if.goldfinger-第33部分

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simple；　unrefined　clay；　capable　of　limited　exploitation。　At　the　last；　moment　my　hand　hesitated　to　destroy　a　utensil　with　the　durability　I　observed　in　yourself。　I　may　have　made　a　mistake　in　staying　my　hand。　In　any　case　I　shall　take　the　fullest　steps　to　protect　myself　from　the　consequences　of　my　impulse。　It　was　something　you　said　that　saved　your　life。　You　suggested　that　you　and　Miss　Masterton　would　work　for　me。　Normally　I　would　have　no　use　for　either　of　you；　but　it　just　happens　that　I　am　on　the　brink　of　a　certain　enterprise　in　which　the　services　of　both　of　you　could　be　of　a　certain　minimal　assistance。　So　I　took　the　gamble。　I　gave　you　both　the　necessary　sedatives。　Your　bills　were　paid　and　your　things　fetched　from　the　Bergues　where　Miss　Masterton　turned　out　to　be　registered　under　her　real　name。　I　sent　a　cable　in　your　name　to　Universal　Export。　You　had　been　offered　employment　in　Canada。　You　were　flying　over　to　explore　the　prospects。　You　were　taking　Miss　Masterton　as　your　secretary。　You　would　write　further　details。　A　clumsy　cable；　but　it　will　serve　for　the　short　period　I　require　your　services。　（It　won't；　thought　Bond；　unless　you　included　in　the　text　one　of　the　innocent　phrases　that　would　tell　M　that　the　cable　was　authentic。　By　now；　the　Service　would　know　he　was　working　under　enemy　control。　Wheels　would　be　turning　very　fast　indeed。）　And　in　case　you　think；　Mr　Bond；　that　my　precautions　were　inadequate；　that　you　will　be　traced；　let　me　tell　you　that　I　am　no　longer　in　the　least　interested　about　your　true　identity　nor　the　strength　and　resources　of　your　employers。　You　and　Miss　Masterton　have　utterly　disappeared；　Mr　Bond。　So　have　I；　so　have　all　my　staff。　The　airport　will　refer　inquiries　to　the　Harkness　Pavilion　at　the　Presbyterian　Hospital。　The　hospital　will　never　have　heard　of　Mr　Goldfinger　nor　of　his　patients。　The　FBI　and　the　CIA　have　no　record　of　me；　for　I　have　no　criminal　history。　No　doubt　the　immigration　authorities　will　have　details　of　my　ings　and　goings　over　the　years；　but　these　will　not　be　helpful。　As　for　my　present　whereabouts；　and　yours；　Mr　Bond；　we　are　now　in　the　warehouse　of　the　Hi…speed　Trucking　Corporation；　a　formerly　respectable　concern　which　I　own　through　nominees　and　which　has　been　equipped；　most　thoroughly；　as　the　secret　headquarters　for　the　enterprise　of　which　I　spoke。　You　and　Miss　Masterton　will　be　confined　to　these　quarters。　Here　you　will　live　and　work　and　possibly；　though　personally　I　have　doubts　about　Miss　Masterton's　inclinations　in　that　respect；　make　love。'
　'And　what　will　our　work　consist　of？'
　'Mr　Bond…'　For　the　first　time　since　Bond　had　known　Goldfinger；　the　big；　bland　face；　always　empty　of　expression；　showed　a　trace　of　life。　A　look　almost　of　rapture　illuminated　the　eyes。　The　finely　chiselled　lips　pursed　into　a　thin；　beatic　curve。　'Mr　Bond；　all　my　life　I　have　been　in　love。　I　have　been　in　love　with　gold。　I　love　its　colour；　its　brilliance；　its　divine　heaviness。　I　love　the　texture　of　gold；　that　soft　sliminess　that　I　have　learnt　to　gauge　so　accurately　by　touch　that　I　can　estimate　the　fineness　of　a　bar　to　within　one　carat。　And　I　love　the　warm　tang　it　exudes　when　I　melt　it　down　into　a　true　golden　syrup。　But；　above　all；　Mr　Bond；　I　love　the　power　that　gold　alone　gives　to　its　owner　…　the　magic　of　controlling　energy；　exacting　labour；　fulfilling　one's　every　wish　and　whim　and；　when　need　be；　purchasing　bodies；　minds；　even　souls。　Yes；　Mr　Bond；　I　have　worked　all　my　life　for　gold　and；　in　return；　gold　has　worked　for　me　and　for　those　enterprises　that　I　have　espoused。　I　ask　you；'　Goldfinger　gazed　earnestly　at　Bond；　'is　there　any　other　substance　on　earth　that　so　rewards　its　owner？'
