if.goldfinger-第4章

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　'Very　good；　Mr　Du　Pont。'　The　wine　waiter；　washing　his　hands；　took　the　waiter's　place。
　'Two　pints　of　pink　champagne。　The　Pommery　'50。　Silver　tankards。　Right？'
　'Vairry　good；　Mr　Du　Pont。　A　cocktail　to　start？'
　Mr　Du　Pont　turned　to　Bond。　He　smiled　and　raised　his　eyebrows。
　Bond　said；　'Vodka　martini；　please。　With　a　slice　of　lemon　peel。'
　'Make　it　two；'　said　Mr　Du　Pont。　'Doubles。'　The　wine　waiter　hurried　off。　Mr　Du　Pont　sat　back　and　produced　his　cigarettes　and　lighter。　He　looked　round　the　room；　answered　one　or　two　waves　with　a　smile　and　a　lift　of　the　hand　and　glanced　at　the　neighbouring　tables。　He　edged　his　chair　nearer　to　Bond's。　'Can't　help　the　noise；　I'm　afraid；'　he　said　apologetically。　'Only　e　here　for　the　crabs。　They're　out　of　this…world。　Hope　you're　not　allergic　to　them。　Once　brought　a　girl　here　and　fed　her　crabs　and　her　lips　swelled　up　like　cycle　tyres。'
　Bond　was　amused　at　the　change　in　Mr　Du　Pont　…　this　racy　talk；　the　authority　of　manner　once　Mr　Du　Pont　thought　he　had　got　Bond　on　the　hook；　on　his　payroll。　He　was　a　different　man　from　the　shy　embarrassed　suitor　who　had　solicited　Bond　at　the　airport。　What　did　Mr　Du　Pont　want　from　Bond？　It　would　be　ing　any　minute　now；　the　proposition。　Bond　said；　'I　haven't　got　any　allergies。'
　'Good；　good。'
　There　was　a　pause。　Mr　Du　Pont　snapped　the　lid　of　his　lighter　up　and　down　several　times。　He　realized　he　was　making　an　irritating　noise　and　pushed　it　away　from　him。　He　made　up　his　mind。　He　said；　speaking　at　his　hands　on　the　table　in　front　of　him；　'You　ever　play　Canasta；　Mr　Bond？'
　'Yes；　it's　a　good　game。　I　like　it。'
　'Two…handed　Canasta？'
　'I　have　done。　It's　not　so　much　fun。　If　you　don't　make　a　fool　of　yourself　…　if　neither　of　you　do　…　it　tends　to　even　out。　Law　of　averages　in　the　cards。　No　chance　of　making　much　difference　in　the　play。'
　Mr　Du　Pont　nodded　emphatically。　'Just　so。　That's　what　I've　said　to　myself。　Over　a　hundred　games　or　so；　two　equal　players　will　end　up　equal。　Not　such　a　good　game　as　Gin　or　Oklahoma；　but　in　a　way　that's　just　what　I　like　about　it。　You　pass　the　time；　you　handle　plenty　of　cards；　you　have　your　ups　and　downs；　no　one　gets　hurt。　Right？'
　Bond　nodded。　The　martinis　came。　Mr　Du　Pont　said　to　the　wine　waiter；　'Bring　two　more　in　ten　minutes。'　They　drank。　Mr　Du　Pont　turned　and　faced　Bond。　His　face　was　petulant；　crumpled。　He　said；　'What　would　you　say；　Mr　Bond；　if　I　told　you　I'd　lost　twenty…five　thousand　dollars　in　a　week　playing　two…handed　Canasta？'　Bond　was　about　to　reply。　Mr　Du　Pont　held　up　his　hand。　'And　mark　you；　I'm　a　good　card　player。　Member　of　the　Regency　Club。　Play　a　lot　with　people　like　Charlie　Goren；　Johnny　Crawford　…　at　bridge　that　is。　But　what　I　mean；　I　know　my　way　around　at　the　card　table。'　Mr　Du　Pont　probed　Bond's　eyes。
　'If　you've　been　playing　with　the　same　man　all　the　time；　you've　been　cheated。'
　'Ex…actly。'　Mr　Du　Pont　slapped　the　table…cloth。　He　sat　back。　'Ex…actly。　That's　what　I　said　to　myself　after　I'd　lost　…lost　for　four　whole　days。　So　I　said　to　myself；　this　bastard　is　cheating　me　and　by　golly　I'll　find　out　how　he　does　it　and　have　him　hounded　out　of　Miami。　So　I　doubled　the　stakes　and　then　doubled　them　again。　He　was　quite　happy　about　it。　And　I　watched　every　card　he　played；　every　movement。　Nothing！　Not　a　hint　or　a　sign。　Cards　not　marked。　New　pack　whenever　I　wanted　one。　My　own　cards。　Never　looked　at　my　hand　…couldn't；　as　I　always　sat　dead　opposite　him。　No　kibitzer　to　tip　him　off。　And　he　just　went　on　winning　and　winning。　Won　again　this　morning。　And　again　this　afternoon。　Finally　I　got　so　mad　at　the　game　…　I　didn't　show　it；　mind　you'　…　Bond　might　think　he　had　not　been　a　sport　…　'I　paid　up　politely。　But；　without　telling　this　guy；　I　just　packed　my　bag　and　got　me　to　the　airport　and　booked　on　the　first　plane　to　New　York。　Think　of　that！'　Mr　Du　Pont　threw　up　his　hands。　'Running　away。　But　twenty…five　grand　is　twenty…five　grand。　I　could　see　it　getting　to　fifty；　a　hundred。　And　I　just　couldn't　stand　another　of　these　damned　games　and　I　couldn't　stand　not　being　able　to　catch　this　guy　out。　So　I　took　off。　What　do　you　think　of　that？　Me；　Junius　Du　Pont；　throwing　in　the　towel　because　I　couldn't　take　the　licking　any　more！'
