if.moonraker-第27部分

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d　then　a　door　banged　and　there　was　silence。
　〃He　must　have　had　a　heavy　day；〃　said　Bond　looking　at　Drax。
　The　big　man　was　sweating　freely。　He　wiped　his　face　with　a　circular　sweep　of　his　napkin。　〃Nonsense；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃He　drinks。〃
　The　butler；　erect　and　unperturbed　by　the　apparition　of　Krebs　and　Walter　in　his　pantry；　brought　in　the　coffee。　Bond　took　some　and　sipped　it。　He　waited　for　the　pantry　door　to　close　again。　Another　German；　he　thought。　He'll　already　have　passed　the　news　back　to　the　barracks。　Or　perhaps　all　the　team　weren't　involved。　Perhaps　there　was　a　team　within　a　team。　And　if　so；　did　Drax　know　about　it？　His　behaviour　when　Bond　and　Gala　had　e　through　the　door　had　been　inconclusive。　Had　part　of　his　astonishment　been　affronted　dignity；　the　shock　of　a　vain　man　whose　programme　had　been　upset　by　a　chit　of　a　secretary？　He　had　certainly　covered　up　well。　And　all　the　afternoon　he　had　been　down　the　shaft　supervising　the　fuelling。　Bond　decided　to　probe　a　little。
　〃How　did　the　fuelling　go？〃　he　asked；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　other　man。
　Drax　was　lighting　a　long　cigar。　He　glanced　up　at　Bond　through　the　smoke　and　the　flame　of　his　match。
　〃Excellently。〃　He　puffed　at　the　cigar　to　get　it　going。　〃Everything　is　ready　now。　The　guards　are　out。　An　hour　or　two　clearing　up　down　there　in　the　morning　and　then　the　site　will　be　closed。　By　the　way；〃　he　added。　〃I　shall　be　taking　Miss　Brand　up　to　London　in　the　car　tomorrow　afternoon。　I　shall　need　a　secretary　as　well　as　Krebs。　Have　you　got　any　plans？〃
　〃I　have　to　go　to　London　too；〃　said　Bond　on　an　impulse。　〃I　have　my　final　report　to　make　to　the　Ministry。〃
　〃Oh；　really？〃　said　Drax　casually。　〃What　about？　I　thought　you　were　satisfied　with　the　arrangements。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Bond　non…mittally。
　〃That's　all　right　then；〃　said　Drax　breezily。　〃And　now　if　you　don't　mind；〃　he　got　up　from　the　table；　〃I've　got　some　papers　waiting　for　me　in　my　study。　So　I'll　say　good…night。〃
　〃Good…night；〃　said　Bond　to　the　already　retreating　back。
　Bond　finished　his　coffee　and　went　out　into　the　hall　and　up　to　his　bedroom。　It　was　obvious　that　it　had　been　searched　again。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　There　was　only　the　leather　case。　Its　contents　would　show　nothing　except　that　he　had　e　equipped　with　the　tools　of　his　trade。
　His　Beretta　in　its　shoulder…holster　was　still　where　he　had　hidden　it；　in　the　empty　leather　case　that　belonged　to　Tallon's　night…glasses。　He　took　the　gun　out　and　slipped　it　under　his　pillow。
　He　took　a　hot　bath　and　used　half　a　bottle　of　iodine　on　the　cuts　and　bruises　he　could　reach。　Then　he　got　into　bed　and　turned　out　the　light。　His　body　hurt　and　he　was　exhausted。
　For　a　moment　he　thought　of　Gala。　He　had　told　her　to　take　a　sleeping　pill　and　lock　her　door；　but　otherwise　not　to　worry　about　anything　until　the　morning。
　Before　he　emptied　his　mind　for　sleep　he　wondered　uneasily　about　her　trip　with　Drax　the　next　day　to　London。
