ian fleming.casino royale-第5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！


r；　hoping　that　it　would　be　Mathis。
　When　Mathis　came　in；　a　respectable　business…man　carrying　a　large　square　parcel　by　its　leather　handle；　Bond　smiled　broadly　and　would　have　greeted　him　with　warmth　if　Mathis　had　not　frowned　and　held　up　his　free　hand　after　carefully　closing　the　door。
　'I　have　just　arrived　from　Paris；　monsieur；　and　here　is　the　set　you　asked　to　have　on　approval　…　five　valves；　superhet；　I　think　you　call　it　in　England；　and　you　should　be　able　to　get　most　of　the　capitals　of　Europe　from　Royale。　There　are　no　mountains　for　forty　miles　in　any　direction。'
　'It　sounds　all　right；'　said　Bond；　lifting　his　eyebrows　at　this　mystery…making。
　Mathis　paid　no　attention。　He　placed　the　set；　which　he　had　unwrapped；　on　the　floor　beside　the　unlit　panel　electric　fire　below　the　mantelpiece。
　'It　is　just　past　eleven；'　he　said；　'and　I　see　that　the　pagnons　de　la　Chanson　should　now　be　on　the　medium　wave　from　Rome。　They　are　touring　Europe。　Let　us　see　what　the　reception　is　like。　It　should　be　a　fair　test。'
　He　winked。　Bond　noticed　that　he　had　turned　the　volume　on　to　full　and　that　the　red　light　indicating　the　long　waveband　was　illuminated；　though　the　set　was　still　silent。
　Mathis　fiddled　at　the　back　of　the　set。　Suddenly　an　appalling　roar　of　static　filled　the　small　room。　Mathis　gazed　at　the　set　for　a　few　seconds　with　benevolence　and　then　turned　it　off　and　his　voice　was　full　of　dismay。
　'My　dear　monsieur　…　forgive　me　please　…　badly　tuned；'　and　he　again　bent　to　the　dials。　After　a　few　adjustments　the　close　harmony　of　the　French　came　over　the　air　and　Mathis　walked　up　and　clapped　Bond　very　hard　on　the　back　and　wrang　his　hand　until　Bond's　fingers　ached。
　Bond　smiled　back　at　him。　'Now；　what　the　hell？'　he　asked。
　'My　dear　friend；'　Mathis　was　delighted；　'you　are　blown；　blown；　blown。　Up　there；'　he　pointed　at　the　ceiling；　'at　this　moment；　either　Monsieur　Muntz　or　his　alleged　wife；　allegedly　bedridden　with　the　grippe；　is　deafened；　absolutely　deafened；　and　I　hope　in　agony。'　He　grinned　with　pleasure　at　Bond's　frown　of　disbelief。
　Mathis　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　ripped　open　a　packet　of　Caporal　with　his　thumbnail。　Bond　waited。
　Mathis　was　satisfied　with　the　sensation　his　words　had　caused。　He　became　serious。
　'How　it　has　happened　I　don't　know。　They　must　have　been　on　to　you　for　several　days　before　you　arrived。　The　opposition　is　here　in　real　strength。　Above　you　is　the　Muntz　family。　He　is　German。　She　is　from　somewhere　in　Central　Europe；　perhaps　a　Czech。　This　is　an　old…fashioned　hotel。　There　are　disused　chimneys　behind　these　electric　fires。　Just　here；'　he　pointed　a　few　inches　above　the　panel　fire；　'is　suspended　a　very　powerful　radio　pick…up。　The　wires　run　up　the　chimney　to　behind　the　Muntzes'　electric　fire　where　there　is　an　amplifier。　In　their　room　is　a　wire…recorder　and　a　pair　of　earphones　on　which　the　Muntzes　listen　in　turn。　That　is　why　Madame　Muntz　has　the　grippe　and　takes　all　her　meals　in　bed　and　why　Monsieur　Muntz　has　to　be　constantly　at　her　side　instead　of　enjoying　the　sunshine　and　the　gambling　of　this　delightful　resort。
　'Some　of　this　we　knew　because　in　France　we　are　very　clever。　The　rest　we　confirmed　by　unscrewing　your　electric　fire　a　few　hours　before　you　got　here。'
　Suspiciously　Bond　walked　over　and　examined　the　screws　which　secured　the　panel　to　the　wall。　Their　grooves　showed　minute　scratches。
　'Now　it　is　time　for　a　little　more　play…acting；'　said　Mathis。　He　walked　over　to　the　radio；　which　was　still　transmitting　close　harmony　to　its　audience　of　three；　and　switched　it　off。
　'Are　you　satisfied；　monsieur？'　he　asked。　'You　notice　how　clearly　they　came　over。　Are　they　not　a　wonderful　team？'　He　made　a　winding　motion　with　his　right　hand　and　raised　his　eyebrows。
　'They　are　so　good；'　said　Bond；　'that　I　would　like　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　programme。'　He　grinned　at　the　thought　of　the　angry　glances　which　the　Muntzes　must　be　exchanging　overhead。　'The　machine　itself　seems　splendid。　Just　what　I　was　looking　for　to　take　back　to　Jamaica。'
　Mathis　made　a　sarcastic　grimace　and　switched　back　to　the　Rome　programme。
