johngardner.winloseordie-第47部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ap　over　one　shoulder；　and　his　camera　over　the　other。　He　was　ready。　The　maid　could　keep　the　pyjamas；　and　there　was　nothing　to　incriminate　him。　Another　pigskin　shaving…bag　would　cost　him　a　great　deal　less　than　the　hotel　bill；　so　why　pay　the　hotel　bill？
　It　was　hard　to　believe　this　was　February。　The　sun　shone　and　the　sky　was　blue。　A　faint　brce/。e　stirred　the　flowers。　But　all　was　well　with　the　world；　and　he　had　spotted　no　familiar　figures　in　the　hotel　foyer。　It　must　have　been　his　imagination。　So。　he　could　walk。　Walking　was　good。　and。　in　the　end。　faster　than　facing　the　crammed　Gibraltar　traffic。
　He　started　away　from　the　hotel；　with　the　sheer　rock　face　on　his　right。　Bassam　Baradj　was　less　than　three　minutes　into　his　stride　when　the　hair　at　the　nape　of　his　neck　began　to　prickle。　There　were　steady　footsteps　behind　him。　Not　just　the　footsteps　of　idle　tourists；　but　official　footsteps。
　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　them：　a　man　and　a　woman　in　jeans　about　ten　paces　from　him。　The　man　wore　a　leather　bomber…jacket；　the　woman　had　a　short　canvas　jacket。　Then　he　made　eye　contact　with　the　man。　it　was　a　face　he　knew。　A　face　from　the　files。　He　had　ordered　this　man　dead　on　at　least　three　occasions。　The　man　was　James　Bond。
Bond　saw　that　Baradj　had　made　him　so　he　acted　quickly；　his　hand　going　for　the　Browning　behind　his　right　hip；　covered　by　the　bomber…jacket；　his　legs　moving　apart　to　take　up　the　shooting　stance。　But　he　was　not　quick　enough。　By　the　time　the　pistol　was　out；　Baradj　had　leaped　up　the　low　rock　face　and　clambered　out　of　sight。
　If　I　am　to　lake　this　man。　Baradj　thought；　then　I　shall　do　it　on　my　own　terms。
　Back　on　the　narrow　road；　Beatrice　also　had　a　pistol　out　and　was　speaking　rapidly　into　a　walkie…talkie；　calling　up　the　police　and　SAS　reserves。　Bond　had　insisted　on　going　in　alone。　'I　want　to　bring　this　guy　back　alive；'　he　had　said。
　'Careful；　James！'　Beatrice　called　as　he　jumped　from　the　road　into　the　rocks。　Boulders　like　sculpture；　huge　and　rough；　were　strewn　everywhere　up　the　slope；　bui　he　could　see　no　sign　of　Baradj。
　Beatrice　joined　him　and　they　fanned　out；　watching　each　other's　backs。　In　this　terrain　it　would　be　relatively　simple　for　Baradj　to　outflank　them　and　take　a　shot　from　behind。　But；　when　the　shot　came；　it　was　from　high　up。　and　nothing　thumped　or　ricocheted　near　either　Bond　or　Beatrice。
　Still　spread　out；　they　moved　forward　until　they　came　to　a　wide…arched　opening；　like　a　man…made　cave　in　the　face　of　the　rock。　It　had　been　barred　by　a　large　iron　gate；　fastened　with　a　padlock。　The　padlock　had　been　shot　away；　and　one　of　the　gates　was　half　open。
　'The　tunnels！1　Beatrice　whispered；　and　Bond　nodded；　'Yes；　the　tunnels；　and　we　have　no　idea　how　well　he　knows　them。'
〃What　about　you？'
　Bond　shook　his　head；　whispering；　Tve　only　ever　been　in　the　galleries　open　to　the　public。　But。　where　he　goes　we'll　have　to　follow。'
