if.goldfinger-第42部分

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　'Yes；'　Goldfinger　nodded。　'That　is　exactly　what　we　are　going　to　do。　We　are　going　to　burgle　fifteen　billion　dollars'　worth　of　gold　bullion；　approximately　half　the　supply　of　mined　gold　in　the　world。　We　are　going；　Mr　Bond；　to　take　Fort　Rnox。'
　
　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　
　HOODS'　CONGRESS
　
　'FORT　KNOX。'　Bond　shook　his　head　seriously。　'Isn't　that　rather　a　tall　order　for　two　men　and　a　girl？'
　Goldfinger　shrugged　impatiently。　'Please　put　away　your　sense　of　humour　for　one　week；　Mr　Bond。　Then　laugh　as　much　as　you　please。　I　shall　have　under　my　mand　approximately　one　hundred　men　and　women。　These　people　will　be　hand　picked　from　the　six　most　powerful　gangster　groups　in　the　United　States。　This　force　will　amount　to　the　toughest　and　most　pact　fighting　unit　that　has　ever　been　assembled　in　peace　time。'
　'All　right。　How　many　men　guard　the　vault　at　Fort　Knox？'　Goldfinger　slowly　shook　his　head。　He　knocked　once　on　the　door　behind　him。　The　door　flicked　open。　Oddjob　stood　on　the　threshold；　crouching；　alert。　When　he　saw　that　the　meeting　was　still　peaceful　he　straightened　himself　and　waited。　Goldfinger　said；　'You　will　have　many　questions　to　ask；　Mr　Bond。　They　will　all　be　answered　this　afternoon。　Beginning　at　two…thirty。　It　is　now　exactly　twelve　o'clock。'　Bond　glanced　at　his　watch　and　adjusted　it。　'You　and　Miss　Masterton　will　attend　the　meeting　at　which　the　proposition　will　be　put　to　the　heads　of　the　six　organizations　I　have　mentioned。　No　doubt　these　people　will　ask　the　same　questions　as　occur　to　you。　Everything　will　be　explained。　Afterwards　you　will　settle　down　to　detailed　work　with　Miss　Masterton。　Ask　for　what　you　want。　Oddjob　will　see　to　your　welfare　and　also　be　on　permanent　guard。　Do　not　be　obstreperous　or　you　will　in　stantly　be　killed。　And　do　not　waste　time　trying　to　escape　or　to　contact　the　outside　world。　I　have　hired　your　services　and　I　shall　require　every　ounce　of　them。　Is　that　a　bargain？'
　Bond　said　drily；　'I've　always　wanted　to　be　a　millionaire。'
　Goldfinger　didn't　look　at　him。　He　looked　at　his　fingernails。　Then　he　gave　Bond　one　last　hard　glance　and　went　out　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。
　Bond　sat　and　gazed　at　the　closed　door。　He　brusquely　ran　both　hands　through　his　hair　and　down　over　his　face。　He　said　'Well；　well'　aloud　to　the　empty　room；　got　up　and　walked　through　the　bathroom　to　the　girl's　bedroom。　He　knocked　on　the　door。
　'Who　is　it？'
　'Me。　Are　you　visible？'
　'Yes。'　The　voice　was　unenthusiastic。　'e　in。'
　She　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　pulling　on　a　shoe。　She　was　wearing　the　things　Bond　had　first　seen　her　in。　She　looked　cool　and　collected　and　unsurprised　by　her　surroundings。　She　looked　up　at　Bond。　Her　eyes　were　aloof；　disdainful。　She　said　coldly；　precisely；　'You've　got　us　into　this。　Get　us　out。'
　Bond　said　amiably；　'I　may　be　able　to。　I　got　us　out　of　our　graves。'
　'After　getting　us　into　them。'
　Bond　looked　thoughtfully　at　the　girl。　He　decided　it　would　be　ungallant　to　spank　her；　so　to　speak；　on　an　empty　stomach。　He　said；　'This　won't　get　us　anywhere。　We're　in　this　together；　whether　we　like　it　or　not。　What　do　you　want　for　breakfast　or　lunch？　It's　a　quarter　past　twelve。　I've　eaten。　I'll　order　yours　and　then　e　back　and　tell　you　the　score。　There's　only　one　way　out　of　here　and　Oddjob；　that　Korean　ape；　is　guarding　it。　Now　then；　breakfast　or　lunch？'
　She　unbent　an　inch。　'Thank　you。　Scrambled　eggs　and　coffee；　please。　And　toast　and　marmalade。'
　'Cigarettes？'
　'No；　thank　you。　I　don't　smoke。'
　Bond　went　back　to　his　room　and　knocked　on　the　door。　It　opened　an　inch。
　Bond　said；　'All　right；　Oddjob。　I'm　not　going　to　kill　you　yet。'
　The　door　opened　farther。　Oddjob's　face　was　impassive。　Bond　gave　the　order。　The　door　closed。　Bond　poured　himself　a　bourbon　and　soda。　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　wondered　how　he　was　going　to　get　the　girl　on　his　side。　From　the　beginning　she　had　resented　him。　Was　that　only　because　of　her　sister？　Why　had　Goldfinger　made　that　cryptic　remark　about　her　'inclinations'？　What　was　there　about　her　that　he　himself　felt　…　something　withdrawn；　inimical。　She　was　beautiful　…　physically　desirable。　But　there　was　a　cold；　hard　centre　to　her　that　Bond　couldn't　understand　or　define。　Oh　well；　the　main　thing　was　to　get　her　to　go　along。　Otherwise　life　in　prison　would　be　intolerable。
