if.themanwiththegoldengun-第3部分

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　James　Bond　was　standing　smiling　vaguely　down　at　Miss　Moneypenny。　She　looked　distraught。　When　James　Bond　shifted　his　gaze　and　said　〃Hullo；　Bill〃　he　still　wore　the　same　distant　smile。　He　didn't　hold　out　his　hand。　Bill　Tanner　said；　with　a　heartiness　that　rang　with　a　terrible　falsity　in　his　ears；　〃Hullo；　James。　Long　time　no　see。〃　At　the　same　time；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes；　he　saw　Miss　Money…penny　give　a　quick；　emphatic　shake　of　the　head。　He　looked　her　straight　in　the　eyes。　〃M。　would　like　to　see　007　straight　away。〃
　Miss　Moneypenny　lied　desperately：　〃You　know　M。's　got　a　Chiefs　of　Staff　meeting　at　the　Cabinet　Office　in　five　minutes？〃
　〃Yes。　He　says　you　must　somehow　get　him　out　of　it。〃　The　Chief　of　Staff　turned　to　James　Bond。　〃Okay；　James。　Go　ahead。　Sorry　you　can't　manage　lunch。　e　and　have　a　gossip　after　M。's　finished　with　you。〃
　Bond　said；　〃That'll　be　fine。〃　He　squared　his　shoulders　and　walked　through　the　door　over　which　the　red　light　was　already　burning。
　Miss　Moneypenny　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。　〃Oh；　Bill！〃　she　said　desperately。　〃There's　something　wrong　with　him。　I'm　frightened。〃
　Bill　Tanner　said；　〃Take　it　easy；　Penny。　I'm　going　to　do　what　I　can。〃　He　walked　quickly　into　his　office　and　shut　the　door。　He　went　over　to　his　desk　and　pressed　a　switch。　M。's　voice　came　into　the　room：　〃Hullo；　James。　Wonderful　to　have　you　back。　Take　a　seat　and　tell　me　all　about　it。〃
　Bill　Tanner　picked　up　the　office　telephone　and　asked　for　Head　of　Security。
　James　Bond　took　his　usual　place　across　the　desk　from　M。　A　storm　of　memories　whirled　through　his　consciousness　like　badly　cut　film　on　a　projector　that　had　gone　crazy。　Bond　closed　his　mind　to　the　storm。　He　must　concentrate　on　what　he　had　to　say；　and　do；　and　on　nothing　else。
　〃I'm　afraid　there's　a　lot　I　still　can't　remember；　sir。　I　got　a　bang　on　the　head〃…he　touched　his　right　temple…　〃somewhere　along　the　line　on　that　job　you　sent　me　to　do　in　Japan。　Then　there's　a　blank　until　I　got　picked　up　by　the　police　on　the　waterfront　at　Vladivostok。　No　idea　how　I　got　there。　They　roughed　me　up　a　bit　and　in　the　process　I　must　have　got　another　bang　on　the　head　because　suddenly　I　remembered　who　I　was　and　that　I　wasn't　a　Japanese　fisherman　which　was　what　I　thought　I　was。　So　then　of　course　the　police　passed　me　on　to　the　local　branch　of　the　K。G。B。…it's　a　big　grey　building　on　the　Morskaya　Ulitsa　facing　the　harbour　near　the　railway　station；　by　the　way…and　when　they　belinographed　my　prints　to　Moscow　there　was　a　lot　of　excitement　and　they　flew　me　there　from　the　military　airfield　just　north　of　the　town　at　Vtoraya　Rechka　and　spent　weeks　interrogating　me…or　trying　to；　rather；　because　I　couldn't　remember　anything　except　when　they　prompted　me　with　something　they　knew　themselves　and　then　I　could　give　them　a　few　hazy　details　to　add　to　their　knowledge。　Very　frustrating　for　them。〃
　〃Very；〃　mented　M。　A　small　frown　had　gathered　between　his　eyes。　〃And　you　told　them　everything　you　could？　Wasn't　that　rather；　er；　generous　of　you？〃
