if.themanwiththegoldengun-第15部分

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　Bond　noisily　locked　it　and　took　up　his　place　again。　Mr。　Hendriks　said；　〃I　have　one　most　important　message　for　our　chairman。　It　is　from　a　sure　source。　There　is　a　man　that　is　called　James　Bond　that　is　looking　for　him　in　this　territory。　This　is　a　man　who　is　from　the　British　Secret　Service。　I　have　no　informations　or　descriptions　of　this　man；　but　it　seems　that　he　is　highly　rated　by　my　superiors。　Mr。　Scaramanga；　have　you　heard　of　this　man？〃
　Scaramanga　snorted。　〃Hell；　no！　And　should　I　care？　I　eat　one　of　their　famous　secret　agents　for　breakfast　from　time　to　time。　Only　ten　days　ago；　I　disposed　of　one　of　them　who　came　nosing　after　me。　Man　called　Ross。　His　body　is　now　very　slowly　sinking　to　the　bottom　of　a　pitch　lake　in　Eastern　Trinidad…place　called　La　Brea。　The　oil　pany；　the　Trinidad　Lake　Asphalt　people；　will　obtain　an　interesting　barrel　of　crude　one　of　these　days。　Next　question；　please；　Mr。　Hendriks。〃
　〃Next　I　am　wishing　to　know　what　is　the　policy　of　The　Group　in　the　matter　of　cane　sabotage。　At　our　meeting　six　months　ago　in　Havana；　against　my　minority　vote；　it　was　decided；　in　exchange　for　certain　favours；　to　e　to　the　aid　of　Fidel　Castro　and　assist　in　maintaining　and　indeed　increasing　the　world　price　of　sugar　to　offset　the　damage　caused　by　Hurricane　Flora。　Since　this　time　there　have　been　very　numerous　fires　in　the　cane　fields　of　Jamaica　and　Trinidad。　In　this　connection；　it　has　e　to　the　ears　of　my　superiors　that　individual　members　of　The　Group；　notably〃…　there　was　the　rustle　of　paper…〃Messrs。　Gengerella；　Rot…kopf；　and　Binion；　in　addition　to　our　chairman；　have　engaged　in　extensive　purchasing　of　July　sugar　futures　for　the　benefit　of　private　gain。　。　。　。〃
　There　came　an　angry　murmur　from　round　the　table。　〃Why　shouldn't　we　。　。　。　？　Why　shouldn't　they　。　。　。　？〃　The　voice　of　Gengerella　dominated　the　others。　He　shouted；　〃Who　in　hell　said　we　weren't　to　make　money？　Isn't　that　one　of　the　objects　of　The　Group？　I　ask　you　again；　Mr。　Hendriks；　as　I　asked　you　six　months　ago；　who　in　hell　is　it　among　your　so…called　superiors　who　wants　to　keep　the　price　of　raw　sugar　down？　For　my　money；　the　most　interested　party　in　such　a　gambit　would　be　Soviet　Russia。　They're　selling　goods　to　Cuba；　including；　let　me　say；　the　recently　abortive　shipment　of　missiles　to　fire　against　my　country；　in　exchange　for　raw　sugar。　They're　sharp　traders；　the　Reds。　In　their　doubledealing　way；　even　from　a　friend　and　ally；　they　would　want　more　sugar　for　fewer　goods。　Yes？　I　suppose；〃　the　voice　sneered；　〃one　of　your　superiors；　Mr。　Hendriks；　would　not　by　any　chance　be　in　the　Kremlin？〃
　The　voice　of　Scaramanga　cut　through　the　ensuing　hubbub。　〃Hey　you　guys；　cut　it　out！〃　A　reluctant　silence　fell。　〃When　we　formed　this　cooperative；　it　was　agreed　that　the　first　object　was　to　cooperate　with　one　another。　Okay；　then。　Mr。　Hendriks。　Let　me　put　you　more　fully　in　the　picture。　So　far　as　the　total　finances　of　The　Group　are　concerned；　we　have　a　fine　situation　ing　up。　As　an　investment　group；　we　have　good　bets　and　bad　bets。　Sugar　is　a　good　bet；　and　we　should　ride　that　bet　even　though　certain　members　of　The　Group　have　chosen　not　to　be　on　the　horse。　Get　me？　Now　hear　me　through。　There　are　six　ships　controlled　by　The　Group　at　this　moment　riding　at　anchor　outside　New　York　and　other　U。S。　harbours。　These　ships　are　loaded　with　raw　sugar。　These　ships；　Mr。　Hendriks；　will　not　dock　and　unload　until　sugar　futures；　July　futures；　have　risen　another　ten　cents。　