if.moonraker-第9部分

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very　highly　polished。　When　he　deals；　it's　almost　concealed　by　the　cards　and　his　big　hands。　And　he　doesn't　move　his　hands　away　from　it。　Deals　four　piles　quite　close　to　him。　Every　card　is　reflected　in　the　top　of　the　case。　It's　just　as　good　as　a　mirror　although　it　looks　perfectly　innocent　lying　there。　As　he's　such　a　good　businessman　it　would　be　normal　for　him　to　have　a　first…class　memory。　You　remember　I　told　you　about　'Shiners'？　Well；　that's　just　a　version　of　one。　No　wonder　he　brings　off　these　miraculous　finesses　every　once　in　a　while。　That　double　we　watched　was　easy。　He　knew　his　partner　had　the　guarded　queen。　With　his　two　aces　the　double　was　a　certainty。　The　rest　of　the　time　he　just　plays　his　average　game。　But　knowing　all　the　cards　on　every　fourth　deal　is　a　terrific　edge。　It's　not　surprising　he　always　shows　a　profit。〃
　〃But　one　doesn't　notice　him　doing　it；〃　protested　M。
　〃It's　quite　natural　to　look　down　when　one's　dealing；〃　said　Bond。　〃Everybody　does。　And　he　covers　up　with　a　lot　of　banter；　much　more　than　he　produces　when　someone　else　is　dealing。　I　expect　he's　got　very　good　peripheral　vision…the　thing　they　mark　us　so　highly　for　when　we　take　our　medical　for　the　Service。　Very　wide　angle　of　sight。〃
　The　door　opened　and　Basildon　came　in。　He　was　bristling　He　shut　the　door　behind　him。　〃That　dam'　shut…out　bid　of　Drax's；〃　he　exploded。　〃Tommy　and　I　could　have　made　four　hearts　if　we　could　have　got　around　to　bidding　it。　Between　them　they　had　the　ace　of　hearts；　six　club　tricks；　and　the　ace；　king　of　diamonds　and　a　bare　guard　in　spades。　Made　nine　tricks　straight　off。　How　he　had　the　face　to　open　Three　No　Trumps　I　can't　imagine。〃　He　calmed　down　a　little。　〃Well；　Miles；〃　he　said；　〃has　your　friend　got　the　answer？〃
　M。　gestured　to　Bond；　who　repeated　what　he　had　told　M。
　Lord　Basildon't　face　got　angrier　as　Bond　talked。
　〃Damn　the　man；〃　he　exploded　when　Bond　had　finished。　〃What　the　hell　does　he　want　to　do　that　for？　Bloody　millionaire。　Rolling　in　money。　Fine　scandal　we're　in　for。　I'll　simply　have　to　tell　the　mittee。　Haven't　had　a　cheating　case　since　the　'fourteen…eighteen　war。〃　He　paced　up　and　down　the　room。　The　club　was　quickly　forgotten　as　he　remembered　the　significance　of　Drax　himself。　〃And　they　say　this　rocket　of　his　is　going　to　be　ready　before　long。　Only　es　up　here　once　or　twice　a　week　for　a　bit　of　relaxation。　Why；　the　man's　a　public　hero！　this　is　terrible。〃
　Basildon's　anger　was　chilled　by　the　thought　of　his　responsibility。　He　turned　to　M。　for　help。　〃Now；　Miles；　what　am　I　to　do？　He's　won　thousands　of　pounds　in　this　club　and　others　have　lost　it。　Take　this　evening。　It　doesn't　matter　about　my　losses；　of　course。　But　what　about　Dangerfield？　I　happen　to　know　he's　been　having　a　bad　time　on　the　stock　market　lately。　I　don't　see　how　I　can　avoid　telling　the　mittee。　Can't　shirk　it…whoever　Drax　is。　And　you　know　what　that'll　mean。
　There　are　ten　on　the　mittee。　Bound　to　be　a　leak。　And　then　look　at　the　scandal。　They　tell　me　the　Moonraker　can't　exist　without　Drax　and　the　papers　say　the　whole　future　of　the　country　depends　on　the　thing。　This　is　a　damned　serious　business。〃　He　paused　and　shot　a　hopeful　glance　at　M。　and　then　at　Bond。　〃Is　there　any　alternative？〃
　Bond　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。　〃He　could　be　stopped；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃That　is；〃　he　added　with　a　thin　smile；　〃if　you　don't　mind　paying　him　out　in　his　own　coin。〃
　〃Do　anything　you　bloody　well　like；〃　said　Basildon　emphatically。　〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　Hope　dawned　in　his　eyes　at　Bond's　assurance。
　〃Well；〃　said　Bond。　〃I　could　show　him　I'd　spotted　him　and　at　the　same　time　flay　the　hide　off　him　at　his　own　game。　Of　course　Meyer'd　get　hurt　in　the　process。　Might　lose　a　lot　of　money　as　Drax's　partner。　Would　that　matter？〃
　〃Serve　him　right；〃　said　Basildon；　overe　with　relief　arid　ready　to　grasp　at　any　solution。　〃He's　been　riding　along　on　Drax's　back。　Making　plenty　of　money　playing　with　him。　You　don't　think。。。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Bond。　〃I'm　sure　he　doesn't　know　what's　going　on。　Although　some　of　Drax's　bids　must　e　as　a　bit　of　a　shock。　Well；〃　he　turned　to　M。；　〃is　it　all　right　with　you；　sir？〃
　M。　reflected。　He　looked　at　Basildon。　There　was　no　doubt　of　his　view。
