if.goldfinger-第11节

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lift　stood　open。　The　lift　rose　a　few　feet　to　the　first　floor。　Now　there　was　a　long　panelled　corridor　ending　in　a　tall　Adam　window。　The　floor　was　close…carpeted　in　beige　Wilton。　The　missionaire　knocked　at　the　last　of　several　finely　carved　oak　doors　that　were　just　so　much　taller　and　more　elegant　than　ordinary　doors。　A　grey…haired　woman　was　sitting　at　a　desk。　She　looked　as　if　she　had　once　taken　a　double　first。　The　walls　of　the　room　were　lined　with　grey　metal　filing　cabinets。　The　woman　had　been　writing　on　a　quarto　pad　of　yellow　memorandum　paper。　She　smiled　with　a　hint　of　conspiracy；　picked　up　a　telephone　and　dialled　a　number。　'mander　Bond　is　here。'　She　put　the　telephone　back　and　stood　up。　'Will　you　e　this　way？'　She　crossed　the　room　to　a　door　covered　with　green　baize　and　held　it　open　for　Bond　to　go　through。
　Colonel　Smithers　had　risen　from　his　desk。　He　said　gravely；　'Nice　of　you　to　have　e。　Won't　you　sit　down？'　Bond　took　the　chair。　'Smoke？'　Colonel　Smithers　pushed　forward　a　silver　box　of　Senior　Service　and　himself　sat　down　and　began　to　fill　a　pipe。　Bond　took　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。
　Colonel　Smithers　looked　exactly　like　someone　who　would　be　called　Colonel　Smithers。　He　had　obviously　been　a　colonel；　probably　on　the　staff；　and　he　had　the　smooth；　polished；　basically　serious　mien　that　fitted　his　name。　But　for　his　hornrimmed　glasses；　he　might　have　been　an　efficient；　not　very　well…fed　courtier　in　a　royal　household。
　Bond　felt　boredom　gathering　in　the　corners　of　the　room。　He　said　encouragingly；　'It　seems　that　you　are　to　tell　me　all　about　gold。〃
　'So　I　understand。　I　had　a　note　from　the　Governor。　I　gather　I　need　keep　nothing　from　you。　Of　course　you　understand'　…Colonel　Smithers　looked　over　Bond's　right　shoulder　…'that　most　of　what　I　shall　have　to　say　will　be　confidential。'　The　eyes　swept　quickly　across　Bond's　face。
　Bond's　face　was　stony。
　Colonel　Smithers　felt　the　silence　that　Bond　had　intended　he　should　feel。　He　looked　up；　saw　that　he　had　put　his　foot　in　it；　and　tried　to　make　amends。　'Obviously　I　needn't　have　mentioned　the　point。　A　man　with　your　training。。。'
　Bond　said；　'We　all　think　our　own　secrets　are　the　only　ones　that　matter。　You're　probably　right　to　remind　me。　Other　people's　secrets　are　never　quite　as　important　as　one's　own。　But　you　needn't　worry。　I　shall　discuss　things　with　my　chief　but　with　no　one　else。'
　'Quite；　quite。　Nice　of　you　to　take　it　that　way。　In　the　Bank　one　gets　into　the　habit　of　being　over…discreet。　Now　then；'　Colonel　Smithers　scurried　for　cover　into　his　subject。　'This　business　of　gold。　I　take　it　it's　not　a　matter　you've　thought　about　a　great　deal？'
　'I　know　it　when　I　see　it。'
