if.goldfinger-第23部分

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？　Where　did　it　e　from？　Is　that　what　the　Koreans　use？'
　Goldfinger　patted　his　mouth　with　his　napkin。　He　snapped　his　fingers。　The　two　men　cleared　away　the　plates　and　brought　roast　duckling　and　a　bottle　of　Mouton　Rothschild　1947　for　Bond。　When　they　had　withdrawn　into　immobility　at　each　end　of　the　serving…table；　Goldfinger　said；　'Have　you　ever　heard　of　Karate？　No？　Well　that　man　is　one　of　the　three　in　the　world　who　have　achieved　the　Black　Belt　in　Karate。　Karate　is　a　branch　of　judo；　but　it　is　to　judo　what　a　Spandau　is　to　a　catapult。'
　'I　could　see　that。'
　'The　demonstration　was　an　elementary　one。　Mr　Bond'　…Goldfinger　held　up　the　drumstick　he　had　been　gnawing　…　'I　can　tell　you　that　if　Oddjob　had　used　the　appropriate　single　blow　on　any　one　of　seven　spots　on　your　body；　you　would；now　be　dead。'　Goldfinger　bit　at　the　side　of　the　drumstick　with　relish。
　Bond　said　seriously；　'That's　interesting。　I　only　know　five　ways　of　killing　Oddjob　with　one　blow。'
　Goldfinger　seemed　not　to　hear　the　ment。　He　put　down　his　drumstick　and　took　a　deep　draught　of　water。　He　sat　back　and　spoke　while　Bond　went　on　eating　the　excellent　food。　'Karate；　Mr　Bond；　is　based　on　the　theory　that　the　human　body　possesses　five　striking　surfaces　and　thirty…seven　vulnerable　spots　…　vulnerable；　that　is；　to　an　expert　in　Karate　whose　finger…tips；　the　side　of　the　hands　and　the　feet　are　hardened　into　layers　of　corn；　which　is　far　stronger　and　more　flexible　than　bone。　Every　day　of　his　life；　Mr　Bond；　Oddjob　spends　one　hour　hitting　either　sacks　of　unpolished　rice　or　a　strong　post　whose　top　is　wound　many　times　round　with　thick　rope。　He　then　spends　another　hour　at　physical　training　which　is　more　that　of　a　ballet　school　than　of　a　gymnasium。'
　'When　does　he　practise　tossing　the　bowler　hat？'　Bond　had　no　intention　of　succumbing　to　this　psychological　warfare。
　Goldfinger　frowned　at　the　interruption。　'I　have　never　inquired；'　he　said　without　humour。　'But　I　think　you　can　take　it　that　Oddjob　keep　his　eye　in　at　all　his　skills。　However；　you　were　asking　where　Karate　originated。　It　originated　in　China　where　wandering　Buddhist　priests　became　an　easy　prey　for　footpads　and　bandits。　Their　religion　did　not　allow　them　to　carry　weapons；　so　they　developed　their　own　form　of　unarmed　bat。　The　inhabitants　of　Okinawa　refined　the　art　to　its　present　form　when　the　Japanese　forbade　them　to　carry　weapons。　They　developed　the　five　striking　surfaces　of　the　human　body　…　the　fist；　the　edge　of　the　hand；　the　fingertips；　the　ball　of　the　foot　and　the　elbows　…　and　toughened　them　until　they　were　enveloped　in　layers　of　corn。　There　is　no　follow…through　in　a　Karate　blow。　The　entire　body　is　stiffened　at　the　moment　of　impact；　with　the　emphasis　on　the　hips；　and　then　instantly　relaxed　so　that　balance　is　never　lost。　It　is　astonishing　what　Oddjob　can　do。　I　have　seen　him　hit　a　brick　wall　with　his　entire　force　and　not　hurt　his　hand。　He　can　split　three　half…inch　thick　boards；　piled　one　upon　the　other；　with　one　blow　of　the　hand。　You　have　seen　what　he　can　do　with　his　foot。'
　Bond　took　a　deep　draught　of　the　delicious　claret。　'All　this　must　be　rather　hard　on　your　furniture。'
　Goldfinger　shrugged。　'I　have　no　more　use　for　this　house。　I　thought　a　demonstration　would　amuse　you。　I　hope　you　agree　that　Oddjob　earned　his　cat。'　The　X…ray　eyes　blazed　briefly　across　the　table。
　'Does　he　train　on　cats？'