　'You　and　your　Jamaica；'　he　said；　and　sat　down　again　on　the　bed。
　Bond　frowned　at　him。　'Well；　it's　no　good　crying　over　spilt　milk；'　he　said。　'We　didn't　expect　the　cover　to　stick　for　long；　but　it's　worrying　that　they　bowled　it　out　so　soon。'　He　searched　his　mind　in　vain　for　a　clue。　Could　the　Russians　have　broken　one　of　our　ciphers？　If　so；　he　might　just　as　well　pack　up　and　go　home。　He　and　his　job　would　have　been　stripped　naked。
　Mathis　seemed　to　read　his　mind。　'It　can't　have　been　a　cipher；'　he　said。　'Anyway；　we　told　London　at　once　and　they　will　have　changed　them。　A　pretty　flap　we　caused；　I　can　tell　you。'　He　smiled　with　the　satisfaction　of　a　friendly　rival。　'And　now　to　business；　before　our　good　〃pagnons〃　run　out　of　breath。
　'First　of　all；'　and　he　inhaled　a　thick　lungful　of　Caporal；　'you　will　be　pleased　with　your　Number　Two。　She　is　very　beautiful'　…　Bond　frowned　…　'very　beautiful　indeed。'　Satisfied　with　Bond's　reaction；　Mathis　continued：　'She　has　black　hair；　blue　eyes；　and　splendid　。　。　。　er　。　。　。　protuberances。　Back　and　front；'　he　added。　'And　she　is　a　wireless　expert　which；　though　sexually　less　interesting；　makes　her　a　perfect　employee　of　Radio　Stentor　and　assistant　to　myself　in　my　capacity　as　wireless　salesman　for　this　rich　summer　season　down　here。'　He　grinned。　'We　are　both　staying　in　the　hotel　and　my　assistant　will　thus　be　on　hand　in　case　your　new　radio　breaks　down。　All　new　machines；　even　French　ones；　are　apt　to　have　teething　troubles　in　the　first　day　or　two。　And　occasionally　at　night；'　he　added　with　an　exaggerated　wink。
　Bond　was　not　amused。　'What　the　hell　do　they　want　to　send　me　a　woman　for？'　he　said　bitterly。　'Do　they　think　this　is　a　bloody　picnic？'
　Mathis　interrupted。　'Calm　yourself；　my　dear　James。　She　is　as　serious　as　you　could　wish　and　as　cold　as　an　icicle。　She　speaks　French　like　a　native　and　knows　her　job　backwards。　Her　cover's　perfect　and　I　have　arranged　for　her　to　team　up　with　you　quite　smoothly。　What　is　more　natural　than　that　you　should　pick　up　a　pretty　girl　here？　As　a　Jamaican　millionaire；'　he　coughed　respectfully；　'what　with　your　hot　blood　and　all；　you　would　look　naked　without　one。'
　Bond　grunted　dubiously。
　'Any　other　surprises？'　he　asked　suspiciously。
　'Nothing　very　much；'　answered　Mathis。　'Le　Chiffre　is　installed　in　his　villa。　It's　about　ten　miles　down　the　coast　road。　He　has　his　two　guards　with　him。　They　look　pretty　capable　fellows。　One　of　them　has　been　seen　visiting　a　little　〃pension〃　in　the　town　where　three　mysterious　and　rather　subhuman　characters　checked　in　two　days　ago。　They　may　be　part　of　the　team。　Their　papers　are　in　order　…　stateless　Czechs　apparently　…　but　one　of　our　men　says　the　language　they　talk　in　their　room　is　Bulgarian。　We　don't　see　many　of　those　around。　They're　mostly　used　against　the　Turks　and　the　Yugoslavs。　They're　stupid；　but　obedient。　The　Russians　use　them　for　simple　killings　or　as　fall…guys　for　more　plicated　ones。'
　'Thanks　very　much。　Which　is　mine　to　be？'　asked　Bond。　'Anything　else？'
　'No。　e　to　the　bar　of　the　Hermitage　before　lunch。　I'll　fix　the　introduction。　Ask　her　to　dinner　this　evening。　Then　it　will　be　natural　for　her　to　e　into　the　Casino　with　you。　I'll　be　there　too；　but　in　the　background。　I've　got　one　or　two　good　chaps　and　we'll　keep　an　eye　on　you。　Oh；　and　there's　an　American　called　Leiter　here；　staying　in　the　hotel。　Felix　Leiter。　He's　the　CIA　chap　from　Fontainebleau。　London　told　me　to　tell　you。　He　looks　okay。　May　e　in　useful。'
　A　torrent　of　Italian　burst　from　the　wireless　set　on　the　floor。　Mathis　switched　it　off　and　they　exchanged　some　phrases　about　the　set　and　about　how　Bond　should　pay　for　it。　Then　with　effusive　farewells　and　a　final　wink　Mathis　bowed　himself　out。
　Bond　sat　at　the　window　and　gathered　his　thoughts。　Nothing　that　Mathis　had　told　him　was　reassuring。　He　was　pletely　blown　and　under　really　professional　surveillance。　An　attempt　might　be　made　to　put　him　away　before　he　had　a　chance　to　pit　himself　against　Le　Chiffre　at　the　tables。　The　Russians　had　no　stupid　prejudices　about　murder。　And　then　there　was　this　pest　of　a　girl。　He　sighed。　Women　were　for　recreation。　On　a　job；　they　got　in　the　way　and　fogged　things　up　with　sex　and　hurt　feelings　and　all　the　emotional　baggage　they　carr