if.liveandletdie-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


signments　of　portable　fish…tanks　were　taken　aboard。　Always　half　a　dozen　men　were　left　behind。　Canoes　approaching　the　island　were　warned　off　by　a　watchman；　at　the　base　of　the　steps　in　the　cliff；　who　fished　all　day　from　a　narrow　jetty　alongside　which　the　Secatur　on　her　visits　moored　with　two　anchors　out；　well　sheltered　from　the　prevailing　north…easterly　winds。
　No　one　succeeded　in　landing　on　the　island　by　daylight　and；　after　two　tragic　attempts；　nobody　tried　to　gain　access　by　night。
　The　first　attempt　was　made　by　a　local　fisherman　spurred　on　by　the　rumours　of　buried　treasure　that　no　talk　of　tropical　fish　could　suppress。　He　had　swum　out　one　dark　night　and　his　body　had　been　washed　back　over　the　reef　next　day。　Sharks　and　barracuda　had　left　nothing　but　the　trunk　and　the　remains　of　a　thigh。
　At　about　the　time　he　should　have　reached　the　island　the　whole　village　of　Shark　Bay　was　awakened　by　the　most　horrible　drumming　noise。　It　seemed　to　e　from　inside　the　island。　It　was　recognized　as　the　beating　of　Voodoo　drums。　It　started　softly　and　rose　slowly　to　a　thunderous　crescendo。　Then　it　died　down　again　and　stopped。　It　lasted　about　five　minutes。　j
　From　that　moment　the　island　was　ju…ju；　or　obeah；　as　it　is　called　hi　Jamaica；　and　even　in　daylight　canoes　kept　at　a　safe　distance。
　By　this　time　Strangways　was　interested　and　he　made　a　full　report　to　London。　Since　1950　Jamaica　had　bee　an　important　strategic　target；　thanks　to　the　development　by　Reynolds　Metal　and　the　Kaiser　Corporation　of　huge　bauxite　deposits　found　on　the　island。　So　far　as　Strangways　was　concerned；　the　activities　on　Surprise　might　easily　be　the　erection　of　a　base　for　one…man　submarines　in　the　event　of　war；　particularly　since　Shark　Bay　was　within　range　of　the　route　followed　by　the　Reynolds　ships　to　the　new　bauxite　harbour　at　Ocho　Rios；　a　few　miles　down　the　coast。
　London　followed　the　report　up　with　Washington　and　it　came　to　light　that　the　New　York　syndicate　that　had　purchased　the　island　was　wholly　owned　by　Mr。　Big。
　This　was　three　months　ago。　Strangways　was　ordered　to　penetrate　the　island　at　all　costs　and　find　out　what　was　going　on。　He　mounted　quite　an　operation。　He　rented　a　property　on　the　western　arm　of　Shark　Bay　called　Beau　Desert。　It　contained　the　ruins　of　one　of　the　famous　Jamaican　Great　Houses　of　the　early　nineteenth　century　and　also　a　modern　beach…house　directly　across　from　the　Secatur's　anchorage　up　against　Surprise。
　He　brought　down　two　very　fine　swimmers　from　the　naval　base　at　Bermuda　and　set　up　a　permanent　watch　on　the　island　through　day…　and　night…glasses。　Nothing　of　a　suspicious　nature　was　seen　and　on　a　dark　calm　night　he　sent　out　the　two　swimmers　with　instructions　to　make　an　underwater　survey　of　the　foundations　of　the　island。
　Strangways　described　his　horror　when；　an　hour　after　they　had　left　to　swim　across　the　three　hundred　yards　of　water；　the　terrible　drumming　had　started　up　somewhere　inside　the　cliffs　of　the　island。
　That　night　the　two　men　did　not　return。
　On　the　next　day　they　were　both　washed　up　at　different　parts　of　the　bay。　Or　rather；　the　remains　left　by　the　shark　and　barracuda。
