ian fleming.casino royale-第17部分

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　The　crumpled　note　was　there　amongst　the　usual　feminine　baggage。
　
　Can　you　e　out　to　the　entrance　hall　for　a　moment？　I　have　news　for　your　panion。
　RENé　MATHIS
　
　
　CHAPTER　15　…　BLACK　HARE　AND　GREY　HOUND
　It　was　the　crudest　possible　forgery。
　Bond　leapt　for　the　Bentley；　blessing　the　impulse　which　had　made　him　drive　it　over　after　dinner。　With　the　choke　full　out；　the　engine　answered　at　once　to　the　starter　and　the　roar　drowned　the　faltering　words　of　the　missionaire　who　jumped　aside　as　the　rear　wheels　whipped　gravel　at　his　piped　trouser…legs。
　As　the　car　rocked　to　the　left　outside　the　gate；　Bond　ruefully　longed　for　the　front…wheel　drive　and　low　chassis　of　the　Citroen。　Then　he　went　fast　through　the　gears　and　settled　himself　for　the　pursuit；　briefly　savoring　the　echo　of　the　huge　exhaust　as　it　came　back　at　him　from　either　side　of　the　short　main　street　through　the　town。
　Soon　he　was　out　on　the　coast　road；　a　broad　highway　through　the　sand…dunes　which　he　knew　from　his　morning's　drive　had　an　excellent　surface　and　was　well　cat's…eyed　on　the　bends。　He　pushed　the　revs　up　and　up；　hurrying　the　car　to　eighty　then　to　ninety；　his　huge　Marchal　headlights　boring　a　safe　white　tunnel；　nearly　half　a　mile　long；　between　the　walls　of　the　night。
　He　knew　the　Citro？n　must　have　e　this　way。　He　had　heard　the　exhaust　penetrate　beyond　the　town；　and　a　little　dust　still　hung　on　the　bends。　He　hoped　soon　to　see　the　distant　shaft　of　its　headlights。　The　night　was　still　and　clear。　Only　out　at　sea　there　must　be　a　light　summer　mist　for　at　intervals　he　could　hear　the　fog…horns　lowing　like　iron　cattle　down　the　coast。
　As　he　drove；　whipping　the　car　faster　and　faster　through　the　night；　with　the　other　half　of　his　mind　he　cursed　Vesper；　and　M　for　having　sent　her　on　the　job。
　This　was　just　what　he　had　been　afraid　of。　These　blithering　women　who　thought　they　could　do　a　man's　work。　Why　the　hell　couldn't　they　stay　at　home　and　mind　their　pots　and　pans　and　stick　to　their　frocks　and　gossip　and　leave　men's　work　to　the　men。　And　now　for　this　to　happen　to　him；　just　when　the　job　had　e　off　so　beautifully。　For　Vesper　to　fall　for　an　old　trick　like　that　and　get　herself　snatched　and　probably　held　to　ranson　like　some　bloody　heroine　in　a　strip　cartoon。　The　silly　bitch。
　Bond　boiled　at　the　thought　of　the　fix　he　was　in。
　Of　course。　The　idea　was　a　straight　swop。　The　girl　against　his　cheque　for　forty　million。　Well；　he　wouldn't　play：　wouldn't　think　of　playing。　She　was　in　the　Service　and　knew　what　she　was　up　against。　He　wouldn't　even　ask　M。　This　job　was　more　important　than　her。　It　was　just　too　bad。　She　was　a　fine　girl；　but　he　wasn't　going　to　fall　for　this　childish　trick。　No　dice。　He　would　try　and　catch　the　Citro？n　and　shoot　it　out　with　them　and　if　she　got　shot　in　the　process；　that　was　too　bad　too。　He　would　have　done　his　stuff　…　tried　to　rescue　her　before　they　got　her　off　to　some　hideout　…　but　if　he　didn't　catch　up　with　them　he　would　get　back　to　his　hotel　and　go　to　sleep　and　say　no　more　about　it。　The　next　morning　he　would　ask　Mathis　what　had　happened　to　her　and　show　him　the　note。　If　Le　Chiffre　put　the　touch　on　Bond　for　the　money　in　exchange　for　the　girl；　Bond　would　do　nothing　and　tell　no　one。　The　girl　would　just　have　to　take　it。　If　the　missionaire　came　along　with　the　story　of　what　he　had　seen；　Bond　would　bluff　it　out　by　saying　he　had　had　a　drunken　row　with　the　girl。
