if.liveandletdie-第18章

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　'Of　course；'　said　the　girl。　'I　promise。　I　really　promise。　I　must　go。'　She　rang　off。
　Bond　looked　at　the　dead　receiver；　then　put　it　down　on　the　cradle。　'Well；'　he　said　aloud。　'That's　torn　it。'
　He　got　up　and　stretched。　He　walked　to　the　window　and　looked　out；　seeing　nothing。　His　thoughts　raced。　Then　he　shrugged　and　turned　back　to　the　telephone。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　seven…thirty。
　'Room　Service；　good　morning；'　said　the　golden　voice。
　'Breakfast；　please；'　said　Bond。　'Pineapple　juice；　double。　Cornflakes　and　cream。　Shirred　eggs　with　bacon。　Double　portion　of　Cafe　Espresso。　Toast　and　marmalade。'
　'Yes；　Sir；'　said　the　girl。　She　repeated　the　order。　'Right　away。'
　'Thank　you。'
　'You're　wele。'
　Bond　grinned　to　himself。
　'The　condemned　man　made　a　hearty　breakfast；'　he　reflected。　He　sat　down　by　the　window　and　gazed　up　at　the　clear　sky；　into　the　future。
　Up　in　Harlem；　at　the　big　switchboard；　The　Whisper　was　talking　to　the　town　again；　passing　Bond's　description　again　to　all　Eyes　：　'All　de　railroads；　all　de　airports。　Fifth　Avenue　an'　55th　Street　doors　of　da　San　Regis。　Mr。　Big　sez　we　gotta　chance　da　highways。　Pass　it　down　da　line。　All　de　railroads；　all　de　airports。。。'
　
　CHAPTER　X
　THE　SILVER　PHANTOM
　
　BOND；　the　collar　of　his　new　raincoat　up　round　his　ears；　was　missed　as　he　came　out　of　the　entrance　of　the　St。　Regis　Drugstore　on　55th　Street；　which　has　a　connecting　door　into　the　hotel。
　He　waited　in　the　entrance　and　leaped　at　a　cruising　cab；　hooking　the　door　open　with　the　thumb　of　his　injured　hand　and　throwing　his　light　suitcase　in　ahead　of　him。　The　cab　hardly　checked。　The　negro　with　the　collecting…box　for　the　Coloured　Veterans　of　Korea　and　his　colleague　fumbling　under　the　bonnet　of　his　stalled　car　stayed　on　the　job　until；　much　later；　they　were　called　off　by　a　man　who　drove　past　and　sounded　two　shorts　and　a　long　on　his　horn。
　But　Bond　was　immediately　spotted　as　he　left　his　cab　at　the　drive…in　to　the　Pennsylvania　Station。　A　lounging　negro　with　a　wicker　basket　walked　quickly　into　a　call…box。　It　was　ten…fifteen。
　Only　fifteen　minutes　to　go　and　yet；　just　before　the　train　started；　one　of　the　waiters　in　the　diner　reported　sick　and　was　hurriedly　replaced　by　a　man　who　had　received　a　full　and　careful　briefing　on　the　telephone。　The　chef　swore　there　was　something　fishy；　but　the　new　man　said　a　word　or　two　to　him　and　the　chef　showed　the　whites　of　his　eyes　and　went　silent；　surreptitiously　touching　the　lucky　bean　that　hung　round　his　neck　on　a　string。
　Bond　had　walked　quickly　through　the　great　glass…covered　concourse　and　through　Gate　14　down　to　his　train。
　It　lay；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　silver　carriages；　quietly　in　the　dusk　of　the　underground　station。　Up　front；　the　auxiliary　generators　of　the　4000　horsepower　twin　Diesel　electric　units　ticked　busily。　Under　the　bare　electric　bulbs　the　horizontal　purple　and　gold　bands；　the　colours　of　the　Seaboard　Railroad；　glowed　regally　on　the　streamlined　lootives。　The　engineman　and　fireman　who　would　take　the　great　train　on　the　first　two　hundred　mile　lap　into　the　south　lolled　in　the　spotless　aluminium　cabin；　twelve　feet　above　the　track；　watching　the　ammeter　and　the　air…pressure　dial；　ready　to　go…It　was　quiet　in　the　great　concrete　cavern　below　the　city　and　every　noise　threw　an　echo。
　There　were　not　many　passengers。　More　would　be　taken　on　at　Newark；　Philadelphia；　Baltimore　and　Washington。　Bond　walked　a　hundred　yards；　his　feet　ringing　on　the　empty　platform；　before　he　found　Car　245　towards　the　rear　of　the　train。　A　Pullman　porter　stood　at　the　door。　He　wore　spectacles。　His　black　face　was　bored　but　friendly。　Below　the　windows　of　the　carriage；　in　broad　letters　of　brown　and　gold；　was　written　'Richmond；　Fredericksburg　and　Potomac'；　and　below　that　'Bellesylvania'；　the　name　of　the　Pullman　car。　A　thin　wisp　of　steam　rose　from　the　couplings　of　the　central　heating　near　the　door。
　'partment　H；'　said　Bond。
　'Mr。　Bryce；　Suh？　Yassuh。　Mrs。　Bryce　just　e　aboard。　Straight　down　da　cyar。'
