iam fleming.for your eyes only-第30部分

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　〃Treasure；〃　Mr　Krest's　voice　was　soft　as　velvet。　〃Just　supposin'　you　keep　that　flippin'　trap　shut　about　my　personal　affairs。　Yes？〃　The　voice　was　amiable；　nonchalant。　〃You　know　what　you　just　done；　treas？　You　just　earned　yourself　a　little　meeting　with　the　Corrector　this　evening。　That's　what　you've　gone　and　done。〃
　The　girl's　hand　flew　to　her　mouth。　Her　eyes　were　wide。　She　said　in　a　whisper：　〃Oh　no；　Milt。　Oh　no；　please。〃
　
　On　the　second　day　out；　at　dawn；　they　came　up　with　Chagrin　Island。　It　was　first　picked　up　by　the　radar　…　a　small　bump　in　the　dead　level　line　on　the　scanner　and　then　a　minute　blur　on　the　great　curved　horizon　grew　with　infinite　slowness　into　half　a　mile　of　green　fringed　with　white。　It　was　extraordinary　to　e　upon　land　after　two　days　in　which　the　yacht　had　seemed　to　be　the　only　moving；　the　only　living　thing　in　an　empty　world。　Bond　had　never　seen　or　even　clearly　imagined　the　doldrums　before。　Now　he　realized　what　a　terrible　hazard　they　must　have　been　in　the　days　of　sail　…　the　sea　of　glass　under　a　brazen　sun；　the　foul；　heavy　air；　the　trail　of　small　clouds　along　the　rim　of　the　world　that　never　came　closer；　never　brought　wind　or　blessed　rain。　How　must　centuries　of　mariners　have　blessed　this　tiny　dot　in　the　Indian　Ocean　as　they　bent　to　the　oars　that　moved　the　heavy　ship　perhaps　a　mile　a　day！　Bond　stood　in　the　bows　and　watched　the　flying…fish　squirt　from　beneath　the　hull　as　the　blue…black　of　the　sea　slowly　mottled　into　the　brown　and　white　and　green　of　deep　shoal。　How　wonderful　that　he　would　soon　be　walking　and　swimming　again　instead　of　just　sitting　and　lying　down。　How　wonderful　to　have　a　few　hours'　solitude　…　a　few　hours　away　from　Mr　Milton　Krest！
　They　anchored　outside　the　reef　in　ten　fathoms　and　Fidele　Barbey　took　them　through　the　opening　in　the　speedboat。　In　every　detail　Chagrin　was　the　prototype　coral　island。　It　was　about　twenty　acres　of　sand　and　dead　coral　and　low　scrub　surrounded；　after　fifty　yards　of　shallow　lagoon；　by　a　necklace　of　reef　on　which　the　quiet；　long　swell　broke　with　a　soft　hiss。　Clouds　of　birds　rose　when　they　landed　…　terns；　boobies；　men…of…war；　frigates　…　but　quickly　settled　again。　There　was　a　strong　ammoniac　smell　of　guano；　and　the　scrub　was　white　with　it。　The　only　other　living　things　were　the　land　crabs　that　scuttled　and　scraped　among　the　liane　sans　fin　and　the　fiddler…crabs　that　lived　in　the　sand。
　The　glare　from　the　white　sand　was　dazzling　and　there　was　no　shade。　Mr　Krest　ordered　a　tent　to　be　erected　and　sat　in　it　smoking　a　cigar　while　gear　of　various　kinds　was　ferried　ashore。　Mrs　Krest　swam　and　picked　up　sea　shells　while　Bond　and　Fidele　Barbey　put　on　masks　and；　swimming　in　opposite　directions；　began　systematically　to　b　the　reef　all　the　way　round　the　island。
　When　you　are　looking　for　one　particular　species　underwater　…　shell　or　fish　or　seaweed　or　coral　formation　…　you　have　to　keep　your　brain　and　your　eyes　focused　for　that　one　individual　pattern。　The　riot　of　colour　and　movement　and　the　endless　variety　of　light　and　shadow　fight　your　concentration　all　the　time。　Bond　trudged　slowly　along　through　the　wonderland　with　only　one　picture　in　his　mind　…　a　six…inch　pink　fish　with　black　stripes　and　big　eyes　…　the　second　such　fish　man　had　ever　seen。　〃If　you　see　it；〃　Mr　Krest　had　enjoined；　〃just　you　let　out　a　yell　and　stay　with　it。　I'll　do　the　rest。　I　got　a　little　something　in　the　tent　that's　just　the　dandiest　thing　for　catching　fish　you　ever　saw。〃
