if.thespywholovedme-第22部分

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g　and　clawing。　But　I　might　have　been　fighting　with　a　stone　statue。　He　just　squeezed　me　more　agonizingly　to　him；　and　I　heard　his　dry　voice　say；　〃Okay；　limey。　Now　what？　Want　the　dame　to　get　herself　killed？〃
　I　could　feel　one　of　his　hands　loosening　itself　from　me　to　get　to　his　gun；　and　I　began　struggling　again。
　James　Bond　said　sharply；　〃Viv。　Get　your　legs　apart！〃
　I　automatically　did　as　I　was　told；　and　again　his　gun　roared。　The　thin　man　let　out　a　curse　and　set　me　free；　but　at　the　same　time　there　came　a　splintering　crash　from　behind　me　and　I　whirled　round。　At　the　same　time　as　he　had　fired；　Sluggsy　had　hurled　the　television　set　over　his　head　at　James　Bond；　and　it　had　crashed　into　his　face；　knocking　him　off　balance。
　As　Sluggsy　shouted；　〃Scram；　Horror！〃　I　dived　for　my　gun　and；　prone　in　the　grass；　clumsily　fired　it　at　Sluggsy。　I　would　probably　have　missed　him　anyway；　but　he　was　already　on　the　move；　weaving　across　the　lawn　toward　the　cabins　like　a　football　player；　with　the　thin　man　scrambling　desperately　after　him。　I　fired　again；　but　the　gun　kicked　high；　and　then　they　were　out　of　range　and　Sluggsy　disappeared　into　Number　1　cabin　away　on　the　right。
　I　got　up　and　ran　to　James　Bond。　He　was　kneeling　down　in　the　grass　with　one　hand　to　his　head。　As　I　came　up　he　took　the　hand　away；　looked　at　it；　and　swore。　There　was　a　big　gash　just　below　the　hairline。　I　didn't　say　anything　but　ran　to　the　nearest　window　of　the　lobby　building　and　smashed　it　in　with　the　butt　of　my　gun。　A　burst　of　heat　came　out　at　me；　but　no　flames；　and；　just　below；　almost　within　reach；　was　the　table　the　gangsters　had　used；　and　on　it；　among　some　smoldering　remains　of　the　roof；　the　first…aid　kit。　James　Bond　shouted　something；　but　I　was　already　over　the　sill。　I　held　my　breath　against　the　fumes；　grabbed　the　box；　and　scrambled　out　again；　my　eyes　stinging　with　the　smoke。
　I　wiped　the　wound　as　clean　as　I　could　and　got　out　Merthiolate　and　a　big　Band…Aid。　The　cut　wasn't　deep；　but　there　would　soon　be　a　bad　bruise。　He　said；　〃Sorry；　Viv。　I　made　rather　a　hash　of　that　round。〃
　I　thought　he　had　too。　I　said；　〃Why　didn't　you　just　shoot　them　down？　They　were　sitting　ducks　with　those　sets　in　their　hands。〃
　He　said　curtly；　〃Never　been　able　to　in　cold　blood。　But　at　least　I　ought　to　have　been　able　to　blast　that　man's　foot　off。　Must　have　just　nicked　it；　and　now　he's　still　in　the　game。〃
　I　said　severely；　〃It　seems　to　me　damned　lucky　you're　in　it　too。　Why　didn't　Sluggsy　kill　you？〃
　〃Your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine。　It　looks　as　if　they've　got　some　kind　of　a　headquarters　over　at　Number　1。　Perhaps　he　left　his　armament　there　while　they　did　the　job　on　the　lobby。　He　may　not　have　liked　carrying　live　bullets　around　with　him　so　near　to　the　flames。　Anyway；　war's　declared　now；　and　we're　going　to　have　quite　a　job　on　our　hands。　Main　thing　is　to　keep　an　eye　on　their　car。　They'll　be　pretty　desperate　to　get　away。　But　they've　somehow　got　to　kill　us　first。　They're　in　a　nasty　fix　and　they'll　fight　like　hellcats。〃
　1　finished　fixing　the　cut。　James　Bond　had　been　watching　cabin　Number　1。　Now　he　said；　〃Better　get　under　cover。　They　may　have　got　something　heavy　in　there；　and　they'll　have　finished　fixing　the　Horror's　foot。〃　He　got　to　his　feet。　He　suddenly　yanked　my　arm　and　said；　〃Quick！〃　At　the　same　time　I　heard　the　tinkle　of　glass　away　on　the　right　and　a　deafening　rattle　that　I　supposed　was　some　kind　of　machine…gun。　On　our　heels；　bullets　whipped　into　the　side　of　the　lobby　building。
