General Vozdvishensky felt he should defend himself and his department. `There are countless2 enemies of the Soviet3 union, Comrade General,' he protested. `If I want their names, I send to the Central Index for them. Certainly I know the name of this Bond. He has been a great trouble to us at different times. But today my mind is full of other names-names of people who are causing us trouble today, this week. I am interested in football, but I cannot remember the name of every foreigner who has scored a goal against the Dynamos.'
`You are pleased to joke, Comrade,' said General G. to underline this out-of-place comment. `This is a serious matter. I for one admit my fault in not remembering the name of this notorious agent. Comrade Colonel Nikitin will no doubt refresh our memories further, but I recall that this Bond has at lease twice frustrated6 the operations of SMERSH. That is,' he added, `before I assumed control of the department. There was this affair in France, at that Casino town. The man Le Chiffre. An excellent leader of the Party in France. He foolishly got into some money troubles. But he would have got out of them if this Bond had not interfered7. I recall that the Department had to act quickly and liquidate8 the Frenchman. The executioner should have dealt with the Englishman at the same time, but he did not. Then there was this Negro of ours in Harlem. A great man-one of the greatest foreign agents we have ever employed, and with a vast network behind him. There was some business about a treasure in the Caribbean. I forget the details. This Englishman was sent out by the Secret Service and smashed the whole organization and killed our man. It was a great reverse. Once again my predecessor9 should have proceeded ruthlessly against this English spy.'
Colonel Nikitin broke in. `We had a similar experience in the case of the German, Drax, and the rocket. You will recall the matter, Comrade General. A most important konspiratsia. The General Staff were deeply involved. It was a matter of High Policy which could have borne decisive fruit. But again it was this Bond who frustrated the operation. The German was killed. There were grave consequences for the State. There followed a period of serious embarrassment10 which was only solved with difficulty.'
General Slavin of G.R.U. felt that he should say something. The rocket had been an Army operation and its failure had been laid at the door of G.R.U. Nikitin knew this perfectly11 well. As usual M.G.B. was trying to make trouble for G.R.U.-raking up old history in this manner. `We asked for this man to be dealt with by your department, Comrade Colonel,' he said icily. `I cannot recall that any action followed our request. If it had, we should not now be having to bother with him.'
Colonel Nikitin's temples throbbed12 with rage. He controlled himself. `With due respect, Comrade General,' he said in a loud, sarcastic voice, `the request of G.R.U. was not confirmed by Higher Authority. Further embarrassment with England was not desired. Perhaps that detail has slipped your memory. In any case, if such a request had reached M.G.B., it would have been referred to SMERSH for action.'
`My department received no such request,' said General G. sharply. `Or the execution of this man would have rapidly followed. However, this is no time for historical researches. The rocket affair was three years ago. Perhaps the M.G.B. could tell us of the more recent activities of this man.'
Colonel Nikitin whispered hurriedly with his aide. He turned back to the table. `We have very little further information, Comrade General,' he said defensively. `We believe that he was involved in some diamond smuggling13 affair. That was last year. Between Africa and America. The case did not concern us. Since then we have no further news of him. Perhaps there is more recent information on his file.'
General G. nodded. He picked up the receiver of the telephone nearest to him. This was the so-called Kommandant Telefon of the M.G.B. All lines were direct and there was no central switchboard. He dialled a number. `Central Index? Here General Grubozaboyschikov. The zapiska of ``Bond''-English spy. Emergency.' He listened for the immediate14 `At once, Comrade General,' and put back the receiver. He looked down the table with authority. `Comrades, from many points of view this spy sounds an appropriate target. He appears to be a dangerous enemy of the State. His liquidation15 will be of benefit to all departments of our Intelligence apparat. Is that so?'
The conference grunted16.
`Also his loss will be felt by the Secret Service. But will it do more? Will it seriously wound them? Will it help to destroy this myth about which we have been speaking? Is that man a hero to his organization and his country?'
General Vozdvishensky decided17 that this question was intended for him. He spoke18 up. `The English are not interested in heroes unless they are footballers or cricketers or jockeys. If a man climbs a mountain or runs very fast he also is a hero to some people, but not to the masses. The Queen of England is also a hero, and Churchill. But the English are not greatly interested in military heroes. This man Bond is unknown to the public. If he was known, he would still not be a hero. In England, neither open war nor secret war is a heroic matter. They do not like to think about war, and after a war the names of their war heroes are forgotten as quickly as possible. Within the Secret Service, this man may be a local hero or he may not. It will depend on his appearance and personal characteristics. Of these I know nothing. He may be fat and greasy19 and unpleasant. No one makes a hero out of such a man, however successful he is.'
Nikitin broke in. `English spies we have captured speak highly of this man. He is certainly much admired in his Service. He is said to be a lone5 wolf, but a good looking one.'
