if.liveandletdie-第1章

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　THE　RED　CARPET
　
　THERE　are　moments　of　great　luxury　in　the　life　of　a　secret　agent。　There　are　assignments　on　which　he　is　required　to　act　the　part　of　a　very　rich　man；　occasions　when　he　takes　refuge　in　good　living　to　efface　the　memory　of　danger　and　the　shadow　of　death；　and　times　when；　as　was　now　the　case；　he　is　a　guest　in　the　territory　of　an　allied　Secret　Service。
　From　the　moment　the　BOAC　Stratocruiser　taxied　up　to　the　International　Air　Terminal　at　Idlewild；　James　Bond　was　treated　like　royalty。
　When　he　left　the　aircraft　with　the　other　passengers　he　had　resigned　himself　to　the　notorious　purgatory　of　the　US　Health；　Immigration　and　Customs　machinery。　At　least　an　hour；　he　thought；　of　overheated；　drab…green　rooms　smelling　of　last　year's　air　and　stale　sweat　and　guilt　and　the　fear　that　hangs　round　all　frontiers；　fear　of　those　closed　doors　marked　PRIVATE　that　hide　the　careful　men；　the　files；　the　teleprinters　chattering　urgently　to　Washington；　to　the　Bureau　of　Narcotics；　Counter　Espionage；　the　Treasury；　the　FBI。
　As　he　walked　across　the　tarmac　in　the　bitter　January　wind　he　saw　his　own　name　going　over　the　network：　BOND；　JAMES。　BRITISH　DIPLOMATIC　PASSPORT　0094567；　the　short　wait　and　the　replies　ing　back　on　the　different　machines　：　NEGATIVE；　NEGATIVE；　NEGATIVE。　And　then；　from　the　FBI：　POSITIVE　AWAIT　CHECK。　There　would　be　some　hasty　traffic　on　the　FBI　circuit　with　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　and　then：　FBI　TO　IDLEWILD：　BOND　OKAY　OKAY；　and　the　bland　official　out　front　would　hand　him　back　his　passport　with　a　'Hope　you　enjoy　your　stay；　Mr。　Bond。'
　Bond　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　followed　the　other　passengers　through　the　wire　fence　towards　the　door　marked　US　HEALTH　SERVICE。
　In　his　case　it　was　only　a　boring　routine；　of　course；　but　he　disliked　the　idea　of　his　dossier　being　in　the　possession　of　any　foreign　power。　Anonymity　was　the　chief　tool　of　his　trade。　Every　thread　of　his　real　identity　that　went　on　record　in　any　file　diminished　his　value　and；　ultimately；　was　a　threat　to　his　life。　Here　in　America；　where　they　knew　all　about　him；　he　felt　like　a　negro　whose　shadow　has　been　stolen　by　the　witchdoctor。　A　vital　part　of　himself　was　in　pawn；　in　the　hands　of　others。　Friends；　of　course；　in　this　instance；　but　still。。。
　'Mr。　Bond？'
　A　pleasant…looking　nondescript　man　in　plain　clothes　had　stepped　forward　from　the　shadow　of　the　Health　Service　building。
　'My　name's　Halloran。　Pleased　to　meet　you！'
　They　shook　hands。
　'Hope　you　had　a　pleasant　trip。　Would　you　follow　me；　please？'
　He　turned　to　the　officer　of　the　Airport　police　on　guard　at　the　door。
　'Okay；　Sergeant。'
　'Okay；　Mr。　Halloran。　Be　seeing　you。'
　The　other　passengers　had　passed　inside。　Halloran　turned　to　the　left；　away　from　the　building。　Another　policeman　held　open　a　small　gate　in　the　high　boundary　fence。
　'Bye；　Mr。　Halloran。'
　'Bye；　Officer。　Thanks。'
　Directly　outside　a　black　Buick　waited；　its　engine　sighing　quietly。　They　climbed　in。　Bond's　two　light　suitcases　were　in　front　next　to　the　driver。　Bond　couldn't　imagine　how　they　had　been　extracted　so　quickly　from　the　mound　of　passengers'　luggage　he　had　seen　only　minutes　before　being　trolleyed　over　to　Customs。
　'Okay；　Grady。　Let's　go。'
　Bond　sank　back　luxuriously　as　the　big　limousine　surged　forward；　slipping　quickly　into　top　through　the　Dynaflow　gears。
　He　turned　to　Halloran。
　'Well；　that's　certainly　one　of　the　reddest　carpets　I've　ever　seen。　I　expected　to　be　at　least　an　hour　getting　through　Immigration。　Who　laid　it　on？　I'm　not　used　to　v　i　p　treatment。　Anyway；　thanks　very　much　for　your　part　in　it　all。'
　'You're　very　wele；　Mr。　Bond。'　Halloran　smiled　and　offered　him　a　cigarette　from　a　fresh　pack　of　Luckies。　'We　want　to　make　your　stay　fortable。　Anything　you　want；　just　say　so　and　it's　yours。　You've　got　some　good　friends　in　Washington。　I　don't　myself　know　why　you're　here　but　it　seems　the　authorities　are　keen　that　you　should　be　a　privileged　guest　of　the　Government。　It's　my　job　to　see　you　get　to　your　hotel　as　quickly　and　as　fortably　as　possible　and　then　I'll　hand　over　and　be　on　my　way。　May　I　have　your　passport　a　moment；　please。'
