iam fleming.for your eyes only-第25章
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hold on the teenagers as it has in America。 Seems the dance halls and the amusement arcades are full of pedlars。 Vallance's Ghost Squad have managed to penetrate back up the line to one of the middle…men； and there's no doubt it's all ing from Italy； hidden in Italian tourists' cars。 Vallance has done what he can through the Italian police and Interpol； and got nowhere。 They get so far back up the pipeline； arrest a few little people； and then； when they seem to be getting near the centre； there's a blank wall。 The inner ring of distributors are too frightened or too well paid。〃
Bond interrupted。 〃Perhaps there's protection somewhere； sir。 That Montesi business didn't look so good。〃
M shrugged impatiently。 〃Maybe； maybe。 And you'll have to watch out for that too； but my impression is that the Montesi case resulted in a pretty extensive clean…up。 Anyway； when the PM gave me the order to get on with it； it occurred to me to have a talk with Washington。 CIA were very helpful。 You know the Narcotics Bureau have a team in Italy。 Have had ever since the War。 They're nothing to do with CIA … run by the American Treasury Department； of all people。 The American Treasury control a so…called Secret Service that looks after drug smuggling and counterfeiting。 Pretty crazy arrangement。 Often wonder what the FBI must think of it。 However；〃 M slowly swivelled his chair away from the window。 He linked his hands behind his head and leaned back； looking across the desk at Bond。 〃The point is that the CIA Rome Station works pretty closely with this little narcotics team。 Has to； to prevent crossed lines and so on。 And CIA … Alan Dulles himself； as a matter of fact … gave me the name of the top narcotics agent used by the Bureau。 Apparently he's a double。 Does a little smuggling as cover。 Chap called Kristatos。 Dulles said that of course he couldn't involve his people in any way and he was pretty certain the Treasury Department wouldn't wele their Rome Bureau playing too closely with us。 But he said that； if I wished； he would get word to this Kristatos that one of our； er； best men would like to make contact with a view to doing business。 I said I would much appreciate that； and yesterday I got word that the rendezvous is fixed for the day after tomorrow。〃 M gestured towards the files in front of Bond。
〃You'll find all the details in there。〃
There was a brief silence in the room。 Bond was thinking that the whole affair sounded unpleasant probably dangerous and certainly dirty。 With the last quality in mind； Bond got to his feet and picked up the files。 〃All right； sir。 It looks like money。 How much will we pay for the traffic to stop？〃
M let his chair tip forward。 He put his hands flat down on the desk； side by side。 He said roughly： 〃A hundred thousand pounds。 In any currency。 That's the PM's figure。 But I don't want you to get hurt。 Certainly not picking other people's coals out of the fire。 So you can go up to another hundred thousand if there's bad trouble。 Drugs are the biggest and tightest ring in crime。〃 M reached for his in…basket and took out a file of signals。 Without looking up he said： 〃Look after yourself。〃
Signor Kristatos picked up the menu。 He said： 〃I do not beat about bushes； Mr Bond。 How much？〃
〃Fifty thousand pounds for one hundred per cent results。〃
Kristatos said indifferently： 〃Yes。 Those are important funds。 I shall have melon with prosciutto ham and a chocolate ice…cream。 I do not eat greatly at night。 These people have their own Chianti。 I mend it。〃
The waiter came and there was a brisk rattle of Italian。 Bond ordered Tagliatelli Verdi with a Genoese sauce which Kristatos said was improbably concocted of basil； garlic and fir cones。
When the waiter had gone； Kristatos sat and chewed silently on a wooden toothpick。 His face gradually became dark and glum as if bad weather had e to his mind。 The black； hard eyes that glanced restlessly at everything in the restaurant except Bond； glittered。 Bond guessed that Kristatos was wondering whether or not to betray somebody。 Bond said encouragingly： 〃In certain circumstances； there might be more。〃
Kristatos seemed to make up his mind。 He said： 〃So？〃 He pushed back his chair and got up。 〃Forgive me。 I must visit the toiletta。〃 He turned and walked swiftly towards the back of the restaurant。
Bond was suddenly hungrier and thirsty。 He poured out a large glass of Chianti and swallowed half of it。 He broke a roll and began eating； smothering each mouthful with deep yellow butter。 He wondered why rolls and butter are delicious only in France and Italy。 There was nothing else on his mind。 It was just a question of waiting。 He had confidence in Kristatos。 He was a big； solid man who was trusted by the Americans。 He was probably making some telephone call that would be decisive。 Bond felt in good spirits。 He watched the passers…by through the plate…glass window。 A man selling one of the Party papers went by on a bicycle。 Flying from the basket in front of the handlebars was a pennant。 In red on white it said： PROGRESSO？ … SI！ … AVVENTURI？ … NO！ Bond smiled。 That was how it was。 Let it so remain for the rest of the assignment。
On the far side of the square； rather plain room； at the corner table by the caisse； the plump fair…haired girl with the dramatic mouth said to the jovial good…living man with the thick rope of spaghetti joining his face to the plate： 〃He has a rather cruel smile。 But he is very handsome。 Spies aren't usually so good…looking。 Are you sure you are right； mein T？ubchen？〃
The man's teeth cut through the rope。 He wiped his mouth on a napkin already streaked with tomato sauce； belched sonorously and said： 〃Santos is never wrong about these things。 He has a nose for spies。 That is why I chose him as the permanent tail for that bastard Kristatos。 And who else but a spy would think of spending an evening with the pig？ But we will make sure。〃 The man took out of his pocket one of those cheap tin snappers that are sometimes given out； with paper hats and whistles； on carnival nights。 It gave one sharp click。 The ma？tre d'h？tel on the far side of the room stopped whatever he was doing and hurried over。
〃Si； padrone。〃
The man beckoned。 The ma？tre d'h？tel went over and received the whispered instructions。 He nodded briefly； walked over to a door near the kitchens marked UFFICIO； and went in and closed the door behind him。
Phase by phase； in a series of minute moves； an exercise that had long been perfected was then smoothly put into effect。 The man near the caisse munched his spaghetti and critically observed each step in the operation as if it had been a fast game of chess。
The ma？tre d'h？tel came out of the door marked UFFICIO； hurried across the restaurant and said loudly to his No。 2： 〃An extra table for four。 Immediately。〃 The No。 2 gave him a direct look and nodded。 He followed the ma？tre d'h？tel over to a space adjoining Bond's table； clicked his fingers for help； borrowed a chair from one table； a chair from another table and； with a bow and an apology； the spare chair from Bond's table。 The fourth chair was being carried over from the direction of the door marked UFFICIO by the ma？tre d'h？tel。 He placed it square with the others； a table was lowered into the middle and glass and cutlery were deftly laid。 The ma？tre d'h？tel frowned。 〃But you have laid a table for four。 I said three … for three people。〃 He casually took the chair he had himself brought to the table and switched it to Bond's table。 He gave a wave of the hand to dismiss his helpers and everyone dispersed about their business。
The innocent little flurry of restaurant movement had taken about a minute。 An innocuous trio of Italians came into the restaurant。 The ma？tre d'h？tel greeted them personally and bowed them to the new table； and the gambit was pleted。
Bond had hardly been conscious of it。 Kristatos returned from whatever business he had been about； their food came and they got on with the meal。
While they ate they talked about nothing … the election chances in Italy； the latest Alfa Romeo； Italian shoes pared with English。 Kristatos talked well。 He seemed to know the inside story of everything。 He gave information so casually that it did not
