if.moonraker-第22部分

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　The　girl　spoke　to　Drax。　〃I　don't　know　much　about　these　things；　Sir　Hugo；〃　she　said　with　a　modesty　and　a　touch　of　impulsiveness　which　Bond　admired。　〃But　I　don't　trust　the　man　at　all。　I　hadn't　meant　to　tell　you；　but　he's　been　poking　around　my　room；　opening　letters　and　so　forth。　I　know　he　has。〃
　Drax　was　shocked。　〃Has　he　indeed？〃　he　said。　He　bashed　his　cigarette　out　in　the　ashtray　and　killed　the　glowing　fragments　one　by　one。　〃So　much　for　Krebs；〃　he　said；　without　looking　up。
　
　CHAPTER　XV
　
　ROUGH　JUSTICE
　
　THERE　WAS　a　moment's　silence　in　the　room　during　which　Bond　reflected　how　odd　it　was　that　suspicions　should　have　fallen　so　suddenly　and　so　unanimously　on　one　man。　And　did　that　automatically　clear　all　the　others？　Might　not　Krebs　be　the　inside　man　of　a　gang？　Or　was　he　working　on　his　own　and；　if　so；　with　what　object？　And　what　did　his　snooping　have　to　do　with　the　death　of　Talon　and　Bartsch？
　Drax　broke　the　silence。　〃Well；　that　seems　to　settle　it；〃　he　said；　looking　to　Bond　for　confirmation。　Bond　gave　a　nonmittal　nod。　〃Just　have　to　leave　him　to　you。　At　all　events；　we　must　see　he　is　kept　well　away　from　the　site。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I　shall　be　taking　him　to　London　tomorrow。　Last…minute　details　to　be　settled　with　the　Ministry　and　Walter　can't　be　spared。　Krebs　is　the　only　man　I've　got　who　can　do　the　work　of　an　ADC。　That'll　keep　him　out　of　trouble。　We'll　all　have　to　keep　an　eye　on　him　until　then。　Unless　of　course　you　want　to　put　him　under　lock　and　key　straight　away。　I'd　prefer　not；〃　he　said　candidly。　〃Don't　want　to　upset　the　team　any　more。〃
　〃It　shouldn't　be　necessary；〃　said　Bond。　〃Has　he　got　any　particular　friends　among　the　other　men？〃
　〃Never　seen　him　speak　to　any　of　them　except　Walter　and　the　household；〃　said　Drax。　〃Daresay　he　considers　himself　a　cut　above　the　others。　Personally；　I　don't　believe　there's　much　harm　in　the　chap　or　I　wouldn't　have　kept　him。　He's　left　alone　in　that　house　all　day　long　and　I　expect　he's　one　of　those　people　who　like　playing　the　detective　and　prying　into　other　people's　affairs。　What　do　you　say？　Perhaps　we　could　leave　it　like　that？〃
　Bond　nodded；　keeping　his　thoughts　to　himself。
　〃Well；　then；〃　said　Drax；　obviously　glad　to　leave　a　distasteful　subject　and　get　back　to　business；　〃we've　got　other　things　to　talk　about。　Two　more　days　to　go　and　I'd　better　tell　you　the　programme。〃　He　got　up　from　his　chair　and　paced　heavily　up　and　down　the　room　behind　his　desk。　〃Today　is　Wednesday；〃　he　said。　〃At　one　o'clock　the　site　will　be　closed　for　fuelling。　This　will　be　supervised　by　Dr　Walter　and　myself　and　two　men　from　the　Ministry。　Just　in　case　anything　goes　wrong　a　television　camera　will　record　everything　we　do。　Then；　if　there　is　an　explosion；　our　successors　will　know　better　next　time；〃　he　barked　a　short　laugh。　〃Weather　permitting；　the　roof　will　be　opened　tonight　to　allow　the　fumes　to　clear。　My　men　will　stand　guard　in　watches　at　ten…yard　intervals　a　hundred　yards　from　the　site。　There　will　be　three　armed　men　on　the　beach　opposite　the　exhaust　hole　in　the　cliff。　Tomorrow　morning　the　site　will　be　opened　again　until　midday　for　a　final　check　and　from　that　moment；　except　for　the　gyro　settings；　the　Moonraker　will　be　ready　to　go。　The　guards　will　be　permanently　on　duty　round　the　site。　On　Friday　morning　I　shall　personally　supervise　the　gyro　settings。　The　men　from　the　Ministry　will　take　over　the　firing　point　and　the　RAF　will　man　the　radar。　