iam fleming.for your eyes only-第6部分

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ht　for　two　miles　through　the　enchanted　forest　and　there　was　a　sweet　smell　of　leaves　and　dew。　Bond　cut　his　speed　to　forty。　The　driving…mirror　by　his　left　hand　shivered　slightly　with　his　speed。　It　showed　nothing　but　an　empty　unfurling　vista　of　road　between　lines　of　trees　that　curled　away　behind　him　like　a　green　wake。　No　sign　of　the　killer。　Had　he　taken　fright？　Had　there　been　some　hitch？　But　then　there　was　a　tiny　black　speck　in　the　centre　of　the　convex　glass　…　a　midge　that　became　a　fly　and　then　a　bee　and　then　a　beetle。　Now　it　was　a　crash　helmet　bent　low　over　handlebars　between　two　big　black　paws。　God；　he　was　ing　fast！　Bond's　eyes　flickered　from　the　mirror　to　the　road　ahead　and　back　to　the　mirror。　When　the　killer's　right　hand　went　for　his　gun　。　。　。　！
　Bond　slowed　…　thirty…five；　thirty；　twenty。　Ahead　the　tarmac　was　smooth　as　metal。　A　last　quick　look　in　the　mirror。　The　right　hand　had　left　the　handlebars。　The　sun　on　the　man's　goggles　made　huge　fiery　eyes　below　the　rim　of　the　crash　helmet。　Now！　Bond　braked　fiercely　and　skidded　the　BSA　through　forty…five　degrees；　killing　the　engine。　He　was　not　quite　quick　enough　on　the　draw。　The　killer's　gun　flared　twice　and　a　bullet　tore　into　the　saddle…springs　beside　Bond's　thigh。　But　then　the　Colt　spoke　its　single　word；　and　the　killer　and　his　BSA；　as　if　lassoed　from　within　the　forest；　veered　crazily　off　the　road；　leapt　the　ditch　and　crashed　head…on　into　the　trunk　of　a　beech。　For　a　moment　the　tangle　of　man　and　machinery　clung　to　the　broad　trunk　and　then；　with　a　metallic　death…rattle；　toppled　backwards　into　the　grass。
　Bond　got　off　his　machine　and　walked　over　to　the　ugly　twist　of　khaki　and　smoking　steel。　There　was　no　need　to　feel　for　a　pulse。　Wherever　the　bullet　had　struck；　the　crash　helmet　had　smashed　like　an　eggshell。　Bond　turned　away　and　thrust　his　gun　back　into　the　front　of　his　tunic。　He　had　been　lucky。　It　would　not　do　to　press　his　luck。　He　got　on　the　BSA　and　accelerated　back　down　the　road。
　He　leant　the　BSA　up　against　one　of　the　scarred　trees　just　inside　the　forest　and　walked　softly　through　to　the　edge　of　the　clearing。　He　took　up　his　stand　in　the　shadow　of　the　big　beech。　He　moistened　his　lips　and　gave；　as　near　as　he　could；　the　killer's　bird…whistle。　He　waited。　Had　he　got　the　whistle　wrong？　But　then　the　bush　trembled　and　the　high　thin　whine　began。　Bond　hooked　his　right　thumb　through　his　belt　within　inches　of　his　gun…butt。　He　hoped　he　would　not　have　to　do　any　more　killing。　The　two　underlings　had　not　seemed　to　be　armed。　With　any　luck　they　would　e　quietly。
　Now　the　curved　doors　were　open。　From　where　he　was；　Bond　could　not　see　down　the　shaft；　but　within　seconds　the　first　man　was　out　and　putting　on　his　snowshoes　and　the　second　followed。　Snowshoes！　Bond's　heart　missed　a　beat。　He　had　forgotten　them！　They　must　be　hidden　back　there　in　the　bushes。　Blasted　fool！　Would　they　notice？
　The　two　men　came　slowly　towards　him；　delicately　placing　their　feet。　When　he　was　about　twenty　feet　away；　the　leading　man　said　something　softly　in　what　sounded　like　Russian。　When　Bond　did　not　reply；　the　two　men　stopped　in　their　tracks。　They　stared　at　him　in　astonishment；　waiting　perhaps　for　the　answer　to　a　password。　Bond　sensed　trouble。　He　whipped　out　his　gun　and　moved　towards　them；　crouching。　〃Hands　up。〃　He　gestured　with　the　muzzle　of　the　Colt。　The　leading　man　shouted　an　order　and　threw　himself　forward。　At　the　same　time　the　second　man　made　a　dash　back　towards　the　hideout。　