if.goldfinger-第35部分

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de　them　that　I　know　what　I　am　talking　about　and　will　lead　them　to　success。　Greed　will　do　the　rest。　But　there　may　be　one　or　more　who　wish　to　back　out。　They　will　probably　reveal　themselves。　In　their　cases　I　have　made　special　arrangements。　But　there　may　be　doubtful　ones。　During　the　talk；　you　will　scribble　with　your　pencil　on　this　agenda。　Casually　you　will　note　with　a　plus　or　a　minus　sign　opposite　the　names　whether　you　consider　each　one　for　or　against　the　project。　I　shall　be　able　to　see　what　sign　you　have　made。　Your　views　may　be　useful。　And　do　not　forget；　Mr　Bond；　that　one　traitor　among　them；　one　backslider；　and　we　could　quickly　find　ourselves　either　dead　or　in　prison　for　life。'
　〃Who　is　this　Pussy　Galore　from　Harlem？'
　'She　is　the　only　woman　who　runs　a　gang　in　America。　It　is　a　gang　of　women。　I　shall　need　some　women　for　this　operation。　She　is　entirely　reliable。　She　was　a　trapeze　artiste。　She　had　a　team。　It　was　called　〃Pussy　Galore　and　her　Abrocats〃。'　Gold…finger　did　not　smile。　'〃Die　team　was　unsuccessful；　so　she　trained　them　as　burglars；　cat　burglars。　It　grew　into　a　gang　of　outstanding　ruthlessness。　It　is　a　Lesbian　organization　which　now　calls　itself　'The　Cement　Mixers'。　Even　the　big　American　gangs　respect　them。　She　is　a　remarkable　woman。'
　A　buzzer　sounded　very　softly　beneath　the　table。　Goldfinger　straightened　himself。　The　door　at　the　end　of　the　room　opened　briskly　and　five　men　came　in。　Goldfinger　rose　in　his　chair　and　ducked　his　head　in　wele。　He　said；　'My　name　is　Gold。　Will　you　please　be　seated。'
　There　was　a　careful　murmur。　Silently　the　men　closed　round　the　table；　pulled　out　chairs　and　sat　down。　Five　pairs　of　eyes　looked　coldly；　warily　at　Goldfinger。　Goldfinger　sat　down。　He　said　quietly；　'Gentlemen；　in　the　parcels　before　you　you　will　find　one　twenty…four…carat　gold　bar；　value　fifteen　thousand　dollars。　I　thank　you　for　the　courtesy　of　your　attendance。　The　agenda　is　self…explanatory。　Perhaps；　while　we　wait　for　Miss　Galore；　I　could　run　through　your　names　for　the　information　of　my　secretaries；　Mr　Bond　here；　and　Miss　Masterton。　No　notes　will　be　made　of　this　meeting；　except　on　action　you　may　wish　me　to　take；　and　I　can　assure　you　there　are　no　microphones。　Now　then；　Mr　Bond；　on　your　right　is　Mr　Jed　Midnight　of　the　Shadow　Syndicate　operating　out　of　Miami　and　Havana。'
　Mr　Midnight　was　a　big；　good…living　man　with　a　jovial　face　but　slow　careful　eyes。　He　wore　a　light　blue　tropical　suit　over　a　white　silk　shirt　ornamented　with　small　green　palm　trees。　The　plicated　gold　watch　on　his　wrist　must　have　weighed　nearly　half　a　pound。　He　smiled　tautly　at　Bond　and　said；　'Howdo。'
　'Then　we　have　Mr　Billy　Ring　who　controls　the　famous　Chicago　〃Machine〃。'
　Bond　thought　he　had　never　seen　anyone　who　was　less　of　a　'Billy'。　It　was　a　face　out　of　a　nightmare　and；　as　the　face　turned　towards　Bond；　it　knew　it　was；　and　watched　Bond　for　his　reactions。　It　was　a　pale；　pear…shaped；　baby　face　with　downy　skin　and　a　soft　thatch　of　straw…coloured　hair；　but　the　eyes；　which　should　have　been　pale　blue；　were　a　tawny　brown。　The　whites　showed　all　round　the　pupils　and　gave　a　mesmeric　quality　to　the　hard　thoughtful　stare；　unsoftened　by　a　tic　in　the　right　eyelid　which　made　the　right　eye　wink　with　the　heartbeat。　At　some　early　stage　in　Mr　Ring's　career　someone　had　cut　off　Mr　Ring's　lower　lip　…　perhaps　he　had　talked　too　much　…　and　this　had　given　him　a　permanent　false　smile　like　the　grin　of　a　Hallowe'en　pumpkin。　He　was　about　forty　years　old。　Bond　summed　him　up　as　a　merciless　killer。　Bond　smiled　cheerfully　into　the　hard　stare　of　Mr　Ring's　left　eye　and　looked　past　him　at　the　man　Goldfinger　introduced　as　Mr　Helmut　Springer　of　the　Detroit　Purple　Gang。
