iam fleming.for your eyes only-第19部分

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ed。　〃I　don't　know　if　you've　ever　seen　a　heart　being　broken；　Mr　Bond；　broken　slowly　and　deliberately。　Well；　that's　what　I　saw　happening　to　Philip　Masters；　and　it　was　a　dreadful　thing　to　watch。　There　he　had　been；　a　man　with　Paradise　in　his　face；　and；　within　a　year　of　his　arrival　in　Bermuda；　Hell　was　written　all　over　it。　Of　course　I　did　my　best；　we　all　did　in　one　way　or　another；　but　once　it　had　happened；　on　that　eighteenth　green　at　the　Mid…Ocean；　there　was　really　nothing　to　do　but　try　and　pick　up　the　bits。　But　Masters　was　like　a　wounded　dog。　He　just　drew　away　from　us　into　a　corner　and　snarled　when　anyone　tried　to　e　near　him。　I　even　went　to　the　length　of　writing　him　one　or　two　letters。　He　later　told　me　he　had　torn　them　up　without　reading　them。　One　day；　several　of　us　got　together　and　asked　him　to　a　stag　party　in　my　bungalow。　We　tried　to　get　him　drunk。　We　got　him　drunk　all　right。　The　next　thing　that　happened　was　a　crash　from　the　bathroom。　Masters　had　tried　to　cut　his　wrists　with　my　razor。　That　broke　our　nerve　and　I　was　deputed　to　go　and　see　the　Governor　about　the　whole　business。　The　Governor　knew　about　it；　of　course；　but　had　hoped　he　wouldn't　have　to　interfere。　Now　the　question　was　whether　Masters　could　even　stay　on　in　the　Service。　His　work　had　gone　to　pieces。　His　wife　was　a　public　scandal。　He　was　a　broken　man。　Could　we　stick　the　bits　together　again？　The　Governor　was　a　fine　man。　Once　action　had　been　forced　on　him；　he　was　determined　to　make　a　last　effort　to　stave　off　the　almost　inevitable　report　to　Whitehall　which　would　finally　smash　what　remained　of　Masters。　And　Providence　stepped　in　to　lend　a　hand。　The　very　next　day　after　my　interview　with　the　Governor；　there　was　a　dispatch　from　the　Colonial　Office　saying　there　was　to　be　a　meeting　in　Washington　to　delineate　off…shore　fishing　rights；　and　that　Bermuda　and　the　Bahamas　had　been　invited　to　send　representatives　of　their　Governments。　The　Governor　sent　for　Masters；　spoke　to　him　like　a　Dutch　uncle；　told　him　that　he　was　being　sent　to　Washington；　and　that　he　had　better　have　his　domestic　affairs　settled　one　way　or　the　other　in　the　next　six　months；　and　packed　him　off。　Masters　left　in　a　week　and　sat　in　Washington　talking　fish　for　five　months；　and　we　all　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　and　cut　Rhoda　Masters　whenever　we　could　find　an　opportunity　to　do　it。〃
　The　Governor　stopped　speaking　and　it　was　silent　in　the　big　brightly　lit　drawing…room。　He　took　out　a　handkerchief　and　wiped　it　over　his　face。　His　memories　had　excited　him　and　his　eyes　were　bright　in　the　flushed　face。　He　got　to　his　feet　and　poured　a　whisky　and　soda　for　Bond；　and　one　for　himself。
　Bond　said：　〃What　a　mess。　I　suppose　something　like　that　was　bound　to　happen　sooner　or　later；　but　it　was　bad　luck　on　Masters　that　it　had　to　happen　so　soon　She　must　have　been　a　hard…hearted　little　bitch。　Did　she　show　any　signs　of　being　sorry　for　what　she'd　done？〃
