if.moonraker-第18部分

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o　spring　the　vitality　and　confidence　to　buoy　up　his　whole　team。　Even　in　such　a　small　thing　as　winning　at　cards　it　must　be　important　to　him　to　be　constantly　reassuring　himself；　constantly　searching　out　omens　of　good　fortune　and　success；　even　to　the　point　of　creating　these　omens　for　himself。　Who；　Bond　asked　himself；　wouldn't　sweat　and　bite　his　nails　when　so　much　had　been　dared；　when　so　much　was　at　stake？
　As　they　filed　down　the　long　curve　of　the　stairway；　their　figures　grotesquely　reflected　back　at　them　by　the　mirror　of　the　rocket's　chromium　skin；　Bond　almost　felt　the　man…in　the…street's　affection　for　the　man　whom；　only　a　few　hours　previously；　he　had　been　dissecting　without　pity；　almost　with　loathing。
　When　they　reached　the　steel…plated　floor　of　the　shaft；　Drax　paused　and　looked　up。　Bond　followed　his　eyes。　Seen　from　that　angle　it　seemed　as　if　they　were　gazing　up　a　thin　straight　shaft　of　light　into　the　blazing　heaven　of　the　arcs；　a　shaft　of　light　that　was　not　pure　white　but　a　shot　mother…of…pearl　satin。　There　were　shimmers　of　red　in　it　picked　up　from　the　crimson　canisters　of　a　giant　foam　fire…extinguisher　that　stood　near　them；　a　man　in　an　asbestos　suit　beside　it　aiming　its　nozzle　at　the　base　of　the　rocket。　There　was　a　streak　of　violet　whose　origin　was　a　violet　bulb　on　the　board　of　an　instrument　panel　in　the　wall；　which　controlled　the　steel　cover　over　the　exhaust　pit。　And　there　was　a　whisper　of　emerald　green　from　the　shaded　light　over　a　plain　deal　table　at　which　a　man　sat　and　wrote　down　figures　as　they　were　called　to　him　from　the　group　gathered　directly　beneath　the　Moonraker's　tail。
　Gazing　up　this　pastel　column；　so　incredibly　slim　and　graceful；　it　seemed　unthinkable　that　anything　so　delicate　could　withstand　the　pressures　which　it　had　been　designed　to　meet　on　Friday…the　howling　stream　of　the　most　powerful　controlled　explosion　that　had　ever　been　attempted；　the　impact　of　the　sound　barrier；　the　unknown　pressures　of　the　atmosphere　at　15；000　miles　an　hour；　the　terrible　shock　as　it　plunged　back　from　a　thousand　miles　up　and　hit　the　atmospheric　envelope　of　the　earth。
　Drax　seemed　to　read　his　thoughts。　He　turned　to　Bond。　〃It　will　be　like　mitting　murder；〃　he　said。　Then　surprisingly；　he　burst　into　a　braying　laugh。　〃Walter；〃　he　called　to　the　group　of　men。　〃e　here。〃　Walter　detached　himself　and　came　over。　〃Walter；　I　was　saying　to　our　friend　the　mander　that　when　we　fire　the　Moonraker　it　will　be　like　mitting　murder。〃
　Bond　was　not　surprised　to　see　a　look　of　puzzled　incredulity　e　over　the　Doctor's　face。
　Drax　said　irritably；　〃Child　murder。　Murder　of　our　child；〃　he　gestured　at　the　rocket。　〃Wake　up。　Wake　up。　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　Walter's　face　cleared。　Frostily　he　beamed　his　appreciation　of　the　simile。　〃Murder。　Yes；　that　is　good。　Ha！　ha！　And　now；
　Sir　Hugo。　The　graphite　slats　in　the　exhaust　vent。　The　Ministry　is　quite　happy　about　their　melting…point？　They　do　not　feel　that。。。〃　Still　talking；　Walter　led　Drax　under　the　tail　of　the　rocket。　Bond　followed。
　The　faces　of　the　ten　men　were　turned　towards　them　as　they　came　up。　Drax　introduced　him　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。　〃mander　Bond；　our　new　security　officer；〃　he　said　briefly。
　The　group　eyed　Bond　in　silence。　There　was　no　move　to　greet　him　and　the　ten　pairs　of　eyes　were　incurious。
　〃Now　then；　what's　all　this　fuss　about　the　graphite？。。。〃　The　group　closed　round　Drax　and　Walter。　Bond　was　left　standing　alone。
