if.moonraker-第34部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Either　way　he　would　look　after　her　until　the　Moonraker　was　safely　fired　and　then；　before　work　began　on　the　Mark　II　weapon；　there　would　have　to　be　a　very　thorough　clean…up　indeed。
　But　these　were　treacherously　forting　thoughts。　There　was　danger　about　and　Bond　knew　it。
　He　finally　drifted　into　sleep　with　one　small　scene　firmly　fixed　in　his　mind。
　There　had　been　something　very　disquieting　about　the　dinner…table　downstairs。　It　had　been　laid　for　only　three　people。
　
　PART　THREE：　THURSDAY；　FRIDAY
　
　CHAPTER　XVIII
　
　BENEATH　THE　FLAT　STONE
　
　THE　MERCEDES　was　a　beautiful　thing。　Bond　pulled　his　1　battered　grey　Bentley　up　alongside　it　and　inspected　it。
　It　was　a　Type　300　S；　the　sports　model　with　a　disappearing　hood…one　of　only　half　a　dozen　in　England；　he　reflected。　Left…hand　drive。　Probably　bought　in　Germany。　He　had　seen　a　few　of　them　over　there。　One　had　hissed　by　him　on　the　Munich　Autobahn　the　year　before　when　he　was　doing　a　solid　…ninety　in　the　Bentley。　The　body；　too　short　and　heavy　to　be　graceful；　was　painted　white；　with　red　leather　upholstery。　Garish　for　England；　but　Bond　guessed　that　Drax　had　chosen　white　in　honour　of　the　famous　Mercedes…Benz　racing　colours　that　had　already　swept　the　board　again　since　the　war　at　Le　Mans　and　the　Nurburgring。
　Typical　of　Drax　to　buy　a　Mercedes。　There　was　something　ruthless　and　majestic　about　the　cars；　he　decided；　remembering　the　years　from　1934　to　1939　when　they　had　pletely　dominated　the　Grand　Prix　scene；　children　of　the　famous　Blitzen　Benz　that　had　captured　the　world's　speed　record　at　142　m。p。h。　back　in　1911。　Bond　recalled　some　of　their　famous　drivers；　Caracciola；　Lang；　Seaman；　Brauchitsch；　and　the　days　when　he　had　seen　them　drifting　the　fast　sweeping　bends　of　Tripoli　at　190；　or　screaming　along　the　tree…lined　straight　at　Berne　with　the　Auto　Unions　on　their　tails。
　And　yet；　Bond　looked　across　at　his　supercharged　Bentley；　nearly　twenty…five　years　older　than　Drax's　car　and　still　capable　of　beating　too；　and　yet　when　Bentleys　were　racing；　before　Rolls　had　tamed　them　into　sedate　town　carriages；　they　had　whipped　the　blown　SS…K's　almost　as　they　wished。
　Bond　had　once　dabbled　on　the　fringe　of　the　racing　world　and　he　was　lost　in　his　memories；　hearing　again　the　harsh　scream　of　Garacciola's　great　white　beast　of　a　car　as　it　howled　past　the　grandstands　at　Le　Mans；　when　Drax　came　out　of　the　house　followed　by　Gala　Brand　and　Krebs。
　〃Fast　car；〃　said　Drax；　pleased　with　Bond's　look　of　admiration。　He　gestured　towards　the　Bentley。　〃They　used　to　be　good　in　the　old　days；〃　he　added　with　a　touch　of　patronage。　〃Now　they're　only　built　for　going　to　the　theatre。　Too　well…mannered。　Even　the　Continental。　Now　then　you；　get　in　the　back。〃
　Krebs　obediently　climbed　into　the　narrow　back　seat　behind　the　driver。　He　sat　sideways；　his　mackintosh　up　round　his　ears；　his　eyes　fixed　enigmatically　on　Bond。
　Gala　Brand；　smart　in　a　dark　grey　tailor…made　and　black　beret　and　carrying　a　lightweight　black　raincoat　and　gloves；　climbed　into　the　right　half　of　the　divided　front　seat。　The　wide　door　closed　with　the　rich　double　click　of　a　Faberge　box。
　No　sign　passed　between　Bond　and　Gala。　They　had　made　their　plans　at　a　whispered　meeting　in　his　room　before　lunch…dinner　in　London　at　half…past　seven　and　then　back　to　the　house　in　Bond's　car。　She　sat　demurely；　her　hands　in　her　lap　and　her　eyes　to　the　front；　as　Drax　climbed　in；　pressed　the　starter；　and　pulled　the　gleaming　lever　on　the　steering　wheel　back　into　third。　The　car　surged　away　with　hardly　a　purr　from　the　exhaust　and　Bond　watched　it　disappear　into　the　trees　before　he　climbed　into　the　Bentley　and　moved　off　in　leisurely　pursuit。
　In　the　hastening　Mercedes；　Gala　busied　herself　with　her　thoughts。　The　night　had　been　uneventful　and　the　morning　had　been　devoted　to　clearing　the　launching　site　of　everything　that　might　possibly　burn　when　the　Moonraker　was　fired。　Drax　had　not　referred　to　the　events　of　the　previous　day　and　there　had　been　no　change　in　his　usual　manner。　She　had　prepared　her　last　firing　plan　（Drax　himself　was　to　do　it　on　the　morrow）　and　as　usual　Walter　had　been　sent　for　and　through　her　spy…hole　she　had　seen　the　figures　being　entered　in　Drax's　black　book。