　At　this　point　in　Strangeways's　narrative；　Bond　interrupted　him。
　'Just　a　minute；'　he　said。　'What's　all　this　about　shark　and　barracuda？　They're　not　generally　savage　in　these　waters。　There　aren't　very　many　of　them　round　Jamaica　and　they　don't　often　feed　at　night。　Anyway；　I　don't　believe　either　of　them　attack　humans　unless　there's　blood　in　the　water。　Occasionally　they　might　snap　at　a　white　foot　out　of　curiosity。　Have　they　ever　behaved　like　this　round　Jamaica　before？'
　'Never　been　a　case　since　a　girl　got　a　foot　bitten　off　in　Kingston　harbour　in　1942；'　said　Strangways。　'She　was　being　towed　by　a　speedboat；　flipping　her　feet　up　and　down。　The　white　feet　must　have　looked　particularly　appetising。　Travelling　at　just　the　right　speed　too。　Everyone　agrees　with　your　theory。　And　my　men　had　harpoons　and　knives。　I　thought　I'd　done　everything　to　protect　them。　Dreadful　business。　You　can　imagine　how　I　felt　about　it。　Since　then　we've　done　nothing　except　try　to　get　legitimate　access　to　the　island　via　the　Colonial　Office　and　Washington。　You　see；　it　belongs　to　an　American　now。　Damn　slow　business；　particularly　as　there's　nothing　against　these　people。　They　seem　to　have　pretty　good　protection　in　Washington　and　some　smart　international　lawyers。　We're　absolutely　stuck。　London　told　me　to　hang　on　until　you　came。'　Strangways　took　a　pull　at　his　whisky　and　looked　expectantly　at　Bond。
　'What　are　the　Secatur's　movements　？'　asked　Bond。
　'Still　in　Cuba。　Sailing　in　about　a　week；　according　to　the　CIA。'
　'How　many　trips　has　she　done？'
　'About　twenty。'
　Bond　multiplied　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　by　twenty。　If　his　guess　was　right；　Mr。　Big　had　already　taken　a　million　pounds　in　gold　out　of　the　island。
　'I've　made　some　provisional　arrangements　for　you；'　said　Strangways。　'There's　the　house　at　Beau　Desert。　I've　got　you　a　car；　Sunbeam　Talbot　coupe。　New　tyres。　Fast。　Right　car　for　these　roads。　I've　got　a　good　man　to　act　as　your　factotum。　A　Cayman　Islander　called　Quarrel。　Best　swimmer　and　fisherman　in　the　Caribbean。　Terribly　keen。　Nice　chap。　And　I've　borrowed　the　West　Indian　Citrus　pany's　rest…house　at　Manatee　Bay。　It's　the　other　end　of　the　island。　You　could　rest　up　there　for　a　week　and　get　in　a　bit　of　training　until　the　Secatur　es　in。　You'll　need　to　be　fit　if　you're　going　to　try　to　get　over　to　Surprise；　and　I　honestly　believe　that's　the　only　answer。　Anything　else　I　can　do？　I'll　be　about；　of　course；　but　I'll　have　to　stay　around　Kingston　to　keep　up　munications　with　London　and　Washington。　They'll　want　to　know　everything　we　do。　Anything　else　you'd　like　me　to　fix　up？'
　Bond　had　been　making　up　his　mind。
　'Yes；'　he　said。　'You　might　ask　London　to　get　the　Admiralty　to　lend　us　one　of　their　frogmen　suits　plete　with　pressed…air　bottles。　Plenty　of　spares。　And　a　couple　of　good　underwater　harpoon　guns。　The　French　ones　called　''Champion〃　are　the　best。　Good　underwater　torch。　A　mando　dagger。　All　the　dope　they　can　get　from　the　Natural　History　Museum　on　barracuda　and　shark。　And　some　of　that　shark…repellent　stuff　the　Americans　used　in　the　Pacific。　Ask　B　o　A　c　to　fly　it　all　out　on　their　direct　service。'
