johngardner.rollofhonor-第12章

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　The　Bull　at　the　Cross　lay　almost　on　the　crossroads　at　the　centre　of　the　old　village；　which　contained　a　hodgepodge　of　mainly　Georgian　buildings；　with　a　sprinkle　of　slightly　older　terraced　houses　that　were　now　the　village　shops；　leaning　in　on　one　another　as　though　mutually　dependent。　Small　rows　of　what　must　at　one　time　have　been　labourers'　cottages　now　housed　people　who　muted　into　Banbury　or　Oxford；　to　labour　in　different　fields。
　Almost　opposite　the　coach　yard　entrance　stood　the　church。　　To　the　south；　the　main　street　meandered　out　into　open　country；　scattered　with　copses　and　studded　with　larger　houses；　as　though　the　more　prosperous　local　gentry　had　landscaped　the　southern　vista　with　their　properties。
　Gateways　and　rhododendron…flanked　drives　gave　glimpses　of　large；　sedate　Victorian　mansions　or　glowing　Hornton　stone　Georgian　buildings。
　The　third　driveway　past　the　church　was　walled；　with　heavy；　high　modern　gates　set　into　the　original　eighteenth…century　stone。　　A　small　brass　plate　engraved　with　the　words　GUNFiRE　SiMULATiONS　LTD　was　sunk　into　the　pillar　to　the　right　of　the　gates。　　In　newer　stone；　carved　and　neatly　blended　with　the　original；　was　the　one　word；　ENDOR。
　The　drive；　which　turned　abruptly；　disappearing　behind　thick　low　trees　and　bushes；　seemed　to　be　neatly　kept；　and　a　strip　of　grey　slate　was　only　just　visible　some　two　hundred　yards　in　the　distance。　　Bond　calculated　the　size　of　the　grounds　to　be　about　a　square　mile。　　The　high　wall　continued　to　his　left；　the　boundary　being　a　narrow　dirt　track　neatly　sign　posted　THE　SHRUBS。
　After　half　a　mile　or　so　he　turned　back　along　the　village　street　and　on　towards　the　northern　extremity；　where　the　cluster　of　old　houses　bordered　a　scrubby；　wooded　hill。
　Here　sharp　speculators　had　been　at　work；　and　a　modern　housing　estate　encroached　almost　on　the　woodland　itself。
　It　was　gone　twelve　when　Bond　ambled　slowly　back　to　the　inn。　　A　dark　blue　Jaguar　stood　not　far　from　the　Bentley　but　no　one　except　the　staff　appeared　to　be　about。
　In　the　private　bar　he　found　only　the　harman　and　one　other　guest。
　〃James；　darling；　what　a　surprise　to　find　you　here；　out　in　the　sticks！〃　Freddie　Fortune；　neat　in　an　emerald　shirt　and　tight　jeans　sat　in　a　window　seat。
　〃The　surprise　is　mutual；　Freddie。　　Drinking？〃
　〃Vodka　and　tonic；　darling。〃　He　got　the　drinks　from　a　friendly　harman；　and　carried　them　over　to　Freddie；　saying　loudly；　〃What　brings　you　here；　then？〃
　〃Oh；　I　adore　this　place。　　I　often　e　down　to　mune　with　nature　…　and　friends。　　Not　your　sort　of　place　though；　James。〃　Then　quietly；　〃So　glad　you　could　make　it。〃　Bond　said　he　was　glad　too。　　〃On　a　bit　of　a　downer。
　Sorry　about　the　other　night；　Freddie。　　Must've　bored　the　pants　off　you。。
　〃Oh　no；　darling；　I　wouldn't　say　that；〃〃　she　murmured。
　〃It　was　frightfully　touching；　actually。　　I　felt　terribly　sorry　for　you；　poor　lamb。〃
　〃Made　an　ass　of　myself。　　Forget　what　I　said；　eh？〃　Bond　felt　unutterably　foolish；　putting　on　the　style　of　Freddie's　London　friends。
　〃Forgotten　already；　darling。〃　She　took　a　quick　sip　of　her　vodka　and　tonic。　　〃So　you　wanted　to　get　out　of　the　hurly…burly；　yah？〃
　〃Yah。〃　Bond　almost　mimicked　her　affected　accent。
　〃Or　did　you　e　because　I　asked　you？〃　He　gave　a　non…mittal　〃Mmmm。〃
　〃Or；　perhaps；　the　possibility　of　work？〃
　〃Little　of　all　three；　Freddie。〃
　〃Three's　a　crowd。〃　She　snuggled　up　beside　him。　　For　a　second；　Bond　felt；　strangely；　that　Percy　was　there。　　They　lunched　together　from　a　menu　that　would　not　have　put　the　Connaught　to　shame；　then　walked　for　five　miles　or　so　across　the　fields　and　through　the　woodland；　getting　back　around　three…thirty。
　〃Just　in　time　for　a　nice　quiet　siesta。〃　Freddie　gave　him　the　e…to…bed　look；　and　Bond；　invigorated　by　the　walk；　was　in　no　mood　to　disappoint。
　First；　though；　he　made　an　excuse　to　go　over　to　the　Bentley；　where　he　retrieved　the　ASP　9mm　and　two　spare　clips　of　ammunition；　keeping　them　well　hidden　when　he　joined　Freddie　in　the　fort　of　her　room。
　She　was　lying　on　the　bed；　wearing　precious　little。
　Smiling　sweetly；　she　said；　〃e　and　bore　the　pants　off　me；　darling。〃
