if.goldfinger-第7部分

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nger　at　the　outside　short　upper　edge　…　the　grip　that　means　you　are　armed　for　dealing　Bottoms　or　Seconds。　And　he　wore　no　signet　ring　for　pricking　the　cards；　no　surgical　tape　round　a　finger　for　marking　them。
　Mr　Du　Pont　turned　to　Bond。　'Deal　of　fifteen　cards；'　he　mented。　'You　draw　two　and　discard　one。　Otherwise　straight　Regency　rules。　No　monkey　business　with　the　red　treys　counting　one；　three；　five；　eight；　or　any　of　that　European　stuff。'
　Mr　Du　Pont　picked　up　his　cards。　Bond　noticed　that　he　sorted　them　expertly；　not　grading　them　according　to　value　from　left　to　right；　or　holding　his　wild　cards；　of　which　he　had　two；　at　the　left　…　a　pattern　that　might　help　a　watchful　opponent。　Mr　Du　Pont　concentrated　his　good　cards　in　the　centre　of　his　hand　with　the　singletons　and　broken　melds　on　either　side。
　The　game　began。　Mr　Du　Pont　drew　first；　a　miraculous　pair　of　wild　cards。　His　face　betrayed　nothing。　He　discarded　casually。　He　only　needed　two　more　good　draws　to　go　out　unseen。　But　he　would　have　to　be　lucky。　Drawing　two　cards　doubles　the　chance　of　picking　up　what　you　want；　but　it　also　doubles　the　chance　of　picking　up　useless　cards　that　will　only　clutter　up　your　hand。
　Goldfinger　played　a　more　deliberate　game；　almost　irritatingly　slow。　After　drawing；　he　shuffled　through　his　cards　again　and　again　before　deciding　on　his　discard。
　On　the　third　draw；　Du　Pont　had　improved　his　hand　to　the　extent　that　he　now　needed　only　one　of　five　cards　to　go　down　and　out　and　catch　his　opponent　with　a　handful　of　cards　which　would　all　count　against　him。　As　if　Goldfinger　knew　the　danger　he　was　in；　he　went　down　for　fifty　and　proceeded　to　make　a　canasta　with　three　wild　cards　and　four　fives。　He　also　got　rid　of　some　more　melds　and　ended　with　only　four　cards　in　his　hand。　In　any　other　circumstances　it　would　have　been　ridiculously　bad　play。　As　it　was；　he　had　made　some　four　hundred　points　instead　of　losing　over　a　hundred；　for；　on　the　next　draw　Mr　Du　Pont　filled　his　hand　and；　with　most　of　the　edge　taken　off　his　triumph　by　Goldfinger's　escape；　went　down　unseen　with　the　necessary　two　canastas。
　'By　golly；　I　nearly　screwed　you　that　time。'　Mr　Du　Font's　voice　had　an　edge　of　exasperation。　'What　in　hell　told　you　to　cut　an'　run？'
　Goldfinger　said　indifferently；　'I　smelled　trouble。'　He　added　up　his　points；　announced　them　and　jotted　them　down；　waiting　for　Mr　Du　Pont　to　do　the　same。　Then　he　cut　the　cards　and　sat　back　and　regarded　Bond　with　polite　interest。
　'Will　you　be　staying　long；　Mr　Bomb？'
　Bond　smiled。　'It's　Bond；　B…O…N…D。　No；　I　have　to　go　back　to　New　York　tonight。'
　'How　sad。'　Goldfinger's　mouth　pursed　in　polite　regret。　He　turned　back　to　the　cards　and　the　game　went　on。　Bond　picked　up　his　paper　and　gazed；　unseeing；　at　the　baseball　scores；　while　he　listened　to　the　quiet　routine　of　the　game。　Goldfinger　won　that　hand　and　the　next　and　the　next。　He　won　the　game。　There　was　a　difference　of　one　thousand　five　hundred　points　…one　thousand　five　hundred　dollars　to　Goldfinger。
　'There　it　goes　again！'　It　was　the　plaintive　voice　of　Mr　Du　Pont。
　Bond　put　down　his　paper。　'Does　he　usually　win？'
　'Usually！'　The　word　was　a　snort。　'He　always　wins。'
　They　cut　again　and　Goldfinger　began　to　deal。
　Bond　said；　'Don't　you　cut　for　seats？　I　often　find　a　change　of　seat　helps　the　luck。　Hostage　to　fortune　and　so　on。'
　Goldfinger　paused　in　his　deal。　He　bent　his　gaze　gravely　on　Bond。　'Unfortunately；　Mr　Bond；　that　is　not　possible　or　I　could　not　play。　As　I　explained　to　Mr　Du　Pont　at　our　first　game；　I　suffer　from　an　obscure　plaint　…　agoraphobia　…the　fear　of　open　spaces。　I　cannot　bear　the　open；horizon。　I　must　sit　and　face　the　hotel。'　The　deal　continued。
　'Oh；　I'm　so　sorry。'　Bond's　voice　was　grave；　interested。　'That's　a　very　rare　disability。　I've　always　been　able　to　understand　claustrophobia；　but　not　the　other　way　round。　How　did　it　e　about？'
　Goldfinger　picked　up　his　cards　and　began　to　arrange　his　hand。　'I　have　no　idea；'　he　said　equably。
　Bond　got　up。　'Well；　I　think　I'll　stretch　my　legs　for　a　bit。　See　what's　going　on　in　the　pool。'
