if.goldfinger-第45节

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　There　was　a　rattle　at　the　door…handle。　Oddjob　was　getting　restless。　Perhaps　Bond　was　setting　fire　to　the　plane。　Bond　called；　'ing；　ape。'　He　got　up　and　lifted　the　seat。　He　tore　the　little　package　off　the　inside　of　his　thigh　and　transferred　it　to　the　underside　of　the　fore…edge　of　the　seat。　The　seat　would　have　to　be　lifted　to　get　at　the　Elsan　and　that　would　certainly　be　looked　to　as　soon　as　the　plane　got　back　to　the　hangar。　The　5000　REWARD　stared　back　at　him　boldly。　Not　even　the　most　hasty　cleaner　could　miss　it。　So　long　as　no　one　preceded　the　cleaner。　But　Bond　didn't　think　any　of　the　passengers　would　lift　the　seat。　The　little　partment　was　too　cramped　to　stand　fortably　in。　He　softly　put　the　seat　down；　ran　some　water　in　the　basin；　washed　his　face　and　smoothed　his　hair　and　walked　out。
　Oddjob　was　waiting　angrily。　He　pushed　past　Bond；　looked　carefully　round　the　lavatory　and　came　out　again；　shutting　the　door。　Bond　walked　back　to　his　seat。　Now　the　SOS　was　in　the　bottle　and　the　bottle　had　been　mitted　to　the　waves。　Who　would　be　the　finder？　How　soon？
　Everyone；　down　to　the　pilot　and　co…pilot；　went　to　the　blasted　little　lavatory　before　they　got　back　on　the　ground。　As　each　one　came　out；　Bond　expected　to　feel　the　cold　nose　of　a　gun　in　his　neck；　the　harsh　suspicious　words；　the　crackle　of　the　paper　being　unfolded。　But　at　last　they　were　back　in　the　Buick　and　speeding　over　the　Triborough　into　uptown　Manhattan　and　then　down　the　river　on　the　parkway　and　in　through　the　well…guarded　doors　of　the　warehouse　and　back　to　work。
　Now　it　was　a　race　…　a　race　between　Goldfinger's　calm；　unhurried；　efficient　machine　and　the　tiny　gunpowder　trail　Bond　had　lit。　What　was　going　on　outside？　During　every　hour　of　the　next　three　days　Bond's　imagination　followed　what　might　be　happening　…　Leiter　telling　his　chief；　the　conference；　the　quick　flight　down　to　Washington；　the　FBI　and　Hoover；　the　Army；　the　President。　Leiter　insisting　that　Bond's　conditions　be　adhered　to；　that　no　suspicious　moves　be　made；　no　inquiries　started；　that　no　one　moved　an　inch　except　according　to　some　master　plan　that　would　operate　on　the　day　and　get　the　whole　gang　into　the　bag　so　that　not　one　of　them　escaped。
　Would　they　accept　Bond's　conditions　or　would　they　not　dare　take　the　chance？　Had　they　talked　across　the　Atlantic　with　M？　Had　M　insisted　that　Bond　should　be　somehow　pulled　out？　No；　M　would　see　the　point。　He　would　agree　that　Bond's　life　must　be　disregarded。　That　nothing　must　jeopardize　the　big　clean…up。　They　would　have　to　get　the　two　'Japanese'；　of　course；　somehow　beat　out　of　them　the　code　message　Gold…finger　would　be　waiting　for　on　D…1。
　Was　that　how　it　was　going；　or　was　it　all　a　shambles？　Leiter　away　on　another　assignment。　'Who　is　this　007？　What　does　it　stand　for？　Some　crazy　loon。　Hi；　Smith；　check　on　this；　could　you？　Get　down　to　the　warehouse　and　take　a　look。　Sorry；　mister；　no　five　grand　for　you。　Here's　car　fare　back　to　La　Guardia。　Afraid　you've　been　hoaxed。'
　Or；　worse　still；　had　none　of　these　things　happened？　Was　the　plane　still　standing　in　a　corner　of　the　field；　unserviced？
