johngardner.rollofhonor-第39章

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kirts　still　slept；　while　others　appeared　to　be　just　waking　lights　ing　on；　green　shutters　open。
　Always；　in　Switzerland；　Bond　thought；　you　knew　you　were　in　a　small；　rich　country；　for　all　the　buildings　looked　as　though　they　had　been　assembled　in　some　sterile　room　from　a　plastic　kit；　plete　with　small　details　of　greenery　and　flowers。
　They　took　the　most　direct　route　…　straight　to　Lausanne；　then　along　the　lake　road；　following　the　line　of　the　toy…like　railway。　　Holy　was　quiet　for　most　of　the　journey；　but　Simon；　sitting　in　the　front　passenger　seat；　occasionally　turned　back　to　make　small　talk。
　〃You　know　this　part　of　the　world；　James？　　Fairytale　country；　isn't　it？〃　Bond　remembered；　for　no　apparent　reason；　that　the　first　time　he　had　visited　the　Lake　of　Geneva　was　when　he　was　sixteen。　　He　had　spent　a　week　with　friends　in　Montreux；　had　had　a　youthful　holiday　affair　with　a　waitress　from　a　lakeside　cale；　and　had　developed　a　taste　for　Campari…soda。
　The　Magic　Carpet　Between　Lausanne　and　Morges　the　cars　stopped　at　a　lighted　lakeside　restaurant。　　Simon　and　the　Arab　boy；　in　turns；　brought　out　coffee　and　rolls　to　the　cars。　　The　sheer　normality　of　their　actions　grated　on　Bond's　nerves；　like　a　probe　on　a　raw　tooth。　　Half　of　his　mind　and　body　urged　him　to　take　drastic　action　now：　the　other　more　professional　half　told　him　to　wait；　bide　his　time　and　use　the　moment　when　it　came。
　〃Where　are　we　heading？〃　he　asked　Holy　soon　after　the　breakfast　break。
　〃A　few　kilometres　this　side　of　Geneva。〃　Holy　remained　relaxed　and　confident。　　〃We　turn　off　the　lake　road。
　There's　a　small　valley　and　an　airstrip。　　The　team　from　Erewhon　will　be　waiting　for　us。　　Have　you　ever　flown　in　an　airship；　James？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　it　will　be　a　new　experience　for　us　both。　　I'm　told　it's　rather　fantastic。〃　He　peered　from　the　windows。　　〃And　it　looks　as　though　we'll　have　a　clear　day　for　it。　　The　view　should　be　wonderful。〃　They　went　through　Nyon；　the　houses　clustered　together　on　the　lake　as　though　clinging　to　each　other　to　save　themselves　from　falling　in。　　Soon　afterwards；　Geneva　came　into　view　at　the　western　end　of　the　lake；　a　misty　blur　of　buildings　with　a　toy　steamer　ploughing　a　lone　furrow　of　spray；　chugging　across　the　water。　　It　all　looked　as　peaceful　as　ever。
　They　also　met　the　first　police　checkpoint；　the　cars　slowing　almost　to　a　standstill　before　the　sharp…eyed　uniformed　men　waved　them　on。
　There　was　a　second　road　block　just　before　they　turned　inland。　　A　car　and　two　policemen　on　motorcycles　started　to　flag　them　down；　until　they　spotted　the　Goodyear　stickers。　　They　were　waved　on　with　smiles。
　As　Bond　looked　back；　he　saw　one　of　the　men　talking　into　a　radio。
　As　he　had　imagined；　the　police　were　assisting　innocently　in　the　events　planned　to　take　place　over　the　lake　in　a　few　hours'　time。
　The　great　cleft　in　the　mountains　seemed　to　widen　as　they　climbed　away。　The　sun　was　up　now；　and　you　could　clearly　see　tiny　farmhouses　on　the　slopes。　　Then　suddenly　the　valley　floor　and　the　tiny　landing　strip　appeared　just　below　them；　the　grass　a　painted　green；　the　control　tower；　hangar　and　one　other　building　as　neat　and　unreal　as　a　film　set。　　Out　on　the　grass；　two　mountain　rescue　aircraft　stood　like　stranded　birds。　　At　the　far　end　of　the　field　the　sausage　shape　of　the　Goodyear　airship　Europa　swung　lazily；　tethered　to　her　low　portable　masthead。
　Then　the　road　dipped；　the　airfield　disappeared；　and　they　were　twisting　through　the　S…bends　which　would　carry　them　to　the　final　destination。
　Before　the　two　cars　reached　the　valley　floor　and　the　airstrip　two　more　police　checkpoints　were　negotiated。
　The　Swiss　police　had　certainly　snapped　into　action。
　London；　Bond　decided；　would　feel　very　satisfied；　content　that　nothing　untoward　could　now　happen　by　the　peaceful　lakeside。
　There　were　no　less　than　three　police　cars　at　the　airstrip　entrance；　which　was　little　more　than　a　metal　gateway　set　into　an　eight…foot　chain…link　fence；　encircling　the　entire　area。　　In　the　distance；　a　police　car　patrolled　the　perimeter　slowly　and　as　thoroughly　as　only　the　Swiss　perform　their　official　duties。
