johngardner.winloseordie-第11节

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breathtaking　views。　He　remembered　one　Saturday　in　October；　some　years　before；　standing　on　the　bridge　which　spans　the　main　lake；　and　watching　the　autumn　sun　draw　a　golden　spear　in　the　water。　The　spear　often　returned　to　him　in　a　dream；　as　though　it　was　some　kind　of　omen。
　Blenheim　and　Woodstock　are　magnets　for　tourists　from　all　over　the　world；　and　though　the　Palace　is　closed　in　November；　the　inordinately　beautiful　grounds　and　parkland　remain　open　for　part　of　the　day；　and　now；　on　the　Sunday；　with　wood…smoke　in　the　air　and　the　paths　sprinkled　with　the　gold　and　red　leaves　of　autumn。　Bond　once　more　stood　on　that　same　bridge；　watching　the　same　red　sun；　low　in　the　sky；　produce　a　similar　effect　…　a　spear　of　light　pointing　directly　at　him。　Now；　he　wondered；　if　that　spear　reflected　on　water　was　indeed　an　omen。
　He　had　taken　a　room　for　the　night　at　the　nearby　Feathers　Hotel；　partly　for　security；　and　partly　because　he　preferred　it　to　the　more　famous　Bear。
　He　pleted　his　walk　and　returned　to　The　Feathers　where　he　put　his　feet　up　for　a　few　hours　before　taking　the　short　stroll　to　The　Bear。　It　was　with　some　distaste　he　noted　that　the　whiff　of　oil　and　potato　chips　hung　heavy　in　the　evening　air。　ing　from　pubs　that　advertised　'Pub　Grub'　or　'Good　Food'；　a　pair　of　terms　Bond　would　have　liked　to　see　banned　from　the　English　language；　just　as　he　would；　if　pushed；　like　to　see　the　countless　young　people　crowding　those　very　bars　banished　to　some　kind　of　National　Service　…　preferably　in　the　armed　forces。　That；　he　considered；　would　lake　violence　of　Г　the　streets　of　country　towns。　and　make　men　out　of　the　louts　who　littered　pavements　and　got　drunk　at　the　sniff　of　a　barmaid's　apron。
　He　dodged　into　the　front　entrance　of　The　Bear；　neatly　keeping　clear　of　the　reception　area　at　the　rear　of　the　narrow　passage　leading　through　from　the　entrance　hall；　and　squeezing　into　the　small　elevator　that　would　take　him　to　Room　twenty…two。
　Both　M　and　his　Chief　of　Staff　were　wailing。
　'O　Branch　have　just　swept　the　place。'　M　said　as　a　form　of　greeting。　：lt　appears　to　be　clean；　though　nowadays　who's　to　know。'
　Bond　gave　both　his　chief　and　his　closest　friend　within　the　Service；　friendly　smiles　then　waited　for　what　would　doubtless　be　laid　on　him。　Judging　by　their　faces；　the　news　was　not　good。
　M　waved　to　a　chair；　and　007　sat；　still　waiting　until　M　asked；　'You　remember　BAST…''
　'How　could　I　forget；　sir。　After　alt　they　seem　to　be　our　main
　opponents。'
　'After　your　hide；　007。　Out　to　get　you；　take　you　out；　ice　you；　buy　the　farm　for　you。　At　least　that's　what　the　doomsayers　would　have　us　believe。'
　*I　would　have　thought　the　missile　incident　had　already　pointed　us　in　that　general　direction。'
　'Yes。'　M　flapped　his　hand　as　though　trying　to　waft　bad　air　away　from　his　nostrils。　'But　this　time　we　have　a　chance　to　lay　our　hands　on　at　least　one　of　them。　We　know　when　they're　going　to　set　you　up　and　who's　going　to　do　it。　What　we　don't　know；　is　where。'
　'Then；　with　due　respect；　sir。　I　would　have　thought　we　should　get　cracking　and　find　out　exactly　where。'
