ian fleming.casino royale-第21部分

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d。　It　was　the　final　explanation。　The　last　word　of　all。
　'No；'　said　Le　Chiffre。　'No。　I　。　。　。'　His　voice　tailed　off。
　Perhaps　he　was　going　to　explain；　to　apologize；　but　what　he　must　have　seen　in　the　other's　face　made　it　all　useless。
　'Your　two　men。　Both　dead。　You　are　a　fool　and　a　thief　and　a　traitor。　I　have　been　sent　from　the　Soviet　Union　to　eliminate　you。　You　are　fortunate　that　I　have　only　time　to　shoot　you。　If　it　was　possible；　I　was　instructed　that　you　should　die　most　painfully。　We　cannot　see　the　end　of　the　trouble　you　have　caused。'
　The　thick　voice　stopped。　There　was　silence　in　the　room　save　for　the　rasping　breath　of　Le　Chiffre。
　Somewhere　outside　a　bird　began　to　sing　and　there　were　other　small　noises　from　the　awakening　countryside。　The　bands　of　sunlight　were　stronger　and　the　sweat　on　Le　Chiffre's　face　glistened　brightly。
　'Do　you　plead　guilty？'
　Bond　wrestled　with　his　consciousness。　He　screwed　up　his　eyes　and　tried　to　shake　his　head　to　clear　it；　but　his　whole　nervous　system　was　numbed　and　no　message　was　transmitted　to　his　muscles。　He　could　just　keep　his　focus　on　the　great　pale　face　in　front　of　him　and　on　its　bulging　eyes。
　A　thin　string　of　saliva　crept　from　the　open　mouth　and　hung　down　from　the　chin。
　'Yes；'　said　the　mouth。
　There　was　a　sharp　'phut'；　no　louder　than　a　bubble　of　air　escaping　from　a　tube　of　toothpaste。　No　other　noise　at　all；　and　suddenly　Le　Chiffre　had　grown　another　eye；　a　third　eye　on　a　level　with　the　other　two；　right　where　the　thick　nose　started　to　jut　out　below　the　forehead。　It　was　a　small　black　eye；　without　eyelashes　or　eyebrows。
　For　a　second　the　three　eyes　looked　out　across　the　room　and　then　the　whole　face　seemed　to　slip　and　go　down　on　one　knee。　The　two　outer　eyes　turned　trembling　up　towards　the　ceiling。　Then　the　heavy　head　fell　sideways　and　the　right　shoulder　and　finally　the　whole　upper　part　of　the　body　lurched　over　the　arm　of　the　chair　as　if　Le　Chiffre　were　going　to　be　sick。　But　there　was　only　a　short　rattle　of　his　heels　on　the　ground　and　then　no　other　movement。
　The　tall　back　of　the　chair　looked　impassively　out　across　the　dead　body　in　its　arms。
　There　was　a　faint　movement　behind　Bond。　A　hand　came　from　behind　and　grasped　his　chin　and　pulled　it　back。
　For　a　moment　Bond　looked　up　into　two　glittering　eyes　behind　a　narrow　black　mask。　There　was　the　impression　of　a　crag…like　face　under　a　hat…brim；　the　collar　of　a　fawn　mackintosh。　He　could　take　in　nothing　more　before　his　head　was　pushed　down　again。
　'You　are　fortunate；'　said　the　voice。　'I　have　no　orders　to　kill　you。　Your　life　has　been　saved　twice　in　one　day。　But　you　can　tell　your　organization　that　SMERSH　is　only　merciful　by　chance　or　by　mistake。　In　your　case　you　were　saved　first　by　chance　and　now　by　mistake；　for　I　should　have　had　orders　to　kill　any　foreign　spies　who　were　hanging　round　this　traitor　like　flies　round　a　dog's　mess。
　'But　I　shall　leave　you　my　visiting…card。　You　are　a　gambler。　You　play　at　cards。　One　day　perhaps　you　will　play　against　one　of　us。　It　would　be　well　that　you　should　be　known　as　a　spy。'
