ian fleming.casino royale-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Conclusion：　Every　effort　should　be　made　to　improve　our　knowledge　of　this　very　powerful　organization　and　destroy　its　operatives。
　
　
　CHAPTER　3　…　NUMBER　007
　Head　of　S　（the　section　of　the　Secret　Service　concerned　with　the　Soviet　Union）　was　so　keen　on　his　plan　for　the　destruction　of　Le　Chiffre；　and　it　was　basically　his　own　plan；　that　he　took　the　memorandum　himself　and　went　up　to　the　top　floor　of　the　gloomy　building　overlooking　Regent's　Park　and　through　the　green　baize　door　and　along　the　corridor　to　the　end　room。
　He　walked　belligerently　up　to　M's　Chief　of　Staff；　a　young　sapper　who　had　earned　his　spurs　as　one　of　the　secretariat　to　the　Chiefs　of　Staff　mittee　after　having　been　wounded　during　a　sabotage　operation　in　1944；　and　had　kept　his　sense　of　humour　in　spite　of　both　experiences。
　'Now　look　here；　Bill。　I　want　to　sell　something　to　the　Chief。　Is　this　a　good　moment？'
　'What　do　you　think；　Penny？'　The　Chief　of　Staff　turned　to　M's　private　secretary　who　shared　the　room　with　him。
　Miss　Moneypenny　would　have　been　desirable　but　for　eyes　which　were　cool　and　direct　and　quizzical。
　'Should　be　all　right。　He　won　a　bit　of　a　victory　at　the　FO　this　morning　and　he's　not　got　anyone　for　the　next　half　an　hour。'　She　smiled　encouragingly　at　Head　of　S　whom　she　liked　for　himself　and　for　the　importance　of　his　section。
　'Well；　here's　the　dope；　Bill。'　He　handed　over　the　black　folder　with　the　red　star　which　stood　for　Top　Secret。　'And　for　God's　sake　look　enthusiastic　when　you　give　it　him。　And　tell　him　I'll　wait　here　and　read　a　good　code…book　while　he's　considering　it。　He　may　want　some　more　details；　and　anyway　I　want　to　see　you　two　don't　pester　him　with　anything　else　until　he's　finished。'
　'All　right；　sir。'　The　Chief　of　Staff　pressed　a　switch　leant　towards　the　inter　on　his　desk。
　'Yes？'　asked　a　quiet；　flat　voice。
　'Head　of　S　has　an　urgent　docket　for　you；　sir。'
　There　was　a　pause。
　'Bring　it　in；'　said　a　voice。
　The　Chief　of　Staff　released　the　switch　and　stood　up。
　'Thanks；　Bill。　I'll　be　next　door；'　said　Head　of　S。
　The　Chief　of　Staff　crossed　his　office　and　went　through　the　double　doors　leading　into　M's　room。　In　a　moment　he　came　out　and　over　the　entrance　a　small　blue　light　burned　the　warning　that　M　was　not　to　be　disturbed。
　
　*
　
　Later；　a　triumphant　Head　of　S　said　to　his　Number　Two：　'We　nearly　cooked　ourselves　with　that　last　paragraph。　He　said　it　was　subversion　and　blackmail。　He　got　pretty　sharp　about　it。　Anyway；　he　approves。　Says　the　idea's　crazy；　but　worth　trying　if　the　Treasury　will　play　and　he　thinks　they　will。　He's　going　to　tell　them　it's　a　better　gamble　than　the　money　we're　putting　into　deserting　Russian　colonels　who　turn　double　after　a　few　months'　〃asylum〃　here。　And　he's　longing　to　get　at　Le　Chiffre；　and　anyway　he's　got　the　right　man　and　wants　to　try　him　out　on　the　job。'
　'Who　is　it？'　asked　Number　Two。
　'One　of　the　Double　O's　…　I　guess　007。　He's　tough　and　M　thinks　there　may　be　trouble　with　those　gunmen　of　Le　Chiffre's。　He　must　be　pretty　good　with　the　cards　or　he　wouldn't　have　sat　in　the　Casino　in　Monte　Carlo　for　two　months　before　the　war　watching　that　Roumanian　team　work　their　stuff　with　the　invisible　ink　and　the　dark　glasses。　He　and　the　Deuxième　bowled　them　out　in　the　end　and　007　turned　in　a　million　francs　he　had　won　at　shemmy。　Good　money　in　those　days。'
　
　*
　
　James　Bond's　interview　with　M　had　been　short。
　'What　about　it；　Bond？'　asked　M　when　Bond　came　back　into　his　room　after　reading　Head　of　S's　memorandum　and　after　gazing　for　ten　minutes　out　of　the　waiting…room　window　at　the　distant　trees　in　the　park。
　Bond　looked　across　the　desk　into　the　shrewd；　clear　eyes。
　'It's　very　kind　of　you；　sir；　I'd　like　to　do　it。　But　I　can't　promise　to　win。　The　odds　at　baccarat　are　the　best　after　trente…et…quarante　…　evens　except　for　the　tiny　cagnotte　…　but　I　might　get　a　bad　run　against　me　and　get　cleaned　out。　Play's　going　to　he　pretty　high　…　opening'll　go　up　to　half　a　million；　I　should　think。'
　Bond　was　stopped　by　the　cold　eyes。　M　knew　all　this　already；　knew　the　odds　at　baccarat　as　well　as　Bond。　That　was　his　job　…　knowing　the　odds　at　everything；　and　knowing　men；　his　own　and　the　opposition's。　Bond　wished　he　had　kept　quiet　about　his　misgivings。
