if.thunderball-第39部分

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piece　of　the　problem　on　our　hands…small；　but　as　big　as　the　world。　So　what　are　we　to　do？　As　I　see　it；　the　idea　of　you　gentlemen　is　that　this　man　Largo　will　be　ing　back　any　minute　now　in　his　plane　after　picking　up　the　bombs　from　where　he　hid　them。　If　he's　got　the　bombs；　and　on　what　you've　told　me　I'll　go　along　with　the　probability　that　he　has；　this　girl　will　give　us　the　tip…off。　Then　we　close　in　and　arrest　his　ship　or　blow　it　out　of　the　water。　Right？　But　supposing　he　hasn't　got　the　bombs　on　board；　or　for　one　reason　or　another　we　don't　get　the　tip…off；　what　do　we　do　then？〃
　
　Bond　said　quietly；　〃We　follow　him；　sit　close　on　his　tail；　until　the　time　limit；　that's　about　twenty…four　hours　from　now；　is　up。　That's　all　we　can　do　without　causing　one　hell　of　a　legal　stink。　When　the　time　limit's　up；　we　can　hand　the　whole　problem　back　to　our　governments　and　they　can　decide　what　to　do　with　the　Disco　and　the　sunken　plane　and　all　the　rest。　By　that　time；　some　little　man　in　a　speedboat　we've　never　heard　of　may　have　left　one　of　the　bombs　off　the　coast　of　America　and　Miami　may　have　gone　up　in　the　air。　Or　there　may　be　a　big　bang　somewhere　else　in　the　world。　There's　been　plenty　of　time　to　take　those　bombs　off　the　plane　and　get　them　thousands　of　miles　from　here。　Well；　that'll　be　too　bad　and　we'll　have　muffed　it。　But　at　this　moment　we're　in　the　position　of　a　detective　watching　a　man　he　thinks　is　going　to　mit　a　murder。　Doesn't　even　know　for　sure　whether　he's　got　a　gun　on　him　or　not。　There's　nothing　the　detective　can　do　but　follow　the　man　and　wait　until　he　actually　pulls　the　gun　out　of　his　pocket　and　points　it。　Then；　and　only　then；　the　detective　can　shoot　the　man　or　arrest　him。〃　Bond　turned　to　Leiter。　〃Isn't　that　about　it；　Felix？〃
　
　〃That's　how　it　figures。　And　Captain；　mander　Bond　here　and　I　are　damn　sure　Largo's　our　man　and　that　he'll　be　sailing　for　his　target　in　no　time　at　all。　That's　why　we　agreed　to　panic　and　ask　you　along。　One　gets　you　a　hundred　he'll　be　placing　that　bomb　at　night　and　tonight's　the　last　night　he's　got。　By　the　way；　Captain；　have　you　got　steam　up；　or　whatever　the　atom　boys　call　it？〃
　
　〃I　have；　and　we　can　be　under　way　in　just　about　five　minutes。〃　The　captain　shook　his　head。　〃But　there's　one　bit　of　bad　news　for　you；　gentlemen。　I　just　can't　figure　how　we're　going　to　keep　track　of　the　Disco　。〃
　
　〃How's　that？　You've　got　the　speed；　haven't　you？〃　Leiter　caught　himself　pointing　his　steel　hook　threateningly　at　the　captain；　and　hastily　brought　it　down　again　to　his　lap。
　
　The　captain　smiled。　〃Guess　so。　Guess　we　could　give　her　a　good　race　on　a　straight　course；　but　you　gentlemen　don't　seem　to　have　figured　on　the　navigational　hazards　in　this　part　of　the　ocean。〃　He　pointed　at　the　British　Admiralty　chart　on　the　wall。　〃Take　a　look　at　that。　Ever　seen　a　chart　with　so　many　figures　on　it？　Looks　like　a　spilled　ants'　nest。　Those　are　soundings；　gentlemen；　and　I　can　tell　you　that　unless　the　Disco　sticks　to　one　of　the　deep…water　channels…Tongue　of　the　Ocean；　Northwest　Providence　Channel；　or　the　Northeast…　we've　had　it；　as　mander　Bond　would　say。　All　the　rest　of　that　area〃…he　waved　a　hand…〃may　look　the　same　blue　color　on　a　map；　but　after　your　trip　in　that　Grumman　Goose　you　know　darned　well　it　isn't　the　same　blue　color。　Darned　near　the　whole　of　that　area　is　banks　and　shoal　with　only　around　three　to　ten　fathoms　over　it。　