if.liveandletdie-第43章

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　'The　fact；　Mister　Bond；'　The　Big　Man　continued　after　a　pause；'　that　I　survive　and　indeed　enjoy　limitless　success；　although　I　am　alone　against　countless　millions　of　sheep；　is　attributable　to　the　modern　techniques　I　described　to　you　on　the　occasion　of　our　last　talk；　and　to　an　infinite　capacity　for　taking　pains。　Not　dull；　plodding　pains；　but　artistic；　subtle　pains。　And　I　find；　Mister　Bond；　that　it　is　not　difficult　to　outwit　sheep；　however　many　of　them　there　may　be；　if　one　is　dedicated　to　the　task　and　if　one　is　by　nature　an　extremely　well…equipped　wolf。
　'Let　me　illustrate　to　you；　by　an　example；　how　my　mind　works。　We　will　take　the　method　I　have　decided　upon　by　which　you　are　both　to　die。　It　is　a　modern　variation　on　the　method　used　in　the　time　of　my　kind　patron；　Sir　Henry　Morgan。　In　those　days　it　was　known　as　〃keel…hauling〃。'
　'Pray　continue；'　said　Bond；　not　looking　at　Solitaire。
　'We　have　a　paravane　on　board　the　yacht；'　continued　Mr。　Big　as　if　he　was　a　surgeon　describing　a　delicate　operation　to　a　body　of　students；　'which　we　use　for　trawling　for　shark　and　other　big　fish。　This　paravane；　as　you　know；　is　a　large　buoyant　torpedo…shaped　device；　which　rides　on　the　end　of　a　cable；　away　from　the　side　of　a　ship；　and　which　can　be　used　for　sustaining　the　end　of　a　net；　and　drawing　it　through　the　water　when　the　ship　is　in　motion；　or　if　fitted　with　a　cutting　device；　for　severing　the　cables　of　moored　mines　in　time　of　war。
　'I　intend；'　said　Mr。　Big；　in　a　matter…of…fact　discursive　tone　of　voice；'　to　bind　you　together　to　a　line　streamed　from　this　paravane　and　to　tow　you　through　the　sea　until　you　are　eaten　by　sharks。'
　He　paused；　and　his　eyes　looked　from　one　to　the　other。　Solitaire　was　gazing　wide…eyed　at　Bond　and　Bond　was　thinking　hard；　his　eyes　blank　and　his　mind　boring　into　the　future。　He　felt　he　ought　to　say　something。
　'You　are　a　big　man；'　he　said；　'and　one　day　you　will　die　a　big；　horrible　death。　If　you　kill　us；　that　death　will　e　soon。　I　have　arranged　for　it。　You　are　going　mad　very　fast　or　you　would　see　what　our　murder　will　bring　down　on　you。'
　Even　as　he　spoke　Bond's　mind　was　working　fast；　counting　hours　and　minutes；　knowing　that　The　Big　Man's　own　death　was　creeping；　with　the　acid　in　the　fuse；　round　the　minute　hand　towards　his　personal　hour　of　final　rendezvous。　But　would　he　and　Solitaire　be　dead　before　that　hour　struck？　There　would　not　be　more　than　minutes；　perhaps　seconds　in　it。　The　sweat　poured　off　his　face　on　to　his　chest。　He　smiled　across　at　Solitaire。　She　looked　back　at　him　opaquely；　her　eyes　not　seeing　him。
　Suddenly　she　gave　an　agonized　cry　that　made　Bond's　nerves　jerk。
　'I　don't　know；'　she　cried。　'I　can't　see。　It's　so　near；　so　close。　There　is　much　death。　But。。。'
　'Solitaire；'　shouted　Bond；　terrified　that　whatever　strange　things　she　saw　in　the　future　might　give　a　warning　to　The　Big　Man。　'Pull　yourself　together。'
　There　was　an　angry　bite　in　his　voice。
　Her　eyes　cleared。　She　looked　dumbly　at　him；　without　prehension。
　The　Big　Man　spoke　again。
　'I　am　not　going　mad；　Mister　Bond；'　he　said　evenly；　'and　nothing　you　have　arranged　will　affect　me。　You　will　die　beyond　the　reef　and　there　will　be　no　evidence。　I　shall　tow　the　remains　of　your　bodies　until　there　is　nothing　left。　That　is　part　of　the　dexterity　of　my　intentions。　You　may　also　know　that　shark　and　barracuda　play　a　role　in　Voodooism。　They　will　have　their　sacrifice　and　Baron　Samedi　will　be　appeased。　That　will　satisfy　my　followers。　I　wish　also　to　continue　my　experiments　with　carnivorous　fish。　I　believe　they　only　attack　when　there　is　blood　in　the　water。　So　your　bodies　will　be　towed　from　the　island。　The　paravane　will　take　them　over　the　reef。　I　believe　you　will　not　be　harmed　inside　the　reef。　The　blood　and　offal　that　is　thrown　into　these　waters　every　night　will　have　dispersed　or　been　consumed。　But　when　your　bodies　have　been　dragged　over　the　reef；　then　I'm　afraid　you　will　bleed；　your　bodies　will　be　very　raw。　And　then　we　will　see　if　my　theories　are　correct。'
　The　Big　Man　put　his　hand　behind　him　and　pulled　the　door　open。
