if.moonraker-第11部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


d。　He　gave　it　a　last　glance　to　fix　it　all　in　his　mind　and　then　he　turned　back　to　his　table。
　He　picked　up　his　cards　and　his　eyes　glittered。　For　once；　on　Drax's　deal；　he　had　a　cast…iron　game　hand；　seven　spades　with　the　four　top　honours；　the　ace　of　hearts；　and　the　ace；　king　of　diamonds。　He　looked　at　Drax。　Had　he　and　Meyer　got　the　clubs？　Even　so　Bond　could　overbid。　Would　Drax　try　and　force　him　too　high　and　risk　a　double？　Bond　waited。
　〃No　bid；〃　said　Drax；　unable　to　keep　the　bitterness　of　his　private　knowledge　of　Bond's　hand　out　of　his　voice。
　〃Four　spades；〃　said　Bond。
　No　bid　from　Meyer；　from　M。；　reluctantly　from　Drax。
　M。　provided　some　help；　and　they　made　five。
　One　hundred　and　fifty　points　below　the　line。　A　hundred　above　for　honours。
　〃Humph；〃　said　a　voice　at　Bond's　elbow。　He　looked　up。　It　was　Basildon。　His　game　had　finished　and　he　had　strolled　over　to　see　what　was　happening　on　this　separate　battlefield。
　He　picked　up　Bond's　score…sheet　and　looked　at　it。
　〃That　was　a　bit　of　a　beetle…crusher；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃Seems　you're　holding　the　champions。　What　are　the　stakes？〃
　Bond　left　the　answer　to　Drax。　He　was　glad　of　the　diversion。　It　could　not　have　been　better　timed。　Drax　had　cut　the　blue　cards　to　him。　He　married　the　two　halves　and　put　the　pack　just　in　front　of　him；　near　the　edge　of　the　table。
　〃Fifteen　and　fifteen。　On　my　left；〃　said　Drax。
　Bond　heard　Basildon　draw　in　his　breath。
　〃Chap　seemed　to　want　to　gamble；　so　I　acmodated　him。　Now　he　goes　and　gets　all　the　cards。。。〃
　Drax　grumbled　on。
　Across　the　table；　M。　saw　a　white　handkerchief　materialize　in　Bond's　right　hand。　M。's　eyes　narrowed。　Bond　seemed　to　wipe　his　face　with　it。　M。　saw　him　glance　sharply　at　Drax　and　Meyer；　then　the　handkerchief　was　back　in　his　pocket。
　A　blue　pack　was　in　Bond's　hands　and　he　had　started　to　'　deal。
　〃That's　the　hell　of　a　stake；〃　said　Basildon。　〃We　once　had　a　thousand…pound　side…bet　on　a　game　of　bridge。　But　that　was　in　the　rubber　boom　before　the　'fourteen…eighteen　war。　Hope　nobody's　going　to　get　hurt。〃　He　meant　it。　Very　high　stakes　in　a　private　game　generally　led　to　trouble。　He　walked　round　and　stood　between　M。　and　Drax。
　Bond　pleted　the　deal。　With　a　touch　of　anxiety　he　picked　up　his　cards。
　He　had　nothing　but　five　clubs　to　the　ace；　queen；　ten；　and　eight　small　diamonds　to　the　queen。
　It　was　all　right。　The　trap　was　set。
　He　almost　felt　Drax　stiffen　as　the　big　man　thumbed　through　his　cards；　and　then；　unbelieving；　thumbed　them　through　again。　Bond　knew　that　Drax　had　an　incredibly　good　hand。　Ten　certain　tricks；　the　ace；　king　of　diamonds；　the　four　top　honours　in　spades；　the　four　top　honours　in　hearts；　and　the　king；　knave；　nine　of　clubs。
　Bond　had　dealt　them　to　him…in　the　Secretary's　room　before　dinner。
　Bond　waited；　wondering　how　Drax　would　react　to　the　huge　hand。　He　took　an　almost　cruel　interest　in　watching　the　greedy　fish　e　to　the　lure。
　Drax　exceeded　his　expectations。
　Casually　he　folded　his　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　table。　Nonchalantly　he　took　the　flat　carton　out　of　his　pocket；　selected　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。　He　didn't　look　at　Bond。　He　glanced　up　at　Basildon。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　continuing　the　conversation　about　their　stakes。　〃It's　a　high　game；　but　not　the　highest　I've　ever　played。　Once　played　for　two　thousand　a　rubber　in　Cairo。　At　the　Mahomet　Ali　as　a　matter　of　fact。　They've　really　got　guts　there。　Often　bet　on　every　trick　as　well　as　on　the　game　and　rubber。　〃Now；〃　he　picked　up　his　hand　and　looked　slyly　at　Bond。　〃I've　got　some　good　tickets　here。　I'll　admit　it。　But　then　you　may　have　too；　for　all　I　know。〃　（Unlikely；　you　old　shark；　thought　Bond；　with　three　of　the　ace…kings　in　your　own　'　hand。）　〃Care　to　have　something　extra　just　on　this　hand？〃