　He　was　not　surprised　by　the　coolness　of　his　reception。　He　would　have　regarded　the　intrusion　of　an　amateur　into　the　secrets　of　his　own　department　with　much　the　same　indifference　mixed　with　resentment。　And　he　sympathized　with　these　hand…picked　technicians　who　had　lived　for　months　among　the　highest　realms　of　astronautics；　and　were　now　on　the　threshold　of　the　final　arbitration。　And　yet；　he　reminded　himself；　the　innocent　among　them　must　know　that　Bond　had　his　own　duty　to　perform；　his　own　vital　part　in　this　project。　Supposing　one　pair　of　those　unmunicative　eyes　concealed　a　man　within　a　man；　an　enemy；　perhaps　at　this　very　moment　exulting　in　his　knowledge　that　the　graphite　which　Walter　seemed　to　mistrust　was　indeed　under…strength。　It　was　true　that　they　had　the　look　of　a　well…knit　team；　almost　of　a　brotherhood；　as　they　stood　round　Drax　and　Walter；　hanging　on　their　words；　their　eyes　intent　on　the　mouths　of　the　two　men。　But　was　part　of　one　brain　moving　within　the　privacy　of　some　secret　orbit；　ticking　off　its　hidden　calculus　like　the　stealthy　mechanism　of　an　infernal　machine？
　Bond　moved　casually　up　and　down　the　triangle　made　by　the　three　points　of　the　fins　as　they　rested　in　their　rubber…lined　cavities　in　the　steel　floor；　interesting　himself　in　whatever　met　his　eyes；　but　every　now　and　then　focusing　the　group　of　men　from　a　new　angle。
　With　the　exception　of　Drax　they　all　wore　the　same　tight　nylon　overalls　fastened　with　plastic　zips。　There　was　nowhere　a　hint　of　metal　and　none　wore　spectacles。　As　in　the　case　of　Walter　and　Krebs　their　heads　were　close…shaved；　presumably；　Bond　would　have　thought；　to　prevent　a　loose　hair　falling　into　the　mechanism。　And　yet；　and　this　struck　Bond　as　a　most　bizarre　characteristic　of　the　team；　each　man　sported　a　luxuriant　moustache　to　whose　culture　it　was　clear　that　a　great　deal　of　attention　had　been　devoted。　They　were　in　all　shapes　and　tints：　fair　or　mousy　or　dark；　handlebar；　walrus；　Kaiser；　Hitler…each　face　bore　its　own　hairy　badge　amongst　which　the　rank；　reddish　growth　of　Drax's　facial　hair　blazed　like　the　official　stamp　of　their　paramount　chief。
　Why；　wondered　Bond；　should　every　man　on　the　site　wear　a　moustache？　He　had　never　liked　the　things；　but　bined　with　these　shaven　heads；　there　was　something　positively　obscene　about　this　crop　of　hairy　tufts。　It　would　have　been　just　bearable　if　they　had　all　been　cut　to　the　same　pattern；　but　this　range　of　individual　fashions；　this　riot　of　personalized　growth；　had　something　particularly　horrible　about　it　against　the　background　of　naked　round　heads。
　There　was　nothing　else　to　notice；　the　men　were　of　average　height　and　they　were　all　on　the　slim　side…tailored；　Bond　supposed；　more　or　less　to　the　requirements　of　their　work。　Agility　would　be　needed　on　the　gantries；　and　pactness　for　manoeuvring　through　the　access　doors　and　around　the　tiny　partments　in　the　rocket。　Their　hands　looked　relaxed　and　spotlessly　clean；　and　their　feet　in　the　felt　slippers　were；　motionless　with　concentration。　He　never　once　caught　any　of　them　glancing　in　his　direction　and；　as　for　penetrating　their　minds　or　weighing　up　their　loyalties；　he　admitted　to　himself　that　the　task　of　unmasking　the　thoughts　of　fifty　of　these　robot…like　Germans　in　three　days　was　quite　hopeless。　Then　he　remembered。　It　was　fifty　no　longer。　Only　forty…nine。　One　of　these　robots　had　blown　his　top　（apt　expression；　reflected　Bond）。　And　what　had　e　out　of　Bartsch's　secret　thoughts？　Lust　for　a　woman　and　a　Heil　Hitler。　Would　he　be　far　wrong；　wondered　Bond；　if　he　guessed　that；　forgetting　the　Moonraker；　those　were　also　the　dominant　thoughts　inside　forty…nine　other　heads？
