if.thespywholovedme-第21章

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　〃No；　I　ain't。〃　Horror's　voice　was　bored。　He　waved　a　languid　hand　toward　the　floor　round　the　eating　counter。　〃But　I　seen　plenty　hardware　being　slung　at　my　pal　by　the　lady。〃　His　eyes　swiveled　slowly　to　me。　〃That　right；　lady？　An'　there's　a　big　carving　knife　down　there　somewhere。　Good　mind　to　book　you　for　assault；　e　the　morning。〃
　〃You　do　that！〃　I　said　hotly。　〃Just　see　where　it'll　get　you！　You　know　perfectly　well　I　was　trying　to　defend　myself。　And　as　for　that　story　about　the　money；　that's　the　first　I've　heard　of　it。　And　you　know　it。〃
　The　Englishman　broke　in　quietly。　〃Well；　it　seems　I　came　along　at　the　right　time　to　keep　the　peace。　Now；　where's　that　registry　so　that　I　can　sign　it？〃
　Sluggsy　said　curtly；　〃Register's　with　de　boss。　No　purpose　in　signin'　nuthin'。　You　ain't　payin'。　The　place　is　closed。　You　can　have　your　bed　on　the　house。〃
　〃Well；　thanks。　That's　very　kind　of　you。〃　James　Bond　turned　to　me。　〃Any　chance　of　some　eggs　and　bacon　and　coffee？　All　this　talking's　made　me　hungry。　I　can　cook　it　myself　if　the　stuff's　there。〃
　〃Oh；　no。〃　I　almost　ran　behind　the　counter。　〃I'd　love　to　do　it。〃
　〃Thank　you　very　much。〃　He　turned　his　back　on　Sluggsy　and　sauntered　over　to　the　counter　and　hoisted　himself　onto　a　stool；　putting　his　case　on　the　next　one。
　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　watched　Sluggsy　turn　on　his　heel　and　walk　quickly　over　to　the　thin　man　and　sit　down　and　begin　talking　urgently。
　James　Bond　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　them　and　then　got　down　off　his　stool　and　took　off　his　raincoat　and　hat　and　put　them　on　top　of　his　case　and　climbed　back。　He　silently　watched　the　men　in　the　long　mirror　at　the　back　of　the　counter；　while　I　busied　myself　with　the　cooking　things　and　took　him　in　with　quick　glances。
　He　was　about　six　feet　tall；　slim　and　fit…looking。　The　eyes　in　the　lean；　slightly　tanned　face　were　a　very　clear　gray…blue　and　as　they　observed　the　men　they　were　cold　and　watchful。　The　narrowed　watchful　eyes　gave　his　good　looks　the　dangerous；　almost　cruel　quality　that　had　frightened　me　when　I　had　first　set　eyes　on　him；　but　now　that　I　knew　how　he　could　smile；　I　thought　his　face　only　exciting；　in　a　way　that　no　man's　face　had　ever　excited　me　before。　He　wore　a　soft…looking　white　silk　shirt　with　a　thin　black　knitted　tie　that　hung　down　loosely　without　a　pin；　and　his　single…breasted　suit　was　made　of　some　dark　blue　lightweight　material　that　may　have　been　alpaca。　The　strong；　rather　good　hands　lay　quietly　on　his　crossed　arms　on　the　counter；　and　now　he　reached　down　to　his　hip　pocket　and　took　out　a　wide；　thin　gunmetal　cigarette　case　and　opened　it。
　〃Have　one？　Senior　Service。　I　suppose　it'll　have　to　be　Chesterfields　from　now　on。〃　His　mouth　turned　slightly　down　as　he　smiled。
　〃No；　thanks。　Not　now。　After　I've　done　the　cooking。〃
　〃By　the　way；　what's　your　name？　You're　Canadian　aren't　you？〃
　〃Yes；　from　Quebec。　But　I've　been　in　England　the　last　five　years　or　so。　I'm　Vivienne　Michel。　My　friends　call　me　Viv。〃
　〃How　in　God's　name　did　you　manage　to　get　into　this　fix？　Those　are　a　couple　of　the　toughest　hoodlums　I've　seen　in　years。　And　Troy's　a　bad　town…sort　of　a　gangster　suburb　to　Albany。　The　thin　one's　just　finished　a　long　stretch　in　jail；　or　I'll　eat　my　hat。　The　other　looks　like　the　worst　kind　of　psycho。　How　did　it　happen？〃
　I　told　him；　in　short　bursts　between　the　cooking；　and　cutting　out　all　but　the　essentials。　He　listened　quietly　and　without　ment。　Music　was　still　ing　from　the　radio；　but　the　two　gangsters　were　sitting　silently　watching　us；　so　I　kept　my　voice　low。　When　I　had　finished；　I　said；　〃But　is　it　true　that　you're　a　policeman？〃
　〃Not　quite。　But　I'm　in　that　sort　of　business。〃
　〃You　mean　a　detective？〃
　〃Well；　sort　of。〃
　〃I　knew　it！〃
　He　laughed。　〃How？〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　But　you　look；　kind　of…kind　of　dangerous。　And　that　was　a　gun　you　took　out　of　your　bag；　and　ammunition。　Are　you〃…I　was　embarrassed；　but　I　needed　to　know…〃are　you　official？　I　mean　from　the　Government？〃
　He　smiled　reassuringly。　〃Oh；　yes。　Don't　worry　about　that。　And　they　know　me　in　Washington。　If　we　get　out　of　this　all　right；　I'm　going　to　go　after　those　two。〃　His　eyes　were　cold　again。　〃I'm　going　to　see　they　get　roasted　for　what　they　did　to　you。〃
