if.thunderball-第12部分

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eek。　This　will　involve　an　irritating　but　fortunately　not　a　serious　delay　in　Plan　Omega。　Fresh　instructions　have　been　issued。　The　airman　Petacchi　has　been　provided　with　a　phial　of　influenza　virus　of　sufficient　strength　for　him　to　remain　on　the　sick　list　for　one　week；　during　which　he　will　be　unable　to　accept　his　test　flight。　He　will　take　the　first　flight　after　his　recovery　and　alert　us　accordingly。　The　date　of　his　flight　will　be　municated　to　Sub…operator　G　and　he　will　by　that　time　be　recovered　and　will　post　the　Letter　according　to　plan。　The　Special　Executive〃…　Blofeld　glanced　round　the　table…〃will　readjust　their　flight　schedules　to　Area　Zeta　in　accordance　with　the　new　operational　schedule。　As　for　Sub…operator　G〃…Blofeld　bent　his　gaze；　one　by　one；　on　the　three　ex…Gestapo　men…〃this　is　an　unreliable　agent。　The　German　section　will　make　arrangements　for　his　elimination　within　twenty…four　hours　of　the　posting　of　the　Letter。　Is　that　understood？〃
　
　The　three　German　faces　stood　unanimously　to　attention；　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　〃For　the　rest；〃　continued　Blofeld；　〃all　is　in　order。　No。　1　has　solidly　established　his　cover　in　Area　Zeta。　The　treasure…hunting　myth　continues　to　be　built　up　and　has　already　gained　full　credence。　The　crew　of　the　yacht；　all　hand…picked　sub…operators；　are　accepting　the　discipline　and　the　security　regulations　better　than　had　been　expected。　A　suitable　land　base　has　been　secured。　It　is　remote　and　not　easily　accessible。　It　belongs　to　an　eccentric　Englishman　the　nature　of　whose　friends　and　personal　habits　demands　seclusion。　Your　arrival　in　Area　Zeta　continues　to　be　minutely　planned。　Your　wardrobe　awaits　you　in　Areas　F　and　D；　according　to　your　various　flight　plans。　This　wardrobe；　down　to　the　smallest　detail；　will　be　in　accordance　with　your　identities　as　financial　backers　of　the　treasure　hunt　who　have　demanded　to　visit　the　scene　and　take　part　in　the　adventure。　You　are　not　gullible　millionaires。　You　are　the　kind　of　rich；　middle…class　rentiers　and　businessmen　who　might　be　expected　to　be　taken　in　by　such　a　scheme。　You　are　all　shrewd；　so　you　have　e　to　watch　over　your　investment　and　ensure　that　not　one　doubloon　goes　astray。〃　（Nobody　smiled。）　〃You　are　all　aware　of　the　part　you　have　to　play　and　I　trust　that　you　have　studied　your　respective　roles　with　close　attention。〃
　
　There　was　a　careful　nodding　of　heads　round　the　table。　These　men　were　all　satisfied　that　not　too　much　had　been　asked　of　them　in　the　matter　of　their　cover。　This　one　was　a　rich　cafe　proprietor　from　Marseilles。　（He　had　been　one。　He　could　talk　to　anyone　about　the　business。）　That　one　had　vineyards　in　Yugoslavia。　（He　had　been　brought　up　in　Bled。　He　could　talk　vintages　and　crop　sprays　with　a　Calvet　from　Bordeaux。）　That　one　had　smuggled　cigarettes　from　Tangier。　（He　had　done　so　and　would　be　just　sufficiently　discreet　about　it。）　All　of　them　had　been　given　covers　that　would　stand　up　at　least　to　second…degree　inspection。
　
　〃In　the　matter　of　aqualung　training；〃　continued　Blofeld；　〃I　would　like　reports　from　each　section。〃　Blofeld　looked　at　the　Yugoslav　section　on　his　left。