　Bond　stepped　on　to　the　train　and　turned　down　the　drab　olive　green　corridor。　The　carpet　was　thick。　There　was　the　usual　American　train…smell　of　old　cigar…smoke。　A　notice　said　'Need　a　second　pillow？　For　any　extra　fort　ring　for　your　Pullman　Attendant。　His　name　is；'　then　a　printed　card；　slipped　in　：　'Samuel　D。　Baldwin。'
　H　was　more　than　half…way　down　the　car。　There　was　a　respectable…looking　American　couple　in　E；　otherwise　the　rooms　were　empty。　The　door　of　H　was　closed。　He　tried　it　and　it　was　locked。
　'Who's　that？'　asked　a　girl's　voice；　anxiously。
　'It's　me；'　said　Bond。
　The　door　opened。　Bond　walked　through；　put　down　his　bag　and　locked　the　door　behind　him。
　She　was　in　a　black　tailor…made。　A　wide…mesh　veil　came　down　from　the　rim　of　a　small　black　straw　hat。　One　gloved　hand　was　up　to　her　throat　and　through　the　veil　Bond　could　see　that　her　face　was　pale　and　her　eyes　were　wide　with　fear。　She　looked　rather　French　and　very　beautiful。
　'Thank　God；'　she　said。
　Bond　gave　a　quick　glance　round　the　room。　He　opened　the　lavatory　door　and　looked　in。　It　was　empty。
　A　voice　on　the　platform　outside　called　'Board！'　There　was　a　clang　as　the　attendant　pulled　up　the　folding　iron　step　and　shut　the　door　and　then　the　train　was　rolling　quietly　down　the　track。　A　bell　clanged　monotonously　as　they　passed　the　automatic　signals。　There　was　a　slight　clatter　from　the　wheels　as　they　crossed　some　points　and　then　the　train　began　to　accelerate。　For　better　or　for　worse；　they　were　on　their　way。
　'Which　seat　would　you　like？'　asked　Bond。
　'I　don't　mind；'　she　said　anxiously。　'You　choose。'
　Bond　shrugged　and　sat　down　with　his　back　to　the　engine。　He　preferred　to　face　forwards。
　She　sat　down　nervously　facing　him。　They　were　still　in　the　long　tunnel　that　takes　the　Philadelphia　lines　out　of　the　city。
　She　took　off　her　hat　and　unpinned　the　broad…mesh　veil　and　put　them　on　the　seat　beside　her。　She　took　some　hairpins　out　of　the　back　of　her　hair　and　shook　her　head　so　that　the　heavy　black　hair　fell　forward。　There　were　blue　shadows　under　her　eyes　and　Bond　reflected　that　she　too　must　have　gone　without　sleep　that　night。
　There　was　a　table　between　them。　Suddenly　she　reached　forward　and　pulled　his　right　hand　towards　her　on　the　table。　She　held　it　in　both　her　hands　and　bent　forward　and　kissed　it。　Bond　frowned　and　tried　to　pull　his　hand　away；　but　for　a　moment　she　held　it　tight　in　both　of　hers。
　She　looked　up　and　her　wide　blue　eyes　looked　candidly　into　his。
　'Thank　you；'　she　said。　'Thank　you　for　trusting　me。　It　was　difficult　for　you。'　She　released　his　hand　and　sat　back。
　'I'm　glad　I　did；'　said　Bond　inadequately；　his　mind　trying　to　grapple　with　the　mystery　of　this　woman。　He　dug　in　his　pocket　for　his　cigarettes　and　lighter。　It　was　a　new　pack　of　Chesterfields　and　with　his　right　hand　he　scrabbled　at　the　cellophane　wrapper。
　She　reached　over　and　took　the　pack　from　him。　She　slit　it　with　her　thumb…nail；　took　out　a　cigarette；　lit　it　and　handed　it　to　him。　Bond　took　it　from　her　and　smiled　into　her　eyes；　tasting　the　hint　of　lipstick　from　her　mouth。
　'I　smoke　about　three　packs　a　day；'　he　said。　'You're　going　to　be　busy。'
　'I'll　just　help　with　the　new　packs；'　she　said。　'Don't　be　afraid　I'm　going　to　fuss　over　you　the　whole　way　to　St。　Petersburg。'
　Bond's　eyes　narrowed　and　the　smile　went　out　of　them。
　'You　don't　believe　I　thought　we　were　only　going　as　far　as　Washington；'　she　said。　'You　weren't　very　quick　on　the　telephone　this　morning。　And　anyway；　Mr。　Big　was　certain　you　would　make　for　Florida。　I　heard　him　warning　his　people　down　there　about　you。　He　spoke　to　a　man　called　〃The　Robber〃；　long　distance。　Said　to　watch　the　airport　at　Tampa　and　the　trains。　Perhaps　we　ought　to　get　off　the　train　earlier；　at　Tarpon　Springs　or　one　of　the　small　stations　up　the　coast。　Did　they　see　you　getting　on　the　train？'
　'Not　that　I　know　of；'　said　Bond。　His　eyes　had　relaxed　again。　'How　about　you？　Have　any　trouble　getting　away？'
　'It　was　my　day　for　a　singing　lesson。　He's　trying　to　make　a　torch　singer　out　of　me。　Wants　me　to　go　on　at　The　Bone…yard。　One　of　his　men　took　me　to　my　teacher　as　usual　and　was　due　to　pick　me　up　again　at　midday。　He　wasn't　surprised　I　was　having　a　lesson　so　early。　I　often　have　breakfast　with　my　teacher　so　as　to　get　away　from　Mr。　Big。　He　expects　me　to　have　all　my　m