　〃You　do　believe　me？〃
　〃Of　course。　Every　word。　But　what　I　can't　make　out　is　what　they're　up　to。　They　seem　to　have　acted　as　if　they　knew　they　were　safe　to　do　anything　they　liked　with　you。　And　now　they　seem　quite　calm　about　me　having　got　into　the　act。　I　don't　like　it。　Have　they　had　any　drinks？　Do　they　smoke？〃
　〃No。　Neither　of　them。〃
　〃I　don't　like　that　either。　It's　only　pros　that　don't。〃
　I　had　finished　cooking　his　supper　and　I　put　it　up　on　the　counter。　He　ate　as　if　he　was　really　hungry。　I　asked　him　if　it　was　all　right。　He　said　it　was　wonderful；　and　I　felt　warm　inside。　What　a　fantastic　bit　of　luck；　this　man；　and　just　this　man；　ing　so　magically　out　of　the　blue！　I　felt　humble　about　it。　It　was　so　much　a　miracle。　I　swore　to　myself　to　say　my　prayers　that　night；　the　first　time　for　years。　I　hovered　about　him　slavishly；　offering　him　more　coffee；　some　jam　to　finish　his　toast　with。　Finally　he　laughed　tenderly　at　me。　〃You're　spoiling　me。　Here；　I'm　sorry。　I　forgot　all　about　it。　It's　time　for　your　cigarette。　You've　earned　the　whole　easeful。〃　He　lit　it　with　a　Ronson；　gunmetaled　like　his　case。　My　hand　touched　his；　and　I　felt　a　small　shock　pass　down　my　body。　I　suddenly　found　I　was　trembling。　I　quickly　took　the　dishes　and　began　washing　them。　I　said；　〃I　haven't　earned　anything。　It's　so　wonderful　you're　here。　It's　an　absolute　miracle。〃　My　voice　choked　and　I　felt　stupid　tears　ing。　I　brushed　the　back　of　my　hand　across　my　eyes。　He　must　have　seen；　but　he　pretended　not　to　have。
　Instead　he　said　cheerfully；　〃Yes。　It　was　a　stroke　of　luck。　At　least　I　hope　so。　Can't　count　the　chickens　yet。　Tell　you　what。　We've　got　to　sit　these　two　hoodlums　out。　Wait　until　they　make　a　move；　go　to　bed　or　something。　Would　you　like　to　hear　just　how　I　came　to　turn　up　tonight？　It'll　all　be　in　the　papers　in　a　day　or　two。　The　story。　Only　I　won't　be　mentioned。　So　you　must　promise　to　forget　my　side　of　the　thing。　It's　all　nonsense；　really。　These　regulations。　But　I　have　to　work　under　them。　All　right？　It　might　take　your　mind　off　your　troubles。　They　seem　to　have　been　pretty　powerful　ones。〃
　I　said　gratefully；　〃Yes；　please　tell　me。　And　I　promise。　Cross　my　heart。〃
　　
　Eleven：　Bedtime　Story
　
　I　HOISTED　myself　up　onto　the　drainboard　of　the　sink　just　beside　him　so　that　he　could　talk　to　me　quietly…　and　so　that　I　could　be　near　to　him。　I　refused　another　cigarette；　and　he　lit　one　and　gazed　for　a　long　minute　into　the　mirror；　watching　the　two　gangsters。　I　looked　too。　The　two　men　just　stared　back　with　a　passive；　indifferent　hostility　that　seeped　steadily　across　the　room　like　poison　gas。　I　didn't　much　like　their　indifference　and　their　watchfulness。　It　seemed　so　powerful；　so　implacable；　as　if　the　odds　were　on　their　side　and　they　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。　But　this　James　Bond　didn't　seem　worried。　He　just　seemed　to　be　weighing　them　up；　like　a　chess　player。　There　was　a　certitude　of　power；　of　superiority；　in　his　eyes　that　worried　me。　He　hadn't　seen　these　men　in　action。　He　couldn't　possibly　know　what　they　were　capable　of；　how　at　any　moment　they　might　just　blaze　away　with　their　guns；　blowing　our　heads　off　like　coconuts　in　a　circus　sideshow；　and　then　toss　our　bodies　in　the　lake　with　stones　to　keep　them　down。　But　then　James　Bond　began　talking；　and　I　forgot　my　nightmares　and　just　watched　his　face　and　listened。
　〃In　England；〃　he　said；　〃when　a　man；　or　occasionally　a　woman；　es　over　from　the　other　side；　from　the　Russian　side；　with　important　information；　there's　a　fixed　routine。　Take　Berlin；　for　instance；　and　that's　the　most　usual　e…over　route。　To　begin　with　they　get　taken　to　intelligence　headquarters　and　get　treated　at　first　with　extra　suspicion。　That's　to　try　and　take　care　of　double　agents…people　who　pretend　to　e　over　and；　once　they've　been　cleared　by　security；　begin　spying　on　us　from　inside；　so　to　speak；　and　pass　their　stuff　back　to　the　Russians。　There　are　also　triple　agents…people　who　do　what　the　doubles　have　done；　but　change　their　minds　and；　under　our　control；　pass　phony　intelligence　back　to　the　Russians。　Do　you　understand？　It's　nothing　but　a　plicated　game；　really。　But　then