johngardner.winloseordie-第42部分

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th　President　Bush；　who　is　required　to　have　the　nuclear　alert　codes　wiih　him　at　all　times。〃
He　paused；　as　though　pleased　with　his　own　knowledge　and　the　ability　for　him　to　share　it。　Then　he　continued。　'As　some　of　you　already　know；　they　are　here　under　highly　classified　code　names。　The　PM　is　Shalott　…　Lady　of；　1　presume；　not　just　because　she　knows　her　onions。'　He　paused　again　for　the　obligatory　chuckle　to　pass　around　the　room。　'The　President　of　the　United　States　is　Dancer；　and　Secretary　Gorbachev　is　October。　You　will　refer　to　them　by　those　names；　both　in　conversation　and　any　radio　messages　you　might　be　called　upon　to　give。　But；　as　1　have　said；　the　one　unique　thing　is　that　they're　here　with　no　advisers；　or　assistants。　As　far　as　their　colleagues　are　concerned；　Shalott　has　a　touch　of　the　'flu；　October　is　resting　in　his　country　dacha；　and　has　left　orders　that　he　should　not　be　disturbed　for　five　days；　Dancer　has　requested　no　Press；　and　no　calls　to　his　hunting…lodge　where　he　is　quail…shooting。'
　Again　he　waited　for　a　laugh；　but　the　jest　was。　if　not　dying；　at　least　fatally　ill。　The　point　is　that　all　three　chose　to　meet　in　secure　conditions　so　that　they　could　carry　out　four　whole　days　of　highly　personal；　one…on…one　…　or；　I　suppose　it　could　be　one…im…two　…　talks　without　the　usual　interference　from　the　throngs　oi　experts　from　both　governmeni；　military；　financial　and　social　levels　who　often　advise　more　caution　over　sensitive　issues。
　There　will　be　no　official　statements　regarding　Stewards'　Meeting。　Nobody　is　to　know；　unless　they　feel　they　have　acplished　some　incredible　breakthrough　that　can　be　announced。　Their　main　objective　is　to　set　some　ground　rules　on　world　finance；　security　against　terrorism；　and　the　acceleration　of　solving　that　thorny　question　regarding　the　quick　phasing　out　of　nuclear　weapons。
　'Our　job　is　to　see　they　have　the　next　four　days　to　themselves。　They　will　be　eating　and　working　together　in　ihe　forward　lecture　room；　which　has　been　made　more　presentable　than　usual。　So；　with　the　help　of　the　Wren　detachmenl　to　see　they　get　decent　food；　and　good　service；　and　the　assistance　of　security；　they　will　be　following　a　very　tight　schedule　which；　even　in　the　midst　of　Landsea　'89；　we　must　see　is　adhered　to。　They　have　got　to　be　given　four　whole　days；　no　matter　what。　If　you　have　any　questions　e　straight　to　me。　Understand？'
　Yes；　Bond　thought。　Go　straight　to　him。　and　he　will　pass　you　straight　on　to　me。　He　left；　went　back　lo　his　cabin　and　sent　for　Donald　Speaker；　the　interrogator　who　had　e　in　from　Gibraltar　with　the　new　American；　Woodward。
He　had　never　met　Speaker　before；　but　knew　his　reputation　as　a　hard　investigator　who　rarely　gave　an　inch；　so　it　was；　when　the　man　came　into　his　cabin　and　sat　down　without　even　being　asked；　that　Bond　took　an　almost　irrational　dislike　to　him。
　If　Speaker　had　made　any　progress　with　Deeley　he　was　not　going　to　tell　Bond。　In　fact　it　was　just　the　opposite；　for；　within　minutes；　he　realised　that　the　interrogator　was　asking　questions　of　him。
　'I　don't　altogether　trust　those　two　Branch　men　in　fancy　dress；'　Speaker　said　of　Brinklcy　and　Camm。
？Oh？'
　'Not　cut　out　for　the　kind　of　job　（hey're　doing　on　this　ship。　I'm　highly　dubious　of　their　motives；　Mr；　er　Captain；　Bond。*
'Interesting；　but　what　about　Deeley？'
Til　report　when　I　have　anything　to　report。'
　The　gingery　beard。　Bond　decided；　covered　a　weak　chin。　The　man　was；　in　a　sense；　hiding　from　himself。　'You　have　only　a　very　limited　lime。　You　realise　that？'
〃How　so？'
　'It　bees　a　non…Service　matter；　once　we　get　to　Gib。　She　has　to　be　handed　over　to　the　Civil　Police。'
〃What　are　we；　two　days　from　Gib？'
　'We're　taking　tour　actually。　For　operational　reasons　which　don't　concern　you。'
　'Well；'　the　lips　curled　under　the　beard；　'well；　that's　plenty　of　time　for　me　to　whop　some　kind　of　story　out　of　her。　Don't　worry。'　He　rose。
　'Sit　down！'　Bond　all　but　shouted。　'Sit　down！　I　haven't　said　you　can　leave。'
'I　didn't　know　you　were　my　keeper　on　ihis　ship。'
　'Well；　you　had　better　know；　Mr　Speaker。　You　don't　move　on　this　ship　without　my　saying　so。'
'You're　not　trying　to　tell　me　you're　SIS？'　The　leer　again。