　The　Governor　had　finished　lighting　a　fresh　cigar。　He　looked　at　the　glowing　tip　and　blew　on　it。　He　said：　〃Oh　no。　She　was　having　a　wonderful　time。　She　probably　knew　it　wouldn't　last　for　ever；　but　it　was　what　she　had　dreamed　about　…　what　the　readers　of　women's　magazines　dream　about；　and　she　was　pretty　typical　of　that　sort　of　mentality。　She　had　everything　…　the　best　catch　on　the　island；　love　on　the　sands　under　the　palm　trees；　gay　times　in　the　town　and　at　the　Mid…Ocean；　fast　drives　in　the　car　and　the　speedboat　…　all　the　trappings　of　cheap　romance。　And；　to　fall　back　on；　a　slave　of　a　husband　well　out　of　the　way；　and　a　house　to　have　a　bath　in　and　change　her　clothes　and　get　some　sleep。　And　she　knew　she　could　get　Philip　Masters　back。　He　was　so　abject。　There　would　be　no　difficulty。　And　then　she　could　go　round　and　apologize　to　everyone　and　turn　on　the　charm　again　and　everyone　would　forgive　her。　It　would　be　all　right。　If　it　wasn't　all　right；　there　were　plenty　of　other　men　in　the　world　besides　Philip　Masters　…　and　more　attractive　ones　at　that。　Why；　look　at　all　the　men　at　the　golf　club！　She　could　have　her　pick　of　them　at　the　drop　of　a　hat。　No；　life　was　good；　and　if　one　was　being　a　bit　naughty　it　was　after　all　only　the　way　plenty　of　other　people　behaved。　Look　at　the　way　the　filmstars　went　on　in　Hollywood。〃
　〃Well；　she　was　soon　put　to　the　test。　Tattersall　got　a　bit　tired　of　her　and；　thanks　to　the　Governor's　wife；　the　Tattersall　parents　were　making　the　hell　of　a　fuss。　That　gave　Tattersall　a　good　excuse　to　get　out　of　it　all　without　too　much　of　a　scene。　And　it　was　summer　and　the　island　was　flooded　with　pretty　American　girls。　It　was　time　for　some　fresh　blood。　So　he　chucked　Rhoda　Masters。　Like　that。　Just　told　her　they　were　through。　That　his　parents　had　insisted　or　they　would　cut　off　his　allowance。　It　was　a　fortnight　before　Philip　Masters　was　due　back　from　Washington；　and　I　will　say　she　took　it　well。　She　was　tough　and　she　had　known　it　would　have　to　e　some　time　or　other。　She　didn't　squeal。　For　that　matter　there　was　no　one　to　squeal　to。　She　just　went　and　told　Lady　Burford　that　she　was　sorry　and　that　she　was　now　going　to　be　a　good　wife　to　Philip　Masters；　and　she　started　on　the　house　and　cleaned　it　up　and　got　everything　shipshape　ready　for　the　big　reconciliation　scene。　The　necessity　for　bringing　about　this　reconciliation　was　made　clear　to　her　by　the　attitude　of　her　former　cronies　at　the　Mid…Ocean。　She　had　suddenly　bee　bad　news　there。　You　know　how　these　things　can　happen；　even　in　an　open…handed　place　like　a　country　club　in　the　tropics。　Now　not　only　the　Government　House　set　but　also　the　Hamilton　merchants　clique　frowned　on　her。　She　was　suddenly　shoddy　goods；　used　and　discarded。　She　tried　to　be　the　same　gay　little　flirt；　but　it　didn't　work　any　more。　She　got　sharply　snubbed　once　or　twice　and　stopped　going。　Now　it　was　vital　to　get　back　to　a　secure　base　and　start　slowly　working　her　way　up　again。　She　stayed　at　home　and　set　to　with　a　will；　rehearsing　over　and　over　again　the　act　she　would　put　on…　the　tears；　the　air　hostess　cosseting；　the　lengthy；　sincere　excuses　and　explanations；　the　double　bed。〃
　〃And　then　Philip　Masters　came　home。〃
