if.liveandletdie-第13节

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　Bond　uttered　a　soft　animal　groan　and　fainted。
　'Da　guy　ain't　got　no　sensayuma；'　mented　Tee…Hee。
　Solitaire　sat　limply　back　in　her　chair　and　closed　her　eyes。
　'Did　he　have　a　gun？'　asked　Mr。　Big。
　'Yassuh。'　Tee…Hee　took　Bond's　Beretta　out　of　his　pocket　and　slipped　it　across　the　desk。　The　Big　Man　picked　it　up　and　looked　at　it　expertly。　He　weighed　it　in　his　hand；　testing　the　feel　of　the　skeleton　grip。　Then　he　pumped　the　shells　out　on　to　the　desk；　verified　that　he　had　also　emptied　the　chamber　and　slid　it　over　towards　Bond。
　'Wake　him　up；'　he　said；　looking　at　his　watch。　It　said　three　o'clock。
　Tee…Hee　went　behind　Bond's　chair　and　dug　his　nails　into　the　lobes　of　Bond's　ears。
　Bond　groaned　and　lifted　his　head。
　His　eyes　focused　on　Mr。　Big　and　he　uttered　a　string　of　obscenities。
　'Be　thankful　you're　not　dead；'　said　Mr。　Big　without　emotion。　'Any　pain　is　preferable　to　death。　Here　is　your　gun。　I　have　the　shells。　Tee…Hee；　give　it　back　to　him。'
　Tee…Hee　took　it　off　the　desk　and　slipped　it　back　into　Bond's　holster。
　'I　will　explain　to　you　briefly；'　continued　The　Big　Man；　'why　it　is　that　you　are　not　dead；　why　you　have　been　permitted　to　enjoy　the　sensation　of　pain　instead　of　adding　to　the　pollution　of　the　Harlem　River　from　the　folds　of　what　is　jocularly　known　as　a　cement　overcoat。'
　He　paused　for　a　moment　and　then　spoke。
　'Mister　Bond；　I　suffer　from　boredom。　I　am　a　prey　to　what　the　early　Christians　called　〃accidie〃；　the　deadly　lethargy　that　envelops　those　who　are　sated；　those　who　have　no　more　desires。　I　am　absolutely　pre…eminent　in　my　chosen　profession；　trusted　by　those　who　occasionally　employ　my　talents；　feared　and　instantly　obeyed　by　those　whom　I　myself　employ。　I　have；　literally；　no　more　worlds　to　conquer　within　my　chosen　orbit。　Alas；　it　is　too　late　in　my　life　to　change　that　orbit　for　another　one；　and　since　power　is　the　goal　of　all　ambition；　it　is　unlikely　that　I　could　possibly　acquire　more　power　in　another　sphere　than　I　already　possess　in　this　one。'
　Bond　listened　with　part　of　his　mind。　With　the　other　half　he　was　already　planning。　He　sensed　the　presence　of
　Solitaire；　but　he　kept　his　eyes　off　her。　He　gazed　steadily　across　the　table　at　the　great　grey　face　with　its　unwinking　golden　eyes。
　The　soft　voice　continued。
　'Mister　Bond；　I　take　pleasure　now　only　in　artistry；　in　the　polish　and　finesse　which　I　can　bring　to　my　operations。　It　has　bee　almost　a　mania　with　me　to　impart　an　absolute　rightness；　a　high　elegance；　to　the　execution　of　my　affairs。　Each　day；　Mister　Bond；　I　try　and　set　myself　still　higher　standards　of　subtlety　and　technical　polish　so　that　each　of　my　proceedings　may　be　a　work　of　art；　bearing　my　signature　as　clearly　as　the　creations　of；　let　us　say；　Benvenuto　Cellini。　I　am　content；　for　the　time　being；　to　be　my　only　judge；　but　I　sincerely　believe；　Mister　Bond；　that　the　approach　to　perfection　which　I　am　steadily　achieving　in　my　operations　will　ultimately　win　recognition　in　the　history　of　our　times。'
