if.thespywholovedme-第24章

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　but　now　he　had　conquered　his　anger　and　he　just　said；　〃Okay；　wise　guy。　I've　got　the　photo。　You　gumshoes　are　all　the　same…looking　for　dirt　where　there　ain't　none。　Now；　where　in　hell's　that　pal　of　mine？　C'mon。　Let's　hit　the　sack。〃
　As　we　filed　out　through　the　back　door；　the　lights　went　out。　James　Bond　and　I　stopped；　but　the　thin　man　went　on　along　the　covered　way　as　if　he　could　see　in　the　dark。　Sluggsy　appeared　round　the　corner　of　the　building　carrying　two　oil…lamps。　He　handed　one　to　each　of　us。　His　naked　face；　yellow　in　the　light；　split　into　a　grin。　〃Happy　dreams；　folks！〃
　James　Bond　followed　me　over　to　my　cabin　and　came　inside。　He　shut　the　door。　〃Damned　if　I　know　what　they're　up　to；　but　the　first　thing　to　do　is　see　that　you're　properly　closed　down　for　the　night。　Now　then；　let's　see。〃　He　prowled　round　the　room；　examining　the　window　fastenings；　inspecting　the　hinges　on　the　door；　estimating　the　size　of　the　ventilator　louvers。　He　seemed　satisfied。　He　said。　〃There's　only　the　door。　You　say　they've　got　the　master　key。　We'll　wedge　the　door；　and　when　I've　gone；　just　move　the　desk　over　as　an　extra　barricade。〃　He　went　into　the　bathroom；　tore　off　strips　of　lavatory　paper；　moistened　them；　and　made　them　into　firm　wedges。　He　rammed　several　under　the　door；　turned　the　handle；　and　pulled。　They　held；　but　could　have　been　shaken　loose　by　ramming。　He　took　the　wedges　out　again　and　gave　them　to　me。　Then　he　put　his　hand　to　the　belt　of　his　trousers　and　took　out　a　short；　stumpy　revolver。　〃Ever　fired　one　of　these　things？〃
　I　said　I'd　shot　at　rabbits　with　a　long…barreled　。22　target　pistol　when　I　was　young。
　〃Well；　this　is　a　Smith　and　Wesson　Police　Positive。　A　real　stopper。　Remember　to　aim　low。　Hold　your　arm　out　straight　like　this。〃　He　showed　me。　〃And　try　to　squeeze　the　trigger　and　not　snatch　at　it。　But　it　won't　really　matter。　I'll　hear　it　and　I'll　e　running。　Now　remember。　You've　got　absolute　protection。　The　windows　are　good　solid　stuff；　and　there's　no　way　of　getting　in　between　the　glass　slats；　short　of　smashing　them。〃　He　smiled。　〃Trust　these　motel　designers。　They　know　all　there　is　to　know　about　break…ins。　These　hoodlums　won't　take　a　shot　at　you　through　them　in　the　dark；　but；　just　in　case；　leave　your　bed　where　it　is　and　make　up　a　camp　bed　with　some　cushions　and　bedding　in　that　far　corner　on　the　floor。　Put　the　gun　under　your　pillow。　Pull　the　desk　in　front　of　the　door　and　balance　the　television　set　on　the　edge　of　it　so　that　if　anyone　barges　the　door　they　knock　it　off。　That'll　wake　you；　and　then　you　just　fire　a　shot　through　the　door；　close　to　the　handle；　where　the　man　will　be　standing；　and　listen　for　the　squawk。　Got　it？〃
　I　said　yes；　as　happily　as　I　could；　and　wished　he　would　stay　in　the　room　with　me。　But　I　hadn't　the　guts　to　ask　him；　and　anyway　he　seemed　to　have　his　own　plans。
　He　came　up　to　me　and　kissed　me　gently　on　the　lips。　I　was　so　surprised　I　just　stood　there。　He　said　lightly；　〃I'm　sorry；　Viv；　but　you're　a　beautiful　girl。　In　those　overalls　you're　the　prettiest　garage…hand　I've　ever　seen。　Now　don't　you　worry。　Get　some　sleep。　I'll　keep　an　eye　on　you。〃
　I　threw　my　arms　round　his　neck　and　kissed　him　back…hard；　on　the　lips。　I　said；　〃You're　the　most　wonderful　man　I've　ever　met　in　my　life。　Thank　you　for　being　here。　And　please；　James。　Be　careful！　You　haven't　seen　them　like　I　have。　They're　really　tough。　Please　don't　get　hurt。〃
　He　kissed　me　back；　but　only　lightly；　and　I　let　go　of　him。　He　said；　〃Don't　worry。　I've　seen　this　sort　before。　Now　you　do　all　I　told　you　and　get　off　to　sleep。　Night；　Viv。〃
　And　then　he　had　gone。
　I　stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　the　closed　door；　and　then　I　went　and　brushed　my　teeth　and　got　ready　for　bed。　I　looked　at　myself　in　the　mirror。　I　looked　like　hell…　washed　out；　no　make…up；　and　deep　circles　under　my　eyes。　What　a　day！　And　now　this！　I　mustn't　lose　him！　I　mustn't　let　him　go！　But　I　knew　in　my　heart　that　I　had　to。　He　would　go　on　alone；　and　I　would　have　to；　too。　No　woman　had　ever　held　this　man。　None　ever　would。　He　was　a　solitary；　a　man　who　walked　alone　and　kept　his　heart　to　himself。　He　would　hate　involvement。　I　sighed。　All　right。　I　would　play　it　that　way。　I　would　let　him　go。　I　wouldn't　cry　when　he　did。　Not　even　afterward。　Wasn't　I　the　girl　who　had　decided　to　operate　without　a　heart？
