johngardner.rollofhonor-第25章

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！


　〃The　plan　you　outlined　to　me　…　the　way　to　get　your　eyes　on　the　current　Epoc　frequency　〃Yes。〃
　〃It　is　imperative　that　we　have　the　frequency　which　es　into　operation　at　midnight　tonight；　covering　the　next　two　days。
　〃I　can　get　it；　but　〃We'll　do　without　any　buts；　James。　　SPECTRE　are　still　most　unhappy　about　using　you。　　They　have　sent　a　message；　which　I　am　to　give　you；　alone。〃　Bond　waited。　　There　was　a　pause　of　a　few　seconds。
　〃Those　who　speak　for　SPECTRE　say　that　you　already　know　they　are　not　squeamish。　　They　also　say　that　it　is　useless　for　us　to　threaten　you　with　death　or　anything　else；　if　you　don't　carry　out　orders　to　the　letter。〃　He　gave　the　ghost　of　a　smile。　　〃I　happen　to　believe　that　you're　with　us　all　the　way。　　If　you're　doubling；　then　I'd　have　to　admit　you've　fooled　me。　However；　just　so　that　we　all　know　where　we　stand；　I　am　to　tell　you　the　worst　that　can　happen。
　Again　Bond　did　not　reply；　or　allow　any　change　in　his　expression。
　〃The　operation　to　which　we　are　all　now　mitted　has　peaceful　aims；　I　must　stress　this。　　True；　it　will　alter　history。　　Certainly　it　will　bring　about　some　chaos。　　There　will　undoubtedly　be　resistance　from　reactionaries。　　But　the　change　will　e；　and　with　it　Peace。〃　He　made　it　plain；　by　his　tone　that　the　word　was　given　a　capital　P。
　〃So？〃
　〃So；　the　EPOC　frequency　is　a　prerequisite　to　SPECTRE'S　plan　for　the　Peaceful　solution。　　If　all　goes　well；　there　will　be　little　or　no　bloodshed。　　If　anyone　is　hurt　or　killed；　it　will　be　the　fault　of　those　trying　to　make　a　stand　against　the　inevitable。〃　Holy　clasped　his　hands　together　gently　and　placed　them　on　the　table　in　a　gesture　of　open　and　frank　paternal　counselling。
　〃What　I　am　instructed　to　tell　you　is　that；　should　you　fail　us；　or　try　any　tricks　to　foil　what　cannot　be　foiled；　the　operation　will　still　go　ahead；　but　the　Peaceful　solution　will　have　to　be　abandoned。　　Without　the　EPOC　frequency　there　is　one　way　only　…　the　way　of　horror；　terror　and　the　ultimate　holocaust。
　〃I　。　　。　　。　　〃　Bond　began；　but　was　stopped　short　by　Holy's　glare。
　〃They　wish　me　to　make　it　clear　to　you　that；　should　you　be　tempted　to　cut　and　run；　not　provide　the　frequency；　or　…　worse　…　try　to　alter　it；　then　the　blood　and　deaths　of　millions　will　be　on　your　head；　and　yours　alone。　They　aren't　bluffing；　James。　　We　have　worked　for　them；　and　they　terrify　me。〃
　〃Do　they　terrify　General　Zwingli　as　well？〃
　〃He　is　a　tough　old　bird；'　Holy　said；　more　relaxed。　　〃A　tough　but　disillusioned　old　bird。　　But；　yes；　they　also　frighten　him。〃　He　spread　his　hands　on　the　table；　near　the　telephone；　palms　downwards。　　〃Joe　Zwingli　lost　all　faith　in　his　country　roughly　at　the　time　that　I　too　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　United　States　had　bee　a　degenerate；　self…serving　nation；　led　by　corrupt　men。　　I　deduced　that　America　…　like　Britain　could　never　be　altered　from　the　inside。　　It　had　to　be　done　from　without。　　Together　we　dreamed　up　the　idea　of　disappearing；　working　for　a　truly　democratic　society；　and　world　peace；　from　the　obscurity　of。　　。
　。　　what　shall　I　call　it？　　。　　。　　。　　the　obscurity　of　the　grave？〃
　〃How　about　the　obscurity　of　a　whited　sepulchre？〃　Too　late；　Bond　checked　his　impulse　to　be　less　than　friendly　with　the　devious　doctor。
　Epoc　The　green　eyes　hardened；　diamonds　reflecting　light。
　〃Not　worthy；　James。　　Not　if　you're　with　us。〃
　〃I　was　thinking　it　was　what　the　world　might　say。〃
　〃The　world　will　be　a　very　different　place　within　the　next　forty…eight　hours。　　Few　will　be　concerned　with　what　I　did。　　Many　will　look　with　hope　to　what　I　have　done。〃　Bond　swerved　back　to　the　matter　in　hand。　　〃So　I　go　tonight　…　if　you've　decided　my　idea's　the　best。〃
　〃You　go　tonight；　and　you　set　things　in　motion　before　you　go。　　The　Duty　Security　Officer's　name　is　Denton　Anthony　Denton。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃You　know　him？〃　Bond　knew　Tony　Denton　well。
