johngardner.rollofhonor-第32章

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　How　would　it　be　if　I　gave　them　a　peep　show？〃　Bond　smiled　for　the　first　time。　　〃Well；　I'd　appreciate　it。
　Cindy　leaned　back　on　the　bed。　　〃You；　James；　you　male　chauvinist　pig；　have　the　opportunity　to　appreciate　it　any　time　you　want。　　That's　an　offer。〃
　〃I'd　love　to　take　you　up　on　it；　Cindy。　　But　we　have　work　to　do。　　Let's　see　how　good　they've　been　with　my　luggage。
　He　went　over　to　the　weekend　case　and　dumped　it　on　the　bed　beside　the　girl；　then　knelt　to　examine　the　locks。
　After　a　few　seconds　he　nodded　and　took　out　the　black　gunmetal　pen　clipped　inside　his　pullover；　unscrewing　the　wrong　end　to　reveal　a　tiny　set　of　miniature　screwdriver　heads。　　These　were　threaded　at　their　blunt　ends；　the　threads　matching　a　small　hole　in　the　pen's　cap。
　No　traveller　should　be　without　one；'　Bond　said。　　He　smiled　and　selected　one　of　the　drivers；　screwing　it　into　place。
　Carefully　he　began　to　remove　the　tiny　screws　around　the　right　lock　of　his　case。　　They　turned　easily；　the　lock　ing　off　in　one　piece　to　reveal　a　small　oblong　cavity　containing　one　spare　set　of　keys　for　the　Mulsanne　Turbo；　which　he　slipped　into　his　pocket　before　replacing　the　lock　and　putting　away　the　miniature　tool　kit。
　The　plans　for　Cindy's　diversion　and　Bond's　crawl　from　her　window　were　quickly　arranged。
　〃The　diversion's　no　problem；'　she　said；　lowering　her　eyelids。
　〃I've　got　exceptional　quality　tart's　stuff　on　under　the　skirt。〃　She　gave　a　little　pout。　　〃I　thought　I　might　even　turn　you　on。
　She　described　her　room；　suggesting　that　she　should　enter　in　the　dark；　open　the　side　window　and　pull　those　curtains　before　switching　the　light　on。　　〃I'll　be　able　to　see　exactly　where　the　guards　have　placed　themselves。　　You'll　have　to　crawl　to　the　side　window　on　your　belly。〃　〃How　long　can　you　。　　。　　。　　well；　tantalise　them？〃　If　she　performed　the　full　act；　Cindy　said；　putting　on　a　throaty　voice；　she　could　keep　them　more　or　less　happy　for　about　half　an　hour。　　〃To　be　on　the　safe　side；　I　guess　you　d　better　reckon　on　ten　minutes；　give　or　take　five。
　He　gave　her　a　look　usually　reserved　for　the　more　cheeky　jumper　and　pearls　set　at　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters；　checked　the　ASP；　and　said　the　sooner　they　got　on　with　it　the　better。　　Bond　knew　that；　if　Holy's　men　hadn't　yet　tampered　with　the　car；　it　would　certainly　be　given　a　going　over　before　they　let　him　out　…　if　they　let　him　out。
　Nobody　appeared　to　be　stirring　in　the　house。　　While　tiptoeing　across　the　landing；　they　saw　men　still　lounging　in　the　hall；　but　the　rest　was　quiet；　and　the　corridor　leading　to　Cindy's　room　at　the　far　end　of　the　house　was　in　darkness。　　Her　smooth　palm　touched　his；　their　fingers　interlocking　for　a　moment　as　she　guided　him　towards　her　door。
　She　was　young；　supple；　very　attractive　and　obviously　available　to　him　at　least。　　For　a　second　he　wondered；　not　for　the　first　time；　how　genuine　she　was。　　But　the　chance　to　doubt　had　long　since　passed。　　There　was　nobody　else　to　trust。
　Cindy　opened　her　door；　whispering；　〃Okay；　down　boy。〃　He　dropped　on　to　his　stomach；　beginning　to　wriggle　his　way　across　the　floor。　　Cindy　was　humming　to　herself　and　interspersing　the　low；　tuneful；　bluesy　sound　with　soft　ments。
　〃Nobody　at　the　side　m　closing　the　curtains　okay；　going　to　the　front　windows　。　　。　　。　　Yes　they're　down　there　。　　。　　。　　Right；　James；　get　cracking；　I'm　putting　the　lights　on　。　　。　　。〃　And　on　they　flooded；　with　Bond　halfway　across　the　floor；　moving　fast　towards　the　window；　where　the　curtains　billowed　and　sighed　like　a　sail。
　As　he　reached　it；　he　saw　her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　standing　near　the　far　front　window；　hands　to　her　shirt；　swaying　slightly　as　she　sang　softly：　He　shakes　my　ashes；　freezes　my　griddle；　Churns　my　butter；　stokes　my　pillow　My　man　is　such　a　handyman　He　threads　my　needle；　gleans　my　wheat；　Heats　my　heater；　chops　my　meat；　My　man　is　such　a　handyman。
　The　last　words　were　barely　distinguishable　to　Bond；　who　was　already　out　of　the　window；　dropping　silently　on　to　the　garage　roof。　　He　had　a　copy　of　〃Queen'　Victoria　Spivey's　Handman；　recorded　in　the　1920s；　so　he　knew　what　that　was　all　about。
