iam fleming.for your eyes only-第16部分

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　length　to　show　you　that　what　was　to　e　fell　upon　a　frustrated　young　innocent　with　a　warm　but　unawakened　heart　and　body；　and　a　social　clumsiness　which　made　him　seek　panionship　and　affection　amongst　the　Negroes　instead　of　in　his　own　world。　He　was；　in　short；　a　sensitive　misfit；　physically　uninteresting；　but　in　all　other　respects　healthy　and　able　and　a　perfectly　adequate　citizen。〃
　Bond　took　a　sip　of　his　brandy　and　stretched　out　his　legs。　He　was　enjoying　the　story。　The　Governor　was　telling　it　in　a　rather　elderly　narrative　style　which　gave　it　a　ring　of　truth。
　The　Governor　continued：　〃Young　Master's　service　in　Nigeria　coincided　with　the　first　Labour　Government。　If　you　remember；　one　of　the　first　things　they　got　down　to　was　a　reform　of　the　foreign　services。　Nigeria　got　a　new　Governor　with　advanced　views　on　the　native　problem　who　was　surprised　and　pleased　to　find　that　he　had　a　junior　member　of　his　staff　who　was　already；　in　his　modest　sphere；　putting　something　like　the　Governor's　own　views　into　practice。　He　encouraged　Philip　Masters；　gave　him　duties　which　were　above　his　rank；　and　in　due　course；　when　Masters　was　due　for　a　move；　he　wrote　such　a　glowing　report　that　Masters　jumped　a　grade　and　was　transferred　to　Bermuda　as　Assistant　Secretary　to　Government。〃
　The　Governor　looked　through　his　cigar　smoke　at　Bond。　He　said　apologetically：　〃I　hope　you　aren't　being　too　bored　by　all　this。　I　shan't　be　long　in　ing　to　the　point。〃
　〃I'm　very　interested　indeed。　I　think　I've　got　a　picture　of　the　man。　You　must　have　known　him　well。〃
　The　Governor　hesitated。　He　said：　〃I　got　to　know　him　still　better　in　Bermuda。　I　was　just　his　senior　and　he　worked　directly　under　me。　However；　we　haven't　quite　got　to　Bermuda　yet。　It　was　the　early　days　of　the　air　services　to　Africa　and；　for　one　reason　or　another；　Philip　Masters　decided　to　fly　home　to　London　and　so　have　a　longer　home　leave　than　if　he　had　taken　ship　from　Freetown。　He　went　by　train　to　Nairobi　and　caught　the　weekly　service　of　Imperial　Airways　…　the　forerunner　of　BOAC。　He　had　never　flown　before　and　he　was　interested　but　slightly　nervous　when　they　took　off；　after　the　air　hostess；　whom　he　noticed　was　very　pretty；　had　given　him　a　sweet　to　suck　and　shown　him　how　to　fasten　his　seat…belt。　When　the　plane　had　levelled　out　and　he　found　that　flying　seemed　a　more　peaceful　business　than　he　had　expected；　the　hostess　came　back　down　the　almost　empty　plane。　She　smiled　at　him。　'You　can　undo　the　belt　now。'　When　Masters　fumbled　with　the　buckle　she　leant　down　and　undid　it　for　him。　It　was　an　intimate　little　gesture。　Masters　had　never　been　so　close　to　a　woman　of　about　his　own　age　in　his　life。　He　blushed　and　felt　an　extraordinary　confusion。　He　thanked　her。　She　smiled　rather　saucily　at　his　embarrassment　and　sat　on　the　arm　of　the　empty　seat　across　the　aisle　and　asked　him　where　he　had　e　from　and　where　he　was　going。　He　told　her。　In　his　turn；　he　asked　her　about　the　plane　and　how　fast　they　were　flying　and　where　they　would　stop；　and　so　forth。　He　found　her　very　easy　to　talk　to　and　almost　dazzlingly　pretty　to　look　at。　He　was　surprised　at　her　easy　way　with　him　and　her　apparent　interest　in　what　he　had　to　say　about　Africa。　She　seemed　to　think　he　led　a　far　more　exciting　and　glamorous　life　than；　to　his　mind；　he　did。　She　made　him　feel　important。　When　she　went　away　to　help　the　two　stewards　prepare　lunch；　he　sat　and　thought　about　her　and　thrilled　to　his　thoughts。　When　he　tried　to　read　he　could　not　focus　on　the　page。　He　had　to　be　looking　up　the　plane　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her。　Once　she　caught　his　gaze　and　gave　him　what　seemed　to　him　a　secret　smile。　We　are　the　only　young　people　on　the　plane；　it　seemed　to　say。　We　understand　each　other。　We're　interested　in　the　same　sort　of　things。〃
