if.liveandletdie-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o　nearly　perfect。　Except　that　the　shark…repellent　stuff　would　not　arrive　in　time。　And　that　was　only　a　refinement。　There　was　no　excuse。　This　was　what　he　had　travelled　two　thousand　miles　and　five　deaths　to　do。　And　yet　he　shivered　at　the　prospect　of　the　dark　adventure　under　the　sea　that　he　had　already　put　off　in　his　mind　until　tomorrow。　Suddenly　he　loathed　and　feared　the　sea　and　everything　in　it。　The　millions　of　tiny　antennae　that　would　stir　and　point　as　he　went　by　that　night；　the　eyes　that　would　wake　and　watch　him；　the　pulses　that　would　miss　for　the　hundredth　of　a　second　and　then　go　beating　quietly　on；　the　jelly　tendrils　that　would　grope　and　reach　for　him；　as　blind　in　the　light　as　in　the　dark。
　He　would　be　walking　through　thousands　of　millions　of　secrets。　In　three　hundred　yards；　alone　and　cold；　he　would　be　blundering　through　a　forest　of　mystery　towards　a　deadly　citadel　whose　guardians　had　already　killed　three　men。　He；　Bond；　after　a　week's　paddling　with　his　nanny　beside　him　in　the　sunshine；　was　going　out　tonight；　in　a　few　hours；　to　walk　alone　under　that　black　sheet　of　water。　It　was　crazy；　unthinkable。　Bond's　flesh　cringed　and　his　fingers　dug　into　his　wet　palms。
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　Quarrel　came　in。　Bond　was　glad　to　get　up　and　move　away　from　the　window　to　where　Strangways　was　enjoying　his　drink　under　a　shaded　reading　light。
　'They're　working　with　lights　now；　Cap'n；'　Quarrel　said　with　a　grin。　'Still　a　tank　every　five　minutes。　I　figure　that'll　be　ten　hours'　work。　Be　through　about　four　in　the　morning。　Won't　sail　before　six。　Too　dangerous　to　try　the　passage　without　plenty　light。'
　Quarrel's　warm　grey　eyes　in　the　splendid　mahogany　face　were　looking　into　Bond's；　waiting　for　orders。
　'I'll　start　at　ten　sharp；'　Bond　found　himself　saying。　'From　the　rocks　to　the　left　of　the　beach。　Can　you　get　us　some　dinner　and　then　get　the　gear　out　on　to　the　lawn？　Conditions　are　perfect。　I'll　be　over　there　in　half　an　hour。'　He　counted　on　his　fingers。　'Give　me　fuses　for　five　to　eight　hours。　And　the　quarter…hour　one　in　reserve　in　case　any…　；　thing　goes　wrong。　Okay？'
　'Aye　aye；　Cap'n；'　said　Quarrel。　'You　jes　leave　'em　all　to　me。'
　He　went　out。
　Bond　looked　at　the　whisky　bottle；　then　he　made　up　his　mind　and　poured　half　a　glass　on　top　of　three　ice　cubes。　He　took　the　box　of　benzedrine　tablets　out　of　his　pocket　and　slipped　a　tablet　between　his　teeth。
　'Here's　luck；'　he　said　to　Strangways　and　took　a　deep　swallow。　He　sat　down　and　enjoyed　the　tough　hot　taste　of　his　first　drink　for　more　than　a　week。　'Now；'　he　said；'　tell　me　exactly　what　they　do　when　they're　ready　to　sail。　How　long　it　takes　them　to　clear　the　island　and　get　through　the　reef。　If　it's　the　last　time；　don't　forget　they'll　be　taking　off　an　extra　six　men　and　some　stores。　Let's　try　to　work　it　out　as　closely　as　we　can。'
　In　a　moment　Bond　was　immersed　in　a　sea　of　practical　details　and　the　shadow　of　fear　had　fled　back　to　the　dark　pools　under　the　palm　trees。
　Exactly　at　ten　o'clock；　with　nothing　but　anticipation　and　excitement　in　him；　the　shimmering　black　bat…like　figure　slipped　off　the　rocks　into　ten　feet　of　water　and　vanished　under　the　sea。
　'Go　safely；'　said　Quarrel　to　the　spot　where　Bond　had　disappeared。　He　crossed　himself。　Then　he　and　Strangways　moved　back　through　the　shadows　to　the　house　to　sleep　uneasily　in　watches　and　wait　fearfully　for　what　might　e。
　
　CHAPTER　XIX
　VALLEY　OF　SHADOWS
　
　BOND　was　carried　straight　to　the　bottom　by　the　weight　of　the　limpet　mine　that　he　had　secured　to　his　chest　with　tapes　and　by　the　leaded　belt　which　he　wore　round　his　waist　to　correct　the　buoyancy　of　the　pressed…air　cylinders。
　He　didn't　pause　for　an　instant　but　immediately　streaked　across　the　first　fifty　yards　of　open　sand　in　a　fast　crawl；　his　face　just　above　the　sand。　The　long　webbed　feet　would　almost　have　doubled　his　normal　speed　if　he　had　not　been　hampered　by　the　weight　he　was　carrying　and　by　the　light　harpoon　gun　in　his　left　hand；　but　he　travelled　fast　and　in　under　a　minute　he　came　to　rest　in　the　shadow　of　a　mass　of　sprawling　coral。
　He　paused　and　examined　his　sensations。
