johngardner.winloseordie-第13部分

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ir。
　She　had　e　out　of　the　big；　sliding　glass　doors　of　ihe　villa　and　now　stood；　smiling；　by　the　poolside。　In　the　palms　and　tropical　fronds　to　her　right　a　short；　white　statue　of　a　young　satyr　thumbed　its　mouth　and　produced　almost　a　mirror…image　of　the　girl；
　'Signor　Bond；'　she　said　again；　the　voice　jolly　and　bright；　'wele　to　Villa　Capricciani。　I　am　Beatrice。'　She　pronounced　it　with　almost　cassata…flavourcd　Italian　…　Beh…ah…Tree…che。　'1　am　here　to　greet　you。　Also　to　look　after　you。　I　am　the　maid。'
　Bond　thought　he　would　not　like　to　bet　on　it。　but　strode　onto　the　wide　terrace　which　was　covered　with　a　green　material　so　thai　in　hoi　weather　you　would　not　barbecue　the　bare　soles　of　your　feet　getting　to　the　pool　which　was　now　empty　and　covered。　The　villas　were　never　open　in　the　winter；　so　he　wondered　how　M　had　pulled　off　the　renting　of　this　one。　The　answer　probably　lay　in　a　close；　maybe　secret；　arrangement　with　the　owner。　M　had　highly　placed　friends　the　world　over；　and。　Bond　suspected；　was　able　to　apply　pressure　when　required　by　circumstances　such　as　these。
　As　though　reading　his　thoughts。　Beatrice　stretched　out　her　hand　and　took　his　in　an　unexpectedly　firm　grasp。　LThe　Signora　is　away。　She　go　to　Milano　for　the　Natale。　I　remain　here　and　guard　the　house　and　all　the　villas　entirely。'
　？And　I　wonder　if　you　guard　them　for　BAST；　also？'　Bond　thought。
　'e。　I　will　show　you。'　Beatrice　gave　his　hand　a　short　lug；　like　a　child　leading　him　into　the　villa；　then　stopped。　'Ah；　1　forget。　Already　you　know。　You　have　before　been　here；　yes？'
　He　smiled　and　nodded；　following　her　into　the　big　white　room　with　arched　ceiling　and　matching　sofas　and　chairs；　encased　in　crearn　covers。　There　were　three　glass…topped　tables；　four　lamps　with　surrounds　of　white　glass　shaped　like　opening　lilies；　and　four　paintings　…　one　in　the　style　of　Hockney。　an　unknown　man　leaning　against　the　chrome　surround　of　the　pool；　three　others　of　various　garden　views　which　needed　no　explaining　to　Bond。
In　spite　of　Beatrice's　realisation　of　the　fact　thai　he　already　knew　the　place；　she　continued　to　lead　him　around；　almost　at　breakneck　speed；　showing　off　the　three　large　bedrooms　…　'You　will　have　trouble　in　making　your　mind　which　to　use。　huh？　Or　possibly　you　use　them　one　at　a　time。　Different　each　night。　You　are　alone；　huh？　A　pity。　One　different　each　night　would　be　enjoyable。'　This　last　was　followed　by　grandsire　triples　of　laughter。
　The　villa　was　on　one　level；　just　the　main　room；　with　doors　off　to　（he　three　bedrooms；　and　a　narrow　passage　…　neatly　contrived　to　store　two　refrigerators；　food；　china；　pots；　pans　and　cutlery　…　leading　to　the　kitchen。　The　rear　of　the　main　room　was　arched　and；　in　turn；　led　to　the　dining　area：　the　whole　beautifully　furnished　with　a　clever　mix　of　old　and　new；　each　room　taking　on　a　style　of　its　own。　Behind　the　dining　area　you　passed　through　a　pair　of　french　windows　on　to　a　second　terrace；　on　the　left　of　which；　steps　led　up　to　a　flat　roof；　converted　into　an　open…sided　room　…　simply　a　wood　and　rush　roof；　topped　by　a　weathercock；　supported　by　heavy　wooden　beams　and　furnished　with　a　long　refectory　table；　making　an　excellent　dining　area　in　summer。　The　view　looked　out　towards　the　little　white　and　grey　town　of　Forio。　with　its　ancient　refurbished　church　of　Our　Lady　of　Succour；　brilliant　white；　built　with　simple　architectural　lines；　perched　on　the　older　grey　stone　projecting　from　the　headland　of　Soccorso。