　Silly　idiot！　Silly；　infatuated　goose！　This　was　a　fine　time　to　maunder　like　a　girl　in　a　women's　magazine！　I　shook　my　head　angrily　and　went　into　the　bedroom　and　got　on　with　what　I　had　to　do。
　It　was　still　blowing　hard；　and　the　pine　trees　clashed　fiercely　outside　my　back　window。　The　moon；　filtering　through　high　scudding　clouds；　lit　up　the　two　high　squares　of　glass　at　each　end　of　the　room　and　shone　eerily　through　the　thin；　red…patterned　curtains。　When　the　moon　went　behind　the　clouds；　the　blocks　of　blood…red　photographer's　light　went　dark　and　there　was　only　the　meager　pool　of　yellow　from　the　oil…lamp。　Without　the　brightness　of　electricity；　there　was　a　nasty　little　movie…set　feeling　about　the　oblong　room。　The　corners　were　dark；　and　the　room　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　a　director　to　call　people　out　of　the　shadows　and　tell　them　what　to　do。
　I　tried　not　to　be　nervous。　I　put　my　ears　to　the　connecting　walls　to　right　and　left；　but　across　the　space　of　the　carports　I　could　hear　nothing。　Before　I　had　set　up　my　barricade　I　had　softly　opened　the　door　and　gone　out　and　looked　round。　There　had　been　a　glimmer　of　light　from　Numbers　8　and　10　and　from　James　Bond's　Number　40　away　down　to　the　left。　Everything　had　been　peaceful；　everything　quiet。　Now　I　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　had　a　last　look　round。　I　had　done　everything　he　had　told　me　to　do。　I　remembered　the　prayers　I　was　going　to　say　and　I　knelt　down　there　and　then　on　the　carpet　and　said　them。　I　thanked；　but　I　also　asked。　Then　I　took　two　aspirin；　turned　down　the　light　and　blew　across　the　glass　chimney　to　put　it　out；　and　went　over　to　my　floor　bed　in　the　corner。　After　unzipping　the　front　of　my　overalls　and　unlacing　but　not　removing　my　shoes；　I　curled　myself　up　in　the　blankets。
　I　never　take　aspirins　or　any　other　pills。　These；　after　carefully　reading　the　instructions；　I　had　taken　from　the　little　first…aid　kit　my　practical　mind　had　told　me　to　include　in　my　scrap　of　luggage。　I　was　anyway　exhausted；　beat　to　the　wide；　and　the　pills；　to　me　as　strong　as　morphia；　soon　sent　me　off　into　a　delicious　half…sleep　in　which　there　was　no　danger　but　only　the　dark；　exciting　face　and　the　new…found　knowledge　that　there　really　did　exist　such　men。　Soppier　even　than　that；　I　remembered　the　first　touch　of　his　hand　holding　the　lighter　and　thought　carefully　about　each　kiss　separately；　and　then；　but　only　after　vaguely　remembering　the　gun　and　slipping　my　hand　under　the　pillow　to　make　sure　it　was　there；　I　went　happily　to　sleep。
　The　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　wide　awake。　I　lay　for　a　moment　remembering　where　I　was。　There　was　a　lull　in　the　wind；　and　it　was　very　quiet。　I　found　I　was　lying　on　my　back。　That　was　what　had　awakened　me！　I　lay　for　a　moment　looking　across　the　room　at　the　square　of　red　high　up　on　the　opposite　wall。　The　moon　was　out　again。　How　deathly　quiet　it　was！　The　silence　was　warm　and　embracing　after　the　hours　of　storm。　I　began　to　feel　drowsy　and　I　turned　over　on　my　side　so　that　I　lay　facing　into　the　room。　I　closed　my　eyes。　But；　as　sleep　held　out　her　hands　to　me　again；　something　nagged　at　my　mind。　My　eyes；　before　I　had　closed　them；　had　noticed　something　unusual　in　the　room。　Unwillingly；　I　opened　them　again。　It　took　minutes　to　recognize　again　what　I　had　seen。　The　faintest　chinks　of　light　were　shining　from　between　the　door　frames　of　the　clothes　cupboard　up　against　the　opposite　wall。
　How　stupid！　I　hadn't　closed　the　doors　properly；　and　the　automatic　〃courtesy〃　light　inside　hadn't　switched　itself　off。　Reluctantly　I　got　out　of　bed。　What　a　bore！　And　then；　after　I　had　taken　only　two　steps　across　the　room；　I　suddenly　remembered。　But　there　wouldn't　be　a　light　inside　the　cupboard！　The　electricity　was　switched　off！
　I　stood　for　a　moment；　my　hand　up　to　my　mouth；　and　then；　as　I　turned　to　dive　for　the　gun；　the　doors　of　the　cupboard　burst　open　and　the　crouching　figure　of　Sluggsy　darted　out　and；　a　flashlight　in　one　hand　and　something　swinging　from　the　other；　he　was　on　top　of　me。
　I　think　I　gave　a　shrill　scream；　but　perhaps　it　was　only　within