if.moonraker-第46部分

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　He　drew　his　shirt　collar　back　and　stole　a　look　out　through　the　grating　at　the　guards。　Those　he　could　see　were　looking　straight　at　the　launching…dome；　somewhere　to　his　left。
　Again　the　long　harsh　whisper。　And　again。
　It　was　getting　louder。　He　could　see　the　heads　of　the　guards　pivoting　towards　the　grating　in　the　wall　which　hid　him　and　Gala。　They　must　be　watching；　fascinated；　as　the　thick　white　jets　of　steam　shot　out　through　the　gratings　high　up　in　the　cement　wall；　wondering　if　this　one；　or　that　one；　or　that　one；　would　be　acpanied　by　a　double　scream。
　He　could　feel　Gala's　heart　beating　against　his。　She　didn't　know　what　was　ing。　She　trusted　him。
　〃It　may　hurt；〃　he　whispered　to　her　again。　〃It　may　burn。　It　won't　kill　us。　Be　brave。　Don't　make　a　sound。〃
　〃I'm　all　right；〃　she　whispered　angrily。　But　he　could　feel　her　body　press　closer　in　to　his。
　Whoosh。　It　was　getting　closer。
　Whoosh！　Two　away。
　WHOOSH！！　Next　door。　A　suspicion　of　the　wet　smell　of　steam　came　to　him。
　Hold　tight；　Bond　said　to　himself。　He　smothered　her　in　towards　him　and　held　his　breath。
　Now。　Quick。　Get　it　over；　damn　you。
　And　suddenly　there　was　a　great　pressure　and　heat　and　a　roaring　in　the　ears　and　a　moment　of　blazing　pain。
　Then　dead　silence；　a　mixture　of　sharp　cold　and　fire　on　the　ankles　and　hands；　a　feeling　of　soaking　wet　and　a　desperate；　choking　effort　to　get　pure　air　into　the　lungs。
　Their　bodies　automatically　fought　to　withdraw　from　each　other；　to　capture　some　inches　of　space　and　air　for　the　areas　of　skin　that　were　already　blistering。　The　breath　rattled　in　their　throats　and　the　water　poured　off　the　cement　into　their　open　mouths　until　they　bent　sideways　and　choked　the　water　out　to　join　the　trickle　that　was　oozing　under　their　soaking　bodies　and　along　past　their　scalded　ankles　and　then　down　the　vertical　walls　of　the　shaft　up　which　they　had　e。
　And　the　howl　of　the　steam　pipe　drew　away　from　them　until　it　became　a　whisper　and　finally　stopped；　and　there　was　silence　in　their　narrow　cement　prison　except　for　their　stubborn　breathing　and　the　ticking　of　Bond's　watch。
　And　the　two　bodies　lay　and　waited；　nursing　their　pain。
　Half　an　hour…half　a　year…later；　Walter　and　Krebs　and　Drax　filed　out　below　them。
　But；　as　a　precaution；　the　guards　had　been　left　behind　in　the　launching　dome。
　
　CHAPTER　XXIV
　
　ZERO
　
　〃THEN　WE'RE　all　agreed？〃
　〃Yes；　Sir　Hugo；〃　it　was　the　Minister　of　Supply　speaking。　Bond　recognized　the　dapper；　assured　figure。　〃Those　are　the　settings。　My　people　have　checked　them　independently　with　the　Air　Ministry　this　morning。〃
　〃Then　if　you'll　allow　me　the　privilage；〃　Drax　held　up　the　slip　of　paper　and　made　to　turn　towards　the　launching…dome。
　〃Hold　it；　Sir　Hugo。　Just　like　that；　please。　Arm　in　the　air。〃　The　bulbs　flashed　and　the　bank　of　cameras　whirred　and　clicked　for　the　last　time　and　Drax　turned　and　walked　the　few　yards　towards　the　dome；　almost；　it　seemed　to　Bond；　looking　him　straight　in　the　eye　through　the　grating　above　the　door　of　the　site。
　The　small　crowd　of　reporters　and　cameramen　dissolved　and　straggled　off　across　the　concrete　apron；　leaving　only　a　nervously　chatting　group　of　officials　to　wait　for　Drax　to　emerge。
　Bond　looked　at　his　watch。　11。45。　Hurry　up；　damn　you；　he　thought。
　For　the　hundredth　time　he　repeated　to　himself　the　figures　Gala　had　taught　him　during　the　hours　of　cramped　pain　that　had　followed　their　ordeal　by　steam；　and　for　the　hundredth　time　he　shifted　his　limbs　to　keep　the　circulation　going。
　〃Get　ready；〃　he　whispered　into　Gala's　ear。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　He　could　feel　the　girl　smile。　〃Fine。〃　She　shut　her　mind　to　the　thought　of　her　blistered　legs　and　the　quick　rasping　descent　back　down　the　ventilator　shaft。
　The　door　clanged　shut　beneath　them　followed　by　the　click　of　the　lock　and；　preceded　by　the　five　guards；　the　figure　of　Drax　appeared　below　striding　masterfully　towards　the　group　of　officials；　the　slip　of　lying　figures　in　his　hand。
　Bond　looked　at　his　watch。　11。47。　〃Now；〃　he　whispered。
　〃Good　luck；〃　she　whispered　back。