　The　Governor　paused　and　looked　reflectively　over　at　Bond。　He　said：　〃You're　not　married；　but　I　think　it's　the　same　with　all　relationships　between　a　man　and　a　woman。　They　can　survive　anything　so　long　as　some　kind　of　basic　humanity　exists　between　the　two　people。　When　all　kindness　has　gone；　when　one　person　obviously　and　sincerely　doesn't　care　if　the　other　is　alive　or　dead；　then　it's　just　no　good。　That　particular　insult　to　the　ego　…　worse；　to　the　instinct　of　self…preservation　…　can　never　be　forgiven。　I've　noticed　this　in　hundreds　of　marriages。　I've　seen　flagrant　infidelities　patched　up；　I've　seen　crimes　and　even　murder　forgiven　by　the　other　party；　let　alone　bankruptcy　and　every　other　form　of　social　crime。　Incurable　disease；　blindness；　disaster　…　all　these　can　be　overe。　But　never　the　death　of　mon　humanity　in　one　of　the　partners。　I've　thought　about　this　and　I've　invented　a　rather　high…sounding　title　for　this　basic　factor　in　human　relations。　I　have　called　it　the　Law　of　the　Quantum　of　Solace。〃
　Bond　said：　〃That's　a　splendid　name　for　it。　It's　certainly　impressive　enough。　And　of　course　I　see　what　you　mean。　I　should　say　you're　absolutely　right。　Quantum　of　Solace　…　the　amount　of　fort。　Yes；　I　suppose　you　could　say　that　all　love　and　friendship　is　based　in　the　end　on　that。　Human　beings　are　very　insecure。　When　the　other　person　not　only　makes　you　feel　insecure　but　actually　seems　to　want　to　destroy　you；　it's　obviously　the　end。　The　Quantum　of　Solace　stands　at　zero。　You've　got　to　get　away　to　save　yourself。　Did　Masters　see　that？〃　The　Governor　didn't　answer　the　question。　He　said：　〃Rhoda　Masters　should　have　been　warned　when　her　husband　walked　through　the　bungalow　door。　It　wasn't　so　much　what　she　saw　on　the　surface　…　though　the　moustache　had　gone　and　Masters's　hair　was　once　again　the　untidy　mop　of　their　first　meeting　…　it　was　the　eyes　and　the　mouth　and　the　set　of　the　chin。　Rhoda　Masters　had　put　on　her　quietest　frock。　She　had　taken　off　most　of　her　make…up　and　had　arranged　herself　in　a　chair　where　the　light　from　the　window　left　her　face　in　half　shadow　and　illuminated　the　pages　of　a　book　on　her　lap。　She　had　decided　that；　when　he　came　through　the　door；　she　would　look　up　from　her　book；　docilely；　submissively；　and　wait　for　him　to　speak。　Then　she　would　get　up　and　e　quietly　to　him　and　stand　in　front　of　him　with　her　head　bowed。　She　would　tell　him　all　and　let　the　tears　e　and　he　would　take　her　in　his　arms　and　she　would　promise　and　promise。　She　had　practised　the　scene　many　times　until　she　was　satisfied。〃
　〃She　duly　glanced　up　from　her　book。　Masters　quietly　put　down　his　suitcase　and　walked　slowly　over　to　the　mantelpiece　and　stood　looking　vaguely　down　at　her。　His　eyes　were　cold　and　impersonal　and　without　interest。　He　put　his　hand　in　his　inside　pocket　and　took　out　a　piece　of　paper。　He　said　in　the　matter…of…fact　voice　of　a　house　agent：　'Here　is　a　plan　of　the　house。　I　have　divided　the　house　in　two。　Your　rooms　are　the　kitchen　and　your　bedroom。　Mine　are　this　room　and　the　spare　bedroom。　You　may　use　the　bathroom　when　I　am　not　in　it。'　He　leant　over　and　dropped　the　paper　on　the　open　pages　of　her　book。　'You　are　never　to　enter　my　rooms　except　when　we　have　friends　in。'　Rhoda　Masters　opened　her　mouth　to　speak。　He　held　up　his　hand。　'This　is　the　last　time　I　s