if.moonraker-第14部分

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what　you　say　it　shouldn't　be　too　painful。〃
　Bond　looked　thoughtful　and　rather　fuddled。　He　took　another　careful　look　at　his　hand；　running　through　the　cards　one　by　one。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃You're　on。　And　frankly　you've　made　me　gamble。　You've　obviously　got　a　big　hand；　so　I　must　shut　you　out　and　chance　it。〃
　Bond　looked　blearily　across　at　M。　〃Pay　your　losses　on　this　one；　partner；〃　he　said。　〃Here　we　go。　Er…seven　clubs。〃
　In　the　dead　silence　that　followed；　Basildon；　who　had　seen　Drax's　hand；　was　so　startled　that　he　dropped　his　whisky　and　soda　on　the　floor。　He　looked　dazedly　down　at　the　broken　glass　and　let　it　lie。
　Drax　said　〃What？〃　in　a　startled　voice　and　hastily　ran　through　his　cards　again　for　reassurance。
　〃Did　you　say　grand　slam　in　clubs？〃　he　asked；　looking　curiously　at　his　obviously　drunken　opponent；　〃Well；　it's　your　funeral。　What　do　you　say；　Max？〃
　〃No　bid；〃　said　Meyer；　feeling　in　the　air　the　electricity　of　just　that　crisis　he　had　hoped　to　avoid。　Why　the　hell　hadn't　he　gone　home　before　this　last　rubber？　He　groaned　inwardly。
　〃No　bid；〃　said　M。　apparently　unperturbed。　〃Double。〃　The　word　came　viciously　out　of　Drax's　mouth。　He　put　down　his　hand　and　looked　cruelly；　scornfully　at　this　tipsy　oaf　who　had　at　last；　inexplicably；　fallen　into　his　hands。　〃That　mean　you　double　the　side…bets　too？〃　asked　Bond。　〃Yes；〃　said　Drax　greedily。　〃Yes。　That's　what　I　meant。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bond。　He　paused。　He　looked　at　Drax　and　not　at　his　hand。　〃Redouble。　The　contract　and　the　side…bets。　￡400　a　trick　on　the　side。〃
　It　was　at　that　moment　that　the　first　hint　of　a　dreadful；　incredible　doubt　entered　Drax's　mind。　But　again　he　looked　at　his　hand；　and　again　he　was　reassured。　At　the　very　worst　he　couldn't　fail　to　make　two　tricks。
　A　muttered　〃No　bid〃　from　Meyer。　A　rather　strangled　〃No　bid〃　from　M。　An　impatient　shake　of　the　head　from　Drax。
　Basildon　stood；　his　face　very　pale；　looking　intently　across　the　table　at　Bond。
　Then　he　walked　slowly　round　the　table；　scrutinizing　all　the　hands。　What　he　saw　was　this：
　
　And　suddenly　Basildon　understood。　It　was　a　laydown　Grand　Slam　for　Bond　against　any　defence。　Whatever　Meyer　led；　Bond　must　get　in　with　a　trump　in　his　own　hand　or　on　the　table。　Then；　in　between　clearing　trumps；　finessing　of　course　against　Drax；　he　would　play　two　rounds　of　diamonds；　trumping　them　in　dummy　and　catching　Drax's　ace　and　king　in　the　process。　After　five　plays　he　would　be　left　with　the　remaining　trumps　and　six　winning　diamonds。　Drax's　aces　and　kings　would　be　totally　valueless。
　It　was　sheer　murder。
　Basildon；　almost　in　a　trance；　continued　round　the　table　and　stood　between　M。　and　Meyer　so　that　he　could　watch　Drax's　face；　and　Bond's。　His　own　face　was　impassive；　but　his　hands；　which　he　had　stuffed　into　his　trouser　pockets　so　that　they　would　not　betray　him；　were　sweating。　He　waited；　almost　fearfully；　for　the　terrible　punishment　that　Drax　was　about　to　receive…thirteen　separate　lashes　whose　scars　no　card…player　would　ever　lose。
　〃e　along；　e　along；〃　said　Drax　impatiently。　〃Lead　something；　Max。　Can't　be　here　all　night。〃
　You　poor　fool；　thought　Basildon。　In　ten　minutes　you'll　wish　that　Meyer　had　died　in　his　chair　before　he　could　pull　out　that　first　card。
　In　fact；　Meyer　looked　as　if　at　any　moment　he　might　have　a　stroke。　He　was　deathly　pale；　and　the　perspiration　was　dropping　off　his　chin　on　to　his　shirt　front。　For　all　he　knew；　his　first　card　might　be　a　disaster。
　At　last；　reasoning　that　Bond　might　be　void　in　his　own　long　suits；　spades　and　hearts；　he　led　the　knave　of　diamonds。
　It　made　no　difference　what　he　led；　but　when　M。's　hand　went　down　showing　chicane　in　diamonds；　Drax　snarled　across　at　his　partner。　〃Haven't　you　got　anything　else；　you　dam'　fool？　Want　to　hand　it　to　him　on　a　plate？　Whose　side　are　you　on；　anyway？〃
　Meyer　cringed　into　his　clothes。　〃Best　I　could　do；　Hugger；〃　he　said　miserably；　wiping　his　face　with　his　handkerchief。
　But　by　this　time　Drax　had　got　his　own　worries。
　Bond　trumped　on　the　table；　catching　Drax's　king　of　diamonds；　and　promptly　led　a　club。　Drax　put　up　his　nine。　Bond　took　it　with　his　ten　and　led　a　diamond；　trumping　it　on　the　table。　Drax's　ace　fell。　Another　club　from　the　table；　catching　Drax's　knave。
