if.moonraker-第50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！


he　Pas　de　Calais。　There　was　that　farmhouse　with　the　wonderful　food　between　Montreuil　and　Etaples。　Then　the　fast　sweep　down　to　the　Loire。　The　little　places　near　the　river　for　a　few　days。　Not　the　chateau　towns。　Places　like　Beaugency；　for　instance。　Then　slowly　south；　always　keeping　to　the　western　roads；　avoiding　the　five…star　life。　Slowly　exploring。　Bond　pulled　himself　up。　Exploring　what？　Each　other？　Was　he　getting　serious　about　this　girl？
　〃James。〃
　It　was　a　clear；　high；　rather　nervous　voice。　Not　the　voice　he　had　expected。
　He　looked　up。　She　was　standing　a　few　feet　away　from　him。　He　noticed　that　she　was　wearing　a　black　beret　at　a　rakish　angle　and　that　she　looked　exciting　and　mysterious　like　someone　you　see　driving　by　abroad；　alone　in　an　open　car；　someone　unattainable　and　more　desirable　than　anyone　you　have　ever　known。　Someone　who　is　on　her　way　to　make　love　to　somebody　else。　Someone　who　is　not　for　you。
　He　got　up　and　they　took　each　other's　hands。
　It　was　she　who　released　herself。　She　didn't　sit　down。
　〃I　wish　you　were　going　to　be　there　tomorrow；　James。〃　Her　eyes　were　soft　as　she　looked　at　him。　Soft；　but；　he　thought；　somehow　evasive。
　He　smiled。　〃Tomorrow　morning　or　tomorrow　night？〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；〃　she　laughed；　blushing。　〃I　meant　at　the　Palace。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　afterwards？〃　asked　Bond。
　She　looked　at　him　carefully。　What　did　the　look　remind　him　of？　The　Morphy　look？　The　look　he　had　given　Drax　on　that　last　hand　at　Blades？　No。　Not　quite。　There　was　something　else　there。　Tenderness？　Regret？
　She　looked　over　his　shoulder。
　Bond　turned　round。　A　hundred　yards　away　there　was　the　tall　figure　of　a　young　man　with　fair　hair　trimmed　short。　His
　。　back　was　towards　them　and　he　was　idling　along；　killing　time。
　Bond　turned　back　and　Gala's　eyes　met　his　squarely。
　〃I'm　going　to　marry　that　man；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Tomorrow　afternoon。〃　And　then；　as　if　no　other　explanation　was　needed；　〃His　name's　Detective…Inspector　Vivian。〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　Bond。　He　smiled　stiffly。　〃I　see。〃
　There　was　a　moment　of　silence　during　which　their　eyes　slid　away　from　each　other。
　And　yet　why　should　he　have　expected　anything　else？　A　kiss。　The　contact　of　two　frightened　bodies　clinging　together　in　the　midst　of　danger。　There　had　been　nothing　more。　And　there　had　been　the　engagement　ring　to　tell　him。　Why　had　he　automatically　assumed　that　it　had　only　been　worn　to　keep　Drax　at　bay？　Why　had　he　imagined　that　she　shared　his　desires；　his　plans？
　And　now　what？　wondered　Bond。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　to　shift　the　pain　of　failure…the　pain　of　failure　that　is　so　much　greater　than　the　pleasure　of　success。　The　exit　line。　He　must　get　out　of　these　two　young　lives　and　take　his　cold　heart　elsewhere。　There　must　be　no　regrets。　No　false　sentiment。　He　must　play　the　role　which　she　expected　of　him。　The　tough　man　of　the　world。　The　Secret　Agent。　The　man　who　was　only　a　silhouette。
　She　was　looking　at　him　rather　nervously；　waiting　to　'be　relieved　of　the　stranger　who　had　tried　to　get　his　foot　in　the　door　of　her　heart。
　Bond　smiled　warmly　at　her。　〃I'm　jealous；〃　he　said。　〃I　had　other　plans　for　you　tomorrow　night。〃
　She　smiled　back　at　him；　grateful　that　the　silence　had　been　broken。　〃What　were　they？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　was　going　to　take　you　off　to　a　farmhouse　in　France；〃　he　said。　〃And　after　a　wonderful　dinner　I　was　going　to　see　if　it's　true　what　they　say　about　the　scream　of　a　rose。〃
　She　laughed。　〃I'm　sorry　I　can't　oblige。　But　there　are　plenty　of　others　waiting　to　be　picked。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　said　Bond。　〃Well；　goodbye；　Gala。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。
　〃Goodbye；　James。〃
　He　touched　her　for　the　last　time　and　then　they　turned　away　from　each　other　and　walked　off　into　their　different　lives。



1