if.goldfinger-第52部分

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oup　of　officials；　now　reinforced　by　four　rather　shamefaced　conductors；　with　hands　raised　in　benediction。
　Thirty…five　miles；　half　an　hour；　to　go！　Coffee　and　doughnuts　were　brought　round　by　the　nurses；　and　（Goldfinger　thought　of　everything）　for　those　whose　nerves　needed　it；　two　grains　of　dexedrine。　The　nurses　were　pale；　silent。　There　were　no　jokes；　no　smart　remarks。　The　train　was　electric　with　tension。
　After　ten　minutes　there　was　a　sudden　slackening　of　speed　and　a　sharp　hiss　from　the　brakes。　Coffee　was　spilled。　The　train　almost　stopped。　Then　there　was　a　jerk　and　it　gathered　speed　again。　A　new　hand　had　taken　over　on　the　dead　man's　handle。
　A　few　minutes　later；　Mr　Strap　came　hurrying　through　the　train。　'Ten　minutes　to　go！　On　your　toes；　folks！　Squads　A；　B　and　C　get　their　equipment　on。　Everything's　going　fine。　Stay　calm。　Remember　your　duties。'　He　hurried　through　to　the　next　partment　and　Bond　heard　the　voice　repeating　its　message。
　Bond　turned　to　Oddjob。　'Listen；　you　ape；　I'm　going　to　the　lavatory　and　probably　Miss　Masterton　will　too。'　He　turned　to　the　girl。　What　about　it；　Tilly？〃
　'Yes；'　she　said　indifferently；　'I　suppose　I'd　better。〃
　Bond　said；　'Well；　go　ahead。'
　The　Korean　beside　the　girl　looked　inquiringly　at　Oddjob。　Oddjob　shook　his　head。
　Bond　said；　〃Unless　you　leave　her　alone　I'm　going　to　start　a　fight。　Goldfinger　won't　like　that。'　He　turned　to　the　girl。　'Go　ahead；　Tilly。　I'll　see　to　these　apes。'
　Oddjob　uttered　a　series　of　barks　and　snarls　which　the　other　Korean　seemed　to　understand。　The　guard　got　up　and　said；　'Okay；　but　not　locking　the　door。'　He　followed　the　girl　down　the　Pullman　and　stood　and　waited　for　her　to　e　out。
　Oddjob　carried　out　the　same　routine　with　Bond。　Once　inside；　Bond　took　off　his　right　shoe；　slid　out　the　knife　and　slipped　it　down　inside　the　waist…band　of　his　trousers。　One　shoe　would　now　have　no　heel；　but　no　one　was　going　to　notice　that　this　morning。　Bond　washed　himself。　The　face　in　the　mirror　was　pale　and　the　blue…grey　eyes　dark　with　tension。　He　went　out　and　back　to　his　seat。
　Now　there　was　a　distant　shimmer　away　to　the　right　and　a　hint　of　low　buildings　rising　like　a　mirage　in　the　early　morning　ground　mist。　They　slowly　defined　themselves　as　hangars　with　a　squat　control　tower。　Godman　Field！　The　soft　pounding　howl　of　the　train　slackened。　Some　trim　modern　villas；　part　of　a　new　housing　development；　slid　by。　They　seemed　to　be　unoccupied。　Now；　on　the　left；　there　was　the　black　ribbon　of　Brandenburg　Station　Road。　Bond　craned。　The　gleaming　modern　sprawl　of　Fort　Knox　looked　almost　soft　in　the　light　mist。　Above　its　jagged　outline　the　air　was　dear　as　crystal　…not　a　trace　of　smoke；　no　breakfasts　cooking！　The　train　slowed　to　a　canter。　On　Station　Road　there　had　been　a　bad　motor　accident。　Two　cars　seemed　to　have　met　head　on。　The　body　of　a　man　sprawled　half　out　of　a　smashed　door。　The　other　car　lay　on　its　back　like　a　dead　beetle。　Bond's　heart　pounded。　The　main　signal　box　came　and　went。　Over　the　levers　something　white　was　draped。　It　was　a　man's　shirt。
　Inside　the　shirt　the　body　hung　down；　its　head　below　the　level　of　the　window。　A　row　of　modern　bungalows。　A　body　clad　in　singlet　and　trousers　flat　on　its　face　in　the　middle　of　a　trim　lawn。　The　lines　of　mown　grass　were　beautifully　exact　until；　near　the　man；　the　mower　had　written　an　ugly　flourish　and　had　then　e　to　rest　on　its　side　in　the　newly　turned　earth　of；　the　border。　A　line　of　washing　that　had　broken　when　the　woman　had　grasped　it。　The　woman　lay　in　a　white　pile　at　one　end　of　the　sagging　string　of　family　underclothes；　cloths　and　towels。　And　now　the　train　was　moving　at　walking　pace　into　the　town　and　everywhere；　down　every　street；　on　every　sidewalk；　there　were　the　sprawling　figures　…　singly；　in　clumps；　in　rocking…chairs　on　the　porches；　in　the　middle　of　intersections　where　the　traffic　lights　still　unhurriedly　ticked　off　their　coloured　signals；　in　cars　that　had　managed　to　pull　up　and　in　others　that　had　smashed　into　shop　windows。　Death！　Dead　people　everywhere。　No　movement；　no　sound　save　the　click　of　the　murderer's　iron　feet　as　his　train　slid　through　the　graveyard。
