if.liveandletdie-第30部分

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sh；　and　every　variety　of　exotic　Goldfish。　Underneath；　sunk　in　the　floor；　and　most　of　them　covered　with　chicken　wire；　there　were　tray　upon　tray　swarming　and　heaving　with　worms　and　baits：　white　worms；　micro　worms；　Daphnia；　shrimp；　and　thick　slimy　clam　worms。　From　these　ground　tanks；　forests　of　tiny　eyes　looked　up　at　his　torch。
　There　was　the　foetid　smell　of　a　mangrove　swamp　in　the　air　and　the　temperature　was　in　the　high　seventies。　Soon　Bond　began　to　sweat　slightly　and　to　long　for　the　clean　night　air。
　He　had　moved　to　the　central　passage…way　before　he　found　the　poison　fish　which　were　one　of　his　objectives。　When　he　had　read　about　them　in　the　files　of　the　Police　Headquarters　in　New　York；　he　had　made　a　mental　note　that　he　would　like　to　know　more　about　this　sideline　of　the　peculiar　business　of　Ourobouros　Inc。
　Here　the　tanks　were　smaller　and　there　was　generally　only　one　specimen　in　each。　Here　the　eyes　that　looked　sluggishly　at　Bond　were　cold　and　hooded　and　an　occasional　fang　was　bared　at　the　torch　or　a　spined　backbone　slowly　swelled。
　Each　tank　bore　an　ominous　skull…and…crossbones　in　chalk　and　there　were　large　labels　that　said　VERY　DANGEROUS　and　KEEP　OFF。
　There　must　have　been　at　least　a　hundred　tanks　of　various　sizes；　from　the　large　ones　to　hold　Torpedo　Skates　and　the　sinister　Guitar　Fish；　to　smaller　ones　for　the　Horse…killer　Eel；　Mud　Fish　from　the　Pacific；　and　the　monstrous　West　Indian　Scorpion　Fish；　each　of　whose　spines　has　a　poison　sac　as　powerful　as　a　rattlesnake's。
　Bond's　eyes　narrowed　as　he　noticed　that　in　all　the　dangerous　tanks　the　mud　or　sand　on　the　bottom　occupied　nearly　half　the　tank。
　He　chose　a　tank　containing　a　six…inch　Scorpion　Fish。　He　knew　something　of　the　habits　of　this　deadly　species　and　in　particular　that　they　do　not　strike；　but　poison　only　on　contact。
　The　top　of　the　tank　was　on　a　level　with　his　waist。　He　took　out　a　strong　pocket…knife　he　had　purchased　and　opened　the　longest　blade。　Then　he　leant　over　the　tank　and　with　'。
　sleeve　rolled　up　he　deliberately　aimed　his　knife　at　the　centre　of　the　craggy　head　between　the　overhung　grottoes　of　the　eye…sockets。　As　his　hand　broke　the　surface　of　the　water　the　white　dinosaur　spines　stood　threateningly　erect　and　the　mottled　stripes　of　the　fish　turned　to　a　uniform　muddy　brown。　Its　broad；　wing…like　pectorals　rose　slightly；　poised　for　flight。
　Bond　lunged　swiftly；　correcting　his　aim　for　the　refraction　from　the　surface　of　the　tank。　He　pinned　the　bulging　head　down　as　the　tail　threshed　wildly　and　slowly　drew　the　fish　towards　him　and　up　the　glass　side　of　the　tank。　He　stood　aside　and　whipped　it　out　on　to　the　floor；　where　it　continued　flapping　and　jumping　despite　its　shattered　skull。
　He　leant　over　the　tank　and　plunged　his　hand　deep　into　the　centre　of　the　mud　and　sand。
　Yes；　they　were　there。　His　hunch　about　the　poison　fish　had　been　right。　His　fingers　felt　the　close　rows　of　coin　deep　under　the　mud；　like　counters　in　a　box。　They　were　in　a　flat　tray。　He　could　feel　the　wooden　partitions。　He　pulled　out　a　coin；　rinsing　it　and　his　hand　in　the　cleaner　surface　water　as　he　did　so。　He　shone　his　torch　on　it。　It　was　as　big　as　a　modern　five…shilling　piece　and　nearly　as　thick　and　it　was　gold。　It　bore　the　arms　of　Spain　and　the　head　of　Philip　II。
　He　looked　at　the　tank；　measuring　it。　There　must　be　a　thousand　coins　in　this　one　tank　that　no　customs　officer　would　think　of　disturbing。　Ten　to　twenty　thousand　dollars'　worth；　guarded　by　one　poison…fanged　Cerberus。　These　must　be　the　cargo　brought　in　by　the　Secatur　on　her　last　trip　a　week　ago。　A　hundred　tanks。　Say　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　gold　per　trip。　Soon　the　trucks　would　be　ing　for　the　tanks　and　somewhere　down　the　road　men　with　rubber…coated　tongs　would　extract　the　deadly　fish　and　throw　them　back　in　the　sea　or　burn　them。　The　water　and　the　mud　would　be　emptied　out　and　the　gold　coin　washed　and　poured　into　bags。　Then　the　bags　would　go　to　agents　and　the　coins　would　trickle　out　on　the　market；　each　one　strictly　accounted　for　by　Mr。　Big's　machine。
　It　was　a　scheme　after　Mr。　Big's　philosophy；　effective；　technically　brilliant；　almost　foolproof。
