if.thunderball-第31节

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be　on　some　sort　of　a　training　cruise　in　the　area；　getting　ready　to　go　under　the　South　Pole　for　a　change　I　suppose；　or　some　other　damned　promotion　job　to　help　along　the　Navy　Estimates。　But　I　ask　you！　Here's　all　these　million　dollars'　worth　of　material　on　instant　call　from　Ensign　Leiter；　manding　Room　201　in　the　Royal　Bahamian　Hotel！　Not　bad！〃
　
　Bond　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Seems　to　me　your　President　is　taking　all　this　a　bit　more　seriously　than　his　man　in　Nassau。　I　suppose　our　Chiefs　of　Staff　have　weighed　in　with　our　stuff　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic。　Anyway；　no　harm　in　having　the　big　battalions　in　the　offing　just　in　case　Nassau　Casino　happens　to　be　Target　No。　1。　By　the　way；　what　ideas　have　your　people　got　about　these　targets？　What　have　you　got　in　this　part　of　the　world　that　fits　in　with　SPECTRE'S　letter？　We've　only　got　the　joint　rocket　base　at　a　place　called　Northwest　Cay　at　the　eastern　end　of　the　Grand　Bahamas。　That's　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　miles　north　of　here。　Apparently　the　gear　and　prototypes　we　and　your　people　have　got　there　would　easily　be　worth　￡100；000；000。〃
　
　〃The　only　possible　targets　I've　been　given　are　Cape　Canaveral；　the　naval　base　at　Pensacola；　and；　if　the　party　really　is　going　to　take　place　in　this　area；　Miami　for　target　No。　2；　with　Tampa　as　a　possible　runner…up。　SPECTRE　used　the　words　‘a　piece　of　property　belonging　to　the　Western　Powers。'　That　sounds　like　some　kind　of　installation　to　me…　something　like　the　uranium　mines　in　the　Congo；　for　instance。　But　a　rocket　base　would　fit　all　right。　If　we've　got　to　take　this　thing　seriously；　I'd　lay　odds　on　Canaveral　or　this　place　on　Grand　Bahama。　Only　thing　I　can't　understand；　if　they've　got　these　bombs；　how　are　they　going　to　transport　them　to　the　target　and　set　them　off？〃
　
　〃A　submarine　could　do　it…　just　lay　one　of　the　bombs　offshore　through　a　torpedo　tube。　Or　a　sailing　dinghy；　for　the　matter　of　that。　Apparently　exploding　these　things　is　no　problem　so　long　as　they　recovered　all　the　parts　from　the　plane。　Apparently　you'd　just　have　to　insert　some　kind　of　fuse　thing　in　the　right　place　between　the　T。N。T。　and　the　plutonium；　and　screw　the　impact　fuse　off　the　nose　and　fit　a　time　fuse　that　would　give　you　time　to　get　a　hundred　miles　away。〃　Bond　added　casually；　〃Have　to　have　an　expert　who　knows　the　drill　of　course；　but　the　trip　would　be　no　problem　for　the　Disco　；　for　instance。　She　could　lay　the　bomb　off　Grand　Bahama　at　midnight　and　be　back　at　anchor　off　Palmyra　by　breakfast　time。〃　He　smiled。　〃See　what　I　mean？　It　all　adds　up。〃
　
　〃Nuts；〃　said　Leiter　succinctly。　〃You'll　have　to　do　better　than　that　if　you　want　my　blood　pressure　to　go　up。　Anyway；　let's　get　the　hell　out　of　here　and　go　have　ourselves　some　eggs　and　bacon　in　one　of　those　clip　joints　on　Bay　Street。　It'll　cost　us　twenty　dollars　plus　tax；　but　the　Manta　probably　burns　that　every　time　her　screws　turn　full　circle。　Then　we'll　go　along　to　the　Casino　and　see　if　Mr。　Fuchs　or　Signor　Pontecorvo　is　sitting　beside　Largo　at　the　blackjack　table。〃
