if.moonraker-第25部分

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　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　and　looked　along　the　snarling　milk…white　teeth　of　England　to　the　distant　arm　of　Dover　and　at　the　black　and　white　confetti　of　the　ravens　and　gulls　tossed　against　the　vivid　backcloth　of　green　fields；　she　decided　that　anything　was　permissible　on　such　a　day　and　that；　just　this　once；　she　would　forgive　him。
　Half　an　hour　later　they　were　lying；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　dry　them；　separated　by　a　respectable　yard　of　sand　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff。
　The　kiss　had　not　been　mentioned；　but　Gala's　efforts　to　preserve　an　atmosphere　of　aloofness　had　collapsed　under　the　excitement　of　examining　a　lobster　that　Bond　had　dived　for　and　caught　with　his　hands。　Reluctantly　they　put　it　back　into　one　of　the　rockpools　and　watched　it　scuttle　backwards　into　the　shelter　of　the　seaweed。　And　now　they　lay；　tired　and　exhilarated　by　their　icy　swim；　and　prayed　that　the　sun　would　not　slip　behind　the　clifftop　high　above　their　heads　before　they　were　warm　and　dry　enough　to　get　back　into　their　clothes。
　But　those　were　not　Bond's　only　thoughts。　The　beautiful　strapping　body　of　the　girl　beside　him；　incredibly　erotic　in　the　tight　emphasis　of　the　clinging　brassiere　and　pants；　came　between　him　and　his　concern　about　the　Moonraker。　And　anyway　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　about　the　Moonraker　for　another　hour。　It　was　not　yet　five　o'clock　and　the　fuelling　would　not　be　finished　until　after　six。　It　would　only　be　then　that　he　could　get　hold　of　Drax　and　make　certain　that　for　the　next　two　nights　the　guards　were　strengthened　on　the　cliff　and　that　they　had　the　right　weapons。　For　he　had　seen　for　himself　that　there　was　plenty　of　water；　even　at　low　tide；　for　a　submarine。
　So　there　was　at　least　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　spare　before　they　would　have　to　start　back。
　Meanwhile　this　girl。　The　half…stripped　body　splayed　above　him　on　the　surface　as　he　swam　up　from　below；　the　soft…hard　quick　kiss　with　his　arms　about　her；　the　pointed　hillocks　of　her　breasts；　so　close　to　him；　and　the　soft　flat　stomach　descending　to　the　mystery　of　her　tightly　closed　thighs。
　To　hell　with　it。
　He　wrenched　his　mind　out　of　its　fever　and　gazed　straight　up　into　the　endless　blue　of　the　sky；　forcing　himself　to　watch　the　soaring　beauty　of　the　herring　gulls　as　they　ranged　effortlessly　among　the　air　currents　that　fountained　up　over　the　high　clifftop　above　them。　But　the　soft　down　of　the　birds'　white　underbellies　seduced　his　thoughts　back　to　her　and　gave　him　no　rest。
　〃Why　are　you　called　Gala？〃　he　said　to　break　his　hot　crouching　thoughts。
　She　laughed。　〃I　was　teased　about　it　all　through　school；〃　she　said；　and　Bond　was　impatient　at　the　easy；　clear　voice；　〃and　then　through　the　Wrens　and　then　by　half　the　police　force　of　London。　But　my　real　name's　even　worse。　It's　Galatea。　She　was　a　cruiser　my　father　was　serving　in　when　I　was　born。　I　suppose　Gala's　not　too　bad。　I've　almost　forgotten　what　I'm　called。　I'm　always　having　to　change　my　name　now　that　I'm　in　the　Special　Branch。〃
　〃In　the　Special　Branch。〃
　〃In　the　Special　Branch。〃
　〃In　the。。。〃
　When　the　bomb　falls。　When　the　pilot　miscalculates　and　the　plane　hits　short　of　the　runway。　When　the　blood　leaves　the　heart　and　consciousness　goes；　there　are　thoughts　in　the　mind；　or　words；　or　perhaps　a　phrase　of　music；　which　ring　on　for　the　few　seconds　before　death　like　the　dying　clang　of　a　bell。
