if.thunderball-第32节

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　Bond　said　lightly；　〃The　spectre　of　defeat。　I　thought　your　luck　was　on　the　turn。　Perhaps　I　was　wrong。〃　He　gestured　at　the　shoe。　〃Let's　see。〃
　
　The　table　had　gone　quiet。　The　players　and　spectators　felt　that　a　tension　had　e　between　these　two　men。　Suddenly　there　was　the　smell　of　enmity　where　before　there　had　been　only　jokes。　A　glove　had　been　thrown　down；　by　the　Englishman。　Was　it　about　the　girl？　Probably。　The　crowd　licked　its　lips。
　
　Largo　laughed　sharply。　He　stitched　gaiety　and　bravado　back　on　his　face。　〃Aha！〃　His　voice　was　boisterous　again。　〃My　friend　wishes　to　put　the　evil　eye　upon　my　cards。　We　have　a　way　to　deal　with　that　where　I　e　from。〃　He　lifted　a　hand；　and　with　only　the　first　and　little　fingers　outstretched　in　a　fork；　he　prodded　once；　like　a　snake　striking　toward　Bond's　face。　To　the　crowd　it　was　a　playful　piece　of　theater；　but　Bond；　within　the　strong　aura　of　the　man's　animal　magnetism；　felt　the　ill　temper；　the　malevolence　behind　the　old　Mafia　gesture。
　
　Bond　laughed　good…naturedly。　〃That　certainly　put　the　hex　on　me。　But　what　did　it　do　to　the　cards？　e　on；　your　spectre　against　my　spectre！〃
　
　Again　the　look　of　doubt　came　over　Largo's　face。　Why　again　the　use　of　this　word？　He　gave　the　shoe　a　hefty　slap。　〃All　right；　my　friend。　We　are　wrestling　the　best　of　three　falls。　Here　es　the　third。〃
　
　Quickly　his　first　two　fingers　licked　out　the　four　cards。　The　table　had　hushed。　Bond　faced　his　pair　inside　his　hand。　He　had　a　total　of　five…a　ten　of　clubs　and　a　five　of　hearts。　Five　is　a　marginal　number。　One　can　either　draw　or　not。　Bond　folded　the　cards　face　down　on　the　table。　He　said；　with　the　confident　look　of　a　man　who　has　a　six　or　a　seven；　〃No　card；　thank　you。〃
　
　Largo's　eyes　narrowed　as　he　tried　to　read　Bond's　face。　He　turned　up　his　cards；　flicked　them　into　the　middle　of　the　table　with　a　gesture　of　disgust。　He　also　had　a　count　of　five。　Now　what　was　he　to　do？　Draw　or　not　draw？　He　looked　again　at　the　quiet　smile　of　confidence　on　Bond's　face…and　drew。　It　was　a　nine；　the　nine　of　spades。　By　drawing　another　card　instead　of　standing　on　his　five　and　equaling　Bond；　he　had　drawn　and　now　had　a　four　to　Bond's　five。
　
　Impassively　Bond　turned　up　his　cards。　He　said；　〃I'm　afraid　you　should　have　killed　the　evil　eye　in　the　pack；　not　in　me。〃
　
　There　was　a　buzz　of　ment　round　the　table。　〃But　if　the　Italian　had　stood　on　his　five　。　。　。〃　〃I　always　draw　on　a　five。〃　〃I　never　do。〃　〃It　was　bad　luck。〃　〃No；　it　was　bad　play。〃
　
　Now　it　was　an　effort　for　Largo　to　keep　the　snarl　off　his　face。　But　he　managed　it；　the　forced　smile　lost　its　twist；　the　balled　fists　relaxed。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　held　out　his　hand　to　Bond。　Bond　took　it；　folding　his　thumb　inside　his　palm　just　in　case　Largo　might　give　him　a　bone…crusher　with　his　vast　machine　tool　of　a　hand。　But　it　was　a　firm　grasp　and　no　more。　Largo　said；　〃Now　I　must　wait　for　the　shoe　to　e　round　again。　You　have　taken　all　my　winnings。　I　have　a　hard　evening's　work　ahead　of　me　just　when　I　was　going　to　take　my　niece　for　a　drink　and　a　dance。〃　He　turned　to　Domino。　〃My　dear；　I　don't　think　you　know　Mr。　Bond；　except　on　the　telephone。　I'm　afraid　he　has　upset　my　plans。　You　must　find　someone　else　to　squire　you。〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃How　do　you　do。　Didn't　we　meet　in　the　tobacconist's　this　morning？〃
