if.moonraker-第35部分

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broso　would　have　been　delighted　with　you。　As　it　is　you're　just　a　mad　dog　that'll　have　to　be　shot。　Or　else　you'll　mit　suicide。　Paranoiacs　generally　do。　Too　bad。　Sad　business。〃
　Bond　paused　and　put　all　the　scorn　he　could　summon　into　his　voice。　〃And　now　let's　get　on　with　this　farce；　you　great　hairy…faced　lunatic。〃
　It　worked。　With　every　word　Drax's　face　had　bee　more　contorted　with　rage；　his　eyes　were　red　with　it；　the　sweat　of　fury　was　dripping　off　his　jowls　on　to　his　shirt；　the　lips　were　drawn　back　from　the　gaping　teeth　and　a　string　of　saliva　had　crept　out　of　his　mouth　and　was　hanging　down　from　his　chin。　Now；　at　the　last　private…school　insult　that　must　have　awoken　God　knows　what　stinging　memories；　he　leapt　up　from　his　chair　and　lunged　round　the　desk　at　Bond；　his　hairy　fists　flailing。
　Bond　gritted　his　teeth　and　took　it。
　When　Drax　had　twice　had　to　pick　the　chair　up　with　Bond　in　it；　the　tornado　of　rage　suddenly　passed。　He　took　out　his　silk　handkerchief　and　wiped　his　face　and　hands。　Then　he　walked　quietly　to　the　door　and　spoke　across　the　lolling　head　of　Bond　to　the　girl。
　〃I　don't　think　you　two　will　give　me　any　more　trouble；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　quite　calm　and　certain。　〃Krebs　never　makes　a　mistake　with　his　knots。〃　He　gesticulated　towards　the　bloody　figure　in　the　other　chair。　〃When　he　wakes　up；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　tell　him　that　these　doors　will　open　once　more；　just　before　noon　tomorrow。　A　few　minutes　later　there　will　be　nothing　left　of　either　of　you。　Not　even；〃　he　added　as　he　wrenched　open　the　inner　door；　〃the　stoppings　in　your　teeth。〃
　The　outer　door　slammed。
　Bond　slowly　raised　his　head　and　grinned　painfully　at　the　girl　with　his　bloodstained　lips。
　〃Had　to　get　him　mad；〃　he　said　with　difficulty。　〃Didn't　want　to　give　him　time　to　think。　Had　to　work　up　a　brainstorm。〃　Gala　looked　at　him　unprehendingly；　her　eyes　wide　at　the　terrible　mask　of　his　face。
　〃'S'all　right；〃　said　Bond　thickly。　〃Don't　worry。　London's　okay。　Got　a　plan。〃
　Over　on　the　desk　the　blowtorch　gave　a　quiet　'plop'　and　went　out。
　
　CHAPTER　XXIII
　
　ZERO　MINUS
　
　THROUGH　HALF…CLOSED　eyes　Bond　looked　intently　at　the　torch　while　for　a　few　precious　seconds　he　sat　and　let　life　creep　back　into　his　body。　His　head　felt　as　if　it　had　been　used　as　a　football；　but　there　was　nothing　broken。　Drax　had　hit　him　unscientifically　and　with　the　welter　of　blows　of　a　drunken　man。
　Gala　watched　him　anxiously。　The　eyes　in　the　bloody　face　were　almost　shut；　but　the　line　of　the　jaw　was　taut　with　concentration　and　she　could　feel　the　effort　of　will　he　was　making。
　He　gave　his　head　a　shake　and　when　he　turned　towards　her　she　could　see　that　his　eyes　were　feverish　with　triumph。
　He　nodded　towards　the　desk。　〃The　lighter；〃　he　said　urgently。　〃I　had　to　try　and　make　him　forget　it。　Follow　me。　I'll　show　you。〃　He　started　to　rock　the　light　steel　chair　inch　by　inch　towards　the　desk。　〃For　God's　sake　don't　tip　over　or　we've　had　it。　But　make　it　fast　or　the　blowlamp'll　get　cold。〃
　Unprehendingly；　and　feeling　almost　as　if　they　were　playing　some　ghastly　children's　game；　Gala　carefully　rocked　her　way　across　the　floor　in　his　wake。
　Seconds　later　Bond　told　her　to　stop　beside　the　desk　while　he　went　rocking　on　round　to　Drax's　chair。　Then　he　manoeuvred　himself　into　position　opposite　his　target　and　with　a　sudden　lurch　heaved　himself　and　the　chair　forward　so　that　his　head　came　down。
