if.moonraker-第8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！


　〃I've　got　a　mania　for　really　good　smoked　salmon；〃　said　Bond。　Then　he　pointed　down　the　menu。　〃Lamb　cutlets。　The　same　vegetables　as　you；　as　it's　May。　Asparagus　with　Bearnaise　sauce　sounds　wonderful。　And　perhaps　a　shce　of　pineapple。〃　He　sat　back　and　pushed　the　menu　away。
　〃Thank　heaven　for　a　man　who　makes　up　his　mind；〃　said　M。　He　looked　up　at　the　steward。　〃Have　you　got　all　that；　Porterfield？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　steward　smiled。　〃You　wouldn't　care　for　a　marrow　bone　after　the　strawberries；　sir？　We　got　half　a　dozen　in　today　from　the　country；　and　I'd　specially　kept　one　in　case　you　came　in。〃
　〃Of　course。　You　know　I　can't　resist　them。　Bad　for　me　but　it　can't　be　helped。　God　knows　what　I'm　celebrating　this　evening。　But　it　doesn't　often　happen。　Ask　Grimley　to　e　over；　would　you。〃
　〃He's　here　now；　sir；〃　said　the　steward；　making　way　for　the　wine…waiter。
　〃Ah；　Grimley；　some　vodka；　please。〃　He　turned　to　Bond。　〃Not　the　stuff　you　had　in　your　cocktail。　This　is　real　pre…war　Wolfschmidt　from　Riga。　Like　some　with　your　smoked　salmon？〃
　'Very　much；〃　said　Bond。'
　〃Then　what？〃　asked　M。　〃Champagne？　Personally　I'm　going　to　have　a　half…bottle　of　claret。　The　Mouton　Rothschild　'34；　please；　Grimley。　But　don't　pay　any　attention　to　me；　James。　I'm　an　old　man。　Champagne's　no　good　for　me。　We've　got　some　good　champagnes；　haven't　we；　Grimley？　None　of　that　stuff　you're　always　telling　me　about；　I'm　afraid；　James。　Don't　often　see　it　in　England。　Taittinger；　wasn't　it？〃
　Bond　smiled　at　M。's　memory。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　only　a　fad　of　mine。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　for　various　reasons　I　believe　I　would　like　to　drink　champagne　this　evening。　Perhaps　I　co'uld　leave　it　to　Grimley。〃
　The　wine…waiter　was　pleased。　〃If　I　may　suggest　it；　sir；　the　Dom　Perignon　'46。　I　understand　that　France　only　sells　it　for　dollars；　sir；　so　you　don't　often　see　it　in　London。　I　believe　it　was　a　gift　from　the　Regency　Club　in　New　York；　sir。　I　have　some　on　ice　at　the　moment。　It's　the　Chairman's　favourite　and　he's　told　me　to　have　it　ready　every　evening　in　case　he　needs　it。〃
　Bond　smiled　his　agreement。
　〃So　be　it；　Grimley；〃　said　M。　〃The　Dom　Perignon。　Bring　it　straight　away；　would　you？〃
　A　waitress　appeared　and　put　racks　of　fresh　toast　on　the　table　and　a　silver　dish　of　Jersey　butter。　As　she　bent　over　the　table　her　black　skirt　brushed　Bond's　arm　and　he　looked　up　into　two　pert；　sparkling　eyes　under　a　soft　fringe　of　hair。　The　eyes　held　his　for　a　fraction　of　a　second　and　then　she　whisked　away。　Bond's　eyes　followed　the　white　bow　at　her　waist　and　the　starched　collar　and　cuffs　of　her　uniform　as　she　went　down　the　long　room。　His　eyes　narrowed。　He　recalled　a　pre…war　establishment　in　Paris　where　the　girls　were　dressed　with　the　same　exciting　severity。　Until　they　turned　round　and　showed　their　backs。
　He　smiled　to　himself。　The　Marthe　Richards　law　had　changed　all　that。
　M。　turned　from　studying　their　neighbours　behind　him。　〃Why　were　you　so　cryptic　about　drinking　champagne？〃
　〃Well；　if　you　don't　mind；　sir；〃　Bond　explained；　〃I've　got　to　get　a　bit　tight　tonight。　I'll　have　to　seem　very　drunk　when　the　time　es。　It's　not　an　easy　thing　to　act　unless　you　do　it　with　a　good　deal　of　conviction。　I　hope　you　won't　get　worried　if　I　seem　to　get　frayed　at　the　edges　later　on。〃
　M。　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃You've　got　a　head　like　a　rock；　James；〃　he　said。　〃Drink　as　much　as　you　like　if　it's　going　to　help。　Ah；　here's　the　vodka。〃