The internal office telephone purred softly. General G. lifted the receiver, listened briefly20 and said, `Bring it in.' There was a knock on the door. The A.D.C. came in carrying a bulky file in cardboard covers. He crossed the room and placed the file on the desk in front of the General and walked out, closing the door softly behind him.
The file had a shiny black cover. A thick white stripe ran diagonally across it from top right-hand corner to bottom left. In the top left-hand space there were the letters `S.S.' in white, and under them `SOVERSHENNOE SEKRETNO', the equivalent of `Top Secret'. Across the centre was neatly21 painted in white letters `JAMES BOND', and underneath22 `Angliski Spion'.
General G. opened the file and took out a large envelope containing photographs which he emptied on to the glass surface of the desk. He picked them up one by one. He looked closely at them, sometimes through a magnifying glass which he took out of a drawer, and passed them across the desk to Nikitin who glanced at them and handed them on.
The first was dated 1946. It showed a dark young man sitting at a table outside a sunlit cafe. There was a tall glass beside him on the table and a soda-water siphon. The right forearm rested on the table and there was a cigarette between the fingers of the right hand that hung negligently23 down from the edge of the table. The legs were crossed in that attitude that only an Englishman adopts-with the right ankle resting on the left knee and the left hand grasping the ankle. It was a careless pose. The man didn't know that he was being photographed from a point about twenty feet away.
The next was dated 1950. It was a face and shoulders, blurred24, but of the same man. It was a close-up and Bond was looking with careful, narrowed eyes at something, probably the photographer's face, just above the lens. A miniature button-hole camera, guessed General G.
The third was from 1951. Taken from the left flank, quite close, it showed the same man in a dark suit, without a hat, walking down a wide empty street. He was passing a shuttered shop whose sign said `Charcuterie'. He looked as if he was going somewhere urgently. The clean-cut profile was pointing straight ahead and the crook25 of the right elbow suggested that his right hand was in the pocket of his coat. General G. reflected that it was probably taken from a car. He thought that the decisive look of the man, and the purposeful slant26 of his striding figure, looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street.
The fourth and last photograph was marked Passe. 1953. The corner of the Royal Seal and the letters `. . . REIGN4 OFFICE' in the segment of a circle showed in the bottom right-hand corner. The photograph, which had been blown up to cabinet size, must have been made at a frontier, or by the concierge27 of an hotel when Bond had surrendered his passport. General G. carefully went over the face with his magnifying glass.
It was a dark, clean-cut face, with a three-inch scar showing whitely down the sunburned skin of the right cheek. The eyes were wide and level under straight, rather long black brows. The hair was black, parted on the left, and carelessly brushed so that a thick black comma fell down over the right eyebrow28. The longish straight nose ran down to a short upper lip below which was a wide and finely drawn29 but cruel mouth. The line of the jaw30 was straight and firm. A section of dark suit, white shirt and black knitted tie completed the picture.
General G. held the photograph out at arm's length. Decision, authority, ruthlessness-these qualities he could see. He didn't care what else went on inside the man. He passed the photograph down the table and turned to the file, glancing rapidly down each page and flipping31 brusquely on to the next.
The photographs came back to him. He kept his place with a finger and looked briefly up. `He looks a nasty customer,' he said grimly. `His story confirms it. I will read out some extracts. Then we must decide. It is getting late.' He turned back to the first page and began to rattle32 off the points that struck him.
`First name: JAMES. Height: 183 centimetres; weight: 76 kilograms; slim build; eyes: blue; hair: black; scar down right cheek and on left shoulder; signs of plastic surgery on back of right hand (see Appendix ``A''); all-round athlete; expert pistol shot, boxer33, knife-thrower; does not use disguises. Languages: French and German. Smokes heavily (N.B.: special cigarettes with three gold bands); vices34: drink, but not to excess, and women. Not thought to accept bribes35.'
General G. skipped a page and went on:
`This man is invariably armed with a .25 Beretta automatic carried in a holster under his left arm. Magazine holds eight rounds. Has been known to carry a knife strapped36 to his left forearm; has used steel-capped shoes; knows the basic holds of judo37. In general, fights with tenacity38 and has a high tolerance39 of pain (see Appendix ``B'').'
General G. riffled through more pages giving extracts from agents' reports from which this data was drawn. He came to the last page before the Appendices which gave details of the cases on which Bond had been encountered. He ran his eye to the bottom and read out: `Conclusion. This man is a dangerous professional terrorist and spy. He has worked for the British Secret Service since 1938 and now (see Highsmith file of December 1950) holds the secret number ``007'' in that Service. The double 0 numerals signify an agent who has killed and who is privileged to kill on active service. There are believed to be only two other British agents with this authority. The fact that this spy was decorated with the C.M.G. in 1953, an award usually given only on retirement40 from the Secret Service, is a measure of his worth. If encountered in the field, the fact and full details to be reported to headquarters (see SMERSH, M.G.B. and G.R.U. Standing41 Orders 1951 onwards).'
