iam fleming.for your eyes only-第17节

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eresting　fact　or　ment　to　save　the　evening　from　being　a　futile　waste　of　time？
　Bond's　careless　and　slightly　mendacious　remark　about　marrying　an　air　hostess　had　e　at　the　end　of　some　desultory　conversation　about　air　travel　that　had　followed　dully；　inevitably；　on　the　departure　of　the　Harvey　Millers　to　catch　their　plane　for　Montreal。　The　Governor　had　said　that　BOAC　were　getting　the　lion's　share　of　the　American　traffic　to　Nassau　because；　though　their　planes　might　be　half　an　hour　slower　from　Idlewild；　the　service　was　superb。　Bond　had　said；　boring　himself　with　his　own　banality；　that　he　would　rather　fly　slowly　and　fortably　than　fast　and　uncosseted。　It　was　then　that　he　had　made　the　remark　about　air　hostesses。
　〃Indeed；〃　said　the　Governor　in　the　polite；　controlled　voice　that　Bond　prayed　might　relax　and　bee　human。　〃Why？〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　It　would　be　fine　to　have　a　pretty　girl　always　tucking　you　up　and　bringing　you　drinks　and　hot　meals　and　asking　if　you　had　everything　you　wanted。　And　they're　always　smiling　and　wanting　to　please。　If　I　don't　marry　an　air　hostess；　there'll　be　nothing　for　it　but　marry　a　Japanese。　They　seem　to　have　the　right　ideas　too。〃　Bond　had　no　intention　of　marrying　anyone。　If　he　did；　it　would　certainly　not　be　an　insipid　slave。　He　only　hoped　to　amuse　or　outrage　the　Governor　into　a　discussion　of　some　human　topic。
　〃I　don't　know　about　the　Japanese；　but　I　suppose　it　has　occurred　to　you　that　these　air　hostesses　are　only　trained　to　please；　that　they　might　be　quite　different　when　they're　not　on　the　job；　so　to　speak。〃　The　Governor's　voice　was　reasonable；　judicious。
　〃Since　I'm　not　really　very　interested　in　getting　married；　I've　never　taken　the　trouble　to　investigate。〃
　There　was　a　pause。　The　Governor's　cigar　had　gone　out。　He　spent　a　moment　or　two　getting　it　going　again。　When　he　spoke　it　seemed　to　Bond　that　the　even　tone　had　gained　a　spark　of　life；　of　interest。　The　Governor　said：　〃There　was　a　man　I　knew　once　who　must　have　had　the　same　ideas　as　you。　He　fell　in　love　with　an　air　hostess　and　married　her。　Rather　an　interesting　story；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　I　suppose；〃　the　Governor　looked　sideways　at　Bond　and　gave　a　short　self…deprecatory　laugh；　〃you　see　quite　a　lot　of　the　seamy　side　of　life。　This　story　may　seem　to　you　on　the　dull　side。　But　would　you　care　to　hear　it？〃
　〃Very　much。〃　Bond　put　enthusiasm　into　his　voice。　He　doubted　if　the　Governor's　idea　of　what　was　seamy　was　the　same　as　his　own；　but　at　least　it　would　save　him　from　making　any　more　asinine　conversation。　Now　to　get　away　from　this　damnably　cloying　sofa。　He　said：　〃Could　I　have　some　more　brandy？〃　He　got　up；　dashed　an　inch　of　brandy　into　his　glass　and；　instead　of　going　back　to　the　sofa；　pulled　up　a　chair　and　sat　down　at　an　angle　from　the　Governor　on　the　other　side　of　the　drink　tray。
　The　Governor　examined　the　end　of　his　cigar；　took　a　quick　pull　and　held　the　cigar　upright　so　that　the　long　ash　would　not　fall　off。　He　watched　the　ash　warily　throughout　his　story　and　spoke　as　if　to　the　thin　trickle　of　blue　smoke　that　rose　and　quickly　disappeared　in　the　hot；　moist　air。