　Mr　Springer　had　the　glazed　eyes　of　someone　who　is　either　very　rich　or　very　dead。　The　eyes　were　pale　blue　opaque　glass　marbles　which　briefly　recognized　Bond　and　then　turned　inwards　again　in　plete　absorption　with　self。　The　rest　of　Mr　Springer　was　a　'man　of　distinction'　…　casually　pin…striped；　Hathaway…shirted；　Aqua…Velva'd。　He　gave　the　impression　of　someone　who　found　himself　in　the　wrong　pany　…　a　first…class　ticket　holder　in　a　third…class　partment；　a　man　from　the　stalls　who　has　been　shown　by　mistake　to　a　seat　in　the　pit。
　Mr　Midnight　put　his　hand　up　to　his　mouth　and　said　softly　for　Bond's　benefit；　'Don't　be　taken　in　by　the　Duke。　My　friend　Helmut　was　the　man　who　put　the　piqued　shirt　on　the　hood。　Daughter　goes　to　Vassar；　but　it's　protection　money　that　pays　for　her　hockey…sticks。'　Bond　nodded　his　thanks。
　'And　Mr　Solo　of　the　Unione　Siciliano。'
　Mr　Solo　had　a　dark　heavy　face；　gloomy　with　the　knowledge　of　much　guilt　and　many　sins。　His　thick　hom…rimmed　spectacles　helioed　briefly　in　Bond's　direction　and　then　bent　again　to　the　business　of　cleaning　Mr　Solo's　nails　with　a　pocket　knife。　He　was　a　big；　chunky　man；　half　boxer；　half　head　waiter；　and　it　was　quite　impossible　to　tell　what　was　on　his　mind　or　where　his　strength　lay。　But　there　is　only　one　head　of　the　Mafia　in　America　and；。if　Mr　Solo　had　the　job；　thought
　Bond；　he　had　got　it　by　strength　out　of　terror。　It　would　be　by　the　exercise　of　both　that　he　kept　it。
　'Howdy。'　Mr　Jack　Strap　of　the　Spangled　Mob　had　the　synthetic　charm　of　a　front　man　for　the　Las　Vegas　casinos；　but　Bond　guessed　he　had　inherited　from　the　late　lamented　brothers　Spang　thanks　to　other　qualities。　He　was　an　expansive；　showily　dressed　man　of　about　fifty。　He　was　ing　to　the　end　of　a　cigar。　He　smoked　it　as　if　he　was　eating　it；　munching　hungrily。　From　time　to　time　he　turned　his　head　sideways　and　discreetly　spat　a　scrap　of　it　out　on　to　the　carpet　behind　him。　Behind　this　pulsive　smoking　there　would　be　a　lot　of　tension。　Mr　Strap　had　quick　conjuror's　eyes。　He　seemed　to　know　that　his　eyes　frightened　people　because　now；　presumably　not　wanting　to　frighten　Bond；　he　gave　them　charm　by　crinkling　them　at　the　corners。
　The　door　at　the　back　of　the　room　opened。　A　woman　in　a　black　masculine…cut　suit　with　a　high　coffee…coloured　lace　jabot　stood　in　the　doorway。　She　walked　slowly；　unselfconsciously　down　the　room　and　stood　behind　the　empty　chair。　Goldfinger　had　got　to　his　feet。　She　examined　him　carefully　and　then　ran　her　eyes　round　the　table。　She　said　a　collective；　bored　'Hi'　and　sat　down。　Mr　Strap　said　'Hi　Pussy；'　and　the　others；　except　Mr　Springer　who　merely　bowed；　made　careful　sounds　of　wele。
　Goldfinger　said；　'Good　afternoon；　Miss　Galore。　We　have　just　been　through　the　formality　of　introductions。　The　agenda　is　before　you；　together　with　the　fifteen…thousand…dollar　gold　bar　I　asked　you　to　accept　to　meet　the　expense　and　inconvenience　of　attending　this　meeting。'
　Miss　Galore　reached　for　her　parcel　and　opened　it。　She　weighed　the　gleaming　yellow　brick　in　her　hand。　She　gave　Goldfinger　a　direct；　suspicious　look。　'All　the　way　through？'
　'All　the　way　through。'
　Miss　Galore　held　his　eyes。　She　said　'Pardon　my　asking'　with　the　curt　tone　of　a　hard　woman　shopper　at　the　sales。
