johngardner.rollofhonor-第13章

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h　their　adventurers　riding　forth　to　do　battle　in　Bentleys　or　Rolls…Royce　cars；　usually　to　protect　gorgeous　ladies　with　very　small　feet。
　Jason　St。　John…Finnes　…　Bond　had　to　think　of　him　by　that　name　stood　by　the　open　door；　light　shafting　on　to　the　turning　circle。　　He　had　made　no　attempt　at　disguise。
　The　decade　in　which　he　had　been　〃dead'　appeared　to　have　taken　no　toll；　for　he　looked　exactly　like　the　many　photographs　in　his　file　at　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters。　　Tall　and　slim；　he　was　obviously　in　good　physical　condition；　for　he　moved　with　grace　and　purpose　…　an　athlete's　walk。　　The　famous　green　eyes　were　just　as　startling　as　everyone　maintained。　　By　turns　warm　or　cold；　they　were　almost　hypnotic；　lively　and　penetrating；　as　though　they　could　look　deeply　into　a　person's　heart。　The　nose　was　indeed　large　and　hooked；　a　great　；pill；　so　that　the　bination　of　bright　searching　eyes　d　the　big　sharp　nose　certainly　gave　the　impression　of　a　bird　of　prey。　　Bond　shuddered　inwardly。　　There　was　something　exceptionally　sinister　about　Dr　Jay　Autem　Holy。　　Yet　this　unsettling　fact　vanished　the　moment　he　started　to　speak。
　〃Freddie！〃　He　approached　her　with　a　kiss。　　〃How　splendid　to　see　you；　and　I'm　so　glad　to　meet　your　friend。〃　He　stretched　out　a　hand。
　〃Bond；　isn't　it？〃　The　voice　was　low；　pleasant；　and　full　of　laughter；　the　accent　mid…Atlantic；　almost　Bostonian；　the　handshake　firm；　strong；　warm　and　very　friendly。　　It　was　as　though　a　wave　of　goodwill　and　wele　were　transmitted　when　their　palms　touched。
　〃Ah；　here's　Dazzle。　　Darling；　this　is　Mr。　Bond。〃
　〃James；'　he　said；　already　in　danger　of　being　hypnotically　charmed　by　the　man。　　James　Bond。〃　For　a　few　seconds　his　heart　raced　as　he　gazed　at　the　tall；　slim　ash…blonde　woman　who　had　e　out　of　the　house。　　Then　he　realised　that　it　was　a　trick　of　the　light；　but　at　a　distance；　especially　as　now　at　dusk；　Dazzle　could　easily　be　taken　for　Percy　Proud：　the　same　hair；　figure　and　bone　structure；　even　the　same　movements。
　Dazzle　was　as　warm　and　weling　as　her　husband。
　The　pair　had　a　curious　effect；　as　though　together　they　were　able　to　enfold　you；　pulling　you　into　some　circle　of　enchantment。　　As　they　left　the　car　and　walked　into　the　spacious　hallway；　Bond　had　a　ridiculous　desire　to　throw　all　caution　to　the　wind；　sit　down　and　face　Jason　immediately；　asking　him　what　really　happened　on　that　day　so　long　ago　when　he　had　taken　off　on　the　ill…fated　flight。
　What　was　the　purpose　of　disappearing？　　What　was　he　up　to　now？　　And　how　did　Zwingli　fit　into　the　scheme　of　things？
　That　evening；　Bond　had　to　keep　a　strong　hold　on　himself　not　to　e　out　into　the　open。　　Between　them　Jason　and　the　vivacious　Dazzle　proved　to　be　a　daunting　couple。　　Within　minutes　of　being　in　their　pany　you　became　almost　old　friends。　　Jason；　the　story　went　was　Canadian　by　birth；　while　Dazzle　was　from　New　York；　though　you　would　have　been　hard　put　to　it　to　place　her　accent；　which　had　more　of　Knightsbridge　than　Fifth　Avenue　in　It。
　The　one　subject　never　discussed　in　detail　during　M's　briefings　had　been　finance；　but　now；　seeing　the　house　with　its　discreetly　elegant　decor　（〃That's　Dazzle；'　Jason　said　with　a　laugh；　〃she　has　what　the　designers　call　flair'）　made　one　aware　of　great　riches。　　In　the　large　drawing　room　there　was　a　clever　blend　of　original　Georgian　and　fortable　modern；　the　antique　pieces　plemented　by　a　quiet；　striped　wallpaper；　and　not　clashing　with　the　more　modern　pictures　or　the　deep；　fortable　armchairs　and　sofas。　　Where；　Bond　wondered；　did　the　money　for　all　this　e　from？　　Could　Gunfire　Simulations　finance　so　much？
　While　a　Filipino　houseboy　served　the　drinks　the　talk　was　almost　exclusively　about　what　a　wonderful　refurbishing　job　they　had　done　on　the　house；　and　the　local　amusing　scandal。
　〃It's　what　I　adore　about　life　in　a　village。〃Jason　gave　a　low　chuckle。　〃My　work　doesn't　allow　me　to　be　what　you　might　call　socially　active；　but　we　still　get　all　the　gossip　because　everybody　does。〃
　〃Except　the　gossip　about　ourselves；　darling；　Dazzle　said　with　a　grin。
