ian fleming.casino royale-第25部分

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　the　first　thing　I　could　think　of。'
　Bond　knew　that　it　was　him　they　had　been　after　and　that　if　Vesper　hadn't　thrown　her　bag　out；　they　would　probably　have　thrown　it　out　themselves　directly　they　saw　him　appear　on　the　steps。
　'It　certainly　helped；'　said　Bond；　'but　why　didn't　you　make　any　sign　when　they　finally　got　me　after　the　car　smash；　when　I　spoke　to　you？　I　was　dreadfully　worried。　I　thought　they　might　have　knocked　you　out　or　something。'
　'I'm　afraid　I　must　have　been　unconscious；'　said　Vesper。　'I　fainted　once　from　lack　of　air　and　when　I　came　to　they　had　cut　a　hole　in　front　of　my　face。　I　must　have　fainted　again。　I　don't　remember　much　until　we　got　to　the　villa。　I　really　only　gathered　you　had　been　captured　when　I　heard　you　try　and　e　after　me　in　the　passage。'
　'And　they　didn't　touch　you？'　asked　Bond。　'They　didn't　try　and　mess　about　with　you　while　I　was　being　beaten　up？'　'No；'　said　Vesper。　'They　just　left　me　in　an　arm…chair。　They　drank　and　played　cards　…　〃belotte〃　I　think　it　was　from　what　I　heard　…　and　then　they　went　to　sleep。　I　suppose　that　was　how　SMERSH　got　them。　They　bound　my　legs　and　put　me　on　a　chair　in　a　corner　facing　the　wall　and　I　saw　nothing　of　SMERSH。　I　heard　some　odd　noises。　I　expect　they　woke　me　up。　And　then　what　sounded　like　one　of　them　falling　off　his　chair。　Then　there　were　some　soft　footsteps　and　a　door　closed　and　then　nothing　happened　until　Mathis　and　the　police　burst　in　hours　later。　I　slept　most　of　the　time。　I　had　no　idea　what　had　happened　to　you；　but；'　she　faltered；　'I　did　once　hear　a　terrible　scream。　It　sounded　very　far　away。　At　least；　I　think　it　must　have　been　a　scream。　At　the　time　I　thought　it　might　have　been　a　nightmare。'
　'I'm　afraid　that　must　have　been　me；'　said　Bond。
　Vesper　put　out　a　hand　and　touched　one　of　his。　Her　eyes　filled　with　tears。
　'It's　horrible；'　she　said。　'The　things　they　did　to　you。　And　it　was　all　my　fault。　If　only　。　。　。'
　She　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。
　'That's　all　right；'　said　Bond　fortingly。　'It's　no　good　crying　over　spilt　milk。　It's　all　over　now　and　thank　heavens　they　let　you　alone。'　He　patted　her　knee。　'They　were　going　to　start　on　you　when　they'd　got　me　really　softened　up；'　（softened　up　is　good；　he　thought　to　himself）。　'We've　got　a　lot　to　thank　SMERSH　for。　Now；　e　on；　let's　forget　about　it。　It　certainly　wasn't　anything　to　do　with　you。　Anybody　could　have　fallen　for　that　note。　Anyway；　it's　all　water　over　the　dam；'　he　added　cheerfully。
　Vesper　looked　at　him　gratefully　through　her　tears。　'You　really　promise？'　she　asked。　'I　thought　you　would　never　forgive　me。　I　。　。　。　I'll　try　and　make　it　up　to　you。　Somehow。'　She　looked　at　him。
　Somehow？　thought　Bond　to　himself。　He　looked　at　her。　She　was　smiling　at　him。　He　smiled　back。
　'You'd　better　look　out；'　he　said。　'I　may　hold　you　to　that。'
　She　looked　into　his　eyes　and　said　nothing；　but　the　enigmatic　challenge　was　back。　She　pressed　his　hand　and　rose。　'A　promise　is　a　promise；'　she　said。
　This　time　they　both　knew　what　the　promise　was。
　She　picked　up　her　bag　from　the　bed　and　walked　to　the　door。