　Bond　paused　to　rest　his　eyes。　The　water　was　so　buoyant　that　he　could　lie　face　downwards　on　the　surface　without　moving。　Idly　he　broke　up　a　sea…egg　with　the　tip　of　his　spear　and　watched　the　horde　of　glittering　reef…fish　darting　for　the　shreds　of　yellow　flesh　among　the　needle…sharp　black　spine。　How　infernal　that　if　he　did　find　the　Rarity　it　would　benefit　only　Mr　Krest！　Should　he　say　nothing　if　be　found　it？　Rather　childish；　and　anyway　he　was　under　contract；　so　to　speak。　Bond　moved　slowly　on；　his　eyes　automatically　taking　up　the　search　again　while　his　mind　turned　to　considering　the　girl。　She　had　spent　the　previous　day　in　bed。　Mr　Krest　had　said　it　was　a　headache。　Would　she　one　day　turn　on　him？　Would　she　get　herself　a　knife　or　a　gun　and　one　night；　when　he　reached　for　that　damnable　whip；　would　she　kill　him？　No。　She　was　too　soft；　too　malleable。　Mr　Krest　had　chosen　well。　She　was　the　stuff　of　slaves。　And　the　trappings　of　her　'fairytale'　were　too　precious。　Didn't　she　realize　that　a　jury　would　certainly　acquit　her　if　the　sting…ray　whip　was　produced　in　court？　She　could　have　the　trappings　without　this　dreadful；　damnable　man。　Should　Bond　tell　her　that？　Don't　be　ridiculous！　How　could　he　put　it？　〃Oh　Liz；　if　you　want　to　murder　your　husband；　it'll　be　quite　all　right。〃　Bond　smiled　inside　his　mask。　To　hell　with　it！　Don't　interfere　with　other　people's　lives。　She　probably　likes　it　…　masochist。　But　Bond　knew　that　that　was　too　easy　an　answer。　This　was　a　girl　who　lived　in　fear。　Perhaps　she　also　lived　in　loathing。　One　couldn't　read　much　in　those　soft　blue　eyes；　but　the　windows　had　opened　once　or　twice　and　a　flash　of　something　like　a　childish　hate　had　shown　through。　Had　it　been　hate？　It　had　probably　been　indigestion。　Bond　put　the　Krests　out　of　his　mind　and　looked　up　to　see　how　far　round　the　island　he　had　got。
　Fidele　Barbey's　schnorkel　was　only　a　hundred　yards　away。　They　had　nearly　pleted　the　circuit。
　They　came　up　with　each　other　and　swam　to　the　shore　and　lay　on　the　hot　sand。　Fidele　Barbey　said：　〃Nothing　on　my　side　of　the　property　except　every　fish　in　the　world　bar　one。　But　I've　had　a　stroke　of　luck。　Ran　into　a　big　colony　of　green　snail。　That's　the　pearl　shell　as　big　is　a　small　football。　Worth　quite　a　lot　of　money。　I'll　send　one　of　my　boats　after　them　one　of　these　days。　Saw　a　blue　parrot…fish　that　must　have　been　a　good　thirty　pounds。　Tame　as　a　dog；　like　all　the　fish　round　here。　Hadn't　got　the　heart　to　kill　it。　And　if　I　had；　there　might　have　been　trouble。　Saw　two　or　three　leopard　sharks　cruising　around　over　the　reef。　Blood　in　the　water　might　have　brought　them　through。　Now　I'm　ready　for　a　drink　and　something　to　eat。　After　that　we　can　swap　sides　and　have　another　go。〃
　They　got　up　and　walked　along　the　beach　to　the　tent。　Mr　Krest　heard　their　voices　and　came　out　to　meet　them。　〃No　dice；　eh？〃　He　scratched　angrily　at　an　arm　pit。　〃Goddam　sandfly　bit　me。　This　is　one　hell　of　a　god…awful　island。　Liz　couldn't　stand　the　smell。　Gone　back　to　the　ship。　Guess　we'd　better　give　it　one　more　going…over　and　then　get　the　hell　out　of　here。　Help　yourselves　to　some　chow　and　you'll　find　cold　beer　in　the　icepack。　Here；　gimme　one　of　those　masks。　How　do　you　use　the　dam'　things？　I　guess　I　might　as　well　take　a　peek　at　the　sea's　bottom　while　I'm　about　it。〃
