if.thespywholovedme-第27章

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　And　then　they　stopped；　stock　still；　and　there　was　James　facing　them；　his　gun　arming　dead　steady　between　the　two　bodies！　His　voice　cracked　like　a　whip　across　the　lawn。　〃All　right！　This　is　it！　Turn　round！　The　first　man　drops　his　television　gets　shot。〃
　They　turned　slowly　round　so　that　they　faced　toward　my　hideout。　And　now　James　called　to　me；　〃e　over；　Viv！　I　need　extra　hands。〃
　I　took　the　heavy　revolver　out　of　the　waistband　of　my　overalls　and　ran　quickly　across　the　grass。　When　I　was　about　ten　yards　away　from　the　men；　James　said；　〃Just　stop　there；　Viv；　and　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do。〃　I　stopped。　The　two　evil　faces　stared　at　me。　The　thin　man's　teeth　were　bared　in　a　sort　of　fixed　grin　of　surprise　and　tension。　Sluggsy　let　off　a　string　of　curses。　I　pointed　my　gun　at　the　television　set　that　covered　his　stomach；　〃Shut　your　mouth　or　I'll　shoot　you　dead。〃
　Sluggsy　sneered。　〃You　and　who　else？　You'd　be　too　frightened　of　the　bang。〃
　James　said；　〃Shut　up；　you；　or　you　get　a　crack　on　that　ugly　head　of　yours。　Now　listen；　Viv；　we've　got　to　get　the　guns　off　these　men。　e　round　behind　the　one　called　Horror。　Put　your　gun　up　against　his　spine　and　with　your　free　hand　feel　under　his　armpits。　Not　a　nice　job；　but　it　can't　be　helped。　Tell　me　if　you　feel　a　gun　there　and　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do　next。　We'll　go　at　this　slowly。　I'll　cover　the　other；　and　if　this　Horror　moves　let　him　have　it。〃
　I　did　as　I　was　told。　I　went　round　behind　the　thin　man　and　pressed　the　gun　into　his　back。　Then　I　reached　up　with　my　left　hand　and　felt　under　his　right　arm。　A　nasty；　dead　kind　of　smell　came　from　him；　and　I　was　suddenly　disgusted　at　being　so　close　to　him　and　touching　him　so　intimately。
　I　know　that　my　hand　trembled；　and　it　must　have　been　that　that　made　him　take　the　chance；　for；　suddenly；　in　one　quick　flow　of　motion；　he　had　dropped　the　television；　whirled　like　a　snake；　slapping　the　gun　out　of　my　hand　with　his　open　palm；　and　clutched　me　to　him。
　James　Bond's　gun　roared；　and　I　felt　the　wind　of　a　bullet；　and　then　I　began　to　fight　like　a　demon；　kicking　and　scratching　and　clawing。　But　I　might　have　been　fighting　with　a　stone　statue。　He　just　squeezed　me　more　agonizingly　to　him；　and　I　heard　his　dry　voice　say；　〃Okay；　limey。　Now　what？　Want　the　dame　to　get　herself　killed？〃
　I　could　feel　one　of　his　hands　loosening　itself　from　me　to　get　to　his　gun；　and　I　began　struggling　again。
　James　Bond　said　sharply；　〃Viv。　Get　your　legs　apart！〃
　I　automatically　did　as　I　was　told；　and　again　his　gun　roared。　The　thin　man　let　out　a　curse　and　set　me　free；　but　at　the　same　time　there　came　a　splintering　crash　from　behind　me　and　I　whirled　round。　At　the　same　time　as　he　had　fired；　Sluggsy　had　hurled　the　television　set　over　his　head　at　James　Bond；　and　it　had　crashed　into　his　face；　knocking　him　off　balance。
　As　Sluggsy　shouted；　〃Scram；　Horror！〃　I　dived　for　my　gun　and；　prone　in　the　grass；　clumsily　fired　it　at　Sluggsy。　I　would　probably　have　missed　him　anyway；　but　he　was　already　on　the　move；　weaving　across　the　lawn　toward　the　cabins　like　a　football　player；　with　the　thin　man　scrambling　desperately　after　him。　I　fired　again；　but　the　gun　kicked　high；　and　then　they　were　out　of　range　and　Sluggsy　disappeared　into　Number　1　cabin　away　on　the　right。
　I　got　up　and　ran　to　James　Bond。　He　was　kneeling　down　in　the　grass　with　one　hand　to　his　head。　As　I　came　up　he　took　the　hand　away；　looked　at　it；　and　swore。　There　was　a　big　gash　just　below　the　hairline。　I　didn't　say　anything　but　ran　to　the　nearest　window　of　the　lobby　building　and　smashed　it　in　with　the　butt　of　my　gun。　A　burst　of　heat　came　out　at　me；　but　no　flames；　and；　just　below；　almost　within　reach；　was　the　table　the　gangsters　had　used；　and　on　it；　among　some　smoldering　remains　of　the　roof；　the　first…aid　kit。　James　Bond　shouted　something；　but　I　was　already　over　the　sill。　I　held　my　breath　against　the　fumes；　grabbed　the　box；　and　scrambled　out　again；　my　eyes　stinging　with　the　smoke。
　I　wiped　the　wound　as　clean　as　I　could　and　got　out　Merthiolate　and　a　big　Band…Aid。　The　cut　wasn't　deep；　but　there　would　soon　be　a　bad　bruise。　He　said；　〃Sorry；　Viv。　I　made　rather　a　hash　of　that　round。〃
