if.goldfinger-第36节

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r　furniture　in　the　room　was　a　plain　deal　table　and　an　upright　wooden　chair。　Everything　was　clean；　functional；　Spartan。　Bond　knelt　to　die　drawers　under　the　bunk　and　opened　them。　They　contained　all　the　contents　of　his　suitcase　except　his　watch　and　the　gun。　Even　the　rather　heavy　shoes　he　had　been　wearing　on　his　expedition　to　Entreprises　Auric　were　there。　He　twisted　one　of　the　heels　and　pulled。　The　broad　double…sided　knife　slid　smoothly　out　of　its　scabbard　in　the　sole。　With　the　fingers　wrapped　round　the　locked　heel　it　made　a　workmanlike　stabbing　dagger。　Bond　verified　that　the　other　shoe　held　its　knife　and　clicked　the　heels　back　into　position。　He　pulled　ouj：　some　clothes　and　put　them　on。　He　found　his　cigarette　case　and　lighter　and　lit　a　cigarette。　There　were　two　doors　of　which　one　had　a　handle。　He　opened　this　one。　It　led　into　a　small；　well…appointed　bathroom　and　lavatory。　His　washing　and　shaving　things　were　neatly　laid　out。　There　were　a　girl's　things　beside　them。　Bond　softly　opened　the　other　door　into　the　bathroom。　It　was　a　similar　room　to　his　own。　Tilly　Masterton's　black　hair　showed　on　the　pillow　of　the　bunk。　Bond　tiptoed　over　and　looked　down。　She　was　sleeping　peace　fully；　a　half…smile　on　the　beautiful　mouth。　Bond　went　back　into　the　bathroom；　softly　closed　the　door　and　went　to　the　mirror　over　the　basin　and　looked　at　himself。　The　black　stubble　looked　more　like　three　days　than　two。　He　set　to　work　to　clean　himself　up。
　Half　an　hour　later。　Bond　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of　his　bunk　thinking；　when　the　door　without　a　handle　opened　abruptly。　Oddjob　stood　in　the　entrance。　He　looked　incuriously　at　Bond。　His　eyes　nickered　carefully　round　the　room。　Bond　said　sharply；　'Oddjob；　I　want　a　lot　of　food；　quickly。　And　a　bottle　of　bourbon；　soda　and　ice。　Also　a　carton　of　Chesterfields；　king…size；　and　either　my　own　watch　or　another　one　as　good　as　mine。　Quick　march！　Chop…chop！　And　tell　Goldfinger　I　want　to　see　him；　but　not　until　I've　had　something　to　eat。　e　on！　Jump　to　it！　Don't　stand　there　looking　inscrutable。　I'm　hungry。'
　Oddjob　looked　redly　at　Bond　as　if　wondering　which　piece　to　break。　He　opened　his　mouth；　uttered　a　noise　between　an　angry　bark　and　a　belch；　spat　drily　on　the　floor　at　his　feet　and　stepped　back；　whirling　the　door　shut。　When　the　slam　should　have　e；　the　door　decelerated　abruptly　and　closed　with　a　soft；　decisive；　double　click。
　The　encounter　put　Bond　in　good　humour。　For　some　reason　Goldfinger　had　decided　against　killing　him。　He　wanted　them　alive。　Soon　Bond　would　know　why　he　wanted　them　alive　but；　so　long　as　he　did；　Bond　intended　to　stay　alive　on　his　own　terms。　Those　terms　included　putting　Oddjob　and　any　other　Korean　firmly　in　his　place；　which；　in　Bond's　estimation；　was　rather　lower　than　apes　in　the　mammalian　hierarchy。
　By　the　time　an　excellent　meal　together　with　everything　else；　including　his　watch；　Bond　had　asked　for；　had　been　brought　by　one　of　the　Korean　servants；　Bond　had　learned　nothing　more　about　his　circumstances　except　that　his　room　was　close　to　water　and　not　far　from　a　railway　bridge。　Assuming　his　room　was　in　New　York；　it　was　either　on　the　Hudson　or　the　East　River。　The　railway　was　electric　and　sounded　like　a　subway；　but　Bond's　New　York　geography　was　not　good　enough　to　place　it。　His　watch　had　stopped。　When　he　asked　the　time　he　got　no　answer。
