ian fleming.casino royale-第24节

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ook　after；　it　will　seem　all　the　easier。'
　Mathis　opened　the　door　and　stopped　on　the　threshold。
　'Surround　yourself　with　human　beings；　my　dear　James。　They　are　easier　to　fight　for　than　principles。'
　He　laughed。　'But　don't　let　me　down　and　bee　human；　yourself。　We　would　lose　such　a　wonderful　machine。'
　With　a　wave　of　the　hand　he　shut　the　door。
　'Hey；'　shouted　Bond。
　But　the　footsteps　went　quickly　off　down　the　passage。
　
　
　CHAPTER　21　…　VESPER
　It　was　on　the　next　day　that　Bond　asked　to　see　Vesper。
　He　had　not　wanted　to　see　her　before。　He　was　told　that　every　day　she　came　to　the　nursing　home　and　asked　after　him。　Flowers　had　arrived　from　her。　Bond　didn't　like　flowers　and　he　told　the　nurse　to　give　them　to　another　patient。　After　this　had　happened　twice；　no　more　flowers　came。　Bond　had　not　meant　to　offend　her。　He　disliked　having　feminine　things　around　him。　Flowers　seemed　to　ask　for　recognition　of　the　person　who　had　sent　them；　to　be　constantly　transmitting　a　message　of　sympathy　and　affection。　Bond　found　this　irksome。　He　disliked　being　cosseted。　It　gave　him　claustrophobia。
　Bond　was　bored　at　the　idea　of　having　to　explain　some　of　this　to　Vesper。　And　he　was　embarrassed　at　having　to　ask　one　or　two　questions　which　mystified　him；　questions　about　Vesper's　behaviour。　The　answers　would　almost　certainly　make　her　out　to　be　a　fool。　Then　he　had　his　full　report　to　M　to　think　about。　In　this　he　didn't　want　to　have　to　criticize　Vesper。　It　might　easily　cost　her　her　job。
　But　above　all；　he　admitted　to　himself；　he　shirked　the　answer　to　a　more　painful　question。
　The　doctor　had　talked　often　to　Bond　about　his　injuries。　He　had　always　told　him　that　there　would　be　no　evil　effects　from　the　terrible　battering　his　body　had　received。　He　had　said　that　Bond's　full　health　would　return　and　that　none　of　his　powers　had　been　taken　from　him。　But　the　evidence　of　Bond's　eyes　and　his　nerves　refused　these　forting　assurances。　He　was　still　painfully　swollen　and　bruised　and　whenever　the　injections　wore　off　he　was　in　agony。　Above　all；　his　imagination　had　suffered。　For　an　hour　in　that　room　with　Le　Chiffre　the　certainty　of　impotence　had　been　beaten　into　him　and　a　scar　had　been　left　on　his　mind　that　could　only　be　healed　by　experience。
　From　that　day　when　Bond　first　met　Vesper　in　the　Hermitage　bar；　he　had　found　her　desirable　and　he　knew　that　if　things　had　been　different　in　the　night…club；　if　Vesper　had　responded　in　any　way　and　if　there　had　been　no　kidnapping　he　would　have　tried　to　sleep　with　her　that　night。　Even　later；　in　the　car　and　outside　the　villa　when　God　knows　he　had　had　other　things　to　think　about；　his　eroticism　had　been　hotly　aroused　by　the　sight　of　her　indecent　nakedness。
　And　now　when　he　could　see　her　again；　he　was　afraid。　Afraid　that　his　senses　and　his　body　would　not　respond　to　her　sensual　beauty。　Afraid　that　he　would　feel　no　stir　of　desire　and　that　his　blood　would　stay　cool。　In　his　mind　he　had　made　this　first　meeting　into　a　test　and　he　was　shirking　the　answer。　That　was　the　real　reason；　he　admitted；　why　he　had　waited　to　give　his　body　a　chance　to　respond；　why　he　had　put　off　their　first　meeting　for　over　a　week。　He　would　like　to　have　put　off　the　meeting　still　further；　but　he　explained　to　himself　that　his　report　must　be　written；　that　any　day　an　emissary　from　London　would　e　over　and　want　to　hear　the　full　story；　that　today　was　as　good　as　tomorrow；　that　anyway　he　might　as　well　know　the　worst。
