johngardner.rollofhonor-第3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！


　Bond　remained　silent；　waiting　for　the　news　to　be　laid　on　him。　　As　he　had　thought；　it　was　not　good。
　Tanner　took　up　the　conversation。　　〃You　see；　James；　there's　been　some　talk。　　Gossip。　　People　notice　things　and　the　word　around　Whitehall　is　that　mander　Bond　is　living　a　shade　dangerously　…　gambling；　the　new　Bentley；　er。　　。　　。　　ladies；　money　changing　hands　〃So？〃　Bond　was　not　going　to　make　it　any　easier　for　them。
　〃So；　even　our　gallant　allies　in　Grosvenor　Square　have　been　over　asking　questions　…　they　do；　when　a　senior　officer　suddenly　changes　his　habits。〃
　〃The　Americans　think　I'm　a　security　risk？〃　Bond　bridled。
　〃Damned　cheek。〃　M　rapped　on　the　desk。　　〃Enough　of　that；　007。　　They　have　every　right　to　ask。　　You　have　been　acting　the　playboy　recently；　and　that　kind　of　thing　always　makes　them　suspicious。〃
　〃And　if　they　get　touchy；　then　there's　no　knowing　what　thoughts　are　running　through　the　minds　of　those　watching　from　Kensington　Gardens；'　said　Tanner　with　a　forced　smile。
　〃Rubbish；'　Bond　almost　spat。　　〃They　know　me　too　well。
　They'll　ferret　out　the　legacy　in　no　time　…　if　they're　interested。
　〃Oh；　they're　interested　all　right；'　Tanner　continued。
　〃You　haven't　noticed　anything？〃　Bond's　brow　creased　as　he　shook　his　head。
　〃No？　　Well；　why　should　you？　　They've　been　very　discreet。　　Not　a　twenty…four…hour　surveillance　or　anything　like　that；　but　our　people　on　the　street　have　reported　that　you're　under　observation。　　Odd　days；　occasional　nights；　questions　in　unlikely　places。
　Bond　swore　silently。　　He　felt　foolish。　　Even　at　home；　behave　as　though　you　〃re　in　the　field；　they　taught。　　Elementary；　and　he　had　not　even　noticed。　　〃Where's　this　leading；　then？〃　he　asked；　dreading　the　answer。
　〃To　the　dangle。〃　Tanner　gave　a　half…smile。　　〃To　a　small　charade；　with　you　as　the　central　character；　James。〃　Bond　nodded。　　〃Like　I　said；　I'm　going　to　be　the　bait。
　〃It　seems　reasonable　enough。〃　M　turned　his　attention　to　his　pipe。
　〃The　situation　is　ideal　。　　。
　This　time　Bond　did　explode；　voicing　his　feelings　with　some　force。
　It　was　the　most　stupid　ploy　he　had　ever　heard　of。　　No　recruiting　officer　from　any　foreign　agency　would　seriously　consider　him　…　and；　if　any　did；　their　masters　would　put　a　blight　on　it　in　ten　seconds　flat。
　〃You're　not　really　serious　about　this；　are　you？〃　he　ended　lamely。
　〃Absolutely；　007。　　1　agree；　on　the　face　of　it　they'll　steer　clear　of　you。　　But　we　have　to　look　at　the　facts　…　they　are　more　than　interested　already　。
　〃Never　in　a　thousand　years　。　　。　　。　　Bond　started　again。
　〃We've　already　formulated　the　plan；　007；　and　we're　proceeding　with　it。　Do　I　have　to　remind　you　that　you're　under　my　orders？〃　There　were　no　options；　and　Bond；　feeling　the　whole　business　was　sheer　madness；　could　only　sit　and　listen　to　the　dialogue　as　M　and　Tanner　outlined　the　bare　bones　of　the　scheme；　like　a　pair　of　theatrical　directors　explaining　motivation　to　a　rather　dull　actor。
　〃At　an　appropriate　moment　we　haul　you　in；　said　M　with　a　sour　smile。
　〃Enquiry　in　camera；　counterpointed　Bill　Tanner。
　〃Making　certain　the　Press　are　tipped　off。〃
　〃Questions　in　the　House。〃
　〃Hints　of　scandal。　　Corruption　in　the　Service。
　〃And　you　resign。〃
　〃Giving　the　impression　that；　in　reality；　we've　cast　you　into　outer　darkness。　　And　if　that　doesn't　lure　the　ambulance　chasers；　then　there's　something　else　in　the　wind。
　Wait　and　do　as　I　say；　007。〃　And　so　it　had　happened　…　though　not　because　of　the　ambulance　chasers；　as　they　had　told　him。　　Rumours　ran　along　the　corridors　of　power；　there　was　gossip　in　the　clubs；　tattle　in　the　powder　rooms　of　government　departments；　hints　to　the　Press；　hints　by　the　Press；　even　questions　in　the　House　of　mons；　and　finally　the　resignation　of　mander　James　Bond。
　
　
