if.liveandletdie-第32部分
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do about it。 His eyes were red with strain and lack of sleep。 He went back to the bar； drank down the Bourbon and ordered another one。 The barman looked like a college kid spending his holidays the hard way。 He wanted to talk but there was no talk left in Bond。 Bond sat and looked into his glass and thought about Leiter and The Robber and heard the sickening grunt of the feeding shark。
He paid and went out and on again over the Gandy Bridge； and the air of the Bay was cool on his face。 At the end of the bridge he turned left towards the airport and stopped at the first motel that looked awake。
The middle…aged couple that owned the place were listening to late rhumba music from Cuba with a bottle of rye between them。 Bond told a story of a blow…out on his way from Sarasota to Silver Springs。 They weren't interested。 They were just glad to take his ten dollars。 He drove his car up to the door of Room 5 and the man unlocked the door and turned on the light。 There was a double bed and a shower and a chest…of…drawers and two chairs。 The motif was white and blue。 It looked clean and Bond put his bag down thankfully and said good night。 He stripped and threw his clothes unfolded on to a chair。 Then he took a quick shower； cleaned his teeth and gargled with a sharp mouthwash and climbed into bed。
He plunged at once into a calm untroubled sleep。 It was the first night since he had arrived in America that did not threaten a fresh battle with his stars on the morrow。
He awoke at midday and walked down the road to a cafeteria where the short…order cook fixed him a delicious three…decker western sandwich and coffee。 Then he came back to his room and wrote a detailed report to the FBI at Tampa。 He omitted all reference to the gold in the poison tanks for fear that The Big Man would close down his operations in Jamaica。 The nature of these had still to be discovered。 Bond knew that the damage he had done to the machine in America had no bearing on the heart of his assignment … the discovery of the source of the gold； its seizure； and the destruction； if possible； of Mr。 Big himself。
He drove to the airport and caught the silver； four…engined plane with a few minutes to spare。 He left Leiter's car in the parking space as in his report he had told the FBI he would。 He guessed that he need not have mentioned it to the FBI when he saw a man in an unnecessary raincoat hanging round the souvenir shop； buying nothing。 Raincoats seemed almost the badge of office of the FBI。 Bond was certain they wanted to see he caught the plane。 They would be glad to see the last of him。 Wherever he had gone in America he had left dead bodies。 Before he boarded the plane he called the hospital in St。 Petersburg。 He wished he hadn't； Leiter was still unconscious and there was no news。 Yes； they would cable him when they had something definite。
It was five in the evening when they circled over Tampa Bay and headed East。 The sun was low on the horizon。 A big jet from Pensacola swept by； well to port； leaving four trails of vapour that hung almost motionless in the still air。 Soon it would plete its training circuit and go in to land； back to the Gulf Coast packed with oldsters in Truman shirts。 Bond was glad to be on his way to the soft green flanks of Jamaica and to be leaving behind the great hard continent of Eldollarado。
The plane swept on across the waist of Florida； across the acres of jungle and swamp without sign of human habitation； its wing…lights blinking green and red in the gathering dark。 Soon they were over Miami and the monster chump…traps of the Eastern Seaboard； their arteries ablaze with Neon。 Away to port； State Highway No。1 disappeared up the coast in a golden ribbon of motels； gas stations and fruit…juice stands； up through Palm Beach and Daytona to Jacksonville； three hundred miles away。 Bond thought of the breakfast he had had at Jacksonville not three days before and of all that had happened since。 Soon； after a short stop at Nassau； he would be flying over Cuba； perhaps over the hideout where Mr。 Big had put her away。 She would hear the noise of the plane and perhaps her instincts would make her look up towards the sky and feel that for a moment he was nearby。
Bond wondered if they would ever meet again and finish what they had begun。 But that would have to e later； when his work was over … the prize at the end of the dangerous road that had started three weeks before in the fog of London。
After a cocktail and an early dinner they came in to Nassau and spent half an hour on the richest island in the world； the sandy patch where a thousand million pounds of frightened sterling lies buried beneath the Canasta tables and where bungalows surrounded by a thin scurf of screw…pine and casuarina change hands at fifty thousand pounds a piece。
They left the platinum whistle…stop behind and were soon crossing the twinkling mother…of…pearl lights of Havana； so different in their pastel modesty from the harsh primary colours of American cities at night。
They were flying at fifteen thousand feet when； just after crossing Cuba； they ran into one of those violent tropical storms that suddenly turn aircraft from fortable drawing…rooms into bucketing death…traps。 The great plane staggered and plunged； its screws now roaring in vacuum and now biting harshly into walls of solid air。 The thin tube shuddered and swung。 Crockery crashed in the pantry and huge rain hammered on the perspex windows。
Bond gripped the arms of his chair so that his left hand hurt and cursed softly to himself。
He looked at the racks of magazines and thought： they won't help much when the steel tires at fifteen thousand feet； nor will the eau…de…cologne in the washroom； nor the personalized meals； the free razor； the 'orchid for your lady' now trembling in the ice…box。 Least of all the safety…belts and the life…jackets with the whistle that the steward demonstrates will really blow； nor the cute little rescue…lamp that glows red。
No； when the stresses are too great for the tired metal； when the ground mechanic who checks the de…icing equipment is crossed in love and skimps his job； way back in London； Idlewild； Gander； Montreal； when those or many things happen； then the little warm room with propellers in front falls straight down out of the sky into the sea or on to the land； heavier than air； fallible； vain。 And the forty little heavier…than…air people； fallible within the plane's fallibility； vain within its larger vanity； fall down with it and make little holes in the land or little splashes in the sea。 Which is anyway their destiny； so why worry？ You are linked to the ground mechanic's careless fingers in Nassau just as you are linked to the weak head of the little man in the family saloon who mistakes the red light for the green and meets you head…on； for the first and last time； as you are motoring quietly home from some private sin。 There's nothing to do about it。 You start to die the moment you are born。 The whole of life is cutting through the pack with death。 So take it easy。 Light a cigarette and be grateful you are still alive as you suck the smoke deep into your lungs。 Your stars have already let you e quite a long way since you left your mother's womb and whimpered at the cold air of the world。 Perhaps they'll even let you get to Jamaica tonight。 Can't you hear those cheerful voices in the control tower that have said quietly all day long； 'e in BOAC。 e in Panam。 e in K L M '？ Can't you hear them calling you down too ： 'e in Transcarib。 e in Transcarib'？ Don't lose faith in your stars。 Remember that hot stitch of time when you faced death from The Robber's gun last night。 You're still alive； aren't you？ There； we're out of it already。 It was just to remind you that being quick with a gun doesn't mean you're really tough。 Just don't forget it。 This happy landing at Palisadoes Airport es to you by courtesy of your stars。 Better thank them。
Bond unfastened his seat…belt and wiped the sweat off his face。
To hell with it； he thought； as he stepped down out of the huge strong plane。
Strangways； the chief Secret Service agent for the Caribbean； was at the airport to meet him and he was quickly through the Customs and Immigration and Finan
