if.moonraker-第4节

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't　be　made　without　it。　There's　very　little　of　it　in　the　world；　only　a　few　thousand　tons　are　produced　every　year；　mostly　as　a　by…product　of　the　Nigerian　tin　mines。　Drax　must　have　looked　at　the　Jet　Age　and　somehow　put　his　finger　on　its　main　scarcity。　He　must　have　got　hold　of　about　￡10；000　from　somewhere　because　the　Express　says　that　in　1946　he'd　bought　three　tons　of　Columbite；　which　cost　him　around　￡3000　a　ton。　He　got　a　￡5000　premium　on　this　lot　from　an　American　aircraft　firm　who　wanted　it　in　a　hurry。　Then　he　started　buying　futures　in　the　stuff；　six　months；　nine　months；　a　year　forward。　In　three　years　he'd　made　a　corner。　Anyone　who　wanted　Columbite　went　to　Drax　Metals　for　it。　All　this　time　he'd　been　playing　about　with　futures　in　other　small　modities…Shellac；　Sisal；　Black　Pepper…anything　where　you　could　build　up　a　big　position　on　margin。　Of　course　he　gambled　on　a　rising　modity　market　but　he　had　the　guts　to　keep　his　foot　right　down　on　the　pedal　even　when　the　pace　got　hot　as　hell。　And　whenever　he　took　a　profit　he　ploughed　the　money　back　again。　For　instance；　he　was　one　of　the　first　men　to　buy　up　used　ore…dumps　in　South　Africa。　Now　they're　being　re…mined　for　their　uranium　content。　Another　fortune　there。〃
　M's　quiet　eyes　were　fixed　on　Bond。　He　puffed　at　his　pipe；　listening。
　〃Of　course；〃　continued　Bond；　lost　in　his　story；　〃all　this　made　the　City　wonder　what　the　hell　was　going　on。　The　modity　brokers　kept　on　ing　across　the　name　of　Drax。　Whatever　they　wanted　Drax　had　got　it　and　was　holding　out　for　a　much　higher　price　than　they　were　prepared　to　pay。　He　operated　from　Tangier…free　port；　no　taxes；　no　currency　restrictions。　By　1950　he　was　a　multi…millionaire。　Then　he　came　back　to　England　and　started　spending　it。　He　simply　threw　it　about。　Best　houses；　best　cars；　best　women。　Boxes　at　the　Opera；　at　Goodwood。　Prize…winning　Jersey　herds。　Prize…winning　carnations。　Prize…winning…two…year…olds。　Two　yachts；　money　for　the　Walker　Cup　team；　￡100；000　for　the　Flood　Disaster　Fund；　Coronation　Ball　for　Nurses　at　the　Albert　Hall…there　wasn't　a　week　when　he　wasn't　hitting　the　headlines　with　some　splash　or　other。　And　all　the　time　he　went　on　getting　richer　and　the　people　simply　loved　it。　It　was　the　Arabian　Nights。　It　lit　up　their　lives。　If　a　wounded　soldier　from　Liverpool　could　get　there　in　five　years；　why　shouldn't　they　or　their　sons？　It　sounded　almost　as　easy　as　winning　a　gigantic　football　pool。
　〃And　then　came　his　astonishing　letter　to　the　Queen：　〃Your　Majesty；　may　I　have　the　temerity。。。'　and　the　typical　genius　of　the　single　banner…line　across　the　Express　next　day　：　TEMERITY　DRAX；　and　the　story　of　how　he　had　given　to　Britain　his　entire　holding　in　Columbite　to　build　a　super　atomic　rocket　with　a　range　that　would　cover　nearly　every　capital　in　Europe…the　immediate　answer　to　anyone　who　tried　to　atom…bomb　London。　￡　10；000；000　he　was　going　to　put　up　out　of　his　own　pocket；　and　he　had　the　design　of　the　thing　and　was　prepared　to　find　the　staff　to　build　it。