　Bond　wasn't　killed；　but　the　words　were　still　in　his　mind；　several　seconds　later；　after　it　had　all　happened。
　Ever　since　they　had　lain　down　on　the　sand　up　against　the　cliff；　while　his　thoughts　had　been　of　Gala；　his　eyes　had　been　carelessly　watching　two　gulls　playing　around　a　wisp　of　straw　that　was　the　edge　of　their　nest　on　a　small　ledge　about　ten　feet　below　the　distant　top　of　the　cliff。　They　would　crane　and　bow　in　their　love…play；　with　only　their　heads　visible　to　Bond　against　the　dazzling　white　of　the　chalk；　and　then　the　male　would　soar　out　and　away　and　at　once　back　to　the　ledge　to　take　up　his　love…making　again。
　Bond　was　dreamily　watching　them　as　he　listened　to　the　girl；　when　suddenly　both　gulls　dashed　away　from　the　ledge　with　a　single　shrill　scream　of　fear。　At　the　same　moment　there　was　a　puff　of　black　smoke　and　a　soft　boom　from　the　top　of　the　cliff　and　a　great　section　of　the　white　chalk　directly　above　Bond　and　Gala　seemed　to　sway　outwards；　zigzag　cracks　snaking　down　its　face。
　The　next　thing　Bond　knew　was　that　he　was　lying　on　top　of　Gala；　his　face　pressed　into　her　cheek；　that　the　air　was　full　of　thunder；　that　his　breath　was　stifled　and　that　the　sun　had　gone　out。　His　back　was　numb　and　aching　under　a　great　weight　and　in　his　left　ear；　besides　the　echo　of　the　thunder；　there　was　the　end　of　a　choking　scream。
　He　was　barely　conscious　and　he　had　to　wait　until　his　senses　came　halfway　back　to　life。
　The　Special　Branch。　What　was　it　she　had　said　about　the　Special　Branch？
　He　made　frantic　efforts　to　move。　Only　in　his　right　arm；　the　arm　nearest　to　the　cliff；　was　there　any　play　at　all；　but　as　he　jerked　his　shoulder　the　arm　became　freer　until　at　last；　with　a　great　backward　heave；　light　and　air　reached　down　to　them。　Retching　in　the　fog　of　chalk…dust；　he　widened　the　hole　until　his　head　could　take　its　crushing　weight　off　Gala。　He　felt　the　feeble　movement　as　she　turned　her　head　sideways　towards　the　light　and　air。　A　growing　trickle　of　dust　and　stones　into　the　hole　he　had　cleared　made　him　dig　fiercely　again。　Gradually　he　enlarged　the　space　until　he　could　get　a　purchase　on　his　right　elbow　and　then；　coughing　so　that　he　thought　his　lungs　would　burst；　he　heaved　his　right　shoulder　up　until　suddenly　it　and　his　head　were　free。
　His　first　thought　was　that　there　had　been　an　explosion　in　the　Moonraker。　He　looked　up　at　the　cliff　and　then　along　the　shore。　No。　They　were　a　hundred　yards　from　the　site。　It　was　only　in　the　skyline　directly　above　them　that　a　great　mouthful　had　been　bitten　out　of　the　cliff。
　Then　he　thought　of　their　immediate　danger。　Gala　moaned　and　he　could　feel　the　frantic　thud　of　her　heart　against　his　chest；　but　the　ghastly　white　mask　of　her　face　was　now　free　to　the　air　and　he　wrenched　his　body　from　side　to　side　on　top　of　her　to　try　and　ease　the　pressure　on　her　lungs　and　stomach。　Slowly；　inch　by　inch；　his　muscles　cracking　under　the　strain；　he　worked　his　way　under　the　pile　of　dust　and　rubble　towards　the　cliff　face　where　he　knew　the　weight　would　be　less。
　And　then　at　last　his　chest　was　free　and　he　could　snake　his　body　into　a　kneeling　position　beside　her。　Blood　dripped　from　his　cut　back　and　arms　and　mingled　with　the　chalk　dust　that　continually　poured　down　the　sides　of　the　hole　he　had　made；　but　he　could　feel　that　no　bones　were　broken　and；　in　the　rage　of　the　rescue　work；　he　felt　no　pain。
