ian fleming.casino royale-第27部分

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　He　walked　along　the　waterline　on　the　hard　golden　sand　until　he　was　out　of　sight　of　the　inn。　Then　he　threw　off　his　pyjama…coat　and　took　a　short　run　and　a　quick　flat　dive　into　the　small　waves。　The　beach　shelved　quickly　and　he　kept　underwater　as　long　as　he　could；　swimming　with　powerful　strokes　and　feeling　the　soft　coolness　all　over　him。　Then　he　surfaced　and　brushed　the　hair　out　of　his　eyes。　It　was　nearly　seven　and　the　sun　had　lost　much　of　its　heat。　Before　long　it　would　sink　beneath　the　further　arm　of　the　bay；　but　now　it　was　straight　in　his　eyes　and　he　turned　on　his　back　and　swam　away　from　it　so　that　he　could　keep　it　with　him　as　long　as　possible。
　When　came　ashore　nearly　a　mile　down　the　bay　the　shadows　had　already　engulfed　his　distant　pyjamas　but　he　knew　he　had　time　to　lie　on　the　hard　sand　and　dry　before　the　tide　of　dusk　reached　him。
　He　took　off　his　bathing…trunks　and　looked　down　at　his　body。　There　were　only　a　few　traces　left　of　his　injuries。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　lay　down　with　his　limbs　spread　out　in　a　star　and　gazed　up　at　the　empty　blue　sky　and　thought　of　Vesper。
　His　feelings　for　her　were　confused　and　he　was　impatient　with　the　confusion。　They　had　been　so　simple。　He　had　intended　to　sleep　with　her　as　soon　as　he　could；　because　he　desired　her　and　also　because；　and　he　admitted　it　to　himself；　he　wanted　coldly　to　put　the　repairs　to　his　body　to　the　final　test。　He　thought　they　would　sleep　together　for　a　few　days　and　then　he　might　see　something　of　her　in　London。　Then　would　e　the　inevitable　disengagement　which　would　be　all　the　easier　because　of　their　positions　in　the　Service。　If　it　was　not　easy；　he　could　go　off　on　an　assignment　abroad　or；　which　was　also　in　his　mind；　he　could　resign　and　travel　to　different　parts　of　the　world　as　he　had　always　wanted。
　But　somehow　she　had　crept　under　his　skin　and　over　the　last　two　weeks　his　feelings　had　gradually　changed。
　He　found　her　panionship　easy　and　unexacting。　There　was　something　enigmatic　about　her　which　was　a　constant　stimulus。　She　gave　little　of　her　real　personality　away　and　he　felt　that　however　long　they　were　together　there　would　always　be　a　private　room　inside　her　which　he　could　never　invade。　She　was　thoughtful　and　full　of　consideration　without　being　slavish　and　without　promising　her　arrogant　spirit。　And　now　he　knew　that　she　was　profoundly；　excitingly　sensual；　but　that　the　conquest　of　her　body；　because　of　the　central　privacy　in　her；　would　each　time　have　the　sweet　tang　of　rape。　Loving　her　physically　would　each　time　be　a　thrilling　voyage　without　the　anticlimax　of　arrival。　She　would　surrender　herself　avidly；　he　thought；　and　greedily　enjoy　all　the　intimacies　of　the　bed　without　ever　allowing　herself　to　be　possessed。
　Naked；　Bond　lay　and　tried　to　push　away　the　conclusions　he　read　in　the　sky。　He　turned　his　head　and　looked　down　the　beach　and　saw　that　the　shadows　of　the　headland　were　almost　reaching　for　him。
