if.moonraker-第47部分

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ledon。　Haha。　Hullo；　what's　going　on　down　there　by　the　jetty？　By　jove；　there's　a　submarine　just　surfaced　alongside。　I　say；　what　a　sight。　One　of　our　biggest　I　should　say。　And　Sir　Hugo's　team　is　down　there　too。　Lined　up　on　the　jetty　as　if　they　were　on　parade。　Magnificent　body　of　men。　Now　they're　filing　on　board。　Perfect　discipline。　Must　be　an　idea　of　the　Admiralty's。　Give　them　a　special　grandstand　out　in　the　Channel。　Splendid　show。　Wish　you　could　be　here　to　see　it。　Now　Sir　Hugo　is　ing　towards　us。　In　a　moment　he'll　be　speaking　to　you。　Fine　figure　of　a　man。　Everyone　in　the　firing　point　is　giving　him　a　cheer。　I'm　sure　we　all　feel　like　cheering　him　today。　He's　ing　into　the　firing　point。　I　can　see　the　sun　glinting　on　the　nose　of　the　Moonraker　way　over　there　behind　him。　Just　showing　out　of　the　top　of　the　launching　dome。　Hope　somebody's　got　a　camera。　Now　here　he　is；〃　a　pause。　〃Sir　Hugo　Drax。〃
　Bond　looked　into　Gala's　dripping　face。　Soaked　and　bleeding　they　stood　in　each　other's　arms；　speechless　and　trembling　slightly　with　the　storm　of　their　emotions。　Their　eyes　were　blank　and　fathomless　as　they　met　and　held　each　other's　gaze。
　〃Your　majesty；　men　and　women　of　England；〃　the　voice　was　a　velvet　snarl。　〃I　am　about　to　change　the　course　of　England's　history。〃　A　pause。　〃In　a　few　minutes'　time　the　lives　of　all　of　you　will　be　altered；　in　some　cases；　ahem；　drastically；　by　the；　er；　impact　of　the　Moonraker。　I　am　very　proud　and　pleased　that　fate　has　singled　me　out；　from　amongst　all　my　fellow　countrymen；　to　fire　this　great　arrow　of　vengeance　into　the　skies　and　thus　to　proclaim　for　all　time；　and　for　all　the　world　to　witness；　the　might　of　my　fatherland。　I　hope　that　this　occasion　will　be　forever　a　warning　that　the　fate　of　my　country's　enemies　will　be　written　in　dust；　in　ashes；　in　tears；　and；〃　a　pause；　〃in　blood。　And　now　thank　you　all　for　listening　and　I　sincerely　hope　that　those　of　you　who　are　able　will　repeat　my　words　to　your　children；　if　you　have　any；　tonight。〃
　A　rattle　of　rather　hesitant　applause　sounded　out　of　the　machine　and　then　came　the　breezy　voice　of　the　announcer。　〃And　that　was　Sir　Hugo　Drax　saying　a　few　words　to　you　before　he　walks　across　the　floor　of　the　firing　point　to　the　switch　on　the　wall　which　will　fire　the　Moonraker。　The　first　time　he　has　spoken　in　public。　Very；　ahem；　forthright。　Doesn't　mince　his　words。　However；　a　lot　of　us　will　say　there's　no　harm　in　that。　And　now　it's　time　for　me　to　hand　over　to　the　expert；　Group　Captain　Tandy　of　the　Ministry　of　Supply；　who　will　describe　to　you　the　actual　firing　of　the　Moonraker。　After　that　you　will　hear　Peter　Trimble　in　one　of　the　naval　security　patrol；　HMS　Merganzer；　describe　the　scene　in　the　target　area。　Group　Captain　Tandy。〃
　Bond　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Only　a　minute　more；〃　he　said　to　Gala。　〃God；　I'd　like　to　get　my　hands　on　Drax。　Here；〃　he　reached　for　the　cake　of　soap　and　gouged　some　pieces　off　it。　〃Stuff　this　in　your　ears　when　the　time　es。　The　noise　is　going　to　be　terrific；　I　don't　know　about　the　heat。　It　won't　last　long　and　the　steel　walls　may　stand　up　to　it。〃
　Gala　looked　at　him。　She　smiled。　〃If　you　hold　me　it　won't　be　too　bad；〃　she　said。
　〃。。。　and　now　Sir　Hugo　has　his　hand　on　the　switch　and　he's　watching　the　chronometer。〃
　〃TEN；〃　broke　in　another　voice；　heavy　and　sonorous　as　the　toll　of　a　bell。
　Bond　turned　on　the　shower　and　the　water　hissed　down　on　their　clinging　bodies。
　〃NINE；〃　tolled　the　voice　of　the　time…keeper。
　〃。。。　the　radar　operators　are　watching　the　screens。　Nothing　but　a　mass　of　wavy　lines。。。〃
　〃EIGHT。〃
　〃。。。　all　wearing　ear…plugs。　Blockhouse　should　be　indestructable。　Concrete　walls　are　twelve　feet　thick。　Pyramid　roof；　twenty…seven　feet　thick　at　the　point。。。〃
　〃SEVEN。〃
　〃。。。　first　the　radio　beam　will　stop　the　time　mechanism　alongside　the　turbines。　Set　the　pinwheel　going。　Flaming　thing　like　a　Catherine　wheel。。。〃
　〃SIX。〃
　〃。。。　valves　will　open。　Liquid　fuel。　Secret　formula。　Terrific　stuff。　Dynamite。　Pours　down　from　the　fuel　tanks。。。〃
　〃FIVE。〃
　〃。。。　ignited　by　the　pinwheel　when　the　fuel　gets　to　the　rocket　motor。。。〃
　〃FOUR。〃
