iam fleming.for your eyes only-第4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！


　〃Got　the　bullet。　Luger。　Severed　the　spinal　cord。　Probably　fired　at　around　thirty　yards；　give　or　take　ten　yards。　Assuming　our　man　was　riding　a　straight　course；　the　bullet　must　have　been　fired　from　dead　astern　on　a　level　trajectory。　Since　it　can't　have　been　a　man　standing　in　the　road；　the　killer　must　have　been　moving　in　or　on　some　vehicle。〃
　〃So　your　man　would　have　seen　him　in　the　driving…mirror？〃
　〃Probably。〃
　〃If　your　riders　find　themselves　being　followed；　do　they　have　any　instructions　about　taking　evasive　action？〃
　The　Colonel　smiled　slightly。　〃Sure。　They're　told　to　go　like　hell。〃
　〃And　at　what　speed　did　your　man　crash？〃
　〃Not　fast；　they　think。　Between　twenty　and　forty。　What　are　you　getting　at；　mander？〃
　〃I　was　wondering　if　you'd　decided　whether　it　was　a　pro　or　an　amateur　job。　If　your　man　wasn't　trying　to　get　away；　and　assuming　he　saw　the　killer　in　his　mirror；　which　I　agree　is　only　a　probability；　that　suggests　that　he　accepted　the　man　on　his　tail　as　friend　rather　than　foe。　That　could　mean　some　sort　of　disguise　that　would　fit　in　with　the　set…up　here　…　something　your　man　would　accept　even　at　that　hour　of　the　morning。〃
　A　small　frown　had　been　gathering　across　Colonel　Schreiber's　smooth　forehead。　〃mander；〃　there　was　an　edge　of　tension　in　the　voice；　〃we　have；　of　course；　been　considering　every　angle　of　this　case；　including　the　one　you　mention。　At　midday　yesterday　the　manding　General　declared　emergency　in　this　matter；　standing　security　and　security　ops　mittees　were　set　up；　and　from　that　moment　on　every　angle；　every　hint　of　a　clue；　has　been　systematically　run　to　earth。　And　I　can　tell　you；　mander；〃　the　Colonel　raised　one　well…manicured　hand　and　let　it　descend　in　soft　emphasis　on　his　blotting…pad；　〃any　man　who　can　e　up　with　an　even　remotely　original　idea　on　this　case　will　have　to　be　closely　related　to　Einstein。　There　is　nothing；　repeat　nothing；　to　go　on　in　this　case　whatsoever。〃
　Bond　smiled　sympathetically。　He　got　to　his　feet。　〃In　that　case；　Colonel；　I　won't　waste　any　more　of　your　time　this　evening。　If　I　could　just　have　the　minutes　of　the　various　meetings　to　bring　myself　up　to　date；　and　if　one　of　your　men　could　show　me　the　way　to　the　canteen　and　my　quarters　。　。　。〃
　〃Sure；　sure。〃　The　Colonel　pressed　a　bell。　A　young　crew…cutted　aide　came　in。　〃Proctor；　show　the　mander　to　his　room　in　the　VIP　wing；　would　you；　and　then　take　him　along　to　the　bar　and　the　canteen。〃　He　turned　to　Bond。　〃I'll　have　those　papers　ready　for　you　after　you've　had　a　meal　and　a　drink。　They'll　be　in　my　office。　They　can't　be　taken　out；　of　course；　but　you'll　find　everything　to　hand　next　door；　and　Proctor　will　be　able　to　fill　you　in　on　anything　that's　missing。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Okay？　Then　we'll　meet　again　in　the　morning。〃
　Bond　said　goodnight　and　followed　the　aide　out。　As　he　walked　along　the　neutral…painted；　neutral…smelling　corridors；　he　reflected　that　this　was　probably　the　most　hopeless　assignment　he　had　ever　been　on。　If　the　top　security　brains　of　fourteen　countries　were　stumped；　what　hope　had　he　got？　By　the　time　he　was　in　bed　that　night；　in　the　Spartan　luxury　of　the　visitors'　overnight　quarters；　Bond　had　decided　he　would　give　it　a　couple　more　days　…　largely　for　the　sake　of　keeping　in　touch　with　Mary　Ann　Russell　for　as　long　as　possible　…　and　then　chuck　it。　On　this　decision　he　fell　immediately　into　a　deep　and　untroubled　sleep。
