ian fleming.casino royale-第26部分

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　'Now；'　he　looked　up　again　at　Mathis；　'that's　all　very　fine。　The　hero　kills　two　villains；　but　when　the　hero　Le　Chiffre　starts　to　kill　the　villain　Bond　and　the　villain　Bond　knows　he　isn't　a　villain　at　all；　you　see　the　other　side　of　the　medal。　The　villains　and　heroes　get　all　mixed　up。
　'Of　course；'　he　added；　as　Mathis　started　to　expostulate；　'patriotism　es　along　and　makes　it　seem　fairly　all　right；　but　this　country…right…or…wrong　business　is　getting　a　little　out…of…date。　Today　we　are　fighting　munism。　Okay。　If　I'd　been　alive　fifty　years　ago；　the　brand　of　Conservatism　we　have　today　would　have　been　damn　near　called　munism　and　we　should　have　been　told　to　go　and　fight　that。　History　is　moving　pretty　quickly　these　days　and　the　heroes　and　villains　keep　on　changing　parts。'
　Mathis　stared　at　him　aghast。　Then　he　tapped　his　head　and　put　a　calming　hand　on　Bond's　arm。
　'You　mean　to　say　that　this　precious　Le　Chiffre　who　did　his　best　to　turn　you　into　a　eunuch　doesn't　qualify　as　a　villain？'　he　asked。　'Anyone　would　think　from　the　rot　you　talk　that　he　had　been　battering　your　head　instead　of　your　。　。　。'　He　gestured　down　the　bed。　'You　wait　till　M　tells　you　to　get　after　another　Le　Chiffre。　I　bet　you'll　go　after　him　all　right。　And　what　about　SMERSH？　I　can　tell　you　I　don't　like　the　idea　of　these　chaps　running　around　France　killing　anyone　they　feel　has　been　a　traitor　to　their　precious　political　system。　You're　a　bloody　anarchist。'
　He　threw　his　arms　in　the　air　and　let　them　fall　helplessly　to　his　sides。
　Bond　laughed。
　'All　right；'　he　said。　'Take　our　friend　Le　Chiffre。　It's　simple　enough　to　say　he　was　an　evil　man；　at　least　it's　simple　enough　for　me　because　he　did　evil　things　to　me。　If　he　was　here　now；　I　wouldn't　hesitate　to　kill　him；　but　out　of　personal　revenge　and　not；　I'm　afraid；　for　some　high　moral　reason　or　for　the　sake　of　my　country。'
　He　looked　up　at　Mathis　to　see　how　bored　he　was　getting　with　these　introspective　refinements　of　what；　to　Mathis；　was　a　simple　question　of　duty。
　Mathis　smiled　back　at　him。
　'Continue；　my　dear　friend。　It　is　interesting　for　me　to　see　this　new　Bond。　Englishmen　are　so　odd。　They　are　like　a　nest　of　Chinese　boxes。　It　takes　a　very　long　time　to　get　to　the　centre　of　them。　When　one　gets　there　the　result　is　unrewarding；　but　the　process　is　instructive　and　entertaining。　Continue。　Develop　your　arguments。　There　may　be　something　I　can　use　to　my　own　chief　the　next　time　I　want　to　get　out　of　an　unpleasant　job。'　He　grinned　maliciously。
　Bond　ignored　him。
　'Now　in　order　to　tell　the　difference　between　good　and　evil；　we　have　manufactured　two　images　representing　the　extremes　…　representing　the　deepest　black　and　the　purest　white　…　and　we　call　them　God　and　the　Devil。　But　in　doing　so　we　have　cheated　a　bit。　God　is　a　clear　image；　you　can　see　every　hair　on　His　beard。　But　the　Devil。　What　does　he　look　like？'　Bond　looked　triumphantly　at　Mathis。
　Mathis　laughed　ironically。
　'A　woman。'
　'It's　all　very　fine；'　said　Bond；　'but　I've　been　thinking　about　these　things　and　I'm　wondering　whose　side　I　ought　to　be　on。　I'm　getting　very　sorry　for　the　Devil　and　his　disciples　such　as　the　good　Le　Chiffre。　The　Devil　has　a　rotten　time　and　I　always　like　to　be　on　the　side　of　the　underdog。　We　don't　give　the　poor　chap　a　chance。　There's　a　Good　Book　about　goodness　and　how　to　be　good　and　so　forth；　but　there's　no　Evil　Book　about　evil　and　how　to　be　bad。　The　Devil　has　no　prophets　to　write　his　Ten　mandments　and　no　team　of　authors　to　write　his　biography。　His　case　has　gone　pletely　by　default。　We　know　nothing　about　him　but　a　lot　of　fairy　stories　from　our　parents　and　schoolmasters。　He　has　no　book　from　which　we　can　learn　the　nature　of　evil　in　all　its　forms；　with　parables　about　evil　people；　proverbs　about　evil　people；　folk…lore　about　evil　people。　All　we　have　is　the　living　example　of　the　people　who　are　least　good；　or　our　own　intuition。
