleep；　but　above　all　thinking　of　his　empty　stomach。
　
　After　two　days　of　this；　Bond　felt　terrible。　He　had　a　permanent　slight　nagging　headache；　the　whites　of　his　eyes　had　turned　rather　yellow；　and　his　tongue　was　deeply　furred。　His　masseur　told　him　not　to　worry。　This　was　as　it　should　be。　These　were　the　poisons　leaving　his　body。　Bond；　now　a　permanent　prey　to　lassitude；　didn't　argue。　Nothing　seemed　to　matter　any　more　but　the　single　orange　and　hot　water　for　breakfast；　the　mugs　of　hot　soup；　and　the　cups　of　tea　which　Bond　filled　with　spoonfuls　of　brown　sugar；　the　only　variety　that　had　Mr。　Wain's　sanction。
　
　On　the　third　day；　after　the　massage　and　the　shock　of　the　sitz　baths；　Bond　had　on　his　program　〃Osteopathic　Manipulation　and　Traction。〃　He　was　directed　to　a　new　section　of　the　basement；　withdrawn　and　silent。　When　he　opened　the　designated　door　he　expected　to　find　some　hairy　H…man　waiting　for　him　with　flexed　muscles。　（H…man；　he　had　discovered；　stood　for　Health…man。　It　was　the　smart　thing　to　call　oneself　if　you　were　a　naturopath。）　He　stopped　in　his　tracks。　The　girl；　Patricia　something；　whom　he　had　not　set　eyes　on　since　his　first　day；　stood　waiting　for　him　beside　the　couch。　He　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　said；　〃Good　lord。　Is　this　what　you　do？〃
　
　She　was　used　to　this　reaction　of　the　men　patients　and　rather　touchy　about　it。　She　didn't　smile。　She　said　in　a　business…like　voice；　〃Nearly　ten　per　cent　of　osteopaths　are　women。　Take　off　your　clothes；　please。　Everything　except　your　shorts。〃　When　Bond　had　amusedly　obeyed　she　told　him　to　stand　in　front　of　her。　She　walked　round　him；　examining　him　with　eyes　in　which　there　was　nothing　but　professional　interest。　Without　menting　on　his　scars　she　told　him　to　lie　face　downward　on　the　couch　and；　with　strong；　precise；　and　thoroughly　practiced　holds；　went　through　the　handling　and　joint…cracking　of　her　profession。
　
　Bond　soon　realized　that　she　was　an　extremely　powerful　girl。　His　muscled　body；　admittedly　unresistant；　seemed　to　be　easy　going　for　her。　Bond　felt　a　kind　of　resentment　at　the　neutrality　of　this　relationship　between　an　attractive　girl　and　a　half…naked　man。　At　the　end　of　the　treatment　she　told　him　to　stand　up　and　clasp　his　hands　behind　her　neck。　Her　eyes；　a　few　inches　away　from　his；　held　nothing　but　professional　concentration。　She　hauled　strongly　away　from　him；　presumably　with　the　object　of　freeing　his　vertebrae。　This　was　too　much　for　Bond。　At　the　end　of　it；　when　she　told　him　to　release　his　hands；　he　did　nothing　of　the　sort。　He　tightened　them；　pulled　her　head　sharply　toward　him；　and　kissed　her　full　on　the　lips。　She　ducked　quickly　down　through　his　arms　and　straightened　herself；　her　cheeks　red　and　her　eyes　shining　with　anger。　Bond　smiled　at　her；　knowing　that　he　had　never　missed　a　slap　in　the　face；　and　a　hard　one　at　that；　by　so　little。　He　said；　〃It's　all　very　well；　but　I　just　had　to　do　it。　You　shouldn't　have　a　mouth　like　that　if　you're　going　to　be　an　osteopath。〃
　
　The　anger　in　her　eyes　subsided　a　fraction。　She　said；　〃The　last　time　that　happened；　the　man　had　to　leave　by　the　next　train。〃
　
　Bond　laughed。　He　made　a　threatening　move　toward　her。　〃If　I　thought　there　was　any　hope　of　being　kicked　out　of　this　damn　place　I'd　kiss　you　again。〃
　
　She　said；　〃Don't　be　silly。　Now　pick　up　your　things。　You've　got　half　an　hour's　traction。〃　She　smiled　grimly。　〃That　ought　to　keep　you　quiet。〃
　
　Bond　said　morosely；　〃Oh；　all　right。　But　only　on　condition　you　let　me　take　you　out　on　your　next　day　off。〃
　
　〃We'll　see　about　that。　It　depends　how　you　behave　at　the　next　treatment。〃　She　held　open　the　door。　Bond　picked　up　his　clothes　and　went　out；　almost　colliding　with　a　man　ing　down　the　passage。　It　was　Count　Lippe；　in　slacks　and　a　gay　windcheater。　He　ignored　Bond。　With　a　smile　and　a　slight　bow　he　said　to　the　girl；　〃Here　es　the　lamb　to　the　slaughter。　I　hope　you're　not　feeling　too　strong　today。〃　His　eyes　twinkled　charmingly。
　
　The　girl　said　briskly；　〃Just　get　ready；　please。　I　shan't　be　a　moment　putting　Mr。　Bond　on　the　traction　table。〃　She　moved　off　down　the　passage　with　Bond　following。
　