　〃They　were　very　nice　to　me　in　every　way；　sir。　It　seemed　the　least　I　could　do。　There　was　this　Institute　place　in　Leningrad。　They　gave　me　V。I。P。　treatment。　Top　brain　specialists　and　everything。　They　didn't　seem　to　hold　it　against　me　that　I'd　been　working　against　them　for　most　of　my　life。　And　other　people　came　and　talked　to　me　very　reasonably　about　the　political　situation　and　so　forth。　The　need　for　East　and　West　to　work　together　for　world　peace。　They　made　clear　a　lot　of　things　that　hadn't　occurred　to　me　before。　They　quite　convinced　me。〃　Bond　looked　obstinately　across　the　table　into　the　clear　blue　sailor's　eyes　that　now　held　a　red　spark　of　anger。　〃I　don't　suppose　you　understand　what　I　mean；　sir。　You've　been　making　war　against　someone　or　other　all　your　life。　You're　doing　so　at　this　moment。　And　for　most　of　my　adult　life　you've　used　me　as　a　tool。　Fortunately　that's　all　over　now。〃
　M。　said　fiercely；　〃It　certainly　is。　I　suppose　among　other　things　you've　forgotten　is　reading　reports　of　our　P。O。W。s　in　the　Korean　war　who　were　brainwashed　by　the　Chinese。　If　the　Russians　are　so　keen　on　peace；　what　do　they　need　the　K。G。B。　for？　At　the　last　estimate；　that　was　about　one　hundred　thousand　men　and　women　'making　war'…as　you　call　it…against　us　and　other　countries。　This　is　the　organization　that　was　so　charming　to　you　in　Leningrad。　Did　they　happen　to　mention　the　murder　of　Horcher　and　Stutz　in　Munich　last　month？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　sir。〃　Bond's　voice　was　patient；　equable。　〃They　have　to　defend　themselves　against　the　secret　services　of　the　West。　If　you　would　demobilize　all　this；〃…Bond　waved　a　hand…〃they　would　be　only　too　delighted　to　scrap　the　K。G。B。　They　were　quite　open　about　it　all。〃
　〃And　the　same　thing　applies　to　their　two　hundred　divisions　and　their　U…boat　fleet　and　their　I。C。B。M。s；　I　suppose？〃　M's　voice　rasped。　〃Of　course；　sir。〃
　〃Well；　if　you　found　these　people　so　reasonable　and　charming；　why　didn't　you　stay　there？　Others　have。　Burgess　is　dead；　but　you　could　have　chummed　up　with　Maclean。〃　〃We　thought　it　more　important　that　I　should　e　back　and　fight　for　peace　here；　sir。　You　and　your　agents　have　taught　me　certain　skills　for　use　in　the　underground　war。　It　was　explained　to　me　how　these　skills　could　be　used　in　the　cause　of　peace。〃
　James　Bond's　hand　moved　nonchalantly　to　his　right…hand　coat　pocket。　M。；　with　equal　casualness；　shifted　his　chair　back　from　his　desk。　His　left　hand　felt　for　the　button　under　the　arm　of　the　chair。
　〃For　instance？〃　said　M。　quietly；　knowing　that　death　had　walked　into　the　room　and　was　standing　beside　him；　and　that　this　was　an　invitation　for　death　to　take　his　place　in　the　chair。
　James　Bond　had　bee　tense。　There　was　a　whiteness　round　his　lips。　The　blue…grey　eyes　still　stared　blankly；　almost　unseeingly　at　M。　The　words　rang　out　harshly；　as　if　forced　out　of　him　by　some　inner　pulsion。　〃It　would　be　a　start　if　the　warmongers　could　be　eliminated；　sir。　This　is　for　Number　One　on　the　list。〃
　The　hand；　snub…nosed　with　black　metal；　flashed　out　of　the　pocket；　but；　even　as　the　poison　hissed　down　the　barrel　of　the　bulb…butted　pistol；　the　great　sheet　of　armor…plate　glass　hurtled　down　from　the　baffled　slit　in　the　ceiling　and；　with　a　last　sigh　of　hydraulics；　braked　to　the　floor。　The　jet　of　viscous　brown　fluid　splashed　harmlessly　into　its　centre　and　trickled　slowly　down；　distorting　the　reflection　of　M。's　face　and　the　arm　he　had　automatically　thrown　up　for　additional　protection。