　Flat　against　the　root；　his　body　pressing　down　as　if　to　merge　with　the　lead　surface；　Bond　lay　silent；　letting　his　eyes　adjust　to　the　darkness。　Then　he　froze；　hearing　first　the　sound　of　feet　on　gravel；　then　the　voices。　　There　were；　as　Cindy　had　said；　two　of　them；　speaking　in　heavily　accented　English。　　One　made　a　hushing　sound。
　〃What？〃
　〃The　roof。　　Didn't　you　hear　it？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Sounded　like　someone　on　the　garage　roof。
　Bond　willed　his　body　into　the　flat　surface；　pressing　down；　his　head　turned　away；　pulses　thudding　in　his　ears。
　〃On　the　roof？　　No。〃
　〃Move　back。　　Take　a　look。　　You　know　what　he　said　…　no　second　chances。〃　The　sound　of　feet　on　the　gravel　again。
　〃I　can't　see　any　〃You　think　we　should　go　and　。　　。
　Bond's　hand　inched　towards　the　ASP。
　〃There's　nobody　there。　　Might　have　been　a　cat　…　Hey；　Hans；　look　at　that。〃　The　scuffle　of　feet　could　be　heard　moving　back　off　the　gravel。
　Bond　turned　his　head；　and　saw　the　clear　silhouettes　of　The　Balloon　Game　the　two　guards　below；　in　front　of　the　house。　　They　were　close　to　one　another；　looking　up　like　a　pair　of　astronomers　studying　a　new　planet；　eyes　fixed　on　the　windows；　out　of　sight　to　his　right。
　Carefully　he　started　to　move　towards　the　centre　of　the　roof　where　he　knew　the　skylight　lay。　　Then；　suddenly；　he　dropped　flat　again　as　the　guards　also　moved　…　his　own　breathing　sounding　so　loud　that　it　must　draw　them　to　him。　　But　the　two　men　were　now　backing　away　from　the　house；　heads　tilted；　trying　to　get　a　better　view　of　what　was　happening　just　inside　Cindy's　lighted　open　window。
　Again　Bond　edged　forward；　going　as　fast　as　safety　would　allow；　conscious　of　each　minute　slipping　away。
　Though　probably　less　than　a　minute；　it　seemed　to　take　an　eternity　to　reach　the　skylight；　which　moved　at　his　first　touch。　　Very　gently　he　slid　it　back；　staring　down　into　the　darkness　below。
　They　had　made　it　easier　for　him　by　parking　the　white　Mercedes　directly　underneath。　　One　Swing　and　he　was　down；　fret　on　the　car's　root；　head　less　than　a　foot　below　the　edge　of　the　skylight。
　Crouched　there；　Bond　slipped　the　ASP　from　its　holster。　　If　they　had　put　a　man　inside　the　garage；　plans　might　just　have　to　change。　　Once　more　he　waited；　stock　still；　letting　his　eyes　adjust　to　the　darkness。
　No　sound　could　be　heard　but　the　beating　of　his　own　heart。　　The　long　outline　of　the　Mulsanne　could　just　be　made　out　parked　to　his　right。
　He　dropped　to　the　floor；　padded　around　the　rear　of　the　Mercedes；　one　hand　still　grasping　the　ASP；　the　other　now　clutching　the　keys　to　the　Bentley。
　The　lock　thumped　open；　and　there　was　that　solid；　satisfying　sound　as　the　catch　gave　way　to　his　thumb　and　the　heavy　door　swung　back。
　The　Bentley's　interior　came　alive　with　light；　and　he　slid　into　the　driving　seat；　leaving　the　door　open　as　he　checked　the　connections　around　the　Super　1000　long　range　telephone；　which　munications　Control　Systems　had　provided　for　the　electronics　wizards　at　RollsRoyce　to　wire　in。　　Closing　the　door；　he　picked　up　the　handset；　letting　out　a　breath　of　relief　as　the　small　pin　of　red　light　came　on　to　show　the　telephone　was　active。　　His　main　fear　had　been　that　Holy's　men　had　cut　the　connections。　Now；　all　he　could　do　was　pray　that　nobody　was　monitoring　the　closed　waveband。
　Quickly　he　punched　out　the　number；　and；　before　the　distant　end　had　time　to　say　〃Transworld　Exports；'　he　rasped　out；　〃Predator！　　Confuse！〃　hitting　the　small　blue　scramble　button　as　he　said　it；　then　counting　to　twenty；　waiting　for　the　distant　to　e　up　again。
　the　voice　of　the　Duty　Officer　at　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters　said　clearly。
　〃I　say　this　once　only。　　Predator；　emergency　。　　。　　。　　and　Bond　launched　into　a　fast　two…minute　message　which　he　hoped　would　be　clearly　intelligible　if　Jay　Autem　Holy　really　intended　to　send　him　out　from　Endor　to　steal　the　United　States　EPOC　frequency　within　the　next　few　days。
　Putting　the　telephone　back　into　its　cradle　between　the　seats；　he　retrieved　the　ASP　which　had　rested　above　the　polished　wooden　dashboard　only　inches　from　his　hand；　and　returned　it　to　his　holster　Now　he　had　to　get　back　to　Cindy's　room　as　fast　as　possible。　　The　thought　of　the　girl　slowly　stripping；　singing　to　her