iam fleming.for your eyes only-第35部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Bond　lifted　his　mask。　〃Looks　as　if　it　managed　to　get　away　just　before　the　stuff　came　down。　I'm　still　watching　for　it。〃
　He　didn't　wait　to　hear　Mr　Krest's　reply　but　got　his　head　quickly　under　water　again。　Still　more　carnage；　still　more　dead　bodies。　But　surely　the　stuff　had　passed　by　now。　Surely　the　area　was　safe　just　in　case　the　fish；　his　fish　because　he　had　saved　it；　came　back　again！　He　stiffened。　In　the　far　mists　there　was　a　pink　flash。　It　had　gone。　Now　it　was　back　again。　Idly　the　Hildebrand　Rarity　swam　towards　him　through　the　maze　of　channels　between　the　broken　outposts　of　the　reef。
　Not　caring　about　Mr　Krest；　Bond　raised　his　free　hand　out　of　the　water　and　brought　it　down　with　a　sharp　slap。　Still　the　fish　came。　Bond　shifted　the　safe　on　his　harpoon…gun　and　fired　it　in　the　direction　of　the　fish。　No　effect。　Bond　put　his　feet　down　and　began　to　walk　towards　the　fish　through　the　scattering　of　corpses。　The　beautiful　red　and　black　fish　seemed　to　pause　and　quiver。　Then　it　shot　straight　through　the　water　towards　Bond　and　dived　down　to　the　sand　at　his　feet　and　lay　still。　Bond　only　had　to　bend　to　pick　it　up。　There　was　not　even　a　last　flap　from　the　tail。　It　just　filled　Bond's　hand；　lightly　pricking　the　palm　with　the　spiny　black　dorsal　fin。　Bond　carried　it　back　under…water　so　as　to　preserve　its　colours。　When　he　got　to　Mr　Krest　he　said　〃Here；〃　and　handed　him　the　small　fish。　Then　he　swam　away　towards　the　shore。
　
　That　evening；　with　the　Wawekrest　heading　for　home　down　the　path　of　a　huge　yellow　moon；　Mr　Krest　gave　orders　for　what　he　called　a　'wingding'。　〃Gotta　celebrate；　Liz。　This　is　terrific；　a　terrific　day。　Cleaned　up　the　last　target　and　we　can　get　the　hell　out　of　these　goddam　Seychelles　and　get　on　back　to　civilization。　What　say　we　make　it　to　Mombasa　when　we've　taken　on　board　the　tortoise　and　that　goddam　parrot？　Fly　to　Nairobi　and　pick　up　a　big　plane　for　Rome；　Venice；　Paris　…　anywheres　you　care　for。　What　say；　treasure？〃　He　squeezed　her　chin　and　cheeks　in　his　big　hand　and　made　the　pale　lips　pout。　He　kissed　them　drily。　Bond　watched　the　girl's　eyes。　They　had　shut　tight。　Mr　Krest　let　go。　The　girl　massaged　her　face。　It　was　still　white　with　his　finger…marks。
　〃Gee；　Milt；〃　she　said　half　laughing；　〃you　nearly　squashed　me。　You　don't　know　your　strength。　But　do　let's　celebrate。　I　think　that　would　be　lots　of　fun。　And　that　Paris　idea　sounds　grand。　Let's　do　that；　shall　we？　What　shall　I　order　for　dinner？〃
　〃Hell　…　caviar　of　course。〃　Mr　Krest　held　his　hands　apart。　〃One　of　those　two…pound　tins　from　Hammacher　Schlemmer　…　the　grade　ten　shot　size；　and　all　the　trimmings。　And　that　pink　champagne。〃　He　turned　to　Bond。　〃That　suit　you；　feller？〃
　〃Sounds　like　a　square　meal。〃　Bond　changed　the　subject。　〃What　have　you　done　with　the　prize？〃
　〃Formalin。　Up　on　the　boat…deck　with　some　other　jars　of　stuff　we've　picked　up　here　and　there　…　fish；　shells。　All　safe　in　our　home　morgue。　That's　how　we　were　told　to　keep　the　specimens。　We'll　airmail　that　damned　fish　when　we　get　back　to　civilization。　Give　a　Press　conference　first。　Should　make　a　big　play　in　the　papers　back　home。　I've　already　radioed　the　Smithsonian　and　the　news　agencies。　My　accountants'll　sure　be　glad　of　some　Press　cuttings　to　show　those　darned　revenue　boys。〃
