ian fleming.casino royale-第26部分

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　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　when　they　came　to　a　small　lane　leading　towards　the　sea　and　slowed　to　turn　down　it；　he　told　the　driver　to　stop　directly　they　were　off　the　main　road。
　Hidden　by　the　tall　hedge；　they　watched　together　through　the　rear　window。
　Through　the　quiet　hum　of　summer　noises　they　could　hear　the　car　approaching。　Vesper　dug　her　fingers　into　his　arm。　The　pace　of　the　car　did　not　alter　as　it　approached　their　hiding…place　and　they　had　only　a　brief　glimpse　of　a　man's　profile　as　a　black　saloon　tore　by。
　It　was　true　that　he　seemed　to　glance　quickly　towards　them；　but　above　them　in　the　hedge　there　was　a　gaily　painted　sign　pointing　down　the　lane　and　announcing　'L'Auberge　du　Fruit　Défendu；　crustaces；　fritures'。　It　was　obvious　to　Bond　that　it　was　this　that　had　caught　the　driver's　eye。
　As　the　rattle　of　the　car's　exhaust　diminished　down　the　road；　Vesper　sank　back　into　her　corner。　Her　face　was　pale。
　'He　looked　at　us；'　she　said；　'I　told　you　so。　I　knew　we　were　being　followed。　Now　they　know　where　we　are。'
　Bond　could　not　contain　his　impatience。　'Bunkum；'　he　said。　'He　was　looking　at　that　sign。'　He　pointed　it　out　to　Vesper。
　She　looked　slightly　relieved。　'Do　you　really　think　so？'　she　asked。　'Yes。　I　see。　Of　course；　you　must　be　right。　e　on。　I'm　sorry　to　be　so　stupid。　I　don't　know　what　came　over　me。'
　She　leant　forward　and　talked　to　the　driver　through　the　partition；　and　the　car　moved　on。　She　sank　back　and　turned　a　bright　face　towards　Bond。　The　colour　had　almost　e　back　to　her　cheeks。　'I　really　am　sorry。　It's　just　that　。　。　。　it's　that　I　can't　believe　everything's　over　and　there's　no　one　to　be　frightened　of　any　more。'　She　pressed　his　hand。　'You　must　think　me　very　stupid。'
　'Of　course　not；'　said　Bond。　'But　really　nobody　could　be　interested　in　us　now。　Forget　it　all。　The　whole　job's　finished；　wiped　up。　This　is　our　holiday　and　there's　not　a　cloud　in　the　sky。　Is　there？'　he　persisted。
　'No；　of　course　not。'　She　shook　herself　slightly。　'I'm　mad。　Now　we'll　be　there　in　a　second。　I　do　hope　you're　going　to　like　it。'
　They　both　leant　forward。　Animation　was　back　in　her　face　and　the　incident　left　only　the　smallest　question…mark　hanging　in　the　air。　Even　that　faded　as　they　came　through　the　dunes　and　saw　the　sea　and　the　modest　little　inn　amongst　the　pines。
　'It's　not　very　grand；　I'm　afraid；'　said　Vesper。　'But　it's　very　clean　and　the　food's　wonderful。'　She　looked　at　him　anxiously。
　She　need　not　have　worried。　Bond　loved　the　place　at　first　sight　…　the　terrace　leading　almost　to　the　high…tide　mark；　the　low　two…storied　house　with　gay　brick…red　awnings　over　the　windows　and　the　crescent…shaped　bay　of　blue　water　and　golden　sands。　How　many　times　in　his　life　would　he　have　given　anything　to　have　turned　off　a　main　road　to　find　a　lost　corner　like　this　where　he　could　let　the　world　go　by　and　live　in　the　sea　from　dawn　to　dusk。　And　now　he　was　to　have　a　whole　week　of　this。　And　of　Vesper。　In　his　mind　he　fingered　the　necklace　of　the　days　to　e。
