johngardner.winloseordie-第43部分

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　It　took　Bond　a　few　moments　to　realise　what　it　was。　for　he　had　heard　of　this　place；　though　never　seen　it　before。　Graffiti　was　daubed　on　walls。　Jibes　at　the　police　and　military。
　It　was　all　so　real　that　it　took　time　for　the　truth　to　sink　in。　This　was　a　training　ground　for　troops　resting　in　Gibraltar。　A　place　where　they　could　practise　street　righting；　the　kind　of　work　lhat　was　so　often　required　in　times　of　civil　unrest。　He　had　heard　a　rumour　that　some　members　of　the　quick…response　teams；　police　and　army；　were　sometimes　flown　here　for　training。
　They　were　lying　on　a　pavement；　sheltering　behind　a　wall　which　was　part　of　The　King's　Head；　a　pub　that　looked　so　real　you　could　almost　smell　the　beer。
　Bond　tried　to　assess　where　the　shot　had　e　from。　'You　work　left。'　he　whispered。　Til　cross　the　street　and　go　right。　Yell　if　you　see　him；　or　if　he　fires　at　you。　Give　it　ten　minutes。'　He　held　up　his　watch。　'Then　we　meet　back　here。'
　She　nodded；　and　crouching　low；　scuttled　along　the　wall；　while　Bond　readied　himself　and　made　a　crouching　run　for　it；　across　the　street　to　the　far　side；　along　the　blank　wall　of　Jack　Berry；　Family　Butcher。　The　shop　front；　in　the　main　street；　was　decorated　with　meat；　carcasses　hanging　inside。　He　was　almost　at　the　angle　of　the　wall　on　the　tar　side；　when　two　bullets　came　down；　flinging　shards　off　the　pavement。　He　thought　he　saw　the　muzzle　flash；　from　a　doorway；　three　houses　up　the　cramped；　terraced　street；　and。　still　running；　he　fired；　two　lots　of　two　shots；　from　the　hip。　Bond　was　sure　he　had　seen　a　figure　duck　back　into　the　doorway。
　He　was　panting；　his　back　fiat　against　the　wall；　working　out　the　next　move。　If　he　went　behind　the　butcher's　shop　he　should　be　able　to　make　his　way　down　the　back　of　the　parallel　street。　and　head　for　the　rear　door　opposite　the　house　from　which　he　thought　Baradj　had　last　fired。
Keeping　his　back　against　the　wall；　he　edged　himself　behind　the　shop；　and　along　the　rear　of　the　terraced　houses。　One。　Two。　He　tried　the　handle　on　the　mean　little　door　of　the　third　house。　It　moved　and　he　stepped　into　a　long　dark　passage。　There　were　stairs　going　up　to　the　right。　He　leaned　his　right　shoulder　against　the　stairs；　listening；　wondering　if　he　should　try　the　front　door　ahead　of　him；　then　decided　to　move　left；　into　what　would　be　the　little　front　room。　He　heard　nothing　before　the　door　crashed　open；　and　two　shots　ripped　against　the　stairs；　one　of　them　clipping　his　Browning；　sending　pain　dancing　up　his　arm　and　the　pistol　flying。
　He　waited　for　death　to　e　quickly；　looking　up　at　the　figure　of　Bassarn　Baradj；　silhouetted　in　the　doorway。
　？Captain　Bond；'　Baradj　said。　'I　am　sorry　about　this；　but　in　other　ways　pleased　that　the　honour　of　being　your　executioner　falls　to　me。　Goodbye。　Captain　Bond。'　The　pistol　came　up　in　the　two…handed　grip；　and　Bond　winced　at　the　shot；　but　felt　nothing。　Tense；　unable　to　move；　he　stared　at　Baradj　who　still　appeared　to　be　looking　at　him。　his　arms　outstretched；　the　gun　aimed。
　Then；　as　in　a　dream　sequence；　Bassam　Baradj　buckled　at　the　knees　and　toppled　forward　into　the　narrow　passage。
　Bond　lei　out　a　deep；　long　breath　and　heard　Beatrice's　sneakers　ihudding　across　the　road。　She　stopped　in　the　doorway。　'James？'　she　asked。　Then；　again；　'James？　You　okay；　James？'
　He　nodded；　his　arm　still　shaken　from　the　thump　when　the　bullet　had　caught　his　pistol。　'Yes。　Yes。　I'm　okay。　I　guess　I　owe　you　another　life；　my　dear　Beatrice。'　He　stepped　forward；　over　the　dead　body　of　Bassam　Baradj。　and　took　her　in　his　arms。　〃It's　one　hell　of　a　way　to　make　a　living。'　he　said。
'James？'　she　whispered。　'Love　me？'
