if.goldfinger-第58章

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wn　and　went　through。
　The　five　faces；　blue　in　the　instrument　lights；　turned　towards　him。　The　mouths　made　black　holes　and　the　eyes　glinted　white。　Here　the　roar　of　the　engines　was　less。　There　was　a　smell　of　fright…sweat　and　cigarette　smoke。　Bond　stood　with　his　legs　braced；　the　guns　held　unwavering。　He　said；　'Goldfinger's　dead。　If　anyone　moves　or　disobeys　an　order　I　shall　kill　him。　Pilot；　what's　your　position；　course；　height　and　speed？'
　The　pilot　swallowed。　He　had　to　gather　saliva　before　he　could　speak。　He　said；　'Sir；　we　are　about　five　hundred　miles　east　of　Goose　Bay。　Mr　Goldfinger　said　we　would　ditch　the*　plane　as　near　the　coast　north　of　there　as　we　could　get。　We　were　to　reassemble　at　Montreal　and　Mr　Goldfinger　said　we　would　e　back　and　salvage　the　gold。　Our　ground　speed　is　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　per　hour　and　our　height　two　thousand。'
　'How　much　flying　can　you　do　at　that　altitude？　You　must　be　using　up　fuel　pretty　fast。'
　'Yes；　sir。　I　estimate　that　we　have　about　two　hours　left　at　this　height　and　speed。'
　'Get　me　a　time　signal。'
　The　navigator　answered　quickly；　'Just　had　one　from　Washington；　sir。　Five　minutes　to　five　am。　Dawn　at　this　level　will　be　in　about　an　hour。'
　'Where　is　Weathership　Charlie？'
　'About　three　hundred　miles　to　the　north…east；　sir。'
　'Pilot；　do　you　think　you　can　make　Goose　Bay？'
　'No；　sir；　by　about　a　hundred　miles。　We　can　only　make　the　coast　north　of　there。'
　'Right。　Alter　course　for　Weathership　Charlie。　Operator；　call　them　up　and　give　me　the　mike。'
　'Yes；　sir。'
　While　the　plane　executed　a　wide　curve；　Bond　listened　to　the　static　and　broken　snatches　of　voice　that　sounded　from　the　amplifier　above　his　head。
　The　operator's　voice　came　softly　to　him；　'Ocean　Station
　Charlie。　This　is　Speedbird　510。　G…ALGY　calling　C　for　Charlie；　G…ALGY　calling　Charlie；　G…ALGY。。。'
　A　sharp　voice　broke　in。　'G…ALGY　give　your　position。　G…ALGY　give　your　position。　This　is　Gander　Control。　Emergency。　G…ALGY。。。'
　London　came　over　faintly。　An　excited　voice　began　chattering。　Now　voices　were　ing　at　them　from　all　directions。　Bond　could　imagine　the　fix　being　quickly　co…ordinated　at　all　flying　control　stations；　the　busy　men　under　the　arcs　working　on　the　big　plot；　telephones　being　lifted；　urgent　voices　talking　to　each　other　across　the　world。　The　strong　signal　of　Gander　Control　smothered　all　other　transmissions。　'We've　located　G…ALGY。　We've　got　them　at　about　50　N　by　70　E。　All　stations　stop　transmitting。　Priority。　I　repeat；　we　have　a　fix　on　G…ALGY。。。'
　Suddenly　the　quiet　voice　of　C　for　Charlie　came　in。　'This　is　Ocean　Station　Charlie　calling　Speedbird　510。　Charlie　calling　G…ALGY。　Can　you　hear　me？　e　in　Speedbird　510。'
　Bond　slipped　the　small　gun　into　his　pocket　and　took　the　offered　microphone。　He　pressed　the　transmitter　switch　and　talked　quietly　into　it；　watching　the　crew　over　the　oblong　of　plastic。
　'C　for　Charlie　this　is　G…ALGY　Speedbird　hi…jacked　last　evening　at　Idlewild。　I　have　killed　the　man　responsible　and　partly　disabled　the　plane　by　depressurizing　the　cabin。　I　have　the　crew　at　gunpoint。　Not　enough　fuel　to　make　Goose　so　propose　to　ditch　as　close　to　you　as　possible。　Please　put　put　line　of　flares。'
　A　new　voice；　a　voice　of　authority；　perhaps　the　captain's；　came　over　the　air。　'Speedbird　this　is　C　for　Charlie。　Your　message　heard　and　understood。　Identify　the　speaker。　I　repeat　identify　the　speaker　over。'
　Bond　said　and　smiled　at　the　sensation　his　words　would　cause；　'Speedbird　to　C　for　Charlie。　This　is　British　Secret　Service　agent　Number　007；1　repeat　Number　007。　Whitehall　Radio　will　confirm。　I　repeat　check　with　Whitehall　Radio　over。'
　There　was　a　stunned　pause。　Voices　from　round　the　world　tried　to　break　in。　Some　control；　presumably　Gander；　cleared　them　off　the　air。　C　for　Charlie　came　back；　'Speedbird　this　is　C　for　Charlie　alias　the　Angel　Gabriel　speaking　okay　I'll　check　with　Whitehall　and　Wilco　the　flares　but　London　and　Gander　want　more　details。。。'
　Bond　broke　in；　'Sorry　C　for　Charlie　but　I　can't　hold　five　men　in　my　sights　and　make　polite　conversation　just　give　me　the　sea　conditions　would　you　and　then　I'm　going　off　the　air　till　we　e　in　to　ditch　over。'
