if.liveandletdie-第38节

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　Solitaire　was　bound　and　placed　almost　opposite　him。　There　was　a　yard　between　their　feet。
　When　it　was　done；　The　Big　Man　looked　at　his　watch。
　'Go；'　he　said　to　the　guard。　He　closed　the　iron　door　behind　the　man　and　leant　against　it。
　Bond　and　the　girl　looked　at　each　other　and　The　Big　Man　gazed　down　on　both　of　them。
　After　one　of　his　long　silences　he　addressed　Bond。　Bond　looked　up　at　him。　The　great　grey　football　of　a　head　under　the　hurricane　lamp　looked　like　an　elemental；　a　malignant　spectre　from　the　centre　of　the　earth；　as　it　hung　in　mid　air；　the　golden　eyes　blazing　steadily；　the　great　body　in　shadow。　Bond　had　to　remind　himself　that　he　had　heard　its　heart　pumping　in　its　chest；　had　heard　it　breathe；　had　seen　sweat　on　the　grey　skin。　It　was　only　a　man；　of　the　same　species　as　himself；　a　big　man；　with　a　brilliant　brain；　but　still　a　man　who　walked　and　defecated；　a　mortal　man　with　a　diseased　heart。
　The　wide　rubbery　mouth　split　open　and　the　flat　slightly　everted　lips　drew　back　from　the　big　white　teeth。
　'You　are　the　best　of　those　that　have　been　sent　against　me；'　said　Mr。　Big。　His　quiet　flat　voice　was　thoughtful；　measured。　'And　you　have　achieved　the　death　of　four　of　my　assistants。　My　followers　find　this　incredible。　It　was　fully　time　that　accounts　should　be　squared。　What　happened　to　the　American　was　not　sufficient。　The　treachery　of　this　girl；'　he　still　looked　at　Bond；　'whom　I　found　in　the　gutter　and　whom　I　was　prepared　to　put　on　my　right　hand；　has　also　brought　my　infallibility　in　question。　I　was　wondering　how　she　should　die；　when　providence；　or　Baron　Samedi　as　my　followers　will　believe；　brought　you　also　to　the　altar　with　your　head　bowed　ready　for　the　axe。'
　The　mouth　paused；　with　the　lips　parted。　Bond　saw　the　teeth　e　together　to　form　the　next　word。
　'So　it　is　convenient　that　you　should　die　together。　That　will　happen；　in　an　appropriate　fashion；'　The　Big　Man　looked　at　his　watch；　'in　two　and　a　half　hours'　time。　At　six　o'clock；　give　or　take；'　he　added；　'a　few　minutes。'
　'Let's　give　those　minutes；'　said　Bond。　'I　enjoy　my　life。'
　'In　the　history　of　negro　emancipation；'　Mr。　Big　continued　in　an　easy　conversational　tone；'　there　have　already　appeared　great　athletes；　great　musicians；　great　writers；　great　doctors　and　scientists。　In　due　course；　as　in　the　developing　history　of　other　races；　there　will　appear　negroes　great　and　famous　in　every　other　walk　of　life。'　He　paused。　'It　is　unfortunate　for　you；　Mister　Bond；　and　for　this　girl；　that　you　have　encountered　the　first　of　the　great　negro　criminals。　I　use　a　vulgar　word；　Mister　Bond；　because　it　is　the　one　you；　as　a　form　of　policeman；　would　yourself　use。　But　I　prefer　to　regard　myself　as　one　who　has　the　ability　and　the　mental　and　nervous　equipment　to　make　his　own　laws　and　act　according　to　them　rather　than　accept　the　laws　that　suit　the　lowest　mon　denominator　of　the　people。　You　have　doubtless　read　Trotter's　Instincts　of　the　Herd　in　War　and　Peace；　Mister　Bond。　Well；　I　am　by　nature　and　predilection　a　wolf　and　I　live　by　a　wolf's　laws。　Naturally　the　sheep　describe　such　a　person　as　a　〃criminal〃。
