iam fleming.for your eyes only-第27部分

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ng　of　doing　something　stupid。　You　should　have　used　the　girl。　The　men　were　unnecessary。〃
　Colombo　shook　his　head。　〃Lisl　was　willing　to　find　out　more　about　you；　but　nothing　else。　She　will　now　be　just　as　angry　with　me　as　you　are。　Life　is　very　difficult。　I　like　to　be　friends　with　everyone；　and　now　I　have　made　two　enemies　in　one　afternoon。　It　is　too　bad。〃　Colombo　looked　genuinely　sorry　for　himself。　He　cut　a　thick　slice　of　sausage；　impatiently　tore　the　rind　off　it　with　his　teeth　and　began　to　eat。　While　his　mouth　was　still　full　he　took　a　glass　of　champagne　and　washed　the　sausage　down　with　it。　He　said；　shaking　his　head　reproachfully　at　Bond：　〃It　is　always　the　same；　when　I　am　worried　I　have　to　eat。　But　the　food　that　I　eat　when　I　am　worried　I　cannot　digest。　And　now　you　have　worried　me。　You　say　that　we　could　have　met　and　talked　things　over　…　that　I　need　not　have　taken　all　this　trouble。〃　He　spread　his　hands　helplessly。　〃How　was　I　to　know　that？　By　saying　that；　you　put　the　blood　of　Mario　on　my　hands。　I　did　not　tell　him　to　take　a　short　cut　through　that　place。〃　Colombo　pounded　the　table。　Now　he　shouted　angrily　at　Bond。　〃I　do　not　agree　that　this　was　all　my　fault。　It　was　your　fault。　Yours　only。　You　had　agreed　to　kill　me。　How　does　one　arrange　a　friendly　meeting　with　one's　murderer？　Eh？　Just　tell　me　that。〃　Colombo　snatched　up　a　long　roll　of　bread　and　stuffed　it　into　his　mouth；　his　eyes　furious。
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　Colombo　threw　the　remains　of　the　roll　on　the　table　and　got　to　his　feet；　holding　Bond's　eyes　locked　in　his。　He　walked　sideways；　still　gazing　fixedly　at　Bond；　to　a　chest　of　drawers；　felt　for　the　knob　of　the　top　drawer；　opened　it；　groped　and　lifted　out　what　Bond　recognized　as　a　tape…recorder　playback　machine。　Still　looking　accusingly　at　Bond；　he　brought　the　machine　over　to　the　table。　He　sat　down　and　pressed　a　switch。
　When　Bond　heard　the　voice　he　picked　up　his　glass　of　whisky　and　looked　into　it。　The　tinny　voice　said：　〃Exact。　Now；　before　I　give　you　the　informations；　like　good　mercials　we　make　the　terms。　Yes？〃　The　voice　went　on：　〃Ten　thousand　dollars　American　。　。　。　There　is　no　telling　where　you　get　these　informations　from。　Even　if　you　are　beaten　。　。　。　The　head　of　this　machina　is　a　bad　man。　He　is　to　be　destrutto　…　killed。〃　Bond　waited　for　his　own　voice　to　break　through　the　restaurant　noises。　There　had　been　a　long　pause　while　he　thought　about　the　last　condition。　What　was　it　he　had　said？　His　voice　came　out　of　the　machine；　answering　him。　〃I　cannot　promise　that。　You　must　see　that。　All　I　can　say　is　that　if　the　man　tries　to　destroy　me；　I　will　destroy　him。〃
　Colombo　switched　off　the　machine。　Bond　swallowed　down　his　whisky。　Now　he　could　look　up　at　Colombo。　He　said　defensively：　〃That　doesn't　make　me　a　murderer。〃
　Colombo　looked　at　him　sorrowfully。　〃To　me　it　does。　ing　from　an　Englishman。　I　worked　for　the　English　during　the　War。　In　the　Resistance。　I　have　the　King's　Medal。〃　He　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　and　threw　the　silver　Freedom　medal　with　the　red；　white　and　blue　striped　ribbon　on　to　the　table。　〃You　see？〃