　'Shall　I　e　tomorrow？'　She　looked　at　Bond　gravely。
　'Yes；　please；　Vesper；'　said　Bond。　'I'd　like　that。　Please　do　some　more　exploring。　It　will　be　fun　to　think　of　what　we　can　do　when　I　get　up。　Will　you　think　of　some　things？'
　'Yes；'　said　Vesper。　'Please　get　well　quickly。'
　They　gazed　at　each　other　for　a　second。　Then　she　went　out　and　closed　the　door　and　Bond　listened　until　the　sound　of　her　footsteps　had　disappeared。
　
　
　CHAPTER　22　…　THE　HASTENING　SALOON
　From　that　day　Bond's　recovery　was　rapid。
　He　sat　up　in　bed　and　wrote　his　report　to　M。　He　made　light　of　what　he　still　considered　amateurish　behaviour　on　the　part　of　Vesper。　By　juggling　with　the　emphasis；　he　made　the　kidnapping　sound　much　more　Machiavellian　than　it　had　been。　He　praised　Vesper's　coolness　and　posure　throughout　the　whole　episode　without　saying　that　he　had　found　some　of　her　actions　unaccountable。
　Every　day　Vesper　came　to　see　him　and　he　looked　forward　to　these　visits　with　excitement。　She　talked　happily　of　her　adventures　of　the　day　before；　her　explorations　down　the　coast　and　the　restaurants　where　she　had　eaten。　She　had　made　friends　with　the　chief　of　police　and　with　one　of　the　directors　of　the　Casino　and　it　was　they　who　took　her　out　in　the　evening　and　occasionally　lent　her　a　car　during　the　day。　She　kept　an　eye　on　the　repairs　to　the　Bentley　which　had　been　towed　down　to　coachbuilders　at　Rouen；　and　she　even　arranged　for　some　new　clothes　to　be　sent　out　from　Bond's　London　flat。　Nothing　survived　from　his　original　wardrobe。　Every　stitch　had　been　cut　to　ribbons　in　the　search　for　the　forty　million　francs。
　The　Le　Chiffre　affair　was　never　mentioned　between　them。　She　occasionally　told　Bond　amusing　stories　of　Head　of　S's　office。　She　had　apparently　transferred　there　from　the　WRNS。　And　he　told　her　of　some　of　his　adventures　in　the　Service。
　He　found　he　could　speak　to　her　easily　and　he　was　surprised。
　With　most　women　his　manner　was　a　mixture　of　taciturnity　and　passion。　The　lengthy　approaches　to　a　seduction　bored　him　almost　as　much　as　the　subsequent　mess　of　disentanglement。　He　found　something　grisly　in　the　inevitability　of　the　pattern　of　each　affair。　The　conventional　parabola　…　sentiment；　the　touch　of　the　hand；　the　kiss；　the　passionate　kiss；　the　feel　of　the　body；　the　climax　in　the　bed；　then　more　bed；　then　less　bed；　then　the　boredom；　the　tears　and　the　final　bitterness　…　was　to　him　shameful　and　hypocritical。　Even　more　he　shunned　the　mise　en　scène　for　each　of　these　acts　in　the　play　…　the　meeting　at　a　party；　the　restaurant；　the　taxi；　his　flat；　her　flat；　then　the　week…end　by　the　sea；　then　the　flats　again；　then　the　furtive　alibis　and　the　final　angry　farewell　on　some　doorstep　in　the　rain。
　But　with　Vesper　there　could　be　none　of　this。
　In　the　dull　room　and　the　boredom　of　his　treatment　her　presence　was　each　day　an　oasis　of　pleasure；　something　to　look　forward　to。　In　their　talk　there　was　nothing　but　panionship　with　a　distant　undertone　of　passion。　In　the　background　there　was　the　unspoken　zest　of　the　promise　which；　in　due　course　and　in　their　own　time；　would　be　met。　Over　all　there　brooded　the　shadow　of　his　injuries　and　the　tantalus　of　their　slow　healing。
