if.liveandletdie-第44章

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　And　if　the　mine　exploded　while　they　were　still　in　the　water；　only　fifty　yards　away　from　the　ship？　What　would　be　the　effect　of　the　shock…waves　on　their　bodies？　It　might　not　be　deadly。　The　hull　of　the　ship　should　absorb　most　of　it。　The　reef　might　protect　them。
　Bond　could　only　guess　and　hope。
　Above　all　they　must　stay　alive　to　the　last　possible　second。　They　must　keep　breathing　as　they　were　hauled；　a　living　bundle；　through　the　sea。　Much　depended　on　how　they　would　be　bound　together。　Mr。　Big　would　want　them　to　stay　alive。　He　would　not　be　interested　hi　dead　bait。
　If　they　were　still　alive　when　the　first　shark's　fin　showed　on　the　surface　behind　them　Bond　had　coldly　decided　to　drown　Solitaire。　Drown　her　by　twisting　her　body　under　his　and　holding　her　there。　Then　he　would　try　and　drown　himself　by　twisting　her　dead　body　back　over　his　to　keep　him　under。
　There　was　nightmare　at　every　turn　of　his　thoughts；　sickening　horror　in　every　grisly　aspect　of　the　monstrous　torture　and　death　this　man　had　invented　for　them。　But　Bond　knew　he　must　remain　cold　and　absolutely　resolved　to　fight　for　their　lives　to　the　end。　There　was　at　least　warmth　in　the　knowledge　that　Mr。　Big　and　most　of　his　men　would　also　die。　And　there　was　a　glimmer　of　hope　that　he　and　Solitaire　would　survive。　Unless　the　mine　failed；　there　was　no　such　hope　for　the　enemy。
　All　this；　and　a　hundred　other　details　and　plans　went　through　Bond's　mind　in　the　last　hour　before　they　were　brought　up　the　shaft　to　the　surface。　He　shared　all　his　hopes　with　Solitaire。　None　of　his　fears。
　She　had　lain　opposite　him；　her　tired　blue　eyes　fixed　on　him；　obedient；　trusting；　drinking　in　his　face　and　his　words；　pliant；　loving。
　'Don't　worry　about　me；　my　darling；'　she　had　said　when　the　men　came　for　them。　'I　am　happy　to　be　with　you　again。　My　heart　is　full　of　it。　For　some　reason　I　am　not　afraid　although　there　is　much　death　very　close。　Do　you　love　me　a　little？'
　'Yes；'　said　Bond。　'And　we　shall　have　our　love。'
　'Giddap；'　said　one　of　the　men。
　And　now；　on　the　surface；　it　was　getting　lighter；　and　from　below　the　cliff　Bond　heard　the　great　twin　Diesels　stutter　and　roar。　There　was　a　light　flutter　of　breeze　to　windward；　but　to　leeward；　where　the　ship　lay；　the　bay　was　a　gunmetal　mirror。
　Mr。　Big　appeared　up　the　shaft；　a　businessman's　leather　brief…case　in　his　hand。　He　stood　for　a　moment　looking　round；　gaining　his　breath。　He　paid　no　attention　to　Bond　and　Solitaire　nor　to　the　two　guards　standing　beside　them　with　revolvers　in　their　hands。
　He　looked　up　at　the　sky；　and　suddenly　called　out；　in　a　loud　clear　voice；　towards　the　rim　of　the　sun：
　'Thank　you；　Sir　Henry　Morgan。　Your　treasure　will　be　well　spent。　Give　us　a　fair　wind。'
　The　negro　guards　showed　the　whites　of　their　eyes。
　'The　Undertaker's　Wind　it　is；'　said　Bond。
　The　Big　Man　looked　at　him。
　'All　down？'　he　asked　the　guards。
　'Yassuh；　Boss；'　answered　one　of　them。
　'Take　them　along；'　said　The　Big　Man。
　They　went　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff　and　down　the　steep　steps；　one　guard　in　front；　one　behind。　Mr。　Big　followed。
　The　engines　of　the　long　graceful　yacht　were　turning　over　quietly；　the　exhaust　bubbling　glutinously；　a　thread　of　blue　vapour　rising　astern。
　There　were　two　men　on　the　jetty　at　the　guide　ropes。　There　were　only　three　men　on　deck　besides　the　Captain　and　the　navigator　on　the　grey　streamlined　bridge。　There　was　no　room　for　more。　All　the　available　deckspace；　save　for　a　fishing　chair　rigged　right　aft；　was　covered　with　fish…tanks。　The　Red　Ensign　had　been　struck　and　only　the　Stars　and　Stripes　hung　motionless　at　the　stern。
　A　few　yards　clear　of　the　ship　the　red　torpedo…shaped　paravane；　about　six　foot　long；　lay　quietly　on　the　water；　now　aquamarine　in　the　early　dawn。　It　was　attached　to　a　thick　pile　of　wire　cable；　coiled　up　on　the　deck　aft。　To　Bond　there　looked　to　be　a　good　fifty　yards　of　it。　The　water　was　crystal　clear　and　there　were　no　fish　about。
　The　Undertaker's　Wind　was　almost　dead。　Soon　the　Doctor's　Wind　would　start　to　breathe　in　from　the　sea。　How　soon？　wondered　Bond。　Was　it　an　omen？
