if.moonraker-第5部分

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　Ten　minutes　later；　in　a　heavy　white　silk　shirt；　dark　blue　trousers　of　Navy　serge；　dark　blue　socks；　and　well…polished　black　moccasin　shoes；　he　was　sitting　at　his　desk　with　a　pack　of　cards　in　one　hand　and　Scarne's　wonderful　guide　to　cheating　open　in　front　of　him。
　For　half　an　hour；　as　he　ran　quickly　through　the　section　on　Methods；　he　practised　the　vital　Mechanic's　Grip　（three　fingers　curled　round　the　long　edge　of　the　cards；　and　the　index　finger　at　the　short　upper　edge　away　from　him）；　Palming　and　Nullifying　the　Cut。　His　hands　worked　automatically　at　these　basic　manoeuvres；　while　his　eyes　read；　and　he　was　glad　to　find　that　his　fingers　were　supple　and　assured　and　that　there　was　no　noise　from　the　cards　even　with　the　very　difficult　single…handed　Annulment。
　At　five…thirty　he　slapped　the　cards　on　the　table　and　shut　the　book。
　He　went　into　his　bedroom；　filled　the　wide　black　case　with　cigarettes　and　slipped　it　into　his　hip　pocket；　put　on　a　black　knitted　silk　tie　and　his　coat　and　verified　that　his　cheque　book　was　in　his　notecase。
　He　stood　for　a　moment；　thinking。　Then　he　selected　two　white　silk　handkerchiefs；　carefully　rumpled　them；　and　put　one　into　each　side…pocket　of　his　coat。
　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　walked　back　into　the　sitting…room　and　sat　down　at　his　desk　again　and　relaxed　for　ten　minutes；　gazing　out　of　the　window　at　the　empty　square　and　thinking　about　the　evening　that　was　just　going　to　begin　and　about　Blades；　probably　the　most　famous　private　card　club　in　the　world。
　The　exact　date　of　the　foundation　of　Blades　in　uncertain。　The　second　half　of　the　eighteenth　century　saw　the　opening　of　many　coffee　houses　and　gaming　rooms；　and　premises　and　proprietors　shifted　often　with　changing　fashions　and　fortunes。　White's　was　founded　in　1755；　Almack's　in　1764；　and　Brooks's　in　1774；　and　it　was　in　that　year　that　the　Scavoir　Vivre；　which　was　to　be　the　cradle　of　Blades；　opened　its　doors　on　to　Park　Street；　a　quiet　backwater　off　St　James's。
　The　Scavoir　Vivre　was　too　exclusive　to　live　and　it　blackballed　itself　to　death　within　a　year。　Then；　in　1776；　Horace　Walpole　wrote：　'A　new　club　is　opened　off　St　James's　Street　that　piques　itself　in　surpassing　all　its　predecessors'　and　in　1778　'Blades'　first　occurs　in　a　letter　from　Gibbon；　the　historian；　who　coupled　it　with　the　name　of　its　founder；　a　German　called　Longchamp　at　that　time　conducting　the　Jockey　Club　at　Newmarket。
　From　the　outset　Blades　seems　to　have　been　a　success；　and　in　1782　we　find　the　Duke　of　Wirtemberg　writing　excitedly　home　to　his　younger　brother：　'This　is　indeed　the　〃Ace　of　Clubs〃！　There　have　been　four　or　five　quinze　tables　going　in　the　room　at　the　same　time；　with　whist　and　piquet；　after　which　a　full　Hazard　table。　I　have　known　two　at　the　same　time。　Two　chests　each　containing　4000　guinea　rouleaus　were　scarce　sufficient　for　the　night's　circulation。'
　Mention　of　Hazard　perhaps　provides　a　clue　to　the　club's　prosperity。　Permission　to　play　this　dangerous　but　popular　game　must　have　been　given　by　the　mittee　in　contravention　of　its　own　rules　which　laid　down　that　'No　game　is　to　be　admitted　to　the　House　of　the　Society　but　Chess；　Whist；　Picket；　Cribbage；　Quadrille；　Ombre　and　Tredville'。
