iam fleming.for your eyes only-第27节
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ng of doing something stupid。 You should have used the girl。 The men were unnecessary。〃
Colombo shook his head。 〃Lisl was willing to find out more about you； but nothing else。 She will now be just as angry with me as you are。 Life is very difficult。 I like to be friends with everyone； and now I have made two enemies in one afternoon。 It is too bad。〃 Colombo looked genuinely sorry for himself。 He cut a thick slice of sausage； impatiently tore the rind off it with his teeth and began to eat。 While his mouth was still full he took a glass of champagne and washed the sausage down with it。 He said； shaking his head reproachfully at Bond： 〃It is always the same； when I am worried I have to eat。 But the food that I eat when I am worried I cannot digest。 And now you have worried me。 You say that we could have met and talked things over … that I need not have taken all this trouble。〃 He spread his hands helplessly。 〃How was I to know that？ By saying that； you put the blood of Mario on my hands。 I did not tell him to take a short cut through that place。〃 Colombo pounded the table。 Now he shouted angrily at Bond。 〃I do not agree that this was all my fault。 It was your fault。 Yours only。 You had agreed to kill me。 How does one arrange a friendly meeting with one's murderer？ Eh？ Just tell me that。〃 Colombo snatched up a long roll of bread and stuffed it into his mouth； his eyes furious。
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃
Colombo threw the remains of the roll on the table and got to his feet； holding Bond's eyes locked in his。 He walked sideways； still gazing fixedly at Bond； to a chest of drawers； felt for the knob of the top drawer； opened it； groped and lifted out what Bond recognized as a tape…recorder playback machine。 Still looking accusingly at Bond； he brought the machine over to the table。 He sat down and pressed a switch。
When Bond heard the voice he picked up his glass of whisky and looked into it。 The tinny voice said： 〃Exact。 Now； before I give you the informations； like good mercials we make the terms。 Yes？〃 The voice went on： 〃Ten thousand dollars American 。 。 。 There is no telling where you get these informations from。 Even if you are beaten 。 。 。 The head of this machina is a bad man。 He is to be destrutto … killed。〃 Bond waited for his own voice to break through the restaurant noises。 There had been a long pause while he thought about the last condition。 What was it he had said？ His voice came out of the machine； answering him。 〃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。〃
Colombo switched off the machine。 Bond swallowed down his whisky。 Now he could look up at Colombo。 He said defensively： 〃That doesn't make me a murderer。〃
Colombo looked at him sorrowfully。 〃To me it does。 ing from an Englishman。 I worked for the English during the War。 In the Resistance。 I have the King's Medal。〃 He put his hand in his pocket and threw the silver Freedom medal with the red； white and blue striped ribbon on to the table。 〃You see？〃
Bond obstinately held Colombo's eyes。 He said： 〃And the rest of the stuff on that tape？ You long ago stopped working for the English。 Now you work against them； for money。〃
Colombo grunted。 He tapped the machine with his forefinger。 He said impassively： 〃I have heard it all。 It； is lies。〃 He banged his fist on the table so that the glasses jumped。 He bellowed furiously： 〃It is lies； lies。 Every word of it。〃 He jumped to his feet。 His chair crashed down behind him。 He slowly bent and picked it up。 He reached for the whisky bottle and walked round and poured four fingers into Bond's glass。 He went back to his chair and sat down and put the champagne bottle on the table in front of him。 Now his face was posed； serious。 He said quietly： 〃It is not all lies。 There is a grain of truth in what that bastard told you。 That is why I decided not to argue with you。 You might not have believed me。 You would have dragged in the police。 There would have been much trouble for me and my rades。 Even if you or someone else had not found reason to kill me； there would have been scandal； ruin。 Instead I decided to show you the truth … the truth you were sent to Italy to find out。 Within a matter of hours； tomorrow at dawn； your mission will have been pleted。〃 Colombo clicked his fingers。 〃Presto … like that。〃
Bond said： 〃What part of Kristatos's story is not lies？〃