　So　on　the　eighth　day　he　asked　for　her；　for　the　early　morning　when　he　was　feeling　refreshed　and　strong　after　the　night's　rest。
　For　no　reason　at　all；　he　had　expected　that　she　would　show　some　sign　of　her　experiences；　that　she　would　look　pale　and　even　ill。　He　was　not　prepared　for　the　tall　bronzed　girl　in　a　cream　tussore　frock　with　a　black　belt　who　came　happily　through　the　door　and　stood　smiling　at　him。
　'Good　heavens；　Vesper；'　he　said　with　a　wry　gesture　of　wele；　'you　look　absolutely　splendid。　You　must　thrive　on　disaster。　How　have　you　managed　to　get　such　a　wonderful　sunburn？'
　'I　feel　very　guilty；'　she　said　sitting　down　beside　him。　'But　I've　been　bathing　every　day　while　you've　been　lying　here。　The　doctor　said　I　was　to　and　Head　of　S　said　I　was　to；　so；　well；　I　just　thought　it　wouldn't　help　you　for　me　to　be　moping　away　all　day　long　in　my　room。　I've　found　a　wonderful　stretch　of　sand　down　the　coast　and　I　take　my　lunch　and　go　there　every　day　with　a　book　and　I　don't　e　back　till　the　evening。　There's　a　bus　that　takes　me　there　and　back　with　only　a　short　walk　over　the　dunes；　and　I've　managed　to　get　over　the　fact　that　it's　on　the　way　down　that　road　to　the　villa。'
　Her　voice　faltered。
　The　mention　of　the　villa　had　made　Bond's　eyes　flicker。
　She　continued　bravely；　refusing　to　be　defeated　by　Bond's　lack　of　response。
　'The　doctor　says　it　won't　be　long　before　you're　allowed　up。　I　thought　perhaps　。　。　。　I　thought　perhaps　I　could　take　you　down　to　this　beach　later　on。　The　doctor　says　that　bathing　would　be　very　good　for　you。'
　Bond　grunted。
　'God　knows　when　I'll　be　able　to　bathe；'　he　said。　'The　doctor's　talking　through　his　hat。　And　when　I　can　bathe　it　would　probably　be　better　for　me　to　bathe　alone　for　a　bit。　I　don't　want　to　frighten　anybody。　Apart　from　anything　else；'　he　glanced　pointedly　down　the　bed；　'my　body's　a　mass　of　scars　and　bruises。　But　you　enjoy　yourself。　There's　no　reason　why　you　shouldn't　enjoy　yourself。'
　Vesper　was　stung　by　the　bitterness　and　injustice　in　his　voice。
　'I'm　sorry；'　she　said；　'I　just　thought　。　。　。　I　was　just　trying　。　。　。'
　Suddenly　her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　She　swallowed。
　'I　wanted　。　。　。　I　wanted　to　help　you　get　well。'
　Her　voice　strangled。　She　looked　piteously　at　him；　facing　the　accusation　in　his　eyes　and　in　his　manner。
　Then　she　broke　down　and　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　sobbed。
　'I'm　sorry；'　she　said　in　a　muffled　voice。　'I'm　really　sorry。'　With　one　hand　she　searched　for　a　handkerchief　in　her　bag。　'It's　all　my　fault；'　she　dabbed　at　her　eyes。　'I　know　it's　all　my　fault。'
　Bond　at　once　relented。　He　put　out　a　bandaged　hand　and　laid　it　on　her　knee。
