if.liveandletdie-第29节

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y。　She　would　hear　the　noise　of　the　plane　and　perhaps　her　instincts　would　make　her　look　up　towards　the　sky　and　feel　that　for　a　moment　he　was　nearby。
　Bond　wondered　if　they　would　ever　meet　again　and　finish　what　they　had　begun。　But　that　would　have　to　e　later；　when　his　work　was　over　…　the　prize　at　the　end　of　the　dangerous　road　that　had　started　three　weeks　before　in　the　fog　of　London。
　After　a　cocktail　and　an　early　dinner　they　came　in　to　Nassau　and　spent　half　an　hour　on　the　richest　island　in　the　world；　the　sandy　patch　where　a　thousand　million　pounds　of　frightened　sterling　lies　buried　beneath　the　Canasta　tables　and　where　bungalows　surrounded　by　a　thin　scurf　of　screw…pine　and　casuarina　change　hands　at　fifty　thousand　pounds　a　piece。
　They　left　the　platinum　whistle…stop　behind　and　were　soon　crossing　the　twinkling　mother…of…pearl　lights　of　Havana；　so　different　in　their　pastel　modesty　from　the　harsh　primary　colours　of　American　cities　at　night。
　They　were　flying　at　fifteen　thousand　feet　when；　just　after　crossing　Cuba；　they　ran　into　one　of　those　violent　tropical　storms　that　suddenly　turn　aircraft　from　fortable　drawing…rooms　into　bucketing　death…traps。　The　great　plane　staggered　and　plunged；　its　screws　now　roaring　in　vacuum　and　now　biting　harshly　into　walls　of　solid　air。　The　thin　tube　shuddered　and　swung。　Crockery　crashed　in　the　pantry　and　huge　rain　hammered　on　the　perspex　windows。
　Bond　gripped　the　arms　of　his　chair　so　that　his　left　hand　hurt　and　cursed　softly　to　himself。
　He　looked　at　the　racks　of　magazines　and　thought：　they　won't　help　much　when　the　steel　tires　at　fifteen　thousand　feet；　nor　will　the　eau…de…cologne　in　the　washroom；　nor　the　personalized　meals；　the　free　razor；　the　'orchid　for　your　lady'　now　trembling　in　the　ice…box。　Least　of　all　the　safety…belts　and　the　life…jackets　with　the　whistle　that　the　steward　demonstrates　will　really　blow；　nor　the　cute　little　rescue…lamp　that　glows　red。
　No；　when　the　stresses　are　too　great　for　the　tired　metal；　when　the　ground　mechanic　who　checks　the　de…icing　equipment　is　crossed　in　love　and　skimps　his　job；　way　back　in　London；　Idlewild；　Gander；　Montreal；　when　those　or　many　things　happen；　then　the　little　warm　room　with　propellers　in　front　falls　straight　down　out　of　the　sky　into　the　sea　or　on　to　the　land；　heavier　than　air；　fallible；　vain。　And　the　forty　little　heavier…than…air　people；　fallible　within　the　plane's　fallibility；　vain　within　its　larger　vanity；　fall　down　with　it　and　make　little　holes　in　the　land　or　little　splashes　in　the　sea。　Which　is　anyway　their　destiny；　so　why　worry？　You　are　linked　to　the　ground　mechanic's　careless　fingers　in　Nassau　just　as　you　are　linked　to　the　weak　head　of　the　little　man　in　the　family　saloon　who　mistakes　the　red　light　for　the　green　and　meets　you　head…on；　for　the　first　and　last　time；　as　you　are　motoring　quietly　home　from　some　private　sin。　There's　nothing　to　do　about　it。　You　start　to　die　the　moment　you　are　born。　The　whole　of　life　is　cutting　through　the　pack　with　death。　So　take　it　easy。　Light　a　cigarette　and　be　grateful　you　are　still　alive　as　you　suck　the　smoke　deep　into　your　lungs。　