ian fleming.casino royale-第32章

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　Bond　looked　up。　She　had　gone　as　white　as　a　sheet　and　she　was　looking　over　his　shoulder　with　terror　in　her　face。
　Bond　turned　his　head　and　saw　that　a　man　had　just　taken　his　place　at　a　table　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　terrace；　well　away　from　them。　He　seemed　ordinary　enough；　perhaps　rather　sombrely　dressed；　but　in　his　first　quick　glance　Bond　put　him　down　as　some　business…man　on　his　way　along　the　coast　who　had　just　happened　on　the　inn　or　had　picked　it　out　of　the　Michelin。
　'What　is　it；　darling？'　he　asked　anxiously。
　Vesper's　eyes　never　moved　from　the　distant　figure。
　'It's　the　man　in　the　car；'　she　said　in　a　stifled　voice。　'The　man　who　was　following　us。　I　know　it　is。'
　Bond　looked　again　over　his　shoulder。　The　patron　was　discussing　the　menu　with　the　new　customer。　It　was　a　perfectly　normal　scene。　They　exchanged　smiles　over　some　item　on　the　menu　and　apparently　agreed　that　it　would　suit　for　the　patron　took　the　card　and　with；　Bond　guessed；　a　final　exchange　about　the　wine；　he　withdrew。
　The　man　seemed　to　realize　that　he　was　being　watched。　He　looked　up　and　gazed　incuriously　at　them　for　a　moment。　Then　he　reached　for　a　brief…case　on　the　chair　beside　him；　extracted　a　newspaper　and　started　to　read　it　his　elbows　propped　up　on　the　table。
　When　the　man　had　turned　his　face　towards　them；　Bond　noticed　that　he　had　a　black　patch　over　one　eye。　It　was　not　tied　with　a　tape　across　the　eye；　but　screwed　in　like　a　monocle。　Otherwise　he　seemed　a　friendly　middle…aged　man；　with　dark　brown　hair　brushed　straight　back；　and；　as　Bond　had　seen　while　he　was　talking　to　the　patron；　particularly　large；　white　teeth。
　He　turned　back　to　Vesper。　'Really；　darling。　He　looks　very　innocent。　Are　you　sure　he's　the　same　man？　We　can't　expect　to　have　this　place　entirely　to　ourselves。'
　Vesper's　face　was　still　a　white　mask。　She　was　clutching　the　edge　of　the　table　with　both　hands。　He　thought　she　was　going　to　faint　and　almost　rose　to　e　round　to　her；　but　she　made　a　gesture　to　stop　him。　Then　she　reached　for　a　glass　of　wine　and　took　a　deep　draught。　The　glass　rattled　on　her　teeth　and　she　brought　up　her　other　hand　to　help。　Then　she　put　the　glass　down。
　She　looked　at　him　with　dull　eyes。
　'I　know　it's　the　same。'
　He　tried　to　reason　with　her；　but　she　paid　no　attention。　After　glancing　once　or　twice　over　his　shoulder　with　eyes　that　held　a　curious　submissiveness；　she　said　that　her　headache　was　still　bad　and　that　she　would　spend　the　afternoon　in　her　room。　She　left　the　table　and　walked　indoors　without　a　backward　glance。
　Bond　was　determined　to　set　her　mind　at　rest。　He　ordered　coffee　to　be　brought　to　the　table　and　then　he　rose　and　walked　swiftly　to　the　courtyard。　The　black　Peugeot　which　stood　there　might　indeed　have　been　the　saloon　they　had　seen；　but　it　might　equally　have　been　one　of　a　million　others　on　the　French　roads。　He　took　a　quick　glance　inside；　but　the　interior　was　empty　and　when　he　tried　the　boot；　it　was　locked。　He　made　a　note　of　the　Paris　number…plate　then　he　went　quickly　to　the　lavatory　adjoining　the　dining…room；　pulled　the　chain　and　walked　out　on　to　the　terrace。
　The　man　was　eating　and　didn't　look　up。
　Bond　sat　down　in　Vesper's　chair　so　that　he　could　watch　the　other　table。
　A　few　minutes　later　the　man　asked　for　the　bill；　paid　it　and　left。　Bond　heard　the　Peugeot　start　up　and　soon　the　noise　of　its　exhaust　had　disappeared　in　the　direction　of　the　road　to　Royale。
　When　the　patron　came　back　to　his　table；　Bond　explained　that　Madame　had　unfortunately　a　slight　touch　of　sunstroke。　After　the　patron　had　expressed　his　regret　and　enlarged　on　the　dangers　of　going　out　of　doors　in　almost　any　weather；　Bond　casually　asked　about　the　other　customer。　'He　reminds　me　of　a　friend　who　also　lost　an　eye。　They　wear　similar　black　patches。'
　The　patron　answered　that　the　man　was　a　stranger。　He　had　been　pleased　with　his　lunch　and　had　said　that　he　would　be　passing　that　way　again　in　a　day　or　two　and　would　take　another　meal　at　the　auberge。　Apparently　he　was　Swiss；　which　could　also　be　seen　from　his　accent。　He　was　a　traveller　in　watches。　It　was　shocking　to　have　only　one　eye。　The　strain　of　keeping　that　patch　in　place　all　day　long。　He　supposed　one　got　used　to　it。
