ian fleming.casino royale-第5节

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　'You　and　your　Jamaica；'　he　said；　and　sat　down　again　on　the　bed。
　Bond　frowned　at　him。　'Well；　it's　no　good　crying　over　spilt　milk；'　he　said。　'We　didn't　expect　the　cover　to　stick　for　long；　but　it's　worrying　that　they　bowled　it　out　so　soon。'　He　searched　his　mind　in　vain　for　a　clue。　Could　the　Russians　have　broken　one　of　our　ciphers？　If　so；　he　might　just　as　well　pack　up　and　go　home。　He　and　his　job　would　have　been　stripped　naked。
　Mathis　seemed　to　read　his　mind。　'It　can't　have　been　a　cipher；'　he　said。　'Anyway；　we　told　London　at　once　and　they　will　have　changed　them。　A　pretty　flap　we　caused；　I　can　tell　you。'　He　smiled　with　the　satisfaction　of　a　friendly　rival。　'And　now　to　business；　before　our　good　〃pagnons〃　run　out　of　breath。
　'First　of　all；'　and　he　inhaled　a　thick　lungful　of　Caporal；　'you　will　be　pleased　with　your　Number　Two。　She　is　very　beautiful'　…　Bond　frowned　…　'very　beautiful　indeed。'　Satisfied　with　Bond's　reaction；　Mathis　continued：　'She　has　black　hair；　blue　eyes；　and　splendid　。　。　。　er　。　。　。　protuberances。　Back　and　front；'　he　added。　'And　she　is　a　wireless　expert　which；　though　sexually　less　interesting；　makes　her　a　perfect　employee　of　Radio　Stentor　and　assistant　to　myself　in　my　capacity　as　wireless　salesman　for　this　rich　summer　season　down　here。'　He　grinned。　'We　are　both　staying　in　the　hotel　and　my　assistant　will　thus　be　on　hand　in　case　your　new　radio　breaks　down。　All　new　machines；　even　French　ones；　are　apt　to　have　teething　troubles　in　the　first　day　or　two。　And　occasionally　at　night；'　he　added　with　an　exaggerated　wink。
　Bond　was　not　amused。　'What　the　hell　do　they　want　to　send　me　a　woman　for？'　he　said　bitterly。　'Do　they　think　this　is　a　bloody　picnic？'
　Mathis　interrupted。　'Calm　yourself；　my　dear　James。　She　is　as　serious　as　you　could　wish　and　as　cold　as　an　icicle。　She　speaks　French　like　a　native　and　knows　her　job　backwards。　Her　cover's　perfect　and　I　have　arranged　for　her　to　team　up　with　you　quite　smoothly。　What　is　more　natural　than　that　you　should　pick　up　a　pretty　girl　here？　As　a　Jamaican　millionaire；'　he　coughed　respectfully；　'what　with　your　hot　blood　and　all；　you　would　look　naked　without　one。'
　Bond　grunted　dubiously。
　'Any　other　surprises？'　he　asked　suspiciously。
　'Nothing　very　much；'　answered　Mathis。　'Le　Chiffre　is　installed　in　his　villa。　It's　about　ten　miles　down　the　coast　road。　He　has　his　two　guards　with　him。　They　look　pretty　capable　fellows。　One　of　them　has　been　seen　visiting　a　little　〃pension〃　in　the　town　where　three　mysterious　and　rather　subhuman　characters　checked　in　two　days　ago。　They　may　be　part　of　the　team。　Their　papers　are　in　order　…　stateless　Czechs　apparently　…　but　one　of　our　men　says　the　language　they　talk　in　their　room　is　Bulgarian。　We　don't　see　many　of　those　around。　They're　mostly　used　against　the　Turks　and　the　Yugoslavs。　They're　stupid；　but　obedient。　The　Russians　use　them　for　simple　killings　or　as　fall…guys　for　more　plicated　ones。'
　'Thanks　very　much。　Which　is　mine　to　be？'　asked　Bond。　'Anything　else？'
