ian fleming.casino royale-第13部分

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He　gave　a　short　smile　which　embraced　them　both　and　walked　with　an　unhurried　gait　towards　the　caisse。
　Leiter　sensed　the　rebuff。
　'He's　a　very　serious　gambler；　Miss　Lynd；'　he　said。　'And　I　guess　he　has　to　be。　Now　e　with　me　and　watch　Number　17　obey　my　extra…sensory　perceptions。　You'll　find　it　quite　a　painless　sensation　being　given　plenty　of　money　for　nothing。'
　Bond　was　relieved　to　be　on　his　own　again　and　to　be　able　to　clear　his　mind　of　everything　but　the　task　on　hand。　He　stood　at　the　caisse　and　took　his　twenty…four　million　francs　against　the　receipt　which　had　been　given　him　that　afternoon。　He　divided　the　notes　into　equal　packets　and　put　half　the　sum　into　his　right…hand　coat　pocket　and　the　other　half　into　the　left。　Then　he　strolled　slowly　across　the　room　between　the　thronged　tables　until　he　came　to　the　top　of　the　room　where　the　broad　baccarat　table　waited　behind　the　brass　rail。
　The　table　was　filling　up　and　the　cards　were　spread　face　down　being　stirred　and　mixed　slowly　in　what　is　known　as　the　'croupiers'　shuffle'；　supposedly　the　shuffle　which　is　most　effective　and　least　susceptible　to　cheating。
　The　chef　de　partie　lifted　the　velvet…covered　chain　which　allowed　entrance　through　the　brass　rail。
　'I've　kept　Number　6　as　you　wished；　Monsieur　Bond。'
　There　were　still　three　other　empty　places　at　the　table。　Bond　moved　inside　the　rail　to　where　a　huissier　was　holding　out　his　chair。　He　sat　down　with　a　nod　to　the　players　on　his　right　and　left。　He　took　out　his　wide　gunmetal　cigarette…case　and　his　black　lighter　and　placed　them　on　the　green　baize　at　his　right　elbow。　The　huissier　wiped　a　thick　glass　ash…tray　with　a　cloth　and　put　it　beside　them。　Bond　lit　a　cigarette　and　leant　back　in　his　chair。
　Opposite　him；　the　banker's　chair　was　vacant。　He　glanced　round　the　table。　He　knew　most　of　the　players　by　sight；　but　few　of　their　names。　At　Number　7；　on　his　right；　there　was　a　Monsieur　Sixte；　a　wealthy　Belgian　with　metal　interests　in　the　Congo。　At　Number　9　there　was　Lord　Danvers；　a　distinguished　but　weak…looking　man　whose　francs　were　presumably　provided　by　his　rich　American　wife；　a　middle…aged　woman　with　the　predatory　mouth　of　a　barracuda；　who　sat　at　Number　3。　Bond　reflected　that　they　would　probably　play　a　pawky　and　nervous　game　and　be　amongst　the　early　casualties。　At　Number　1；　to　the　right　of　the　bank　was　a　well…known　Greek　gambler　who　owned；　as　in　Bond's　experience　apparently　everyone　does　in　the　Eastern　Mediterranean；　a　profitable　shipping　line。　He　would　play　coldly　and　well　and　would　be　a　stayer。
　Bond　asked　the　huissier　for　a　card　and　wrote　on　it；　under　a　neat　question　mark；　the　remaining　numbers；　2；　4；　5；　8；　10；　and　asked　the　huissier　to　give　it　to　the　chef　de　partie。
　Soon　it　came　back　with　the　names　filled　in。
　Number　2；　still　empty；　was　to　be　Carmel　Delane；　the　American　film　star　with　alimony　from　three　husbands　to　burn　and；　Bond　assumed；　a　call　on　still　more　from　whoever　her　present　panion　at　Royale　might　be。　With　her　sanguine　temperament　she　would　play　gaily　and　with　panache　and　might　run　into　a　vein　of　luck。
　Then　came　Lady　Danvers　at　Number　3　and　Numbers　4　and　5　were　a　Mr　and　Mrs　Du　Pont；　rich…looking　and　might　or　might　not　have　some　of　the　real　Du　Pont　money　behind　them。　Bond　guessed　they　would　be　stayers。　They　both　had　a　business…like　look　about　them　and　were　talking　together　easily　and　cheerfully　as　if　they　felt　very　much　at　home　at　the　big　game。　Bond　was　quite　happy　to　have　them　next　to　him　…　Mrs　Du　Pont　sat　at　Number　5　…　and　he　felt　prepared　to　share　with　them　or　with　Monsieur　Sixte　on　his　right；　if　they　found　themselves　faced　with　too　big　a　bank。
　At　Number　8　was　the　Maharajah　of　a　small　Indian　state；　probably　with　all　his　wartime　sterling　balances　to　play　with。　Bond's　experience　told　him　that　few　of　the　Asiatic　races　were　courageous　gamblers；　even　the　much…vaunted　Chinese　being　inclined　to　lose　heart　if　the　going　was　bad。　But　the　Maharajah　would　probably　stay　in　the　game　and　stand　some　heavy　losses　if　they　were　gradual。
