if.goldfinger-第38部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


There　was　a　throbbing　pain　at　the　back　of　his　neck。　He　was　staring　up　into　a　big　enamelled　light　bowl　with　one　powerful　bulb。　He　was　on　some　sort　of　a　table　and　his　wrists　and　ankles　were　bound　to　its　edges。　He　felt　with　his　fingers。　He　felt　polished　metal。
　A　voice；　Goldfinger's　voice；　flat；　uninterested；　said；　'Now　we　can　begin。'
　Bond　turned　his　head　towards　the　voice。　His　eyes　were　dazzled　by　the　light。　He　squeezed　them　hard　and　opened　them。　Goldfinger　was　sitting　in　a　canvas　chair。　He　had　taken　off　his　jacket　and　was　in　his　shirt　sleeves。　There　were　red　marks　round　the　base　of　his　throat。　On　a　folding　table　beside　him　were　various　tools　and　metal　instruments　and　a　control　panel。　On　the　other　side　of　the　table　Tilly　Masterton　sat　in　another　chair。　She　was　strapped　to　it　by　her　wrists　and　ankles。　She　sat　bolt　upright　as　if　she　was　in　school。　She　looked　incredibly　beautiful；　but　shocked；　remote。　Her　eyes　gazed　vacantly　at　Bond。　She　was　either　drugged　or　hypnotized。
　Bond　turned　his　head　to　the　right。　A　few　feet　away　stood　the　Korean。　He　still　wore　his　bowler　hat　but　now　he　was　stripped　to　the　waist。　The　yellow　skin　of　his　huge　torso　glinted　with　sweat。　There　was　no　hair　on　it。　The　flat　pectoral　muscles　were　as　broad　as　dinner　plates　and　the　stomach　was　concave　below　the　great　arch　of　the　ribs。　The　biceps　and　forearms；　also　hairless；　were　as　thick　as　thighs。　The　ten…minutes…to…two　oil　slicks　of　the　eyes　looked　pleased；　greedy。　The　mouthful　of　blackish　teeth　formed　an　oblong　grin　of　anticipation。
　Bond　raised　his　head。　The　quick　look　round　hurt。　They　were　in　one　of　the　factory　workrooms。　White　light　blazed　round　the　iron　doors　of　two　electric　furnaces。　There　were　bluish　sheets　of　metal　stacked　in　wooden　frames。　From　somewhere　came　the　whir　of　a　generator。　There　was　a　distant；　muffled　sound　of　hammering；　and；　behind　the　sound；　the　faraway　iron　pant　of　the　power　plant。
　Bond　glanced　down　the　table　on　which　he　lay　spread…eagled。　He　let　his　head　fall　back　with　a　sigh。　There　was　a　narrow　slit　down　the　centre　of　the　polished　steel　table。　At　the　far　end　of　the　slit；　like　a　foresight　framed　in　the　vee　of　his　parted　feet；　were　the　glinting　teeth　of　a　circular　saw。
　Bond　lay　and　stared　up　at　the　little　message　on　the　lamp　bulb。　Goldfinger　began　to　speak　in　a　relaxed　conversational　voice。　Bond　pulled　the　curtains　tight　across　the　ghastly　peep…show　of　his　imagination　and　listened。
　'Mr　Bond；　the　word　〃pain〃　es　from　the　Latin　poena　meaning　〃penalty〃　…　that　which　must　be　paid。　You　must　now　pay　for　the　inquisitiveness　which　your　attack　upon　me　proves；　as　I　suspected；　to　be　inimical。　Curiosity；　as　they　say；　killed　the　cat。　This　time　it　will　have　to　kill　two　cats；　for　I　fear　I　must　also　count　this　girl　an　enemy。　She　tells　me　she　is　staying　at　the　Bergues。　One　telephone　call　proved　that　to　be　false。　Oddjob　was　sent　to　where　you　were　both　hidden　and　recovered　her　rifle　and　also　a　ring　which　it　happens　that　I　recognize。　Under　hypnotism　the　rest　came　out。　This　girl　came　here　to　kill　me。　Perhaps　you　did　too。　You　have　both　failed。　Now　must　e　the　poena。　Mr　Bond'　…　the　voice　was　weary；　bored　…　'I　have　had　many　enemies　in　my　time。　I　am　very　successful　and　immensely　rich；　and　riches；　if　I　may　inflict　another　of　my　aphorisms　upon　you；　may　not　make　you　friends　but　they　greatly　increase　the　class　and　variety　of　your　enemies。'
　'That's　very　neatly　put。'
　Goldfinger　ignored　the　interruption。　'If　you　were　a　free　man；　with　your　talent　for　inquiry；　you　would　be　able　to　find　round　the　world　the　relics　of　those　who　have　wished　me　ill；　or　who　have　tried　to　thwart　me。　There　have；　as　I　said；　been　many　of　these　people　and　you　would　find；　Mr　Bond；　that　their　remains　resemble　those　of　hedgehogs　squashed　upon　the　roads　in　summertime。'
　'Very　poetic　simile。'