　'Many　people　have　bee　rich　and　powerful　without　possessing　an　ounce　of　the　stuff。　But　I　see　your　point。　How　much　have　you　managed　to　collect　and　what　do　you　do　with　it？'
　'I　own　about　twenty　million　pounds'　worth；　about　as　much　as　a　small　country。　It　is　now　all　in　New　York。　I　keep　it　where　I　need　it。　My　treasure　of　gold　is　like　a　post　heap。　I　move　it　here　and　there　over　the　face　of　the　earth　and；　wherever　I　choose　to　spread　it；　that　corner　blossoms　and　blooms。　I　reap　the　harvest　and　move　on。　At　this　moment　I　am　proposing　to　encourage；　to　force；　a　certain　American　enterprise　with　my　golden　post。　Therefore　the　gold　bars　are　in　New　York。'
　'How　do　you　choose　these　enterprises？　What　attracts　you　to　them？'
　'I　espouse　any　enterprise　that　will　increase　my　stock　of　gold。　I　invest；　I　smuggle；　I　steal。'　Goldfinger　made　a　small　gesture　of　the　hands；　opening　the　palms　persuasively。　'If　you　will　follow　the　simile；　regard　history　as　a　train　speeding　along　through　time。　Birds　and　animals　are　disturbed　by　the　noise　and　tumult　of　the　train's　passage；　they　fly　away　from　it　or　run　fearfully　or　cower；　thinking　they　hide。　I　am　like　the　hawk　that　follows　the　train　…　you　have　no　doubt　seen　them　doing　this；　in　Greece　for　instance　…　ready　to　pounce　on　anything　that　may　be　flushed　by　the　train's　passage；　by　the　passage　of　history。　To　give　you　a　simple　example：　the　progress　of　history　produces　a　man　who　invents　penicillin。　At　die　same　time；　history　creates　a　world　war。　Many　people　are　dying　or　afraid　of　dying。　Penicillin　will　save　them。　Through　bribery　at　certain　military　establishments　on　the　Continent；　I　obtain　stocks　of　penicillin。　I　water　these　down　with　some　harmless　powder　or　liquid　and　sell　them　at　immense　profit　to　those　who　crave　the　stuff。　You　see　what　I　mean；　Mr　Bond？　You　have　to　wait　for　the　prey；　watch　it　carefully　and　then　pounce。　But；　as　I　say；　I　do　not　search　out　such　enterprises。　I　afiow　the　train　of　history　to　flush　them　towards　me。'
　'What's　the　latest　one？　What　have　Miss　Masterton　and　I　got　to　do　with　it？'
　'The　latest　oney　Mr　Bond；　is　the　last　one。　It　is　also　the　biggest。'　Goldfinger's　eyes　were　now　blank；　focused　inwards。　His　voice　became　low；　almost　reverential　at　what　he　saw。　'Man　has　climbed　Everest　and　he　has　scraped　the　depths　of　the　ocean。　He　has　fired　rockets　into　outer　space　and　split　the　atom。　He　has　invented；　devised；　created　in　every　realm　of　human　endeavour；　and　everywhere　he　has　triumphed；　broken　records；　achieved　miracles。　I　said　in　every　realm；　but　there　is　one　that　has　been　neglected；　Mr　Bond。　That　one　is　the　human　activity　loosely　known　as　crime。　The　so…called　criminal　exploits　mitted　by　individual　humans　…　I　do　not　of　course　refer　to　their　idiotic　wars；　their　clumsy　destruction　of　each　other　…　are　of　miserable　dimensions：　little　bank　robberies；　tiny　swindles；　picayune　forgeries。　And　yet；　ready　to　hand；　a　few　hundred　miles　from　here；　opportunity　for　the　greatest　crime　in　history　stands　waiting。　The　stage　is　set；　the　gigantic　prize　is　offered。　Only　the　actors　are　missing。　But　the　producer　is　at　last　here；　Mr　Bond'　…　Goldfinger　raised　a　finger　and　tapped　his　chest　…　'and　he　has　chosen　his　cast。　This　very　afternoon　the　script　will　be　read　to　the　leading　actors。　Then　rehearsals　will　begin　and；　in　one　week；　the　curtain　will　go　up　for　the　single；　the　unique　performance。　And　then　will　e　the　applause；　the　applause　for　the　greatest　extra…legal　coup　of　all　time。　And；　Mr　Bond；　the　world　will　rock　with　that　applause　for　centuries。'