　They　drew　up　in　the　courtyard　behind　the　house　and　the　proprietor　and　his　wife　came　out　to　greet　them。
　Monsieur　Versoix　was　a　middle…aged　man　with　one　arm。　The　other　he　had　lost　fighting　with　the　Free　French　in　Madagascar。　He　was　a　friend　of　the　chief　of　police　of　Royale　and　it　was　the　missaire　who　had　suggested　the　place　to　Vesper　and　had　spoken　to　the　proprietor　on　the　telephone。　As　a　result；　nothing　was　going　to　be　too　good　for　them。
　Madame　Versoix　had　been　interrupted　in　the　middle　of　preparing　dinner。　She　wore　an　apron　and　held　a　wooden　spoon　in　one　hand。　She　was　younger　than　her　husband；　chubby　and　handsome　and　warm…eyed。　Instinctively　Bond　guessed　that　they　had　no　children　and　that　they　gave　their　thwarted　affection　to　their　friends　and　some　regular　customers；　and　probably　to　some　pets。　He　thought　that　their　life　was　probably　something　of　a　struggle　and　that　the　inn　must　be　very　lonely　in　winter…time　with　the　big　seas　and　the　noise　of　the　wind　in　the　pines。
　The　proprietor　showed　them　to　their　rooms。
　Vesper's　was　a　double　room　and　Bond　was　next　door；　at　the　corner　of　the　house；　with　one　window　looking　out　to　sea　and　another　with　a　view　of　the　distant　arm　of　the　bay。　There　was　a　bathroom　between　them。　Everything　was　spotless；　and　sparsely　fortable。
　The　proprietor　was　pleased　when　they　both　showed　their　delight。　He　said　that　dinner　would　be　at　seven…thirty　and　that　Madame　la　patronne　was　preparing　broiled　lobsters　with　melted　butter。　He　was　sorry　that　they　were　so　quiet　just　then。　It　was　Tuesday。　There　would　be　more　people　at　the　week…end。　The　season　had　not　been　good。　Generally　they　had　plenty　of　English　people　staying；　but　times　were　difficult　over　there　and　the　English　just　came　for　a　week…end　at　Royale　and　then　went　home　after　losing　their　money　at　the　Casino。　It　was　not　like　the　old　days。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　philosophically。　But　then　no　day　was　like　the　day　before；　and　no　century　like　the　previous　one；　and　。　。　。
　'Quite　so；'　said　Bond。
　
　
　CHAPTER　23　…　TIDE　OF　PASSION
　They　were　talking　on　the　threshold　of　Vesper's　room。　When　the　proprietor　left　them；　Bond　pushed　her　inside　and　closed　the　door。　Then　he　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　kissed　her　on　both　cheeks。
　'This　is　heaven；'　he　said。
　Then　he　saw　that　her　eyes　were　shining。　Her　hands　came　up　and　rested　on　his　forearms。　He　stepped　right　up　against　her　and　his　arms　dropped　round　her　waist。　Her　head　went　back　and　her　mouth　opened　beneath　his。
　'My　darling；'　he　said。　He　plunged　his　mouth　down　on　to　hers；　forcing　her　teeth　apart　with　his　tongue　and　feeling　her　own　tongue　working　at　first　shyly　then　more　passionately。　He　slipped　his　hands　down　to　her　swelling　buttocks　and　gripped　them　fiercely；　pressing　the　centres　of　their　bodies　together。　Panting；　she　slipped　her　mouth　away　from　his　and　they　clung　together　while　he　rubbed　his　cheek　against　hers　and　felt　her　hard　breasts　pressing　into　him。　Then　he　reached　up　and　seized　her　hair　and　bent　her　head　back　until　he　could　kiss　her　again。　She　pushed　him　away　and　sank　back　exhausted　on　to　the　bed。　For　a　moment　they　looked　at　each　other　hungrily。
