ian fleming.casino royale-第31部分

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ce　had　a　wry　undertone。
　'What　do　you　mean？'　asked　Bond　surprised。
　'Oh；　I　don't　know。　I　suppose　people　get　what　they　deserve；　so　perhaps　I　do　deserve　it。'
　She　looked　at　him　and　smiled。　Her　eyes　narrowed　quizzically。
　'You　really　don't　know　much　about　me；'　she　said　suddenly。
　Bond　was　surprised　by　the　undertone　of　seriousness　in　her　voice。
　'Quite　enough；'　he　said　laughing。　'All　I　need　until　tomorrow　and　the　next　day　and　the　next。　You　don't　know　much　about　me　for　the　matter　of　that。'　He　poured　out　more　champagne。
　Vesper　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。
　'People　are　islands；'　she　said。　'They　don't　really　touch。　However　close　they　are；　they're　really　quite　separate。　Even　if　they've　been　married　for　fifty　years。'
　Bond　thought　with　dismay　that　she　must　be　going　into　a　vin　triste。　Too　much　champagne　had　made　her　melancholy。　But　suddenly　she　gave　a　happy　laugh。　'Don't　look　so　worried。'　She　leaned　forward　and　put　her　hand　over　his。　'I　was　only　being　sentimental。　Anyway；　my　island　feels　very　close　to　your　island　tonight。'　She　took　a　sip　of　champagne。
　Bond　laughed；　relieved。　'Let's　join　up　and　make　a　peninsula；'　he　said。　'Now；　directly　we've　finished　the　strawberries。'
　'No；'　she　said；　flirting。　'I　must　have　coffee。'
　'And　brandy；'　countered　Bond。
　The　small　shadow　had　passed。　The　second　small　shadow。　This　too　left　a　tiny　question…mark　hanging　in　the　air。　It　quickly　dissolved　as　warmth　and　intimacy　enclosed　them　again。
　When　they　had　had　their　coffee　and　Bond　was　sipping　his　brandy；　Vesper　picked　up　her　bag　and　came　and　stood　behind　him。
　'I'm　tired；'　she　said；　resting　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。
　He　reached　up　and　held　it　there　and　they　stayed　motionless　for　a　moment。　She　bent　down　and　lightly　brushed　his　hair　with　her　lips。　Then　she　was　gone　and　a　few　seconds　later　the　light　came　on　in　her　room。
　Bond　smoked　and　waited　until　it　had　gone　out。　Then　he　followed　her；　pausing　only　to　say　good　night　to　the　proprietor　and　his　wife　and　thank　them　for　the　dinner。　They　exchanged　pliments　and　he　went　upstairs。
　It　was　only　half　past　nine　when　he　stepped　into　her　room　from　the　bathroom　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　The　moonlight　shone　through　the　half…closed　shutters　and　lapped　at　the　secret　shadows　in　the　snow　of　her　body　on　the　broad　bed。
　*
　Bond　awoke　in　his　own　room　at　dawn　and　for　a　time　he　lay　and　stroked　his　memories。
　Then　he　got　quietly　out　of　bed　and　in　his　pyjama…coat　he　crept　past　Vesper's　door　and　out　of　the　house　to　the　beach。
　The　sea　was　smooth　and　quiet　in　the　sunrise。　The　small　pink　waves　idly　licked　the　sand。　It　was　cold；　but　he　took　off　his　jacket　and　wandered　naked　along　the　edge　of　the　sea　to　the　point　where　he　had　bathed　the　evening　before；　then　he　walked　slowly　and　deliberately　into　the　water　until　it　was　just　below　his　chin。　He　took　his　feet　off　the　bottom　and　sank；　holding　his　nose　with　one　hand　and　shutting　his　eyes；　feeling　the　cold　water　b　his　body　and　his　hair。
　The　mirror　of　the　bay　was　unbroken　except　where　it　seemed　a　fish　had　jumped。　Under　the　water　he　imagined　the　tranquil　scene　and　wished　that　Vesper　could　just　then　e　through　the　pines　and　be　astonished　to　see　him　suddenly　erupt　from　the　empty　seascape。
　When　after　a　full　minute　he　came　to　the　surface　in　a　froth　of　spray；　he　was　disappointed。　There　was　no　one　in　sight。　For　a　time　he　swam　and　drifted　and　then　when　the　sun　seemed　hot　enough；　he　came　in　to　the　beach　and　lay　on　his　back　and　revelled　in　the　body　which　the　night　had　given　back　to　him。
　As　on　the　evening　before；　he　stared　up　into　the　empty　sky　and　saw　the　same　answer　there。
　After　a　while　he　rose　and　walked　back　slowly　along　the　beach　to　his　pyjama…coat。
　That　day　he　would　ask　Vesper　to　marry　him。　He　was　quite　certain。　It　was　only　a　question　of　choosing　the　right　moment。
　
　
　CHAPTER　25　…　'BLACK…PATCH'
　As　he　walked　quietly　from　the　terrace　into　the　half…darkness　of　the　still　shuttered　dining…room；　he　was　surprised　to　see　Vesper　emerge　from　the　glass…fronted　telephone　booth　near　the　front　door　and　softly　turn　up　the　stairs　towards　their　rooms。