　〃Philip　Masters　gazed　out　of　the　window；　seeing　her　in　the　sea　of　white　clouds　below。　In　his　mind's　eye　he　examined　her　minutely；　marvelling　at　her　perfection。　She　was　small　and　trim　with　a　milk…and…roses　plexion　and　fair　hair　tied　in　a　neat　bun。　（He　particularly　liked　the　bun。　It　suggested　that　she　wasn't　'fast'。）　She　had　cherry　red　smiling　lips　and　blue　eyes　that　sparkled　with　mischievous　fun。　Knowing　Wales；　he　guessed　that　she　had　Welsh　blood　in　her；　and　this　was　confirmed　by　her　name；　Rhoda　Llewellyn；　which；　when　he　went　to　wash　his　hands　before　luncheon；　he　found　printed　at　the　bottom　of　the　crew　list　above　the　magazine　rack　beside　the　lavatory　door。　He　speculated　deeply　about　her。　She　would　be　near　him　now　for　nearly　two　days；　but　how　could　he　get　to　see　her　again？　She　must　have　hundreds　of　admirers。　She　might　even　be　married。　Did　she　fly　all　the　time？　How　many　days　off　did　she　get　between　trips？　Would　she　laugh　at　him　if　he　asked　her　out　to　dinner　and　a　theatre？　Might　she　even　plain　to　the　captain　of　the　aircraft　that　one　of　the　passengers　was　getting　fresh？　A　sudden　vision　came　to　Masters　of　being　turned　off　the　plane　at　Aden；　a　plaint　to　the　Colonial　Office；　his　career　ruined。〃
　〃Luncheon　came；　and　reassurance。　When　she　fitted　the　little　tray　across　his　knees；　her　hair　brushed　his　cheek。　Masters　felt　that　he　had　been　touched　by　a　live　electric　wire。　She　showed　him　how　to　deal　with　the　plicated　little　cellophane　packages；　how　to　get　the　plastic　lid　off　the　salad　dressing。　She　told　him　that　the　sweet　was　particularly　good　…　a　rich　layer　cake。　In　short　she　made　a　fuss　of　him；　and　Masters　couldn't　remember　when　it　had　ever　happened　before；　even　when　his　mother　had　looked　after　him　as　a　child。〃
　〃At　the　end　of　the　trip；　when　the　sweating　Masters　had　screwed　up　his　courage　to　ask　her　out　to　dinner；　it　was　almost　an　anticlimax　when　she　readily　agreed。　A　month　later　she　resigned　from　Imperial　Airways　and　they　were　married。　A　month　after　that；　Master's　leave　was　up　and　they　took　ship　for　Bermuda。〃
　Bond　said：　〃I　fear　the　worst。　She　married　him　because　his　life　sounded　exciting　and　'grand'。　She　liked　the　idea　of　being　the　belle　of　the　tea　parties　at　Government　House。　I　suppose　Masters　had　to　murder　her　in　the　end？〃
　〃No；〃　said　the　Governor　mildly。　〃But　I　daresay　you're　right　about　why　she　married　him；　that　and　being　tired　of　the　grind　and　danger　of　flying。　Perhaps　she　really　meant　to　make　a　go　of　it；　and　certainly　when　the　young　couple　arrived　and　settled　into　their　bungalow　on　the　outskirts　of　Hamilton　we　were　all　favourably　impressed　by　her　vivacity　and　her　pretty　face　and　by　the　way　she　made　herself　pleasant　to　everyone。　And；　of　course；　Masters　was　a　changed　man。　Life　had　bee　a　fairytale　for　him。　Looking　back；　it　was　almost　pitiful　to　watch　him　try　to　spruce　himself　up　so　that　he　could　live　up　to　her。　He　took　trouble　about　his　clothes；　put　some　dreadful　brilliantine　on　his　hair　and　even　grew　a　military…type　moustache；　presumably　because　she　thought　it　looked　distinguished。　At　the　end　of　the　day；　he　would　hurry　back　to　the　bungalow；　and　it　was　always　Rhoda　this　and　Rhoda　that　and　when　do　you　think　Lady　Burford　…　who　was　the　Governor's　wife　…　is　going　to　ask　Rhoda　to　lunch？〃