Colombo's eyes looked into Bond's calculating。 Finally he said： 〃My friend； I am a smuggler。 That part is true。 I am probably the most successful smuggler in the Mediterranean。 Half the American cigarettes in Italy are brought in by me from Tangier。 Gold？ I am the sole supplier of the black valuta market。 Diamonds？ I have my own purveyor in Beirut with direct lines to Sierra Leone and South Africa。 In the old days； when these things were scarce； I also handled aureo…mycin and penicillin and such medicines。 Bribery at the American base hospitals。 And there have been many other things … even beautiful girls from Syria and Persia for the houses of Naples。 I have also smuggled out escaped convicts。 But；〃 Colombo's fist crashed on the table； 〃drugs； heroin； opium； hemp … no！ Never！ I will have nothing to do with these things。 These things are evil。 There is no sin in the others。〃 Colombo held up his right hand。 〃My friend； this I swear to you on the head of my mother。〃
Bond was beginning to see daylight。 He was prepared to believe Colombo。 He even felt a curious liking for this greedy； boisterous pirate who had so nearly been put on the spot by Kristatos。 Bond said： 〃But why did Kristatos put the finger on you？ What's he got to gain？〃
Colombo slowly shook a finger to and fro in front of his nose。 He said： 〃My friend； Kristatos is Kristatos。 He is playing the biggest double game it is possible to conceive。 To keep it up … to keep the protection of American Intelligence and their Narcotics people … he must now and then throw them a victim … some small man on the fringe of the big game。 But with this English problem it is different。 That is a huge traffic。 To protect it； a big victim was required。 I was chosen … by Kristatos； or by his employers。 And it is true that if you had been vigorous in your investigations and had spent enough hard currency on buying information； you might have discovered the story of my operations。 But each trail towards me would have led you further away from the truth。 In the end； for I do not underestimate your Service； I would have gone to prison。 But the big fox you are after would only be laughing at the sound of the hunt dying away in the distance。〃
〃Why did Kristatos want you killed？〃
Colombo looked cunning。 〃My friend； I know too much。 In the fraternity of smugglers； we occasionally stumble on a corner of the next man's business。 Not long ago； in this ship； I had a running fight with a small gunboat from Albania。 A lucky shot set fire to their fuel。 There was only one survivor。 He was persuaded to talk。 I learnt much； but like a fool I took a chance with the minefields and set him ashore on the coast north of Tirana。 It was a mistake。 Ever since then I have had this bastard Kristatos after me。 Fortunately；〃 Colombo grinned wolfishly； 〃I have one piece of information he does not know of。 And we have a rendezvous with this piece of information at first light tomorrow … at a small fishing…port just north of Ancona； Santa Maria。 And there；〃 Colombo gave a harsh； cruel laugh； 〃we shall see what we shall see。〃
Bond said mildly。 〃What's your price for all this？ You say my mission will have been pleted tomorrow morning。 How much？〃
Colombo shook his head。 He said indifferently： 〃Nothing。 It just happens that our interests coincide。 But I shall need your promise that what I have told you this evening is between you and me and； if necessary； your Chief in London。 It must never e back to Italy。 Is that agreed？〃
〃Yes。 I agree to that。〃
Colombo got to his feet。 He went to the chest of drawers and took out Bond's gun。 He handed it to Bond。 〃In that case； my friend； you had better have this； because you are going to need it。 And you had better get some sleep。 There will be rum and coffee for everyone at five in the morning。〃 He held out his hand。 Bond took it。 Suddenly the two men were friends。 Bond felt the fact。 He said awkwardly 〃All right； Colombo；〃 and went out of the saloon and along to his cabin。
The Colombina had a crew of twelve。 They were youngish； tough…looking men。 They talked softly among themselves as the mugs of hot coffee and rum were dished out by Colombo in the saloon。 A storm lantern was the only light … the ship had been darkened … and Bond smiled to himself at the Treasure Island atmosphere of excitement and conspiracy。 Colombo went from man to man on a weapon inspection。 They all had Lugers； carried under the jersey inside the trouser…band； and flick…knives in the pocket。 Colombo had a word of approval or criticism for each weapon。 It struck Bond that Colombo had made a good life for himself … a life of adventure and thrill and risk。 It was a criminal life … a running fight with the currency laws； the State tobacco monopoly； the Customs； the police … but there was a whiff of adolescent rascality in the air which som