　Bond　had　eaten　all　the　food　on　the　tray　and　was　smoking　and　sipping　a　solid　bourbon　and　soda　when　the　door　opened。　Goldfinger　came　in　alone。　He　was　wearing　a　regulation　businessman's　clothes　and　looked　relaxed　and　cheerful。　He　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　stood　with　his　back　to　it。　He　looked　searchingly　at　Bond。　Bond　smoked　and　looked　politely　back。
　Goldfinger　said；　'Good　morning；　Mr　Bond。　I　see　you　are　yourself　again。　I　hope　you　prefer　being　here　to　being　dead。　So　as　to　save　you　the　trouble　of　asking　a　lot　of　conventional　questions；　I　will　tell　you　where　you　are　and　what　has　happened　to　you。　I　will　then　put　to　you　a　proposition　to　which　I　require　an　unequivocal　reply。　You　are　a　more　reasonable　man　than　most；　so　I　need　only　give　you　one　brief　warning。　Do　not　attempt　any　dramatics。　Do　not　attack　me　with　a　knife　or　a　fork　or　that　bottle。　If　you　do；　I　shall　shoot　you　with　this。'　A　small…calibre　pistol　grew　like　a　black　thumb　out　of　Gold…finger's　right　fist。　He　put　the　hand　with　the　gun　back　in　his　pocket。　'I　very　seldom　use　these　things。　When　I　have　had　to；　I　have　never　needed　more　than　one　…25　calibre　bullet　to　kill。　I　shoot　at　the　right　eye；　Mr　Bond。　And　I　never　miss。'
　Bond　said；　T）on't　worry；　I'm　not　as　accurate　as　that　with　a　bourbon　bottle。'　He　hitched　up　the　knee　of　his　trousers　and　put　one　leg　across　the　other。　He　sat　relaxed。　'Go　ahead。'
　'Mr　Bond；'　Goldfinger's　voice　was　amiable。　'I　am　an　expert　in　many　other　materials　beside　metals　and　I　have　a　keen　appreciation　of　everything　that　is　one　thousand　fine；　as　we　say　of　the　purest　gold。　In　parison　with　that　degree　of　purity；　of　value；　human　material　is　of　a　very　low　grade　indeed。　But　occasionally　one　es　across　a　piece　of　this　stuff　that　can　at　least　be　put　to　the　lower　forms　of　use。　Oddjob　is　an　example　of　what　I　mean　…　simple；　unrefined　clay；　capable　of　limited　exploitation。　At　the　last；　moment　my　hand　hesitated　to　destroy　a　utensil　with　the　durability　I　observed　in　yourself。　I　may　have　made　a　mistake　in　staying　my　hand。　In　any　case　I　shall　take　the　fullest　steps　to　protect　myself　from　the　consequences　of　my　impulse。　It　was　something　you　said　that　saved　your　life。　You　suggested　that　you　and　Miss　Masterton　would　work　for　me。　Normally　I　would　have　no　use　for　either　of　you；　but　it　just　happens　that　I　am　on　the　brink　of　a　certain　enterprise　in　which　the　services　of　both　of　you　could　be　of　a　certain　minimal　assistance。　So　I　took　the　gamble。　I　gave　you　both　the　necessary　sedatives。　Your　bills　were　paid　and　your　things　fetched　from　the　Bergues　where　Miss　Masterton　turned　out　to　be　registered　under　her　real　name。　I　sent　a　cable　in　your　name　to　Universal　Export。　You　had　been　offered　employment　in　Canada。　You　were　flying　over　to　explore　the　prospects。　You　were　taking　Miss　Masterton　as　your　secretary。　You　would　write　further　details。　