　He　stood　up　and　brushed　off　as　much　of　the　sand　as　he　could　reach。　He　reflected　that　he　would　have　a　bath　when　he　got　in　and　he　absent…mindedly　picked　up　his　trunks　and　started　walking　back　along　the　beach。　It　was　only　when　he　reached　his　pyjama…coat　and　bent　to　pick　it　up　that　he　realized　he　was　still　naked。　Without　bothering　about　the　trunks；　he　slipped　on　the　light　coat　and　walked　on　to　the　hotel。
　At　that　moment　his　mind　was　made　up。
　
　
　CHAPTER　24　…　FRUIT　DéFENDU
　When　he　got　back　to　his　room　he　was　touched　to　find　all　his　belongings　put　away　and　in　the　bathroom　his　toothbrush　and　shaving　things　neatly　arranged　at　one　end　of　the　glass　shelf　over　the　wash…basin。　At　the　other　end　was　Vesper's　toothbrush　and　one　or　two　small　bottles　and　a　jar　of　face…cream。
　He　glanced　at　the　bottles　and　was　surprised　to　see　that　one　contained　nembutal　sleeping…pills。　Perhaps　her　nerves　had　been　more　shaken　by　the　events　at　the　villa　than　he　had　imagined。
　The　bath　had　been　filled　for　him　and　there　was　a　new　flask　of　some　expensive　pine　bath…essence　on　a　chair　beside　it　with　his　towel。
　'Vesper；'　he　called。
　'Yes？'
　'You　really　are　the　limit。　You　make　me　feel　like　an　expensive　gigolo。'
　'I　was　told　to　look　after　you。　I'm　only　doing　what　I　was　told。'
　'Darling；　the　bath's　absolutely　right。　Will　you　marry　me？'
　She　snorted。　'You　need　a　slave；　not　a　wife。'
　'I　want　you。'
　'Well；　I　want　my　lobster　and　champagne；　so　hurry　up。'
　'All　right；　all　right；'　said　Bond。
　He　dried　himself　and　dressed　in　a　white　shirt　and　dark　blue　slacks。　He　hoped　that　she　would　be　dressed　as　simply　and　he　was　pleased　when；　without　knocking；　she　appeared　in　the　doorway　wearing　a　blue　linen　shirt　which　had　faded　to　the　colour　of　her　eyes　and　a　dark　red　skirt　in　pleated　cotton。
　'I　couldn't　wait。　I　was　famished。　My　room's　over　the　kitchen　and　I've　been　tortured　by　the　wonderful　smells。'
　He　came　over　and　put　his　arm　round　her。
　She　took　his　hand　and　together　they　went　downstairs　out　on　to　the　terrace　where　their　table　had　been　laid　in　the　light　cast　by　the　empty　dining…room。
　The　champagne　which　Bond　had　ordered　on　their　arrival　stood　on　a　plated　wine…cooler　beside　their　table　and　Bond　poured　out　two　full　glasses。　Vesper　busied　herself　with　a　delicious　home…made　liver　paté　and　helped　them　both　to　the　crisp　French　bread　and　the　thick　square　of　deep　yellow　butter　set　in　chips　of　ice。
　They　looked　at　each　other　and　drank　deeply　and　Bond　filled　their　glasses　again　to　the　rim。
　While　they　ate　Bond　told　her　of　his　bathe　and　they　talked　of　what　they　would　do　in　the　morning。　All　through　the　meal　they　left　unspoken　their　feelings　for　each　other；　but　in　Vesper's　eyes　as　much　as　in　Bond's　there　was　excited　anticipation　of　the　night。　They　let　their　hands　and　their　feet　touch　from　time　to　time　as　if　to　ease　the　tension　in　their　bodies。
　When　the　lobster　had　e　and　gone　and　the　second　bottle　of　champagne　was　half…empty　and　they　had　just　ladled　thick　cream　over　their　fraises　des　bois；　Vesper　gave　a　deep　sigh　of　contentment。
　'I'm　behaving　like　a　pig；'　she　said　happily。　'You　always　give　me　all　the　things　I　like　best。　I've　never　been　so　spoiled　before。'　She　gazed　across　the　terrace　at　the　moonlit　bay。　'I　wish　I　deserved　it。'　Her　voice　had　a　wry　undertone。
