johngardner.rollofhonor-第43章

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his　fuss　die　down。　　We　can't　have　the　whole　Department　going　public　for　the　sake　of　your　honour；　007。〃　Cindy　spoke　for　the　first　time。　　〃What　about　Dazzle？
　Mrs。　St。　John…Finnes？〃　Tanner　told　them　there　had　been　no　trace　of　the　lady　who　called　herself　Dazzle；　just　as　Rahani　had　disappeared　into　thin　air。　　A　launch　picked　up　his　〃chute。　　He　had　drifted　well　inshore；　on　the　French　side。
　〃Damn。　　I　wanted　a　little　time　alone　with　that　bastard。〃　The　delightful　Cindy　Chalmer　could　be　lethal　when　roused。
　Percy　gave　her　a　wicked　smile。　　〃You；　Cindy；　are　going　straight　back　to　Langley。　　The　order　came　through　this　morning。〃　Cindy　pouted；　and　Bond　tried　hard　not　to　catch　her　eye。　　〃And　what　about　Dr　Amadeus？〃　he　asked。
　〃Oh；　we're　taking　care　of　him；'　Bill　Tanner　said　a　little　earnestly。　〃We've　always　room　for　good　puter　men　in　the　Service。
　Anyway；　Dr　Amadeus　turned　out　to　be　a　brave　young　man。
　〃There　is　something　else；'　M　grunted。　　〃The　Chief　of　Staff　did　not　know　this　but　in　checking　back　through　the　files　when　you　alerted　us　to　Rahani；　007；　we　found　some　interesting　information。　　You　recall　we've　been　keeping　surveillance　on　him　for　some　time？〃　Bond　nodded　as　M　slid　a　matt　black　and　white　print　from　the　folder　on　his　lap。
　〃Interesting？〃　The　photograph　showed　Tamil　Rahani　locked　in　an　embrace　with　Dazzle　St。　John…Finnes。　　〃Looks　as　though　they　had　plans　for　the　future。〃　Bond　asked　about　Erewhon　and　was　told　that　the　Israelis　had　pinpointed　the　site。　　〃Nobody　there。　　Deserted。　　But　they're　keeping　an　eye　on　it。　　I　doubt　if　Rahani　will　visit　it　again。
　But　he'll　probably　show　up　somewhere。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Bond's　voice　was　flat。
　〃Yes；　I　don't　think　we've　heard　the　last　of　him；　sir。　　After　all；　he　boasted　that　he　was　Blofeld's　successor。
　〃e　to　think　of　it；'　M　mused；　〃I　wonder　if　you　should　forgo　that　leave；　007。　　It　may　be　vital　to　follow　up。。。
　〃He's　got　to　rest；　sir；　for　a　short　time　at　least。〃　Percy　was　almost　ordering　M。　　This　was　something　the　Head　of　Service　rarely　experienced。　He　looked　at　the　willowy　ash…blonde；　astonishment　on　his　face。
　〃Yes。　　Yes。　　Well；　if　you　put　it　like　that　。　　。　　。　　I　suppose　Yes。〃
　
　END　OF　THE　AFFAIR
　
　THEY　first　FLEW　to　Rome；　and　stayed　for　a　week　at　the　Villa　Medici。　Percy　had　never　been　to　Rome　and　Bond　enjoyed　showing　her　as　much　as　one　can　fit　into　seven　short　days。
　From　Rome　they　travelled　to　Greece；　to　take　an　island…hopping　tour；　starting　in　the　Aegean　with　a　couple　of　nights　on　Naxos。　　They　stayed　only　one　night　on　Rhodes；　because　of　the　tourist　hordes；　and　then　doubled　back；　spending　a　night　here；　two　nights　there。
　Another　week　took　them　to　the　ionian　sea；　where　they　managed　to　find　some　secluded　beaches　and　tavernas；　off　the　package…holiday　routes。
　It　was　a　time　of　distant　voices　from　the　past。　　The　couple　exchanged　life…stories；　told　the　long　tales　of　their　youth；　made　their　separate　confessions；　and　became　totally　immersed　in　each　other's　bodies。　　For　Percy　and　Bond；　the　world　became　young　again　and　time　stood　still；　as　only　time　can　within　the　dark；　secret　mysteries　of　the　Greek　islands。
　They　ate　lobster　fresh　from　the　sea　and　drank　their　fill　of　retsina。　Sometimes　the　evenings　ended　with　them　dancing　with　the　waiters　under　the　vines　of　a　roadside　taverna；　arm…stretching　and　calf…slapping。　　They　discovered；　as　many　have　before；　that　the　taverna…owners　of　the　islands　recognise　the　signs　of　love　and　take　lovers　to　their　hearts。
　And　during　all　their　joy；　Bond　kept　a　wary　eye　on　strangers；　assuming　that　Percy；　being　a　lady　of　the　same　trade；　was　doing　likewise。
　They　did　not　spot　the　same　face　or　even　the　same　jewellery；　which　can　he　more　important　once。　　Vehicles；　even　motorcycles；　did　not　show　up　twice。　They　were　free。
　But　SPECTRE　s　teams　were　numerous　and　clever。
　Neither　James　Bond　nor　Percy　Prnud　could　know　of　shadows　creeping　in　around　them。
　The　teams　were　usually　five　strong；　and　they　changed　daily；　never　using　the　same　car　twice；　always　having　a　tail　ready　to　follow　on　to　the　next　island。　　A　girl　in　one　place；　a　happy　Greek　boy　in　another；　first　a　student；　then　a　middle…aged　English　couple；　old　Volkswagens；　brand　new　Hondas；　staid　Peugeos。　　It　was　all　the　same　to　them。