　It　was　a　hot；　sunny　day　and　Drax　was　driving　in　his　shirtsleeves。　She　glanced　down　and　to　the　left　at　the　top　of　the　little　book　protruding　from　his　hip…pocket。　This　drive　might　be　her　last　chance。　Since　the　evening　before　she　had　felt　a　different　person。　Perhaps　Bond　had　aroused　her　petitive　spirit；　perhaps　it　was　revulsion　from　playing　the　secretary　too　long；　perhaps　it　was　the　shock　of　the　cliff…fall　and　the　zest　of　realizing　after　so　many　quiet　months　that　she　was　playing　a　dangerous　game。　But　now　she　felt　the　time　had　e　to　take　risks。　Discovery　of　the　Moonraker's　flight…plan　was　a　routine　affair　and　it　would　give　her　personal　satisfaction　to　find　out　the　secret　of　the　black　notebook。　It　would　be　easy。
　Casually　she　laid　her　folded　coat　over　the　space　between　herself　and　Drax。　At　the　same　time　she　made　a　show　of　arranging　herself　fortably；　during　the　course　of　which　she　drew　an　inch　or　two　nearer　Drax　and　her　hand　came　to　rest　in　the　folds　of　the　coat　between　them。　Then　she　settled　her…self　to　wait。
　Her　chance　came；　as　she　had　thought　it　might；　in　the　congested　traffic　of　Maidstone。　Drax；　intent；　was　trying　to　beat　the　traffic　lights　at　the　corner　of　King　Street　and　Gabriel's　Hill；　but　the　line　of　traffic　was　too　slow　and　he　was　checked　behind　a　battered　family　saloon。　Gala　could　see　that　when　the　lights　changed　he　was　determined　to　cut　in　front　of　the　car　in　front　and　teach　it　a　lesson。　He　was　a　brilliant　driver；　but　a　vindictive　and　impatient　one　who　was　always　anxious　for　any　car　that　held　him　up　to　be　given　something　to　remember。
　As　the　lights　went　green　he　gave　a　blast　on　his　triple　horns；　pulled　out　to　the　right　at　the　intersection；　accelerated　brutally　and　got　by；　shaking　his　head　angrily　at　the　driver　of　the　saloon　as　he　passed　it。
　In　the　middle　of　this　harsh　manoeuvre　it　was　natural　for　Gala　to　allow　herself　to　be　thrown　towards　him。　At　the　same　time　her　left　hand　dived　under　the　coat　and　her　fingers　touched；　felt；　and　extracted　the　book　in　one　flow　of　motion。　Then　the　hand　was　back　in　the　folds　of　the　coat　again　and　Drax；　all　his　feeling　in　his　feet　and　hands；　was　seeing　nothing　but　the　traffic　ahead　and　the　chances　of　getting　across　the　zebra　outside　the　Royal　Star　without　hitting　two　women　and　a　boy　who　were　nearly　halfway　across　it。
　Now　it　was　a　question　of　facing　Drax's　growl　of　rage　as　with　a　maidenly　but　urgent　voice　she　asked　if　she　could　possibly　stop　for　a　moment　to　powder　her　nose。
　A　garage　would　be　dangerous。　He　might　decide　to　fill　up　with　petrol。　And　perhaps　he　also　carried　his　money　in　his　hip…pocket。　But　was　there　an　hotel？　Yes；　she　remembered；　the　Thomas　Wyatt　just　outside　Maidstone。　And　it　had　no　petrol　pumps。　She　started　to　fidget　slightly。　She　pulled　the　coat　back　on　to　her　lap。　She　cleared　her　throat。
　〃Oh；　excuse　me；　Sir　Hugo；〃　she　said　in　a　strangled　voice。
　〃Yes。　。What　is　it？〃
　〃I'm　terribly　sorry；　Sir　Hugo。　But　could　you　possibly　stop　for　just　a　moment。　I　want；　I　mean；　I'm　terribly　sorry　but　I'd　like　to　powder　my　nose。　It's　terribly　stupid　of　me。　I'm　so　sorry。〃
　〃Christ；〃　said　Drax。　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you。。。　Oh；　yes。　Well；　all　right。　Find　a　place。〃　He　grumbled　on　into　his　moustache；　but　brought　the　big　car　down　into　the　fifties。
　〃There's　a　hotel　just　around　this　bend；〃　said　Gala　nervously。　〃Thank　you　so　much；　Sir　Hugo。　It　was　stupid　of　me。　I　won't　be　a　moment。　Yes；　here　it　is。〃
　The　car　swerved　up　to　the　front　of　the　inn　and　stopped　with　a　jerk。　〃Hurry　up。　Hurry　up；〃　said　Drax　as　Gala；　leaving　the　door　of　the　car　open；　sped　obediently　across　the　gravel；　her　coat　with　its　precious　secret　held　tightly　in　front　of　her　body。
　She　locked　the　door　of　the　lavatory　and　snatched　open　the　notebook。
　There　they　were；　just　as　she　had　thought。　On　each　page；　under　the　date；　the　neat　columns　of　figures；　the　atmospheric　pressure；　the　wind　velocity；　the　temperature；　just　as　she　had　recorded　them　from　the　Air　Ministry　figures。　And　at　the　foot　of　each　page　the　estimated　settings　for　the　gyro　passes。
　Gala　frowned。　At　a　glance　she　could　see　that　they　were　enti