ian fleming.casino royale-第24章

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　of　June　sunshine；　cast　upwards　from　two　separate　pools　of　blood　a　few　feet　apart。
　As　the　day　progressed　the　pink　patches　marched　slowly　along　the　wall。　And　slowly　they　grew　larger。
　
　
　CHAPTER　19　…　THE　WHITE　TENT
　You　are　about　to　awake　when　you　dream　that　you　are　dreaming。
　During　the　next　two　days　James　Bond　was　permanently　in　this　state　without　regaining　consciousness。　He　watched　the　procession　of　his　dreams　go　by　without　any　effort　to　disturb　their　sequence；　although　many　of　them　were　terrifying　and　all　were　painful。　He　knew　that　he　was　in　a　bed　and　that　he　was　lying　on　his　back　and　could　not　move　and　in　one　of　his　twilight　moments　he　thought　there　were　people　round　him；　but　he　made　no　effort　to　open　his　eyes　and　re…enter　the　world。
　He　felt　safer　in　the　darkness　and　he　hugged　it　to　him。
　On　the　morning　of　the　third　day　a　bloody　nightmare　shook　him　awake；　trembling　and　sweating。　There　was　a　hand　on　his　forehead　which　he　associated　with　his　dream。　He　tried　to　lift　an　arm　and　smash　it　sideways　into　the　owner　of　the　hand；　but　his　arms　were　immovable；　secured　to　the　sides　of　his　bed。　His　whole　body　was　strapped　down　and　something　like　a　large　white　coffin　covered　him　from　chest　to　feet　and　obscured　his　view　of　the　end　of　the　bed。　He　shouted　a　string　of　obscenities；　but　the　effort　took　all　his　strength　and　the　words　tailed　off　into　a　sob。　Tears　of　forlornness　and　self…pity　welled　out　of　his　eyes。
　A　woman's　voice　was　speaking　and　the　words　gradually　penetrated　to　him。　It　seemed　to　be　a　kind　voice　and　it　slowly　came　to　him　that　he　was　being　forted　and　that　this　was　a　friend　and　not　an　enemy。　He　could　hardly　believe　it。　He　had　been　so　certain　that　he　was　still　a　captive　and　that　the　torture　was　about　to　begin　again。　He　felt　his　face　being　softly　wiped　with　a　cool　cloth　which　smelt　of　lavender　and　then　he　sank　back　into　his　dreams。
　When　he　awoke　again　some　hours　later　all　his　terrors　had　gone　and　he　felt　warm　and　languorous。　Sun　was　streaming　into　the　bright　room　and　garden　sounds　came　through　the　window。　In　the　background　there　was　the　noise　of　small　waves　on　a　beach。　As　he　moved　his　head　he　heard　a　rustle；　and　a　nurse　who　had　been　sitting　beside　his　pillow　rose　and　came　into　his　line　of　vision。　She　was　pretty　and　she　smiled　as　she　put　her　hand　on　his　pulse。
　'Well；　I'm　certainly　glad　you've　woken　up　at　last。　I've　never　heard　such　dreadful　language　in　my　life。'
　Bond　smiled　back　at　her。
　'Where　am　I？'　he　asked　and　was　surprised　that　his　voice　sounded　firm　and　clear。
　'You're　in　a　nursing　home　at　Royale　and　I've　been　sent　over　from　England　to　look　after　you。　There　are　two　of　us　and　I'm　Nurse　Gibson。　Now　just　lie　quiet　and　I'll　go　and　tell　the　doctor　you're　awake。　You've　been　unconscious　since　they　brought　you　in　and　we've　been　quite　worried。'
　Bond　closed　his　eyes　and　mentally　explored　his　body。　The　worst　pain　was　in　his　wrists　and　ankles　and　in　his　right　hand　where　the　Russian　had　cut　him。　In　the　centre　of　the　body　there　was　no　feeling。　He　assumed　that　he　had　been　given　a　local　anaesthetic。　The　rest　of　his　body　ached　dully　as　if　he　had　been　beaten　all　over。　He　could　feel　the　pressure　of　bandages　everywhere　and　his　unshaven　neck　and　chin　prickled　against　the　sheets。　From　the　feel　of　the　bristles　he　knew　that　he　must　have　been　at　least　three　days　without　shaving。　That　meant　two　since　the　morning　of　the　torture。
　He　was　preparing　a　short　list　of　questions　in　his　mind　when　the　door　opened　and　the　doctor　came　in　followed　by　the　nurse　and　in　the　background　the　dear　figure　of　Mathis；　a　Mathis　looking　anxious　behind　his　broad　smile；　who　put　a　finger　to　his　lips　and　walked　on　tiptoe　to　the　window　and　sat　down。
　The　doctor；　a　Frenchman　with　a　young　and　intelligent　face；　had　been　detached　from　his　duties　with　the　Deuxième　Bureau　to　look　after　Bond's　case。　He　came　and　stood　beside　Bond　and　put　his　hand　on　Bond's　forehead　while　he　looked　at　the　temperature　chart　behind　the　bed。
　When　he　spoke　he　was　forthright。
