Kerim undertook to look after the administrative3 problems. As a first step he picked up the telephone and spoke4 to his travel agent and reserved two seats on every outgoing plane for the next week-by B.E.A., Air France, S.A.S. and Turkair.
`And now you must have a passport,' he said. `One will be sufficient. She can travel as your wife. One of my men will take your photograph and he will find a photograph of some girl who looks more or less like her. As a matter of fact, an early picture of Garbo would serve. There is a certain resemblance. He can get one from the newspaper files. I will speak to the Consul5 General. He's an excellent fellow who likes my little cloak-and-dagger plots. The passport will be ready by this evening. What name would you like to have?'
`Take one out of a hat.'
`Somerset. My mother came from there. David Somerset. Profession, Company Director. That means nothing. And the girl? Let us say Caroline. She looks like a Caroline. A couple of clean-limbed young English people with a taste for travel. Finance Control Form? Leave that to me. It will show eighty pounds in travellers' cheques, let's say, and a receipt from the bank to show you changed fifty while you were in Turkey. Customs? They never look at anything. Only too glad if somebody has bought something in the country. You will declare some Turkish Delight-presents for your friends in London. If you have to get out quickly, leave your hotel bill and luggage to me. They know me well enough at the Palas. Anything else?'
`I can't think of anything.'
Kerim looked at his watch. `Twelve o'clock. Just time for the car to take you back to your hotel. There might be a message. And have a good look at your things to see if anyone has been inquisitive7.
He rang the bell and fired instructions at the head clerk who stood with his sharp eyes on Kerim's and his lean head straining forward like a whippet's.
Kerim led Bond to the door. There came again the warm powerful handclasp. `The car will bring you to lunch,' he said. `A little place in the Spice Bazaar8.' His eyes looked happily into Bond's. `And I am glad to be working with you. We will do well together.' He let go of Bond's hand. `And now I have a lot of things to do very quickly. They may be the wrong things, but at any rate,' he grinned broadly, `jouons mal, mais jouons vite!'
The head clerk, who seemed to be some sort of chief-of-staff to Kerim, led Bond through another door in the wall of the raised platform. The heads were still bowed over the ledgers9. There was a short passage with rooms on either side. The man led the way into one of these and Bond found himself in an extremely well-equipped dark-room and laboratory. In ten minutes he was out again on the street. The Rolls edged out of the narrow alley10 and back again on to the Galata Bridge.
A new concierge11 was on duty at the Kristal Palas, a small obsequious12 man with guilty eyes in a yellow face. He came out from behind the desk, his hands spread in apology. `Effendi, I greatly regret. My colleague showed you to an inadequate14 room. It was not realized that you are a friend of Kerim Bey. Your things have been moved to No. 12. It is the best room in the hotel. In fact,' the concierge leered, `it is the room reserved for honeymoon15 couples. Every comfort. My apologies, Effendi. The other room is not intended for visitors of distinction.' The man executed an oily bow, washing his hands.
If there was one thing Bond couldn't stand it was the sound of his boots being licked. He looked the concierge in the eyes and said, `Oh.' The eyes slid away. `Let me see this room. I may not like it. I was quite comfortable where I was.'
`Certainly, Effendi,' the man bowed Bond to the lift. `But alas6 the plumbers16 are in your former room. The water supply . . . .' the voice trailed away. The lift rose about ten feet and stopped at the first floor.
Well, the story of the plumbers makes sense, reflected Bond. And, after all, there was no harm in having the best room in the hotel.
The concierge unlocked a high door and stood back.
Bond had to approve. The sun streamed in through wide double windows that gave on to a small balcony. The motif17 was pink and grey and the style was mock French Empire, battered18 by the years, but still with all the elegance19 of the turn of the century. There were fine Bokhara rugs on the parquet20 floor. A glittering chandelier hung from the ornate ceiling. The bed against the right-hand wall was huge. A large mirror in a gold frame covered most of the wall behind it. (Bond was amused. The honeymoon room! Surely there should be a mirror on the ceiling as well.) The adjoining bathroom was tiled and fitted with everything, including a bidet and a shower. Bond's shaving things were neatly21 laid out.
The concierge followed Bond back into the bedroom, and when Bond said he would take the room, bowed himself gratefully out.
Why not? Bond again walked round the room. This time he carefully inspected the walls and the neighbourhood of the bed and the telephone. Why not take the room? Why would there be microphones or secret doors? What would be the point of them?
