if.goldfinger-第42部分

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at。
　Now　there　was　a　distant　shimmer　away　to　the　right　and　a　hint　of　low　buildings　rising　like　a　mirage　in　the　early　morning　ground　mist。　They　slowly　defined　themselves　as　hangars　with　a　squat　control　tower。　Godman　Field！　The　soft　pounding　howl　of　the　train　slackened。　Some　trim　modern　villas；　part　of　a　new　housing　development；　slid　by。　They　seemed　to　be　unoccupied。　Now；　on　the　left；　there　was　the　black　ribbon　of　Brandenburg　Station　Road。　Bond　craned。　The　gleaming　modern　sprawl　of　Fort　Knox　looked　almost　soft　in　the　light　mist。　Above　its　jagged　outline　the　air　was　dear　as　crystal　…not　a　trace　of　smoke；　no　breakfasts　cooking！　The　train　slowed　to　a　canter。　On　Station　Road　there　had　been　a　bad　motor　accident。　Two　cars　seemed　to　have　met　head　on。　The　body　of　a　man　sprawled　half　out　of　a　smashed　door。　The　other　car　lay　on　its　back　like　a　dead　beetle。　Bond's　heart　pounded。　The　main　signal　box　came　and　went。　Over　the　levers　something　white　was　draped。　It　was　a　man's　shirt。
　Inside　the　shirt　the　body　hung　down；　its　head　below　the　level　of　the　window。　A　row　of　modern　bungalows。　A　body　clad　in　singlet　and　trousers　flat　on　its　face　in　the　middle　of　a　trim　lawn。　The　lines　of　mown　grass　were　beautifully　exact　until；　near　the　man；　the　mower　had　written　an　ugly　flourish　and　had　then　e　to　rest　on　its　side　in　the　newly　turned　earth　of；　the　border。　A　line　of　washing　that　had　broken　when　the　woman　had　grasped　it。　The　woman　lay　in　a　white　pile　at　one　end　of　the　sagging　string　of　family　underclothes；　cloths　and　towels。　And　now　the　train　was　moving　at　walking　pace　into　the　town　and　everywhere；　down　every　street；　on　every　sidewalk；　there　were　the　sprawling　figures　…　singly；　in　clumps；　in　rocking…chairs　on　the　porches；　in　the　middle　of　intersections　where　the　traffic　lights　still　unhurriedly　ticked　off　their　coloured　signals；　in　cars　that　had　managed　to　pull　up　and　in　others　that　had　smashed　into　shop　windows。　Death！　Dead　people　everywhere。　No　movement；　no　sound　save　the　click　of　the　murderer's　iron　feet　as　his　train　slid　through　the　graveyard。
　Now　there　was　bustle　in　the　carriages。　Billy　Ring　came　through　grinning　hugely。　He　stopped　by　Bond's　chair。　'Oh　boy！'　he　said　delightedly；　'old　Goldie　certainly　slipped　them　the　Micky　Finn！　Too　bad　some　people　were　out　for　a　ride　when　they　got　hit。　But　you　know　what　they　say　about　omelettes：　can't　make　'em　without　you　break　some　eggs；　right？'
　Bond　smiled　tightly。　'That's　right。'
　Billy　Ring　made　his　silent　O　of　a　laugh　and　went　on　his　way。
　The　train　trundled　through　Brandenburg　Station。　Now　there　were　scores　of　bodies　…　men；　women；　children；　soldiers。　The　platform　was　scribbled　with　them；　faces　upwards　to　the　roof；　down　in　the　dust；　cradled　sideways。　Bond　searched　for　movement；　for　an　inquisitive　eye；　for　a　twitching　hand。　Nothing！　Wait！　What　was　that？　Thinly　through　the　closed　window　there　came　a　soft；　mewing　wail。　Three　perambulators　stood　against　the　ticket　office；　the　mothers　collapsed　beside　them。　Of　course！　The　babies　in　the　perambulators　would　have　drunk　milk；　not　the　deadly　water。
　Oddjob　got　to　his　feet。　So　did　the　whole　of　Goldfinger's　team。　The　faces　of　the　Koreans　were　indifferent；　unchanged；　only　their　eyes　flickered　constantly　like　nervous　animals。　The
　Germans　were　pale；　grim。　Nobody　looked　at　anyone　else。　Silently　they　filed　towards　the　exit　and　lined　up；　waiting。