　'So；'　continued　Bond；　warming　to　his　argument；　'Le　Chiffre　was　serving　a　wonderful　purpose；　a　really　vital　purpose；　perhaps　the　best　and　highest　purpose　of　all。　By　his　evil　existence；　which　foolishly　I　have　helped　to　destroy；　he　was　creating　a　norm　of　badness　by　which；　and　by　which　alone；　an　opposite　norm　of　goodness　could　exist。　We　were　privileged；　in　our　short　knowledge　of　him；　to　see　and　estimate　his　wickedness　and　we　emerge　from　the　acquaintanceship　better　and　more　virtuous　men。'
　'Bravo；'　said　Mathis。　'I'm　proud　of　you。　You　ought　to　be　tortured　every　day。　I　really　must　remember　to　do　something　evil　this　evening。　I　must　start　at　once。　I　have　a　few　marks　in　my　favour　…　only　small　ones；　alas；'　he　added　ruefully　…　'but　I　shall　work　fast　now　that　I　have　seen　the　light。　What　a　splendid　time　I'm　going　to　have。　Now；　let's　see；　where　shall　I　start；　murder；　arson；　rape？　But　no；　these　are　peccadilloes。　I　must　really　consult　the　good　Marquis　de　Sade。　I　am　a　child；　an　absolute　child　in　these　matters。'
　His　face　fell。
　'Ah；　but　our　conscience；　my　dear　Bond。　What　shall　we　do　with　him　while　we　are　mitting　some　juicy　sin？　That　is　a　problem。　He　is　a　crafty　person　this　conscience　and　very　old；　as　old　as　the　first　family　of　apes　which　gave　birth　to　him。　We　must　give　that　problem　really　careful　thought　or　we　shall　spoil　our　enjoyment。　Of　course；　we　should　murder　him　first；　but　he　is　a　tough　bird。　It　will　be　difficult；　but　if　we　succeed；　we　could　be　worse　even　than　Le　Chiffre。
　'For　you；　dear　James；　it　is　easy。　You　can　start　off　by　resigning。　That　was　a　brilliant　thought　of　yours；　a　splendid　start　to　your　new　career。　And　so　simple。　Everyone　has　the　revolver　of　resignation　in　his　pocket。　All　you've　got　to　do　is　pull　the　trigger　and　you　will　have　made　a　big　hole　in　your　country　and　your　conscience　at　the　same　time。　A　murder　and　a　suicide　with　one　bullet！　Splendid！　What　a　difficult　and　glorious　profession。　As　for　me；　I　must　start　embracing　the　new　cause　at　once。'
　He　looked　at　his　watch。
　'Good。　I've　started　already。　I'm　half　an　hour　late　for　a　meeting　with　the　chief　of　police。'
　He　rose　to　his　feet　laughing。
　'That　was　most　enjoyable；　my　dear　James。　You　really　ought　to　go　on　the　halls。　Now　about　that　little　problem　of　yours；　this　business　of　not　knowing　good　men　from　bad　men　and　villains　from　heroes；　and　so　forth。　It　is；　of　course；　a　difficult　problem　in　the　abstract。　The　secret　lies　in　personal　experience；　whether　you're　a　Chinaman　or　an　Englishman。'
　He　paused　at　the　door。
　'You　admit　that　Le　Chiffre　did　you　personal　evil　and　that　you　would　kill　him　if　he　appeared　in　front　of　you　now？
　'Well；　when　you　get　back　to　London　you　will　find　there　are　other　Le　Chiffres　seeking　to　destroy　you　and　your　friends　and　your　country。　M　will　tell　you　about　them。　And　now　that　you　have　seen　a　really　evil　man；　you　will　know　how　evil　they　can　be　and　you　will　go　after　them　to　destroy　them　in　order　to　protect　yourself　and　the　people　you　love。　You　won't　wait　to　argue　about　it。　You　know　what　they　look　like　now　and　what　they　can　do　to　people。　You　may　be　a　bit　more　choosy　about　the　jobs　you　take　on。　You　may　want　to　be　certain　that　the　target　really　is　black；　but　there　are　plenty　of　really　black　targets　around。　There's　still　plenty　for　you　to　do。　And　you'll　do　it。　And　when　you　fall　in　love　and　have　a　mistress　or　a　wife　and　children　to　look　after；　it　will　seem　all　the　easier。'
　Mathis　opened　the　door　and　stopped　on　the　threshold。
　'Surround　yourself　with　human　beings；　my　dear　James。　They　are　easier　to　fight　for　than　principles。'
　He　laughed。　'But　don't　let　me　down　and　bee　human；　yourself。　We　would　lose　such　a　wonderful　machine。'
　With　a　wave　of　the　hand　he　shut　the　door。
　'Hey；'　shouted　Bond。
　But　the　footsteps　went　quickly　off　down　the　passage。
　
　
　CHAPTER　21　…　VESPER
　It　was　on　the　next　day　that　Bond　asked　to　see　Vesper。
　He　had　not　wanted　to　see　her　before。　He　was　told　that　every　day　she　came　to　the　nursing　home　and　asked　after　him。　Flowers　had　arrived　from　her。　Bond　didn't　like　flowers　and　he　told　the　nurse　to　give　them　to　another　patient。　After　this　had　happened　twice；　no　more　flowers　came。　Bond　had　not　meant　to　offend　her。　He　disliked　having　feminine　things　around　him。　Flowers　seemed　to　ask　for　recognition　of　the　person　who　had　sent　them；　to　be　constantly　transmitting　a　message　of　sympathy　and　affection。　Bond　found　this　irksome。　He