In　Washington；　the　Department　of　Agriculture　and　the　sugar　lobby　know　this。　They　know　that　we　have　them　by　the　balls。　Meantimes　the　liquor　lobby　is　leaning　on　them…let　alone　Russia。　The　price　of　molasses　is　going　up　with　sugar；　and　the　rum　barons　are　kicking　up　hell　and　want　our　ships　let　in　before　there's　a　real　shortage　and　the　price　goes　through　the　roof。　But　there's　another　side　to　it。　We're　having　to　pay　our　crews　and　our　charter　bills　and　so　on；　and　squatting　ships　are　dead　ships；　dead　losses。　So　something's　going　to　give。　In　the　business；　the　situation　we've　developed　is　called　the　floating　crop　game…our　ships　lying　offshore；　lined　up　against　the　Government　of　the　United　States。　All　right。　So　now　four　of　us　stand　to　win　or　lose　ten　million　bucks　or　so…us　and　our　backers。　And　we've　got　this　little　business　of　the　Thunderbird　on　the　red　side　of　the　sheet。　So　what　do　you　think；　Mr。　Hendriks？　Of　course　we　burn　the　crops　where　we　can　get　away　with　it。　I　got　a　good　in　with　the　Rastafaris…that's　a　beat　sect　here　that　grows　beards　and　smokes　ganja　and　mostly　lives　on　a　bit　of　land　outside　Kingston　called　the　Dungle；　the　Dunghill；　and　believes　it　owes　allegiance　to　the　King　of　Ethiopia；　this　King　Zog　or　what…have…you；　and　that　that's　their　rightful　home。　So　I've　got　a　man　in　there；　a　man　who　wants　the　ganja　for　them；　and　I　keep　him　supplied　in　exchange　for　plenty　fires　and　troubles　on　the　cane　lands。　So　all　right；　Mr。　Hendriks。　You　just　tell　your　superiors　that　what　goes　up　must　e　down　and　that　applies　to　the　price　of　sugar　like　anything　else。　Okay？〃
　Mr。　Hendriks　said；　〃I　will　pass　on　your　saying；　Mr。　Scaramanga。　It　will　not　cause　pleasure。　Now　there　is　this　business　of　the　hotel。　How　is　she　standing；　if　you　pliss？　I　think　we　are　all　wishing　to　know　the　true　situation；　isn't　it？〃
　There　was　a　growl　of　assent。
　Scaramanga　went　off　into　a　long　dissertation　which　was　only　of　passing　interest　to　Bond。　Felix　Leiter　would　in　any　case　be　getting　it　all　on　the　tape　in　a　drawer　of　his　filing　cabinet。　He　had　reassured　Bond　on　this　score。　The　neat　American；　Leiter　had　explained；　filling　him　in　with　the　essentials；　was　in　fact　a　certain　Mr。　Nick　Nicholson　of　the　C。I。A。　His　particular　concern　was　Mr。　Hendriks；　who；　as　Bond　had　suspected；　was　a　top　man　of　the　K。G。B。　The　K。G。B。　favours　oblique　control…a　man　in　Geneva　being　the　Resident　Director　for　Italy；　for　instance…and　Mr。　Hendriks　at　The　Hague　was　in　fact　Resident　Director　for　the　Caribbean　and　in　charge　of　the　Havana　centre。　Leiter　was　still　working　for　Pinkerton's；　but　was　also　on　the　reserve　of　the　C。I。A。；　who　had　drafted　him　for　this　particular　assignment　because　of　his　knowledge；　gained　in　the　past　mostly　with　James　Bond；　of　Jamaica。　His　job　was　to　get　a　breakdown　of　The　Group　and　find　out　what　they　were　up　to。　They　were　all　well…known　hoods　who　would　normally　have　been　the　concern　of　the　F。B。I。；　but　Gengerella　was　a　capo　Mafioso　and　this　was　the　first　time　the　Mafia　had　been　found　consorting　with　the　K。G。B。…a　most　disturbing　partnership　which　must　at　all　costs　be　quickly　broken　up；　by　physical　elimination　if　need　be。　Nick　Nicholson；　whose　〃front〃　name　was　Stanley　Jones；　was　an　electronics　expert。　He　had　traced　the　main　lead　to　Scaramanga's　recording　device　under　the　floor　of　the　central　switch　room　and　had　bled　off　the　microphone　cable　to　his　own　tape　recorder　in　the　filing　cabinet。　So　Bond　had　not　much　to　worry　about。　