if.thunderball-第50章

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rendered　her　unconscious　and　roped　her　securely　to　her　bunk。　I　have　now　summoned　this　meeting　to　acquaint　you　of　this　occurrence；　which　I　have　already　reported　to　No。　2。〃
　
　Largo　was　silent。　A　threatening；　exasperated　growl　came　from　round　the　table。　No。　14；　one　of　the　Germans；　said　through　his　teeth；　〃And　what；　Mister　No。　1；　did　No。　2　have　to　say　about　this？〃
　
　〃He　said　we　were　to　carry　on。　He　said　the　whole　world　is　full　of　Geiger　counters　looking　for　us。　The　secret　services　of　the　whole　world　have　been　mobilized　against　us。　Some　busybody　in　Nassau；　the　police　probably；　was　perhaps　ordered　to　have　a　radiation　search　made　of　all　ships　in　harbor。　Perhaps　Miss　Vitali　was　bribed　to　bring　the　counter　on　board。　But　No。　2　said　that　once　we　have　placed　the　weapon　in　the　target　area　there　will　be　nothing　to　fear。　I　have　had　the　radio　operator　listening　for　unusual　traffic　between　Nassau　and　the　Coast。　The　density　is　quite　normal。　If　we　were　suspected；　Nassau　would　be　deluged　with　wireless　traffic　from　London　and　Washington。　But　all　is　quiet。　So　the　operation　will　proceed　as　planned。　When　we　are　well　away　from　the　area；　we　will　dispose　of　the　lead　casing　of　the　weapon。　The　lead　casing　will　contain　Miss　Vitali。〃
　
　No。　14　persisted：　〃But　you　will　first　obtain　the　truth　from　this　woman？　It　is　not　pleasant　for　our　future　plans　to　think　that　we　may　be　under　suspicion。〃
　
　〃Interrogation　will　begin　as　soon　as　the　meeting　is　over。　If　you　want　my　opinion；　those　two　men　who　came　on　board　yesterday…this：　Bond　and　the　man　Larkin…may　be　involved。　They　may　be　secret　agents。　The　so…called　Larkin　had　a　camera。　I　did　not　look　at　it　closely；　but　it　was　similar　to　that　in　the　possession　of　Miss　Vitali。　I　blame　myself　for　not　having　been　more　careful　with　these　two　men。　But　their　story　was　convincing。　On　our　return　to　Nassau　tomorrow　morning；　we　shall　have　to　be　circumspect。　Miss　Vitali　will　have　fallen　overboard。　I　will　work　out　the　details　of　the　story。　There　will　be　an　inquest。　This　will　be　irritating　but　nothing　more。　Our　witnesses　will　be　unshakable。　It　will　be　wise　to　use　the　coins　as　additional　alibi　for　our　whereabouts　tonight。　No。　5；　is　the　state　of　erosion　of　the　coins　satisfactory？〃
　
　No。　5；　Kotze　the　physicist；　said　judiciously；　〃It　is　no　more　than　adequate。　But　they　will　pass　examination；　a　cursory　examination。　They　are　authentic　doubloons　and　Reals　of　the　early　seventeenth　century。　Sea　water　has　no　great　effect　on　gold　and　silver。　I　have　used　a　little　acid　to　pit　them。　They　will　of　course　have　to　be　handed　to　the　coroner　and　declared　as　treasure　trove。　It　would　need　a　far　greater　expert　than　he　or　the　court　to　pass　judgment　on　them。　There　will　be　no　pulsion　to　reveal　the　location　of　the　treasure。　We　could　perhaps　give　the　depth　of　water…ten　fathoms　let　us　say；　and　an　unspecified　reef。　I　see　no　means　by　which　our　story　could　be　upset。　There　is　often　very　deep　water　outside　reefs。　Miss　Vitali　could　have　had　trouble　with　her　aqualung　and　could　have　been　seen　disappearing　over　the　deep　shelf　where　our　echo…sounder　gave　the　depth　as　a　hundred　fathoms。　We　did　our　best　to　dissuade　her　from　taking　part　in　the　search。　But　she　was　an　expert　swimmer。　The　romance　of　the　occasion　was　too　much　for　her。〃　No。　5　opened　his　hands。　〃There　are　often　accidents　of　this　nature。　Many　lives　are　lost　in　this　way　every　year。　A　thorough　search　was　instituted；　but　there　were　shark。　The　treasure　hunt　was　broken　off　and　we　immediately　returned　to　Nassau　to　report　the　tragedy。〃　No。　5　shook　his　head　decisively。　〃I　see　no　reason　to　be　dismayed　by　this　occurrence。　But　I　am　in　favor　of　a　most　rigorous　interrogation。〃　No。　5　turned　his　head　politely　in　Largo's　direction。　〃There　are　certain　uses　of　electricity　of　which　I　have　knowledge。　The　human　body　cannot　resist　them。　If　I　can　be　of　any　service　。　。　。？〃　Largo's　voice　was　equally　polite。　They　might　have　been　discussing　remedies　for　a　seasick　passenger。　〃Thank　you。　I　have　means　of　persuasion　that　I　have　found　satisfactory　in　the　past。　But　I　shall　certainly　call　upon　you　if　the　case　is　an　obstinate　one。