iam fleming.for your eyes only-第6章

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p　to　Bond。　She　said　anxiously：　〃You　won't　blame　anybody；　will　you？　I　just　wouldn't　let　them　leave　this　morning　without　me。〃　Her　eyes　pleaded。　〃Rather　lucky　I　did　e；　really。　I　mean；　I　just　happened　to　get　to　you　first。　No　one　wanted　to　shoot　for　fear　of　hitting　you。〃
　Bond　smiled　into　her　eyes。　He　said：　〃If　you　hadn't　e；　I'd　have　had　to　break　that　dinner　date。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　men；　his　voice　businesslike。　〃All　right。　One　of　you　take　the　motor…bike　and　report　the　gist　of　this　to　Colonel　Schreiber。　Say　we're　waiting　for　his　team　before　we　take　a　look　at　the　hide…out。　And　would　he　include　a　couple　of　anti…sabotage　men。　That　shaft　may　be　booby…trapped。　All　right？〃
　Bond　took　the　girl　by　the　arm。　He　said：　〃e　over　here。　I　want　to　show　you　a　bird's　nest。〃
　〃Is　that　an　order？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　
　
　
　FOR　YOUR　EYES　ONLY
　
　The　most　beautiful　bird　in　Jamaica；　and　some　say　the　most　beautiful　bird　in　the　world；　is　the　streamer…tail　or　doctor　humming…bird。　The　cock　bird　is　about　nine　inches　long；　but　seven　inches　of　it　are　tail　…　two　long　black　feathers　that　curve　and　cross　each　other　and　whose　inner　edges　are　in　a　form　of　scalloped　design。　The　head　and　crest　are　black；　the　wings　dark　green；　the　long　bill　is　scarlet；　and　the　eyes；　bright　and　confiding；　are　black。　The　body　is　emerald　green；　so　dazzling　that　when　the　sun　is　on　the　breast　you　see　the　brightest　green　thing　in　nature。　In　Jamaica；　birds　that　are　loved　are　given　nicknames。　Trochilus　polytmus　is　called　'doctor　bird'　because　his　two　black　streamers　remind　people　of　the　black　tail…coat　of　the　old…time　physician。　Mrs　Havelock　was　particularly　devoted　to　two　families　of　these　birds　because　she　had　been　watching　them　sipping　honey；　fighting；　nesting　and　making　love　since　she　married　and　came　to　Content。　She　was　now　over　fifty；　so　many　generations　of　these　two　families　had　e　and　gone　since　the　original　two　pairs　had　been　nicknamed　Pyramus　and　Thisbe　and　Daphnis　and　Chloe　by　her　mother…in…law。　But　successive　couples　had　kept　the　names；　and　Mrs　Havelock　now　sat　at　her　elegant　tea　service　on　the　broad　cool　veranda　and　watched　Pyramus；　with　a　fierce　'tee…tee…tee'　dive…bomb　Daphnis　who　had　finished　up　the　honey　on　his　own　huge　bush　of　Japanese　Hat　and　had　sneaked　in　among　the　neighbouring　Monkeyfiddle　that　was　Pyramus's　preserve。　The　two　tiny　black　and　green　ets　swirled　away　across　the　fine　acres　of　lawn；　dotted　with　brilliant　clumps　of　hibiscus　and　bougainvillaea；　until　they　were　lost　to　sight　in　the　citrus　groves。　They　would　soon　be　back。　The　running　battle　between　the　two　families　was　a　game。　In　this　big　finely　planted　garden　there　was　enough　honey　for　all。
　Mrs　Havelock　put　down　her　teacup　and　took　a　Patum　Peperium　sandwich。　She　said：　〃They　really　are　the　most　dreadful　show…offs。〃
　Colonel　Havelock　looked　over　the　top　of　his　Daily　Gleaner。　〃Who？〃
　〃Pyramus　and　Daphnis。〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　Colonel　Havelock　thought　the　names　idiotic。　He　said：　〃It　looks　to　me　as　if　Batista　will　be　on　the　run　soon。　Castro's　keeping　up　the　pressure　pretty　well。　Chap　at　Barclay's　told　me　this　morning　that　there's　a　lot　of　funk　money　ing　over　here　already。　Said　that　Belair's　been　sold　to　nominees。　One　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　pounds　for　a　thousand　acres　of　cattle…tick　and　a　house　the　red　ants'll　have　down　by　Christmas！　Somebody's　suddenly　gone　and　bought　that　ghastly　Blue　Harbour　hotel；　and　there's　even　talk　that　Jimmy　Farquharson　has　found　a　buyer　for　his　place　…　leaf…spot　and　Panama　disease　thrown　in　for　good　measure；　I　suppose。〃
　〃That'll　be　nice　for　Ursula。　The　poor　dear　can't　stand　it　out　here。　But　I　can't　say　I　like　the　idea　of　the　whole　island　being　bought　up　by　these　Cubans。　But　Tim；　where　do　they　get　all　the　money　from；　anyway？〃
