if.thunderball-第51节

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now。　Valves　were　almost　blowing。　And　there's　a　pile　of　cipher　stuff　from　M　just　longing　for　you　to　get　around　to　it。　Thank　God　the　top　brass　from　C。I。A。　and　a　team　from　your　outfit　are　flying　in　this　evening　to　take　charge。　Then　we　can　hand　over　and　watch　our　two　Governments　getting　snarled　up　over　the　epilogue…　what　to　tell　the　public；　what　to　do　with　these　SPECTRE　guys；　whether　to　make　you　a　lord　or　a　duke；　how　to　persuade　me　to　run　for　President…tricky　little　details　like　that。　And　then　we'll　damned　well　get　away　and　have　ourselves　a　ball　some　place。　Maybe　you'd　care　to　take　that　girl　along？　Hell；　she's　the　one　that　rates　the　medals！　The　guts！　They　cottoned　onto　her　Geiger　counter。　God　knows　what　that　bastard　Largo　did　to　her。　But　she　didn't　sing…not　a　damned　word！　Then；　when　the　team　was　under　way；　she　somehow　got　herself　out　of　the　cabin　porthole；　with　her　gun　and　aqualung；　and　went　to　get　him。　Got　him；　and　saved　your　life　into　the　bargain！　I　swear　I'll　never　call　a　girl　a　‘frail'　again…not　an　Italian　girl；　anyway。　Leiter　cocked　an　ear。　He　moved　swiftly　to　the　door。　〃Hell；　there's　that　damned　medic　gumshoeing　down　the　corridor！　Be　seeing　you；　James。〃　He　quickly　turned　the　door　handle；　listened　for　a　moment；　and　slipped　out　of　the　room。
　
　Feebly；　desperately；　Bond　called；　〃Wait！　Felix！　Felix！〃　But　the　door　had　closed。　Bond　sank　back　and　lay　staring　at　the　ceiling。　Slowly　anger　boiled　up　inside　him…and　panic。　Why　in　hell　didn't　someone　tell　him　about　the　girl？　What　the　hell　did　he　care　about　all　the　rest？　Was　she　all　right？　Where　was　she？　Was　she　。　。　。
　
　The　door　opened。　Bond　jerked　himself　upright。　He　shouted　furiously　at　the　white…coated　figure；　〃The　girl。　How　is　she？　Quick！　Tell　me！〃
　
　Dr。　Stengel；　the　fashionable　doctor　of　Nassau；　was　not　only　fashionable　but　a　good　doctor。　He　was　one　of　the　Jewish　refugee　doctors　who；　but　for　Hitler；　would　have　been　looking　after　some　big　hospital　in　a　town　the　size　of　Düsseldorf。　Instead；　rich　and　grateful　patients　had　built　a　modern　clinic　for　him　in　Nassau　where　he　treated　the　natives　for　shillings　and　the　millionaires　and　their　wives　for　ten　guineas　a　visit。　He　was　more　used　to　handling　overdoses　of　sleeping　pills　and　the　ailments　of　the　rich　and　old　than　multiple　abrasions；　curare　poisoning；　and　odd　wounds　that　looked　more　as　if　they　belonged　to　the　days　of　the　pirates。　But　these　were　Government　orders；　and　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act　at　that。　Dr。　Stengel　hadn't　asked　any　questions　about　his　patients；　nor　about　the　sixteen　autopsies　he　had　had　to　perform；　six　for　Americans　from　the　big　submarine；　and　ten；　including　the　corpse　of　the　owner；　from　the　fine　yacht　that　had　been　in　harbor　for　so　long。
　
　Now　he　said　carefully；　〃Miss　Vitali　will　be　all　right。　For　the　moment　she　is　suffering　from　shock。　She　needs　rest。〃　〃What　else？　What　was　the　matter　with　her？〃　〃She　had　swum　a　long　way。　She　was　not　in　a　condition　to　undertake　such　a　physical　strain。〃　〃Why　not？〃
　
　The　doctor　moved　toward　the　door。　〃And　now　you　too　must　rest。　You　have　been　through　much。　You　will　take　one　of　those　hypnotics　once　every　six　hours。　Yes？　And　plenty　of　sleep。　You　will　soon　be　on　your　feet　again。　But　for　some　time　you　must　take　it　easy；　Mr。　Bond。〃　Take　it　easy。　You　must　take　it　easy；　Mr。　Bond。　Where　had　he　heard　those　idiotic　words　before？　Suddenly　Bond　was　raging　with　fury。　He　lurched　out　of　bed。　In　spite　of　the　sudden　giddiness；　he　staggered　toward　the　doctor。　He　shook　a　fist　in　the　urbane　face…urbane　because　the　doctor　was　used　to　the　emotional　storms　of　patients；　and　because　he　knew　that　in　minutes　the　strong　soporific　would　put　Bond　out　for　hours。　〃Take　it　easy！　God　damn　you！　What　do　you　know　about　taking　it　easy？　Tell　me　what's　the　matter　with　that　girl！　Where　is　she？　What's　the　number　of　her　room？〃　Bond's　hands　fell　limply　to　his　sides。　He　said　feebly；　〃For　God's　sake　tell　me；　Doctor。　I；　I　need　to　know。〃
　
　Dr。　Stengel　said　patiently；　kindly；　〃Someone　has　ill…treated　her。　She　is　suffering　from　burns…many　burns。　She　is　still　in　great　pain。　But〃…he　waved　a　reassuring　hand…〃inside　she　is　well。　She　is　in　the　next　room；　in　No。　4。　You　may　see　her；　but　only　for　a　minute。　Then　she　will　sleep。　And　so　will　you。　Yes？〃　He　held　open　the　door。
　
　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you；　Doctor。〃　Bond　walked　out　of　the　room　with　faltering　steps。　His　blasted　legs　were　beginning　to　give　again。　The　doctor　watched　him　go　to　the　door　of　No。　4；　watched　him　open　it　and　close　it　again　behind　him　with　the　exaggerated　care　of　a　drunken　man。　The　doctor　went　off　along　the　corridor　thinking：　It　won't　do　him　any　harm　and　it　may　do　her　some　good。　It　is　what　she　needs…some　tenderness。
　
　Inside　the　small　room；　the　jalousies　threw　bands　of　light　and　shadow　over　the　bed。　Bond　staggered　over　to　the　bed　and　knelt　down　beside　it。　The　small　head　on　the　pillow　turned　toward　him。　A　hand　came　out　and　grasped　his　hair；　pulling　his　head　closer　to　her。　Her　voice　said　huskily；　〃You　are　to　stay　here。　Do　you　understand？　You　are　not　to　go　away。〃
　
　When　Bond　didn't　answer；　she　feebly　shook　his　head　to　and　fro；　〃Do　you　hear　me；　James？　Do　you　understand？〃　She　felt　Bond's　body　slipping　to　the　floor。　When　she　let　go　his　hair；　he　slumped　down　on　the　rug　beside　her　bed。　She　carefully　shifted　her　position　and　looked　down　at　him。　He　was　already　asleep　with　his　head　cradled　on　the　inside　of　his　forearm。
　
　The　girl　watched　the　dark；　rather　cruel　face　for　a　moment。　Then　she　gave　a　small　sigh；　pulled　the　pillow　to　the　edge　of　the　bed　so　that　it　was　just　above　him；　laid　her　head　down　so　that　she　could　see　him　whenever　she　wanted　to；　and　closed　her　eyes。
　
　THE　END
　
　
　
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