iam fleming.for your eyes only-第39章
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led back into the mist。 Bond lifted his head and angrily raised his thumb。 It was a ridiculous and petty act of sabotage of which he was already ashamed。 The dark brown oily liquid was pouring out on to the surface of the lagoon。 There was time to stop Mr Krest before it was all gone … time to give him another chance at the Hildebrand Rarity。 Bond stood and watched until the last drop was tilted out。 To hell with Mr Krest！
Now the stuff was creeping slowly down on the current … a shiny； spreading stain which reflected the blue sky with a metallic glint。 Mr Krest； the giant reaper； was wading down with it。 〃Get set； fellers；〃 he called cheerfully。 〃It's right up with you now。〃
Bond put his head back under the surface。 Every thing was as before in the little munity。 And then； with stupefying suddenness； everyone went mad。 It was as if they had all been seized with St Vitus's dance。 Several fish looped the loop crazily and then fell like heavy leaves to the sand。 The moray eel came slowly out of the hole in the coral； its jaws wide。 It stood carefully upright on its tail and gently toppled side ways。 The small langouste gave three kicks of its tail and turned over on its back； and the octopus let go its hold of the coral and drifted to the bottom upside down。 And then into the arena drifted the corpses from up…stream … whitebellied fish； shrimps； worms； hermit crabs； spotted and green morays； langoustes of all sizes。 As if blown by some light breeze of death the clumsy bodies； their colours already fading； swept slowly past。 A five…pound bill…fish struggled by with snapping beak； fighting death。 Down…reef there were splashes on the surface as still bigger fish tried to make for safety。 One by one； before Bond's eyes； the sea…urchins dropped off the rocks to make black ink…blots on the sand。
Bond felt a touch on his shoulder。 Mr Krest's eyes were bloodshot with the sun and glare。 He had put white sunburn paste on his lips。 He shouted impatiently at Bond's mask； 〃Where in hell's our goddam fish？〃
Bond lifted his mask。 〃Looks as if it managed to get away just before the stuff came down。 I'm still watching for it。〃
He didn't wait to hear Mr Krest's reply but got his head quickly under water again。 Still more carnage； still more dead bodies。 But surely the stuff had passed by now。 Surely the area was safe just in case the fish； his fish because he had saved it； came back again！ He stiffened。 In the far mists there was a pink flash。 It had gone。 Now it was back again。 Idly the Hildebrand Rarity swam towards him through the maze of channels between the broken outposts of the reef。
Not caring about Mr Krest； Bond raised his free hand out of the water and brought it down with a sharp slap。 Still the fish came。 Bond shifted the safe on his harpoon…gun and fired it in the direction of the fish。 No effect。 Bond put his feet down and began to walk towards the fish through the scattering of corpses。 The beautiful red and black fish seemed to pause and quiver。 Then it shot straight through the water towards Bond and dived down to the sand at his feet and lay still。 Bond only had to bend to pick it up。 There was not even a last flap from the tail。 It just filled Bond's hand； lightly pricking the palm with the spiny black dorsal fin。 Bond carried it back under…water so as to preserve its colours。 When he got to Mr Krest he said 〃Here；〃 and handed him the small fish。 Then he swam away towards the shore。
That evening； with the Wawekrest heading for home down the path of a huge yellow moon； Mr Krest gave orders for what he called a 'wingding'。 〃Gotta celebrate； Liz。 This is terrific； a terrific day。 Cleaned up the last target and we can get the hell out of these goddam Seychelles and get on back to civilization。 What say we make it to Mombasa when we've taken on board the tortoise and that goddam parrot？ Fly to Nairobi and pick up a big plane for Rome； Venice； Paris … anywheres you care for。 What say； treasure？〃 He squeezed her chin and cheeks in his big hand and made the pale lips pout。 He kissed them drily。 Bond watched the girl's eyes。 They had shut tight。 Mr Krest let go。 The girl massaged her face。 It was still white with his finger…marks。