His suitcase was on a bench near the chest-of-drawers. He knelt down. No scratches round the lock. The bit of fluff he had trapped in the clasp was still there. He unlocked the suitcase and took out the little attaché case. Again no signs of interference. Bond locked the case and got to his feet.
He washed and went out of the room and down the stairs. No, there had been no messages for the Effendi. The concierge bowed as he opened the door of the Rolls. Was there a hint of conspiracy22 behind the permanent guilt13 in those eyes? Bond decided23 not to care if there was. The game, whatever it was, had to be played out. If the change of rooms had been the opening gambit, so much the better. The game had to begin somewhere.
As the car sped back down the hill, Bond's thoughts turned to Darko Kerim. What a man for Head of Station T! His size alone, in this country of furtive24, stunted25 little men, would give him authority, and his giant vitality26 and love of life would make everyone his friend. Where had this exuberant27 shrewd pirate come from? And how had he come to work for the Service? He was the rare type of man that Bond loved, and Bond already felt prepared to add Kerim to the half-dozen of those real friends whom Bond, who had no `acquaintances', would be ready to take to his heart.
The car went back over the Galata Bridge and drew up outside the vaulted28 arcades29 of the Spice Bazaar. The chauffeur30 led the way up the shallow worn steps and into the fog of exotic scents31, shouting curses at the beggars and sack-laden porters. Inside the entrance the chauffeur turned left out of the steam of shuffling32, jabbering33 humanity and showed Bond a small arch in the thick wall. Turret-like stone steps curled upwards34.
`Effendi, you will find Kerim Bey in the far room on the left. You have only to ask. He is known to all.'
Bond climbed the cool stairs to a small anteroom where a waiter, without asking his name, took charge and led him through a maze35 of small, colourfully tiled, vaulted rooms to where Kerim was sitting at a corner table over the entrance to the bazaar. Kerim greeted him boisterously36, waving a glass of milky37 liquid in which ice tinkled38.
`Here you are my friend! Now, at once, some raki. You must be exhausted39 after your sight-seeing.' He fired orders at the waiter.
Bond sat down in a comfortable-armed chair and took the small tumbler the waiter offered him. He lifted it towards Kerim and tasted it. It was identical with ouzo. He drank it down. At once the waiter refilled his glass.
`And now to order your lunch. They eat nothing but offal cooked in rancid olive oil in Turkey. At least the offal at the Misir Carsarsi is the best.'
The grinning waiter made suggestions.
`He says the Doner Kebab is very good today. I don't believe him, but it can be. It is very young lamb broiled40 over charcoal41 with savoury rice. Lots of onions in it. Or is there anything you prefer? A pilaff or some of those damned stuffed peppers they eat here? All right then. And you must start with a few sardines42 grilled43 en papillotte. They are just edible44.' Kerim harangued45 the waiter. He sat back, smiling at Bond. `That is the only way to treat these damned people. They love to be cursed and kicked. It is all they understand. It is in the blood. All this pretence46 of democracy is killing47 them. They want some sultans and wars and rape48 and fun. Poor brutes49, in their striped suits and bowler50 hats. They are miserable51. You've only got to look at them. However, to hell with them all. Any news?'
Bond shook his head. He told Kerim about the change of room and the untouched suitcase.
Kerim downed a glass of raki and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. He echoed the thought Bond had had. `Well, the game must begin sometime. I have made certain small moves. Now we can only wait and see. We will make a little foray into enemy territory after lunch. I think it will interest you. Oh, we shan't be seen. We shall move in the shadows, underground.' Kerim laughed delightedly at his cleverness. `And now let us talk about other things. How do you like Turkey? No, I don't want to know. What else?'
They were interrupted by the arrival of their first course. Bond's sardines en papillotte tasted like any other fried sardines. Kerim set about a large plate of what appeared to be strips of raw fish. He saw Bond's look of interest. `Raw fish,' he said. `After this I shall have raw meat and lettuce52 and then I shall have a bowl of yoghourt. I am not a faddist53, but I once trained to be a professional strong man. It is a good profession in Turkey. The public loves them. And my trainer insisted that I should eat only raw food. I got the habit. It is good for me, but,' he waved his fork, `I do not pretend it is good for everyone. I don't care the hell what other people eat so long as they enjoy it. I can't stand sad eaters and sad drinkers.'
`Why did you decide not to be a strong man? How did you get into this racket?'