　Bond　grunted　sympathetically。　The　second　round　of　drinks　came。　Bond　was　mildly　interested；　he　was　always　interested　in　anything　to　do　with　cards。　He　could　see　the　scene；　the　two　men　playing　and　playing　and　the　one　man　quietly　shuffling　and　dealing　away　and　marking　up　his　score　while　the　other　was　always　throwing　his　cards　into　the　middle　of　the　table　with　a　gesture　of　controlled　disgust。　Mr　Du　Pont　was　obviously　being　cheated。　How？　Bond　said；　'Twenty…five　thousand's　a　lot　of　money。　What　stakes　were　you　playing？'
　Mr　Du　Pont　looked　sheepish。　'Quarter　a　point；　then　fifty　cents；　then　a　dollar。　Pretty　high　I　guess　with　the　games　averaging　around　two　thousand　points。　Even　at　a　quarter；　that　makes　five　hundred　dollars　a　game。　At　a　dollar　a　point；　if　you　go　on　losing；　it's　murder。'
　'You　must　have　won　sometimes。'
　'Oh　sure；　but　somehow；　just　as　I'd　got　the　s。o。b。　all　set　for　a　killing；　he'd　put　down　as　many　of　his　cards　as　he　could　meld。　Got　out　of　the　bag。　Sure；　I　won　some　small　change；　but　only　when　he　needed　a　hundred　and　twenty　to　go　down　and　I'd　got　all　the　wild　cards。　But　you　know　how　it　is　with　Canasta；　you　have　to　discard　right。　You　lay　traps　to　make　the　other　guy　hand　you　the　pack。　Well；　darn　it；　he　seemed　to　be　psychic！　Whenever　I　laid　a　trap；　he'd　dodge　it；　and　almost　every　time　he　laid　one　for　me　I'd　fall　into　it。　As　for　giving　me　the　pack　…　why；　he'd　choose　the　damnedest　cards　when　he　was　pushed　…　discard　singletons；　aces；　God　knows　what；　and　always　get　away　with　it。　It　was　just　as　if　he　knew　every　card　in　my　hand；'
　'Any　mirrors　in　the　room？'
　'Heck；　no！　We　always　played　outdoors。　He　said　he　wanted　to　get　himself　a　sunburn。　Certainly　did　that。　Red　as　lobster。　He'd　only　play　in　the　mornings　and　afternoons。　Said　if　he　played　in　the　evening　he　couldn't　get　to　sleep。'
　'Who　is　this　man；　anyway？　What's　his　name？'
　'Goldfinger。'
　'First　name？'
　'Auric。　That　means　golden；　doesn't　it？　He　certainly　is　that。　Got　flaming　red　hair。'
　'Nationality？'
　'You　won't　believe　it；　but　he's　a　Britisher。　Domiciled　in　Nassau。　You'd　think　he'd　be　a　Jew　from　the　name；　but　he　doesn't　look　it。　We're　restricted　at　the　Floridiana。　Wouldn't　have　got　in　if　he　had　been。　Nassavian　passport。　Age　forty…two。　Unmarried。　Profession；　broker。　Got　all　this　from　his　passport。　Had　me　a　peek　via　the　house　detective　when　I　started　to　play　with　him。'
　'What　sort　of　broker？'
　Du　Pont　smiled　grimly。　'I　asked　him。　He　said；　〃Oh；　anything　that　es　along。〃　Evasive　sort　of　fellow。　Clams　up　if　you　ask　him　a　direct　question。　Talks　away　quite　pleasantly　about　nothing　at　all。'
　'What's　he　worth？'
　'Ha！'　said　Mr　Du　Pont　explosively。　'That's　the　damnedest　thing。　He's　loaded。　But　loaded！　I　got　my　bank　to　check　with　Nassau。　He's　lousy　with　it。　Millionaires　are　a　dime　a　dozen　in　Nassau；　but　he's　rated　either　first　or　second　among　them。　Seems　he　keeps　his　money　in　gold　bars。　Shifts　them　around　the　world　a　lot　to　get　the　benefit　of　changes　in　the　gold　price。　Acts　like　a　damn　federal　bank。　Doesn't　trust　currencies。　Can't　say　he's　wrong　in　that；　and　seeing　how　he's　one　of　the　richest　men　in　the　world　there　must　be　something　to　his　system。'　But　the　point　is；　if　he's　as　rich　as　that；　what　the　hell　does　he　want　to　take　a　lousy　twenty…five　grand　off　me　for？*
　A　bustle　of　waiters　round　their　table　saved　Bond　having　to　think　up　a　reply。　With　ceremony；　a　wide　silver　dish　of　crabs；　big　ones；　their　shells　and　claws　broken；　was　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　table。　A　silver　sauceboat　brimming　with　melted　butter　and　a　long　rack　of　toast　was　put　beside　each　of　their　plates。　The　tankards　of　champagne　frothed　pink。　Finally；　with　an　oily　smirk；　the　head　waiter　came　behind　their　chairs　and；　in　turn；　tied　round　their　necks　long　white　silken　bibs　that　reached　down　to　the　lap。
　Bond　was　reminded　of　Charles　Laughton　playing　Henry　VIII；　but　neither　Mr　Du　Pont　nor　the　neighbouring　diners　seemed　surprised　at　the　hoggish　display。　Mr　Du　Pont；　with　a　gleeful　'Every　man　for　himself；　raked　several　hunks　of　crab　on　to　his　plate；　doused　them　liberally　in　melted　butter　and　dug　in。　Bond　followe