〃　Largo　looked　down　the　table　into　the　shadowed；　ruby　faces。　〃And　now　we　will　quickly　run　through　the　final　details。〃　He　glanced　down　at　his　watch。　〃It　is　midnight。　There　will　be　two　hours'　moonlight　starting　at　three　a。m。　The　first　light　of　dawn　will　be　shortly　after　five　a。m。　We　thus　have　two　hours　for　the　operation。　Our　course　will　bring　us　in　towards　West　End　from　the　south。　This　is　a　normal　entry　to　the　islands；　and　even　if　our　further　progress　toward　the　target　area　is　noted　by　the　missile…station　radar　it　will　only　be　assumed　that　we　are　a　yacht　that　has　strayed　slightly　off　course。　We　shall　anchor　at　exactly　three　a。m。　and　the　swimming　party　will　leave　for　the　half…mile　swim　to　the　laying　point。　The　fifteen　of　you　who　will　be　taking　part　in　this　swim　will；　as　arranged；　swim　in　arrow　formation；　the　Chariot　and　the　sled　with　the　missile　in　the　center。　Formation　must　be　strictly　kept　to　avoid　straying。　The　blue　torch　on　my　back　should　be　an　adequate　beacon；　but　if　any　man　gets　lost；　he　returns　to　the　ship。　Is　that　understood？　The　first　duty　of　the　escort　will　be　to　watch　for　shark　and　barracuda。　I　will　again　remind　you　that　the　range　of　your　guns　is　not　much　more　than　twenty　feet　and　that　fish　must　be　hit　in　or　behind　the　head。　Any　man　who　is　about　to　fire　must　warn　his　neighbor；　who　will　then　stand　by　to　give　additional　fire　if　required。　However；　one　hit　should　be　sufficient　to　kill　if　the　curare　is；　as　we　have　been　informed；　not　affected　by　the　passage　through　sea　water。　Above　all〃…Largo　put　his　hands　decisively　down　on　the　table　before　him…　〃do　not　forget　to　remove　the　small　protective　sheath　from　the　barb　before　firing。〃　Largo　raised　his　hands。　〃You　will　forgive　me　for　repeating　these　points。　We　have　had　many　exercises　in　similar　conditions　and　I　have　confidence　that　all　will　be　well。　But　the　underwater　terrain　will　be　unfamiliar　and　the　effect　of　the　dexedrine　pills…　they　will　be　issued　to　the　swimming　party　after　this　meeting…will　be　to　sensitize　the　nervous　system　as　well　as　provide　the　extra　stamina　and　encouragement。　So　we　must　all　be　prepared　for　the　unexpected　and　know　how　to　handle　it。　Are　there　any　further　questions？〃
　
　During　the　planning　stages；　months　before　in　Paris；　Blofeld　had　warned　Largo　that　if　trouble　was　caused　by　any　members　of　his　team　it　was　to　be　expected　from　the　two　Russians；　the　ex…members　of　SMERSH；　No。　10　and　No。　11。　〃Conspiracy；〃　Blofeld　had　said；　〃is　their　life　blood。　Hand　in　hand　with　conspiracy　walks　suspicion。　These　two　men　will　always　be　wondering　if　they　are　not　the　object　of　some　subsidiary　plot…to　give　them　the　most　dangerous　work；　to　make　them　fall…guys　for　the　police；　to　kill　them　and　steal　their　share　of　the　profits。　They　will　be　inclined　to　inform　against　their　colleagues　and　always　to　have　reservations　about　the　plans　that　are　agreed　upon。　For　them；　the　obvious　plan；　the　right　way　to　do　a　thing；　will　have　been　chosen　for　some　ulterior　reason　which　is　being　kept　hidden　from　them。　They　will　need　constant　reassurance　that　nothing　is　being　kept　hidden　from　them；　but；　once　they　have　accepted　their　orders；　they　will　carry　them　out　meticulously　and　without　regard　for　their　personal　safety。　Such　men；　apart　from　their　special　talents；　are　worth　having。　But　you　will　please　remember　what　I　have　said　and；　should　there　be　trouble；　should　they　try　and　sow　mistrust　within　the　team；　you　must　act　quickly　and　with　utter　ruthlessness。　The　maggots　of　mistrust　and　disloyalty　must　not　be　allowed　to　get　a　hold　in　your　team。　They　are　the　enemies　within　that　can　destroy　even　the　most　meticulous　planning。〃
　
　Now　No。　10；　a　once…famous　SMERSH　terrorist　called　Strelik；　began　talking。　He　was　sitting　two　places　away　from　Largo；　on　his　left。　He　did　not　address　Largo；　but　the　meeting。　He　said；　〃rades；　I　am　thinking　of　the　interesting　matters　recounted　by　No。　1；　and　I　am　telling　myself　that　everything　has　been　excellently　arranged。　I　am　also　thinking　that　this　operation　will　be　a　very　fine　one　and　that　it　will　certainly　not　be　necessary　to　explode　the　second　weapon　on　Target　No。　2。　I　have　some　documentations　on　these　islands　and　I　am　learning　from　the　Yachtsman's　〃　（No。　10　had　trouble　wi