if.moonraker-第36部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃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　impatiently。　〃What　the　hell　is　there　else　to　do？　The　explosion　will　be　so　terrific　that　one　won't　feel　anything。　And　it's　bound　to　work　with　all　that　fuel　vapour　hanging　around。　It's　me　or　a　million　people　in　London。　The　warhead　won't　go　off。　Atom　bombs　don't　explode　like　that。　It'll　be　melted　probably。　There's　just　a　chance　you　may　get　away。　Most　of　the　explosion　will　take　the　line　of　least　resistance　through　the　roof…and　down　the　exhaust　pit；　if　I　can　work　the　machinery　that　opens　up　the　floor。〃　He　smiled。　〃Cheer　up；〃　he　said；　walking　over　to　her　and　taking　one　of　her　hands。　〃The　boy　stood　on　the　burning　deck。　I've　wanted　to　copy　him　since　I　was　five。〃
　Gala　pulled　her　hand　away。　〃I　don't　care　what　you　say；〃　she　said　angrily。　〃We've　got　to　think　of　something　else。　You　don't　trust　me　to　have　any　ideas。　You　just　tell　me　what　you　think　we've　got　to　do。〃　She　walked　over　to　the　wall　map　and　pressed　down　the　switch。　〃Of　course　if　we　have　to　use　the　lighter　we　have　to。〃　She　gazed　at　the　map　of　the　false　flight　plan；　barely　seeing　it。　〃But　the　idea　of　you　walking　in　there　alone　and　standing　in　the　middle　of　all　those　ghastly　fumes　from　the　fuel　and　calmly　flicking　that　thing　and　then　being　blown　to　dust。。。　And　anyway；　if　we　have　to　do　it；　we'll　do　it　together。　I'd　rather　that　than　be　burnt　to　death　in　here。　And　anyway；〃　she　paused；　〃I'd　like　to　go　with　you。　We're　in　this　together。〃
　Bond's　eyes　were　tender　as　he　walked　towards　her　and　put　an　arm　round　her　waist　and　hugged　her　to　him。　〃Gala；　you're　a　darling；〃　he　said　simply。　〃And　if　there's　any　other　way　we'll　take　it。　But；〃　he　looked　at　his　watch；　〃it's　past　midnight　and　we've　to　decide　quickly。　At　any　moment　it　may　occur　to　Drax　to　send　guards　down　to　see　that　we're　all　right；　and　God　knows　what　time　he'll　be　ing　down　to　set　the　gyros。〃
　Gala　twisted　her　body　round　like　a　cat。　She　gazed　at　him　with　her　mouth　open；　her　face　taut　with　excitement。　〃The　gyros；〃　she　whispered；　〃to　set　the　gyros。〃　She　leant　weakly　back　again　the　wall；　her　eyes　searching　Bond's　face。　〃Don't　you　see？〃　her　voice　was　on　the　edge　of　hysteria。　〃After　he's　gone；　we　could　alter　the　gyros　back；　back　to　the　old　flight　plan；　then　the　rocket　will　simply　fall　into　the　North　Sea　where　it's　supposed　to　go。〃
　She　stepped　away　from　the　wall　and　seized　his　shirt　in　both　hands　and　looked　imploringly　at　him。　〃Can't　we？〃　she　said。　〃Can't　we？〃
　〃Do　you　know　the　other　settings？〃　asked　Bond　sharply。
　〃Of　course　I　do；〃　she　said　urgently。　〃I've　been　living　with　them　for　a　year。　We　won't　have　a　weather　report　but　we'll　just　have　to　chance　that。　The　forecast　this　morning　said　we　would　have　the　same　conditions　as　today。〃
　〃By　God；〃　said　Bond。　〃We　might　do　it。　If　only　we　can　hide　somewhere　and　make　Drax　think　we've　escaped。　What　about　the　exhaust　pit？　If　I　can　work　the　machine　to　open　the　floor。〃
　〃It's　a　straight　hundred…foot　drop；〃　said　Gala；　shaking　her　head。　〃And　the　walls　are　polished　steel。　Just　like　glass。　And　there's　no　rope　or　anything　down　here。　They　cleared　everything　out　of　the　workshop　yesterday。　And　anyway　there　are　guards　on　the　beach。〃
　Bond　reflected。　Then　his　eyes　brightened。　〃I've　got　an　idea；〃　he　said。　〃But　first　of　all　what　about　the　radar；　the　homing　device　in　London？　Won't　that　pull　the　rocket　off　its　course　and　back　on　to　London？〃
