if.moonraker-第8部分

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　Basildon　smiled　up　at　Bond。　〃Evening；〃　he　said。　He　waved　a　hand　round　the　table　from　the　left　to　right。　〃Meyer；　Dangerfield；　Drax。〃　The　three　men　looked　up　briefly　and　Bond　nodded　a　greeting　to　the　table　in　general。　〃You　all　know　the　Admiral；〃　added　the　Chairman；　starting　to　deal。
　Drax　half　turned　in　his　chair。　〃Ah；　the　Admiral；〃　he　said　boisterously。　〃Glad　to　have　you　aboard；　Admiral。　Drink？〃
　〃No；　thanks；〃　said　M。　with　a　thin　smile。　〃Just　had　one。〃
　Drax　turned　and　glanced　up　at　Bond；　who　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　tuft　of　reddish　moustache　and　a　rather　chilly　blue　eye。　〃What　about　you？〃　asked　Drax　perfunctorily。
　〃No；　thanks；〃　said　Bond。
　Drax　swivelled　back　to　the　table　and　picked　up　his　cards。　Bond　watched　the　big　blunt　hands　sort　them。
　Then　he　moved　round　the　table　with　a　second　clue　to　ponder。
　Drax　didn't　sort　his　cards　into　suits　as　most　players　do；　but　only　into　reds　and　blacks；　ungraded；　making　his　hand　very　difficult　to　kibitz　and　almost　impossible　for　one　of　his　neighbours；　if　they　were　so　inclined　to　decipher。
　Bond　knew　it　for　the　way　people　hold　their　hands　who　are　very　careful　card…players　indeed。
　Bond　went　and　stood　beside　the　chimneypiece。　He　took　out　a　cigarette　and　lit　it　at　the　flame　from　a　small　gas…jet　enclosed　in　a　silver　grille…a　relic　of　the　days　before　the　use　of　matches…that　protruded　from　the　wall　beside　him。
　From　where　he　stood　he　could　see　the　hand　of　Meyer；　and　by　moving　a　pace　to　the　right；　of　Basildon。　His　view　of　Sir　Hugo　Drax　was　uninterrupted　and　he　inspected　him　carefully　while　appearing　to　interest　himself　only　in　the　game。
　Drax　gave　the　impression　of　being　a　little　larger　than　life。　He　was　physically　big…about　six　foot　tall；　Bond　guessed…and　his　shoulders　were　exceptionally　broad。　He　had　a　big　square　head　and　the　tight　reddish　hair　was　parted　in　the　middle。　On　either　side　of　the　parting　the　hair　dipped　down　in　a　curve　towards　the　temples　with　the　object；　Bond　assumed；　of　hiding　as　much　as　possible　of　the　tissue　of　shining　puckered　skin　that　covered　most　of　the　right　half　of　his　face。　Other　relics　of　plastic　surgery　could　be　detected　in　the　man's　right　ear；　which　was　not　a　perfect　match　with　its　panion　on　the　left；　and　the　right　eye；　which　had　been　a　surgical　failure。　It　was　considerably　larger　than　the　left　eye；　because　of　a　contraction　of　the　borrowed　skin　used　to　rebuild　the　upper　and　lower　eyelids；　and　it　looked　painfully　bloodshot。　Bond　doubted　if　it　was　capable　of　closing　pletely　and　he　guessed　that　Drax　covered　it　with　a　patch　at　night。
　To　conceal　as　much　as　possible　of　the　unsightly　taut　skin　that　covered　half　his　face；　Drax　had　grown　a　bushy　reddish　moustache　and　had　allowed　his　whiskers　to　grow　down　to　the　level　of　the　lobes　of　his　ears。　He　also　had　patches　of　hair　'on　his　cheek…bones。
　The　heavy　moustache　served　another　purpose。　It　helped　to　hide　a　naturally　prognathous　upper　jaw　and　a　marked　protrusion　of　the　upper　row　of　teeth。　Bond　reflected　that　this　was　probably　due　to　sucking　his　thumb　as　a　child；　and　it　had　resulted　in　an　ugly　splaying；　or　diastema；　of　what　Bond　had　heard　his　dentist　call　'the　centrals'。　The　moustache　helped　to　hide　these　'ogre's　teeth'　and　it　was　only　when　Drax　uttered；　as　he　frequently　did；　his　short　braying　laugh　that　the　splay　could　be　seen。
　The　general　effect　of　the　face…the　riot　of　red…brown　hair；　the　powerful　nose　and　jaw；　the　florid　skin…was　flamboyant。　It　put　Bond　in　mind　of　a　ring…master　at　a　circus。　The　contrasting　sharpness　and　coldness　of　the　left　eye　supported　the　likeness。
　A　bullying；　boorish；　loud…mouthed　vulgarian。　That　would　have　been　Bond's　verdict　if　he　had　not　known　something　of　Drax's　abilities。　As　it　was；　it　crossed　his　mind　that　much　of　the　effect　might　be　Drax's　idea　of　a　latter…day　Regency　buck…the　harmless　disguise　of　a　man　with　a　smashed　face　who　was　also　a　snob。
