if.liveandletdie-第19节

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ve　got　hold　of　one　of　the　most　powerful　men　in　America。　He　can　find　out　almost　anything　he　wants　to　and　if　he　doesn't　get　what　he　wants　somebody　gets　killed。'
　'Why　doesn't　someone　kill　him？'　asked　Bond。
　'You　can't　kill　him；'　she　said。　'He's　already　dead。　He's　a　Zombie。'
　'Yes；　I　see；'　said　Bond　slowly。　'It's　quite　an　impressive　arrangement。　Would　you　try？'
　She　looked　out　of　the　window；　then　back　at　him。
　'As　a　last　resort；'　she　admitted　unwillingly。　'But　don't　forget　I　e　from　Haiti。　My　brain　tells　me　I　could　kill　him；　but。。。'　She　made　a　helpless　gesture　with　her　hands。　'。。。　my　instinct　tells　me　I　couldn't。'
　She　smiled　at　him　docilely。　'You　must　think　me　a　hopeless　fool；'　she　said。
　Bond　reflected。　'Not　after　reading　all　those　books；'　he　admitted。　He　put　his　hand　across　the　table　and　covered　hers　with　it。　'When　the　time　es；'　he　said；　smiling；　'I'll　cut　a　cross　in　my　bullet。　That　used　to　work　in　the　old　days。'
　She　looked　thoughtful。　'I　believe　that　if　anybody　can　do　it；　you　can；'　she　said。　'You　hit　him　hard　last　night　in　exchange　for　what　he　did　to　you。　She　took　his　hand　in　hers　and　pressed　it。　'Now　tell　me　what　I　must　do。'
　'Bed；'　said　Bond。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　ten　o'clock。　'Might　as　well　get　as　much　sleep　as　we　can。　We'll　slip　off　the　train　at　Jacksonville　and　chance　being　spotted。　Find　another　way　down　to　the　Coast。'
　They　got　up。　They　stood　facing　each　other　in　the　swaying　train。
　Suddenly　Bond　reached　out　and　took　her　in　his　right　arm。　Her　arms　went　round　his　neck　and　they　kissed　passionately。　He　pressed　her　up　against　the　swaying　wall　and　held　her　there。　She　took　his　face　between　her　two　hands　and　held　it　away；　panting。　Her　eyes　were　bright　and　hot。　Then　she　brought　his　lips　against　hers　again　and　kissed　in　him　long　and　lasciviously；　as　if　she　was　the　man　and　he　the　woman。
　Bond　cursed　the　broken　hand　that　prevented　him　exploring　her　body；　taking　her。　He　freed　his　right　hand　and　put　it　between　their　bodies；　feeling　her　hard　breasts；　each　with　its　pointed　stigma　of　desire。　He　slipped　it　down　her　back　until　it　came　to　the　cleft　at　the　base　of　her　spine　and　he　let　it　rest　there；　holding　the　centre　of　her　body　hard　against　him　until　they　had　kissed　enough。
　She　took　her　arms　away　from　around　his　neck　and　pushed　him　away。
　'I　hoped　I　would　one　day　kiss　a　man　like　that；'　she　said。　'And　when　I　first　saw　you；　I　knew　it　would　be　you。'
　Her　arms　were　down　by　her　sides　and　her　body　stood　there；　open　to　him；　ready　for　him。
　'You're　very　beautiful；'　said　Bond。　'You　kiss　more　wonderfully　than　any　girl　I　have　ever　known。'　He　looked　down　at　the　bandages　on　his　left　hand。　'Curse　this　arm；'　he　said。　'I　can't　hold　you　properly　or　make　love　to　you。　It　hurts　too　much。　That's　something　else　Mr。　Big's　got　to　pay　for。'
　She　laughed。
　She　took　a　handkerchief　out　of　her　bag　and　wiped　the　lipstick　off　his　mouth。　Then　she　brushed　the　hair　away　from　his　forehead；　and　kissed　him　again；　lightly　and　tenderly。
　'It's　just　as　well；'　she　said。　'There　are　too　many　other　things　on　our　minds。'
