if.goldfinger-第36部分

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ression　〃a　billion〃。　I　use　the　word　in　the　sense　of　one　thousand　million。　Do　I　make　myself　clear？'
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
　
　CRIME　DE　LA　CRIME
　
　A　TUG　hooted　on　the　river。　Another　answered。　A　flurry　of　engine　noises　receded。
　Mr　Jed　Midnight；　on　Bond's　right；　cleared　his　throat。　He　said　emphatically；　'Mister　Gold；　or　whatever　your　name　is；　don't　you　worry　about　definitions。　A　billion　dollars　is　a　lot　of　money　whichever　way　you　say　it。　Keep　talking。'
　Mr　Solo　raised　slow　black　eyes　and　looked　across　the　table　at　Goldfinger。　He　said；　'Is　very　moch　money；　yess。　But　how　moch　your　cut；　mister？'
　'Five　billion。'
　Jack　Strap　from　Las　Vegas　gave　a　short　boisterous　laugh。　'Listen　fellers；　what's　a　few　billion　between　friends。　If　Mister　…　er　…　Whoosis　can　lead　me　to　a　billion　dollars　I'll　be　glad　to　slip　him　a　fin　or　even　maybe　a　mega…fin　for　his　trouble。　Don't　let's　be　small…minded　about　this；　huh？'
　Mr　Helmut　Springer　tapped　his　monocle　on　the　gold　brick　in　front　of　him。　Everyone　looked　towards　him。　'Mister　…　ah　…Gold。'　It　was　the　grave　voice　of　the　family　lawyer。　'These　are　big　figures　you　mention。　As　I　understand　it；　a　total　of　some　eleven　billion　dollars　is　involved。'
　Mr　Goldfinger　said　with　precision；　'The　exact　figure　will　be　nearer　fifteen　billion。　For　convenience　I　referred　only　to　the　amounts　I　thought　it　would　be　possible　for　us　to　carry　away。'
　A　sharp　excited　giggle　came　from　Mr　Billy　Ring。
　'Quite；　quite；　Mr　Gold。'　Mr　Springer　screwed　his　monocle　back　into　his　eye　to　observe　Goldfinger's　reactions。　'But　quantities　of　bullion　or　currency　to　that　amount　are　to　be　found　gathered　together　in　only　three　depositories　in　the　United　States。　They　are　the　Federal　Mint　in　Washington；　the　Federal　Reserve　Bank　in　New　York　City；　and　Fort　Knox　in　Kentucky。　Do　you　intend　that　we　should　…　er　…　〃knock　off'　one　of　these？　And　if　so　which？'
　'Fort　Knox。'
　Amidst　the　chorus　of　groans；　Mr　Midnight　said　resignedly；　'Mister；　I　never　met　any　guy　outside　Hollywood　that　had　what　you've　got。　There　if'scalled　〃vision〃。　And　vision；　mister；　is　a　talent　for　mistaking　spots　before　the　eyes　for　fabulous　projects。　You　should　have　a　talk　with　your　head…shrinker　or　get　yourself　Miltownized。'　Mr　Midnight　shook　his　head　sorrowfully。　'Too　bad。　That　billion　sure　felt　good　while　I　had　it。'
　Miss　Pussy　Galore　said　in　a　deep；　bored　voice；　'Sorry　mister；　none　of　my　set　of　bent　pins　could　take　that　kind　of　piggy…bank。'　She　made　to　get　up。
　Goldfinger　said　amiably；　'Now　hear　me　through；　gentlemen　and　…　er　…　madam。　Your　reaction　was　not　unexpected。　Let　me　put　it　this　way：　Fort　Knox　is　a　bank　like　any　other　bank。　But　it　is　a　much　bigger　bank　and　its　protective　devices　are　correspondingly　stronger　and　more　ingenious。　To　penetrate　them　will　require　corresponding　strength　and　ingenuity。　That　is　the　only　novelty　in　my　project　…　that　it　is　a　big　one。　Nothing　else。　Fort　Knox　is　no　more　impregnable　than　other　fortresses。　No　doubt　we　all　thought　the　Brink　organization　was　unbeatable　until　half　a　dozen　determined　men　robbed　a　Brink…armoured　car　of　a　million　dollars　back　in　1950。　It　is　impossible　to　escape　from　Sing　Sing　and　yet　men　have　found　ways　of　escaping　from　it。　No；　no；　gentlemen。　Fort　Knox　is　a　myth　like　other　myths。　Shall　I　proceed　to　the　plan？'