'1　am　telling　you　just　that。'
'Very　interesting；　in　view　of　what　seems　to　have　happened　on　board　this　ship。　I　think　we'll　have　a　little　talk　when　we're　back　in　London。　I　can　be　a　very　suspicious　man。　Bond；　and　they　trust　me　at　the　interrogation　centre。　I　can　reach　into　your　file　and　e　up　with　something；　I'm　sure。　Everyone　has　at　least　one　thing　they　want　to　hide。　We'll　discover　yours；　then　I　can　embroider　it　a　little　and　they'll　drop　you　into　a　well　and　forget　about　you。　I've　broken　stronger　men　than　you。　Bond。　Goodnight；'　and　he　walked　from　the　cabin；　leaving　Bond　floundering。　The　man　was　some　kind　of　a　nutter；　he　thought。　Best　get　a　signal　off　to　London　about　him。
　He　went　out　and　toured　the　passageway；　speaking　to　all　the　varied　security　men；　British；　American　and　Russian。　All　seemed　in　good　order；　so　he　decided　to　leave　the　signal　until　after　dinner；　which　he　took　quietly　in　the　ward…room。
　Later；　as　he　was　about　to　go　up　to　munications；　the　Tannoy　clicked　on。　'D'you　hear　（here！　D'you　hear　there！　Would　Captain　Bond　please　take　a　message　in　his　cabin？　Captain　Bond　to　his　cabin　please。'
Nikki；　looking　pale　and　unfortable；　was　waiting　for　him。
'What　can　I　do　for　you。　Nikki？'
　'Oh。　please　don't　tempt　me；　James；　but　1　have　a　terrible　concern。　A　worry。'
〃That's　what　I'm　here　for。　Pour　it　all　out。'
　'This　is　about　the　new　American。　The　one　called　Woodward；　Dan　Woodward。'
　'Desperate　Dan。'　Bond　smiled。　'Has　he　been　desperate　with　you？　He　es　plete　with　a　reputation　that　he　likes　the　ladies。'
　'No；　James。　No。　This　is　not　funny。　I　am　suspect　that　this　man　is　not　American；　That　he　is　not　truly　the　Dan　Woodward　he　claims。'
　'What？'　He　sat　up。　a　little　twitch　of　anxiety　deep　in　his　stomach。　'Why　do　you　say　Ihis；　Nikki？'
　'How　do　1　tell　you？　It　is　difficult。　Look；　is　operational　secret；　but　we　must　share　it。　Three　years　ago。　I　was　assigned　to　work　in　Afghanistan。　With　KGB。　We　had　a　dossier　on　terrorists　operating　in　the　Gulf。　You　know　the　kind　of　thing。　A　mixed　bag　of　names　and　suspicions。　The　man　who　says　he　is　Dan　Woodward。　His　picture　was　there　in　dossier。　I　forget　what　he　was　called　then。　Hamarik；　or　Homarak。　Something。　James；　you　should　take　a　look。'
　'Keep　quiet　for　now。　Nikki。　＇'II　run　it　through　London。　Play　it　gently。　1　know　how　we　can　check　it　out。'
He　went　up　10　munications　and　went　through　the　same；　thorough　inquisition　by　a　different；　armed　marine；　then　got　on　with　the　job　in　hand。　First　a　cipher　concerning　Speaker；　followed　by　a　second　one　to　liaison　with　Grosvenor　Square；　requesting　a　photograph　to　be　sent　over　the　wires。　When　unbuttoned；　the　text　read　…
PLEASE　HAVE　PHOTOGRAPH　OF　DANIEL　WOODWARD　YOUR　N1　OFFICER　STOP　SEND　MY　EYES　ONLY　URGE…NT　AND　HIGHEST　PRIORITY　STOP　PREDATOR　STOP
　It　had　been　a　long；　tiring　day；　so　he　hoped　it　would　e　in　before　he　went　to　sleep。
　He　had　just　got　into　his　bunk　when　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door。　He　opened　up；　and　Nikki　slipped　past　him　into　ihc　cabin。
　'James；　I'm　sorry。　I　feel　so　alone。　So　afraid。　It　is　like　a　feeling　of　doom。　Please　don't　send　me　away。'　She　wore　a　towelling　robe　which　she　slipped　from　her　shoulders。　There　was　nothing　underneath。　Bond's　mind　travelled　back　to　the　villa　on　Ischia。　Once　more　he　saw　the　doomed　and　treacherous　Beatrice　and　realised　that；　whatever　she　had　been；　it　would　take　a　long　time　for　her　to　be　expunged　from　his　emotions。
　Now。　looking　at　the　young　body　of　Nikki　Ratnikov　he　realised　that　he　was　also　lonely；　worried；　and　in　need　of　fort。　He　turned　the　lock　in　the　cabin　door；　and　took　her　in　his　arms。　For　a　long　lime　she　just　clung　to　him。　then；　lifting　her　head。　Bond　put　his　own　lips　to　hers；　and　they　moved　to　the　bunk；　then　drowned　in　each　other　as　though　this　was　the　first　and　last　time　they　would　ever　meet。
　She　left　him　at　dawn；　and　he　lay　on　the　bunk　alone；　thinking　they　had　both　given　and　taken　from　each　other。　It　was　the　most；　except　for　dying；　that　any　two　humans　could　give。
　munications　did　not　e　back　to　him　uniil　almost　ten…thirty　the　next　morning。　There　were　two　messages　waiting　for　him。　First；　a　flash　from　Regent's　Park　authorising　him　to　remove　Speaker