if.moonraker-第28部分

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and　her　fingers　touched；　felt；　and　extracted　the　book　in　one　flow　of　motion。　Then　the　hand　was　back　in　the　folds　of　the　coat　again　and　Drax；　all　his　feeling　in　his　feet　and　hands；　was　seeing　nothing　but　the　traffic　ahead　and　the　chances　of　getting　across　the　zebra　outside　the　Royal　Star　without　hitting　two　women　and　a　boy　who　were　nearly　halfway　across　it。
　Now　it　was　a　question　of　facing　Drax's　growl　of　rage　as　with　a　maidenly　but　urgent　voice　she　asked　if　she　could　possibly　stop　for　a　moment　to　powder　her　nose。
　A　garage　would　be　dangerous。　He　might　decide　to　fill　up　with　petrol。　And　perhaps　he　also　carried　his　money　in　his　hip…pocket。　But　was　there　an　hotel？　Yes；　she　remembered；　the　Thomas　Wyatt　just　outside　Maidstone。　And　it　had　no　petrol　pumps。　She　started　to　fidget　slightly。　She　pulled　the　coat　back　on　to　her　lap。　She　cleared　her　throat。
　〃Oh；　excuse　me；　Sir　Hugo；〃　she　said　in　a　strangled　voice。
　〃Yes。　。What　is　it？〃
　〃I'm　terribly　sorry；　Sir　Hugo。　But　could　you　possibly　stop　for　just　a　moment。　I　want；　I　mean；　I'm　terribly　sorry　but　I'd　like　to　powder　my　nose。　It's　terribly　stupid　of　me。　I'm　so　sorry。〃
　〃Christ；〃　said　Drax。　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you。。。　Oh；　yes。　Well；　all　right。　Find　a　place。〃　He　grumbled　on　into　his　moustache；　but　brought　the　big　car　down　into　the　fifties。
　〃There's　a　hotel　just　around　this　bend；〃　said　Gala　nervously。　〃Thank　you　so　much；　Sir　Hugo。　It　was　stupid　of　me。　I　won't　be　a　moment。　Yes；　here　it　is。〃
　The　car　swerved　up　to　the　front　of　the　inn　and　stopped　with　a　jerk。　〃Hurry　up。　Hurry　up；〃　said　Drax　as　Gala；　leaving　the　door　of　the　car　open；　sped　obediently　across　the　gravel；　her　coat　with　its　precious　secret　held　tightly　in　front　of　her　body。
　She　locked　the　door　of　the　lavatory　and　snatched　open　the　notebook。
　There　they　were；　just　as　she　had　thought。　On　each　page；　under　the　date；　the　neat　columns　of　figures；　the　atmospheric　pressure；　the　wind　velocity；　the　temperature；　just　as　she　had　recorded　them　from　the　Air　Ministry　figures。　And　at　the　foot　of　each　page　the　estimated　settings　for　the　gyro　passes。
　Gala　frowned。　At　a　glance　she　could　see　that　they　were　entirely　different　from　hers。　Drax's　figures　simply　bore　no　relation　to　hers　whatsoever。
　She　turned　to　the　last　pleted　page　containing　the　figures　for　that　day。　Why；　she　was　wrong　by　nearly　ninety　degrees　on　the　estimated　course。　If　the　rocket　were　fired　on　her　flight　plan　it　would　land　somewhere　in　France；　She　looked　wildly　at　her　face　in　the　mirror　over　the　washbasin。　How　could　she　have　gone　so　monstrously　wrong？　And　why　hadn't　Drax　ever　told　her？　Why；　she　ran　quickly　through　the　book　again；　every　day　she　had　been　ninety　degrees　out；　firing　the　Moonraker　at　right　angles　to　its　true　course。　And　yet　she　simply　couldn't　have　made　such　a　mistake。　Did　the　Ministry　know　these　secret　figures？　And　why　should　they　be　secret？
　Suddenly　her　bewilderment　turned　to　fright。　She　must　somehow　get　safely；　quietly　to　London　and　tell　somebody。　Even　though　she　might　be　called　a　fool　and　a　meddler。
　Coldly　she　turned　back　several　pages　in　the　book；　took　her　nail　file　out　of　the　bag　and；　as　neatly　as　she　could；　cut　out　a　specimen　page；　rolled　it　up　into　a　tight　ball　and　stuffed　it　into　the　tip　of　a　finger　of　one　of　her　gloves。