He　was　listening　to　satisfy　his　own　curiosity　and　to　fill　in　on　anything　that　might　transpire　in　the　lobby　or　out　of　range　of　the　bug　in　the　telephone　on　the　conference　room　table。　Bond　had　explained　his　own　presence。　Leiter　had　given　a　long　low　whistle　of　respectful　apprehension。　Bond　had　agreed　to　keep　well　clear　of　the　other　two　men　and　to　paddle　his　own　canoe；　but　they　had　arranged　an　emergency　meeting　place　and　a　postal　〃drop〃　in　the　unpleted　and　OUT　OF　ORDER　men's　room　off　the　lobby。　Nicholson　had　given　him　a　passkey　for　this　place　and　all　other　rooms；　and　then　Bond　had　had　to　hurry　off　to　his　meeting。　James　Bond　was　immensely　reassured　by　finding　these　unexpected　reinforcements。　He　had　worked　with　Leiter　on　some　of　his　most　hazardous　assignments。　There　was　no　man　like　him　when　the　chips　were　down。　Although　Leiter　had　only　a　steel　hook　instead　of　a　right　arm…a　memento　of　one　of　those　assignments…he　was　one　of　the　finest　lefthanded　one…armed　shots　in　the　States　and　the　hook　itself　could　be　a　devastating　weapon　at　close　quarters。
　Scaramanga　was　finishing　his　exposition。　〃So　the　net　of　it　is；　gentlemen；　that　we　need　to　find　ten　million　bucks。　The　interests　I　represent；　which　are　the　majority　interests；　suggest　that　this　sum　should　be　provided　by　a　note　issue；　bearing　interest　at　ten　percent　and　repayable　in　ten　years；　such　an　issue　to　have　priority　over　all　other　loans。〃
　The　voice　of　Mr。　Rotkopf　broke　in　angrily。　〃The　hell　it　will！　Not　on　your　life；　mister。　What　about　the　seven　percent　second　mortgage　put　up　by　me　and　my　friends　only　a　year　back？　What　do　you　think　I'd　get　if　I　went　back　to　Vegas　with　that　kind　of　parley？　The　old　heave…ho！　Arid　at　that　I'm　being　optimistic。〃
　〃Beggars　can't　be　choosers；　Ruby。　It's　that　or　close。　What　have　you　other　fellows　got　to　say？〃
　Hendriks　said；　〃Ten　percent　on　a　first　charge　is　good　pizzness。　My　friends　and　I　will　take　one　million　dollars。　On　the　understanding；　it　is　natural；　that　the　conditions　of　the　issue　are；　how　shall　I　say；　more　substantial；　less　open　to　misunderstandings；　than　the　second　mortgage　of　Mr。　Rotkopf　and　his　friends。〃
　〃Of　course。　And　I　and　my　friends　will　also　take　a　million。　Sam？〃
　Mr。　Binion　said　reluctantly；　〃Okay；　okay。　Count　us　in　for　the　same。　But　by　golly　this　has　got　to　be　the　last　touch。〃
　〃Mr。　Gengerella？〃
　〃It　sounds　a　good　bet。　I'll　take　the　rest。〃
　The　voices　of　Mr。　Garfinkel　and　Mr。　Paradise　broke　in　excitedly；　Garfinkel　in　the　lead。　〃Like　hell　you　will！　I'm　taking　a　million。〃
　〃And　so　am　I；〃　shouted　Mr。　Paradise。　〃Cut　the　cake　equally。　But　dammit。　Let's　be　fair　to　Ruby。　Ruby；　you　oughta　have　first　pick。　How　much　do　you　want？　You　can　have　it　off　the　top。〃
　〃I　don't　want　a　damned　cent　of　your　phoney　notes。　As　soon　as　I　get　back；　I'm　going　to　reach　for　the　best　damned　lawyers　in　the　States…all　of　them。　You　think　you　can　scrub　a　mortgage　just　by　saying　so；　you've　all　got　another　think　ing。〃
　There　was　silence。　The　voice　of　Scaramanga　was　soft　and　deadly。　〃You're　making　a　big　mistake；　Ruby。　You've　just　got　yourself　a　nice　fat　tax　loss　to　put　against　your　Vegas　interests。　And　don't　forget　that　when　we　formed　this　Group；　we　all　took　an　oath。　None　of　us　was　to　operate　against　the　interests　of　the　others。　Is　that　your　last　word？〃
　〃It　damn　well　is。〃
　〃Would　this　help　you　change　your　mind？　They've　got　a　slogan　for　it　in　Cuba…Rapido！　Seguro！　Economica！　　This　is　how　the　system　operates。〃
　The　scream　of　terror　and　the