if.goldfinger-第31部分

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shion；　thwarted　a　minuscule　project　upon　which　I　was　engaged。　On　that　occasion　it　was　someone　else　who　suffered　the　poena　that　should　have　been　meted　out　to　you。　An　eye　was　taken　for　the　eye；　but　it　was　not　yours。　You　were　lucky　and；　if　you　had　then　found　an　oracle　to　consult；　the　oracle　would　have　said　to　you；　〃Mr　Bond；　you　have　been　fortunate。　Keep　away　from　Mr　Auric　Goldfinger。　He　is　a　most　powerful　man。　If　Mr　Goldfinger　wanted　to　crush　you；　he　would　only　have　to　turn　over　in　his　sleep　to　do　so。〃'
　'You　express　yourself　most　vividly。'　Bond　turned　his　head。　The　great　brown　and　orange　football　of　a　head　was　bent　slightly　forward。　The　round　moon…face　was　bland；　indifferent。　Casually；　one　hand　reached　out　to　the　control　panel　and　pressed　down　a　switch。　There　came　a　slow　metallic　growl　from　the　end　of　the　table　on　which　Bond　lay。　It　curved　quickly　up　to　a　harsh　whine　and　then　to　a　shrill　high　whistle　that　was　barely　audible。　Bond　turned　his　head　wearily　away。　How　soon　could　he　manage　to　die？　Was　there　any　way　he　could　hasten　death？　A　friend　of　his　had　survived　the　Gestapo。　He　had　described　to　Bond　how　he　had　tried　to　mit　suicide　by　holding　his　breath。　By　superhuman　will…power；　after　a　few　minutes　without　breathing；　unconsciousness　had　e。　But；　with　the　blackout　of　the　senses；　will　and　intention　had　also　left　the　body。　At　once　reason　was　forgotten。　The　body's　instinct　to　live　manned　the　pumps　and　got　breath　back　into　the　body　again。　But　Bond　could　try　it。　There　was　nothing　else　to　help　him　through　the　pain　barrier　before　the　blessing　of　death。　For　death　was　the　only　exit。　He　knew　he　could　never　squeal　to　Goldfinger　and　live　with　himself　again　…　even　in　the　unlikely　event　that　Goldfinger　could　be　bought　off　with　the　truth。　No；　he　must　stick　to　his　thin　story　and　hope　that　the　others　who　would　now　follow　him　on　Gold…finger's　trail　would　have　better　luck。　Who　would　M　choose？　Probably　008；　the　second　killer　in　the　small　section　of　three。　He　was　a　good　man；　more　careful　than　Bond。　M　would　know　that　Goldfinger　had　killed　Bond　and　he　would　give　008　licence　to　kill　in　return。　258　in　Geneva　would　put　him　on　to　the　scent　that　would　end　with　Bond's　inquiry　about　the　Entre…prises　Auric。　Yes；　fate　would　catch　up　with　Goldfinger　if　Bond　could　only　keep　his　mouth　shut。　If　he　gave　the　least　clue　away；　Goldfinger　would　escape。　That　was　unthinkable。
　'Now　then；　Mr　Bond；'　Goldfinger's　voice　was　brisk。　'Enough　of　these　amiabilities。　Sing；　as　my　Chicago　friends　put　it；　and　you　will　die　quickly　and　painlessly。　The　girl　also。　Sing　not；　and　your　death　will　be　one　long　scream。　The　girl　I　shall　then　give　to　Oddjob；　as　I　did　that　cat；　for　supper。　Which　is　it　to　be？'
　Bond　said；　'Don't　be　a　fool；　Goldfinger。　I　told　my　friends　at　Universal　where　I　was　going　and　why。　The　girl's　parents　know　that　she　went　with　me。　I　made　inquiries　about　this　factory　of　yours　before　we　came　here。　We　shall　be　traced　here　very　easily。　Universal　is　powerful。　You　will　have　the　police　after　you　within　days　of　our　disappearance。　I　will　make　a　deal　with　you。　Let　us　go　and　nothing　more　will　be　heard　of　the　matter。　I　will　vouch　for　the　girl。　You　are　making　a　stupid　mistake。　We　are　two　perfectly　innocent　people。'