　
　Not　two；　but　four　days　later；　as　the　dawn　came　up　over　the　Forest　of　St　Germain；　James　Bond　was　lying　along　the　thick　branch　of　an　oak　tree　keeping　watch　over　a　small　empty　glade　that　lay　deep　among　the　trees　bordering　D98；　the　road　of　the　murder。
　He　was　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　parachutists'　camouflage　…　green；　brown　and　black。　Even　his　hands　were　covered　with　the　stuff；　and　there　was　a　hood　over　his　head　with　slits　cut　for　the　eyes　and　mouth。　It　was　good　camouflage　which　would　be　still　better　when　the　sun　was　higher　and　the　shadows　blacker；　and　from　anywhere　on　the　ground；　even　directly　below　the　high　branch；　he　could　not　be　seen。
　It　had　e　about　like　this。　The　first　two　days　at　SHAPE　had　been　the　expected　waste　of　time。　Bond　had　achieved　nothing　except　to　make　himself　mildly　unpopular　with　the　persistence　of　his　double…checking　questions。　On　the　morning　of　the　third　day　he　was　about　to　go　and　say　his　goodbyes　when　he　had　a　telephone　call　from　the　Colonel。　〃Oh；　mander；　thought　I'd　let　you　know　that　the　last　team　of　police　dogs　got　in　late　last　night　…　your　idea　that　it　might　be　worth　while　covering　the　whole　forest。　Sorry〃　…　the　voice　sounded　un…sorry　…　〃but　negative；　absolutely　negative。〃
　〃Oh。　My　fault　for　the　wasted　time。〃　As　much　to　annoy　the　Colonel　as　anything；　Bond　said：　〃Mind　if　I　have　a　talk　with　the　handler？〃
　〃Sure；　sure。　Anything　you　want。　By　the　way；　mander；　how　long　are　you　planning　to　be　around？　Glad　to　have　you　with　us　for　as　long　as　you　like。　But　it's　a　question　of　your　room。　Seems　there's　a　big　party　ing　in　from　Holland　in　a　few　days'　time。　Top　level　staff　course　or　something　of　the　kind；　and　Admin　says　they're　a　bit　pushed　for　space。〃
　Bond　had　not　expected　to　get　on　well　with　Colonel　Schreiber　and　he　had　not　done　so。　He　said　amiably：　〃I'll　see　what　my　Chief　has　to　say　and　call　you　back；　Colonel。〃
　〃Do　that；　would　you。〃　The　Colonel's　voice　was　equally　polite；　but　the　manners　of　both　men　were　running　out　and　the　two　receivers　broke　the　line　simultaneously。
　The　chief　handler　was　a　Frenchman　from　the　Landes。　He　had　the　quick　sly　eyes　of　a　poacher。　Bond　met　him　at　the　kennels；　but　the　handler's　proximity　was　too　much　for　the　Alsatians　and；　to　get　away　from　the　noise；　he　took　Bond　into　the　duty…room；　a　tiny　office　with　binoculars　hanging　from　pegs；　and　waterproofs；　gumboots；　dog…harness　and　other　gear　stacked　round　the　walls。　There　were　a　couple　of　deal　chairs　and　a　table　covered　with　a　large…scale　map　of　the　Forest　of　St　Germain。　This　had　been　marked　off　into　pencilled　squares。　The　handler　made　a　gesture　over　the　map。　〃Our　dogs　covered　it　all；　Monsieur。　There　is　nothing　there。〃
　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　they　didn't　check　once？〃