The　BBC　will　set　up　their　vans　behind　the　firing　point　and　will　begin　their　running　mentary　at　eleven…forty…five。　At　midday　exactly　I　shall　press　the　plunger；　a　radio　beam　will　break　an　electric　circuit　and；〃　he　smiled　broadly；　〃we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃　He　paused；　fingering　his　chin。　〃Now　what　else？　Well　now。　Shipping　will　be　cleared　from　the　target　area　from　midnight　on　Thursday。　The　Navy　will　provide　a　patrol　of　the　boundaries　of　the　area　all　through　the　morning。　There　will　be　a　BBC　mentator　in　one　of　the　Ships。　The　Ministry　of　Supply　experts　will　be　in　a　salvage　ship　with　deep…sea　television　and　after　the　rocket　has　landed　they　will　try　to　bring　up　the　remains。　You　may　be　interested　to　know；〃　continued　Drax；　rubbing　his　hands　with　almost　childish　pleasure；　〃that　a　messenger　from　the　Prime　Minister　has　brought　me　the　very　wele　news　that　not　only　will　there　be　a　special　Cabinet　Meeting　to　listen　to　the　broadcast；　but　the　Palace　will　also　be　listening　in　to　the　launching。〃
　〃Splendid；〃　said　Bond；　pleased　for　the　man's　sake。
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Drax。　〃Now　I　want　to　be　quite　certain　that　you　are　satisfied　with　my　security　arrangements　on　the　site　itself。　I　don't　think　we　need　worry　about　what　goes　on　outside。　The　RAF　and　the　police　seem　to　be　doing　a　very　thorough　job。〃
　〃Everything　seems　to　have　been　taken　care　of；〃　said　Bond。　〃There　doesn't　seem　to　be　very　much　for　me　to　do　in　the　time　that's　left。〃
　〃Nothing　that　I　can　think　of；〃　agreed　Drax；　〃except　our　friend　Krebs。　This　afternoon　he　will　be　in　the　television　van　taking　notes；　so　he　will　be　out　of　trouble。　Why　don't　you　have　a　look　at　the　beach　and　the　bottom　of　the　cliff　while　he's　out　of　action？　That's　the　only　weak　spot　I　can　think　of。　I've　often　thought　that　if　someone　wanted　to　get　into　the　site　he　would　try　the　exhaust　pit。　Take　Miss　Brand　with　you。　Two　pairs　of　eyes；　and　so　forth；　and　she　won't　be　able　to　use　her　office　until　tomorrow　morning。〃
　〃Good；〃　said　Bond。　〃I'd　certainly　like　to　have　a　look　at　the　seaward　side　after　lunch；　and　if　Miss　Brand's　got　nothing　better　to　do。。。〃　He　turned　towards　her　with　his　eyebrows　raised。
　Gala　Brand　looked　down　her　nose。　〃Certainly；　if　Sir　Hugo　wishes；〃　she　said　without　enthusiasm。
　Drax　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃Then　that's　settled；〃　he　said。　〃And　now　I　must　get　down　to　work。　Miss　Brand；　would　you　ask　Dr　Walter　to　e　along　if　he's　free。　See　you　at　lunch；〃　he　said　to　Bond；　on　a　note　of　dismissal。
　Bond　nodded。　〃I　think　I'll　walk　over　and　have　a　look　at　the　firing　point；〃　he　said；　not　quite　knowing　why　he　lied。　He　turned　and　followed　Gala　Brand　out　through　the　double　doors　into　the　base　of　the　shaft。
　A　huge　black　snake　of　rubber　piping　meandered　over　the　shining　steel　floor　and　Bond　watched　the　girl　pick　her　way　among　its　coils　to　where　Walter　was　standing　alone。　He　was　gazing　up　at　the　mouth　of　the　fuel　pipe　being　hoist　to　where　a　gantry；　outstretched　to　the　threshold　of　an　access　door　halfway　up　the　rocket；　indicated　the　main　fuel　tanks。
　She　said　something　to　Walter　and　then　stood　beside　him　looking　upwards　as　the　pipe　was　delicately　manhandled　through　into　the　interior　of　the　rocket。
　Bond　thought　she　looked　very　innocent　standing　there　with　her　brown　hair　falling　back　from　her　head　and　the　curve　of　her　ivory　throat　sweeping　down　into　the　plain　white　shirt。　With　her　hands　clasped　behind　her　back；　gazing　raptly　upwards　at　the　glittering　fifty　feet　of　the　Moonraker；　she　might　have　been　a　schoolgirl　looking　up　at　a　Christmas　tree…except　for　the　impudent　pride　of　the　jutting　breasts；　swept　up　by　the　thrown…back　head　and　shoulders。