　Gala　shook　her　head。　〃It's　only　got　a　range　of　about　a　hundred　miles；〃　she　said。　〃The　rocket　won't　even　pick　up　its　signal。　If　it's　aimed　into　the　North　Sea　it　will　get　into　the　orbit　of　the　transmitter　on　the　raft。　There's　absolutely　nothing　wrong　with　my　plans。　But　where　can　we　hide？〃
　〃One　of　the　ventilator　shafts；〃　said　Bond。　〃e　on。〃　He　gave　a　last　look　round　the　room。　The　lighter　was　in　his　pocket。　That　would　still　be　the　last　resort。　There　was　nothing　else　they　would　want。　He　followed　Gala　out　into　the　gleaming　shaft　and　made　for　the　instrument　panel　which　controlled　the　steel　cover　to　the　exhaust　pit。
　After　a　quick　examination　he　threw　over　a　heavy　lever　from　'Zu'　to　'Auf。　There　was　a　soft　hiss　from　the　hydraulic　machinery　behind　the　wall　and　the　two　semi…circles　of　steel　opened　beneath　the　tail　of　the　rocket　and　slid　back　into　their　grooves。　He　walked　over　and　looked　down。
　The　arcs　in　the　roof　above　glinted　back　at　him　from　the　polished　walls　of　the　wide　steel　funnel　until　they　curved　away　out　of　sight　towards　the　distant　hollow　boom　of　the　sea。　Bond　went　back　into　Drax's　office　and　pulled　down　the　shower　curtain　in　the　bathroom。　Then　Gala　and　he　tore　it　into　strips　and　tied　them　together。　He　made　a　jagged　rent　at　the　end　of　the　last　strip　so　as　to　give　an　impression　that　the　escape　rope　had　broken。　Then　he　tied　the　other　end　firmly　round　the　pointed　tip　of　one　of　the　Moonraker's　three　fins　and　dropped　the　rest　so　that　it　hung　down　the　shaft。
　It　was　not　much　of　a　false　scent；　but　it　might　gain　some　time。
　The　big　round　mouths　of　the　ventilator　shafts　were　spaced　about　ten　yards　apart　and　about　four　feet　off　the　floor。　Bond　counted。　There　were　fifty　of　them。　He　carefully　opened　the　hinged　grating　that　covered　one　of　them　and　looked　up。　Forty　feet　away　there　was　a　faint　glimmer　from　the　moonlight　outside。　He　decided　that　they　were　tunnelled　straight　up　inside　the　wall　of　the　site　until　they　turned　at　right　angles　towards　the　gratings　in　the　outside　walls。
　Bond　reached　up　and　ran　his　hand　along　the　surface。　It　was　unfinished　roughcast　concrete　and　he　grunted　with　satisfaction　as　he　felt　first　one　sharp　protuberance　and　then　another。　They　were　the　jagged　ends　of　the　steel　rods　reinforcing　the　walls；　cut　off　where　the　shafts　had　been　bored。
　It　was　going　to　be　a　painful　business；　but　there　was　no　doubt　they　could　inch　their　way　up　one　of　these　shafts；　like　mountaineers　up　a　rock　chimney；　and；　in　the　turn　at　the　top；　lie　hidden　from　anything　but　the　sort　of　painstaking　search　that　would　be　difficult　in　the　morning　with　all　the　officials　from　London　round　the　site。
　Bond　knelt　down　and　the　girl　climbed　on　to　his　back　and　started　up。
　An　hour　later；　their　feet　and　shoulders　bruised　and　cut；　they　lay　exhausted；　squeezed　tight　in　each　other's　arms；　their　heads　inches　away　from　the　circular　grating　directly　above　the　outside　door；　and　listened　to　the　guards　restlessly　shifting　their　feet　in　the　darkness　a　hundred　yards　away。　Five　o'clock；　six；　seven。
　Slowly　the　sun　came　up　behind　the　dome　and　the　seagulls　started　to　call　in　the　cliffs　and　then　suddenly　there　were　the　three　figures　walking　towards　them　in　the　distance；　passed　by　a　fresh　platoon　of　guards　doubling；　chins　up；　knees　up；　to　relieve　the　night　watch。
　The　figures　came　nearer　and　the　squinting；　exhausted　eyes　of　the　hidden　couple　could　see　every　detail　of　Drax's　blood…orange　face；　the　lean；　pale　foxiness　of　Dr　Walter；　the　suety；　overslept　puffiness　of　Krebs。