　'I'm　sorry；　Vesper；'　he　said。　'I　didn't　mean　to　then。'
　She　shook　her　head；　dumb　with　the　storm　which　had　passed　through　her。
　He　came　and　sat　beside　her　and　they　looked　at　each　other　with　lingering　tenderness　as　the　tide　of　passion　ebbed　in　their　veins。
　She　leant　over　and　kissed　him　on　the　corner　of　the　mouth；　then　she　brushed　the　black　ma　of　hair　back　from　his　damp　forehead。
　'My　darling；'　she　said。　'Give　me　a　cigarette。　I　don't　know　where　my　bag　is。'　She　looked　vaguely　round　the　room。
　Bond　lit　one　for　her　and　put　it　between　her　lips。　She　took　a　deep　lungful　of　smoke　and　let　it　pour　out　through　her　mouth　with　a　slow　sigh。
　Bond　put　his　arm　round　her；　but　she　got　up　and　walked　over　to　the　window。　She　stood　there　with　her　back　to　him。
　Bond　looked　down　at　his　hands　and　saw　they　were　still　trembling。
　'It's　going　to　take　some　time　to　get　ready　for　dinner；'　said　Vesper　still　not　looking　at　him。　'Why　don't　you　go　and　bathe？　I'll　unpack　for　you。'
　Bond　left　the　bed　and　came　and　stood　close　against　her。　He　put　his　arms　round　her　and　put　a　hand　over　each　breast。　They　filled　his　hands　and　the　nipples　were　hard　against　his　fingers。　She　put　her　hands　over　his　and　pressed　them　into　her；　but　still　she　looked　away　from　him　out　of　the　window。
　'Not　now；'　she　said　in　a　low　voice。
　Bond　bent　and　burrowed　his　lips　into　the　nape　of　her　neck。　For　a　moment　he　strained　her　hard　to　him；　then　he　let　her　go。
　'All　right；　Vesper；'　he　said。
　He　walked　over　to　the　door　and　looked　back。　She　had　not　moved。　For　some　reason　he　thought　she　was　crying。　He　took　a　step　towards　her　and　then　realized　that　there　was　nothing　to　say　between　them　then。
　'My　love；'　he　said。
　Then　he　went　out　and　shut　the　door。
　Bond　walked　along　to　his　room　and　sat　down　on　the　bed。
　He　felt　weak　from　the　passion　which　had　swept　through　his　body。　He　was　torn　between　the　desire　to　fall　back　full…length　on　the　bed　and　his　longing　to　be　cooled　and　revived　by　the　sea。　He　played　with　the　choice　for　a　moment；　then　he　went　over　to　his　suitcase　and　took　out　white　linen　bathing…drawers　and　a　dark　blue　pyjama…suit。
　Bond　had　always　disliked　pyjamas　and　had　slept　naked　until　in　Hong　Kong　at　the　end　of　the　war　he　came　across　the　perfect　promise。　This　was　a　pyjama…coat　which　came　almost　down　to　the　knees。　It　had　no　buttons；　but　there　was　a　loose　belt　round　the　waist。　The　sleeves　were　wide　and　short；　ending　just　above　the　elbow。　The　result　was　cool　and　fortable　and　now　when　he　slipped　the　coat　on　over　his　trunks；　all　his　bruises　and　scars　were　hidden　except　the　thin　white　bracelets　on　wrists　and　ankles　and　the　mark　of　SMERSH　on　his　right　hand。
　He　slipped　his　feet　into　a　pair　of　dark…blue　leather　sandals　and　went　downstairs　and　out　of　the　house　and　across　the　terrace　to　the　beach。　As　he　passed　across　the　front　of　the　house　he　thought　of　Vesper；　but　he　refrained　from　looking　up　to　see　if　she　was　still　standing　at　the　window。　If　she　saw　him；　she　gave　no　sign。
　He　walked　along　the　waterline　on　the　hard　golden　sand　until　he　was　out　of　sig