if.goldfinger-第42节

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　of　two　employees　of　the　Illinois　Central　Railroad　who　have　received　sore　heads。'　Goldfinger　didn't　wait　for　ment　but　went　on。　'Now；'　he　reached　out　and　placed　his　hand　on　the　carton；　'when　you；　gentlemen；　and　your　associates　have　needed　weapons；　other　than　the　conventional　small　arms；　where　have　you　found　them？　At　military　establishments；　gentlemen。　You　have　purchased　submachine　guns　and　other　heavy　equipment　from　quartermaster　storekeepers　at　nearby　military　bases。　You　have　achieved　this　by　the　use　of　pressure；　blackmail　or　money。　I　have　done　the　same。　Only　one　weapon　would　be　powerful　enough　to　blast　open　the　Bullion　Vault　at　Fort　Knox　and　I　obtained　one；　after　much　seeking；　from　a　certain　allied　military　base　in　Germany。　It　cost　me　exactly　one　million　dollars。　This；　gentlemen；　is　an　atomic　warhead　designed　for　use　with　the　Corporal　Intermediate　Range　Guided　Missile。'
　'Cheesus　Kerist。'　Jed　Midnight's　hands　reached　for　the　edge　of　the　table　beside　Bond　and　gripped　it。
　All　the　faces　round　the　table　were　pale。　Bond　could　feel　the　skin　taut　over　his　own　tensed　jaw。　To　break　his　tension　he　reached　inside　his　coat　pocket　for　the　Chesterfields　and　lit　one。　He　slowly　blew　out　the　flame　and　put　the　lighter　back　in　his　pocket。　God　Almighty！　What　had　he　got　himself　into？　Bond　looked　back　down　the　vista　of　his　knowledge　of　Gold…finger。　The　first　meeting　with　the　naked　brown　body　on　the　roof　of　the　Floridiana　Cabana　Club。　The　casual　way　he　had　rapped　Goldfinger's　knuckles。　The　interview　with　M。　The　meeting　at　the　bank　at　which　it。had　been　a　question　of　tracking　down　a　gold　smuggler　…　admittedly　a　big　one　and　one　who　worked　for　the　Russians　…　but　still　only　a　man…sized　criminal；　someone　Bond　had　taken　trouble　to　beat　at　golf　and　then　had　pursued　coolly；　efficiently；　but　still　as　only　one　more　quarry　like　so　many　others。　And　now！　Now　it　was　not　a　rabbit　in　the　rabbit　hole；　not　even　a　fox；　it　was　a　king　cobra　…the　biggest；　most　deadly　inhabitant　of　the　world！　Bond　sighed　wearily。　Once　more　into　the　breach；　dear　friends！　This　time　it　really　was　St　George　and　the　dragon。　And　St　George　had　better　get　a　move　on　and　do　something　before　the　dragon　hatched　the　little　dragon's　egg　he　was　now　nesting　so　confidently。　Bond　smiled　tautly。　Do　what？　What　in　God's　name　was　there　he　could　do？
　Goldfinger　held　up　his　hand。　'Gentlemen　and　madam；　believe　me；　this　object　is　an　entirely　harmless　lump　of　machinery。　It　is　not　armed。　If　I　hit　it　with　a　hammer　it　would　not　explode。　Nothing　can　make　it　explode　until　it　is　armed　and　that　will　not　happen　until　The　Day。'
　Mr　Billy　Ring's　pale　face　was　shiny　with　sweat。　The　words　trembled　slightly　as　they　hissed　out　through　the　false　grin。　'Mister；　what。。。　what　about　this　thing　they　call　…　er　…fall…out？'
　'Fall…out　will　be　minimal；　Mr　Ring；　and　extremely　localized。　This　is　the　latest　model　…　the　so…called　〃clean〃　atomic　bomb。　But　protection　suits　will　be　issued　to　the　squad　that　first　enters　the　ruins　of　the　building。　They　will　form　the　first　in　the　human　chain　that　will　remove　the　gold　and　pass　it　to　the　waiting　trucks。'