　Bill　Tanner　rubbed　his　hands　together。　'That's　really　anywhere　of　your　choosing；　James。〃
　'Mine？'
　'Yes；'　M's　clear　grey　eyes　were　locked　on　in　Bond's　face。　'We　would　like　to　send　you　away　for　a　Christmas　holiday。　007。'
　Tethered　goat。'　said　Bond。
　'Stalking…horse。〃　Tanner　correeted　him。　'Sort　of　Christmas　horse；　so　that　BAST　can　e　down　your　chimney　and　knock　your　socks　off。　In　this　case　BAST　will　take　on　the　human　shape　of　a　woman。〃
　'Ah；'　said　Bond　with　a　wry　smile；　'You　want　me　to　play　slow　horses　and　fast　women。〃
　'Something　you've　been　known　to　do　before　this；　007。'　M　did　not　even　twinkle；　let　alone　return　the　smile。
　'1　have　any　option？'
　M　shook　his　head。　'None　whatsoever。　BAST　already　know　far　too　much；　they're　going　to　have　a　go　during　Landsea　'X9。　and　they　regard　yitu　as　a　mild　threat。　Mind　you；　they　don'l　yet　seem　to　know　all　the　details：　such　as　the　six　SAS　people　you　might　be　manding　for　the　bodyguard　operation。〃
　'Funny；　I　hadn't　heard　about　them　either；　sir。'　Bond　paused；　then　looked　from　M　to　Tanner　and　back　again。　'If　you　know　all　this；　why　can't　you　deal　with　BAST　on　its　own　terms？　Take　them　out　before　they　do　their　bit？'
　M　sighed。　'We　know　the　names　of　their　ringleaders；　we　have　descriptions　of　two　of　them；　but　we　have　no　idea　how　large　their　Brotherhood　is；　or　really　how　fanatical　they　arc　The　four　or　so　leaders　are　fanatical　enough；　though　the　mastermind　is；　we　deduce；　more　concerned　with　a　return　for　his　capital　investment　than　the　political　aspect。'
　？We　wouldn't　normally　put　you　at　risk；　James　。　。　；'　Tanner　began。
　'Not　much。'
　'Not　with　Landsea　'89　ing　up。〃　M　said　firmly。　〃We　would　like　to　get　our　hands　on　one　of　their　leading　people；　though。　So　what　about　Christmas？'
　'Not　my　favourite　time　of　the　year。'　Bond　looked　down　his　nose。　'I　can't　stand　all　that　bonhomie；　and　families　getting　together　around　the　festive　board；　but　that's　probably　because　I　have　no　real　family。'　Tracy。　his　wife　of　only　a　few　hours；　flashed　through　his　mind。　Christmases　would　have　been　good　if　she　had　lived；　he　thought。　Even　an　uncharacteristic　picture　of　the　two　of　them　by　a　log　fire　with　presents　and　a　tree　went　flickering　in　and　out　of　his　mind。　Then　he　saw　the　reflected　spear　of　light　again　and　wondered　how　all　this　would　end。　He　looked　bleakly　at　M。　Т　suppose　you've　already　got　somewhere　lined　up。　though；　sir。'
　M　nodded；　'You　recall　that　a　few　years　ago　I　sent　you　for　some　rest　and　recuperation。　A　villa　on　Ischia；　in　the　bay　of　Naples？'
　〃That　was　in　summer He　recalled　it　vividly。　Secluded；　beautiful　setting；　almost　idyllic。　You　only　had　to　drive　a　couple　of　miles　for　food。　The　rest　of　the　time　you　were　all　set　up　by　the　pool；　with　maid　service；　a　cook；　if　you　wanted　one；　and　spectacular　surroundings。　'The　Service　paid　for　it；　I　know；　but　they　only　open　ihem　up　for　the　summer。〃
　'I　think　I　can　persuade　the　owner。'　M　had　his　stubborn　look　grappled　to　his　face。
　After　a　couple　of　heartbeats。　Bond　said　…　'Christmas　on　Ischia；　then。　sir。　Just　tell　me　what　to　do。'