　Uneasily；　but　not　desperately。　In　due　course　many　questions　would　have　to　be　answered　and　many　mysteries　probed；　but　the　basic　facts　seemed　solid　and　unanswerable。　This　extraordinary　millionaire　had　built　this　great　weapon。　The　Ministry　of　Supply　were　pleased　with　it　and　considered　it　sound。　The　Prime　Minister　and　Parliament　thought　so　too。　The　rocket　was　to　be　fired　in　less　than　thirty…six　hours　under　full　supervision　and　the　security　arrangements　were　as　strict　as　they　could　possibly　be。　Somebody；　and　probably　several　people；　wanted　him　and　the　girl　out　of　the　way。　Nerves　were　stretched　down　here。　There　was　a　lot　of　tension　about。　Perhaps　there　was　jealousy。　Perhaps　some　people　actually　suspected　them　of　being　saboteurs。　But　what　would　that　matter　so　long　as　he　and　Gala　kept　their　eyes　open？　Not　much　more　than　a　day　to　go。　They　were　right　out　in　the　open　here；　in　May；　in　England；　in　peacetime。　It　was　crazy　to　worry　about　a　few　lunatics　so　long　as　the　Moonraker　was　out　of　danger。　And　as　for　tomorrow；　reflected　Bond　as　sleep　reached　out　for　him；　he　would　arrange　to　meet　Gala　in　London　and　bring　her　back　with　him。　Or　she　could　even　stay　up　in　London　for　the　night。　Either　way　he　would　look　after　her　until　the　Moonraker　was　safely　fired　and　then；　before　work　began　on　the　Mark　II　weapon；　there　would　have　to　be　a　very　thorough　clean…up　indeed。
　But　these　were　treacherously　forting　thoughts。　There　was　danger　about　and　Bond　knew　it。
　He　finally　drifted　into　sleep　with　one　small　scene　firmly　fixed　in　his　mind。
　There　had　been　something　very　disquieting　about　the　dinner…table　downstairs。　It　had　been　laid　for　only　three　people。
　
　PART　THREE：　THURSDAY；　FRIDAY
　
　CHAPTER　XVIII
　
　BENEATH　THE　FLAT　STONE
　
　THE　MERCEDES　was　a　beautiful　thing。　Bond　pulled　his　1　battered　grey　Bentley　up　alongside　it　and　inspected　it。
　It　was　a　Type　300　S；　the　sports　model　with　a　disappearing　hood…one　of　only　half　a　dozen　in　England；　he　reflected。　Left…hand　drive。　Probably　bought　in　Germany。　He　had　seen　a　few　of　them　over　there。　One　had　hissed　by　him　on　the　Munich　Autobahn　the　year　before　when　he　was　doing　a　solid　…ninety　in　the　Bentley。　The　body；　too　short　and　heavy　to　be　graceful；　was　painted　white；　with　red　leather　upholstery。　Garish　for　England；　but　Bond　guessed　that　Drax　had　chosen　white　in　honour　of　the　famous　Mercedes…Benz　racing　colours　that　had　already　swept　the　board　again　since　the　war　at　Le　Mans　and　the　Nurburgring。
　Typical　of　Drax　to　buy　a　Mercedes。　There　was　something　ruthless　and　majestic　about　the　cars；　he　decided；　remembering　the　years　from　1934　to　1939　when　they　had　pletely　dominated　the　Grand　Prix　scene；　children　of　the　famous　Blitzen　Benz　that　had　captured　the　world's　speed　record　at　142　m。p。h。　back　in　1911。　Bond　recalled　some　of　their　famous　drivers；　Caracciola；　Lang；　Seaman；　Brauchitsch；　and　the　days　when　he　had　seen　them　drifting　the　fast　sweeping　bends　of　Tripoli　at　190；　or　screaming　along　the　tree…lined　straight　at　Berne　with　the　Auto　Unions　on　their　tails。
　And　yet；　Bond　looked　across　at　his　supercharged　Bentley；　nearly　twenty…five　years　older　than　Drax's　car　and　still　capable　of　beating　too；　and　yet　when　Bentleys　were　racing；　before　Rolls　had　tamed　them　into　sedate　town　carriages；　they　had　whipped　the　blown　SS…K's　almost　as　they　wished。
　Bond　had　once　dabbled　on　the　fringe　of　the　racing　world　and　he　was　lost　in　his　memories；　hearing　again　the　harsh　scream　of　Garacciola's　great　white　beast　of　a　car　as　it　howled　past　the　grandstands　at　Le　Mans；　when　Drax　came　out　of　the　house　followed　by　Gala　Brand　and　Krebs。
　〃Fast　car；〃　said　Drax；　pleased　with　Bond's　look　of　admiration。　He　gestured　towards　the　Bentley。　〃They　used　to　be　good　in　the　old　days；〃　he　added　with　a　touch　of　patronage。　〃Now　they're　only　built　for　going　to　the　theatre。　Too　well…mannered。　Even　the　Continental。　Now　then　you；　get　in　the　back。〃
