johngardner.rollofhonor-第6部分

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　Bond　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　the　soft　curl　of　her　hair　on　an　almost　exposed　shoulder　as　she　began　to　input　orders。　　Two　of　the　Harriers　moved　of！　as　though　flying　in　to　attack　the　enemy　armour。　　At　the　same　time；　she　activated　the　NATO　tanks　and　troop　carriers。
　Individual　responses　from　the　tank　and　infantry　manders　came　up　on　the　screen；　while　the　tiny　vehicles　moved　to　her　bidding；　the　tanks　suddenly　ing　under　attack；　indicated　by　shell　bursts　on　the　screen　and　audible　crumps　and　whines。　　Bond　stooped　slightly　for　a　closer　look；　and　found　himself　glancing　sideways　at　Percy's　face；　profiled　and　absorbed　alongside　his。　　He　looked　quickly　back　at　the　screen。
　The　action；　controlled　throughout　by　Percy；　lasted　for　almost　twenty　minutes；　during　which　time　she　was　able　to　gain　a　small　superiority　over　the　enemy　forces　with　the　loss　of　three　tanks；　one　helicopter；　a　Harrier　and　just　under　one　hundred　men。
　Bond　stood　back　a　pace　behind　Percy。　　He　had　found　the　whole　operation　fascinating。　　He　asked　if　this　kind　of　thing　were　used　by　the　military。
　〃This　is　only　a　simple　puter　TEwT。…　Percy　was　talking　about　a　Tactical　Exercise　Without　Troops；　a　technique　used　in　training　officers　and　N。C。O。s。　　〃In　the　old　days；　as　you　know；　they　did　TEWTS　with　boards；　tables；　sand　trays　and　models。　　Now　all　you　need　is　a　micro。　　This　is　very　simple；　but　you　should　see　the　advanced　games　they　use　at　staff　colleges。〃
　〃And　Dr　Holy　was　programming　this　kind　of　thing　for　the　Pentagon？〃　For　the　first　time　Bond　noticed　a　little　mole　on　Percy's　neck。
　〃This；　and　more。　　When　he　disappeared；　Jay　Autem　was　into　some　exceptionally　advanced　stuff。　　Not　only　training　but　specialist　programs；　where　the　puter　is　given　all　the　possible　options　and　works　out　the　one　most　likely　to　be　taken　by　an　opposing　power　under　a　particular　set　of　circumstances。
　〃And　now？　　Given　that　he　really　is　still　alive　。
　〃Oh；　he's　alive；　James。〃　She　flushed　suddenly。　　〃I've　seen　him。
　Don't　doubt　it。　　He's　the　one　I've　already　told　you　about　…　Jason　St。　John…Finnes；　of　Nun's　Cross；　Oxfordshire。　　I　should　know。　　After　all；　I　was　his　watchdog　for　three　and　a　half　lousy　years　〃Watchdog？〃　Her　eyes　really　were　the　most　incredible　colour；　a　subtle　shade　of　grey…blue　that　changed　according　to　the　light。
　Percy　looked　away；　biting　her　lip　in　mock　shame。　　〃Oh；　didn't　they　tell　you？　　I　married　the　bastard　under　orders。
　I'm　a　pany　lady　…　from　Langley。　　Marriage　to　Dr　Holy　was　an　assignment。　　How　else　would　I　know　the　inside　of　this　op？〃
　〃He　wasn't　trusted　then？〃　Bond　tried　not　to　show　surprise；　even　though　the　idea　of　a　C。I。A。　　employee　being　instructed　to　marry　in　order　to　keep　surveillance　on　her　husband　appalled　him。
　〃At　that　time；　with　his　contacts　…　he　had　many　friends　among　the　scientific　munity　in　Russia　and　the　Eastern　Bloc　…　they　couldn't　afford　to　trust　him。　　And　they　were　right。〃
　〃You　think　he's　working　for　the　K。G。B。　　now？〃
　〃No。〃　She　went　to　the　small　chiller　to　get　another　bottle　of　champagne。　〃No；　Jay　Autem　worked　for　Jay　Autem　and　nobody　else。　　At　least　I　discovered　that　about　him。〃　Passing　another　glass　to　Bond；　she　added；　〃There　are　almost　certainly　Soviet　connections　in　what　he's　doing　now；　but　it'll　be　on　a　freelance　basis。　　Jay　Autem　knows　his　business；　but　he's　really　dedicated　only　to　money。
　Politics　is　another　matter。