'First。'　M　began；　'you'll　have　to　run　the　Ihing　solo。　We　can　give　you　only　modest　cover。　Nothing　fancy；　and　certainly　not　the　local　police　。　。　。'　He　went　on　for　the　next　hour；　and　as　he　progressed。　Bond　realised　that；　as　ever；　the　whole　business　would　be　down　to　him。　Sit　there　and　wait　for　a　woman　out　to　kill　him；　and　who　would　possibly　have　a　back…up；　then　outwit　her；　and；　finally；　bring　her　hack　into　the　UK　with　everyone；　including　himself；　alive　and　kicking。
　'Run　of　the　mil！　sort　of　job　really。'　he　said　when　M　slopped　talking。
　〃The　kind　of　ihing　you　should　be　able　to　do；　armed　with　a　butterfly…net　and　a　killing　jar。　007。'
　Til　settle　for　the　killing　jar。'　Bond　smiled。　'Preferably　9mm　with　a　lot　of　kick　toil。　You　know；　the　kind　of　thing　any　Christmas　slalking…horse　carries　around。'
At　just　about　the　same　moment　as　Bond　was　being　apprised　of　how　he　would　spend　a　happy　Christmas。　Harry　and　Bill　were　putting　some　bad　news　to　their　old　friend　the　Petty　Officer　Engineer。
　'It's　not　that　we　don't　like　you。　Blackie；'　Bill　was　saying。　'We're　under　a　certain　amount　of　pressure　ourselves。'
　Ч　mean　we　didn't　know　they　took　photographs　in　that　place；　and　there's　a　fair　old　collection　now　as　you　can　see。'　Harry　laid　out　some　thirty　black　and　white　prints　on　the　table。
　They　were　in　Harry's　room　at　his　usual　Plymouth　hotel。　The　photographs；　with　their　grainy　texture；　looked　almost　as　dirty　as　the　cavortings　they　had　captured　for　all　time。　The　PO　looked　very　miserable。　〃You'd　send　these　to　the　wife？'　It　was　not　so　much　a　question　as　a　shocked　statement
　'No。　〃course　we　wouldn't。'　Harry's　voice　was　low；　soothing。　Oil　on　troubled　waters。　'We're　in　the　mire　as　much　as　you　are；　Blackie。　We　didn't　know。'
　'And　there's　all　that　money。'　Bill　tried　to　look　as　miserable　as　his　colleague。　〃I　mean　we　put　things　on　our　expense　accounts。　Now。　we're　both　in　the　same　boat。　It's　ing　to　something　when　two　panies；　with　two　different　interests；　turn　down　your　expenses。'
　〃And　we　always　understood　that　place　with　the　girls　was　buckshee。　They　never　charged　us　a　penny　before。'
　'How。　。　。　How　much　are　we　talking　about？'The　Petty　Officer　was　chalk…white。　He　could　feel　（he　blood　draining　from　his　cheeks。
　Harry　sighed。　'Seven　thousand；　eight　hundred　and　twenty…five　pounds。'
'And　sixty…two　pence；'　Bill　added。
　'But　I　can't　。　。　。　There's　no　way。　The　wife'II　kill　me　…　at　best　leave　me　…　and　there's　no　way　I　can　get　my　hands　on　that　kind　of　money。'
〃Second　mortgage　on　the　house？'　Harry　asked；
　'First　bloody　mortgage　isn't　paid　off　yet。〃　The　gloom　was　almost　tangible。
　Harry　gathered　the　photographs　up　into　a　neat　pile。　They　have　offered　us　a　way　out；　but　1　said　you'd　as　like　do　it　as　fly　using　your　arms。'
'What　is　it？　The　way　out？'
'Well；　I　don't　think　you'd　want　to　hear　it。'
　Bill；　who　had　poured　them　each　a　stiff　whisky；　interrupted。　'They're　offering　money　on　top；　though。　Best　tell　him。'
　'Well；'　Harry　sighed　again。　〃Okay；　it　gets　us　all　off　the　hook；　and　they'll　throw　in　one　hundred　К　for　you；　Blackie。　seeing　as　how　you'd　be　taking　the　biggest　risk。'
'A　hundred　grand？　For　me'？　Who've　I　got　to　kill？'
　'It's　not　a　matter　of　ki