　Now　there　was　bustle　in　the　carriages。　Billy　Ring　came　through　grinning　hugely。　He　stopped　by　Bond's　chair。　'Oh　boy！'　he　said　delightedly；　'old　Goldie　certainly　slipped　them　the　Micky　Finn！　Too　bad　some　people　were　out　for　a　ride　when　they　got　hit。　But　you　know　what　they　say　about　omelettes：　can't　make　'em　without　you　break　some　eggs；　right？'
　Bond　smiled　tightly。　'That's　right。'
　Billy　Ring　made　his　silent　O　of　a　laugh　and　went　on　his　way。
　The　train　trundled　through　Brandenburg　Station。　Now　there　were　scores　of　bodies　…　men；　women；　children；　soldiers。　The　platform　was　scribbled　with　them；　faces　upwards　to　the　roof；　down　in　the　dust；　cradled　sideways。　Bond　searched　for　movement；　for　an　inquisitive　eye；　for　a　twitching　hand。　Nothing！　Wait！　What　was　that？　Thinly　through　the　closed　window　there　came　a　soft；　mewing　wail。　Three　perambulators　stood　against　the　ticket　office；　the　mothers　collapsed　beside　them。　Of　course！　The　babies　in　the　perambulators　would　have　drunk　milk；　not　the　deadly　water。
　Oddjob　got　to　his　feet。　So　did　the　whole　of　Goldfinger's　team。　The　faces　of　the　Koreans　were　indifferent；　unchanged；　only　their　eyes　flickered　constantly　like　nervous　animals。　The
　Germans　were　pale；　grim。　Nobody　looked　at　anyone　else。　Silently　they　filed　towards　the　exit　and　lined　up；　waiting。
　Tilly　Masterton　touched　Bond's　sleeve。　Her　voice　trembled。　'Are　you　sure　they're　only　asleep？　I　thought　I　saw　some　sort　of。。。　sort　of　froth　on　some　of　the　lips。'
　Bond　had　seen　the　same　thing。　The　froth　had　been　pink。　He　said；　'I　expect　some　of　them　were　eating　sweets　or　something　when　they　fell　asleep。　You　know　what　these　Americans　are　…　always　chewing　something。'　He　softly　mouthed　the　next　words。　'Stay　away　from　me。　There　may　be　shooting。'　He　looked　hard　at　her　to　see　she　understood。
　She　nodded　dumbly；　not　looking　at　him。　She　whispered　out　of　the　corner　of　her　mouth；　'I'm　going　to　get　near　Pussy。　She'll　look　after　me。'
　Bond　gave　her　a　smile　and　said　'Good'；　encouragingly。
　The　train　clicked　slowly　over　some　points　and　slid　to　rest。　There　came　one　blast　of　the　diesel's　windhorn。　The　doors　swung　open　and　the　different　groups　piled　out　on　to　the　platform　of　the　Bullion　Depository　siding。
　Now　everything　went　with　military　precision。　The　various　squads　formed　up　in　their　battle　order…first　an　assault　group　widi　sub…machine　guns；　then　the　stretcher…bearers　to　get　the　guard　and　other　personnel　out　of　the　vault　（surely　an　unnecessary　refinement　now；　thought　Bond）　then　Goldfinger's　demolition　team　…　ten　men　with　their　bulky　tarpaulin…covered　package　…　then　a　mixed　group　of　spare　drivers　and　traffic…control　men；　then　the　group　of　nurses；　now　all　armed　with　pistols；　who　were　to　stay　in　the　background　with　a　heavily　armed　reserve　group　that　was　to　deal　with　any　unexpected　interference　from　anybody　who；　as　Goldfinger　had　put　it；　'might　wake　up'。
　Bond　and　the　girl　had　been　included　in　the　mand　Group　which　consisted　of　Goldfinger；　Oddjob　and　the　five　gang　leaders。　They　were　to　be　stationed　on　the　flat　roofs　of　the　two　diesel　lootives　which　now　stood；　as　planned；　beyond　the　siding　buildings　and　in　full　view　of　？the　objective　and　its　approaches。　Bond　and　the　girl　were　to　handle　the　maps；　the　timetables　and　the　stop…watch；　and　Bond　was　to　watch　out　for　fumbles　and　delays　and　bring　them　at　once　to　Goldfinger's　attention　to　be　rectified　by　walkie…talkie　with　die　squad　leaders。　When　the　bomb　was　due　to　be　fired；　they　would　take　shelter　behind　the　diesels。
　There　came　a　double　blast　from　the　windhorn　and；　as　Bond　and　the　girl　climbed　to　their　position　on　the　roof　of　the　first　diesel；　the　assault　squad；　followed　by　the　other　sections；　doubled　across　the　twenty　yards　of　open　ground　between　the　railway　and　Bullion　Boulevard。　Bond　edged　as　close　as　he　could　to　Goldfinger。　Goldfinger　had　binoculars　to　his　eyes。　His　mouth　was　close　to　the　microphone　strapped　to　his　chest。　But　Oddjob　stood　between　them；　a　solid　mountain　of　flesh；　and　his　eyes；　uninterested　in　the　drama　of　the　assault；　never　flickered　from　Bond　and　the　girl。
　Bond；　under　cover　of　scanning　his　plastic　map…case　and　keeping　an　eye　on　the　stop…watch；　measured