　Looking　for　further　clues；　Bond　noticed　that　Drax　was　sweating　rather　freely。　Despite　the　occasional　growl　of　thunder　outside　it　was　a　cool　evening；　and　yet　Drax　was　constantly　mopping　his　face　and　neck　with　a　huge　bandana　handkerchief。　He　smoked　incessantly；　stubbing　out　the　cork…tipped　Virginia　cigarettes　after　a　dozen　lungfuls　of　smoke　and　almost　immediately　lighting　another　from　a　box　of　fifty　in　his　coat　pocket。　His　big　hands；　their　backs　thickly　covered　with　reddish　hair；　were　always　on　the　move；　fiddling　with　his　cards；　handling　the　cigarette　lighter　that　stood　beside　a　plain　flat　silver　cigarette…case　in　front　of　him；　twisting　a　lock　of　hair　on　the　side　of　his　head；　using　the　handkerchief　on　his　face　and　neck。　Occasionally　he　put　a　finger　greedily　to　his　mouth　and　worried　a　nail。　Even　at　a　distance　Bond　could　see　that　every　finger…nail　was　bitten　down　to　the　quick。
　The　hands　themselves　were　strong　and　capable　but　the　thumbs　had　something　ungainly　about　them　which　it　took　Bond　a　moment　or　two　to　define。　He　finally　detected　that　they　were　unnaturally　long　and　reached　level　with　the　top　joint　of　the　index　finger。
　Bond　concluded　his　inspection　with　Drax's　clothes　which　were　expensive　and　in　excellent　taste…a　dark　blue　pinstripe　in　lightweight　flannel；　double…breasted　with　turnback　cuffs；　a　heavy　white　silk　shirt　with　a　stiff　collar；　an　unobtrusive　tie　with　a　small　grey　and　white　check；　modest　cuff…links；　which　looked　like　Cartier；　and　a　plain　gold　Patek　Philippe　watch　with　a　black　leather　strap。
　Bond　lit　another　cigarette　arid　concentrated　on　the　game；　leaving　his　subconscious　to　digest　the　details　of　Drax's　appearance　and　manner　that　had　seemed　to　him　significant　and　that　might　help　to　explain　the　riddle　of　his　cheating；　the　nature　of　which　had　still　to　be　discovered。
　Half　an　hour　later　the　cards　had　pleted　the　circle。
　〃My　deal；〃　said　Drax　with　authority。　〃Game　all　and　we　have　a　satisfactory　inflation　above　the　line。　Now　then；　Max；　see　if　you　can't　pick　up　a　few　aces。　I'm　tired　of　doing　all　the　work。〃　He　dealt　smoothly　and　slowly　round　the　table；　keeping　up　a　running　fire　of　rather　heavy…handed　banter　with　the　pany。　〃Long　rubber；〃　he　said　to　M。　who　was　sitting　smoking　his　pipe　between　Drax　and　Basildon。　〃Sorry　to　have　kept　you　out　so　long。　How　about　a　challenge　after　dinner？　Max　and　I'll　take　on　you　and　mander　Thingummy。　What　did　you　say　his　name　was？　Good　player？〃
　〃Bond；〃　said　M。　〃James　Bond。　Yes；　I　think　we'd　like　that　very　much。　What　do　you　say；　James？〃
　Bond's　eyes　were　glued　to　the　bent　head　and　slowly　moving　hands　of　the　dealer。　Yes；　that　was　it！　Got　you；　you　bastard。　A　Shiner。　A　simple；　bloody　Shiner　that　wouldn't　have　lasted　five　minutes　in　a　pro's　game。　M。　saw　the　glint　of　assurance　in　Bond's　eyes　as　they　met　across　the　table。
　〃Fine；〃　said　Bond　cheerfully。　〃Couldn't　be　better。〃　He　made　an　imperceptible　movement　of　the　head。　〃How　about　showing　me　the　Betting　Book　before　dinner？　You　always　say　it'll　amuse　me。〃
　M。　nodded。　〃Yes；　e　along。　It's　in　the　Secretary's　office。　Then　Basildon　can　e　down　and　give　us　a　cocktail　and　tell　us　the　result　of　this　death…struggle。〃　He　got　up。
　〃Order　what　you　want；〃　said　Basildon　with　a　sharp　glance　at　M。　〃I'll　be　down　directly　we've　polished　them　off。〃
　〃Around　nine　then；〃　said　Drax；　glancing　from　M。　to　Bond。　〃Show　him　the　bet　about　the　girl　in　the　balloon。〃　He　picked　up　his　hand。　〃Looks　Eke　I　shall　have　the　Casino's　money　to　play　with；〃　he　said　after　a　rapid　glance　at　his　cards。　〃Three　No　Trumps。〃　He　shot　a　triumphant　glance　at　Basildon。　〃Put　that　in　your　pipe　and　smoke　it。〃
　Bond；　following　M。　out　of　the　room；　missed　Basildon's　reply。
　They　walked　down　the　stairs　and　along　to　the　Secretary's　office　in　silence。　The　room　was　in　darkness。　M。　switched　on　the　light　and　went　and　sat　down　in　the　swivel　chair　in　front　of　the　busy…looking　desk。　He　turned　the　chair　to　face　Bond　who　had　walked　over　to　the　empty　fireplace　and　was　taking　out　a　cigarette。
　〃Any　luck？〃　he　asked　looking　up　at　him。　〃Yes；〃　said　Bond。　〃He　cheats　all　right。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　M。　unemotionally。　〃How　does　he　do　it？〃
　〃Only　on　the　deal；〃　said　Bond。　〃You　know　that　silver　cigarette…case　he　has　in　front　of　him；　with　his　lighter？　He　never　takes　cigarettes　from　it。　Doesn't　want　to　get　fingermarks　on　the　surface。　It's　plain　silver　and　very　highly　polished。　When　he　deals；　it's　almost　concealed　by　the　cards