　When　M。　poured　him　three　fingers　from　the　frosted　carafe　Bond　took　a　pinch　of　black　pepper　and　dropped　it　on　the　surface　of　the　vodka。　The　pepper　slowly　settled　to　the　bottom　of　the　glass　leaving　a　few　grains　on　the　surface　which　Bond　dabbed　up　with　the　tip　of　a　finger。　Then　he　tossed　the　cold　liquor　well　to　the　back　of　his　throat　and　put　his　glass；　with　the　dregs　of　the　pepper　at　the　bottom；　back　on　the　table。
　M。　gave　him　a　glance　of　rather　ironical　inquiry。
　〃It's　a　trick　the　Russians　taught　me　that　time　you　attached　me　to　the　Embassy　in　Moscow；〃　apologized　Bond。　〃There's　often　quite　a　lot　of　fusel　oil　on　the　surface　of　this　stuff…at　least　there　used　to　be　when　it　was　badly　distilled。　Poisonous。　In　Russia；　where　you　get　a　lot　of　bath…tub　liquor；　it's　an　understood　thing　to　sprinkle　a　little　pepper　in　your　glass。　It　takes　the　fusel　oil　to　the　bottom。　I　got　to　like　the　taste　and　now　it's　a　habit。　But　I　shouldn't　have　insulted　the　club　Wolf…schmidt；〃　he　added　with　a　grin。
　M。　grunted。　〃So　long　as　you　don't　put　pepper　in　Basildon's　favourite　champagne；〃　he　said　drily。
　A　harsh　bray　of　laughter　came　from　a　table　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　M。　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　then　turned　back　to　his　caviar。
　〃What　do　you　think　of　this　man　Drax？〃　he　said　through　a　mouthful　of　buttered　toast。
　Bond　helped　himself　to　another　slice　of　smoked　salmon　from　the　silver　dish　beside　him。　It　had　the　delicate　glutinous　texture　only　achieved　by　Highland　curers…very　different　from　the　dessicated　products　of　Scandinavia。　He　rolled　a　wafer…thin　slice　of　brown　bread…and…butter　into　a　cylinder　and　contemplated　it　thoughtfully。
　〃One　can't　like　his　manner　much。　At　first　I　was　rather　surprised　that　you　tolerate　him　here。〃　He　glanced　at　M。；　who　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃But　that's　none　of　my　business　and　anyway　clubs　would　be　very　dull　without　a　sprinkling　of　eccentrics。　And　in　any　case　he's　a　national　hero　and　a　millionaire　and　obviously　an　adequate　card…player。　Even　when　he　isn't　helping　himself　to　the　odds；〃　he　added。　〃But　I　can　see　he's　the　sort　of　man　I　always　imagined。　Full…blooded；　ruthless；　shrewd。　Plenty　of　guts。　I'm　not　surprised　he's　managed　to　get　where　he　is。　What　I　don't　understand　is　why　he　should　be　quite　happy　to　throw　it　all　away。　This　cheating　of；　his。　It's　really　beyond　belief。　What's　he　trying　to　prove　with　it？　That　he　can　beat　everyone　at　everything？　He　seems　to　put　so　much　passion　into　his　cards…as　if　it　wasn't　a　game　at　all；　but　some　sort　of　trial　of　strength。　You've　only　got　to　look　at　his　fingernails。　Bitten　to　the　quick。　And　he　sweats　too　much。　There's　a　lot　of　tension　there　somewhere。　It　es　out　in　those　ghastly　jokes　of　his。　They're　harsh。　There's　no　light　touch　about　them。　He　seemed　to　want　to　squash　Basildon　like　a　fly。　Hope　I　shall　be　able　to　keep　my　temper。　That　manner　of　his　is　pretty　riling。　He　even　treats　his　partner　as　if　he　was　muck。　He　hasn't　quite　got　under　my　skin；　but　I　shan't　at　all　mind　sticking　a　very　sharp　pin　in　him　tonight。〃　He　smiled　at　M。　〃If　it　es　off；　that　is。〃