Kerim forked up a strip of fish and tore at it with his teeth. He drank down half a tumbler of raki. He lit a cigarette and sat back in his chair. `Well,' he said with a sour grin, `we might as well talk about me as about anything else. And you must be wondering ``How did this big crazy man get into the Service?'' I will tell you, but briefly54, because it is a long story. You will stop me if you get bored. All right?'
`Fine.' Bond lit a Diplomate. He leant forward on his elbows.
`I come from Trebizond.' Kerim watched his cigarette smoke curl upwards. `We were a huge family with many mothers. My father was the sort of man women can't resist. All women want to be swept off their feet. In their dreams they long to be slung55 over a man's shoulder and taken into a cave and raped56. That was his way with them. My father was a great fisherman and his fame was spread all over the Black Sea. He went after the sword-fish. They are difficult to catch and hard to fight and he would always outdo all others after these fish. Women like their men to be heroes. He was a kind of hero in a corner of Turkey where it is a tradition for the men to be tough. He was a big, romantic sort of fellow. So he could have any woman he wanted. He wanted them all and sometimes killed other men to get them. Naturally he had many children. We all lived on top of each other in a great rambling57 old ruin of a house that our ``aunts'' made habitable. The aunts really amounted to a harem. One of them was an English governess from Istanbul my father had seen watching a circus. He took a fancy to her and she to him and that evening he put her on board his fishing boat and sailed up the Bosphorus and back to Trebizond. I don't think she ever regretted it. I think she forgot all the world except him. She died just after the war. She was sixty. The child before me had been by an Italian girl and the girl had called him Bianco. He was fair. I was dark. I got to be called Darko. There were fifteen of us children and we had a wonderful childhood. Our aunts fought often and so did we. It was like a gipsy encampment. It was held together by my father who thrashed us, women or children, when we were a nuisance. But he was good to us when we were peaceful and obedient. You cannot understand such a family?'
`The way you describe it I can.'
`Anyway so it was. I grew up to be nearly as big a man as my father, but better educated. My mother saw to that. My father only taught us to be clean and to go to the lavatory58 once a day and never to feel shame about anything in the world. My mother also taught me a regard for England, but that is by the way. By the time I was twenty, I had a boat of my own and I was making money. But I was wild. I left the big house and went to live in two small rooms on the waterfront. I wanted to have my women where my mother would not know. There was a stroke of bad luck. I had a little Bessarabian hell-cat. I had won her in a fight with some gipsies, here in the hills behind Istanbul. They came after me, but I got her on board the boat. I had to knock her unconscious first. She was still trying to kill me when we got back to Trebizond, so I got her to my place and took away all her clothes and kept her chained naked under the table. When I ate, I used to throw scraps59 to her under the table, like a dog. She had to learn who was master. Before that could happen, my mother did an unheard of thing. She visited my place without warning. She came to tell me that my father wanted to see me immediately. She found the girl. My mother was really angry with me for the first time in my life. Angry? She was beside herself. I was a cruel ne'er-do-well and she was ashamed to call me son. The girl must immediately be taken back to her people. My mother brought her some of her own clothes from the house. The girl put them on, but when the time came, she refused to leave me.' Darko Kerim laughed hugely. `An interesting lesson in female psychology60 my dear friend. However, the problem of the girl is another story. While my mother was fussing over her and getting nothing but gipsy curses for her pains, I was having an interview with my father, who had heard nothing of all this and who never did hear. My mother was like that. There was another man with my father, a tall, quiet Englishman with a black patch over one eye. They were talking about the Russians. The Englishman wanted to know what they were doing along their frontier, about what was going on at Batoum, their big oil and naval61 base only fifty miles away from Trebizond. He would pay good money for information. I knew English and I knew Russian. I had good eyes and ears. I had a boat. My father had decided that I would work for the Englishman. And that Englishman, my dear friend, was Major Dansey, my predecessor62 as Head of this Station. And the rest,' Kerim made a wide gesture with his cigarette holder63, `you can imagine.'
`But what about this training to be a professional strong man?'
`Ah,' said Kerim slyly, `that was only a sideline. Our travelling circuses were almost the only Turks allowed through the frontier. The Russians cannot live without circuses. It is as simple as that. I was the man who broke chains and lifted weights by a rope between the teeth. I wrestled64 against the local strong men in the Russian villages. And some of those Georgians are giants. Fortunately they are stupid giants and I nearly always won. Afterwards, at the drinking, there was always much talk and gossip. I would look foolish and pretend not to understand. Every now and then I would ask an innocent question and they would laugh at my stupidity and tell me the answer.'
