if.moonraker-第7部分

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　Bond　pushed　through　the　swing　doors　and　walked　up　to　the　old…fashioned　porter's　lodge　ruled　over　by　Brevett；　the　guardian　of　Blades　and　the　counsellor　and　family　friend　of　half　the　members。
　〃Evening；　Brevett。　Is　the　Admiral　in？〃
　〃Good　evening；　sir；〃　said　Brevett；　who　knew　Bond　as　an　occasional　guest　at　the　club。　〃The　Admiral's　waiting　for　you　in　the　card　room。　Page；　take　mander　Bond　up　to　the　Admiral。　Lively　now！〃
　As　Bond　followed　the　uniformed　page　boy　across　the　worn　black　and　white　marble　floor　of　the　hall　and　up　the　wide　staircase　with　its　fine　mahogany　balustrade；　he　remembered　the　story　of　how；　at　one　election；　nine　blackballs　had　been　found　in　the　box　when　there　were　only　eight　members　of　the　mittee　present。　Brevett；　who　had　handed　the　box　from　member　to　member；　was　said　to　have　confessed　to　the　Chairman　that　he　was　so　afraid　the　candidate　would　be　elected　that　he　had　put　in　a　blackball　himself。　No　one　had　objected。　The　mittee　would　rather　have　lost　its　chairman　than　the　porter　whose　family　had　held　the　same　post　at　Blades　for　a　hundred　years。
　The　page　pushed　open　one　wing　of　the　tall　doors　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　and　held　it　for　Bond　to　go　through。　The　long　room　was　not　crowded　and　Bond　saw　M。　sitting　by　himself　playing　patience　in　the　alcove　formed　by　the　left　hand　of　the　three　bow　windows。　He　dismissed　the　page　and　walked　across　the　heavy　carpet；　noticing　the　rich　background　smell　of　cigar…smoke；　the　quiet　voices　that　came　from　the　three　tables　of　bridge；　and　the　sharp　rattle　of　dice　across　an　unseen　backgammon　board。
　〃There　you　are；〃　said　M。　as　Bond　came　up。　He　waved　to　the　chair　that　faced　him　across　the　card　table。　〃Just　let　me　finish　this。　I　haven't　cracked　this　man　Ganfield　for　months。　Drink？〃
　〃No；　thanks；〃　said　Bond。　He　sat　down　and　lit　a　cigarette　and　watched　with　amusement　the　concentration　M。　was　putting　into　his　game。
　'Admiral　Sir　M…M…：　something　at　the　Ministry　of　Defence。'　M。　looked　like　any　member　of　any　of　the　clubs　in　St　James's　Street。　Dark　grey　suit；　stiff　white　collar；　the　favourite　dark　blue　bow…tie　with　spots；　rather　loosely　tied；　the　thin　black　cord　of　the　rimless　eyeglass　that　M。　seemed　only　to　use　to　read　menus；　the　keen　sailor's　face；　with　the　clear；　sharp　sailor's　eyes。　It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　an　hour　before　he　had　been　playing　with　a　thousand　live　chessmen　against　the　enemies　of　England；　that　there　might　be；　this　evening；　fresh　blood　on　his　hands；　or　a　successful　burglary；　or　the　hideous　knowledge　of　a　disgusting　blackmail　case。
　And　what　could　the　casual　observer　think　of　him；　'mander　James　Bond；　GMG；　RNVSR'；　also'something　at　the　Ministry　of　Defence'；　the　rather　saturnine　young　man　in　his　middle　thirties　sitting　opposite　the　Admiral？　Something　a　bit　cold　and　dangerous　in　that　face。　Looks　pretty　fit。　May　have　been　attached　to　Templer　in　Malaya。　Or　Nairobi。　Mau　Mau　work。　Tough…looking　customer。　Doesn't　look　the　sort　of　chap　one　usually　sees　in　Blades。
　Bond　knew　that　there　was　something　alien　and　un…English　about　himself。　He　knew　that　he　was　a　difficult　man　to　cover　up。　Particularly　in　England。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　Abroad　was　what　mattered。　He　would　never　have　a　job　to　do　in　England。　Outside　the　jurisdiction　of　the　Service。　Anyway；　he　didn't　need　a　cover　this　evening。　This　was　recreation。
　M。　snorted　and　threw　his　cards　down。　Bond　automatically　gathered　in　the　pack　and　as　automatically　gave　it　the　Scarne　shuffle；　marrying　the　two　halves　with　the　quick　downward　riffle　that　never　brings　the　cards　off　the　table。　He　squared　off　the　pack　and　pushed　it　away。
　M。　beckoned　to　a　passing　waiter。　〃Piquet　cards；　please；　Tanner；〃　he　said。
　The　waiter　went　away　and　came　back　a　moment　later　with　the　two　thin　packs。　He　stripped　off　the　wrapping　and　placed　them；　with　two　markers；　on　the　table。　He　stood　waiting。
　〃Bring　me　a　whisky　and　soda；〃　said　M。　〃Sure　you　won't　have　anything？〃
　Bond　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　half…past　six。　〃Could　I　have　a　dry　Martini？〃　he　said。　〃Made　with　Vodka。　Large　slice　of　lemon　peel。〃
