iam fleming.for your eyes only-第8部分

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is。〃
　Major　Gonzales　nodded　curtly。　〃In　that　case；　Colonel；　my　gentleman　will　carry　on　the　negotiations　with　the　next　owner　…　with　your　daughter。〃
　The　fingers　clicked。　Major　Gonzales　stepped　to　one　side　to　give　a　clear　field　of　fire。　The　brown　monkey…hands　came　out　from　under　the　gay　shirts。　The　ugly　sausage…shaped　hunks　of　metal　spat　and　thudded　…　again　and　again；　even　when　the　two　bodies　were　on　their　way　to　the　ground。
　Major　Gonzales　bent　down　and　verified　where　the　bullets　had　hit。　Then　the　three　small　men　walked　quickly　back　through　the　rose　and　white　drawing…room　and　across　the　dark　carved　mahogany　hall　and　out　through　the　elegant　front　door。　They　climbed　unhurriedly　into　a　black　Ford　Consul　Sedan　with　Jamaican　number　plates　and；　with　Major　Gonzales　driving　and　the　two　gunmen　sitting　upright　in　the　back　seat；　they　drove　off　at　an　easy　pace　down　the　long　avenue　of　Royal　Palms。　At　the　junction　of　the　drive　and　the　road　to　Port　Antonio　the　cut　telephone　wires　hung　down　through　the　trees　like　bright　lianas。　Major　Gonzales　slalomed　the　car　carefully　and　expertly　down　the　rough　parochial　road　until　he　was　on　the　metalled　strip　near　the　coast。　Then　he　put　on　speed。　Twenty　minutes　after　the　killing　he　came　to　the　outer　sprawl　of　the　little　banana　port。　There　he　ran　the　stolen　car　on　to　the　grass　verge　beside　the　road　and　the　three　men　got　out　and　walked　the　quarter　of　a　mile　through　the　sparsely　lit　main　street　to　the　banana　wharves。　The　speedboat　was　waiting；　its　exhaust　bubbling。　The　three　men　got　in　and　the　boat　zoomed　off　across　the　still　waters　of　what　an　American　poetess　has　called　the　most　beautiful　harbour　in　the　world。　The　anchor　chain　was　already　half　up　on　the　glittering　fifty…ton　Chriscraft。　She　was　flying　the　Stars　and　Stripes。　The　two　graceful　antennae　of　the　deep…sea　rods　explained　that　these　were　tourists　…　from　Kingston；　perhaps；　or　from　Montego　Bay。　The　three　men　went　on　board　and　the　speedboat　was　swung　in。　Two　canoes　were　circling；　begging。　Major　Gonzales　tossed　a　fifty…cent　piece　to　each　of　them　and　the　stripped　men　dived。　The　twin　diesels　awoke　to　a　stuttering　roar　and　the　Chriscraft　settled　her　stern　down　a　fraction　and　made　for　the　deep　channel　below　the　Titchfield　hotel。　By　dawn　she　would　be　back　in　Havana。　The　fishermen　and　wharfingers　ashore　watched　her　go；　and　went　on　with　their　argument　as　to　which　of　the　filmstars　holidaying　in　Jamaica　this　could　have　been。
　Up　on　the　broad　veranda　of　Content　the　last　rays　of　the　sun　glittered　on　the　red　stains。　One　of　the　doctor　birds　whirred　over　the　balustrade　and　hovered　close　above　Mrs　Havelock's　heart；　looking　down。　No；　this　was　not　for　him。　He　flirted　gaily　off　to　his　roosting…perch　among　the　closing　hibiscus。
　There　came　the　sound　of　someone　in　a　small　sports　car　making　a　racing　change　at　the　bend　of　the　drive。　If　Mrs　Havelock　had　been　alive　she　would　have　been　getting　ready　to　say：　〃Judy；　I'm　always　telling　you　not　to　do　that　on　the　corner。　It　scatters　gravel　all　over　the　lawn　and　you　know　how　it　ruins　Joshua's　lawn…mower。〃
　
　It　was　a　month　later。　In　London；　October　had　begun　with　a　week　of　brilliant　Indian　summer；　and　the　noise　of　the　mowers　came　up　from　Regent's　Park　and　in　through　the　wide　open　windows　of　M's　office。　They　were　motor…mowers　and　James　Bond　reflected　that　one　of　the　most　beautiful　noises　of　summer；　the　drowsy　iron　song　of　the　old　machines；　was　going　for　ever　from　the　world。　Perhaps　today　children　felt　the　same　about　the　puff　and　chatter　of　the　little　two…stroke　engines。　At　least　the　cut　grass　would　smell　the　same。