　The　phrase　'As　Solid　as　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar'　is　a　misnomer；　for　the　great　Rock　is；　in　reality；　like　a　huge；　giant　ants'　nest　of　tunnels。　All　of　them　were　military　in　nature；　and　the　public　were　allowed　to　see　the　first　Irue　feats　of　engineering　…　the　Upper　and　Middle　Galleries；　built　under　the　instruction　of　Sergeant　Major　Ince　of　the　Sappers　in　the　178（》s。　These　faced　Spain；　were　installed　with　cannon；　and　were　largely　responsible　for　holding　the　Rock　during　the　Great　Siege。　Bul　thai　was　far　from　the　end　of　the　story。　Later　tunnelling　played　a　key　role　during　World　War　Two。　and　sections　of　the　tunnels　were　still　very　much　in　use　now。　Unless　you　knew　the　way；　you　could　get　lost　very　easily　inside　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar。
　Bond　and　Beatrice　edged　their　way　in。　trying　not　to　allow　their　bodies　to　be　highlighted　against　the　exterior。
　Inside；　the　lights；　drilled　into　the　ceiling；　were　on；　and　they　found　themselves　in　a　high；　curved　vault；　big　enough　to　take　a　Ihree…lane　highway。
　They　spread　out。　one　taking　each　side　of　the　rough…chiselled　wall；　their　eyes　straining　ahead　for　any　sign　of　movement。　There　was　none；　and　＇he　lights　seemed　lo　go　on　lor　ever。
　They　stopped　beside　two　curved　nissen　huts；　built　into　a　cavern　carved　from　the　rock…face。　Bul　they　were　locked　and　empty；　so　they　continued；　moving　slowly；　very　aware　of　the　fact　that；　should　Baradj　find　a　hiding…place　…　some　dug…out　in　the　rock　…　he　could　pick　them　off　as　easy　as　shooting　fish　in　a　barrel。
　The　lunnel　branched　off；　and　within　a　hundred　yards　Bond　and　Beatrice　found　themselves　in　the　remains　of　what　had　once　been　a　field　hospital。　Parts　of　tiled　operating　theatres　remained；　the　sluices　and　lavatories　were　intact。　Bul　ihe　hospilal　led　nowhere　and。　in　minutes；　they　were　back　in　the　wide　main　route。
　Bond　remembered　now。　that　these　tunnels　were　once　full　of　men。　tanks；　lorries；　field　guns；　and　jeeps。　Indeed；　they　had　been　used　as　one　of　the　main　staging　posts　for　Operation　Torch。　the　allied　invasion　of　French　North　Africa　in　1942。　the　force　manded　by　Eisenhower。　way　back　when　he　was　still　only　a　Lieutenant…Genera＇。　There　were　many　ghosts　in　this　dank　and　cold　place；　and　Bond　could　feel　them　all　closing　in　on　him　now　as　water　dripped　from　the　roof　of　this　incredible　stone　highway。
　'Over　here。〃　Beairice　whispered；　and　he　saw　that　there　was　another　lunnel　leading　off；　only　large　enough　to　drive　a　jeep　into；　and　possibly　reverse　out　again。　They　stopped；　listened　and　wem　down　the　branch　lunnel。　The　far　end　was　blanked　off　by　a　high　metal　wall；　into　which　a　door　had　been　set。　Bond　tried　the　door　and　it　swung　open　easily。　Beatrice　covered　him　while　he　leaped　inside　and　was　mel　by　such　an　incredible　sight　that　he　almost　forgot　to　follow　the　routine。　He　heard　Beatrice　gasp　as　she　passed　through　the　door；　then　the　shot；　echoing　through　this　incredible　place；　and　the　bullet　shattering　only　inches　from　Beatrice。　They　both　dived　for　cover；　and　there　was　plenty　of　that。
They　appeared　to　be　in　natural　light；　on　what　could　have　been　a　large　film　set；　only　the　place　as　it　appeared　was　so　real　it　would　be　easy　lo　imagine　you　were　dreaming。　There　were　streets；　houses；　shops；　even　a　church　in　the　distance。