　The　rain　had　cleared；　and　there　was　a　little　winter　sun　which　seemed　to　hit　the　church；　tiny　in　the　distance；　then　bounce　off　to　sprinkle　and　glitter　on　the　water。　Bond　looked　back　at　the　town；　with　its　hills　rising　above；　then　returned　his　gaze　to　the　promontory　and　the　church。
　'Is　beautiful；　eh？'　Beatrice　stood　by　his　side。　'This　is　for　the　help　of　fishermen；　for　all　who　sail。　Our　Lady　of　Soccorso　takes　care　of　them。'
　'We　have　a　hymn；〃　Bond　unexpectedly　heard　himself　say。　'It　is　a　prayer。　〃Oh　hear　us　when　we　cry　to　Thee；　for　those　in　peril　on　the　sea。〃
〃Is　good。〃
　She　was　standing　close　to　him。　and　even　in　the　chill　of　this　winter　day　he　could　smell　the　sunshine　on　her。　A　sweetness　that　seemed　to　have　been　trapped　in　the　strong　hot　weeks　of　summer；　mingled　with　a　scent　he　could　not　identify。
　He　turned　and　walked　back；　pausing　by　the　steps　to　look　at　this　incredible　wonder　which　lay　behind　the　villa。
At　one　time；　the　local　people　had　thought　the　Signora　…　who；　as　Beatrice　had　said；　was　now　in　Milan　…　was　mad。　Widow　of　a　great　artist　she　had　bought　this　land：　barren　rock。　She　had　arranged　for　some　of　it　to　be　blasted　away；　shaping　it　into　a　kind　of　amphitheatre。　Hard　against　the　side　of　the　rock　she　had　then　built　a　large　villa　which　looked　like　a　grey　buttressed　fortress。　The　four　small　villas　which　she　rented　out　in　the　summer　were　converted　from　old　structures；　once　shepherds'　huts　and　barns。　But　her　greatest　achievement　had　been　the　garden　which　was　reflected　in　some　of　（he　pictures　back　in　the　Villa　Capricci…
an。
　She　had　gathered　together　men　who　loved　growing　things；　as　she　did。　and；　with　immense　toil　and　frustralion　had　built　this　incredible；　beautiful　place　full　of　cyprus；　palm；　mountain　flowers；　（lowering　shrubs　and　bushes；　shaded　walks；　ponds　and　fountains；　water　tricks　which　would　hurl　liquid　into　great　archways　over　paths；　or　imitate　a　mountain　stream　pouring　endlessly　from　bare　rock　into　a　blue　pool　from　whence　it　was　recycled　to　create　the　illusion　of　constant　moving　water。　The　ponds　were　peopled　by　small　turtles　and　goldfish；　and　even　in　winter　there　was　colour　from　hardy　plants。　All　year　round　there　was　some　form　of　natural　colour；　and　the　beauly　of　ihis　place　stayed　in　Bond's　memory。　Once　seen；　the　garden　lived　with　you；　as　though　it　had　been　implanted　in　your　mind　through　some　magic　of　its　own　creation；
　He　looked　up　along　the　stone　…encrusted　ridge　at　the　far　end　of　the　great　scooped　rock；　and　allowed　his　eyes　to　trace　their　way　along　the　zig…zag　of　paths　and　walks；　the　trees　and　bushes　bent；　growing　at　angles　determined　by　the　harsh　winds　of　winter。　Indeed；　this　was　a　work　of　great　love　and　dedication。　The　local　people　had　long　since　e　to　understand　that　the　Signora　should　be　treated　with　awe　and　reverence。
