if.moonraker-第39部分

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　He　swore　sharply　and　then　there　was　silence　and　she　could　feel　the　big　car　weaving　and　straining　in　the　thin　traffic。　〃Ja；　sowas！〃　said　Drax　finally。　His　voice　was　thoughtful。　〃So　that　old　museum…piece　of　his　can　still　move。　So　much　the　better；　my　dear　Krebs。　He　seems　to　be　alone。〃　He　laughed　harshly。　〃So　we　will　give　him　a　run　for　his　money　and　if　he　survives　it　we　will　get　him　in　the　bag　with　the　woman。　Turn　on　the　radio。　Home　Service。　We　will　soon　find　out　if　there　is　a　hitch。〃
　There　was　a　short　crackle　of　static　and　then　Gala　could　hear　the　voice　of　the　Prime　Minister；　the　voice　of　all　the　great　occasions　in　her　life；　ing　through　in　broken　fragments　as　Drax　put　the　car　into　third　and　accelerated　out　of　the　town；　'。。。　weapon　devised　by　the　ingenuity　of　man。。。　a　thousand　miles　into　the　firmament。。。　area　patrolled　by　Her　Majesty's　ships。。。　designed　exclusively　for　the　defence　of　our　beloved　island。。。　a　long　era　of　peace。。。　development　for　Man's　great　journey　away　from　the　confines　of　this　planet。。。　Sir　Hugo　Drax；　that　great　patriot　and　benefactor　of　our　country。。。'
　Gala　heard　Drax's　roar　of　laughter　above　the　howling　of　the　wind；　a　great　scornful　bray　of　triumph；　and　then　the　set　was　switched　off。
　〃James；〃　whispered　Gala　to　herself。　〃There's　only　you　left。　Be　careful。　But　make　haste。〃
　Bond's　face　was　a　mask　of　dust　and　filthy　with　the　blood　of　flies　and　moths　that　had　smashed　against　it。　Often　he　had　had　to　take　a　cramped　hand　off　the　wheel　to　clear　his　goggles　but　the　Bentley　was　going　beautifully　and　he　felt　sure　of　holding　the　Mercedes。
　He　was　touching　ninety…five　on　the　straight　just　before　the　entrance　to　Leeds　Castle　when　great　lights　were　suddenly　switched　on　behind　him　and　a　four…tone　windhorn　sounded　its　impudent　'pom…pim…pom…pam'　almost　in　his　ear。
　The　apparition　of　a　third　car　in　the　race　was　almost　unbelievable。　Bond　had　hardly　troubled　to　look　in　his　driving…mirror　since　he　left　London。　No　one　but　a　racing…driver　or　a　desperate　man　could　have　kept　up　with　them；　and　his　mind　was　in　a　turmoil　as　he　automatically　pulled　over　to　the　left　and　saw　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　a　low；　fire…engine…red　car　e　up　level　with　him　and　draw　away　with　a　good　ten　miles　an　hour　extra　on　its　clock。
　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　famous　Alfa　radiator　and　along　the　edge　of　the　bonnet　in　bold　white　script　the　words　Attaboy　II。　Then　there　was　the　grinning　face　of　a　youth　in　shirtsleeves　who　stuck　two　rude　fingers　in　the　air　before　he　pulled　away　in　the　welter　of　sound　which　an　Alfa　at　speed　pounds　from　the　whine　of　its　supercharger；　the　Gatling　crackle　of　its　exhaust；　and　the　thunderous　howl　of　its　transmission。
　Bond　grinned　in　admiration　as　he　raised　a　hand　to　the　driver。　Alfa…Romeo　supercharged　straight…eight；　he　thought　to　himself。　Must　be　nearly　as　old　as　mine。　'Thirty…two　or　'33　probably。　And　only　half　my　c。c。　Targa　Florio　in　1931　and　did　well　everywhere　after　that。　Probably　a　hot…rod　type　from　one　of　the　RAF　stations　round　here。　Trying　to　get　back　from　a　party　in　time　to　sign　in　before　he's　put　on　the　report。　He　watched　affectionately　as　the　Alfa　wagged　its　tail　in　the　S…bend　abreast　of　Leeds　Castle　and　then　howled　off　on　the　long　wide　road　towards　the　distant　Charing…fork。
　Bond　could　imagine　the　grin　of　delight　as　the　boy　came　up　with　Drax。　'Oh；　boy。　It's　a　Merc！'　And　the　rage　of　Drax　at　the　impudent　music　of　the　windhorn。　Must　be　doing　105；　reflected　Bond。　Hope　the　damn　fool　doesn't　run　out　of　road。　He　watched　the　two　sets　of　tail　lights　closing　up；　the　boy　in　the　Alfa　preparing　for　his　trick　of　ing　up　behind　and　suddenly　switching　everything　on　when　he　could　see　a　chance　to　get　by。
　There。　Four　hundred　yards　away　the　Mercedes　showed　white　in　the　sudden　twin　shafts　from　the　Alfa。　There　was　a　mile　of　clear　road　ahead；　straight　as　a　die。　Bond　could　almost　feel　the　boy's　feet　stamping　the　pedal　still　further　into　the　floorboards。　Attaboy！
　Up　front　in　the　Mercedes　Krebs　had　his　mouth　close　to　Drax's　ear。　〃Another　of　them；〃　he　shouted　urgently。　〃Can't　see　his　face。　ing　up　to　pass　now。〃