Your　stars　have　already　let　you　e　quite　a　long　way　since　you　left　your　mother's　womb　and　whimpered　at　the　cold　air　of　the　world。　Perhaps　they'll　even　let　you　get　to　Jamaica　tonight。　Can't　you　hear　those　cheerful　voices　in　the　control　tower　that　have　said　quietly　all　day　long；　'e　in　BOAC。　e　in　Panam。　e　in　K　L　M　'？　Can't　you　hear　them　calling　you　down　too　：　'e　in　Transcarib。　e　in　Transcarib'？　Don't　lose　faith　in　your　stars。　Remember　that　hot　stitch　of　time　when　you　faced　death　from　The　Robber's　gun　last　night。　You're　still　alive；　aren't　you？　There；　we're　out　of　it　already。　It　was　just　to　remind　you　that　being　quick　with　a　gun　doesn't　mean　you're　really　tough。　Just　don't　forget　it。　This　happy　landing　at　Palisadoes　Airport　es　to　you　by　courtesy　of　your　stars。　Better　thank　them。
　Bond　unfastened　his　seat…belt　and　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　face。
　To　hell　with　it；　he　thought；　as　he　stepped　down　out　of　the　huge　strong　plane。
　Strangways；　the　chief　Secret　Service　agent　for　the　Caribbean；　was　at　the　airport　to　meet　him　and　he　was　quickly　through　the　Customs　and　Immigration　and　Finance
　Control。
　It　was　nearly　eleven　and　the　night　was　quiet　and　hot。　There　was　the　shrill　sound　of　crickets　from　the　dildo　cactus　on　both　sides　of　the　airport　road　and　Bond　gratefully　drank　in　the　sounds　and　smells　of　the　tropics　as　the　military　pick…up　cut　across　the　corner　of　Kingston　and　took　them　up　towards　the　gleaming；　moonlit　foothills　of　the　Blue　Mountains。
　They　talked　in　monosyllables　until　they　were　settled　on　the　fortable　veranda　of　Strangways's　neat　white　house　on　the　Junction　Road　below　Stony　Hill。
　Strangways　poured　a　strong　whisky…and…soda　for　both　of　them　and　then　gave　a　concise　account　of　the　whole　of　the　Jamaica　end　of　the　case。
　He　was　a　lean；　humorous　man　of　about　thirty…five；　a　former　Lieutenant…mander　in　the　Special　Branch　of　the　RNVR。　He　had　a　black　patch　over　one　eye　and　the　sort　of　aquiline　good　looks　that　are　associated　with　the　bridges　of　destroyers。　But　his　face　was　heavily　lined　under　its　tan　and　Bond　sensed　from　his　quick　gestures　and　clipped　sentences　that　he　was　nervous　and　highly　strung。　He　was　certainly　efficient　and　he　had　a　sense　of　humour；　and　he　showed　no　signs　of　jealousy　at　someone　from　headquarters　butting　in　on　his　territory。　Bond　felt　that　they　would　get　on　well　together　and　he　looked　forward　to　the　partnership。　This　was　the　story　that　Strangways　had　to　tell。　It　had　always　been　rumoured　that　there　was　treasure　on　the　Isle　of　Surprise　and　everything　that　was　known　about　Bloody　Morgan　supported　the　rumour。
　The　tiny　island　lay　in　the　exact　centre　of　Shark　Bay；　a　small　harbour　that　lies　at　the　end　of　the　Junction　Road　that　runs　across　the　thin　waist　of　Jamaica　from　Kingston　to　the　north　coast。
　The　great　buccaneer　had　made　Shark　Bay　his　headquarters。　He　liked　to　have　the　whole　width　of　the　island　between　himself　and　the　Governor　at　Port　Royal　so　that　he　could　slip　in　and　out　of　Jamaican　waters　in　plete　secrecy。　The　Governor　also　liked　the　arrangement。　The　Crown　wished　a　blind　eye　to　be　turned　on　Morgan's　piracy　until　the　Spaniards　had　been　cleared　out　of　the　Caribbean。　When　this　was　acplished；　Morgan　was　rewarded　with　a　Knighthood　and　the　Governorship　of　Jamaica。　Till　then；　his　actions　had　to　be　disavowed　to　avoid　a　European　war　with　Spain。