　〃So　what　sort　of　thing　do　you　reckon　he's　doing？〃　Bond　caught　another　strong　whiff　of　that　strange　perfume　which　he　would　always　now　associate　with　Percy。
　〃As　they　say；　James；　that's　for　him　to　know　and　you　to　find　out。
　And　it's　my　job　to　teach　you　how。　　Tomorrow　morning　we　start　in　earnest。　Eight…thirty　suit　you？〃
　〃Hardly　worth　my　going　back　to　my　own　room。〃　He　glanced　casually　at　his　watch。
　〃I　know；　but　you're　going　all　the　same。　　I'm　to　teach　you　all　I　can　about　how　to　prepare　the　kind　of　programs　Jay　Autem　writes；　and　give　you　a　course　on　how　to　break　into　his　programs；　should　you　be　lucky　enough　to　get　your　hands　on　one。
　Percy　took　hold　of　his　wrist　and　reached　up　to　kiss　him　gently　on　the　cheek。　　Bond　moved　closer；　but　Percy　stepped　away；　wagging　a　finger。
　〃That's　a　no…no；　James。　　But　I'm　a　good　teacher；　and　if　you　prove　to　be　a　diligent　pupil；　I　have　ways　of　rewarding　you　that　you　never　dreamed　of　when　you　were　at　school。　　Eight…thirty　sharp。　　Okay？〃
　〃You　guarantee　results；　Proud　Percy？〃
　〃I　guarantee　to　teach　you；　Bond　James；'　she　said　with　a　wicked　grin；　〃and　about　puter　programming　as　well。〃　Promptly　at　eight…thirty　the　next　morning；　Bond　knocked　on　her　door；　one　arm　hidden　behind　his　back。
　When　she　opened　up；　he　thrust　out　his　hand　to　give　her　a　large　rosy　apple。
　〃For　the　teacher；'　he　said　with　a　broad　smile。
　It　was　the　only　joke　of　the　day；　for　Percy　Proud　proved　to　be　a　hard　and　dedicated　taskmaster。
　
　
　THE　Training　TOOK　a　little　less　than　a　month　and　was　a　tribute　to　Persephone　Proud's　teaching　skill。　　Her　pupil's　capabilities　were　taxed　to　the　limit。　　The　task　had　been　equivalent　to　learning　a　new　language　and　several　plicated　dialects　as　well。　　Indeed；　Bond　could　not　remember　a　time　when　he　had　been　forced　to　call　so　heavily　on　his　mental　reserves；　to　focus　his　mind；　like　a　burning　glass；　on　the　subject　at　hand。
　They　quickly　established　a　routine；　which　seldom　varied。　　For　the　first　few　days　they　started　at　eight…thirty　each　morning；　but；　as　the　late　nights　began　to　take　their　toll；　this　was　modified　to　ten　o'clock。
　They　would　work　until　one　o'clock；　take　lunch　in　a　nearby　bar；　walking　there　and　back；　they　work　again　until　five。
　Each　evening　at　seven　they　would　go　down　to　Le　Bar；　the　Hotel　de　Paris's　famous　meeting　place；　where；　it　is　said；　the　wrists　and　necks　of　the　ladies　put　the　Cartier　showcases　to　shame。
　If　they　intended　to　stay　in　Monaco　for　the　evening　they　would　dine　at　the　hotel；　but　they　could　be　seen　at　L'Oasis　in　La　Napoule　when　the　Cannes　Casino　took　their　fancy；　sampling　the　latest　tempting　dish　invented　by　the　master　chef；　Louis　Outhier。　　Sometimes　they　would　eat　a　more　austere　meal　at　the　Negresco　in　Nice；　or　even　in　La　Reserve　at　Beaulieu；　or　…　on　occasion　…　at　the　modest　Le　Gallon　in　the　Menton　port　of　Garavan。
　The　meal　was　always　a　prelude　to　a　night　at　the　tables。
　Don't　go　invisible；　M　had　instructed。　　You　are　bait；　and　it　would　be　a　mistake　to　forget　it。　　If　they　are　trawling　there；　let　them　catch　you。
　So　the　Bentley　Mulsanne　Turbo　slid　its　silent　way　along　the　coast　roads　each　evening；　and　the　tanned；　assured　Englishman　with　his　willowy　elegant　American　panion；　became　familiar　figures　in　the　gambling　landscape　of　the　Cete　d'Azur。