　Mr　Krest　got　very　drunk　that　night。　It　did　not　show　greatly。　The　soft　Bogart　voice　became　softer　and　slower。　The　round；　hard　head　turned　more　deliberately　on　the　shoulders。　The　lighter's　flame　took　increasingly　long　to　relight　the　cigar；　and　one　glass　was　swept　off　the　table。　But　it　showed　in　the　things　Mr　Krest　said。　There　was　a　violent　cruelty；　a　pathological　desire　to　wound；　quite　near　the　surface　in　the　man。　That　night；　after　dinner；　the　first　target　was　James　Bond。　He　was　treated　to　a　soft…spoken　explanation　as　to　why　Europe；　with　England　and　France　in　the　van；　was　a　rapidly　diminishing　asset　to　the　world。　Nowadays；　said　Mr　Krest；　there　were　only　three　powers　…　America；　Russia　and　China。　That　was　the　big　poker　game　and　no　other　country　had　either　the　chips　or　the　cards　to　e　into　it。　Occasionally　some　pleasant　little　country　…　and　he　admitted　they'd　been　pretty　big　league　in　the　past　…　like　England　would　be　lent　some　money　so　that　they　could　take　a　hand　with　the　grown…ups。　But　that　was　just　being　polite　like　one　sometimes　had　to　be　…　to　a　chum　in　one's　club　who'd　gone　broke。　No。　England　…　nice　people；　mind　you；　good　sports　…　was　a　place　to　see　the　old　buildings　and　the　Queen　and　so　on。　France？　They　only　counted　for　good　food　and　easy　women。　Italy？　Sunshine　and　spaghetti。　Sanatorium；　sort　of。　Germany？　Well；　they　still　had　some　spunk；　but　two　lost　wars　had　knocked　the　heart　out　of　them。　Mr　Krest　dismissed　the　rest　of　the　world　with　a　few　similar　tags　and　then　asked　Bond　for　his　ments。
　Bond　was　thoroughly　tired　of　Mr　Krest。　He　said　he　found　Mr　Krest's　point　of　view　oversimplified　…　he　might　even　say　naive。　He　said：　〃Your　argument　reminds　me　of　a　rather　sharp　aphorism　I　once　heard　about　America。　Care　to　hear　it？〃
　〃Sure；　sure。〃
　〃It's　to　the　effect　that　America　has　progressed　from　infancy　to　senility　without　having　passed　through　a　period　of　maturity。〃
　　Mr　Krest　looked　thoughtfully　at　Bond。　Finally　he　said：　〃Why；　say；　Jim；　that's　pretty　neat。〃　His　eyes　hooded　slightly　as　they　turned　towards　his　wife。　〃Guess　you'd　kinda　go　along　with　that　remark　of　Jim's；　eh；　treasure？　I　recall　you　saying　once　you　reckoned　there　was　something　pretty　childish　about　the　Americans。　Remember？〃
　〃Oh　Milt。〃　Liz　Krest's　eyes　were　anxious。　She　had　read　the　signs。　〃How　can　you　bring　that　up？　You　know　it　was　only　something　casual　I　said　about　the　ic　sections　of　the　papers。　Of　course　I　don't　agree　with　what　James　says。　Anyway；　it　was　only　a　joke；　wasn't　it；　James？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　said　Bond。　〃Like　when　Mr　Krest　said　England　had　nothing　but　ruins　and　a　queen。〃
　Mr　Krest's　eyes　were　still　on　the　girl。　He　said　softly：　〃Shucks；　treasure。　Why　are　you　looking　so　nervous？　Course　it　was　a　joke。〃　He　paused。　〃And　one　I'll　remember；　treasure。　One　I'll　sure　remember。〃
