ian fleming.casino royale-第6部分

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t　in　the　way　and　fogged　things　up　with　sex　and　hurt　feelings　and　all　the　emotional　baggage　they　carried　around。　One　had　to　look　out　for　them　and　take　care　of　them。
　'Bitch；'　said　Bond'　and　then　remembering　the　Muntzes；　he　said　'bitch'　again　more　loudly　and　walked　out　of　the　room。
　
　
　CHAPTER　5　…　THE　GIRL　FROM　HEADQUARTERS
　It　was　twelve　o'clock　when　Bond　left　the　Splendide　and　the　clock　on　the　mairie　was　stumbling　through　its　midday　carillon。　There　was　a　strong　scent　of　pine　and　mimosa　in　the　air　and　the　freshly　watered　gardens　of　the　Casino　opposite；　interspersed　with　neat　gravel　parterres　and　paths；　lent　the　scene　a　pretty　formalism　more　appropriate　to　ballet　than　to　melodrama。
　The　sun　shone　and　there　was　a　gaiety　and　sparkle　in　the　air　which　seemed　to　promise　well　for　the　new　era　of　fashion　and　prosperity　for　which　the　little　seaside　town；　after　many　vicissitudes；　was　making　its　gallant　bid。
　Royale…les…Eaux；　which　lies　near　the　mouth　of　the　Somme　before　the　flat　coast…line　soars　up　from　the　beaches　of　southern　Picardy　to　the　Brittany　cliffs　which　run　on　to　Le　Havre；　had　experienced　much　the　same　fortunes　as　Trouville。
　Royale　（without　the　'Eaux'）　also　started　as　a　small　fishing　village　and　its　rise　to　fame　as　a　fashionable　watering…place　during　the　Second　Empire　was　as　meteoric　as　that　of　Trouville。　But　as　Deauville　killed　Trouville；　so；　after　a　long　period　of　decline；　did　Le　Touquet　kill　Royale。
　At　the　turn　of　the　century；　when　things　were　going　badly　for　the　little　seaside　town　and　when　the　fashion　was　to　bine　pleasure　with　a　'cure'；　a　natural　spring　in　the　hills　behind　Royale　was　discovered　to　contain　enough　diluted　sulphur　to　have　a　beneficent　effect　on　the　liver。　Since　all　French　people　suffer　from　liver　plaints；　Royale　quickly　became　'Royale…les…Eaux'；　and　'Eau　Royale'；　in　a　torpedo…shaped　bottle；　grafted　itself　demurely　on　to　the　tail　of　the　mineral…water　lists　in　hotels　and　restaurant　cars。
　It　did　not　long　withstand　the　powerful　bines　of　Vichy　and　Perrier　and　Vittel。　There　came　a　series　of　lawsuits；　a　number　of　people　lost　a　lot　of　money　and　very　soon　its　sale　was　again　entirely　local。　Royale　fell　back　on　the　takings　from　the　French　and　English　families　during　the　summer；　on　its　fishing…fleet　in　winter　and　on　the　crumbs　which　fell　to　its　elegantly　dilapidated　Casino　from　the　table　at　Le　Touquet。
　But　there　was　something　splendid　about　the　Negresco　baroque　of　the　Casino　Royale；　a　strong　whiff　of　Victorian　elegance　and　luxury；　and　in　1950　Royale　caught　the　fancy　of　a　syndicate　in　Paris　which　disposed　of　large　funds　belonging　to　a　group　of　expatriate　Vichyites。
　Brighton　had　been　revived　since　the　war；　and　Nice。　Nostalgia　for　more　spacious；　golden　times　might　be　a　source　of　revenue。
　The　Casino　was　repainted　in　its　original　white　and　gilt　and　the　rooms　decorated　in　the　palest　grey　with　wine…red　carpets　and　curtains。　Vast　Chandeliers　were　suspended　from　the　ceilings。　The　gardens　were　spruced　and　the　fountains　played　again　and　the　two　main　hotels；　the　Splendide　and　the　Hermitage；　were　prinked　and　furbished　and　restaffed。
　Even　the　small　town　and　the　vieux…port　managed　to　fix　weling　smiles　across　their　ravaged　faces；　and　the　main　street　became　gay　with　the　vitrines　of　great　Paris　jewellers　and　couturiers；　tempted　down　for　a　butterfly　season　by　rent…free　sites　and　lavish　promises。
　Then　the　Mahomet　Ali　Syndicate　was　cajoled　into　starting　a　high　game　in　the　Casino　and　the　Société　des　Bains　de　Mer　de　Royale　felt　that　now　at　last　Le　Touquet　would　have　to　yield　up　some　of　the　treasure　stolen　over　the　years　from　its　parent　plage。
　Against　the　background　of　this　luminous　and　sparkling　stage　Bond　stood　in　the　sunshine　and　felt　his　mission　to　be　incongruous　and　remote　and　his　dark　profession　an　affront　to　his　fellow　actors。
　He　shrugged　away　the　momentary　feeling　of　unease　and　walked　round　the　back　of　his　hotel　and　down　the　ramp　to　the　garage。　Before　his　rendezvous　at　the　Hermitage　he　decided　to　take　his　car　down　the　coast　road　and　have　a　quick　look　at　Le　Chiffre's　villa　and　then　drive　back　by　the　inland　road　until　it　crossed　the　route　nationale　to　Paris。