　As　the　Audis　drew　up；　Bond　saw　two　more　faces　which　he　recognised　from　Erewhon。　　This　time；　though；　the　men　were　dressed　in　smart　suits　and　smiled　broad；　almost　ingratiating　smiles　as　the　two…vehicle　convoy　came　to　a　halt。　　They　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　senior　policeman　on　the　gate；　and　the　cars　were　waved　forward。
　One　man　got　into　each　car。
　The　man　who　entered　Holy's　car　was　a　German；　fair…haired；　suspicious；　and　with　features　cut　from　a　solid　block　of　rough　stone。
　He　appeared　to　be　in　his　mid…twenties；　and　the　smart　suit　bulged　around　the　breast　pocket。　　Bond　did　not　like　the　look　of　him。　　He　liked　him　even　less　when　the　talking　started。
　Holy　confined　himself　to　the　most　pertinent　questions；　and　was　given　precise；　military　answers　in　an　American　accent。
　Posing　as　the　Goodyear　head　of　PR；　Rudi；　the　German；　had　taken　the　call　from　Bill　Tanner；　which　he　now　described　in　detail；　saying　the　man　was　certainly　English；　and　also　undoubtedly　represented　one　of　the　major　British　security　agencies。　　The　police；　he　said；　began　to　arrive　within　half　an　hour　of　his　call。
　Jay　Autem　then　asked　about　times；　and　you　could　tell　from　His　expression　he　had　already　worked　out　that　the　enquiries　had　begun　while　Bond　was　in　the　Foreign　Office　house　off　Northumberland　Avenue。
　〃James；　you　didn't　say　anything　indiscreet　when　you　were　with　your　friend　Anthony　Denton？〃　The　two　cars　were　heading　not　for　the　little　office　building　but　for　the　hangar；　with　its　two　slab…winged　observation…rescue　Pilatus　aircraft　sitting　outside。
　〃Me？〃　Bond　looked　surprised　and　startled；　as　though　he　had　not　been　paying　attention　to　the　conversation。
　〃Indiscreet？　　How？　　Why？〃　Holy　looked　at　him；　a　shadow　of　concern　crossing　his　face。
　〃You　see；　James；　Tamil's　people　took　over　this　airstrip；　and　the　whole　organisation　here；　in　the　early　hours　of　yesterday　morning。
　Nobody　suspected；　there　was　no　trouble。　　Not　until　last　night；　when　you　were　closeted　with　the　D。S。O。F。O　obtaining　the　EPOC　frequency　for　us。
　Why；　I　ask　myself；　should　the　authorities　begin　to　take　an　interest　at　that　time　of　night？〃　Bond　shrugged；　indicating　that　he　had　no　idea；　and；　in　any　case；　it　was　nothing　to　do　with　him。
　The　cars　came　to　a　halt。　　〃I　do　hope　you've　given　us　the　correct　frequency；　James。　　If　you　haven't　Well；　I've　already　warned　you　of　the　consequences；　consequences　for　the　entire　world；　my　friend　〃That's　the　current　EPOC　frequency。　　Have　no　doubt；　Dr　Holy；'　he　snapped　back。
　Holy　winced　at　the　sound　of　his　real　name；　then　nodded　as　he　leaned　forward　to　open　the　door。
　Bond　was　left　with　the　Arab　boy；　who　watched　him　with　alert　bright　eyes；　a　small　Walther　automatic　clutched　in　his　right　hand。　　The　safety　catch；　Bond　noticed；　was　off。
　Simon；　Holy　and　the　German；　Rudi；　were　joined　by　Rahani　and　General　Zwingli　…　a　little　procession　walking　spryly　towards　the　hangar。　Rahani's　men　were　everywhere；　Bond　now　saw；　spread　out；　half　concealed　by　what　cover　they　could　find；　with　a　full　armament　of　carbines　and　automatic　weapons。　　There　were　even　two　guards　on　the　small　door　inserted　in　one　of　the　great　sliding　doors　of　the　hangar。
　The　door　was　opened；　and　the　party　stepped　inside。
　Two　minutes　later；　Simon　came　out；　walking　quickly　to　the　car。
　〃Colonel　Rahani　wants　you　inside。〃　His　manner　was　one　of　indifference；　the　attitude　of　a　man　who　does　not　wish　to　bee　involved　with　anyone　outside　his　own　tight　radeship。　　Bond　recognised　the　psychology。　　He　had　studied　the　whole　subject　of　terrorist　mentality　and　he　knew　they　had　e　to　some　cut…off　point。
　Simon　was　not　willing　to　have　any　kind　of　relationship　with　Bond　now。
　It　could　be；　he　thought；　as　they　walked　the　few　paces　towards　the　hangar；　that　this　really　is　the　end。　　They've　decided　I've　talked；　and　there　can　be　no　trust　from　now　on。　　Curtain　time　…　the　fiction　meeting　the　reality。
　The　little　group　of　senior　men　stood　just　inside　the　door；　and　it　was　Tamil　Rahani　who　greeted　him。〃
　〃Ah；　mander　Bond。　　We　thought　you　should　see　this。〃　He　gestured　towards　the　centre　of　the　hangar。
　About　forty　men　sat　close　together　on　the　floor；　held　in　a　tight　knot　by　three　tripod…mount