johngardner.winloseordie-第12部分

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ng　the　biggest　risk。'
'A　hundred　grand？　For　me'？　Who've　I　got　to　kill？'
　'It's　not　a　matter　of　killing。'　Harry　moved　closer；　and　began　to　make　the　Petty　Officer　the　offer　which；　in　the　circumstances；　he　could　not　afford　to　refuse。
　
　7
See　Naples　and　。。。。
Naples　was　not　James　Bond's　favourite　city。　Now；　sitting　in　a　bumper…to…bumper；　horn…hooting；　yelling　traffic　jam；　cramming　one　of　the　narrow　streets　leading　down　to　the　harbour；　he　placed　it　almost　at　the　bottom　of　his　list。　The　double…lane　Freeway　from　the　airport　had　not　been　loo　bad；　but；　as　ever；　the　city　streets　were　crowded　and　in　a　state　of　chaos。　To　make　matters　worse　it　was　raining：　that　fine；　soaking　misty　rain　that　is　even　more　unpleasant　than　an　out…and…out　downpour。
　This　was　a　city　that　time　had　forgotten。　Bond　reflected；　as　he　eased　（he　uncertain　hired　Fiat　behind　an　unsteady　lorry　overloaded　with　bottled　water。　Naples　had　never　regained　its　status　as　a　tourisl　resort。　Instead　it　had　bee　a　transit　point。　People　arrived　at　the　airport；　maybe　stayed　a　couple　of　nights　to　'do'　Pompeii；　and　were　either　whisked　off　to　Sorrento；　or　made　his　journey　down　to　the　ferries　for　Capri　or　Ischia；　the　two　islands　that　form　the　gate　to　the　Bay　of　Naples。
Constantly　the　two　islands　were　regarded　as　passe　or　outdated；　yet　that　was　where　the　tourists　or　socialites　weni。　The　only　people　who　stayed　were　the　Neapolitans；　or　NATO　sailors　from　the　various　naval　vessels　which　tied　up　off　the　coast；　in　the　safety　of　the　bay。　For　sailors　it　was　one　hell　of　a　city　with　its　blatant　red…light　district　and　the　area　running　down　the　foothills　between　the　Castel　Sant'　Elmo　and　the　Municipal　Building。　This　last　was　crowded　with　bars；　clip…joints　and　gaudy　Heeling　pleasures。　It　was　known；　like　George　V　Street　in　the　old　Malta　days；　as　The　Gut。　The　Gut　saw　every　possible　depravity。　It　was。　Bond　thought；　near　enough　like　some　parts　of　Pompeii　must　have　been　before　Vesuvius　slammed　its　lava　down　over　the　city。　The　traffic　moved　about　six　feet；　and　again　ground　to　a　halt；　while　shouts　from　drivers　and　police　filtered　back　through　the　closed；　steamy　windows　of　the　car。
　in　summer　the　earth…red　houses　and　terracotta　roofs　of　Naples　soaked　up　the　sun　and　filled　the　streets　with　dust；　in　winter　the　same　walls　seemed　to　blot　up　the　rain　so　that　the　buildings　took　on　an　even　more　crumbling　look；　as　though　they　might　turn　to　sludge　and　slide　into　the　sea。　Over　it　all。　threatening　Vesuvius　glowered。
　At　the　Ischia　and　Capri　ferry　points；　cars　and　ramshackle　wagons　stretched　back；　clogging　the　restricted　space。　A　large　black　limo　tried　to　jump　the　line；　and　Bond　watched；　amused；　as　a　police…officer　leaned　into　the　car　and　backhanded　the　uniformed　chauffeur。　In　London　the　cop　would　have　been　in　big　trouble。　Here；　the　driver　probably　knew　he　would　never　work　in　Naples　again　if　he　plained。
　After　the　frustration　of　the　slow　journey　from　the　airport；　the　waiting　cars　and　wagons　boarded　the　ferry　with　relative　speed；　though　with　much　shouting；　waving　of　arms　and　protestations　to　God　and　the　Blessed　Virgin。