　They　had　attended　courses　together　in　the　past；　and；　a　few　years　ago；　had　been　on　a　bring…'em…back…alive　trip　to　secure　a　defector　who　had　walked　into　the　Embassy　in　Helsinki。　　Yes；　he　knew　good　old　Tony　Denton；　though　it　would　make　no　difference　at　all　if　his　instructions　had　been　taken　to　heart　at　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters。
　〃He　goes　on　duty　at　six　in　the　evening；　I　understand；'　Holy　prompted。
　Bond　said　that　certainly　used　to　be　the　old　routine。
　Holy　suggested　he　should　make　the　telephone　call　at　about　six…thirty。　〃In　the　meantime；　I　think　you'd　better　take　some　rest。　　If　you　do　the　job　properly；　as　you　must；　for　the　sake　of　your　own　peace　of　mind；　not　to　mention　the　millions　who　are　unknowingly　staking　their　lives　on　you；　we　can　all　look　to　a　brighter　future　…　to　those　broad；　sunlit　uplands　of　which　a　great　statesman　once　spoke。〃
　〃I　go　in　my　own　car。〃　He　was　not　asking　but　telling　Holy。
　〃If　you　insist。　　I　shall　have　to　have　the　telephone　disconnected；　but　you'll　not　object　to　that。〃
　〃Just　leave　me　an　engine　and　a　plete　set　of　wheels。〃　Epoc　Holy　allowed　himself　the　ghost　of　a　smile。　　Then　the　face　hardened　again。
　〃James　Bond　knew　suddenly　that　he　was　going　to　say　something　unpleasant。
　〃James；　I'm　giving　you　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　　I　understand　the　nubile　Miss　Chalmer　was　in　your　room　last　night。　　e　to　that；　you　were　in　hers　until　the　early　hours。　　I　must　ask　you；　did　Cindy　Chalmer　give　you　anything？　　Or　try　to　pass　something　to　you？〃
　〃I　trust　not　then　he　realised　this　was　not　the　time　for　facetious　remarks。　　〃No。
　Nothing。　　Should　she　have？〃　Holy　stared　at　the　table。　　〃She　says　not。
　Idiot　girl。
　Sometime　yesterday　she　removed　what　she　imagined　to　be　a　rather　important　puter　program　from　the　laboratory。　　She's　shown　signs　of　wilfulness　before　now；　so　I　set　a　small　trap　for　her。　　The　program　she　stole　was　rubbish；　quite　worthless。　　She　says　that　you　knew　nothing　of　her　action；　and　I'm　inclined　to　believe　her。　　But　the　fact　remains　that　she　hid　the　disk　among　your　clothes　where；　James；　if　has　been　found。
　Cindy　made　quite　a　speech　about　it。　　She　seems　to　think　that　we're　…　as　she　puts　it　…　up　to　no　good。　　So；　she　took　the　disk　as　some　kind　of　evidence　and　hid　it　in　your　room　until　she　could　think　of　a　way　to　use　it　against　me。〃　He　became　hesitant。
　〃We've　kept　it　in　the　family；　James　…　by　which　I　mean　that　we've　not　let　it　go　beyond　Dazzle　and　myself。　　My　partners；　Rahani　and　Zwingli；　could　bee　alarmed；　might　even　pass　it　on　to　the　representatives　of　SPECTRE。　I　don't　think　we'd　want　that；　not　a　domestic　thing。　　None　of　their　business。〃　So；　thought　Bond；　as　serious　a　matter　as　stealing　even　a　dummy　back…up　program　of　the　Balloon　Game　on　which；　he　presumed；　the　whole　operation　for　SPECTRE　was　based　could　be　overlooked　and　kept　〃in　the　family'。
　It　was　an　interesting　turn　of　events。　　What　it　did　show　was　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　lived　in　terror　of　SPECTRE；　and　that　was　a　piece　of　deduction　which　may　well　be　put　to　valuable　use　later。
　〃Cindy？〃　Bond　mused。　　〃What。　　？〃
　〃Will　happen　to　her？　　She　is　regarded　as　one　of　my　family。　　She　will　be　disciplined；　like　a　child；　and　kept　under　lock　and　key。　　Dazzle　is　seeing　to　it。〃
　〃I　haven't　set　eyes　on　your　wife　recently。
　〃No；　she　prefers　to　remain　in　the　background；　but　she　has　certain　tasks　to　perform；　tasks　necessary　to　success。
　What　I　really　wish　to　ask　of　you；　James；　is　that　we　keep　this　business　about　Miss　Chalmer　to　ourselves。　　Keep　it　as　a　personal　matter。　　I　mean；　we　don't　mention　it　to　anybody。　　Personal；　between　us；　eh？〃
　〃It's　personal　enough　already。〃　Bond　clamped　his　mouth　shut。　　What　else　was　there　to　say？