　'You　have　a　lot　of　questions　to　ask；　my　dear　Mr　Bond；'　he　said　in　excellent　English；　'and　I　can　tell　you　most　of　the　answers。　I　do　not　want　you　to　waste　your　strength；　so　I　will　give　you　the　salient　facts　and　then　you　may　have　a　few　minutes　with　Monsieur　Mathis　who　wishes　to　obtain　one　or　two　details　from　you。　It　is　really　too　early　for　this　talk；　but　I　wish　to　set　your　mind　at　rest　so　that　we　can　proceed　with　the　task　of　repairing　your　body　without　bothering　too　much　about　your　mind。'
　Nurse　Gibson　pulled　up　a　chair　for　the　doctor　and　left　the　room。
　'You　have　been　here　about　two　days；'　continued　the　doctor。　'Your　car　was　found　by　a　farmer　on　the　way　to　market　in　Royale　and　he　informed　the　police。　After　some　delay　Monsieur　Mathis　heard　that　it　was　your　car　and　he　immediately　went　to　Les　Noctambules　with　his　men。　You　and　Le　Chiffre　were　found　and　also　your　friend；　Miss　Lynd；　who　was　unharmed　and　according　to　her　account　suffered　no　molestation。　She　was　prostrated　with　shock；　but　is　now　fully　recovered　and　is　at　her　hotel。　She　has　been　instructed　by　her　superiors　in　London　to　stay　at　Royale　under　your　orders　until　you　are　sufficiently　recovered　to　go　back　to　England。
　'Le　Chiffre's　two　gunmen　are　dead；　each　killed　by　a　single　。35　bullet　in　the　back　of　the　skull。　From　the　lack　of　expression　on　their　faces；　they　evidently　never　saw　or　heard　their　assailant。　They　were　found　in　the　same　room　as　Miss　Lynd。　Le　Chiffre　is　dead；　shot　with　a　similar　weapon　between　the　eyes。　Did　you　witness　his　death？'
　'Yes；'　said　Bond。
　'Your　own　injuries　are　serious；　but　your　life　is　not　in　danger　though　you　have　lost　a　lot　of　blood。　If　all　goes　well；　you　will　recover　pletely　and　none　of　the　functions　of　your　body　will　be　impaired。'　The　doctor　smiled　grimly。　'But　I　fear　that　you　will　continue　to　be　in　pain　for　several　days　and　it　will　be　my　endeavour　to　give　you　as　much　fort　as　possible。　Now　that　you　have　regained　consciousness　your　arms　will　be　freed；　but　you　must　not　move　your　body　and　when　you　sleep　the　nurse　has　orders　to　secure　your　arms　again。　Above　all；　it　is　important　that　you　rest　and　regain　your　strength。　At　the　moment　you　are　suffering　from　a　grave　condition　of　mental　and　physical　shock。'　The　doctor　paused。　'For　how　long　were　you　maltreated？'
　'About　an　hour；'　said　Bond。
　'Then　it　is　remarkable　that　you　are　alive　and　I　congratulate　you。　Few　men　could　have　supported　what　you　have　been　through。　Perhaps　that　is　some　consolation。　As　Monsieur　Mathis　can　tell　you；　I　have　had　in　my　time　to　treat　a　number　of　patients　who　have　suffered　similar　and　not　one　has　e　through　it　as　you　have　done。'
　The　doctor　looked　at　Bond　for　a　moment　and　then　turned　brusquely　to　Mathis。
　'You　may　have　ten　minutes　and　then　you　will　be　forcibly　elected。　If　you　put　the　patient's　temperature　up；　you　will　answer　for　it。'
　He　gave　them　both　a　broad　smile　and　left　the　room。
　Mathis　came　over　and　took　the　doctor's　chair。
　'That's　a　good　man；'　said　Bond。　'I　like　him。'
　'He's　attached　to　the　Bureau；'　said　Mathis。　'He　is　a　very　good　man　and　I　will　tell　you　about　him　one　of　these　days。　He　thinks　you　are　a　prodigy　…　and　so　do　I。
　'However；　that　can　wait。　As　you　can　imagine；　there　is　much　to　clear　up　and　I　am　being　pestered　by　Paris　and；　of　course；　London；　and　even　by　Washington　via　our　good　friend　Leiter。　Incidentally；'　he　broke　off；　'I　have　a　personal　message　from　M。　He　spoke　to　me　himself　on　the　telephone。　He　simply　said　to　tell　you　that　he　is　much　impressed。　I　asked　if　that　was　all　and　he　said：　〃Well；　tell　him　that　the　Treasury　is　greatly　relieved。〃　Then　he　rang　off。'
　Bond　grinned　with　pleasure。　What　most　warmed　him　was　that　M　himself　should　have　rung　up　Mathis。　This　was　quite　unheard　of。　The　very　existence　of　M；　let　alone　his　identity；　was　never　admitted。　He　could　imagine　the　flutter　this　must　have　caused　in　the　ultra…security…minded　organization　in　London。
　'A　tall　thin　man　with　one　arm　came　over　from　London　the　same　day　we　found　you；'　continued　Mathis；　knowing　from　his　own　experience　that　these　shop　details　would　interest　Bond　more　than　anything　else　and　give　him　most　pleasure；　'and　he　fixed　up　the　nurses　and　looked　after　everything。　Even　your　car's　being　repaired　for　you。　He　seemed　to　be　Vesper's　boss。　He　spent　a　lot