　'Flying　debris；　Mister？　Chunks　of　concrete　and　steel　and　so　forth？'　Mr　Midnight's　voice　came　from　somewhere　in　his　stomach。
　'We　shall　take　shelter　behind　the　outer　steel　stockade　of　the　depository；　Mr　Midnight。　All　personnel　will　wear　earplugs。　There　may　be　minor　damage　to　some　of　the　trucks；　but　that　hazard　must　be　accepted。'
　'Da　sleeping　guys？'　Mr　Solo's　eyes　were　greedy。　'Mebbe　dey　jess　sleeps　a　liddle　longer？'　Mr　Solo　obviously　didn't　worry　too　much　about　the　sleeping　guys。
　'We　shall　move　as　many　as　possible　to　safety。　We　must；　I　am　afraid；　accept　minor　damage　to　the　town。　I　estimate　that　casualties　among　the　population　will　approximately　equal　three　days'　toll　on　the　roads　of　Fort　Knox。　Our　operation　will　merely　serve　to　keep　road　accident　statistics　at　a　steady　level。'
　'Damn　nice　of　us。'　Mr　Midnight's　nerves　had　now　recovered。
　'Any　more　questions？'　Goldfinger's　voice　was　bland。　He　had　read　out　the　figures；　estimated　the　prospects　for　the　business。　Now　it　was　time　to　put　the　meeting　to　the　vote。　'Details　remain　to　be　worked　out　exactly。　In　that；　my　staff　here'　…　he　turned　first　to　Bond　and　then　to　Miss　Masterton　…'will　be　assisting　me。　This　room　will　be　our　operations　room　to　which　you　will　all　have　access　by　day　or　by　night。　The　code　word　for　the　project　is　〃Operation　Grand　Slam〃；　which　will　always　be　used　in　referring　to　the　project。　May　I　suggest　that　those　of　you　who　wish　to　participate　should　brief　one；　and　only　one；　of　your　most　trusted　lieutenants。　Other　staff　can　be　trained　for　their　functions　as　if　this　were　a　run…of…the…mill　bank　robbery。　On　D…l　a　slightly　wider　briefing　of　staff　will　be　necessary。　I　know　I　can　rely　on　you；　gentlemen　and　madam；　if　you　decide　to　participate；　to　treat　this　whole　project　as　an　operation　of　war。　Inefficiency　or　insecurity　will　of　course　have　to　be　dealt　with　decisively。　And　now；　gentlemen　and　madam；　I　will　ask　yOu　to　reply　on　behalf　of　your　respective　organizations。　Which　of　you　wishes　to　enter　this　race？　The　prize　is　gigantic。　The　risks　are　minimal。　Mr　Midnight？'　Goldfinger　turned　his　head　an　inch　to　die　right。　Bond　saw　the　wide　open　X…ray　gaze　devour　his　neighbour。　'Yes？'　There　was　a　pause。　'Or　no？'
　
　CHAPTER　NINETEEN
　
　SECRET　APPENDIX
　
　'MR　GOLD；'　Jed　Midnight　pronounced　sonorously；　'you　are　undoubtedly　the　greatest　thing　in　crime　since　Cain　invented　murder　and　used　it　on　Abel。'　He　paused　and　added　emphatically；　'I　shall　count　it　an　honour　to　be　associated　with　you　in　this　enterprise。'
　〃Thank　you；　Mr　Midnight。　And　you；　Mr　Ring？'　Bond　was　doubtful　about　Mr　Billy　Ring。　He　had　scrawled　plusses　against　all　the　names　except　Ring　and　Helmut　Springer。　To　Mr　Ring　he　had　allotted　a　nought；　to　Springer　a　minus　sign。　He　had　e　to　his　conclusions　by　watching　eyes；　mouths；　hands；　but　nothing　had　been　betrayed　by　The　Grinner's　unwavering　false　smile。　The　wink　in　his　right　eye　had　been　as　steady　on　the　pulse…beat　as　a　metronome　and　he　had　kept　his　hands　below　the　table。