　'It's　all　right；　Vesper。　I'm　sorry　I　was　so　rough。　It's　just　that　I　was　jealous　of　you　in　the　sunshine　while　I'm　stuck　here。　Directly　I'm　well　enough　I'll　e　with　you　and　you　must　show　me　your　beach。　Of　course　it's　just　what　I　want。　It'll　be　wonderful　to　get　out　again。'
　She　pressed　his　hand　and　stood　up　and　walked　over　to　the　window。　After　a　moment　she　busied　herself　with　her　make…up。　Then　she　came　back　to　the　bed。
　Bond　looked　at　her　tenderly。　Like　all　harsh；　cold　men；　he　was　easily　tipped　over　into　sentiment。　She　was　very　beautiful　and　he　felt　warm　towards　her。　He　decided　to　make　his　questions　as　easy　as　possible。
　He　gave　her　a　cigarette　and　for　a　time　they　talked　of　the　visit　of　Head　of　S　and　of　the　reactions　in　London　to　the　rout　of　Le　Chiffre。
　From　what　she　said　it　was　clear　that　the　final　object　of　the　plan　had　been　more　than　fulfilled。　The　story　was　still　being　splashed　all　over　the　world　and　correspondents　of　most　of　the　English　and　American　papers　had　been　at　Royale　trying　to　trace　the　Jamaican　millionaire　who　had　defeated　Le　Chiffre　at　the　tables。　They　had　got　on　to　Vesper；　but　she　had　covered　up　well。　Her　story　was　that　Bond　had　told　her　he　was　going　on　to　Cannes　and　Monte　Carlo　to　gamble　with　his　winnings。　The　hunt　had　moved　down　to　the　South　of　France。　Mathis　and　the　police　had　obliterated　all　other　traces　and　the　papers　were　forced　to　concentrate　on　the　Strasbourg　angles　and　the　chaos　in　the　ranks　of　the　French　munists。
　'By　the　way；　Vesper；'　said　Bond　after　a　time。　'What　really　happened　to　you　after　you　left　me　in　the　night　club？　All　I　saw　was　the　actual　kidnapping。'　He　told　her　briefly　of　the　scene　outside　the　Casino。
　'I'm　afraid　I　must　have　lost　my　head；'　said　Vesper；　avoiding　Bond's　eyes。　'When　I　couldn't　see　Mathis　anywhere　in　the　entrance　hall　I　went　outside　and　the　missionaire　asked　me　if　I　was　Miss　Lynd；　and　then　told　me　the　man　who　had　sent　in　the　note　was　waiting　in　a　car　down　on　the　right　of　the　steps。　Somehow　I　wasn't　particularly　surprised。　I'd　only　known　Mathis　for　a　day　or　two　and　I　didn't　know　how　he　worked；　so　I　just　walked　down　towards　the　car。　It　was　away　on　the　right　and　more　or　less　in　the　shadows。　Just　as　I　was　ing　up　to　it；　Le　Chiffre's　two　men　jumped　out　from　behind　one　of　the　other　cars　in　the　row　and　simply　scooped　my　skirt　over　my　head。'
　Vesper　blushed。
　'It　sounds　a　childish　trick；'　she　looked　penitently　at　Bond；　'but　it's　really　frightfully　effective。　One's　a　plete　prisoner　and　although　I　screamed　I　don't　expect　any　sound　came　out　from　under　my　skirt。　I　kicked　out　as　hard　as　I　could；　but　that　was　no　use　as　I　couldn't　see　and　my　arms　were　absolutely　helpless。　I　was　just　a　trussed　chicken。
　They　picked　me　up　between　them　and　shoved　me　into　the　back　of　the　car。　I　went　on　struggling；　of　course；　and　when　the　car　started　and　while　they　were　trying　to　tie　a　rope　or　something　round　the　top　of　my　skirt　over　my　head；　I　managed　to　get　an　arm　free　and　throw　my　bag　through　the　window。　I　hope　it　was　some　use。'
　Bond　nodded。
　'It　was　rather　instinctive。　I　just　thought　you'd　have　no　idea　what　had　happened　to　me　and　I　was　terrified。　I　did　the　first　thing　I　could　think　of。'
　Bond　knew　that　it　was　him　they　had　been　after　and　that　if　Ves