　Tigerbalm　came　for　him　shortly　after　six　o'clock。　　They　had　not　locked　him　in；　though　food　was　served　on　a　tray；　brought　up　by　a　young　Arab。　Tigerbalm　was　very　polite。
　They　went　to　the　same　room　as　before；　with　its　bolted…down　table　and　chairs。　　The　only　difference　this　time　was　that　a　tape　recorder；　with　a　separate　set　of　earphones；　had　been　hooked　up　to　the　telephone。
　〃It's　time；　then。〃　Holy　was　not　alone。　　Tamil　Rahani　stood　beside　him；　while　the　large；　craggy　face　of　General　Zwingli　peered　out　from　behind　them。
　〃I　can't　promise　this　part　will　work。〃　Bond's　voice　was　flat　and　calm。　So　calm　that　it　appeared　to　activate　something　deep　within　General　Zwingli；　who　pushed　his　way　through　his　partners；　sticking　out　a　leathery　hand。
　〃We　haven't　met；　mander　Bond。〃　The　voice　had　a　slightly　Texan　tang　to　it。　　〃My　name's　Joe　Zwingli；　and　I　just　want　to　wish　you　luck；　son。　　Get　in　there　and　make　it　happen　for　us。　　It's　in　a　great　cause　…　to　put　your　country　and　mine　back　on　their　feet；　give　them　some　new　order　in　the　midst　of　their　present　chaos。〃　Bond　did　not　want　to　disillusion　the　man。　But　a　scheme　of　SPECTRE'S　that　was　not　for　their　good　alone；　he　reckoned；　would　never　see　the　light　of　day。
　He　played　it　to　the　hilt。　　〃I'll　do　what　I　can；　sir。〃　Then　he　sat　down　and　waited　for　Holy　to　set　the　tape　monitor；　put　on　the　headphones　and　indicate　they　were　ready。
　He　picked　up　the　handset　and　punched　out　the　digits　to　access　the　small　plex　where　the　S。I。S。　　Duty　Security　Officer　to　the　Foreign　Office　spent　his　twelve　hour　watches；　together　with　specialist　teleprinter；　cipher；　radio　and　puter　operators。　　Two　shifts　a　day；　twelve　hours　apiece。
　The　number　which　Bond　had　in　fact　punched　was　a　screened　telephone　number　known　only　to　the　field　officers　of　his　Service。　　It　was　also　manned　day　and　night；　and　paraded　many　identities；　depending　upon　what　operations　were　being　run。　　That　night　it　was　a　Chinese　Laundry　based　in　Soho；　a　radio　cab　firm；　a　French　restaurant；　and　…　if　the　need　arose　…　the　Foreign　Office　Duty　Security　Officer's　direct　line。　　For　that　purpose　it　had　been　alerted　for　special　action　ever　since　Bond's　radiophone　call　from　the　Bentley　on　the　previous　evening。　　If　the　call　came；　it　would　be　passed　to　one　person　only。　　The　telephone　rang　four　times　before　anyone　picked　it　up。　　〃Hallo？〃　The　voice　was　flat；　disguised　for　safety。
　〃Tony　Denton　…　the　D。O。　　please。
　〃Who　wants　him？〃
　〃Predator。〃
　〃Hang　on　please。
　Bond　saw　Holy　give　a　wry　smile；　for　when　outlining　his　plan；　he　had　refused　to　give　the　cryptonym　he　had　used　as　a　member　of　the　Service。　Apparently　Jay　Autem　Holy　thought　this　one　very　apt。
　They　waited　while　the　call　was　being　switched　through　to　Bill　Tanner；　and　it　was　his　old　friend　Tanner's　voice　which　next　came　on　to　the　line。
　〃Denton。　　I　thought　you　were　out；　Predator。　　This　is　an　irregular　call。　I'm　afraid　I　have　to　terminate。〃
　〃Tony！　　Wait！〃　Bond　hunched　over　the　table。　　〃This　is　priority。　　Yes；　I'm　out　…　as　far　as　anyone　can　be　out　…　but　I　have　something　vital　to　the　Service。　　But　really　vital。〃
　〃Go　on。〃　The　voice　at　the　other　end　sounded　doubtful。
　〃Not　on　the　telephone。　　Not　safe。　　You're　the　only　person　I　could　think　of。　　I　must　see　you。　　I　have　to　see　you。
　Imperative；　Tony。　　Consul。〃　Bond　used　the　standard　cipher　word　for　extreme　emergency。　　At　the　far　end　there　was　a　fractional　pause。
　〃When？〃
　〃Tonight。　　Before　midnight。　　I　can　get　to　you；　I　think。
　Please；　Tony；　give　me　the　all　clear。〃　Again　there　was　a　long　pause。　　〃If　this　isn't　straight　I'll　see　you　in　West　End　Central　by　morning；　charged　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act。　　As　quickly　as　you　can。　　I'll　clear　you。　Right？〃
　〃Be　with　you　before　midnight。
　Bond　sounded　relieved；　but　the　line　was　closed　long　before　he　took　the　handset　from　his　ear。
　〃Firs