　Night　and　day；　the　torment　of　thoughts　went　through　Bond's　head　while　the　work　got　cleared　and　the　hours　ticked　by　and　the　deadly　machine　whirred　quietly　on。　D…1　came　and　flashed　by　in　a　last　fever　of　activity。　Then；　in　the　evening；　came　the　note　from　Goldfinger。
　First　phase　of　operation　successful。　Entrain　as　planned　at　midnight。　Bring　copies　of　all　maps；　schedules；　operation　orders。　G。
　In　close　formation；　with　Bond　and　Tilly　Masterton　…　he　in　a　white　surgeon's　coat；　she　dressed　as　a　nurse　…　wedged　in　the　middle；　the　Goldfinger　contingent　marched　swiftly　through　the　almost　empty　Concourse　of　Pennsylvania　station　and　down　to　the　waiting　Special。　Everyone；　including　Goldfinger；　was　wearing　the　conventional　white　garb　and　armbands　of　a　medical　field　force　and　the　dim　platform　was　crowded　with　the　ghostly　waiting　figures　of　the　posses　from　the　gangs。　The　silence　and　tension　was　appropriate　for　an　emergency　force　hurrying　to　the　scene　of　a　disaster；　and　the　stretcher　and　decontamination　suits　being　loaded　into　the　partments　added　drama　to　the　scene。　The　Superintendent　was　talking　quietly　with　the　senior　physicians　in　the　shape　of　Midnight；　Strap；　Solo　and　Ring。　Nearby　stood　Miss　Galore　with　a　dozen　pale…faced　nurses　who　waited　with　eyes　bent　as　if　they　stood　beside　an　open　grave。　Without　makeup；　their　exotic　hair…do's　tucked　into　dark　blue　Red　Cross　caps；　they　had　been　well　rehearsed。　They　were　giving　an　excellent　performance　…　dutiful；　merciful；　dedicated　to　the　relief　of　human　suffering。
　When　the　Superintendent　saw　Goldfinger　and　his　party　approaching　he　hurried　up。　T》r　Gold？'　his　face　was　grave。　'I'm　afraid　the　news　ing　through　isn't　too　good。　Guess　it'll　all　be　in　the　papers　tonight。　All　trains　held　at　Louisville；　no　reply　from　the　depot　at　Fort　Knox。　But　we'll　get　you　through　all　right。　God　Almighty；　Doctor！　What's　going　on　down　there？　People　ing　through　from　Louisville　are　talking　about　the　Russians　spraying　something　from　the　air。　Of　course'　…　the　Superintendent　looked　keenly　at　Goldfinger　…'I'm　not　believing　that　kind　of　stuff。　But　what　is　it？　Food　poisoning？'
　Goldfinger's　face　was　solemn。　He　said　in　a　kindly　voice；　'My　friend；　that's　what　we've　got　to　find　out。　That's　why　we're　being　rushed　down。　If　you　want　me　to　make　a　guess；　but　mark　you　it's　only　a　guess；　it's　a　form　of　sleeping　sickness　…　trypanosomiasis　we　call　it。'
　'That　so？'　the　Superintendent　was　impressed　by　the　sound　of　the　malady。　'Well；　believe　you　me；　Doctor；　we're　all　mighty　proud　of　you　and　your　folks　of　the　Emergency　Force。'　He　held　out　his　hand；　Goldfinger　took　it。　'Best　of　luck；　Doc；　and　now；　if　you'll　get　your　men　and　the　nurses　on　board；　I'll　have　this　train　on　its　way　just　as　quick　as　may　be。'
　'Thank　you；　Superintendent。　My　colleagues　and　I　will　not　forget　your　services。'　Goldfinger　gave　a　short　bow。　His　contingent　moved　on。
　'Board！'
