if.themanwiththegoldengun-第10部分

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ps。　She　liked　him　and　she　knew　he　was　dead。　The　kling…klings；　Joe　and　May；　smelled　the　same　electricity。　With　a　tremendous　din　of　metallic　squawks；　they　fled　for　the　open　window；　like　black　thieves　escaping　into　the　night。
　The　explosions　from　the　Colt　。45　were　deafening。　The　two　birds　disintegrated　against　the　violet　backdrop　of　the　dusk；　the　scraps　of　feathers　and　pink　flesh　blasting　out　of　the　yellow　light　of　the　cafe　into　the　limbo　of　the　deserted　street　like　shrapnel。
　There　was　a　moment　of　deafening　silence。　James　Bond　didn't　move。　He　sat　where　he　was；　waiting　for　the　tension　of　the　deed　to　relax。　It　didn't。　With　an　inarticulate　scream；　that　was　half　a　filthy　word；　Tiffy　took　James　Bond's　bottle　of　Red　Stripe　off　the　counter　and　clumsily　flung　it。　There　came　a　distant　crash　of　glass　from　the　back　of　the　room。　Then；　having　made　her　puny　gesture；　Tiffy　fell　to　her　knees　behind　the　counter　and　went　into　sobbing　hysterics。
　James　Bond　drank　down　the　rest　of　his　beer　and　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　He　walked　towards　Scaramanga　and　was　about　to　pass　him　when　the　man　reached　out　a　languid　left　arm　and　caught　him　at　the　biceps。　He　held　the　snout　of　his　gun　to　his　nose；　sniffing　delicately。　The　expression　in　the　dead　brown　eyes　was　faraway。　He　said；　〃Mister；　there's　something　quite　extra　about　the　smell　of　death。　Care　to　try　it？〃　He　held　out　the　glittering　gun　as　if　he　was　offering　James　Bond　a　rose。
　Bond　stood　quite　still。　He　said；　〃Mind　your　manners。　Take　your　hand　off　me。〃
　Scaramanga　raised　his　eyebrows。　The　flat；　leaden　gaze　seemed　to　take　in　Bond　for　the　first　time。
　He　released　his　grip。
　James　Bond　went　on　round　the　edge　of　the　counter。　When　he　came　opposite　the　other　man；　he　found　the　eyes　were　now　looking　at　him　with　faint；　scornful　curiosity。　Bond　stopped。　The　sobbing　of　the　girl　was　the　crying　of　a　small　dog。　Somewhere　down　the　street　a　sound　system…a　loudspeaker　record　player…began　braying　calypso。
　Bond　looked　the　man　in　the　eye。　He　said；　〃Thanks。　I've　tried　it。　I　remend　the　Berlin　vintage　Nineteen　forty…five。〃　He　smiled　a　friendly；　only　slightly　ironical　smile。　〃But　I　expect　you　were　too　young　to　be　at　that　tasting。〃
　
　6
　The　Easy　Grand
　
　Bond　knelt　down　beside　Tiffy　and　gave　her　a　couple　of　sharp　slaps　on　the　right　cheek。　Then　on　the　left。　The　wet　eyes　came　back　into　focus。　She　put　her　hand　up　to　her　face　and　looked　at　Bond　with　surprise。　Bond　got　to　his　feet。　He　took　a　cloth　and　wetted　it　at　the　tap；　then　leant　down　and　put　his　arm　round　her　and　wiped　the　cloth　gently　over　her　face。　Then　he　lifted　her　up　and　handed　her　her　bag　that　was　on　a　shelf　behind　the　counter。　He　said；　〃e　on；　Tiffy。　Make　up　that　pretty　face　again。　Business'll　be　warming　up　soon。　The　leading　lady's　got　to　look　her　best。〃
　Tiffy　took　the　bag　and　opened　it。　She　looked　past　Bond　and　saw　Scaramanga　for　the　first　time　since　the　shooting。　The　pretty　lips　drew　back　in　a　snarl。　She　whispered　fiercely　so　that　only　Bond　could　hear；　〃I'm　goin'　fix　that　man；　but　good。　There's　Mother　Edna　up　Orange　Hill　way。　She's　an　obeah　top　woman。　I'll　go　up　there　tomorrow。　e　a　few　days；　he　won't　know　what　hit　him。〃　She　took　out　a　mirror　and　began　doing　up　her　face。　Bond　reached　into　his　hip　pocket　and　counted　out　five　one…pound　notes。　He　stuffed　them　into　her　open　bag。