　〃Dinner？〃　Bond　asked　later；　as　they　sat　over　tea　in　the　residents'　lounge。　　The　hotel　had　filled　up；　and　three　Spanish　waiters　scurried　about　with　silver　teapots；　small　plates　of　sandwiches　and　fancy　cakes。　Like　Brown's　on　Sunday　afternoon；　but　without　the　polish；　Bond　thought。
　〃Oh　lord；　darling。〃　Freddie　put　on　her　〃devastated'　face。　　〃I　have　a　dinner　date。〃　Then　she　smiled。　　〃So　have　you；　if　we　play　our　cards　right。　　You　see；　I've　got　some　old　friends　who　live　here。〃　She　suddenly　became　confidential。
　〃Now　listen；　James；　they　could　be　a　godsend。　　You　were　serious　about　going　into　puters？　　Programming　and　all　that　sort　of　thing？　Micros？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　〃Super。　　Old　Jason'll　be　thrilled。〃
　〃Jason？〃
　〃My　friend　…　well　friends；　really。　　Jason　and　Dazzle　St。　John…Finnes。〃
　〃Dazzle？〃　Freddie　gave　an　impatient　back…flip　of　her　hand　…　〃Oh；　her　name's　Davide　or　something。　　Everyone　calls　her　Dazzle。
　Super　people。　
　Iinto　puters　in　a　really　big　way。　　They're　incredibly　clever　and　invent　frightfully　plicated　war　games。
　M　had　already　briefed　him　about　the　other　members　of　Jay　Autem　Holy's　entourage：　the　〃wife'；　Dazzle；　a　young　expert　called　Peter　Amadeus　（〃Austrian；　I　think；'　Freddie　now　added）；　and　the　even　younger　Cambridge　graduate；　Cindy　Chalmer。
　〃She's　an　absolute　hoot。〃　Freddie　became　expansive。
　〃The　locals　call　her　Sinful　Cindy；　and　she's　jolly　popular；　particularly　with　the　men。　　Black；　you　know。〃　No；　Bond　said；　he　did　not　know。　　But　he　would　like　to　find　out。　　How　did　Sinful　Cindy　get　on　with　Peter　Amadeus？
　〃Oh；　darling；　no　woman　has　anything　to　fear　…　or　hope　for　…　from　the　Amadeus　boy；　if　you　see　what　I　mean。
　Look；　I'll　give　Jason　a　bell。〃　Freddie；　like　many　of　her　kind；　affected　the　London　vernacular；　particularly　when　out　of　town。　　〃Just　to　make　certain　they　don't　mind　me　having　you　in　tow。〃　She　disappeared　for　about　five　minutes；　though　Bond　already　knew　what　the　answer　would　be。　Freddie；　he　had　to　admit；　was　a　nice　little　actress。
　The　Bull　〃We've　got　a　result；　James；'　she　said　when　she　came　back。
　〃They'd　absolutely　adore　to　have　you　to　dinner。〃　Just　as　he　knew　they　would；　and　she　knew　they　would。
　In　spite　of　her　affected　accent；　rather　silly　manner；　and　undeniable　sexual　availability；　Freddie　Fortune　was　a　loyal　friend；　naive　in　her　judgments；　but；　once　mitted；　to　cause　or　person；　she　became　unshakeable。　　Almost　certainly；　in　this　instance；　Freddie　was　being　used；　Bond　thought。　　She　probably　did　not　even　begin　to　understand　the　risks　or　dangers　which　could　face　him；　and　possibly　herself。
　Gently　he　questioned　her　in　an　attempt　to　discover　how　long　〃Old　Jason　and　Dazzle'　had　been　such　close　friends。　　She　hedged　a　little；　but　it　finally　transpired　that　she　had　known　them　for　exactly　two　months。
　They　went　in　the　Bentley。
　〃I　adore　the　smell　of　leather　in　a　car。　　So　positively　sexual。〃　Freddie　curled　up　in　the　large　armchair…sized　front　passenger　seat。
　Bond　was　careful　to　ask　for　directions。
　〃The　gates　will　probably　be　closed；　but　turn　in　and　wait。　　Jason〃　a　maniac　about　security。　　He　has　lots　of　incredible　electronic　devices。〃
　〃I'll　bet；'　Bond　said　under　his　breath；　but　obeyed　instructions；　turning　left　where　she　told　him　and　pushing　the　Mulsanne's　snout　to　within　an　inch　of　the　great　high　metal　barriers。
　He　would　have　put　money　on　their　being　made　of　steel；　worked　to　give　the　impression　of　ornamental　wrought　iron。　　There　were　three　great　locks　and　the　gate…hangings　were　shielded　behind　massive　Atone　pillars。
　There　had　to　be　some　kind　of　closed…circuit　television　system；　for　the　car　sat　waiting　only　a　matter　of　seconds　before　the　locks　clicked　audibly　and　the　gates　swung　back。
　As　Bond　had　already　divined；　Endor　was　a　large　house　with　about　twenty　rooms：　classical　Georgian　in　golden　Cotswold　stone；　with　a　pillared　porch　and　symmetrically　placed　sash　windows。　　The　crunch　of　gravel　under　the　Bentley's　wheels　was　a　sound　that　brought　back　many　memories　to　him　…　the　older　cars　he　had　once　owned；　and；　oddly；　school　days　when　he　read　the　books　of　Dornford　Yates；　with　their　adventurers　riding　forth　to　do　battle　in　Bentleys　or　Rolls…Royce　cars；　u