A　clumsy　cable；　but　it　will　serve　for　the　short　period　I　require　your　services。　（It　won't；　thought　Bond；　unless　you　included　in　the　text　one　of　the　innocent　phrases　that　would　tell　M　that　the　cable　was　authentic。　By　now；　the　Service　would　know　he　was　working　under　enemy　control。　Wheels　would　be　turning　very　fast　indeed。）　And　in　case　you　think；　Mr　Bond；　that　my　precautions　were　inadequate；　that　you　will　be　traced；　let　me　tell　you　that　I　am　no　longer　in　the　least　interested　about　your　true　identity　nor　the　strength　and　resources　of　your　employers。　You　and　Miss　Masterton　have　utterly　disappeared；　Mr　Bond。　So　have　I；　so　have　all　my　staff。　The　airport　will　refer　inquiries　to　the　Harkness　Pavilion　at　the　Presbyterian　Hospital。　The　hospital　will　never　have　heard　of　Mr　Goldfinger　nor　of　his　patients。　The　FBI　and　the　CIA　have　no　record　of　me；　for　I　have　no　criminal　history。　No　doubt　the　immigration　authorities　will　have　details　of　my　ings　and　goings　over　the　years；　but　these　will　not　be　helpful。　As　for　my　present　whereabouts；　and　yours；　Mr　Bond；　we　are　now　in　the　warehouse　of　the　Hi…speed　Trucking　Corporation；　a　formerly　respectable　concern　which　I　own　through　nominees　and　which　has　been　equipped；　most　thoroughly；　as　the　secret　headquarters　for　the　enterprise　of　which　I　spoke。　You　and　Miss　Masterton　will　be　confined　to　these　quarters。　Here　you　will　live　and　work　and　possibly；　though　personally　I　have　doubts　about　Miss　Masterton's　inclinations　in　that　respect；　make　love。'
　'And　what　will　our　work　consist　of？'
　'Mr　Bond…'　For　the　first　time　since　Bond　had　known　Goldfinger；　the　big；　bland　face；　always　empty　of　expression；　showed　a　trace　of　life。　A　look　almost　of　rapture　illuminated　the　eyes。　The　finely　chiselled　lips　pursed　into　a　thin；　beatic　curve。　'Mr　Bond；　all　my　life　I　have　been　in　love。　I　have　been　in　love　with　gold。　I　love　its　colour；　its　brilliance；　its　divine　heaviness。　I　love　the　texture　of　gold；　that　soft　sliminess　that　I　have　learnt　to　gauge　so　accurately　by　touch　that　I　can　estimate　the　fineness　of　a　bar　to　within　one　carat。　And　I　love　the　warm　tang　it　exudes　when　I　melt　it　down　into　a　true　golden　syrup。　But；　above　all；　Mr　Bond；　I　love　the　power　that　gold　alone　gives　to　its　owner　…　the　magic　of　controlling　energy；　exacting　labour；　fulfilling　one's　every　wish　and　whim　and；　when　need　be；　purchasing　bodies；　minds；　even　souls。　Yes；　Mr　Bond；　I　have　worked　all　my　life　for　gold　and；　in　return；　gold　has　worked　for　me　and　for　those　enterprises　that　I　have　espoused。　I　ask　you；'　Goldfinger　gazed　earnestly　at　Bond；　'is　there　any　other　substance　on　earth　that　so　rewards　its　owner？'
　'Many　people　have　bee　rich　and　powerful　without　possessing　an　ounce　of　the　stuff。　But　I　see　your　point。　How　much　have　you　managed　to　collect　and　what　do　you　do　with　it？'
　'I　own　about　twenty　million　pounds'　worth；　about　as　much　as　a　small　country。　It　is　now　all　in　New　York。　I　keep　it　where　I　need　it。　My　treasure　of　gold　is　like　a　post　heap。　I　move　it　here　and　there　over　the　face　of　the　earth　and；　wherever　I　choose　to　spread　it；　that　corner　blossoms　and　blooms。　I　reap　the　harvest　and　move　on。　At　this　moment　I　am　proposing　to　encourage；　to　fo