　'He　regards　them　as　a　great　delicacy。　He　acquired　the　taste　during　a　famine　in　his　country　when　he　was　young。'
　Bond　thought　it　was　time　to　delve　rather　more　deeply。　'Why　do　you　need　such　a　man？　He　can't　be　very　good　pany。'
　'Mr　Bond'　…　Goldfinger　snapped　his　fingers　for　the　two　servants　…　'it　happens　that　I　am　a　rich　man；　a　very　rich　man；　and　the　richer　the　man　the　more　he　needs　protection。　The　ordinary　bodyguard　or　detective　is　usually　a　retired　policeman。　Such　men　are　valueless。　Their　reactions　are　slow；　their　methods　old…fashioned；　and　they　are　open　to　bribery。　Moreover；　they　have　a　respect　for　human　life。　That　is　no　good　if　I　wish　to　stay　alive。　The　Koreans　have　no　such　feelings。　That　is　why　the　Japanese　employed　them　as　guards　for　their　prison　camps　during　the　war。　They　are　the　cruellest；　most　ruthless　people　in　the　world。　My　own　staff　are　hand　picked　for　these　qualities。　They　have　served　me　well。　I　have　no　plaints。　Nor　have　they。　They　are　well　paid　and　well　fed　and　housed。　When　they　want　women；　street　women　are　brought　down　from　London；　well　remunerated　for　their　services　and　sent　back。　The　women　are　not　much　to　look　at；　but　they　are　white　and　that　is　all　the　Koreans　ask　…　to　submit　the　white　race　to　the　grossest　indignities。　There　are　sometimes　accidents　but'　…　the　pale　eyes　gazed　blankly　down　the　table　…　'money　is　an　effective　winding…sheet。'
　Bond　smiled。
　'You　like　the　aphorism？　It　is　my　own。'
　An　excellent　cheese　souffle　came　and　was　followed　by　coffee。　They　ate　in　silence；　both　apparently　fortable　and　relaxed　by　these　confidences。　Bond　certainly　was。　Goldfinger；　obviously　by　design；　was　letting　his　hair　down　…　not　far；　not　farther　than　his　shoulders；　but　he　was　showing　Bond　one　of　his　private　faces；　presumably　the　one　to　which　he　thought　Bond　would　respond　…　the　ruthlessly　efficient；　cold…blooded　tycoon。　Perhaps；　after　all；　Bond's　spying　in　the　house；　which　Goldfinger　must　at　least　presume；　had　revealed　something　about　Bond　that　Goldfinger　was　pleased　to　know　…　that　Bond　had　a　crooked　side　to　him；　that　he　wasn't　'a　gentleman'　in　more　than　appearance。　Now　there　should　be　more　probing　and　then；　with　luck；　the　proposition　would　follow。
　Bond　sat　back　and　lit　a　cigarette。　He　said；　'That's　a　beautiful　car　you've　got。　Must　be　about　the　last　of　the　series。　About　1925；　wasn't　it　…　two　blocks　of　three　cylinders　with　two　plugs　for　each　cylinder；　one　set　fired　from　the　mag。　and　the　other　from　the　coil？'
　'You　are　correct。　But　in　other　respects。　I　have　had　to　introduce　some　modifications。　I　have　added　five　leaves　to　the　springs　and　fitted　disc　brakes　to　the　rear　wheels　to　increase　the　braking　power。　The　Servo…operated　front…wheel　brakes　were　not　sufficient。'
　'Oh。　Why　not？　The　top　speed　wouldn't　be　more　than　fifty。　The　body　can't　be　all　that　heavy。'
　Goldfinger　raised　his　eyebrows。　'You　think　not？　One　ton　of　armour　plating　and　armour…plated　glass　make　a　big　difference。'
　Bond　smiled。　'Ah！　I　see。　You　certainly　do　take　good　care　of　yourself。　But　how　does　that　work　flying　the　Channel？　Doesn't　the　car　go　through　the　floor　of　the　plane？'
　T　take　a　plane　to　myself。　The　Silver　City　pany　knows　the　car。　It　is　a　regular　routine；　twice　a　year。'
　'Just　touring　round　Europe？'
　'A　golfing　holiday。'
　'Great　fun。　Always　wanted　to　do　it　myself。'
　Goldfinger　didn't　take　the　bait。　'You　can　afford　to　now。'
　Bond　smiled。　'Oh；　that　extra　ten　thousand　dollars。　But　I　may　need　that　if　I　decide　to　move　to　Canada。'