　〃You　forget　all　about　it。　This'll　buy　you　a　nice　canary　in　a　cage　to　keep　you　pany。　Anyway　another　pair　of　klings'll　e　along　if　you　put　some　food　out。〃　He　patted　her　shoulder　and　moved　away。　When　he　came　up　with　Scaramanga　he　stopped　and　said；　〃That　may　have　been　a　good　circus　act〃…he　used　the　word　again　on　purpose…　〃but　it　was　rough　on　the　girl。　Give　her　some　money。〃
　Scaramanga　said　〃Shove　it〃　out　of　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　He　said　suspiciously；　〃And　what's　all　this　yack　about　circuses？〃　He　turned　to　face　Bond。　〃Just　stop　where　you　are；　mister；　and　answer　a　few　questions。　Like　I　said；　are　you　from　the　police？　You've　sure　got　the　smell　of　cops　around　you。　If　not；　what　are　you　doing　hereabouts？〃
　Bond　said；　〃People　don't　tell　me　what　to　do。　I　tell　them。〃　He　walked　on　into　the　middle　of　the　room　and　sat　down　at　a　table。　He　said。　〃e　and　sit　down　and　stop　trying　to　lean　on　me。　I'm　unleanable…on。〃
　Scaramanga　shrugged。　He　took　two　long　strides；　picked　up　one　of　the　metal　chairs；　twirled　it　round　and　thrust　it　between　his　legs；　and　sat　ass…backwards；　his　left　arm　lying　along　the　back　of　the　chair。　His　right　arm　rested　on　his　thigh；　inches　from　the　pistol　butt　that　showed　above　the　waistband　of　his　trousers。　Bond　recognized　that　it　was　a　good　working　position　for　a　gunman；　the　metal　back　of　the　chair　acting　as　a　shield　for　most　of　the　body。　This　was　certainly　a　most　careful　and　professional　man。
　Bond；　both　hands　in　full　view　of　the　tabletop；　said　cheerfully；　〃No。　I'm　not　from　the　police。　My　name's　Mark　Hazard。　I'm　from　a　pany　called　Transworld　Consortium。　I've　been　doing　a　job　up　at　Frome；　the　WISCO　sugar　place。　Know　it？〃
　〃Sure　I　know　it。　What　you　been　doing　there？〃
　〃Not　so　fast；　my　friend。　First　of　all；　who　are　you　and　what's　your　business？〃
　〃Scaramanga。　Francisco　Scaramanga。　Labour　relations。　Ever　heard　of　me？〃
　Bond　frowned。　〃Can't　say　I　have。　Should　I　have？〃
　〃Some　people　who　hadn't　are　dead。〃
　〃A　lot　of　people　who　haven't　heard　of　me　are　dead。〃　Bond　leaned　back。　He　crossed　one　leg　over　the　other；　above　the　knee；　and　grasped　the　ankle　in　a　clubman　pose。　〃I　do　wish　you'd　stop　talking　in　heroics。　For　instance；　seven　hundred　million　Chinese　have　certainly　heard　of　neither　of　us。　You　must　be　a　frog　in　a　very　small　pool。〃
　Scaramanga　did　not　rise　to　the　jibe。　He　said　reflectively；　〃Yeah。　I　guess　you　could　call　the　Caribbean　a　pretty　small　pool。　But　there's　good　pickin's　to　be　had　from　it。　The　Man　with　the　Golden　Gun。　That's　what　they　call　me　in　these　parts。〃
　〃It's　a　handy　tool　for　solving　labour　problems。　We　could　do　with　you　up　at　Frome。〃
　〃Been　having　trouble　up　there？〃　Scaramanga　looked　bored。
　〃Too　many　cane　fires。〃
　〃Was　that　your　business？〃
　〃Sort　of。　One　of　the　jobs　of　my　pany　is　insurance　investigation。〃
　〃Security　work。　I've　e　across　guys　like　you　before。　Thought　I　could　smell　the　cop…smell。〃　Scaramanga　looked　satisfied　that　his　guess　had　been　right。　〃Did　you　get　anywhere？〃
　〃Picked　up　a　few　Rastafari。　I'd　have　liked　to　get　rid　of　the　lot　of　them。　But　they　went　crying　to　their　union　that　they　were　being　discriminated　against　because　of　their　religion；　so　we　had　to　call　a　halt。　So　the　fires'll　begin　again　soon。　That's　why　I　say　we　could　do　with　a　good　enforcer　up　there。〃　Bond　added　blandly；　〃I　take　it　that's　another　name　for　your　profession？〃
　Again　Scaramanga　dodged　the　sneer。　He　said；　〃You　carry　a　gun？〃
　〃Of　course。　You　don't　go　after　the　Rastas　without　one。〃
　〃What　kind　of　a　gun？〃