　Whether　Bond　liked　it　or　not；　the　branch　had　already　escaped　his　knife　and　was　ready　to　burst　into　flower。
　With　enjoyable　steps　Bond　recovered。　He　was　allowed　up。　Then　he　was　allowed　to　sit　in　the　garden。　Then　he　could　go　for　a　short　walk；　then　for　a　long　drive。　And　then　the　afternoon　came　when　the　doctor　appeared　on　a　flying　visit　from　Paris　and　pronounced　him　well　again。　His　clothes　were　brought　round　by　Vesper；　farewells　were　exchanged　with　the　nurses；　and　a　hired　car　drove　them　away。
　It　was　three　weeks　from　the　day　when　he　had　been　on　the　edge　of　death；　and　now　it　was　July　and　the　hot　summer　shimmered　down　the　coast　and　out　to　sea。　Bond　clasped　the　moment　to　him。
　Their　destination　was　to　be　a　surprise　for　him。　He　had　not　wanted　to　go　back　to　one　of　the　big　hotels　in　Royale　and　Vesper　said　she　would　find　somewhere　away　from　the　town。　But　she　insisted　on　being　mysterious　about　it　and　only　said　that　she　had　found　a　place　he　would　like。　He　was　happy　to　be　in　her　hands；　but　he　covered　up　his　surrender　by　referring　to　their　destination　as　'Trou　sur　Mer'　（she　admitted　it　was　by　the　sea）；　and　lauding　the　rustic　delights　of　outside　lavatories；　bed…bugs；　and　cockroaches。
　Their　drive　was　spoiled　by　a　curious　incident。
　While　they　followed　the　coast　road　in　the　direction　of　Les　Noctambules；　Bond　described　to　her　his　wild　chase　in　the　Bentley；　finally　pointing　out　the　curve　he　had　taken　before　the　crash　and　the　exact　place　where　the　vicious　carpet　of　spikes　had　been　laid。　He　slowed　the　car　down　and　leant　out　to　show　her　the　deep　cuts　in　the　tarmac　made　by　the　rims　of　the　wheels　and　the　broken　branches　in　the　hedge　and　the　patch　of　oil　where　the　car　had　e　to　rest。
　But　all　the　time　she　was　distrait　and　fidgety　and　mented　only　in　monosyllables。　Once　or　twice　he　caught　her　glancing　in　the　driving…mirror；　but　when　he　had　a　chance　to　look　back　through　the　rear　window；　they　had　just　rounded　a　bend　and　he　could　see　nothing。
　Finally　he　took　her　hand。
　'Something's　on　your　mind；　Vesper；'　he　said。
　She　gave　him　a　taut；　bright　smile。　'It's　nothing。　Absolutely　nothing。　I　had　a　silly　idea　we　were　being　followed。　It's　just　nerves；　I　suppose。　This　road　is　full　of　ghosts。'
　Under　cover　of　a　short　laugh　she　looked　back　again。
　'Look。'　There　was　an　edge　of　panic　in　her　voice。
　Obediently　Bond　turned　his　head。　Sure　enough；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　a　black　saloon　was　ing　after　them　at　a　good　pace。
　Bond　laughed。
　'We　can't　be　the　only　people　using　this　road；'　he　said。　'Anyway；　who　wants　to　follow　us？　We've　done　nothing　wrong。'　He　patted　her　hand。　'It's　a　middle…aged　mercial　traveller　in　car…polish　on　his　way　to　Le　Havre。　He's　probably　thinking　of　his　lunch　and　his　mistress　in　Paris。　Really；　Vesper；　you　mustn't　think　evil　of　the　innocent。'
　'I　expect　you're　right；'　she　said　nervously。　'Anyway；　we're　nearly　there。'
　She　relapsed　into　silence　and　gazed　out　of　the　window。
　Bond　could　still　feel　her　tenseness。　He　smiled　to　himself　at　what　he　took　to　be　simply　a　hangover　from　their　recent　adventures。　But　he　decided　to　humour　her　and　w