The second course came, and with it a bottle of Kavaklidere, a rich coarse burgundy like any other Balkan wine. The Kebab was good and tasted of smoked bacon fat and onions. Kerim ate a kind of Steak Tartare-a large flat hamburger of finely minced65 raw meat laced with peppers and chives and bound together with yolk66 of egg. He made Bond try a forkful. It was delicious. Bond said so.
`You ought to eat it every day,' said Kerim earnestly. `It is good for those who wish to make much love. There are certain exercises you should do for the same purpose. These things are important to men. Or at least they are to me. Like my father, I consume a large quantity of women. But, unlike him, I also drink and smoke too much, and these things do not go well with making love. Nor does this work I do. Too many tensions and too much thinking. It takes the blood to the head instead of to where it should be for making love. But I am greedy for life. I do too much of everything all the time. Suddenly one day my heart will fail. The Iron Crab67 will get me as it got my father. But I am not afraid of The Crab. At least I shall have died from an honourable68 disease. Perhaps they will put on my tombstone. ``This Man Died from Living Too Much''.'
Bond laughed. `Don't go too soon, Darko,' he said. `M would be very displeased69. He thinks the world of you.'
`He does?' Kerim searched Bond's face to see if he was telling the truth. He laughed delightedly. `In that case I will not let The Crab have my body yet.' He looked at his watch. `Come, James,' he said. `It is good that you reminded me of my duty. We will have coffee in the office. There is not much time to waste. Every day at 2.30 the Russians have their council of war. Today you and I will do them the honour of being present at their deliberations.'
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
shred
|
|
| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
dissected
|
|
| adj.切开的，分割的，（叶子）多裂的v.解剖（动物等）( dissect的过去式和过去分词 )；仔细分析或研究 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
administrative
|
|
| adj.行政的，管理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
consul
|
|
| n.领事；执政官 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
alas
|
|
| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
inquisitive
|
|
| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
bazaar
|
|
| n.集市，商店集中区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ledgers
|
|
| n.分类账( ledger的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
alley
|
|
| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
concierge
|
|
| n.管理员；门房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
obsequious
|
|
| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
guilt
|
|
| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
inadequate
|
|
| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
honeymoon
|
|
| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
plumbers
|
|
| n.管子工，水暖工( plumber的名词复数 )；[美][口]（防止泄密的）堵漏人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
motif
|
|
| n.(图案的)基本花纹，(衣服的)花边；主题 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
battered
|
|
| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
elegance
|
|
| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
parquet
|
|
| n.镶木地板 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
neatly
|
|
| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
conspiracy
|
|
| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
furtive
|
|
| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
stunted
|
|
| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
vitality
|
|
| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
exuberant
|
|
| adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
vaulted
|
|
| adj.拱状的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
arcades
|
|
| n.商场( arcade的名词复数 )；拱形走道（两旁有商店或娱乐设施）；连拱廊；拱形建筑物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
chauffeur
|
|
| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
scents
|
|
| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
shuffling
|
|
| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
jabbering
|
|
| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
upwards
|
|
| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
maze
|
|
| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
boisterously
|
|
| adv.喧闹地，吵闹地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
milky
|
|
| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
tinkled
|
|
| （使）发出丁当声，（使）发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 )； 叮当响着发出，铃铃响着报出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
broiled
|
|
| a.烤过的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
charcoal
|
|
| n.炭，木炭，生物炭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
sardines
|
|
| n. 沙丁鱼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
grilled
|
|
| adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
edible
|
|
| n.食品，食物；adj.可食用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
harangued
|
|
| v.高谈阔论( harangue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
pretence
|
|
| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
killing
|
|
| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
rape
|
|
| n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
brutes
|
|
| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
bowler
|
|
| n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
lettuce
|
|
| n.莴苣；生菜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
faddist
|
|
| n.趋于时尚者，好新奇的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
54
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
slung
|
|
| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
raped
|
|
| v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
rambling
|
|
| adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
lavatory
|
|
| n.盥洗室，厕所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
scraps
|
|
| 油渣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
psychology
|
|
| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
naval
|
|
| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
predecessor
|
|
| n.前辈，前任 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
holder
|
|
| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
wrestled
|
|
| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
minced
|
|
| v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
yolk
|
|
| n.蛋黄，卵黄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
crab
|
|
| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
honourable
|
|
| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
displeased
|
|
| a.不快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |