Should he oblige the Bond man and be tidy? Join Mary in whatever place suicides go to? Or go through with it-the indignity5, the dreary6 formalities, the headlines, the boredom7 and drabness of a life sentence that would inevitably8 end with his third coronary? Or should he defend himself-plead wartime, a struggle with Oberhauser, prisoner trying to escape, Oberhauser knowing of the gold cache, the natural temptation of Smythe to make away with the bullion9, he, a poor officer of the commandos confronted with sudden wealth?
Should he dramatically throw himself on the mercy of the court? Suddenly Major Smythe saw himself in the dock-a splendid, upright figure, in the fine bemedaled blue and scarlet11 of the ceremonial uniform that was the traditional rig for courtmartial. (Had the moths12 got into the japanned box in the spare room at Wavelets? Had the damp? Luna would have to look to it.) A day in the sunshine, if the weather held. A good brushing. With the help of his corset, he could surely still get his forty-inch waist into the thirty-four-inch trousers Gieves had made for him twenty, thirty, years ago. And, down on the floor of the court, at Chatham probably, the Prisoners' Friend, some staunch fellow, at least of colonel's rank in deference13 to his own seniority, would be pleading his cause. And there was always the possibility of appeal to a higher court. Why, the whole affair might become a cause cйlиbre... he would sell his story to the papers, write a book....
Major Smythe felt the excitement mounting in him. Careful, old boy! Careful! Remember what the good old snip-cock had said! He put his feet to the ground and had a rest amidst the dancing waves of the northeast trades that kept the North Shore so delightfully14 cool until the torrid months-August, September, October-of the hurricane season. He would soon be having his two pink gins, skimpy lunch, and happily sodden15 siesta16, after which he would have to give all this more careful thought. And then there were cocktails17 with the Arundels and dinner at the Shaw Park Beach Club with the Marchesis. Then some high bridge and home to his Seconal sleep. Cheered by the prospect18 of the familiar routine, the black shadow of Bond retreated into the background. Now then, scorp, where are you? Octopussy's waiting for her lunch! Major Smythe put his head down, and his mind freshly focused and his eyes questing, continued his leisurely21 swim along the shallow valley between the coral clumps22 that led out toward the white-fringed reef. Almost at once he saw the two spiny24 antennae25 of a lobster26, or rather of its cousin, the West Indian langouste, weaving inquisitively28 toward him, toward the turbulence29 he was creating, from a deep fissure30 under a coral boulder31. From the thickness of the antennae, it would be a big one, three or four pounds! Normally, Major Smythe would have put his feet down and delicately stirred up the sand in front of the lair32 to bring the lobster farther out, for they are an inquisitive27 family. Then he would have speared it through the head and taken it back for lunch. But today there was only one prey in his mind, one shape to concentrate on--the shaggy, irregular silhouette33 of a scorpionfish. And, ten minutes later, he saw a clump23 of seaweedy rock on the white sand that wasn't just a clump of seaweedy rock. He put his feet softly down and watched the poison spines35 erect36 themselves along the back of the thing. It was a good-sized one, perhaps three-quarters of a pound. He got his three-pronged spear ready and inched forward. Now the red angry eyes of the fish were wide open and watching him. He would have to make a single quick lunge from as nearly the vertical37 as possible; otherwise, he knew from experience, the barbed prongs, needle-sharp though they were, would almost certainly bounce off the horny head of the beast. He swung his feet up off the ground and paddled forward very slowly, using his free hand as a fin10. Now! He lunged forward and downward. But the scorpionfish had felt the tiny approaching Shockwave of the spear. There was a flurry of sand, and it had shot up in a vertical takeoff and whirred, in almost birdlike flight, under Major Smythe's belly38.
Major Smythe cursed and twisted around in the water. Yes, it had done what the scorpionfish so often does-gone for refuge to the nearest algae-covered rock, and there, confident in its superb camouflage39, gone to ground on the seaweed. Major Smythe had only to swim a few feet, lunge down again, this time more accurately40, and he had it, flapping and squirming on the end of his spear.