　James　Bond　smiled。　〃Sorry　again；　Viv！　My　reactions　don't　seem　all　that　smart　tonight。　I'll　do　better。〃　He　paused。　〃Now；　let's　just　think　for　a　minute。〃
　It　was　a　long　minute；　and　I　was　sweating　with　heat　from　the　burning　lobby。　Now　there　was　only　the　north　wall　and　the　bit　we　were　sheltering　behind　as　far　as　the　front　door。　The　rest　was　a　mass　of　flames。　But　the　wind　was　still　blowing　the　fire　southward；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　last　bit　of　masonry　might　stand　up　a　long　while　yet。　Most　of　the　cabins　were　on　their　way　to　burning　out　and；　on　that　side　of　the　clearing；　there　was　a　lessening　of　the　glare　and　sparks。　It　crossed　my　mind　that　the　blaze　must　have　been　visible　for　miles；　perhaps　even　as　far　as　Lake　George　or　Glens　Falls；　yet　no　one　had　turned　up　to　help。　Probably　the　highway　patrols　and　the　fire　services　had　enough　on　their　hands　with　the　havoc　caused　by　the　storm。　And；　as　for　their　beloved　forests；　they　would　reckon　that　no　fire　could　spread　through　this　soaking　landscape。
　James　Bond　said；　〃Now　this　is　what　we're　going　to　do。　First　of　all；　I　want　you　somewhere　where　you　can　help　but　where　I　don't　have　to　worry　about　you。　Otherwise；　if　I　know　these　men；　they'll　concentrate　on　you　and　guess　that　I'll　do　anything；　even　let　them　get　away　rather　than　let　you　get　hurt。〃
　〃Is　that　true？〃
　〃Don't　be　silly。　So　you　get　on　over　the　road　under　cover　of　this　bit　of　building　and　then　work　back；　keeping　well　out　of　sight；　until　you're　just　about　opposite　their　car。　Stay　quiet；　and　even　if　one　or　both　of　them　gets　to　the　car；　hold　your　fire　until　I　tell　you　to　shoot。　All　right？〃
　〃But　where　will　you　be？〃
　〃We've　got　what　are　known　as　interior　lines　of　defense…if　we　consider　the　cars　as　the　objective。　I'm　going　to　stick　around　here　and　let　them　e　at　me。　It's　they　who　want　to　get　us　and　get　away。　Let　'em　try。　Time's　against　them。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It's　nearly　three。　How　long　before　first　light　around　here？〃
　〃About　two　hours。　Around　five。　But　there　are　two　of　them　and　only　one　of　you！　They'll　do　a　sort　of　what　they　call　'pincers　movement。'　〃
　〃One　of　the　crabs　has　lost　a　claw。　Anyway　that's　the　best　I　can　do　for　a　master　plan。　Now　you　get　on　across　the　road　before　they　start　something。　I'll　keep　them　occupied。〃
　He　went　to　the　corner　of　the　building；　edged　round；　and　took　two　quick　shots　at　the　right…hand　cabin。　There　was　a　distant　crash　of　glass　and　then　the　vicious　blast　of　the　sub…machine　gun。　Bullets　splatted　into　the　masonry　and　whipped　across　the　road　into　the　trees。　James　Bond　had　pulled　back。　He　smiled　encouragingly。　〃Now！〃
　I　ran　to　the　right　and　across　the　road；　keeping　the　lobby　building　between　me　and　the　end　cabin；　and　scrambled　in　among　the　trees。　Once　again　they　tore　and　scratched　at　me；　but　now　I　had　proper　shoes　on；　and　the　material　of　the　overalls　was　tough。　I　got　well　inside　the　wood　and　then　began　working　along　to　the　left。　When　I　thought　I　had　gone　far　enough　I　crept　down　toward　the　light　from　the　flames。　I　ended　up　where　I　had　wanted　to；　just　inside　the　first　line　of　trees　with　the　black　sedan　about　twenty　yards　away　on　the　other　side　of　the　road　and　a　fairly　clear　view　of　the　flickering　battlefield。
