if.moonraker-第13部分

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　Bond　grinned　cheerfully　into　the　sweating　face。　Drax　was　picking　angrily　at　his　nails。　〃Big　battalions；〃　said　Bond；　rubbing　it　in。
　Dax　growled　something　and　busied　himself　with　the　score。
　Bond　looked　across　at　M。；　who　was　putting　a　match；　with　evident　satisfaction　at　the　way　the　game　had　gone；　to　his　second　cheroot　of　the　evening；　an　almost　unheard　of　indulgence。
　〃Traid　this'll　have　to　be　my　last　rubber；〃　said　Bond。　〃Got　to　get　up　early。　Hope　you'll　forgive　me。〃
　M。　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It's　past　midnight；〃　he　said。　〃What　about　you；　Meyer？〃
　Meyer；　who　had　been　a　silent　passenger　for　most　of　the　evening　and　who　had　the　look　of　a　man　caught　in　a　cage　with　a　couple　of　tigers；　seemed　relieved　at　being　offered　a　chance　of　making　his　escape。　He　leapt　at　the　idea　of　getting　back　to　his　quiet　flat　in　Albany　and　the　soothing　panionship　of　his　collection　of　Battersea　snuff…boxes。
　〃Quite　all　right　with　me；〃Admiral；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃What　about　you；　Hugger？　Nearly　ready　for　bed？〃
　Drax　ignored　him。　He　looked　up　from　his　score…sheet　at　Bond。　He　noticed　the　signs　of　intoxication。　The　moist　forehead；　the　black　ma　of　hair　that　hung　untidily　over　the　right　eyebrow；　the　sheen　of　alcohol　in　the　grey…blue　eyes。
　〃Pretty　miserable　balance　so　far；〃　he　said。　〃I　make　it　you　win　a　couple　of　hundred　or　so。　Of　course　if　you　want　to　run　out　of　the　game　you　can。　But　how　about　some　fireworks　to　finish　up　with？　Treble　the　stakes　on　the　last　rubber？　Fifteen　and　fifteen？　Historic　match。　Am　I　on？〃
　Bond　looked　up　at　him。　He　paused　before　answering。　He　wanted　Drax　to　remember　every　detail　of　this　last　rubber；　every　word　that　had　been　spoken；　every　gesture。
　〃Well；〃　said　Drax　impatiently。　〃What　about　it？〃
　Bond　looked　into　the　cold　left　eye　in　the　flushed　face。　He　spoke　to　it　alone。
　〃One　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　a　hundred；　and　￡1；500　on　the　rubber；〃　he　said　distinctly。　〃You're　on。〃
　
　CHAPTER　VII
　
　THE　QUICKNESS　OF　THE　HAND
　
　THERE　WAS　a　moment's　silence　at　the　table。　It　was　broken　by　the　agitated　voice　of　Meyer。
　〃Here　I　say；〃　he　said　anxiously。　〃Don't　include　me　in　on　this；　Hugger。〃　He　knew　it　was　a　private　bet　with　Bond；　but　he　wanted　to　show　Drax　that　he　was　thoroughly　nervous　about　the　whole　affair。　He　saw　himself　making　some　ghastly　mistake　that　would　cost　his　partner　a　lot　of　money。
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；　Max；〃　said　Drax　harshly。　〃You　play　your　hand。　This　is　nothing　to　do　with　you。　Just　an　enjoyable　little　bet　with　our　rash　friend　here。　e　along；　e　along。　My　deal；　Admiral。〃
　M。　cut　the　cards　and　the　game　began。　Bond　lit　a　cigarette　with　hands　that　had　suddenly　bee　quite　steady。　His　mind　was　clear。　He　knew　exactly　what　he　had　to　do；　and　when；　and　he　was　glad　that　the　moment　of　decision　had　e。
　He　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　for　a　moment　he　had　the　impression　that　there　was　a　crowd　behind　him　at　each　elbow；　and　that　faces　were　peering　over　his　shoulder；　waiting　to　see　his　cards。　He　somehow　felt　that　the　ghosts　were　friendly；　that　they　approved　of　the　rough　justice　that　was　about　to　be　done。
　He　smiled　as　he　caught　himself　sending　this　pany　of　dead　gamblers　a　message；　that　they　should　see　that　all　went　well。
　The　background　noise　of　the　famous　gaming　room　broke　in　on　his　thoughts。　He　looked　round。　In　the　middle　of　the　long　room；　under　the　central　chandelier；　there　were　several　onlookers　round　the　poker　game。　'Raise　you　a　hundred。'　'And　a　hundred。'　'And　a　hundred。'　'Damn　you。　I'll　look'；　and　a　shout　of　triumph　followed　by　a　hubbub　of　ment。　In　the　distance　he　could　hear　the　rattle　of　a　croupier's　rake　against　the　counters　at　the　Shemmy　game。　Nearer　at　hand；　at　his　end　of　the　room；　there　were　three　other　tables　of　bridge　over　which　the　smoke　of　cigars　and　cigarettes　rose　towards　the　barrelled　ceiling。
　Nearly　every　night　for　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　there　had　been　just　such　a　scene；　he　reflected；　in　this　famous　room。　The　same　cries　of　victory　and　defeat；　the　same　dedicated　faces；　the　same　smell　of　tobacco　and　drama。　For　Bond；　who　loved　gambling；　it　was　the　most　exciting　spectacle　in　the　world。　He　gave　it　a　last　glance　to　fix　it　all　in　his　mind　and　then　he　turned　back　to　his　table。