　Tilly　Masterton　touched　Bond's　sleeve。　Her　voice　trembled。　'Are　you　sure　they're　only　asleep？　I　thought　I　saw　some　sort　of。。。　sort　of　froth　on　some　of　the　lips。'
　Bond　had　seen　the　same　thing。　The　froth　had　been　pink。　He　said；　'I　expect　some　of　them　were　eating　sweets　or　something　when　they　fell　asleep。　You　know　what　these　Americans　are　…　always　chewing　something。'　He　softly　mouthed　the　next　words。　'Stay　away　from　me。　There　may　be　shooting。'　He　looked　hard　at　her　to　see　she　understood。
　She　nodded　dumbly；　not　looking　at　him。　She　whispered　out　of　the　corner　of　her　mouth；　'I'm　going　to　get　near　Pussy。　She'll　look　after　me。'
　Bond　gave　her　a　smile　and　said　'Good'；　encouragingly。
　The　train　clicked　slowly　over　some　points　and　slid　to　rest。　There　came　one　blast　of　the　diesel's　windhorn。　The　doors　swung　open　and　the　different　groups　piled　out　on　to　the　platform　of　the　Bullion　Depository　siding。
　Now　everything　went　with　military　precision。　The　various　squads　formed　up　in　their　battle　order…first　an　assault　group　widi　sub…machine　guns；　then　the　stretcher…bearers　to　get　the　guard　and　other　personnel　out　of　the　vault　（surely　an　unnecessary　refinement　now；　thought　Bond）　then　Goldfinger's　demolition　team　…　ten　men　with　their　bulky　tarpaulin…covered　package　…　then　a　mixed　group　of　spare　drivers　and　traffic…control　men；　then　the　group　of　nurses；　now　all　armed　with　pistols；　who　were　to　stay　in　the　background　with　a　heavily　armed　reserve　group　that　was　to　deal　with　any　unexpected　interference　from　anybody　who；　as　Goldfinger　had　put　it；　'might　wake　up'。
　Bond　and　the　girl　had　been　included　in　the　mand　Group　which　consisted　of　Goldfinger；　Oddjob　and　the　five　gang　leaders。　They　were　to　be　stationed　on　the　flat　roofs　of　the　two　diesel　lootives　which　now　stood；　as　planned；　beyond　the　siding　buildings　and　in　full　view　of　？the　objective　and　its　approaches。　Bond　and　the　girl　were　to　handle　the　maps；　the　timetables　and　the　stop…watch；　and　Bond　was　to　watch　out　for　fumbles　and　delays　and　bring　them　at　once　to　Goldfinger's　attention　to　be　rectified　by　walkie…talkie　with　die　squad　leaders。　When　the　bomb　was　due　to　be　fired；　they　would　take　shelter　behind　the　diesels。
　There　came　a　double　blast　from　the　windhorn　and；　as　Bond　and　the　girl　climbed　to　their　position　on　the　roof　of　the　first　diesel；　the　assault　squad；　followed　by　the　other　sections；　doubled　across　the　twenty　yards　of　open　ground　between　the　railway　and　Bullion　Boulevard。　Bond　edged　as　close　as　he　could　to　Goldfinger。　Goldfinger　had　binoculars　to　his　eyes。　His　mouth　was　close　to　the　microphone　strapped　to　his　chest。　But　Oddjob　stood　between　them；　a　solid　mountain　of　flesh；　and　his　eyes；　uninterested　in　the　drama　of　the　assault；　never　flickered　from　Bond　and　the　girl。
　Bond；　under　cover　of　scanning　his　plastic　map…case　and　keeping　an　eye　on　the　stop…watch；　measured　inches　and　angles。　He　glanced　at　the　next…door　group　of　the　four　men　and　the　woman。　They　were　gazing；　in　frozen　attention；　at　the　scene　before　them。　Now　Jack　Strap　said　excitedly；　'They're　through　the　first　gates。'　Bond；　putting　half　his　mind　to　work　on　his　own　plans；　took　a　quick　look　at　the　battlefield。