　Bond　was　full　of　admiration　as　he　bent　to　the　floor　and　speared　the　Scorpion　Fish　in　the　side。　He　dropped　it　back　in　the　tank。　There　was　no　point　in　divulging　his　knowledge　to　the　enemy。
　It　was　as　he　turned　away　from　the　tank　that　all　the　lights　in　the　warehouse　suddenly　blazed　on　and　a　voice　of　sharp　authority　said；　'Don't　move　an　inch。　Stick　'em　up。'
　As　Bond　took　a　rolling　dive　under　the　tank　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　lank　figure　of　The　Robber　squinting　down　the　sights　of　his　rifle　about　twenty　yards　away；　up　against　the　main　entrance。　As　he　dived　he　prayed　that　The　Robber　would　miss；　but　also　he　prayed　that　the　floor　tank　which　was　to　take　his　dive　would　be　one　of　the　covered　ones。　It　was。　It　was　covered　with　chicken　wire。　Something　snapped　up　at　him　as　he　hit　the　wire　and　sprawled　clear　in　the　next　passage…way。　As　he　dived；　the　rifle　cracked　and　the　Scorpion　Fish　tank　above　his　head　splintered　sharply　and　water　gushed　down。
　Bond　sprinted　fast　between　the　tanks　back　towards　his　only　means　of　retreat。　Just　as　he　turned　the　corner　there　was　a　shot　and　a　tank　of　angel　fish　exploded　like　a　bomb　just　beside　his　ear。
　He　was　now　at　his　end　of　the　warehouse　with　The　Robber　at　the　other；　fifty　yards　away。　There　was　no　possible　chance　of　jumping　for　his　window　on　the　other　side　of　the　central　passage…way。　He　stood　for　a　moment　gaining　his　breath　and　thinking。　He　realized　that　the　lines　of　tanks　would　only　protect　him　to　the　knees　and　that　between　the　tanks　he　would　be　in　full　view　down　the　narrow　passages。　Either　way；　he　could　not　stand　still。　He　was　reminded　of　the　fact　as　a　shot　whammed　between　his　legs　into　a　pile　of　conchs；　sending　splinters　of　their　hard　china　buzzing　round　him　like　wasps。　He　ran　to　his　right　and　another　shot　came　at　his　legs。　It　hit　the　floor　and　zoomed　into　a　huge　carboy　of　clams　that　split　in　half　and　emptied　a　hundred　shell…fish　over　the　floor。　Bond　raced　back；　taking　long　quick　strides。　He　had　his　Beretta　out　and　loosed　off　two　shots　as　he　crossed　the　central　passage…way。　He　saw　The　Robber　jump　for　shelter　as　a　tank　shattered　above　his　head。
　Bond　grinned　as　he　heard　a　shout　drowned　by　the　crash　of　glass　and　water。
　He　immediately　dropped　to　one　knee　and　fired　two　shots　at　The　Robber's　legs；　but　fifty　yards　for　his　small…calibre　pistol　was　too　much。　There　was　the　crash　of　another　tank　but　the　second　shot　clanged　emptily　into　the　iron　entrance　gates。
　Then　The　Robber　was　shooting　again　and　Bond　could　only　dodge　to　and　fro　behind　the　cases　and　wait　to　be　caught　in　the　kneecap。　Occasionally　he　fired　a　shot　in　return　to　make　The　Robber　keep　his　distance；　but　he　knew　the　battle　was　lost。　The　other　man　seemed　to　have　endless　ammunition。　Bond　had　only　two　shots　left　in　his　gun　and　one　fresh　clip　in　his　pocket。
　As　he　shuttled　to　and　fro；　slipping　on　the　rare　fish　that　flapped　wildly　on　the　concrete；　he　even　stooped　to　snatch　ing　up　heavy　queen　conchs　and　helmet　shells　and　hurling　them　towards　the　enemy。　Often　they　burst　impressively　on　top　of　some　tank　at　The　Robber's　end　and　added　to　the　appalling　racket　inside　the　corrugated…iron　shed。　But　they　were　quite　ineffective。　He　thought　of　shooting　out　the　lights；　but　there　were　at　least　twenty　of　them　in　two　rows。
　Finally　Bond　decided　to　give　up。　He　had　one　ruse　to　fall　back　on；　and　any　change　in　the　battle　was　better　than　exhausting　himself　at　the　wrong　end　of　this　deadly　coconut…shy。
　As　he　passed　a　row　of　cases　of　which　the　one　near　him　was　shattered；　he　pushed　it　on　to　the　floor。　It　was　still　half　full　of　rare　Siamese　Fighting　Fish；　and　Bond　was　pleased　with　the　expensive　crash　as　the　remains　of　the　tank　burst　in　fragments　on　the　floor。　A　wide　space　was　cleared　on　the　trestle　table；　and　after　making　two　quick　darts　to　pick　up　his　shoes　he　dashed　back　to　the　table　and　jumped　up。
　With　no　target　for　The　Robber　to　shoot　at　there　was　a　moment's　silence　save　for　the　whine　of　the　pumps；　the　sound　of　water　dripping　out　of　broken　tanks　and　the　flapping　of　dying　fish。　Bond　slipped　his　shoes　on　and　laced　them　tight。
　'Hey；　Limey；'　called　The　Robber　patiently。　'e　on　out　or　I　start　using　pineapples。