if.thunderball-第36节

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　17。　The　Red…Eye　Catab
　
　Bond；　putting　on　his　clothes；　dodged　the　ments　of　Constable　Santos。　It　seemed　there　had　been　sort　of　underwater　explosions；　with　eruptions　on　the　surface；　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　yacht。　Several　men　had　appeared　on　deck　and　there　had　been　some　kind　of　motion。　A　boat　had　been　lowered　on　the　port　side；　out　of　sight　of　the　shore。　Bond　said　he　knew　nothing　of　these　things。　He　had　cracked　his　head　against　the　side　of　the　ship。　Silly　thing　to　do。　He　had　seen　what　he　had　wanted　to　see　and　had　then　swum　back。　Entirely　successful。　The　Constable　had　been　a　great　help。　Thank　you　very　much　and　good　night。　Bond　would　be　seeing　the　missioner　in　the　morning。
　
　Bond　walked　with　careful　steadiness　up　the　side　street　to　where　he　had　parked　Leiter's　Ford。　He　got　to　the　hotel　and　telephoned　Leiter's　room　and　together　they　drove　to　police　headquarters。　Bond　described　what　had　happened　and　what　he　had　discovered。　Now　he　didn't　care　what　the　consequences　might　be。　He　was　going　to　make　a　report。　It　was　eight　a。m。　in　London　and　there　were　under　forty　hours　to　go　to　zero　hour。　All　these　straws　added　up　to　half　a　haystack。　His　suspicions　were　boiling　like　a　pressure　cooker。　He　couldn't　sit　on　the　lid　any　longer。
　
　Leiter　said　decisively；　〃You　do　just　that。　And　I'll　file　a　copy　to　C。I。A　and　endorse　it。　What's　more；　I'm　going　to　call　up　the　Manta　and　tell　her　to　get　the　hell　over　here。〃
　
　〃You　are？〃　Bond　was　amazed　at　this　change　of　tune。　〃What's　got　into　you　all　of　a　sudden？〃
　
　〃Well；　I　was　sculling　around　the　Casino　taking　a　good　look　at　anyone　I　thought　might　be　a　shareholder　or　a　treasure　hunter。　They　were　mostly　in　groups；　standing　around　trying　to　put　up　the　front　of　having　a　good　time…sunshine　holiday　and　all　that。　They　weren't　succeeding。　Largo　was　doing　all　the　work；　being　gay　and　boyish。　The　others　looked　like　private　dicks　or　the　rest　of　the　Torrio　gang　just　after　the　St。　Valentine　Day　massacre。　Never　seen　such　a　bunch　of　thugs　in　my　life…dressed　up　in　tuxedos　and　smoking　cigars　and　drinking　champagne　and　all　that…just　a　glass　or　two　to　show　the　Christmas　spirit。　Orders；　I　suppose。　But　all　of　them　with　that　smell　one　gets　to　know　in　the　Service；　or　in　Pinkertons　for　the　matter　of　that。　You　know；　careful；　cold…fish；　thinking…of…something…else　kinda　look　the　pros　have。　Well；　none　of　the　faces　meant　anything　to　me　until　I　came　across　a　little　guy　with　a　furrowed　brow　and　a　big　egghead　with　pebble　glasses　who　looked　like　a　Mormon　who's　got　into　a　whorehouse　by　mistake。　He　was　peering　about　nervously　and　every　time　one　of　these　other　guys　spoke　to　him　he　blushed　and　said　what　a　wonderful　place　it　was　and　he　was　having　a　swell　time。　I　got　close　enough　to　hear　him　say　the　same　thing　to　two　different　guys。　Rest　of　the　time　he　just　mooned　around；　sort　of　helpless　and　almost　sucking　a　corner　of　his　handkerchief；　if　you　get　me。　Well　that　face　meant　something　to　me。　I　knew　I'd　seen　it　before　somewhere。　You　know　how　it　is。　