　'Okay　Speedbird　I　see　the　point　wind　here　force　two　sea　conditions　long　smooth　swell　no　broken　crests　you　should　make　it　okay　I'll　soon　have　you　on　the　radar　and　we'll　keep　constant　watch　on　your　wavelength　have　whisky　for　one　and　iroas　for　five　waiting　good　luck　over。'
　Bond　said；　'Thanks　C　for　Charlie　add　a　cup　of　tea　to　that　order　would　you　I've　got　a　pretty　girl　on　board　this　is　Speed…bird　saying　over　and　out。'
　Bond　released　the　switch　and　handed　the　microphone　to　the　radio　officer。　He　said；　'Pilot；　they're　putting　down　flares　and　keeping　constant　watch　on　our　wavelength。　Wind　force　two；　long　smooth　swell　with　no　broken　crests。　Now　take　it　easy　and　let's　try　and　get　out　of　this　alive。　As　soon　as　we　hit　the　water　I'll　get　the　hatch　open。　Until　then　if　anyone　es　through　the　cockpit　door　he　gets　shot。　Right？'
　The　girl's　voice　sounded　from　the　door　behind　Bond。　'I　was　just　ing　to　join　the　party　but　I　won't　now。　Getting　shot　doesn't　agree　with　me。　But　you　might　call　that　man　back　and　make　it　two　whiskies。　Tea　makes　me　hiccup。'
　Bond　said；　'Pussy；　get　back　to　your　basket。'　He　gave　a　last　glance　round　the　cockpit　and　backed　out　of　the　door。
　Two　hours；　two　years；　later　Bond　was　lying　in　the　warm　cabin　in　Weathership　Charlie　listening　dreamily　to　an　early　morning　radio　programme　from　Canada。　Various　parts　of　his　body　ached。　He　had　got　to　the　tail　of　the　plane　and　made　the　girl　kneel　down　with　her　head　cradled　in　her　arms　on　the　seat　of　a　chair。　Then　he　had　wedged　himself　in　behind　and　over　her　and　had　held　her　life…jacketed　body　tightly　in　his　arms　and　braced　his　back　against　the　back　of　the　seat　behind　him。
　She　had　been　nervously　making　facetious　remarks　about　the　indelicacy　of　this　position　when　the　belly　of　the　Strato…cruiser　had　thudded　into　the　first　mountain　of　swell　at　a　hundred　miles　an　hour。　The　huge　plane　skipped　once　and　then　crashed　nose　first　into　a　wall　of　water。　The　impact　had　broken　the　back　of　the　plane。　The　leaden　weight　of　the　bullion　in　the　baggage　partment　had　torn　the　plane　in　half；　spewing　Bond　and　the　girl　out　into　the　icy　swell；　lit　red　by　the　line　of　flares。　There　they　had　floated；　half　stunned；　in　their　yellow　life…jackets　until　the　lifeboat　got　to　them。　By　then　there　were　only　a　few　chunks　of　wreckage　on　the　surface　and　the　crew；　with　three　tons　of　gold　round　their　necks；　were　on　their　way　down　to　the　bed　of　the　Atlantic。　The　boat　hunted　for　ten　minutes　but　when　no　bodies　came　to　the　surface　they　gave　up　the　search　and　chugged　back　up　the　searchlight　beam　to　the　blessed　wall　of　iron　of　the　old　frigate。
　They　had　been　treated　like　a　mixture　of　royally　and　people　from　Mars。　Bond　had　answered　the　first；　most　urgent　questions　and　then　it　had　all　suddenly　seemed　to　be　too　much　for　his　tired　mind　to　cope　with。　Now　he　was　lying　luxuriating　in　the　peace　and　the　heat　of　the　whisky　and　wondering　about　Pussy　Galore　and　why　she　had　chosen　shelter　under　his　wing　rather　than　under　Goldfinger's。
　The　connecting　door　with　the　next　cabin　opened　and　the　girl　came　in。　She　was　wearing　nothing　but　a　grey　fisherman's　jersey　that　was　decent　by　half　an　inch。　The　sleeves　were　rolled　up。　She　looked　like　a　painting　by　Vertes。　She　said；　'People　keep　on　asking　if　I'd　like　an　alcohol　rub　and　I　keep　on　saying　that　if　anyone's　going　to　rub　me　it's　you；　and　if　I'm　going　to　be　rubbed　with　anything　it's　you　I'd　like　to　be　rubbed　with。'　She　ended　lamely；　'So　here　I　am。'
　Bond　said　firmly；　'Lock　that　door；　Pussy；　take　off　that　sweater　and　e　into　bed。　You'll　catch　cold。'
　She　did　as　she　was　told；　like　an　obedient　child。
　She　lay　in　the　crook　of　Bond's　arm　and　looked　up　at　him。　She　said；　not　in　a　gangster's　voice；　or　a　Lesbian's；　but　in　a　girl's　voice；　Will　you　write　to　me　in　Sing　Sing？'
　Bond　looked　down　into　the　deep　blue…violet　eyes　that　were　no　longer　hard；　imperious。　He　bent　and　kissed　them　lightly。　He　said；　'They　told　me　you　only　liked　women。'
　She　said；　'I　never　met　a　man　before。'　The　toughness　came　back　into　her　voice。　'I　e　from　the　South。　You　know　the　definition　of　a　virgin　down　there？　Well；　it's　a　girl　who　can　run　faster　than　her　brother。