　It　was　an　extraordinary　scene。　In　the　centre　stood　the　huge　squat　mausoleum；　the　sun　glinting　off　the　polished　granite　of　its　walls。　Outside　the　big　open　field　in　which　it　stood；　the　roads　…　the　Dixie　Highway；　Vine　Grove　and　Bullion　Boulevard　…　were　lined　with　trucks　and　transporters　two　deep　with　the　recognition　flags　of　the　gangs　flying　from　the　first　and　last　vehicle　of　each　convoy。　Their　drivers　lay　piled　up　outside　the　shelter　of　the　surrounding　guard　wall　of　the　vault　while；　through　the　main　gate；　poured　the　tidy　disciplined　squads　from　the　train。　Outside　this　world　of　movement　there　was　absolute　stillness　and　silence　as　if　the　rest　of　America　was　holding　its　breath　at　the　mittal　of　this　gigantic　crime。　And　outside　lay　the　bodies　of　the　soldiers；　sprawling　where　they　had　fallen　…　the　sentries　by　their　pill　boxes；　still　clutching　their　automatic　pistols；　and；　inside　the　protecting　wall；　two　ragged　squads　of　soldiers　in　battledress。　They　lay　in　vague；　untidy　heaps；　some　bodies　athwart　or　on　top　of　their　neighbours。　Outside；　between　Bullion　Boulevard　and　the　main　gate；　two　armoured　cars　had　crashed　into　each　other　and　now　stood　locked；　their　heavy　machine　guns　pointing；　one　at　the　ground　and　the　other　at　the　sky。　A　driver's　body　sprawled　out　of　the　turret　of　one　of　the　vehicles。
　Desperately　Bond　looked　for　a　sign　of　life；　a　sign　of　movement；　a　hint　that　all　this　was　a　careful　ambush。　Nothing！　Not　a　cat　moved；　not　a　sound　came　out　of　the　crowded　buildings　that　formed　a　backdrop　to　the　scene。　Only　the　squads　hurried　about　their　tasks　or　now　stood　waiting　in　their　planned　dispositions。
　Goldfinger　spoke　quietly　into　his　microphone。　'Last　stretcher　out。　Bomb　squad　ready。　Prepare　to　take　over。'
　Now　the　covering　troops　and　the　stretcher…bearers　were　hurrying　for　the　exit；　getting　down　under　cover　of　the　guard　wall。　There　would　be　five　minutes'　delay　to　clear　the　area　before　the　bomb　squad；　now　waiting　bunched　at　the　main　gate；　would　go　in。
　Bond　said　efficiently；　'They're　a　minute　ahead　of　time。'
　Goldfinger　looked　past　Oddjob's　shoulder。　The　pale　eyes　were　aflame。　They　stared　into　Bond's。　Goldfinger's　mouth　twisted　into　a　harsh　snarl。　He　said　through　his　teeth；　'You　see；　Mr　Bond。　You　were　wrong　and　I　was　right。　Ten　more　minutes　and　I　shall　be　the　richest　man　in　the　world；　the　richest　man　in　history！　What　do　you　say　to　that？'　His　mouth　spat　out　the　words。
　Bond　said　equably；　'I'll　tell　you　after　those　ten　minutes　are　up。'
　'Will　you？'　said　Goldfinger。　'Maybe。'　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　spoke　rapidly　into　his　microphone。　The　Goldfinger　squad　loped　slowly　through　the　main　gate；　their　heavy　burden　slung　from　four　shoulders　in　a　cradle　of　webbing。
　Goldfinger　looked　past　Bond　at　the　group　on　the　roof　of　the　second　diesel。　He　called　out　triumphantly；　'Another　five　minutes；　gentlemen；　and　then　we　must　take　cover。'　He　turned　his　eyes　on　Bond　and　added　softly；　'And　then　we　will　say　goodbye；　Mr　Bond。　And　thank　you　for　the　assistance　you　and　the　girl　have　given　me。'
　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Bond　saw　something　moving　…　moving　in　the　sky。　It　was　a　black；　whirling　speck。　It　reached　the　top　of　its　trajectory；　paused　and　then　came　the　ear…splitting　crack　of　a　maroon　signal。
　Bond's　heart　leapt。　A　quick　glance　showed　him　the　ranks　of　dead　soldiers　springing　to　life；　the　machine　guns　on　the　locked　armoured　cars　swinging　to　cover　the　gates。　A　loudspeaker　roared　from　nowhere；　'Stand　where　you　are。　Lay　down　your　arms。'　But　there　came　a　futile　crackle　of　fire　from　one　of　the　rearguard　covering　party　and　then　all　hell　broke　loose。
　Bond　seized　the　girl　round　the　waist　and　jumped　with　her。
　It　was　a　tenfoot　drop　to　the　platform。　Bond　broke　his　fall　with　his　left　hand　and　hoisted　the　girl　to　her　feet　with　a　je