　The　train　rocked　him　back　against　her。
　He　put　his　hand　on　her　left　breast　and　kissed　her　white　throat。　Then　he　kissed　her　mouth。
　He　felt　the　pounding　of　his　blood　softening。　He　took　her　by　the　hand　and　drew　her　out　into　the　middle　of　the　little　swaying　room。
　He　smiled。　'Perhaps　you're　right；'　he　said。　'When　the　time　es　I　want　to　be　alone　with　you；　with　all　the　time　in　the　world。　Here　there　is　at　least　one　man　who　will　probably　disturb　our　night。　And　we'll　have　to　be　up　at　four　in　the　morning　anyway。　So　there　simply　isn't　time　to　begin　making　love　to　you　now。　You　get　ready　for　bed　and　I'll　climb　up　after　you　and　kiss　you　good　night。'
　They　kissed　once　more；　slowly；　then　he　stepped　away。
　'We'll　just　see　if　we　have　pany　next　door；'　he　said。
　He　softly　pulled　the　wedge　away　from　under　the　municating　door　and　gently　turned　the　lock。　He　took　the　Beretta　out　of　its　holster；　thumbed　back　the　safety…catch　and　gestured　to　her　to　pull　open　the　door　so　that　she　was　behind　it。　He　gave　the　signal　and　she　wrenched　it　quickly　open。　The　empty　partment　yawned　sarcastically　at　them
　Bond　smiled　at　her　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　'Call　me　when　you're　ready；'　he　said　and　went　in　and　closed　the　door。
　The　door　to　the　corridor　was　locked。　The　room　was　identical　with　theirs。　Bond　went　over　it　very　carefully　for　vulnerable　points。　There　was　only　the　air…conditioning　vent　in　the　ceiling　and　Bond；　who　was　prepared　to　consider　any　possibility；　dismissed　the　employment　of　gas　in　the　system。　It　would　slay　all　the　other　occupants　of　the　car。　There　only　remained　the　waste　pipes　in　the　small　lavatory　and　while　these　certainly　could　be　used　to　insert　some　death…dealing　medium　from　the　underbelly　of　the　train；　the　operator　would　have　to　be　a　daring　and　skilled　acrobat。　There　was　no　ventilating　grill　into　the　corridor。
　Bond　shrugged　his　shoulders。　If　anyone　came；　it　would　be　through　the　doors。　He　would　just　have　to　stay　awake。
　Solitaire　called　for　him。　The　room　smelled　of　Balmain's　'Vent　Vert'。　She　was　leaning　on　her　elbow　and　looking　down　at　him　from　the　upper　berth。
　I　he　bedclothes　were　pulled　up　round　her　shoulder。　Bond　guessed　that　she　was　naked。　Her　black　hair　fell　away　from　her　head　in　a　dark　cascade。　With　only　the　reading…lamp　on　behind　her；　her　face　was　in　shadow。　Bond　climbed　up　the　little　aluminium　ladder　and　leant　towards　her。　She　reached　towards　him　and　suddenly　the　bedclothes　fell　away　from　her　shoulders。　x
　'Damn　you；'　said　Bond。　'You。。。'
　She　put　her　hand　over　his　mouth。
　'　〃Allumeuse〃　is　the　nice　word　for　it；'　she　said。　'It　is　fun　for　me　to　be　able　to　tease　such　a　strong　silent　man。　You　burn　with　such　an　angry；　flame。　It　is　the　only　game　I　have　to　play　with　you　and　I　shan't　be　able　to　play　it　for　long。　How　many　days　until　your　hand　is　well　again？'
　Bond　bit　hard　into　the　soft　hand　over　his　mouth。　She　gave　a　little　scream。
　'Not　many；'　said　Bond。　'And　then　one　day　when　you're　playing　your　little　game　you'll　suddenly　find　yourself　pinned　down　like　a　butterfly。'
　She　put　her　arms　round　him　and　they　kissed；　long　and　passionately。
