johngardner.winloseordie-第53章

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o　sign　of　Baradj。
　Beatrice　joined　him　and　they　fanned　out；　watching　each　other's　backs。　In　this　terrain　it　would　be　relatively　simple　for　Baradj　to　outflank　them　and　take　a　shot　from　behind。　But；　when　the　shot　came；　it　was　from　high　up。　and　nothing　thumped　or　ricocheted　near　either　Bond　or　Beatrice。
　Still　spread　out；　they　moved　forward　until　they　came　to　a　wide…arched　opening；　like　a　man…made　cave　in　the　face　of　the　rock。　It　had　been　barred　by　a　large　iron　gate；　fastened　with　a　padlock。　The　padlock　had　been　shot　away；　and　one　of　the　gates　was　half　open。
　'The　tunnels！1　Beatrice　whispered；　and　Bond　nodded；　'Yes；　the　tunnels；　and　we　have　no　idea　how　well　he　knows　them。'
〃What　about　you？'
　Bond　shook　his　head；　whispering；　Tve　only　ever　been　in　the　galleries　open　to　the　public。　But。　where　he　goes　we'll　have　to　follow。'
　The　phrase　'As　Solid　as　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar'　is　a　misnomer；　for　the　great　Rock　is；　in　reality；　like　a　huge；　giant　ants'　nest　of　tunnels。　All　of　them　were　military　in　nature；　and　the　public　were　allowed　to　see　the　first　Irue　feats　of　engineering　…　the　Upper　and　Middle　Galleries；　built　under　the　instruction　of　Sergeant　Major　Ince　of　the　Sappers　in　the　178（》s。　These　faced　Spain；　were　installed　with　cannon；　and　were　largely　responsible　for　holding　the　Rock　during　the　Great　Siege。　Bul　thai　was　far　from　the　end　of　the　story。　Later　tunnelling　played　a　key　role　during　World　War　Two。　and　sections　of　the　tunnels　were　still　very　much　in　use　now。　Unless　you　knew　the　way；　you　could　get　lost　very　easily　inside　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar。
　Bond　and　Beatrice　edged　their　way　in。　trying　not　to　allow　their　bodies　to　be　highlighted　against　the　exterior。
　Inside；　the　lights；　drilled　into　the　ceiling；　were　on；　and　they　found　themselves　in　a　high；　curved　vault；　big　enough　to　take　a　Ihree…lane　highway。
　They　spread　out。　one　taking　each　side　of　the　rough…chiselled　wall；　their　eyes　straining　ahead　for　any　sign　of　movement。　There　was　none；　and　＇he　lights　seemed　lo　go　on　lor　ever。
　They　stopped　beside　two　curved　nissen　huts；　built　into　a　cavern　carved　from　the　rock…face。　Bul　they　were　locked　and　empty；　so　they　continued；　moving　slowly；　very　aware　of　the　fact　that；　should　Baradj　find　a　hiding…place　…　some　dug…out　in　the　rock　…　he　could　pick　them　off　as　easy　as　shooting　fish　in　a　barrel。
　The　lunnel　branched　off；　and　within　a　hundred　yards　Bond　and　Beatrice　found　themselves　in　the　remains　of　what　had　once　been　a　field　hospital。　Parts　of　tiled　operating　theatres　remained；　the　sluices　and　lavatories　were　intact。　Bul　ihe　hospilal　led　nowhere　and。　in　minutes；　they　were　back　in　the　wide　main　route。
　Bond　remembered　now。　that　these　tunnels　were　once　full　of　men。　tanks；　lorries；　field　guns；　and　jeeps。　Indeed；　they　had　been　used　as　one　of　the　main　staging　posts　for　Operation　Torch。　the　allied　invasion　of　French　North　Africa　in　1942。　the　force　manded　by　Eisenhower。　way　back　when　he　was　still　only　a　Lieutenant…Genera＇。　There　were　many　ghosts　in　this　dank　and　cold　place；　and　Bond　could　feel　them　all　closing　in　on　him　now　as　water　dripped　from　the　roof　of　this　incredible　stone　highway。
　'Over　here。〃　Beairice　whispered；　and　he　saw　that　there　was　another　lunnel　leading　off；　only　large　enough　to　drive　a　jeep　into；　and　possibly　reverse　out　again。　They　stopped；　listened　and　wem　down　the　branch　lunnel。　The　far　end　was　blanked　off　by　a　high　metal　wall；　into　which　a　door　had　been　set。　Bond　tried　the　door　and　it　swung　open　easily。　Beatrice　covered　him　while　he　leaped　inside　and　was　mel　by　such　an　incredible　sight　that　he　almost　forgot　to　follow　the　routine。　He　heard　Beatrice　gasp　as　she　passed　through　the　door；　then　the　shot；　echoing　through　this　incredible　place；　and　the　bullet　shattering　only　inches　from　Beatrice。　They　both　dived　for　cover；　and　there　was　plenty　of　that。
They　appeared　to　be　in　natural　light；　on　what　could　have　been　a　large　film　set；　only　the　place　as　it　appeared　was　so　real　it　would　be　easy　lo　imagine　you　were　dreaming。　There　were　streets；　houses；　shops；　even　a　church　in　the　distance。