　Bond　smiled　to　himself　as　he　walked　to　the　foot　of　the　iron　stairway　and　started　to　climb。　That　innocent；　desirable　girl；　he　reminded　himself；　is　an　extremely　efficient　policewoman。　She　knows　how　to　kick；　and　where；　she　can　break　my　arm　probably　more　easily　and　quickly　than　I　can　break　hers；　and　at　least　half　of　her　belongs　to　the　Special　Branch　of　Scotland　Yard。　Of　course；　he　reflected；　looking　down　just　in　time　to　see　her　follow　Dr　Walters　into　Drax's　office；　there　is　always　the　other　half。
　Outside；　the　brilliant　May　sunshine　seemed　particularly　golden　after　the　blue…white　of　the　arcs　and　Bond　could　feel　it　hot　on　his　back　as　he　walked　purposefully　across　the　concrete　towards　the　house。　The　foghorn　from　the　Goodwins　was　silent　and　the　morning　was　so　quiet　that　he　could　hear　the　rhythmic　thump　of　a　ship's　engines　as　a　coaster　negotiated　the　Inner　Leads；　between　the　Goodwins　and　the　shore；　on　its　way　northwards。
　He　approached　the　house　under　cover　of　the　wide　blast…wall　and　then　quickly　crossed　the　few　yards　to　the　front　door；　the　crepe　rubber　soles　of　his　shoes　making　no　noise。　He　eased　open　the　door　and　left　it　ajar　and　walked　softly　into　the　hall　and　stood　listening。　There　was　the　early　summer　noise　of　a　bumble…bee　fussing　against　the　pane　of　one　of　the　windows　and　a　distant　clatter　from　the　barracks　behind　the　house。　Otherwise　the　silence　was　deep　and　warm　and　reassuring。
　Bond　walked　carefully　across　the　hall　and　up　the　stairs；　placing　his　feet　flat　on　the　ground　and　using　the　extreme　edges　of　the　steps　where　the　boards　would　be　less　likely　to　creak。　There　was　no　noise　in　the　corridor　but　Bond　saw　that　his　door　at　the　far　end　was　open。　He　took　his　gun　from　under　his　armpit　and　walked　swiftly　down　the　carpeted　passage。
　Krebs　had　his　back　to　him。　He　was　kneeling　forward　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　with　his　elbows　on　the　ground。　His　hands　were　at　the　wheels　of　the　bination　lock　of　Bond's　leather　case。　His　whole　attention　was　focused　on　the　click　of　the　tumblers　in　the　lock。
　The　target　was　tempting　and　Bond　didn't　hesitate。　His　teeth　showed　in　a　hard　smile；　he　took　two　quick　paces　into　the　room　and　his　foot　lashed　out。
　All　his　force　was　behind　the　point　of　his　shoe　and　his　balance　and　timing　were　perfect。
　The　scream　of　a　jay　was　driven　out　of　Krebs　as；　like　the　caricature　of　a　leaping　frog；　he　hurtled　over　Bond's　case；　across　a　yard　or　so　of　carpet；　and　into　the　front　of　the　mahogany　dressing…table。　His　head　hit　the　middle　of　it　so　hard　that　the　heavy　piece　of　furniture　rocked　on　its　base。　The　scream　was　abruptly　cut　off　and　he　crashed　in　an　inert　spreadeagle　on　the　floor　and　lay　still。
　Bond　stood　looking　at　him　and　listening　for　the　sound　of　hurrying　footsteps；　but　there　was　still　silence　in　the　house。　He　walked　over　to　the　sprawling　figure　and　bent　down　and　heaved　it　over　on　its　back。　The　face　around　the　smudge　of　yellow　moustache　was　pale　and　some　blood　had　oozed　down　over　the　forehead　from　a　cut　in　the　top　of　the　skull。　The　eyes　were　closed　and　the　breathing　was　laboured。
　Bond　knelt　down　on　one　knee　and　went　carefully　through　every　pocket　of　Krebs's　neat　grey　pinstripe　suit；　laying　the　disappointingly　meagre　contents　on　the　carpet　beside　the　body。　There　was　no　pocketbook　and　no　papers。　The　only　objects　of　inter