　'You　do　just　that；'　said　Mr　Du　Pont　jovially。　'Just　take　it　easy；　James。　Plenty　of　time　to　discuss　business　over　lunch。　I'll　see　if　I　can't　dish　it　out　to　my　friend　Goldfinger　this　time　instead　of　taking　it。　Be　seeing　you。'
　Goldfinger　didn't　look　up　from　his　cards。　Bond　strolled　down　the　roof；　past　the　occasional　splayed…out　body；　to　the　rail　at　the　far　end　that　overlooked　the　pool。　For　a　time　he　stood　and　contemplated　the　ranks　of　pink　and　brown　and　white　flesh　laid　out　below　him　on　the　steamer　chairs。　The　heavy　scent　of　suntan　oil　came　up　to　him。　There　were　a　few　children　and　young　people　in　the　pool。　A　man；　obviously　a　professional　diver；　perhaps　the　swimming　instructor；　stood　on　the　high…dive。　He　balanced　on　the　balls　of　his　feet；　a　muscled　Greek　god　with　golden　hair。　He　bounced　once；　casually；　and　flew　off　and　down；　his　arms　held　out　like　wings。　Lazily　they　arrowed　out　to　cleave　the　water　for　the　body　to　pass　through。　The　impact　left　only　a　brief　turbulence。　The　diver　jack…knifed　up　again；　shaking　his　head　boyishly。　There　was　a　smattering　of　applause。　The　man　trudged　slowly　down　the　pool；　his　head　submerged；　his　shoulders　moving　with　casual　power。　Bond　thought；　good　luck　to　you！　You　won't　be　able　to　keep　this　up　for　more　than　another　five　or　six　years。　High…divers　couldn't　take　it　for　long　…　the　repeated　shock　to　the　skull。　With　ski…jumping；　which　had　the　same　shattering　effect　on　the　frame；　high…diving　was　the　shortest…lived　sport。　Bond　radioed　to　the　diver；　'Cash　in　quick！　Get　into　films　while　the　hair's　still　gold。'
　Bond　turned　and　looked　back　down　the　roof　towards　the　two　Canasta　players　beneath　the　cliff　of　the　hotel。　So　Gold…finger　liked　to　face　the　hotel。　Or　was　it　that　he　liked　Mr　Du　Pont　to　have　his　back　to　it？　And　why？　Now；　what　was　the　number　of　Goldfinger's　suite？　No　200；　the　Hawaii　Suite。　Bond's　on　the　top　floor　was　1200。　So；　all　things　being　equal；　Goldfinger's　would　be　directly　below　Bond's；　on　the　second　floor；　twenty　yards　or　so　above　the　roof　of　the　Cabana　Club　…twenty　yards　from　the　card　table。　Bond　counted　down。　He　closely　examined　the　frontage　that　should　be　Goldfinger's。　Nothing。　An　empty　sun　balcony。　An　open　door　into　the　dark　interior　of　the　suite。　Bond　measured　distances；　angles。　Yes；　that's　how　it　might　be。　That's　how　it　must　be！　Clever　Mr　Goldfinger！
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR
　
　OVER　THE　BARREL
　
　AFTER　LUNCHEON　…the　traditional　shrimp　cocktail；　'native'　snapper　with　a　minute　paper　cup　of　tartare　sauce；　roast　prime　ribs　of　beef　au　jus；　and　pineapple　surprise…　it　was　time　for　the　siesta　before　meeting　Goldfinger　at　three　o'clock　for　the　afternoon　session。
　Mr　Du　Pont；　who　had　lost　a　further　ten　thousand　dollars　or　more；　confirmed　that　Goldfinger　had　a　secretary。　'Never　seen　her。　Sticks　to　the　suite。　Probably　just　some　chorine　he's　brought　down　for　the　ride。'　He　smiled　wetly。　'I　mean　the　daily　ride。　Why？　You　on　to　something？'
　Bond　was　non…mittal。　'Can't　tell　yet。　I　probably　won't　be　ing　down　this　afternoon。　Say　I　got　bored　watching　…gone　into　the　town。'　He　paused。　'But　if　my　idea's　right；　don't　be　surprised　at　what　may　happen。　If　Goldfinger　starts　to　behave　oddly；　just　sit　quiet　and　watch。　I'm　not　promising　anything。　I　think　I've　got　him；　but　I　may　be　wrong。'
　Mr　Du　Pont　was　enthusiastic。　'Good　for　you；　boyo！'　he　said　effusively。　'I　just　can't　wait　to　see　that　bastard　over　the　barrel。　Damn　his　eyes！'
　Bond　took　the　elevator　up　to　his　suite。　He　went　to　his　suitcase　and　extracted　an　M3　Leica；　an　MC　exposure　meter；　a　K2　filter　and　a　flash…holder。　He　put　a　bulb　in　the　holder　and　checked　the　camera。　He　went　to　his　balcony；　glanced　at　the　sun　to　estimate　where　it　would　be　at　about　three…thirty　and　went　back　into　the　sitting…room；　leaving　the　door　to　the　balcony　open。　He　stood　at　the　balcony　door　and　aimed　the　exposure　meter。　The　exposure　was　one…hundredth　of　a　second。　He　set　this　on　the　Leica；　put　the　shutter　at　f　11；　and　the　distance　at　twelve　feet。　He　clipped　on　a　lens　hood　and　took　one　picture　to　see　that　all　was　working。　Then　he　wound　on　the　film；　slipped　in　the　flash…holder　and　put　the　camera　aside。
　Bond　went　to　his　suitcase　and　took　out　a　thick　book　…　The　Bible　Designed　to　be　Read　as　Literature…　opened　it　and　extrac