　〃Walther　PPK。　Seven　sixty…five　millimetre。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　a　stopper　all　right。〃　Scaramanga　turned　towards　the　counter。　〃Hey；　cool　cat。　Couple　of　Red　Stripes；　if　you're　in　business　again。〃　He　turned　back　and　the　blank　eyes　looked　hard　at　Bond。　〃What's　your　next　job？〃
　〃Don't　know。　I'll　have　to　contact　London　and　find　out　if　they've　got　any　other　problems　in　the　area。　But　I'm　in　no　hurry。　I　work　for　them　more　or　less　on　a　free…lance　basis。　Why？　Any　suggestions？〃
　The　other　man　sat　quiet　while　Tiffy　came　out　from　behind　the　counter。　She　came　over　to　the　table　and　placed　the　tin　tray　with　the　bottles　and　glasses　in　front　of　Bond。　She　didn't　look　at　Scaramanga。　Scaramanga　uttered　a　harsh　bark　of　laughter。　He　reached　inside　his　coat　and　took　out　all　alligator…skin　billfold。　He　extracted　a　hundred…dollar　bill　and　threw　it　on　the　table。　〃No　hard　feelings；　cool　cat。　You'd　be　okay　if　you　didn't　always　keep　your　legs　together。　Go　buy　yourself　some　more　birds　with　that。　I　like　to　have　smiling　people　around　me。〃
　Tiffy　picked　up　the　bill。　She　said；　〃Thanks；　mister。　You'd　be　surprised　what　I'm　going　to　spend　your　money　on。〃　She　gave　him　a　long；　hard　look　and　turned　on　her　heel。
　Scaramanga　shrugged。　He　reached　for　a　bottle　of　beer　and　a　glass；　and　both　men　poured　and　drank。　Scaramanga　took　out　an　expensive　cigar　case；　selected　a　pencil…thin　cheroot　and　lit　it　with　a　match。　He　let　the　smoke　dribble　out　between　his　lips　and　inhaled　the　thin　stream　up　his　nostrils。　He　did　this　several　times　with　the　same　mouthful　of　smoke　until　the　smoke　was　dissipated。　All　the　while　he　stared　across　the　table　at　Bond；　seeming　to　weigh　up　something　in　his　mind。　He　said；　〃Care　to　earn　yourself　a　grand　…a　thousand　bucks？〃
　Bond　said；　〃Possibly。〃　He　paused　and　added；　〃Probably。〃　What　he　meant　was；　〃Of　course！　If　it　means　staying　close　to　you；　my　friend。〃
　Scaramanga　smoked　awhile　in　silence。　A　car　stopped　outside　and　two　laughing　men　came　quickly　up　the　steps。　When　they　came　through　the　bead　curtains；　working…class　Jamaicans；　they　stopped　laughing　and　went　quietly　over　to　the　counter　and　began　whispering　to　Tiffy。　Then　they　both　slapped　a　pound　note　on　the　counter　and；　making　a　wide　detour　away　from　the　white　men；　disappeared　through　the　curtains　at　the　back　of　the　room。　Their　laughter　began　again　as　Bond　heard　their　footsteps　on　the　Stairs。
　Scaramanga　hadn't　taken　his　eyes　from　Bond's　face。　Now　he　said；　keeping　his　voice　low；　〃I　got　myself　a　problem。　Some　partners　of　mine；　they've　taken　an　interest　in　this　Negril　development。　Far　end　of　the　property。　Place　called　Bloody　Bay。　Know　it？〃
　〃I've　seen　it　on　the　map。　Just　short　of　Green　Island　Harbour。〃
　〃Right。　So　I've　got　some　shares　in　the　business。　So　we　start　building　the　Thunderbird　Hotel　and　get　the　first　storey　finished　and　the　main　living　rooms　and　restaurant　and　so　on。　So　then　the　tourist　boom　slackens　off…Americans　get　frightened　of　being　so　close　to　Cuba　or　some　such　crap。　And　the　banks　get　difficult　and　money　begins　to　run　short。　Follow　me？〃
　〃So　you're　a　stale　bull　of　the　place？〃　〃Right。　So　I'm　opening　the　hotel　for　a　few　days　because　I　got　a　half…dozen　of　the　main　stockholders　to　fly　in　for　a　meeting　on　the　spot。　Sort　of　look　the　place　over　and　get　our　heads　together　and　figure　what　to　do　next。　Now；　I　want　to　give　these　guys　a　good　time；　so　I'm　getting　a　smart　bo　over　from　Kingston；　calypso　singers；　limbo　dancers；　plenty　of　girls…all　the　jazz。　And　there's　swimming；　and　one　of　the　features　of　the　place　is　a　small