　Bond　realised　that　her　nose　was　similar　to　Percy's　before　it　had　been　bobbed。　　Here　was　an　oddity。　　She　really　was　like　the　true　Percy。
　Did　Jay　Autem　know；　he　wondered。　　Had　he　always　known　what　the　real　Percy　looked　like？　　Had　he　seen　her　since　the　recent　transformation？
　〃Oh；　I　get　the　gossip　about　us。〃　Jason's　voice　was　deep　with　humour。　〃Cindy　and　I　are　having　a　passionate　love　affair；　while　you're　in　bed　most　of　the　time　with　Felix。。
　〃Much　good　would　it　do　me！〃　Dazzle　put　a　hand　over　her　mouth；　mockingly。　〃Where　are　they；　anyway；　dear？
　Peter　and　Cindy；　I　mean。〃
　〃Oh；　they'll　be　up　in　a　minute。　　They　decided　to　play　one　more　round　of　The　Revolution。　　We've　still　got　a　good　deal　of　preliminary　work　to　do。〃　He　turned　to　Bond。
　〃We're　in　the　puter　games　business　〃So　Freddie　mentioned。〃　At　last　he　managed　to　break　the　spell；　allowing　a　hint　of　superior　disapproval　into　his　tone。
　Jason　caught　it　at　once。　　〃Oh；　but　you're　a　puter　programmer　as　well；　aren't　you？　　Freddie　told　me。〃
　〃A　little。　　Not　games　though。　　Not　really。〃　The　tiny　stress　on　the　word　games　was　calculated　to　give　the　impression　that　using　puters　to　play　games　was　anathema　to　him。
　〃Aha。〃　Jason　wagged　a　finger。　　〃But　there　are　games　and　games；　Mr。　Bond。　I'm　talking　about　plex　intellectual　simulations；　not　the　whizz…bang…shoot…'em…up　arcade　rubbish。　　For　whom　do　you　work？〃　Bond　admitted　he　worked　for　nobody　at　the　moment。
　〃I　had　my　training　in　programming　when　I　worked　for　the　Foreign　Office。〃　He　tried　to　sound　diffident。
　〃You're　that　Mr。　Bond！〃　Dazzle　sounded　genuinely　excited。
　He　nodded。　　〃Yes；　the　notorious　Mr。　Bond。　　Also；　the　innocent　Mr。　Bond。
　〃Of　course。　　I　read　about　your　case。　　For　the　first　time　there　was　a　slightly　dubious　note　in　Jason's　voice。
　〃Were　you　really　a　spy？〃　Dazzle　tended　to　bee　almost　breathlessly　excited　by　anything　that　interested　her。
　〃I　〃　Bond　began；　then　put　on　a　show　of　floundering；　so　that　Jason　came　to　his　rescue：　〃I　don't　think　that's　the　kind　of　question　you're　meant　to　ask；　my　dear。〃　At　that　moment；　Peter　Amadeus　and　Cindy　Chalmer　came　into　the　room。
　〃Ah；　the　amazing　Doctor　Amadeus。〃　Jason　rose。
　〃And　Sinful　Cindy；'　said　Dazzle　with　a　laugh。
　〃I'd　be　flattered　if　they　called　me　Sinful　Freddie；'　said　Lady　Freddie　as　she　greeted　the　pair。
　〃Sinful　indeed！〃　Cindy　was　not　black；　as　Freddie　had　told　Bond；　but　more　of　a　creamy　coffee　shade。　　〃The　product　of　a　West　Indian　father　and　a　Jewish　mother；'　she　was　later　to　confide　in　him；　adding　that　there　were　a　thousand　racist　jokes　which　could　be　made　at　her　expense。　　Now　she　just　repeated；　〃Sinful　indeed；　chance　would　be　more　than　a　fine　thing。〃　Dressed　in　a　simple　grey　skirt；　and　white　silk　blouse；　Cindy　had　the　figure　and　legs　of　a　dancer；　and　a　face　which　reminded　Bond　of　a　very　young　Ella　Fitzgerald。
　Peter　was　around　thirty　…　a　few　years　older　than　Cindy。　　Slightly　built；　immaculately　dressed　and　prematurely　balding；　he　had　a　precise　pedantry　and　wit　that　gave　a　hint　of　his　sexual　predeliction。
　Following　Cindy's　remark；　he　helped　himself　to　a　drink；　saying；　〃You've　got　plenty　of　chances　here；　Cindy。　　There　are　some　great　big　farm　boys　in　the　village　I'd　fight　you　for。　　。
　〃That's　enough；　Peter！〃　For　the　first　time　that　night；　Jason　showed　the　steel　fist。
　After　the　introductions　（Bond　wondered　if　he　imagined　it；　but　Cindy　Chalmer　appeared　to　give　him　a　sharp；　almost　conspiratorial　look　when　they　shook　hands）；　Dazzle　suggested　they　go　in　to　dinner。　　〃Tomas　will　be　furious　if　his　cooking　is　spoiled。〃　Tomas　was　the　silent　Filipino；　who　had　learned　to　cook　at　the　feet　of　Europe's　greatest　chefs；　by　courtesy　of　Jason　St。　John…Finnes。
　The　meal　was　almost　a　banquet：　a　Lombardy　soup　of　hot　consomme'　poured　over　raw　eggs　sprinkled　with　Parmesan　and　laid　on　lightly　fried　bread；　smoked　salmon　mousse；　venison　marinated　and　roasted　with　juniper　berries；　wine；　chopped　ham　and　lemons：　and　a　souffle'　all　Grand　Marnier　…　〃Specially　for　Lady　Freddie。〃　To　begin　with；　the　conversation　mainly　concerned　the　work　Cindy　and　Peter　had　just　been　doing。
　〃How　did　it　go；　then？〃　Jason　asked　as　they　sat　down；　at　a　long　refectory　table　set　on　bare　polished　boards　in　the　dining　room。
　〃We've　found　two　more　ran