　Bond　obstinately　held　Colombo's　eyes。　He　said：　〃And　the　rest　of　the　stuff　on　that　tape？　You　long　ago　stopped　working　for　the　English。　Now　you　work　against　them；　for　money。〃
　Colombo　grunted。　He　tapped　the　machine　with　his　forefinger。　He　said　impassively：　〃I　have　heard　it　all。　It；　is　lies。〃　He　banged　his　fist　on　the　table　so　that　the　glasses　jumped。　He　bellowed　furiously：　〃It　is　lies；　lies。　Every　word　of　it。〃　He　jumped　to　his　feet。　His　chair　crashed　down　behind　him。　He　slowly　bent　and　picked　it　up。　He　reached　for　the　whisky　bottle　and　walked　round　and　poured　four　fingers　into　Bond's　glass。　He　went　back　to　his　chair　and　sat　down　and　put　the　champagne　bottle　on　the　table　in　front　of　him。　Now　his　face　was　posed；　serious。　He　said　quietly：　〃It　is　not　all　lies。　There　is　a　grain　of　truth　in　what　that　bastard　told　you。　That　is　why　I　decided　not　to　argue　with　you。　You　might　not　have　believed　me。　You　would　have　dragged　in　the　police。　There　would　have　been　much　trouble　for　me　and　my　rades。　Even　if　you　or　someone　else　had　not　found　reason　to　kill　me；　there　would　have　been　scandal；　ruin。　Instead　I　decided　to　show　you　the　truth　…　the　truth　you　were　sent　to　Italy　to　find　out。　Within　a　matter　of　hours；　tomorrow　at　dawn；　your　mission　will　have　been　pleted。〃　Colombo　clicked　his　fingers。　〃Presto　…　like　that。〃
　Bond　said：　〃What　part　of　Kristatos's　story　is　not　lies？〃
　Colombo's　eyes　looked　into　Bond's　calculating。　Finally　he　said：　〃My　friend；　I　am　a　smuggler。　That　part　is　true。　I　am　probably　the　most　successful　smuggler　in　the　Mediterranean。　Half　the　American　cigarettes　in　Italy　are　brought　in　by　me　from　Tangier。　Gold？　I　am　the　sole　supplier　of　the　black　valuta　market。　Diamonds？　I　have　my　own　purveyor　in　Beirut　with　direct　lines　to　Sierra　Leone　and　South　Africa。　In　the　old　days；　when　these　things　were　scarce；　I　also　handled　aureo…mycin　and　penicillin　and　such　medicines。　Bribery　at　the　American　base　hospitals。　And　there　have　been　many　other　things　…　even　beautiful　girls　from　Syria　and　Persia　for　the　houses　of　Naples。　I　have　also　smuggled　out　escaped　convicts。　But；〃　Colombo's　fist　crashed　on　the　table；　〃drugs；　heroin；　opium；　hemp　…　no！　Never！　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　these　things。　These　things　are　evil。　There　is　no　sin　in　the　others。〃　Colombo　held　up　his　right　hand。　〃My　friend；　this　I　swear　to　you　on　the　head　of　my　mother。〃
　Bond　was　beginning　to　see　daylight。　He　was　prepared　to　believe　Colombo。　He　even　felt　a　curious　liking　for　this　greedy；　boisterous　pirate　who　had　so　nearly　been　put　on　the　spot　by　Kristatos。　Bond　said：　〃But　why　did　Kristatos　put　the　finger　on　you？　What's　he　got　to　gain？〃
　Colombo　slowly　shook　a　finger　to　and　fro　in　front　of　his　nose。　He　said：　〃My　friend；　Kristatos　is　Kristatos。　He　is　playing　the　biggest　double　game　it　is　possible　to　conceive。　To　keep　it　up　…　to　keep　the　protection　of　American　Intelligence　and　their　Narcotics　people　…　he　must　now　and　then　throw　them　a　victim　…　some　small　man　on　the　fringe　of　the　big　game。　But　with　this　English　problem　it　is　different。　That　is　a　huge　traffic。　To　protect　it；　a　big　victim　was　required。　I　was　chosen　…　by　Kristatos；　or　by　his　employers。　And　it　is　true　that　if　you　had　been　vigorous　in　your　investigations　and　had　spent　enough　hard　currency　on　buying　information；　you　might　have　discovered　the　story　of　my　operations。　But　each　trail　towards　me　would　have　led　you　further　away　from　the　truth。　In　the　end；　for　I　do　not　underestimate　your　Service；　I　would　have　gone　to　prison。　But　the　big　fox　you　are　after　would　only　be　laughing　at　the　sound　of　the　hunt　dying　away　in　the　distance。〃
