if.moonraker-第24部分

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oom。
　〃Serves　him　right；〃　she　said。　〃I've　never　trusted　him。　But　what　did　Sir　Hugo　say？〃
　〃I　had　a　word　with　him　before　lunch；〃　said　Bond。　〃Gave　him　Krebs's　knife　and　keys　as　proof。　He　was　furious　and　went　straight　off　to　see　the　man；　muttering　with　rage。　When　he　came　back　he　said　that　Krebs　seemed　to　be　in　a　pretty　bad　way　and　was　I　satisfied　that　he'd　been　punished　enough？　All　that　business　about　not　wanting　to　upset　the　team　at　the　last　moment　and　so　forth。　So　I　agreed　that　he'd　be　sent　back　to　Germany　next　week　and　that　meanwhile　he　would　consider　himself　under　open　arrest…only　allowed　out　of　his　room　under　surveillance。〃
　They　scrambled　down　a　steep　cliff…path　to　the　beach　and　turned　to　the　right　beside　the　deserted　small…arms　range　of　the　Royal　Marine　Garrison　at　Deal。　They　walked　along　in　silence　until　they　came　to　the　two…mile　stretch　of　shingle　that　runs　at　low　tide　beneath　the　towering　white　cliffs　to　St　Margaret's　Bay。
　As　they　trudged　slowly　through　the　deep　smooth　pebbles　Bond　told　her　of　all　that　had　gone　through　his　mind　since　the　previous　day。　He　held　nothing　back　and　he　showed　each　false　hare　as　it　had　been　started　and　finally　run　to　earth；　leaving　nothing　but　a　thin　scent　of　ill…founded　suspicions　and　a　muddle　of　clues　that　all　ended　in　the　same　question　mark。。。　where　was　a　pattern？　Where　was　a　plan　into　which　the　clues　would　fit？　And　always　the　same　answer；　that　nothing　Bond　knew　or　suspected　seemed　to　have　any　conceivable　bearing　on　the　security　from　sabotage　of　the　Moonraker。　And　that；　when　all　was　said　and　done；　was　the　only　matter　with　which　he　and　the　girl　were　concerned。　Not　with　the　death　of　Tallon　and　Bartsch；　not　with　the　egregious　Krebs；　but　only　with　the　protection　of　the　whole　Moonraker　project　from　its　possible　enemies。
　〃Isn't　that　so？〃　Bond　concluded。
　Gala　stopped　and　stood　for　a　moment　looking　out　across　the　tumbled　rocks　and　seaweed　towards　the　quiet　glimmering　swell　of　the　sea。　She　was　hot　and　out　of　breath　from　the　hard　going　through　the　shingle　and　she　thought　how　wonderful　it　would　be　to　bathe…to　step　back　for　a　moment　into　those　childish　days　beside　the　sea　before　her　life　had　been　caught　up　in　this　strange　cold　profession　with　its　tensions　and　hollow　thrills。　She　glanced　at　the　ruthless　brown　face　of　the　man　beside　her。　Did　he　have　moments　of　longing　for　the　peaceful　simple　things　of　life？　Of　course　not。　He　liked　Paris　and　Berlin　and　New　York　and　trains　and　aeroplanes　and　expensive　food；　and；　yes　certainly；　expensive　women。
　〃Well？〃　said　Bond；　wondering　if　she　was　going　to　e　out　with　some　piece　of　evidence　that　he　had　overlooked。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Gala。　〃I　was　dreaming。　No；〃　she　answered　his　question。　〃I　think　you're　right。　I've　been　down　here　since　the　beginning　and　although　there've　been　odd　little　things　from　time　to　time；　and　of　course　the　shooting；　I've　seen　absolutely　nothing　wrong。　Every　one　of　the　team；　from　Sir　Hugo　down；　is　heart　and　soul　behind　the　rocket。　It's　all　they　live　for　and　it's　been　wonderful　to　see　the　whole　thing　grow。　The　Germans　are　terrific　workers…and　I　can　quite　believe　that　Bartsch　broke　under　the　strain…and　they　love　being　driven　by　Sir　Hugo　and　he　loves　driving　them。　They　worship　him。　And　as　for　security；　the　place　is　solid　with　it　and　I'm　sure　that　anyone　who　tried　to　get　near　the　Moonraker　would　be　torn　to　pieces。　