　It　took　Bond　a　few　moments　to　realise　what　it　was。　for　he　had　heard　of　this　place；　though　never　seen　it　before。　Graffiti　was　daubed　on　walls。　Jibes　at　the　police　and　military。
　It　was　all　so　real　that　it　took　time　for　the　truth　to　sink　in。　This　was　a　training　ground　for　troops　resting　in　Gibraltar。　A　place　where　they　could　practise　street　righting；　the　kind　of　work　lhat　was　so　often　required　in　times　of　civil　unrest。　He　had　heard　a　rumour　that　some　members　of　the　quick…response　teams；　police　and　army；　were　sometimes　flown　here　for　training。
　They　were　lying　on　a　pavement；　sheltering　behind　a　wall　which　was　part　of　The　King's　Head；　a　pub　that　looked　so　real　you　could　almost　smell　the　beer。
　Bond　tried　to　assess　where　the　shot　had　e　from。　'You　work　left。'　he　whispered。　Til　cross　the　street　and　go　right。　Yell　if　you　see　him；　or　if　he　fires　at　you。　Give　it　ten　minutes。'　He　held　up　his　watch。　'Then　we　meet　back　here。'
　She　nodded；　and　crouching　low；　scuttled　along　the　wall；　while　Bond　readied　himself　and　made　a　crouching　run　for　it；　across　the　street　to　the　far　side；　along　the　blank　wall　of　Jack　Berry；　Family　Butcher。　The　shop　front；　in　the　main　street；　was　decorated　with　meat；　carcasses　hanging　inside。　He　was　almost　at　the　angle　of　the　wall　on　the　tar　side；　when　two　bullets　came　down；　flinging　shards　off　the　pavement。　He　thought　he　saw　the　muzzle　flash；　from　a　doorway；　three　houses　up　the　cramped；　terraced　street；　and。　still　running；　he　fired；　two　lots　of　two　shots；　from　the　hip。　Bond　was　sure　he　had　seen　a　figure　duck　back　into　the　doorway。
　He　was　panting；　his　back　fiat　against　the　wall；　working　out　the　next　move。　If　he　went　behind　the　butcher's　shop　he　should　be　able　to　make　his　way　down　the　back　of　the　parallel　street。　and　head　for　the　rear　door　opposite　the　house　from　which　he　thought　Baradj　had　last　fired。
Keeping　his　back　against　the　wall；　he　edged　himself　behind　the　shop；　and　along　the　rear　of　the　terraced　houses。　One。　Two。　He　tried　the　handle　on　the　mean　little　door　of　the　third　house。　It　moved　and　he　stepped　into　a　long　dark　passage。　There　were　stairs　going　up　to　the　right。　He　leaned　his　right　shoulder　against　the　stairs；　listening；　wondering　if　he　should　try　the　front　door　ahead　of　him；　then　decided　to　move　left；　into　what　would　be　the　little　front　room。　He　heard　nothing　before　the　door　crashed　open；　and　two　shots　ripped　against　the　stairs；　one　of　them　clipping　his　Browning；　sending　pain　dancing　up　his　arm　and　the　pistol　flying。
　He　waited　for　death　to　e　quickly；　looking　up　at　the　figure　of　Bassarn　Baradj；　silhouetted　in　the　doorway。
　？Captain　Bond；'　Baradj　said。　'I　am　sorry　about　this；　but　in　other　ways　pleased　that　the　honour　of　being　your　executioner　falls　to　me。　Goodbye。　Captain　Bond。'　The　pistol　came　up　in　the　two…handed　grip；　and　Bond　winced　at　the　shot；　but　felt　nothing。　Tense；　unable　to　move；　he　stared　at　Baradj　who　still　appeared　to　be　looking　at　him。　his　arms　outstretched；　the　gun　aimed。
　Then；　as　in　a　dream　sequence；　Bassam　Baradj　buckled　at　the　knees　and　toppled　forward　into　the　narrow　passage。
　Bond　lei　out　a　deep；　long　breath　and　heard　Beatrice's　sneakers　ihudding　across　the　road。　She　stopped　in　the　doorway。　'James？'　she　asked。　Then；　again；　'James？　You　okay；　James？'
　He　nodded；　his　arm　still　shaken　from　the　thump　when　the　bullet　had　caught　his　pistol。　'Yes。　Yes。　I'm　okay。　I　guess　I　owe　you　another　life；　my　dear　Beatrice。'　He　stepped　forward；　over　the　dead　body　of　Bassam　Baradj。　and　took　her　in　his　arms。　〃It's　one　hell　of　a　way　to　make　a　living。'　he　said。
'James？'　she　whispered。　'Love　me？'
　He　held　her　close；　Т　love　you　very　much；'　and　he　realised　that　he　meant　it。
　Together；　they　walked　back　down　the　unreal…real　street；　to　the　door　which　would　take　them　to　the　tunnels　and　finally　to　the　light　outside。
　
　20
　
　Some　Die
　
It　was　summer；　and　an　hour　before　dusk：　hot　and　pleasant。　The　Villa　Capricciani　looked　lovely　at　this　time　of　day。　Lizards　basked　under　the　foliage；　the　flowers　were　in　full　bloom；　and　the　lilies　burned　yellow　from　the　pond　below　the　house。
　James　Bond　came　onto　the　terrace　and　plunged　into　the　pool；　swimming　strongly；　doing　a　couple　of　lengths　before　climbing　out。　rubbi