if.liveandletdie-第22章

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　She　put　her　arms　round　him　and　they　kissed；　long　and　passionately。
　Finally　she　sank　back　among　the　pillows。
　'Hurry　up　and　get　well；'　she　said。　'I'm　tired　of　my　game　already。'　；
　Bond　climbed　down　to　the　floor　and　pulled　her　curtains　across　the　berth。
　'Try　and　get　some　sleep　now；'　he　said。　'We've　got　a　long　day　tomorrow。'
　She　murmured　something　and　he　heard　her　turn　over。　She　switched　off　the　light。
　Bond　verified　that　the　wedges　were　in　place　under　the　doors。　Then　he　took　off　his　coat　and　tie　and　lay　down　on　the　bottom　berth。　He　turned　off　his　own　light　and　lay　thinking　of　Solitaire　and　listening　to　the　steady　gallop　of　the　wheels　beneath　his　head　and　the　fortable　small　noises　in　the　room；　the　gentle　rattles　and　squeaks　and　murmurs　in　the　coachwork　that　bring　sleep　so　quickly　on　a　train　at　night…time。
　It　was　eleven　o'clock　and　the　train　was　on　the　long　stretch　between　Columbia　and　Savannah；　Georgia。　There　were　another　six　hours　or　so　to　Jacksonville；　another　six　hours　of　darkness　during　which　The　Big　Man　would　almost　certainly　have　instructed　his　agent　to　make　some　move；　while　the　whole　train　was　asleep　and　while　a　man　could　use　the　corridors　without　interference。
　The　great　train　snaked　on　through　the　dark；　pounding　out　the　miles　through　the　empty　plains　and　mingy　hamlets　of　Georgia；　the　'Peach　State'；　the　angry　moan　of　its　four…toned　wind…horn　soughing　over　the　wide　savannah　and　the　long　shaft　of　its　single　searchlight　ripping　the　black　calico　of　the　night。
　Bond　turned　on　his　light　again　and　read　for　a　while；　but　his　thoughts　were　too　insistent　and　he　soon　gave　up　and　switched　the　light　off。　Instead；　he　thought　of　Solitaire　and　of　the　future　and　of　the　more　immediate　prospects　of　Jacksonville　and　St。　Petersburg　and　of　seeing　Leiter　again。
　Much　later；　around　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　was　dozing　and　on　the　edge　of　sleep；　when　a　soft　metallic　noise　quite　close　to　his　head　brought　him　wide　awake　with　his　hand　on　his　gun。
　There　was　someone　at　the　passage　door　and　the　lock　was　being　softly　tried。
　Bond　was　immediately　on　the　floor　and　moving　silently　on　his　bare　feet。　He　gently　pulled　the　wedge　away　from　under　the　door　to　the　next　partment　and　as　gently　pulled　the　bolt　and　opened　the　door。　He　crossed　the　next　partment　and　softly　began　to　open　the　door　to　the　corridor。
　There　was　a　deafening　click　as　the　bolt　came　back。　He　tore　the　door　open　and　threw　himself　into　the　corridor；　only　to　see　a　flying　figure　already　nearing　the　forward　end　of　the　car。
　If　his　two　hands　had　been　free　he　could　have　shot　the　man；　but　to　open　the　doors　he　had　to　tuck　his　gun　into　the　waistband　of　his　trousers。　Bond　knew　that　pursuit　would　be　hopeless。　There　were　too　many　empty　partments　into　which　the　man　could　dodge　and　quietly　close　the　door。　Bond　had　worked　all　this　out　beforehand。　He　knew　his　only　chance　would　be　surprise　and　either　a　quick　shot　or　the　man's　surrender。
　He　walked　a　few　steps　to　partment　H。　A　tiny　diamond　of　paper　protruded　into　the　corridor。
　He　went　back　and　into　their　room；　locking　the　doors　behind　him。　He　softly　turned　on　his　reading　light。　Solitaire　was　still　asleep。　The　rest　of　the　paper；　a　single　sheet；　lay　on　the　carpet　against　the　passage　door。　He　picked　it　up　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　bed。
　It　was　a　sheet　of　cheap　ruled　notepaper。　It　was　covered　with　irregular　lines　of　writing　in　rough　capitals；　in　red　ink。
　Bond　handled　it　gingerly；　without　much　hope　that　it　would　yield　any　prints。　These　people　weren't　like　that。
　Oh　Witch　＇he　read＇　do　not　slay　me；　Spare　me。　His　is　the　body。
　The　divine　drummer　declares　that
　When　he　rises　with　the　dawn
　He　will　sound　his　drums　for　YOU　in　the　morning
　Very　early；　very　early；　very　early；　very　early。
　Oh　Witch　that　slays　the　children　of　men　before　they
　are　fully　matured　
　Oh　Witch　that　slays　the　children　of　men　before　they
　are　fully　matured　
　The　divine　drummer　declares　that　
　When　he　rises　with　the　dawn　
　He　will　sound　his　drums　for　YOU　in　the　morning
　Very　early；　very　early；　very　early；　very　early。
　　　We　are　addressing　YOU　And　YOU　will　understand。