　Bond's　mind　raged　furiously　on　with　the　problem　as　he　flung　the　great　car　down　the　coast　road；　automatically　taking　the　curves　and　watching　out　for　carts　or　cyclists　on　their　way　into　Royale。　On　straight　stretches　the　Amherst　Villiers　supercharger　dug　spurs　into　the　Bentley's　twenty…five　horses　and　the　engine　sent　a　high…pitched　scream　of　pain　into　the　night。　Then　the　revolutions　mounted　until　he　was　past　110　and　on　to　the　120　mph　mark　on　the　speedometer。
　He　knew　he　must　be　gaining　fast。　Loaded　as　she　was　the　Citro？n　could　hardly　better　eighty　even　on　this　road。　On　an　impulse　he　slowed　down　to　seventy；　turned　on　his　fog…lights；　and　dowsed　the　twin　Marchals。　Sure　enough；　without　the　blinding　curtain　of　his　own　lights；　he　could　see　the　glow　of　another　car　a　mile　or　two　down　the　coasts
　He　felt　under　the　dashboard　and　from　a　concealed　holster　took　out　a　long…barrelled　Colt　Army　Special　。45；　and　laid　it　on　the　seat　beside　him。　With　this；　if　he　was　lucky　with　the　surface　of　the　road；　he　could　hope　to　get　their　tyres　or　their　petrol　tank　at　anything　up　to　a　hundred　yards。
　Then　he　switched　on　the　big　lights　again　and　screamed　off　in　pursuit。　He　felt　calm　and　at　ease。　The　problem　of　Vesper's　life　was　a　problem　no　longer。　His　face　in　the　blue　light　from　the　dashboard　was　grim　but　serene。
　*
　Ahead　in　the　Citro？n　there　were　three　men　and　the　girl。　Le　Chiffre　was　driving；　his　big　fluid　body　hunched　forward；　his　hands　light　and　delicate　on　the　wheel。　Beside　him　sat　the　squat　man　who　had　carried　the　stick　in　the　Casino。　In　his　left　hand　he　grasped　a　thick　lever　which　protruded　beside　him　almost　level　with　the　floor。　It　might　have　been　a　lever　to　adjust　the　driving　seat。
　In　the　back　seat　was　the　tall　thin　gunman。　He　lay　back　relaxed；　gazing　at　the　ceiling；　apparently　uninterested　in　the　wild　speed　of　the　car。　His　right　hand　lay　caressingly　on　Vesper's　left　thigh　which　stretched　out　naked　beside　him。
　Apart　from　her　legs；　which　were　naked　to　the　hips；　Vesper　was　only　a　parcel。　Her　long　black　velvet　skirt　had　been　lifted　over　her　arms　and　head　and　tied　above　her　head　with　a　piece　of　rope。　Where　her　face　was；　a　small　gap　had　been　torn　in　the　velvet　so　that　she　could　breathe。　She　was　not　bound　in　any　other　way　and　she　lay　quiet；　her　body　moving　sluggishly　with　the　swaying　of　the　car。
　Le　Chiffre　was　concentrating　half　on　the　road　ahead　and　half　on　the　onrushing　glare　of　Bond's　headlights　in　the　driving…mirror。　He　seemed　undisturbed　when　not　more　than　a　mile　separated　the　hare　from　the　hounds　and　he　even　brought　the　car　down　from　eighty　to　sixty　miles　an　hour。　Now；　as　he　swept　round　a　bend　he　slowed　down　still　further。　A　few　hundred　yards　ahead　a　Michelin　post　showed　where　a　small　parochial　road　crossed　with　the　highway。