　'Is　a　great　genius；　the　Signora；'　Beatrice　said；　as　though　speaking　of　a　saint。
'An　amazing　lady。'　Bond　smiled　at　her。　standing　to　one　side　to　allow　the　girl　to　descend　first；　as　he　looked　down　at　the　rear　terrace。　Since　the　moment　they　had　met　by　the　pool　he　had　been　careful　to　keep　Beatrice　in　view。　Even　when　she　had　e　close　to　him　on　the　open；　covered　roof…lop；　he　had　made　sure　his　body　had　always　been　turned　towards　her　with　one　hand　braced；　stiff　and　tense；　to　be　used　as　a　cutting　edge　should　she　make　a　wrong　move。　For　alt　he　knew；　the　effervescent　Beatrice　could　well　be　the　Cat；　Saphii　Boudai；　or　at　least　one　of　her　messengers。
　Once　back　in　the　house；　she　said　she　would　light　the　stove。　？It　will　bee　cold　tonight；　and　I　do　not　wish　an　invalid　on　my　hands。'　She　gave　him　a　sideways　glance　as　though　to　imply　that　she　would　not　mind　him　on　her　hands　it〃　he　were　fit　and　willing。
　Bond　merely　smiled　and　said　he　would　go　down　to　the　car　and　get　his　luggage。　'Have　you　（he　keys？'　he　asked。　'I　should　lock　the　gates。'
　'Of　course。　They　are　in　the　kitchen。　In　their　usual　place。'　A　pause　of　four　or　five　heartbeats；　then；　'Everything　is　in　the　kitchen　as　you　expect。'　Another　pause；　slightly　shorter。　'Everything；　Signor　Bond；〃
　'Call　me　James；'　he　Ihrew　back　over　his　shoulder。　If　she　was　on　（he　side　of　the　devils　and　not　the　angels；　it　would　be　best　to　meet　her　on　Christian　name　terms。　They　said　that　knowing　the　name　of　devil　or　angel　always　put　you　at　the　advantage。
　The　bunch　of　seven　or　eight　keys　lay　on　the　free…standing　kitchen　unit。　They　were　attached　to　a　penlight　key…ring　and　looked　as　though　（hey　had　just　been　tossed　onto　the　work…top；　even　though　the　smallest　key　stuck　out　separately　and　was　aligned　with　the　edge　of　the　unit。　He　picked　the　whole　lot　up　by　the　small　key。　inserting　it　into　the　lock　on　the　drawer　just　below　the　point　where　the　bunch　had　been　lying。　It　turned　easily。
　Inside　the　drawer　lay　one　9mm　Browning　automatic　and　three　spare　ammunition　clips。　The　action　moved　slickly；　well　oiled；　and　showed　there　was　a　round　in　the　chamber。　Later　he　would　strip　the　weapon　down　and　go　through　it　piece　by　piece。　'There'll　be　a　pistol　in　the　locked　kitchen　drawer；'　M　had　said。　Had　Beatrice　put　it　there？　Or　had　she　merely　been　inquisitive　and　found　the　secrel？
　Bond　hefted　the　pistol　in　his　hand。　The　weight　seemed　right　for　a　fully　loaded　weapon。　The　spare　magazines　also　appeared　to　be　correct；　but　he　knew　weapons　and　ammunition　could　easily　be　doctored　to　feel　right。　If　that　happened；　then　the　last　thing　you　ever　knew　was　that　someone　had　been　clever；　spiked　the　firing…pin；　mechanism；　or　even　the　rounds。
For　the　time　being　he　simply　had　to　trust；　slipping　the　spare　magazines　into　the　pockets　of　his　windcheater；　pulling　the　Browning's　safety　to　'on'；　ami　pushing　it　into　his　waistband；　far　to　the　left　so　that　it　was　hidden；　then　pulling　the　butt　down　so　that　the　muzzle　was　screwed　lo　the　left。　This　was　always　advisable。　Movie　cops　and　agents　so　often　jammed　a　pistol　straight　into　the　waistband；　risking　a　shot　foot；　o