　She　glanced　at　her　face　in　the　mirror。　It　was　pale　and　she　quickly　rubbed　her　cheeks　to　bring　back　the　colour。　Then　she　put　back　the　look　of　an　apologetic　secretary　and　hurried　out　and　ran　across　the　gravel　to　the　car；　clutching　the　notebook　among　the　folds　of　her　coat。
　The　engine　of　the　Mercedes　was　turning　over。　Drax　glowered　at　her　impatiently　as　she　scrambled　back　into　her　seat。
　〃e　on。　e　on；〃　he　said；　putting　the　car　into　third　and　taking　his　foot　off　the　clutch　so　that　she　nearly　caught　her　ankle　in　the　heavy　door。　The　tyres　churned　up　the　gravel　as　he　accelerated　out　of　the　parking　place　and　dry…skidded　into　the　London　road。
　Gala　was　jerked　back；　but　she　remembered　to　let　the　coat　with　her　guilty　hand　in　its　folds　fall　on　the　seat　between　her　and　the　driver。
　And　now　the　book　back　into　the　hip…pocket。
　She　watched　the　speedometer　hovering　in　the　seventies　as　Drax　flung　the　heavy　car　along　the　crown　of　the　road。
　She　tried　to　remember　her　lessons。　Distracting　pressure　on　some　other　part　of　the　body。　Distracting　the　attention。　Distraction。　The　victim　must　not　be　at　ease。　His　senses　must　be　focused　away。　He　must　be　unaware　of　the　touch　on　his　body。　Anaesthetized　by　a　stronger　stimulus。
　Like　now；　for　instance。　Drax；　bent　forward　over　the　wheel；　was　fighting　for　a　chance　to　get　past　a　sixty…foot　RAF　trailer；　but　the　oning　traffic　was　leaving　no　room　on　the　crown　of　the　road。　There　was　a　gap　and　Drax　rammed　the　lever　into　second　and　took　it；　his　horns　braying　imperiously。
　Gala's　hand　reached　to　the　left　under　the　coat。
　But　another　hand　struck　like　a　snake。
　〃Got　you。〃
　Krebs　was　leaning　half　over　the　back　of　the　driving　seat。　His　hand　was　crushing　hers　into　the　slippery　cover　of　the　notebook　under　the　folds　of　the　coat。
　Gala　sat　frozen　into　black　ice。　With　all　her　strength　she　wrenched　at　her　hand。　It　was　no　good。　Krebs　had　all　his　weight　on　it　now。
　Drax　had　got　past　the　trailer　and　the　road　was　empty。
　Krebs　said　urgently　in　German；　〃Please　stop　the　car；　mein　Kapit？n。　Miss　Brand　is　a　spy。〃
　Drax　gave　a　startled　glance　to　his　right。　What　he　saw　was　enough。　He　put　his　hand　quickly　down　to　his　hip…pocket；　and　then；　slowly；　deliberately；　put　it　back　on　the　wheel。　The　sharp　turning　to　Mereworth　was　just　ing　up　on　his　left。　〃Hold　her；〃　said　Drax。　He　braked　so　that　the　tyres　screamed；　changed　down　and　wrenched　the　car　into　the　side…road。　A　few　hundred　yards　down　it　he　pulled　the　car　into　the　side　and　stopped。
　Drax　looked　up　and　down　the　road。　It　was　empty。　He　reached　over　one　gloved　hand　and　wrenched　Gala's　face　towards　him。
　〃What　is　this？〃
　〃I　can　explain　it；　Sir　Hugo。〃　Gala　tried　to　bluff　against　the　horror　and　desperation　she　knew　was　in　her　face。　〃It's　a　mistake。　I　didn't　mean。。。〃
　Under　cover　of　an　angry　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　her　right　hand　moved　softly　behind　her　and　the　guilty　pair　of　gloves　were　thrust　behind　the　leather　cushion。
　〃Sehen　sie　her；　mein　Kapit？n。　I　saw　her　edging　up　close　to　you。　It　seemed　to　me　strange。〃
　With　his　other　hand　Krebs　had　whipped　the　coat　away　and　there　were　the　bent　white　fingers　of　her　left　hand　crushed　into　the　cover　of　the　notebook　still　a　foot　away　from　Drax's　hip…pocket。　〃So。〃
　The　word　was　deadly　cold　and　with　a　shivering　finality。　Drax　let　go　her　chin；　but　her　horrified　eyes　remained　locked　into　his。
　A　kind　of　frozen　cruelty　was　showing　through　the　jolly　fa？ade　of　red　skin　and　whiskers。　It　was　a　different　man。　The　man　behind　the　mask。　The　creature　beneath　the　flat　stone　that　Gala　Brand　had　lifted。