　Slither；　scrape；　rip。　His　shoulders　carefully　expanding　and　contracting；　blistered；　bloodstained　feet　scrabbling　for　the　sharp　knobs　of　iron；　Bond；　his　lacerated　body　tearing　its　way　down　the　forty　feet　of　shaft；　prayed　that　the　girl　would　have　strength　to　stand　it　when　she　followed。
　A　last　ten…foot　drop　that　jarred　his　spine；　a　kick　at　the　grating　and　he　was　out　on　the　steel　floor　and　running　for　the　stairs；　leaving　a　trail　of　red　footprints　and　a　spray　of　blood…drops　from　his　raw　shoulders。
　The　arcs　had　been　extinguished；　but　the　daylight　streamed　down　through　the　open　roof　and　the　blue　from　the　sky　mingling　with　the　fierce　glitter　of　the　sunshine　gave　Bond　the　impression　that　he　was　running　up　inside　a　huge　sapphire。
　The　great　deadly　needle　in　the　centre　might　have　been　made　of　glass。　Looking　above　him　as　he　sweated　and　panted　up　the　endless　sweep　of　the　iron　stairway；　it　was　difficult　for　him　to　see　where　its　tapering　nose　ended　and　the　sky　began。
　Behind　the　crouching　silence　that　enveloped　the　shimmering　bullet；　Bond　could　hear　a　quick；　deadly　ticking；　the　hasty　tripping　of　tiny　metal　feet　somewhere　in　the　body　of　the　Moonraker。　It　filled　the　great　steel　chamber　like　the　beating　heart　in　Poe's　story　and　Bond　knew　that　directly　Drax　at　the　firing　point　pressed　the　switch　that　sent　the　radio　beam　zing　ing　over　two　hundred　yards　to　the　waiting　rocket；　the　ticking　would　suddenly　cease；　there　would　be　the　soft　whine　of　the　lighted　pinwheel；　a　wisp　of　steam　from　the　turbines；　and　then　the　howling　jet　of　flame　on　which　the　rocket　would　slowly　rise　and　sweep　majestically　out　on　the　start　of　its　gigantic　acceleration　curve。
　And　then　in　front　of　him　there　was　the　spidery　arm　of　the　gantry　folded　back　against　the　wall　and　Bond's　hand　was　at　the　lever　and　the　arm　was　slowly　stretching　down　and　out　towards　the　square　hairline　on　the　glittering　skin　of　the　rocket　that　was　the　door　of　the　gyro　chamber。
　Bond；　on　hands　and　knees；　was　along　it　even　before　the　rubber　pads　came　to　rest　against　the　polished　chrome。　There　was　the　flush　disc　the　size　of　a　shilling；　just　as　Gala　had　described。　Press；　click；　and　the　tiny　door　had　flicked　open　on　its　hard　spring。　Inside。　Careful　not　to　cut　your　head。　The　gleaming　handles　beneath　the　staring　pass…roses。　Turn。　Twist。　Steady。　That's　for　the　roll。　Now　the　pitch　and　yaw。　Turn。　Twist。　Ever　so　gently。　And　steady。　A　last　look。　A　glance　at　his　watch。　Four　minutes　to　go。　Don't　panic。　Back　out。　Door　click。　A　cat…like　scurry。　Don't　look　down。　Gantry　up。　Clang　against　the　wall。　And　now　for　the　stairs。
　Tick…tick…tick…tick。
　As　Bond　shot　down　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　Gala's　tense；　white　face　as　she　stood　holding　open　the　outer　door　of　Drax's　office。　God；　how　his　body　hurt！　A　final　leap　and　a　clumsy　swerve　to　the　right。　Clang　as　Gala　slammed　the　outer　door。　Another　clang　and　they　were　across　the　room　and　into　the　shower　and　the　water　was　hissing　down　on　their　clinging；　panting　bodies。
　Through　the　noise　of　it　all；　above　the　beating　of　his　heart；　Bond　heard　the　sudden　crackle　of　static　and　then　the　voice　of　the　BBC　announcer　ing　from　the　big　set　in　Drax's　room　a　few　inches　away　through　the　thin　wall　of　the　bathroom。　It　had　been　Gala　again　who　had　remembered　Drax's　wireless　and　who　had　found　time　to　throw　the　switches　while　Bond　was　working　on　the　gyros。
　〃。。。　be　five　minutes'　delay；〃　said　the　breezy；　excited　voice。　〃Sir　Hugo　has　been　persuaded　to　say　a　few　words　into　the　microphone。〃　Bond　turned　off　the　shower　and　the　voice　came　to　them　more　clearly。　〃He　looks　very　confident。　Just　saying　something　into　the　Minister's　ear。　They're　both　laughing。
　Wonder　what　it　was？　Ah；　here's　my　colleague　with　the　latest　weather　report　from　the　Air　Ministry。　What's　that？　Perfect　at　all　altitudes。　Good　show。　It　certainly　is　a　wonderful　day　down　below　here。　Haha。　Those　crowds　in　the　distance　by　the　coastguard　station　will　be　getting　quite　a　sunburn。　There　must　be　thousands。　What's　that　you　say？　Twenty　thousand？　Well；　it　certainly　looks　like　it。　And　Walmer　Beach　is　black　with　them　too。　The　whole　of　Kent　seems　to　be　out。　Terrible　crick　in　the　neck　we're　all　going　to　get；　I'm　afraid。　Worse　than　Wimbledon。　Haha。　Hullo；　what's　going　on　down　there　by　the