　Number　10　was　a　prosperous…looking　young　Italian；　Signor　Tomelli；　who　possibly　had　plenty　of　money　from　rackrents　in　Milan　and　would　probably　play　a　dashing　and　foolish　game。　He　might　lose　his　temper　and　make　a　scene。
　Bond　had　just　finished　his　sketchy　summing…up　of　the　players　when　Le　Chiffre；　with　the　silence　and　economy　of　movement　of　a　big　fish；　came　through　the　opening　in　the　brass　rail　and；　with　a　cold　smile　of　wele　for　the　table；　took　his　place　directly　opposite　Bond　in　the　banker's　chair。
　With　the　same　economy　of　movements　the　thick　slab　of　cards　which　the　croupier　had　placed　on　the　table　squarely　between　his　blunt　relaxed　hands。　Then；　as　the　croupier　fitted　the　six　packs　with　one　swift　exact　motion　into　the　metal　and　wooden　shoe；　Le　Chiffre　said　something　quietly　to　him。
　'Messieurs；　mesdames；　les　jeux　sont　faits。　Un　banco　de　cinq　cent　mille；'　and　as　the　Greek　at　Number　1　tapped　the　table　in　front　of　his　fat　pile　of　hundred…mille　plaques；　'Le　banco　est　fait。'
　Le　Chiffre　crouched　over　the　shoe。　He　gave　it　a　short　deliberate　slap　to　settle　the　cards；　the　first　of　which　showed　its　semicircular　pale　pink　tongue　through　the　slanting　aluminium　mouth　of　the　shoe。　Then；　with　a　thick　white　fore…finger　he　pressed　gently　on　the　pink　tongue　and　slipped　out　the　first　card　six　inches　or　a　foot　towards　the　Greek　on　his　right　hand。　Then　he　slipped　out　a　card　for　himself；　then　another　for　the　Greek；　then　one　more　for　himself
　He　sat　immobile；　not　touching　his　own　cards。
　He　looked　at　the　Greek's　face。
　With　his　flat　wooden　spatula；　like　a　long　bricklayer's　trowel；　the　croupier　delicately　lifted　up　the　Greek's　two　cards　and　dropped　them　with　a　quick　movement　an　extra　few　inches　to　the　right　so　that　they　lay　just　before　the　Greek's　pale　hairy　hands　which　lay　inert　like　two　watchful　pink　crabs　on　the　table。
　The　two　pink　crabs　scuttled　out　together　and　the　Greek　gathered　the　cards　into　his　wide　left　hand　and　cautiously　bent　his　head　so　that　he　could　see；　in　the　shadow　made　by　his　cupped　hand；　the　value　of　the　bottom　of　the　two　cards。　Then　he　slowly　inserted　the　forefinger　of　his　right　hand　and　slipped　the　bottom　card　slightly　sideways　so　that　the　value　of　the　top　card　was　also　just　perceptible。
　His　face　was　quite　impassive。　He　flattened　out　his　left　hand　on　the　table　and　then　withdrew　it；　leaving　the　two　pink　cards　face　down　before　him；　their　secret　unrevealed。
　Then　he　lifted　his　head　and　looked　Le　Chiffre　in　the　eye。
　'Non；'　said　the　Greek　flatly。
　From　the　decision　to　stand　on　his　two　cards　and　not　ask　for　another；　it　was　clear　that　the　Greek　had　a　five；　or　a　six；　or　a　seven。　To　be　certain　of　winning；　the　banker　had　to　reveal　an　eight　or　a　nine。　If　the　banker　failed　to　show　either　figure；　he　also　had　the　right　to　take　another　card　which　might　or　might　not　improve　his　count。
　Le　Chiffre's　hands　were　clasped　in　front　of　him；　his　two　cards　three　or　four　inches　away。　With　his　right　hand　he　picked　up　the　two　cards　and　turned　them　face　upwards　on　the　table　with　a　faint　snap。
　They　were　a　four　and　a　five；　an　undefeatable　natural　nine。
　He　had　won。
　'Neuf　à　la　banque；'　quietly　said　the　croupier。　With　his　spatula　he　faced　the　Greek's　two　cards；　'Et　le　sept；'　he　said　unemotionally；　lifting　up　gently　the　corpses　of　the　seven　and　queen　and　slipping　them　through　the　wide　slot　in　the　table　near　his　chair　which　leads　into　the　gib　metal　canister　to　which　all　dead　cards　are　consigned。　Le　Chiffre's　two　cards　followed　them　with　a　faint　rattle　which　es　from　the　canister　at　the　beginning　of　each　session　before　the　discards　have　made　a　cushion　over　the　metal　floor　of　their　oubliette。
　The　Greek　pushed　forward　five　plaques　of　one　hundred　thousand　and　the　croupier　added　these　to　Le　Chiffre's　half　million　plaque　which　lay　in　the　centre　of　the　table。　From　each　bet　the　Casino　takes　a　tiny　percentage；　the　cagnotte；　but　it　is　usual　at　a　big　game　for　the　banker　to　subscribe　this　himself　either　in　a　prearranged　lump　or　by　contributions　at　the　end　of　each　hand；　so　that　the　amount　of　the　bank's　stake　can　always　be　a　round　figure。　Le　Chiffre　had　chosen　the　second　course。
　The　croupier　slipped　some　counters　through　the　slot　in　the　table　which　receives　the　cagnotte　and　announced　quietly：
　'Un　banco　d'un