　There　was　a　painful　crack　as　the　Ronson　desk　lighter　connected　with　his　teeth；　but　his　lips　held　it　and　the　top　of　it　was　in　his　mouth　as　he　heaved　the　chair　back　with　just　enough　force　to　prevent　it　spilling　over。　Then　he　started　his　patient　journey　back　to　where　Gala　was　sitting　at　the　corner　of　the　desk　on　which　Krebs　had　left　the　blowlamp。
　He　rested　until　his　breath　was　steady　again。　〃Now　we　e　to　the　difficult　part；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃While　I　try　to　get　this　torch　going；　you　get　your　chair　round　so　that　your　right　arm　is　as　close　in　front　of　me　as　possible。〃
　Obediently　she　edged　herself　round　while　Bond　swayed　his　chair　so　that　it　leant　against　the　edge　of　the　desk　and　allowed　his　mouth　to　reach　forward　and　grip　the　handle　of　the　blowtorch　between　his　teeth。
　Then　he　eased　the　torch　towards　him　and　after　minutes　of　patient　work　he　had　the　torch　and　the　lighter　arranged　to　his　liking　at　the　edge　of　the　desk。
　After　another　rest　he　bent　down；　closed　the　valve　of　the　torch　with　his　teeth；　and　proceeded　to　get　pressure　back　by　slowly　and　repeatedly　pulling　up　the　plunger　with　his　lips　and　pressing　it　back　with　his　chin。　His　face　could　feel　the　warmth　in　the　pre…heater　and　he　could　smell　the　remnants　of　gas　in　it。　If　only　it　hadn't　cooled　off　too　much。　He　straightened　up。
　〃Last　lap；　Gala；〃　he　said；　smiling　crookedly　at　her。　〃I　may　have　to　hurt　you　a　bit。　All　right？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Gala。
　〃Then　here　goes；〃　said　Bond；　and　he　bent　forward　and　released　the　safety　valve　on　the　left　of　the　canister。
　Then　he　quickly　bent　forward　over　the　Ronson；　which　was　standing　at　right　angles　and　just　below　the　neck　of　the　torch；　and　with　his　two　front　teeth　pressed　down　sharply　on　the　ignition　lever。
　It　was　a　horrible　manoeuvre　and　though　he　whipped　back　his　head　with　the　speed　of　a　snake　he　let　out　a　gasp　of　pain　as　the　jet　of　blue　fire　from　the　torch　seared　across　his　bruised　cheek　and　the　bridge　of　his　nose。
　But　the　vaporized　paraffin　was　hissing　out　its　vital　tongue　of　flame　and　he　shook　the　water　out　of　his　streaming　eyes　and　bent　his　head　almost　at　right　angles　and　again　got　his　teeth　to　the　handle　of　the　blowtorch。
　He　thought　his　jaw　would　break　with　the　weight　of　the　thing　and　the　nerves　of　his　front　teeth　screamed　at　him；　but　he　swayed　his　chair　carefully　upright　away　from　the　desk　and　then　strained　his　bent　neck　forward　until　the　tip　of　blue　fire　from　the　torch　was　biting　into　the　flex　that　bound　Gala's　right　wrist　to　the　arm　of　her　chair。
　He　tried　desperately　to　keep　the　flame　steady　but　the　breath　rasped　through　the　girl's　teeth　as　the　handle　shifted　between　his　jaws　and　the　flame　of　the　torch　brushed　her　forearm。
　But　then　it　was　over。　Melted　by　the　fierce　heat；　the　copper　strands　parted　one　by　one　and　suddenly　Gala's　right　arm　was　free　and　she　was　reaching　to　take　the　torch　out　of　Bond's　mouth。
　Bond's　head　fell　back　on　to　his　shoulders　and　he　twisted　his　neck　luxuriously　to　get　the　blood　moving　in　the　aching　muscles。
　Almost　before　he　knew　it；　Gala　was　bending　over　his　arms　and　legs　and　he　too　was　free。
　As　he　sat　still　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　closed；　waiting　for　the　life　to　e　back　into　his　body；　he　suddenly；　delightedly　felt　Gala's　soft　lips　on　his　mouth。
　He　opened　his　eyes。　She　was　standing　in　front　of　him；　her　eyes　shining。　〃That's　for　what　you　did；〃　she　said　seriously。
　〃You're　a　wonderful　girl；〃　he　said　simply。