　I　thought　he　had　too。　I　said；　〃Why　didn't　you　just　shoot　them　down？　They　were　sitting　ducks　with　those　sets　in　their　hands。〃
　He　said　curtly；　〃Never　been　able　to　in　cold　blood。　But　at　least　I　ought　to　have　been　able　to　blast　that　man's　foot　off。　Must　have　just　nicked　it；　and　now　he's　still　in　the　game。〃
　I　said　severely；　〃It　seems　to　me　damned　lucky　you're　in　it　too。　Why　didn't　Sluggsy　kill　you？〃
　〃Your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine。　It　looks　as　if　they've　got　some　kind　of　a　headquarters　over　at　Number　1。　Perhaps　he　left　his　armament　there　while　they　did　the　job　on　the　lobby。　He　may　not　have　liked　carrying　live　bullets　around　with　him　so　near　to　the　flames。　Anyway；　war's　declared　now；　and　we're　going　to　have　quite　a　job　on　our　hands。　Main　thing　is　to　keep　an　eye　on　their　car。　They'll　be　pretty　desperate　to　get　away。　But　they've　somehow　got　to　kill　us　first。　They're　in　a　nasty　fix　and　they'll　fight　like　hellcats。〃
　1　finished　fixing　the　cut。　James　Bond　had　been　watching　cabin　Number　1。　Now　he　said；　〃Better　get　under　cover。　They　may　have　got　something　heavy　in　there；　and　they'll　have　finished　fixing　the　Horror's　foot。〃　He　got　to　his　feet。　He　suddenly　yanked　my　arm　and　said；　〃Quick！〃　At　the　same　time　I　heard　the　tinkle　of　glass　away　on　the　right　and　a　deafening　rattle　that　I　supposed　was　some　kind　of　machine…gun。　On　our　heels；　bullets　whipped　into　the　side　of　the　lobby　building。
　James　Bond　smiled。　〃Sorry　again；　Viv！　My　reactions　don't　seem　all　that　smart　tonight。　I'll　do　better。〃　He　paused。　〃Now；　let's　just　think　for　a　minute。〃
　It　was　a　long　minute；　and　I　was　sweating　with　heat　from　the　burning　lobby。　Now　there　was　only　the　north　wall　and　the　bit　we　were　sheltering　behind　as　far　as　the　front　door。　The　rest　was　a　mass　of　flames。　But　the　wind　was　still　blowing　the　fire　southward；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　last　bit　of　masonry　might　stand　up　a　long　while　yet。　Most　of　the　cabins　were　on　their　way　to　burning　out　and；　on　that　side　of　the　clearing；　there　was　a　lessening　of　the　glare　and　sparks。　It　crossed　my　mind　that　the　blaze　must　have　been　visible　for　miles；　perhaps　even　as　far　as　Lake　George　or　Glens　Falls；　yet　no　one　had　turned　up　to　help。　Probably　the　highway　patrols　and　the　fire　services　had　enough　on　their　hands　with　the　havoc　caused　by　the　storm。　And；　as　for　their　beloved　forests；　they　would　reckon　that　no　fire　could　spread　through　this　soaking　landscape。
　James　Bond　said；　〃Now　this　is　what　we're　going　to　do。　First　of　all；　I　want　you　somewhere　where　you　can　help　but　where　I　don't　have　to　worry　about　you。　Otherwise；　if　I　know　these　men；　they'll　concentrate　on　you　and　guess　that　I'll　do　anything；　even　let　them　get　away　rather　than　let　you　get　hurt。〃
　〃Is　that　true？〃
　〃Don't　be　silly。　So　you　get　on　over　the　road　under　cover　of　this　bit　of　building　and　then　work　back；　keeping　well　out　of　sight；　until　you're　just　about　opposite　their　car。　Stay　quiet；　and　even　if　one　or　both　of　them　gets　to　the　car；　hold　your　fire　until　I　tell　you　to　shoot。　All　right？〃
　〃But　where　will　you　be？〃
　〃We've　got　what　are　known　as　interior　lines　of　defense…if　we　consider　the　cars　as　the　objective。　I'm　going　to　stick　around　here　and　let　them　e　at　me。　It's　they　who　want　to　get　us　and　get　away。　Let　'em　try。　Time's　against　them。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It's　nearly　three。　How　long　before　first　light　around　here？〃
　〃About　two　hours。　Around　five。　But　there　are　two　of　them　and　only　one　of　you！　They'll　do　a　sort　of　what　they　call　'pincers　movement。'　〃
　〃One　of　the　crabs　has　lost　a　claw。　Anyway　that's　the　best　I　can　do　for　a　master　plan。　Now　you　get　on　across　the　road　before　they　start　something。　I'll　keep　them　occupied。〃
　He　went　to　the　corner　of　the　building；　edged　round；　and　took　two　quick　shots　at　the　right…hand　cabin。　There　was　a　distant　crash　of　glass　and　then　the　vicious　blast　of　the　sub…machine　gun。　Bullets　splatted　into　the　masonry　and　whipped　across　the　road　into　the　trees。　James　Bond　had　pulled　back。　He　smiled　encouragingly。　〃Now！〃
　I　ran　to　the　right　and　across　the　road；　keeping　the　lobby　building　between　me　and　the　end　cabin；　and　scrambled　in　among　the　trees。　Once　again　they　tore　and　sc