if.thunderball-第13节

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is　already；　by　your　unanimous　vote；　my　successor　in　case　of　my　death　or　incapacity。　So　far　as　Plan　Omega　is　concerned；　he　is　deputy　Supreme　mander　of　SPECTRE；　and　since　I　shall　remain　at　Headquarters　to　keep　watch　over　reactions　to　the　Letter；　No。　1　will　be　Supreme　mander　in　the　field。　His　orders　will　be　obeyed　as　if　they　were　my　own。　I　hope　we　are　fully　agreed　in　this　matter。〃　Blofeld's　eyes；　sharply　focused；　swept　the　meeting。　Everyone　signified　his　agreement。
　
　〃So；〃　said　Blofeld。　〃Then　the　meeting　is　now　closed。　I　will　instruct　the　disposal　squad　to　take　care　of　the　remains　of　No。　12。　No。　18；　please　connect　me　with　No。　1　on　20　megacycles。　That　waveband　will　have　been　unoccupied　by　the　French　Post　Office　since　eight　o'clock。〃
　
　7。　〃Fasten　Your　Lap…Strap〃
　
　James　Bond　scraped　the　last　dregs　of　yoghurt　out　of　the　bottom　of　the　carton　that　said：　〃　Goat…milk　culture。　From　our　own　Goat　Farm　at　Stanway；　Glos。　The　Heart　of　the　Cotswolds。　According　to　an　authentic　Bulgarian　recipe　。〃　He　took　an　Energen　roll；　sliced　it　carefully…they　are　apt　to　crumble…and　reached　for　the　black　treacle。　He　masticated　each　mouthful　thoroughly。　Saliva　contains　ptyalin。　Thorough　mastication　creates　ptyalin　which　helps　to　convert　starches　into　sugar　to　supply　energy　for　the　body。　Ptyalin　is　an　enzyme。　Other　enzymes　are　pepsin；　found　in　the　stomach；　and　trypsin　and　erepsin；　found　in　the　intestine。　These　and　other　enzymes　are　chemical　substances　that　break　up　the　food　as　it　passes　through　the　mouth；　the　stomach；　and　the　digestive　tract　and　help　absorb　it　directly　into　the　blood　stream。　James　Bond　now　had　all　these　important　facts　at　his　fingertips。　He　couldn't　understand　why　no　one　had　told　him　these　things　before。　Since　leaving　Shrublands　ten　days　before；　he　had　never　felt　so　well　in　his　life。　His　energy　had　doubled。　Even　the　paper　work　he　had　always　found　an　intolerable　drudgery　was　now　almost　a　pleasure。　He　ate　it　up。　Sections；　after　a　period　of　being　only　surprised；　were　now　being　slightly　irritated　by　the　forceful；　clear…headed　minutes　that　came　shooting　back　at　them　from　the　Double…O　Section。　Bond　awoke　so　early　and　so　full　of　beans　that　he　had　taken　to　arriving　at　his　office　early　and　leaving　late；　much　to　the　irritation　of　his　secretary；　the　delectable　Loelia　Ponsonby；　who　found　her　own　private　routines　being　put　seriously　out　of　joint。　She　also　was　beginning　to　show　signs　of　irritation　and　strain。　She　had　even　taken　upon　herself　to　have　a　private　word　with　Miss　Moneypenny；　M's　private　secretary　and　her　best　friend　in　the　building。　Miss　Moneypenny；　swallowing　her　jealousy　of　Loelia　Ponsonby；　had　been　encouraging。　〃It's　all　right；　Lil；〃　she　had　said　over　coffee　in　the　canteen。　〃The　Old　Man　was　like　that　for　a　couple　of　weeks　after　he　had　got　back　from　that　damned　nature…cure　place。　It　was　like　working　for　Gandhi　or　Schweitzer　or　someone。　Then　a　couple　of　bad　cases　came　up　and　rattled　him　and　one　evening　he　went　to　Blades…to　take　his　mind　off　things　I　suppose…and　the　next　day　he　felt　awful；　and　looked　it；　and　from　then　on　he's　been　all　right　again。　I　suppose　he　got　back　on　the　champagne　cure　or　something。　It's　really　the　best　for　men。　It　makes　them　awful；　but　at　least　they're　human　like　that。　It's　when　they　get　godlike　one　can't　stand　them。〃