　〃Why　did　Kristatos　want　you　killed？〃
　Colombo　looked　cunning。　〃My　friend；　I　know　too　much。　In　the　fraternity　of　smugglers；　we　occasionally　stumble　on　a　corner　of　the　next　man's　business。　Not　long　ago；　in　this　ship；　I　had　a　running　fight　with　a　small　gunboat　from　Albania。　A　lucky　shot　set　fire　to　their　fuel。　There　was　only　one　survivor。　He　was　persuaded　to　talk。　I　learnt　much；　but　like　a　fool　I　took　a　chance　with　the　minefields　and　set　him　ashore　on　the　coast　north　of　Tirana。　It　was　a　mistake。　Ever　since　then　I　have　had　this　bastard　Kristatos　after　me。　Fortunately；〃　Colombo　grinned　wolfishly；　〃I　have　one　piece　of　information　he　does　not　know　of。　And　we　have　a　rendezvous　with　this　piece　of　information　at　first　light　tomorrow　…　at　a　small　fishing…port　just　north　of　Ancona；　Santa　Maria。　And　there；〃　Colombo　gave　a　harsh；　cruel　laugh；　〃we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃
　Bond　said　mildly。　〃What's　your　price　for　all　this？　You　say　my　mission　will　have　been　pleted　tomorrow　morning。　How　much？〃
　Colombo　shook　his　head。　He　said　indifferently：　〃Nothing。　It　just　happens　that　our　interests　coincide。　But　I　shall　need　your　promise　that　what　I　have　told　you　this　evening　is　between　you　and　me　and；　if　necessary；　your　Chief　in　London。　It　must　never　e　back　to　Italy。　Is　that　agreed？〃
　〃Yes。　I　agree　to　that。〃
　Colombo　got　to　his　feet。　He　went　to　the　chest　of　drawers　and　took　out　Bond's　gun。　He　handed　it　to　Bond。　〃In　that　case；　my　friend；　you　had　better　have　this；　because　you　are　going　to　need　it。　And　you　had　better　get　some　sleep。　There　will　be　rum　and　coffee　for　everyone　at　five　in　the　morning。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　Bond　took　it。　Suddenly　the　two　men　were　friends。　Bond　felt　the　fact。　He　said　awkwardly　〃All　right；　Colombo；〃　and　went　out　of　the　saloon　and　along　to　his　cabin。
　
　The　Colombina　had　a　crew　of　twelve。　They　were　youngish；　tough…looking　men。　They　talked　softly　among　themselves　as　the　mugs　of　hot　coffee　and　rum　were　dished　out　by　Colombo　in　the　saloon。　A　storm　lantern　was　the　only　light　…　the　ship　had　been　darkened　…　and　Bond　smiled　to　himself　at　the　Treasure　Island　atmosphere　of　excitement　and　conspiracy。　Colombo　went　from　man　to　man　on　a　weapon　inspection。　They　all　had　Lugers；　carried　under　the　jersey　inside　the　trouser…band；　and　flick…knives　in　the　pocket。　Colombo　had　a　word　of　approval　or　criticism　for　each　weapon。　It　struck　Bond　that　Colombo　had　made　a　good　life　for　himself　…　a　life　of　adventure　and　thrill　and　risk。　It　was　a　criminal　life　…　a　running　fight　with　the　currency　laws；　the　State　tobacco　monopoly；　the　Customs；　the　police　…　but　there　was　a　whiff　of　adolescent　rascality　in　the　air　which　som