　'The　fact；　Mister　Bond；'　The　Big　Man　continued　after　a　pause；'　that　I　survive　and　indeed　enjoy　limitless　success；　although　I　am　alone　against　countless　millions　of　sheep；　is　attributable　to　the　modern　techniques　I　described　to　you　on　the　occasion　of　our　last　talk；　and　to　an　infinite　capacity　for　taking　pains。　Not　dull；　plodding　pains；　but　artistic；　subtle　pains。　And　I　find；　Mister　Bond；　that　it　is　not　difficult　to　outwit　sheep；　however　many　of　them　there　may　be；　if　one　is　dedicated　to　the　task　and　if　one　is　by　nature　an　extremely　well…equipped　wolf。
　'Let　me　illustrate　to　you；　by　an　example；　how　my　mind　works。　We　will　take　the　method　I　have　decided　upon　by　which　you　are　both　to　die。　It　is　a　modern　variation　on　the　method　used　in　the　time　of　my　kind　patron；　Sir　Henry　Morgan。　In　those　days　it　was　known　as　〃keel…hauling〃。'
　'Pray　continue；'　said　Bond；　not　looking　at　Solitaire。
　'We　have　a　paravane　on　board　the　yacht；'　continued　Mr。　Big　as　if　he　was　a　surgeon　describing　a　delicate　operation　to　a　body　of　students；　'which　we　use　for　trawling　for　shark　and　other　big　fish。　This　paravane；　as　you　know；　is　a　large　buoyant　torpedo…shaped　device；　which　rides　on　the　end　of　a　cable；　away　from　the　side　of　a　ship；　and　which　can　be　used　for　sustaining　the　end　of　a　net；　and　drawing　it　through　the　water　when　the　ship　is　in　motion；　or　if　fitted　with　a　cutting　device；　for　severing　the　cables　of　moored　mines　in　time　of　war。
　'I　intend；'　said　Mr。　Big；　in　a　matter…of…fact　discursive　tone　of　voice；'　to　bind　you　together　to　a　line　streamed　from　this　paravane　and　to　tow　you　through　the　sea　until　you　are　eaten　by　sharks。'
　He　paused；　and　his　eyes　looked　from　one　to　the　other。　Solitaire　was　gazing　wide…eyed　at　Bond　and　Bond　was　thinking　hard；　his　eyes　blank　and　his　mind　boring　into　the　future。　He　felt　he　ought　to　say　something。
　'You　are　a　big　man；'　he　said；　'and　one　day　you　will　die　a　big；　horrible　death。　If　you　kill　us；　that　death　will　e　soon。　I　have　arranged　for　it。　You　are　going　mad　very　fast　or　you　would　see　what　our　murder　will　bring　down　on　you。'
　Even　as　he　spoke　Bond's　mind　was　working　fast；　counting　hours　and　minutes；　knowing　that　The　Big　Man's　own　death　was　creeping；　with　the　acid　in　the　fuse；　round　the　minute　hand　towards　his　personal　hour　of　final　rendezvous。　But　would　he　and　Solitaire　be　dead　before　that　hour　struck？　There　would　not　be　more　than　minutes；　perhaps　seconds　in　it。　The　sweat　poured　off　his　face　on　to　his　chest。　He　smiled　across　at　Solitaire。　She　looked　back　at　him　opaquely；　her　eyes　not　seeing　him。
　Suddenly　she　gave　an　agonized　cry　that　made　Bond's　nerves　jerk。
　'I　don't　know；'　she　cried。　'I　can't　see。　It's　so　near；　so　close。　There　is　much　death。　But。。。'
　'Solitaire；'　shouted　Bond；　terrified　that　whatever　strange　things　she　saw　in　the　future　might　give　a　warning　to　The　Big　Man。　'Pull　yourself　together。'
　There　was　an　angry　bite　in　his　voice。
　Her　eyes　cleared。　She　looked　dumbly　at　him；　without　prehension。
　The　Big　Man　spoke　again。