　Drax　glanced　again　up　and　down　the　empty　road。　Then；　looking　carefully　into　the　suddenly　aware　blue　eyes；　he　drew　the　leather　driving　gauntlet　off　his　left　hand　and　with　his　right　whipped　her　as　hard　as　he　could　across　the　face　with　it。
　Only　a　short　cry　was　forced　out　of　Gala's　constricted　throat；　but　tears　of　pain　ran　down　her　cheeks。　Suddenly　she　began　to　fight　like　a　mad　woman。
　With　all　her　strength　she　heaved　and　fought　against　the　two　iron　arms　that　held　her。　With　her　free　right　hand　she　tried　to　reach　the　face　that　leant　over　her　hand　and　get　at　the　eyes。　But　Krebs　easily　moved　his　head　out　of　her　reach　and　quietly　increased　the　pressure　across　her　throat；　hissing　murderously　to　himself　as　her　nails　tore　strips　of　skin　off　the　backs　of　his　hands；　but　noting　with　a　scientist's　eye　as　her　struggles　became　weaker。
　Drax　watched　carefully；　with　one　eye　on　the　road；　as　Krebs　brought　her　under　control　and　then　he　started　the　car　and　drove　cautiously　on　along　the　wooded　road。　He　grunted　with　satisfaction　as　he　came　upon　a　cart…track　into　the　woods　and　he　turned　up　it　and　only　stopped　when　he　was　well　out　of　sight　of　the　road。
　Gala　had　just　realized　that　there　were　no　noise　from　the　engine　when　she　heard　Drax　say　'there'。　A　finger　touched　her　skull　behind　the　left　ear。　Krebs　arm　came　away　from　her　throat　and　she　slumped　gratefully　forward；　gasping　for　air。　Then　something　crashed　into　the　back　of　her　head　where　the　finger　had　touched　it；　and　there　was　a　flash　of　wonderfully　releasing　pain　and　blackness。
　An　hour　later　passers…by　saw　a　white　Mercedes　draw　up　outside　a　small　house　at　the　Buckingham　Palace　end　of　Ebury　Street　and　two　kind　gentlemen　help　a　sick　girl　out　and　through　the　front　door。　Those　who　were　near　could　see　that　the　poor　girl's　face　was　very　pale　and　that　her　eyes　were　shut　and　that　the　kind　gentlemen　almost　had　to　carry　her　up　the　steps。　The　big　gentleman　with　the　red　face　and　whiskers　was　heard　to　say　quite　distinctly　to　the　other　man　that　poor　Mildred　had　promised　she　wouldn't　go　out　until　she　was　quite　well　again。　Very　sad。
　Gala　came　to　herself　in　a　large　top…floor　room　that　seemed　to　be　full　of　machinery。　She　was　tied　very　securely　to　a　chair　and　apart　from　the　searing　pain　in　her　head　she　could　feel　that　her　lips　and　cheek　were　bruised　and　swollen。
　Heavy　curtains　were　drawn　across　the　window　and　there　was　a　musty　smell　in　the　room　as　if　it　was　rarely　used。　There　was　dust　on　the　few　pieces　of　conventional　furniture　and　only　the　chromium　and　ebonite　dials　on　the　machines　looked　clean　and　new。　She　thought　that　she　was　probably　in　hospital。　She　closed　her　eyes　and　wondered。　It　was　not　long　before　she　remembered。　She　spent　several　minutes　controlling　herself　and　then　she　opened　her　eyes　again。
　Drax；　his　back　to　her；　was　watching　the　dials　on　a　machine　that　looked　like　a　very　large　radio　set。　There　were　three　more　similar　machines　in　her　line　of　sight　and　from　one　of　them　a　thin　steel　aerial　reached　up　to　a　rough　hole　that　had　been　cut　for　it　in　the　plaster　of　the　ceiling。　The　room　was　brightly　lit　by　several　tall　standard　lamps；　each　of　which　held　a　naked　high　wattage　bulb。
　To　her　left　there　was　a　noise　of　tinkering　and　by　swivelling　her　half…closed　eyes　in　their　sockets；　which　made　the　pain　in　her　head　much　worse；　she　saw　the　figure　of　Krebs　bent　over　an　electric　generator　on　the　floor。　Beside　it　there　was　a　small　petrol　engine　and　it　was　this　that　was　giving　trouble。　Every　now　and　then　Krebs　woul