　
　The　girl　screwed　up　her　eyes。　She　said　indifferently；　〃Yes？　It　is　possible。　I　have　such　a　bad　memory　for　faces。〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃Well；　could　I　give　you　a　drink？　I　can　just　afford　even　a　Nassau　drink　now；　thanks　to　the　generosity　of　Mr。　Largo。　And　I　have　finished　here。　This　sort　of　thing　can't　last。　I　mustn't　press　my　luck。〃
　
　The　girl　got　up。　She　said　ungraciously；　〃If　you　have　nothing　better　to　do。〃　She　turned　to　Largo：　〃Emilio；　perhaps　if　I　take　this　Mr。　Bond　away；　your　luck　will　turn　again。　I　will　be　in　the　supper　room　having　caviar　and　champagne。　We　must　try　and　get　as　much　of　your　funds　as　we　can　back　in　the　family。〃
　
　Largo　laughed。　His　spirits　had　returned。　He　said；　〃You　see；　Mr。　Bond；　you　are　out　of　the　frying　pan　into　the　fire。　In　Dominetta's　hands　you　may　not　fare　so　well　as　in　mine。　See　you　later；　my　dear　fellow。　I　must　now　get　back　to　the　salt　mines　where　you　have　consigned　me。〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃Well；　thanks　for　the　game。　I　will　order　champagne　and　caviar　for　three。　My　spectre　also　deserves　his　reward。〃　Wondering　again　whether　the　shadow　that　flickered　in　Largo's　eyes　at　the　word　had　more　significance　than　Italian　superstition；　he　got　up　and　followed　the　girl　between　the　crowded　tables　to　the　supper　room。　Domino　made　for　a　shadowed　table　in　the　farthest　corner　of　the　room。　Walking　behind　her；　Bond　had　noticed　for　the　first　time　she　had　the　smallest　trace　of　a　limp。　He　found　it　endearing；　a　touch　of　childish　sweetness　beneath　the　authority　and　blatant　sex　appeal　of　a　girl　to　whom　he　had　been　inclined　to　award　that　highest；　but　toughest；　French　title…a　courtisane　de　marque　。
　
　When　the　Clicquot　rosé　and　fifty　dollars'　worth　of　Beluga　caviar　came…anything　less；　he　had　mented　to　her；　would　be　no　more　than　a　spoonful…he　asked　her　about　the　limp。　〃Did　you　hurt　yourself　swimming　today？〃
　
　She　looked　at　him　gravely。　〃No。　I　have　one　leg　an　inch　shorter　than　the　other。　Does　it　displease　you？〃
　
　〃No。　It's　pretty。　It　makes　you　something　of　a　child。〃　〃Instead　of　a　hard　old　kept　woman。　Yes？〃　Her　eyes　challenged　him。
　
　〃Is　that　how　you　see　yourself？〃
　
　〃It's　rather　obvious　isn't　it？　Anyway；　it's　what　everyone　in　Nassau　thinks。〃　She　looked　him　squarely　in　the　eyes；　but　with　a　touch　of　pleading。
　
　〃Nobody's　told　me　that。　Anyway；　I　make　up　my　own　mind　about　men　and　women。　What's　the　good　of　other　people's　opinions？　Animals　don't　consult　each　other　about　other　animals。　They　look　and　sniff　and　feel。　In　love　and　hate；　and　everything　in　between；　those　are　the　only　tests　that　matter。　But　people　are　unsure　of　their　own　instincts。　They　want　reassurance。　So　they　ask　someone　else　whether　they　should　like　a　particular　person　or　not。　And　as　the　world　loves　bad　news；　they　nearly　always　get　a　bad　answer…or　at　least　a　qualified　one。　Would　you　like　to　know　what　I　think　of　you？〃
　