　He　looked　at　Bond。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃What　must　be；　must　be。　Don't　like　the　idea；　but　I　can　see　Basildon's　point。　So　long　as　you　can　bring　it　off　and；〃　he　smiled；　〃as　long　as　you　don't　want　me　to　palm　any　cards　or　anything　of　that　sort。　No　talent　for　it。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Bond。　He　put　his　hands　in　his　coat　pockets　and　touched　the　two　silk　handkerchiefs。　〃And　I　think　it　should　work。　All　I　need　is　a　couple　of　packs　of　used　cards；　one　of　each　colour；　and　ten　minutes　in　here　alone。〃
　
　CHAPTER　V
　
　DINNER　AT　BLADES
　
　IT　WAS　eight　o'clock　as　Bond　followed　M。　through　the　tall　doors；　across　the　well　of　the　staircase　from　the　card　room；　that　opened　into　the　beautiful　white　and　gold　Regency　dining…room　of　Blades。
　M。　chose　not　to　hear　a　call　from　Basildon　who　was　presiding　over　the　big　centre　table　where　there　were　still　two　places　vacant。　Instead；　he　walked　firmly　across　the　room　to　the　end　one　of　a　row　of　six　smaller　tables；　waved　Bond　into　the　fortable　armed　chair　that　faced　outwards　into　the　room；　and　himself　took　the　one　on　Bond's　left　so　that　his　back　was　to　the　pany。
　The　head　steward　was　already　behind　Bond's　chair。　He　placed　a　broad　menu　card　beside　his　plate　and　handed　another　to　M。　'Blades'　was　written　in　fine　gold　script　across　the　top。　Below　there　was　a　forest　of　print。
　〃Don't　bother　to　read　through　all　that；〃　said　M。；　〃unless　you've　got　no　ideas。　One　of　the　first　rules　of　the　club；　and　one　of　the　best；　was　that　any　member　may　speak　for　any　dish；　cheap　or　dear；　but　he　must　pay　for　it。　The　same's　true　today；　only　the　odds　are　one　doesn't　have　to　pay　for　it。　Just　order　what　you　feel　like。〃　He　looked　up　at　the　steward。　〃Any　of　that　Beluga　caviar　left；　Porterfield？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　There　was　a　new　delivery　last　week。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　M。　〃Caviar　for　me。　Devilled　kidney　and　a　slice　of　your　excellent　bacon。　Peas　and　new　potatoes。　Strawberries　in　kirsch。　What　about　you；　James？〃
　〃I've　got　a　mania　for　really　good　smoked　salmon；〃　said　Bond。　Then　he　pointed　down　the　menu。　〃Lamb　cutlets。　The　same　vegetables　as　you；　as　it's　May。　Asparagus　with　Bearnaise　sauce　sounds　wonderful。　And　perhaps　a　shce　of　pineapple。〃　He　sat　back　and　pushed　the　menu　away。
　〃Thank　heaven　for　a　man　who　makes　up　his　mind；〃　said　M。　He　looked　up　at　the　steward。　〃Have　you　got　all　that；　Porterfield？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　steward　smiled。　〃You　wouldn't　care　for　a　marrow　bone　after　the　strawberries；　sir？　We　got　half　a　dozen　in　today　from　the　country；　and　I'd　specially　kept　one　in　case　you　came　in。〃
　〃Of　course。　You　know　I　can't　resist　them。　Bad　for　me　but　it　can't　be　helped。　God　knows　what　I'm　celebrating　this　evening。　But　it　doesn't　often　happen。　Ask　Grimley　to　e　over；　would　you。〃
　〃He's　here　now；　sir；〃　said　the　steward；　making　way　for　the　wine…waiter。
　〃Ah；　Grimley；　some　vodka；　please。〃　He　turned　to　Bond。　〃Not　the　stuff　you　had　in　your　cocktail。　This　is　real　pre…war　Wolfschmidt　from　Riga。　Like　some　with　your　smoked　salmon？〃
　'Very　much；〃　said　Bond。'
　〃Then　what？〃　asked　M。　〃Champagne？　Personally　I'm　going　to　have　a　half…bottle　of　claret。　The　Mouton　Rothschild　'34；　please；　Grimley。　But　don't　pay　any　attention　to　me；　James。　I'm　an　old　man。　Champagne's　no　good　for　me。　We've　got　some　good　champagnes；　haven't　we；　Grimley？　None　of　that　stuff　you're　always　telling　me　about；　I'm　afraid；　James。　Don't　often　see　it　in　England。　Taittinger；　wasn't　it？〃
　Bond　smiled　at　M。's　memory。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　only　a　fad　of　mine。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　for　various　reasons　I　believe　I　would　like　to　drink　champagne　this　evening。　Perhaps　I　co'uld　leave　it　to　Grimley。〃
　The　wine…waiter　was　pleased。　〃If　I　may　suggest　it；　sir；　the　Dom　Perignon　'46。　I　understand　that　France　only　sells　it　for　dollars；　sir；　so　you　don't　often　see　it　in　London。　I　believe　it　was　a　gift　from　the　Regency　Club　in　New　York；　sir。　I　have　some　on　ice　at　the　moment。　It's　the　Chairman's　favourite　and　he's　told　me　to　have　it　ready　every　evening　in　case　he　needs　it。〃
　Bond　smiled　his　agreement。
　〃So　be　it；　Grimley；〃　said　M。　〃The　Dom　Perignon。　Bring　it　straight　away；　would　you？〃
　A　waitress　appeared　and　put