if.moonraker-第19部分

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　〃Any　number；〃　said　the　Professor　cheerfully。　〃Sand　in　the　fuel。　Grit　in　the　pumps。　A　small　hole　anywhere　on　the　fuselage　or　the　fins。　With　that　power　and　at　those　speeds　the　smallest　fault　would　finish　it。〃
　〃Thanks　very　much；〃　said　Bond。　〃It　seems　you've　got　fewer　worries　about　the　Moonraker　than　I　have。〃
　〃It's　a　wonderful　machine；〃　said　the　Professor。　〃She'll　fly　all　right　if　nobody　interferes　with　her。　Drax　has　done　a　sound　job。　Wonderful　organizer。　That's　a　brilliant　team　he　put　together。　And　they'll　do　anything　for　him。　We've　got　a　lot　to　thank　him　for。〃
　Bond　did　a　racing　change　and　swung　the　big　car　left　at　the　Charing　fork；　preferring　the　clear　road　by　Chilham　and　Canterbury　to　the　bottlenecks　of　Ashford　and　Folkestone。　The　car　howled　up　to　eighty　in　third　and　he　held　it　in　the　same　gear　to　negotiate　the　hairpin　at　the　top　of　the　long　gradient　leading　up　to　the　Molash　road。
　And；　he　wondered；　going　back　into　top　and　listening　with　satisfaction　to　the　relaxed　thunder　of　the　exhaust；　and　what　about　Drax？　What　sort　of　a　reception　was　Drax　going　to　give　him　this　evening？　According　to　M。；　when　his　name　had　been　suggested　over　the　telephone；　Drax　had　paused　for　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃Oh　yes。　I　know　the　fellow。　Didn't　know　he　was　mixed　up　in　that　racket。　I'd　be　interested　to　have　another　look　at　him。　Send　him　along。　I'll　expect　him　in　time　for　dinner。〃　Then　he　had　rung　off。
　The　people　at　the　Ministry　had　their　own　view　of　Drax。　In　their　dealings　with　him　they　had　found　him　a　dedicated　man；　pletely　bound　up　in　the　Moonraker；　living　for　nothing　but　its　success；　driving　his　men　to　the　limit；　fighting　for　priorities　in　material　with　other　departments；　goading　the　Ministry　of　Supply　into　clearing　his　requirements　at　Cabinet　level。　They　disliked　his　hectoring　manners　but　they　respected　him　for　his　know…how　and　his　drive　and　his　dedication。　And；　like　the　rest　of　England；　they　considered　him　a　possible　saviour　of　the　country。
　Well；　thought　Bond；　accelerating　down　the　straight　stretch　of　road　past　Chilham　Castle；　he　could　see　that　picture　too　and　if　he　was　going　to　work　with　the　man　he　must　adjust　himself　to　the　heroic　version。　If　Drax　was　willing；　he　would　put　the　whole　affair　at　Blades　out　of　his　mind　and　concentrate　on　protecting　Drax　and　his　wonderful　project　from　their　country's　enemies。　There　were　only　about　three　days　to　go。　The　security　precautions　were　already　minute　and　Drax　might　resent　suggestions　for　increasing　them。　It　was　not　going　to　be　easy　and　a　great　deal　of　tact　would　have　to　be　used。　Tact。　Not　Bond's　long　suit　and　not；　he　reflected；　connected　in　any　way　with　that　he　knew　of　Drax's　character。
　Bond　took　the　short　cut　out　of　Canterbury　by　the　Old　Dover　road　and　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　six…thirty。　Another　fifteen　minutes　to　Dover　and　then　another　ten　minutes　along　the　Deal　road。　Were　there　any　other　plans　to　be　made？　The　double　killing　was　out　of　his　hands；　thank　heaven。　'Murder　and　suicide　while　of　unsound　mind'　had　been　the　coroner's　verdict。　The　girl　had　not　even　been　called。　He　would　stop　for　a　drink　at　the　'World　Without　Want'　and　have　a　quick　word　with　the　innkeeper；　The　next　day　he　would　have　to　try　and　smell　out　the　'something　fishy〃　that　Tallon　had　wanted　to　see　the　Minister　about。　No　clue　about　that。　Nothing　had　been　found　in　Tallon's　room；　which　presumably　he　would　now　be　taking　over。　Well；　at　any　rate　that　would　give　him　plenty　of　leisure　to　go　through　Tallon's　papers。
　Bond　concentrated　on　his　driving　as　he　coasted　down　into　Dover。　He　kept　left　and　was　soon　climbing　out　of　the　town　again　past　the　wonderful　cardboard　castle。
　There　was　a　patch　of　low　cloud　on　top　of　the　hill　and　a　spit　of　rain　on　his　windshield。　There　was　a　cold　breeze　ing　in　from　the　sea。　The　visibility　was　bad　and　he　switched　on　his　lights　as　he　motored　slowly　along　the　coast…road；　the　ruby…spangled　masts　of　the　Swingate　radar　station　rising　like　petrified　Roman　candles　on　his　right。