　Bond　gave　it　to　him。　Halloran　opened　a　brief…case　on　the　seat　beside　him　and　took　out　a　heavy　metal　stamp。　He　turned　the　pages　of　Bond's　passport　until　he　came　to　the　US　Visa；　stamped　it；　scribbled　his　signature　over　the　dark　blue　circle　of　the　Department　of　Justice　cypher　and　gave　it　back　to　him。　Then　he　took　out　his　pocket…book　and　extracted　a　thick　white　envelope　which　he　gave　to　Bond。
　'There's　a　thousand　dollars　in　there；　Mr。　Bond。'　He　held　up　his　hand　as　Bond　started　to　speak。　'And　it's　munist　money　we　took　in　the　Schmidt…Kinaski　haul。　We're　using　it　back　at　them　and　you　are　asked　to　co…operate　and　spend　this　in　any　way　you　like　on　your　present　assignment。　I　am　advised　that　it　will　be　considered　a　very　unfriendly　act　if　you　refuse。　Let's　please　say　no　more　about　it　and；'　he　added；　as　Bond　continued　to　hold　the　envelope　dubiously　in　his　hand；　'I　am　also　to　say　that　the　disposal　of　this　money　through　your　hands　has　the　knowledge　and　approval　of　your　own　Chief。'
　Bond　eyed　him　narrowly　and　then　grinned。　He　put　the　envelope　away　in　his　notecase。
　'All　right；'　he　said。　'And　thanks。　I'll　try　and　spend　it　where　it　does　most　harm。　I'm　glad　to　have　some　working　capital。　It's　certainly　good　to　know　it's　been　provided　by　the　opposition。'
　'Fine；'　said　Halloran；　'and　now；　if　you'll　forgive　me；　I'll　just　write　up　my　notes　for　the　report　I'll　have　to　put　in。　Have　to　remember　to　get　a　letter　of　thanks　sent　to　Immigration　and　Customs　and　so　forth　for　their　co…operation。　Routine。'
　'Go　ahead；'　said　Bond。　He　was　glad　to　keep　silent　and　gaze　out　at　his　first　sight　of　America　since　the　war。　It　was　no　waste　of　time　to　start　picking　up　the　American　idiom　again：　the　advertisements；　the　new　car　models　and　the　prices　of　second…hand　ones　in　the　used…car　lots；　the　exotic　pungency　of　the　road　signs：　SOFT　SHOULDERS　…　SHARP　CURVES　…　SQUEEZE　AHEAD　…　SLIPPERY　WHEN　WET；　the　standard　of　driving；　the　number　of　women　at　the　wheel；　their　menfolk　docilely　beside　them；　the　men's　clothes；　the　way　the　women　were　doing　their　hair；　the　Civil　Defence　warnings：　IN　CASE　OF　ENEMY　ATTACK　…　KEEP　MOVING　…　GET　OFF　BRIDGE；　the　thick　rash　of　television　aerials　and　the　impact　of　TV　on　hoardings　and　shop　windows；　the　occasional　helicopter；　the　public　appeals　for　cancer　and　polio　funds：　THE　MARCH　OF　DIMES　…　all　the　small；　fleeting　impressions　that　were　as　important　to　his　trade　as　are　broken　bark　and　bent　twigs　to　the　trapper　in　the　jungle。
　The　driver　chose　the　Triborough　Bridge　and　they　soared　across　the　breath…taking　span　into　the　heart　of　up…town　Manhattan；　the　beautiful　prospect　of　New　York　hastening　towards　them　until　they　were　down　amongst　the　hooting；　teeming；　petrol…smelling　roots　of　the　stressed…concrete　jungle。
　Bond　turned　to　his　panion。
　'I　hate　to　say　it；'　he　said；　'but　this　must　be　the　fattest　atomic…bomb　target　on　the　whole　face　of　the　globe。'
　'Nothing　to　touch　it；'　agreed　Halloran。　'Keeps　me　awake　nights　thinking　what　would　happen。'
　They　drew　up　at　the　best　hotel　in　New　York；　the　St。　Regis；　at　the　corner　of　Fifth　Avenue　and　55th　Street。　A　saturnine　middle…aged　man　in　a　dark　blue　overcoat　and　black　homburg　came　forward　behind　the　missionaire。　On　the　sidewalk；　Halloran　introduced　him。
　'Mr。　Bond；　meet　Captain　Dexter。'　He　was　deferential。　'Can　I　pass　him　along　to　you　now；　Captain？'
　'Sure；　sure。　Just　have　his　bags　sent　up。　Room　2100。　Top　floor。　I'll　go　ahead　with　Mr。　Bond　and　see　he　has　everything　he　wants。'
　Bond　turned　to　say　good…bye　to　Halloran　and　thank　him。　For　a　moment　Halloran　had　his　back　to　him　as　he　said　something　about　Bond's　luggage　to　the　missionaire。
　Bond　looked　past　him　across　55th　Street。　His　eyes　narrowed。　A　black　sedan；　a　Chevrolet；　was　pulling　sharply　out　into　the　thick　traffic；　right　in　front　of　a　Checker　cab　that　braked　hard；　its　driver　banging　his　fist　down　on　the　horn　and　holding　it　there。　The　sedan　kept　going；　just　caught　the　tail　of　the　green　light；　and　disappeared　north　up　Fifth　Avenue。
　It　was　a　smart；　decisive　bit　of　driving；　but　what　startled　Bond　was　that　it　had　been　a　negress　at　the　wheel；　a　fine…looking　negress　in　a　black　chauffeur's　uniform；　and　through　the　rear　wi