　Steps　moved　round　to　behind　Bond's　right　shoulder。　There　was　the　click　of　a　knife　opening。　An　arm　in　some　grey　material　came　into　Bond's　line　of　vision。　A　broad　hairy　hand　emerging　from　a　dirty　white　shirt…cuff　was　holding　a　thin　stiletto　like　a　fountain…pen。　It　poised　for　a　moment　above　the　back　of　Bond's　right　hand；　immovably　bound　with　flex　to　the　arm　of　the　chair。　The　point　of　the　stiletto　executed　three　quick　straight　slashes。　A　fourth　slash　crossed　them　where　they　ended；　just　short　of　the　knuckles。　Blood　in　the　shape　of　an　inverted　'M'　welled　out　and　slowly　started　to　drip　on　to　the　floor。
　The　pain　was　nothing　to　what　Bond　was　already　suffering；　but　it　was　enough　to　plunge　him　again　into　unconsciousness。
　The　steps　moved　quietly　away　across　the　room。　The　door　was　softly　closed。
　In　the　silence；　the　cheerful　small　sounds　of　the　summer's　day　crept　through　the　closed　window。　High　on　the　left…hand　wall　hung　two　small　patches　of　pink　light。　They　were　reflections　cast　upwards　from　the　floor　by　the　zebra　stripes　of　June　sunshine；　cast　upwards　from　two　separate　pools　of　blood　a　few　feet　apart。
　As　the　day　progressed　the　pink　patches　marched　slowly　along　the　wall。　And　slowly　they　grew　larger。
　
　
　CHAPTER　19　…　THE　WHITE　TENT
　You　are　about　to　awake　when　you　dream　that　you　are　dreaming。
　During　the　next　two　days　James　Bond　was　permanently　in　this　state　without　regaining　consciousness。　He　watched　the　procession　of　his　dreams　go　by　without　any　effort　to　disturb　their　sequence；　although　many　of　them　were　terrifying　and　all　were　painful。　He　knew　that　he　was　in　a　bed　and　that　he　was　lying　on　his　back　and　could　not　move　and　in　one　of　his　twilight　moments　he　thought　there　were　people　round　him；　but　he　made　no　effort　to　open　his　eyes　and　re…enter　the　world。
　He　felt　safer　in　the　darkness　and　he　hugged　it　to　him。
　On　the　morning　of　the　third　day　a　bloody　nightmare　shook　him　awake；　trembling　and　sweating。　There　was　a　hand　on　his　forehead　which　he　associated　with　his　dream。　He　tried　to　lift　an　arm　and　smash　it　sideways　into　the　owner　of　the　hand；　but　his　arms　were　immovable；　secured　to　the　sides　of　his　bed。　His　whole　body　was　strapped　down　and　something　like　a　large　white　coffin　covered　him　from　chest　to　feet　and　obscured　his　view　of　the　end　of　the　bed。　He　shouted　a　string　of　obscenities；　but　the　effort　took　all　his　strength　and　the　words　tailed　off　into　a　sob。　Tears　of　forlornness　and　self…pity　welled　out　of　his　eyes。
　A　woman's　voice　was　speaking　and　the　words　gradually　penetrated　to　him。　It　seemed　to　be　a　kind　voice　and　it　slowly　came　to　him　that　he　was　being　forted　and　that　this　was　a　friend　and　not　an　enemy。　He　could　hardly　believe　it。　He　had　been　so　certain　that　he　was　still　a　captive　and　that　the　torture　was　about　to　begin　again。　He　felt　his　face　being　softly　wiped　with　a　cool　cloth　which　smelt　of　lavender　and　then　he　sank　back　into　his　dreams。