The excitement and the small exertion41 had caused Major Smythe to pant, and he felt the old pain across his chest lurking42, ready to come at him. He put his feet down, and after driving his spear all the way through the fish, held it, still flapping desperately43, out of the water. Then he slowly made his way back across the lagoon44 on foot and walked up the sand of his beach to the wooden bench under the sea-grape. Then he dropped the spear with its jerking quarry45 on the sand beside him and sat down to rest.
It was perhaps five minutes later that Major Smythe felt a curious numbness46 more or less in the region of his solar plexus. He looked casually48 down, and his whole body stiffened49 with horror and disbelief. A patch of his skin, about the size of a cricket ball, had turned white under his tan, and, in the center of the patch, there were three punctures50, one below the other, topped by little beads51 of blood. Automatically, Major Smythe wiped away the blood. The holes were only the size of pinpricks. Major Smythe remembered the rising flight of the scorpionfish, and he said aloud, with awe34 in his voice, but without animosity, "You got me, you bastard52! By God, you got me!"
He sat very still, looking down at his body and remembering what it said about scorpionfish stings in the book he had borrowed from the Institute and had never returned-Dangerous Marine53 Animals, an American publication. He delicately touched and then prodded54 the white area around the punctures. Yes, the skin had gone totally numb47, and now a pulse of pain began to throb55 beneath it. Very soon this would become a shooting pain. Then the pain would begin to lance all over his body and become so intense that he would throw himself on the sand, screaming and thrashing about, to rid himself of it. He would vomit56 and foam57 at the mouth, and then delirium58 and convulsions would take over until he lost consciousness. Then, inevitably in his case, there would ensue cardiac failure and death. According to the book the whole cycle would be complete in about a quarter of an hour-that was all he had left-fifteen minutes of hideous59 agony! There were cures, of course-procaine, antibiotics60 and antihistamines-if his weak heart would stand them. But they had to be near at hand. Even if he could climb the steps up to the house, and supposing Dr. Cahusac had these modern drugs, the doctor couldn't possibly get to Wavelets in under an hour.
The first jet of pain seared into Major Smythe's body and bent61 him over double. Then came another and another, radiating through his stomach and limbs. Now there was a dry, metallic62 taste in his mouth, and his lips were prickling. He gave a groan63 and toppled off the seat onto the beach. A flapping on the sand beside his head reminded him of the scorpionfish. There came a lull64 in the spasms65 of pain. Instead, his whole body felt as though it was on fire, but, beneath the agony, his brain cleared. But of course! The experiment! Somehow, somehow he must get out to Octopussy and give her her lunch!
"Oh Pussy20, my Pussy, this is the last meal you'll get."
Major Smythe mouthed the refrain to himself as he crouched66 on all fours, found his mask, and struggled to force it over his face. Then he got hold of his spear, tipped with the still flapping fish, and clutching his stomach with his free hand, crawled and slithered down the sand and into the water.
It was fifty yards of shallow water to the lair of the octopus19 in the coral cranny, and Major Smythe, screaming all the while into his mask, crawling mostly on his knees, somehow made it. As he came to the last approach and the water became deeper, he had to get to his feet, and the pain made him jiggle to and fro, as if he were a puppet manipulated by strings67. Then he was there, and with a supreme68 effort of will, he held himself steady as he dipped his head down to let some water into his mask and clear the mist of his screams from the glass. Then, blood pouring from his bitten lower lip, he bent carefully down to look into Octopussy's house. Yes! The brown mass was still there. It was stirring excitedly. Why? Major Smythe saw the dark strings of his blood curling lazily down through the water. Of course! The darling was tasting his blood. A shaft69 of pain hit Major Smythe and sent him reeling. He heard himself babbling70 deliriously71 into his mask. Pull yourself together, Dexter, old boy! You've got to give Pussy her lunch! He steadied himself, and holding the spear well down the shaft, lowered the fish down toward the writhing72 hole.