　She　opened　the　door　of　a　small　anteroom；　told　Bond　to　put　his　things　down　on　a　chair；　and　pulled　aside　plastic　curtains　that　formed　a　partition。　Just　inside　the　curtains　was　an　odd…looking　kind　of　surgical　couch　in　leather　and　gleaming　aluminum。　Bond　didn't　like　the　look　of　it　at　all。　While　the　girl　fiddled　with　a　series　of　straps　attached　to　three　upholstered　sections　that　appeared　to　be　on　runners；　Bond　examined　the　contraption　suspiciously。　Below　the　couch　was　a　stout　electric　motor　on　which　a　plate　announced　that　this　was　the　Hercules　Motorized　Traction　Table。　A　power　drive　in　the　shape　of　articulated　rods　stretched　upward　from　the　motor　to　each　of　the　three　cushioned　sections　of　the　couch　and　terminated　in　tension　screws　to　which　the　three　sets　of　straps　were　attached。　In　front　of　the　raised　portion　where　the　patient's　head　would　lie；　and　approximately　level　with　his　face；　was　a　large　dial　marked　in　lbs。…pressure　up　to　200。　After　150　lbs。　the　numerals　were　in　red。　Below　the　headrest　were　grips　for　the　patient's　hands。　Bond　noted　gloomily　that　the　leather　on　the　grips　was　stained　with；　presumably；　sweat。
　
　〃Lie　face　downward　here；　please。〃　The　girl　held　the　straps　ready。　Bond　said　obstinately；　〃Not　until　you　tell　me　what　this　thing　does。　I　don't　like　the　look　of　it。〃
　
　The　girl　said　patiently；　〃This　is　simply　a　machine　for　stretching　your　spine。　You've　got　mild　spinal　lesions。　It　will　help　to　free　those。　And　at　the　base　of　your　spine　you've　got　some　right　sacroiliac　strain。　It'll　help　that　too。　You　won't　find　it　bad　at　all。　Just　a　stretching　sensation。　It's　very　soothing；　really。　Quite　a　lot　of　patients　fall　asleep。〃
　
　〃This　one　won't；〃　said　Bond　firmly。　〃What　strength　are　you　going　to　give　me？　Why　are　those　top　figures　in　red？　Are　you　sure　I'm　not　going　to　be　pulled　apart？〃
　
　The　girl　said　with　a　touch　of　impatience；　〃Don't　be　silly。　Of　course　if　there　was　too　much　tension　it　might　be　dangerous。　But　I　shall　be　starting　you　only　at　90　pounds　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　I　shall　e　and　see　how　you're　getting　on　and　probably　put　you　up　to　120。　Now　e　along。　I've　got　another　patient　waiting。〃
　
　Reluctantly　Bond　climbed　up　on　the　couch　and　lay　on　his　face　with　his　nose　and　mouth　buried　in　a　deep　cleft　in　the　headrest。　He　said；　his　voice　muffled　by　the　leather；　〃If　you　kill　me；　I'll　sue。〃
　
　He　felt　the　straps　being　tightened　round　his　chest　and　then　round　his　hips。　The　girl's　skirt　brushed　the　side　of　his　face　as　she　bent　to　reach　the　control　lever　beside　the　big　dial。　The　motor　began　to　whine。　The　straps　tightened　and　then　relaxed；　tightened　and　relaxed。　Bond　felt　as　if　his　body　was　being　stretched　by　giant　hands。　It　was　a　curious　sensation；　but　not　unpleasant。　With　difficulty　Bond　raised　his　head。　The　needle　on　the　dial　stood　at　90。　Now　the　machine　was　making　a　soft　iron　hee…hawing；　like　a　mechanical　donkey；　as　the　gears　alternatively　engaged　and　disengaged　to　produce　the　rhythmic　traction。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　He　heard　the　girl　pass　through　the　plastic　curtains　and　then　the　click　of　the　outer　door。　Bond　abandoned　himself　to　the　soft　feel　of　the　leather　at　his　face；　to　the　relentless　intermittent　haul　on　his　spine　and　to　the　hypnotic　whine　and　drone　of　the　machine。　It　really　wasn't　too　bad。　How　silly　to　have　had　nerves　about　it！
　
　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　he　heard　again　the　click　of　the　outside　door　and　the　swish　of　the　curtains。
　
　〃All　right？〃
　
　〃Fine。〃
　
　The　girl's　hand　came　into　his　line　of　vision　as　she　turned　the　lever。　Bond　raised　his　head。　The　needle　crept　up　to　120。　Now　the　pull　was　really　hard　and　the　voice　of　the　machine　was　much　louder。
　
　The　girl　put　her　head　down　to　his。　She　laid　a　reassuring　hand　on　his　shoulder。　She　said；　her　voice　loud　above　the　noise　of　the　gears；　〃Only　another　quarter　of　an　hour　to　go。〃
　
　〃All　right。〃　Bond's　voice　was　careful。　He　was　probing　the　new　strength　of　the　giant　haul　on　his　body。　The　curtains　swished。　Now　the　click　of　the　outside　door　was　drowned　by　the　noise　of　the　machine。　Slowly　Bond　relaxed　again　into　the　arms　of　the　rhythm。
　
　It　was　perhaps　five　minutes　later　when　a　tiny　movement　of　the　air　against　his　face　made　Bond　open　his　eyes。　In　front　of　his　eyes　was　a　hand；　a　man's　hand；　reaching　softly　for　the　lever　of　the　accelerator。　Bond　watched　it；　at　first　fascinated；　and　then　with　dawning　horror　as　the　lever　was　slowly　depressed　and　the　straps　began　to　haul　madly　at　his　body。　He　shouted…something；　he　didn't　know　what。　His　whole　body　was　racked　with　a　great　pain。　Desperately　he　lifted　his　head　and　shouted　again。　On　the　dial；　the　needle　was　trembling　at　200！　His　head　dropped　back；　exh