If　I　was　quite　crazy　and　looking　for　a　nice　cosy　job　ashore；　I'd　take　the　ship　along　surfaced　in　ten　fathoms…if　I　could　bribe　the　navigator　and　seal　off　the　echo…sounder　from　crew　members。　But　even　if　we　got　a　long　spell　of　ten　fathoms　on　the　chart；　you　got　to　remember　that's　an　old　chart；　dates　back　to　the　days　of　sail；　and　these　banks　have　been　shifting　for　more　than　fifty　years　since　it　was　drawn　up。　Then　there's　the　tides　that　set　directly　onto　and　off　the　banks；　and　the　coral　niggerheads　that　won't　show　up　on　the　echo…sounder　until　you　hear　the　echo　of　them　smashing　up　the　hull　or　the　screw。〃　The　captain　turned　back　to　his　desk。　〃No；　gentlemen。　This　Italian　vessel　was　darned　well　chosen。　With　that　hydrofoil　device　of　hers；　she　probably　doesn't　draw　more　than　a　fathom。　If　she　chooses　to　keep　to　the　shallows；　we　just　haven't　got　a　chance。　And　that's　flat。〃　The　captain　looked　from　one　to　another　of　them。　〃Want　me　to　call　up　the　Navy　Department　and　have　Fort　Lauderdale　take　over　with　those　fighter　bombers　you've　got　on　call…get　them　to　do　a　shadowing　job？〃
　
　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other。　Bond　said；　〃She　won't　be　showing　lights。　They'll　have　the　hell　of　a　job　picking　her　up　at　night。　What　do　you　say；　Felix？　Maybe　we'd　better　call　them　out　even　if　it's　only　to　keep　some　sort　of　a　watch　off　the　American　coast。　Then；　if　the　Captain's　willing；　we'll　take　the　Northwest　Channel…if　the　Disco　sails；　that　is…and　bank　on　the　Bahamas　Rocket　Station　being　Target　No。　1。〃
　
　Felix　Leiter　ran　his　left　hand　through　the　mop　of　straw…colored　hair。　〃Goddammit；〃　he　said　angrily。　〃Hell；　yes；　I　suppose　so。　We're　looking　fools　enough　already　bringing　the　Manta　on　stage。　What's　a　squadron　of　planes？　Sure。　We've　just　got　to　back　our　hunch　that　it's　Largo　and　the　Disco　。　e　on；　let's　get　together　with　the　Captain　and　whip　off　a　signal　that　doesn't　look　too　damned　silly…copy　to　C。I。A。　and　to　your　Chief。　How　do　you　want　it　to　go？〃
　
　〃Admiralty　for　M；　prefixed　Operation　Thunderball。〃　Bond　wiped　a　hand　down　over　his　face。　〃God；　this　is　going　to　put　the　cat　among　the　pigeons。〃　He　looked　up　at　the　big　metal　wall　clock。　〃Six。　That'll　be　midnight　in　London。　Popular　time　to　get　a　signal　like　this。〃
　
　The　P。A。　system　in　the　ceiling　spoke　more　clearly。　〃Watch　Officer　to　Captain。　Police　officer　with　urgent　message　for　mander　Bond。〃　The　captain　pressed　a　switch　and　spoke　into　a　desk　microphone。　〃Bring　him　below。　Prepare　to　cast　off　lines。　All　hands　prepare　for　sailing。〃　The　captain　waited　for　the　acknowledgment　and　released　the　switch。　The　captain　smiled　across　at　them。　He　said　to　Bond；　〃What's　the　name　of　that　girl？　Domino？　Well；　Domino；　say　the　good　word。〃
　
　The　door　opened。　A　police　corporal；　his　hat　off；　crashed　to　attention　on　the　steel　flooring　and　extended　a　stiff　arm。　Bond　took　the　buff　O。H。M。S。　envelope　and　slit　it　open。　He　ran　his　eyes　down　the　penciled　message　signed　by　the　Police　missioner。　Unemotionally　he　read　out：
　
　***
　
　〃PLANE　RETURNED　1730　HOISTED　INBOARD；　DISCO　SAILED　AT　1755；　FULL　SPEED；　COURSE　NORTHWEST　STOP　GIRL　DID　NOT　REPEAT　NOT　REAPPEAR　ON　DECK　AFTER　BOARDING。
　
　***
　
　Bond　borrowed　a　signal　blank　from　the　captain　and　wrote：
　
　***
　
　MANTA　WILL　ENDEAVOR　SHADOW　VIA　NORTHWEST　PROVIDENCE　CHANNEL　STOP　FIGHTER　BOMBER　SQUADRON　FROM　FORT　LAUDERDALE　WILL　BE　ASKED　THROUGH　NAVY　DEPARTMENT　TO　COOPERATE　WITHIN　RADIUS　OF　TWO　HUNDRED　MILES　OFF　FLORIDA　COAST　STOP　MANTA　WILL　KEEP　CONTACT　THROUGH　WINDSOR　FIELD　AIR　CONTROL　STOP　NAVY　DEPARTMENT　AND　ADMIRALTY　BEING　INFORMED　STOP　PLEASE　INFORM　GOVERNOR　ALSO　ADMIRAL　CARLSON　AND　BRIGADIER　FAIRCHILD　ON　ARRIVAL。