　When　he　awoke　again　some　hours　later　all　his　terrors　had　gone　and　he　felt　warm　and　languorous。　Sun　was　streaming　into　the　bright　room　and　garden　sounds　came　through　the　window。　In　the　background　there　was　the　noise　of　small　waves　on　a　beach。　As　he　moved　his　head　he　heard　a　rustle；　and　a　nurse　who　had　been　sitting　beside　his　pillow　rose　and　came　into　his　line　of　vision。　She　was　pretty　and　she　smiled　as　she　put　her　hand　on　his　pulse。
　'Well；　I'm　certainly　glad　you've　woken　up　at　last。　I've　never　heard　such　dreadful　language　in　my　life。'
　Bond　smiled　back　at　her。
　'Where　am　I？'　he　asked　and　was　surprised　that　his　voice　sounded　firm　and　clear。
　'You're　in　a　nursing　home　at　Royale　and　I've　been　sent　over　from　England　to　look　after　you。　There　are　two　of　us　and　I'm　Nurse　Gibson。　Now　just　lie　quiet　and　I'll　go　and　tell　the　doctor　you're　awake。　You've　been　unconscious　since　they　brought　you　in　and　we've　been　quite　worried。'
　Bond　closed　his　eyes　and　mentally　explored　his　body。　The　worst　pain　was　in　his　wrists　and　ankles　and　in　his　right　hand　where　the　Russian　had　cut　him。　In　the　centre　of　the　body　there　was　no　feeling。　He　assumed　that　he　had　been　given　a　local　anaesthetic。　The　rest　of　his　body　ached　dully　as　if　he　had　been　beaten　all　over。　He　could　feel　the　pressure　of　bandages　everywhere　and　his　unshaven　neck　and　chin　prickled　against　the　sheets。　From　the　feel　of　the　bristles　he　knew　that　he　must　have　been　at　least　three　days　without　shaving。　That　meant　two　since　the　morning　of　the　torture。
　He　was　preparing　a　short　list　of　questions　in　his　mind　when　the　door　opened　and　the　doctor　came　in　followed　by　the　nurse　and　in　the　background　the　dear　figure　of　Mathis；　a　Mathis　looking　anxious　behind　his　broad　smile；　who　put　a　finger　to　his　lips　and　walked　on　tiptoe　to　the　window　and　sat　down。
　The　doctor；　a　Frenchman　with　a　young　and　intelligent　face；　had　been　detached　from　his　duties　with　the　Deuxième　Bureau　to　look　after　Bond's　case。　He　came　and　stood　beside　Bond　and　put　his　hand　on　Bond's　forehead　while　he　looked　at　the　temperature　chart　behind　the　bed。
　When　he　spoke　he　was　forthright。
　'You　have　a　lot　of　questions　to　ask；　my　dear　Mr　Bond；'　he　said　in　excellent　English；　'and　I　can　tell　you　most　of　the　answers。　I　do　not　want　you　to　waste　your　strength；　so　I　will　give　you　the　salient　facts　and　then　you　may　have　a　few　minutes　with　Monsieur　Mathis　who　wishes　to　obtain　one　or　two　details　from　you。　It　is　really　too　early　for　this　talk；　but　I　wish　to　set　your　mind　at　rest　so　that　we　can　proceed　with　the　task　of　repairing　your　body　without　bothering　too　much　about　your　mind。'
　Nurse　Gibson　pulled　up　a　chair　for　the　doctor　and　left　the　room。
　'You　have　been　here　about　two　days；'　continued　the　doctor。　'Your　car　was　found　by　a　farmer　on　the　way　to　market　in　Royale　and　he　informed　the　police。　After　some　delay　Monsieur　Mathis　heard　that　it　was　your　car　and　he　immediately　went　to　Les　Noctambules　with　his　men。　You　and　Le　Chiffre　were　found　and　also　your　friend；　Miss　Lynd；　who　was　unharmed　and　according　to　her　account　suffered　no　molestation。　She　was　prostrated　with　shock；　but　is　now　fully　recovered　and　is　at　her　hotel。　She　has　been　instructed　by　her　superiors　in　London　to　stay　at　Royale　under　your　orders　until　you　are　sufficiently　recovered　to　go　back　to　England。
　'Le　Chiffre's　t