　Goldfinger　said　in　a　bored　voice；　'I'm　afraid　you　don't　understand；　Mr　Bond。　Whatever　you　have　managed　to　find　out　about　me；　which　I　suspect　is　very　little；　can　only　be　a　grain　of　the　truth。　I　am　engaged　upon　gigantic　enterprises。　To　take　the　gamble　of　letting　either　of　you　leave　here　alive　would　be　quite　ludicrous。　It　is　out　of　the　question。　As　for　my　being　bothered　by　the　police；　I　shall　be　delighted　to　receive　them　if　they　e。　Those　of　my　Koreans　who　can　speak　won't　do　so　…　nor　will　the　mouths　of　my　electric　furnaces　which　will　have　vaporized　you　both　and　all　your　belongings　at　two　thousand　degrees　Centigrade。　No；　Mr　Bond；　make　your　choice。　Perhaps　I　can　encourage　you'　…　there　came　the　noise　of　a　lever　moving　across　iron　teeth。　'The　saw　is　now　approaching　your　body　at　about　an　inch　every　minute。　Meanwhile；'　he　glanced　at　Odd　job　and　held　up　one　finger；　'a　little　massage　from　Oddjob。　To　begin　with；　only　grade　one。　Grades　two　and　three　are　still　more　persuasive。'
　Bond　closed　his　eyes。　The　sickly　zoo…smell　of　Oddjob　enveloped　him。　Big；　rasping　fingers　set　to　work　on　him　carefully；　delicately。　A　pressure　here；　bined　with　a　pressure　there；　a　sudden　squeeze；　a　pause；　and　then　a　quick；　sharp　blow。　Always　the　hard　hands　were　surgically　accurate。　Bond　ground　his　teeth　until　he　thought　they　would　break。　The　sweat　of　pain　began　to　form　pools　in　the　sockets　of　his　closed　eyes。　The　shrill　whine　of　the　saw　was　getting　louder。　It　reminded　Bond　of　the　sawdust…scented　sounds　of　long　ago　summer　evenings　at　home　in　England。　Home？　This　was　his　home；　this　cocoon　of　danger　he　had　chosen　to　live　in。　And　here　he　would　be　buried　'in　some　corner　of　a　foreign　blast　furnace　that　is　for　ever　two　thousand　degrees　Centigrade'。　God　rest　ye　merry　gentlemen　of　the　Secret　Service！　What　should　he　give　himself　as　an　epitaph？　What　should　be　his　'famous　last　words'？　That　you　have　no　choice　about　your　birth；　but　you　can　choose　the　way　you　die？　Yes；　it　would　look　well　on　a　tombstone　…　not　Savoir　vivre　but　Savoir　mourir。
　'Mr　Bond。'　Goldfinger's　voice　held　an　ounce　of　urgency。　'Is　this　really　necessary？　Just　tell　me　the　truth。　Who　are　you？　Who　sent　you　here？　What　do　you　know？　Then　it　will　be　so　easy。　You　shall　both　have　a　pill。　There　will　be　no　pain。　It　will　be　like　taking　a　sleeping　draught。　Otherwise　it　will　be　so　messy　…　so　messy　and　distressing。　And　are　you　being　fair　to　the　girl？　Is　this　the　behaviour　of　an　English　gentleman？'
　Oddjob's　torment　had　stopped。　Bond　turned　his　head　slowly　towards　the　voice　and　opened　his　eyes。　He　said；　'Goldfinger；　there　is　nothing　more　to　tell　because　there　is　nothing。　If　you　will　not　accept　my　first　bargain　I　will　make　you　another。　The　girl　and　I　will　work　for　you。　How　about　that？　We　are　capable　people。　You　could　put　us　to　good　use。'
　'And　get　a　knife；　two　knives　in　my　back？　Thank　you　no；　Mr　Bond。'
　Bond　decided　it　was　time　to　stop　talking。　It　was　time　to　start　winding　up　the　mainspring　of　will…power　that　must　not　run　down　again　until　he　was　dead。　Bond　said　politely；　'Then　you　can　go　and　　yourself。'　He　expelled　all　the　breath　from　his　lungs　and　closed　his　eyes。
　'Even　I　am　not　capable　of　that；　Mr　Bond；'　said　Goldfinger　with　good　humour。　'And　now；　since　you　have　chosen　the　stony　path　instead　of　the　smooth；　I　must　extract　what　interest　I　can　from　your　predicament　by　making　the　path　as　stony　as　possible。　Oddjob；　grade　two。'
　The　lever　on　the　table　moved　across　iron　teeth。　Now　Bond　could　feel　the　wind　of　the　saw　between　his　knees。　The　hands　came　back。
