if.liveandletdie-第32章

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do　about　it。　His　eyes　were　red　with　strain　and　lack　of　sleep。　He　went　back　to　the　bar；　drank　down　the　Bourbon　and　ordered　another　one。　The　barman　looked　like　a　college　kid　spending　his　holidays　the　hard　way。　He　wanted　to　talk　but　there　was　no　talk　left　in　Bond。　Bond　sat　and　looked　into　his　glass　and　thought　about　Leiter　and　The　Robber　and　heard　the　sickening　grunt　of　the　feeding　shark。
　He　paid　and　went　out　and　on　again　over　the　Gandy　Bridge；　and　the　air　of　the　Bay　was　cool　on　his　face。　At　the　end　of　the　bridge　he　turned　left　towards　the　airport　and　stopped　at　the　first　motel　that　looked　awake。
　The　middle…aged　couple　that　owned　the　place　were　listening　to　late　rhumba　music　from　Cuba　with　a　bottle　of　rye　between　them。　Bond　told　a　story　of　a　blow…out　on　his　way　from　Sarasota　to　Silver　Springs。　They　weren't　interested。　They　were　just　glad　to　take　his　ten　dollars。　He　drove　his　car　up　to　the　door　of　Room　5　and　the　man　unlocked　the　door　and　turned　on　the　light。　There　was　a　double　bed　and　a　shower　and　a　chest…of…drawers　and　two　chairs。　The　motif　was　white　and　blue。　It　looked　clean　and　Bond　put　his　bag　down　thankfully　and　said　good　night。　He　stripped　and　threw　his　clothes　unfolded　on　to　a　chair。　Then　he　took　a　quick　shower；　cleaned　his　teeth　and　gargled　with　a　sharp　mouthwash　and　climbed　into　bed。
　He　plunged　at　once　into　a　calm　untroubled　sleep。　It　was　the　first　night　since　he　had　arrived　in　America　that　did　not　threaten　a　fresh　battle　with　his　stars　on　the　morrow。
　He　awoke　at　midday　and　walked　down　the　road　to　a　cafeteria　where　the　short…order　cook　fixed　him　a　delicious　three…decker　western　sandwich　and　coffee。　Then　he　came　back　to　his　room　and　wrote　a　detailed　report　to　the　FBI　at　Tampa。　He　omitted　all　reference　to　the　gold　in　the　poison　tanks　for　fear　that　The　Big　Man　would　close　down　his　operations　in　Jamaica。　The　nature　of　these　had　still　to　be　discovered。　Bond　knew　that　the　damage　he　had　done　to　the　machine　in　America　had　no　bearing　on　the　heart　of　his　assignment　…　the　discovery　of　the　source　of　the　gold；　its　seizure；　and　the　destruction；　if　possible；　of　Mr。　Big　himself。
　He　drove　to　the　airport　and　caught　the　silver；　four…engined　plane　with　a　few　minutes　to　spare。　He　left　Leiter's　car　in　the　parking　space　as　in　his　report　he　had　told　the　FBI　he　would。　He　guessed　that　he　need　not　have　mentioned　it　to　the　FBI　when　he　saw　a　man　in　an　unnecessary　raincoat　hanging　round　the　souvenir　shop；　buying　nothing。　Raincoats　seemed　almost　the　badge　of　office　of　the　FBI。　Bond　was　certain　they　wanted　to　see　he　caught　the　plane。　They　would　be　glad　to　see　the　last　of　him。　Wherever　he　had　gone　in　America　he　had　left　dead　bodies。　Before　he　boarded　the　plane　he　called　the　hospital　in　St。　Petersburg。　He　wished　he　hadn't；　Leiter　was　still　unconscious　and　there　was　no　news。　Yes；　they　would　cable　him　when　they　had　something　definite。
　It　was　five　in　the　evening　when　they　circled　over　Tampa　Bay　and　headed　East。　The　sun　was　low　on　the　horizon。　A　big　jet　from　Pensacola　swept　by；　well　to　port；　leaving　four　trails　of　vapour　that　hung　almost　motionless　in　the　still　air。　Soon　it　would　plete　its　training　circuit　and　go　in　to　land；　back　to　the　Gulf　Coast　packed　with　oldsters　in　Truman　shirts。　Bond　was　glad　to　be　on　his　way　to　the　soft　green　flanks　of　Jamaica　and　to　be　leaving　behind　the　great　hard　continent　of　Eldollarado。
　The　plane　swept　on　across　the　waist　of　Florida；　across　the　acres　of　jungle　and　swamp　without　sign　of　human　habitation；　its　wing…lights　blinking　green　and　red　in　the　gathering　dark。　Soon　they　were　over　Miami　and　the　monster　chump…traps　of　the　Eastern　Seaboard；　their　arteries　ablaze　with　Neon。　Away　to　port；　State　Highway　No。1　disappeared　up　the　coast　in　a　golden　ribbon　of　motels；　gas　stations　and　fruit…juice　stands；　up　through　Palm　Beach　and　Daytona　to　Jacksonville；　three　hundred　miles　away。　Bond　thought　of　the　breakfast　he　had　had　at　Jacksonville　not　three　days　before　and　of　all　that　had　happened　since。　Soon；　after　a　short　stop　at　Nassau；　he　would　be　flying　over　Cuba；　perhaps　over　the　hideout　where　Mr。　Big　had　put　her　away。　She　would　hear　the　noise　of　the　plane　and　perhaps　her　instincts　would　make　her　look　up　towards　the　sky　and　feel　that　for　a　moment　he　was　nearby。