　Billy　Ring　hissed　through　his　teeth；　like　a　Japanese；　when　he　talked。　He　said　harshly；　'Listen；　shamus；　mebbe　ya　didn't　know　it；　but　the　Third　Armoured　is　located　at　Fort　Knox。　If　that's　a　myth；　why　don't　the　Russkis　e　and　take　the
　United　States　the　next　time　they　have　a　team　over　here　playing　ice…hockey？'
　Goldfinger　smiled　thinly。　'If　I　may　correct　you　without　weakening　your　case；　Mr　Ring；　the　following　is　the　order　of　battle　of　the　military　units　presently　quartered　at　Fort　Knox。　Of　the　Third　Armoured　Division；　there　is　only　the　Spearhead；　but　there　are　also　the　6th　Armoured　Cavalry　Regiment；　the　15th　Armour　Group；　the　160th　Engineer　Group　and　approximately　half　a　division　from　all　units　of　the　United　States　Army　currently　going　through　the　Armoured　Replacement　Training　Centre　and　Military　Human　Research　Unit　No　1。　There　is　also　a　considerable　body　of　men　associated　with　Continental　Armoured　mand　Board　No　2；　the　Army　Maintenance　Board　and　various　activities　connected　with　the　Armoured　Centre。　In　addition　there　is　a　police　force　consisting　of　twenty　officers　and　some　four　hundred　enlisted　men。　In　short；　out　of　a　total　population　of　some　sixty　thousand；　approximately　twenty　thousand　are　bat　troops　of　one　sort　or　another。'
　'And　who's　going　to　say　boo　to　them？'　jeered　Mr　Jack　Strap　through　his　cigar。　Without　waiting　for　an　answer　he　disgustedly　tore　the　tattered　stump　out　of　his　mouth　and　mashed　it　to　fragments　in　the　ash…tray。
　Next　to　him　Miss　Pussy　Galore　sucked　her　teeth　sharply　with　the　incisiveness　of　a　parrot　spitting。　She　said；　'Go　buy　yourself　some　better　smokes；　Jacko。　That　thing　smells　like　burning　wrestlers'　trunks。'
　'Shove　it；　Puss；'　said　Mr　Strap　inelegantly。
　Miss　Galore　was　determined　to　have　the　last　word。　She　said　sweetly；　'Know　what；　Jacko？　I　could　go　for　a　he…man　like　you。　Matter　of　fact　I　wrote　a　song　about　you　the　other　day。　Care　to　hear　its　title？　It's　called　〃If　I　had　to　do　it　all　over　again；　I'd　do　it　all　over　you〃。'
　
　A　bray　of　laughter　came　from　Mr　Midnight；　a　high　giggle　from　Mr　Ring。　Goldfinger　tapped　lightly　for　order。　He　said　patiently；　'Now　hear　me　through；　please；　gentlemen。'　He　got　up　and　walked　to　the　blackboard　and　pulled　a　roll　map　down　over　it。　It　was　a　detailed　town　map　of　Fort　Knox　including　the　Godman　Army　Airfield　and　the　roads　and　railway　tracks　leading　into　the　town。　The　mittee　members　on　the　right　of　the　table　swivelled　their　chairs。　Goldfinger　pointed　to　the　Bullion　Depository。　It　was　down　on　the　left…hand　corner　en　closed　in　a　triangle　formed　by　the　Dixie　Highway；　Bullion　Boulevard　and　Vine　Grove　Road。　Goldfinger　said；　'I　will　show　you　a　detailed　plan　of　the　depository　in　just　a　moment。'　He　paused。　'Now；　gentlemen；　allow　me　to　point　out　the　main　features　of　this　fairly　straightforward　township。　Here'　…　he　ran　his　finger　from　the　top　centre　of　the　map　down　through　the　town　and　out　beyond　the　Bullion　Depository　…　'runs　the　line　of　the　Illinois　Central　Railroad　from　Louisville；　thirty…five　miles　to　the　north；　through　the　town　and　on　to　Elizabeth…town　eighteen　miles　to　the　south。　We　are　not　concerned　with　Brandenburg　Station　in　the　centre　of　the　town；　but　with　this　plex　of　sidings　adjoining　the　Bullion　Vault。　That　is　one　of　the　loading　and　unloading　bays　for　the　bullion　from　the　Mint　in　Washington。　Other　methods　of　transport　to　the　vault；　which　are　varied　in　no　particular　rotation　for　security　reasons；　are　by　truck　convoy　down　the　Dixie　Highway　or　by　freight　plane　to　Godman　Airfield。　As　you　can　see；　the　vault　is　isolated　from　these　routes　and　stands　alone　without　any　natural　cover　whatsoever　in　the　centre　of　approximately　fifty　acres　of　grassland。　