　〃。。。　meanwhile　the　peroxide　and　permanganate　have　mixed；　made　steam　and　the　turbine　pumps　begin　to　turn。。。〃
　〃THREE。〃
　〃。。。　pumping　the　flaming　fuel　through　the　motor　out　of　the　stern　of　the　rocket　into　the　exhaust　pit。　Gigantic　heat。。。　3500　degrees。。。〃
　〃TWO。〃
　〃。。。　Sir　Hugo　is　about　to　press　the　switch。　He's　staring　out　through　the　slit。　Perspiration　on　his　forehead。　Absolute　silence　in　here。　Terrific　tension。〃
　〃ONE。〃
　Nothing　but　the　noise　of　the　water；　steadily　pouring　down　on　the　two　clinging　bodies。
　FIRE！
　Bond's　heart　jumped　into　his　throat　at　the　shout。　He　felt　Gala　shudder。　Silence。　Nothing　but　the　hissing　of　the　water。。。
　〃。。。　Sir　Hugo's　left　the　firing　point。　Walking　calmly　over　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　So　confident。　He's　stepped　on　to　the　hoist。　He's　going　down。　Of　course。　He　must　be　going　out　to　the　submarine。　Television　screen　shows　a　little　steam　ing　out　of　the　tail　of　the　rocket。　A　few　more　seconds。　Yes；　he's　out　on　the　jetty。　He　looked　back　and　raised　his　arm　in　the　air。　Good　old　Sir　Hu。。。〃
　A　soft　thunder　came　to　Bond　and　Gala。　Louder。　Louder。　The　tiled　floor　began　to　tremble　under　their　feet。　A　hurricane　scream。　They　were　being　pulverized　by　it。　The　walls　were　quaking；　steaming。　Their　legs　began　going　out　of　control　under　their　teetering　bodies。　Hold　her　up。　Hold　her　up。　Stop　it！　Stop　it！！　STOP　THAT　NOISE！！！
　Christ；　he　was　going　to　faint。　The　water　was　boiling。　Must　turn　it　off。　Got　it。　No。　Pipe's　burst。　Steam；　smell；　iron；　paint。
　Get　her　out！　Get　her　out！！　Get　her　out！！！
　And　then　there　was　silence。　Silence　you　could　feel；　hold；　squeeze。　And　they　were　on　the　floor　of　Drax's　office。　Only　the　light　in　the　bathroom　still　shining　out。　And　the　smoke's　clearing。　And　the　filthy　smell　of　burning　iron　and　paint。　Being　sucked　out　by　the　air…conditioner。　And　the　steel　wall　is　bent　towards　them　like　a　huge　blister。　Gala's　eyes　are　open　and　she's　smiling。　But　the　rocket。　What　happened？　London？　North　Sea？　The　radio。　Looks　all　right。　He　shook　his　head　and　the　deafness　slowly　cleared。　He　remembered　the　soap。　Gouged　it　out。
　〃。。。　through　the　sound　barrier。　Travelling　perfectly　right　in　the　centre　of　the　radar　screen。　A　perfect　launching。　Afraid　you　couldn't　hear　anything　because　of　the　noise。　Terrific。　First　of　all　the　great　sheet　of　flame　ing　out　of　the　cliff　from　the　exhaust　pit　and　then　you　should　have　seen　the　nose　slowly　creep　up　out　of　the　dome。　And　there　she　was　like　a　great　silver　pencil。　Standing　upright　on　this　huge　column　of　flame　and　slowly　climbing　into　the　air　and　the　flame　splashing　for　hundreds　of　yards　over　the　concrete。　The　howl　of　the　thing　must　have　nearly　burst　our　microphones。　Great　bits　have　fallen　off　the　cliff　and　the　concrete　looks　like　a　spider's　web。　Terrible　vibration。　And　then　she　was　climbing　faster　and　faster。　A　hundred　miles　an　hour。　A　thousand。　And；〃　he　broke　off；　〃what's　that　you　say？　Really！　And　now　she's　travelling　at　over　ten　thousand　miles　an　hour！　She's　three　hundred　miles　up。　Can't　hear　her　any　more；　of　course。　We　could　only　see　her　flame　for　a　few　seconds。　Like　a　star。　Sir　Hugo　must　be　a　proud　man。　He's　out　there　in　the　Channel　now。　The　submarine　went　off　like　a　rocket；　haha；　must　be　doing　more　than　thirty　knots。　Throwing　up　a　huge　wake。　Off　the　East　Goodwins　now。　Travelling　north。　She'll　soon　be　up　with　the　patrol　ships。　They'll　have　a　view　of　the　launching　and　of　the　landing。　Quite　a。　surprise　trip　that。　No　one　here　had　an　inkling。　Even　the　naval　authorities　seem　a　bit　mystified。　C…in…G　Nore　has　been　on　the　telephone。　But　now　that's　all　I　can　tell　you　from　here　and　I'll　hand　you　over　to　Peter　Trimble　on　board　HMS　Merganzer　somewhere　off　the　East　Coast。〃
　Nothing　but　the　pumping　lungs　showed　that　the　two　limp　bodies　in　the　creeping　pool　of　water　on　the　floor　were　still　alive；　but　their　battered　ear…drums　were　desperately　clinging　to　the　crackle　of　static　that　came　briefly　from　the　blistered　metal　cabinet。　Now　for　the　verdict　on　their　work。
　〃And　this　is　Peter　Trimble　speaking。　It's　a　beautiful　morning；　I　mean…er…afternoon　here。　Just　north　of　the　Good　win　Sands。　Calm　as　a　millpond。　No　wind。　Bright　sunshine。　And　the　target　area　is　reported　clear　of　ship