if.thespywholovedme-第20部分

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　kit　my　practical　mind　had　told　me　to　include　in　my　scrap　of　luggage。　I　was　anyway　exhausted；　beat　to　the　wide；　and　the　pills；　to　me　as　strong　as　morphia；　soon　sent　me　off　into　a　delicious　half…sleep　in　which　there　was　no　danger　but　only　the　dark；　exciting　face　and　the　new…found　knowledge　that　there　really　did　exist　such　men。　Soppier　even　than　that；　I　remembered　the　first　touch　of　his　hand　holding　the　lighter　and　thought　carefully　about　each　kiss　separately；　and　then；　but　only　after　vaguely　remembering　the　gun　and　slipping　my　hand　under　the　pillow　to　make　sure　it　was　there；　I　went　happily　to　sleep。
　The　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　wide　awake。　I　lay　for　a　moment　remembering　where　I　was。　There　was　a　lull　in　the　wind；　and　it　was　very　quiet。　I　found　I　was　lying　on　my　back。　That　was　what　had　awakened　me！　I　lay　for　a　moment　looking　across　the　room　at　the　square　of　red　high　up　on　the　opposite　wall。　The　moon　was　out　again。　How　deathly　quiet　it　was！　The　silence　was　warm　and　embracing　after　the　hours　of　storm。　I　began　to　feel　drowsy　and　I　turned　over　on　my　side　so　that　I　lay　facing　into　the　room。　I　closed　my　eyes。　But；　as　sleep　held　out　her　hands　to　me　again；　something　nagged　at　my　mind。　My　eyes；　before　I　had　closed　them；　had　noticed　something　unusual　in　the　room。　Unwillingly；　I　opened　them　again。　It　took　minutes　to　recognize　again　what　I　had　seen。　The　faintest　chinks　of　light　were　shining　from　between　the　door　frames　of　the　clothes　cupboard　up　against　the　opposite　wall。
　How　stupid！　I　hadn't　closed　the　doors　properly；　and　the　automatic　〃courtesy〃　light　inside　hadn't　switched　itself　off。　Reluctantly　I　got　out　of　bed。　What　a　bore！　And　then；　after　I　had　taken　only　two　steps　across　the　room；　I　suddenly　remembered。　But　there　wouldn't　be　a　light　inside　the　cupboard！　The　electricity　was　switched　off！
　I　stood　for　a　moment；　my　hand　up　to　my　mouth；　and　then；　as　I　turned　to　dive　for　the　gun；　the　doors　of　the　cupboard　burst　open　and　the　crouching　figure　of　Sluggsy　darted　out　and；　a　flashlight　in　one　hand　and　something　swinging　from　the　other；　he　was　on　top　of　me。
　I　think　I　gave　a　shrill　scream；　but　perhaps　it　was　only　within　me。　The　next　moment　something　exploded　against　the　side　of　my　head　and　I　felt　myself　crash　to　the　floor。　Then　all　was　darkness。
　
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　My　first　sensations　on　ing　round　were　of　terrific　heat　and　of　being　dragged　along　the　ground。　Then　I　smelled　the　burning　and　saw　the　flames　and　I　tried　to　scream。　I　realized　that　nothing　was　ing　out　of　my　mouth　but　an　animal　whimpering；　and　I　began　to　kick　with　my　feet。　But　the　hands　held　my　ankles　firmly；　and　then　suddenly；　with　painful　bumps　that　added　to　the　frightful　pain　in　my　head；　I　found　myself　being　dragged　into　wet　grass　and　tree　branches。　Suddenly　my　feet　were　laid　down　and　there　was　a　man　on　his　knees　beside　me　and　his　firm　hand　was　over　my　mouth。　A　voice　close　to　my　ear；　James　Bond's　voice；　whispered　urgently；　〃Don't　make　a　sound！　Lie　still！　It's　all　right。　It's　me。〃
　I　put　a　hand　out　to　him　and　felt　his　shoulder。　It　was　naked。　I　pressed　it　to　reassure　him；　and　the　hand　came　away　from　my　mouth。　He　whispered；　〃Wait　there！　Don't　move！　Be　back　in　a　second；〃　and　he　slipped　noiselessly　away。
