if.goldfinger-第12章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Bond said soberly； 'Well； sir； it's like this。。。' Bond told the story； leaving nothing out。
M's face cleared。 He listened with all his attention； leaning forward across the desk。 When Bond had finished； M sat back in his chair。 He said 〃Well； well。。。 well' on a diminishing scale。 He put his hands behind his head and gazed for minutes at the ceiling。
Bond could feel the laughter ing on again。 How would the CID word the resounding snub he would get in the course of the day？ He was brought sharply back to earth by M's next words。 'By the way； what happened to that ten thousand dollars？'
'Gave it to the girl； sir。'
'Really！ Why not to the White Cross？'
The White Cross Fund was for the families of Secret Service men and women who were killed on duty。
'Sorry； sir。' Bond was not prepared to argue that one。
'Humpf。' M had never approved of Bond's womanizing。 It was anathema to his Victorian soul。 He decided to let it pass。 He said； 'Well； that's all for now； 007。 You'll be hearing all about it this afternoon。 Funny about Goldfinger。 Odd chap。 Seen him once or twice at Blades。 He plays bridge there when he's in England。 He's the chap the Bank of England's after。' M paused。 He looked mildly across the table at Bond。 'As from this moment； so are you。'
CHAPTER SIX
TALK OF GOLD
BOND WALKED up the steps and through the fine bronze portals and into the spacious； softly echoing entrance hall of the Bank of England and looked around him。 Under his feet glittered the brilliant golden patterns of the Boris Anrep mosaics； beyond； through twenty…feet…high arched windows； green grass and geraniums blazed in the central courtyard。 To right and left were spacious vistas of polished Hopton Wood stone。 Over all hung the neutral smell of air…conditioned air and the heavy； grave atmosphere of immense riches。
One of the athletic…looking； pink frock…coated missionaires came up to him。 'Yes； sir？'
'Colonel Smithers？'
'mander Bond； sir？ This way please。' The missionaire moved off to the right between the pillars。 The bronze doors of a discreetly hidden lift stood open。 The lift rose a few feet to the first floor。 Now there was a long panelled corridor ending in a tall Adam window。 The floor was close…carpeted in beige Wilton。 The missionaire knocked at the last of several finely carved oak doors that were just so much taller and more elegant than ordinary doors。 A grey…haired woman was sitting at a desk。 She looked as if she had once taken a double first。 The walls of the room were lined with grey metal filing cabinets。 The woman had been writing on a quarto pad of yellow memorandum paper。 She smiled with a hint of conspiracy； picked up a telephone and dialled a number。 'mander Bond is here。' She put the telephone back and stood up。 'Will you e this way？' She crossed the room to a door covered with green baize and held it open for Bond to go through。
Colonel Smithers had risen from his desk。 He said gravely； 'Nice of you to have e。 Won't you sit down？' Bond took the chair。 'Smoke？' Colonel Smithers pushed forward a silver box of Senior Service and himself sat down and began to fill a pipe。 Bond took a cigarette and lit it。
Colonel Smithers looked exactly like someone who would be called Colonel Smithers。 He had obviously been a colonel； probably on the staff； and he had the smooth； polished； basically serious mien that fitted his name。 But for his hornrimmed glasses； he might have been an efficient； not very well…fed courtier in a royal household。
Bond felt boredom gathering in the corners of the room。 He said encouragingly； 'It seems that you are to tell me all about gold。〃
'So I understand。 I had a note from the Governor。 I gather I need keep nothing from you。 Of course you understand' …Colonel Smithers looked over Bond's right shoulder …'that most of what I shall have to say will be confidential。' The eyes swept quickly across Bond's face。
Bond's face was stony。
Colonel Smithers felt the silence that Bond had intended he should feel。 He looked up； saw that he had put his foot in it； and tried to make amends。 'Obviously I needn't have mentioned the point。 A man with your training。。。'
Bond said； 'We all think our own secrets are the only ones that matter。 You're probably right to remind me。 Other people's secrets are never quite as important as one's own。 But you needn't worry。 I shall discuss things with my chief but with no one else。'
'Quite； quite。 Nice of you to take it that way。 In the Bank one gets into the habit of being over…discreet。 Now then；' Colonel Smithers scurried for cover into his subject。 'This business of gold。 I take it it's not a matter you've thought about a great deal？'
'I know it when I see it。'
'Aha； yes … well now； the great thing to remember about gold is that it's the most valuable and most easily marketable modity in the world。 You can go to any town in the world； almost to any village； and hand over a piece of gold and get goods or services in exchange。 Right？' Colonel Smithers's voice had taken on a new briskness。 His eyes were alight。 He had his lecture pat。 Bond sat back。 He was prepared to listen to anyone who was master of his subject； any subject。 'And the next thing to remember；' Colonel Smithers held up his pipe in warning； 'is that gold is virtually untrace…able。 Sovereigns have no serial numbers。 If gold bars have Mint marks stamped on them the marks can be shaved off or the bar can be melted down and made into a new bar。 That makes it almost impossible to check on the whereabouts of gold； or its origins； or its movements round the world。 In England； for instance； we at the Bank can only count the gold in our own vaults；'in the vaults of other banks and at the Mint； and make a rough guess at the amounts held by the jewellery trade and the pawnbroking fraternity。'
'Why are you so anxious to know how much gold there is in England？'
'Because gold and currencies backed by gold are the foundation of our international credit。 We can only tell what the true strength of the pound is； and other countries can only tell it； by knowing the amount of valuta we have behind our currency。 And my main job； Mr Bond' … Colonel Smithers's bland eyes had bee unexpectedly sharp … 'is to watch for any leakage of gold out of England … out of anywhere in the sterling area。 And when I spot a leakage； an escape of gold towards some country where it can be exchanged more profitably than at our official buying price； it is my job to put the CID Gold Squad on to the fugitive gold and try to get it back into our vaults； plug the leak and arrest the people responsible。 And the trouble is； Mr Bond' …Colonel Smithers gave a forlorn shrug of the shoulders …'that gold attracts the biggest； the most ingenious criminals。 They are very hard； very hard indeed； to catch。'
'Isn't all this only a temporary phase？ Why should this shortage of gold go on？ They seem to be digging it out of Africa fast enough。 Isn't there enough to go round？ Isn't it just like any other black market that disappears when the supplies are stepped up； like the penicillin traffic after the war？'
'I'm afraid not； Mr Bond。 It isn't quite as easy as that。 The population of the world is increasing at the rate of five thousand four hundred every hour of the day。 A small percentage of those people bee gold hoarders； people who are frightened of currencies； who like to bury some sovereigns in the garden or under the bed。 Another percentage needs gold fillings for their teeth。 Others need gold…rimmed spectacles； jewellery； engagement rings。 All these new people will be taking tons of gold off the market every year。 New industries need gold wire； gold plating； amalgams of gold。 Gold has extraordinary properties which are being put to new uses every day。 It is brilliant； malleable； ductile； almost unalterable and more dense than any of the mon metals except platinum。 There's no end to its uses。 But it has two defects。 It isn't hard enough。 It wears out quickly； leaves itself on the linings of our pockets and in the sweat of our skins。 Every year； the world's stock is invisibly reduced by friction。 I said that gold has two defects。' Colonel Smithers looked sad。 'The other and by far the major defect is that it