　He　picked　up　his　cards　and　his　eyes　glittered。　For　once；　on　Drax's　deal；　he　had　a　cast…iron　game　hand；　seven　spades　with　the　four　top　honours；　the　ace　of　hearts；　and　the　ace；　king　of　diamonds。　He　looked　at　Drax。　Had　he　and　Meyer　got　the　clubs？　Even　so　Bond　could　overbid。　Would　Drax　try　and　force　him　too　high　and　risk　a　double？　Bond　waited。
　〃No　bid；〃　said　Drax；　unable　to　keep　the　bitterness　of　his　private　knowledge　of　Bond's　hand　out　of　his　voice。
　〃Four　spades；〃　said　Bond。
　No　bid　from　Meyer；　from　M。；　reluctantly　from　Drax。
　M。　provided　some　help；　and　they　made　five。
　One　hundred　and　fifty　points　below　the　line。　A　hundred　above　for　honours。
　〃Humph；〃　said　a　voice　at　Bond's　elbow。　He　looked　up。　It　was　Basildon。　His　game　had　finished　and　he　had　strolled　over　to　see　what　was　happening　on　this　separate　battlefield。
　He　picked　up　Bond's　score…sheet　and　looked　at　it。
　〃That　was　a　bit　of　a　beetle…crusher；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃Seems　you're　holding　the　champions。　What　are　the　stakes？〃
　Bond　left　the　answer　to　Drax。　He　was　glad　of　the　diversion。　It　could　not　have　been　better　timed。　Drax　had　cut　the　blue　cards　to　him。　He　married　the　two　halves　and　put　the　pack　just　in　front　of　him；　near　the　edge　of　the　table。
　〃Fifteen　and　fifteen。　On　my　left；〃　said　Drax。
　Bond　heard　Basildon　draw　in　his　breath。
　〃Chap　seemed　to　want　to　gamble；　so　I　acmodated　him。　Now　he　goes　and　gets　all　the　cards。。。〃
　Drax　grumbled　on。
　Across　the　table；　M。　saw　a　white　handkerchief　materialize　in　Bond's　right　hand。　M。's　eyes　narrowed。　Bond　seemed　to　wipe　his　face　with　it。　M。　saw　him　glance　sharply　at　Drax　and　Meyer；　then　the　handkerchief　was　back　in　his　pocket。
　A　blue　pack　was　in　Bond's　hands　and　he　had　started　to　'　deal。
　〃That's　the　hell　of　a　stake；〃　said　Basildon。　〃We　once　had　a　thousand…pound　side…bet　on　a　game　of　bridge。　But　that　was　in　the　rubber　boom　before　the　'fourteen…eighteen　war。　Hope　nobody's　going　to　get　hurt。〃　He　meant　it。　Very　high　stakes　in　a　private　game　generally　led　to　trouble。　He　walked　round　and　stood　between　M。　and　Drax。
　Bond　pleted　the　deal。　With　a　touch　of　anxiety　he　picked　up　his　cards。
　He　had　nothing　but　five　clubs　to　the　ace；　queen；　ten；　and　eight　small　diamonds　to　the　queen。
　It　was　all　right。　The　trap　was　set。
　He　almost　felt　Drax　stiffen　as　the　big　man　thumbed　through　his　cards；　and　then；　unbelieving；　thumbed　them　through　again。　Bond　knew　that　Drax　had　an　incredibly　good　hand。　Ten　certain　tricks；　the　ace；　king　of　diamonds；　the　four　top　honours　in　spades；　the　four　top　honours　in　hearts；　and　the　king；　knave；　nine　of　clubs。
　Bond　had　dealt　them　to　him…in　the　Secretary's　room　before　dinner。
　Bond　waited；　wondering　how　Drax　would　react　to　the　huge　hand。　He　took　an　almost　cruel　interest　in　watching　the　greedy　fish　e　to　the　lure。
　Drax　exceeded　his　expectations。
　Casually　he　folded　his　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　table。　Nonchalantly　he　took　the　flat　carton　out　of　his　pocket；　selected　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。　He　didn't　look　at　Bond。　He　glanced　up　at　Basildon。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　continuing　the　conversation　about　their　stakes。　〃It's　a　high　game；　but　not　the　highest　I've　ever　played。　Once　played　for　two　thousand　a　rubber　in　Cairo。　At　the　Mahomet　Ali　as　a　matter　of　fact。　They've　really　got　guts　there。　Often　bet　on　every　trick　as　well　as　on　the　game　and　rubber。　〃Now；〃　he　picked　up　his　hand　and　looked　slyly　at　Bond。　〃I've　got　some　good　tickets　here。　I'll　admit　it。　But　then　you　may　have　too；　for　all　I　know。〃　（Unlikely；　you　old　shark；　thought　Bond；　with　three　of　the　ace…kings　in　your　own　'　hand。）　〃Care　to　have　something　extra　just　on　this　hand？〃
　Bond　made　a　show　of　studying　his　cards　with　the　minuteness　of　someone　who　is　nearly　very　drunk。　〃I've　got　a　promising　lot　too；〃　he　said　thickly。　〃If　my　partner　fits　and　the　cards　lie　right　I　might　make　a　lot　of　tricks　myself。　What　are　you　suggesting？〃
　〃Sounds　as　if　we're　pretty　evenly　matched；〃　lied　Drax。　〃What　do　you　say　to　a　hundred　a　trick　on　the　side？　From　what　you　say　it　shouldn't　be　too　painful。〃
　Bond　looked　thoughtful　and　rather　fuddled。　He　to