　Noiselessly？　It　wouldn't　have　mattered　how　much　noise　he　made。　There　was　a　tremendous　roar　and　crackle　of　flames　behind　me；　and　orange　light　flickered　against　the　trees。　I　got　carefully　to　my　knees　and　painfully　turned　my　head。　A　great　wall　of　flame　extended　down　to　my　right　all　along　the　row　of　cabins。　God；　what　he　had　saved　me　from！　I　felt　my　body　and　put　my　hands　up　to　ray　hair。　I　was　untouched。　There　was　only　the　throbbing　bruise　at　the　back　of　my　head。　I　found　I　could　stand；　and　I　got　up　and　tried　to　think　what　had　happened。　But　I　could　remember　nothing　after　I　had　got　hit。　So　they　must　have　set　fire　to　the　place　and　James　had　somehow　got　to　me　in　time　and　pulled　me　out　into　the　trees　at　the　back！
　There　was　a　rustle　among　the　trees；　and　he　was　beside　me。　He　was　wearing　no　shirt　or　coat；　but　there　was　some　kind　of　harness　across　the　sunburned；　sweating　chest　that　glistened　in　the　light　of　the　flames；　and　a　heavy…looking　automatic　hung；　butt　down；　below　his　left　armpit。　His　eyes　were　bright　with　tension　and　excitement；　and　his　smoke…streaked　face　and　tousled　hair　made　him　look　piratical　and　rather　frightening。
　He　smiled　grimly。　He　nodded　in　the　direction　of　the　flames。　〃That's　the　game。　Burn　the　place　down　for　the　insurance。　They're　just　fixing　the　flames　to　reach　the　lobby　building；　sprinkling　thermite　dust　along　the　covered　way。　I　couldn't　care　less。　If　I　took　them　on　now；　I'd　only　be　saving　Mr。　Sanguinetti's　property　for　him。　With　us　as　witnesses；　he　won't　even　smell　the　insurance。　And　he'll　be　in　jail。　So　we'll　just　wait　a　bit　and　let　him　have　a　total　loss　on　his　books。〃
　I　suddenly　thought　of　my　precious　belongings。　I　said　humbly；　〃Can　we　save　the　Vespa？〃
　〃It's　all　right。　You've　only　lost　those　glad　rags…if　you　left　them　in　the　bathroom。　I　got　the　gun　when　I　got　you；　and　I　slung　the　saddlebags　out。　I've　just　been　salvaging　the　Vespa。　It　looks　in　good　shape。　I've　made　a　cache　of　everything　in　the　trees。　Those　carports　will　be　the　last　things　to　go。　They've　got　masonry　on　both　sides。　They've　used　thermite　bombs　in　each　of　the　cabins。　Better　than　petrol。　Less　bulky；　and　they　leave　no　traces　for　the　insurance　sleuths。〃
　〃But　you　might　have　got　burned！〃
　His　smile　flashed　white　in　the　shadows。　〃That's　why　I　took　my　coat　off。　I　must　look　respectable　in　Washington。〃
　It　didn't　seem　funny　to　me。　〃But　what　about　your　shirt？〃
　There　was　a　crash　and　a　great　shower　of　sparks　way　down　the　line　of　cabins。　James　Bond　said；　〃There　goes　my　shirt。　Roof　falling　in　on　top　of　it。〃　He　paused　and　wiped　his　hand　down　his　dirty；　sweating　face　so　that　the　black　smudged　even　worse。　〃I　had　a　feeling　something　like　this　was　going　to　happen。　Perhaps　I　should　have　been　more　ready　for　it　than　I　was。　I　could　have　gone　and　changed　the　wheel　on　my　car；　for　instance。　If　I'd　done　that　we　could　get　out　now。　We　could　work　our　way　round　the　end　of　the　cabins　and　make　a　dash　for　it。　Get　to　Lake　George　or　Glens　Falls　and　send　the　cops　along。　But　I　thought　that　if　I　fixed　the　car　our　friends　would　have　an　excuse　to　tell　me　to　get　moving。　I　could　have　refused；　of　course；　or　said　that　I　wouldn't　go　without　you；　but　I　thought　that　might　lead　to　shooting。　I'd　be　lucky　to　beat　those　two　unless　I　shot　first。　And　with　me　out　of　the　picture；　you'd　have　been　back　where　we　started。　That　would　have　been　bad。　You　were　a　major　part　of　their　plan。〃
　〃I　felt　I　was　all　along。　I　didn't　know　why。　I　knew　the　way　they　were　treating　me　meant　that　I　didn't　matter；　that　I　was　expendable。　What　did　they　want　to　use　me　for？〃