　IN　THE　MONTH　before　the　Kruxator　robbery　Bond　himself　had　been　following　a　hedonistic　routine。　　He　stayed　in　bed　until　noon　and　ventured　forth　only　in　the　evenings；　to　restaurants；　clubs　and　gaming　houses；　usually　with　a　pretty　girl　in　tow。　　Since　the　Paymaster　General's　lamentable　performance　in　the　House；　attempting　to　make　light　of　certain　scandals　associated　with　one　of　the　Foreign　Office's　field　operators　and　to　dismiss　Opposition　charges　of　a　security　cover…up；　the　Press　had；　perhaps　surprisingly；　hardly　approached　Bond　again。　　He　had　no　contact　at　all　with　his　former　employers。　　In　fact；　they　went　out　of　their　way　to　avoid　him。　　One　evening　he　found　himself　at　the　Inn　on　the　Park　seated　only　two　tables　from　Anne　Reilly；　the　attractive　and　talented　assistant　to　the　Armourer　in　Q　Branch。　　Bond　caught　her　eye　and　smiled　but　she　merely　looked　through　him　as　though　he　did　not　exist。
　Then；　towards　the　end　of　April；　around　noon　one　mild；　bright　Thursday；　the　telephone　rang　in　Bond's　flat。
　Bond；　who　had　been　shaving；　grabbed　at　the　handset；　as　though　he　would　have　liked　to　strangle　the　trilling。
　〃Yes？〃　he　growled。
　〃Oh！〃　The　voice　was　female；　and　surprised。　　〃Is　that　59
　Dean　Street？　　The　Record　Shop？〃
　〃It's　not　59　anything。〃　Bond　did　not　even　smile。
　〃But　I'm　sure　I　dialled　734　8777　。
　〃Well；　you　didn't　get　it。〃　He　slammed　the　receiver　back；　irritated　by　what　appeared　to　be　a　misrouted　call。
　Later　in　the　afternoon；　he　telephoned　his　date；　a　favourite　blonde　stewardess　with　British　Airways；　to　cancel　their　evening　out。　　Instead　of　dinner　for　two　at　the　Connaught；　Bond　went　alone　to　Veeraswamy's；　that　most　excellent　Indian　restaurant　in　Swallow　Street；　where　he　ate　a　chicken　vindaloo　with　all　the　trimmings；　lingered　over　his　coffee；　then　paid　the　bill　and　left　on　the　dot　of　nine…fifteen。　　The　magnificent　uniformed　and　bearded　doorman　gave　him　a　quivering　salute；　then　loudly　hailed　a　cab。　　Bond　tipped　the　doorman　and　gave　the　driver　his　home　address；　but　at　the　top　of　St。　James's　he　paid　off　the　taxi　and　set　out　on　foot；　to　follow　an　apparently　aimless　route；　turning　into　side　streets；　crossing　roads　suddenly；　doubling　back　on　himself　a　number　of　times；　loitering　at　corners；　making　certain　he　was　not　being　followed。
　Eventually；　clinging　to　this　devious　routine；　he　ended　up　in　a　doorway　near　St。　Martin's　Lane。　　For　two　minutes　Bond　stood　looking　up　at　a　lighted　window　across　the　road。　　At　precisely　ten　o'clock　the　oblong　of　light　turned　black；　then　lit　again；　went　black；　lit　and　stayed　on。
　Quickly　Bond　crossed　the　road。　　He　disappeared　through　another　doorway；　took　a　narrow　flight　of　stairs；　went　across　a　landing　and　up　four　more　steps　to　a　door　labelled　Rich　Photography　Ltd。　　Models　available。　　When　he　pressed　the　small　button　to　the　right　of　the　lintel　the　chimes　associated　with　a　well…known　brand　of　cosmetics　ding…donged　from　far　away　inside。　　There　were　faint　footsteps　and　the　click　of　bolts　being　drawn。
　The　door　opened　to　reveal　Bill　Tanner　who　nodded；　indicating　that　Bond　should　enter。　　He　followed　Tanner　along　a　small　passage；　its　paint　work　peeling　and　with　a　cloying　smell　of　cheap　scent　hanging　in　the　air；　and　through　the　door　at　the　far　end。　　The　room　was　very　small　and　cluttered。　A　bed　partially　masked　by　a　hideously　patterned　coverlet　stood　in　one　corner；　and　a　mangy　teddy　bear　lounged　on　a　bright　orange；　heart…shaped　imitation　silk　nightdress　case。　　A　small　wardrobe　faced　the　bed；　its　door　half　open；　displaying　a　pathetic　row　of　women's　clothes。　　The　tiny　dressing　table　was　crammed　with　bottles　and　jars　of　cosmetics。　　Above　a　popping　gas　fire；　a　print　of　The　Green　Lady　looked　down　from　a　plastic　frame　upon　a　pair　of　easy　chairs　which　would　not　have　been　out　of　place　in　a　child's　Wendy　house。
　〃e　in；　007。　　Glad　to　see　you　can　do　simple　mathematics。〃　The　figure　in　one　of　the　chairs　turned；　and　Bond　found　himself　looking　into　the　familiar　cold　grey　eyes　of　his　Head　of　Service。
　Tanner　closed　the　door　and　crossed　to　a　table　on　which　were　set　several　bottles　and　glasses。
　〃Good　to　see　you；　sir；'　Bond　said　with　a　smile；　holding　out　a　hand。　〃Seven　and　three　equals　ten。　　Even　I　can　manage　that。〃
　〃Nobody　in　tow？〃　the　Chief…of…Staff　asked　anxiously；　sidling　towards　the　window　which　Bond　had　viewed　from　the　far　side　of　the　street。
　〃Not　unless　they've　got　a　team　of　a　hundred　or　so　footpads　and　about　twenty　cars　on　me。　　The　traffic's　as　thick　as　treacle　tonight。
　Always　bad　on　Thursdays　…　late　night　shopping；　and