iam fleming.for your eyes only-第23节
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the far side of the room stopped whatever he was doing and hurried over。
〃Si； padrone。〃
The man beckoned。 The ma？tre d'h？tel went over and received the whispered instructions。 He nodded briefly； walked over to a door near the kitchens marked UFFICIO； and went in and closed the door behind him。
Phase by phase； in a series of minute moves； an exercise that had long been perfected was then smoothly put into effect。 The man near the caisse munched his spaghetti and critically observed each step in the operation as if it had been a fast game of chess。
The ma？tre d'h？tel came out of the door marked UFFICIO； hurried across the restaurant and said loudly to his No。 2： 〃An extra table for four。 Immediately。〃 The No。 2 gave him a direct look and nodded。 He followed the ma？tre d'h？tel over to a space adjoining Bond's table； clicked his fingers for help； borrowed a chair from one table； a chair from another table and； with a bow and an apology； the spare chair from Bond's table。 The fourth chair was being carried over from the direction of the door marked UFFICIO by the ma？tre d'h？tel。 He placed it square with the others； a table was lowered into the middle and glass and cutlery were deftly laid。 The ma？tre d'h？tel frowned。 〃But you have laid a table for four。 I said three … for three people。〃 He casually took the chair he had himself brought to the table and switched it to Bond's table。 He gave a wave of the hand to dismiss his helpers and everyone dispersed about their business。
The innocent little flurry of restaurant movement had taken about a minute。 An innocuous trio of Italians came into the restaurant。 The ma？tre d'h？tel greeted them personally and bowed them to the new table； and the gambit was pleted。
Bond had hardly been conscious of it。 Kristatos returned from whatever business he had been about； their food came and they got on with the meal。
While they ate they talked about nothing … the election chances in Italy； the latest Alfa Romeo； Italian shoes pared with English。 Kristatos talked well。 He seemed to know the inside story of everything。 He gave information so casually that it did not sound like bluff。 He spoke his own kind of English with an occasional phrase borrowed from other languages。 It made a lively mixture。 Bond was interested and amused。 Kristatos was a tough insider … a useful man。 Bond was not surprised that the American Intelligence people found him good value。
Coffee came； Kristatos lit a thin black cigar and talked through it； the cigar jumping up and down between the thin straight lips。 He put both hands flat on the table in front of him。 He looked at the tablecloth between them and said softly： 〃This pizniss。 I will play with you。 To now I have only played with the Americans。 I have not told them what I am about to tell you。 There was no requirement。 This machina does not operate with America。 These things are closely regulated。 This machina operates only with England。 Yes？ Capito？〃
〃I understand。 Everyone has his own territory。 It's the usual way in these things。〃
〃Exact。 Now； before I give you the informations； like good mercials we make the terms。 Yes？〃
〃Of course。〃
Signor Kristatos examined the tablecloth more closely。 〃I wish for ten thousand dollars American； in paper of small sizes； by tomorrow lunchtime。 When you have destroyed the machina I wish for a further twenty thousand。〃 Signor Kristatos briefly raised his eyes and surveyed Bond's face。 〃I am not greedy。 I do not take all your funds； isn't it？〃
〃The price is satisfactory。〃
〃Bueno。 Second term。 There is no telling where you get these informations from。 Even if you are beaten。〃
〃Fair enough。〃
〃Third term。 The head of this machina is a bad man。〃 Signor Kristatos paused and looked up。 The black eyes held a red glint。 The clenched dry lips pulled away from the cigar to let the words out。 〃He is to be destrutto … killed。〃
Bond sat back。 He gazed quizzically at the other man who now leaned slightly forward over the table； waiting。 So the wheels had now shown within the wheels！ This was a private vendetta of some sort。 Kristatos wanted to get himself a gunman。 And he was not paying the gunman； the gunman was paying him for the privilege of disposing of an enemy。 Not bad！ The fixer was certainly working on a big fix this time … using the Secret Service to pay off his private scores。 Bond said softly： 〃Why？〃
Signor Kristatos said indifferently： 〃No questions catch no lies。〃