　〃You　were　to　have　been　the　cause　of　the　fire。　The　evidence　for　Sanguinetti　would　have　been　that　the　managers；　this　Phancey　couple；　and　of　course　they're　in　it　up　to　their　necks〃…I　remembered　the　way　their　attitude　to　me　had　changed　on　the　last　day；　the　way　they　too　had　treated　me　with　contempt；　as　rubbish；　as　something　that　was　to　be　thrown　away…〃they　would　say　that　they　had　told　you　to　turn　off　the　electricity…perfectly　reasonable　as　the　place　was　closing　down…and　use　an　oil…lamp　for　the　last　night。　The　remains　of　the　oil…lamp　would　have　been　found。　You　had　gone　to　sleep　with　the　light　on　and　somehow　upset　it。　The　whole　place　blazed　up；　and　that　was　that。　The　buildings　had　a　lot　of　timber　in　them；　and　the　wind　did　the　rest。　My　turning　up　was　a　nuisance；　but　not　more　than　that。　My　remains　would　have　been　found　too…or　at　any　rate　my　car　and　wrist　watch　and　the　metal　from　my　bag。　I　don't　know　what　they'd　have　done　about　my　gun　and　the　one　under　your　pillow。　Those　might　have　got　them　into　trouble。　The　police　would　have　checked　the　car　with　Canada　and　then　the　numbers　of　the　guns　with　England；　and　that　would　have　identified　me。　So　why　was　my　other　gun　under　your　pillow？　That　might　have　made　the　police　think。　If　we　were；　well；　sort　of　lovers；　why　was　I　sleeping　so　far　away　from　you？　Perhaps　we　had　both　been　very　proper　and　slept　as　far　apart　as　possible　and　I　had　insisted　that　you　have　one　of　my　guns　to　protect　a　lonely　girl　in　the　night。　I　don't　know　how　they　would　have　worked　it　out。　But　my　guess　is　that　our　friends；　once　I　told　them　I　was　a　policeman；　may　have　thought　about　guns　and　other　incriminating　hardware　that　wouldn't　be　destroyed　in　the　fire　and　might　have　waited　a　few　hours　and　then　gone　in　and　raked　about　in　the　ashes　to　take　care　of　that　sort　of　trouble。　They'd　have　been　careful　about　their　raking；　and　of　their　footprints　in　the　cinders；　of　course。　But　then；　these　people　are　pros。〃　His　mouth　turned　down。　〃By　their　standards；　that　is。〃
　〃But　why　didn't　they　kill　you？〃
　〃They　did；　or　rather　they　thought　they　had。　When　I　left　you　and　went　along　to　my　cabin；　I　reckoned　that　if　anything　was　going　to　happen　to　you　they　would　get　rid　of　me　first。　So　I　rigged　up　a　dummy　in　my　bed。　A　good　one。　I've　done　it　before；　and　I've　got　the　trick。　You　mustn't　only　have　something　that　looks　like　a　body　in　the　bed。　You　can　do　that　with　pillows　and　towels　and　bedding。　You　must　also　have　something　that　looks　like　hair　on　the　pillow。　I　did　that　with　handfuls　of　pine　needles；　just　enough　to　make　a　dark　clump　on　the　pillow　with　the　sheets　drawn　up　to　it…very　artistic。　Then　I　hung　my　shirt　over　the　back　of　a　chair　beside　the　bed…　another　useful　prop　that　conveys　the　idea　that　the　man　belonging　to　the　shirt　is　inside　the　bed…and　I　left　the　oil…lamp　burning　low；　close　to　the　bed　to　help　their　marksmanship…if　any。　I　put　amateurish　wedges　under　the　door　and　propped　a　chair…back　under　the　door　handle　to　show　a　natural　sense　of　precaution。　Then　I　took　my　bag　round　to　the　back　and　waited　in　the　trees。〃　James　Bond　gave　a　sour　laugh。　〃They　gave　me　an　hour　and　then　they　came　so　softly　that　I　didn't　hear　a　thing。　Then　there　was　the　bang　of　the　door　being　forced　and　a　series　of　quick　clonks…they　were　using　a　silencer…and　then　the　whole　interior　of　the　cabin　went　bright　with　the　thermite。　I　thought　I　had　been　very　clever；　but　it　turned　out　I　very　nearly　wasn't　clever　enough。　It　took　me　almost　five　minutes　to　work　my　way　up　to　your　cabin　through　the　trees。　I　wasn't　worried。　I　thought　it　would　take　them　all　that　to　get　into　your　cabin