　
　
　15。　Cardboard　Hero
　
　The　Nassau　Casino　is　the　only　legal　casino　on　British　soil　anywhere　in　the　world。　How　this　is　justified　under　the　laws　of　the　monwealth　no　one　can　quite　figure。　It　is　leased　each　year　to　a　Canadian　gambling　syndicate　and　their　operating　profits　in　the　smart　winter　season　are　estimated　to　average　around　100；000。　The　only　games　played　are　roulette；　with　two　zeros　instead　of　one；　which　increases　the　take　to　the　house　from　the　European　3。6　to　a　handsome　5。4；　blackjack；　or　21；　on　which　the　house　makes　between　6　and　7　per　cent；　and　one　table　of　chemin　de　fer　；　whose　cagnotte　yields　a　modest　5　per　cent。　The　operation　is　run　as　a　club　in　a　handsome　private　house　on　West　Bay　Street　and　there　is　a　pleasant　dance　and　supper　room　with　a　three…piece　bo　that　plays　old　favorites　in　strict　time；　and　a　lounge　bar。　It　is　a　well…run；　elegant　place　that　deserves　its　profit。
　
　The　Governor's　A。D。C。　had　presented　Bond　and　Leiter　with　membership　cards；　and　after　they　had　had　coffee　and　a　stinger　at　the　bar　they　separated　and　went　to　the　tables。
　
　Largo　was　playing　chemin　de　fer　。　He　had　a　fat　pile　of　hundred…dollar　plaques　in　front　of　him　and　half　a　dozen　of　the　big　yellow　thousand…dollar　biscuits。　Domino　Vitali　sat　behind　him　chain…smoking　and　watching　the　play。　Bond　observed　the　game　from　a　distance。　Largo　was　playing　expansively；　bancoing　whenever　he　could　and　letting　his　own　banks　run。　He　was　winning　steadily；　but　with　excellent　manners；　and　by　the　way　people　joked　with　him　and　applauded　his　coups　he　was　obviously　a　favorite　in　the　Casino。　Domino；　in　black　with　a　square…cut　neckline　and　with　one　large　diamond　on　a　thin　chain　at　her　throat；　was　looking　morose　and　bored。　The　woman　on　Largo's　right；　having　bancoed　him　three　times　and　lost；　got　up　and　left　the　table。　Bond　went　quickly　across　the　room　and　slid　into　the　empty　place。　It　was　a　bank　of　eight　hundred　dollars…the　round　sum　being　due　to　Largo　making　up　the　cagnotte　after　each　play。
　
　It　is　good　for　the　banker　when　he　has　got　past　the　third　banco。　It　often　means　the　bank　is　going　to　run。　Bond　knew　this　perfectly　well。　He　was　also　painfully　aware　that　his　total　capital　was　only　one　thousand　dollars。　But　the　fact　that　everyone　was　so　nervous　of　Largo's　luck　made　him　bold。　And；　after　all；　the　table　has　no　memory。　Luck；　he　told　himself；　is　strictly　for　the　birds。　He　said；　〃Banco。〃
　
　〃Ah；　my　good　friend　Mr。　Bond。〃　Largo　held　out　a　hand。　〃Now　we　have　the　big　money　ing　to　the　table。　Perhaps　I　should　pass　the　bank。　The　English　know　how　to　play　at　railway　trains。　But　still〃…　he　smiled　charmingly…〃if　I　have　to　lose　I　would　certainly　like　to　lose　to　Mr。　Bond。〃
　
　The　big　brown　hand　gave　the　shoe　a　soft　slap。　Largo　eased　out　the　pink　tongue　of　playing　card　and　moved　it　across　the　baize　to　Bond。　He　took　one　for　himself　and　then　pressed　out　one　more　for　each　of　them。　Bond　picked　up　his　first　card　and　flicked　it　face　up　into　the　middle　of　the　table。　It　was　a　nine；　the　nine　of　diamonds。　Bond　glanced　sideways　at　Largo。　He　said；　〃That　is　always　a　good　start…so　good　that　I　will　also　face　my　second　card。〃　He　casually　flicked　it　out　to　join　the　nine。　It　turned　over　in　mid…air　and　fell　besides　the　nine。　It　was　a　glorious　ten；　the　ten　of　spades。　Unless　Largo's　two　cards　also　added　up　to　nine　or　nineteen；　Bond　had　won。