　'Vesper；'　he　called；　thinking　she　must　have　had　some　urgent　message　which　might　concern　them　both。
　She　turned　quickly；　a　hand　up　to　her　mouth。
　For　a　moment　longer　than　necessary　she　stared　at　him；　her　eyes　wide。
　'What　is　it；　darling？'　he　asked；　vaguely　troubled　and　fearing　some　crisis　in　their　lives。
　'Oh；'　she　said　breathlessly；　'you　made　me　jump。　It　was　only　。　。　。　I　was　just　telephoning　to　Mathis。　To　Mathis；'　she　repeated。　'I　wondered　if　he　could　get　me　another　frock。　You　know；　from　that　girl…friend　I　told　you　about。　The　vendeuse。　You　see；'　she　talked　quickly；　her　words　ing　out　in　a　persuasive　jumble；　'I've　really　got　nothing　to　wear。　I　thought　I'd　catch　him　at　home　before　he　went　to　the　office。　I　don't　know　my　friend's　telephone　number　and　I　thought　it　would　be　a　surprise　for　you。　I　didn't　want　you　to　hear　me　moving　and　wake　you　up。　Is　the　water　nice？　Have　you　bathed？　You　ought　to　have　waited　for　me。'
　'It's　wonderful；'　said　Bond；　deciding　to　relieve　her　mind；　though　irritated　with　her　obvious　guilt　over　this　childish　mystery。　'You　must　go　in　and　we'll　have　breakfast　on　the　terrace。　I'm　ravenous。　I'm　sorry　I　made　you　jump。　I　was　just　startled　to　see　anyone　about　at　this　hour　of　the　morning。'
　He　put　his　arm　round　her；　but　she　disengaged　herself；　and　moved　quickly　on　up　the　stairs。
　'It　was　such　a　surprise　to　see　you；'　she　said；　trying　to　cover　the　incident　up　with　a　light　touch。　'You　looked　like　a　ghost；　a　drowned　man；　with　the　hair　down　over　your　eyes　like　that。'　She　laughed　harshly。　Hearing　the　harshness；　she　turned　the　laugh　into　a　cough。
　'I　hope　I　haven't　caught　cold；'　she　said。
　She　kept　on　patching　up　the　edifice　of　her　deceit　until　Bond　wanted　to　spank　her　and　tell　her　to　relax　and　tell　the　truth。　Instead　he　just　gave　her　a　reassuring　pat　on　the　back　outside　her　room　and　told　her　to　hurry　up　and　have　her　bathe。
　Then　he　went　on　to　his　room。
　*
　That　was　the　end　of　the　integrity　of　their　love。　The　succeeding　days　were　a　shambles　of　falseness　and　hypocrisy；　mingled　with　her　tears　and　moments　of　animal　passion　to　which　she　abandoned　herself　with　a　greed　made　indecent　by　the　hollowness　of　their　days。
　Several　times　Bond　tried　to　break　down　the　dreadful　walls　of　mistrust。　Again　and　again　he　brought　up　the　subject　of　the　telephone　call；　but　she　obstinately　bolstered　up　her　story　with　embellishments　which　Bond　knew　she　had　thought　out　afterwards。　She　even　accused　Bond　of　thinking　she　had　another　lover。
　These　scenes　always　ended　in　her　bitter　tears　and　in　moments　almost　of　hysteria。
　Each　day　the　atmosphere　became　more　hateful。
　It　seemed　fantastic　to　Bond　that　human　relationships　could　collapse　into　dust　overnight　and　he　searched　his　mind　again　and　again　for　a　reason。
　He　felt　that　Vesper　was　just　as　horrified　as　he　was　and；　if　anything；　her　misery　seemed　greater　than　his。　But　the　mystery　of　the　telephone　conversation　which　Vesper　angrily；　almost　fearfully　it　seemed　to　Bond；　refused　to　explain　was　a　shadow　which　grew　darker　with　other　small　mysteries　and　reticences。
　Already　at　luncheon　on　that　day　things　got　worse。
　After　a　breakfast　which　was　an　effort　for　both　of　them；　Vesper　said　she　had　a　headache　and　would　stay　in　her　room　out　of　the　sun。　Bond　took　a　book　and　walked　for　miles　down　the　beach。　By　the　time　he　returned　he　had　argued　to　himself　that　they　would　be　able　to　sort　the　problem　out　over　lunch。
　Directly　they　sat　down；　he　apologized　gaily　for　having　startled　her　at　the　telephone　booth　and　then　he　dismissed　the　subject　and　went　on　to　describe　what　he　had　seen　on　his　walk。　But　Vesper　was　distrait　and　mented　only　in　monosyllables。　She　toyed　with　her　food　and　she　avoided　Bond's　eyes　and　gazed　past　him　with　an　air　of　preoccupation。
　When　she　had　failed　once　or　twice　to　respond　to　some　conversational　gambit　or　other；　Bond　also　relapsed　into　silence　and　occupied　himself　with　his　own　gloomy　thoughts。
　All　of　a　sudden　she　stiffened。　Her　fork　fell　with　a　clatter　on　to　the　edge　of　her　plate　and　then　noisily　off　the　table　on　to　the　terrace。
　Bond　looked　up。　She　had　gone　as　white　as　a　sheet　and　she　was　looking　over　his　shoulder　with　terror　in　her　face。