　He　said　carefully：　〃This　man　…　I'll　call　him　Masters；　Philip　Masters　…　was　almost　a　contemporary　of　mine　in　the　Service。　I　was　a　year　ahead　of　him。　He　went　to　Fettes　and　took　a　scholarship　for　Oxford　…　the　name　of　the　college　doesn't　matter　…　and　then　he　applied　for　the　Colonial　Service。　He　wasn't　a　particularly　clever　chap；　but　he　was　hard　working　and　capable　and　the　sort　of　man　who　makes　a　good　solid　impression　on　interview　boards。　They　took　him　into　the　Service。　His　first　post　was　Nigeria。　He　did　well　in　it。　He　liked　the　natives　and　he　got　on　well　with　them。　He　was　a　man　of　liberal　ideas　and　while　he　didn't　actually　fraternize；　which；〃　the　Governor　smiled　sourly；　〃would　have　got　him　into　trouble　with　his　superiors　in　those　days；　he　was　lenient　and　humane　towards　the　Nigerians。　It　came　as　quite　a　surprise　to　them。〃　The　Governor　paused　and　took　a　pull　at　his　cigar。　The　ash　was　about　to　fall　and　he　bent　carefully　over　towards　the　drink　tray　and　let　the　ash　hiss　into　his　coffee　cup。　He　sat　back　and　for　the　first　time　looked　across　at　Bond。　He　said：　〃I　daresay　the　affection　this　young　man　had　for　the　natives　took　the　place　of　the　affection　young　men　of　that　age　in　other　walks　of　life　have　for　the　opposite　sex。　Unfortunately　Philip　Masters　was　a　shy　and　rather　uncouth　young　man　who　had　never　had　any　kind　of　success　in　that　direction。　When　he　hadn't　been　working　to　pass　his　various　exams　he　had　played　hockey　for　his　college　and　rowed　in　the　third　eight。　In　the　holidays　he　had　stayed　with　an　aunt　in　Wales　and　climbed　with　the　local　mountaineering　club。　His　parents；　by　the　way；　had　separated　when　he　was　at　his　public　school　and；　though　he　was　an　only　child；　had　not　bothered　with　him　once　he　was　safe　at　Oxford　with　his　scholarship　and　a　small　allowance　to　see　him　through。　So　he　had　very　little　time　for　girls　and　very　little　to　remend　him　to　those　he　did　e　across。　His　emotional　life　ran　along　the　frustrated　and　unhealthy　lines　that　were　part　of　our　inheritance　from　our　Victorian　grandfathers。　Knowing　how　it　was　with　him；　I　am　therefore　suggesting　that　his　friendly　relations　with　the　coloured　people　of　Nigeria　were　what　is　known　as　a　pensation　seized　on　by　a　basically　warm　and　full…blooded　nature　that　had　been　starved　of　affection　and　now　found　it　in　their　simple　kindly　natures。〃
　Bond　interrupted　the　rather　solemn　narrative　〃The　only　trouble　with　beautiful　Negresses　is　that　they　don't　know　anything　about　birth　control。　I　hope　he　managed　to　stay　out　of　that　sort　of　trouble。〃
　The　Governor　held　up　his　hand。　His　voice　held　an　undertone　of　distaste　for　Bond's　earthiness　〃No；　no。　You　misunderstand　me。　I　am　not　talking　about　sex。　It　would　never　have　occurred　to　this　young　man　to　have　relations　with　a　coloured　girl。　In　fact　he　was　sadly　ignorant　of　sexual　matters。　Not　a　rare　thing　even　today　among　young　people　in　England；　but　very　mon　in　those　days；　and　the　cause；　as　I　expect　you　will　agree；　of　many　…　very　many　…　disastrous　marriages　and　other　tragedies。〃　Bond　nodded。　〃No。　I　am　only　explaining　this　young　man　at　some　length　to　show　you　that　what　was　to　e　fell　upon　a　frustrated　young　innocent　with　a　warm　but　unawakened　heart　and　body；　and　a　social　clumsiness　which　made　him　seek　panionship　and　affection　amongst　the　Negroes　instead　of　in　his　own　world。　He　was；　in　short；　a　sensitive　misfit；　physically　uninteresting；　but　in　all　other　respects　healthy　and　able　and　a　perfectly　adequate　citizen。〃