　〃And　then　there　were　months　of　delay　and　everyone　got　impatient。　Questions　in　the　House。　The　Opposition　nearly　forced　a　vote　of　Confidence。　And　then　the　announcement　by　the　Prime　Minister　that　the　design　had　been　approved　by　the　Woomera　Range　experts　of　the　Ministry　of　Supply；　and　that　the　Queen　had　been　graciously　pleased　to　accept　the　gift　on　behalf　of　the　people　of　Britain　and　had　conferred　a　knighthood　on　the　donor。〃
　Bond　paused；　almost　carried　away　by　the　story　of　this　extraordinary　man。
　〃Yes；〃　said　M。　〃Peace　in　Our　Time…This　Time。　I　remember　the　headline。　A　year　ago。　And　now　the　rocket's　nearly　ready。　'The　Moonraker〃。　And　from　all　I　hear　it　really　should　do　what　he　says。　It's　very　odd。〃　He　relapsed　into　silence；　gazing　out　of　the　window。
　He　turned　back　and　faced　Bond　across　the　desk。
　〃That's　about　it；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I　don't　know　much　more　than　you　do。　A　wonderful　story。　Extraordinary　man。〃　He　paused；　reflecting。　〃There's　only　one　thing。。。〃　M。　tapped　the　stem　of　his　pipe　against　his　teeth。
　〃What's　that；　sir？〃　asked　Bond。
　M。　seemed　to　make　up　his　mind。　He　looked　mildly　across　at　Bond。
　〃Sir　Hugo　Drax　cheats　at　cards。〃
　
　CHAPTER　III　
　
　'BELLY　STRIPPERS'；　ETC。
　
　〃CHEATS　AT　cards？〃
　M。　frowned。　〃That's　what　I　said；〃　he　mented　drily。　〃It　doesn't　seem　to　you　odd　that　a　multi…millionaire　should　cheat　at　cards？〃
　Bond　grinned　apologetically。　〃Not　as　odd　as　all　that；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃I've　known　very　rich　people　cheat　themselves　at　Patience。　But　it　just　didn't　fit　in　with　my　picture　of　Drax。　Bit　of　an　anti…climax。〃
　〃That's　the　point；〃　said　M。　〃Why　does　he　do　it？　And　don't　forget　that　cheating　at　cards　can　still　smash　a　man。　In　so…called　Society；　it's　about　the　only　crime　that　can　still　finish　you；　whoever　you　are。　Drax　does　it　so　well　that　nobody's　caught　him　yet。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I　doubt　if　anyone　has　begun　to　suspect　him　except　Basildon。　He's　the　Chairman　of　Blades。　He　came　to　me。　He's　got　a　vague　idea　I've　got　some　thing　to　do　with　Intelligence　and　I've　given　him　a　hand　over　one　or　two　little　troubles　in　the　past。　Asked　my　advice。　Said　he　didn't　want　a　fuss　at　the　club；　of　course；　but　above　all　he　wants　to　save　Drax　from　making　a　fool　of　himself。　He　admires　him　as　much　as　we　all　do　and　he's　terrified　of　an　incident。　You　couldn't　stop　a　scandal　like　that　getting　out。　A　lot　of　MPs　are　members　and　it　would　soon　get　talked　about　in　the　Lobby。　Then　the　gossip…writers　would　get　hold　of　it。　Drax　would　have　to　resign　from　Blades　and　the　next　thing　there'd　be　a　libel　action　brought　in　his　defence　by　one　of　his　friends。　Tranby　Croft　all　over　again。　At　least；　that's　how　Basildon's　mind　is　working　and　I　must　say　I　can　see　it　that　way　too。　Anyway；〃　said　M。　with　finality；　〃I've　agreed　to　help　and〃；　he　looked　levelly　at　Bond；　〃that's　where　you　e　in。　You're　the　best　card…player　in　the　Service；　or；〃　he　smiled　ironically；　〃you　should　be　after　the　casino　jobs　you've　been　on；　and　I　remembered　that　we'd　spent　quite　a　lot　of　money　putting　you　through　a　course　in　card…sharping　before　you　went　after　those　Roumanians　in　Monte　Carlo　before　the　war。〃