　Grunting　and　coughing　and　without　a　pause　to　take　breath　he　heaved　her　up　into　a　sitting　position　and　with　a　bleeding　hand　wiped　some　of　the　chalk　dust　from　her　face。　Then；　freeing　his　legs　from　the　tomb　of　chalk；　he　somehow　manhandled　her　up　on　to　the　top　of　the　mound　with　her　back　against　the　cliff。
　He　knelt　and　looked　at　her；　at　the　terrible　white　scarecrow　that　minutes　before　had　been　one　of　the　most　beautiful　girls　he　had　ever　seen；　and　as　he　looked　at　her　and　at　the　streaks　of　his　blood　down　her　face　he　prayed　that　her　eyes　would　open。
　When；　seconds　later；　they　did；　the　relief　was　so　great　that　Bond　turned　away　and　was　rackingly　sick。
　
　CHAPTER　XVII
　
　WILD　SURMISES
　
　WHEN　THE　paroxysm　was　over　he　felt　Gala's　hand　in　his　hair。　He　looked　round　and　saw　her　wince　at　the　sight　of　him。　She　tugged　at　his　hair　and　pointed　up　the　cliffs。　As　she　did　so　a　shower　of　small　pieces　of　chalk　rattled　down　beside　them。
　Weakly　he　got　to　his　knees　and　then　to　his　feet　and　together　they　scrambled　and　slid　down　off　the　mountain　of　chalk　and　away　from　the　crater　against　the　cliff　from　which　they　had　escaped。
　The　harsh　sand　under　their　feet　was　like　velvet。　They　both　collapsed　full　length　and　lay　clutching　at　it　with　their　horrible　white　hands　as　if　its　rough　gold　would　wash　the　filthy　whiteness　away。　Then　Gala　too　was　mercifully　sick　and　Bond　crawled　a　few　paces　away　to　leave　her　alone。　He　hauled　himself　to　his　feet　against　a　single　lump　of　chalk　as　big　as　a　small　motor…car；　and　at　last　his　bloodshot　eyes　took　in　the　hell　that　had　almost　engulfed　them。
　Down　to　the　beginning　of　the　rocks；　now　lapped　by　the　ining　tide；　sprawled　the　debris　of　the　cliff　face；　an　avalanche　of　chalk　blocks　and　shapes。　The　white　dust　of　its　collapse　covered　nearly　an　acre。　Above　it　a　jagged　rent　had　appeared　in　the　cliff　and　a　wedge　of　blue　sky　had　been　bitten　out　of　the　distant　top　where　before　the　line　of　the　horizon　had　been　almost　straight。　There　were　no　longer　any　seabirds　near　them　and　Bond　guessed　that　the　smell　of　disaster　would　keep　them　away　from　the　place　for　days。
　The　nearness　of　their　bodies　to　the　cliff　was　what　had　saved　them；　that　and　the　slight　protection　of　the　overhang　below　which　the　sea　had　bitten　into　the　base　of　the　cliff。　They　had　been　buried　by　the　deluge　of　smaller　stuff。　The　heavier　chunks；　any　one　of　which　would　have　crushed　them；　had　fallen　outwards；　the　nearest　missing　them　by　a　few　feet。　And　their　nearness　to　the　cliff　was　the　reason　for　Bond's　right　arm　having　been　paratively　free　so　that　they　had　been　able　to　burrow　out　of　the　mound　before　they　were　stifled。　Bond　realized　that　if　some　reflex　had　not　hurled　him　on　top　of　Gala　at　the　moment　of　the　avalanche　they　would　now　both　be　dead。
　He　felt　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。　Without　looking　at　her　he　put　his　arm　round　her　waist　and　together　they　got　down　to　the　blessed　sea　and　let　their　bodies　fall　weakly；　thankfully　into　the　shallows。
　Ten　minutes　later　it　was　two　paratively　human　beings　who　walked　back　up　the　sand　to　the　rocks　where　their　clothes　lay；　a　few　yards　away　from　the　cliff…fall。　They　were　both　pletely　naked。　The　rags　of　their　underclothing　lay　somewhere　under　the　pile　of　chalk　dust；　torn　off　in　their　struggle　to　escape。　But；　like　survivors　from　a　ship…wreck；　their　nakedness　meant　nothing。　Washed　clean　of　the　cloying　gritty　chalk　dust　and　with　their　hair　and　mouths　scoured　with　the　salt　water；　they　felt　weak　and　bedraggled；　but　by　the　time　they　had　got　their　clothes　on　and