　The　three　men　walked　like　executioners；　saying　nothing。　Drax　took　out　his　key　and　they　silently　filed　through　the　door　a　few　feet　below　the　taut　bodies　of　Bond　and　Gala。
　Then　for　ten　minutes　there　was　silence　except　for　the　occasional　boom　of　voices　up　the　ventilator　shaft　as　the　three　men　moved　about　down　on　the　steel　floor　round　the　exhaust　pit。　Bond　smiled　to　himself　at　the　thought　of　the　rage　and　consternation　on　Drax's　face；　the　miserable　Krebs　wilting　under　the　lash　of　Drax's　tongue；　the　bitter　accusation　in　Walter's　eyes。　Then　the　door　burst　open　beneath　him　and　Krebs　was　calling　urgently　to　the　leader　of　the　guards。　A　man　detached　himself　from　the　semi…circle　and　ran　up。
　〃Die　Engl？nder；〃　Kreb's　voice　was　almost　hysterical。　〃Escaped。　The　Herr　Kapit？n　thinks　they　may　be　in　one　of　the　ventilator　shafts。　We　are　going　to　take　a　chance。　The　dome　will　be　opened　again　and　we　will　clear　out　the　fumes　from　the　fuel。　And　then　the　Herr　Doktor　will　put　the　steam　hose　up　each　shaft。　If　they're　there　it　will　finish　them。　Choose　four　men。　The　rubber　gloves　and　firesuits　are　down　there。　We'll　take　the　pressure　off　the　heating。　Tell　the　others　to　listen　for　the　screams。　Verstanden？〃
　〃Zu　Befehl！〃　The　man　doubled　smartly　back　to　his　troop　and　Krebs；　the　sweat　of　anxiety　on　his　face；　turned　and　disappeared　back　through　the　door。
　For　a　moment　Bond　lay　motionless。
　There　was　a　heavy　rumble　above　their　heads　as　the　dome　divided　and　swung　open。
　The　steam　hose！
　He　had　heard　of　mutinies　in　ships　being　fought　with　it　Rioters　in　factories。　Would　it　reach　forty　feet？　Would　the　pressure　last？　How　many　boilers　fed　the　heating？　Among　the　fifty　ventilator　shafts；　where　would　they　choose　to　begin？　Had　Bond　or　Gala　left　any　clue　to　the　one　they　had　climbed？
　He　felt　that　Gala　was　waiting　for　him　to　explain。　To　do　something。　To　protect　them。
　Five　men　came　doubling　from　the　semi…circle　of　guards。　They　passed　underneath　and　disappeared。
　Bond　put　his　mouth　to　Gala's　ear。　〃This　may　hurt；〃　he　said。　〃Can't　say　how　much。　Can't　be　helped。　Just　have　to　take　it。　No　noise。〃　He　felt　the　answering　tentative　pressure　from　her　arms。　〃Bring　your　knees　up。　Don't　be　shy。　This　is　no　time　to　be　maidenly。〃
　〃Shut　up；〃　whispered　Gala　angrily。　He　felt　one　knee　creep　up　until　it　was　locked　between　his　thighs。　His　own　knee　followed　suit　until　it　would　go　no　further。　She　squirmed　furiously。　〃Don't　be　a　bloody　fool；〃　whispered　Bond；　pulling　her　head　in　close　to　his　chest　so　that　it　was　half　covered　by　his　open　shirt。
　He　overlay　her　as　much　as　possible。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　about　their　ankles　or　his　hands。　He　pulled　his　shirt　collar　up　as　far　over　their　heads　as　possible。　They　held　tightly　to　each　other。
　Hot；　cramped；　breathless。　Waiting；　it　suddenly　occurred　to　Bond；　like　two　lovers　in　the　undergrowth。　Waiting　for　the　footsteps　to　go　by　so　that　they　could　start　again。　He　smiled　grimly　to　himself　and　listened。
　There　was　silence　down　the　shaft。　They　must　be　in　the　engine　room。　Walter　would　be　watching　the　hose　being　coupled　to　the　outlet　valve。　Now　there　were　distant　noises。　Where　would　they　start？
　Somewhere；　not　far　away；　there　was　a　soft；　long…drawn…out　whisper；　like　the　inefficient　whistle　of　a　distant　train。
　He　drew　his　shirt　collar　back　and　stole　a　look　out　through　the　grating　at　the　guards。　Those