　Bond　went　back　into　her　room。　He　left　both　doors　open　so　that　he　could　hear。　She　was　still　sitting　on　the　bed　wrapped　in　a　coiled　immobility。　She　watched　Bond　carefully。　Bond　leaned　against　the　jamb　of　the　door。　He　took　a　long　pull　at　his　whisky。　He　said；　looking　her　in　the　eye；　'You'd　better　know　that　I'm　from　Scotland　Yard'　…　the　euphemism　would　serve。　'We're　after　this　man　Goldfinger。　He　doesn't　mind。　He　thinks　no　one　can　find　us　for　at　least　a　week。　He's　probably　right。　He　saved　our　lives　because　he　wants　us　to　work　for　him　on　a　crime。　It's　big　business。　Pretty　scatter…brained。　But　there's　a　lot　of　planning　and　paperwork。　We've　got　to　look　after　that　side。　Can　you　do　shorthand　and　typing？'
　'Yes。'　Her　eyes　were　alight。　'What's　the　crime？'
　Bond　told　her。　He　said；　'Of　course　it　all　sounds　ridiculous　and　I　daresay　a　few　questions　and　answers　will　show　these　gangsters；　if　they　don't　show　Goldfinger；　that　the　whole　thing's　impossible。　But　I　don't　know。　Goldfinger's　an　extraordinary　man。　From　what　I　know　about　him；　he　never　moves　unless　the　odds　are　right。　And　I　don't　think　he's　mad　…　at　least　not　madder　than　other　kinds　of　geniuses　…　scientists　and　so　on。　And　there's　no　doubt　he's　a　genius　in　his　particular　field。'
　'So　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？'
　Bond　lowered　his　voice。　He　said；　'What　are　we　going　to　do　about　it；　you　mean。　We　are　going　to　play　along。　And　to　the　hilt。　No　shirking　and　no　funny　business。　We're　going　to　be　greedy　for　the　money　and　we're　going　to　give　him　absolutely　top…notch　service。　Apart　from　saving　our　lives；　which　mean　less　than　nothing　to　him；　it's　the　only　hope　we；　or　rather　I　because　that's　my　line　of　country；　can　have　of　a　chance　to　queer　his　pitch。'
　〃How　are　you　going　to　do　that？〃
　'I　haven't　the　faintest　idea。　Something　may　turn　up。'
　'And　you　expect　me　to　go　along　with　you？'
　'Why　not？　Any　other　suggestions？'
　She　pursed　her　lips　obstinately。　'Why　should　I　do　what　you　say？'
　Bond　sighed。　'There's　no　point　in　being　a　suffragette　about　this。　It's　either　that　or　get　yourself　killed　after　breakfast。　It's　up　to　you。'
　The　mouth　turned　down　with　distaste。　She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　She　said　ungraciously；　'Oh；　all　right　then。'　Suddenly　her　eyes　flared。　'Only　don't　ever　touch　me　or　I　shall　kill　you。'
　There　came　the　click　of　Bond's　bedroom　door。　Bond　looked　mildly　down　at　Tilly　Masterton。　'The　challenge　is　attractive。　But　don't　worry。　I　won't　take　it　up。'　He　turned　and　strolled　out　of　the　room。
　One　of　the　Koreans　passed　him　carrying　the　girl's　breakfast。　In　his　room　another　Korean　had　brought　in　a　typist's　desk　and　chair　and　a　Remington　portable。　He　arranged　them　in　the　corner　away　from　the　bed。　Oddjob　was　standing　in　the　doorway。　He　held　out　a　sheet　of　paper。　Bond　went　up　to　him　and　took　it。
　It　was　a　foolscap　memo　sheet。　The　writing；　with　a　ball　point；　was　neat；　careful；　legible；　undistinguished。　It　said：
　Prepare　ten　copies　of　this　agenda。
　Meeting　held　under　the　chairmanship　of　Mr　Gold
　Secretaries：　　　　　J。　Bond
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Miss　Tilly　Masterton
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Present
　Helmut　M。　Springer　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Purple　Gang。　Detroit
　Jed　Midnight　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Shadow　Syndicate。　Miami　and　Havana
　Billy　（The　Grinner）　Ring　　　　　　　　The　Machine。　Chicago　Jack　Strap　The　Spangled　Mob。　Las　Vegas
　Mr　Solo　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Unione　Siciliano
　Miss　Pussy　Galore　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Cement　Mixers。　Har　lem。　New　York　City　Agenda
　A　project　with　the　code　name　OPERATION　GRAND　SLAM。　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Refreshments。）
　At　the　end　of　this　was　written；　'You　and　Miss　Masterton　will　be　fetched　at　2。20。　Both　will　be　prepared　to　take　notes。　Formal　dress；　please。5
　Bond　smiled。　The　Koreans　left　the　room。　He　sat　down　at　the　desk；　slipped　paper　and　carbons　into　the　typewriter　and　set　to。　At　least　he　would　show　the　girl　that　he　was　prepared　to　do　his　stint。　Gosh；　what　a　crew！　Even　the　Mafia　had　e　in。　How　had　Goldf