if.thunderball-第13章

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rightened　to　normal。　The　roasted…meat　and　burned…fabric　smell　spread　slowly。　The　body　of　No。　12　crumpled　horribly。　There　was　a　sharp　crack　as　the　chin　hit　the　edge　of　the　table。　It　was　all　over。
　
　Blofeld's　soft；　even　voice　broke　the　silence。　He　looked　down　the　table　at　No。　7。　He　noted　that　the　stanch；　impassive　stance　had　not　quavered。　This　was　a　good　man　with　good　nerves。　Blofeld　said；　〃Sit　down；　No。　7。　I　am　satisfied　with　your　conduct。〃　（Satisfaction　was　Blofeld's　highest　expression　of　praise。）　〃It　was　necessary　to　distract　the　attention　of　No。　12。　He　knew　that　he　was　under　suspicion。　There　might　have　been　an　untidy　scene。〃
　
　Some　of　the　men　round　the　table　nodded　their　understanding。　As　usual；　Blofeld's　reasoning　made　good　sense。　No　one　was　greatly　perturbed　or　surprised　by　what　he　had　witnessed。　Blofeld　always　exercised　his　authority；　meted　out　justice；　in　full　view　of　the　members。　There　had　been　two　previous　occasions　of　this　nature；　both　at　similar　meetings　and　both　on　security　or　disciplinary　grounds　which　affected　the　cohesion；　the　inner　strength；　of　the　whole　team。　In　one；　the　offender　had　been　shot　by　Blofeld　through　the　heart　with　a　thick　needle　fired　from　a　pressed…air　pistol…no　mean　feat　at　around　twelve　paces。　In　the　other；　the　guilty　man；　who　had　been　seated　next　to　Blofeld　on　his　left　hand；　had　been　garroted　with　a　wire　noose　casually　flicked　over　his　head　and　then；　with　two　swift　steps　by　Blofeld；　pulled　tight　over　the　back　of　the　man's　chair。　Those　two　deaths　had　been　just；　necessary。　So　had　this　death；　the　third。　Now；　the　members；　ignoring　the　heap　of　death　at　the　end　of　the　table；　settled　in　their　chairs。　It　was　time　to　get　back　to　business。
　
　Blofeld　snapped　shut　the　gold　vinaigrette　and　slipped　it　into　a　waistcoat　pocket。　〃The　Corsican　section；〃　he　said　softly；　〃will　put　forward　remendations　for　a　replacement　for　No。　12。　But　that　can　wait　until　after　pletion　of　Plan　Omega。　On　this　matter；　there　are　certain　details　to　be　discussed。　Sub…operator　G；　recruited　by　the　German　section；　has　made　an　error；　a　serious　error　which　radically　affects　our　time　table。　This　man；　whose　membership　of　the　Red　Lightning　Tong　in　Macao　should　have　made　him　expert　in　conspiracy；　was　instructed　to　make　his　headquarters　at　a　certain　clinic　in　the　south　of　England；　an　admirable　refuge　for　his　purposes。　His　instructions　were　to　keep　intermittent　contact　with　the　airman　Petacchi　at　the　not…far…distant　Bosbe　Downs　airfield　where　the　bomber　squadron　is　under　training。　He　was　to　report　at　intervals　on　the　airman's　fitness　and　morale。　His　reports　have　been　satisfactory；　and　the　airman；　by　the　way；　continues　to　be　willing。　But　Sub…operator　G　was　also　required　to　post　the　Letter　on　D　plus　One；　or　three　days　from　now。　Unfortunately　this　foolish　man　took　it　upon　himself　to　bee　embroiled　in　a　hotheaded　fashion　with　some　fellow　patient　at　the　clinic；　as　a　result　of　which；　and　I　need　not　go　into　details；　he　is　now　in　Brighton　Central　Hospital　suffering　from　second…degree　burns。　He　is　thus　out　of　action　for　at　least　a　week。　This　will　involve　an　irritating　but　fortunately　not　a　serious　delay　in　Plan　Omega。　Fresh　instructions　have　been　issued。　The　airman　Petacchi　has　been　provided　with　a　phial　of　influenza　virus　of　sufficient　strength　for　him　to　remain　on　the　sick　list　for　one　week；　during　which　he　will　be　unable　to　accept　his　test　flight。　He　will　take　the　first　flight　after　his　recovery　and　alert　us　accordingly。　The　date　of　his　flight　will　be　municated　to　Sub…operator　G　and　he　will　by　that　time　be　recovered　and　will　post　the　Letter　according　to　plan。　The　Special　Executive〃…　Blofeld　glanced　round　the　table…〃will　readjust　their　flight　schedules　to　Area　Zeta　in　accordance　with　the　new　operational　schedule。　As　for　Sub…operator　G〃…Blofeld　bent　his　gaze；　one　by　one；　on　the　three　ex…Gestapo　men…〃this　is　an　unreliable　agent。　The　German　section　will　make　arrangements　for　his　elimination　within　twenty…four　hours　of　the　posting　of　the　Letter。　Is　that　understood？〃
　