　Then　the　ace　of　clubs。
　As　Drax　surrendered　his　king；　for　the　first　time　he　saw　what〃　might　be　happening。　His　eyes　squinted　anxiously　at　Bond；　waiting　fearfully　for　the　next　card。　Had　Bond　got　the　diamonds？　Hadn't　Meyer　got　them　guarded？　After　all；　he　had　opened　with　them。　Drax　waited；　his　cards　slippery　with　sweat。
　Morphy；　the　great　chess　player；　had　a　terrible　habit。　He　would　never　raise　his　eyes　from　the　game　until　he　knew　his　opponent　could　not　escape　defeat。　Then　he　would　slowly　lift　his　great　head　and　gaze　curiously　at　the　man　across　the　board。　His　opponent　would　feel　the　gaze　and　would　slowly；　humbly　raise　his　eyes　to　meet　Morphy's。　At　that　moment　he　would　know　that　it　was　no　good　continuing　the　game。　The　eyes　of　Morphy　said　so。　There　was　nothing　left　but　surrender。
　Now；　like　Morphy；　Bond　lifted　his　head　and　looked　straight　into　Drax's　eyes。　Then　he　slowly　drew　out　the　queen　of　diamonds　and　placed　it　on　the　table。　Without　waiting　for　Meyer　to　play　he　followed　it；　deliberately；　with　the　8；　7；　6；　5；　4；　and　the　two　winning　clubs。
　Then　he　spoke。　〃That's　all；　Drax；〃　he　said　quietly；　and　sat　slowly　back　in　his　chair。
　Drax's　first　reaction　was　to　lurch　forward　and　tear　Meyer's　cards　out　of　his　hand。　He　faced　them　on　the　table；　scrabbling　feverishly　among　them　for　a　possible　winner。
　Then　he　flung　them　back　across　the　baize。
　His　face　was　dead　white；　but　his　eyes　blazed　redly　at　Bond。　Suddenly　he　raised　one　clenched　fist　and　crashed　it　on　the　table　among　the　pile　of　impotent　aces　and　kings　and　queens　in　front　of　him。
　Very　low；　he　spat　the　words　at　Bond。　〃You're　a　che。。。〃
　〃That's　enough；　Drax。〃　Basildon's　voice　came　across　the　table　like　a　whiplash。　〃None　of　that　talk　here。　I've　been　watching　the　whole　game。　Settle　up。　If　you've　got　any　plaints；　put　them　in　writing　to　the　mittee。〃
　Drax　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　He　stood　away　from　his　chair　and　ran　a　hand　through　his　wet　red　hair。　The　colour　came　slowly　back　into　his　face　and　with　it　an　expression　of　cunning。　He　glanced　down　at　Bond　and　there　was　in　his　good　eye　a　contemptuous　triumph　which　Bond　found　curiously　disturbing。
　He　turned　to　the　table。　〃Good　night；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　looking　at　each　of　them　with　the　same　oddly　scornful　expression。　〃I　owe　about　￡15；000。　I　will　accept　Meyer's　addition。〃
　He　leant　forward　and　picked　up　his　cigarette…case　and　lighter。
　Then　he　looked　again　at　Bond　and　spoke　very　quietly；　the　red　moustache　lifting　slowly　from　the　splayed　upper　teeth。　〃I　should　spend　the　money　quickly；　mander　Bond；〃　he　said。
　Then　he　turned　away　from　the　table　and　walked　swiftly　out　of　the　room。
　
　PART　TWO：　TUESDAY；　WEDNESDAY
　
　CHAPTER　VIII
　
　THE　RED　TELEPHONE
　
　ALTHOUGH　HE　had　not　got　to　bed　until　two；　Bond　walked　into　his　headquarters　punctually　at　ten　the　next　morning。　He　was　feeling　dreadful。　As　well　as　acidity　and　liver　as　a　result　of　drinking　nearly　two　whole　bottles　of　champagne；　he　had　a　touch　of　the　melancholy　and　spiritual　deflation　that　were　partly　the　after…effects　of　the　benzedrine　and　partly　reaction　to　the　drama　of　the　night　before。
　When　he　went　up　in　the　lift　towards　another　routine　day；　the　bitter　taste　of　the　midnight　hours　was　still　with　him。
　After　Meyer　had　scuttled　thankfully　off　to　bed；　Bond　had　taken　the　two　packs　of　cards　out　of　the　pockets　of　his　coat　and　had　put　them　on　the　table　in　front　of　Basildon　and　M。　One　was　the　blue　pack　that　Drax　had　cut　to　him　and　that　he　had　pocketed；　substituting　instead；　under　cover　of　his　handkerchief；　the　stacked　blue　pack　in　his　right…hand　pocket。　The　other　was　the　stacked　red　pack　in　his　left…hand　pocket　which　had　not　been　needed。
　He　fanned　the　red　pack　out　on　the　table　and　showed　M。　and　Basildon　that　it　would　have　produced　the　same　freak　grand　slam　that　had　defeated　Drax。
　〃It's　a　famous　Culbertson　hand；〃　he　explained。　〃He　used　it　to　spoof　his　own　quick…trick　conventions。　I　had　to　doctor　a　red　and　a　blue　pack。　Couldn't　know　which　colour　I　would　be　dealing　with。〃
　〃Well；　it　certainly　went　with　a　bang；〃　said　Basild