　The　Chief　of　Staff　had　burst　into　the　room；　followed　by　the　Head　of　Security。　They　threw　themselves　on　James　Bond。　Even　as　they　seized　his　arms；　his　head　fell　forward　on　his　chest　and　he　would　have　slid　from　his　chair　to　the　ground　if　they　hadn't　supported　him。　They　hauled　him　to　his　feet。　He　was　in　a　dead　faint。　The　Head　of　Security　sniffed。　〃Cyanide；〃　he　said　curtly。　〃We　must　all　get　out　of　here。　And　bloody　quick！〃　（The　emergency　had　snuffed　out　Headquarters　manners。）　The　pistol　lay　on　the　carpet　where　it　had　fallen。　He　kicked　it　away。　He　said　to　M。；　who　had　walked　out　from　behind　his　glass　shield；　〃Would　you　mind　leaving　the　room；　sir？　Quickly。　I'll　have　this　cleaned　up　during　the　lunch　hour。〃　It　was　an　order。　M。　went　to　the　open　door。　Miss　Moneypenny　stood　with　her　clenched　hand　up　to　her　mouth。　She　watched　with　horror　as　James　Bond's　supine　body　was　hauled　out　and；　the　heels　of　its　shoes　leaving　tracks　on　the　carpet；　taken　into　the　Chief　of　Staff's　room。
　M。　said　sharply；　〃Close　that　door；　Miss　Moneypenny。
　Get　the　duty　M。O。　up　right　away。　e　along；　girl！　Don't　just　stand　there　gawking！　And　not　a　word　of　this　to　anyone。　Understood？〃
　Miss　Moneypenny　pulled　herself　back　from　the　edge　of　hysterics。　She　said　an　automatic　〃Yes；　sir；〃　pulled　the　door　shut；　and　reached　for　the　interoffice　telephone。
　M。　walked　across　and　into　the　Chief　of　Staff's　office　and　closed　the　door。　Head　of　Security　was　on　his　knees　beside　Bond。　He　had　loosened　his　tie　and　collar　button　and　was　feeling　his　pulse。　Bond's　face　was　white　and　bathed　in　sweat。　His　breathing　was　a　desperate　rattle；　as　if　he　had　just　run　a　race。　M。　looked　briefly　down　at　him　and　then；　his　face　hidden　from　the　others；　at　the　wall　beyond　the　body。　He　turned　to　the　Chief　of　Staff。　He　said　briskly；　〃Well；　that's　that。　My　predecessor　died　in　that　chair。　Then　it　was　a　simple　bullet；　but　from　much　the　same　sort　of　a　crazed　officer。　One　can't　legislate　against　the　lunatic。　But　the　Office　of　Works　certainly　did　a　good　job　with　that　gadget。　Now　then；　Chief　of　Staff。　This　is　of　course　to　go　no　further。　Get　Sir　James　Molony　as　soon　as　you　can　and　have　007　taken　down　to　The　Park。　Ambulance；　surreptitious　guard。　I'll　explain　things　to　Sir　James　this　afternoon。　Briefly；　as　you　heard；　the　K。G。B。　got　hold　of　him。　Brainwashed　him。　He　was　already　a　sick　man。　Amnesia　of　some　kind。　I'll　tell　you　all　I　know　later。　Have　his　things　collected　from　the　Ritz　and　his　bill　paid。　And　put　something　out　to　the　Press　Association。　Something　on　these　lines：　'The　Ministry　of　Defense　is　pleased…'no；　say　'delighted　to　announce　that　mander　James　Bond　etc。；　who　was　posted　as　missing；　believed　killed　while　on　a　mission　to　Japan　last　November；　has　returned　to　this　country　after　a　hazardous　journey　across　the　Soviet　Union　which　is　expected　to　yield　much　valuable　information。　mander　Bond's　health　has　inevitably　suffered　from　his　experiences　and　he　is　convalescing　under　medical　supervision。'〃　M。　smiled　frostily。　〃That　bit　about　information'll　give　no　joy　to　rade　Semichastny　and　his　troops。　And　add　a　D　notice…to…editors：　'It　is　particularly　requested；　for　security　reasons；　that　the　minimum　of　speculation　or　ment　be　added　to　the　above　munique　and　that　no　attempts　be　made　to　trace　mander　Bond's　whereabouts。'　All　right？〃
　Bill　Tanner　had　been　writing　furiously　to　keep　up　with　M。　He　looked　up　from　his　scratchpad；　bewildered。　〃But　aren't　you　going　to　make　any　charges；　sir？　After　all；　treason　and　attempted　murder　。。。　I　mean；　not　even　a　court　martial？〃
　〃Certainly　not。〃　M。's　voice　was　gruff。　〃007　was　a　sick　man。　Not　responsible　for　his　actions。　If　one　can　brainwash　a　man；　presumably　one　can　un…brainwash　him。　If　anyone　can；　Sir　James　can。　Put　him　back　on　half　pay　for　the　time　being；　in　his　old　Section。　And　see　he　gets　full　back　pay　and　allowances　for　the　past　year。　If　the　K。G。B。　has　the　nerve　to　throw　one　of　my　best　men　at　me；　I　hav