　〃Rackets；　union　funds；　Government　money　…　God　knows。　The　place　is　riddled　with　crooks　and　gangsters。　They　must　want　to　get　their　money　out　of　Cuba　and　into　something　else　quick。　Jamaica's　as　good　as　anywhere　else　now　we've　got　this　convertibility　with　the　dollar。　Apparently　the　man　who　bought　Belair　just　shovelled　the　money　on　to　the　floor　of　Aschenheim's　office　out　of　a　suitcase。　I　suppose　he'll　keep　the　place　for　a　year　or　two；　and　when　the　trouble's　blown　over　or　when　Castro's　got　in　and　finished　cleaning　up　he'll　put　it　on　the　market　again；　take　a　reasonable　loss　and　move　off　somewhere　else。　Pity；　in　a　way。　Belair　used　to　be　a　fine　property。　It　could　have　been　brought　back　if　anyone　in　the　family　had　cared。〃
　〃It　was　ten　thousand　acres　in　Bill's　grandfather's　day。　It　used　to　take　the　busher　three　days　to　ride　the　boundary。〃
　〃Fat　lot　Bill　cares。　I　bet　he's　booked　his　passage　to　London　already。　That's　one　more　of　the　old　families　gone。　Soon　won't　be　anyone　left　of　that　lot　but　us。　Thank　God　Judy　likes　the　place。〃
　Mrs　Havelock　said　〃Yes；　dear〃　calmingly　and　pinged　the　bell　for　the　tea　things　to　be　cleared　away。　Agatha；　a　huge　blue…black　Negress　wearing　the　old…fashioned　white　headcloth　that　has　gone　out　in　Jamaica　except　in　the　hinterland；　came　out　through　the　white　and　rose　drawing…room　followed　by　Fayprince；　a　pretty　young　quadroon　from　Port　Maria　whom　she　was　training　as　second　housemaid。　Mrs　Havelock　said：　〃It's　time　we　started　bottling；　Agatha。　The　guavas　are　early　this　year。〃
　Agatha's　face　was　impassive。　She　said：　〃Yes'm。　But　we　done　need　more　bottles。〃
　〃Why？　It　was　only　last　year　I　got　you　two　dozen　of　the　best　I　could　find　at　Henriques。〃
　〃Yes'm。　Someone　done　mash　five；　six　of　dose。〃
　〃Oh　dear。　How　did　that　happen？〃
　〃Couldn't　say'm。〃　Agatha　picked　up　the　big　silver　tray　and　waited；　watching　Mrs　Havelock's　face。
　Mrs　Havelock　had　not　lived　most　of　her　life　in　Jamaica　without　learning　that　a　mash　is　a　mash　and　that　one　would　not　get　anywhere　hunting　for　a　culprit。　So　she　just　said　cheerfully：　〃Oh；　all　right；　Agatha。　I'll　get　some　more　when　I　go　into　Kingston。〃
　〃Yes'm。〃　Agatha；　followed　by　the　young　girl；　went　back　into　the　house。
　Mrs　Havelock　picked　up　a　piece　of　petit…point　and　began　stitching；　her　fingers　moving　automatically。　Her　eyes　went　back　to　the　big　bushes　of　Japanese　Hat　and　Monkeyfiddle。　Yes；　the　two　male　birds　were　back。　With　gracefully　cocked　tails　they　moved　among　the　flowers。　The　sun　was　low　on　the　horizon　and　every　now　and　then　there　was　a　flash　of　almost　piercingly　beautiful　green。　A　mocking…bird；　on　the　topmost　branch　of　a　frangipani；　started　on　its　evening　repertoire。　The　tinkle　of　an　early　tree…frog　announced　the　beginning　of　the　short　violet　dusk。
　Content；　twenty　thousand　acres　in　the　foothills　of　Candlefly　Peak；　one　of　the　most　easterly　of　the　Blue　Mountains　in　the　county　of　Portland；　had　been　given　to　an　early　Havelock　by　Oliver　Cromwell　as　a　reward　for　having　been　one　of　the　signatories　to　King　Charles's　death　warrant。　Unlike　so　many　other　settlers　of　those　and　later　times　the　Havelocks　had　maintained　the　plantation　through　three　centuries；　through　earthquakes　and　hurricanes　and　through　the　boom　and　bust　of　cocoa；　sugar；　citrus　and　copra。　Now　it　was　in　bananas　and　cattle；　and　it　was　one　of　the　richest　and　best　run　of　all　the　private　estates　in　the　island。　The　house；　patched　up　or　rebuilt　after　earthquake　or　hurricane；　was　a　hybrid　…　a　mahogany…pillared；　two…storeyed　central　block　on　the　old　stone　foundations　flanked　by　two　single…storeyed　wings　with　widely　overhung；　flat…pitched　Jamaican　roofs　of　silver　cedar　shingles。　The　Havelocks　were　now　sitting　on　the　deep　veranda　of　the　central　block　facing　the　gently　sloping　garden　beyond　which　a　vast　tumbling　jungle　vista　stretched　away　twenty　miles　to　the　sea。