　The　girl？　He　would　have　to　be　careful　how　he　contacted　her　and　careful　not　to　upset　her。　He　wondered　if　she　would　be　any　use　to　him。　After　a　year　on　the　site　she　would　have　had　all　the　opportunities　of　a　private　secretary　to　'The　Chief　to　get　under　the　skin　of　the　whole　project…and　of　Drax。　And　she　had　a　mind　trained　to　his　own　particular　craft。　But　he　would　have　to　be　prepared　for　her　to　be　suspicious　of　the　new　broom　and　perhaps　resentful。　He　wondered　what　she　was　really　like。　The　photograph　on　her　record…sheet　at　the　Yard　had　shown　an　attractive　but　rather　severe　girl　and　any　hint　of　seductiveness　had　been　abstracted　by　the　cheerless　jacket　of　her　policewoman's　uniform。
　Hair　：　Auburn。　Eyes　：　Blue。　Height：　5　ft　7。　Weight：　9　stone。　Hips：　38。　Waist：　26。　Bust：　38。　Distinguishing　marks　：　Mole　on　upper　curvature　of　right　breast。
　Hm！　thought　Bond。
　He　put　the　statistics　out　of　his　mind　as　he　came　to　the　turning　to　the　right。　There　was　a　signpost　that　said　Kingsdown；　and　the　lights　of　a　small　inn。
　He　pulled　up　and　switched　off　the　engine。　Above　his　head　a　sign　which　said　'World　Without　Want〃　in　faded　gold　lettering　groaned　in　the　salt　breeze　that　came　over　the　cliffs　half　a　mile　away。　He　got　out；　stretched　and　walked　over　to　the　door　of　the　public　bar。　It　was　locked。　Closed　for　cleaning？　He　tried　the　next　door；　which　opened　and　gave　access　to　the　small　private　bar。　Behind　the　bar　a　stolid…looking　man　in　shirt…sleeves　was　reading　an　evening　paper。
　He　looked　up　as　Bond　entered；　and　put　his　paper　down。　〃Evening；　sir；〃　he　said；　evidently　relieved　to　see　a　customer。
　〃Evening；〃　said　Bond。　〃Large　whisky　and　soda；　please。〃
　He　sat　up　at　the　bar　and　waited　while　the　man　poured　two　measures　of　Black　and　White　and　put　the　glass　in　front　of　him　with　a　syphon　of　soda。
　Bond　filled　the　glass　with　soda　and　drank。　〃Bad　business　you　had　here　last　night；〃　he　said；　putting　the　glass　down。
　〃Terrible；　sir；〃　said　the　man。　〃And　bad　for　trade。　Would　you　be　from　the　Press；　sir？　Had　nothing　but　reporters　and　policemen　in　and　out　of　the　house　all　day　long。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Bond。　〃I've　e　to　take　over　the　job　of　the　fellow　who　got　shot。　Major　Tallon。　Was　he　one　of　your　regular　customers？〃
　〃Never　came　here　but　the　once；　sir；　and　that　was　the　end。　of　him。　Now　I've　been　put　out　of　bounds　for　a　week　and　the　public　has　got　to　be　painted　from　top　to　bottom。　But　I　will　say　that　Sir　Hugo　has　been　very　decent　about　it。　Sent　me　fifty　quid　this　afternoon　to　pay　for　the　damage。　He　must　be　a　fine　gentleman　that。　Made　himself　well　liked　in　these　parts。　Always　very　generous　and　a　cheery　word　for　all。〃
　〃Yes。　Fine　man；〃　said　Bond。　〃Did　you　see　it　all　happen？〃
　〃Didn't　see　the　first　shot；　sir。　Serving　a　pint　at　the　time。　Then　of　course　I　looked　up。　Dropped　the　ruddy　pint　on　the　floor。〃
　〃What　happened　then？〃
　〃Well；　everybody's　standing　back　of　course。　Nothing　but　Germans　in　the　place。　About　a　dozen　of　them。　There's　the　body　on　the　floor　and　the　chap　with　the　gun　looking　down　at　him。　Then　suddenly　he　stands　to　attention　and　sticks　his　left　arm　up　in　the　air。　'Eil！'　he　shouts　like　the　silly　bastards　used　to　do　during　the　war。　Then　he　puts　the　end　of　the　gun　in　his　mouth。　Next　thing；〃　the　man　made　a　grimace；　〃he's　all　over　my　ruddy　ceiling。〃
　〃That　was　all　he　said　after　the　shot？〃　asked　Bond；　〃Just　'Heil'？〃
　〃That's　all；　sir。　Don't　seem　to　be　able　to　forget　the　bloody　word；　do　they？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Bond　thoughtfully；　〃they　certainly　don't。〃
　
　CHAPTER　XI
　
　POLICEWOMAN　BRAND
　
　FIVE　MINUTES　later　Bond　was　showing　his　Ministry　pass　to　the　uniformed　guard　on　duty　at　the　gate　in　the　high　wire；　fence。
　The　RAF　sergeant　handed　it　back　to　him　and　saluted。　〃Sir　Hugo's　expecting　you；　sir。　It's　the　big　house　up　in　the　woods　there。〃　He　pointed　to　some　lights　a　hundred　yards　further　on　towards　the　cliffs。
　Bond　heard　him　telephoning　to　the　next　guard　point。　He　motored　slowly　along　the　new　tarmac　road　that　had　been　laid　across　the　fields　behind　Kingsdown。　He　could　hear　the　distant　boom　of　the　sea　at　the　foot　of　the　tall　cliffs　and　from　somewhere　close　at　hand　there　was　a　high…pitched　whine　of　machinery　which　grew　louder　as　he　approached　the　trees。
　He　was　stepped　again　by　a　plain…clothes　guard　at　a　second　wire　fence　through　which　a　five…bar　gat