if.moonraker-第11部分

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it's　more　like　poker。　They're　a　mixed　lot　of　players。　Some　of　them　are　the　best　in　England；　but　others　are　terribly　wild。　Don't　seem　to　mind　how　much　they　lose。　General　Bealey；　just　behind　us。〃　M。　made　a　gesture　with　his　head；　〃doesn't　know　the　reds　from　the　blacks。　Nearly　always　a　few　hundred　down　at　the　end　of　the　week。　Doesn't　seem　to　care。　Bad　heart。　No　dependants。　Stacks　of　money　from　jute。　But　Duff　Sutherland；　the　scruffy…looking　chap　next　to　the　chairman；　is　an　absolute　killer。　Makes　a　regular　ten　thousand　a　year　out　of　the　club。　Nice　chap。　Wonderful　card　manners。　Used　to　play　chess　for　England。〃
　M。　was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of　his　marrow　bone。　It　was　placed　upright　in　a　spotless　lace　napkin　on　the　silver　plate。　An　ornate　silver　marrow…scoop　was　laid　beside　it。
　After　the　asparagus；　Bond　had　little　appetite　for　the　thin　slivers　of　pineapple。　He　tipped　the　last　of　the　ice…cold　champagne　into　his　glass。　He　felt　wonderful。　The　effects　of　the　benzedrine　and　champagne　had　more　than　offset　the　splendour　of　the　food。　For　the　first　time　he　took　his　mind　away　from　the　dinner　and　his　conversation　with　M。　and　glanced　round　the　room。
　It　was　a　sparkling　scene。　There　were　perhaps　fifty　men　in　the　room；　the　majority　in　dinner　jackets；　all　at　ease　with　themselves　and　their　surroundings；　all　stimulated　by　the　peerless　food　and　drink；　all　animated　by　a　mon　interest…the　prospect　of　high　gambling；　the　grand　slam；　the　ace　pot；　the　key…throw　in　a　64　game　at　backgammon。　There　might　be　cheats　or　possible　cheats　amongst　them；　men　who　beat　their　wives；　men　with　perverse　instincts；　greedy　men；　cowardly　men；　lying　men；　but　the　elegance　of　the　room　invested　each　one　with　a　kind　of　aristocracy。
　At　the　far　end；　above　the　cold　table；　laden　with　lobsters；　pies；　joints　and　delicacies　in　aspic；　Romney's　unfinished　full…length　portrait　of　Mrs　Fitzherbert　gazed　provocatively　across　at　Fragonard's　Jeu　de　Cartes；　the　broad　conversation…piece　which　half…filled　the　opposite　wall　above　the　Adam　fireplace。　Along　the　lateral　walls；　in　the　centre　of　each　gilt…edged　panel；　was　one　of　the　rare　engravings　of　the　Hell…Fire　Club　in　which　each　figure　is　shown　making　a　minute　gesture　of　scatological　or　magical　significance。　Above；　marrying　the　walls　into　the　ceiling；　ran　a　frieze　in　plaster　relief　of　carved　urns　and　swags　interrupted　at　intervals　by　the　capitals　of　the　fluted　pilasters　which　framed　the　windows　and　the　tall　double　doors；　the　latter　delicately　carved　with　a　design　showing　the　Tudor　Rose　interwoven　with　a　ribbon　effect。
　The　central　chandelier；　a　cascade　of　crystal　ropes　terminating　in　a　broad　basket　of　strung　quartz；　sparkled　warmly　above　the　white　damask　tablecloths　and　George　IV　silver。　Below；　in　the　centre　of　each　table；　branched　candlesticks　distributed　the　golden　light　of　three　candles；　each　surmounted　by　a　red　silk　shade；　so　that　the　faces　of　the　diners　shone　with　a　convivial　warmth　which　glossed　over　the　occasional　chill　of　an　eye　or　cruel　twist　of　a　mouth。
　Even　as　Bond　drank　in　the　warm　elegance　of　the　scene；　some　of　the　groups　began　to　break　up。　There　was　a　drift　towards　the　door　acpanied　by　an　exchange　of　challenges；　side…bets；　and　exhortations　to　hurry　up　and　get　down　to　business。　Sir　Hugo　Drax；　his　hairy　red　face　shining　with　cheerful　anticipation；　came　towards　them　with　Meyer　in　his　wake。
　〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　jovially　as　he　reached　their　table。　〃Are　the　lambs　ready　for　the　slaughter　and　the　geese　for　the　plucking？〃　He　grinned　and　in　wolfish　pantomime　drew　a　finger　across　his　throat。　〃We'll　go　ahead　and　lay　out　the　axe　and　the　basket。　Made　your　wills？〃
　〃Be　with　you　in　a　moment；〃　said　M。　edgily。　〃You　go　along　and　stack　the　cards。〃
　Drax　laughed。　〃We　shan't　need　any　artificial　aids；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　be　long。〃　He　turned　and　made　for　the　door。　Meyer　enveloped　them　in　an　uncertain　smile　and　followed　？　him。
　M。　grunted。　〃We'll　have　coffee　and　brandy　in　the　card　room；〃　he　said　to　Bond。　〃Can't　smoke　here。　Now　then。　Any　final　plans？〃