　But　then；　knowing　what　he　was　going　to　have　to　do；　knowing　that　while　she　might　conceivably　survive；　he　had　only　another　few　minutes　to　live；　he　closed　his　eyes　so　that　she　should　not　see　the　hopelessness　in　them。
　Gala　saw　the　expression　on　his　face　and　she　turned　away。　She　thought　it　was　only　exhaustion　and　the　culminative　effect　of　what　his　body　had　suffered；　and　she　suddenly　remembered　the　peroxide　in　the　washroom　next　to　her　office。
　She　went　through　the　municating　door。　How　extraordinary　it　was　to　see　her　familiar　things　again。　It　must　be　someone　else　who　had　sat　at　that　desk　and　typed　letters　and　powdered　her　nose。　She　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　went　into　the　little　washroom。　God　what　a　sight　and　God　how　tired　she　felt！　But　first　she　took　a　wet　towel　and　some　peroxide　and　went　back　and　spent　ten　minutes　attending　to　the　battlefield　which　was　Bond's　face。
　He　sat　silent；　a　hand　resting　on　her　waist；　and　watched　her　gratefully。　Then　when　she　had　gone　back　into　her　room　and　he　heard　her　shut　the　door　of　the　washroom　behind　her　he　got　up；　turned　off　the　still　hissing　blowtorch；　and　walked　into　Drax's　shower；　stripped　and　stood　for　five　minutes　under　the　icy　water。　'Preparing　the　corpse！'　he　reflected　ruefully　as　he　surveyed　his　battered　face　in　the　mirror。
　He　put　on　his　clothes　and　went　back　to　Drax's　desk　which　he　searched　methodically。　It　yielded　only　one　prize；　tha　'office　bottle'；　a　half…full　bottle　of　Haig　and　Haig。　He　fetched　two　glasses　and　some　water　and　called　to　Gala。
　He　heard　the　door　of　the　washroom　open。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Whisky。〃
　〃You　drink。　I'll　be　ready　in　a　minute。〃
　Bond　looked　at　the　bottle　and　poured　himself　three…quarters　of　a　toothglass　and　drank　it　straight　down　in　two　gulps。　Then　he　gingerly　lit　a　blessed　cigarette　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　desk　and　felt　the　liquor　burn　down　through　his　stomach　into　his　legs。
　He　picked　up　the　bottle　again　and　looked　at　it。　Plenty　for　Gala　and　a　whole　full　glass　for　himself　before　he　walked　out　through　the　door。　Better　than　nothing。　It　wouldn't　be　too　bad　with　that　inside　him　so　long　as　he　walked　quickly　out　and　shut　the　doors　behind　him。　No　looking　back。
　Gala　came　in；　a　transformed　Gala；　looking　as　beautiful　as　the　night　he　had　first　seen　her；　except　for　the　lines　of　exhaustion　under　the　eyes　that　the　powder　could　not　quite　conceal　and　the　angry　welts　at　her　wrists　and　ankles。
　Bond　gave　her　a　drink　and　took　another　one　himself　and　their　eyes　smiled　at　each　other　over　the　rims　of　their　glasses。
　Then　Bond　stood　up。
　〃Listen；　Gala；〃　he　said　in　a　matter…of…fact　voice。　〃We've　got　to　face　it　and　get　it　over　so　I'll　make　it　short　and　then　we'll　have　another　drink。〃　He　heard　her　catch　her　breath；　but　he　went　on。　〃In　ten　minutes　or　so　I'm　going　to　shut　you　into　Drax's　bathroom　and　put　you　under　the　shower　and　turn　it　full　on。〃
　〃James；〃　she　cried。　She　stepped　close　to　him。　〃Don't　go　on。　I　know　you're　going　to　say　something　dreadful。　Please　stop；　James。〃
　〃e　on；　Gala；〃　said　Bond　roughly。　〃What　the　hell　does　it　matter。　It's　a　bloody　miracle　we've　got　the　chance。〃　He　moved　away　from　her。　He　walked　to　the　doors　leading　out　into　the　shaft。
　〃And　then；〃　he　said；　and　he　held　up　the　precious　lighter　in　his　right　hand；　〃I　shall　walk　out　of　here　and　shut　the　doors　and　go　and　light　a　last　cigarette　under　the　tail　of　the　Moonraker。〃
　〃God；〃　she　whispered。　〃What　are　you　saying？　You're　mad。〃　She　looked　at　him　through　eyes　wide　with　horror。
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；〃　said　Bond　impatientl