　Bond　took　a　sip　of　his　brandy　and　stretched　out　his　legs。　He　was　enjoying　the　story。　The　Governor　was　telling　it　in　a　rather　elderly　narrative　style　which　gave　it　a　ring　of　truth。
　The　Governor　continued：　〃Young　Master's　service　in　Nigeria　coincided　with　the　first　Labour　Government。　If　you　remember；　one　of　the　first　things　they　got　down　to　was　a　reform　of　the　foreign　services。　Nigeria　got　a　new　Governor　with　advanced　views　on　the　native　problem　who　was　surprised　and　pleased　to　find　that　he　had　a　junior　member　of　his　staff　who　was　already；　in　his　modest　sphere；　putting　something　like　the　Governor's　own　views　into　practice。　He　encouraged　Philip　Masters；　gave　him　duties　which　were　above　his　rank；　and　in　due　course；　when　Masters　was　due　for　a　move；　he　wrote　such　a　glowing　report　that　Masters　jumped　a　grade　and　was　transferred　to　Bermuda　as　Assistant　Secretary　to　Government。〃
　The　Governor　looked　through　his　cigar　smoke　at　Bond。　He　said　apologetically：　〃I　hope　you　aren't　being　too　bored　by　all　this。　I　shan't　be　long　in　ing　to　the　point。〃
　〃I'm　very　interested　indeed。　I　think　I've　got　a　picture　of　the　man。　You　must　have　known　him　well。〃
　The　Governor　hesitated。　He　said：　〃I　got　to　know　him　still　better　in　Bermuda。　I　was　just　his　senior　and　he　worked　directly　under　me。　However；　we　haven't　quite　got　to　Bermuda　yet。　It　was　the　early　days　of　the　air　services　to　Africa　and；　for　one　reason　or　another；　Philip　Masters　decided　to　fly　home　to　London　and　so　have　a　longer　home　leave　than　if　he　had　taken　ship　from　Freetown。　He　went　by　train　to　Nairobi　and　caught　the　weekly　service　of　Imperial　Airways　…　the　forerunner　of　BOAC。　He　had　never　flown　before　and　he　was　interested　but　slightly　nervous　when　they　took　off；　after　the　air　hostess；　whom　he　noticed　was　very　pretty；　had　given　him　a　sweet　to　suck　and　shown　him　how　to　fasten　his　seat…belt。　When　the　plane　had　levelled　out　and　he　found　that　flying　seemed　a　more　peaceful　business　than　he　had　expected；　the　hostess　came　back　down　the　almost　empty　plane。　She　smiled　at　him。　'You　can　undo　the　belt　now。'　When　Masters　fumbled　with　the　buckle　she　leant　down　and　undid　it　for　him。　It　was　an　intimate　little　gesture。　Masters　had　never　been　so　close　to　a　woman　of　about　his　own　age　in　his　life。　He　blushed　and　felt　an　extraordinary　confusion。　He　thanked　her。　She　smiled　rather　saucily　at　his　embarrassment　and　sat　on　the　arm　of　the　empty　seat　across　the　aisle　and　asked　him　where　he　had　e　from　and　where　he　was　going。　He　told　her。　In　his　turn；　he　asked　her　about　the　plane　and　how　fast　they　were　flying　and　where　they　would　stop；　and　so　forth。　He　found　her　very　easy　to　talk　to　and　almost　dazzlingly　pretty　to　look　at。　He　was　surprised　at　her　easy　way　with　him　and　her　apparent　interest　in　what　he　had　to　say　about　Africa。　She　s