　The　three　German　faces　stood　unanimously　to　attention；　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　〃For　the　rest；〃　continued　Blofeld；　〃all　is　in　order。　No。　1　has　solidly　established　his　cover　in　Area　Zeta。　The　treasure…hunting　myth　continues　to　be　built　up　and　has　already　gained　full　credence。　The　crew　of　the　yacht；　all　hand…picked　sub…operators；　are　accepting　the　discipline　and　the　security　regulations　better　than　had　been　expected。　A　suitable　land　base　has　been　secured。　It　is　remote　and　not　easily　accessible。　It　belongs　to　an　eccentric　Englishman　the　nature　of　whose　friends　and　personal　habits　demands　seclusion。　Your　arrival　in　Area　Zeta　continues　to　be　minutely　planned。　Your　wardrobe　awaits　you　in　Areas　F　and　D；　according　to　your　various　flight　plans。　This　wardrobe；　down　to　the　smallest　detail；　will　be　in　accordance　with　your　identities　as　financial　backers　of　the　treasure　hunt　who　have　demanded　to　visit　the　scene　and　take　part　in　the　adventure。　You　are　not　gullible　millionaires。　You　are　the　kind　of　rich；　middle…class　rentiers　and　businessmen　who　might　be　expected　to　be　taken　in　by　such　a　scheme。　You　are　all　shrewd；　so　you　have　e　to　watch　over　your　investment　and　ensure　that　not　one　doubloon　goes　astray。〃　（Nobody　smiled。）　〃You　are　all　aware　of　the　part　you　have　to　play　and　I　trust　that　you　have　studied　your　respective　roles　with　close　attention。〃
　
　There　was　a　careful　nodding　of　heads　round　the　table。　These　men　were　all　satisfied　that　not　too　much　had　been　asked　of　them　in　the　matter　of　their　cover。　This　one　was　a　rich　cafe　proprietor　from　Marseilles。　（He　had　been　one。　He　could　talk　to　anyone　about　the　business。）　That　one　had　vineyards　in　Yugoslavia。　（He　had　been　brought　up　in　Bled。　He　could　talk　vintages　and　crop　sprays　with　a　Calvet　from　Bordeaux。）　That　one　had　smuggled　cigarettes　from　Tangier。　（He　had　done　so　and　would　be　just　sufficiently　discreet　about　it。）　All　of　them　had　been　given　covers　that　would　stand　up　at　least　to　second…degree　inspection。
　
　〃In　the　matter　of　aqualung　training；〃　continued　Blofeld；　〃I　would　like　reports　from　each　section。〃　Blofeld　looked　at　the　Yugoslav　section　on　his　left。
　
　〃Satisfactory。〃　〃Satisfactory；〃　echoed　the　German　section；　and　the　Word　was　repeated　round　the　table。
　
　Blofeld　mented；　〃The　safety　factor　is　paramount　in　all　underwater　operations。　Has　this　factor　received　sufficient　attention　in　your　respective　training　schedules？〃　Affirmative。　〃And　exercises　with　the　new　CO2　underwater　gun？〃　Again　all　sections　reported　favorably。　〃And　now；〃　continued　Blofeld；　〃I　would　like　a　report　from　the　Sicilian　section　on　the　preparations　for　the　bullion　drop。〃
　
　Fidelio　Sciacca　was　a　gaunt；　cadaverous　Sicilian　with　a　closed　face。　He　might　have　been；　and　had　been；　a　schoolmaster　with　munist　leanings。　He　spoke　for　the　section　because　his　English；　the　pulsory　language　of　the　Special　Executive；　was　the　best。　He　said；　in　a　careful；　expository　tone　of　voice；　〃The　chosen　area　has　been　carefully　reconnoitered。　It　is　satisfactory。　I　have　here〃…he　touched　the　briefcase　on　his　lap…〃the　plans　and　detailed　time　table　for　the　information　of　the　Chairman　and　members。　Briefly；　the　designated　area；　Area　T；　is　on　the　northwest　slopes　of　Mount　Etna；　above　the　tree　line…that　is　to　say　between　the　altitudes　of　two　thousand　and　three　thousand　meters。　This　is　an　uninhabited　and　uncultivated　area　of　black　lava　on　the　upper　slopes　of　the　volcano　more　or　less　above　the　small　town　of　Bronte。　For　the　purpose　of　the　drop；　an　area　approximately　two　kilometers　square　will　be　marked　out　by　the　torches　of　the　recovery　team。　In　the　center　of　this　area　will　be　positioned　a　Decca　Aircraft　Homing　Signal　as　an　additional　navigational　aid。　The　bullion　flight；　which　I　estimate　conservatively　will　consist　of　five　Mark　IV　Transport　ets；　should　make　their　run　in　at　ten　thousand　feet　at　an　air　speed　of　three　hundred　miles　per　hour。　Having　regard　to　the　weight　of　each　consignment；　multiple　parachutes　will　be　needed；　and；　owing　to　the　harsh　nature　of　the　terrain；　very　careful　packing　in　foam　rubber　will　be　essential。　The　parachutes　and　the　packings　should　be　coated　in　Dayglo　or　some　phosphorescent　paint　to　assist　recovery。　No　doubt〃…　the　man　opened　his　hands…〃the　SPECTRE　memorandum　of　dropping　instru