　In　any　event　the　club　continued　to　flourish；　and　remains　to　this　day　the　home　of　some　of　the　highest　'polite'　gambling　in　the　world。　It　is　not　as　aristocratic　as　it　was；　the　redistribution　of　wealth　has　seen　to　that；　but　it　is　still　the　most　exclusive　club　in　London。　The　membership　is　restricted　to　two　hundred　and　each　candidate　must　have　two　qualifications　for　election；　he　must　behave　like　a　gentleman　and　he　must　be　able　to'show'　￡　100；000　in　cash　or　gilt…edged　securities。
　The　amenities　of　Blades；　apart　from　the　gambling；　are　so'　desirable　that　the　mittee　has　had　to　rule　that　every　member　is　required　to　win　or　lose　￡500　a　year　on　the　club　premises；　or　pay　an　annual　fine　of　￡250。　The　food　and　wine　are　the　best　in　London　and　no　bills　are　presented；　the　cost　of　all　meals　being　deducted　at　the　end　of　each　week　pro　rata　from　the　profits　of　the　winners。　Seeing　that　about　￡5；000　changes　hands　each　week　at　the　tables　the　impost　is　not　too　painful　and　the　losers　have　the　satisfaction　of　saving　something　from　the　wreck；　and　the　custom　explains　the　fairness　of　the　levy　on　infrequent　gamblers。
　Club　servants　are　the　making　or　breaking　of　any　club　and　the　servants　of　Blades　have　no　equal。　The　half…dozen　waitresses　in　the　dining…room　are　of　such　a　high　standard　of　beauty　that　some　of　the　younger　members　have　been　known　to　smuggle　them　undetected　into　debutante　balls；　and　if；　at　night；　one　or　other　of　the　girls　is　persuaded　to　stray　into　one　of　the　twelve　members'　bedrooms　at　the　back　of　the　club；　that　is　regarded　as　the　members'　private　concern。
　There　are　one　or　two　other　small　refinements　which　contribute　to　the　luxury　of　the　place。　Only　brand…new　currency　notes　and　silver　are　paid　out　on　the　premises　and；　if　a　member　is　staying　overnight；　his　notes　and　small　change　are　taken　away　by　the　valet　who　brings　the　early　morning　tea　and　The　Times　and　are　replaced　with　new　money。　No　newspaper　es　to　the　reading　room　before　it　has　been　ironed。　Floris　provides　the　soaps　and　lotions　in　the　lavatories　and　bedrooms；　there　is　a　direct　wire　to　Ladbroke's　from　the　porter's　lodge；　the　club　has　the　finest　tents　and　boxes　at　the　principal　race…meetings；　at　Lords；　Henley；　and　Wimbledon；　and　members　travelling　abroad　have　automatic　membership　of　the　leading　club　in　every　foreign　capital。
　In　short；　membership　of　Blades；　in　return　for　the　￡106　entrance　fee　and　the　￡50　a　year　subscription；　provides　the　standard　of　luxury　of　the　Victorian　age　together　with　the　opportunity　to　win　or　lose；　in　great　fort；　anything　up　to　￡20；000　a　year。
　Bond；　reflecting　on　all　this；　decided　that　he　was　going　to　enjoy　his　evening。　He　had　only　played　at　Blades　a　dozen　times　in　his　life；　and　on　the　last　occasion　he　had　burnt　his　fingers　badly　in　a　high　poker　game；　but　the　prospect　of　some　expensive　bridge　and　of　the　swing　of　a　few；　to　him；　not　unimportant　hundred　pounds　made　his　muscles　taut　with　anticipation。
　And　then；　of　course；　there　was　the　little　business　of　Sir　Hugo　Drax；　which　might　bring　an　additional　touch　of　drama　to　the　evening。
　He　was　not　even　disturbed　by　a　curious　portent　he　encountered　while　he　was　driving　along　King's　Road　into　Sloane　Square　with　half　his　mind　on　the　traffic　and　the　other　half　exploring　the　evening　ahead。
　It　was　a　few　minutes　to　six　and　there　was　thunder　about。　The　sky　threatened　rain　and　it　had　bee　suddenly　dark。　Across　the　square　from　him；　high　up　in　the　air；　a　bold　electric　sign　started　to　flash　on　and　off。　The　fading　light…waves　had　caused　the　cathode　tube　to　start　the　mechanism　which　would　keep　the　sign　flashing　through　the　dark　hours　until；　around　six　in　the　morning；　the　early　light　of　day　would　again　sensitize　the　tube　and　cause　the　circuit　to　close。