　Bond's　car　was　his　only　personal　hobby。　One　of　the　last　of　the　41/2…litre　Bentleys　with　the　supercharger　by　Amherst　Villiers；　he　had　bought　it　almost　new　in　1933　and　had　kept　it　in　careful　storage　through　the　war。　It　was　still　serviced　every　year　and；　in　London；　a　former　Bentley　mechanic；　who　worked　in　a　garage　near　Bond's　Chelsea　flat；　tended　it　with　jealous　care。　Bond　drove　it　hard　and　well　and　with　an　almost　sensual　pleasure。　It　was　a　battleship…gray　convertible　coupe；　which　really　did　convert；　and　it　was　capable　of　touring　at　ninety　with　thirty　miles　an　hour　in　reserve。
　Bond　eased　the　car　out　of　the　garage　and　up　the　ramp　and　soon　the　loitering　drum…beat　of　the　two…inch　exhaust　was　echoing　down　the　tree…lined　boulevard；　through　the　crowded　main　street　of　the　little　town；　and　off　through　the　sand　dunes　to　the　south。
　An　hour　later；　Bond　walked　into　the　Hermitage　bar　and　chose　a　table　near　one　of　the　broad　windows。
　The　room　was　sumptuous　with　those　over…masculine　trappings　which；　together　with　briar　pipes　and　wire…haired　terriers；　spell　luxury　in　France。　Everything　was　brass…studded　leather　and　polished　mahogany。　The　curtains　and　carpets　were　in　royal　blue。　The　waiters　wore　striped　waistcoats　and　green　baize　aprons。　Bond　ordered　an　Americano　and　examined　the　sprinkling　of　over…dressed　customers；　mostly　from　Paris　he　guessed；　who　sat　talking　with　focus　and　vivacity；　creating　that　theatrically　clubbable　atmosphere　of　l'heure　de　l'apéritif
　The　men　were　drinking　inexhaustible　quarter…bottles　of　champagne；　the　women　dry　martinis。
　'Moi；　j'adore　le　〃Dry〃；'　a　bright…faced　girl　at　the　next　table　said　to　her　panion；　too　neat　in　his　unseasonable　tweeds；　who　gazed　at　her　with　moist　brown　eyes　over　the　top　of　an　expensive　shooting…stick　from　Hermes；　'fait　avec　du　Gordon's；　bien　entendu。'
　'D'accord；　Daisy。　Mais　tu　sais；　un　zeste　de　citron　。　。　。'
　Bond's　eye　was　caught　by　the　tall　figure　of　Mathis　on　the　pavement　outside；　his　face　turned　in　animation　to　a　darkhaired　girl　in　grey。　His　arm　was　linked　in　hers；　high　up　above　the　elbow；　and　yet　there　was　a　lack　of　intimacy　in　their　appearance；　an　ironical　chill　in　the　girl's　profile；　which　made　them　seem　two　separate　people　rather　than　a　couple。　Bond　waited　for　them　to　e　through　the　street　door　into　the　bar；　but　for　appearances'　sake　continued　to　stare　out　of　the　window　at　the　passers…by。
　'But　surely　it　is　Monsieur　Bond？'　Mathis's　voice　behind　him　was　full　of　surprised　delight。　Bond；　appropriately　flustered；　rose　to　his　feet。　'Can　it　be　that　you　are　alone？　Are　you　awaiting　someone？　May　I　present　my　colleague；　Mademoiselle　Lynd？　My　dear；　this　is　the　gentleman　from　Jamaica　with　whom　I　had　the　pleasure　of　doing　business　this　morning。'
　Bond　inclined　himself　with　a　reserved　friendliness。　'It　would　be　a　great　pleasure；'　he　addressed　himself　to　the　girl。　'I　am　alone。　Would　you　both　care　to　join　me？'　He　pulled　out　a　chair　and　while　they　sat　down　he　beckoned　to　a　waiter　and　despite　Mathis's　expostulations　insisted　on　ordering　the　drinks　…　a　fine　à　l'eau　for　Mathis　and　a　bacardi　for　the　girl。
　Mathis　and　Bond　exchanged　cheerful　talk　about　the　fine　weather　and　the　prospects　of　a　revival　in　the　fortunes　of　Royale…les…Eaux。　The　girl　sat　silent。　She　accepted　one　of　Bond's　cigarettes；　examined　it　and　then　smoked　it　appreciatively　and　without　affectation；　drawing　the　smoke　deeply　into　her　lungs　with　a　little　sigh　and　then　exhaling　it　casually　through　her　lips　and　nostrils。　Her　movements　were　economical　and　precise　with　no　trace　of　self…consciousness。
　Bond　felt　her　presence　strongly。　While　he　and　Mathis　talked；　he　turned　from　time　to　time　towards　her；　politely　including　her　in　the　conversation；　but　adding　up　the　impressions　recorded　by　each　glance。
　Her　hair　was　very　black　and　she　wore　it　cut　square　and　low　on　the　nape　of　the　neck；　framing　her　face　to　below　the　clear　and　beautiful　line　of　her　jaw。　Although　it　was　heavy　and　moved　with　the　movements　of　her　head；　she　did　not　constantly　pat　it　back　into　place；　but　let　it　alone。　Her　eyes　were　wide　apart　and　deep　blue　and　they　gazed　candidly　back　at　B