　
　Bond　lay　down　on　his　bed　and　thought。　Then　he　folded　the　paper　and　put　it　in　his　pocket…book。　He　lay　on　his　back　and　looked　at　nothing；　waiting　for　daybreak。
　
　CHAPTER　XII
　THE　EVERGLADES
　
　IT　was　around　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　they　slipped　off　the　train　at　Jacksonville。
　It　was　still　dark　and　the　naked　platforms　of　the　great　Florida　junction　were　sparsely　lit。　The　entrance　to　the　subway　was　only　a　few　yards　from　Car　245　and　there　was　no　sign　of　life　on　the　sleeping　train　as　they　dived　down　the　steps。　Bond　had　told　the　attendant　to　keep　the　door　of　their　partment　locked　after　they　had　gone　and　the　blinds　drawn　and　he　thought　there　was　quite　a　chance　they　would　not　be　missed　until　the　train　reached　St。　Petersburg。
　They　came　out　of　the　subway　into　the　booking…hall。　Bond　verified　that　the　next　express　for　St。　Petersburg　would　be　the　Silver　Meteor；　the　sister　train　of　the　Phantom；　due　at　about　nine　o'clock；　and　he　booked　two　Pullman　seats　on　it。　Then　he　took　Solitaire's　arm　and　they　walked　out　of　the　station　into　the　warm　dark　street。
　There　were　two　or　three　all…night　diners　to　choose　from　and　they　pushed　through　the　door　that　announced　'Good　Eats'　in　the　brightest　neon。　It　was　the　usual　sleazy　food…machine　…　two　tired　waitresses　behind　a　zinc　counter　loaded　with　cigarettes　and　candy　and　paper…backs　and　ics。　There　was　a　big　coffee　percolator　and　a　row　of　butane　gas…rings。　A　door　marked　'Restroom'　concealed　its　dreadful　secrets　next　to　a　door　marked　'Private'　which　was　probably　the　back　entrance。　A　group　of　overalled　men　at　one　of　the　dozen　stained　crueted　tables　looked　up　briefly　as　they　came　in　and　then　resumed　their　low　conversation。　Relief　crews　for　the　Diesels；　Bond　guessed。
　There　were　four　narrow　booths　on　the　right　of　the　entrance　and　Bond　and　Solitaire　slipped　into　one　of　them。　They　looked　dully　at　the　stained　menu　card。
　After　a　time；　one　of　the　waitresses　sauntered　over　and　stood　leaning　against　the　partition；　running　her　eyes　over　Solitaire's　clothes。
　'Orange　juice；　coffee；　scrambled　eggs；　twice；'　said　Bond　briefly。
　'Kay；'　said　the　girl。　Her　shoes　lethargically　scuffed　the　floor　as　she　sauntered　away。
　'The　scrambled　eggs'll　be　cooked　with　milk；'　said　Bond。　'But　one　can't　eat　boiled　eggs　in　America。　They　look　so　disgusting　without　their　shells；　mixed　up　in　a　tea…cup　the　way　they　do　them　here。　God　knows　where　they　learned　the　trick。　From　Germany；　I　suppose。　And　bad　American　coffee's　the　worst　in　the　world；　worse　even　than　in　England。　I　suppose　they　can't　do　much　harm　to　the　orange　juice。　After　all　we　are　in　Florida　now。'　He　suddenly　felt　depressed　by　the　thought　of　their　four…hour　wait　in　this　unwashed；　dog…eared　atmosphere。
　'Everybody's　making　easy　money　in　America　these　days；'　said　Solitaire。　'That's　always　bad　for　the　customer。　All　they　want　is　to　strip　a　quick　dollar　off　you　and　toss　you　out。　Wait　till　you　get　down　to　the　coast。　At　this　time　of　the　year；　Florida's　the　biggest　sucker…trap　on　earth。　On　the　East　Coast　they　fleece　the　millionaires。　Where　we're　going　they　just　take　it　off　the　little　man。　Serves　him　right；　of　course。　He　goes　there　to　die。　He　can't　take　it　with　him。'
　'For　heaven's　sake；'　said　Bond；　'what　sort　of　a　place　are　we　going　to？'
　'Everybody's　nearly　dead　in　St。　Petersburg；'　explained　Solitaire。　'It's　the　Great　American　Graveyard。　When　the　bank　clerk　or　the　post…office　worker　or　the　railroad　conductor　reaches　sixty　he　collects　his　pension　or　his　annuity　and　goes　to　St。　Petersburg　to　get　a　few　years'　sunshine　before　he　dies。　It's　called　〃The　Sunshine　City〃。　The　weather's　so　good　that　the　evening　paper　there；　The　Independent；　is　given　away　free　any　day　the　sun　hasn't　shone　by　edition　time。　It　only　happens　three　or　four　times　a　year　and　it's　a　fine　advertisement。　Everybody　goes　to　bed　around　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening　and　during　the　day　the　old　folks　play　shuffleboard　and　bridge；　herds　of　them。　There's　a　couple　of　baseball　teams　down　there；　the　〃Kids〃　and　the　〃Kubs〃；　all　over　seventy…five！　Then　they　play　bowls；　but　most　of　the　time　they　sit　squashed　together　in　droves　on　things　called　〃Sidewalk　D