So　after　puzzling　for　a　bit　I　went　to　the　reception　and　told　one　of　the　guys　behind　the　desk　in　a　cheery　fashion　that　I　thought　I'd　located　an　old　classmate　who'd　migrated　to　Europe；　but　I　couldn't　for　the　life　of　me　remember　his　name。　Very　embarrassing　as　he　seemed　to　recognize　me。　Would　the　guy　help？　So　he　came　along　and　I　pointed　this　feller　out　and　he　went　back　to　his　desk　and　went　through　the　membership　cards　and　came　up　with　the　one　I　wanted。　Seemed　he　was　a　man　called　Traut；　Emil　Traut。　Swiss　passport。　One　of　Mr。　Largo's　group　from　the　yacht。〃　Leiter　paused。　〃Well；　I　guess　it　was　the　Swiss　passport　that　did　it。〃　He　turned　to　Bond。　〃Remember　a　fellow　called　Kotze；　East　German　physicist？　Came　over　to　the　West　about　five　years　ago　and　sang　all　he　knew　to　the　Joint　Scientific　Intelligence　boys？　Then　he　disappeared；　thanks　to　a　fat　payment　for　the　info；　and　went　to　ground　in　Switzerland。　Well；　James。　Take　my　word　for　it。　That's　the　same　guy。　The　file　went　through　my　hands　when　I　was　still　with　C。I。A。　doing　desk　work　in　Washington。　All　came　back　to　me。　It　was　one　hell　of　a　scoop　at　the　time。　Only　saw　his　mug　on　the　file；　but　there's　absolutely　no　doubt　about　it。　That　man's　Kotze。　And　now　what　the　hell　is　a　top　physicist　doing　on　board　the　Disco　？　Fits；　doesn't　it？〃
　
　They　had　e　to　police　headquarters。　Lights　burned　only　on　the　ground　floor。　Bond　waited　until　they　had　reported　to　the　duty　sergeant　and　had　gone　up　to　their　room　before　he　answered。　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　looked　at　Leiter。　He　said；　〃That's　the　clincher；　Felix。　So　now　what　do　we　do？〃
　
　〃With　what　you　got　this　evening；　I'd　pull　the　whole　lot　in　on　suspicion。　No　question　at　all。〃
　
　〃Suspicion　of　what？　Largo　would　reach　for　his　lawyer　and　they'd　be　out　in　five　minutes。　Democratic　processes　of　the　law　and　so　forth。　And　what　single　fact　have　we　got　that　Largo　couldn't　dodge？　All　right；　so　Traut　is　Kotze。　We're　hunting　for　treasure；　gentlemen；　we　need　an　expert　mineralogist。　This　man　offered　his　services。　Said　his　name　was　Traut。　No　doubt　he's　still　worried　about　the　Russians　getting　after　him。　Next　question？　Yes；　we've　got　an　underwater　partment　on　the　Disco　。　We're　going　to　hunt　treasure　through　it。　Inspect　it？　Well；　if　you　must。　There　you　are　gentlemen…underwater　gear；　skids；　perhaps　even　a　small　bathyscaphe。　Underwater　sentry？　Of　course。　People　have　spent　six　months　trying　to　find　out　what　we're　after；　how　we're　going　to　get　it。　We're　professionals；　gentlemen。　We　like　to　keep　our　secrets。　And　anyway；　what　was　this　Mr。　Bond；　this　rich　gentleman　looking　for　a　property　in　Nassau；　doing　underneath　my　ship　in　the　middle　of　the　night？　Petacchi？　Never　heard　of　him。　Don't　care　what　Miss　Vitali's　family　name　was。　Always　known　her　as　Vitali　。　。　。〃　Bond　made　a　throwaway　gesture　with　one　hand。　〃See　what　I　mean？　This　treasure…hunting　cover　is　perfect。　It　explains　everything。　And　what　are　we　left　with？　Largo　pulls　himself　up　to　his　full　height　and　says；　‘Thanks　gentlemen。　So　I　may　go　now？　And　so　I　shall；　within　the　hour。　I　shall　find　another　base　for　my　work　and　you　will　be　hearing　from　my　lawyers　forthwith…wrongful　detention　and　trespass。　And　good　luck　to　your　tourist　trade；　gentlemen。'　〃　Bond　smiled　grimly。　〃See　what　I　mean？〃