　'It　is　indeed　very　sad；'　said　Bond。　'You　also　have　been　unlucky；'　he　gestured　to　the　proprietor's　empty　sleeve。　'I　myself　was　very　fortunate。'
　For　a　time　they　talked　about　the　war。　Then　Bond　rose。
　'By　the　way；'　he　said；　'Madame　had　an　early　telephone　call　which　I　must　remember　to　pay　for。　Paris。　An　Elysée　number　I　think；'　he　added；　remembering　that　that　was　Mathis's　exchange。
　'Thank　you；　monsieur；　but　the　matter　is　regulated。　I　was　speaking　to　Royale　this　morning　and　the　exchange　mentioned　that　one　of　my　guests　had　put　through　a　call　to　Paris　and　that　there　had　been　no　answer。　They　wanted　to　know　if　Madame　would　like　the　call　kept　in。　I'm　afraid　the　matter　escaped　my　mind。　Perhaps　Monsieur　would　mention　it　to　Madame。　But；　let　me　see；　it　was　an　Invalides　number　the　exchange　referred　to。'
　
　
　CHAPTER　26　…　'SLEEP　WELL；　MY　DARLING'
　The　next　two　days　were　much　the　same。
　On　the　fourth　day　of　their　stay　Vesper　went　off　early　to　Royale。　A　taxi　came　and　fetched　her　and　brought　her　back。　She　said　she　needed　some　medicine。
　That　night　she　made　a　special　effort　to　be　gay。　She　drank　a　lot　and　when　they　went　upstairs；　she　led　him　into　her　bedroom　and　made　passionate　love　to　him。　Bond's　body　responded；　but　afterwards　she　cried　bitterly　into　her　pillow　and　Bond　went　to　his　room　in　grim　despair。
　He　could　hardly　sleep　and　in　the　early　hours　he　heard　her　door　open　softly。　Some　small　sounds　came　from　downstairs。　He　was　sure　she　was　in　the　telephone　booth。　Very　soon　he　beard　her　door　softly　close　and　he　guessed　that　again　there　had　been　no　reply　from　Paris。
　This　was　Saturday。
　On　Sunday　the　man　with　the　black　patch　was　back　again。　Bond　knew　it　directly　he　looked　up　from　his　lunch　and　saw　her　face。　He　had　told　her　all　that　the　patron　had　told　him；　withholding　only　the　man's　statement　that　he　might　be　back。　He　had　thought　it　would　worry　her。
　He　had　also　telephoned　Mathis　in　Paris　and　checked　on　the　Peugeot。　It　had　been　hired　from　a　respectable　firm　two　weeks　before。　The　customer　had　had　a　Swiss　triptyque。　His　name　was　Adolph　Gettler。　He　had　given　a　bank　in　Zurich　as　his　address。
　Mathis　had　got　on　to　the　Swiss　police。　Yes；　the　bank　had　an　account　in　this　name。　It　was　little　used。　Herr　Gettler　was　understood　to　be　connected　with　the　watch　industry。　Inquiries　could　be　pursued　if　there　was　a　charge　against　him。
　Vesper　had　shrugged　her　shoulders　at　the　information。　This　time　when　the　man　appeared　she　left　her　lunch　in　the　middle　and　went　straight　up　to　her　room。
　Bond　made　up　his　mind。　When　he　had　finished；　he　followed　her。　Both　her　doors　were　locked　and　when　he　made　her　let　him　in；　he　saw　that　she　had　been　sitting　in　the　shadows　by　the　window；　watching；　he　presumed。
　Her　face　was　of　cold　stone。　He　led　her　to　the　bed　and　drew　her　down　beside　him。　They　sat　stiffly；　like　people　in　a　railway　carriage。
　'Vesper；'　he　said；　holding　her　cold　hands　in　his；　'we　can't　go　on　like　this。　We　must　finish　with　it。　We　are　torturing　each　other　and　there　is　only　one　way　of　stopping　it。　Either　you　must　tell　me　what　all　this　is　about　or　we　must　leave。　At　once。'
　She　said　nothing　and　her　hands　were　lifeless　in　his。
　'My　darling；'　he　said。　'Won't　you　tell　me？　Do　you　know；　that　first　morning　I　was　ing　back　to　ask　you　to　marry　me。　Can't　we　go　back　to　the　beginning　again？　What　is　this　dreadful　nightmare　that　is　killing　us？'
　At　first　she　said　nothing；　then　a　tear　rolled　slowly　down　her　cheek。
　'You　mean　you　would　have　married　me？'
　Bond　nodded。
　'Oh　my　God；'　she　said。　'My　God。'　She　turned　and　clutched　him；　pressing　her　face　against　his　chest。
　He　held　her　closely　to　him。　'Tell　me；　my　love；'　he　said。　'Tell　me　what's　hurting　you。'
　Her　sobs　became　quieter。
　'Leave　me　for　a　little；'　she　said　and　a　new　note　had　e　into　her　voice。　A　note　of　resignation。　'Let　me　think　for　a　little。'　She　kissed　his　face　and　held　it　between　her　hands。　She　looked　at　him　with　yearning。　'Darling；　I'm　trying　to　do　what's　best　for　us。　Please　believe　me。　But　it's　terrible。　I'm　in　a　frightful　。　。　。'　She　wept　again；　clutching　him　like　a　child　with　nightmare