　He　was　warm　in　the　rubber　suit；　warmer　than　he　would　have　been　swimming　in　the　sunshine。　He　found　his　movements　very　easy　and　breathing　perfectly　simple　so　long　as　his　breath　was　even　and　relaxed。　He　watched　the　tell…tale　bubbles　streaming　up　against　the　coral　in　a　fountain　of　silver　pearls　and　prayed　that　the　small　waves　were　hiding　them。
　In　the　open　he　had　been　able　to　see　perfectly。　The　light　was　soft　and　milky　but　not　strong　enough　to　melt　the　mackerel　shadows　of　the　surface　waves　that　chequered　the　sand。　Now；　up　against　the　reef；　there　was　no　reflection　from　the　bottom；　and　the　shadows　under　the　rocks　were　black　and　impenetrable。
　He　risked　a　quick　glance　with　his　pencil　torch　and　immediately　the　underbelly　of　the　mass　of　brown　tree…coral　came　alive。　Anemones　with　crimson　centres　waved　their　velvet　tentacles　at　him；　a　colony　of　black　sea…eggs　moved　their　toledo…steel　spines　in　sudden　alarm　and　a　hairy　sea…centipede　halted　in　its　hundred　strides　and　questioned　with　its　eyeless　head。　In　the　sand　at　the　base　of　the　tree　a　toad…fish　softly　drew　its　hideous　warty　head　back　into　its　funnel　and　a　number　of　flower…like　sea…worms　whisked　out　of　sight　down　their　gelatinous　tubes。　A　covey　of　bejewelled　butterfly　and　angel　fish　flirted　into　the　light　and　he　marked　the　flat　spiral　of　a　Long…spined　Star　Shell。
　Bond　tucked　the　light　back　in　his　belt。
　Above　him　the　surface　of　the　sea　was　a　canopy　of　quicksilver。　It　crackled　softly　like　fat　frying　in　a　saucepan。　Ahead　the　moonlight　glinted　down　into　the　deep　crooked　valley　that　sloped　down　and　away　on　the　route　he　had　to　follow。　He　left　his　sheltering　tree　of　coral　and　walked　softly　forward。　Now　it　was　not　so　easy。　The　light　was　tricky　and　bad　and　the　petrified　forest　of　the　coral　reef　was　full　of　culs…de…sac　and　tempting　but　misleading　avenues。
　Sometimes　he　had　to　climb　almost　to　the　surface　to　get　over　a　tangled　scrub　of　tree…　and　antler…coral　and　when　this　happened　he　profited　by　it　to　check　his　position　with　the　moon　that　glowed　like　a　huge　pale　rocket…burst　through　the　broken　water。　Sometimes　the　hourglass　waist　of　a　niggerhead　gave　him　shelter　and　he　rested　for　a　few　moments　knowing　that　the　small　froth　of　his　air…bubbles　would　be　hidden　by　the　jagged　knob　protruding　above　the　surface。　Then　he　would　focus　his　eyes　on　the　phosphorescent　scribbles　of　the　minute　underwater　night…life　and　perceive　whole　colonies　and　populations　about　their　microscopic　business。
　There　were　no　big　fish　about；　but　many　lobsters　were　out　of　their　holes　looking　huge　and　prehistoric　in　the　magnifying　lens　of　the　water。　Their　stalk…like　eyes　glared　redly　at　him　and　their　foot…long　spined　antennae　asked　him　for　the　password。　Occasionally　they　scuttled　nervously　backwards　into　their　shelters；　their　powerful　tails　kicking　up　the　sand；　and　crouched　on　the　tips　of　their　eight　hairy　feet；　waiting　for　the　danger　to　pass。　Once　the　great　streamers　of　a　portuguese　man…of…war　floated　slowly　by。　They　almost　reached　his　head　from　the　surface；　fifteen　feet　away；　and　he　remembered　the　whiplash　of　a　sting　from　the　contact　of　one　of　their　tendrils　that　had　burned　for　three　of　his　days　at　Manatee　Bay。　If　they　caught　a　man　across　the　heart　they　could　kill　him。　He　saw　several　green　and　speckled　moray　eels；　the　latter　moving　like　big　yellow　and　black　snakes　along　patches　of　sand；　the　green　ones　baring　their　teeth　from　some　hole　in　the　rock；　and　several　West　Indian　blowfish；　like　brown　owls　with　huge　soft　green　eyes。　He　poked　at　one　with　the　end　of　his　gun　and　it　swelled　out　to　the　size　of　a　football　and　became　a　mass　of　dangerous　white　spines。　Wide　sea　fans　swayed　and　beckoned　in　the　eddies；　and　in　the　grey　valleys　they　caught　the　light　of　the　moon　and　waved　spectrally；　like　fragments　of　the　shrouds　of　men　buried　at　sea。　Often　in　the　shadows　there　were　unexplained；　heavy　movements　and　swirls　in　the　water　and　the　sudden　glare　of　large　eyes　at　once　extinguished。　Then　Bond　would　whirl　round；　thumbing　up　the　safety…catch　on　his　harpoon　gun；　and　stare　back　into　the　darkness。　But　he　shot　at　nothing　and　nothing　attacked　him　as　he　scrambled　and　slithered　through　the　reef。
　The　hundred　yards　of　coral