Bond drank down his coffee。 It was the usual story of big syndicate crime。 You never saw more than the tip of the iceberg。 But what did that matter to him？ He had been sent to do one specific job。 If his success benefited others； nobody； least of all M； could care less。 Bond had been told to destroy the machine。 If this unnamed man was the machine； it would be merely carrying out orders to destroy the man。 Bond said： 〃I cannot promise that。 You must see that。 All I can say is that if the man tries to destroy me； I will destroy him。〃
Signor Kristatos took a toothpick out of the holder； stripped off the paper and set about cleaning his fingernails。 When he had finished one hand he looked up。 He said： 〃I do not often gamble on incertitudes。 This time I will do so because it is you who are paying me； and not me you。 Is all right？ So now I will give you the informations。 Then you are alone … solo。 Tomorrow night I fly to Karachi。 I have important pizniss there。 I can only give you the informations。 After that you run with the ball and …〃 he threw the dirty toothpick down on the table … 〃Che sera； sera。〃
〃All right。〃
Signor Kristatos edged his chair nearer to Bond。 He spoke softly and quickly。 He gave specimen dates and names to document his narrative。 He never hesitated for a fact and he did not waste time on irrelevant detail。 It was a short story and a pithy one。 There were two thousand American gangsters in the country … Italian…Americans who had been convicted and expelled from the United States。 These men were in a bad way。 They were on the blackest of all police lists and； because of their records； their own people were wary of employing them。 A hundred of the toughest among them had pooled their funds and small groups from this elite had moved to Beirut； Istanbul； Tangier and Macao … the great smuggling centres of the world。 A further large section acted as couriers； and the bosses had acquired； through nominees； a small and respectable pharmaceutical business in Milan。 To this centre the outlying groups smuggled opium and its derivatives。 They used small craft across the Mediterranean； a group of stewards in an Italian charter airline and； as a regular weekly source of supply； the through carriage of the Orient Express in which whole sections of bogus upholstery were fitted by bribed members of the train cleaners in Istanbul。 The Milan firm … Pharmacia Colomba SA … acted as a clearing…house and as a convenient centre for breaking down the raw opium into heroin。 Thence the couriers； using innocent motor cars of various makes； ran a delivery service to the middlemen in England。
Bond interrupted。 〃Our Customs are pretty good at spotting that sort of traffic。 There aren't many hiding places in a car they don't know about。 Where do these men carry the stuff？〃
〃Always in the spare wheel。 You can carry twenty thousand pounds worth of heroin in one spare wheel。〃
〃Don't they ever get caught … either bringing the stuff in to Milan or taking it on？〃
〃Certainly。 Many times。 But these are well…trained men。 And they are tough。 They never talk。 If they are convicted； they receive ten thousand dollars for each year spent in prison。 If they have families； they are cared for。 And when all goes well they make good money。 It is a co…operative。 Each man receives his tranche of the brutto。 Only the chief gets a special tranche。〃
〃All right。 Well； who is this man？〃
Signor Kristatos put his hand up to the cheroot in his mouth。 He kept the hand there and spoke softly from behind it。 〃Is a man they call 'The Dove'； Enrico Colombo。 Is the padrone of this restaurant。 That is why I bring you here； so that you may see him。 Is the fat man who sits with a blonde woman。 At the table by the cassa。 She is from Vienna。 Her name is Lisl Baum。 A luxus whore。〃
Bond said reflectively： 〃She is； is she？〃 He did not need to look。 He had noticed the girl； as soon as he had sat down at the table。 Every man in the restaurant would have noticed her。 She had the gay； bold； forthing looks the Viennese are supposed to have and seldom do。 There was a vivacity and a charm about her that lit up her corner of the room。 She had the wildest possible urchin cut in ash blonde； a pert nose； a wide laughing mouth and a black ribbon round her throat。 James Bond knew that her eyes had been on him at intervals throughout the evening。 Her panion had seemed just the type of rich； cheerful； good…living man she would be glad to have as her lover for a while。 He would give her a good time。 He would be generous。
There would be no regrets on either side。 On the whole； Bond had vaguely approved of him。 He liked cheerful； expansive people with a zest for life。 Since he； Bond； could not have the girl； it was at least something that she was in good hands。 But now？ Bond glan