　Bond　had　time　for　these　reflections　because　M　seemed　to　be　having　difficulty　in　ing　to　the　point。　Bond　had　been　asked　if　he　had　anything　on　at　the　moment；　and　he　had　replied　happily　that　he　hadn't　and　had　waited　for　Pandora's　box　to　be　opened　for　him。　He　was　mildly　intrigued　because　M　had　addressed　him　as　James　and　not　by　his　number　…　007。　This　was　unusual　during　duty　hours。　It　sounded　as　if　there　might　be　some　personal　angle　to　this　assignment　…　as　if　it　might　be　put　to　him　more　as　a　request　than　as　an　order。　And　it　seemed　to　Bond　that　there　was　an　extra　small　cleft　of　worry　between　the　frosty；　damnably　clear；　grey　eyes。　And　three　minutes　was　certainly　too　long　to　spend　getting　a　pipe　going。
　M　swivelled　his　chair　round　square　with　the　desk　and　flung　the　box　of　matches　down　so　that　it　skidded　across　the　red　leather　top　towards　Bond。　Bond　fielded　it　and　skidded　it　politely　back　to　the　middle　of　the　desk。　M　smiled　briefly。　He　seemed　to　make　up　his　mind。　He　said　mildly：　〃James；　has　it　ever　occurred　to　you　that　every　man　in　the　fleet　knows　what　to　do　except　the　manding　admiral？〃
　Bond　frowned。　He　said：　〃It　hadn't　occurred　to　me；　sir。　But　I　see　what　you　mean。　The　rest　only　have　to　carry　out　orders。　The　admiral　has　to　decide　on　the　orders。　I　suppose　it's　the　same　as　saying　that　Supreme　mand　is　the　loneliest　post　there　is。〃
　M　jerked　his　pipe　sideways。　〃Same　sort　of　idea。　Someone's　got　to　be　tough。　Someone's　got　to　decide　in　the　end。　If　you　send　a　havering　signal　to　the　Admiralty　you　deserve　to　be　put　on　the　beach。　Some　people　are　religious　…　pass　the　decision　on　to　God。〃　M's　eyes　were　defensive。　〃I　used　to　try　that　sometimes　in　the　Service；　but　He　always　passed　the　buck　back　again　…　told　me　to　get　on　and　make　up　my　own　mind。　Good　for　one；　I　suppose；　but　tough。　Trouble　is；　very　few　people　keep　tough　after　about　forty。　They've　been　knocked　about　by　life　…　had　troubles；　tragedies；　illnesses。　These　things　soften　you　up。〃　M　looked　sharply　at　Bond。　〃How's　your　coefficient　of　toughness；　James？　You　haven't　got　to　the　dangerous　age　yet。〃
　Bond　didn't　like　personal　questions。　He　didn't　know　what　to　answer；　nor　what　the　truth　was。　He　had　not　got　a　wife　or　children　…　had　never　suffered　the　tragedy　of　a　personal　loss。　He　had　not　had　to　stand　up　to　blindness　or　a　mortal　disease。　He　had　absolutely　no　idea　how　he　would　face　these　things　that　needed　so　much　more　toughness　than　he　had　ever　had　to　show。　He　said　hesitantly：　〃I　suppose　I　can　stand　most　things　if　I　have　to　and　if　I　think　it's　right；　sir。　I　mean〃　…　he　did　not　like　using　such　words　…　〃if　the　cause　is　…　er　…　sort　of　just；　sir。〃　He　went　on；　feeling　ashamed　at　himself　for　throwing　the　ball　back　at　M：　〃Of　course　it's　not　easy　to　know　what　is　just　and　what　isn't。　I　suppose　I　assume　that　when　I'm　given　an　unpleasant　job　in　the　Service　the　cause　is　a　just　one。〃
　〃Dammit；〃　M's　eyes　glittered　impatiently。　〃That's　just　what　I　mean！　You　rely　on　me。　You　won't　take　any　damned　responsibility　yourself。〃　He　thrust　the　stem　of　his　pipe　towards　his　chest。　〃I'm　the　one　who　has　to　do　that。　I'm　the　one　who　has　to　decide　if　a　thing　is　right　or　not。〃　The　anger　died　out　of　the　eyes。　The　grim　mouth　bent　sourly。　He　said　gloomily：　〃Oh　well；　I　suppose　it's　what　I'm　paid　for。　Somebody's　got　to　drive　the　bloody　train。〃　M　put　his　pipe　back　in　his　mouth　and　drew　on　it　deeply　to　relieve　his　feelings。