　Colonel　Havelock　put　down　his　Gleaner。　〃I　thought　I　heard　a　car。〃
　Mrs　Havelock　said　firmly：　〃If　it's　those　ghastly　Feddens　from　Port　Antonio；　you've　simply　got　to　get　rid　of　them。　I　can't　stand　any　more　of　their　moans　about　England。　And　last　time　they　were　both　quite　drunk　when　they　left　and　dinner　was　cold。〃　She　got　up　quickly。　〃I'm　going　to　tell　Agatha　to　say　I've　got　a　migraine。〃
　Agatha　came　out　through　the　drawing…room　door。　She　looked　fussed。　She　was　followed　closely　by　three　men。　She　said　hurriedly：　〃Gemmun　from　Kingston'm。　To　see　de　Colonel。〃
　The　leading　man　slid　past　the　housekeeper。　He　was　still　wearing　his　hat；　a　panama　with　a　short　very　up…curled　brim。　He　took　this　off　with　his　left　hand　and　held　it　against　his　stomach。　The　rays　of　the　sun　glittered　on　hair…grease　and　on　a　mouthful　of　smiling　white　teeth。　He　went　up　to　Colonel　Havelock；　his　outstretched　hand　held　straight　in　front　of　him。　〃Major　Gonzales。　From　Havana。　Pleased　to　meet　you；　Colonel。〃
　The　accent　was　the　sham　American　of　a　Jamaican　taxi…driver。　Colonel　Havelock　had　got　to　his　feet。　He　touched　the　outstretched　hand　briefly。　He　looked　over　the　Major's　shoulder　at　the　other　two　men　who　had　stationed　themselves　on　either　side　of　the　door。　They　were　both　carrying　that　new　holdall　of　the　tropics　…　a　Pan　American　overnight　bag。　The　bags　looked　heavy。　Now　the　two　men　bent　down　together　and　placed　them　beside　their　yellowish　shoes。　They　straightened　themselves。　They　wore　flat　white　caps　with　transparent　green　visors　that　cast　green　shadows　down　to　their　cheekbones。　Through　the　green　shadows　their　intelligent　animal　eyes　fixed　themselves　on　the　Major；　reading　his　behaviour。
　〃They　are　my　secretaries。〃
　Colonel　Havelock　took　a　pipe　out　of　his　pocket　and　began　to　fill　it。　His　direct　blue　eyes　took　in　the　sharp　clothes；　the　natty　shoes；　the　glistening　fingernails　of　the　Major　and　the　blue　jeans　and　calypso　shirts　of　the　other　two。　He　wondered　how　he　could　get　these　men　into　his　study　and　near　the　revolver　in　the　top　drawer　of　his　desk。　He　said：　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　As　he　lit　his　pipe　he　watched　the　Major's　eyes　and　mouth　through　the　smoke。
　Major　Gonzales　spread　his　hands。　The　width　of　his　smile　remained　constant。　The　liquid；　almost　golden　eyes　were　amused；　friendly。　〃It　is　a　matter　of　business；　Colonel。　I　represent　a　certain　gentleman　in　Havana〃　…　he　made　a　throw…away　gesture　with　his　right　hand。　〃A　powerful　gentleman。　A　very　fine　guy。〃　Major　Gonzales　assumed　an　expression　of　sincerity。　〃You　would　like　him；　Colonel。　He　asked　me　to　present　his　pliments　and　to　inquire　the　price　of　your　property。〃
　Mrs　Havelock；　who　had　been　watching　the　scene　with　a　polite　half…smile　on　her　lips；　moved　to　stand　beside　her　husband。　She　said　kindly；　so　as　not　to　embarrass　the　poor　man：　〃What　a　shame；　Major。　All　this　way　on　these　dusty　roads！　Your　friend　really　should　have　written　first；　or　asked　anyone　in　Kingston　or　at　Government　House。　You　see；　my　husband's　family　have　lived　here　for　nearly　three　hundred　years。〃　She　looked　at　him　sweetly；　apologetically。　〃I'm　afraid　there　just　isn't　any　question　of　selling　Content。　There　never　has　been。　I　wonder　where　your　important　friend　can　possibly　have　got　the　idea　from。〃
　Major　Gonzales　bowed　briefly。　His　smiling　face　turned　back　to　Colonel　Havelock。　He　said；　as　if　Mrs　Havelock　had　not　opened　her　mouth：　〃My　gentleman　is　told　this　is　one　of　the　finest　estancias　in　Jamaica。　He　is　a　most　generous　man。　You　may　mention　any　sum　that　is　reasonable。〃
　Colonel　Havelock　said　firmly：　〃You　heard　what　Mrs　Havelock　said。　The　property　is　not　for　sale。〃
　Major　Gonzales　laughed。　It　sounded　quite　genuine　laughter。　He　shook　his　head　as　if　he　was　explaining　something　to　a　rather　dense　child。　〃You　misunderstand　me；　Colo