　〃Doctor　Walter！　That　is　an　order。〃　Drax's　voice　of　controlled　anger　broke　in　on　Bond's　thoughts　as　he　stood　fingering　the　sharp　leading　edge　of　the　tail　of　one　of　the　Columbite　fins。　〃Back　to　work。　We　have　wasted　enough　time。〃
　The　men　scattered　smartly　about　their　duties　and　Drax　came　up　to　where　Bond　was　standing；　leaving　Walter　hanging　about　indecisively　beneath　the　exhaust　vent　of　the　rocket。　Drax's　face　was　thunderous。　〃Damn　fool。　Always　seeing　trouble；〃　he　muttered。　And　then　abruptly；　as　if　he　wanted　to　clear　his　deputy　out　of　his　mind；　〃e　along　to　my　office。　Show　you　the　flight　plan。　Then　we'll　go　off　to　bed。〃
　Bond　followed　him　across　the　floor。　Drax　turned　a　small　handle　flush　with　the　steel　wall　and　a　narrow　door　opened　with　a　soft　hiss。　Three　feet　inside　there　was　another　steel　door　and　Bond　noticed　that　they　were　both　edged　with　rubber。　Air…lock。　Before　closing　the　outer　door　Drax　paused　on　the　threshold　and　pointed　along　the　circular　wall　to　a　number　of　similar　inconspicuous　flat　knobs　in　the　wall。　〃Workshops；〃　he　said。　〃Electricians；　generators；　fuelling　control；　washrooms；　stores。〃　He　pointed　to　the　adjoining　door。　〃My　secretary's　room。〃　He　closed　the　outer　door　before　he　opened　the　second　and　walked　into　his　office　and　shut　the　inner　door　behind　Bond。
　It　was　a　severe　room　painted　pale　grey；　containing　a　broad　desk　and　several　chairs　of　tubular　metal　and　dark　blue　canvas。　The　floor　was　carpeted　in　grey。　There　were　two　green　filing　cabinets　and　a　large　metal　radio　set。　A　half…open　door　showed　part　of　a　tiled　bathroom。　The　desk　faced　a　wide　blank　wall　which　seemed　to　be　made　of　opaque　glass。　Drax　walked　up　to　the　walls　and　snapped　down　two　switches　on　its　extreme　right。　The　whole　wall　lit　up　and　Bond　was　faced　with　two　maps　each　about　six　feet　square　traced　on　the　back　of　the　glass。
　The　left…hand　map　showed　the　eastern　quarter　of　England　from　Portsmouth　to　Hull　and　the　adjoining　waters　from　Latitude　50　to　55。　From　the　red　dot　near　Dover　which　was　the　site　of　the　Moonraker；　arcs　showing　the　range　in；　ten…mile　intervals　had　been　drawn　up　the　map。　At　a　point　eighty　miles　from　the　site；　between　the　Friesian　Islands　and　Hull；　there　was　a　red　diamond　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean。
　Drax　waved　towards　the　dense　mathematical　tables　and　columns　of　pass　readings　which　filled　the　right…hand　side　of　the　map。　〃Wind　velocities；　atmospheric　pressure；　ready…reckoner　for　the　gyro　settings；〃　he　said。　〃All　worked　out　using　the　rocket's　velocity　and　range　as　constants。　We　get　the　weather　every　day　from　the　Air　Ministry　and　readings　from　the　upper　atmosphere　every　time　the　RAF　jet　can　get　up　there。　When　he's　at　maximum　altitude　he　releases　helium　balloons　that　can　get　up　still　further。　The　earth's　atmosphere　reaches　about　fifty　miles　up。　After　twenty　there's　hardly　any　density　to　affect　the　Moonraker。　It'll　coast　up　almost　in　a　vacuum。　Getting　through　the　first　twenty　miles　is　the　problem。　The　gravity　pull's　another　worry。　Walter　can　explain　all　those　things　if　you're　interested。　There'll　be　continuous　weather　reports　during　the　last　few　hours　on　Friday。　And　we'll　set　the　gryos　just　before　the　take…off。　For　the　time　being；　Miss　Brand　gets　together　the　data　every　morning　and　keeps　a　table　of　gyro　settings　in　case　they're　wanted。〃
　Drax