if.thunderball-第31章

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he　point　is；　I'm　looking　for　a　property　down　here。〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes？〃　Largo　brought　the　glasses　and　bottles　of　tonic　to　the　table　and　sat　down　so　that　they　formed　a　fortable　group。　〃What　a　good　idea。　Wonderful　place。　I've　been　here　f9r　six　months　and　already　I'd　like　to　stay　forever。　But　the　prices　they're　asking…〃　Largo　threw　up　his　hands。　〃These　Bay　Street　pirates。　And　the　millionaires；　they　are　even　worse。　But　you　are　wise　to　e　at　the　end　of　the　season。　Perhaps　some　of　the　owners　are　disappointed　not　to　have　sold。　Perhaps　they　will　not　open　their　mouths　so　wide。〃
　
　〃That's　what　I　thought。〃　Bond　sat　fortably　back　and　lit　a　cigarette。　〃Or　rather　what　my　lawyer；　Mr。　Larkin；　advised。〃　Leiter　shook　his　head　pessimistically。　〃He　had　made　some　inquiries　and　he　frankly　advised　that　real…estate　values　down　here　have　gone　mad。〃　Bond　turned　politely　toward　Leiter　to　bring　him　into　the　conversation。　〃Isn't　that　so？〃
　
　〃Daft；　Mr。　Largo；　quite　daft。　Worse　even　than　Florida。　Out　of
　
　this　world。　I　wouldn't　advise　any　client　of　mine　to　invest　at　these　prices。〃
　
　〃Quite　so。〃　Largo　obviously　didn't　want　to　get　drawn　too　deeply　into　these　matters。　〃You　mentioned　something　about　Palmyra。　Is　there　anything　I　can　do　to　help　in　that　respect？〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃I　understand　you　have　a　lease　of　the　property；　Mr。　Largo。　And　there　is　talk　that　you　may　be　leaving　the　house　before　long。　Only　gossip；　of　course。　You　know　what　they　are　in　these　small　islands。　But　it　sounds　more　or　less　what　I'm　looking　for　and　I　gather　the　owner；　this　Englishman；　Bryce；　might　sell　if　he　got　the　right　price。　What　I　was　going　to　ask　you〃…Bond　looked　apologetic…〃was　whether　we　might　drive　out　and　look　the　place　over。　Some　time　when　you　weren't　there　of　course。　Any　time　that　might　suit　you。〃
　
　Largo　flashed　his　teeth　warmly。　He　spread　his　hands。　〃But　of　course；　of　course；　my　dear　fellow。　Whenever　you　wish。　There　is　no　one　in　residence　but　my　niece　and　a　few　servants。　And　she　is　out　most　of　the　time。　Please　just　call　her　up　on　the　telephone。　I　shall　tell　her　that　you　will　be　doing　so。　It　is　indeed　a　charming　property…so　imaginative。　A　beautiful　piece　of　design。　If　only　all　rich　men　had　such　good　taste。〃
　
　Bond　got　to　his　feet　and　Leiter　followed　suit。　〃Well；　that's　extraordinarily　kind　of　you；　Mr。　Largo。　And　now　we'll　leave　you　in　peace。　Perhaps　we　may　meet　again　in　the　town　some　time。　You　must　e　and　have　lunch。　But〃…Bond　poured　admiration　and　flattery　into　his　voice…〃with　a　yacht　like　this；　I　don't　suppose　you　ever　want　to　e　ashore。　Must　be　the　only　one　on　this　side　of　the　Atlantic。　Didn't　one　used　to　run　between　Venice　and　Trieste？　I　seem　to　remember　reading　about　it　somewhere。〃
　
　Largo　grinned　his　pleasure。　〃Yes；　that　is　right；　quite　right。　They　are　also　on　the　Italian　lakes。　For　passenger　traffic。　Now　they　are　buying　them　in　South　America。　A　wonderful　design　for　coastal　waters。　She　only　draws　four　feet　when　the　hydrofoil　is　operating。〃
　
　〃I　suppose　acmodation's　the　problem？〃
　
　It　is　a　weakness　of　all　men；　though　not　necessarily　of　all　women；　to　love　their　material　possessions。　Largo　said；　with　a　trace　of　pricked　vanity；　〃No；　no。　I　think　you　will　find　that　it　is　not　so。　You　can　spare　five　minutes？　We　are　rather　crowded　at　the　moment。　You　have　heard　no　doubt　of　our　treasure　hunt？〃　He　looked　sharply　at　them　as　a　man　would　who　expects　ridicule。　〃But　we　will　not　discuss　that　now。　No　doubt　you　do　not　believe　in　these　things。　But　my　associates　in　the　affair　are　all　on　board。　With　the　crew；　there　are　forty　of　us。　You　will　see　that　we　are　not　cramped。　You　would　like？〃　Largo　gestured　to　the　door　in　the　rear　of　the　stateroom。
　
　Felix　Leiter　showed　reluctance。　〃You　know；　Mr。　Bond；　that　we　have　that　meeting　with　Mr。　Harold　Christie　at　five　o'clock？〃
　
　Bond　waved　the　objection　aside。　〃Mr。　Christie　is　a　charming　man。
　
　I　know　he　won't　mind　if　we　are　a　few　minutes　late。　I'd　love　to　see　over　the　ship　if　you're　sure　you　can　spare　the　time；　Mr。　Largo。〃　Largo　said；　〃e。　It　will　not　take　more　than　a　few　minutes。　The　excellent　Mr。　Christie　is　a　friend　of　mine。　He　will　understand。〃　He　went　to　the　door　and　held　it　open。