　Bond　estimated　that　by　now　Mr　Krest　had　just　about　one　whole　bottle　of　various　alcohols；　mostly　whisky；　inside　him。　It　looked　to　Bond　as　if；　unless　Mr　Krest　passed　out；　the　time　was　not　far　off　when　Bond　would　have　to　hit　Mr　Krest　just　once　very　hard　on　the　jaw。　Fidele　Barbey　was　now　being　given　the　treatment。　〃These　islands　of　yours；　Fido。　When　I　first　looked　them　up　on　the　map　I　thought　it　was　just　some　specks　of　fly…dirt　on　the　page。〃　Mr　Krest　chuckled。　〃Even　tried　to　brush　them　off　with　the　back　of　my　hand。　Then　I　read　a　bit　about　them　and　it　seemed　to　me　my　first　thoughts　had　just　about　hit　the　nail　on　the　head。　Not　much　good　for　anything；　are　they；　Fido？　I　wonder　an　intelligent　guy　like　you　doesn't　get　the　hell　out　of　there。　Beach…bing　ain't　any　kind　of　a　life。　Though　I　did　hear　one　of　your　family　had　logged　over　a　hundred　illegitimate　children。　Mebbe　that's　the　attraction；　eh；　feller？〃　Mr　Krest　grinned　knowingly。
　Fidele　Barbey　said　equably：　〃That's　my　uncle；　Gaston。　The　rest　of　the　family　doesn't　approve。　It's　made　quite　a　hole　in　the　family　fortune。〃
　〃Family　fortune；　eh？〃　Mr　Krest　winked　at　Bond。　〃What's　it　in？　Cowrie…shells？〃
　〃Not　exactly。〃　Fidele　Barbey　was　not　used　to　Mr　Krest's　brand　of　rudeness。　He　looked　mildly　embarrassed。　〃Though　we　made　quite　a　lot　out　of　tortoise…shell　and　mother…of…pearl　about　a　hundred　years　ago　when　there　was　a　rage　for　these　things。　Copra's　always　been　our　main　business。〃
　〃Using　the　family　bastards　as　labour；　I　guess。　Good　idea。　Wish　I　could　fix　something　like　that　in　my　home　circle。〃　He　looked　across　at　his　wife。　The　rubber　lips　turned　still　further　down。　Before　the　next　gibe　could　be　uttered；　Bond　had　pushed　his　chair　back　and　had　gone　out　into　the　well…deck　and　pulled　the　door　shut　behind　him。
　Ten　minutes　later；　Bond　heard　feet　ing　softly　down　the　ladder　from　the　boat…deck。　He　turned。　It　was　Liz　Krest。　She　came　over　to　where　he　was　standing　in　the　stern。　She　said　in　a　strained　voice：　〃I　said　I'd　go　to　bed。　But　then　I　thought　I'd　e　back　here　and　see　if　you'd　got　everything　you　want。　I'm　not　a　very　good　hostess；　I'm　afraid。　Are　you　sure　you　don't　mind　sleeping　out　here？〃
　〃I　like　it。　I　like　this　kind　of　air　better　than　the　canned　stuff　inside。　And　it's　rather　wonderful　to　have　all　those　stars　to　look　at。　I've　never　seen　so　many　before。〃
　She　said　eagerly；　grasping　at　a　friendly　topic：　〃I　like　Orion's　Belt　and　the　Southern　Cross　the　best。　You　know；　when　I　was　young；　I　used　to　think　the　stars　were　really　holes　in　the　sky。　I　thought　the　world　was　surrounded　by　a　great　big　black　sort　of　envelope；　and　that　outside　it　the　universe　was　full　of　bright　light。　The　stars　were　just　holes　in　the　envelope　that　let　little　sparks　of　light　through。　One　gets　terribly　silly　ideas　when　one's　young。〃　She　looked　up　at　him；　wanting　him　not　to　snub　her。
　Bond　said：　〃You're　probably　quite　right。　One　shouldn't　believe　all　the　scientists　say。　They　want　to　make　everything　dull。　Where　did　you　live　then？〃
　〃At　Ringwood　in　the　New　Forest。　It　was　a　good　place　to　be　brought　up。　A　good　place　for　children。　I'd　like　to　go　there　again　one　day。〃
　Bond　said：　〃You've　certainly　e　a　long　way　since　then。　You'd　probably　find　it　pretty　dull。〃
　She　reached　out　and　touched　his　sleeve。　〃Please