　Drax　let　out　a　harsh　obscenity。　His　bared　teeth　showed　white　in　the　pale　glimmer　from　the　dashboard。　〃Teach　the　swine　a　lesson；〃　he　said；　setting　his　shoulders　and　gripping　the　wheel　tightly　in　the　great　leather　gauntlets。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　watched　the　nose　of　the　Alfa　creep　up　to　starboard。　'Pom…pim…pom…pam'　chirped　the　windhorn；　softly；　delicately；　Drax　inched　the　wheel　of　the　Mercedes　to　the　right　and；　at　the　horrible　crash　of　metal；　whipped　it　back　again　to　correct　the　slew　of　his　tail。
　〃Bravo！　Bravo！〃　screamed　Krebs；　beside　himself　with　excitement　as　he　knelt　on　the　seat　and　looked　back。　〃Double　somersault。　Jumped　the　hedge　upside　down。　I　think　he's　burning　already。　Yes。　There　are　flames。〃
　〃That'll　give　our　fine　Mister　Bond　something　to　think　about；〃　snarled　Drax；　breathing　heavily。
　But　Bond；　his　face　a　tight　mask；　had　hardly　checked　his　speed　and　there　was　nothing　but　revenge　in　his　mind　as　he　hurtled　on　after　the　flying　Mercedes。
　He　had　seen　it　all。　The　grotesque　flight　of　the　red　car　as　it　turned　over　and　over；　the　flying　figure　of　the　driver；　his　arms　and　legs　spreadeagled　as　he　soared　out　of　the　driving　seat；　and　the　final　thunder　as　the　car　hurdled　the　hedge　upside　down　and　crashed　into　the　field。
　As　he　flashed　by；　noting　the　horrible　graffiti　of　the　black　skid…marked　across　the　tarmac；　his　mind　recorded　one　final　macabre　touch。　Somehow　undamaged　in　the　holocaust；　the　windhorn　was　still　making　contact　and　its　ululations　were　going　on　up　to　the　sky；　stridently　clearing　imaginary　roads　for　the　passage　of　Attaboy　II…'Pom…pim…pom…pam。'　Tom…pim…pom…pam。。。'
　So　a　murder　had　taken　place　in　front　of　his　eyes。　Or　at　any　rate　an　attempted　murder。　So；　whatever　his　motives；　Sir　Hugo　Drax　had　declared　war　and　didn't　mind　Bond　knowing　it。　This　made　a　lot　of　things　easier。　It　meant　that　Drax　was　a　criminal　and　probably　a　maniac。　Above　all　it　meant　certain　danger　for　the　Moonraker。　That　was　enough　for　Bond。　He　reached　under　the　dashboard　and　from　its　concealed　holster　drew　out　the　long…barrelled　。45　Colt　Army　Special　and　laid　it　on　the　seat　beside　him。　The　battle　was　now　in　the　open　and　somehow　the　Mercedes　must　be　stopped。
　Using　the　road　as　if　it　was　Donington；　Bond　rammed　his　foot　down　and　kept　it　there。　Gradually；　with　the　needle　twitching　either　side　of　the　hundred　mark　he　began　to　narrow　the　gap。
　Drax　took　the　left…hand　fork　at　Charing　and　hissed　up　the　long　hill。　Ahead；　in　the　giant　beam　of　his　headlights；　one　of　Bowaters'　huge　eight…wheeled　AEC　Diesel　carriers　was　just　grinding　into　the　first　bend　of　the　hairpin；　labouring　under　the　fourteen　tons　of　newsprint　it　was　taking　on　a　night　run　to　one　of　the　East　Kent　newspapers。
　Drax　cursed　under　his　breath　as　he　saw　the　long　carrier　with　the　twenty　gigantic　rolls；　each　containing　five　miles　of　newsprint；　roped　to　its　platform。　Right　in　the　middle　of　the　tricky　S…bend　at　the　top　of　the　hill。
　He　looked　in　the　driving　mirror　and　saw　the　Bentley　ing　into　the　fork。
　And　then　Drax　had　his　idea。
　〃Krebs；〃　the　word　was　a　pistol　shot。　〃Get　out　your　knife。〃
　There　was　a　sharp　click　and　the　stiletto　was　in　Krebs's　hand。　One　didn't　dawdle　when　there　was　that　note　in　the　master's　voice。
　〃I　am　going　to　slow　down　behind　this　lorry。　Take　your　shoes　and　socks　off　and　climb　out　on　to　the　bonnet　and　when　I　e　up　behind　the　lorry　jump　on　to　it。　I　shall　be　going　at　walking…pace。　It　will　be　safe。　Cut　the　ropes　that　hold　the　rolls　of　paper。　The　left　ones　first。　Then　the　right。　I　shall　have　pulled　up　level　with　the　lorry　and　when　you　have　cut　the　second　lot　jump　into　the　car。　Be　careful　you　are　not　swept　off　with　the　paper。　Verstanden？　Also。　Hals　und　Beinbruch！〃
　Drax　dowsed　his　headlights　and　swept　round　the　bend　at　eighty。　The　lorry　was　twenty　yards　ahead　and　Drax　had　to　brake　hard　to　avoid　crashing　into　its　tail。　The　Mercedes　executed　a　dry　skid　until　its　radiator　was　almost　underneath　the　platform　of　the　carrier。
　Drax　changed　down　to　second。　〃Now！〃　He　held　the　car　steady　as　a　rock　as　Krebs；　with　bare　feet；　went　over　the　windscreen　and　scrambled　along　the　shining　bonnet；　his　knife　in　his　hand。
　With　a　leap　he　was　up　and　hacking　at　the　left…hand