　She　smiled。　〃Every　woman　likes　to　hear　about　herself。　Tell　me；　but　make　it　sound　true；　otherwise　I　shall　stop　listening。〃
　
　〃I　think　you're　a　young　girl；　younger　than　you　pretend　to　be；　younger　than　you　dress。　I　think　you　were　carefully　brought　up；　in　a　red…carpet　sort　of　way；　and　then　the　red　carpet　was　suddenly　jerked　away　from　under　your　feet　and　you　were　thrown　more　or　less　into　the　street。　So　you　picked　yourself　up　and　started　to　work　your　own　way　back　to　the　red　carpet　you　had　got　used　to。　You　were　probably　fairly　ruthless　about　it。　You　had　to　be。　You　only　had　a　woman's　weapons　and　you　probably　used　them　pretty　coolly。　I　expect　you　used　your　body。　It　would　be　a　wonderful　asset。　But　in　using　it　to　get　what　you　wanted；　your　sensibilities　had　to　be　put　aside。　I　don't　expect　they're　very　far　underground。　They　certainly　haven't　atrophied。　They've　just　lost　their　voice　because　you　wouldn't　listen　to　them。　You　couldn't　afford　to　listen　to　them　if　you　were　to　get　back　on　that　red　carpet　and　have　the　things　you　wanted。　And　now　you've　got　the　things。〃　Bond　touched　the　hand　that　lay　on　the　banquette　between　them。　〃And　perhaps　you've　almost　had　enough　of　them。〃　He　laughed。　〃But　I　mustn't　get　too　serious。　Now　about　the　smaller　things。　You　know　all　about　them；　but　just　for　the　record；　you're　beautiful；　sexy；　provocative；　independent；　self…willed；　quick…tempered；　and　cruel。〃　She　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。　〃There's　nothing　very　clever　about　all　that。　I　told　you　most　of　it。　You　know　something　about　Italian　women。　But　why　do　you　say　I'm　cruel？〃
　
　〃If　I　was　gambling　and　I　took　a　knock　like　Largo　did　and　I　had　my　woman；　a　woman；　sitting　near　me　watching；　and　she　didn't　give　me　one　word　of　fort　or　encouragement　I　would　say　she　was　being　cruel。　Men　don't　like　failing　in　front　of　their　women。〃
　
　She　said　impatiently；　〃I've　had　to　sit　there　too　often　and　watch　him　show　off。　I　wanted　you　to　win。　I　cannot　pretend。　You　didn't　mention　my　only　virtue。　It's　honesty。　I　love　to　the　hilt　and　I　hate　to　the　hilt。　At　the　present　time；　with　Emilio；　I　am　halfway。　Where　we　were　lovers；　we　are　now　good　friends　who　understand　each　other。　When　I　told　you　he　was　my　guardian；　I　was　telling　a　white　lie。　I　am　his　kept　woman。　I　am　a　bird　in　a　gilded　cage。　I　am　fed　up　with　my　cage　and　tired　of　my　bargain。〃　She　looked　at　Bond　defensively。　〃Yes；　it　is　cruel　for　Emilio。　But　it　is　also　human。　You　can　buy　the　outside　of　the　body；　but　you　cannot　buy　what　is　inside…what　people　call　the　heart　and　the　soul。　But　Emilio　knows　that。　He　wants　women　for　use。　Not　for　love。　He　has　had　thousands　in　this　way。　He　knows　where　we　both　stand。　He　is　realistic。　But　it　is　being　more　difficult　to　keep　to　my　bargain…to；　to；　let's　call　it　sing　for　my　supper。〃
　
　She　stopped　abruptly。　She　said；　〃Give　me　some　more　champagne。　All　this　silly　talking　has　made　me　thirsty。　And　I　would　like　a　packet　of　Players〃…she　laughed　〃…Please；　as　they　say　in　the　advertisements。　I　am　fed　up　with　just　smoking　smoke。　I　need　my　Hero。〃　Bond　bought　a　packet　from　the　cigarette　girl。　He　said；　〃What's　that　about　a　hero？〃
　
　She　had　entirely　changed。　Her　bitterness　had　g