　Away　beyond　the　ship　he　could　see　the　roof　of　Beau　Desert　among　the　trees；　but　the　jetty　and　the　ship　and　the　cliff　path　were　still　in　deep　shadow。　Bond　wondered　if　night…glasses　would　be　able　to　pick　them　out。　And　if　they　could；　what　Strangways　would　be　thinking。
　Mr。　Big　stood　on　the　jetty　and　supervised　the　process　of　binding　them　together。
　'Strip　her；'　he　said　to　Solitaire's　guard。
　Bond　flinched。　He　stole　a　glance　at　Mr。　Big's　wrist　watch。　It　said　ten　minutes　to　six。　Bond　kept　silence。　There　must　not　be　even　a　minute's　delay。
　'Throw　the　clothes　on　board；'　said　Mr。　Big。　'Tie　some　strips　round　his　shoulder。　I　don't　want　any　blood　in　the　water；　yet。'
　Solitaire's　clothes　were　cut　off　her　with　a　knife。　She　stood　pale　and　naked。　She　hung　her　head　and　the　heavy　black　hair　fell　forward　over　her　face。　Bond's　shoulder　was　roughly　bound　with　strips　of　her　linen　skirt。
　'You　bastard；'　said　Bond　through　his　teeth。
　Under　Mr。　Big's　direction；　their　hands　were　freed。　Their　bodies　were　pressed　together；　face　to　face；　and　their　arms　held　round　each　other's　waists　and　then　bound　tightly　again。
　Bond　felt　Solitaire's　soft　breasts　pressed　against　him。　She　leant　her　chin　on　his　right　shoulder。
　'I　didn't　want　it　to　be　like　this；'　she　whispered　tremulously。
　Bond　didn't　answer。　He　hardly　felt　her　body。　He　was　counting　seconds。
　On　the　jetty　there　was　a　pile　of　rope　to　the　paravane。　It　hung　down　off　the　jetty　and　Bond　could　see　it　lying　along　the　sand　until　it　rose　to　meet　the　belly　of　the　red　torpedo。
　The　free　end　was　tied　under　their　armpits　and　knotted　tightly　between　them　in　the　space　between　their　necks。　It　was　all　very　carefully　done。　There　was　no　possible　escape。
　Bond　was　counting　the　seconds。　He　made　it　five　minutes　to　six。
　Mr。　Big　had　a　last　look　at　them。
　'Their　legs　can　stay　free；'　he　said。　'They'll　make　appetizing　bait。'　He　stepped　off　the　jetty　on　to　the　deck　of　the　yacht。'
　The　two　guards　went　aboard。　The　two　men　on　the　jetty　unhitched　their　lines　and　followed。　The　screws　churned　up　the　still　water　and　with　the　engines　at　half　speed　ahead　the　Secatur　slid　swiftly　away　from　the　island。
　Mr。　Big　went　aft　and　sat　down　in　the　fishing　chair。　They　could　see　his　eyes　fixed　on　them。　He　said　nothing。　Made　no　gesture。　He　just　watched。
　The　Secatur　cut　through　the　water　towards　the　reef。　Bond　could　see　the　cable　to　the　paravane　snaking　over　the　side。　The　paravane　started　to　move　softly　after　the　ship。　Suddenly　it　put　its　nose　down；　then　righted　itself　and　sped　away；　its　rudder　pulling　out　and　away　from　the　wake　of　the　ship。
　The　coil　of　rope　beside　them　leapt　into　life。
　'Look　out；'　said　Bond　urgently；　holding　tighter　to　the　girl。
　Their　arms　were　pulled　almost　out　of　their　sockets　as　they　were　jerked　together　off　the　jetty　into　the　sea。
　For　a　second　they　both　went　under；　then　they　were　on　the　surface；　their　joined　bodies　smashing　through　the　water。
　Bond　gasped　for　breath　amongst　the　waves　and　spray　that　dashed　past　his　twisted　mouth。　He　could　hear　the　rasping　of　Solitaire's　breath　next　to　his　ear。
　'Breathe；　breathe；'　he　shouted　through　the　rushing　of　the　water。　'Lock　your　legs　against　mine。'
　She　heard　him　and　he　felt　her　knees　pressing　between　his　thighs。　She　had　a　paroxysm　of　coughing；　then　her　breath　became　more　even　against　his　ear　and　the　thumping　of　her　heart　eased　against　his　breast。　At　the　same　time　their　speed　slackened。
　'Hold　your　breath；'　shouted　Bond。　'I've　got　to　have　a　look。　Ready？'
　A　pressure　of　her　arms　answered　him。　He　felt　her　chest　heave　as　she　filled　her　lungs。
　With　the　weight　of　his　body　he　swung　her　round　so　that　his　head　was　now　quite　out　of　water。
　They　were　ploughing　along　at　about　three　knots。　He　twisted　his　head　above　the　small　bow…wave　they　were　throwing　up。
　The　Secatur　was　entering　the　passage　through　the　reef；　about　eighty　yards　away；　he　guessed。　The　paravane　was　skimming　slowly　along　almost　at　right　angles　to　her。　Another　thirty　yards　and　the　red　torpedo　would　be　crossing　the　broken　water　over　the　reef。　A　further　thirty　yards　behind；　they　were　riding　slowly　across　the　surface　of　the　bay。
　Sixty　yards　to　go　to　the　reef。
　Bond　twisted　his　body　and　Solitaire　came