　Bond　smiled　grimly。　〃Steffi　Esposito；〃　he　said　softly。　〃That　was　the　chap。　American。　Made　me　work　ten　hours　a　day　for　a　week　learning　a　thing　called　the　Riffle　Stack　and　how　to　deal　Seconds　and　Bottoms　and　Middles。　I　wrote　a　long　report　about　it　at　the　time。　Must　be　buried　in　Records。　He　knew　every　trick　in　the　game。　How　to　wax　the　aces　so　that　the　pack　will　break　at　them；　Edge　Work　and　Line　Work　with　a　razor　on　the　backs　of　the　high　cards；　Trimming；　Arm　Pressure　Holdouts…mechanical　gadgets　up　your　sleeve　that　feed　you　cards。　Belly　Strippers…trimming　a　whole　pack　less　than　a　millimetre　down　both　sides；　but　leaving　a　slight　belly　on　the　cards　you're　interested　in…the　aces；　for　instance。　Shiners；　tiny　mirrors　built　into　rings；　or　fitted　into　the　bottom　of　a　pipe…bowl。　Actually；〃　Bond　admitted；　〃it　was　his　tip　about　Luminous　Readers　that　helped　me　on　that　Monte　Carlo　job。　A　croupier　was　using　an　invisible　ink　the　team　could　pick　out　with　special　glasses。　But　Steffi　was　a　wonderful　chap。　Scotland　Yard　found　him　for　us。　He　could　shuffle　the　pack　once　and　then　cut　the　four　aces　out　of　it。　Absolute　magic。〃
　〃Sounds　a　bit　too　professional　for　our　man；〃　mented　M。　〃That　sort　of　work　needs　hours　of　practice　every　day；　or　an　acplice；　and　I　can't　believe　he'd　find　that　at　Blades。　No；　there's　nothing　sensational　about　his　cheating　and　for　all
　I　know　it　might　be　a　fantastic　run　of　luck。　It's　odd。　He's　not　a　particularly　good　player…he　only　plays　bridge　by　the　way…but　quite　often　he　brings　off　bids　or　doubles　or　finesses　that　are　absolutely　phenomenal…quite　against　the　odds。　Or　the　conventions。　But　they　e　off。　He's　always　a　big　winner　and　they　play　high　at　Blades。　He　hasn't　lost　on　a　weekly　settlement　since　he　joined　a　year　ago。　We've　got　two　or　three　of　the　finest　players　in　the　world　in　the　Club　and　none　of　them　has　ever　had　a　record　like　that　over　twelve　months。　It's　getting　talked　about　in　a　sort　of　joking　way　and　I　think　Basil…don's　right　to　do　something　about　it。　What　system　do　you　suppose　Drax　has　got？〃
　Bond　was　longing　for　his　lunch。　The　Chief　of　Staff　must　have　given　him　up　half　an　hour　ago。　He　could　have　talked　to　M。　about　cheating　for　hours；　and　M。；　who　never　seemed　to　be　interested　in　food　or　sleep；　would　have　listened　to　everything　and　remembered　it　afterwards。　But　Bond　was　hungry。
　〃Assuming　he's　not　a　professional；　sir；　and　can't　doctor　the　cards　in　any　way；　there　are　only　two　answers。　He's　either　looking；　or　else　he's　got　a　system　of　signals　with　his　partner。　Does　he　often　play　with　the　same　man？〃
　〃We　always　cut　for　partners　after　each　rubber；〃　said　M。　〃Unless　there's　a　challenge。　And　on　guest　nights；　Mondays　and　Thursdays；　you　stick　to　your　guest。　Drax　nearly　always　brings　a　man　called　Meyer；　his　metal　broker。　Nice　chap。　Jew。　Very　fine　player。〃
　〃I　might　be　able　to　tell　if　I　watched；〃　said　Bond。
　〃That's　what　I　was　going　to　say；〃　said　M。　〃How　about　ing　along　tonight？　At　any　rate　you'll　get　a　good　dinner。　Meet　you　there　about　six。　I'll　take　some　money　off　you　at　piquet　and　we'll　watch　the　bridge　for　a　little。　After　dinner　we'll　have　a　rubber　or　two　with　Drax　and　his　friend。　They're　always　there　on　Monday。　All　right？　Sure　I'm　not　taki