　Mr。　Big　paused。　Bond　saw　that　his　great　yellow　eyes　were　wide；　as　if　he　saw　visions。　He's　a　raving　megalomaniac；　thought　Bond。　And　all　the　more　dangerous　because　of　it。　The　fault　in　most　criminal　minds　was　that　greed　was　their　only　impulse。　A　dedicated　mind　was　quite　another　matter。　This　man　was　no　gangster。　He　was　a　menace。　Bond　was　fascinated　and　slightly　awestruck。
　'I　accept　anonymity　for　two　reasons；'　continued　the　low　voice。　'Because　the　nature　of　my　operations　demands　it　and　because　I　admire　the　self…negation　of　the　anonymous　artist。　If　you　will　allow　the　conceit；　I　see　myself　sometimes　as　one　of　those　great　Egyptian　fresco　painters　who　devoted　their　lives　to　producing　masterpieces　in　the　tombs　of　kings；　knowing　that　no　living　eye　would　ever　see　them。'
　The　great　eyes　closed　for　a　moment。
　'However；　let　us　return　to　the　particular。　The　reason；　Mister　Bond；　why　I　have　not　killed　you　this　morning　is　because　it　would　give　me　no　aesthetic　pleasure　to　blow　a　hole　in　your　stomach。　With　this　engine；'　he　gestured　towards　the　gun　trained　on　Bond　through　the　desk　drawer；　'I　have　already　blown　many　holes　in　many　stomachs；　so　I　am　quite　satisfied　that　my　little　mechanical　toy　is　a　sound　technical　achievement。　Moreover；　as　no　doubt　you　rightly　surmise；　it　would　be　a　nuisance　for　me　to　have　a　lot　of　busy…bodies　around　here　asking　questions　about　the　disappearance　of　yourself　and　your　friend　Mr。　Leiter。　Not　more　than　a　nuisance；　but　for　various　reasons　I　wish　to　concentrate　on　other　matters　at　the　present　time。
　'So；'　Mr。　Big　looked　at　his　watch；　'I　decided　to　leave　my　card　upon　each　of　you　and　to　give　you　one　more　solemn　warning。　You　must　leave　the　country　today；　and　Mr。　Leiter　must　transfer　to　another　assignment。　I　have　quite　enough　to　bother　me　without　having　a　lot　of　agents　from　Europe　added　to　the　considerable　strength　of　local　busybodies　with　which　I　have　to　contend。
　'That　is　all；'　he　concluded。　'If　I　see　you　again；　you　will　die　in　a　manner　as　ingenious　and　appropriate　as　I　can　devise　on　that　day。
　'Tee…Hee；　take　Mister　Bond　to　the　garage。　Tell　two　of　the　men　to　take　him　to　Central　Park　and　throw　him　in　the　ornamental　water。　He　may　be　damaged　but　not　killed　if　he　resists。　Understood？'
　'Yassuh；　Boss；'　said　Tee…Hee；　giggling　in　a　high　falsetto。
　He　undid　Bond's　ankles；　then　his　wrists。　He　took　Bond's　injured　hand　and　twisted　it　right　up　his　back。　Then　with　his　other　hand　he　undid　the　strap　round　his　waist。　He　yanked　Bond　to　his　feet。
　'Giddap；'　said　Tee…Hee。
　Bond　gazed　once　more　into　the　great　grey　face。
　'Those　who　deserve　to　die；'　he　paused；'　die　the　death　they　deserve。　Write　that　down；'　he　added。　'It's　an　original　thought。〃
　Then　he　glanced　at　Solitaire。　Her　eyes　were　bent　on　the　hands　in　her　lap。　She　didn't　look　up。
　'Git　goin；'　said　Tee…Hee。　He　turned　Bond　round　towards　the　wall　and　pushed　him　forward；　twisting　Bond's　wrist　up　his　back　until　his　forearm　was　almost　dislocated。　Bond　uttered　a　realistic　groan　and　his　footsteps　faltered。　He　wanted　Tee…Hee　to　believe　that　he　was　cowed　and　docile。　He　wanted　the　torturing　grip　to　ease　just　a　little　on　his　left　arm。　As　it　was；　any　sudden　movement　would　only　result　in　his　arm　being　broken。