Only　one　road　leads　to　the　vault；　a　fifty…yard　driveway　through　heavily　armed　gates　on　Bullion　Boulevard。　Once　inside　the　armoured　stockade；　the　trucks　proceed　on　to　this　circular　road　which　runs　round　the　vault　to　the　rear　entrance　where　the　bullion　is　unloaded。　That　circular　road；　gentlemen；　is　manufactured　out　of　steel　plates　or　flaps。　These　plates　are　on　hinges　and　in　an　emergency　the　entire　steel　surface　of　the　road　can　be　raised　hydraulically　to　create　a　second　internal　stockade　of　steel。　Not　so　obvious　to　the　eye；　but　known　to　me；　is　that　an　underground　delivery　tunnel　runs　below　the　plain　between　Bullion　Boulevard　and　Vine　Grove　Road。　This　serves　as　an　additional　means　of　access　to　the　vault　through　steel　doors　that　lead　from　the　wall　of　the　tunnel　to　the　first　sub…ground　floor　of　the　depository。'
　Goldfinger　paused　and　stood　away　from　the　map。　He　looked　round　the　table。　'All　right；　gentlemen。　There　is　the　vault　and　those　are　the　main　approaches　to　it　with　the　exception　of　its　front　door　which　is　purely　an　entrance　to　the　reception　hall　and　offices。　Any　questions？'
　There　were　none。　All　eyes　were　on　Goldfinger；　waiting。　Once　again　the　authority　of　his　words　had　gripped　them。　This　man　seemed　to　know　more　about　the　secrets　of　Fort　Knox　than　had　ever　been　released　to　the　outside　world。
　Goldfinger　turned　back　to　the　blackboard　and　pulled　down　a　second　map　over　the　first。　This　was　the　detailed　plan　of　the　Gold　Vault。　Goldfinger　said；　'Well；　gentlemen；　you　can　see　that　this　is　an　immensely　solid　two…storey　building　somewhat　like　a　square；　two…layered　cake。　You　will　notice　that　the　roof　has　been　stepped　for　bomb　protection；　and　you　will　observe　the　four　pill　boxes　on　the　ground　at　the　four　corners。　These　are　of　steel　and　are　connected　with　the　interior　of　the　building。　The　exterior　dimensions　of　the　vault　are　a　hundred　and　five　by　a　hundred　and　twenty…one　feet。　The　height　from　ground　level　is　forty…two　feet。　The　construction　is　of　Tennessee　granite；　steel…lined。　The　exact　constituents　are：　sixteen　thousand　cubic　feet　of　granite；　four　thousand　cubic　yards　of　concrete；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　tons　of　reinforcing　steel　and　seven　hundred　and　sixty　tons　of　structural　steel。　Right？　Now；　within　the　building；　there　is　a　two…storey　steel　and　concrete　vault　divided　into　partments。　The　vault　door　weighs　more　than　twenty　tons　and　the　casing　of　the　vault　is　of　steel　plates；　steel　I…beams　and　steel　cylinders　laced　with　hoopbands　and　encased　in　concrete。　The　roof　is　of　similar　construction　and　is　independent　of　the　roof　of　the　building。　A　corridor　encircles　the　vault　at　both　levels　and　gives　access　both　to　the　vault　and　to　the　offices　and　storerooms　that　are　housed　in　the　outer　wall　of　the　building。　No　one　person　is　entrusted　with　the　bination　to　the　door　of　the　vault。　Various　senior　members　of　the　depository　staff　must　separately　dial　binations　known　only　to　each　of　them。　Naturally　the…building　is　equipped　with　the　latest　and　finest　protective　devices。　There　is　a　strong　guardpost　within　the　building　and　immensely　powerful　reinforcements　are　at　all　times　available　from　the　Armoured　Centre　less　than　a　mile　distant。　Do　you　follow　me？　Now；　as　to　the　actual　content　of　the　vault　…　these　amount；　as　I　said　earlier；　to　some　fifteen　billion　dollars'　worth　of　standard　mint　bars　one　thousand　fine。　Each　bar　is　double　the　siz