　Now　a　dull　fire　burned　in　Goldfinger's　big　pale　eyes　and　there　was　a　touch　of　extra　colour　in　his　red…brown　cheeks。　But　it　was　still　calm；　relaxed；　profoundly　convinced。　There's　no　trace　here；　reflected　Bond；　of　the　madman；　the　visionary。　Goldfinger　had　some　fantastic　exploit　in　mind；　but　he　had　gauged　the　odds　and　knew　they　were　right。　Bond　said；　'Well；　e　on。　What　is　it；　and　what　do　we　have　to　do　about　it？'
　'It　is　a　robbery；　Mr　Bond。　A　robbery　against　no　opposition；　but　one　that　will　need　detailed　execution。　There　will　be　much　paper…work；　many　administrative　details　to　supervise。　I　was　going　to　do　this　myself　until　you　offered　your　services。　Now　you　will　do　it；　with　Miss　Masterton　as　your　secretary。　You　have　already　been　partly　remunerated　for　this　work　with　your　life。　When　the　operation　is　successfully　pleted　you　will　receive　one　million　pounds　in　gold。　Miss　Masterton　will　receive　half　a　million。'
　Bond　said　enthusiastically；　'Now　you're　talking。　What　are　we　going　to　do？　Rob　the　end　of　the　rainbow？'
　'Yes；'　Goldfinger　nodded。　'That　is　exactly　what　we　are　going　to　do。　We　are　going　to　burgle　fifteen　billion　dollars'　worth　of　gold　bullion；　approximately　half　the　supply　of　mined　gold　in　the　world。　We　are　going；　Mr　Bond；　to　take　Fort　Rnox。'
　
　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　
　HOODS'　CONGRESS
　
　'FORT　KNOX。'　Bond　shook　his　head　seriously。　'Isn't　that　rather　a　tall　order　for　two　men　and　a　girl？'
　Goldfinger　shrugged　impatiently。　'Please　put　away　your　sense　of　humour　for　one　week；　Mr　Bond。　Then　laugh　as　much　as　you　please。　I　shall　have　under　my　mand　approximately　one　hundred　men　and　women。　These　people　will　be　hand　picked　from　the　six　most　powerful　gangster　groups　in　the　United　States。　This　force　will　amount　to　the　toughest　and　most　pact　fighting　unit　that　has　ever　been　assembled　in　peace　time。'
　'All　right。　How　many　men　guard　the　vault　at　Fort　Knox？'　Goldfinger　slowly　shook　his　head。　He　knocked　once　on　the　door　behind　him。　The　door　flicked　open。　Oddjob　stood　on　the　threshold；　crouching；　alert。　When　he　saw　that　the　meeting　was　still　peaceful　he　straightened　himself　and　waited。　Goldfinger　said；　'You　will　have　many　questions　to　ask；　Mr　Bond。　They　will　all　be　answered　this　afternoon。　Beginning　at　two…thirty。　It　is　now　exactly　twelve　o'clock。'　Bond　glanced　at　his　watch　and　adjusted　it。　'You　and　Miss　Masterton　will　attend　the　meeting　at　which　the　proposition　will　be　put　to　the　heads　of　the　six　organizations　I　have　mentioned。　No　doubt　these　people　will　ask　the　same　questions　as　occur　to　you。　Everything　will　be　explained。　Afterwards　you　will　settle　down　to　detailed　work　with　Miss　Masterton。　Ask　for　what　you　want。　Oddjob　will　see　to　your　welfare　and　also　be　on　permanent　guard。　Do　not　be　obstreperous　or　you　will　in　stantly　be　killed。　And　do　not　waste　time　trying　to　escape　or　to　contact　the　outside　world。　I　have　hired　your　services　and　I　shall　require　every　ounce　of　them。　Is　that　a　bargain？'
　Bond　said　drily；　'I've　always　wanted　to　be　a　millionaire。'
　Goldfinger　didn't　look　at　him。　He　looked　at　his　fingernails。　Then　he　gave　Bond　one　last　hard　glance　and　went　out　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。
　Bond　sat　and　gazed　at　the　close