johngardner.winloseordie-第14部分

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。　Movie　cops　and　agents　so　often　jammed　a　pistol　straight　into　the　waistband；　risking　a　shot　foot；　or　worse　…　'testicide'　as　one　leathery　weapons　instructor　had　called　it。
　He　locked　the　drawer　again　and　went　out　of　the　kitchen　door；　which　contained　a　glass　panel。　On　his　way　down；　he　went　through　the　whole　catastrophe　of　the　Villa　Capricciani's　security。　The　main　gates；　and　the　gate　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　could　be　taken　out　quickly　enough；　either　by　sealing；　or　the　use　of　a　lock…gun。　The　pair　of　sliding　doors　which　led　from　the　villa　to　the　front　terrace　would　be　a　noisy　job；　but　could　be　acplished　quickly。　The　kitchen　door　was　simplicity；　particularly　with　the　one　pane　of　glass；　while　the　rear　french　windows　offered　easy　access　using　a　jemmy。　Ninety　seconds　at　the　most　for　any　of　them；　he　reckoned　as　he　secured　the　bolts　on　the　main　gate；　and　look　his　heavy　case　from　the　car。
　He　locked　the　second　gate　behind　him　and　went　up　the　stairs　and　in　through　the　main　sliding　doors。　Beatrice　was　standing　by　the　telephone；　checking　the　meter　which　would　monitor　all　outgoing　calls。　She　looked　up　and　gave　him　her　cheeky　smile；　reading　off　the　numbers　and　asking　him　to　agree　them。
　'Now；　I　show　you　what　food　is　here。'　Another　smile　as　she　led　him　towards　the　kitchen。　'You　found　all　you　needed？'　Over　her　shoulder　with　eye…contact　and　the　same　smile。
Bond　nodded。　She　loves　me？　She　loves　me　not？
　She　opened　the　refrigerator　with　a　flourish；　and　began　to　reel　off　all　the　provisions　she　had　bought。　Chicken；　veal；　eggs；　butter；　cheese；　milk；　three　bottles　of　wine；　bacon；　sausage；　pate；　pasta。　In　the　other　small　fridge　set　into　the　opposite　units　of　cupboards　and　drawers　there　were　vegetables。
'Is　enough　until　tomorrow？'
'Only　if　I've　got　an　army　staying　overnight。'
　'Tomorrow　is　last　proper　shopping　before　Nutate。'　Tomorrow　was　Saturday　and　Christmas　Eve。
　'Yes。'　Bond　mused。　〃Christmas　is　a'ing　and　the　goose　is　getting　fat　。　。　。'
'You　wish　for　goose？'
　He　shook　his　head。　'Old　English　children's　rhyme。　No；　Beatrice；　I　don't　know　how　I'll　celebrate　Christmas…　Nalale。'
'In　England　you　have　snow；　yes？'
　'Usually　only　on　the　Christmas　cards。　We　gather　the　whole　family　together；　give　each　other　unsuitable　gifts；　and　eat　ourselves　stupid。　Turkey；　as　a　rule。　I　do　not　like　turkey。'　He　looked　at　her　hard　and　asked　how　she　would　be　spending　Christmas。
　'At　the　big　villa。　On　my　own。　1　told　you。　I　am　in　charge。　Umberto　and　Franco；　two　of　the　gardeners；　will　e　in　to　see　all　is　well；　and　maybe　one　of　the　young　girls　we　have　to　help　when　the　villas　are　all　occupied；　or　the　Signora　is　at　home；　will　call　to　see　me。'
　'Well；　I'll　probably　drive　into　Forio　and　buy　some　kind　of　special　feast　we　can　share。　How　about　that？'　If　she　were　a　devil；　then　at　least　he　would　know　where　she　was；　if　an　angel；　it　would　not　matter。
'This　is　good；　Signor　Bond　…　James。　This　I　would　like。'
　'Okay。'　He　found　the　dark　eyes　disconcerting；　For　they　locked　onto　his　like　radar。
