if.thespywholovedme-第32章
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ice routine； and it will look after itself。〃 The astute blue eyes looked carefully into mine and then veiled themselves。 〃But that doesn't quite end the case to my satisfaction。〃 He smiled。 〃That is； now that I'm off duty； so to speak； and there's only just you and me。〃
I tried to look just interested and nonchalant； but I wondered what was ing。
〃Did this mander Bond leave you any instructions； any letter？ He told me that he had left you asleep early this morning。 That he had gone off around six and had not wanted to wake you up。 Quite right； of course。 But〃…Captain Stonor examined the end of his cigarette… 〃your evidence and the mander's is to the effect that you shared the same cabin。 Quite natural in the circumstances。 You wouldn't have wanted to be alone any more last night。 But it seems rather an abrupt good…by…after an exciting night like that。 No trouble with him； I suppose？ He didn't； er； try to get fresh with you； if you get my meaning？〃 The eyes were apologetic； but they probed into mine。
I blushed furiously。 I said sharply； 〃Certainly not； Captain。 Yes； he did leave a letter for me。 A perfectly straightforward one。 I didn't mention it because it doesn't add anything to what you know。〃 I ran down the zip on my front and reached inside for the letter； blushing even worse。 Damn the man！
He took the letter and read it carefully。 He handed it back。 〃A very nice letter。 Very； er； businesslike。 I don't get the bit about the soap。〃
I said shortly； 〃Oh； that was only a joke about the motel soap。 He said it was too strongly scented。〃
〃I see。 Yes； sure。 Well； that's fine； Miss Michel。〃 The eyes were kindly again。 〃Well； now。 D'you mind if I say something personal？ Talk to you a minute as if you might be my own daughter？ You could be； you know… almost my granddaughter if I'd started early enough。〃 He chuckled cozily。
〃No。 Please say anything you like。〃
Captain Stonor took another cigarette and lit it。 〃Well； now； Miss Michel； what the mander says is right。 You've been in the equivalent of a bad motor accident and you don't want to have any nightmares about it。 But there's more to it than that。 You've been suddenly introduced； out of the blue； so to speak； and violently； to the underground war of crime； the war that's going on all the time and that you read about and see in movies。 And； like in the movies； the cop has rescued the maiden from the robbers。〃 He leaned forward across the table and held my eyes firmly in his。 〃Now don't get me wrong about this； Miss Michel； and if I'm speaking out of turn； just forget what I'm going to say。 But it would be unreasonable of you not to create a hero out of the cop who saved you； perhaps build an image in your mind that that's the sort of man to look up to； even perhaps to want to marry。〃 The captain sat back。 He smiled apologetically。 〃Now the reason I'm going into all this is because violent emergencies like what you've been through leave their scars。 They're one hell of a shock to anyone…to any dam' citizen。 But most of all to a young person like yourself。 Now I believe〃…the kind eyes became less kind… 〃I have good reason from the reports of my officers to believe； that you had intimate relations with mander Bond last night。 I'm afraid it's one of our less attractive duties to be able to read such signs。〃 Captain Stonor held up his hand。 〃Now I'm not prying any more into these private things； and they're none of my business； but it would be perfectly natural； almost inevitable； that you might have lost your heart； or at any rate part of it； to this personable young Englishman who has just saved your life。〃 The sympathy in the fatherly smile was edged with irony。 〃After all's said and done； that's what happens in the books and in the movies； isn't it？ So why not in real life？〃
I stirred impatiently； wanting this stupid lecture to finish； wanting to be gone。
〃Now I'm ing to the end very quickly； Miss Michel； and I know you think I'm being very impertinent； but ever since I got past middle age on the force； I've been interested in what I call postnatal care after a case like this。 Particularly when the survivor is young and might be damaged by what the young person has been through。 So I want to leave one thought with you if I may； and then wish you the best of luck and a happy journey on that crazy little scooter…thing of yours。 It's just this； Miss Michel。〃
Captain Stonor's eyes continued to look into mine； but they had lost focus。 I knew I was going to hear something from the heart。 This is a rare thing between generations… between grown…ups and children。 I stopped thinking of getting away and paid attention。
〃This underground war I was talking about； this crime battle that's always going on…whether it's being fought between cops and robbers or between spies and counterspies。 This is a private battle between two trained armies； one fighting on the side of law and of what his own country thinks is right； and one belonging to the enemies of these things。〃 Captain Stonor was now talking to himself。 I imagined that he was reciting something…something he felt very strongly about； perhaps had said in speeches or in an article in some police magazine。 〃But in the higher ranks of these forces； among the toughest of the professionals； there's a deadly quality in the persons involved which is mon to both…to both friends and enemies。〃 The captain's closed fist came softly down on the wooden table…top for emphasis； and his inward…looking eyes burned with a dedicated； private anger。 〃The top gangsters； the top F。B。I； operatives； the top spies and the top counterspies are coldhearted； coldblooded； ruthless； tough killers； Miss Michel。 Yes； even the 'friends' as opposed to the 'enemies。' They have to be。 They wouldn't survive if they weren't。 Do you get me？〃 Captain Stonor's eyes came back into focus。 Now they held mine with a friendly urgency that touched my feelings…but not； I'm ashamed to say； my heart。 〃So the message I want to leave with you； my dear…and I've talked with Washington and I've learned something about mander Bond's outstanding record in his particular line of business…is this。 Keep away from all these men。 They are not for you； whether they're called James Bond or Sluggsy Morant。 Both these men； and others like them； belong to a private jungle into which you've strayed for a few hours and from which you've escaped。 So don't go and get sweet dreams about the one or nightmares from the other。 They're just different people from the likes of you…a different species。〃 Captain Stonor smiled。 〃Like hawks and doves； if you'll pardon the parison。 Get me？〃 My expression cannot have been receptive。 The voice became abrupt。 〃Okay； let's go； then。〃
Captain Stonor got to his feet and I followed。 I didn't know what to say。 I remembered my immediate reaction when James Bond had shown himself at the door of the motel… Oh； God； it's another of them。 But I also remembered his smile and his kisses and his arms round me。 I walked meekly beside this large； fortable man who had e out with these kindly…meant thoughts； and all I could think was that 1 wanted a big lunch and then a long sleep at least a hundred miles from The Dreamy Pines Motor Court。
* * *
It was twelve noon by the time I got away。 Captain Stonor said I was going to have a lot of trouble from the press； but that he would stave them off for as long as possible。 I could say all I wished about James Bond except what his profession was and where he could be found。 He was just a man who had turned up at the right time and then gone on his way。
I had packed my saddlebags and the young state trooper； Lieutenant Morrow； strapped them on for me and wheeled the Vespa out onto the road。 On the way over the lawn he said； 〃Watch out for the potholes between here and Glens Falls； miss。 Some of them are so deep you better sound your horn before you get to them。 There might be other folks with little machines like this at the bottom of them。〃 I laughed。 He was clean and gay and young； but tough and adventurous as well； by the looks of him and from his job。 Perhaps this was more the type of man I should build dreams about！
I said good…by to Captain Stonor and thanked him。 Then； rather frightened of making