　Bond　played　only　the　wheel；　and　then　conservatively　though　he　tended　to　double　up　on　bets；　plunging　heavily　on　some　evenings；　ing　away　thousands　to　the　good　on　others。　　Mainly　he　worked　to　a　system；　using　big　money　on　the　Pair；　Impair；　Manque　and　Passe　which　paid　evens；　only　occasionally　changing　to　a　Carr6　…　covering　four　numbers　at　odds　of　just　over　eight　to　one。　　Within　the　first　week；　he　was　the　equivalent　of　a　few　thousand　pounds　sterling　to　the　good　and　knew　the　various　casinos　were　watching　with　interest。　　No　casino；　even　with　the　reputation　of　those　along　that　once　glittering　coast；　is　happy　about　a　regular　who　plays　systematically　and　wins。
　Most　nights；　Percy　and　Bond　were　back　at　the　hotel　between　three　and　three…thirty　in　the　morning。　　Sometimes　it　was　earlier　…　even　one　o'clock　…　giving　them　a　chance　to　do　another　hour's　work　before　getting　a　good　sleep　before　starting　all　over　again。
　From　time　to　time；　during　those　weeks；　they　would　not　return　until　dawn。　Driving　the　coast　roads　with　the　windows　open　to　breathe　the　morning　air；　they　feasted　their　eyes　on　the　greenery　of　palm　and　plane　trees；　the　cacti　and　climbing　flowers　around　the　summer　homes　of　the　wealthy；　their　swimming　pools　fed　by　spouting　marble　dolphins。　　On　those　occasions　they　would　get　back　to　the　hotel　in　time　to　smell　the　first　coffee　of　the　day　…　one　of　the　most　satisfying　aromas　in　the　world；　Bond　thought。
　The　hotel　staff　considered　it　all　very　romantic；　the　attractive　American　lady　and　the　wealthy　Englishman；　so　lucky　at　the　tables；　and　in　love。　Nobody　would　have　dreamed　of　disturbing　the　love…birds。
　The　truth　concerning　their　enclosed　life　in　Percy's　room　was　far　removed　from　the　fantasies　of　chambermaids　and　porters；　at　least　for　the　first　couple　of　weeks。
　Percy　began　by　teaching　Bond　how　to　flowchart　a　program　…　to　draw　out；　in　a　kind　of　graph；　exactly　what　he　wanted　the　program　to　do。
　This　he　mastered　in　a　matter　of　forty…eight　hours；　after　which　the　serious　business　of　learning　the　puter　language；　Basic；　began。
　There　were　extra　lessons　on　the　use　of　graphics　and　sound。
　Towards　the　end　of　the　second　week；　Bond　started　to　learn　various　dialects　of　Basic；　gradually　grasping　the　essentials　of　further；　more　plex　languages　like　Machine　Code；　the　high…level　Pascal；　and　Forth。
　Even　in　their　spare　time；　they　spoke　of　little　else　but　the　job　in　hand；　though　usually　with　special　reference　to　Jay　Autem　Holy；　and　it　did　not　take　long　for　Bond　to　glean　that　Holy　used　his　own　hybrid　program　language；　which　Percy　referred　to　as　Holy　Code。
　〃It's　one　of　Jay　Autem's　main　strengths　as　far　as　protecting　his　programs　is　concerned；'　Percy　told　him　over　dinner。　　〃He's　still　using　the　same　system；　and　the　games　being　produced　by　Gunfire　Simulations　are　quite　inaccessible　to　other　programmers。　　He　always　said　that　if　security　were　necessary　…　and　by　God　he　believed　in　it　the　simplest　protection　is　the　best。　　He　has　an　almost　perfect　little　routine　at　the　start　of　all　his　games　programs　that's　quite　unreadable　by　anyone　who　wants　to　copy　or　get　into　the　disk。　　It's　exactly　the　same　code　he　used　to　put　on　to　his　Pentagon　work。　　Anyone　trying　to　copy　or　list　turns　the　disk　into　rubbish。〃　Bond　insisted　on　talking　about　Dr　Holy　whenever　he　was　given　the　opportunity；　to　seek　out　as　much　as　he　could　about　the　man's　strengths　and　weaknesses　before　meeting　him。　　There　could　certainly　be　no　better　instructor　than　Percy　in　this　area。
　〃He　looks　like　a　great　angry　hawk。　　Well；　you've　seen　the　photographs。〃　They　were　dining　in　the　hotel。　　〃Outward　appearances　are　not　to　be　trusted；　though。　　If　I　hadn't　been　on　a　specific　jo