　'Now　I　must　go　back　to　the　house。　The　big　villa。　La　Signora；　she　telephones　me　each　day。　In　。。。〃　her　slim　wrist　came　up　showing　her　watch。　'In　about　fifteen　minutes。　1　must　he　there　always　for　her。　Otherwise　is　lot　of　shouting　over　the　telephone。　Is　not　good。'
　Bond　saw　she　was　wearing　a　very　functional　wrist…watch。　Black　metal；　with　all　the　bells　and　whistles　Middle　Eastern　airline　pilots　liked　on　their　chronometers。
　Beatrice　paused　by　the　doors　leading　to　the　rear　terrace；　'book。　James。　1　make　good　cannelloni。　How　if　I　e　down　tonight　and　cook　for　you？'
　The　temptation　weni　in　and　out　of　Bond's　mind　in　the　lime　it　takes　for　an　expert　to　slit　a　throat。　He　smiled　and　shook　his　head；　'Very　kind　of　you；　Beatrice。　Perhaps　tomorrow。　I'm　tired　and　want　to　make　it　an　early　night。　Need　the　rest。　You　know；　light　meal　and　bed　with　a　good　book。'
　'You're　missing　one　of　the　great　delights　of　Ischia；'　she　said；　the　cheekiness　in　both　face　and　voice。
　'I'll　make　up　for　it。'　But；　by　the　time　he　said　it；　she　had　disappeared。　All　that　remained　was　the　soft　patter　of　her　shoes　on　the　path　leading　back　to　the　main　villa。
　He　chose　Ihe　bedroom　at　the　back　of　the　house：　the　one　furthest　away　from　any　of　ihe　doors　and　windows。　It　was　large　with　a　big；　old…fashioned　wooden　bed。　built…in　closets　filled　with　doors　and　interiors　that　had　once　belonged　to　a　pair　of　beautiful　old　wardrobes。　There　was　a　plicated　icon　facing　the　bed　…elongated　figures；　a　fussy　bination　of　faiih　and　philosophy　that　showed　the　Trinity　surrounded　by　saints　and　angels。　It　looked　like　a　genuine　product　of　the　Stroganov　school；　but　who　would　know？　A　doctor　friend　of　Bond's　could　have　knocked　a　similar　piece　off　in　a　matter　of　weeks；　then　aged　it　over　twelve　months　and　nobody　but　an　advanced　expert　would　have　known。
　He　hung　up　the　one　suii　and　two　spare　pairs　of　slacks；　carefully　put　the　shirts；　socks　and　other　items　in　the　drawers　which　formed　one　side　of　each　cupboard　and　laid　out　the　short　towelling　robe　he　had　brought　with　him。　Lastly　he　casually　threw　a　heavy　roll…neck　sweater　onto　the　bed；　placed　a　little　leather…cased　toolkit　on　the　night　table；　then　went　into　the　main　room　to　the　telephone。
　The　number　in　Ejigland　picked　up　on　the　third　ring。　'Predator。'　said　Bond。
　？Hellkin；'　the　voice　was　clear　from　the　distant　line。　'Repeat。　Hellkin。…
　'Acknowledge。'　Bond　put　down　the　receiver。　'We　will　give　what　cover　we　can。'　M　had　said。　〃There　will　be　a　daily　password　so　that　everyone　knows　what's　what。'　The　instructions　were　that　Bond　should　telephone　on　arrival。　After　that　he　would　call　at　a　similar　time　every　twenty…four　hours。　The　word　of　the　day　would　be　given；　and　that　would　last　until　the　next　contact。　'Don't　want　our　own　people　getting　shot　up；'　M　had　said　as　though　he　did　not　give　a　damn　who　got　shot　up。
　In　the　kitchen。　Bond　prepared　a　light　meal：　a　four…egg　omelette　with　a　tomato　salad。　He　ate　alone；　there　in　the　kitchen　and　confined　his　drinking　to　three　glasses　of　the　red　wine　Beatrice　had　provided。　The　label　said　it　was　a　Vino　Gran　Caruso　and　he　did　not　doubt　it　for　a　minute。　He　even　toyed　with　the　idea　of　taking　a　fourth　glass；　but　in　view　of　his　situation　he　left　it　at　three。