　Now　Billy　Ring　brought　his　hands　up　from　below　the　table　and　formed　a　cat's　cradle　with　them　on　the　green　baize　in　front　of　him。　For　a　moment　he　watched　the　two　thumbs　twirling；　then　he　raised　his　nightmare　face　to　Goldfinger's。　The　tic　in　his　right　eye　had　stopped。　The　two　rows　of　teeth　began　to　operate　like　a　ventriloquist's　dummy。　'Mister1　…　he　found　difficulty　with　his　b's；　m's　and　p's　and　produced　them　by　bringing　his　upper　lip　down　over　his　teeth　like　a　horse　does　when　it　takes　sugar　out　of　your　hand　…　'long　time　now　my　friends　and　I　been　back　in　legal。　What　I　mean；　the　old　days　of　leaving　corpses　strewn　all　over　the　landscape　went　out　with　the　'forties。　Me　and　my　associates；　we　do　all　right　with　the　girls；　the　hemp；　and　the　racetrack；　and　when　we're　short　there's　our　good　friends　the　Union　to　slip　us　the　odd　fin。　Ya　see；　mister'　…　The　Grinner　opened　his　hands　and　then　put　them　back　into　the　cradle　…　'we　figger　the　old　days　are　gone。　Big　Jim　Colossimo；　Johnny　Torrio；　Dion　O'Bannion；　Al　Capone　…　where　are　those　guys　today；　huh？　Mister；　they're　pushing　up　the　morning　glory　by　the　fence。　Mebbe　you　weren't　around　in　the　days　when　we　used　to　hide　up　between　fights　in　Little　Bohemia　up　behind　Milwaukee？　Well；　siree；　in　those　days；　people　were　shooting　at　each　other　so　fast　you'd　often　need　a　programme　to　tell　the　act　from　the　spectators。　So　all　right；　people　got　tired　of　it　…　those　that　hadn't　already　got　tired　to　death；　if　you　get　my　meaning　…and　when　the　'fifties　e　along　and　I　take　over　the　team；　it's　unanimous　that　we　get　out　of　the　fireworks　business。　And　now　what；　mister？　Now　you　e　along　and　put　it　to　me　that　me　and　my　friends　assist　you　to　let　off　the　biggest　fizzbang　in　history！　So　what　do　I　figger　to　say　to　your　proposition；　Mister…er　…　Whoosis？　Well；　I　tell　you；　mister。　Everybody's　got　his　price；　see？　…　and　for　a　billion　dollars　it's　a　deal。　We'll　put　away　the　marbles　and　bring　out　the　sling…shots。　We're　in。'
　'Grinner；　you　sure　take　one　hell　of　a　long　time　to　say　yes；'　mented　Mr　Midnight　sourly。
　Goldfinger　said　cordially；　'Thank　you　for　your　most　interesting　statement；　Mr　Ring。　I　am　very　happy　to　wele　you　and　your　associates。　Mr　Solo？'
　Mr　Solo　prefaced　his　reply　by　reaching　into　his　coat　pocket　and　taking　out　a　battery　shaver。　He　switched　it　on。　The　room　filled　with　the　noise　of　angry　bees。　Mr　Solo　leant　his　head　back　and　began　running　the　machine　thoughtfully　up　the　right　side　of　his　face　while　his　uptilted　eyes　sought　decision　in　the　ceiling。　Suddenly　he　switched　the　razor　off；　put　it　down　on　the　table　in　front　of　him　and　jerked　his　head　down　and　forward　like　a　snake　striking。　The　black　gun…muzzles　of　his　eyes　pointed　threateningly　across　the　table　at　Goldfinger　and　moved　slowly　from　feature　to　feature　of　the　big　moon…face。　Half　Mr　Solo's　own　face　now　looked　naked。　The　other　half　was　dark　with　the　Italian　swarthiness　that　es　from　an　uncontrollable　beard　growth。　Bond　guessed　that　he　probably　had　to　shave　every　three　or　four　hours。　Now　Mr　Solo　decided　to　speak。　He　spoke　in　a　voice　that　brought　chill　into〃　the　room。　He　said　softly；　'Mister；　I　been　watching　you。　You　are　a　very　relaxed　man　for　someone　who　speaks　such　big　things。　Last　man　I　knew　was　so