　'No。　e　to　the　bar　of　the　Hermitage　before　lunch。　I'll　fix　the　introduction。　Ask　her　to　dinner　this　evening。　Then　it　will　be　natural　for　her　to　e　into　the　Casino　with　you。　I'll　be　there　too；　but　in　the　background。　I've　got　one　or　two　good　chaps　and　we'll　keep　an　eye　on　you。　Oh；　and　there's　an　American　called　Leiter　here；　staying　in　the　hotel。　Felix　Leiter。　He's　the　CIA　chap　from　Fontainebleau。　London　told　me　to　tell　you。　He　looks　okay。　May　e　in　useful。'
　A　torrent　of　Italian　burst　from　the　wireless　set　on　the　floor。　Mathis　switched　it　off　and　they　exchanged　some　phrases　about　the　set　and　about　how　Bond　should　pay　for　it。　Then　with　effusive　farewells　and　a　final　wink　Mathis　bowed　himself　out。
　Bond　sat　at　the　window　and　gathered　his　thoughts。　Nothing　that　Mathis　had　told　him　was　reassuring。　He　was　pletely　blown　and　under　really　professional　surveillance。　An　attempt　might　be　made　to　put　him　away　before　he　had　a　chance　to　pit　himself　against　Le　Chiffre　at　the　tables。　The　Russians　had　no　stupid　prejudices　about　murder。　And　then　there　was　this　pest　of　a　girl。　He　sighed。　Women　were　for　recreation。　On　a　job；　they　got　in　the　way　and　fogged　things　up　with　sex　and　hurt　feelings　and　all　the　emotional　baggage　they　carried　around。　One　had　to　look　out　for　them　and　take　care　of　them。
　'Bitch；'　said　Bond'　and　then　remembering　the　Muntzes；　he　said　'bitch'　again　more　loudly　and　walked　out　of　the　room。
　
　
　CHAPTER　5　…　THE　GIRL　FROM　HEADQUARTERS
　It　was　twelve　o'clock　when　Bond　left　the　Splendide　and　the　clock　on　the　mairie　was　stumbling　through　its　midday　carillon。　There　was　a　strong　scent　of　pine　and　mimosa　in　the　air　and　the　freshly　watered　gardens　of　the　Casino　opposite；　interspersed　with　neat　gravel　parterres　and　paths；　lent　the　scene　a　pretty　formalism　more　appropriate　to　ballet　than　to　melodrama。
　The　sun　shone　and　there　was　a　gaiety　and　sparkle　in　the　air　which　seemed　to　promise　well　for　the　new　era　of　fashion　and　prosperity　for　which　the　little　seaside　town；　after　many　vicissitudes；　was　making　its　gallant　bid。
　Royale…les…Eaux；　which　lies　near　the　mouth　of　the　Somme　before　the　flat　coast…line　soars　up　from　the　beaches　of　southern　Picardy　to　the　Brittany　cliffs　which　run　on　to　Le　Havre；　had　experienced　much　the　same　fortunes　as　Trouville。
　Royale　（without　the　'Eaux'）　also　started　as　a　small　fishing　village　and　its　rise　to　fame　as　a　fashionable　watering…place　during　the　Second　Empire　was　as　meteoric　as　that　of　Trouville。　But　as　Deauville　killed　Trouville；　so；　after　a　long　period　of　decline；　did　Le　Touquet　kill　Royale。
　At　the　turn　of　the　century；　when　things　were　going　badly　for　the　little　seaside　town　and　when　the　fashion　was　to　bine　pleasure　with　a　'cure'；　a　natural　spring　in　the　hills　behind　Royale　was　discovered　to　contain　enough　diluted　sulphur　to　have　a　beneficent　effect　on　the　liver。　Since　all　French　people　suffer　from　liver　plaints；　Royale　quickly　became　'Royale…les…Eaux'；　and　'Eau　Royale'；　in　a　torpedo…shaped　bottle；　grafted　itself　demurely　on　to　the　tail　of　the　mineral…water　lists　in　hotels　and　restaurant　cars。