I　agree　with　you　about　Krebs　and　that　he　was　probably　working　under　Drax's　orders。　It　was　because　I　believed　that；　that　I　didn't　bother　to　report　him　when　he　went　through　my　things。　There　was　nothing　for　him　to　find；　of　course。　Just　private　letters　and　so　on。　It　would　be　typical　of　Sir　Hugo　to　make　absolutely　sure。　And　I　must　say；〃　she　said　candidly；　〃that　I　admire　him　for　it。　He's　a　ruthless　man　with　deplorable　manners　and　not　a　very　nice　face　under　all　that　red　hair；　but　I　love　working　for　him　and　I'm　longing　for　the　Moonraker　to　be　a　success。　Living　with　it　for　so　long　has　made　me　feel　just　like　his　men　do　about　it。〃
　She　looked　up　to　see　his　reactions。
　He　nodded。　〃After　only　a　day　I　can　understand　that；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　suppose　I　agree　with　you。　There's　nothing　to　go　on　except　my　intuition　and　that　will　have　to　look　after　itself。　The　main　thing　is　that　the　Moonraker　looks　as　safe　as　the　Crown　Jewels；　and　probably　safer。〃　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　impatiently；　dissatisfied　with　himself　for　disowning　the　intuitions　that　were　so　much　of　his　trade。　〃e　on；〃　he　said；　almost　roughly。　〃We're　wasting　time。〃
　Understanding；　she　smiled　to　herself　and　followed。
　Round　the　next　bend　of　the　cliff　they　came　up　with　the　base　of　the　hoist；　encrusted　with　seaweed　and　barnacles。　Fifty　yards　further　on　they　reached　the　jetty；　a　strong　tubular　iron　frame　paved　with　latticed　iron　strips　that　ran　out　over　the　rocks　and　beyond。
　Between　the　two；　and　perhaps　twenty　feet　up　the　cliff　face；　yawned　the　wide　black　mouth　of　the　exhaust　tunnel　which　slanted　up　inside　the　cliff　to　the　steel　floor　beneath　the　stern　of　the　rocket。　From　the　under…lip　of　the　cave　melted　chalk　drooled　like　lava　and　there　were　splashes　of　the　stuff　all　over　the　pebbles　and　rocks　below。　In　his　mind's　eye　Bond　could　see　the　blazing　white　shaft　of　flame　e　howling　out　of　the　face　of　the　cliff　and　he　could　hear　the　sea　hiss　and　bubble　as　the　liquid　chalk　poured　into　the　water。
　He　looked　up　at　the　narrow　section　of　the　launching　dome　that　showed　above　the　edge　of　the　cliff　two　hundred　feet　up　in　the　sky；　and　imagined　the　four　men　in　their　gas…masks　and　asbestos　suits　watching　the　gauges　as　the　terrible　liquid　explosive　pulsed　down　the　black　rubber　tube　into　the　stomach　of　the　rocket。　He　suddenly　realized　that　they　were　in　range　if　anything　went　wrong　with　the　fuelling。
　〃Let's　get　away　from　here；〃　he　said　to　the　girl。
　When　they　had　put　a　hundred　yards　between　themselves　and　the　cave　Bond　stopped　and　looked　back。　He　imagined　himself　with　six　tough　men　and　all　the　right　gear；　and　he　wondered　how　he　would　set　about　attacking　the　site　from　the　sea…kyaks　to　the　jetty　at　low　tide；　a　ladder　to　the　lip　of　the　cave？　and　then　what？　Impossible　to　climb　the　polished　steel　walls　of　the　exhaust　tunnel。　It　would　be　a　question　of　firing　an　anti…tank　weapon　through　the　steel　floor　beneath　the　rocket；　following　up　with　some　phosphorus　shells　and　hoping　that　something　would　catch　fire。　Untidy　business；　but　it　might　be　effective。　Getting　away　afterwards　would　be　nasty。　Sitting　targets　from　the　top　of　the　cliff。　But　that　wouldn't　worry　a　Russian　suicide　squad。　It　was　all　quite　feasible。
　Gala　had　been　standing　beside　him　watching　the　eyes　that　measured　and　speculated。　〃It's　not　as　easy　as　you　might　think；〃　she　said；　seeing　the　frown　on　his　face。　〃Even　when　it's　high　tide　and　very　rough　they　have　guards　along　the　top　of　the　cliff　at　night。　And　they've　got　searchlights　and　Brens　and　grenades。　Their　orders　are　to　shoot　and　ask　questions　afterwards。　Of　course　it　would　be　better　to　floodlight　the　cliff　at　night。　But　that　would　only　pinpoint　the　site。　I　really　believe　they've　thought　of　everything。〃