　Bond　counted　the　slowly　pounding　pulse　that　utterly　possessed　his　body。　It　was　like　the　huge　panting　power　plant　in　the　other　part　of　the　factory　but；　in　his　case；　it　was　slowly　decelerating。　If　only　it　would　slow　down　quicker。　What　was　this　ridiculous　will　to　live　that　refused　to　listen　to　the　brain？　Who　was　making　the　engine　run　on　although　the　tank　was　dry　of　fuel？　But　he　must　empty　his　mind　of　thought；　as　well　as　his　body　of　oxygen。　He　must　bee　a　vacuum；　a　deep　hole　of　unconsciousness。
　Still　the　light　burned　red　through　his　eyelids。　Still　he　could　feel　the　bursting　pressure　in　his　temples。　Still　the　slow　drum　of　life　beat　in　his　ears。
　A　scream　tried　to　force　its　way　through　the　clamped　teeth。
　Die　damn　you　die　die　damn　you　die　damn　you　die　damn　you　die　damn　you　die。。。
　
　CHAPTER　SIXTEEN
　
　THE　LAST　AND　THE　BIGGEST
　
　THE　WINGS　of　a　dove；　the　heavenly　choir；　Hark　the　Herald　Angels　Sing　…　what　else　ought　he　to　remember　about　Paradise？　It　was　all　so　exactly　like　what　he　had　been　told　in　the　nursery　…　this　sensation　of　flying；　the　darkness；　the　drone　of　the　million　harps。　He　really　must　try　and　remember　the　dope　about　the　place。　Let's　see　now；　one　got　to　the　Pearly　Gates。。。
　A　deep　fatherly　voice　said；　almost　in　his　ear；　'This　is　your　captain　speaking。'　（Well；　well。　Who　was　this。　Saint　Peter？）　'We　are　ing　in　to　land　now。　Will　you　please　fasten　your　seat　belts　and　extinguish　your　cigarettes。　Thank　you。'
　There　must　be　a　whole　lot　of　them；　going　up　together。　Would　Tilly　be　on　the　same　trip？　Bond　squirmed　with　embarrassment。　How　would　he　introduce　her　to　the　others；　to　Vesper　for　instance？　And　when　it　came　to　the　point；　which　would　he　like　the　best？　But　perhaps　it　would　be　a　big　place　with　countries　and　towns。　There　was　probably　no　more　reason　why　he　should　run　into　one　of　his　former　girl　friends　here　than　there　had　been　on　earth。　But　still　there　were　a　lot　of　people　he'd　better　avoid　until　he　got　settled　in　and　found　out　the　form。　Perhaps；　with　so　much　love　about；　these　things　wouldn't　matter。　Perhaps　one　just　loved　all　the　girls　one　met。　Hm。　Tricky　business
　With　these　unworthy　thoughts　in　his　mind；　Bond　relapsed　into　unconsciousness。
　The　next　tiling　he　knew　was　a　gentle　sensation　of　swaying。　He　opened　his　eyes。　The　sun　blinded　them。　He　closed　them　again。　A　voice　above　and　behind　his　head　said；　'Watch　it；　bud。　That　ramp's　steeper　than　it　looks。'　Almost　immediately　there　was　a　heavy　jolt。　A　surly　voice　in　front　said；　'Cheesus；　you're　telling　me。　Why　in　hell　can't　they　put　down　rubber。'
　Bond　thought　angrily；　that's　a　fine　way　to　talk　up　here。　Just　because　I'm　new　and　they　think　no　one's　listening。
　There　was　the　bang　of　a　swing　door。　Something　hit　Bond　sharply　on　a　protruding　elbow。　He　shouted　'Hey！'　and　tried　to　reach　his　elbow　and　rub　it；　but　his　hands　wouldn't　move。
　'Whaddya　know。　Hey；　Sam；　better　call　the　doc。　This　one's　e　round。'
　'Sure！　Here；　put　him　alongside　the　other。'　Bond　felt　himself　being　lowered。　It　was　cooler　now。　He　opened　his　eyes。　A　big　round　Brooklyn　face　was　bent　over　his。　The　eyes　met　his　and　smiled。　The　metal　supports　of　the　stretcher　touched　the　ground。　The　man　said；　'How　ya　feelin'；　mister？'
　'Where　am　I？'　Now　there　was　panic　in　Bond's　voice。　He　tried　to　rise　but　couldn't。　He　felt　the　sweat　break　out　on　his　body。　God！　Was　this　still　part　of　the　old　life？　At　the　thought　of　it；　a　wave　of　grief　poured　through　his　body。　Tears　burned　his　eyes　and　trickled　down　his　cheeks。
　'Hey；　hey！　Take　it　easy；　mister。　You're　okay。　This　is　Idlewild；　New　York。　You're　in　America　now。　No