Would Pussy take the bait? The poisonous bait that was killing73 Major Smythe but to which an octopus might be immune? If only Bengry could be here to watch! Three tentacles74, weaving excitedly, came out of the hole and wavered around the scorpionfish. Now there was a gray mist in front of Major Smythe's eyes. He recognized it as the edge of unconsciousness and feebly shook his head to clear it. And then the tentacles leaped! But not at the fish! At Major Smythe's hand and arm. Major Smythe's torn mouth stretched in a grimace75 of pleasure. Now he and Pussy had shaken hands! How exciting! How truly wonderful!
But then the octopus, quietly, relentlessly76 pulled downward, and terrible realization77 came to Major Smythe. He summoned his dregs of strength and plunged78 his spear down. The only effect was to push the scorpionfish into the mass of the octopus and offer more arm to the octopus. The tentacles snaked upward and pulled more relentlessly. Too late, Major Smythe scrabbled away his mask. One bottled scream burst out across the empty bay, then his head went under and down, and there was an explosion of bubbles to the surface. Then Major Smythe's legs came up and the small waves washed his body to and fro while the octopus explored his right hand with its buccal orifice and took a first tentative bite at a finger with its beaklike jaws79.
* * *
The body was found by two young Jamaicans spinning for needlefish from a canoe. They speared the octopus with Major Smythe's spear, killed it in the traditional fashion by turning it inside out and biting its head off, and brought the three corpses80 home. They turned Major Smythe's body over to the police, and had the scorpionfish and the seacat for supper.
The local correspondent of the Daily Gleaner81 reported that Major Smythe had been killed by an octopus, but the paper translated this into "found drowned" so as not to frighten away the tourists.
Later, in London, James Bond, privately82 assuming "suicide," wrote the same verdict of "found drowned," together with the date, on the last page and closed the bulky file.
It is only from the notes of Dr. Cahusac, who performed the autopsy83, that it has been possible to construct some kind of a postscript84 to the bizarre and pathetic end of a once valuable officer of the Secret Service.
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1
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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4
taxpayers
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| 纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 ) | |
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indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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boredom
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| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
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8
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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bullion
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| n.金条，银条 | |
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fin
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| n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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12
moths
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| n.蛾( moth的名词复数 ) | |
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13
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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14
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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15
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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16
siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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17
cocktails
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| n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 )；餐前开胃菜；混合物 | |
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18
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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octopus
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| n.章鱼 | |
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20
pussy
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| n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪 | |
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21
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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22
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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23
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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24
spiny
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| adj.多刺的，刺状的；n.多刺的东西 | |
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antennae
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| n.天线；触角 | |
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lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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27
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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inquisitively
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| 过分好奇地； 好问地 | |
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turbulence
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| n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流 | |
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fissure
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| n.裂缝；裂伤 | |
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31
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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32
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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33
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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34
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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35
spines
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| n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊 | |
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36
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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37
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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38
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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39
camouflage
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| n./v.掩饰，伪装 | |
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40
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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41
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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42
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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43
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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44
lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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45
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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46
numbness
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| n.无感觉，麻木，惊呆 | |
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47
numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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48
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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49
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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50
punctures
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| n.（尖物刺成的）小孔( puncture的名词复数 )；（尤指）轮胎穿孔；（尤指皮肤上被刺破的）扎孔；刺伤v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的第三人称单数 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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51
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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52
bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
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53
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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54
prodded
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| v.刺，戳( prod的过去式和过去分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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55
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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56
vomit
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| v.呕吐，作呕；n.呕吐物，吐出物 | |
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57
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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58
delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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59
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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60
antibiotics
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| n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 ) | |
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61
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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62
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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63
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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64
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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65
spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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66
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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68
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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69
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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70
babbling
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| n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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71
deliriously
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| adv.谵妄（性）；发狂；极度兴奋/亢奋；说胡话 | |
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72
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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73
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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74
tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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75
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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76
relentlessly
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| adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断 | |
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77
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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78
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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79
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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80
corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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81
gleaner
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| n.拾穗的人；割捆机 | |
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82
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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autopsy
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| n.尸体解剖；尸检 | |
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postscript
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| n.附言，又及；(正文后的)补充说明 | |
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