　The　handler　scratched　his　head。　〃We　had　trouble　with　a　bit　of　game；　Monsieur。　There　was　a　hare　or　two。　A　couple　of　foxes'　earths。　We　had　quite　a　time　getting　them　away　from　a　clearing　near　the　Carrefour　Royal。　They　probably　still　smelled　the　gipsies。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Bond　was　only　mildly　interested。　〃Show　me。　Who　were　these　gipsies？〃
　The　handler　pointed　daintily　with　a　grimy　little　finger。　〃These　are　the　names　from　the　old　days。　Here　is　the　Etoile　Parfaite；　and　here；　where　the　killing　took　place；　is　the　Carrefour　des　Curieux。　And　here；　forming　the　bottom　of　the　triangle；　is　the　Carrefour　Royal。　It　makes；〃　he　added　dramatically；　〃a　cross　with　the　road　of　death。〃　He　took　a　pencil　out　of　his　pocket　and　made　a　dot　just　off　the　crossroads。　〃And　this　is　the　clearing；　Monsieur。　There　was　a　gipsy　caravan　there　for　most　of　the　winter。　They　left　last　month。　Cleaned　the　place　up　all　right；　but；　for　the　dogs；　their　scent　will　hang　about　there　for　months。〃
　Bond　thanked　him；　and　after　inspecting　and　admiring　the　dogs　and　making　some　small　talk　about　the　handler's　profession；　he　got　into　the　Peugeot　and　went　off　to　the　gendarmerie　in　St　Germain。　〃Yes；　certainly　they　had　known　the　gipsies。　Real　Romany…looking　fellows。　Hardly　spoke　a　word　of　French；　but　they　had　behaved　themselves。　There　had　been　no　plaints。　Six　men　and　two　women。　No。　No　one　had　seen　them　go。　One　morning　they　just　weren't　there　any　more。　Might　have　been　gone　a　week　for　all　one　knew。　They　had　chosen　an　isolated　spot。〃
　Bond　took　the　D98　through　the　forest。　When　the　great　autoroute　bridge　showed　up　a　quarter　of　a　mile　ahead　over　the　road；　Bond　accelerated　and　then　switched　off　the　engine　and　coasted　silently　until　he　came　to　the　Carrefour　Royal。　He　stopped　and　got　out　of　the　car　without　a　sound；　and；　feeling　rather　foolish；　softly　entered　the　forest　and　walked　with　great　circumspection　towards　where　the　clearing　would　be。　Twenty　yards　inside　the　trees　he　came　to　it。　He　stood　in　the　fringe　of　bushes　and　trees　and　examined　it　carefully。　Then　he　walked　in　and　went　over　it　from　end　to　end。
　The　clearing　was　about　as　big　as　two　tennis　courts　and　floored　in　thick　grass　and　moss。　There　was　one　large　patch　of　lilies　of　the　valley　and；　under　the　bordering　trees；　a　scattering　of　bluebells。　To　one　side　there　was　a　low　mound；　perhaps　a　tumulus；　pletely　surrounded　and　covered　with　brambles　and　brier　roses　now　thickly　in　bloom。　Bond　walked　round　this　and　gazed　in　among　the　roots；　but　there　was　nothing　to　see　except　the　earthy　shape　of　the　mound。
　Bond　took　one　last　look　round　and　then　went　to　the　corner　of　the　clearing　that　would　be　nearest　to　the　road。　Here　there　was　easy　access　through　the　trees。　Were　there　traces　of　a　path；　a　slight　flattening　of　the　leaves？　Not　more　than　would　have　been　left　by　the　gipsies　or　last　year's　picnickers。　On　the　edge　of　the　road　there　was　a　narrow　passage　between　two　trees。　Casually　Bond　bent　to　examine　the　trunks。　He　stiffened　and　dropped　to　a　crouch。　With　a　fingernail；　he　delicately　scraped　away　a　narrow　sliver　of　caked　mud。　It　hid　a　deep　scratch　in　the　tree…trunk。　He　caught　the　scraps　of　mud　in　his　free　hand。　He　now　spat　and　moistened　the　mud　and　carefully　filled　up　the　scratch　again。　There　we