　So；　for　the　long　period　before　the　poacher　turned　gamekeeper；　Morgan　used　Shark　Bay　as　his　sallyport。　He　built　three　houses　on　the　neighbouring　estate；　christened　Llanrumney　after　his　birthplace　in　Wales。　These　houses　were　called　'Morgan's'；　The　Doctor's'　and　The　Lady's'。　Buckles　and　coins　are　still　turned　up　in　the　ruins　of　them。
　His　ships　always　anchored　in　Shark　Bay　and　he　careened　them　in　the　lee　of　the　Isle　of　Surprise；　a　precipitous　lump　of　coral　and　limestone　that　surges　straight　up　out　of　the　centre　of　the　bay　and　is　surmounted　by　a　jungly　plateau　of　about　an　acre。
　When；　in　1683；　he　left　Jamaica　for　the　last　time；　it　was　under　open　arrest　to　be　tried　by　his　peers　for　flouting　the　Crown。　His　treasure　was　left　behind　somewhere　in　Jamaica　and　he　died　in　penury　without　revealing　its　whereabouts。　It　must　have　been　a　vast　hoard；　the　fruits　of　countless　raids　on　Hispaniola；　of　the　capture　of　innumerable　treasure…ships　sailing　for　The　Plate；　of　the　sacking　of　Panama　and　the　looting　of　Maracaibo。　But　it　vanished　without　trace。
　It　was　always　thought　that　the　secret　lay　somewhere　on　the　Isle　of　Surprise；　but　for　two　hundred　years　the　diving　and　digging　of　treasure…hunters　yielded　nothing。　Then；　said　Strangways；　just　six　months　before；　two　things　had　happened　within　a　few　weeks。　A　young　fisherman　disappeared　from　the　village　of　Shark　Bay；　and　had　not　been　heard　of　since；　and　an　anonymous　New　York　syndicate　purchased　the　island　for　a　thousand　pounds　from　the　present　owner　of　the　Llanrumney　Estate；　which　was　now　a　rich　banana　and　cattle　property。
　A　few　weeks　after　the　sale；　the　yacht　Secatur　put　in　to　Shark　Bay　and　dropped　anchor　in　Morgan's　old　anchorage　in　the　lee　of　the　island。　It　was　manned　entirely　by　negroes。　They　went　to　work　and　cut　a　stairway　in　the　rock　face　of　the　island　and　erected　on　the　summit　a　number　of　low…lying　shacks　in　the　fashion　known　in　Jamaica　as　'wattle…and…daub'。
　They　appeared　to　be　pletely　equipped　with　provisions；　and　all　they　purchased　from　the　fishermen　of　the　bay　was　fresh　fruit　and　water。
　They　were　a　taciturn　and　orderly　lot　who　gave　no　trouble。　They　explained　to　the　Customs　which　they　had　cleared　in　the　neighbouring　Port　Maria　that　they　were　there　to　catch　tropical　fish；　especially　the　poisonous　varieties；　and　collect　rare　shells　for　Ourobouros　Inc。　in　St。　Petersburg。　When　they　had　established　themselves　they　purchased　large　quantities　of　these　from　the　Shark　Bay；　Port　Maria　and　Oracabessa　fishermen。
　For　a　week　they　carried　out　blasting　operations　on　the　island　and　it　was　given　out　that　these　were　for　the　purpose　of　excavating　a　large　fish…tank。
　The　Secatur　began　a　fortnightly　shuttle…service　with　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　and　watchers　with　binoculars　confirmed　that；　before　each　sailing；　consignments　of　portable　fish…tanks　were　taken　aboard。　Always　half　a　dozen　men　were　left　behind。　Canoes