　
　〃Satisfactory。〃　〃Satisfactory；〃　echoed　the　German　section；　and　the　Word　was　repeated　round　the　table。
　
　Blofeld　mented；　〃The　safety　factor　is　paramount　in　all　underwater　operations。　Has　this　factor　received　sufficient　attention　in　your　respective　training　schedules？〃　Affirmative。　〃And　exercises　with　the　new　CO2　underwater　gun？〃　Again　all　sections　reported　favorably。　〃And　now；〃　continued　Blofeld；　〃I　would　like　a　report　from　the　Sicilian　section　on　the　preparations　for　the　bullion　drop。〃
　
　Fidelio　Sciacca　was　a　gaunt；　cadaverous　Sicilian　with　a　closed　face。　He　might　have　been；　and　had　been；　a　schoolmaster　with　munist　leanings。　He　spoke　for　the　section　because　his　English；　the　pulsory　language　of　the　Special　Executive；　was　the　best。　He　said；　in　a　careful；　expository　tone　of　voice；　〃The　chosen　area　has　been　carefully　reconnoitered。　It　is　satisfactory。　I　have　here〃…he　touched　the　briefcase　on　his　lap…〃the　plans　and　detailed　time　table　for　the　information　of　the　Chairman　and　members。　Briefly；　the　designated　area；　Area　T；　is　on　the　northwest　slopes　of　Mount　Etna；　above　the　tree　line…that　is　to　say　between　the　altitudes　of　two　thousand　and　three　thousand　meters。　This　is　an　uninhabited　and　uncultivated　area　of　black　lava　on　the　upper　slopes　of　the　volcano　more　or　less　above　the　small　town　of　Bronte。　For　the　purpose　of　the　drop；　an　area　approximately　two　kilometers　square　will　be　marked　out　by　the　torches　of　the　recovery　team。　In　the　center　of　this　area　will　be　positioned　a　Decca　Aircraft　Homing　Signal　as　an　additional　navigational　aid。　The　bullion　flight；　which　I　estimate　conservatively　will　consist　of　five　Mark　IV　Transport　ets；　should　make　their　run　in　at　ten　thousand　feet　at　an　air　speed　of　three　hundred　miles　per　hour。　Having　regard　to　the　weight　of　each　consignment；　multiple　parachutes　will　be　needed；　and；　owing　to　the　harsh　nature　of　the　terrain；　very　careful　packing　in　foam　rubber　will　be　essential。　The　parachutes　and　the　packings　should　be　coated　in　Dayglo　or　some　phosphorescent　paint　to　assist　recovery。　No　doubt〃…　the　man　opened　his　hands…〃the　SPECTRE　memorandum　of　dropping　instructions　will　include　these　and　other　details；　but　very　careful　planning　and　coordination　by　those　responsible　for　the　flight　will　be　necessary。〃
　
　〃And　the　recovery　team？〃　Blofeld's　voice　probed　softly　but　with　an　urgent　edge　to　it。
　
　〃The　Capo　Mafiosi　of　the　district　is　my　uncle。　He　has　eight　grandchildren；　to　whom　he　is　devoted。　I　have　made　it　clear　that　the　whereabouts　of　these　children　is　known　to　my　associates。　The　man　understood。　At　the　same　time；　as　instructed；　I　made　him　the　offer　of　one　million　pounds　for　total　recovery　and　safe　delivery　to　the　depot　at　Catania。　This　is　a　most　important　sum　for　the　funds　of　the　Unione。　The　Capo　Mafiosi　agreed　to　these　terms。　He　understands　that　the　robbery　of　a　bank　is　in　question。　He　wishes　to　know　no　more。　The　delay　that　has　been　announced　will　not　affect　the　arrangements。　It　will　still　be　within　the　full…moon　period。　Sub…operator　52；　is　a　most　capable　man。　He　has　been　provided　with　the　Hallicraftor　set　issued　to　me　for　the　purpose　and　he　will　listen　on　18　megacycles　in　accordance　with　the　schedule。　Meanwhile　he　remains　in　touch　with　the　Capo　Mafiosi；　to　whom　he　is　related　by　marriage。〃
