if.goldfinger-第40部分

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s　early　attempts　to　make　friends；　share　his　thoughts　with　her。　By　the　evening；　he　had　learnt　nothing　about　her　except　that　she　had　been　a　successful　amateur　ice…skater　in　between　secretarial　work　for　Unilevers。　Then　she　had　started　getting　star　parts　in　ice…shows。　Her　hobby　had　been　indoor　pistol　and　rifle　shooting　and　she　had　belonged　to　two　marksman　clubs。　She　had　few　friends。　She　had　never　been　in　love　or　engaged。　She　lived　by　herself　in　two　rooms　in　Earls　Court。　She　was　twenty…four。　Yes；　she　realized　that　they　were　in　a　bad　fix。　But　something　would　turn　up。　This　Fort　Knox　business　was　nonsense。　It　would　certainly　go　wrong。　She　thought　Miss　Pussy　Galore　was　'divine'。　She　somehow　seemed　to　count　on　her　to　get　her　out　of　this　mess。　Women；　with　a　sniff；　were　rather　good　at　things　that　needed　finesse。　Instinct　told　them　what　to　do。　Bond　was　not　to　worry　about　her。　She　would　be　all　right。
　Bond　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Tilly　Masterton　was　one　of　those　girls　whose　hormones　had　got　mixed　up。　He　knew　the　type　well　and　thought　they　and　their　male　counterparts　were　a　direct　consequence　of　giving　votes　to　women　and　'sex　equality'。　As　a　result　of　fifty　years　of　emancipation；　feminine　qualities　were　dying　out　or　being　transferred　to　the　males。　Pansies　of　both　sexes　were　everywhere；　not　yet　pletely　homosexual；　but　confused；　not　knowing　what　they　were。　The　result　was　a　herd　of　unhappy　sexual　misfits　…　barren　and　full　of　frustrations；　the　women　wanting　to　dominate　and　the　men　to　be　nannied。　He　was　sorry　for　them；　but　he　had　no　time　for　them。　Bond　smiled　sourly　to　himself　as　he　remembered　his　fantasies　about　this　girl　as　they　sped　along　the　valley　of　the　Loire。　Entre　Deux　Seins　indeed！
　At　the　end　of　the　day；　there　was　a　final　note　from　Gold…finger：
　Five　principals　and　myself　will　leave　La　Guardia　Airport　tomorrow　at　11　am　in　chartered　plane　flown　by　my　pilots　for　aerial　survey　of　Grand　Slam。　You　will　acpany。　Masterton　will　remain。　G。
　Bond　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　bed　and　looked　at　the　wall。　Then　he　got　up　and　went　to　the　typewriter。　He　worked　for　an　hour；　typing；　single…spaced；　on　both　sides　of　the　sheet；　exact　details　of　the　operation。　He　folded　the　sheet；　rolled　it　to　a　small　cylinder　about　the　size　of　his　little　finger　and　sealed　it　carefully　with　gum。　Next　he　typed　on　a　slip　of　paper：
　URGENT　AND　VITAL。　REWARD　OF　FIVE　THOUSAND　DOLLARS　IS　GUARANTEED　WITH　NO　QUESTIONS　ASKED　TO　THE　FINDER　WHO　DELIVERS　THIS　MESSAGE　UNOPENED　TO　FELIX　LEITER　CARE　PINKERTON'S　DETECTIVE　AGENCY；　154　NASSAU　STREET；　NEW　YORK　CITY。　IMMEDIATE　CASH　ON　DELIVERY。
　Bond　rolled　this　message　round　the　cylinder；　wrote　5000　REWARD　in　red　ink　on　the　outside；　and　stuck　the　little　package　down　the　centre　of　three　inches　of　Scotch　tape。　Then　he　sat　down　again　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　carefully　strapped　the　free　ends　of　the　Scotch　tape　down　the　inside　of　his　thigh。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　
　JOURNEY　INTO　HOLOCAUST
　
　'MISTER；　Flying　Control　is　buzzing　us。　Wants　to　know　who　we　are。　They　say　this　is　restricted　air。'
　Goldfinger　got　up　from　his　seat　and　went　forward　into　the　cockpit。　Bond　watched　him　pick　up　the　hand　microphone。　His　voice　came　back　clearly　over　the　quiet　hum　of　the　ten…seater　Executive　Beechcraft。　'Good　morning。　This　is　Mr　Gold　of　Paramount　Pictures　Corporation。　We　are　carrying　out　an　authorized　survey　of　the　territory　for　a　forthing　〃A〃　picture　of　the　famous　Confederate　raid　of　1861　which　resulted　in　the　capture　of　General　Sherman　at　Muldraugh