　Bond　made　a　show　of　studying　his　cards　with　the　minuteness　of　someone　who　is　nearly　very　drunk。　〃I've　got　a　promising　lot　too；〃　he　said　thickly。　〃If　my　partner　fits　and　the　cards　lie　right　I　might　make　a　lot　of　tricks　myself。　What　are　you　suggesting？〃
　〃Sounds　as　if　we're　pretty　evenly　matched；〃　lied　Drax。　〃What　do　you　say　to　a　hundred　a　trick　on　the　side？　From　what　you　say　it　shouldn't　be　too　painful。〃
　Bond　looked　thoughtful　and　rather　fuddled。　He　took　another　careful　look　at　his　hand；　running　through　the　cards　one　by　one。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃You're　on。　And　frankly　you've　made　me　gamble。　You've　obviously　got　a　big　hand；　so　I　must　shut　you　out　and　chance　it。〃
　Bond　looked　blearily　across　at　M。　〃Pay　your　losses　on　this　one；　partner；〃　he　said。　〃Here　we　go。　Er…seven　clubs。〃
　In　the　dead　silence　that　followed；　Basildon；　who　had　seen　Drax's　hand；　was　so　startled　that　he　dropped　his　whisky　and　soda　on　the　floor。　He　looked　dazedly　down　at　the　broken　glass　and　let　it　lie。
　Drax　said　〃What？〃　in　a　startled　voice　and　hastily　ran　through　his　cards　again　for　reassurance。
　〃Did　you　say　grand　slam　in　clubs？〃　he　asked；　looking　curiously　at　his　obviously　drunken　opponent；　〃Well；　it's　your　funeral。　What　do　you　say；　Max？〃
　〃No　bid；〃　said　Meyer；　feeling　in　the　air　the　electricity　of　just　that　crisis　he　had　hoped　to　avoid。　Why　the　hell　hadn't　he　gone　home　before　this　last　rubber？　He　groaned　inwardly。
　〃No　bid；〃　said　M。　apparently　unperturbed。　〃Double。〃　The　word　came　viciously　out　of　Drax's　mouth。　He　put　down　his　hand　and　looked　cruelly；　scornfully　at　this　tipsy　oaf　who　had　at　last；　inexplicably；　fallen　into　his　hands。　〃That　mean　you　double　the　side…bets　too？〃　asked　Bond。　〃Yes；〃　said　Drax　greedily。　〃Yes。　That's　what　I　meant。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bond。　He　paused。　He　looked　at　Drax　and　not　at　his　hand。　〃Redouble。　The　contract　and　the　side…bets。　￡400　a　trick　on　the　side。〃
　It　was　at　that　moment　that　the　first　hint　of　a　dreadful；　incredible　doubt　entered　Drax's　mind。　But　again　he　looked　at　his　hand；　and　again　he　was　reassured。　At　the　very　worst　he　couldn't　fail　to　make　two　tricks。
　A　muttered　〃No　bid〃　from　Meyer。　A　rather　strangled　〃No　bid〃　from　M。　An　impatient　shake　of　the　head　from　Drax。
　Basildon　stood；　his　face　very　pale；　looking　intently　across　the　table　at　Bond。
　Then　he　walked　slowly　round　the　table；　scrutinizing　all　the　hands。　What　he　saw　was　this：
　
　And　suddenly　Basildon　understood。　It　was　a　laydown　Grand　Slam　for　Bond　against　any　defence。　Whatever　Meyer　led；　Bond　must　get　in　with　a　trump　in　his　own　hand　or　on　the　table。　Then；　in　between　clearing　trumps；　finessing　of　course　against　Drax；　he　would　play　two　rounds　of　diamonds；　trumping　them　in　dummy　and　catching　Drax's　ace　and　king　in　the　process。　After　five　plays　he　would　be　left　with　the　remaining　trumps　and　six　winning　diamonds。　Drax's　aces　and　kings　would　be　totally　valueless。
　It　was　sheer　murder。