After　the　meal；　he　went　around　the　entire　villa　to　make　certain　every　lock　was　applied；　every　bolt　closed；　and　all　curtains　drawn。　Then　he　sat　in　the　main　room；　with　the　toolkit　beside　him；　and　stripped　the　automatic；　examining　each　part　before　reassembling　it。　Then；　carefully　using　two　pairs　of　pliers；　he　removed　（he　bullets　from　four　rounds　of　ammunition；　each　taken　at　random　from　the　four　magazines。　Once　he　checked　thai　Ihey　were　the　real　thing　Bond　disposed　of　the　mutilated　shells；　rilled　one　magazine　and　slammed　it　into　the　Browning's　butt；　cocking　the　mechanism　before　readjusting　the　other　clips　…　one　full；　the　other　two　with　a　couple　of　rounds　short。
　It　was　almost　ten　o'clock　by　the　time　he　was　ready　for　the　next　move。　In　the　bathroom　he　showered；　then　changed　into　the　thick　roll…neck；　heavy　cord　slacks；　and　a　pair　of　soft　black　moccasins。　He　strapped　on　a　leather　shoulder…holster　from　the　bottom　of　his　case；　then　shrugged　on　his　windcheater　before　sliding　the　Browning　in　place；　and　distributing　the　spare　magazines　around　his　pockets。　It　was　not；　he　considered；　going　to　be　the　most　fortable　Christmas　week　he　had　ever　spent。
　Finally；　Bond　moved　from　room　to　room；　starting　in　the　kitchen；　altering　the　furniture；　placing　it　against　doors　and　near　window…entry　points　before　strewing　bottles　and　cans　from　the　kitchen　like　mines　across　the　floor。　He　worked　back　towards　his　bedroom　so　that　anyone　who　managed　to　gain　entrance　would　have　to　use　a　torch　or　cause　a　great　deal　of　noise。　Even　with　a　torch；　a　trained　man　would　have　problems　in　not　bumping　against；　or　falling　over；　one　of　the　obstacles。　He　stretched　strings　between　chairs；　tying　them　to　pots　and　pans。　He　even　fitted　simple　booby…traps　of　pans；　plastic　buckets　and　cooking　utensils　near　doors　or　the　smaller　windows。
　He　then　arranged　the　pillows　in　the　bed；　so　that　the　impression　to　any　inlruder　would　be　that　he　was　quietly　sleeping。　It　was　a　very　old　dodge；　but　one　that　worked　efficiently　on　an　assassin　doing　a　quick　in…and…out　job。　Lastly；　Bond　pulled　a　sleeping…bag　from　the　bottom　of　his　case　and；　still　moving　furniture　and　scattering　traps；　he　put　out　the　lights；　carefully　heading　towards　the　french　windows　which　led　from　the　dining…room　to　the　rear　terrace。
The　sky　was　clear　outside；　and　the　moon　not　fully　up　as　yet。　Silently　he　closed　and　locked　the　windows；　making　his　way　slowty　and　without　a　sound；　to　the　covered　roof…top。　The　nighl　air　stung　his　Face　with　cold；　but；　once　zipped　snug　inside　the　sleeping…bag；　set　close　to　the　wall　near　ihe　steps；　James　Bond
closed　his　eyes　and　drifted　into　a　light　sleep。
　Sleep；　for　Bond；　was　always　shallow：　it　came　with　the　job。　When　he　woke　it　was　suddenly；　his　eyes　snapping　open；　all　senses　alert；　ears　straining　for　sounds。　Certainly　there　was　a　soft　noise；　a　scraping　ing　from　below；　near　the　frcnch　windows。
　He　quietly　unzipped　himself　from　the　sleeping…bag；　rolled　away　and　stood　up。　Browning　out　and　ready　with　the　safety　off　…　all　in　a　matter　of　thirty　or　forty　seconds。　Crouching；　he　peered　over　the　parapet　at　the　top　of