　Hill。　Yes；　that's　right。　Gary　Grant　and　Elizabeth　Taylor　in　the　lead。　What's　that？　Clearance？　Sure　we've　got　clearance。　Let　me　see　now'　（Goldfinger　consulted　nothing）'　…　yes；　here　it　is。　Signed　by　Chief　of　Special　Services　at　the　Pentagon。　'Sure；　the　manding　Officer　at　the　Armoured　Centre　will　have　a　copy。　Okay　and　thanks。　Hope　you'll　enjoy　the　picture。　'Bye。'
　Goldfinger　wiped　the　breezy　expression　off　his　face；　handed　over　the　microphone　and　came　back　into　the　cabin。　He　braced　his　legs　and　stood　looking　down　at　his　passengers。　'Well；　gentlemen　and　madam；　do　you　think　you've　seen　enough？　I　think　you'll　agree　it's　all　pretty　clear　and　conforms　with　your　copies　of　the　town　plan。　I　don't　want　to　go　much　lower　than　six　thousand。　Perhaps　we　could　make　one　more　circuit　and　be　off。　Oddjob；　get　out　the　refreshments。'
　There　was　a　mumble　of　ment　and　questions　which　Goldfinger　dealt　with　one　by　one。　Oddjob　got　up　from　Bond's　side　and　walked　down　to　the　rear。　Bond　followed　him　and；　under　his　hard；　suspicious　stare；　went　into　the　little　lavatory　and　locked　the　door。
　He　sat　down　calmly　and　thought。　There　hadn't　been　a　chance　on　the　way　down　to　La　Guardia。　He　had　sat　with　Oddjob　in　the　back　of　an　unobtrusive　Buick　saloon。　The　doors　had　been　locked　on　them　by　the　driver　and　the　windows　tightly　closed。　Goldfinger　had　ridden　in　front；　the　partition　closed　behind　him。　Oddjob　had　sat　slightly　sideways；　his　horn…ridged　hands　held　ready　on　his　thighs　like　heavy　tools。　He　had　not　taken　his　eyes　off　Bond　until　the　car　had　driven　round　the　boundary　to　the　charter　hangars　and　e　up　alongside　the　private　plane。　Sandwiched　between　Goldfinger　and　Oddjob；　Bond　had　had　no　alternative　but　to　climb　up　the　steps　into　the　plane　and　take　his　seat　with　Oddjob　beside　him。　Ten　minutes　later；　the　others　had　arrived。　There　was　no　munication　with　them　except　an　exchange　of　curt　greetings。　They　were　all　different　now　…　no　smart　remarks；　no　unnecessary　。talk。　These　were　men　who　had　gone　to　war。　Even　Pussy　Galore；　in　a　black　Dacron　macintosh　with　a　black　leather　belt；　looked　like　some　young　S。S。　guardsman。　Once　or　twice　in　the　plane　she　had　turned　and　looked　at　Bond　rather　thoughtfully。　But　she　hadn't　answered　his　smile。　Perhaps　she　just　couldn't　understand　where　Bond　fitted　in；　who　he　was。　When　they　got　back　to　La
　Guardia　there　would　be　the　same　routine。　It　was　now　or　never。　But　where？　Among　the　leaves　of　lavatory　paper？　But　they　might　be　disturbed　too　soon　or　not　for　weeks。　Would　the　ash…tray　be　emptied？　Possibly　not。　But　one　thing　would。
　There　was　a　rattle　at　the　door…handle。　Oddjob　was　getting　restless。　Perhaps　Bond　was　setting　fire　to　the　plane。　Bond　called；　'ing；　ape。'　He　got　up　and　lifted　the　seat。　He　tore　the　little　package　off　the　inside　of　his　thigh　and　transferred　it　to　the　underside　of　the　fore…edge　of　the　seat。　The　seat　would　have　to　be　lifted　to　get　at　the　Elsan　and　that　would　certainly　be　looked　to　as　soon　as　the　plane　got　back　to　the　hangar。　The　5000　REWARD　stared　back　at　him　boldly。　Not　even　the　most　hasty　cleaner　could　miss　it。　So　long　as　no　one　preceded　the　cleaner。　But　Bond　didn't　think　any　of　the　passengers　would　lift　the　seat。　The　little　partment　was　too　cramped　to　stand　fortably　in。　He　softly　put　the　seat　down；　ran　some　water　in　the　basin；　washed　his　face　and　smoothed　his　hair　and　walked　out。