　He　held　her　close；　Т　love　you　very　much；'　and　he　realised　that　he　meant　it。
　Together；　they　walked　back　down　the　unreal…real　street；　to　the　door　which　would　take　them　to　the　tunnels　and　finally　to　the　light　outside。
　
　20
　
　Some　Die
　
It　was　summer；　and　an　hour　before　dusk：　hot　and　pleasant。　The　Villa　Capricciani　looked　lovely　at　this　time　of　day。　Lizards　basked　under　the　foliage；　the　flowers　were　in　full　bloom；　and　the　lilies　burned　yellow　from　the　pond　below　the　house。
　James　Bond　came　onto　the　terrace　and　plunged　into　the　pool；　swimming　strongly；　doing　a　couple　of　lengths　before　climbing　out。　rubbing　his　hair　with　a　towel　which　had　been　thrown　over　one　of　the　garden　chairs；　into　which　he　now　sank；　stretching　his　body　like　a　cat。
　'Cat'；　he　thought；　suddenly　shivering。　It　was　the　word　in　his　head。　He　had　noticed　that；　since　the　business　earlier　in　the　year；　he　had　a　tendency　to　tense　up　at　certain　words：　cat；　viper；　snake。　The　shrink　had　told　him　it　was　not　surprising。　'You　went　through　a　lot　during　the　BAST　thing。'
　Yes；　he　supposed　he　had　gone　through　a　lot。　He　thought　for　a　moment　about　death。　Not　the　quiet　friend　that　es　to　old　and　worn…out　human　beings；　hut　that　which　es　suddenly　and　with　a　terrible　violence。
　He　thought　of　the　Fiai　down　in　the　turning　circle　below。　There　was　a　little　BMW　there　now。　but。　in　this　contemplative　state　of　mind。　Bond　saw　il　as　a　litlle　Fiat。　For　a　few　seconds；　he　was　aware　of　Beatrice；　smiling　and　holding　the　door　open；　then　the　fearful　flash　and　smoke；　and　the　agony　of　knowing　he　had　lost　her。　But　there　was　joy　also；　for　he　had　not　lost　the　girl　who　could　quite　easily；　if　he　did　not　take　care；　bee　the　love　of　his　life。
　As　the　lights　began　to　e　on　the　sun　went　down；　so　the　night　animals　began　to　e　out。　The　bats　started　to　flit　to　and　fro；　and　geckos　came　from　the　daytime　hiding…places；　strangely　seeming　to　bask　in　the　electric　lights　around　the　pool。
　His　head　began　to　fill　with　other　horrors。　Poor　old　Ed　with　his　throat　cut；　head　almosl　severed　from　his　body；　Nikki；　who　had　sought　fort　from　him；　then　tried　to　save　his　life　and　had　her　own　life　taken　from　her；　then　all　those　girls　who　could　have　lived　really　useful；　happy　long　lives：　the　ones　he　had　personally　taken　to　their　graves；　and　Clover　Pcnnington；　whose　relations　he　had　known；　cut　down　by　her　own　trigger　woman。
　He　shivered　again　in　the　warmth；　feeling　Ihe　goose　bumps　ing　up　on　his　skin。　Behind　him　the　lights　came　on　in　the　villa；　and　he　heard　Beatrice　flip…flapping　out　towards　ihc　pool。
　'You　okay；　darling？〃　she　said；　kissing　him　and　looking　hard　into　his　face　and　eyes。　'James；　what's　the　matter？　It's　not　us；　is　it？'　Almost　a　frightened　iremor　to　her　voice。
　〃No；　my　dear；　not　us。　I　was　just　having　what　the　shrink　would　call　a　touch　of　the　horrors。'
〃I　wondered　if　we　should　e　back　here。'
〃Oh；　yes。　this　was　the　right　place。'
　'Good。　Let's　go　out　to　dinner。　I　enjoy　it　here。'　She　squatted　down　beside　him。　looking　up　into　his　face；　shadowed　by　the　lights　and　the　night。　Mames；　darling。　You　know；　some　you　win　and　some　you　lose。'
James　Bond　nodded。　'Yes；'　he　said　quietly。　'And　some　die。'

　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

　

　
　

　

　

　

　
　
　
　
　
　
1　Though　it　has　only　been　hinted　at；　and　never　admitted　in　print。　Bond　almost　certainly　saw　action　during　the　Falklands　War。　It　has　been　said　that　he　was　the　man　landed　secretly　to　assist　and　help　train　civilians　before　the　real　shooting　war　started。
2　〃The　Andrew〃　is　naval　slang　for　the　Royal　Navy；　and　has　been　since　the　mid…nineteenth　century。　Before　thai　the　word　usually　described　one　ship。
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