A　rifle　boomed　from　among　the　trees　and　the　man's　right　leg　buckled　under　him。　The　men　from　the　Station　broke　cover　and　came　running。　Bond　fell　to　one　knee　and　clubbed　upwards　with　his　gun…barrel　at　the　hurtling　body。　It　made　contact；　but　then　the　man　was　on　him。　Bond　saw　fingernails　flashing　towards　his　eyes；　ducked　and　ran　into　an　upper…cut。　Now　a　hand　was　at　his　right　wrist　and　his　gun　was　being　slowly　turned　on　him。　Not　wanting　to　kill；　he　had　kept　the　safety　catch　up。　He　tried　to　get　his　thumb　to　it。　A　boot　hit　him　in　the　side　of　the　head　and　he　let　the　gun　go　and　fell　back。　Through　a　red　mist　he　saw　the　muzzle　of　the　gun　pointing　at　his　face。　The　thought　flashed　through　his　mind　that　he　was　going　to　die　…　die　for　showing　mercy　。　。　。　！
　Suddenly　the　gun　muzzle　had　gone　and　the　weight　of　the　man　was　off　him。　Bond　got　to　his　knees　and　then　to　his　feet。　The　body；　spreadeagled　in　the　grass　beside　him；　gave　a　last　kick。　There　were　bloody　rents　in　the　back　of　the　dungarees。　Bond　looked　round。　The　four　men　from　the　Station　were　in　a　group。　Bond　undid　the　strap　of　his　crash　helmet　and　rubbed　the　side　of　his　head。　He　said：　〃Well；　thanks。　Who　did　it？〃
　Nobody　answered。　The　men　looked　embarrassed。
　Bond　walked　towards　them；　puzzled。　〃What's　up？〃
　Suddenly　Bond　caught　a　trace　of　movement　behind　the　men。　An　extra　leg　showed　…　a　woman's　leg。　Bond　laughed　out　loud。　The　men　grinned　sheepishly　and　looked　behind　them。　Mary　Ann　Russell；　in　a　brown　shirt　and　black　jeans；　came　out　from　behind　them　with　her　hands　up。　One　of　the　hands　held　what　looked　like　a　。22　target　pistol。　She　brought　her　hands　down　and　tucked　the　pistol　into　the　top　of　her　jeans。　She　came　up　to　Bond。　She　said　anxiously：　〃You　won't　blame　anybody；　will　you？　I　just　wouldn't　let　them　leave　this　morning　without　me。〃　Her　eyes　pleaded。　〃Rather　lucky　I　did　e；　really。　I　mean；　I　just　happened　to　get　to　you　first。　No　one　wanted　to　shoot　for　fear　of　hitting　you。〃
　Bond　smiled　into　her　eyes。　He　said：　〃If　you　hadn't　e；　I'd　have　had　to　break　that　dinner　date。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　men；　his　voice　businesslike。　〃All　right。　One　of　you　take　the　motor…bike　and　report　the　gist　of　this　to　Colonel　Schreiber。　Say　we're　waiting　for　his　team　before　we　take　a　look　at　the　hide…out。　And　would　he　include　a　couple　of　anti…sabotage　men。　That　shaft　may　be　booby…trapped。　All　right？〃
　Bond　took　the　girl　by　the　arm。　He　said：　〃e　over　here。　I　want　to　show　you　a　bird's　nest。〃
　〃Is　that　an　order？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　
　
　
　FOR　YOUR　EYES　ONLY
　
　The　most　beautiful　bird　in　Jamaica；　and　some　say　the　most　beautiful　bird　in　the　world；　is　the　streamer…tail　or　doctor　humming…bird。　The　cock　bird　is　about　nine　inches　long；　but　seven　inches　of　it　are　tail　…　two　long　black　feathers　that　curve　and　cross　each　other　and　whose　inner　edges　are　in　a　form　of　scalloped　design。　The　head　and　crest　are　black；　the　wings　dark　green；　the　long　bill　is　scarlet；　and　the　eyes；　bright　and　confiding；　are　black。　The　body　is　emerald　green；　so　dazzling　that　when　the　sun　is　on　the　breast　you　see　the　brightest　green　thing　in　nature。　In　Jamaica；　birds　that　are　loved　are　given　nicknames。　Trochilus　polytmus　is　called　'doctor　bird'　because　his　two　black　streamers　remind　people　of　the　black　tail…coat　of　the　old…time　physician。　Mrs　Havelock　was　particularly　devoted　to　two　families　of　these　birds　because　she　had　been　watching　them　sipping　honey；　fighting；　nesting　and　making　love　since　she　married　and　came　to　Content。　