　'I　am　not　going　mad；　Mister　Bond；'　he　said　evenly；　'and　nothing　you　have　arranged　will　affect　me。　You　will　die　beyond　the　reef　and　there　will　be　no　evidence。　I　shall　tow　the　remains　of　your　bodies　until　there　is　nothing　left。　That　is　part　of　the　dexterity　of　my　intentions。　You　may　also　know　that　shark　and　barracuda　play　a　role　in　Voodooism。　They　will　have　their　sacrifice　and　Baron　Samedi　will　be　appeased。　That　will　satisfy　my　followers。　I　wish　also　to　continue　my　experiments　with　carnivorous　fish。　I　believe　they　only　attack　when　there　is　blood　in　the　water。　So　your　bodies　will　be　towed　from　the　island。　The　paravane　will　take　them　over　the　reef。　I　believe　you　will　not　be　harmed　inside　the　reef。　The　blood　and　offal　that　is　thrown　into　these　waters　every　night　will　have　dispersed　or　been　consumed。　But　when　your　bodies　have　been　dragged　over　the　reef；　then　I'm　afraid　you　will　bleed；　your　bodies　will　be　very　raw。　And　then　we　will　see　if　my　theories　are　correct。'
　The　Big　Man　put　his　hand　behind　him　and　pulled　the　door　open。
　'I　will　leave　you　now；'　he　said；'　to　reflect　on　the　excellence　of　the　method　I　have　invented　for　your　death　together。　Two　necessary　deaths　are　achieved。　No　evidence　is　left　behind。　Superstition　is　satisfied。　My　followers　pleased。　The　bodies　are　used　for　scientific　research。
　'That　is　what　I　meant；　Mister　James　Bond；　by　an　infinite　capacity　for　taking　artistic　pains。'
　He　stood　in　the　doorway　and　looked　at　them。
　'A　short；　but　very　good　night　to　you　both。'
　
　CHAPTER　XXII
　TERROR　BY　SEA
　
　IT　was　not　yet　light　when　their　guards　came　for　them。　Their　leg　ropes　were　cut　and　with　their　arms　still　pinioned　they　were　led　up　the　remaining　stone　stairs　to　the　surface。
　They　stood　amongst　the　sparse　trees　and　Bond　sniffed　the　cool　morning　air。　He　gazed　through　the　trees　towards　the　east　and　saw　that　there　the　stars　were　paler　and　the　horizon　luminous　with　the　breaking　dawn。　The　night…song　of　the　crickets　was　almost　done　and　somewhere　on　the　island　a　mocking　bird　bubbled　its　first　notes。
　He　guessed　that　it　was　either　side　of　half…past　five。
　They　stood　there　for　several　minutes。　Negroes　brushed　past　them　carrying　bundles　and　jippa…jappa　holdalls；　talking　in　cheerful　whispers。　The　doors　of　the　handful　of　thatched　huts　among　the　trees　had　been　left　swinging　open。　The　men　filed　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff　to　the　right　of　where　Bond　and　Solitaire　were　standing　and　disappeared　over　the　edge。　They　didn't　e　back。　It　was　evacuation。　The　whole　garrison　of　the　island　was　decamping。
　Bond　rubbed　his　naked　shoulder　against　Solitaire　and　she　pressed　against　him。　It　was　cold　after　the　stuffy　dungeon　and　Bond　shivered。　But　it　was　better　to　be　on　the　move　than　for　the　suspense　down　below　to　be　prolonged。
　They　both　knew　what　had　to　be　done；　the　nature　of　the　gamble。
　When　The　Big　Man　had　left　them；　Bond　had　wasted　no　time。　In　a　whisper；　he　had　told　the　girl　of　the　limpet　mine　against　the　side　of　the　ship　timed　to　explode　a　few　minutes　after　six　o'clock　and　he　had　explained　the　factors　that　would　decide　who　would　die　that　morning。
　First；　he　gambled　on　Mr。　Big's　mania　for　exactitude　and　efficiency。　The　Secatur　must　sail　on　the　dot　of　six　o