　The　leader's　orders　were　clear；　and　when　the　right　moment　came；　he　too　arrived。
　Bond　and　Percy　spoke　much　of　the　future；　yet；　in　the　last　week；　while　heading　for　Corfu；　from　where　they　planned　to　fly　to　London　direct；　they　still　could　not　e　to　any　decision　even　though　they　had　talked　of　marriage。
　As　the　trip　drew　to　an　end　they　found　a　small　bungalow　hotel；　away　from　beehive　modern　glass　and　concrete　palaces。　　It　was　close　to　a　secluded　beach；　which　could　be　reached　only　by　clambering　over　rocks。
　Their　room　looked　out　on　a　slope　of　dusty　olive　trees　and　oddly　Victorian…looking　scrub。
　Each　day；　in　the　late　afternoon；　they　would　return　to　their　room；　and；　as　dusk　closed　in　and　the　cicadas　began　their　endless　song；　the　couple　would　make　love；　long　and　tender；　with　a　rewarding　fulfilment　of　a　kind　neither　remembered　experiencing　before。
　On　their　last　night；　with　their　packing　to　be　done；　and　a　special　dinner　ordered　at　the　taverna；　they　followed　their　usual　pattern；　walking　hand　in　hand　up　the　slope　from　the　beach；　entering　their　room　from　the　scrubby　End　of　the　olive　grove；　and　leaving　the　windows　open　and　the　blinds　drawn。
　They　soon　became　lost　in　each　other；　murmuring　the　sweet　adolescent　endearments；　enjoying　a　private　island　of　physical　pleasure。
　They　were　hardly　aware　of　the　darkness　or　the　song　of　the　night　ing　from　the　cicadas。　　Neither　of　them　heard　Tamil　Rahani's　car　pull　up　quietly　on　the　road　below　the　hotel。　　Nor　were　they　aware　of　his　emissary；　who　moved；　sure…footed　in　rope…soled　sandals　up　from　the　road；　treading　softly　through　the　olives　until　he　reached　the　window。
　Tamil　Rahani；　the　successor　to　the　Blofelds；　had　decreed　they　should　both　die；　and　he　would　be　in　at　the　death。　　His　only　regret　was　that　it　must　be　quick。
　The　short；　sallow…faced　man　who　was　the　most　acplished　of　SPECTRE'S　silent　killers；　peered　through　the　lattice　of　the　blinds；　smiled　and　carefully　withdrew　a　six…inch　ivory　blowpipe。　　With　even　greater　care　he　loaded　the　tiny　wax　dart　filled　with　deadly　pure　nicotine　and　began　to　slide　the　end　of　the　pipe　through　the　lattice。
　Percy　lay；　eyes　closed；　nearest　the　window。
　Her　reaction　was　conceived　in　long　training；　for　she　was　like　an　animal　in　her　instinct　for　danger。　　With　a　sudden　move；　she　slid　from　under　a　startled　Bond；　one　hand　going　for　the　floor　and　the　small　revolver　that　always　lay　at　her　side　of　the　bed。
　She　fired　twice；　rolling　naked　on　the　floor　as　she　did　so　…　a　textbook　kill；　the　man　clearly　outlined　through　the　blinds　lifting　back　as　though　in　slow　motion；　his　dying　breath　expelling　the　wax　dart　into　the　air。
　Bond　was　beside　her　in　a　second；　the　ASP　in　his　hand。
　As　they　emerged　into　the　night　air；　they　heard　the　sound　of　Rahani's　car　on　the　road　below　the　hotel。　　They　needed　no　telling　who　it　was。
　Later；　when　the　body　had　been　removed；　calls　made　to　London　and　Washington；　and　police　and　other　authorities　were　satisfied；　Bond　and　Percy　drove　into　Corfu　Town　itself；　to　spend　the　night　in　one　of　the　larger　hotels。
　〃Well；　at　least　that　settles　it。　　We　should　both　know　now；　Percy　began。
　〃Know？〃　They　had　managed　to　get　a　meal　of　sorts　in　their　room；　though　Bond　found　it　hard　to　relax。
　〃The　future；　James。　　We　should　both　know　about　the　future　after　that　unpleasant　episode。〃
　〃You　mean　that　until　Blofeld's　successor　is　dead；　neither　of　us　will　have　peace？〃
　〃That's　part　of　it。　　Not　all；　though。〃　She　paused　to　sip　her　wine。　　〃I　killed；　James；　automatically　and　。
　〃And　most　efficiently；　darling。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　what　I　mean。　　We're　not　like　other　people；　are　we？　　We're　trained；　and　tidied；　and　obey　orders　fly　into　danger　at　a　moment's　notice。〃　Bond　thought　for　a　moment。　　〃You're　right；　of　course；　darling。　What　you　mean　is　that　people　like　us　can't　just　stop；　or　lead　normal　lives。〃
　〃That's　it；　my　dear　James。　　It's　been　the　best　time。　　The　very　best。　But。。
　〃But　now　it's　over。
　She　nodded；　and　he　leaned　across　the　table　to　kiss　her。
　〃Who　knows？〃　Bond　asked　of　nobody　in