　'I　will　leave　you　now；'　he　said；'　to　reflect　on　the　excellence　of　the　method　I　have　invented　for　your　death　together。　Two　necessary　deaths　are　achieved。　No　evidence　is　left　behind。　Superstition　is　satisfied。　My　followers　pleased。　The　bodies　are　used　for　scientific　research。
　'That　is　what　I　meant；　Mister　James　Bond；　by　an　infinite　capacity　for　taking　artistic　pains。'
　He　stood　in　the　doorway　and　looked　at　them。
　'A　short；　but　very　good　night　to　you　both。'
　
　CHAPTER　XXII
　TERROR　BY　SEA
　
　IT　was　not　yet　light　when　their　guards　came　for　them。　Their　leg　ropes　were　cut　and　with　their　arms　still　pinioned　they　were　led　up　the　remaining　stone　stairs　to　the　surface。
　They　stood　amongst　the　sparse　trees　and　Bond　sniffed　the　cool　morning　air。　He　gazed　through　the　trees　towards　the　east　and　saw　that　there　the　stars　were　paler　and　the　horizon　luminous　with　the　breaking　dawn。　The　night…song　of　the　crickets　was　almost　done　and　somewhere　on　the　island　a　mocking　bird　bubbled　its　first　notes。
　He　guessed　that　it　was　either　side　of　half…past　five。
　They　stood　there　for　several　minutes。　Negroes　brushed　past　them　carrying　bundles　and　jippa…jappa　holdalls；　talking　in　cheerful　whispers。　The　doors　of　the　handful　of　thatched　huts　among　the　trees　had　been　left　swinging　open。　The　men　filed　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff　to　the　right　of　where　Bond　and　Solitaire　were　standing　and　disappeared　over　the　edge。　They　didn't　e　back。　It　was　evacuation。　The　whole　garrison　of　the　island　was　decamping。
　Bond　rubbed　his　naked　shoulder　against　Solitaire　and　she　pressed　against　him。　It　was　cold　after　the　stuffy　dungeon　and　Bond　shivered。　But　it　was　better　to　be　on　the　move　than　for　the　suspense　down　below　to　be　prolonged。
　They　both　knew　what　had　to　be　done；　the　nature　of　the　gamble。
　When　The　Big　Man　had　left　them；　Bond　had　wasted　no　time。　In　a　whisper；　he　had　told　the　girl　of　the　limpet　mine　against　the　side　of　the　ship　timed　to　explode　a　few　minutes　after　six　o'clock　and　he　had　explained　the　factors　that　would　decide　who　would　die　that　morning。
　First；　he　gambled　on　Mr。　Big's　mania　for　exactitude　and　efficiency。　The　Secatur　must　sail　on　the　dot　of　six　o'clock。　Then　there　must　be　no　cloud；　or　visibility　hi　the　half…light　of　dawn　would　not　be　sufficient　for　the　ship　to　make　the　passage　through　the　reef　and　Mr。　Big　would　postpone　the　sailing。　If　Bond　and　Solitaire　were　on　the　jetty　alongside　the　ship；　they　would　then　be　killed　with　Mi。　Big。
　Supposing　the　ship　sailed　dead　on　time；　how　far　behind　and　to　one　side　of　her　would　their　bodies　be　towed？　It　would　have　to　be　on　the　port　side　for　the　paravane　to　clear　the　island。　Bond　guessed　the　cable　to　the　paravane　would　be　fifty　yards　and　that　they　would　be　towed　twenty　or　thirty　yards　behind　the　paravane。
　If　he　was　right；　they　would　be　hauled　over　the　outer　reef　about　fifty　yards　after　the　Secatur　had　cleared　the　passage。　She　would　probably　approach　the　passage　at　about　three　knots　and　then　put　on　speed　to　ten　or　even　twenty。　At　first　their　bodies　would　be　swept　away　from　the　island　in　a　slow　arc；　twisting　and　turning　at　the　end　of　the　tow…rope。　Then　the　paravane　would　straighten　out　and　when　the　ship　had　got　through　the　reef；　they　would　still　be　approaching　it。　The　paravane　would　then　cross　the　reef　when　the　ship　was　about　forty　yards　outside　it　and　they　would　follow。
　Bond　shuddered　to　think　of　the　mauling　their　bodies　would　suffer　being　dragged　at　any　speed　over　the　razor…sharp　ten　yards　of　coral　rocks　and　trees。　The　skin　on　their　backs　and　legs　would　be　flayed　off。
　Once　over　the　reef　they　would　be　just　a　huge　bleeding　bait　and　it　would　be　only　a　matter　of　minutes　before　the　first　shark　or　barracuda　was　on　to　them。
　And　Mr。　Big　would　sit　fortably　in　the　stern　sheets；　watching　the　bloody　show；　perhaps　with　glasses；　and　ticking　off　the　seconds　and　minutes　as　the　living　bait　got　smaller　and　smaller　and　finally　the　fish　snapped　at　the　bloodstained　rope。
　Until　there　was　nothing　left。
　Then　the　paravane　would　be　hoisted　inboard　and　the　yacht　would　plough　gracefully　on　towards　the　distant　Florida　Keys；　Cape　Sable　and　the　sun…soaked　wharf　in　St。　Petersburg　Harbour。
　And　if　the　mine　exploded　while　they　were　still　in　the