　It　did　not　long　withstand　the　powerful　bines　of　Vichy　and　Perrier　and　Vittel。　There　came　a　series　of　lawsuits；　a　number　of　people　lost　a　lot　of　money　and　very　soon　its　sale　was　again　entirely　local。　Royale　fell　back　on　the　takings　from　the　French　and　English　families　during　the　summer；　on　its　fishing…fleet　in　winter　and　on　the　crumbs　which　fell　to　its　elegantly　dilapidated　Casino　from　the　table　at　Le　Touquet。
　But　there　was　something　splendid　about　the　Negresco　baroque　of　the　Casino　Royale；　a　strong　whiff　of　Victorian　elegance　and　luxury；　and　in　1950　Royale　caught　the　fancy　of　a　syndicate　in　Paris　which　disposed　of　large　funds　belonging　to　a　group　of　expatriate　Vichyites。
　Brighton　had　been　revived　since　the　war；　and　Nice。　Nostalgia　for　more　spacious；　golden　times　might　be　a　source　of　revenue。
　The　Casino　was　repainted　in　its　original　white　and　gilt　and　the　rooms　decorated　in　the　palest　grey　with　wine…red　carpets　and　curtains。　Vast　Chandeliers　were　suspended　from　the　ceilings。　The　gardens　were　spruced　and　the　fountains　played　again　and　the　two　main　hotels；　the　Splendide　and　the　Hermitage；　were　prinked　and　furbished　and　restaffed。
　Even　the　small　town　and　the　vieux…port　managed　to　fix　weling　smiles　across　their　ravaged　faces；　and　the　main　street　became　gay　with　the　vitrines　of　great　Paris　jewellers　and　couturiers；　tempted　down　for　a　butterfly　season　by　rent…free　sites　and　lavish　promises。
　Then　the　Mahomet　Ali　Syndicate　was　cajoled　into　starting　a　high　game　in　the　Casino　and　the　Société　des　Bains　de　Mer　de　Royale　felt　that　now　at　last　Le　Touquet　would　have　to　yield　up　some　of　the　treasure　stolen　over　the　years　from　its　parent　plage。
　Against　the　background　of　this　luminous　and　sparkling　stage　Bond　stood　in　the　sunshine　and　felt　his　mission　to　be　incongruous　and　remote　and　his　dark　profession　an　affront　to　his　fellow　actors。
　He　shrugged　away　the　momentary　feeling　of　unease　and　walked　round　the　back　of　his　hotel　and　down　the　ramp　to　the　garage。　Before　his　rendezvous　at　the　Hermitage　he　decided　to　take　his　car　down　the　coast　road　and　have　a　quick　look　at　Le　Chiffre's　villa　and　then　drive　back　by　the　inland　road　until　it　crossed　the　route　nationale　to　Paris。
　Bond's　car　was　his　only　personal　hobby。　One　of　the　last　of　the　41/2…litre　Bentleys　with　the　supercharger　by　Amherst　Villiers；　he　had　bought　it　almost　new　in　1933　and　had　kept　it　in　careful　storage　through　the　war。　It　was　still　serviced　every　year　and；　in　London；　a　former　Bentley　mechanic；　who　worked　in　a　garage　near　Bond's　Chelsea　flat；　tended　it　with　jealous　care。　Bond　drove　it　hard　and　well　and　with　an　almost　sensual　pleasure。　It　was　a　battleship…gray　convertible　coupe；　which　really　did　convert；　and　it　was　capable　of　touring　at　ninety　with　thirty　miles　an　hour　in　reserve。
　Bond　eased　the　car　out　of　the　garage　and　up　the　ramp　and　soon　the　loitering　drum…beat　of　the　two…inch　exhaust　was　echoing　down　the　tree…lined　boulevard；　through　the　crowded　main　street　of　the　little　town；　and　off　through　the　sand　dunes　to　the　south。
　An　hour　later；　Bond　walked　into　the　Hermitage　bar　and　chose　a　table　near　one　of　the　broad　windows。
　The　room　was　sumptuous　with　those　over…masculine　trappings　which；　together　with　br