　Bond　was　still　frowning。　〃If　they　had　covering　fire　from　a　submarine　or　an　X…craft；　a　good　team　could　still　do　it；〃　he　said。　〃It'll　be　hell；　but　I'm　going　for　a　swim。　The　Admiralty　chart　says　there's　a　twelve…fathom　channel　out　there；　but　I'd　like　to　have　a　look。　There　must　be　plenty　of　water　at　the　end　of　the　jetty　but　I'll　be　happier　when　I've　seen　for　myself。〃　He　smiled　at　her。　〃Why　don't　you　have　a　bathe　too？　It's　going　to　be　dam'　cold；　but　it　would　do　you　good　after　stewing　inside　that　concrete　dome　all　the　morning。〃
　Gala's　eyes　lit　up。　〃Do　you　think　I　could？〃　she　asked　doubtfully。　〃I'm　frightfully　hot。　But　what　are　we　going　to　wear？〃　She　blushed　at　the　thought　of　her　brief　and　almost　transparent　nylon　pants　and　brassiere。
　〃To　hell　with　that；〃　said　Bond　airily。　〃You　must　have　got　some　bits　and　pieces　on　underneath　and　I've　got　pants　on。　We　shall　be　perfectly　respectable　and　there's　no　one　to　see；　and　I　promise　not　to　look；〃　he　lied　cheerfully；　leading　the　way　round　the　next　bend　in　the　cliff。　〃You　undress　behind　that　rock　and　I'll　use　this　one；〃　he　said。　〃e　on。　Don't　be　a　goose。　It's　all　in　the　line　of　duty。〃
　Without　waiting　for　her　to　answer　he　moved　behind　the　tall　rock；　taking　off　his　shirt　as　he　did　so。
　〃Oh；　well；〃　said　Gala；　relieved　to　have　the　decision　taken　out　of　her　hands。　She　went　behind　her　rock　and　slowly　unbuttoned　her　skirt。
　When　she　peered　nervously　out；　Bond　was　already　halfway　down　the　strip　of　coarse　brown　sand　that　led　out　among　the　pools　to　where　the　ining　tide　eddied　through　the　green　and　black　moraine　of　the　rocks。　He　looked　lithe　and　brown。　The　blue　pants　were　reassuring。
　Gingerly　she　followed　him；　and　then　suddenly　she　was　in　the　water。　At　once　nothing　else　mattered　but　the　velvet　ice　of　the　sea　and　the　beauty　of　the　patches　of　sand　between　the　waving　hair　of　the　seaweed　that　she　could　see　in　the　clear　green　depths　below　her　as　she　buried　her　head　and　swam　along　parallel　with　the　shore　in　a　fast　crawl。
　When　she　was　level　with　the　jetty　she　stopped　for　a　moment　to　get　her　breath。　There　was　no　sign　of　Bond　whom　she　had　last　seen　streaking　along　a　hundred　yards　ahead　of　her。　She　trod　water　hard　to　keep　up　her　circulation　and　then　started　back　again；　unwillingly　thinking　of　him；　thinking　of　the　hard　brown　body　that　must　be　somewhere　near　her；　among　the　rocks；　perhaps；　or　diving　to　the　sand　to　gauge　the　depth　of　water　that　would　be　available　to　an　enemy。
　She　turned　back　to　look　for　him　again　and　it　was　then　that　he　suddenly　surged　up　from　the　sea　beneath　her。　She　felt　the　quick　tight　clasp　of　his　arms　round　her　and　the　swift　hard　impact　of　his　lips　on　hers。
　〃Damn　you；〃　she　said　furiously；　but　already　he　had　dived　again　and　by　the　time　she　had　spat　out　a　mouthful　of　sea…water　and　got　her　bearings　he　was　swimming　blithely　twenty　yards　away。
　She　turned　and　swam　aloofly　out　to　sea；　feeling　rather　ridiculous　but　determined　to　snub　him。　It　was　just　as　she　had　thought。　These　Secret　Service　people　always　seemed　to　have　time　for　sex　however　important　their　jobs　might　be。
　But　her　body　obstinately　tingled　with　the　shock　of　the　kiss　and　the　golden　day　seemed　to　have　taken　on　a　new　beauty。　As　she　swam　further　out　to　sea　and　then　turned　back