　Bond　wondered　if　they　would　ever　meet　again　and　finish　what　they　had　begun。　But　that　would　have　to　e　later；　when　his　work　was　over　…　the　prize　at　the　end　of　the　dangerous　road　that　had　started　three　weeks　before　in　the　fog　of　London。
　After　a　cocktail　and　an　early　dinner　they　came　in　to　Nassau　and　spent　half　an　hour　on　the　richest　island　in　the　world；　the　sandy　patch　where　a　thousand　million　pounds　of　frightened　sterling　lies　buried　beneath　the　Canasta　tables　and　where　bungalows　surrounded　by　a　thin　scurf　of　screw…pine　and　casuarina　change　hands　at　fifty　thousand　pounds　a　piece。
　They　left　the　platinum　whistle…stop　behind　and　were　soon　crossing　the　twinkling　mother…of…pearl　lights　of　Havana；　so　different　in　their　pastel　modesty　from　the　harsh　primary　colours　of　American　cities　at　night。
　They　were　flying　at　fifteen　thousand　feet　when；　just　after　crossing　Cuba；　they　ran　into　one　of　those　violent　tropical　storms　that　suddenly　turn　aircraft　from　fortable　drawing…rooms　into　bucketing　death…traps。　The　great　plane　staggered　and　plunged；　its　screws　now　roaring　in　vacuum　and　now　biting　harshly　into　walls　of　solid　air。　The　thin　tube　shuddered　and　swung。　Crockery　crashed　in　the　pantry　and　huge　rain　hammered　on　the　perspex　windows。
　Bond　gripped　the　arms　of　his　chair　so　that　his　left　hand　hurt　and　cursed　softly　to　himself。
　He　looked　at　the　racks　of　magazines　and　thought：　they　won't　help　much　when　the　steel　tires　at　fifteen　thousand　feet；　nor　will　the　eau…de…cologne　in　the　washroom；　nor　the　personalized　meals；　the　free　razor；　the　'orchid　for　your　lady'　now　trembling　in　the　ice…box。　Least　of　all　the　safety…belts　and　the　life…jackets　with　the　whistle　that　the　steward　demonstrates　will　really　blow；　nor　the　cute　little　rescue…lamp　that　glows　red。
　No；　when　the　stresses　are　too　great　for　the　tired　metal；　when　the　ground　mechanic　who　checks　the　de…icing　equipment　is　crossed　in　love　and　skimps　his　job；　way　back　in　London；　Idlewild；　Gander；　Montreal；　when　those　or　many　things　happen；　then　the　little　warm　room　with　propellers　in　front　falls　straight　down　out　of　the　sky　into　the　sea　or　on　to　the　land；　heavier　than　air；　fallible；　vain。　And　the　forty　little　heavier…than…air　people；　fallible　within　the　plane's　fallibility；　vain　within　its　larger　vanity；　fall　down　with　it　and　make　little　holes　in　the　land　or　little　splashes　in　the　sea。　Which　is　anyway　their　destiny；　so　why　worry？　You　are　linked　to　the　ground　mechanic's　careless　fingers　in　Nassau　just　as　you　are　linked　to　the　weak　head　of　the　little　man　in　the　family　saloon　who　mistakes　the　red　light　for　the　green　and　meets　you　head…on；　for　the　first　and　last　time；　as　you　are　motoring　quietly　home　from　some　private　sin。　There's　nothing　to　do　about　it。　You　start　to　die　the　moment　you　are　born。　The　whole　of　life　is　cutting　through　the　pack　with　death。　So　take　it　easy。　Light　a　cigarette　and　be　grateful　you　are　still　alive　as　you　suck　the　smoke　deep　into　your　lungs。　Your　stars　have　already　let　you　e　quite　a　long　way　since　you　left　your　mother's　womb　and　whimpered　at　the　cold　air　of　the　world。　Perhaps　they'll　even　let　you　get　to　Jamaica　tonight。　Can't　you　hear　those　cheerful　voices　in　the　control　tower　that　have　said　quietly　all　day　long；　'e　in　BOAC。　e　in　Panam。　e　in　K　L　M　'？　Can't　you　hear　them　calling　you　down　too　：　'e　in　Transcarib。　e　in　Transcarib'？　Don't　lose　faith　in　your　stars。　Remember　that　hot　stitch　of　time　when　you　faced　death　from　The　Robber's　gun　last　night。　You're　still　alive；　aren't　you？　There；　we're　out　of　it　already。　It　was　just　to　remind　you　that　being　quick　with　a　gun　doesn't　mean　you're　really　tough。　Just　don't　forget　it。　This　happy　landing　at　Palisadoes　Airport　es　to　you　by　courtesy　of　your　stars。　Better　thank　them。
　Bond　unfastened　his　seat…belt　and　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　face。
　To　hell　with　it；　he　thought；　as　he　stepped　down　out　of　the　huge　strong　plane。
　Strangways；　the　chief　Secret　Service　agent　for　the　Caribbean；　was　at　the　airport　to　meet　him　and　he　was　quickly　through　the　Customs　and　Immigration　and　Finan