　Oddjob　was　waiting　angrily。　He　pushed　past　Bond；　looked　carefully　round　the　lavatory　and　came　out　again；　shutting　the　door。　Bond　walked　back　to　his　seat。　Now　the　SOS　was　in　the　bottle　and　the　bottle　had　been　mitted　to　the　waves。　Who　would　be　the　finder？　How　soon？
　Everyone；　down　to　the　pilot　and　co…pilot；　went　to　the　blasted　little　lavatory　before　they　got　back　on　the　ground。　As　each　one　came　out；　Bond　expected　to　feel　the　cold　nose　of　a　gun　in　his　neck；　the　harsh　suspicious　words；　the　crackle　of　the　paper　being　unfolded。　But　at　last　they　were　back　in　the　Buick　and　speeding　over　the　Triborough　into　uptown　Manhattan　and　then　down　the　river　on　the　parkway　and　in　through　the　well…guarded　doors　of　the　warehouse　and　back　to　work。
　Now　it　was　a　race　…　a　race　between　Goldfinger's　calm；　unhurried；　efficient　machine　and　the　tiny　gunpowder　trail　Bond　had　lit。　What　was　going　on　outside？　During　every　hour　of　the　next　three　days　Bond's　imagination　followed　what　might　be　happening　…　Leiter　telling　his　chief；　the　conference；　the　quick　flight　down　to　Washington；　the　FBI　and　Hoover；　the　Army；　the　President。　Leiter　insisting　that　Bond's　conditions　be　adhered　to；　that　no　suspicious　moves　be　made；　no　inquiries　started；　that　no　one　moved　an　inch　except　according　to　some　master　plan　that　would　operate　on　the　day　and　get　the　whole　gang　into　the　bag　so　that　not　one　of　them　escaped。
　Would　they　accept　Bond's　conditions　or　would　they　not　dare　take　the　chance？　Had　they　talked　across　the　Atlantic　with　M？　Had　M　insisted　that　Bond　should　be　somehow　pulled　out？　No；　M　would　see　the　point。　He　would　agree　that　Bond's　life　must　be　disregarded。　That　nothing　must　jeopardize　the　big　clean…up。　They　would　have　to　get　the　two　'Japanese'；　of　course；　somehow　beat　out　of　them　the　code　message　Gold…finger　would　be　waiting　for　on　D…1。
　Was　that　how　it　was　going；　or　was　it　all　a　shambles？　Leiter　away　on　another　assignment。　'Who　is　this　007？　What　does　it　stand　for？　Some　crazy　loon。　Hi；　Smith；　check　on　this；　could　you？　Get　down　to　the　warehouse　and　take　a　look。　Sorry；　mister；　no　five　grand　for　you。　Here's　car　fare　back　to　La　Guardia。　Afraid　you've　been　hoaxed。'
　Or；　worse　still；　had　none　of　these　things　happened？　Was　the　plane　still　standing　in　a　corner　of　the　field；　unserviced？
　Night　and　day；　the　torment　of　thoughts　went　through　Bond's　head　while　the　work　got　cleared　and　the　hours　ticked　by　and　the　deadly　machine　whirred　quietly　on。　D…1　came　and　flashed　by　in　a　last　fever　of　activity。　Then；　in　the　evening；　came　the　note　from　Goldfinger。
　First　phase　of　operation　successful。　Entrain　as　planned　at　midnight。　Bring　copies　of　all　maps；　schedules；　operation　orders。　G。
　In　close　formation；　with　Bond　and　Tilly　Masterton　…　he　in　a　white　surgeon's　coat；　she　dressed　as　a　nurse　…　wedged　in　the　middle；　the　Goldfinger　contingent　marched　swiftly　through　the　almost　empty　Concourse　of　Pennsylvania　station　and　down　to　the　waiting　Special。　Everyone；　including　Goldfinger；　was　wearing　the　conventional　white　garb　and　armbands　of　a　medical　field　force　and　the　dim　platform　was　crowded　with　the　ghostly　waiting　figures　of　the　posses　from　the　gangs。　The　silence　and　tension　was　appropriate　for　an　emergency　force　hurrying　to　the　scene　of　a　disaster；　and　the　stretcher　and　decontamination　suits　being　loaded　into　the　partments　added　drama　to　the　scene。　The　Superintendent　was　talking　quietly　with　the　senior　physicians　in　the　shape　of　Midnight；　Strap；　Solo　and　Ring。　Nearby　stood　Miss　Galore