　〃Rot…gut；〃　mented　M。　briefly　as　the　waiter　went　away。　〃Now　I'll　just　take　a　pound　or　two　off　you　and　then　we'll　go　and　have　a　look　at　the　bridge。　Our　friend　hasn't　turned　up　yet。〃
　For　half　an　hour　they　played　the　game　at　which　the　expert　player　can　nearly　always　win　even　with　the　cards　running　slightly　against　him。　At　the　end　of　the　game　Bond　laughed　and　counted　out　three　pound…notes。
　〃One　of　these　days　I'm　going　to　take　some　trouble　and　really　learn　piquet；〃　he　said。　〃I've　never　won　against　you　yet。〃
　〃It's　all　memory　and　knowing　the　odds；〃　said　M。　with　satisfaction。　He　finished　his　whisky　and　soda。　〃Let's　go　over　and　see　what's　going　on　at　the　bridge。　Our　man's　playing　at　Basildon's　table。　Came　in　about　ten　minutes　ago。　If　you　nbtice　anything；　just　give　me　a　nod　and　we'll　go　downstairs　and　talk　about　it。〃
　He　stood　up　and　Bond　followed　suit。
　The　far　end　of　the　room　had　begun　to　fill　up　and　half　a　dozen　tables　of　bridge　were　going。　At　the　round　poker　table　under　the　centre　chandelier　three　players　were　counting　out　chips　into　five　stacks；　waiting　for　two　more　players　to　e　in。　The　kidney…shaped　baccarat　table　was　still　shrouded　and　would　probably　remain　so　until　after　dinner；　when　it　would　be　used　for　chemin…de…fer。
　Bond　followed　M。　out　of　their　alcove；　relishing　the　scene　down　the　long　room；　the　oases　of　green；　the　tinkle　of　glasses　as　the　waiters　moved　amongst　the　tables；　the　hum　of　talk　punctuated　by　sudden　exclamations　and　warm　laughter；　the　haze　of　blue　smoke　rising　up　through　the　dark　red　lamp　shades　that　hung　over　the　centre　of　each　table。　His　pulses　quickened　with　the　smell　of　it　all　and　his　nostrils　flared　slightly　as　the　two　men　came　down　the　long　room　and　joined　the　pany。'
　M。；　with　Bond　beside　him；　wandered　casually　from　table　to　table；　exchanging　greetings　with　the　players　until　they　reached　the　last　table　beneath　the　fine　Lawrence　of　Beau　Brummel　over　the　wide　Adam　fireplace。
　〃Double；　damn　you；〃　said　the　loud；　cheerful　voice　of　the　player　with　his　back　to　Bond。　Bond　thoughtfully　noted　the　head　of　tight　reddish　hair　that　was　all　he　could　see　of　the　speaker；　then　he　looked　to　the　left　at　the　rather　studious　profile　of　Lord　Basildon。　The　Chairman　of　Blades　was　leaning　back；　looking　critically　down　his　nose　at　the　hand　of　cards　which　he　held　out　and　away　from　him　as　if　it　were　a　rare　object。
　〃My　hand　is　so　exquisite　that　I　am　forced　to　redouble；　my　dear　Drax；〃　he　said。　He　looked　across　at　his　partner。　〃Tommy；〃　he　said。　〃Charge　this　to　me　if　it　goes　wrong。〃
　〃Rot；〃　said　his　partner。　〃Meyer？　Better　take　Drax　out。〃
　〃Too　frightened；〃　said　the　middle…aged　florid　man　who　was　playing　with　Drax。　〃No　bid。〃　He　picked　up　his　cigar　from　the　brass　ashtray　and　put　it　carefully　into　the　middle　of　his　mouth。
　〃No　bid　here；〃　said　Basildon's　partner。
　〃And　nothing　here；〃　came　Drax's　voice。
　〃Five　clubs　redoubled；〃　said　Basildon。　〃Your　lead；　Meyer。〃
　Bond　looked　over　Drax's　shoulder。　Drax　had　the　ace　of　spades　and　the　ace　of　hearts。　He　promptly　made　them　both　and　led　another　heart　which　Basildon　took　on　the　table　with　the　king。
　〃Well；〃　said　Basildon。　〃There　are　four　trumps　against　me　including　the　queen。　I　shall　play　Drax　to　have　her。〃　He　finessed　against　Drax。　Meyer　took　the　trick　with　the　queen。
　〃Hell　and　damnation；〃　said　Basildon。　〃What's　the　queen　doing　in　Meyer's　hand？　Well；　I'm　damned。　Anyway　the　rest　are　mine。〃　He　fanned　his　cards　down　on　the　table。　He　looked　defensively　at　his　partner。　〃Can　you　beat　it；　Tommy？　Drax　doubles　and　Meyer　has　the　queen。〃　There　was　not　more　than　a　natural　exasperation　in　his　voice。
　Drax　chuckled。　〃Didn't　expect　my　partner　to　have　a　Yar　borough　did　you？〃　he　said　cheerfully　to　Basildon。　〃Well；　that's　just　the　four　hundred　above　the　line。　Your　deal。〃　He　cut　the　cards　to　Basildon　and　the　game　went　on。
　So　it　had　been　Drax's　deal　the　hand　before。　That　might　be　important。　Bond　lit　a　cigarette　and　reflectively　examined　the　back　of　Drax's　head。
　M。's　voice　cut　in　on　Bond's　thoughts。　〃You　remember　my　friend　mander　Bond；　Basil？　Thought　we'd　e　along　and　play　some　bridge　this　evening。〃
　Basildon　smiled　up　at　Bond。　〃Evening；〃　he　said。　He　waved　a　hand　round　the　table　from　the　left　to　right。