　
　***
　
　Bond　signed　the　message　and　passed　it　to　the　captain；　who　also　signed；　as　did　Leiter。　Bond　put　the　message　in　an　envelope　and　gave　it　to　the　corporal；　who　wheeled　smartly　and　clanked　out　in　his　heavy　boots。
　
　When　the　door　was　shut；　the　captain　pressed　down　the　switch　on　the　inter。　He　gave　orders　to　sail；　surfaced；　course　due　north；　at　ten　knots。　Then　he　switched　off。　In　the　short　silence；　there　was　a　flurry　of　background　noise；　piping　of　bosuns'　whistles；　a　thin　mechanical　whine；　and　the　sound　of　running　feet。　The　submarine　trembled　slightly。　The　captain　said　quietly；　〃Well；　gentlemen；　that's　that。　I'd　like　to　have　the　goose　a　bit　less　wild　and　a　bit　more　solid。　But　I'll　be　glad　to　chase　her　for　you。　Now　then；　that　signal。〃
　
　With　only　half　his　mind　on　the　wording　of　the　signal；　Bond　sat　and　worried　about　the　significance　of　the　missioner's　message　and　about　Domino。　It　looked　bad。　It　looked　as　if　either　the　plane　had　not　brought　back　the　two　bombs；　or　one　of　them；　in　which　case　the　mobilization　of　the　Manta　and　of　the　fighter　bombers　was　a　pretty　meaningless　precaution；　hardly　justified　by　the　evidence。　It　could　easily　be　that　the　crashed　Vindicator　and　the　missing　bombs　were　the　work　of　some　entirely　different　group　and　that；　while　they　chased　the　Disco　；　the　field　was　being　left　clear　for　SPECTRE。　But　Bond's　instincts　refused　to　allow　him　to　accept　this　possibility。　As　cover；　the　whole　Disco　…Largo　set…up　was　one　hundred　per　cent　watertight。　It　could　not　be　faulted　in　any　respect。　That　in　itself　was　enough　to　arouse　Bond's　suspicions。　A　plot　of　this　magnitude　and　audacity　would　only　have　been　conceived　under　faultless　cover　and　down　to　the　smallest　detail。　Largo　could　have　just　set　off　on　his　treasure　hunt；　and　everything；　down　to　the　last…minute　plane　recce　of　the　treasure　location；　to　see　if　there　were　any　fishing　boats　about　for　instance；　fitted　in　with　that　possibility。　Or　he　could　be　sailing　to　lay　the　bomb；　adjust　the　time　fuse　for　perhaps　a　few　hours　after　the　deadline　to　allow　time　for　its　recovery　or　destruction　if　England　and　America　at　the　last　moment　agreed　to　pay　the　ransom；　and　get　far　enough　away　from　the　danger　area　to　avoid　the　explosion　and　establish　an　alibi。　But　where　was　the　bomb？　Had　it　arrived　on　board　in　the　plane　and　had　Domino　for　some　reason　been　unable　to　go　up　on　deck　to　make　her　signal？　Or　was　it　going　to　be　picked　up　en　route　to　the　target　area？　The　westerly　course　from　Nassau；　heading　perhaps　for　the　Northwest　Light；　through　the　Berry　Island　Channel；　fitted　both　possibilities。　The　sunken　plane　lay　westward；　south　of　the　Biminis；　and　so　did　Miami　and　other　possible　targets　on　the　American　coast。　Or；　after　passing　through　the　channel；　about　fifty　miles　west　of　Nassau；　the　Disco　could　veer　sharply　northward　and；　after　another　fifty　miles　of　sailing　through　shoal　water　that　would　discourage　pursuit；　get　back　into　the　Northwest　Providence　Channel　and　make　straight　for　the　Grand　Bahamas　and　the　missile　station。
　
　Bond；　fretted　with　indecision　and　the　fear　that　he　and　Leiter　were　making　majestic　fools　of　themselves；　forced　himself　to　face　one　certainty…he　and　Leiter　and　the　Manta　were　engaged　on　a　crazy　gamble。　If　the　bomb　was　on　board；　if　the　Disco　veered　north　for　the　Grand　Bahamas　and　the　missile　statio