　'By　chance；　Mr　Bond。　I　am　a　poet　in　deeds　…　not　often　in　words。　I　am　Concerned　to　arrange　my　actions　in　appropriate　and　effective　patterns。　But　that　is　by　the　way。　I　wish　to　convey　to　you　that　it　was　a　most　evil　day　for　you　when　you　first　crossed　my　path　and；　admittedly　in　a　very　minor　fashion；　thwarted　a　minuscule　project　upon　which　I　was　engaged。　On　that　occasion　it　was　someone　else　who　suffered　the　poena　that　should　have　been　meted　out　to　you。　An　eye　was　taken　for　the　eye；　but　it　was　not　yours。　You　were　lucky　and；　if　you　had　then　found　an　oracle　to　consult；　the　oracle　would　have　said　to　you；　〃Mr　Bond；　you　have　been　fortunate。　Keep　away　from　Mr　Auric　Goldfinger。　He　is　a　most　powerful　man。　If　Mr　Goldfinger　wanted　to　crush　you；　he　would　only　have　to　turn　over　in　his　sleep　to　do　so。〃'
　'You　express　yourself　most　vividly。'　Bond　turned　his　head。　The　great　brown　and　orange　football　of　a　head　was　bent　slightly　forward。　The　round　moon…face　was　bland；　indifferent。　Casually；　one　hand　reached　out　to　the　control　panel　and　pressed　down　a　switch。　There　came　a　slow　metallic　growl　from　the　end　of　the　table　on　which　Bond　lay。　It　curved　quickly　up　to　a　harsh　whine　and　then　to　a　shrill　high　whistle　that　was　barely　audible。　Bond　turned　his　head　wearily　away。　How　soon　could　he　manage　to　die？　Was　there　any　way　he　could　hasten　death？　A　friend　of　his　had　survived　the　Gestapo。　He　had　described　to　Bond　how　he　had　tried　to　mit　suicide　by　holding　his　breath。　By　superhuman　will…power；　after　a　few　minutes　without　breathing；　unconsciousness　had　e。　But；　with　the　blackout　of　the　senses；　will　and　intention　had　also　left　the　body。　At　once　reason　was　forgotten。　The　body's　instinct　to　live　manned　the　pumps　and　got　breath　back　into　the　body　again。　But　Bond　could　try　it。　There　was　nothing　else　to　help　him　through　the　pain　barrier　before　the　blessing　of　death。　For　death　was　the　only　exit。　He　knew　he　could　never　squeal　to　Goldfinger　and　live　with　himself　again　…　even　in　the　unlikely　event　that　Goldfinger　could　be　bought　off　with　the　truth。　No；　he　must　stick　to　his　thin　story　and　hope　that　the　others　who　would　now　follow　him　on　Gold…finger's　trail　would　have　better　luck。　Who　would　M　choose？　Probably　008；　the　second　killer　in　the　small　section　of　three。　He　was　a　good　man；　more　careful　than　Bond。　M　would　know　that　Goldfinger　had　killed　Bond　and　he　would　give　008　licence　to　kill　in　return。　258　in　Geneva　would　put　him　on　to　the　scent　that　would　end　with　Bond's　inquiry　about　the　Entre…prises　Auric。　Yes；　fate　would　catch　up　with　Goldfinger　if　Bond　could　only　keep　his　mouth　shut。　If　he　gave　the　least　clue　away；　Goldfinger　would　escape。　That　was　unthinkable。
　'Now　then；　Mr　Bond；'　Goldfinger's　voice　was　brisk。　'Enough　of　these　amiabilities。　Sing；　as　my　Chicago　friends　put　it；　and　you　will　die　quickly　and　painlessly。　The　girl　also。　Sing　not；　and　your　death　will　be　one　long　scream。　The　girl　I　shall　then　give　to　Oddjob；　as　I　did　that　cat；　for　supper。　Which　is　it　to　be？'
　Bond　said；　'Don't　be　a　fool；　Goldfinger。　I　told　my　friends　at　Universal　where　I　was　going　and　why。　The　girl's　parents　know　that　she　went　with　me。　I　made　inquiries　about　this　factory　of　yours　before　we　came　here。　We　shall　be　traced　here　very　easily。　Universal　is　powerful。　You　will　have　the　police　after　you　within　days　of　our　disappearance。　I　will　make　a　deal　with　you。　Let　us　go　and　nothing　more　will　be　heard　of　the　matter。　I　will　vouch　for　the　girl。　You　are　making　a　stupid　mistake。　We　are　two　perfectly　innocent　people。'
　Goldfinger　said　in　a　bored　voice；　'I'm　afraid　you　don't　understand；　Mr　Bond。　Whatever　you　have　managed　to　find　out　about　me；　which　I　suspect　is　very　little；　can　only　be　a　grain　of　the　truth。　I　am　engaged　upon　gigantic　enterprises。　To　take　the　gamble　of　letting　either　of　you　leave　here　alive　would　be　quite　ludicrous。　It　is　out　of　the　question。　As　for　my　being　bothered　by　the　police；　I　shall　be　delighted　to　receive　them　if　they　e。　Those　of　my　Koreans　who　can　speak　won't　do　so　…　nor　will　the　mouths　of　my　electric　furnaces　which　will　have　vaporized　you　both　and　all　your　belongings　at　two　thousand　degrees　Centigrade。　No；　Mr　Bond；　make　your　choice。　Perhaps　I　can　encourage　you'　…　there　came　the　noise　of　a　lever　moving　across　iron　teeth。　'The　saw　is　now　approaching　your　body　at　about　an　inch　every　minute。　Meanwhile；'　he　glanced　at　Odd　job　and　held　up　one　finger；　'a　little　massage　from　Oddjob。　To　begin　with；　only　grade　one。　Grades　two　and　three　are　still　more　persuasive。'