　
　Bond　had　been　expecting　the　politeness。　It　would　interfere　with
　
　Leiter　and　his　apparatus。　He　said　firmly；　〃Please　go　first；　Mr。　Largo。
　
　You　will　be　able　to　tell　us　when　to　duck　our　heads。〃　With　more　affabilities；　Largo　led　the　way。　Ships；　however　modern；　are　more　or　less　the　same…the　corridors　to　port　and　starboard　of　the　engine　room；　rows　of　cabin　doors；　which
　
　Largo　explained　were　occupied；　the　large　munal　bathrooms；　the　galley；　where　two　cheerful…looking　Italians　in　white　smocks　laughed　at　Largo's　jokes。about　the　food　and　seemed　pleased　with　the　visitors'　interest；　the　huge　engine　room　where　the　chief　engineer　and　his　mate；　Germans　it　seemed；　gave　enthusiastic　information　about　the　powerful　twin　Diesels　and　explained　the　hydraulics　of　the　hydrofoil　depressor　…it　was　all　exactly　like　visiting　any　other　ship　and　saying　the　right　things　to　the　crew；　using　the　right　superlatives　to　the　owner。
　
　The　short　space　of　afterdeck　was　occupied　by　the　little　two…seater　amphibian；　painted　dark　blue　and　white　to　match　the　yacht；　its　wings　now　folded　and　its　engine　cowled　against　the　sun；　a　big　jolly…boat　to　hold　about　twenty　men；　and　an　electric　derrick　to　hoist　them　in…　and　outboard。　Bond；　estimating　the　ship's　displacement　and　her　freeboard；　said　casually；　〃And　the　hold？　More　cabin　space？〃
　
　〃Just　storage。　And　the　fuel　tanks；　of　course。　She　is　an　expensive　ship　to　run。　We　have　to　carry　several　tons。　The　ballast　problem　is　important　with　these　ships。　When　her　bows　e　up；　the　fuel　shifts　aft。　We　have　to　have　big　lateral　tanks　to　correct　these　things。〃　Talking　fluently　and　expertly；　Largo　led　them　back　up　the　starboard　passageway。　They　were　about　to　pass　the　radio　room　when　Bond　said；　〃You　said　you　had　ship…to…shore。　What　else　do　you　carry？　The　usual　Marconi　short　and　long　wave；　I　suppose。　Could　I　have　a　look？　Radio　has　always　fascinated　me。〃
　
　Largo　said　politely；　〃Some　other　time；　if　you　don't　mind。　I'm　keeping　the　operator　full　time　on　met。　reports。　They're　rather　important　to　us　at　the　moment。〃
　
　〃Of　course。〃
　
　They　climbed　up　into　the　enclosed　dome　of　the　bridge；　where　Largo　briefly　explained　the　controls　and　led　them　out　on　the　narrow　deck　space。　〃So　there　you　are；〃　said　Largo。　〃The　good　ship　Disco　Volante　…the　Flying　Saucer。　And　she　really　does　fly；　I　can　assure　you。　I　hope　you　and　Mr。　Larkin　will　e　for　a　short　cruise　one　of　these　days。　For　the　present〃…he　smiled　with　a　hint　of　a　secret　shared…　〃as　you　may　have　heard；　we　are　rather　busy。〃
　
　〃Very　exciting；　this　treasure　business。　Do　you　think　you've　got　a　good　chance？〃
　
　〃We　like　to　think　so。〃　Largo　was　deprecating。　〃I　only　wish　I　could　tell　you　more。〃　He　waved　an　apologetic　hand。　〃Unfortunately；　as　they　say；　my　lips　are　sealed。　I　hope　you　will　understand。〃
　
　〃Yes；　of　course。　You　have　your　shareholders　to　consider。　I　only　wish　I　was　one　so　that　I　could　e　along。　I　suppose　there's　not　room　for　another　investor？〃
　
　〃Alas；　no。　The　issue；　as　they　say；　is　fully　subscribed。　It　would　have　been　very　pleasant　to　have　had　you　with　us。〃　Largo　held　out　a　hand。　〃Well；　I　see　that　Mr。　Larkin　has　been　looking　anxiously　at　his　watch　during　our　brief　tour。　We　must　not　keep　Mr。　Christie　waiting　any　longer。　It　has　been　a　great　pleasure　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Bond。　And　you；　Mr。　Larkin。〃
　
　With　a　further　exchange　of　courtesies　they　went　down　the　ladder　to　the　waiting　launch　and　got　under　way。　There　was　a　last　wave　from　Mr。　Largo　before　he　vanished　through　the　hatch　to　the　bridge。
　
　They　sat　in　the　stern　well　away　from　the　boatman。　Leiter　shook　his　head。　〃Absolutely　negative。　Reaction　around　the　engine　room　and　the　radio　room；　but　that's　normal。　It　was　all　normal；　damnably　normal。　What　did　you　make　of　him　and　the　whole　setup？〃
　
　〃Same　as　you…damned　normal。　He　looks　what　he　says　he　is；　and　behaves　that　way。　Not　much　crew　about；　but　the　ones　we　saw　were　either　ordinary　crew　or　wonderful　actors。　Only　two　small　things　stuck　me。　There　was　no　way　down　to　the　hold　that　I　could　see；　but　of　course　it　could　have　been　a　manhole　under　the　pass