　Bond　paused。　'Oh　yes；'　he　said。　'And　one　of　those　things　our　saboteurs　used　against　ships　in　the　war。　Limpet　mine；　with　assorted　fuses。'
　
　CHAPTER　XVII
　THE　UNDERTAKER'S　WIND
　
　PAW…PAW　with　a　slice　of　green　lime；　a　dish　piled　with　red　bananas；　purple　star…apples　and　tangerines；　scrambled　eggs　and　bacon；　Blue　Mountain　coffee　…　the　most　delicious　in　the　world　…　Jamaican　marmalade；　almost　black；　and　guava　jelly。
　As　Bond；　wearing　shorts　and　sandals；　had　his　breakfast　on　the　veranda　and　gazed　down　on　the　sunlit　panorama　of　Kingston　and　Port　Royal；　he　thought　how　lucky　he　was　and　what　wonderful　moments　of　consolation　there　were　for　the　darkness　and　danger　of　his　profession。
　Bond　knew　Jamaica　well。　He　had　been　there　on　a　long　assignment　just　after　the　war　when　the　munist　headquarters　in　Cuba　was　trying　to　infiltrate　the　Jamaican　labour　unions。　It　had　been　an　untidy　and　inconclusive　job　but　he　had　grown　to　love　the　great　green　island　and　its　staunch；　humorous　people。　Now　he　was　glad　to　be　back　and　to　have　a　whole　week　of　respite　before　the　grim　work　began　again。
　After　breakfast；　Strangways　appeared　on　the　veranda　with　a　tall　brown…skinned　man　in　a　faded　blue　shirt　and　old　brown　twill　trousers。
　This　was　Quarrel；　the　Cayman　Islander；　and　Bond　liked　him　immediately。　There　was　the　blood　of　Cromwellian　soldiers　and　buccaneers　in　him　and　his　face　was　strong　and　angular　and　his　mouth　was　almost　severe。　His　eyes　were　grey。　It　was　only　the　spatulate　nose　and　the　pale　palms　of　his　hands　that　were　negroid。
　Bond　shook　him　by　the　hand。
　'Good　morning；　Captain；'　said　Quarrel。　ing　from　the　most　famous　race　of　seamen　in　the　world；　this　was　the　highest　title　he　knew。　But　there　was　no　desire　to　please；　or　humility；　in　his　voice。　He　was　speaking　as　mate　of　the　ship　and　his　manner　was　straightforward　and　candid。
　That　moment　defined　their　relationship。　It　remained　that　of　a　Scots　laird　with　his　head　stalker；　authority　was　unspoken　and　there　was　no　room　for　servility。
　After　discussing　their　plans；　Bond　took　the　wheel　of　the　little　car　Quarrel　had　brought　up　from　Kingston　and　they　started　on　up　the　Junction　Road；　leaving　Strangways　to　busy　himself　with　Bond's　requirements。
　They　had　got　off　before　nine　and　it　was　still　cool　as　they　crossed　the　mountains　that　run　along　Jamaica's　back　like　the　central　ridges　of　a　crocodile's　armour。　The　road　wound　down　towards　the　northern　plains　through　some　of　the　most　beautiful　scenery　in　the　world；　the　tropical　vegetation　changing　with　the　altitude。　The　green　flanks　of　the　uplands；　all　feathered　with　bamboo　interspersed　with　the　dark；　glinting　green　of　breadfruit　and　the　sudden　Bengal　fire　of　Flame　of　the　Forest；　gave　way　to　the　lower　forests　of　ebony；　mahogany；　mahoe　and　logwood。　And　when　they　reached　the　plains　of　Agualta　Vale　the　green　sea　of　sugar…cane　and　bananas　stretched　away　to　where　the　distant　fringe　of　glittering　shrapnel　bursts　marked　the　palm…groves　along　the　north　coast。
　Quarrel　was　a　good　panion　on　the　drive　and　a　wonderful　guide。　He　talked　about　the　trap…door