　'Attention；'　he　said　sharply　to　the　man　beside　him。
　The　man's　hand　tightened　on　the　lever。
　A　hundred　yards　from　the　cross…roads　he　slowed　to　thirty。　In　the　mirror　Bond's　great　headlights　were　lighting　up　the　bend。
　Le　Chiffre　seemed　to　make　up　his　mind。
　'Allez。'
　The　man　beside　him　pulled　the　lever　sharply　upwards。　The　boot　at　the　back　of　the　car　yawned　open　like　a　whale's　mouth。　There　was　a　tinkling　clatter　on　the　road　and　then　a　rhythmic　jangling　as　if　the　car　was　towing　lengths　of　chain　behind　it。
　'Coupez。'
　The　man　depressed　the　lever　sharply　and　the　jangling　stopped　with　a　final　clatter。
　Le　Chiffre　glanced　again　in　the　mirror。　Bond's　car　was　just　entering　the　bend。　Le　Chiffre　made　a　racing　change　and　threw　the　Citro？n　left…handed　down　the　narrow　side…road；　at　the　same　time　dowsing　his　lights。
　He　stopped　the　car　with　a　jerk　and　all　three　men　got　swiftly　out　and　doubled　back　under　cover　of　a　low　hedge　to　the　cross…roads；　now　fiercely　illuminated　by　the　lights　of　the　Bentley。　Each　of　them　carried　a　revolver　and　the　thin　man　also　had　what　looked　like　a　large　black　egg　in　his　right　hand。
　The　Bentley　screamed　down　towards　them　like　an　express　train。
　
　
　CHAPTER　16　…　THE　CRAWLING　OF　THE　SKIN
　As　Bond　hurtled　round　the　bend；　caressing　the　great　car　against　the　camber　with　an　easy　sway　of　body　and　hands；　he　was　working　out　his　plan　of　action　when　the　distance　between　the　two　cars　had　narrowed　still　further。　He　imagined　that　the　enemy　driver　would　try　to　dodge　off　into　a　side…road　if　he　got　the　chance。　So　when　he　got　round　the　bend　and　saw　no　lights　ahead；　it　was　a　normal　reflex　to　ease　up　on　the　accelerator　and；　when　he　saw　the　Michelin　post；　to　prepare　to　brake。
　He　was　only　doing　about　sixty　as　he　approached　the　black　patch　across　the　right…hand　crown　of　the　road　which　he　assumed　to　be　the　shadow　cast　by　a　wayside　tree。　Even　so；　there　was　no　time　to　save　himself。　There　was　suddenly　a　small　carpet　of　glinting　steel　spikes　right　under　his　off…side　wing。　Then　he　was　on　top　of　it。
　Bond　automatically　slammed　the　brakes　full　on　and　braced　all　his　sinews　against　the　wheel　to　correct　the　inevitable　slew　to　the　left；　but　he　only　kept　control　for　a　split　second。　As　the　rubber　was　flayed　from　his　off…side　wheels　and　the　rims　for　an　instant　tore　up　the　tarmac；　the　heavy　car　whirled　across　the　road　in　a　tearing　dry　skid；　slammed　the　left　bank　with　a　crash　that　knocked　Bond　out　of　the　driving…seat　on　to　the　floor；　and　then；　facing　back　up　the　road；　it　reared　slowly　up；　its　front　wheels　spinning　and　its　great　headlights　searching　the　sky。　For　a　split　second；　resting　on　the　petrol　tank；　it　seemed　to　paw　at　the　heavens　like　a　giant　praying…mantis。　Then　slowly　it　toppled　over　backwards　and　fell　with　a　splintering　crash　of　coachwork　and　glass。
　In　the　deafening　silence；　the　near…side　front　wheel　whispered　briefly　on　and　then　squeaked　to　a　stop。
　Le　Chiffre　and　his　two　men　only　had　to　walk　a　few　yards　from　their　ambush。
　'Put　your　guns　away　and　get　him　out；'　he　ordered　brusquely。　'I'll　keep　you　covered。　Be　careful　of　him。　I　don't　want　a　corpse。　And　hurry　up；　it's　getting　l