　Bond　left　the　car　on　the　vehicle　deck；　and　climbed　through　the　crowd　of　passengers　to　seek　out　a　reasonably　sheltered　part　of　the　ferry。　Shouldering　his　way　to　the　little　bar　he　reluctantly　bought　a　plastic　beaker　of　what　was　supposed　to　be　coffee。　The　liquid　tasted　like　sweet；　coloured　water　but　at　leasl　it　moistened　his　throat。　Once　at　Ihc　Villa　Capricciani　he　would　be　able　to　pick　and　choose　for　himself。
　As　the　ferry　began　to　move　out　into　the　bay。　Bond　looked　back　across　the　black；　oily　water；　wondering　what　Naples　had　looked　like　in　its　days　of　glory。　Once　its　beauty　was　inspirational。　Parthenope　the　Siren　had　thrown　herself　into　the　sea　for　love　of　Ulysses　and　was　washed　up　on　the　golden　shore　that　became　the　Bay　of　Naples。　〃See　Naples　and　die〃。　Bond　smiled　to　himself。　The　old　Italian　saying　had　a　double　edge　at　one　lime：　see　Naples　and　die　for　its　beauty；　then　the　second　edge　when　the　seaport　had　bee　the　focal　point　of　typhoid　and　cholera。　Now？　Well；　there　had　been　slums　and　depravity　here　for　decades；　with　an　increase　since　the　end　of　World　War　Two。　He　decided　that　the　old　phrase　could　bee　triple…edged　now　that　AIDS　was　spreading　across　the　world　like　the　new　Black　Death。　But　ihe　same　was　true　of　most　ancient　ports。
　Perhaps　it　was　the　ihoughtof　age　and　decay；　of　lost　glory　and　of　the　current　world　tensions。　ih；ii　plunged　Bond　into　feelings　of　concern　and　anxiety　as　the　coastline　shrank　in　the　ferry's　wake。　Undercover　once　mure；　he　knew　the　risks　for　he　had　gambled　his　life　in　this　way　on　many　occasions　before。　He　was　aware　thai　the　day　could　easily　e　when　the　odds　would　be　stacked　too　heavily　against　him。　The　last　time　he　had　made　this　trip　had　been　on　a　glorious　summer　day。　when　he　was　looking　forward　to　rest　and　healing　relaxation。　This　time　…　see　Naples　and　。　。　。　what？　Die　or　live？　Win　or　lose？
　So　it　was　in　л　somewhat　sombre　mood　that；　an　hour　later；　he　looked　out　over　the　sea　on　the　port　beam　towards　the　brooding　Aragnnese　Castle；　shaped　like　a　small…scale　model　of　Gibraltar；　with　its　umbilical　road　reaching　towards　Ischia。　Within　ten　minutes　they　were　docking　at　Porta　d'lschia。　and　the　whole　shouting；　jostling　and　yelling　match　began　again。　The　ears　and　lorries　made　their　way　onto　the　very　restricted　area　around　the　berthing　point；　to　the　acpaniment　of　horn　blasts　and　more　shouting。　Planks　wer；e　laid　down　to　assist　some　of　the　heavier　vehicles　and　the　entire　operation　was　made　even　more　hazardous　by　！he　slick　of　rain　on　quayside　and　ramp；　while　the　throng　of　pedestrians　seemed　to　delight　in　walking　directly　in　front　of　the　slow…moving　vehicles。
　He　had　carefully　checked　the　car　before　getting　behind　the　wheel；　for　these　people　of　BAST　did　not　care　about　the　lives　of　innocent　victims。　Then；　after　what　seemed　aneterniiy；　he　finally　negotiated　Ihe　Fiat　off　the　ferry；　around　some　makeshift　Malls　still　selling　tourist　junk　on　the　off…chance　of　catching　some　gullible　holidaymaker　who　had　left　home　and　hearth　to　spend　the　festive　season　here　on　the　undeniably　beautiful　shambles　that　was　Ischia；　the　peaceful　island　that　had　known　the　crack　and　blast　of　history；　and　seen　much　violent　death　as　well　as　happiness　in　its　time。