　〃I'll　have　to　fatten　him　up　for　the　kill；　so　please　don't　worry　if　I　seem　to　be　getting　high；〃　said　Bond。　〃We'll　just　have　to　play　our　normal　game　till　the　time　es。　When　it's　his　deal；　we'll　have　to　be　careful。　Of　course；　he　can't　alter　the　cards　and　there's　no　reason　why　he　shouldn't　deal　us　good　hands；　but　he's　bound　to　bring　off　some　pretty　remarkable　coups。　Do　you　mind　if　I　sit　on　his　left？〃
　〃No；〃　said　M。　〃Anything　else？〃
　Bond　reflected　for　a　moment。　〃Only　one　thing；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃When　the　time　es；　I　shall　take　a　white　handerchief　out　of　my　coat　pocket。　That　will　mean　that　you　are　about　to　be　dealt　a　Yarborough。　Would　you　please　leave　the　bidding　of　that　hand　to　me？〃
　
　CHAPTER　VI
　
　CARDS　WITH　A　STRANGER
　
　DRAX　and　Meyer　were　waiting　for　them。　They　were　leaning　back　in　their　chairs；　smoking　Cabinet　Havanas。
　On　the　small　tables　beside　them　there　was　coffee　and　large　balloons　of　brandy。　As　M。　and　Bond　came　up；　Drax　was　tearing　the　paper　cover　off　a　new　pack　of　cards。　The　other　pack　was　fanned　out　across　the　green　baize　in　front　of　him。
　〃Ah；　there　you　are；〃　said　Drax。　He　leant　forward　and　cut　a　card。　They　all　followed　suit。　Drax　won　the　cut　and　elected　to　stay　where　he　was　and　take　the　red　cards。
　Bond　sat　down　on　Drax's　left。
　M。　beckoned　to　a　passing　waiter。　〃Coffee　and　the　club　brandy；〃　he　said。　He　took　out　a　thin　black　cheroot　and　offered　one　to　Bond　who　accepted　it。　Then　he　picked　up　the　red　cards　and　started　to　shuffle　them。
　〃Stakes？〃　asked　Drax；　looking　at　M。　〃One　and　One？　Or　more？　I'll　be　glad　to　acmodate　you　up　to　Five　and　Five。〃
　〃One　and　One'll　be　enough　for　me；〃　said　M。　〃James？〃
　Drax　cut　in；　〃I　suppose　your　guest　knows　what　he's　in　for？〃　he　asked　sharply。
　Bond　answered　for　M。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　briefly。　He　smiled　at　Drax。　〃And　I　feel　rather　generous　tonight　What　would　you　like　to　take　off　me？〃
　〃Every　penny　you've　got；〃　said　Drax　cheerfully。　〃How　much　can　you　afford？〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　when　there's　none　left；〃　said　Bond。　He　suddenly　decided　to　be　ruthless。　〃I'm　told　that　Five　and　Five　is　your　limit。　Let's　play　for　that。〃
　Almost　before　the　words　were　out　of　his　mouth　he　regretted　them。　￡50　a　hundred！　￡500　side…bets！　Four　bad　rubbers　would　be　double　his　ine　for　a　year。　If　something　went　wrong　he'd　look　pretty　stupid。　Have　to　borrow　from　M。　And　M。　wasn't　a　particularly　rich　man。　Suddenly　he　saw　that　this　ridiculous　game　might　end　in　a　very　nasty　mess。　He　felt　the　prickle　of　sweat　on　his　forehead。　That　damned　benzedrine。　And；　for　him　of　all　people　to　allow　himself　to　be　needled　by　a　blustering　loud…mouthed　bastard　like　Drax。　And'　he　wasn't　even　on　a　job。　The　whole　evening　was　a　bit　of　a　social　pantomime　that　meant　less　than　nothing　to　him。　Even　M。　had　only　been　dragged　into　it　by　chance。　And　all　of　a　sudden　he'd　let　himself　be　swept　up　into　a　duel　with　this　multi…millionaire；　into　a　gamble　for　literally　all　Bond　possessed；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　man　had　got　filthy　manners　and　he'd　wanted　to　teach　him　a　lesson。　And　supposing　the　lesson　didn't　e　off？　Bond　cursed　himself　for　an　impulse　that　earlier　in　the　day　would　have　seemed　unthinkable。　Champagne　and　benzedrine！　Never　again。
　Drax　was　looking　at　him　in　sarcastic　disbelief。　He　turned　to　M。　who　was　still　unconcernedly　shuffling　the　cards。　〃I　suppose　your　guest　is　good　for　his　mitments；〃　he　said。　Unforgivably。
　Bond　saw　the　bloods　rush　up　M。's　neck　and　into　his　face。　M。　paused　for　an　instant　in　his　shuffling。　When　he　continued　Bond　noticed　that　his　hands　were　quite　calm。　M。　looked　up　and　took　the　cheroot　very　deliberately　out　from　between　his　teeth。　His　voice　was　perfectly　controlled。　〃If　you　mean　'Am　I　good　for　my　guest's　mitments'；〃　he　said　coldly；　〃the　answer　is　yes。〃
　He　cut　the　cards　to　Drax　with　his　left　hand　and　with　his　right　knocked　the　ash　off　his　cheroot　into　the　copper　ashtray　in　the　corner　of　the　table。　Bond　heard　the　faint　hiss　as　the　burning　ash　hit　the　water。
　Drax　squinted　sideways　at　M。　He　picked　up　the　cards。　〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　he　said　hastily。　〃I　didn't　mean。。。〃　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished　and　turned　to　Bond。　〃Right；　then；〃　he　said；　looking　rather　curiously　at　Bond。　〃Five　and　Five　it　is。　Meyer；〃　he　turned　to　his　partner；　〃how　much　would　you　like　t