　Startled　at　the　great　crimson　words；　Bond　pulled　in　to　the　curb；　got　out　of　the　car　and　crossed　to　the　other　side　of　the　street　to　get　a　better　view　of　the　big　skysign。
　Ah！　That　was　it。　Some　of　the　letters　had　been　hidden　by　a　neighbouring　building。　It　was　only　one　of　those　Shell　advertisements。　'SUMMER　SHELL　is　HERE'　was　what　it　said。
　Bond　smiled　to　himself　and　walked　back　to　his　car　and　drove　on。
　When　he　had　first　seen　the　sign；　half…hidden　by　the　building；　great　crimson　letters　across　the　evening　sky　had　flashed　a　different　message。
　They　had　said：　'HELL　is　HERE。。。　HELL　is　HERE。。。　HELL　is　HERE。'
　
　CHAPTER　IV
　
　THE　'SHINER'
　
　BOND　LEFT　the　Bentley　outside　Brooks's　and　walked　round　the　corner　into　Park　Street。
　The　Adam　frontage　of　Blades；　recessed　a　yard　or　so　back　from　its　neighbours；　was　elegant　in　the　soft　dusk。　The　dark　red　curtains　had　been　drawn　across　the　ground　floor　bow…windows　on　either　side　of　the　entrance　and　a　uniformed　servant　showed　for　a　moment　as　he　drew　them　across　the　three　windows　of　the　floor　above。　In　the　centre　of　the　three；　Bond　could　see　the'　heads　and　shoulders　of　two　men　bent　over　a　game；　probably　backgammon　he　thought；　and　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　spangled　fire　of　one　of　the　three　great　chandeliers　that　illuminate　the　famous　gambling　room。
　Bond　pushed　through　the　swing　doors　and　walked　up　to　the　old…fashioned　porter's　lodge　ruled　over　by　Brevett；　the　guardian　of　Blades　and　the　counsellor　and　family　friend　of　half　the　members。
　〃Evening；　Brevett。　Is　the　Admiral　in？〃
　〃Good　evening；　sir；〃　said　Brevett；　who　knew　Bond　as　an　occasional　guest　at　the　club。　〃The　Admiral's　waiting　for　you　in　the　card　room。　Page；　take　mander　Bond　up　to　the　Admiral。　Lively　now！〃
　As　Bond　followed　the　uniformed　page　boy　across　the　worn　black　and　white　marble　floor　of　the　hall　and　up　the　wide　staircase　with　its　fine　mahogany　balustrade；　he　remembered　the　story　of　how；　at　one　election；　nine　blackballs　had　been　found　in　the　box　when　there　were　only　eight　members　of　the　mittee　present。　Brevett；　who　had　handed　the　box　from　member　to　member；　was　said　to　have　confessed　to　the　Chairman　that　he　was　so　afraid　the　candidate　would　be　elected　that　he　had　put　in　a　blackball　himself。　No　one　had　objected。　The　mittee　would　rather　have　lost　its　chairman　than　the　porter　whose　family　had　held　the　same　post　at　Blades　for　a　hundred　years。
　The　page　pushed　open　one　wing　of　the　tall　doors　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　and　held　it　for　Bond　to　go　through。　The　long　room　was　not　crowded　and　Bond　saw　M。　sitting　by　himself　playing　patience　in　the　alcove　formed　by　the　left　hand　of　the　three　bow　windows。　He　dismissed　the　page　and　walked　across　the　heavy　carpet；　noticing　the　rich　background　smell　of　cigar…smoke；　the　quiet　voices　that　came　from　the　three　tables　of　bridge；　and　the　sharp　rattle　of　dice　across　an　unseen　backgammon　board。
　〃There　you　are；〃　said　M。　as　Bond　came　up。　He　waved　to　the　chair　that　faced　him　across　the　card　table。　〃Just　let　me　finish　this。　I　haven't　cracked　this　man　Ganfield　for　months。　Drink？〃
　〃No；　thanks；〃　said　Bond。　He　sat　down　and　lit　a　cigarette　and　watched　with　amusement　the　concentration　M。　was　putting　into　his　game。
　'Admiral　Sir　M…M…：　something　at　the　Ministry　of　Defence。'　M。　looked　like　any　member　of　any　of　the　clubs　in　St　James's　Street。　Dark　grey　suit；　stiff　white　collar；　the　favourite　dark　blue　bow…tie　with　spots；　rathe