　He　drove　wesi；　feeling　at　his　most　vulnerable。　I　le　had　carefully　sailed　the　ground　for　whoever　was　supplying　BAST　wiih　information；　declaring　to　a　lot　of　people；　in　and　out　of　the　ward…room　ai　Yeovilton　RNAS。　that　he　was　heading　for　the　Bay　of　Naples；　to　spend　a　quiet　Christmas　alone。
They　knew　that　BAST　was　filching　information　from　Yeovilton：　just　as　they　knew　that；　the　oily　Baradj　had　fingered　him；　putting　the　Cat　…　Saphii　Boudai　…　in　charge。　As　with　Baradj；　Hamarik。　and　Adwan；　there　were　no　photographic　　descriptions　available。　At　best　the　pictures　were　blurred；　photo　ts　provided　by　people　who　had　caught　fleeling　glimpses　of　the　quartet　which　formed　the　leadership　of　BAST。　All　Bond　knew　for　sure　that　the　Cat　was　a　woman；　variously　reported　to　　the　short；　tall；　fat　and　thin；　beautiful　and　repellent；　The　only　feature　was　that　she　had　very　dark　hair。

　He　was　traveling　in　a　rented　car；　which　was　bare　security　to　start　with；　and；　until　he　reached　the　Villa　Capricciani　he　was　unarmed。　It　was　only　alter　M　had　given　the　final　instructions　that　Bond　had　also　realised；　from　memory；　that　the　villa　itself　was　a　security　nightmare。　As　he　drove　the　narrow　dangerous　　security　to　roads　he　constantly　scanned　the　rear…view　mirror　searching　sight　of　vehicles　that　had　been　on　the　ferry　…　a　Volvo　there；　a　VW　there。　But　none　seemed　to　linger；　or　take　any　interes　in　him。
　
　On　the　road　between　Lacco　and　Forio；　respectively　on　the　north　west　and　west　of　the　island；　he　turned　off；　down　the　very　narrow；　metalled　road　which　led　to　the　villa。　Nothing　seemed　to　have　changed　on　the　island；　everything　was　hot　remembered　it；　from　the　destructive；　near　suicidal　driving　to　the　sudden　beautiful　views　that　came；　unexpectedly；　it　turn　in　the　road。　There　were　also　other　aspects：　handful　of　peeling　buildings；　the　open　front　of　a　cluttered　shop；　a　dowdy　petrol　station。　In　summer　these　last　would　seem　romantic。　In　winter　the　they　came　into　clear；　depressing　focus。　Now　he　locked　for　the　gates　set　into　the　high；　grey　stone　wall　to　the　right　hoping　that　nothing　at　the　villa　had　fundamentally　altered。　
　The　gates　were　open；　and　he　swung　the　Fiat　in　to　the　tight　turning　circle　inside；　cut　the　engine　and　got　out。　In　front　of　him　was　a　large　and　beautiful　lily　pond；　bordered　on　the　right　by　another　gate　which；　in　turn；　led　to　steps　overhun；　with　vines　and　greenery。　He　could　see　the　white　dome　of　the　　villa　above　and　was　half　way　up　the　steps　when　a　voice　called。
'Signer　Bond？'

He　shouted　back　an　affirmative；　and；　as　he　reached　the　top　a　young　girl　appeared。　She　was　dressed　in　a　tank　top　and　jeans　that　were　not　so　much　cut…offs　as　rip…offs。　Makin　her　look　as　though　a　pair　of　gorgeous　legs　had　been　grafted　onto　a　small　exquisite　body。　Her　face　could　only　be　described　as　cheeky　Dark　eyes　danced　above　a　snub　nose　and　wide　smiling　mouth；　the　whole　topped　by　a　bubbly　black；　tight…curled　foam　of　hair。
　She　had　e　out　of　the　big；　sliding　glass　doors　of　ihe　villa　and　now　stood；　smiling；　by　the　poo