〃Gee； Milt；〃 she said half laughing； 〃you nearly squashed me。 You don't know your strength。 But do let's celebrate。 I think that would be lots of fun。 And that Paris idea sounds grand。 Let's do that； shall we？ What shall I order for dinner？〃
〃Hell … caviar of course。〃 Mr Krest held his hands apart。 〃One of those two…pound tins from Hammacher Schlemmer … the grade ten shot size； and all the trimmings。 And that pink champagne。〃 He turned to Bond。 〃That suit you； feller？〃
〃Sounds like a square meal。〃 Bond changed the subject。 〃What have you done with the prize？〃
〃Formalin。 Up on the boat…deck with some other jars of stuff we've picked up here and there … fish； shells。 All safe in our home morgue。 That's how we were told to keep the specimens。 We'll airmail that damned fish when we get back to civilization。 Give a Press conference first。 Should make a big play in the papers back home。 I've already radioed the Smithsonian and the news agencies。 My accountants'll sure be glad of some Press cuttings to show those darned revenue boys。〃
Mr Krest got very drunk that night。 It did not show greatly。 The soft Bogart voice became softer and slower。 The round； hard head turned more deliberately on the shoulders。 The lighter's flame took increasingly long to relight the cigar； and one glass was swept off the table。 But it showed in the things Mr Krest said。 There was a violent cruelty； a pathological desire to wound； quite near the surface in the man。 That night； after dinner； the first target was James Bond。 He was treated to a soft…spoken explanation as to why Europe； with England and France in the van； was a rapidly diminishing asset to the world。 Nowadays； said Mr Krest； there were only three powers … America； Russia and China。 That was the big poker game and no other country had either the chips or the cards to e into it。 Occasionally some pleasant little country … and he admitted they'd been pretty big league in the past … like England would be lent some money so that they could take a hand with the grown…ups。 But that was just being polite like one sometimes had to be … to a chum in one's club who'd gone broke。 No。 England … nice people； mind you； good sports … was a place to see the old buildings and the Queen and so on。 France？ They only counted for good food and easy women。 Italy？ Sunshine and spaghetti。 Sanatorium； sort of。 Germany？ Well； they still had some spunk； but two lost wars had knocked the heart out of them。 Mr Krest dismissed the rest of the world with a few similar tags and then asked Bond for his ments。
Bond was thoroughly tired of Mr Krest。 He said he found Mr Krest's point of view oversimplified … he might even say naive。 He said： 〃Your argument reminds me of a rather sharp aphorism I once heard about America。 Care to hear it？〃
〃Sure； sure。〃
〃It's to the effect that America has progressed from infancy to senility without having passed through a period of maturity。〃
Mr Krest looked thoughtfully at Bond。 Finally he said： 〃Why； say； Jim； that's pretty neat。〃 His eyes hooded slightly as they turned towards his wife。 〃Guess you'd kinda go along with that remark of Jim's； eh； treasure？ I recall you saying once you reckoned there was something pretty childish about the Americans。 Remember？〃
〃Oh Milt。〃 Liz Krest's eyes were anxious。 She had read the signs。 〃How can you bring that up？ You know it was only something casual I said about the ic sections of the papers。 Of course I don't agree with what James says。 Anyway； it was only a joke； wasn't it； James？〃
〃That's right；〃 said Bond。 〃Like when Mr Krest said England had nothing but ruins and a queen。〃
Mr Krest's eyes were still on the girl。 He said softly： 〃Shucks； treasure。 Why are you looking so nervous？ Course it was a joke。〃 He paused。 〃And one I'll remember； treasure。 One I'll sure remember。〃
Bond estimated that by now Mr Krest had just about one whole bottle of various alcohols； mostly whisky； inside him。 It looked to Bond as if； unless Mr Krest passed out； the time was not far off when Bond would