　They　sat　in　the　hot　tent　and　ate　the　chicken　salad　and　drank　beer；　and　moodily　watched　Mr　Krest　poking　and　peering　about　in　the　shallows。　Fidele　Barbey　said：　〃He's　right；　of　course。　These　little　islands　are　bloody　awful　places。　Nothing　but　crabs　and　bird　dung　surrounded　by　too　dam'　much　sea。　It's　only　the　poor　bloody　frozen　Europeans　that　dream　of　coral　islands。　East　of　Suez；　you　won't　find　any　sane　man　who　gives　a　damn　for　them。　My　family　owns　about　ten　of　them　…　decent…sized　ones　too；　with　small　villages　on　them　and　a　good　ine　from　copra　and　turtle。　Well；　you　can　have　the　whole　bloody　lot　in　exchange　for　a　flat　in　Paris　or　London。〃
　Bond　laughed。　He　began：　〃Put　an　advertisement　in　The　Times　and　you'd　get　sackloads　。　。　。〃　when；　fifty　yards　away；　Mr　Krest　began　to　make　frantic　signals。　Bond　said：　〃Either　the　bastard's　found　it　or　he's　trodden　on　a　guitar…fish；〃　and　picked　up　his　mask　and　ran　down　to　the　sea。
　Mr　Krest　was　standing　up　to　his　waist　among　the　shallow　beginnings　of　the　reef。　He　jabbed　his　finger　excitedly　at　the　surface。　Bond　swam　softly　forward。　A　carpet　of　sea…grass　ended　in　broken　coral　and　an　occasional　niggerhead。　A　dozen　varieties　of　butterfly　and　other　reef…fish　flirted　among　the　rocks；　and　a　small　langouste　quested　towards　Bond　with　its　feelers。　The　head　of　a　large　green　moray　protruded　from　a　hole；　its　half…open　jaws　showing　the　rows　of　needle　teeth。　Its　golden　eyes　watched　Bond　carefully。　Bond　was　amused　to　note　that　Mr　Krest's　hairy　legs；　magnified　into　pale　tree…trunks　by　the　glass；　were　not　more　than　a　foot　away　from　the　moray's　jaws。　He　gave　an　encouraging　poke　at　the　moray　with　his　spear；　but　the　eel　only　snapped　at　the　metal　points　and　slid　back　out　of　sight。　Bond　stopped　and　floated；　his　eyes　scanning　the　brilliant　jungle。　A　red　blur　materialized　through　the　far　mist　and　came　towards　him。　It　circled　closely　beneath　him　as　if　showing　itself　off。　The　dark　blue　eyes　examined　him　without　fear。　The　small　fish　busied　itself　rather　self…consciously　with　some　algae　on　the　underside　of　a　niggerhead；　made　a　dart　at　a　speck　of　something　suspended　in　the　water；　and　then；　as　if　leaving　the　stage　after　showing　its　paces；　swam　languidly　off　back　into　the　mist。
　Bond　backed　away　from　the　moray's　hole　and　put　his　feet　to　the　ground。　He　took　off　his　mask。　He　said　to　Mr　Krest；　who　was　standing　gazing　impatiently　at　him　through　his　goggles：　〃Yes；　that's　it　all　right。　Better　move　quietly　away　from　here。　He　won't　go　away　unless　he's　frightened。　These　reef…fish　stick　pretty　well　to　the　same　pastures。〃
　Mr　Krest　pulled　off　his　mask。　〃Goddam；　I　found　it！〃　he　said　reverently。　〃Well；　goddam　I　did。〃　He　slowly　followed　Bond　to　the　shore。
　Fidele　Barbey　was　waiting　for　them。　Mr　Krest　said　boisterously：　〃Fido；　I　found　that　goddam　fish。　Me　…　Milton　Krest。　Whadya　know　about　that？　After　you　two　goddam　experts　had　been　at　it　all　morning。　I　just　took　that　mask　of　yours　…　first　time　I　ever　put　one　on；　mark　you　…　and　I　walked　out　and　found　the　goddam　fish　in　fifteen　minutes　flat。　Whadya　say　to　that　eh；　Fido？〃
　〃That's　good；　Mr　Krest。　That's　fine。　Now　how　do　we　catch　it？〃
　〃Aha。〃　Mr　Krest　winked　slowly。　〃I　got　just　the　ticket　for　that。　Got　it　from　a　chemist　friend　of　mine。　Stuff　called　Rotenone。　Made　from　derris　root。　What　the　natives　fish　with　in　Brazil。　Just　pour　it　in　the　water；　where　it'll　float　over　what　you're　after；　and　it'll　get　him　as　sure　as　eggs　is　eggs。　Sort　of　poison。　Constricts　the　blood　vessels　in　their　gills。　Suffocates　them。　No　effect　on　humans　because　no　gills；　see？〃　Mr　Krest　turned　to　Bond。　〃Here；　Jim。　You　go　on　out　and　keep　watch。　See　the　darne