　
　Blofeld　was　silent　for　a　long　two　minutes。　He　slowly　nodded。　〃I　am　satisfied。　So　far　as　the　next　step　is　concerned；　the　disposal　of　the　bullion；　this　will　be　in　the　hands　of　Sub…operator　201；　of　whom　we　have　had　full　experience。　He　is　a　man　to　be　trusted。　The　M。V。　Mercurial　will　load　at　Catania　and　proceed　through　the　Suez　Canal　to　Goa；　in　Portuguese　India。　En　route；　at　a　designated　cross…bearing　in　the　Arabian　Gulf；　she　will　rendezvous　with　a　merchant　ship　owned　by　a　consortium　of　the　chief　Bombay　bullion　brokers。　The　bullion　will　be　transferred　to　this　ship　in　exchange　for　the　equivalent　value；　at　the　ruling　gold　bullion　price；　in　used　Swiss　francs；　dollars；　and　bolivars。　These　large　amounts　of　currency　will　be　broken　up　into　the　allotted　percentages　and　will　then　be　transferred　from　Goa　by　chartered　plane　to　twenty…two　different　Swiss　banks　in　Zurich；　where　they　will　be　placed　in　deposit　boxes。　The　keys　to　these　numbered　boxes　will　be　distributed　to　members　after　this　meeting。　From　that　moment　on；　and　subject　of　course　to　the　usual　security　regulations　regarding　injudicious　spending　and　display；　these　deposits　will　be　entirely　at　the　disposal　of　members。〃　Blofeld's　slow；　calm　eyes　surveyed　the　meeting。　〃Is　this　procedure　considered　satisfactory？〃
　
　There　were　cautious　nods。　No。　18；　Kandinsky；　the　Polish　electronics　expert；　spoke　up。　He　spoke　without　diffidence。　There　was　no　diffidence　between　these　men。　〃This　is　not　my　province；〃　he　said　seriously。　〃But　is　there　not　danger　that　one　of　the　navies　concerned　will　intercept　this　ship；　the　Mercurial　；　and　remove　the　bullion？　It　will　be　clear　to　the　Western　powers　that　the　bullion　will　have　to　be　removed　from　Sicily。　Various　patrols　of　the　air　and　sea　would　be　an　easy　matter。〃
　
　〃You　forget〃…Blofeld's　voice　was　patient…〃that　neither　the　first；　nor　if　need　be　the　second；　bomb　will　be　rendered　safe　until　the　money　is　in　the　Swiss　banks。　There　will　be　no　risk　on　that　score。　Nor；　another　possibility　that　I　had　envisaged；　is　there　likely　to　be　danger　of　our　ship　being　pirated　on　the　high　seas　by　some　independent　operator。　I　envisage　that　plete　secrecy　will　be　enforced　by　the　Western　powers。　Any　leakage　would　result　in　panic。　Any　other　questions？〃
　
　Bruno　Bayer；　one　of　the　German　Section；　said　stiffly；　〃It　is　fully　understood　that　No。　1　will　be　in　immediate　control　in　Area　Zeta。　Is　it　correct　that　he　will　have　full　powers　delegated　by　yourself？　Is　it　that　he　will；　so　to　speak；　be　Supreme　mander　in　the　field？〃
　
　How　typical；　thought　Blofeld。　The　Germans　will　always　obey　orders；　but　they　wish　to　be　quite　clear　where　final　authority　resides。　The　German　generals　would　only　obey　the　Supreme　mand　if　they　knew　Hitler　approved　the　Supreme　mand。　He　said　firmly；　〃I　have　made　it　clear　to　the　Special　Executive；　and　I　repeat：　No。　1　is　already；　by　your　unanimous　vote；　my　successor　in　case　of　my　death　or　incapacity。　So　far　as　Plan　O