　'He　can　have　a　bad　run　too；'　said　M。　'You'll　have　plenty　of　capital。　Up　to　twenty…five　million；　the　same　as　him。　We'll　start　you　on　ten　and　send　you　another　ten　when　you've　had　a　look　round。　You　can　make　the　extra　five　yourself。'　He　smiled。　'Go　over　a　few　days　before　the　big　game　starts　and　get　your　hand　in。　Have　a　talk　to　Q　about　rooms　and　trains；　and　any　equipment　you　want。　The　Paymaster　will　fix　the　funds。　I'm　going　to　ask　the　Deuxième　to　stand　by。　It's　their　territory　and　as　it　is　we　shall　be　lucky　if　they　don't　kick　up　rough。　I'll　try　and　persuade　them　to　send　Mathis。　You　seemed　to　get　on　well　with　him　in　Monte　Carlo　on　that　other　Casino　job。　And　I'm　going　to　tell　Washington　because　of　the　NATO　angle。　CIA　have　got　one　or　two　good　men　at　Fontainebleau　with　the　joint　intelligence　chaps　there。　Anything　else？'
　Bond　shook　his　head。　'I'd　certainly　like　to　have　Mathis；　sir。'
　'Well；　we'll　see。　Try　and　bring　it　off。　We're　going　to　look　pretty　foolish　if　you　don't。　And　watch　out。　This　sounds　an　amusing　job；　but　I　don't　think　it's　going　to　be。　Le　Chiffre　is　a　good　man。　Well；　best　of　luck。'
　'Thank　you；　sir；'　said　Bond　and　went　to　the　door。
　'Just　a　minute。'
　Bond　turned。
　I　think　I'll　keep　you　covered；　Bond。　Two　heads　are　better　than　one　and　you'll　need　someone　to　run　your　munications。　I'll　think　it　over。　They'll　get　in　touch　with　you　at　Royale。　You　needn't　worry。　It'll　be　someone　good。'
　Bond　would　have　preferred　to　work　alone；　but　one　didn't　argue　with　M。　He　left　the　room　hoping　that　the　man　they　sent　would　be　loyal　to　him　and　neither　stupid；　nor；　worse　still；　ambitious。
　
　
　CHAPTER　4　…　L'ENNEMI　éCOUTE
　As　two　weeks　later；　James　Bond　awoke　in　his　room　at　the　H？tel　Splendide；　some　of　this　history　passed　through　his　mind。
　He　had　arrived　at　Royale…les…Eaux　in　time　for　luncheon　two　days　before。　There　had　been　no　attempt　to　contact　him　and　there　had　been　no　flicker　of　curiosity　when　he　had　signed　the　register　'James　Bond；　Port　Maria；　Jamaica'。
　M　had　expressed　no　interest　in　his　cover。
　'Once　you　start　to　make　a　set　at　Le　Chiffre　at　the　tables；　you'll　have　had　it；'　he　said。　'But　wear　a　cover　that　will　stick　with　the　general　public。'
　Bond　knew　Jamaica　well；　so　he　asked　to　be　controlled　from　there　and　to　pass　as　a　Jamaican　plantocrat　whose　father　had　made　his　pile　in　tobacco　and　sugar　and　whose　son　chose　to　play　it　away　on　the　stock　markets　and　in　casinos。　If　inquiries　were　made；　he　would　quote　Charles　DaSilva　of　Chaffery's；　Kingston；　as　his　attorney。　Charles　would　make　the　story　stick。
　Bond　had　spent　the　last　two　afternoons　and　most　of　the　nights　at　the　Casino；　playing　plicated　progression　systems　on　the　even　chances　at　roulette。　He　made　a　high　banco　at　chemin…de…fer　whenever　he　heard　one　offered。　If　he　lost；　he　would　suivi　once　and　not　chase　it　further　if　he　lost　the　second　time。
　In　this　way　he　had　made　some　three　million　francs　and　had　given　his　nerves　and　card…sense　a　thorough　work…out。　He　had　got　the　geography　of　the　Casino　clear　in　his　mind。　Above　all；　he　had　been　able　to　observe　Le　Chiffre　at　the　tables　and　to　note　ruefully　that　he　was　a　faultless　and　lucky　gambler。
　Bond　liked　to　make　a　good　breakfast。　After　a　cold　shower；　he　sat　at　the　writing…table　in　front　of　the　window。　He　looked　out　at　the　beautiful　day　and　consumed　half　a　pint　of　iced　orange　juice；　three　scrambled　eggs　and　bacon　and　a　double　portion　of　coffee　without　sugar。　He　lit　his　first　cigarette；　a　Balkan　and　Turkish　mixture　made　for　him　by　Morlands　of　Grosvenor　Street；　and　watched　the　small　waves　lick　the　long　seashore　and　the　fishing…fleet　from　Dieppe　string　out　towards　the　June　heat…haze　followed　by　a　paper…chase　of　herring…gulls。
　He　was　lost　in　his　thoughts　when　the　telephone　rang。　It　was　the　concierge　announcing　that　a　Director　of　Radio　Stentor　was　waiting　below　with　the　wireless　set　he　had　ordered　from　Paris。
　'Of　course；'　said　Bond。　'Send　him　up。'
　This　was　the　cover　fixed　by　the　Deuxième　Bureau　for　their　liaison　man　with　Bond。　Bond　watched　the　door；　hoping