She　was　now　over　fifty；　so　many　generations　of　these　two　families　had　e　and　gone　since　the　original　two　pairs　had　been　nicknamed　Pyramus　and　Thisbe　and　Daphnis　and　Chloe　by　her　mother…in…law。　But　successive　couples　had　kept　the　names；　and　Mrs　Havelock　now　sat　at　her　elegant　tea　service　on　the　broad　cool　veranda　and　watched　Pyramus；　with　a　fierce　'tee…tee…tee'　dive…bomb　Daphnis　who　had　finished　up　the　honey　on　his　own　huge　bush　of　Japanese　Hat　and　had　sneaked　in　among　the　neighbouring　Monkeyfiddle　that　was　Pyramus's　preserve。　The　two　tiny　black　and　green　ets　swirled　away　across　the　fine　acres　of　lawn；　dotted　with　brilliant　clumps　of　hibiscus　and　bougainvillaea；　until　they　were　lost　to　sight　in　the　citrus　groves。　They　would　soon　be　back。　The　running　battle　between　the　two　families　was　a　game。　In　this　big　finely　planted　garden　there　was　enough　honey　for　all。
　Mrs　Havelock　put　down　her　teacup　and　took　a　Patum　Peperium　sandwich。　She　said：　〃They　really　are　the　most　dreadful　show…offs。〃
　Colonel　Havelock　looked　over　the　top　of　his　Daily　Gleaner。　〃Who？〃
　〃Pyramus　and　Daphnis。〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　Colonel　Havelock　thought　the　names　idiotic。　He　said：　〃It　looks　to　me　as　if　Batista　will　be　on　the　run　soon。　Castro's　keeping　up　the　pressure　pretty　well。　Chap　at　Barclay's　told　me　this　morning　that　there's　a　lot　of　funk　money　ing　over　here　already。　Said　that　Belair's　been　sold　to　nominees。　One　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　pounds　for　a　thousand　acres　of　cattle…tick　and　a　house　the　red　ants'll　have　down　by　Christmas！　Somebody's　suddenly　gone　and　bought　that　ghastly　Blue　Harbour　hotel；　and　there's　even　talk　that　Jimmy　Farquharson　has　found　a　buyer　for　his　place　…　leaf…spot　and　Panama　disease　thrown　in　for　good　measure；　I　suppose。〃
　〃That'll　be　nice　for　Ursula。　The　poor　dear　can't　stand　it　out　here。　But　I　can't　say　I　like　the　idea　of　the　whole　island　being　bought　up　by　these　Cubans。　But　Tim；　where　do　they　get　all　the　money　from；　anyway？〃
　〃Rackets；　union　funds；　Government　money　…　God　knows。　The　place　is　riddled　with　crooks　and　gangsters。　They　must　want　to　get　their　money　out　of　Cuba　and　into　something　else　quick。　Jamaica's　as　good　as　anywhere　else　now　we've　got　this　convertibility　with　the　dollar。　Apparently　the　man　who　bought　Belair　just　shovelled　the　money　on　to　the　floor　of　Aschenheim's　office　out　of　a　suitcase。　I　suppose　he'll　keep　the　place　for　a　year　or　two；　and　when　the　trouble's　blown　over　or　when　Castro's　got　in　and　finished　cleaning　up　he'll　put　it　on　the　market　again；　take　a　reasonable　loss　and　move　off　somewhere　else。　Pity；　in　a　way。　Belair　used　to　be　a　fine　property。　It　could　have　been　brought　back　if　anyone　in　the　family　had　cared。〃
　〃It　was　ten　thousand　acres　in　Bill's　grandfather's　day。　It　used　to　take　the　busher　three　days　to　ride　the　boundary。〃
　〃Fat　lot　Bill　cares。　I　bet　he's　booked　his　passage　to　London　already。　That's　one　more　of　the　old　families　gone。　Soon　won't　be　anyone　left　of　that　lot　but　us。　Thank　God　Judy　likes　the　place。〃
　Mrs　Havelock　said　〃Yes；　dear〃　calmingly　and　pinged　the　bell　for　the　tea　things　to　be　cleared　away。　Agatha；　a　huge　blue…black　Negress　wearing　the　old…fashioned　white　headcloth　that　has　gone　out　in　Jamaica　except　in　the　hinterland；　came　out　through　the　white　and　rose　drawing…room　followed　by　Fayprince；　a　pretty　young　quadroon　from　Port　Maria　whom　she　was　training　as　second　housemaid。　Mrs　Havelock　said：　〃It's　time　we　started　bottling；