　
　Largo　laughed；　but　the　laugh　had　a　hard　edge　to　it。　〃You　certainly　make　me　try；〃　he　said　gaily。　He　threw　his　cards　to　follow　Bond's。　They　were　the　eight　of　hearts　and　the　king　of　clubs。　Largo　had　lost　by　a　pip…two　naturals；　but　one　just　better　than　the　other；　the　crudest　way　to　lose。　Largo　laughed　hugely。　〃Somebody　had　to　be　second；〃　he　said　to　the　table　at　large。　〃What　did　I　say？　The　English　can　pull　what　they　like　out　of　the　shoe。〃
　
　The　croupier　pushed　the　chips　across　to　Bond。　Bond　made　a　small　pile　of　them。　He　gestured　at　the　heap　in　front　of　Largo：　〃So；　it　seems；　can　the　Italians。　I　told　you　this　afternoon　we　should　go　into　partnership。〃
　
　Largo　laughed　delightedly。　〃Well；　let's　just　try　once　again。　Put　in　what　you　have　won　and　I　will　banco　it　in　partnership　with　Mr。　Snow　on　your　right。　Yes；　Mr。　Snow？〃
　
　Mr。　Snow；　a　tough…looking　European　who；　Bond　remembered；　was　one　of　the　shareholders；　agreed。　Bond　put　in　the　eight　hundred　and　they　each　put　in　four　against　him。　Bond　won　again；　this　time　with　a　six　against　a　five　for　the　table…once　more　by　one　point。
　
　Largo　shook　his　head　mournfully。　〃Now　indeed　we　have　seen　the　writing　on　the　wall。　Mr。　Snow；　you　will　have　to　continue　alone。　This　Mr。　Bond　has　green　fingers　against　me；　I　surrender。〃
　
　Now　Largo　was　smiling　only　with　his　mouth。　Mr。　Snow　suivied　and　pushed　forward　sixteen　hundred　dollars　to　cover　Bond's　stake。　Bond　thought：　I　have　made　sixteen　hundred　dollars　in　two　coups；　over　five　hundred　pounds。　And　it　would　be　fun　to　pass　the　bank　and　for　the　bank　to　go　down　on　the　next　hand。　He　withdrew　his　stake　and　said；　〃　La　main　passe　。〃　There　was　a　buzz　of　ment。　Largo　said　dramatically；　〃Don't　do　it　to　me！　Don't　tell　me　the　bank's　going　to　go　down　on　the　next　hand！　If　it　does　I　shoot　myself。　Okay；　okay；　I　will　buy　Mr。　Bond's　bank　and　we　will　see。〃　He　threw　some　plaques　out　on　to　the　table…sixteen　hundred　dollars'　worth。
　
　And　Bond　heard　his　own　voice　say　banco！　He　was　bancoing　his　own　bank…telling　Largo　that　he　had　done　it　to　him　once；　then　twice；　and　now　he　was　going　to　do　it；　inevitably；　again！
　
　Largo　turned　round　to　face　Bond。　Smiling　with　his　mouth；　he　narrowed　his　eyes　and　looked　carefully；　with　a　new　curiosity；　at　Bond's　face。　He　said　quietly；　〃But　you　are　hunting　me；　my　dear　fellow。　You　are　pursuing　me。　What　is　this？　Vendetta？〃
　
　Bond　thought：　I　will　see　if　an　association　of　words　does　something　to　him。　He　said；　〃When　I　came　to　the　table　I　saw　a　spectre。〃　He　said　the　word　casually；　with　no　hint　at　double　meaning。
　
　The　smile　came　off　Largo's　face　as　if　he　had　been　slapped。　It　was　at　once　switched　on　again；　but　now　the　whole　face　was　tense；　strained；　and　the　eyes　had　gone　watchful　and　very　hard。　His　tongue　came　out　and　touched　his　lips。　〃Really？　What　do　you　mean？〃
　
　Bond　said　lightly；　〃The　spectre　of　defeat。　I　thought　your　luck　was　on　the　turn。　Perhaps　I　was　wrong。〃　He　gestured　at　t