　'You　think　you　could　make　money　there？　Do　you　want　to　make　a　lot　of　money？'
　Bond's　voice　was　eager。　'Very　much。　There's　no　other　point　in　working。'
　'Unfortunately　most　ways　of　making　big　money　take　a　long　time。　By　the　time　one　has　made　the　money　one　is　too　old　to　enjoy　it。'
　'That's　the　trouble。　I'm　always　on　the　lookout　for　shortcuts。　You　won't　find　them　here。　Taxation's　too　heavy。'
　'Quite。　And　the　laws　are　strict。'
　'Yes。　I　found　that　out。'
　'Indeed？'
　'Got　on　the　fringe　of　the　heroin　racket。　Only　just　got　out　without　burning　my　fingers。　Of　course　this'll　go　no　further？'
　Goldfinger　shrugged　his　shoulders。　'Mr　Bond；　someone　said　that　〃law　is　the　crystallized　prejudices　of　the　munity〃。　I　agree　with　that　definition。　It　happens　to　apply　most　strongly　to　the　traffic　in　drugs。　Even　if　it　didn't；　I　am　not　concerned　with　assisting　the　police。'
　'Well；　it　was　like　this。。。'　Bond　launched　into　the　story　of　the　Mexican　traffic；　swapping　roles　with　Blackwell。　He　ended　up；　'I　was　lucky　to　get　away　with　it；　but　it　didn't　make　me　particularly　popular　with　Universal　Export。'
　'I　daresay　not。　An　interesting　story。　You　seem　to　have　shown　resource。　You　are　not　tempted　to　continue　in　the　same　line　of　business？'
　Bond　shrugged　his　shoulders。　'A　bit　too　tricky。　To　judge　by　this　Mexican；　the　big　men　in　the　business　aren't　quite　big　enough　when　it　es　to　the　pinch。　When　things　got　tough　he　didn't　fight　back　…　except　with　his　mouth。'
　'Well；　Mr　Bond；'　Goldfinger　got　up　from　the　table　and　Bond　followed　suit。　'It's　been　an　interesting　evening。　I　don't　know　that　I　would　go　back　into　heroin。　There　are　safer　ways　of　making　big　money。　You　want　to　be　certain　that　the　odds　are　right　and　then　you　should　hazard　everything。　Doubling　one's　money　isn't　easy　and　the　chances　don't　occur　frequently。　You　would　like　to　hear　another　of　my　aphorisms？'
　'Yes。'
　'Well；　Mr　Bond；'　Goldfinger　gave　the　rich　man's　thin　smile。　'The　safest　way　to　double　your　money　is　fold　it　twice　and　put　it　in　your　pocket。'
　Bond；　the　bank　clerk　barkening　to　the　bank　manager；　smiled　dutifully　but　made　no　ment。　This　just　wasn't　good　enough。　He　was　getting　nowhere。　But　instinct　told　him　not　to　put　his　foot　down　on　the　accelerator。
　They　went　back　into　the　hall。　Bond　held　out　his　hand。　'Well；　many　thanks　for　the　excellent　dinner。　Time　I　went　and　got　some　sleep。　Perhaps　we　shall　run　into　each　other　again　some　day。'
　Goldfinger　pressed　Bond's　hand　briefly　and　pushed　it　away　from　him。　It　was　another　mannerism　of　the　millionaire　subconsciously　afraid　of'the　touch'。　He　looked　hard　at　Bond。　He　said　enigmatically；　'I　shouldn't　be　at　all　surprised；　Mr　Bond。'
　On　his　way　across　the　Isle　of　Thanet　in　the　moonlight；　Bond　turned　the　phrase　over　and　over　in　his　mind。　He　undressed　and　got　into　bed　thinking　of　it；　unable　to　guess　its　significance。　It　could　mean　that　Goldfinger　intended　to　get　in　touch　with　Bond；　or　it　could　mean　that　Bond　must　try　and　keep　in　touch　with　Goldfinger。　Heads　the　former；　tails　the　latter。　Bond　got　out　of　bed　and　took　a　coin　from　the　dressing…table　and　tossed　it。　It　came　down　tails。　So　it　was　up　to　him　to　keep　close　to　Goldfinger！
　So　be　it。　But　his　cover　would　have　to　be　pretty　darn　good　the　next　time　they　'ran　into'　each　other。　Bond　got　back　into　bed　and　was　instantly　asleep。
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　
　LONG　TAIL　ON　A　GHOST
　
　PUNCTUALLY　AT　nine　the　next　morning　Bond　got　on　to　the　Chief　of　Staff：　'James　here。　I've　had　a　look　at　the　property。　B