　'Aha；　yes　…　well　now；　the　great　thing　to　remember　about　gold　is　that　it's　the　most　valuable　and　most　easily　marketable　modity　in　the　world。　You　can　go　to　any　town　in　the　world；　almost　to　any　village；　and　hand　over　a　piece　of　gold　and　get　goods　or　services　in　exchange。　Right？'　Colonel　Smithers's　voice　had　taken　on　a　new　briskness。　His　eyes　were　alight。　He　had　his　lecture　pat。　Bond　sat　back。　He　was　prepared　to　listen　to　anyone　who　was　master　of　his　subject；　any　subject。　'And　the　next　thing　to　remember；'　Colonel　Smithers　held　up　his　pipe　in　warning；　'is　that　gold　is　virtually　untrace…able。　Sovereigns　have　no　serial　numbers。　If　gold　bars　have　Mint　marks　stamped　on　them　the　marks　can　be　shaved　off　or　the　bar　can　be　melted　down　and　made　into　a　new　bar。　That　makes　it　almost　impossible　to　check　on　the　whereabouts　of　gold；　or　its　origins；　or　its　movements　round　the　world。　In　England；　for　instance；　we　at　the　Bank　can　only　count　the　gold　in　our　own　vaults；'in　the　vaults　of　other　banks　and　at　the　Mint；　and　make　a　rough　guess　at　the　amounts　held　by　the　jewellery　trade　and　the　pawnbroking　fraternity。'
　'Why　are　you　so　anxious　to　know　how　much　gold　there　is　in　England？'
　'Because　gold　and　currencies　backed　by　gold　are　the　foundation　of　our　international　credit。　We　can　only　tell　what　the　true　strength　of　the　pound　is；　and　other　countries　can　only　tell　it；　by　knowing　the　amount　of　valuta　we　have　behind　our　currency。　And　my　main　job；　Mr　Bond'　…　Colonel　Smithers's　bland　eyes　had　bee　unexpectedly　sharp　…　'is　to　watch　for　any　leakage　of　gold　out　of　England　…　out　of　anywhere　in　the　sterling　area。　And　when　I　spot　a　leakage；　an　escape　of　gold　towards　some　country　where　it　can　be　exchanged　more　profitably　than　at　our　official　buying　price；　it　is　my　job　to　put　the　CID　Gold　Squad　on　to　the　fugitive　gold　and　try　to　get　it　back　into　our　vaults；　plug　the　leak　and　arrest　the　people　responsible。　And　the　trouble　is；　Mr　Bond'　…Colonel　Smithers　gave　a　forlorn　shrug　of　the　shoulders　…'that　gold　attracts　the　biggest；　the　most　ingenious　criminals。　They　are　very　hard；　very　hard　indeed；　to　catch。'
　'Isn't　all　this　only　a　temporary　phase？　Why　should　this　shortage　of　gold　go　on？　They　seem　to　be　digging　it　out　of　Africa　fast　enough。　Isn't　there　enough　to　go　round？　Isn't　it　just　like　any　other　black　market　that　disappears　when　the　supplies　are　stepped　up；　like　the　penicillin　traffic　after　the　war？'
　'I'm　afraid　not；　Mr　Bond。　It　isn't　quite　as　easy　as　that。　The　population　of　the　world　is　increasing　at　the　rate　of　five　thousand　four　hundred　every　hour　of　the　day。　A　small　percentage　of　those　people　bee　gold　hoarders；　people　who　are　frightened　of　currencies；　who　like　to　bury　some　sovereigns　in　the　garden　or　under　the　bed。　Another　percentage　needs　gold　fillings　for　their　teeth。　Others　need　gold…rimmed　spectacles；　jewellery；　engagement　rings。　All　these　new　people　will　be　taking　tons　of　gold　off　the　market　every　year。　New　industries　need　gold　wire；　gold　plating；　amalgams　of　gold。　Gold　has　extraordinary　properties　which　are　being　put　to　new　uses　every　day。　It　is　brilliant；　malleable；　ductile；　almost　unalterable　and　more　dense　than　any　of　the　mon　metals　except　platinum。　There's　no　end　to　its　uses。　But　it　has　two　defects。　It　isn't　hard　enough。　It　wears　out　quickly；　leaves　itself　on　the　linings　of　our　pockets　and　in　the　sweat　of　our　skins。　Every　year；　the　world's　stock　is　invisibly　reduced　by　friction。　I　said　that　gold　has　two　defects。'　Colonel　Smithers　looked　sad。　'The　other　and　by　far　the　major　defect　is　that　it　is　the　talisman　of　fear。　Fear；　Mr　Bond；　takes　gold　out　of　circulation　and　hoards　it　against　the　evil　day。　In　a　period　of　history　when　every　tomorrow　may　be　the　evil　day；　it　is　fair　enough　to　say　that　a　fat　proportion　of　the　gold　that　is　dug　out　of　one　corner　of　the　earth　is　at　once　buried　again　in　another　corner。'