　
　Leiter　said　impatiently；　〃So　what　do　we　do？　Limpet　mine？　Send　her　to　the　bottom…in　error；　so　to　speak？〃
　
　〃No。　We're　going　to　wait。〃　At　the　expression　on　Leiter's　face；　Bond　held　up　a　hand。　〃We're　going　to　send　our　report；　in　careful；　guarded　terms　so　we　don't　get　an　airborne　division　landing　on　Windsor　Field。　And　we're　going　to　say　the　Manta　is　all　we　need。　And　so　it　is。　With　her；　we　can　keep　tabs　on　the　Disco　just　as　we　please。　And　we'll　stay　under　cover；　keep　a　hidden　watch　on　the　yacht　and　see　what　happens。　At　present　we're　not　suspected。　Largo's　plan；　if　there　is　one；　that　is；　and　don't　forget　this　treasure…hunting　business　still　covers　everything　perfectly　well；　is　going　along　all　right。　All　he's　got　to　do　now　is　collect　the　bombs　and　make　for　Target　No。　1　ready　for　zero　hour　in　around　thirty　hours'　time。　We　can　do　absolutely　nothing　to　him　until　he's　got　one　or　both　of　those　bombs　on　board　or　we　catch　him　at　their　hiding　place。　Now；　that　can't　be　far　away。　Nor　can　the　Vindicator；　if　she's　hereabouts。　So　tomorrow　we　take　that　amphibian　they've　got　for　us　and　hunt　the　area　inside　a　radius　of　a　hundred　miles。　We'll　hunt　the　seas　and　not　the　land。　She　must　be　in　shoal　water　somewhere　and　damned　well　hidden。　With　this　calm　weather；　we　should　be　able　to　locate　her…if　she's　here。　Now；　e　on！　Let's　get　those　reports　off　and　get　some　sleep。　And　say　we're　out　of　munication　for　ten　hours。　And　disconnect　your　telephone　when　you　get　back　to　your　room。　However　careful　we　are；　this　signal　is　going　to　set　the　Potomac　on　fire　as　well　as　the　Thames。〃
　
　Six　hours　later；　in　the　crystal　light　of　early　morning；　they　were　out　at　Windsor　Field　and　the　ground　crew　was　hauling　the　little　Grumman　Amphibian　out　of　the　hangar　with　a　jeep。　They　had　climbed　on　board　and　Leiter　was　gunning　the　engines　when　a　uniformed　motorcycle　dispatch　rider　came　driving　uncertainly　toward　them　across　the　tarmac。
　
　Bond　said；　〃Get　going！　Quick！　Here　es　paper　work。〃
　
　Leiter　released　the　brakes　and　taxied　fast　toward　the　single　north…south　runway。　The　radio　crackled　angrily。　Leiter　took　a　careful　look　over　the　sky。　It　was　clear。　He　slowly　pushed　down　on　the　joystick　and　the　little　plane　snarled　its　way　faster　and　faster　down　the　concrete　and；　with　a　final　bump；　soared　off　over　the　low　bush。　The　radio　still　crackled。　Leiter　reached　up　and　switched　it　off。
　
　Bond　sat　with　the　Admiralty　chart　on　his　lap。　They　were　flying　north。　They　had　decided　to　start　with　the　Grand　Bahama　group　and　have　a　first　look　at　the　possible　area　of　Target　No。　1。　They　flew　at　a　thousand　feet。　Below　them　the　Berry　Islands　were　a　necklace　of　brown　spits　set　in　cream　and　emerald　and　turquoise。　〃See　what　I　mean？〃　said　Bond。　〃You　can　see　anything　big　through　that　water　down　to　fifty　feet。　Anything　as　big　as　the　Vindicator　would　have　been　spotted　anywhere　on　any　of　the　air　routes。　So　I've　marked　off　the　areas　where　there's　the　minimum　traffic。　They'd　have　ditched　somewhere　well　out　of　the　way。　Assuming；　and　it's　the　hell　of　an　assump