　Basildon；　almost　in　a　trance；　continued　round　the　table　and　stood　between　M。　and　Meyer　so　that　he　could　watch　Drax's　face；　and　Bond's。　His　own　face　was　impassive；　but　his　hands；　which　he　had　stuffed　into　his　trouser　pockets　so　that　they　would　not　betray　him；　were　sweating。　He　waited；　almost　fearfully；　for　the　terrible　punishment　that　Drax　was　about　to　receive…thirteen　separate　lashes　whose　scars　no　card…player　would　ever　lose。
　〃e　along；　e　along；〃　said　Drax　impatiently。　〃Lead　something；　Max。　Can't　be　here　all　night。〃
　You　poor　fool；　thought　Basildon。　In　ten　minutes　you'll　wish　that　Meyer　had　died　in　his　chair　before　he　could　pull　out　that　first　card。
　In　fact；　Meyer　looked　as　if　at　any　moment　he　might　have　a　stroke。　He　was　deathly　pale；　and　the　perspiration　was　dropping　off　his　chin　on　to　his　shirt　front。　For　all　he　knew；　his　first　card　might　be　a　disaster。
　At　last；　reasoning　that　Bond　might　be　void　in　his　own　long　suits；　spades　and　hearts；　he　led　the　knave　of　diamonds。
　It　made　no　difference　what　he　led；　but　when　M。's　hand　went　down　showing　chicane　in　diamonds；　Drax　snarled　across　at　his　partner。　〃Haven't　you　got　anything　else；　you　dam'　fool？　Want　to　hand　it　to　him　on　a　plate？　Whose　side　are　you　on；　anyway？〃
　Meyer　cringed　into　his　clothes。　〃Best　I　could　do；　Hugger；〃　he　said　miserably；　wiping　his　face　with　his　handkerchief。
　But　by　this　time　Drax　had　got　his　own　worries。
　Bond　trumped　on　the　table；　catching　Drax's　king　of　diamonds；　and　promptly　led　a　club。　Drax　put　up　his　nine。　Bond　took　it　with　his　ten　and　led　a　diamond；　trumping　it　on　the　table。　Drax's　ace　fell。　Another　club　from　the　table；　catching　Drax's　knave。
　Then　the　ace　of　clubs。
　As　Drax　surrendered　his　king；　for　the　first　time　he　saw　what〃　might　be　happening。　His　eyes　squinted　anxiously　at　Bond；　waiting　fearfully　for　the　next　card。　Had　Bond　got　the　diamonds？　Hadn't　Meyer　got　them　guarded？　After　all；　he　had　opened　with　them。　Drax　waited；　his　cards　slippery　with　sweat。
　Morphy；　the　great　chess　player；　had　a　terrible　habit。　He　would　never　raise　his　eyes　from　the　game　until　he　knew　his　opponent　could　not　escape　defeat。　Then　he　would　slowly　lift　his　great　head　and　gaze　curiously　at　the　man　across　the　board。　His　opponent　would　feel　the　gaze　and　would　slowly；　humbly　raise　his　eyes　to　meet　Morphy's。　At　that　moment　he　would　know　that　it　was　no　good　continuing　the　game。　The　eyes　of　Morphy　said　so。　There　was　nothing　left　but　surrender。
　Now；　like　Morphy；　Bond　lifted　his　head　and　looked　straight　into　Drax's　eyes。　Then　he　slowly　drew　out　the　queen　of　diamonds　and　placed　it　on　the　table。　Without　waiting　for　Meyer　to　play　he　followed　it；　deliberately；　with　the　8；　7；　6；　5；　4；　and　the　two　winning　clubs。
　Then　he　spoke。　〃That's　all；　Drax；〃　he　said　quietly；　and　sat　slowly　back　in　his　chair。
　Drax's　first　reaction　was　to　lurch　forward　and　tear　Meyer's　cards　out　of　his　hand。　He　faced　them　on　the　table；　scrabbling　feverishly　among　them　for　a　possible　winner。
　Then　he　flung　them　back　across　the　baize。
　His　face　was　dead　white；　but　his　eyes　blazed　redly　at　Bond。　Suddenly　he　raised　one　clenched　fist　and　crashed　it　on　the　table　among　the　pile　of　impotent　aces　and　kings　and　queens　in　front　of　him。
　Very　low；　he　spat　the　words　at　Bond。　〃You're　a　che。。。〃
　〃That's　enough；　Drax。〃　Basildon's　voice　came　across　the　table　like　a　whiplash。　〃None　of　that　talk　here。　I've　been　watching　the　whole　game。　Settle　up。　If　you've　got　any　plaints；　put　them　in　writing　to　the　mittee。〃
　Drax　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　He　stood　away　from　his　chair　and　ran　a　hand　through　his　wet　red　hair。　The　colour　came　slowly　back　into　his　face　and　with　it　an　expression　of　cunning。　He　g