if.goldfinger-第52章
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oup of officials； now reinforced by four rather shamefaced conductors； with hands raised in benediction。
Thirty…five miles； half an hour； to go！ Coffee and doughnuts were brought round by the nurses； and （Goldfinger thought of everything） for those whose nerves needed it； two grains of dexedrine。 The nurses were pale； silent。 There were no jokes； no smart remarks。 The train was electric with tension。
After ten minutes there was a sudden slackening of speed and a sharp hiss from the brakes。 Coffee was spilled。 The train almost stopped。 Then there was a jerk and it gathered speed again。 A new hand had taken over on the dead man's handle。
A few minutes later； Mr Strap came hurrying through the train。 'Ten minutes to go！ On your toes； folks！ Squads A； B and C get their equipment on。 Everything's going fine。 Stay calm。 Remember your duties。' He hurried through to the next partment and Bond heard the voice repeating its message。
Bond turned to Oddjob。 'Listen； you ape； I'm going to the lavatory and probably Miss Masterton will too。' He turned to the girl。 What about it； Tilly？〃
'Yes；' she said indifferently； 'I suppose I'd better。〃
Bond said； 'Well； go ahead。'
The Korean beside the girl looked inquiringly at Oddjob。 Oddjob shook his head。
Bond said； 〃Unless you leave her alone I'm going to start a fight。 Goldfinger won't like that。' He turned to the girl。 'Go ahead； Tilly。 I'll see to these apes。'
Oddjob uttered a series of barks and snarls which the other Korean seemed to understand。 The guard got up and said； 'Okay； but not locking the door。' He followed the girl down the Pullman and stood and waited for her to e out。
Oddjob carried out the same routine with Bond。 Once inside； Bond took off his right shoe； slid out the knife and slipped it down inside the waist…band of his trousers。 One shoe would now have no heel； but no one was going to notice that this morning。 Bond washed himself。 The face in the mirror was pale and the blue…grey eyes dark with tension。 He went out and back to his seat。
Now there was a distant shimmer away to the right and a hint of low buildings rising like a mirage in the early morning ground mist。 They slowly defined themselves as hangars with a squat control tower。 Godman Field！ The soft pounding howl of the train slackened。 Some trim modern villas； part of a new housing development； slid by。 They seemed to be unoccupied。 Now； on the left； there was the black ribbon of Brandenburg Station Road。 Bond craned。 The gleaming modern sprawl of Fort Knox looked almost soft in the light mist。 Above its jagged outline the air was dear as crystal …not a trace of smoke； no breakfasts cooking！ The train slowed to a canter。 On Station Road there had been a bad motor accident。 Two cars seemed to have met head on。 The body of a man sprawled half out of a smashed door。 The other car lay on its back like a dead beetle。 Bond's heart pounded。 The main signal box came and went。 Over the levers something white was draped。 It was a man's shirt。
Inside the shirt the body hung down； its head below the level of the window。 A row of modern bungalows。 A body clad in singlet and trousers flat on its face in the middle of a trim lawn。 The lines of mown grass were beautifully exact until； near the man； the mower had written an ugly flourish and had then e to rest on its side in the newly turned earth of； the border。 A line of washing that had broken when the woman had grasped it。 The woman lay in a white pile at one end of the sagging string of family underclothes； cloths and towels。 And now the train was moving at walking pace into the town and everywhere； down every street； on every sidewalk； there were the sprawling figures … singly； in clumps； in rocking…chairs on the porches； in the middle of intersections where the traffic lights still unhurriedly ticked off their coloured signals； in cars that had managed to pull up and in others that had smashed into shop windows。 Death！ Dead people everywhere。 No movement； no sound save the click of the murderer's iron feet as his train slid through the graveyard。
Now there was bustle in the carriages。 Billy Ring came through grinning hugely。 He stopped by Bond's chair。 'Oh boy！' he said delightedly； 'old Goldie certainly slipped them the Micky Finn！ Too bad some people were out for a ride when they got hit。 But you know what they say about omelettes： can't make 'em without you break some eggs； right？'
Bond smiled tightly。 'That's right。'
Billy Ring made his silent O of a laugh and went on his way。
The train trundled through Brandenburg Station。 Now there were scores of bodies … men； women； children； soldiers。 The platform was scribbled with them； faces upwards to the roof； down in the dust； cradled sideways。 Bond searched for movement； for an inquisitive eye； for a twitching hand。 Nothing！ Wait！ What was that？ Thinly through the closed window there came a soft； mewing wail。 Three perambulators stood against the ticket office； the mothers collapsed beside them。 Of course！ The babies in the perambulators would have drunk milk； not the deadly water。
Oddjob got to his feet。 So did the whole of Goldfinger's team。 The faces of the Koreans were indifferent； unchanged； only their eyes flickered constantly like nervous animals。 The
Germans were pale； grim。 Nobody looked at anyone else。 Silently they filed towards the exit and lined up； waiting。
Tilly Masterton touched Bond's sleeve。 Her voice trembled。 'Are you sure they're only asleep？ I thought I saw some sort of。。。 sort of froth on some of the lips。'
Bond had seen the same thing。 The froth had been pink。 He said； 'I expect some of them were eating sweets or something when they fell asleep。 You know what these Americans are … always chewing something。' He softly mouthed the next words。 'Stay away from me。 There may be shooting。' He looked hard at her to see she understood。
She nodded dumbly； not looking at him。 She whispered out of the corner of her mouth； 'I'm going to get near Pussy。 She'll look after me。'
Bond gave her a smile and said 'Good'； encouragingly。
The train clicked slowly over some points and slid to rest。 There came one blast of the diesel's windhorn。 The doors swung open and the different groups piled out on to the platform of the Bullion Depository siding。
Now everything went with military precision。 The various squads formed up in their battle order…first an assault group widi sub…machine guns； then the stretcher…bearers to get the guard and other personnel out of the vault （surely an unnecessary refinement now； thought Bond） then Goldfinger's demolition team … ten men with their bulky tarpaulin…covered package … then a mixed group of spare drivers and traffic…control men； then the group of nurses； now all armed with pistols； who were to stay in the background with a heavily armed reserve group that was to deal with any unexpected interference from anybody who； as Goldfinger had put it； 'might wake up'。
Bond and the girl had been included in the mand Group which consisted of Goldfinger； Oddjob and the five gang leaders。 They were to be stationed on the flat roofs of the two diesel lootives which now stood； as planned； beyond the siding buildings and in full view of ？the objective and its approaches。 Bond and the girl were to handle the maps； the timetables and the stop…watch； and Bond was to watch out for fumbles and delays and bring them at once to Goldfinger's attention to be rectified by walkie…talkie with die squad leaders。 When the bomb was due to be fired； they would take shelter behind the diesels。
There came a double blast from the windhorn and； as Bond and the girl climbed to their position on the roof of the first diesel； the assault squad； followed by the other sections； doubled across the twenty yards of open ground between the railway and Bullion Boulevard。 Bond edged as close as he could to Goldfinger。 Goldfinger had binoculars to his eyes。 His mouth was close to the microphone strapped to his chest。 But Oddjob stood between them； a solid mountain of flesh； and his eyes； uninterested in the drama of the assault； never flickered from Bond and the girl。
Bond； under cover of scanning his plastic map…case and keeping an eye on the stop…watch； measured