　Bond　smiled　at　Colonel　Smithers's　eloquence。　This　man　lived　gold；　thought　gold；　dreamed　gold。　Well；　it　was　an　interesting　subject。　He　might　just　as　well　wallow　in　the　stuff。　In　the　days　when　Bond　had　been　after　the　diamond　smugglers　he　had　had　first　to　educate　himself　in　the　fascination；　the　myth　of　the　stones。　He　said；　'What　else　ought　I　to　know　before　we　get　down　to　your　immediate　problem？'
　'You're　not　bored？　Well；　you　were　suggesting　that　gold　production　was　so　vast　nowadays　that　it　ought　to　take　care　of　all　these　various　consumers。　Unfortunately　that　is　not　so。　In　fact　the　gold　content　of　the　world　is　being　worked　out。　You　may　think　that　large　areas　of　the　world　have　still　to　be　explored　for　gold。　You　would　be　mistaken。　Broadly　speaking；　there　only　remains　the　land　under　the　sea　and　the　sea　itself；　which　has　a　notable　gold　content。　People　have　been　scratching　the　surface　of　the　world　for　gold　for　thousands　of　years。　There　were　the　great　gold　treasures　of　Egypt　and　Mycenae；　Montezuma　and　the　Incas。　Croesus　and　Midas　emptied　the　Middle　Eastern　territories　of　gold。　Europe　was　worked　for　it　…　the　valleys　of　the　Rhine　and　the　Po；　Malaga　and　the　plains　of　Granada。　Cyprus　was　emptied；　and　the　Balkans。　India　got　the　fever。　Ants　ing　up　from　under　the　earth　carrying　grains　of　gold　led　the　Indians　to　their　alluvial　fields。　The　Romans　worked　Wales　and　Devon　and　Cornwall。　In　the　Middle　Ages　there　were　the　finds　in　Mexico　and　Peru。　These　were　followed　by　the　opening　up　of　the　Gold　Coast；　then　called　Negro…land；　and　after　that　came　the　Americas。　The　famous　gold　rushes　of　the　Yukon　and　Eldorado；　and　the　rich　strikes　at　Eureka　sounded　off　the　first　modern　Gold　Age。　Meanwhile；　in　Australia；　Bendigo　and　Ballarat　had　e　into　production；　and　the　Russian　deposits　at　Lena　and　in　the　Urals　were　making　Russia　the　largest　gold　producer　in　the　world　in　the　middle　of　die　nineteenth　century。　Then　came　the　second　modern　Gold　Age　…　the　discoveries　on　the　Wit…watersrand。　These　were　helped　by　the　new　method　of　cyanid…ing　instead　of　separation　of　the　gold　from　the　rock　by　mercury。　Today　we　are　in　the　third　Gold　Age　with　the　opening　up　of　the　Orange　Free　State　deposits。〃　Colonel　Smithers　threw　up　his　hands。　'Now；　gold　is　pouring　out　of　the　earth。　Why；　the　whole　production　of　the　Klondike　and　the　Home…stake　and　Eldorado；　which　were　once　the　wonder　of　the　world；　would　only　add　up　to　two　or　three　years　of　today's　production　from　Africa！　Just　to　show　you；　from　1500　to　1900；　when　approximate　figures　were　kept；　the　whole　world　produced　about　eighteen　thousand　tons　of　gold。　From　1900　to　today　we　have　dug　up　forty…one　thousand　tons！　At　this　rate；　Mr　Bond；'　Colonel　Smithers　leaned　forward　earnestly；　'　…　and　please　don't　quote　me　…　but　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　in　fifty　years'　time　we　have　not　totally