General G. shut the file and slapped his hand decisively on the cover. `Well, Comrades. Are we agreed?'
`Yes,' said Colonel Nikitin, loudly.
`Yes,' said General Slavin in a bored voice.
General Vozdvishensky was looking down at his fingernails. He was sick of murder. He had enjoyed his time in England. `Yes,' he said. `I suppose so.'
General G.'s hand went to the internal office telephone. He spoke to his A.D.C. `Death Warrant,' he said harshly. `Made out in the name of ``James Bond''.' He spelled the names out. `Description: Angliski Spion. Crime: Enemy of the State.' He put the receiver back and leant forward in his chair. `And now it will be a question of devising an appropriate konspiratsia. And one that cannot fail!' He smiled grimly. `We cannot have another of those Khoklov affairs.'
The door opened and the A.D.C. came in carrying a bright yellow sheet of paper. He put it in front of General G. and went out. General G. ran his eyes down the paper and wrote the words. `To be killed. Grubozaboyschikov' at the head of the large empty space at the bottom. He passed the paper to the M.G.B. man who read it and wrote `Kill him. Nikitin' and handed it across to the head of G.R.U. who wrote `Kill him. Slavin'. One of the A.D.C.s passed the paper to the plain-clothes man sitting beside the representative of R.U.M.I.D. The man put it in front of General Vozdvishensky and handed him a pen.
General Vozdvishensky read the paper carefully. He raised his eyes slowly to those of General G. who was watching him and, without looking down, scribbled42 the `Kill him' more or less under the other signatures and scrawled43 his name after it. Then he took his hands away from the paper and got to his feet.
`If that is all, Comrade General?' he pushed his chair back.
General G. was pleased. His instincts about this man had been right. He would have to put a watch on him and pass on his suspicions to General Serov. `One moment, Comrade General,' he said. `I have something to add to the warrant.'
The paper was handed up to him. He took out his pen and scratched out what he had written. He wrote again, speaking the words slowly as he did so.
`To be killed WITH IGNOMINY. Grubozaboyschikov.'
He looked up and smiled pleasantly to the company. `Thank you, Comrades. That is all. I shall advise you of the decision of the Praesidium on our recommendation. Good night.'
* * *
When the conference had filed out, General G. rose to his feet and stretched and gave a loud controlled yawn. He sat down again at his desk, switched off the wire-recorder and rang for his A.D.C. The man came in and stood beside his desk.
General G. handed him the yellow paper. `Send this over to General Serov at once. Find out where Kronsteen is and have him fetched by car. I don't care if he's in bed. He will have to come. Otdyel II will know where to find him. And I will see Colonel Klebb in ten minutes.'
`Yes, Comrade General.' The man left the room.
General G. picked up the V.Ch. receiver and asked for General Serov. He spoke quietly for five minutes. At the end he concluded: `And I am now about to give the task to Colonel Klebb and the Planner, Kronsteen. We will discuss the outlines of a suitable konspiratsia and they will give me detailed44 proposals tomorrow. Is that in order, Comrade General?'
`Yes,' came the quiet voice of General Serov of the High Praesidium. `Kill him. But let it be excellently accomplished45. The Praesidium will ratify46 the decision in the morning.'
The line went dead. The inter-office telephone rang. General G. said `Yes' into the receiver and put it back.
A moment later the A.D.C. opened the big door and stood in the entrance. `Comrade Colonel Klebb,' he announced.
A toad-like figure in an olive green uniform which bore the single red ribbon of the Order of Lenin came into the room and walked with quick short steps over to the desk.
General G. looked up and waved to the nearest chair at the conference table. `Good evening, Comrade.'
The squat47 face split into a sugary smile. `Good evening, Comrade General.'
The Head of Otdyel II, the department of SMERSH in charge of Operations and Executions, hitched48 up her skirts and sat down.
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1
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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Soviet
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| adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃 | |
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4
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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7
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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8
liquidate
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| v.偿付，清算，扫除；整理，破产 | |
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predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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12
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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13
smuggling
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| n.走私 | |
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14
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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liquidation
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| n.清算，停止营业 | |
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16
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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underneath
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negligently
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blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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concierge
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| n.管理员；门房 | |
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eyebrow
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| n.眉毛，眉 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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31
flipping
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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boxer
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| n.制箱者，拳击手 | |
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vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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36
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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judo
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| n.柔道 | |
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tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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tolerance
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| n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差 | |
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40
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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42
scribbled
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| v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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scrawled
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| 乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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45
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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ratify
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| v.批准，认可，追认 | |
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47
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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48
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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