　Finally　she　sank　back　among　the　pillows。
　'Hurry　up　and　get　well；'　she　said。　'I'm　tired　of　my　game　already。'　；
　Bond　climbed　down　to　the　floor　and　pulled　her　curtains　across　the　berth。
　'Try　and　get　some　sleep　now；'　he　said。　'We've　got　a　long　day　tomorrow。'
　She　murmured　something　and　he　heard　her　turn　over。　She　switched　off　the　light。
　Bond　verified　that　the　wedges　were　in　place　under　the　doors。　Then　he　took　off　his　coat　and　tie　and　lay　down　on　the　bottom　berth。　He　turned　off　his　own　light　and　lay　thinking　of　Solitaire　and　listening　to　the　steady　gallop　of　the　wheels　beneath　his　head　and　the　fortable　small　noises　in　the　room；　the　gentle　rattles　and　squeaks　and　murmurs　in　the　coachwork　that　bring　sleep　so　quickly　on　a　train　at　night…time。
　It　was　eleven　o'clock　and　the　train　was　on　the　long　stretch　between　Columbia　and　Savannah；　Georgia。　There　were　another　six　hours　or　so　to　Jacksonville；　another　six　hours　of　darkness　during　which　The　Big　Man　would　almost　certainly　have　instructed　his　agent　to　make　some　move；　while　the　whole　train　was　asleep　and　while　a　man　could　use　the　corridors　without　interference。
　The　great　train　snaked　on　through　the　dark；　pounding　out　the　miles　through　the　empty　plains　and　mingy　hamlets　of　Georgia；　the　'Peach　State'；　the　angry　moan　of　its　four…toned　wind…horn　soughing　over　the　wide　savannah　and　the　long　shaft　of　its　single　searchlight　ripping　the　black　calico　of　the　night。
　Bond　turned　on　his　light　again　and　read　for　a　while；　but　his　thoughts　were　too　insistent　and　he　soon　gave　up　and　switched　the　light　off。　Instead；　he　thought　of　Solitaire　and　of　the　future　and　of　the　more　immediate　prospects　of　Jacksonville　and　St。　Petersburg　and　of　seeing　Leiter　again。
　Much　later；　around　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　was　dozing　and　on　the　edge　of　sleep；　when　a　soft　metallic　noise　quite　close　to　his　head　brought　him　wide　awake　with　his　hand　on　his　gun。
　There　was　someone　at　the　passage　door　and　the　lock　was　being　softly　tried。
　Bond　was　immediately　on　the　floor　and　moving　silently　on　his　bare　feet。　He　gently　pulled　the　wedge　away　from　under　the　door　to　the　next　partment　and　as　gently　pulled　the　bolt　and　opened　the　door。　He　crossed　the　next　partment　and　softly　began　to　open　the　door　to　the　corridor。
　There　was　a　deafening　click　as　the　bolt　came　back。　He　tore　the　door　open　and　threw　himself　into　the　corridor；　only　to　see　a　flying　figure　already　nearing　the　forward　end　of　the　car。
　If　his　two　hands　had　been　free　he　could　have　shot　the　man；　but　to　open　the　doors　he　had　to　tuck　his　gun　into　the　waistband　of　his　trousers。　Bond　knew　that　pursuit　would　be　hopeless。　There　were　too　many　empty　partments　into　which　the　man　could　dodge　and　quietly　close　the　door。　Bond　had　worked　all　this　out　beforehand。　He　knew　his　only　chance　would　be　surprise　and　either　a　quick　shot　or　the　man's　surrender。
　He　walked　a　few　steps　to　partment　H。　A　tiny　diamond　of　paper　protruded　into　the　corridor。
　He　went　back　and　into　their　room；　locking　the　doors　behind　him。　He　softly　turned　on　his　reading　light。　Solitaire　was　still　asleep。　The　rest　of　the　paper；　a　single　sheet；　l