　Bond　liked　the　look　of　her。　He　felt　the　sexual　challenge　all　beautiful　Lesbians　have　for　men。　He　was　amused　by　the　unpromising　attitude　that　said　to　Goldfinger　and　to　the　room；　'All　men　are　bastards　and　cheats。　Don't　try　any　masculine　hocus　on　me。　I　don't　go　for　it。　I'm　in　a　separate　league。'　Bond　thought　she　would　be　in　her　early　thirties。　She　had　pale；　Rupert　Brooke　good　looks　with　high　cheekbones　and　a　beautiful　jawline。　She　had　the　only　violet　eyes　Bond　had　ever　seen。　They　were　the　true　deep　violet　of　a　pansy　and　they　looked　candidly　out　at　the　world　from　beneath　straight　black　brows。　Her　hair；　which　was　as　black　as　Tilly　Masterton's；　was　worn　in　an　untidy　urchin　cut。　The　mouth　was　a　decisive　slash　of　deep　vermilion。　Bond　thought　she　was　superb　and　so；　he　noticed；　did　Tilly　Masterton　who　was　gazing　at　Miss　Galore　with　worshipping　eyes　and　lips　that　yearned。　Bond　decided　that　all　was　now　clear　to　him　about　Tilly　Masterton。
　Goldfinger　said；　'And　now　I　must　introduce　myself。　My　name　is　not　Gold。　My　credentials　are　as　follows。　By　various　operations；　most　of　them　illegitimate；　I　have　made　a　large　sum　of　money　in　twenty　years。　That　sum　now　stands　at　sixty　million　dollars。'　（A　respectful　hm…ing　went　round　the　table。）　'My　operations　have；　for　the　most　part；　been　confined　to　Europe；　but　you　may　be　interested　to　know　that　I　founded　and　subsequently　disposed　of　the　〃Golden　Poppy　Distributors〃　who　operated　out　of　Hongkong。'　（Mr　Jack　Strap　whistled　softly。）　'The　〃Happy　Landings　Travel　Agency〃；　which　some　of　you　may　have　employed　in　emergency；　was　organized　and　owned　by　me　until　I　disbanded　it。'　（Mr　Helmut　Springer　screwed　a　rimless　monocle　into　one　glazed　eye　so　that　he　could　examine　Goldfinger　more　closely。）　'I　mention　these　minor　concerns　to　show　you　that；　although　you　may　not　know　me；　I　have；　in　the　past；　acted　at　many　removes　on；　I　believe；　all　your　behalfs。'　（'Well；　whaddya　know！'　muttered　Mr　Jed　Midnight　with　something　like　awe　in　his　voice。）　'That；　gentlemen　and　…　er　…　madam；　is　how　I　knew　of　you　and　how　I　came　to　invite　here　tonight　what　I　have　learned　through　my　own　experience　to　be　the　aristocracy；　if　I　may　so　describe　it；　of　American　crime。'
　Bond　was　impressed。　Goldfinger　had；　in　three　minutes　flat；　got　the　meeting　on　his　side。　Now　everyone　was　looking　towards　Goldfinger　with　profound　attention。　Even　Miss　Pussy　Galore's　eyes　were　rapt。　Bond　knew　nothing　about　the　Golden　Poppy　Distributors　or　the　Happy　Landings　Agency；　but　they　must　have　run　like　clockwork　from　the　expressions　on　their　former　customers'　faces。　Now　everyone　was　hanging　on　Goldfinger's　words　as　if　he　was　Einstein。
　Goldfinger's　face　showed　no　emotion。　He　made　a　throw…away　gesture　of　his　right　hand。　He　said　flatly；　'I　have　mentioned　two　projects　of　mine　that　were　successful。　They　were　small。　There　have　been　many　others　of　a　higher　calibre。　Not　one　of　them　has　failed；　and；　so　far　as　I　know；　my　name　is　on　the　police　files　of　no　country。　I　say　this　to　show　you　that　I　thoroughly　understand　my　…　our　…　profession。　And　now；　gentlemen　and　madam；　I　propose　to　offer　you　partnership　in　an　undertaking　that　will　assuredly　place　in　each　of　your　treasuries；　within　one　week；　the　sum　of　one　billion　dollars。'　Mr　Goldfinger　held　up　his　hand。　*We　have　different　views　in　Europe　and　America　as　to　what　constitutes　the　arithmetical　expression　〃a　billion〃。　I　use　the　word　in　the　sense　of　one　thousand　million。　Do　I　make　myself　clear？'