　Bond　found　himself　in　a　Pullman　with　Tilly　Masterton　across　the　aisle　and　the　Koreans　and　Germans　all　around　them。　Goldfinger　was　in　the　front　of　the　car　talking　cheerfully　with　his　satraps。　Miss　Pussy　Galore　strolled　by。　She　ignored　the　upturned　face　of　Tilly　Masterton　but　gave　Bond　the　usual　searching　glance。　There　was　a　banging　of　doors　being　closed。　Pussy　Galore　stopped　and　rested　an　arm　on　the　back　of　the　seat　in　front　of　Bond。　She　looked　down　at　him。　'Hullo；　Handsome。　Long　time　no　see。　Uncle　doesn't　seem　to　let　you　off　the　lead　much。'
　Bond　said；　'Hullo；　Beautiful。　That　outfit　suits　you　fine。　I'm　feeling　rather　faint。　How　about　doing　a　bit　of　nursing？〃
　The　deep　violet　eyes　examined　him　carefully。　She　said　softly；　'You　know　what；　Mister　Bond？　I　got　a　feeling　there's　something　phoney　about　you。　I　got　instincts；　see？　Just　what　are　you　and　that　doll'　…　she　jerked　her　head　back　…'doing　in　this　outfit？'
　'We　do　all　the　work。'
　The　train　began　to　move。　Pussy　Galore　straightened　herself。　She　said；　'Mebbe　you　do。　But　if　any　little　thing　goes　wrong　with　this　caper；　for　my　money　it'll　be　Handsome　who　knows　why。　Get　me？'
　She　didn't　wait　for　Bond's　answer；　but　moved　on　down　and　joined　the　Chiefs　of　Staff　meeting。
　It　was　a　confused；　busy　night。　Appearances　had　to　be　kept　up　before　the　inquisitive；　sympathetic　eyes　of　the　conductors。　Last…minute　conferences　up　and　down　the　train　had　to　wear　the　appearance　of　serious　medical　conclaves　…　no　cigar　smoking；　no　swearing；　no　spitting。　Jealousies　and　petition　between　the　gangs　had　to　be　kept　under　rigid　control。　The　cold　superiority　of　the　Mafia；　particularly　vis…a…vis　Jack　Strap　and　his　soft；　easy　living　crowd　from　the　West；　might　have　led　to　gunplay　if　the　chiefs　hadn't　been　ready　for　trouble　and　constantly　on　the　lookout　for　it。　All　these　minor　psychological　factors　had　been　foreseen　by　Goldfinger　and　prepared　for。　The　women　from　the　Cement　Mixers　were　carefully　segregated；　there　was　no　drinking　and　the　gang　chiefs　kept　their　men　occupied　with　further　exact　briefings；　dummy　exercises　with　maps　and　lengthy　discussions　about　their　escape　plans　with　the　gold。　There　was　casual　spying　on　each　other's　plans　and　Goldfinger　was　often　called　in　to　judge　who　should　have　which　routes　to　the　Mexican　border；　to　the　desert；　to　Canada。　To　Bond　it　was　amazing　that　a　hundred　of　the　toughest　crooks　in　America；　on　edge　with　excitement　and　greed；　could　be　kept　as　quiet　as　they　were。　It　was　Goldfinger　who　had　achieved　the　miracle。　Apart　from　the　calm；　dangerous　。quality　of　the　man；　it　was　the　minuteness　of　the　planning　and　the　confidence　he　exuded　that　calmed　the　battle　nerves　and　created　some　sort　of　a　team…spirit　among　the　rival　mobs。
　As　the　iron　gallop　of　the　train　stretched　itself　out　through　the　flat　lands　of　Pennsylvania；　gradually　the　passengers　fell　into　an　uneasy；　troubled　sleep。　But　not　Goldfinger　or　Oddjob。　They　remained　awake　and　watchful　and　soon　Bond　gave　up　any　idea　he　might　have　had　of　using　one　of　his　hidden　knives　on　Odd　job　and　making　a　bid　for　freedom　when　the　train　slowed　through　a　station　or　on　an　up…gradient。
　Bond　dozed　fitfully；　wondering；　imagining；　puzzling　over　the　Superintendent's　words。　The　Superintendent　had　certainly　thought　they　were　the　truth；　knew　that　Fort　Knox　was　in　emergency。　Was　his　news　from　Louisville　the　truth