　Now　Bond　felt　sorry　for　M。　He　had　never　before　heard　M　use　as　strong　a　word　as　'bloody'。　Nor　had　M　ever　given　a　member　of　his　staff　any　hint　that　he　felt　the　weight　of　the　burden　he　was　carrying　and　had　carried　ever　since　he　had　thrown　up　the　certain　prospect　of　being　Fifth　Sea　Lord　in　order　to　take　over　the　Secret　Service。　M。　had　got　himself　a　problem。　Bond　wondered　what　it　was。　It　would　not　be　concerned　with　danger。　If　M　could　get　the　odds　more　or　less　right　he　would　risk　anything；　anywhere　in　the　world。　It　would　not　be　political。　M　did　not　give　a　damn　for　the　susceptibilities　of　any　Ministry　and　thought　nothing　of　going　behind　their　backs　to　get　a　personal　ruling　from　the　Prime　Minister。　It　might　be　moral。　It　might　be　personal。　Bond　said：　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　help　over；　sir？〃
　M　looked　briefly；　thoughtfully　at　Bond；　and　then　swivelled　his　chair　so　that　he　could　look　out　of　the　window　at　the　high　summery　clouds。　He　said　abruptly：　〃Do　you　remember　the　Havelock　case？〃
　〃Only　what　I　read　in　the　papers；　sir。　Elderly　couple　in　Jamaica。　The　daughter　came　home　one　night　and　found　them　full　of　bullets。　There　was　some　talk　of　gangsters　from　Havana。　The　housekeeper　said　three　men　had　called　in　a　car。　She　thought　they　might　have　been　Cubans。　It　turned　out　the　car　had　been　stolen。　A　yacht　had　sailed　from　the　local　harbour　that　night。　But　as　far　as　I　remember　the　police　didn't　get　anywhere。　That's　all；　sir。　I　haven't　seen　any　signals　passing　on　the　case。〃
　M　said　gruffly：　〃You　wouldn't　have。　They've　been　personal　to　me。　We　weren't　asked　to　handle　the　case。　Just　happens；〃　M　cleared　his　throat：　this　private　use　of　the　Service　was　on　his　conscience；　〃I　knew　the　Havelocks。　Matter　of　fact　I　was　best　man　at　their　wedding。　Malta。　Nineteen…twenty…five。〃
　〃I　see；　sir。　That's　bad。〃
　M　said　shortly：　〃Nice　people。　Anyway；　I　told　Station　C　to　look　into　it。　They　didn't　get　anywhere　with　the　Batista　people；　but　we've　got　a　good　man　with　the　other　side　…　with　this　chap　Castro。　And　Castro's　Intelligence　people　seem　to　have　the　Government　pretty　well　penetrated。　I　got　the　whole　story　a　couple　of　weeks　ago。　It　boils　down　to　the　fact　that　a　man　called　Hammerstein；　or　von　Hammerstein；　had　the　couple　killed。　There　are　a　lot　of　Germans　well　dug　in　in　these　banana　republics。　They're　Nazis　who　got　out　of　the　net　at　the　end　of　the　War。　This　one's　ex…Gestapo。　He　got　a　job　as　head　of　Batista's　Counter　Intelligence。　Made　a　packet　of　money　out　of　extortion　and　blackmail　and　protection。　He　was　set　up　for　life　until　Castro's　lot　began　to　make　headway。　He　was　one　of　the　first　to　start　easing　himself　out。　He　cut　one　of　his　officers　in　on　his　loot；　a　man　called　Gonzales；　and　this　man　travelled　around　the　Caribbean　with　a　couple　of　gunmen　to　protect　him　and　began　salting　away　Hammerstein's　money　outside　Cuba　…　put　it　in　real　estate　and　suchlike　under　nominees。　Only　bought　the　best；　but　at　top　prices。　Hammerstein　could　afford　them。　When　money　didn't　work　he'd　use　force　…　kidnap　a　child；　burn　down　a　few　acres；　anything　to　make　the　owner　see　reason。　Well；　this　man　Hammerstein　heard　of　the　Havelocks'　property；　one　of　the　best　in　Jamaica；　and　he　told　Gonzales　to　go　and　get　it。　I　suppose　his　orders　were　to　kill　the　Havelocks　if　they　wouldn't　sell　and　then　put　pressure　on　the　daughter。　There's　a　daughter；　by　the　way。　Should　be　about　twenty…five　by　now