　All　this　while；　the　moon　had　been　dodging　in　and　out　through　the　scudding　clouds…in　turns　lighting　everything　brightly　and　then　switching　itself　off　and　leaving　only　the　changing　glare　that　came　mostly　from　the　blazing　left　half　of　the　lobby　block。　Now　the　moon　came　fully　out　and　showed　me　something　that　almost　made　me　scream。　The　thin　man；　crawling　on　his　stomach；　was　worming　his　way　up　the　north　side　of　the　lobby　block；　and　the　moonlight　glinted　on　the　gun　in　his　hand。
　James　Bond　was　where　I　had　left　him；　and；　to　keep　him　there；　Sluggsy　now　kept　up　a　steady　stream　of　single　shots　that　flicked　every　few　seconds　at　the　angle　of　the　wall　toward　which　the　thin　man　was　worming　his　way。　Perhaps　James　Bond　guessed　the　significance　of　this　steady　fire。　He　may　have　known　that　it　was　meant　to　pin　him　down；　because　now　he　began　moving　along　to　the　left；　toward　the　burning　half　of　the　building。　And　now　he　was　running；　bent　low；　out　across　the　browned　grass　and　through　the　billowing　smoke　and　sparks　toward　the　charred；　flickering　ruins　of　the　left…hand　line　of　cabins。　I　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　him　diving　through　one　of　the　carports　at　around　Number　15；　and　then　he　was　gone；　presumably　into　the　trees　at　the　back　to　work　his　way　up　and　take　Sluggsy　in　the　rear。
　I　watched　the　thin　man。　He　was　nearly　at　the　corner　of　the　building。　Now　he　was　there。　The　single　shots　ceased。　Without　taking　aim；　and　firing　with　his　left　hand；　the　thin　man　edged　his　gun　round　the　corner　and　sprayed　a　whole　magazine；　blind；　down　the　front　wall　where　James　and　I　had　been　standing。
　When　no　answering　fire　came；　he　jerked　his　head　round　the　corner　and　back　again；　like　a　snake；　and　then　got　to　his　feet　and　made　a　sweeping　motion　with　his　hand　to　show　that　we　had　gone。
　And　now　there　came　two　quick　shots　from　the　direction　of　cabin　Number　1；　followed　by　a　bloodcurdling　scream　that　stopped　my　heart；　and　Sluggsy　came　backing　out　onto　the　lawn；　firing　from　the　hip　with　his　right　while　his　left　hand　dangled　down　at　his　side。　He　continued　to　run　backward；　screaming　with　pain；　but　still　firing　his　machine　gun　in　short　bursts；　and　then　I　saw　a　flicker　of　movement　in　one　of　the　carports　and　there　came　the　deep　answering　boom　of　the　heavy　automatic。　But　Sluggsy　switched　his　aim；　and　James　Bond's　guns　went　silent。　Then　they　began　again　from　another　place；　and　one　of　the　shots　must　have　hit　the　machine　gun　because　Sluggsy　suddenly　dropped　it　and　began　to　run　toward　the　black　sedan；　where　the　thin　man　was　crouching；　giving　long…range　covering　fire　with　two　guns。　James　Bond's　hit　on　the　sub…machine　gun　must　have　jammed　the　mechanism；　for　it　went　on　firing；　jerking　round　like　a　flaming　Catherine　wheel　in　the　grass　and　spraying　bullets　all　over　the　place。　And　then　the　thin　man　was　in　the　driving　seat；　and　I　heard　the　engine　catch；　and　a　spurt　of　smoke　came　from　the　exhaust；　and　he　flung　open　the　side　door　and　Sluggsy　got　to　it　and　the　door　was　slammed　on　him　by　the　forward　leap　of　the　car。
　I　didn't　wait　for　James。　I　ran　out　into　the　road　and　began　blazing　away　at　the　back　of　the　car　and　heard　some　of　my　bullets　wham　into　the　metal。　Then　the　hammer　clicked　on　nothing；　and　I　stood　and　swore　at　the　thought　of　them　getting　away。　But　then　came　the　steady　crash　of　James's　gun　from　the　far　side　of　the　lawn；　while　fire　spat　back　from　the　front　window　of　the　car。　Until　all　of　a　sudden　the　black　sedan　seemed　to　go　crazy。　It　made　a　wide　swerve　and　looked　to　be　heading　across　the　lawn　straight　for　James。　For　a　moment　he　was　caught　in　its　great　lights　as　he　stood　there；　the　sweat　gleaming　on　his　naked　chest；　and　fired；　in　the　classic　stance　of　the　due