　
　May；　Bond's　elderly　Scottish　treasure；　came　in　to　clear　the　breakfast　things　away。　Bond　had　lit　up　a　Duke　of　Durham；　king…size；　with　filter。　The　authoritative　Consumers　Union　of　America　rates　this　cigarette　the　one　with　the　smallest　tar　and　nicotine　content。　Bond　had　transferred　to　the　brand　from　the　fragrant　but　powerful　Morland　Balkan　mixture　with　three　gold　rings　round　the　paper　that　he　had　been　smoking　since　his　teens。　The　Dukes　tasted　of　almost　nothing；　but　they　were　at　least　better　than　Vanguards；　the　new　〃tobaccoless〃　cigarette　from　America　that；　despite　its　health…protecting　qualities；　filled　the　room　with　a　faint　〃burning　leaves〃　smell　that　made　visitors　to　his　office　inquire　whether　something　was　on　fire　somewhere。
　
　May　was　fiddling　about　with　the　breakfast　things…her　signal　that　she　had　something　to　say。　Bond　looked　up　from　the　center　news　page　of　The　Times　。　〃Anything　on　your　mind；　May？〃
　
　May's　elderly；　severe　features　were　flushed。　She　said　defensively；　〃I　have　that。〃　She　looked　straight　at　Bond。　She　was　holding　the　yoghurt　carton　in　her　hand。　She　crumpled　it　in　her　strong　fingers　and　dropped　it　among　the　breakfast　things　on　the　tray。　〃It's　not　my　place　to　say　it；　Mister　James；　but　ye're　poisoning　yersel'。〃
　
　Bond　said　cheerfully；　〃I　know；　May。　You're　quite　right。　But　at　least　I've　got　them　down　to　ten　a　day。〃
　
　〃I'm　not　talking　about　yer　wee　bitty　smoke。　I'm　talking　'bout　this…〃　May　gestured　at　the　tray…〃this　pap。〃　The　word　was　spat　out　with　disdain。　Having　got　this　off　her　chest；　May　gathered　steam。　〃It's　no　recht　for　a　man　to　be　eating　bairns'　food　and　slops　and　suchlike。　Ye　needn't　worry　that　I'll　talk；　Mister　James；　but　I'm　knowing　more　about　yer　life　than　mebbe　ye　were　wishing　I　did。　There's　been　times　when　they're　brought　ye　home　from　hospital　and　there's　talk　you've　been　in　a　motoring　accident　or　some　such。　But　I'm　not　the　old　fule　ye　think　I　am；　Mister　James。　Motoring　accidents　don't　make　one　small　hole　in　yer　shoulder　or　yer　leg　or　somewhere。　Why；　ye've　got　scars　on　ye　the　noo…ach；　ye　needn't　grin　like　that；　I've　seen　them…that　could　only　be　made　by　buellets。　And　these　guns　and　knives　and　things　ye　carry　around　when　ye're　off　abroad。　Ach！〃
　
　May　put　her　hands　on　her　hips。　Her　eyes　were　bright　and　defiant。　〃Ye　can　tell　me　to　mind　my　ain　business　and　pack　me　off　back　to　Glen　Orchy；　but　before　I　go　I'm　telling　ye；　Mister　James；　that　if　ye　get　yerself　into　anuither　fight　and　ye've　got　nothing　but　yon　muck　in　yer　stomach；　they'll　be　bringing　ye　home　in　a　hearse。　That's　what　they'll　be　doing。〃
　