　〃But　he　worked　hard　and　everyone　liked　the　young　couple；　and　things　went　along　like　a　marriage　bell　for　six　months　or　so。　Then；　and　now　I'm　only　guessing；　the　occasional　word　began　to　drop　like　acid　in　the　happy　little　bungalow。　You　can　imagine　the　sort　of　thing：　'Why　doesn't　the　Colonial　Secretary's　wife　ever　take　me　out　shopping　with　her？　How　long　must　we　wait　before　we　can　give　another　cocktail　party？　You　know　we　can't　afford　to　have　a　baby。　When　are　you　due　for　promotion？　It's　awfully　dull　here　all　day　with　nothing　to　do。　You'll　have　to　get　the　dinner　tonight。　I　simply　can't　be　bothered。　You　have　such　an　interesting　time。　It's　all　right　for　you　。　。　。'　and　so　on　and　so　forth。　And　of　course；　the　cosseting　quickly　went　by　the　board。　Now　it　was　Masters；　and　of　course　he　was　delighted　to　do　it；　who　brought　the　air　hostess　breakfast　in　bed　before　he　went　off　to　work。　It　was　Masters　who　tidied　up　the　house　when　he　came　back　in　the　evening　and　found　cigarette　ash　and　chocolate　papers　all　over　the　place。　It　was　Masters　who　had　to　give　up　smoking　and　his　occasional　drink　to　buy　her　new　clothes　so　that　she　could　live　up　to　the　other　wives。　Some　of　this　showed；　at　any　rate　to　me　who　knew　Masters　well　in　the　Secretariat。　The　preoccupied　frown；　the　occasional　enigmatic；　over…solicitous　telephone　call　in　office　hours；　the　ten　minutes　stolen　at　the　end　of　the　day　so　that　he　could　take　Rhoda　to　the　cinema；　and；　of　course；　the　occasional　half　joking　questions　about　marriage　in　general：　What　do　other　wives　do　all　day　long？　Do　most　women　find　it　a　bit　hot　out　here？　I　suppose　women　（he　almost　added　'God　bless　'em'）　are　much　more　easily　upset　than　men。　And　so　forth。　The　trouble；　or　at　least　most　of　it；　was　that　Masters　was　besotted。　She　was　his　sun　and　his　moon　and　if　she　was　unhappy　or　restless　it　was　all　his　fault。　He　cast　about　desperately　for　something　that　would　occupy　her　and　make　her　happy；　and　finally；　of　all　things；　he　settled　…　or　rather　they　settled　together　…　on　golf。　Golf　is　very　much　the　thing　in　Bermuda。　There　are　several　fine　links　…　including　the　famous　Mid…Ocean　Club　where　all　the　quality　play　and　get　together　at　the　club　afterwards　for　gossip　and　drinks。　It　was　just　what　she　wanted　…　a　smart　occupation　and　high　society。　God　knows　how　Masters　saved　up　enough　to　join　and　buy　her　the　clubs　and　the　lessons　and　all　the　rest；　but　somehow　he　did　it　and　it　was　a　roaring　success。　She　took　to　spending　all　day　at　the　Mid…Ocean。　She　worked　hard　at　her　lessons　and　got　a　handicap　and　met　people　through　the　little　petitions　and　the　monthly　medals；　and　in　six　months　she　was　not　only　playing　a　respectable　game　but　had　bee　quite　the　darling　of　the　men　members。　I　wasn't　surprised。　I　remember　seeing　her　there　from　time　to　time；　a　delicious；　sunburned　little　figure　in　the　shortest　of　shorts　with　a　white　eyeshade　with　a　green　lining；　and　a　trim　pact　swing　that　flattered　her　figure；　and　I　can　tell　you；〃　the　Governor　twinkled　briefly；　〃she　was　the　prettiest　thing　I've　ever　seen　on　a　golf　course。　Of　course　the　next　step　didn't　take　long。　There　was　a　mixed…foursome　petition。　She　was　partnered　with　the　oldest　Tattersall　boy　…　they're　the　leading　Hamilton　merchants　and　more　or　less　the　ruling　clique　in　Bermudan　society。　He　was　a　young　hellion　…　handsome　as　be　damned；　a　beautiful　swimmer　and　a　scratch　golfer；　with　an　open　MG　and　a