　〃I　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　M。　〃But　you　may　be　being　a　bit　hard　on　the　man。　After　all；　it's　a　big　step　from　the　Liverpool　docks；　or　wherever　he　came　from；　to　where　he　is　now。　And　he's　one　of　those　people　who　was　born　with　naturally　hairy　heels。　Nothing　to　do　with　snobbery。　I　expect　his　mates　in　Liverpool　found　him　just　as　loud…mouthed　as　Blades　does。　As　for　his　cheating；　there's　probably　a　crooked　streak　in　him　somewhere。　I　dare　say　he　took　plenty　of　short　cuts　on　his　way　up。　Somebody　said　that　to　bee　very　rich　you　have　to　be　helped　by　a　bination　of　remarkable　circumstances　and　an　unbroken　run　of　luck。　It　certainly　isn't　only　the　qualities　of　people　that　make　them　rich。　At　least　that's　my　experience。　At　the　beginning；　getting　together　the　first　ten　thousand；　or　the　first　hundred　thousand；　things　have　got　to　go　damn　right。
　And　in　that　modity　business　after　the　war；　with　all　the　regulations　and　restrictions；　I　expect　it　was　often　a　case　of　being　able　to　drop　a　thousand　pounds　in　the　right　pocket。　Officials。　The　ones　who　understand　nothing　but　addition；　division…and　silence。　The　useful　ones。〃
　M。　paused　while　the　next　course　came。　With　it　arrived　the　champagne　in　a　silver　ice…bucket；　and　the　small　wicker…basket　containing　M。's　half…bottle　of　claret。
　The　wine…steward　waited　until　they　had　delivered　a　favourable　judgment　on　the　wines　and　then　moved　away。　As　he　did　so　a　page　came　up　to　their　table。　〃mander　Bond？〃　he　asked。
　Bond　took　the　envelope　that　was　handed　to　him　and　slit　it　open。　He　took　out　a　thin　paper　packet　and　carefully　opened　it　under　the　level　of　the　table。　It　contained　a　white　powder。　He　took　a　silver　fruit　knife　off　the　table　and　dipped　the　tip　of　the　blade　into　the　packet　so　that　about　half　its　contents　were　transferred　to　the　knife。　He　reached　for　his　glass　of　champagne　and　tipped　the　powder　into　it。
　〃Now　what？〃　said　M。　with　a　trace　of　impatience。
　There　was　no　hint　of　apology　in　Bond's　face。　It　wasn't　M。　who　was　going　to　have　to　do　the　work　that　evening。　Bond　knew　what　he　was　doing。　Whenever　he　had　a　job　of　work　to　do　he　would　take　infinite　pains　beforehand　and　leave　as　little　as　possible　to　chance。　Then　if　something　went　wrong　it　was　the　unforeseeable。　For'　that　he　accepted　no　responsibility。
　〃Benzedrine；〃　he　said。　〃I　rang　up　my　secretary　before　dinner　and　asked　her　to　wangle　some　out　of　the　surgery　at　Headquarters。　It's　what　I　shall　need　if　I'm　going　to　keep　my　wits　about　me　tonight。　It's　apt　to　make　one　a　bit　overconfident；　but　that'll　be　a　help　too。〃　He　stirred　the　champagne　with　a　scrap　of　toast　so　that　the　white　powder　whirled　among　the　bubbles。　Then　he　drank　the　mixture　down　with　one　long　swallow。　〃It　doesn't　taste；〃　said　Bond；　〃and　the　champagne　is　quite　excellent。〃
　M。　smiled　at　him　indulgently。　〃It's　your　funeral；〃　he　said。…〃Now　we'd　better　get　on　with　our　dinner。　How　were　the　cutlets？〃
　〃Superb；〃　said　Bond。　〃I　could　cut　them　with　a　fork。　The　best　English　cooking　is　the　best　in　the　world…particularly　at　this　time　of　the　year。　By　the　way；　what　stakes　will　we　be　playing　for　this　evening？　I　don't　mind　very　much。　We　ought　to　end　up　the　winners。　But　I'd　like　to　know　how　much　it　will　cost　Drax。〃
　〃Drax　likes　to　play　for　what　he　calls　'One　and　One'；〃　said　M。；　helping　himself　from　the　strawberries　that　had　just　been　put　on　the　table。　〃Modest　sounding　stake；　if　you　don't　know　what　it　stands　for。　In　fact　it's　one　tenner　a　hundred　and　one　hundred　pounds　on　the　rubber。〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　Bond　respectfully。　〃I　see。〃
　〃But　he's　perfectly　happy　to　play　for　Two　and　Two　or　even　Three　and　Three。　Mounts　up　at　those　figures。　The　average　rubber　of　bridge　at　Blades　is　about　ten　points。　That's　￡200　at　One　and　One。　And　the　bridge　here　makes　for　big　rubbers。　There　are　no　conventions　so　there's　plenty　of　gambling　and　bluffing。　Sometimes　it's　more　like　poker。　They're　a　mixed　lot　of　players