　'What　do　you　mean？'　asked　Bond　surprised。
　'Oh；　I　don't　know。　I　suppose　people　get　what　they　deserve；　so　perhaps　I　do　deserve　it。'
　She　looked　at　him　and　smiled。　Her　eyes　narrowed　quizzically。
　'You　really　don't　know　much　about　me；'　she　said　suddenly。
　Bond　was　surprised　by　the　undertone　of　seriousness　in　her　voice。
　'Quite　enough；'　he　said　laughing。　'All　I　need　until　tomorrow　and　the　next　day　and　the　next。　You　don't　know　much　about　me　for　the　matter　of　that。'　He　poured　out　more　champagne。
　Vesper　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。
　'People　are　islands；'　she　said。　'They　don't　really　touch。　However　close　they　are；　they're　really　quite　separate。　Even　if　they've　been　married　for　fifty　years。'
　Bond　thought　with　dismay　that　she　must　be　going　into　a　vin　triste。　Too　much　champagne　had　made　her　melancholy。　But　suddenly　she　gave　a　happy　laugh。　'Don't　look　so　worried。'　She　leaned　forward　and　put　her　hand　over　his。　'I　was　only　being　sentimental。　Anyway；　my　island　feels　very　close　to　your　island　tonight。'　She　took　a　sip　of　champagne。
　Bond　laughed；　relieved。　'Let's　join　up　and　make　a　peninsula；'　he　said。　'Now；　directly　we've　finished　the　strawberries。'
　'No；'　she　said；　flirting。　'I　must　have　coffee。'
　'And　brandy；'　countered　Bond。
　The　small　shadow　had　passed。　The　second　small　shadow。　This　too　left　a　tiny　question…mark　hanging　in　the　air。　It　quickly　dissolved　as　warmth　and　intimacy　enclosed　them　again。
　When　they　had　had　their　coffee　and　Bond　was　sipping　his　brandy；　Vesper　picked　up　her　bag　and　came　and　stood　behind　him。
　'I'm　tired；'　she　said；　resting　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。
　He　reached　up　and　held　it　there　and　they　stayed　motionless　for　a　moment。　She　bent　down　and　lightly　brushed　his　hair　with　her　lips。　Then　she　was　gone　and　a　few　seconds　later　the　light　came　on　in　her　room。
　Bond　smoked　and　waited　until　it　had　gone　out。　Then　he　followed　her；　pausing　only　to　say　good　night　to　the　proprietor　and　his　wife　and　thank　them　for　the　dinner。　They　exchanged　pliments　and　he　went　upstairs。
　It　was　only　half　past　nine　when　he　stepped　into　her　room　from　the　bathroom　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　The　moonlight　shone　through　the　half…closed　shutters　and　lapped　at　the　secret　shadows　in　the　snow　of　her　body　on　the　broad　bed。
　*
　Bond　awoke　in　his　own　room　at　dawn　and　for　a　time　he　lay　and　stroked　his　memories。
　Then　he　got　quietly　out　of　bed　and　in　his　pyjama…coat　he　crept　past　Vesper's　door　and　out　of　the　house　to　the　beach。
　The　sea　was　smooth　and　quiet　in　the　sunrise。　The　small　pink　waves　idly　licked　the　sand。　It　was　cold；　but　he　took　off　his　jacket　and　wandered　naked　along　the　edge　of　the　sea　to　the　point　where　he　had　bathed　the　evening　before；　then　he　walked　slowly　and　deliberately　into　the　water　until　it　was　just　below　his　chin。　He　took　his　feet　off　the　bottom　and　sank；　holding　his　nose　with　one　hand　and　shutting　his　eyes；　feeling　the　cold　water　b　his　body　and　his　hair。
　The　mirror　of　the　bay　was　unbroken　except　where　it　seemed　a　fish　had　jumped。　Under　the　water　he　imagined　the　tranquil　scene　and　wished　that　Vesper　could　jus