　In　the　old　days；　James　Bond　would　have　told　May　to　go　to　hell　and　leave　him　in　peace。　Now；　with　infinite　patience　and　good　humor；　he　gave　May　a　quick　run　through　the　basic　tenets　of　〃live〃　as　against　〃dead〃　foods。　〃You　see；　May；〃　he　said　reasonably；　〃all　these　de…naturized　foods…white　flour；　white　sugar；　white　rice；　white　salts；　whites　of　egg…these　are　dead　foods。　Either　they're　dead　anyway　like　whites　of　egg　or　they've　had　all　the　nourishment　refined　out　of　them。　They're　slow　poisons；　like　fried　foods　and　cakes　and　coffee　and　heaven　knows　how　many　of　the　things　I　used　to　eat。　And　anyway；　look　how　wonderfully　well　I　am。　I　feel　absolutely　a　new　man　since　I　took　to　eating　the　right　things　and　gave　up　drink　and　so　on。　I　sleep　twice　as　well。　I've　got　twice　as　much　energy。　No　headaches。　No　muscle　pains。　NO　hangovers。　Why；　a　month　ago　there　wasn't　a　week　went　by　but　that　on　at　least　one　day　I　couldn't　eat　anything　for　breakfast　but　a　couple　of　aspirins　and　a　prairie　oyster。　And　you　know　quite　well　that　that　used　to　make　you　cluck　and　tut…tut　all　over　the　place　like　an　old　hen。　Well〃…Bond　raised　his　eyebrows　amiably…〃what　about　that？〃
　
　May　was　defeated。　She　picked　up　the　tray　and；　with　a　stiff　back　made　for　the　door。　She　paused　on　the　threshold　and　turned　round。　Her　eyes　were　bright　with　angry　tears。　〃Well；　all　I　can　say　is；　Mr。　James；　that　mebbe　ye're　right　and　mebbe　ye're　wrong。　What　worries　the　life　out　of　me　is　that　ye're　not　yersel'　any　more。〃　She　went　out　and　banged　the　door。
　
　Bond　sighed　and　picked　up　the　paper。　He　said　the　magical　words　that　all　men　say　when　a　middle…aged　woman　makes　a　temperamental　scene；　〃change　of　life；〃　and　went　back　to　reading　about　the　latest　reasons　for　not　having　a　Summit　meeting。
　
　The　telephone；　the　red　one　that　was　the　direct　line　with　Headquarters；　gave　its　loud；　distinctive　jangle。　Bond　kept　his　eyes　on　the　page　and　reached　out　a　hand。　With　the　Cold　War　easing　off；　it　was　not　like　the　old　days。　This　would　be　nothing　exciting。　Probably　canceling　his　shoot　at　Bisley　that　afternoon　with　the　new　F。N。　rifle。
　
　〃Bond　speaking。〃
　
　It　was　the　Chief　of　Staff。　Bond　dropped　his　paper　on　the　floor。　He　pressed　the　receiver　to　his　ear；　trying；　as　in　the　old　days；　to　read　behind　the　words。
　
　〃At　once　please；　James。　M。〃
　
　〃Something　for　me？〃
　
　〃Something　for　everyone。　Crash　dive；　and　ultra　hush。　If　you've　got　any　dates　for　the　next　few　weeks；　better　cancel　them。　You'll　be　off　tonight。　See　you。〃　The　line　went　dead。
　
　***
　
　Bond　had　the　most　selfish　car　in　England。　It　was　a　Mark　II　Continental　Bentley　that　some　rich　idiot　had　married　to　a　telegraph　pole　on　the　Great　West　Road。　Bond　had　bought　the　bits　for　￡1500　and　Rolls　had　straightened　the　bend　in　the　chassis　and　fitted　new　clockwork…the　Mark　IV　engine　with　9。5　pression。　Then　Bond　had　gone　to　Mulliners　with　￡3000；　which　was　half　his　total　capital；　and　they　had　sawn　off　the　old　cramped　sports　saloon　body　and　had　fitted　a　trim；　rather　square　convertible　two…seater　affair；　power…operated；　with　only　two　large　armed　bucket　seats　in　black　leather。　The　rest　of　the　blunt　end　was　all　knife…edged；　rather　ugly；　trunk。　The　car　was　painted　in　rough；　not　gloss；　battleship　gray　and　the　upholstery　was　black　morocco。　She　went　like　a　bird　and　a　bomb　and　Bond　loved　her　more　than　all　the　women　at　present　in　his　life　rolled；　if　that　were　feasible；　together。
　
　B