　It　took　Bond　a　few　moments　to　realise　what　it　was。　for　he　had　heard　of　this　place；　though　never　seen　it　before。　Graffiti　was　daubed　on　walls。　Jibes　at　the　police　and　military。
　It　was　all　so　real　that　it　took　time　for　the　truth　to　sink　in。　This　was　a　training　ground　for　troops　resting　in　Gibraltar。　A　place　where　they　could　practise　street　righting；　the　kind　of　work　lhat　was　so　often　required　in　times　of　civil　unrest。　He　had　heard　a　rumour　that　some　members　of　the　quick…response　teams；　police　and　army；　were　sometimes　flown　here　for　training。
　They　were　lying　on　a　pavement；　sheltering　behind　a　wall　which　was　part　of　The　King's　Head；　a　pub　that　looked　so　real　you　could　almost　smell　the　beer。
　Bond　tried　to　assess　where　the　shot　had　e　from。　'You　work　left。'　he　whispered。　Til　cross　the　street　and　go　right。　Yell　if　you　see　him；　or　if　he　fires　at　you。　Give　it　ten　minutes。'　He　held　up　his　watch。　'Then　we　meet　back　here。'
　She　nodded；　and　crouching　low；　scuttled　along　the　wall；　while　Bond　readied　himself　and　made　a　crouching　run　for　it；　across　the　street　to　the　far　side；　along　the　blank　wall　of　Jack　Berry；　Family　Butcher。　The　shop　front；　in　the　main　street；　was　decorated　with　meat；　carcasses　hanging　inside。　He　was　almost　at　the　angle　of　the　wall　on　the　tar　side；　when　two　bullets　came　down；　flinging　shards　off　the　pavement。　He　thought　he　saw　the　muzzle　flash；　from　a　doorway；　three　houses　up　the　cramped；　terraced　street；　and。　still　running；　he　fired；　two　lots　of　two　shots；　from　the　hip。　Bond　was　sure　he　had　seen　a　figure　duck　back　into　the　doorway。
　He　was　panting；　his　back　fiat　against　the　wall；　working　out　the　next　move。　If　he　went　behind　the　butcher's　shop　he　should　be　able　to　make　his　way　down　the　back　of　the　parallel　street。　and　head　for　the　rear　door　opposite　the　house　from　which　he　thought　Baradj　had　last　fired。
Keeping　his　back　against　the　wall；　he　edged　himself　behind　the　shop；　and　along　the　rear　of　the　terraced　houses。　One。　Two。　He　tried　the　handle　on　the　mean　little　door　of　the　third　house。　It　moved　and　he　stepped　into　a　long　dark　passage。　There　were　stairs　going　up　to　the　right。　He　leaned　his　right　shoulder　against　the　stairs；　listening；　wondering　if　he　should　try　the　front　door　ahead　of　him；　then　decided　to　move　left；　into　what　would　be　the　little　front　room。　He　heard　nothing　before　the　door　crashed　open；　and　two　shots　ripped　against　the　stairs；　one　of　them　clipping　his　Browning；　sending　pain　dancing　up　his　arm　and　the　pistol　flying。
　He　waited　for　death　to　e　quickly；　looking　up　at　the　figure　of　Bassarn　Baradj；　silhouetted　in　the　doorway。
　？Captain　Bond；'　Baradj　said。　'I　am　sorry　about　this；　but　in　other　ways　pleased　that　the　honour　of　being　your　executioner　falls　to　me。　Goodbye。　Captain　Bond。'　The　pistol　came　up　in　the　two…handed　grip；　and　Bond　winced　at　the　shot；　but　felt　nothing。　Tense；　unable　to　move；　he　stared　at　Baradj　who　still　appeared　to　be　looking　at　him。　his　arms　outstretched；　the　gun　aimed。
　Then；　as　in　a　dream　sequence；　Bassam　Baradj　buckled　at　the　knees　and　toppled　forward　into　the　narrow　passage。
　Bond　lei　out　a　deep；　long　breath　and　heard　Beatrice's　sneakers　ihudding　across　the　road。　She　stopped　in　the　door