　Tee…Hee　reached　over　Bond's　shoulder　and　pressed　on　one　of　the　books　in　the　serried　shelves。　A　large　section　opened　on　a　central　pivot。　Bond　was　pushed　through　and　the　negro　kicked　the　heavy　section　back　into　place。　It　closed　with　a　double　click。　From　the　thickness　of　the　door；　Bond　guessed　it　would　be　sound…proof。　They　were　faced　by　a　short　carpeted　passage　ending　in　some　stairs　that　led　downwards。　Bond　groaned。
　'You're　breaking　my　arm；'　he　said。　'Look　out。　I'm　going　to　faint。'
　He　stumbled　again；　trying　to　measure　exactly　the　negro's　position　behind　him。　He　remembered　Leiter's　injunction：　'Shins；　groin；　stomach；　throat。　Hit　'em　anywhere　else　and　you'll　just　break　your　hand。'
　'Shut　yo　mouf；'　said　the　negro；　but　he　pulled　Bond's　hand　an　inch　or　two　down　his　back。
　This　was　all　Bond　needed。
　They　were　half　way　down　the　passage　with　only　a　few　feet　more　to　the　top　of　the　stairs。　Bond　faltered　again；　so　that　the　negro's　body　bumped　into　his。　This　gave　him　all　the　range　and　direction　he　needed。
　He　bent　a　little　and　his　right　hand；　straight　and　flat　as　a　board；　whipped　round　and　inwards。　He　felt　it　thud　hard　into　the　target。　The　negro　screamed　shrilly　like　a　wounded　rabbit。　Bond　felt　his　left　arm　e　free。　He　whirled　round；　pulling　out　his　empty　gun　with　his　right　hand。　The　negro　was　bent　double；　his　hands　between　his　legs；　uttering　little　panting　screams。　Bond　whipped　the　gun　down　hard　on　the　back　of　the　woolly　skull。　It　gave　back　a　dull　klonk　as　if　he　had　hammered　on　a　door；　but　the　negro　groaned　and　fell　forward　on　his　knees；　throwing　out　his　hands　for　support。　Bond　got　behind　him　and　with　all　the　force　he　could　put　behind　the　steel…capped　shoe；　he　gave　one　mighty　kick　below　the　lavender…coloured　seat　of　the　negro's　pants。
　A　final　short　scream　was　driven　out　of　the　man　as　he　sailed　the　few　feet　to　the　stairs。　His　head　hit　the　side　of　the　iron　banisters　and　then；　a　twisting　wheel　of　arms　and　legs；　he　disappeared　over　the　edge；　down　into　the　well。　There　was　a　short　crash　as　he　caromed　off　some　obstacle；　then　a　pause；　then　a　mingled　thud　and　crack　as　he　hit　the　ground。　Then　silence。
　Bond　wiped　the　sweat　out　of　his　eyes　and　stood　listening。　He　thrust　his　wounded　left　hand　into　his　coat。　It　was　throbbing　with　pain　and　swollen　to　almost　twice　its　normal　size。　Holding　his　gun　in　his　right　hand；　he　walked　to　the　head　of　the　stairs　and　slowly　down；　moving　softly　on　the　balls　of　his　feet。
　There　was　only　one　floor　between　him　and　the　spread…eagled　body　below。　When　he　reached　the　landing；　he　stopped　again　and　listened。　Quite　close；　he　could　hear　the　high…pitched　whine　of　some　form　of　fast　wireless　transmitter。　He　verified　that　it　came　from　behind　one　of　the　two　doors　on　the　landing。　This　must　be　Mr。　Big's'munications　centre。　He　longed　to　carry　out　a　quick　raid。　But　his　gun　was　empty　and　he　had　no　idea　how　many　men　he　would　find　in　the　room。　It　could　only　have　been　the　earphones　on　their　ears　that　had　prevented　the　operators　from　hearing　the　sounds　of　Tee…Hee's　fall。　He　crept　on　down。
　Tee…Hee　was　either　dead　or　dying。　He　lay　spread…eagled　on　his　bac