　Krebs　obediently　climbed　into　the　narrow　back　seat　behind　the　driver。　He　sat　sideways；　his　mackintosh　up　round　his　ears；　his　eyes　fixed　enigmatically　on　Bond。
　Gala　Brand；　smart　in　a　dark　grey　tailor…made　and　black　beret　and　carrying　a　lightweight　black　raincoat　and　gloves；　climbed　into　the　right　half　of　the　divided　front　seat。　The　wide　door　closed　with　the　rich　double　click　of　a　Faberge　box。
　No　sign　passed　between　Bond　and　Gala。　They　had　made　their　plans　at　a　whispered　meeting　in　his　room　before　lunch…dinner　in　London　at　half…past　seven　and　then　back　to　the　house　in　Bond's　car。　She　sat　demurely；　her　hands　in　her　lap　and　her　eyes　to　the　front；　as　Drax　climbed　in；　pressed　the　starter；　and　pulled　the　gleaming　lever　on　the　steering　wheel　back　into　third。　The　car　surged　away　with　hardly　a　purr　from　the　exhaust　and　Bond　watched　it　disappear　into　the　trees　before　he　climbed　into　the　Bentley　and　moved　off　in　leisurely　pursuit。
　In　the　hastening　Mercedes；　Gala　busied　herself　with　her　thoughts。　The　night　had　been　uneventful　and　the　morning　had　been　devoted　to　clearing　the　launching　site　of　everything　that　might　possibly　burn　when　the　Moonraker　was　fired。　Drax　had　not　referred　to　the　events　of　the　previous　day　and　there　had　been　no　change　in　his　usual　manner。　She　had　prepared　her　last　firing　plan　（Drax　himself　was　to　do　it　on　the　morrow）　and　as　usual　Walter　had　been　sent　for　and　through　her　spy…hole　she　had　seen　the　figures　being　entered　in　Drax's　black　book。
　It　was　a　hot；　sunny　day　and　Drax　was　driving　in　his　shirtsleeves。　She　glanced　down　and　to　the　left　at　the　top　of　the　little　book　protruding　from　his　hip…pocket。　This　drive　might　be　her　last　chance。　Since　the　evening　before　she　had　felt　a　different　person。　Perhaps　Bond　had　aroused　her　petitive　spirit；　perhaps　it　was　revulsion　from　playing　the　secretary　too　long；　perhaps　it　was　the　shock　of　the　cliff…fall　and　the　zest　of　realizing　after　so　many　quiet　months　that　she　was　playing　a　dangerous　game。　But　now　she　felt　the　time　had　e　to　take　risks。　Discovery　of　the　Moonraker's　flight…plan　was　a　routine　affair　and　it　would　give　her　personal　satisfaction　to　find　out　the　secret　of　the　black　notebook。　It　would　be　easy。
　Casually　she　laid　her　folded　coat　over　the　space　between　herself　and　Drax。　At　the　same　time　she　made　a　show　of　arranging　herself　fortably；　during　the　course　of　which　she　drew　an　inch　or　two　nearer　Drax　and　her　hand　came　to　rest　in　the　folds　of　the　coat　between　them。　Then　she　settled　her…self　to　wait。
　Her　chance　came；　as　she　had　thought　it　might；　in　the　congested　traffic　of　Maidstone。　Drax；　intent；　was　trying　to　beat　the　traffic　lights　at　the　corner　of　King　Street　and　Gabriel's　Hill；　but　the　line　of　traffic　was　too　slow　and　he　was　checked　behind　a　battered　family　saloon。　Gala　could　see　that　when　the　lights　changed　he　was　determined　to　cut　in　front　of　the　car　in　front　and　teach　it　a　lesson。　He　was　a　brilliant　driver；　but　a　vindictive　and　impatient　one　who　was　always　anxious　for　any　car　that　held　him　up　to　be　given　something　to　remember。
　As　the　lights　went　green　he　gave　a　blast　on　his　triple　horns；　pulled　out　to　the　right　at　the　intersection；　accelerated　brutally　and　got　by；　shaking　his　head　angrily　at　the　driver　of　the　saloon　as　he　passed　it。
　In　the　middle　of　this　harsh　manoeuvre　it　was　natural　for　Gala　to　allow　herself　to　be　thrown　towards　him。　At　the　same　time　her　left　hand　dived　under　the　coat　and　her　fingers　touched；　felt；　and　extracted　the　book　in　one　flow　of　motion。　Then　the　hand　was　back